AN: Thank you for the reviews, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 5: Pulled through?

Sara started to pull back from Katie a few moments later when she saw Kelly walking their way, then she smiled at her daughter and cupped her cheek. "Why don't you go and sit down, honey."

Katie nodded before she headed towards the chairs as Kelly stopped in front of Sara, then she said with a slight smile. "I'm surprised you kept everybody else at bay."

"They all wanted to come, and I appreciate their support, but I felt it would be too much right now, which they understood. I'll let them know how he's doing when I can."

Kelly placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and spoke softly. "Understandable, and I will keep you updated if I can."

With an appreciative look, Sara nodded. "Thank you, and not only for that, but for helping my son out."

Sara could only imagine how he felt when it came to making that phone call, so she was happy Kelly was there to lend a hand.

"It was no problem." Sara could see that Kelly was holding in her emotions tight as she continued. "I just wish I didn't have to make that kind of call to you, I'm so sorry, Sara, I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now."

She placed her hand on the younger woman's shoulder and squeezed it while speaking in comforting tone. "And I know how you're feeling right now." When Kelly looked shocked, Sara gave her a slight smile. "Which is ok for you to feel that way towards him, I mean you could have been his daughter, it's a unique situation for sure."

Kelly sniffled before she continued. "Watching you guys through the years, getting to know him, I can see how/why you fell in love with him, and I think a part of me loves him too."

Knowing how she meant by that, Sara gave the young woman a reassuring smile. "And I know he loves you too." Sara understood why Grissom never voiced his feelings towards the younger woman out-loud, but she knew her husband better than anybody, and while he tried to hide it, she's noticed he looks at her as if he was looking at his own daughter.

When Kelly looked at Sara with a guilty look before she looked down, Sara shook her head and and lifted her chin up before speaking again. "There is nothing to feel guilty about, I'm honestly ok with it." When Kelly saw the truth in her eyes, she nodded with a smile before Sara cleared her throat, and asked while removing her hand. "Have you got a hold of your mother yet?"

At little shocked that Sara would ask that, but hid it, she shook her head. "No, I uh, I didn't think that..."

Sara cuts her off. "You should."

Although Kelly had to admit a part of her wanted to, but out of respect for Sara and their family, she decided against it, at least until he made a full recovery, because she wouldn't have accepted anything short of that.

She then looked at the older woman in surprise. "Sara, I don't want to make things awk..."

Sara cuts her off again. "Listen, I may be the love of his life, but I know there was obviously something there for him to feel towards your mother or else he never would had been with her, and maybe in the past, I admit I did feel a little insecure about that, even though deep down I always knew I had nothing to worry about. But I assume, knowing what I know, he was her first love and a part of her still loves him,
so she has a right to know what's going on with him."

In that moment Kelly had felt more respect for Sara than ever before, here she was going through the worst moments of her life, and she wanted her mother, who happened to be her husband's ex-girlfriend, to know what had happened to him, but before she even attempted to make that 'call' though, she asked again, just to be extra sure. "And you're sure?"

Sara nodded with no hesitation. "Yes."

If her presence will help her husband recover, then she'll do anything, like she said, she was the love of Grissom's life, she's the one he choose to build a family with, so there was nothing to worry about.

Kelly's eyes filled with tears as she squeezed the other woman's hand. "Thank you, Sara." As Sara nodded, Kelly's phone buzzed, indicating she had a text message, making Sara look at her in worry, but after checking the message, Kelly gave her a reassuring look. "It's another patient. I have to go, but I'll be back soon."

After Sara gave her one more nod, Kelly turned and walked away, then after Sara wiped a few tears off her cheek, she turns to walk towards her son, daughter in-law, who was sitting in William's lap, and youngest daughter sitting in the chairs, and as she got closer to them, Katie spoke. "I got a text from Isabella, she said she couldn't be here, at least right now."

As much as Sara wanted her oldest daughter here as well, she knew how she felt about hospitals, which she didn't blame her one bit, considering how she felt about them herself, and in this circumstance she could just imagine how she felt about them right now, so Sara nodded with small sigh as she sat in the chair between her children. "Ok, I just hope she's not going through this alone."

Kelly then replied with a smile. "And quoting her next text 'And anticipating mom's worry about me being alone, tell her she has one less thing to worry about, I'm with a friend.'

Sara smiled slightly for a few seconds before her look turned to worry, and her 'kids' seeing that, they each placed their hand top of hers, and she squeezed them lightly, feeling their full support.

