Chapter Twelve – Just Go Away
Warrick wheeled Gil back to his room with Catherine taking charge of the IV stand and Sara following behind.
Once back in his room, Warrick again wrapped Gil's arm around his neck so that he could help guide him back into bed, but this time, Gil was unable to hide the pain caused by this move. He quickly started to perspire and doubled over due to the pain caused by his rib injury.
"I'll get some help," Sara said as she started to leave the room to get one of the nurses.
She didn't have to go very far as Dr. Donovan was on his way into the room. "Well," he said, "nice of you to bring our patient back."
Noticing right away the distress that Gil was in he ordered the nurse to administer a pain shot. It took only a few seconds for it to take affect and Gil's labored breathing slowed down. Once this was under
control, Dr. Donovan asked the guests to wait outside while he examined his patient.
"We'll be right outside, if you need anything," Catherine told him, as she led the way out to the hallway. Once in the hallway the group sat quietly each trying to comprehend what they just witnessed in Jenna's room.
Less than 10 minutes later Dr. Donovan emerged from his examination. "How is he?" Catherine asked.
"He'll be fine," the doctor told her before suggesting that they all leave. "I've given him something to help him sleep. He'll be out for the next few hours. There's no reason for you to stay around."
"Well, I just want to check on him, before I leave," Sara said.
As she started to go back into the room, Dr. Donovan stepped in front of her and said, "He's doing just fine. You really should leave. You've been here an awful lot yourself and that really is not healthy."
Sara was just about to argue with him when Catherine spoke up, "He doesn't want any visitors, does he?"
Dr. Bradford Donovan was more than just Gil's doctor; he was also a consultant that was used regularly by the Las Vegas police; so he was aware of the CSI team and their boss. He wanted to spare their feelings as best he could, but yes, Catherine was right. Then he added, "He needs time to sort though all that's happened. Give him some space. Come back tomorrow, but not everyone at once. Just one at a time to see how he reacts. I don't want him stressed out with good intentions that he really doesn't want to deal with right now"
"Alright Brad, we'll take it easy on him." Catherine assured the doctor.
With that the visitors headed for the elevator. They said their good-byes in the parking lot. They agreed that they would get to work a half hour early so that they could update the rest of the crew concerning Gil's physical condition and the revelation of his marriage. Being concerned about Sara, Catherine wanted to have a word alone with her, but Sara made an excuse and left quickly.
It had been agreed that Catherine would be the first CSI team member to return to the hospital for a visit, but Lt. Brass had been by earlier in the day, as part of the police investigation. He needed to get Gil's statement concerning what happened. Gil's version of what happened was inline with what the investigation team had already determined. Before leaving, Brass told him how Nick, Warrick and Greg got together and cleaned up his house. His neighbor, Barbara Campbell was taking in his mail. Brass offered to take care of any business matters that he had, but Gil told him there was nothing that
he needed done.
Knowing that Lt. Brass had gone to see him in the morning, as part of the official investigation, Catherine decided to wait and go in the late afternoon, giving Gil more time to think things out.
Before going to his room, she stopped by to see how things were going with Jenna. Two of the young residents from the Shelter were keeping vigil in her room. Nothing about her condition had changed and as far as they knew, Mr. Grissom had not been by to visit.
Catherine then gathered her courage and headed to Gil's room. She was not about to let him turn her away or become anymore withdrawn. When she got to his room, Marcy Hampton, another one of the girls from the Shelter, was walking out. She recognized Catherine.
"Hi," Catherine greeted her. "How is he?"
"Okay, I guess. He really doesn't say very much." Marcy commented.
"Yea, that would be our Gil. Don't worry about it. I'm sure he appreciates what you girls are doing."
"Yea, he likes us to tell him stories about Gilli..., I mean, Jenna." Then her tone changed and she became angry. "Life really sucks doesn't. What's the point in trying to live the right way? All they wanted to do was be together and that bitch had to go and wreck everything. I'm glad she's dead, I would have killed her myself if Jenna hadn't."
Catherine reached out to Marcy, holding onto her shoulders and looking her directly in the eyes, "Now where would that get you? Things didn't turn out to good for Jenna and Gil, but think how happy they were when they were together. Even though they didn't have much time together, they made the best of what they did have. Don't let what one mad woman did destroy your dreams."
