Chapter Three

Chapter Three

As soon as Sara saw Grissom she fell apart, it had been so long since she had seen him, she was happy to be seeing him, but him being there somehow made everything going on with Warrick a lot more real, before it felt like a dream and she would just wake up back at that horrible hotel she had been staying in, or in her mother's guest room, of which she occupied quite a few nights after she had started to trust her mother again. She was worried for her friend and hoped Grissom had some sort of good news. Finally after 10 minutes of them standing there holding each other Grissom spoke,

"Hey"

Sara gave a half hearted chuckle and repeated what he had said to her back to him,

"So is there any news on him yet"

Sara asked hoping,

"No, he's critical and could have brain damage, we have to wait and see how he wakes up…if he wakes up."

She nodded understanding Grissom's words.

He helped her with her bags and guided her to the car. He couldn't believe she was here after months apart, she had changed, she looked healthier, happier, she had that Sara "look" about her again, although she was worried for her friend he could see that her enthusiasm was back, what she had when she first came to Vegas, and what being in Vegas robbed her of.

It was a forty minute drive to the hospital, Grissom thought in a way that was a good thing, they could catch up, hopefully she might talk about what she had been doing all these months, of course they spoke on the phone, but she never really said what she was doing or how she really was, she would talk about random things, things that didn't matter.

At the hospital

Catherine walked into the waiting room, where the rest of the gang were without Grissom, Nick was the first to notice,

"Where's Grissom"

"I don't know he got a phone call, said he had something to take car of and left, he said he would be gone about an hour and a half."

"What!?" Nick couldn't believe his ears, "Rick is laid up in a hospital after being shot and he's got somewhere better to be!"

"Nicky, calm down, he may have a good reason wait till he gets here"

Brass interfered trying to calm they younger guy down, knowing where Grissom had gone, he saw him on his way out, so he questioned it, Grissom gave it up quite easy for Grissom and he vowed to his friend he would keep it quiet, wanting the team to have a good surprise, to try and lighten the mood, although it was extremely difficult.

In The Car

Grissom glanced over at Sara, she was looking out the window watching the scenery go by deep in thought, he knew something was bothering her and he wanted her to talk to him about, whether she would was a totally different matter, he had missed her so much whilst she was away and wasn't whether she would stay here permanently, but it was so weird being with her, he felt like he had just met her again, not really sure of what to say, he just said,

"Are you okay?"

Her head snapped up when she heard his voice,

"Yh, I'm just worried, that's all"

He shook his head at her,

"There's more to it than that I know you, I know when something is bothering you"

"Grissom, one of my best friends is in hospital, that's what's worrying me"

"Ok, I'm sorry"

He turned his attention back to the road hoping that they would be okay.

At The Hospital

It had been nearly two hours since Grissom had left; they were starting to wonder

of his whereabouts,

"This is ridiculous; he should be back by now"

Greg spoke up, bringing everyone out of their thoughts,

"Greg's right maybe we should call him"

"No!" Brass replied to Nick's suggestion, he was just about to argue when they heard commotion outside, they all ran and saw doctors and nurses piling into Warrick's room they all helplessly watch as random orders were being screamed across the room, they all went into panic mode when the paddles were brought out,

"300, clear" shouted one doctor

Nothing

"360 clear"

To everyone's relief the second shock bought him back, and everyone had forgotten about Grissom for a minute, they were getting closer and closer to losing a friend.

In T he Car

They had been at hospital for 10 minutes, Sara couldn't get out,

"What if they all hate me and just shun me, I could never deal with that."

"Sara, they have all been asking me when you're coming back, nobody hates you, they've missed you, so have I, you need to remember that these people are your friends, they accepted the reason you left and moved on, they were angry at first but have forgiven you, and besides everyone in more interested in Warrick getting better at the moment, they'll be plenty of time for you to talk to them, just like there is plenty of time for us to talk." He gave her a comforting smile.

She returned his smile and slowly got out of the car. She was nervous and didn't know why, Grissom was right they are her friends and she wasn't here for them in particular she was here for Warrick to help him heal. They walked through the busy hospital, opting for the stairs knowing it would take longer for them to climb, than if they went in the elevators. They eventually reached Warrick's ward, she remembered when she was in this very hospital after the Natalie incident, bringing back unwanted memories of that unforgettable night, they turned the corner and there they were all gathered in a little semi circle, none of them had changed, they all looked up from their individual trances, as Nick said,

"Sara!?"

Greg cam bounding up to her, she hugged him and walked further towards Warrick's room, she gasped when she saw him, he had wires coming out of everywhere, he was hooked up to a ventilator and IVs in both hands with multiple drips hanging above his head but the first thing she noticed was a thick white gauze around his neck.

As the hours went by they all sat around in the waiting room, catching up talking about cases and Warrick, they decided to stand out in the hall for a while to stretch theirs legs and have a break from sitting. Casually standing outside his rooms carrying on the friendly chatting, when they were all bought to the attention of an alarm going coming from Warrick's room, and just as they had earlier doctors and nurses went flooding in.