A/N - Ok I am reeeeally unsure about this chapter, please tell me what you think, and I can tweak it. I was in a very fluffy place last night, so I dont know if this flows very well... I made the story of how Jim found out pretty simple... and I got greedy and figured Sara would need a nurse, and I'm a nurse, so I made the nurse me... :)
Disclaimer - CSI aint mine!
Jim got up and sat in the chair across from Grissom.
"Yes, I knew about you."
"How did you know?"
"Oh, four/five months back, after that shooting on Freemont, I was about to leave but remembered I was out of toothpaste. Stopped into the Walgreen's there, and as I was checking out I saw you two at the stoplight, sharing a kiss. I figured you'd tell us when and if you wanted to."
Gil nodded, he remembered that night, they'd worked a double and were excited for their weekend off. "I appreciate you respecting our privacy Jim, you're a good man."
"And I won't be telling anyone now either, somehow I think Catherine would shoot daggers if she knew I have known for this long."
Grissom couldn't help it, he let out a laugh.
"Somehow, I think the same thing."
As the first shift of the breakfast club returned, Brass and Grissom headed down to cafeteria for their meal.
"They asked Nick what your house was like" Brass said as the elevator doors closed.
Grissom raised an eyebrow.
"He said it was small and cozy."
Gil smiled to himself. "Yeah, that's all Sara's doing; did you know that correctly positioned furniture, and small personal items scattered in with books and collections on shelves, gives a room an inviting feel?"
Brass looked at Grissom like he had lost his mind.
"She saw it on HG-TV" Gil said as the doors opened.
"Oh." Was all Brass could mutter as they entered the busy cafeteria.
When they finally found an empty table and started to eat, Gil glanced across the table at Jim. He felt his guard go down, and he shifted in his seat.
"She and I were trying to find a way to get married."
Jim nearly spit waffles all over the table.
"OK, THAT threw me through a loop" He managed to sputter as he wiped his mouth with his napkin.
"Neither of us thought we needed to get married. We have been independent our entire lives, we are dedicated to our careers, we live together, we know we are it for each other. We didn't feel like it was necessary to get married, we didn't need the same last name to make us complete. At least, that's what we kept telling ourselves."
He stopped and looked over at Jim, a drop of strawberry jelly on his chin. Grissom motioned to his chin and Jim quickly wiped his face again.
"Then we went out to the steakhouse at the Wynn for our anniversary, on the way we stopped at a red light and saw a couple coming out of Wee Kirk and get into a limo with the 'Just Married' sign on the back. She had this longing in her eyes as she watched them drive away. So I proposed at dinner."
"Wow." Jim whispered, not able to find any words at that moment. He had worked with Gil for years, but he wasn't the type to let you in, he was private and never shared more than he had to; to have him confessing this almost felt like something out of the twilight zone.
"We just had to find a way, if she switched shifts and went to swing shift we could make it work, I would no longer be her supervisor. But she didn't want to leave the team just yet; it was going to be a hard decision for both of us."
"Gil, you'll find a way to make it work, if you two make each other that happy, you will find a way to make it work."
"I'm going to do whatever it takes, when she heals, I am finding a way, and I am taking her down that damn isle" He said matter of factly. He knew opening himself up made him vulnerable, but he felt safe spilling all of this out to Jim. He could trust Jim.
"Tell me we're all invited." Jim smiled.
Back upstairs Catherine was contemplating leaving, to spend a few hours with Lindsey and she said she desperately needed a shower. Greg remembered his cat, and figured he should at least run home and make sure he still had food and water. Warrick Flipped his phone shut.
"Tina's on her way home, and I'm gonna head home for a while, haven't seen each other in over a day."
Nick looked up, "Well I'm gonna be here until I need to go back to Bruno." A bit sad when he realized everyone but him had someone or something to go home to.
A doctor in light blue scrubs appeared in the doorway. "Dr. Grissom?" He peered around the room.
"Grissom is eating breakfast" Greg said jumping to his feet. The group instinctively huddled together, expecting the worse.
