Alright, alright, I know I said I wanted 100 reviews, but I got so excited about this chapter that I couldn't wait to post it! So here it is, chapter 8 of Unbreakable! Grissom gets a very special visitor, and his first day in rehab! Let the Mountain Dew flow like wine! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Disclaimer: Really, really not mine...
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The next morning found Sara still curled up with her husband. One arm was wrapped around his middle, and her head rested against his. His face was buried in her neck, and their chests moved perfectly together.
He was the first to stir, and he inhaled deeply, breathing her in. Just being there with her relaxed him more than any medicine, and he found himself reluctant to even try to open his eyes.
When he moved in her arms, she stirred and tightened her grip on him.
His heart warmed. She was still there, and she didn't want to let go of him. That meant more to him than anything in the world. He inhaled deeply, then let it out in a deep sigh.
Her eyes shot open, and she looked down at him. "Gil...?" she whispered.
He freed his right hand and reached up, touching her warm cheek.
Very carefully she released him, then ran her fingers through his hair. "You're awake."
He raised his right hand. Yeah...
She glanced at the clock on the wall, then sighed heavily. "I slept too long."
He gave her a confused look.
"Catherine and Nick are going to stop by after their shift, and it ended ten minutes ago." But she didn't release her grip on him.
His eyes shifted to the door, and she wasn't surprised when there was a soft knock on the door. Catherine walked in, a mischievous smile on her face. "Hi, Sara." Then she saw Grissom's tired eyes, and her entire face lit up. "I'm glad you're awake, Gil."
Why? he signed, looking to Sara for translation.
Catherine didn't wait for it. She had seen him sign before, and she had picked up on a few of the basics. "Because we have a surprise for you." She looked at Sara. "I don't know if Sara remembered to tell you, but we have someone who really wants to see you." Her expression greatly resembled that of a child peering down the stairs on Christmas morning.
Grissom looked confused, and she smiled and went to the door, motioning for Nick, Warrick, and Greg to come in. Clutched in Nick's hands was a brown paper bag, and both Sara and Grissom looked curious as Catherine closed the door and Nick moved to the bed.
Sara slid off of the bed carefully, then pressed a button and raised the head of the bed with caution.
Grissom looked at his wife, then at Catherine, his curiosity obviously growing.
Catherine took the bag from Nick and opened it, pulling a plastic container with a purple top out. Then she set it beside Grissom.
His expression turned from one of confusion to one of pure joy as he focused on his tarantula. He struggled for a minute. "Thank... you... C... Cath..."
Both Catherine and Sara had huge grins on their faces as Sara pulled the top off and reached into the container, retrieving the fuzzy creature. His eyes were filled with delight as he held his right hand out and she placed the tarantula in his hand.
Sara looked at Catherine and Nick gratefully, then kissed her husband's head.
Nick grinned broadly. "It was Catherine's idea, and I had to wrangle the thing into a box."
Sara laughed softly while Grissom gave Nick a look, then went back to playing with his beloved pet.
Dr. Redding could feel the lack of tension as she stepped into the room, and almost immediately she saw the reason. There was a blond woman and grinning man standing near her patient's bed, and the right side of Grissom's mouth was turned up in a smile. She stepped closer to the bed. "If someone had brought cake, this would be a party," she joked, earning a smile from Sara.
Grissom's smile disappeared as he brought his right hand to his chest, protectively shielding his beloved pet.
Redding raised an eyebrow. "Hiding gold over there, Mr. Grissom?"
Sara laughed. "Might as well be."
Redding saw something fuzzy and with more than two legs, and she shuddered. "I'll pretend I didn't see it," she assured them as she began checking Grissom's vitals.
"Th... Thank you..." he managed, resting his head on Sara's shoulder.
She gave him a smile. "I actually came in to tell you that we're going to start your therapy this afternoon."
Sara looked at her, then at her husband. "Really?"
She nodded. "The sooner we do, the better the results will be."