Hours later

Later that evening

The family was attempting to eat some sandwiches for dinner, but with what was going on, food was the last thing they had on their minds, even though they hadn't had a fulfilling meal since breakfast.

Katie sighed and placed her half eaten sandwich back in its container, and Sara looked at her with sympathy, feeling the same way, then as she was doing the same with her half, Katie asked with a curious look on her face. "Who is that woman hugging Kelly?"

Sara turned her head while William, who was cleaned up, and Bella looked in the same direction, and while Sara couldn't see her face, the look on Kelly's face said it all, so she cleared her throat and responded to her question. "That would be Kelly's mom."

William then smirked a little. "And in other words, Dad's ex-girlfriend."

Katie looked at her brother in shock before asking with a small smirk of her own. "Wait, there was someone other than mom?"

They couldn't help but snicker while Sara spoke while nodding her head. "Yes, there was. In fact there were a few others before me."

Katie then replied with a bright smile. "Yeah, but we all know who daddy loved the most."

Sara squeezed her daughter's hand before Katie asked William. "So, you met her before?"

He cleared his throat and nodded, remembering that sad day like it just happened yesterday. "Once, at grandma's funeral." Bella squeezed her husband's hand in comfort while Katie nodded, then when they noticed both Kelly and her mother walking their way, the family stood up as William asked in concern for his mother. "And you're ok with this, mom?"

Sara gave her son a reassuring look. "I am, I'm the one that told Kelly she could be here."

After Sara turned back around and started walking towards the other women, Bella spoke softly. "Wow, your mom is amazing, asking one of your father's ex-girlfriends to be here."

He nodded with a smile, while watching the women greet. "But that's mom for you, putting other's needs in front of her own." He then cleared his throat before continuing. "Alright, let's not be rude."

As they walked closer to their mom, Kelly and Julia, Julia paused her greeting with Sara as she looked over her shoulder to see William, an almost perfect version of the Gilbert Grissom she grew up with.

Sara smiled as she looked back to see her son now standing right behind her before looking at Julia, who despite looks older than the last time she seen her, still looks as beautiful than ever, again before signing. 'He looks more like Gil than the last time you seen him?'

Julia nodded, trying to keep her tears at bay she signed to him. 'Nice to see you again, William.'

William nodded with a smile, and after slipping his hand out of Bella's, he signed in return. 'You too, Ms. Holden. I would like you to meet my wife, Isabella.'

Julia raised an eyebrow and signed to Sara. 'Wife?'

Sara nodded with a chuckle. 'Yep, little William is a married man now.' Then gets a little sadder as she finished. 'As of today.'

That broke Julia's heart to hear that such a tragic thing happened on a day that should have been the young man's best day of his life.

'It's nice to meet you, Isabella.'

Bella, who has been learning sign language from the Grissom family through the years, signed in return. 'You too.'

Then the attention turned to Katie, which Julia could see a lot of resemblance to Grissom there as well, especially when the fifteen year old smiled. 'And I'm Katie.'

Just as they were finishing up their greeting, they hear Travis's voice. "Mrs. Grissom?"

Sara stepped forward as all eyes turned on the surgeon. "Yes, how's my husband?"

There was a moment of silence, and all hearts were racing liked they never raced before, then Travis started to smile as he replied. "Your husband is going to pull through."

Relief flooded through Sara so quickly that it almost made her knees buckle, but William was right there supporting her as Travis continued. "All I have to say was your husband was very lucky, a few inches the other way, and we might be having a different conversation."

Sara nodded with tears in her eyes, wanting to hear the good news again. "But he's really going to be ok?"

"Yes, I do want to keep him in ICU until the morning though, just as a precaution, but I don't see any reason why he shouldn't make a full recovery."

"And can we see him?"

"Yes, but there is a three person limit at a time."

"I understand, thank you." As they shook hands, Sara repeated while sniffling. "Thank you, Doctor."

Travis smiled with a nod. "Just doing my job ma'am, but you're welcome."

After they release hands, she spoke more towards her family. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Katie looked worried. "Mommy?"

Sara gave her the best reassuring smile she could give her. "I'm ok, I just need a moment."

Katie nodded while William wrapped his arm around her sister's shoulders and whispered he's here before Sara headed towards the restroom, went into one of the empty stalls, closed the door and threw up.

The last time she felt she could have lost him, didn't even come close to how she felt now, least the last time all he needed was a check-up.

When she was finally done, she flushed the toilet, got out of the stall and headed for the sink so she could rinse out her mouth and splash a little water to her face with a sigh of relief that her husband was going to be ok, now she just needed to see him in person.

