Sara, sitting in the waiting room of the local hospital, knew that this was supposed to be a good day for everyone, especially for the media, but the long waiting depressed and frustrated her. The press, who had been keeping track of the murders since the Holidays were found to be dead, had been excited about Maggie being alive (they reported it to the public as soon as Sheriff Mobley said something about the murders being connected, ignoring Grissom's pleas of keeping it quiet until more evidence surfaced), especially after a gruesome experience out in the wilderness of Vegas.
It was a lot worse than what anyone expected, even after working on the crime scene at the O'Keefe residence. Wounded – stabbed, shot, impaled and brutally raped multiple times – Maggie had somehow survived the odds (she was out for a week, which made the C.S.I. believe the killer had intentions of keeping her alive, although there was no evidence to support the theory). A victim of the murderer had been found alive and there was more evidence to process until the hospital staff gave them the rape kit.
It was there that Sara was waiting to see Maggie, along with Grissom, Catherine, Brass, Warrick and Nick. The last twenty hours had been hell, not knowing if their co-worker was going to live or not. Sitting there for two hours (eighteen hours before, the team had been anxiously waiting at Headquarters), Sara felt her back stiffen, knowing that the moments were filling her with dread. In the meantime, the tense group of C.S.I.s, plus Brass the detective, remained silent and waited patiently enough for the results of everything.
They all managed to smile, the hour before, when they heard that Maggie was going to fine and that her family was on the mend, even Grace, Maggie's future sister-in-law, who had been shot in the lungs, near her heart.
The wait in the lobby, just an hour after it was announced that Maggie was indeed alive and had survived surgery (all in thanks to Nick's swift response and paranoia), was becoming too boring for Sara (I should, at least, have brought a book or a magazine). She knew that they could visit Maggie as soon as the small biological family – the one that the hospitals really count – was done visiting her. Friends and acquaintances were allowed to visit afterward.
Impatiently, Sara began to swing her legs in frustration, but stopped when she saw Grissom's disapproving stare, one that everybody heeded and would do anything to change. Immediately, Sara stopped and gave Grissom an equally menacing stare, causing him to break his concentration on her and put it elsewhere. She then regretted it, wanting Grissom to look at her again, but dared not risk anything. She wanted to keep her feelings – and his – a secret for the time being.
And did they ever take a long time, Sara thought grimly, trying to get her mind off of Grissom. How long does it take until a family is done looking at an unconscious member?
Tired, also, of complaining in her head, she looked around to her fellow co-workers and sighed with frustration at the scene before her. Nick, next to Sara on the right, was a little worse for wear from his night scare and kept staring at the door – a door that would allow them to see their wounded co-worker – across from him. Brass, who usually kept his cool, was just as weary as Nick. Indeed, the homicide detective was appearing as if he had a bucket of cold water splashed on him.
Sara continued to survey the room. Catherine, across from her, was also grim and worried (About her daughter, most likely, Sara viciously, without intention, thought) and constantly watching the door next to her, just as Nick was. Warrick, to Catherine's right, was fast asleep next Grissom, posed to wake him up when the time came.
Grissom himself sat serenely, as usual, with his arms crossed across his chest and calmly, stoic-like, waiting for their turn to see Maggie, who, Grissom knew, would now not want to stay away from this case. Even Sara knew that Maggie was going to be more that helpful than ever to find the killer that committed these crimes. She was much stronger than Grissom had anticipated and Sara knew it. I know him too well, him thinking that she won't be able things she's been asking for. I also know Maggie too well. She's an easy book to read sometimes, but what she shows isn't what she really is.
Her thoughts were then disrupted by a door, next to Catherine, opening. One of Maggie's older brothers (Sara didn't know which one it was because the two looked too much alike) peered into the slightly-opened door he opened, motioning that they can all see his sister, alone and perhaps without them. The group got up, worried (Nick was up too quickly and looked too eager), and almost headed into the next room before Grissom remembered Warrick. Grissom then turned around and woke him up quickly by shaking his shoulder, the lanky African-American rubbing his eyes and about to complain before he realized what was going on.
The resigned O'Keefe brother in the doorway, limping awkwardly in his crutches, motioned them all forward again, this time with his crutch. He held the door open for the group as a line formed. He quietly had the group filed single-file as they congregated into the hallway, following him down a narrow hallway and to an elevator, up to his sister's room and at the other end of the elevator.
Unfortunately for the group, the walk to Maggie's room was a long one and was up several floors. It was a crowded ride up a small elevator, almost enough to make Sara feel extremely claustrophobic. Looking around, once more, to see what the others were feeling – thinking in their minds – Sara saw almost nothing but heads staring down or at the numbers indicating which floor they were on.
At last, the elevator dinged, letting the group off of a floor. A long walk to the other end of the hall, down the narrowing hall on the eighth floor, gave them more time for thought, but as soon as they reached the small room, the team held its breath. Maggie was lying in the room (still deathly white in hue), separated from the group through a glass window and a door.
The brother, along with his other sibling and Grace, who had stood there waiting outside the room, left the C.S.I.s and detective immediately (or, as fast as they could), who couldn't resist but press their faces to the glass. Inside, only Maggie's nephew remained, holding the woman's limp hand, and crying silently, mouthing words of encouragement. Sara noted that Grissom was following along, mouthing replies to them both, knowing the words of endearment from a family member, but not sharing them with the other members of his team.
Maggie was barely awake, almost sleepy-like, and was trying to hold back her anger, frustration and anguish away as she turned away from her nephew and saw the group, her second family, stare back at her in helpless resignation. She heard the noise outside and wanted to investigate as soon as she could, but when she turned, the sight was too pitiful to bear, much more so than her nephew mouthing words to her.
Each person, even Nick, couldn't help but leave Maggie as she slowly, with much hesitation, broke down into tears. The woman saw the helpless faces of her co-workers. She had never felt so humiliated in her life.
But to the other C.S.I.s, there was much more to do than to pity. There was a job to do and their visiting time was over, even after a minute. A killer was still on the loose and already threatening the city. There was no time to spare anymore, but offer support and move on.