Chapter Two:
"I'm coming along," said Doc. "She's my patient."
Grissom glanced at Doc. "I'm her…supervisor. I'm going also."
"Wait, you guys can't fit in the back of the…" Hank stopped as he saw Warrick and Nick step forward.
"Fine. I'll sit up front with the driver," said Hank.
"We'll be right behind you," called Nick with Greg.
He sat there holding her hand as Doc's monitored her vitals.
He glanced at Grissom.
"She's doing fine, Gil. Sara's pulse is slow but she's in great physical shape," said Doc.
They were shoved to the side once the ambulance arrived. They stood there in the waiting room.
"You think she's okay?" Grissom asked again.
"Going to have one hell of a headache…yes, I think she is going to be fine," said Doc.
Grissom nodded slowly as he leaned against the wall.
He stood quickly when he heard her name called.
"Are you the family of Sidle?" asked the doctor.
"Yes…we are," said Grissom.
"She's fine…ten stitches…quite a knot on her head…a concussion but no fractured skull. Is there someone who can stay with her? She'll need someone to wake her every few hours?"
"Yes," said Grissom.
"I don't think there is any need to admit her. She should be able to go home in a few hours," he said.
"Shouldn't you keep her overnight for observation or something?' asked Grissom.
"She's fine. She's going to be very drowsy for the first several hours. I wouldn't suggest any physical activity for several days…no driving or use of any vehicle or work for at least a week. We'll give her a prescription for the pain…she may experience a few headaches…this is to be expected. Contact us immediately if there is any blurry vision, speech, dizziness or mental confusion."
Grissom nodded letting the relief wash over him.
"The nurse will be here in a moment to take you back. You can sit with her until she is ready to go home."
"Thank you," said Grissom.
"Tell the others," said Grissom as he saw the nurse motion for him.
He sat there and took her hand. She lay there as if she were just sleeping. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully until she rolled. She rose quickly and cursed as her hand went up to her head.
She opened her eyes and moaned.
The light was much too bright. Her hands fumbled beside the bed but he quickly grabbed them.
"Sara, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Lights…hit the lights…son of a …" she yelled as she covered her eyes with her arm while she held her head with the other.
Grissom quickly turned off the lights.
"Better?" he asked.
She nodded slowly.
Her arm slowly slipped down.
She glanced around.
"You're in a hospital," he said. "You hit your head."
She moaned when she tried to swing her legs to the side. She glanced down and was relieved that she was dressed.
A nurse walked in and turned on the lights.
Sara quickly covered her eyes.
"Lights hurt?" she asked.
"That would be yes," said Sara as she gripped the side of the bed.
"I have your discharge papers," said the nurse.
"Discharge?" asked Sara.
"I'll make sure she follows the instructions," said Grissom.
She attempted to rattle off the restrictions but Sara grabbed the forms and signed.
The nurse handed her some pills and she gladly took them.
She took the paper cup of water and downed it.
She stood when the wheelchair arrived.
It was only three steps but her feet refused to move. She was surprised when she felt his hands supporting her as she made her way to it.
She said nothing as they wheeled her out and saw a vehicle parked at the front door.
She still said nothing when he helped her get in and drove away.
She leaned back and closed her eyes.
The pain medicine kicked in and she sighed.
"Feeling better?" he asked.
"Great stuff," she whispered. "Just need a bed."
"Coming up," he said.
She felt herself being lifted but she didn't care. She knew the drug induced euphoria would not last but she hoped she would be asleep before reality slammed into her head once more. She murmured something as he gently placed her on the bed. She felt her blouse being tugged off. She didn't care.
She didn't even care when her jeans were removed and soon she felt cool crisp sheets. She felt herself being positioned in the bed.
Like a ragdoll…
Prop me up…
Position me…
Her thoughts were replaced with quiet noise.
She opened her eyes and saw blackness.
Her fingers fumbled to her eyelids.
Yes, they're open…
It's dark…
It's extremely dark…
She shut them and chose to worry about it later as she drifted off to sleep.
His gentle nudging caused her to wake with a start.
She rose but quickly regretted the motion.
She cursed when she ran into a table.
She panicked when strong arms grabbed her.
She shoved him and for a brief moment she was free once more to find a way out of the darkness.
The light switched on and she found herself blinded once again by searing bright light.
He quickly led her to the bathroom before switching off the main lights.
She sat there on the edge of the bath tub.
"Need some help?" he asked.
His voice startled her and she jumped sending her backwards. He quickly caught her this time before her head made contact with the tub.
"Son of a…"
She bit her lower lip.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he said.
"What are you doing in my apartment?" she asked.
"You're uhm in my house," he said quietly.
She stood suddenly but sat back down quickly.
"Why uhm am I in your house?" she asked between clenched teeth.
"You hit your head," he said. "You couldn't stay by yourself."
"My head? Oh my head," she moaned.
"Pain medication must have worn off," he said.
She sat there with her head in her hands as she tried to keep the light from entering her eyes.
"Let me get you something," he said softly.