"When he is back, please have him go to the nursing station." The doctor said and headed back through the double doors.
They stood there, huddled together, Warrick wrapped his arm around Catherine, and Greg gave Nick a worried look. Nick flipped open his phone and dialed.
"Nick?"
"Gris, get up here, a doctor just came looking for you, he said to send you to the nursing station."
Grissom got up from the table and dashed to the elevator, Brass on his heels.
They saw Grissom running down the hallway; he almost fell over as he slid to a stop at the nurses station.
"I'm Gil Grissom, a doctor was looking for me, I am with Sara Sidle."
The young nurse looked up from her computer screen "Oh yes, please come with me sir."
The team watched helplessly as Grissom disappeared behind the double doors.
Catherine started pacing. "Oh my god, oh my god" She muttered as the tears started to fall.
"Cath! Cath!!" Warrick grabbed her and pulled her into his chest. "It's ok, It'll be ok, I'm sure Sara is ok."
"You don't know that! What if, what if she's..."
"Don't say it Catherine. Don't say it" Nick pleaded.
Grissom rounded the corner and followed the nurse into Sara's room. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest as Sara turned and looked up at him.
"Sara!!" He exclaimed as he ran to her bedside. He grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek. "Oh Sara...oh Sara" He couldn't hold back the tears as he felt her grip his fingers.
"Gi...Gil" She choked. The nurse brought a small cup of water and dipped a pink sponge in it. She wet Sara's lips and mouth, dipped it again and told Sara to suck on the sponge. "We're going to take it slow with water ok? Little dips of the sponge for a few hours, we don't want to risk you aspirating ok?" She turned to Gil. I'll leave this here; you can wet her mouth as need."
"Thank you." Gil whispered as she turned to walk out of the room. "Oh! Nurse! Please wait."
She stopped. "The people in the waiting room, will you tell them she is awake. I'm sure they are thinking the worst." Gil said. He turned to Sara "If that's ok?" He asked her. Sara simply nodded.
"Sure. My name is Nicole, I will be Sara's nurse until 11pm tonight, if you need anything don't hesitate to push the call button." She said, motioning to the wire clipped to Sara's bed. Gil nodded and the nurse left them alone.
He turned toward Sara, tears still forming in his eyes. "I was so scared, so scared Sara. I can't lose you."
Tears formed in her eyes. "Gil, I love you. You are what kept me going, I had to get back to you."
Gil lay his head next to hers and just let the tears go.
The team was once again huddled together, Brass, Greg, Nick and Warrick trying desperately to calm Catherine. The doubles doors swung open and the nurse made her way to the waiting room. They looked at her, trying to read her face to brace themselves for whatever she had to say.
"Sara wanted you to know she is awake." The nurse told them softly, and they broke into cheers. Warrick hugged Catherine with all he had and Nick, Greg, and Brass exchanged hugs as well.
The tears flowed form Catherine's eyes. "She's awake!" She buried her head in Warrick's chest and cried. "Sara is awake."
After a few hours the nurse came to tell them Sara had been moved to a private room down the hall and they could see her for a few moments.
They all stood on the doorway for a few minutes, Sara was asleep, Gil in the chair next to her, his head on the bed, holding her hand, and he was asleep as well.
"I'm going to go to Lindsey, Ill be back later" Catherine said, and turned to leave.
"I need a shower and some sleep too, see you guys later." Warrick added and walked with Catherine down the hallway.
"I'm going to head home, make sure Cadium is ok." Greg announced
"You named your cat Cadium?" Nick questioned. Greg just shrugged and headed down the hall.
"I think I will go get her flowers in the gift shop." Brass whispered to Nick.
"Ok, I'm gonna head out in a few minutes, check on Bruno." Nick smiled, and Brass turned and headed to the elevators.
Nick turned and look at the two of them, their fingers intertwined, content enough to just let themselves rest now. He pulled Sara's note out of his wallet, walked over and put it on the bed, next to the pair of clasped hands and turned to leave.
