Ovarian Grievance
Pairing: Sara and Nick
A/N: This is based loosely on what happened to me the past three months.
Sara is in Desert Palm on the day of her surgery.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sara, Nick or any other CSI character. If I did own the show, the final scene from 'Way to Go' wouldn't exist and the show would have beaten 'Gray's Anatomy'. I only own my original characters and this story plot.
Surgery Day
Three Days Later
Sara was lying comfortably on the gurney in her cubicle at the pre-op area. The nurse had started the IV. She also took some of Sara's blood for the anesthesiologist and her pressure. Dr. Calabrese had stopped by to talk to Sara and to meet Jillian and Bill Stokes. Nick and his parents were either standing or sitting by Sara's side.
"You are going to be fine," Nick held Sara's hand and gently rubbed it. "Like Dr. Calabrese told you a few times, they will take very good care of you."
"I am just nervous and scared," Sara sighed.
"Hey, it's okay to feel that way," Bill assured his future daughter-in-law. "Things are going to turn out okay!"
Sara nodded in agreement, but Jillian noticed some apprehension in the younger woman.
"Relax, Sara," Jillian soothed her.
Before Sara could respond, a man around Catherine's age and two or three nurses arrived at the cubicle. The man approached Sara.
"Ms. Sidle, I'm Dr. Chin," the man introduced himself. "I am going to be your anesthesiologist. I just need to ask you a few questions before we take you to the OR."
"It's that time already," Sara was in disbelief.
"Yes, Dr. Calabrese is about to scrub up," Dr. Chin responded. "Now, let me ask the questions. Did you eat or drink anything after midnight?"
"No," Sara answered.
"We made sure she slept an extra hour while my parents and I had breakfast," Nick added. "I'm Nick Stokes. I'm Sara's fiancé and these are my parents Bill and Jillian."
"Let me continue, Mr. Stokes," Dr. Chin calmly interjected. "Ms. Sidle, do you have any allergies to medication?"
"As far as I know none," Sara replied.
"Okay Ms. Sidle, I am going to give you some medication to help you relax," Dr. Chin said as he inserted an injection with a sedative into the port of Sara's IV. "You are going to the OR."
Nick got up from his chair and was joined by Jillian. Along with Bill, they approach a nearly groggy Sara.
"Sara, good luck with the surgery," Nick smiled as he kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you in a few hours."
"Good luck and we'll think about you," Jillian hugged and kissed Sara on the cheek.
"Sara, you are going to be fine," Bill said as he gave her a hug. "Good luck and we'll see you soon."
"Thank you," Sara smiled as she was being wheeled from the pre-op area.
"Go to the waiting area," one nurse told Nick and his parents. "Dr. Calabrese will come out to talk to you when she's finished with the surgery."
Nick could only nod in understanding. He had Sara's bag containing a portable CD player, a few CD's and a change of clothes. He also had a bag with clothes Sara had worn before she changed into the hospital gown and booties.
"Come on, Nicky," Jillian said holding teddy bear that Greg gave Sara so she wouldn't be alone in the hospital. "The only thing we can do for Sara now is waiting to hear about her prognosis."
"Pancho, let's sit in the waiting area," Bill tried to soothe the situation. "Don't you want to be there when the surgeon talks to us about Sara?"
They left the pre-op area and went to the waiting area. There were other people sitting and waiting for word on their loved ones' surgeries. Nick found three seats that were close so Dr. Calabrese could see them when she comes out. They sat down on the comfortable seats. Bill left to get his wife and son some coffee.
Operating Room
Sara was wheeled into the OR. She was transferred from the gurney to the operating table. She struggled to get comfortable but a nurse stopped her.
"Okay Sara, we are going to put a breathing tube in your throat," Dr. Calabrese told her. "You'll also have a Foley catheter inserted before we begin the procedure." She sensed Sara's agitation of having tubes in her body. "Don't worry, you will be asleep when we do that."
Dr. Chin administered the anesthesia in Sara's IV port. A few seconds later, she was out cold.
Waiting Area
Judge Bill Stokes returned to waiting area after he went to the cafeteria to get some coffee for himself, Jillian and Nick. He also bought a cookie large enough for the three of them to share.
"Bill, thank you," Jillian smiled as she got her coffee.