"That sounds like something Jenna would have said." Marcy told her wiping the tears from her eyes.
Catherine stood up tall, feeling proud of herself, "Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
They said their good-byes and Catherine entered Gil's room. She knocked first on the open door, "Hello."
He opened his eyes when he heard her voice.
"How are you doing today, Gil?" She asked as she entered his room.
He didn't answer.
She continued her one sided conversation, "You look better, anyway. I hear the girls from the Shelter have been down here sharing stories with you. They really liked Jenna, didn't they?" He continued his silence and she continued her conversation. "I can understand why." She paused before continuing, "You know, I talked to her."
This got his attention; he turned to look at her.
"Do you want me to tell you about it?" Catherine asked.
He continued to look at her, so she continued her story. "It was the night we found you. She called out for you and I went over to her. She knew who I was; she called me by my name. You must have told her about us?"
"She wanted to know about the people I worked with," he told her. He shifted in the bed so that he could talk to her better. "Catherine, you talked to her? How was she? Was she in pain?"
She knew that Gil had seen enough victims to know what gunshot wounds did, so she wasn't about to lie to him. "She was really weak, but she was more concerned about how you were, to realize how bad off she was."
"What did you tell her?" he wanted to know.
"I told her that you were alive and that help was on the way." Catherine wasn't sure if this was the best time to relay Jenna's message, but then again, when would be? "Gil, she wanted me to tell you something." Catherine waited to be sure he wanted her to continue. "She said to tell you that she loved you. Her exact words were, 'tell him that I love him, that I've loved him forever'." Then she added, "I heard you say that to her, yesterday."
He ignored her last comment and looked away, not wanting her to see the emotion building inside him. "What else did she say?"
"Nothing, she fainted." Catherine wished there was something more she could have told him, but their wasn't.
"I hear you haven't been to visit her today. Do you want me to take you up there?" She offered.
"No," was his only answer.
"Why not?" she wanted to know.
"Catherine, you know what, I'm tired. Why don't you go home to your daughter or spend sometime with Paul?"
"Well, first of all, I'm on my way to work, after leaving here and second, Lindsay's at a sleep over with some classmates. And,because you're so concerned, you'll be glad to know that we spent the day together shopping for just the right p.j.'s. You know, nothing too babyish, but not too grownup. And Paul is in Los Angles on business."
"Gil, why don't you want to go see her?" She asked getting back to her question.
He rubbed his head, trying to stop the pounding. She asked him a third time, why he didn't want to go visit his wife, this time causing him to yell out his answer, "Because there's no god damn point to going there, she's dead. Her body is functioning because of those damn machines, but she's dead. I've seen enough dead corpses, I don't need to see a live one." Then he pleaded with her to leave, "I'm tired Catherine, you need to go now."
She was not about to abandon him, so easily. "I'm sorry you feel that way. Have you decided what you are going to do?"
He knew Catherine well enough to know that she wasn't going to leave until she was ready, he had no choice but to answer her question, "As soon as the hospital gives the clearance we're going to turn off
the respirator."
"When will that happen?"
He told her about his meeting with the hospital staff. Their legal representative and a social worker came by right after Lt. Brass had left from his visit. Sr. Laura was invited to take part in the meeting. Their options were laid out. Short of an unexpected miracle, there was no chance that Jenna would recover. It was decided that the respirator would be turned off and they would let nature take it's course.
"They're verifying that our marriage was legal and their drawing up all the legal papers. It will take them about a week to get everything done." He asked her again to leave, "Catherine, please, I don't want to talk about it anymore."
"Okay, I'll go for now, but we're not going to forget about you no matter how much you push us away. I'll see to it that no one else comes by tonight, but I can't promise to keep Sara away much longer."
Sara. He had so much to deal with right now; he did not have the physical or emotional strength to deal with Sara. "Please Cat, I can't… I can't deal with her. Please keep her away."
Catherine wanted Gil to know how important it was for Sara to see him, "You know she spent ever free minute she had, here at the hospital, while you were unconscious." She was going to tell him that he should let her at least come by to see how well he was doing, but he interrupted her.
