Sara stared at her arm as the hot water hit it mesmerizing her. She noticed it over a week ago when she was showering; her hand had slid over a tiny lump about three inches below her shoulder on her left arm. She ignored it, probably a cyst, now she couldn't ignore it the tiny lump no bigger than one centimetre was slowly getting darker in colour. There was no denying it now there it was the possibility staring her straight in the face, she knew wondering round the desert in the sun had damaged her skin the sunburn that prevented her from sleeping for two weeks was evidence of that but this could be of something far worse. Eventually she tore her gaze form it leaving the shower and going through her morning routine with Grissom speaking to her every so often his voice on of concern for that fact she was withdrawing herself. It wasn't until at work she got the courage to ring for a doctors appointment and by luck they had one the same day she'd ducked out of work knowing Grissom would find and ask why but as she sat in the waiting office that was the least of her problems. The doctor examined her and took a biopsy leaving her arm tender and with a dressing the over up. Sara arrived back at work to find Grissom had been looking for her and she was eventually cornered by him an hour later in ballistics.
"Sara," his gentle voice made her want to break down, "what's going on?" there was no side stepping the point with Grissom. She debated lying to him but she couldn't not when she looked into his eyes those same one she's looked into less than a week ago and agreed to marry. Unable to fully form words yet she lifted her sleeve to show Grissom the dressing.
"What happened?" his arm gently grazed over her as her touched the dressing.
"I found a lump it's probably a cyst," Sara blurted out unaware that hot tears were threatening to fall. Grissom didn't know what to say or to be honest do.
"Best to get it checked out through," said Sara now aware of her crumbling resolve she turned from him blinking back the tears.
"Yeah," replied Grissom as Sara brushed by him on her way out the room. Sara made it through the rest of the day without incident until Catherine caught her arm on the way into the locker room and Sara winced.
"Sorry are you ok?" asked Cath wondering why she reacted so violently. That was all it took one act of kindness and the barriers broke two tears fell as she tried to be ok.
"Sit down," Cath sat Sara down by her shoulder pulling her into a one armed hug.
"I found a lump on my arm I had a biopsy today," said Sara so grateful to have that human touch as Catherine comforted her.
"When will you know?" asked Catherine.
"Friday," answered Sara as another hand touched her shoulder and she was pulled the other way into a hug and the familiar scent of Grissom.
The week seemed to pass in a blur only Catherine and Grissom knew anything about why the pair were leaving early or why when they did Catherine checked her phone every few seconds.
Sara sat in the waiting room her hand gripping Grissom's so tightly her fingers were white as their name was called. She entered the office and she knew she saw the look in the doctor's eyes as they sat down and then it was confirmed the hours spent in the desert clinging onto life fighting to keep going.
"The tumour was malignant."
Those hours weren't the end she had to do it again and she didn't know who much fight she had left.
TBC ??????????
Not sure if I'm going to continue this it just sort of came into my head so I wrote it.
