Public Records

Demetrius James´ mother came back just as she promised. Out of nowhere the weapon appeared in her hand. Grissom was the first to realize it and to react. He moved in front of Greg faster than anyone would have thought him able to.

When the shot rang out several pairs of eyes went wide. Mrs. James´ out of shock for what she had just done, Greg´s out of fear and Grissom´s because of pain.

Suddenly the room exploded into a fury of action. Several police officers and CSI´s stormed in, securing the weapon and arresting the grieving mother.

Greg was ripped out of his shell shocked state when the big figure of his supervisor and mentor crumpled to the floor. He dropped to his knees next to Grissom. The entomologist´s jacket sported a bullet whole and a quickly growing blood stain on the right side of his torso.

Without thinking twice Greg pulled off his shirt and pressed the balled up material against it. The force with which the young CSI tried to stem the blood flow made Grissom groan in pain.

"Sorry, but i gotta do this." Greg muttered. "S´not your fault." Grissom managed to press through clenched teeth.

Greg wasn´t sure if Grissom meant the shooting or the distress he was causing him.

Without warning Sara Sidle appeared next to him and with the ever observing and cataloging mind of an investigator he recognized not only coworker´s concern but lover´s worry, when she took Grissom´s hand in hers, cradling it against her chest and whispering encouraging words to the wounded criminalist.

If anyone would have asked how long it took the paramedics to arrive, load the barely conscious man up and whisk him away, Greg would not have been able to tell.

He was still a bit dazed from what had happened that he wordlessly followed as Captain Brass ushered him to his police car and with all lights and sirens blearing followed the ambulance to the hospital.

They arrived on time to hear the attending resident say: "We need to find his next of kin." Both the police captain and the CSI were surprised when Sara´s voice peeked up. "That´s me." "Are you Sara Sidle-Grissom?" A nursed in front of a computer screen asked to verify her statement. Sara answered with a confirming nod and a trembling "yes".

In under five minutes Sara was given several forms to read and sign while doctors and nurses were working on Grissom. The moment she signed the last form his gurney was rushed out of the room to surgery and she was left behind.

A nurse showed her, Brass and Greg to the family waiting room. One by one the other members of the nightshift arrived, with Cathrine bringing up the rear.

She was fuming. "They should have called me immediately, i´m his next of kin." Glad that Sara had just excused herself to the ladies´ room Brass explained, "Everything was taken care of." Before the blond CSI had a chance to retort, Greg came to the detectives aid. "He was pretty much able to sign himself." Cathrine eyed the two men suspiciously but decided to drop the subject.

At least for now.

An hour later the doctor came in, to inform them that they had successfully removed the bullet, repaired all the damage and that the supervisor was supposed to recover fully from his ordeal.

Only a week after being shot Grissom was released from the hospital with the stern advise to take it easy and not to return to work for another three weeks.

Sara announced that she was going to stay with Grissom to make sure he would rest, just as the doctor had ordered him so nobody questioned her being there everytime someone stopped by to visit him.

At the end of the second week the whole team and Brass stopped by bearing take out food. During desert Cathrine ominously pulled out two gift wrapped packages and set them down on the table in front of her best friend.

"Get well and congratulations." Confusion was written on everyone´s face, especially Gil´s. "Come on, open them up." She prompted Grissom. "One is a get well present and the other is your wedding gift."

Four pairs of eyes turned into her direction, one pair avoided contact and one pair widened in shock but never left hers. "Did you know, Gil, that public records are just that, public." And with a big smile she added. "It´s amazing what you can find there. Lots of things, like . . .", she drew out the the moment a little bit, "marriage license´s."

With the last words spoken all heads turned back to Grissom and a certain brunet CSI, who both turned beet red at the sudden attention concentrated on them.

"Guess we´ve been found out." Sara murmured. Gil turned to her and with an raised eyebrow said, "You think?"

The whole team broke out laughing and one after the other congratulated and hugged them.