"How's Nick?" Bill asked while looking at his son who looked as if he was staring into space.
"Concerned about Sara," Jill responded. "Hold the cup near him and the smell of the coffee should get him out of that empty space.
"Pancho, here's some coffee for you," Bill said waving his free hand a few inches in front of Nick's face. "Nick, get back to earth. I know you are worried about Sara, but she is being taken care of now."
"Hey Cisco," Nick came out of his dazed feeling. "Is that coffee for me?"
"Yes, it is," Bill smiled. "Drink it before it gets cold."
Nick took the cup and sipped it slowly. Jillian had broken the cookie into a few small pieces and put in on the package it came so she, Bill and Nick could take a piece.
"I can't believe it has been more than a year since we were here," Jillian broke the silence that was hovering around her family.
"Mom, I don't really want to be reminded of being kidnapped, buried alive and bitten by those damn fire ants," Nick whined and winced.
"I know you don't," she said. "I realized that it was a short while ago that your father and I were waiting on your condition."
"That was different," Nick protested. "You were waiting in the ER waiting room. We are in the waiting room of the OR."
Flashback – May 20, 2005
Jillian and Bill Stokes were sitting and fidgeting in the waiting area of the ER. They were soon joined by Catherine and Warrick. Nick was brought into one of the rooms a few minutes before. His parents and colleagues looked at each other with perplexed and saddened faces.
"Ms. Willows, how's Nick doing?" Bill asked.
"I don't know since the doctors and nurses refuse to let us see him," Catherine sighed. "He's alive, but he trembling and covered with ant bites. Warrick and I accompanied him in the ambulance."
"Where's Sara?" Jillian frantically asked. "Why wasn't she with Nick:
"Sara is working in different shift," Warrick tried to calmly explain the situation. "She is at the crime scene helping to collect evidence. I have a feeling Grissom is going to send her here to be with Nick. I can tell you she was the one who found where that sick bastard buried your son."
As if on cue, the subject of Warrick's explanation came rushing to meet with the group followed by Greg. Jillian immediately got up, approached Sara and the two women hugged and cried.
"I'm sorry Jillian," Sara choked on a sob.
"What for, Sara?" Jillian asked.
"I didn't accompany him on the ambulance ride," Sara broke down.
"That doesn't matter," Jillian tried to calm Sara. "I heard you saved him and that's what matters the most."
"She was inconsolable," Greg added. "I had to drive her to Desert Palm so we wouldn't have another CSI put in the hospital."
"I can imagine," Bill said to Greg, then to Sara. "You are a hero to our family."
By the time Grissom, Ecklie and Brass arrived, everyone was sitting and talking about Nick and his past. It had been a few hours and nobody came by to tell them about Nick's condition.
"How's Nick?" Grissom interrupted the group.
"We still don't know much," Catherine shrugged. "They are working on him and trying to keep him calm."
A doctor finally came out to talk to the group. Bill and Jillian got up and made a bee line to speak with her.
"I'm Dr. Miller," the woman introduced herself. "Are you the family, friends and/or colleagues of a Nicholas Stokes?"
"We are his parents," Jillian said. "How is our son doing? Also, these are his friends and colleagues and they want to know about how he's doing."
"Your son came in really bad shape," Dr. Miller replied. "He's was shaking and sobbing hard. I understand while he was in that underground coffin, he was attacked by fire ants. We also thought he was dehydrated and hadn't eaten since he was called to that 'crime scene'."
"What are you doing for him?" Bill asked.
"Mr. Stokes, we have given him IV fluids to hydrate and nourish him," Dr. Miller answered. "We are also giving him antibiotics, pain medication and medicine to counteract the venom from the ant bites. He also received some cream to help with the bites. Does Nicholas live alone?"
"No, he lives with his fiancée," Jillian said pointing to Sara who was talking with Catherine and Warrick. "She's the brunette over there."
"He's going to need someone with him at home when we discharge him," Dr. Miller sighed and responded to the strange looks Bill and Jillian gave her. "He is afraid of being left alone. I also recommend that he get counseling to cope with any future post traumatic stress."
"Is he going to be okay physically?" Jillian asked with concern.
"Yes, he's going to be fine," the doctor responded.
"Can we see him?" Bill asked.
"He's already in Room 404," the doctor smiled. "Yes, you can see him, but make the visit brief. He needs to rest."