"Cat, I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but I can't deal with Sara's needs right now. Please, convince her to stay away, for a few days at least."
She didn't know how she was going to handle things with Sara, but she agreed to try, "Okay, Gil, I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you," he told her.
She smiled her acknowledgement.
She was preparing to leave when, to her surprise, he grabbed her arm. "I mean it Catherine, thank you, for everything. Let the others know how much I appreciate what they've done. Jim told me how the guys cleaned up my house. And, I know Sara cares. It really does mean a lot to me to have all of you as friends."
She put her free hand over the one that was holding on to her arm and told him, "No thanks needed. We're not doing anything you wouldn't do for any of us." Then she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Warrick wheeled Gil back to his room with Catherine taking charge of the IV stand and Sara following behind.
Once back in his room, Warrick again wrapped Gil's arm around his neck so that he could help guide him back into bed, but this time, Gil was unable to hide the pain caused by this move. He quickly started to perspire and doubled over due to the pain caused by his rib injury.
"I'll get some help," Sara said as she started to leave the room to get one of the nurses.
She didn't have to go very far as Dr. Donovan was on his way into the room. "Well," he said, "nice of you to bring our patient back."
Noticing right away the distress that Gil was in he ordered the nurse to administer a pain shot. It took only a few seconds for it to take affect and Gil's labored breathing slowed down. Once this was under
control, Dr. Donovan asked the guests to wait outside while he examined his patient.
"We'll be right outside, if you need anything," Catherine told him, as she led the way out to the hallway. Once in the hallway the group sat quietly each trying to comprehend what they just witnessed in Jenna's room.
Less than 10 minutes later Dr. Donovan emerged from his examination. "How is he?" Catherine asked.
"He'll be fine," the doctor told her before suggesting that they all leave. "I've given him something to help him sleep. He'll be out for the next few hours. There's no reason for you to stay around."
"Well, I just want to check on him, before I leave," Sara said.
As she started to go back into the room, Dr. Donovan stepped in front of her and said, "He's doing just fine. You really should leave. You've been here an awful lot yourself and that really is not healthy."
Sara was just about to argue with him when Catherine spoke up, "He doesn't want any visitors, does he?"
Dr. Bradford Donovan was more than just Gil's doctor; he was also a consultant that was used regularly by the Las Vegas police; so he was aware of the CSI team and their boss. He wanted to spare their feelings as best he could, but yes, Catherine was right. Then he added, "He needs time to sort though all that's happened. Give him some space. Come back tomorrow, but not everyone at once. Just one at a time to see how he reacts. I don't want him stressed out with good intentions that he really doesn't want to deal with right now"
"Alright Brad, we'll take it easy on him." Catherine assured the doctor.
With that the visitors headed for the elevator. They said their good-byes in the parking lot. They agreed that they would get to work a half hour early so that they could update the rest of the crew concerning Gil's physical condition and the revelation of his marriage. Being concerned about Sara, Catherine wanted to have a word alone with her, but Sara made an excuse and left quickly.
It had been agreed that Catherine would be the first CSI team member to return to the hospital for a visit, but Lt. Brass had been by earlier in the day, as part of the police investigation. He needed to get Gil's statement concerning what happened. Gil's version of what happened was inline with what the investigation team had already determined. Before leaving, Brass told him how Nick, Warrick and Greg got together and cleaned up his house. His neighbor, Barbara Campbell was taking in his mail. Brass offered to take care of any business matters that he had, but Gil told him there was nothing that
he needed done.
Knowing that Lt. Brass had gone to see him in the morning, as part of the official investigation, Catherine decided to wait and go in the late afternoon, giving Gil more time to think things out.
Before going to his room, she stopped by to see how things were going with Jenna. Two of the young residents from the Shelter were keeping vigil in her room. Nothing about her condition had changed and as far as they knew, Mr. Grissom had not been by to visit.
Catherine then gathered her courage and headed to Gil's room. She was not about to let him turn her away or become anymore withdrawn. When she got to his room, Marcy Hampton, another one of the girls from the Shelter, was walking out. She recognized Catherine.
"Hi," Catherine greeted her. "How is he?"
"Okay, I guess. He really doesn't say very much." Marcy commented.
