Thicker than Blood Part 3

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Here is another, I probably won't get to writing the next chapter until this coming weekend, unless the doc says I can't go to practice and racing.

Hope you like!

LL

---

Grissom hated the fact that he had to leave Sara at the hospital alone. He wished someone could be there with her so that she didn't go though it alone. Pulling into the driveway of his townhouse, Grissom got out and proceeded to the house.

"Gil!" Maria squealed when she saw him.

"What are you doing up this late?"

"I got nightmares, so I watch cartoons, which I normally fall asleep watching." She glanced around the room. "Where is Sara?"

"She is still at work. I came back to check on you guys."

"Oh, Mel is in our room, she was crying, but I think she fell back asleep." Maria stated, switching her focus back to the television.

Walking down the hall to their room, Grissom opened it a small amount, "Mel?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"What are you doing here, I thought you went to work."

"I did, but I forgot something in my office here." Grissom lied because he knew that Sara didn't want them to know that she was in the hospital.

"Oh."

"Once I get it, I'm heading back, are you sure that you are alright to get everything ready?"

"Yes, I'm fully capable of taking care of my little sister, I've done it since our mother died 4 years ago."

"Ok, call if you need something."

"Will do."

Fetching clean clothes for himself and some for Sara that she had in a bag she brought over from her apartment. After changing, he said goodbye to Mel and Maria and headed off to the lab.

Sara had been asleep the whole time since Grissom left. She felt a presence around her when she awoke but she didn't see anyone. The room was also dark, except for the glow from the window outside the hospital.

"Sara, you awake?"

Sara thought a minute before thinking of where she knew that voice from. "Hank, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I heard that you were admitted again, so I thought I would stop by and see how you were doing."

Sara could see that he was nervous, he was fidgeting. "You have no right to be here."

"Sara, I know that you were pregnant, and I know that you know that you were too." He paused to look around, then continued, "I saw the way you walked around the lab, I observed you several times. You never stepped foot into the bar you normally go to with the guys on Friday mornings."

Sara held up her hand, "Hank, stop, just stop! What we did was a mistake, and now it doesn't matter."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Hank's voice was full of anger.

"I'm done with you. You never told me you had a girlfriend. And when things got rocky with her you came over and took advantage of me. It doesn't matter!" She paused for a second to gauge his reaction. "It was a mistake, on both of our parts. You need to leave."

Without saying another word, Hank walked out of her hospital room, not noticing who was waiting by her hospital door.

---

Sara was sitting there when she heard the door open slightly. "Go away, I don't want to argue with you anymore!"

"Sara, we haven't been arguing."

"Oh sorry Nick, I thought you were someone else." She turned around to face him, wiped her tear stained cheeks furiously.

"Oh hunny, what's wrong?" Nick asked in a concerned tone moving closer to her bed.

"Who told you I was here?"

"Greg told me what happened at the lab, and Grissom just came back to work, and I got sent home to rest for 2 hours."

"Nicky, you should go home and rest then. I'm fine, seriously." Trying to sound convincing, but she knew it was working.

"Sara don't start that 'I'm fine' nonsense, you obviously aren't fine, if you were you would be at home with your nieces, you wouldn't be in the hospital!" Nick reasoned sounding furious.

Sara broke down into sobs, and Nick moved to sit on her bedside.

"I'm sorry hon, it's been a long day. Can I stay and rest here with you?"

Sara looked up, her eyes filled with tears, and nodded.

It was quarter to 7 and Mel was warming pastries for breakfast while Maria was getting dressed for school.

"Come on Maria, we are going to be late."

"I'm coming. What are we having for breakfast?"

"Pastries."

"Oo, yummy!" Maria exclaimed grabbing hers from the counter.

"Come on, we'll eat them on the way to school."

---

After walking Maria to school, Mel stopped by the lab.

"Hi Mel, how can I help you?" Judy asked.

"Can I talk to Gil or Sara?"

"Yes, I'll page Gil. Sara is out right now."

"Oh ok." Mel responded confused.

"Mel, is everything okay?" Grissom asked concerned.

"Yes, I just stop by to tell you that Maria is signed up for afternoon care at the school, I had a feeling that you and Sara were going to be busy with the case. I can pick her up after school. I should be home around 3 then. Is that okay?" Mel explained.

"Yes, that would be very helpful." Grissom paused thinking about what else he should say. "Sara is going to be home sometime this afternoon. I on the other hand could be pulling a triple."

"So in other words I should order take out for dinner?" Mel looked at his confused look, "the last time I was here Sara could cook, and I doubt that she has tried to learn how, I really don't feel like eating ash for dinner. I'll order take out." Mel tried to contain her laughing.

"That's fine." Grissom smirked. "Now head to school, or you're going to be late."

Mel walked out of the lab, leaving Grissom thinking of Sara…again.

"Hey Nicky, your cell is ringing." Sara said nudging him. Hearing a string of moans, she reached for his phone that was on the table beside her bed.

