Katrina slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head off her hand. She shifted her head to look a little further up the pillow, but from the angle she couldn't tell if he was asleep. She sat up and twisted around so her feet hung off the bed and she could move to lean over Greg a hand on each side of his head, she ducked her head down and kissed Greg's bandaged forehead, the side of his eye, his cheek, his jaw, his chin, and then his lip. Her lips pulled away slowly then came back down to lock lips; she stayed still not wanting to hurt him, but as she was about to pull away hands gently caressed her face and the once unmoving lips under hers moved to kiss her back. She pulled away and brought one of her hands up to hold Greg's hand on her cheek, "Hi."

Greg smiled at her as best he could, his free hand dropped to his chest and he took a deep breath, "Hey."

Katrina smiled and turned into his bandage hand kissing it gently, "I was so scared."

Greg turned his hand in hers and held it, "Me…too."

Katrina looked at him, "Who did this to you?"

Greg closed his eyes and took another deep breath, "…don't…know."

"Okay," she nodded holding back tears, "okay."

"Annie…where…" Greg whispered.

"Brass took her in," Katrina sighed, "I should've been here sooner…" Her eyes went wide, "Did she kiss you?"

Greg looked at her with warm brown eyes, "No."

And that's when she remembered Annie talking about Nick, "Greg, I swear nothing happened between Nicky and me."

Greg shook his head slightly, "I…know," Greg smiled, "I…heard."

"Knock, knock," Katrina looked at the door to see Grissom, Sara and the kids. Grissom smiled and spoke again, "We woke up to the sound of Ebony singing about how she wanted Daddy to be better."

"So, after a quick breakfast we decided to come down here," Sara bounced Peter in her arm so she could get a better grip.

Grissom held Ebony's hand above her head so that she could squeeze through the two adults and walk over to her parents.

"Hey…honey," Greg smiled and switched hands so that Katrina could hold his other hand so he could reach towards Ebony. The little girl didn't move instead she pushed against Grissom, "It's…okay, Ebony. It's…me…Daddy."

Ebony looked up at Grissom then at Katrina, the little girl's eyes welded with tears before she turned into Grissom not looking back.

Grissom looked up at Greg with a shocked expression and mouthed, "Sorry."

Katrina looked at Greg, but if he seemed hurt he didn't show it.

Sara sat down in a chair by the bed and put Peter down next to Greg and instantly the little boy crawled towards Greg's head to wrap his tiny arms around his daddy's neck.

Katrina stroked the top of Peter's head and smiled; she got of the bed and walked over to Ebony. She crouched down and touched her daughter's hair, "Ebony, honey, what's wrong?"

"Daddy doesn't look like Daddy," Ebony muttered.

Katrina looked over at Greg then back, "What are you talking about, I think he looks better than he ever has."

A smile pulled at Ebony's lips and Katrina knew that she was going to be alright, "Go give Daddy a hug."

Ebony ran over to the bed and climbed up on the side Katrina had been on to kiss Greg on the cheek.

Katrina straightened and crossed her arms; she looked at Grissom, "Thank you."

"For what?" Grissom folded his arms and looked at where Ebony was rambling about something at school.

Katrina smiled and looked at Ebony as well, "You finally called him son."

Grissom looked at her, "But how did you?"

"I wasn't asleep," Katrina answered simply.

"We brought chocolate," Wendy's voice sang from the doorway and she walked over to hug Katrina before putting a basket of assorted chocolate on the table.

"Uncle Greg!" Carter came stumbling in tripping over an untied shoelace, but he caught himself on the end of the bed and crawled up next to Ebony, "Did you die?"

Greg laughed then hissed in pain and shook his head, "No…not…ready…to…die."

"Good," Carter let out an exaggerated sigh, "I was worried."

"Honey, honey," Hodges entered the room with Elizabeth pulling at his ear, "Help."

Wendy rolled her eyes and grabbed Elizabeth immediately the little girl hugged Wendy's neck and rested her small head on her mom's shoulder, "Don't be such a baby, David."

"I wasn't," Hodges rubbed at his ear as he walked over to sit in the chair behind Carter just incase the enthused child fell back.

Sara grabbed Peter away from Greg as the baby started to crawl onto his chest, "Not so fast little guy." She bounced the small child in her arms and looked at Katrina, "Um, I think we're going to have more visitors today."

"Who are more visitors?" Katrina held her arms out for Peter and Sara handed him over.

"Nick and Catharine are going to stop by," Grissom crossed the room to sit in the chair Sara had been sitting in; she looked at him, but rolled her eyes and sat on the arm rest. Wendy did the same sitting to the chair Hodges was sitting in.