Sara looked at Grissom, who gave a small nod. Redding smiled. "Great. I'll be back in a little while." She walked away from the bed, shuddering. Damn spiders...
The door closed, and Catherine looked at Nick. "I think we're going to get out of here..." She came closer to the bed. "Nick'll just get your little buddy there, and-"
She was interrupted by a very loud and very clear, "No!" She and Sara both looked at Grissom in surprise.
His eyes were narrowed, and Nick held up his hands.
Sara wrapped her arm around her husband's shoulders. "Gil, it's okay. They won't take the spider. We'll keep him in here."
Catherine looked amused. "She's right, Gil. As long as you keep her in the box and the nurses don't see..."
He visibly relaxed and laid his tarantula on his chest.
Sara turned slightly and smiled, kissing his head.
Catherine and Nick looked at each other and smiled. She knew this had been the right thing to do, and she was glad. She sat down beside the bed.
Sara watched as Grissom ran the fingers of his right hand over his fuzzy pet. He seemed more relaxed, and it made her glad. She settled in against him and happily watched him interact with his favorite pet.
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Later that afternoon, Sara paced the floor anxiously, waiting for her husband to be brought back from his first physical therapy session. She was worried and her stomach was churning, and nothing could soothe it. She wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Dr. Redding had given her a vague idea, but she knew her husband, and she knew that there was no way to predict how he would or wouldn't act.
Finally the door opened, and her heart pounded in her chest as they wheeled him into the room. She struggled to stay where she was as they wheeled him to his bed, then carefully helped him up and into the bed.
He didn't notice when Sara approached the bed and slid her hand into his. His entire body and pride ached, and he closed his eyes.
Her brow furrowed when he didn't even squeeze her hand, and for one horrifying moment, she wondered if he had lost feeling in that hand, too. She forced herself to speak. "Gil...?"
He didn't open his eyes.
She reached down and ran her hand through his hair. "Baby? Are you okay?"
He pulled his hand away from hers, struggling to hold in everything he was feeling. He didn't want to lash out at her; she had been so amazing to him.
Leaning down, she brushed her lips softly against his forehead. "Gil, talk to me," she pleaded softly.
He pulled away. "L- leave me alone..." he whispered, and her eyes widened in surprise.
"Gil..."
He held a hand up and signed furiously, Go. Leave me alone.
Tears gathered in her dark eyes. "Baby..."
He pushed her hand away and turned from her as best as he could. She didn't need to be in there worrying about him and wasting her life. He was going to pull himself through this, and he was going to do it alone.
Her heart was breaking, and for a moment, she considered leaving. But she had done that once already, and she wasn't about to do it again. Not now, and not ever. Ignoring his protest, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his.
He struggled against her for a moment, but he was simply too exhausted and in too much pain to fight her. Her embrace was warm and soothing, and he finally relaxed into her, biting his lip. Why did she have to make this so hard? Why did he have to need her so damn much? Why did every time she started to leave, he felt a panic rise from deep within himself? He shuddered, closing his eyes again. He didn't know, and right now, he almost didn't care.
She buried her nose in his hair and inhaled deeply, holding him closer. "Dr. Redding says you're doing so much better," she murmured.
He gave a small nod, then buried his head in her neck. He was just too tired to even talk about the inch of progress he'd supposedly made. All he wanted to do was sleep.
She carefully eased herself down into the bed with him, not breaking the embrace. "I love you, Gil..."
He yawned, whispering, "L... Love you... too..."
She smiled. Reaching down, she pulled the blanket over him and tucked him in gently. Then she snuggled into him, getting them both situated.
Both were exhausted, and it didn't take long for both to succumb to an exhausted sleep.
TBC...
A/N:Hahaha, you guys are very funny. And I know the name of the chapter is a very mean trick. No one got who the guest was gonna be, so no cookies. Sorry, but they're all mine! Coming up, we see the visit of another annoying character, and lots of other goodies. Please review!
