End of September

Headache. Such a headache. Did she hit her head? Did she fall? Sara tried to open her eyes but it was so difficult. She tried to listen to her surroundings. Where was she? It didn't sound like home. She heard voices, she heard… things…Where was she?

"I think she wakes up."

She knew that voice. She heard it before. Where? When? And why were there people in her bedroom? Or why wasn't she in her bedroom? What did she do here? Where was here? How did she get here? Why was she here?

"Sara?"

Yes that was her name. She wanted to answer but…damn her throat was dry. She needed something to drink. Why did nobody give her a glass of water? In which awful place did she end up when where nobody cared if she was thirsty or not.

"Sara can you hear me?"

"Yeah." Oh dear her voice sounded awful. She opened her eyes. Everything was white. Had somebody redecorated her apartment? She didn't like it, she wanted her old colors back. This looked like a…like a hospital!

"Fuck."

"Swearing. A good sign." Somebody got a straw in Sara's mouth and she sucked cold water. What a great feeling. Water had never tasted to good like right now. Slowly the blurry world became clearer. Yes she was definitely in a hospital, the question was, what did she do here? She had no time to be here, she had a case to close and…the case! She remembered she was working a double, was supposed to get to the court and…nothing. She had no idea what had happened then. Did anybody shoot her? Hit her head?

"What am I doing here?" She knew the doctor, it was Sofia's cousin. Sara didn't plan to see this man any time soon again.

"Prove me wrong."

"Why?" She couldn't remember she had to prove anything to him. Why and how was she proving him wrong?

"I thought you're a smart woman."

"I am." She had a degree that proved that.

"Apparently not. A quarter of a year ago I had you here, exhausted, two break downs and I sent you away to get your energy back, to learn to treat you and your body more respectful and after one month back on the job you're here again. Not very smart, Sara."

"Tell the bad guys to stop being that busy and I'll be less busy. Talking about being busy, I need to go back to the lap, I've a case to work."

"Your case is closed?"

"What? Don't lie. I was in the middle of the investigation. Having a little sleep for an hour or so doesn't close a case."

"Do you know what date it is today, Sara?"

"Twenty-sixth of September. Tuesday. I've a court appointment at five, can I go?"

"I'm afraid you'll be late."

"What? Damn. I need to call the judge and say I'm sorry I…whatever and ask to reschedule the trial. Tomorrow."

"The twenty-seventh?"

"Yes." What a stupid question. Today was the twenty-sixth, so tomorrow was the twenty-seventh. Was the doctor kidding her? Or was that a test to see if she was fit enough to leave? She was fit. She needed another glass of water and…why were there infusions in her arm? Who ordered them?

"You'll be late for that appointment too."

"I won't. I won't stay here. Get these things out of me or I'll do it."

"Sara, today is the thirtieth of September."

"Absolute nonsense."

"I'm afraid it's not."

"I might had a little accident, not that I remember that but it is the twenty-sixth. It was when I got in my car…" Did she ever reach her car? She couldn't remember getting in her car and drive to the court.

"Did I hit my head?"

"Do you have a headache?"

"Will you first answer my question?"

"Sara…"

"Did I hit my head?"

"Yes."

"I have a headache, yes."

"You have a concussion."

"Great. Exactly what I needed. So you want me to stay a night?"

"Sara, it is the thirtieth of September, you stayed already four nights. You were unconscious and slept the whole time. Well, you woke up a few times for a short while but most times you slept. You had another break-down."

"Are they like a broken ankle? Once you had problems with that you'll get it for the rest of your life? That's annoying."

"You get that when you don't take care of yourself."

"Like the ankle. Okay, give me something for the head, get the infusions out of my arm and I'm out of here. Four nights. I'm more than overdue."

"You're awake for the first time in four days, really awake. Do you really think I let you go? You'll stay here bit longer."

"Great." Now she had not only to fight her headache but the doctor as well. Wasn't he suppose to be here to support her? To help her? All the things he suggested and said made that she felt worse and not better.

"And before you start to make plans how to escape there's somebody waiting for you outside. If you feel strong enough for some guests…"

"I want to go home telling you I'm too tired for guests wouldn't be smart."

"Make yourself comfortable for another two nights."

"Two? One."

"Two if you do alright. Three if you argue."

"I thought arguing is a sign of being well again." Sara smiled.

"It is. Unfortunately I don't give annoying people what they want. Like with children: they make some trouble in the supermarket because they want sweets, they won't get anything. Are the nice and listen to what I say, they get their sweets. Works perfect like that for ten years."

"Great." Sara grumbled. Her doctor treated her like a child. Didn't she have a right to leave when she wanted to leave? Four nights. That was crazy. Four nights, almost a hundred hours, that was eternity.

Wait a moment. Four nights, that was a lot of time, that was enough to time to fly to Las Vegas, even from France. Could it be that Grissom came this time to her? After their not very happy and positive conversations of the last weeks. He was still her husband, the doctor had called him, she was sure about that. Did he forget his work, jumped in the next plane to Las Vegas to be with her?

"Didn't I tell you to take care of you?"

This voice didn't belong to Grissom, neither did these long blonde hair and the ice blue eyes. Not her husband was waiting for her, her friend. How could Sara possible think for a second Grissom would come over? Her head must have gotten a very heavy blow. Grissom leaving his job for her, flying to Vegas to be with her. Maybe she needed to stay a few more days, she was obviously not fine.

"What are you doing here?" What was Sofia doing here? She had a lot of work at home, she couldn't leave the ranch to sit around here only because Sara hit her head and was a little bit exhausted. There were horses waiting for the blonde, horses that depended on her.