Katrina tickled Peter's tummy getting a high giggle just as two people entered the room.

"There should definitely be a limit to how many people can be in one room," Catharine walked in followed by Nick, she looked at Greg and smiled, "How you doing?"

"Better," Greg answered as Ebony and Carter sat counting bruises on Greg's face and arms.

"Glad to hear," Catharine looked around the room, "Ecklie is not going to be happy when he finds out all his CSIs are at the hospital."

"He'll get over it," Nick chuckled and waved at Greg, "Hey Greggo."

"Hey," Greg replied.

"Mrs. Sanders," Dr. Cards stopped short as he looked up from his clipboard, "and company, I'm just checking up on Mr. Sanders here." He walked over to Greg and looked at the two little kids, "I need you to get down for a moment okay?"

Ebony and Carter crawled off the bed; both quickly sat down on Hodge's lap and started whispering to each other.

"Good morning Mr. Sanders," Dr. Cards put his clipboard down on the bed and took out a pen with a light attached, he shined it into Greg's eyes then wrote something down on the paper, "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Greg muttered.

"Good," Dr. Cards picked up Greg's wrist and looked at his own watch, then wrote something down again, "Did you sleep well?"

"Pretty…much," Greg answered.

Dr. Cards looked at Katrina then back at Greg, "Good."

Katrina resituated Peter so that he rested on her hip; her arm wrapped around him and her other hand holding his tiny one playing with it as she bounced him a little.

"Let's take a look at those bandages," Dr. Cards picked up Greg's hands and turned them over carefully, he relaxed them back on the bed then inspected the bandages on Greg's head, "Okay, how's that shoulder?"

"Fine," Greg huffed.

"Good," he rolled back the blankets a bit to look at Greg's shoulder closer. He moved the blankets so he could look at Greg's chest, but bandages covered his whole chest, each strip already stained red, "Everything seems fine, but I'll get a nurse in here to change those bandages for you.

"Thank…you," Greg said before closing his eyes.

"Mrs. Sanders, there was something I wanted to talk to you about," Dr. Cards started walking towards Katrina, but she brushed past him to sand over Greg.

Her hand gently touched Greg's bandaged chest, she looked at Sara and Grissom. Instantly Sara grabbed Peter so that Katrina's hands could find the beginning of the bandages. Slowly she peels back the first strip and stopped, but Catharine and Nick came around pulling Hodges's chair back. Nick put his hands underneath Greg, Grissom did the same and together the two lifted Greg carefully up.

"You can't do that," Dr. Cards said.

"They're coming off anyways aren't they?" Catharine asked.

"Well, yes, but," Dr. Cards fell silent as more and more strips came off his patient.

Eventually Katrina and Catharine had pulled off all the bandages on Greg's chest. The two men lowered Greg down and the four looked at Greg's chest.

"Get the kids out of here," Catharine snapped.

Wendy walked around to grab Peter and walked out holding the two babies as Hodges pulled Carter and Ebony out of the room.

Katrina brought a hand to her mouth trying to hold back a scream, but no effort could stop her. The sound that escaped her throat was high, loud, and blood curdling she fell to her knees letting her screams ring out in hysterics, Grissom grabbed her wrists and tried to calm her, but nothing worked. Catharine ran around the bed to pull Katrina into a hug as the girl screamed and cried into Catharine's leather jacket. Catharine ran a hand over Katrina's hair hushing her as the woman's screams seemed to mix with moans and loud sobs.

"Gil," Sara didn't take her eyes of Greg's chest as the older man got off the ground.

Right in the middle of Greg's chest was an 'X' that had scratches coming off the top and bottom, but the scratches all changed to names. Above Greg's heart Katrina was written deep into his skin, across from her name on his other bicep was his name, and below Greg's name coming off the bottom left of the 'X' was Peter, across from his name was Ebony. There were cuts that were slit under each rib on each side, but it wasn't the names or the scars it was what it said over the 'X'. Grissom read it out loud, "Death is not a punishment, it is a reward." Grissom swallowed and looked under Greg's name, "Not deserving." Under each name something was written, Grissom sighed, "Under Katrina and the kids' names it says 'Deserving', while Greg's doesn't."

"Who did this?" Sara asked.

Nick put his hands under Greg again and lifted him up to look at his back, "She's back."

"What?" Grissom asked.

"It says: 'She's back'," Nick repeated as he gently put Greg back down.

"Those scars will all fade in no time," Dr. Cards said.

"That's the least of our worries!" Grissom snapped.