"Hello"

"Sara? I didn't call you."

"Yeah I know, I answered Nick phone since he fell asleep in the chair by my bed."

"Oh, well can you wake him. We need him to get back here, Greg looks like he is getting ready to collapse."

"Ok, when do you get your next break?" Sara asked into the phone.

"Not for a while, after Greg's 2 hours, Parker is heading home, I'm after him. So it'll be another 4 hours or so."

"But we need to talk Gil, well no, I need to talk, I need you to listen."

"Sara, is everything okay?" Grissom asked concerned.

"Yeah, but I need to talk to you."

"Ok, well if I can I will get out of here earlier."

"Ok. I'll wake Nick up and send him over."

"See you later, Sara."

"Bye Gil"

Snapping the phone shut, Sara kept poking Nick in the side to awake him.

After a few minutes of poking, Nick snaps, "Jeez Sara, what are you trying to do, poke me to death?" Laughing at the humor of what he just said. He starts to move off the bed to gather his coat and leave.

"When are you getting out?"

"Sometime today."

"Well you know that if you need anything then just call."

"Yes I know Nick. Thanks." And with that he left.

"Go home Greg, we can do the rest of this." Grissom said walking back into the garage where they were finishing processing the car.

"Nick ain't here yet." Greg mumbled into his arm.

"Well I don't think that we need 3 people to do the rest of this." Grissom paused. "And when Nick decides to show up, I will put him to work on analyzing material that needs to be sent off to trace."

At that Greg stood up and slowly wandered out of the lab, not even bothering to stop to his locker.

Catherine was walking into the lab and past Greg. But she was out to find Grissom. Looking in trace and DNA and then his office, she couldn't find him. Then she thought about the case he was working on.

Walking into the garage she spots Grissom collecting all the bags of evidence. "Gil, can we talk, it's important."

"Sure Cath, in my office?"

"Sure." Walking back from where she came.

Walking into his office, she sits down on one of the chairs in front of his desk while he shuts the door.

"What's up Catherine?" Grissom asked walking around to sit at his desk.

"Well one of the cases I had today, I needed to go to the hospital to collect some evidence and the SAE kit. Greg had told me that Sara had been admitted so after I was done collecting the evidence I went to go check on her. Most of the lights in her room were off so I didn't know if I should go in but then I heard voices. A voice in particular was concerning me." Catherine paused to gauge Grissom's reaction, noting that she wasn't going to read it, she continued, "it was Hank." After speaking that name she got a reaction out of him. It looked like a thousand light bulbs were being lit at the same time.

"Now everything makes sense." Grissom mumbled to himself.

"You know?!" shock washing over Catherine's face.

Grissom responded "yes" and with that he walked out of his office and out of the lab. He needed to drive. Just drive. He didn't want to go see Sara because he knew that just wouldn't be the best idea. He wasn't hungry, or tired, so what was he going to do to clear his head?

Back at the lab, Catherine was still in Grissom's office, sitting there in silence until she heard the shrill of a cell phone. She unclipped hers from her belt but it wasn't ringing. She looked around Grissom's desk, and there it was. She didn't recognize the number so she picked it up, "Hello?"

"Oh hi Cath, I thought I called Grissom's phone."

"Oh hi Sara, you did. He just ran out somewhere and left his phone in his office. I was passing by and I heard it go off. What's up?" Catherine lied not wanting to mention her and Grissom's discussion.

"Well they say that I can be released, but someone needs to come and get me."

"I can, if you want me to." Catherine offered.

"Thanks, but I really need to talk to Grissom, so I'll just wait for him. Can you have him call me when he gets back?"

"Sure. Take care, Sara."

"Bye"

Catherine hung up the phone and put it back where she found it. Took a sticky note from his desk and wrote CALL SARA on it.

---

After waiting for Grissom to call back, Sara got fed up and dialed Nick.

"Stokes"

"Hey Nick."

"Sara, you okay?"

"Yeah, I am, can I ask you a favor though?"

"Sure, whatever you need."

"Can you come pick me up at the hospital?"

"I'll be there in 15 minutes."

"Thanks"

---

Nick drove as fast as he could to make it to the hospital. Arriving there he parked his car and ran inside to the receptionist's desk. "I'm here for Sara Sidle."

"Yes, she is over there" pointing to the corner of the waiting room where Sara had her arms protectively around her legs. Nick walked over to where she was sitting and knelt down in front of her. "Sara, let's bring you home."

"No, can we go to the school to pick up the girls?"

"Yeah, sure." Nick replied helping her out of the chair and into his warm embrace.

The entire car ride to the school was spent in silence. Nick periodically looked over to Sara who was sitting in the passenger seat. Arriving at the Primary school, Sara went into the school to pick Maria up from after care.

"Sara!" Maria noticed her the minute she walked in. Running up and giving her a huge hug. Maria wouldn't let go so Sara picked her up and walked out to the car.

"Hi Nick"

"Hi Maria, how are you?"

