Title: Blood, Sweat and Tears
Author: Dallas
Archive: You can find this at all my CSI stuff goes there first. If you wish to archive this go right ahead but please tell me.
Disclaimer: You think I own it… then you're delusional! But I love you anyway!
Pairing: Catherine and Gil... who else?
A/N: Thankyou to Heleen for reading over and making sure everything was okay. (It's her fault if there's any screw ups wink)
"Daddy! Daddy!" Catie Grissom ran into her parents bedroom, tears streaming down her little cheeks. "Daddy! Wake up!" The four-year-old screamed, grabbing Gil's hand and pulling it hard.
"Ow!" Gil shouted out as he woke from his short nap. "Catie!" He rubbed his eyes before looking at his daughter. "Catie baby, what's wrong?"
"Mommy!" Catie cried while pulling at Gil's arm. "Mommy blooding in kitsen!" Gil quickly picked up the child and ran.
"Catherine!" He bellowed as he ran, hoping that she would answer him. Lindsey came hurtling out of her room at the sound of the screaming, following Gil down the stairs. "Catherine!" Gil entered the kitchen and saw a small river of blood seeping out from behind the bench.
"Mom?" Lindsey came to a halt in the doorway.
"Linds, take Catie." Gil spoke quickly as he handed his youngest child over to her. "I want you to call 911 and then find Josh, he should be in the backyard." Lindsey nodded and headed towards the phone, holding tight to the now screaming Catie. "Catherine." Gil knelt down next to his wife, lightly slapping her face to wake her up. "Catherine, wake up."
"Gil." She whispered, opening her eyes with all the strength she could muster.
"It's alright Honey. Just relax." She nodded slightly before letting lose a bloodcurdling scream.
"Gil, the baby." She whispered with tears in her eyes.
"Everything's going to be fine, Cath." Gil assured his wife, hoping she was to out of it' to notice the blood pooling around her legs. In an instant she blacked out and Gil desperately tried to wake her up again.
"The ambulance is on its way Dad." Lindsey said as she came back into the kitchen.
"Where's Catie?" Gil asked, looking up at his eldest daughter.
"I left her with Josh. How can I help?"
"You know where we keep the alcohol. I need the flask of whisky."
"Dad, I don't think this is the time to be drinking."
"Lindsey." Gil warned her and she immediately rushed off to do as she was told. "Come on Catherine, wake up again for me." Gil pleaded through clenched teeth. He moved behind her on his knees and held her head up as Lindsey returned with the whisky. Opening the flask, he waved the bottle beneath Catherine's nose. Almost instantly her eyes flew open and she drew in a sharp breath. "It's alright, we're here. You just have to stay awake for us okay?" She nodded, still overcoming the strong smell that had woken her. Then the tears began to run down her cheeks.
"We've lost the baby." Her hands came up to her face as she cried.
"Cath, don't say that. Everything's fine, the baby's going to be fine. It probably just wants to come early."
"No not for seven more weeks." There was a siren in the distance, it seemed like forever until the noise was right outside their door. "I'm sorry, Gil." With those words Catherine blacked out again.
She was burning up and her skin felt clammy. Millions of noises melded together to form one loud buzz in her head. The only thing she could identify was the constant pain in her abdomen, like everything inside her was being rejected and slowly pushed out all at once. Strong lights faded people in and out of her vision, and a loud screaming noise pierced the air. It was her… she was the one screaming. Catherine could feel all her muscles convulsing. Something cold kept her feet in place and she pushed against it. She shivered, another contraction was about to hit. She was going to throw up. She could feel her stomach slowly edging up her throat. A cold sweat had broken out all over her body. Her hair felt wet against her neck and her face. Inside her head, her heartbeat pounded.
"Giiiiiiiiil!" Finally the screaming was coherent. She could hear what she was howling. In one quick moment she was plunged back into the noise-filled room.
"Mrs Grissom, we just need you to stay calm." A nurse came into view. She looked too young to know anything about nursing. How could she know what to say?
"Giiiiiiiiil!"
"I can hear her, damn it! My wife needs me, let me in!"
"Mr Grissom, please. I understand this is…"
"You understand?" Gil yelled at the top of his lungs at the nurse trying to calm him down. He was causing quite a scene. Lindsey had left to call the Graveshift, taking her brother and sister with her. It was best to keep them away from the fearful event unfolding. "How the hell can you understand? My wife is in there screaming my name and for the first time in my life I can't be with her. Bullshit, you understand!"
"Please, Mr Grissom. We have our best people in there with your wife at the moment. We just need you to stay calm." Gil gave in and sat down in the closest chair at the nurses' request. Leaning forward, with his elbows on his knees, he waited.
"Giiiiiiiiil!" The scream pierced through the walls of the building. Gil dropped his head into his hands, biting his lip and trying hard not to run to Catherine's side.
"Oh God, Cath." He whispered, tears threatening to spill.
Silence…
No pain…
No noise…
No light…
Just an overwhelming darkness, running through a worn out body. She moans a little, then feels a soft kiss pressed against her forehead.
"Open you eyes, Cath." Gil's soft voice whispers in her ear. Slowly she opens her eyes, pushing against the sleep holding them shut.
"Gil." Her voice is hoarse and quiet.
"I'm here, everything is fine honey." He sits on the bed next to her and gently brushes hair out of her face.
"The baby?"
"He's going to be fine."
"A boy?" Her lips curl up into a soft smile. Relief and pride wash through her eyes. She's got a new baby boy. "Can I see him?"
Catherine tried to push herself up, but Gil held her down.
"Cath, honey… you've been through a lot. You need some rest first, okay?" Before Catherine could try to resist, Gil continued. "Besides, he was born prematurely so the doctors have to do some tests to make sure everything's in full working order."
"Okay." She closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.
"I love you, Catherine." Gil whispered to his, almost, sleeping beauty.
"I love you too." She murmured back to him. "And Gil?"
"Yes Cath?"
"If you name that baby without me… so help me god, I'll kill you."
Gil smiled and tried not to alert his wife to this action by laughing. It was moments like this, that he always knew Catherine was going to be okay. She was strong - she was a fighter. She was Catherine Grissom.
She smiled to herself as she thought about what Gil had said. She had a new baby boy. He came early, but he would be fine. With that knowledge, Catherine drifted off to sleep. Her life was perfect.