"Gil, does it mean Brittney?" Sara asked.

"Who else would it mean?" Nick said.

Nobody had even noticed that Greg had passed out since he talked to Dr. Cards.

Katrina who had finally calmed down let out another scream this time waking Greg up, his eyes snapped open and he sat up causing himself to flinch violently, "What's…happening?"

Katrina got to her knees and leaned on the bed, "She's back, Greg, she's back…and she's going to kill me…she's going to kill our babies."

Greg stared at her wide eyed before stretching as far as he could to hook her under her arms, he pulled as hard as he could, but finally Katrina got to her feet and sat on the bed. She curled into her husband's slashed up chest and cried. Greg wrapped his arms around her and winced, "Everything is going…to be…okay." Greg felt something tearing on his back then feeling of warm liquid running down it and then the feeling hit his chest, he hissed in pain.

Katrina looked at his chest and tried to get away, but Greg held her tight, "No, Greg! Stop you're hurting yourself! Let me go, oh my God, please let me go!"

Greg felt the pain ripple through his body, but the next pain he felt came from his arms that felt like ten sharp knives digging into his skin, he let out a shout of pain and his arms fell from Katrina as he fell back to clutch at new blood seeping through his arms.

Nobody moved as Greg hissed in pain, blood seeped through his clenched hands drawing more blood.

"Greg, I'm so sorry," Katrina put her hand out towards him.

"Don't," Greg hissed, "touch me."

Katrina's hand froze and her body shook, "Greg, I didn't mean to hurt you…I was trying to get away so I wouldn't hurt you, I'm sorry."

Greg's shaking body seized and his grip loosened on his arm, he touched his chest and closed his eyes "It all…" he took a breath, "happened so fast."

No one answered as Greg spoke.

"So fast…" Greg moved a hand to find the remote to move the bed up, he held down the arrow until he was brought to a sitting position. He looked at all the eyes staring at him, but the ones that he locked with were Katrina's, "I panicked."

Katrina kept his stare long enough to realize that he was just as sorry, she moved to sit on the bed placing a hand on each of his shoulders, and rested her head against his chest.

Greg carefully kissed the top of her head and wrapped one arm around her, "I'm sorry."

"Greg, what happened?" Grissom folded his arms across his chest.

Greg carefully rubbed Katrina's back as he forced words out, "I…was…working the scene," he gulped, "with Catharine and Hodges. I…walked…away…to look at…something else." He closed his eyes and tried to calm shakes that were threatening to consume him, "It all…happened…so fast. One moment…I was swabbing…the next thing it went black…I woke up…in…in…"

"Where Greg?" Sara asked.

Greg took a deep breath and a tear rolled down his face, he stared at the others, but didn't answer.

Katrina lifted her head and looked at him, "They took you back…didn't they?"

Greg gave a slow nod; he closed his eyes and hiccupped on a sob before opening them again, "The blood…it's…still…all…there."

"Where did they take him, Kat?" Nick asked.

Katrina looked at Nick, "The same place I was shot."

Catharine gasped, "I thought that place was locked up."

"It was…all…still…there," Greg brought hand up to rest on Katrina's cheek his thumb wiping away a dried tear, "the blood…your blood…they…they…made-made…me…lie in it."

"Greg what happened after you woke up in that place?" Grissom asked.

"The blood pool…it was…by…my mouth," he took a deep breath, "and at first…I thought…it…was…mine, but then…that voice…that voice…I can never forget it."

"I don't think it's a good idea for him to be talking this much," Dr. Cards interrupted.

"It sounded far…but I knew…it…was-was above me…it said," Greg's chest jumped and his hand slid from Katrina's face, his eyes slowly rolled to the top of his head.

Katrina grabbed Greg's face, "Greg, Greg!" She looked back at the doctor, "What's happening!"

Grissom grabbed Katrina pulling her off the bed as Dr. Cards ran to Greg, "He's having a seizure! I need everybody to get out of the room now!"

"No!" Katrina screamed, but Grissom clutched his daughter's arms and dragged her out of the room. Outside in the hall she looked around the hall, "Where are my kids?"

"Are you Mrs. Sanders?" Katrina looked to her left to see a graying nurse, Katrina nodded and the nurse continued, "I think her name was Wendy, yeah her husband David and she took them home. They said to have you call once you were out of the room."

Katrina nodded, "Thank you."

The nurse smiled and walked away leaving the bunch to stand in silence.

"It's them," Katrina muttered.

"Katrina, what are you talking about?" Catharine asked.