After she walked out of the restroom, she headed back to the lobby, and when she saw that her group only had the 'kids' there, William explained when his mother got closer. "Julia wanted us to tell you that she'll come by sometime tomorrow after he gets moved to recovery, and Kelly and Dr. McCoy had to check on their other patients."

Sara nodded before clearing her throat. "You ready to see your father?"

They all nodded before they headed for the ICU section of the hospital, and once they got to the correct floor, but before they got to the room, Katie shook her head with tears in her eyes. "I can't go in there and see daddy, not like that, not yet."

Sara turns to her youngest daughter and cups her cheek. "It's ok sweetie, you don't have to, you can come in when you're ready."

Katie nodded, and after a kiss on her cheek, William cleared his throat and said. "I want to see dad." He then looked at his wife. "Unless..."

But she cuts him off with a smile. "No, you should go with your mom first, I'll stay with Katie."

He nodded with a smile before looking at his youngest sister. "You going to be ok?"

Katie nodded before asking. "Can you tell daddy, I said hi?"

"You got it."

After a kiss on his wife's cheek, mother and son headed for Grissom's room, which as they walked towards it,
they were trying to prepare themselves that all the wires and tubes attached to him looked a lot scarier than it was, believing the doctor that he was going to be just fine.

Once they got there, they took a breath, seeing Grissom lying in bed with his eyes closed while the machines were doing their job properly, then not able to stay back any longer, Sara moved to her husband's left side, took his hand, kissed it before speaking while looking at him. "I've never been as scared as I was today when I found out what happened. But, I had faith that you would fight for all of us, for more time with the family, me.
I love you Gilbert Grissom, and I don't think I've ever been more prouder of you than I am right now, you beat the odds that was stacked against you, so thank you for pulling through. Now, I just want to see your beautiful blue eyes again, but I know you need your rest, so I'll wait right here by your side until you're ready."

William cleared his throat as he got to his father's other side, then after taking his hand, he started to speak. "Hi dad, Katie says hi too. She just needs a little more time, and really I don't blame her." He cleared his throat again and continued. "Anyways, I just wanted you to know that I love you, and to thank you, because of your fight for staying with us, seeing you on that store floor won't be the last sight I see you alive. There are still plenty of moments I want to share with you, and I'm so relieved I'll get that time with you."

A few hours Later

When Isabella finally made it to the hospital, just before visiting hours were done, then the correct floor, she greeted her siblings and sister in-law in the waiting area before walking to her father's room.

Once she got there, she took a breath to calm/prepare herself, before tapping on the door.

A second later the door opened, and mother and daughter became face to face before Isabella started to have tears in her eyes as she looked over her mother's shoulder to see her father in that bed like he was, then Sara wrapped her arms around her, speaking to her with as much comfort as she could.

After they pulled back several minutes later, Sara cupped her cheek and wiped her daughter's tears away before Isabella took a breath and asked. "Can I have a moment alone with him?"

"You sure?"

She sniffled. "Yes please, I'll be ok."

Sara could see a lot of different emotions in her daughter's eyes, even a few she hasn't seen before, but could tell that Isabella would be ok, so she nodded. "Alright."

Knowing how much her mother probably wanted to stay by his bedside for as long as possible, Isabella appreciated her for letting her have some of her time with him.

Sara turns around a moment later and walks towards her husband's bed, taking his hand in hers and explains, as if he was awake and alert, that she'll be right back, then she kissed his hand and laid it back on the bed gently before walking towards her daughter again, who was now standing in the middle of the room, kissed her cheek before walking out of the room, letting the door close behind her.

Isabella looked at her father for several seconds, willing her tears to stay in her eyes, before she walked towards the bed, then after taking his hand, much like how her mother did, she spoke with emotion. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be here before daddy, but I am here now, and I'm going to help you anyway that I can. I love you so much, and I know I don't say that much any more, but I really do. I am so proud to be your daughter, and there are so many things I want to thank you for, but I'll save that for another time. Right now, I just want to hold your hand and think of the moments we've shared through the years, and that we are going to share in the future. I hope that's ok."

A moment later she stopped speaking, and the only sound that could be heard in the room was the machines that was hooked up to him, then the next moment, she felt it, for the first time since he came to the hospital, Grissom squeezed the hand that was holding his, making Isabella smile brightly with tears going down her cheeks because out of all of the hands he could have squeezed first, it was hers, and she'll never forget how she felt in that moment.

AN: More to come soon. Thanks for reading, and please review.