Jillian went to get Sara and to report to the small crowd about what she learned about Nick's condition. Both she and Sara went with Bill to see Nick.
"Excuse me, but only two people can visit," the nurse said seeing Sara, Jillian and Bill as they entered Nick's room.
"Ma'am, my son had been through a terrible ordeal," Bill almost bellowed. "You are going to let the three of us see him. He needs to see his worried parents and fiancée."
Without waiting for the nurse to response, Bill, Jillian and Sara rushed into Nick's room. Nick was staring into space and not focusing on anything particular. Jillian took his hand and Sara took the other.
"Hey Pancho, it's Cisco," Bill said as he tried to get a quivering Nick to focus. "Nick, come on and get out of that void you are staring at."
"Nicky, you are safe now," Jillian coaxed her youngest child. "Your fiancée was the one that found where you were. The doctor says you will be fine."
"Mom, where's Sara?" Nick asked his mother.
"Nick, I am here," Sara soothed him. "Look at me."
"Sara, you are an angel," Nick sobbed. "Thank you for finding me."
"It was really a team effort," Sara confessed her slight modesty. "Besides, I wasn't going to lose the sweet and handsome man that I love with all my heart and plan to marry to a sick vengeful bastard."
"Sara, can you stay with me?" Nick begged her. "I'm terrified of being alone."
"Nicky, you know that Sara has to go to work the next day," Bill interjected. "She should go home and get some shut eye."
"Bill, I'll stay with him," Sara responded. "I could sleep on the chair or a nurse could provide a cot."
End of Flashback
Bill woke up from his nap and started to read a magazine that was provided to those in the waiting area. Jillian left to call Olivia to bring her up to date about Sara. Nick had dozed off as soon as he finished his coffee and his share of the cookie.
"Has Dr. Calabrese come out to talk to us about Sara?" Jillian asked.
"No, she hasn't," Bill told her. "I took a nap and had a flashback about what happened with Nick last year."
"I was thinking about the same thing," Jillian replied. "What's taking them so long?"
"Didn't the nurse processing Sara's pre-admission registration tell us that the surgery will take somewhere between an hour and a half to two hours?" Nick woke up and asked. "They are probably removing the tumor or closing her up at this point."
"Nick's right," Bill agreed. "It could be sometime before Dr. Calabrese talks to us."
A few moments passed when Dr. Calabrese finally appeared out of the surgery suite. She had a small smile on her face. Nick and his parents looked at her with confused expressions. Dr. Calabrese walked towards the three people waiting to hear about Sara's surgery.
"Dr. Calabrese, you are out early," Nick observed. "Did something go wrong? Is Sara okay?"
"Relax, Nick," Dr. Calabrese tried to calm him. "The surgery was very successful and without any complications. Sara has just been taken to the recovery room."
"What about the tumor?" Bill asked. "Is it malignant or benign?"
"We have to wait for the pathology report for that," Dr. Calabrese replied. "It should take a few days. Judge Stokes, you asked about the tumor. As soon as I opened up the area, the tumor was showing itself. That's why the surgery took about an hour and fifteen minutes. It was the size of a grapefruit and it consumed the right ovary. We had to remove it, but she still has her left one that is very healthy."
"Can she still have children?" Nick asked with great concern.
"I don't see any reason why she couldn't," Dr. Calabrese attempted to reassure the young man. "She still has her uterus and both tubes. I will stop by her room a few times during her stay once she's settled in to check on her."
"When can we see her?" Jillian asked.
"As soon as she is in a room," Dr. Calabrese replied. "She will be very groggy for the rest of the day, so try not to stay long."
Recovery Room
Sara slowly woke up and felt some soreness in her lower abdominal area. She opened her eyes and noticed her vision was very blurry. Before she was put under, she recalled having clear vision. What happened while she was asleep? She grunted in pain and that got the nurse's attention.
"Ms. Sidle, I am Vanessa, a nurse who's been taking care of you after your surgery," the nurse told her. "You are in the recovery room."
"I am in some pain," Sara's voice was raspy. "Can I get something to relieve it?"
"I'll give you some medication," Vanessa said. "I have to inject it in your thigh. You will feel a prick."
A few minutes later, Vanessa injected some medication into Sara's leg. Her patient winced in discomfort.
