A/N: Well... my plans to post early didn't quite pan out. Sorry about that! But here's the next chapter for you, and I hope it makes up for it :)

She didn't sleep much that night. She always had a hard time falling asleep in a strange place, especially hospitals.

Greg, Nick and Brass all stopped by before work, bringing jokes and company. None of them mentioned the fact that her husband hadn't been heard from in nearly a day.

DB called around dinner, telling her he'd heard from her doctor and she was allowed to go home later that evening.

"I have to be in to hand out assignments," he said. "But I'll come by right after and take you home."

Sara ended the call and lifted her eyes to the door, feeling someone's presence there. She expected to see her doctor, maybe Greg, who promised to bring by take-out if she wanted. What she saw was her husband, looking small and scared, staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time.

He made a beeline from the doorway to her side, immediately taking her hand. She looked down at their intertwined fingers.

"My God, Sara," Grissom whispered. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Sara stammered. "I… I thought Nick called you."

"Nick?" Grissom repeated before pausing.

He used his free hand to dig around in his pocket, pulling out his cell phone. The screen was black, and stayed that way even when he hit the home key.

"I turned it off when I got on the plane," he said slowly. "I must have missed his call… and forgotten to turn it back on."

"Then… how did you know?"

"I went to the lab," Grissom explained. "Nobody from Grave was there yet, but the front desk… they told me you were here, I came straight over."

"But… if you didn't know, why did you leave Egypt?" Sara asked. "And… Nick called you yesterday."

"It's a long way trip," Grissom said with a slight smile. "And I'm here because… I said I would be. I think it's high time I start coming through with my promises."

He tucked his phone back into the pocket of his slacks and reached out to tenderly touch her cheek.

"Are you okay?"

"Tired," Sara answered honestly. "Still a little confused and with a nagging headache, but… I'll be okay."

Grissom hadn't taken his eyes off her since walking into the room. And now, his eyes stayed on her, examining every inch of her as if to confirm she was telling the truth. After a few moments, his gaze rested on the thin chain around her neck. He reached out to touch it, his fingers skimming each link of the chain until pulling the little purple gem out from under her hospital gown.

"The necklace I left you," he said softly.

Sara brought her hand to her collarbone, her fingers resting lightly on top of her husband's. His touch was warm and gentle. Even though his clothes were wrinkled and he smelled slightly of a stale airplane, having him there meant the world to her. For a minute, she thought they might have been over. For good.

It would have been so easy to kiss him, let his lips melt away everything that had happened over the last few months. Every argument, every angry word, every shed tear.

But she promised herself – no more Band Aids. They were going to work through it this time. For real.

She lifted Grissom's hand down with her own, letting it rest on her blanket-covered legs. Both their hands were intertwined and Grissom was leaning so close to her that she could smell the scent of Juicy Fruit on his tongue.

"Honey?"

The word was soft, barely a whisper. Tears threatened her, but she held onto them.

"We have a lot to talk about," she said, her voice a bit more wobbly than she would have liked.

"Yes," Grissom agreed quietly. "Yes, we do. But honey…"

He pulled his right hand from hers and put it back on her cheek, gliding his thumb gently over the long, red scratches she'd gotten from being blown back into a tree.

"We don't have to do it now," he finished. "You're in the hospital and, well, my heart's still on overdrive from when they told me you were here."

"I should be able to leave in a few hours," Sara said. "Why don't you go home – shower and get some sleep – and I'll see you when I get back."

"No," Grissom said firmly. "I'm staying – here – with you."

Sara smiled and squeezed his fingers.

"Does anyone know you're here?" she asked.

Grissom winced.

"Do they entirely hate me?"

"Nick's not too thrilled," Sara admitted. "But he'll come around when he learns it was just a misunderstanding."

"I can't say I blame him," Grissom said with a small wink. "Even I'd think I was a jerk if I didn't come here right away."

"If it helps any, DB gave you the benefit of the doubt."

"I knew I liked that guy."

Sara laughed as a nurse entered bearing a hospital dinner on a tray. Grissom sat next to her as she sipped the vegetable soup and spooned Jell-o out of the plastic cup. Her doctor came by a few minutes later flanked by more nurses to take Sara's vitals and ask about her pain and dizziness and readiness to go home. Eventually, the doctor told her with a smile that she as free and clear to leave, although he strongly advised staying away from work for at least a week. Grissom had just finished helping her dress when a knock signaled someone at the door. Grissom opened it to find a thin, tall, white-haired man he instantly recognized as DB Russell.

"Dr. Grissom," the man said with surprise. "I didn't know…

"Me, either," Sara chimed in, one arm in the sleeve of her jacket, the other sleeve hanging limply by her side.

"Let me help you with that," Grissom chuckled, easing her arm through the opening before turning back to DB. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise," Russell said. "I came here to take Sara home, but I'm guessing you have that handled."

"I was just about to call a cab."

"Let me take you back," Russell offered. "Please. It's why I came anyways and it'll delay the inevitable paperwork I have to get to once I go back to work."

"I certainly don't miss that," Grissom chuckled, smiling at Sara as she passed by him and followed Russell out of the room.

"I can't imagine they have too many reports to file in the Egyptian desert, do they?"

They kept the conversation light and animated on the drive home, Russell and Grissom exchanging stories on the ins and outs of the lab and the adventures of anthropological digs, respectively, while Sara sat in the backseat and watched with amusement. It was a little strange, seeing the two of them interact. It was like having two very different, very separate parts of her world collide.

Russell shifted the car into park in her driveway.

"Dr. Grissom, pleasure to put a face with a name," Russell said, shaking her husband's hand again before twisting around in his seat. "Sara, I expect to not see hide nor hair of you for a week."

"Doctor's orders," she grumbled.

"And don't you forget it," Russell winked.

Sara thanked him for the ride and led the way to the front door and inside the townhouse, Grissom pressing the door closed behind him.

"Where's our slobbery better half?"

Sara pressed her eyes closed.

"Shoot," she muttered. "I was supposed to pick him up yesterday. Casey's going to hate me."

"I'll call her," Grissom said quickly, referring to Hank's trusty dog sitter. "You just… sleep, eat, shower – whatever – just don't worry."

"Maybe…" Sara started. "Maybe we can leave Hank with Casey just one more night."

"Keep it just the two of us?"

Sara smiled nervously. Grissom set the phone back down and went to her, placing a kiss near her ear and studying her face when he pulled back.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Sara nodded.

"Just… scared," she said.

"Scared?" he repeated. "Honey – why?"

"I… I'm afraid we won't be able to work this out," she said. "I'm afraid we don't know how to be… together… any more."

Grissom dropped his hand and held hers, linking their fingers.

"I'm scared about that, too," he admitted. "It's certainly been a while."

Sara nodded, dropping her gaze.

"But," he continued. "I was thinking… on the way over here. I don't know how we got to this point, but I do know that, through everything, the way I feel about you hasn't changed one bit. I love you, more than the day we married, and… if we still have that – the way we feel about each other – then… anything's possible. Right?"

Sara swallowed hard, giving him a wobbly smile.

"Right."

Grissom grinned widely, his eyes brimming with tears and sparkling with hope. He leaned towards her.

"Wait," she whispered, pulling back.

She left him on the couch, disappearing into the bedroom and reappearing a few moments later. She held up her left hand, wiggling her finger at him. The gold of her wedding band sparkled.

"Much better," she said, sitting back next to him on the sofa. "Now… where were we?"