Sofia sat at the island, Catherine had fallen asleep shortly after her father left; the man never failed in upsetting her. And when Catherine got upset she was in pain, the pills helped but usually just made her sleep.
All in all she was content with her vacation, it was good to be doing something rather than just sitting at home and ducking her mother's calls. Not to mention Catherine was a friend, and her daughter Lindsay an interesting young woman, she knew what it was to have to face life without a parent; she couldn't imagine having lost the other as a child.
Lindsay was trying hard to be tough, it was what she saw her mother doing, but Sofia knew the girl was struggling. Catherine was in turn trying to be tough for her daughter and Sofia knew she was one of few people who got to see her crack; and that was only because she guarded her feelings.
Catherine didn't want pity, and it was hard for her to face it; she wanted her life back. That made her think of her father, watching Catherine struggle through the therapy and fight with her body while biting her lip rather than asking for a pain pill.
Her father had never had the chance to have his life back, he had to accept death and dependence; she had let him see her pity. Let him see her pain as she accepted that he was going to leave her, it had been hard on both of them and there had only been one outcome.
This time there was a different one, and it was getting closer but Catherine needed support so she kept her feelings to herself and thought back to when they'd worked together at CSI; and the rumors she'd heard about the veteran grave shift CSI.
Before she'd met Catherine she knew of her, the ex-stripper was a legend through CSI, she was known for being tough and Grissom's right hand but more than that. Men gossiped about her body and women envied the path she'd taken, it wasn't easy but it was a story.
She had worked some rough cases over the years and had connections that Sofia now knew went from the strip clubs to the casinos. She had also learned that Catherine didn't see the respect she had earned, or that she did her job better than most; cared more.
Sofia had been raised by a strong woman who put the job first, she had a lot of respect for a strong woman who put her family first; it was the legacy she someday wanted to leave. There would always be conflict between mother and daughter but that was hard to see when you were in the middle of it; but Catherine was a good mother.
Sofia looked at her and almost wished her mother had been more like that, Catherine worried about being away from her daughter; not being there enough. Her own mother had worked hard for her place in a man's job, but had put that first without hesitation and she had been closer to her father; only she'd strived to impress her mother. And gone through the academy with that in mind.
Only it was never good enough, and when she got transferred to CSI that had driven her mother crazy; but it had helped. Working at CSI had taught her something, and made her a better detective. It had also driven a wedge between her and her mother as around the same time as her transfer her mother was promoted again; she had her dream.
"Hey Sofia." Lindsay slipped through the back door and dumped her bag by the counter.
"Hey Lindsay, your mom is sleeping, I'm sure she'd love to see you." The girl looked a lot like Catherine, and had some of her temperament.
But the girl was almost terrified of her mother, she was afraid to lose the last parent she had and nobody could blame her for that. Sofia tried to push her to at least spend time with her mother the way she had before; Catherine missed it.
She settled back in to read an article about spinal injuries, she was combing through them. The injury was common enough but not every case was the same, especially when it came to soft tissue injury and swelling. Bony injuries were more uniform, but that wasn't what Catherine was dealing with; it was not guaranteed.
Lots of people dealt with them, and posted stuff online, there was plenty of crap but some was useful; and use than some of the doctors. She had enough experience dealing with doctors to get through their hundred dollar words to the fact they weren't sure what to try; it wasn't as uncommon as one might hope.
She heard Catherine groan, Lindsay had probably moved her, and it was a fine balance between giving Catherine space and being close enough to help when necessary. Sofia went back to reading for a few moments, until Lindsay brought her to her feet, the girl's face was pale and sheer terror. "Something is wrong with mom."
"Alright, let's see." She crossed into the living room quickly, Catherine had curled her knees up and her body trembled. "Cath, you okay?"
The woman shook her head, gritting her teeth, Lindsay hovered behind her. "I moved her when I woke her up so I could sit with her and she started crying. Is she okay?"
"No, I'm going to call the doctor and we'll keep her still till they can see her. Go into the kitchen and get the file from the table; it's got her scans from this morning." Sofia put a hand on Catherine's shoulder as the woman shook more.
"Not going back to the hospital, call doc please." Catherine grit her teeth between words and Sofia nodded, understanding what she meant; she didn't fully agree. But there was no point in getting Catherine more upset.
"Okay, just stay still." Sofia dialled her phone with one hand, the other stayed on Catherine's shoulder; the chief coroner answered on the second ring. "Hey, its Sofia, I need some help with Catherine she's in pain; doesn't want to go to the hospital."