"Why are my eyes blurry?" Sara asked.
"They had to put an ointment to prevent the eyes from drying," Vanessa answered.
"How long have I been here?" Sara asked. "How long do I have to stay here?"
"You've been here for a little over an hour," Vanessa told her. "You'll stay for another hour. We are in the process of finding a room for you. Just relax. You just had surgery."
Sara nodded and calmed down. She started dozing off one moment and waking up the next.
About fifty minutes later, Sara was being taken to a room. The orderlies started to wheel her out in her gurney out of the recovery room.
"Do you know what my room number will be?" Sara asked.
"They have you assigned to Room 419," one order told her and she snorted. "What's so funny, Ms. Sidle?"
"It's an inside joke," she smirked at the confused orderly. "Oh, never mind."
When Nick and his parents saw the gurney carrying Sara out of the surgery suite wheeled by the orderlies, they immediately got up from their seats. Nick was the first to walk towards Sara. Bill and Jillian soon followed him. They all went to the elevator where there was a male nurse, bound for the third floor, already in there.
"Could you please press 4?" the vocal orderly asked.
"Sure," the nurse smiled and pressed the requested number.
After the nurse reached his floor, Nick was curious about where Sara was being taken to. Luckily, after reaching the 4th floor, he didn't have to wait long.
"We are going to Room 419," the orderly happily announced.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Nick slightly chuckled.
"No, he's not," Sara responded.
"Sir, are you in on this inside joke?" the orderly asked Nick.
"It's something that is really in our line of work," Nick replied not wanting to divulge the meaning of the 'inside joke'.
As soon as Sara was settled in her room, a female nurse came by to interview her about her threshold of pain tolerance. She also took Sara's vitals and left the room. Nick put the bag that contained Sara's clothes for her discharge date, CDs and CD player in the closet. Jillian placed the teddy bear on the night table that was next to Sara's bed. At some point, Bill, Jillian and Nick exchanged looks to decide who would tell Sara about her diseased ovary. Nick's glare made it perfectly clear that he'd tell her. His parents gave him a kind and gentle look that spoke volumes stating that they will be there for if she needed it. He gave his meaning he'll be gentle.
"Sara, I really need to tell you something," Nick started.
"What is it, Nick?" Sara asked. "Is it something terrible?"
"It's about your surgery," he responded. "It was a complete success. The tumor was the size of a grapefruit and it consumed your right ovary. Dr. Calabrese had to remove it. I know what you are going ask and the answer is that the left ovary is healthy. The bad ovary has been taken to pathology to make sure it's benign. I am pretty sure it's not malignant."
"Will we have children of our own?" Sara asked.
"Yes, we shall," Nick reassured her. "We'll have a few beautiful and handsome kids. Not that my nieces and nephews aren't gorgeous and good-looking."
"Nobody's disputing that, Pancho," Bill chuckled heartily.
"Sara, I called Olivia while you were in surgery," Jillian changed the subject. "She's getting my other kids to chip in and buy you a gift basket. She won't tell me what will be in it, but I am sure it will be either food or stuff from The Body Shop or Bath and Body Works."
"I'll enjoy whatever they get for me," Sara smiled. "I'll call to thank her for her kindness."
There were a few minutes of silence. Sara's audible yawn shattered the boring silence.
"We should go to the house," Bill said. "Sara's tired and still is groggy from the anesthetic. Besides, we haven't eaten since we shared that cookie."
"Nick also has to feed the kitties," Jillian added. "Sara, you get some rest and we'll see you tomorrow."
"I'll bring Grissom, Brass, Dr. Robbins, Warrick, Catherine and Greg with me," Nick said.
"Just don't bring Hodges or Ecklie," Sara smirked.
"They will only get reports about your condition and that's all," Nick grinned. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Sara said sweetly and they kissed.
Sara slept a little after Nick, Jillian and Bill left the hospital. When she woke up, a nurse came by to give her green (lime) Jell-O and a cup of vegetable broth. She ate the Jell-O, but could hardly drink the broth for some reason. Another nurse came by to take her night time vitals and left the room. Sara turned on the television since FI (Forensic Investigation): Boston was showing at the time. She was dozing off and waking up a few times that she missed much of the storyline. Finally, she was asleep.
TBC