"I'd love to kick your ass first. Stupid bitch." Sofia pulled Sara in her arms and hugged the brunette. "Can't you listen to me? Only once. I told you to take care, not too work too much and what are you doing? Working over sixteen hours a day, four weeks in a row, no day off, no wonder you are here now. How can a smart woman like you be so stupid?"

"And you know that I'm here and how much I worked because…?"

"I talked to your colleagues."

"They called you I'm in hospital?"

"Maybe."

"Your cousin did."

"I won't give you a name because you'll give this person trouble."

"Or a thank you. It's good to see you, Sofia." Sara snuggled in Sofia's arms. Of course the blonde was here. How could she thought for a moment Grissom had left his work to come to her? He didn't that before, why should he do that now?

"I thought you need somebody to visit you. I know they called Grissom…"

"I doubt he'll come."

"He didn't call back."

"Not that I know of…but I just woke up."

"He didn't call back, I know that."

"I'm not surprised."

"He's your husband."

"At the moment."

"What do you mean with 'at the moment'? He is your husband."

Sara lifted her left hand. The ring she wore there the whole summer was gone.

"You sent him his ring back?"

"Yes. I saw no reason to keep it after he doesn't treat me like you're suppose to treat your wife. I sent it back two weeks ago, I haven't heard anything from him. He might be too busy to open his mail or he doesn't care." No Grissom. No 'sorry I left you alone can you forgive' scene for her in hospital. In a movie that would have happened. In reality her husband, or soon to be former husband, wasn't here, didn't care and her friend took the long way to see her, to be with her.

"We need to talk about this later."

"Do we?" Sara cocked her head.

"Yes. Right now we don't have time for that."

"Your cousin told me I'm allowed to stay two more nights."

"He's right with that. But I'm not your only visitor."

"Is Greg there?"

"You'll see." Sofia walked to the door. As soon as she opened it two little shadows came inside, calling her name.

"Kieran! Pat!" Sofia had brought the kids with her. That was a nice surprise, who needed Grissom when there were two men happy to see her.

Having the advance of being a bit taller than his uncle, Kieran climbed on Sara's bed and wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Sara. Missed you."

"I missed you too, Kieran." She felt guilty immediately. She hadn't have a lot time to call the boys, she didn't spend a lot of time with them on the internet.

"Missed Sara." Sofia helped her son on the bed and he hugged Sara too.

"Hey Patti, I missed you too. You grew!"

"Yes!"

"Me too."

"I can see that, Kieran." Sara held both boys in her arms. She had to fight tears. Her friend and the two children came all the way down from Wyoming to see her, they left the ranch, the work to be with her. And her husband? He didn't even call. Maybe she should get used to call Grissom not her husband anymore.

"Now get away from here before she looses her infusion." Sofia instructed the boys. "Back off a bit."

"You can stay on the bed, boys."

"Present for Sara!"

"There you go." Sofia gave Kieran a little bag.

"For you." The boy smiled when he gave the bag to Sara.

"I get presents all the time from you guys and no chance so far to give anything to you.

"You bring something to people who are in hospital."

"It seems like I make the right decision. At least when you focus on presents."

"Yes."

"Open! Open!" Pat demanded.

"Alright." Sara unwrapped the paper. It wasn't a big bag, not even twice the size of her hand. But heavy. Too heavy for a CD or DVD. A book? The shape didn't fit for a book.

"A horseshoe?"

"Not just a horseshoe, it's Caza's. She got new ones last week, Jon got this one for you, cleaned it so that you have something personal from your summer horse. Fortuna's are new, we couldn't give you hers."

"She got them last week. Wow, cool. Thanks." Maybe this sign of luck could help her to get her life back on the lucky side. She had to put it over her door, the open side up so the luck couldn't fall out.

"It's for luck." Kieran explained.

"I know. I hope it works."

"Of course it will."

"I might give it to Greg and every time you want to work a double he has to hit you on your head with it until you go home."

"Great, I'll get one concussion after the other."

"Go home on time and everything will be alright."

"It's not that easy all the time."

"We won't argue about your work hours now. There are children around."

"I'll keep you both with me." Sara said to the boys. "Sofia is nicer when you're around and I'm sure the nurses will be nicer too."

"The detective says you have to listen to the doctor and the nurse."

Sara looked at Sofia. She knew she couldn't say different, but Sara could see how Sofia enjoyed the fact that Sara had to agree even when she didn't want to agree.

"You want to get well soon you need to listen, yes."

"That's why we'll leave Sara alone now. She needs to rest, she just woke up."

"Want to stay." Kieran protested.

"I'm not tired." Sara said.

"We have a deal with the doctor, guys. We'll be back tomorrow, for today it's enough. Down the bed and say goodbye."

"Bye Sara." Pat said.

"Bye Sara." Kieran looked sadly.

"You can come back tomorrow, Honey." She stroke his cheek. "I promise I'll be here."

"You better are." Sofia smirked. "Have some sleep, take your medicine and rest."

"Be nice to the boys."

"Always. Shall I bring you anything? Apparently you don't have anything here and I'm sure you want to leave your bed for a walk…but not for a walk in your hospital shirt."

"If I have my keys…" Sara opened the nightstand to her bed. In the second drawer were her keys. She gave them to Sofia.

"Thanks. Just…anything. I won't stay that long anymore."

"I'll get you some fresh stuff, something casual to sit and walk around. For three days."

"I won't stay another three days."

Sofia simply smiled without saying a word. There was no reason to argue with Sara. It wasn't up to Sofia to make a decision when the brunette could leave, that was a fight Sara had to fight with her doctor and Sofia was glad, she could stay out of that. There was no way she would get herself involved in that fight.