Thankfully he agreed, warning her to keep Catherine still until he could arrive, Lindsay paced nervously. She did her best to keep Catherine from shaking, she did manage to confirm that Lindsay hadn't moved Catherine's legs; that might be a good thing.
The man arrived and Lindsay let him in, he went straight for Catherine and with one arm leaning on his cane began to assess her. He might work with the dead but he knew the skills it took for the living. "She have any pain before this?"
"Some, she was uncomfortable, gave her a pain pill and she fell asleep." Sofia stepped back as the man checked her pulse, looked at her pupils and checked the incisions.
"Does she have any power?"
"She was able to sit up on her own for a moment and she curled her knees up like that."
"Good." He slid Catherine's shirt up, and spoke gently to their friend. "I'm going to press on points along your spine, if it makes the pain worse you tell me."
Catherine nodded and she watched as he worked his way down, Catherine yelped when he got to her lower back. "I'd say that's where it hurts, what did she take?"
She slipped through to the kitchen and got all the options, and handed the bottle she'd taken the pill for Catherine out of. He scanned that label, and then reached for the others. "She had an appointment this morning, no change."
"Any chance you got copies?" He set the bottles down and turned back to Catherine; checking her ankles for something. Sofia handed them over and he took a moment to study them carefully, then dug for the older ones. "Someone was wrong on that, there is change, comparing the two you can see it; swelling's gone down around the spinal cord at two points."
He turned back to Catherine for a moment and then pulled the x-ray. "Should we send her to the hospital?"
"No, not if she doesn't want to go, the pain is consistent with power returning, impulses travelling tracks after being deprived with some pressure still present; it well could be recovery. She's got some heavy duty pain killers, she should be using them; I'd say this was anticipated." Al Robbins pointed out where he saw the difference; if you looked you could see it.
"I can move her?" Sofia knelt by Catherine's shoulder and glanced at the older man.
"I'd say so, sit her up and let's get some pain killer into her." He stepped back as she slid an arm under Catherine's shoulder.
"I'll get water." Lindsay slipped from the room, her voice was weak; girl was still scared.
"You're managing her by yourself?" Al Robbins asked as she maneuvered Catherine to sit up; sitting beside her friend.
"She's not big enough to be a challenge. What do you want her to have?" Catherine leaned her cheek into Sofia's shoulder, the woman was still in agony.
Lindsay handed her the water and Doc Robbins handed her two pills. "She can have these every four hours, I'd give them every four hours, don't play around trying not to give her too much; she needs them. It may well get worse before it gets better, give her a few minutes and we'll see what she can do."
"You guys do remember I can hear right?" Catherine swallowed the pills she put between her lips, her smile was weak but it was an improvement.
"We know, give the drugs a minute to kick in Catherine and stop trying to fight it." She stroked the woman's hair, her body wasn't trembling as badly; but her lip was caught between her teeth.
"It won't take long, Catherine once the drugs take affect I'll see how your moving then we'll let you rest. Pain scale when it first started?" Robbins stood in front of them, leaning down to watch Catherine's face.
"Nine."
"And now?"
"Not as bad." Catherine lifted her head and turned to find her daughter, Sofia motioned that she should come and sit; Lindsay sat on the other side of Catherine. "I'm okay Lindsay."
The young girl slid her hand into her mother's and leaned into her; Sofia smiled softly as Catherine tilted her head to rest her cheek against her daughter's. Robbins let Catherine have some time and then gently tested her motor function, it had Catherine wincing but her gross motor function was improving.
"Alright, I'd say she's okay, use the med; keep her comfortable. And Catherine you should avoid getting upset, keep calm and if people are upsetting you, I'm sure Sofia can." He glanced back to her and she nodded.
"You know I have no problem getting rid of people Catherine. You just need to stay calm and relax, maybe Sam shouldn't visit again." She rubbed Catherine's shoulder as the woman stared at her hands.
"You don't want that headache."
"I work homicide in Vegas; I'll handle him. C'mon I'll get you up, you're sweaty; we'll get you cleaned up."
"I'd like to see how you are lifting her, you know transferring between a wheel chair might be easier." The coroner stepped back giving them space, Lindsay held her mother's arms out and Sofia crouched; Catherine's arms thrown over her shoulders.
"I've moved people a lot bigger than her. Here we go." She knew how to lift, using her legs not her back and settled Catherine on her hip. "Thanks doc."
"You manage that with too much ease, handy way of moving her though I haven't seen anyone use it for adults." He smirked and she was glad to see Catherine laugh a little.
"She hauls me around like an oversized toddler." Catherine smiled at their co-worker, Lindsay excused herself; they waited until Robbins left and then they headed upstairs.