A/N Many many thanks and much appreciation for the lovely reviews. They really mean a lot. Also many many thanks to my beta piccolina789, and for your patience and understanding on the mass messaging and thousands of questions regarding this chapter and the one that will eventually follow. :)
Brass watched with concern and Grissom's agitation grew, as he once again refused the doctor's attempts to examine his injures.
They'd arrived in the emergency room of Desert Palm Hospital fifteen minutes before, but Grissom's only concern was for Sara.
Because of her pregnancy, Sara was the priority and she was rushed to the hospital after being released from the handcuffs by Officer Metcalf, as Brass had searched for Grissom and Garrett. He'd managed to find them easily enough, by following the blood trail one or both of them had left behind.
Witnessing Garrett throttling the life out of Grissom had left Brass with no choice but to use deadly force on Garrett. Brass knew shouting a warning to Garrett would have only endangered Gil's life even further.
Officer Mitchell had been found in the second storage shed, alive with a serious gunshot wound to his shoulder. He'd been transported to Desert Palm via helicopter and the last Brass had heard, Mitch was in surgery.
"Gil, you really need to let the doctor examine you."
Grissom looked at Brass as if he were out of his mind. Running purely on adrenaline, Grissom barely felt the pain of his injures of his beaten body, except when he moved too quickly or the doctor's attempts to examine him touched a tender spot.
"I need to see Sara!" Grissom insisted, his voice hoarse and scratchy from Garrett's vicious attempt to strangle him.
Grissom had not seen her since the fight with Garrett. His head pounded and his broken nose pulsed in time with his heartbeat. It hurt to breathe, but that was all insignificant compared to his concern for Sara and the baby.
Grissom limped over to the curtain and pulled it aside, searching for Sara and ignoring the doctor's protests at his lack of cooperation. Brass and Ecklie placated the doctor before following after Grissom as he left the room to check the rest of the floor.
As Brass and Ecklie caught up with Grissom, about to check another room, two security guards appeared. Grissom paused as he grunted in pain. All the movement had agitated his broken ribs.
"Sara's fine and no one is trying to stop you from seeing her," Ecklie said, attempting to reason with him. "But right now, you need medical attention yourself, Gil."
Grissom turned and glared furiously at Ecklie. The two security guards stepped forward, ready to intervene if necessary.
Both Ecklie and Brass held out their hands towards the guards, stopping them. Grissom pointed a shaking finger accusingly at Ecklie.
"She wouldn't even be here if you hadn't sent her into the field!" Grissom said, his voice raspy. It was clear that he still blamed Ecklie for Garrett taking Sara in the first place.
He coughed, his bruised and battered face contorting as pain flared in his ribs and throat. He swallowed painfully, sweat beading on his bruised skin, as color drained from his face.
"I want to see my wife!" Grissom gasped. "And I want to see her now!"
Brass took a step forward, his hands held up in a peaceful gesture.
"Okay, Gil," Jim soothed. His concern for his friend was increasing, as it looked as if Grissom would collapse at any second. "We'll find Sara and then we'll get you sorted, okay?"
With a grimace, Grissom agreed with the slightest of nods.
When Grissom pulled back the curtain, Sara was laid on a white hospital bed, propped up on several pillows. She was attached to a monitor on the right side of the bed that beeped rapidly. An IV line attached to Sara's right wrist stood next to the monitor.
Her t-shirt had been pulled up to expose her rounded abdomen and a belt-like device with a sensor was strapped across it.
Sara turned as the curtain was pulled aside and the battered and bruised figure of her husband appeared. Her smile of relief was quickly replaced with a look concern as he stared at her a moment before limping to her side.
"Gil," she whispered, seeing his bruised and battered face for the first time. The tears that welled in her eyes were not solely due to pregnancy hormones.
Grissom kept his emotions in check, but couldn't keep the look of concern from crossing his face as he gingerly sat on the edge of her bed. With a trembling hand, he tenderly brushed her hair behind her ear, away from her bruised cheek.
"Sweetheart," he said emotionally as his fingers tenderly brushed against her bruised cheeks.
His eyes took in the rest of the bruising around her eyes. The corner of her mouth was also bruised and swollen and her lip was cut.
Finger-shaped bruises marked the skin of her bare arms where Garrett had gripped her tightly. Her wrists were chafed from struggling against the handcuffs and her broken left wrist was in a cast.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't stop him from hurting you," Grissom continued, unsuccessfully fighting the overpowering emotions that overwhelmed him.
Sara gazed at him tenderly, her smile sad, as she palmed his uninjured cheek. His right eye was swollen shut and badly bruised. The eyebrow directly above it was cut and still bleeding slightly. His nose was swollen and bruised and obviously broken. A deep purple-red-and black bruise was already extending from under both his eyes and over the crooked bridge of his nose. The corner of his mouth was bruised and his lip bloodied.