He returned within minutes and placed two pills in her hand. She shoved them into her mouth and then she felt a glass placed in her right hand. She swallowed the pills and water.
"Think you can lie back down?" he asked.
She nodded.
"This is good…no pain," she whispered as she closed her eyes. "This is good."
She floated once more despite the heavy anchor around her waist that seemed to keep her from drifting away. Her hands made contact with the anchor and she let her hand rest on his. She waited for daylight but it did not seem to come. She held her hand in front of her face and saw nothing.
I'm blind…
She struggled to get up but something forced her back down.
She tried once more but once again the thing was there.
She fumbled around on the bed and then tried to shove the heavy weight from her chest. She squirmed when she realized it was an arm.
"Sara, you need something?" he asked.
"I can't see," she said.
"It's dark in the room," he said. "Would you like for me to turn on the light?"
"Yes."
He released her body and she listened as he walked across the room and gently flicked on a night light.
She covered her eyes.
"Better?" he asked.
She threw back the covers and sat up.
"Why am I here?" she asked.
He looked at her.
"You hit your head," he said. "Sara, are you alright?"
"Why are you here in my apartment? Why is it so dark?" she asked.
"You're at my house. I keep the bedroom dark…in order to sleep during the day."
"Oh."
"How's your head?" he asked.
"My head?" she asked.
"You hit your head," he said letting the concern creep into his voice.
"My head?" she asked as she reached back and cursed when she touched the stitches.
She stood and walked slowly out of the room.
He followed her as if ready to catch her if she swooned.
She walked purposely.
She had no idea where she was and she intended to find out.
She made her way to the living room.
She turned and looked confused.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I don't recognize this place," she said.
"You've only been here once before," he said.
"Oh."
She sat down on the couch.
She surveyed the room as he made coffee.
"Any headache?" he asked.
"No, why?"
He set the cups down on the counter and came to sit across from her.
"Sara, what is your full name?" he asked.
"Sara…Sidle."
"Where do you work?" asked Grissom.
"Las Vegas crime lab."
He sighed.
Two for two…
"Who am I?"
She stared at him.
"Sara what is my name?"
She rubbed her head.
"This isn't funny," he said.
"No…it's not," she said getting up suddenly. "Why am I here?"
"You hit your head! Sara, tell me my name."
She stepped away from him. "I don't know."
He stared at her in disbelief.
"We're going back to the hospital," he said.
"I'm fine…really. I don't like hospitals," she said sitting back down but then jumping back up when he reached out to touch her forehead.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm Gil Grissom," he said.
He waited for a reaction.
There was none.
"You call me…by my last name," he said.
"Grissom?" she asked.
"Yes," he smiled. "That's it."
"Why would I call you by your last name?"
He pulled her up.
"We're going back to the hospital."
"No, we're not," she said matter of fact. "I hate hospitals."
"Sara, you can't remember who I am! We've known each other for six years. We met in San Francisco at a seminar and then I asked you to come to work here with me. "
"You work for the lab also?" she asked.
"Yes…I'm your supervisor."
She stared at him.
"Are we friends?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
She glanced at the oversized shirt on her body.
She knew it belonged to him.
"Are we uhm more than friends?" she asked.
He stared at her.
She doesn't remember…
She doesn't remember the last six years…
"We're best friends," he said.
"Really?"
"Really," he said.
His hand reached out and took hers.
As soon as his hand touched hers, she recognized his touch.
She caressed his hand.
"I remember this…we hold hands a lot. Don't we?" she asked.
"Yes, we do."
She sat back down on the couch.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Confused…head hurts," she said.
"Tell me…about the other persons in our unit," he said.
"There's Nick…Nicky," she smiled. "He's cute…sexy."
He swallowed hard.
"There's Warrick. He's got my back," she said. "Does that make sense?"
"Yes, it does," said Grissom softly.
"Catherine…she can be a bitch at times…but she's okay. She is, isn't she?"
"Yes, she is."
"There's…Greg…he's funny. He keeps asking me for a date. I should go out with him. Shouldn't I?" she asked.
Grissom stared at her.
"You like him?" he asked.
She stared at him.
"He's nice," she said softly. "He'd never hurt me…my head hurts."
"Why don't you lie back," he said.
She curled up on the couch.
He pulled the blanket tightly against her.
"Try to go back to sleep," he said.
"Thanks…Grissom?"
"Yes?" he asked anxiously.
"If we're best friends, why can't I remember?"
"It'll come back," he said.
She grabbed his hand and held it.
"You're uhm good to me…even if you are my boss," she said as she drifted off again.
He leaned down and kissed her lightly.
The only time we ever touch other people is when we're wearing our latex gloves…
We wake up one day and realize that for fifty years we haven't really lived at all..
But then, all of a sudden ...
We get a second chance….
Somebody young and beautiful shows up.
Somebody we could care about.
She offers us a new life with her but we have a big decision to make, right?
Because we have to risk everything we've worked for in order to have her.
I couldn't do it.
"I did," he whispered.
Note from author:
Remember, a deal is a deal. Leave a review for each chapter!
Take care,
Penny