"It's them!" She shrieked, "It's that damn fucker who tried to kill me and my baby! IT'S THAT PHSYCHO BITCH WHO CALLS HERSELF MY MOTHER! It's them and they're trying to kill my family!"

"Not necessarily," Sara stated seeming unfazed by her shrieks, "The scarring on his chest clearly shows that he doesn't deserve death…this was a sign, a foreshadowing, a warning. I think we need to contact Brass and get a couple officers out to the Hodges residents."

Katrina's eyes went wide, "Not my babies. No, not them, they did nothing wrong! NO! I need to protect my babies!"

Grissom had kept his grip on Katrina and turned her around to face him, "No, you are going to stay here! We will take of the kids I need you to stay with Greg! You need to find out what happened! Understood?"

Katrina stared at her dad, but finally nodded, "Okay."

"Good," Grissom let her arms go and looked at the three others, "Catharine, Sara let's head out and see what we can do. I think we need to pay an old crime scene a visit."

"What about me?" Nick asked.

"Nick, stay with Greg and Katrina," Grissom looked at the Texan and didn't bother for response as he hugged his daughter, "It's going to be okay." He released her and led the two women out leaving Katrina and Nick in the hall.

)()()(

At one point in their hours of waiting Nick and Katrina had moved to sit on the floor as Nurses walked by handing them coffee and food, but neither left each other side unless it was to go to the bathroom.

"Nicky, what time is it?" Katrina had her head resting on Nick's shoulder as her hands held a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Nick flicked his arm so he could see his watch, "It's almost nine at night."

"How is that possible?" Katrina asked, "It feels just like morning an hour ago."

"I know," Nick sipped his coffee and stared at the door leading to Greg's room, "but maybe its better that it went by that fast."

"I guess, but we still don't know anything," Katrina muttered looked at the brown liquid giving off steam to nothing cold.

"Yeah," Nick put his coffee between his legs and put a hand on Katrina's stretched out leg, "He'll be okay."

"I hope so," Katrina's eyes shifted to look at Nick as best she could, "You okay?"

Nick looked at her, "Yeah," he looked back at the door, "yeah, fine."

Katrina lifted her head off his shoulder and looked at him, "No you're not."

Nick looked at her, "Yeah, I am."

She pinched her lips together and rested her head on the wall, "Fine…if you don't want to tell me, that's okay."

Nick sighed and folded his hands in front of him, "Alright, there's been something that I needed to get off of my chest." He looked at towards Katrina and was met with her eyes.

"Yeah," Katrina whispered.

"The truth is," Nick paused, "I never actually got over it."

Katrina stared into his eyes not answering.

"Katrina," Nick's hand came up to touch Katrina's face brushing hair off her cheek, "I'm still in love with you."

Katrina's eyes stayed calm as if the news didn't shock, but in reality she was trying to find words to say.

Nick leaned closer to her ready to touch her lips.

She couldn't move she was shocked, she needed an outside source to stop this, she needed…

The door knob turned and the door opened with a creak, making Katrina jump to her feet. She refused to look at Nick, his sad face, his rejected aura.

"Mrs. Sanders," Dr. Cards padded his forehead with a rag, "I'm sorry it took so long to tell you what's going on. It seems that your husband had a chemical in his system that was causing his body to go into shock if there was too much movement. We were able to drain it from his system, but he is still weak…though he does keep muttering your name."

"Can I see him?" Katrina asked.

Dr. Cards nodded, "Of course, but I can only allow you in there."

Katrina nodded, "That's fine." She pushed past the doctor and entered the room shutting the door behind her.

Nick stood up slowly and took another drink of his coffee, "How's he looking, Doc?"

Dr. Cards sighed and scratched the back of his head, "I think he needs rest and to be left alone, but from a look at their medical history neither seems to take it easy on the job."

Nick chuckled, "No they don't."

"I'm pretty sure he'll make a full recovery in no time," Dr. Cards looked at his watch, "I have to go, but I'll make sure I have a doctor ready if anything happens. Now if you'll excuse me."

Nick nodded at him and watched as the doctor disappeared down the hall. He sighed and leaned against the wall, What the hell are you doing Nicky? You just tried to kiss her, you just tried to kiss her…Nick cussed and looked up at the fluorescent lights. What he pulled there probably killed any chance of a normal friendship between the two; he had to talk to her. He had to apologize, but would she listen. What if she tells Greg? Nick shook his head and put his coffee on the ground he was about to find some food when his cell phone went off, "Stokes," Nick's phone was quick to his ear and he rubbed at his eyes.

"Nicholas Parker Stokes how dare you not call me in months!"

"Momma?" Nick gulped.