"None of this is your fault, Gil," Sara whispered with a slight shake of her head, wanting to ease his feelings of guilt. "Garrett wasn't expecting you to turn up as quickly as you did. He planned on killing you for setting him up for Quinn's murder. I tried to tell him that he was cleared, but he said I was lying."
Despite the pain he was in, Grissom gently pulled her into his arms.
"I love you, so much!" he said raspily, his voice thick with emotion. The tears he was desperately trying hold back spilled from his good eye. "I'm just relieved that you and the baby are okay."
He held her a moment longer as Dr. Dana Sands, Sara's OBGYN, entered the cubicle. She smiled sadly on seeing the condition of the couple before her.
Gil glanced between Dana and Sara, his hand moving to Sara's bump, his eyes growing wide and alarmed, as his thumb gently caressed the taut skin. The fingers of his other hand curled tightly around Sara's uninjured hand.
"Has something happened to the baby?" he rasped, his voice catching.
"This is just a precaution, Gil," Dr. Sands explained gently. "The baby's heart rate is elevated, which is not surprising after the stress Sara has been through. The normal range is usually anywhere from 110 to 160 beats per minute. Anything above 160 beats per minute is considered abnormal. The baby's heart rate is reading 185 beats per minute."
"Is there a chance we… we could…" Grissom's voice trailed off as he fought not to lose it completely.
Dana shook her head with a smile of reassurance.
"No. Sara and the baby will both be fine," the doctor said with a smile. "We'll monitor the heartbeat for the next half an hour. I've asked the nurse to bring Sara some food, which often increases the movement of the baby. We may do an ultrasound too, just to confirm the baby is fine. They're both in good hands, Gil, you can trust me. I know that is easier said than done, after what you've both been through, but try not to worry."
As Dana left them alone, Grissom winced and rubbed the side of his pounding head. The rush of adrenaline was fading and he was starting to feel the beating his body had taken.
The curtain was pulled aside again, revealing Brass and Ecklie.
"I know you want to be with Sara right now, Gil, but you really need to get checked over," Ecklie said.
"I'm not leaving her," Gil insisted. "I'm fine."
"And I'm the Pope," quipped Jim. "We made a deal that once you'd seen Sara, you'd let the doctors examine you. Once you're done, you can stay with her, I promise."
"He's right, Gil," Sara said softly.
She reached out and lightly brushed her fingers against Gil's cheek. She could tell from Jim's tone that this wasn't the first time Grissom had refused treatment.
"Sara…" Grissom choked out, but Sara shook her head, silencing him.
"I – we – need you to do this, Gil," she whispered, her fingers running lightly through his greying curls, mindful of his injuries. "It'll make me and Cricket feel much better, knowing that you're going to be all right. Conrad can stay with me."
"No," Grissom rasped hoarsely. "He's the reason…"
"I insisted I work that scene, Gil," Sara admitted quietly. "There was no one else available and I talked him into letting me go. We both thought I'd be safe. We didn't realize that Garrett was in the house right next door. I know you're far from fine, Gil. Do this for me."
He searched her face, seeing the truth reflected in her brown eyes, which brimmed with tears she refused to shed. She nodded slightly, a smile on her face. Grissom finally relented and nodded back at her. He unexpectedly bent forward and brushed his lips against her forehead with a feather-light touch, before gingerly rising off the bed.
"Sorry, Mr Grissom," apologized Dr. Thomas Strickland as Gil hissed sharply in pain as his broken nose was examined. "I'll need an x-ray to confirm that there are no loose bone fragments. In three days, when the swelling has subsided a little more, I can manipulate the bone back into place and splint it."
Next, the doctor turned his attention to Grissom's neck, watching his patient carefully as Grissom rubbed his temple.
"Do you suffer from migraines?" he asked as he examined the swelling and bruising on Grissom's neck.
Along with a thin, red ligature mark, Grissom's neck also had abrasions and claw marks where he had tried to tear the cord from his neck.
"Yes," Grissom croaked. "I take extra strength acetaminophen."
"And how are you finding those?" the doctor asked as he continued his examination and took notes.
"Not as effective as they were," Grissom acknowledged, remembering the last migraine he'd endured.
The doctor hummed thoughtfully.
"I'll prescribe Sumatriptan for the migraines. Because of the hoarseness of your speech, I want to examine your vocal cords and larynx for any signs of swelling. It's a simple procedure and won't take very long."
He used an antiseptic spray to numb Gil's throat and minimize his discomfort and gag reflex.
While he waited for the spray to work, the doctor finished up his examination, ordering more x-rays for his badly bruised ribs.