"Good."

"Okay, now where to?" Nick asked looking at Sara.

"We need to go pick up Mel, then to Gil's" Sara responded but didn't look at Nick.

"Why Grissom's?"

"I had to stay with someone for a few days earlier this week, and he offered so I accepted, but I want to go back to my apartment."

"Ok, but I have a question?"

"Shoot"

"When are you returning to work?" Nick let his eyes glide over to view her reaction.

"I'll be in tomorrow. But I get weekends off, well most weekends."

"You like working Day Shift?"

"It's the same work, Nick, just a different time of the day with different people and hell I miss all of you guys."

Nick laughed and placed a hand on Sara's leg, "We miss you too."

"Nick, it hasn't even been a week, how sad is that?"

"We're your family, Sara, don't forget that, not seeing you every day is like not drinking water."

Surprised by what Nick admitted she added, "Just think of when we don't work on the same case. We'll like never see each other." She let a stray tear down her cheek.

When they picked up Mel, they greeted each other, but the rest of the car ride was quite.

Arriving at Grissom's townhouse, Sara turned to the girls, "Can each of you get your belongings and come back out to the car?"

"Why!?!" Maria screamed.

"We're going to be going to my apartment. You'll still have to share a room though."

"What about Gil?" Mel wondered out loud.

"He's still at work."

"He is? I haven't seen him since this morning." Nick responded looking really confused.

"Sara, why don't you be honest with us and tell us what is going on." Mel stated defiantly.

"I will once you go get your stuff." She paused, "Can you gather mine too?"

"Sure." Mel responded while slipping out of the car.

After they were inside the townhouse, Nick turned to Sara, "What the hell is going on Sara?"

"Nick, can you ask me that in a few days when I actually know?"

"Sorry." Nick paused, "was it Grissom who you were arguing with before I came into the hospital room?"

"No, Grissom was the one who was comforting me and helping me." And now he has push away, again. Sara added to herself.

Mel and Maria appeared from the house several minutes later, they had put their stuff into the truck and Nick drove out of the driveway towards her apartment.

"Thanks for the help Nick. Will I see you tomorrow?" Sara said when she was sliding out of the car.

"Depending on the case that we are working on, probably." And at that he got that smile out of Sara.

---

Three days have passed, and Catherine was getting worried, like really worried. She hadn't heard from Grissom. Ecklie has been questioning her about his whereabouts even though she didn't have any idea.

"Hey Cath, I need your help, do you think you can drive Mel and Maria to school on weekdays? And Lindsey can come stay at my apartment while you are at work, that way your mother isn't always pissed at you because she isn't able to have a life."

Catherine chuckled at this and agreed. "How've you been doing with the girls?"

"It's only been a few days, but I think they are adjusting great!" Sara said with a smile.

"How do you like being a Supervisor?"

"Paperwork!" Sara breathed out.

"Yes, there is a lot of that!" Catherine chuckled.

"Hey, do you know where Grissom has been?"

Catherine was nervous that Sara was going to ask that. "No I haven't. Ecklie has been hounding me to find him, but I've been to his townhouse, and found out that he changed the locks, since my key doesn't work anymore."

And with that Sara walked out of Catherine's office.

---

"GIL!!"

"Hello Roger, it's been a long time!"

"I can't believe that you've come out here!" Roger paused, "Seriously, I haven't seen you in years! You look great!"

"Yes well I've been a workaholic since we've graduated college."

"Here, come, I'll introduce you to some of my employees." Roger was showing Grissom the different areas of the lab and in search for some of his day shift CSIs. "Hannah!" Roger yelled at a tall brunette who was coming out of the DNA lab. "Hannah, this is Dr. Gil Grissom from the Las Vegas Crime Lab, Gil, this is Hannah Kant, Day shift Supervisor."

"Wait, Grissom, as in the entomologist?" Hannah questioned.

"Yes."

"Welcome to the Virginia Crime Lab. I have to go. Case." And with that Hannah left practically running down the corridor to her office. Digging out her cell phone she hit the speed dial button.

After letting the phone ring 3 times she thought of hanging up until she heard a voice. "Sara?"

"Hannah?"

"Hey Sara, how've you been, we haven't talk in the past 2 weeks."

"I'm good, taking care of my nieces, but that's a story for a time when we are together."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I have vacation time and the girls have vacation in a week for thanksgiving, would you mind entertaining?"

"Of course not!" Hannah shrieked.

"Okay well I'll let you know how things plan out with everything. Go back to work or Roger will have my ass for keeping you from it." Sara said laughingly.

"Miss you!" Hannah spoke into the phone.

"Hannah get off the phone with Sara and get back to work, but before you do tell her I say hi." Roger said from the hallway.

"Roger says hi, and I have to go, bye!" Hannah closed the phone.

"Roger!" Hannah called.

"What?"

"Thanksgiving, my house, everyone is invited, you too Dr. Grissom." Hannah looked at his surprised expression.