Finally, all that was left was the examination of any damage to Grissom's vocal cords. Using a device with a fiber optic cable with a light at the end, the doctor watched the monitor. Although swelling was visible, he was satisfied with the results.
"Considering what you've endured, Mr. Grissom, I can say that you're lucky to be alive. The swelling to your vocal cords and larynx will heal with rest and fluids. I'll also prescribe anti-inflammatories. Ideally, I'd like to keep you here for a few days as a precaution and for observational purposes."
Grimacing, Grissom shook his head.
"I'm staying with my wife," he whispered hoarsely. "She was attacked by the same madman and she's five-and-a-half months pregnant."
Dr. Strickland nodded, having already heard that news from Captain Brass.
"I'll make sure you're seen to as quickly as possible, Mr. Grissom, so you can return to your wife's side. I'll get you your medication, so you're a little more comfortable."
Finally, Grissom was able to return to Sara's side, where Dr. Sands was busy setting up the ultrasound.
Grissom quickly approached his wife, kissing her forehead as he curled his fingers around her hand and settled into the chair next to her bed. The fetal monitor on the opposite side was beeping at a much slower rate and Grissom hoped that it was good news.
"The heart rate has dropped to a much more normal rate," Dana confirmed with a smile. "A happy 145 beats per minute."
Gil and Sara shared a relieved smile and Sara squeezed his hand tightly.
A grey image appeared on the monitor as Dana moved the transducer over Sara's stomach. The baby squirmed at the intrusion and kicked twice, making Sara wince.
Dana smiled.
"You have a very active and happy baby, Sara. Seems baby was hungry, just like Mom."
The baby turned and Dana's smile widened.
"I know it wasn't possible to see the gender at your twenty week scan, but if you'd like to know, I can show you now."
Sara glanced at Grissom to gauge his reaction. Seeing the hope in Sara's eyes, Grissom nodded. When Dana paused the image, their grins widened.
"I'm happy with the results of the fetal heart monitor and ultrasound, Sara," Dr. Sands continued after a few moments. "We'll keep you here for a few days, but it's just a precautionary measure."
Four days after Sara's hospital admission, Ecklie visited them both. With the exception of Jim driving Grissom home so he could freshen up and get a fresh change of clothes, Grissom hadn't left Sara's side.
Dr. Strickland had informed Grissom of his x-ray results shortly after Sara had been moved to the maternity ward and installed in a room of her own. Although they would be extremely painful for a several more weeks, Grissom was lucky that Garrett's vicious kicks had only cracked his ribs, narrowly avoiding a more serious injury. As long as he took adequate pain relief and took deep breaths to avoid the risk of developing pneumonia, he'd make a full recovery. The swelling in his throat was starting to go down and his broken nose had been reset and splinted.
The fall on his knee had resulted in an overstretched ligament. Strickland had recommended a supportive knee brace for the first few days to help stabilize the knee and prevent further damage.
Though he felt uncomfortable, Grissom knew how lucky he'd been. He was looking forward to Dr. Sands' visit and hoped that she would allow Sara to go home.
In the lab, it had been decided that it would be best to wait a few days before telling Gil and Sara the news that the sheriff had been helping Garrett. After the scare with Cricket's heart beat, no one was prepared to take any chances to cause Sara any more stress.
After exchanging the usual pleasantries, Ecklie settled down to business.
"After what you've both been through, I delayed telling you that Mike Garrett had an accomplice in his vendetta against you," Ecklie began, carefully watching the couple. He paused a heartbeat before dropping the bombshell.
"It was Rory Dunbar."
"The sheriff?" Grissom asked incredulously.
Sara and Grissom's faces both reflected their shock at the news.
"Has he said why?" Grissom demanded. "I know he resented our reinstatement and I suspect that he was involved in more than a few delays on cases over the last few months, but telling Garrett to harm Sara and the baby..."
Ecklie shook his head.
"Rory hasn't said much, but one thing he does insist on is that Sara's kidnapping was all Garrett's idea," Ecklie said. " When he heard what happened to Sara, he called Garrett out and tried to talk him into releasing her. Garrett wouldn't listen, knowing it would draw you out. By that time, Garrett had called you and lured you to the mine in Eldorado Canyon."
"Does this mean we still aren't safe?" Grissom asked, glancing at Sara worriedly, his hand gripping hers more tightly. His voice was still harsh and raspy.
Ecklie shook his head.
"We're going to play it safe," he said. "Until we've finished the investigation into Dunbar, once Sara is released, arrangements have been made to take you to the safe house in Summerlin. We're not taking any chances, this time, Gil. Because we can't be sure who else Rory has working for him, the only people that know about this besides myself are the grave shift and Jim, who will be taking you there. We will get to the bottom of this, Gil. You have my word."