"Yea, that would be our Gil. Don't worry about it. I'm sure he appreciates what you girls are doing."
"Yea, he likes us to tell him stories about Gilli..., I mean, Jenna." Then her tone changed and she became angry. "Life really sucks doesn't. What's the point in trying to live the right way? All they wanted to do was be together and that bitch had to go and wreck everything. I'm glad she's dead, I would have killed her myself if Jenna hadn't."
Catherine reached out to Marcy, holding onto her shoulders and looking her directly in the eyes, "Now where would that get you? Things didn't turn out to good for Jenna and Gil, but think how happy they were when they were together. Even though they didn't have much time together, they made the best of what they did have. Don't let what one mad woman did destroy your dreams."
"That sounds like something Jenna would have said." Marcy told her wiping the tears from her eyes.
Catherine stood up tall, feeling proud of herself, "Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
They said their good-byes and Catherine entered Gil's room. She knocked first on the open door, "Hello."
He opened his eyes when he heard her voice.
"How are you doing today, Gil?" She asked as she entered his room.
He didn't answer.
She continued her one sided conversation, "You look better, anyway. I hear the girls from the Shelter have been down here sharing stories with you. They really liked Jenna, didn't they?" He continued his silence and she continued her conversation. "I can understand why." She paused before continuing, "You know, I talked to her."
This got his attention; he turned to look at her.
"Do you want me to tell you about it?" Catherine asked.
He continued to look at her, so she continued her story. "It was the night we found you. She called out for you and I went over to her. She knew who I was; she called me by my name. You must have told her about us?"
"She wanted to know about the people I worked with," he told her. He shifted in the bed so that he could talk to her better. "Catherine, you talked to her? How was she? Was she in pain?"
She knew that Gil had seen enough victims to know what gunshot wounds did, so she wasn't about to lie to him. "She was really weak, but she was more concerned about how you were, to realize how bad off she was."
"What did you tell her?" he wanted to know.
"I told her that you were alive and that help was on the way." Catherine wasn't sure if this was the best time to relay Jenna's message, but then again, when would be? "Gil, she wanted me to tell you something." Catherine waited to be sure he wanted her to continue. "She said to tell you that she loved you. Her exact words were, 'tell him that I love him, that I've loved him forever'." Then she added, "I heard you say that to her, yesterday."
He ignored her last comment and looked away, not wanting her to see the emotion building inside him. "What else did she say?"
"Nothing, she fainted." Catherine wished there was something more she could have told him, but their wasn't.
"I hear you haven't been to visit her today. Do you want me to take you up there?" She offered.
"No," was his only answer.
"Why not?" she wanted to know.
"Catherine, you know what, I'm tired. Why don't you go home to your daughter or spend sometime with Paul?"
"Well, first of all, I'm on my way to work, after leaving here and second, Lindsay's at a sleep over with some classmates. And,because you're so concerned, you'll be glad to know that we spent the day together shopping for just the right p.j.'s. You know, nothing too babyish, but not too grownup. And Paul is in Los Angles on business."
"Gil, why don't you want to go see her?" She asked getting back to her question.
He rubbed his head, trying to stop the pounding. She asked him a third time, why he didn't want to go visit his wife, this time causing him to yell out his answer, "Because there's no god damn point to going there, she's dead. Her body is functioning because of those damn machines, but she's dead. I've seen enough dead corpses, I don't need to see a live one." Then he pleaded with her to leave, "I'm tired Catherine, you need to go now."
She was not about to abandon him, so easily. "I'm sorry you feel that way. Have you decided what you are going to do?"
He knew Catherine well enough to know that she wasn't going to leave until she was ready, he had no choice but to answer her question, "As soon as the hospital gives the clearance we're going to turn off
the respirator."
"When will that happen?"
He told her about his meeting with the hospital staff. Their legal representative and a social worker came by right after Lt. Brass had left from his visit. Sr. Laura was invited to take part in the meeting. Their options were laid out. Short of an unexpected miracle, there was no chance that Jenna would recover. It was decided that the respirator would be turned off and they would let nature take it's course.
"They're verifying that our marriage was legal and their drawing up all the legal papers. It will take them about a week to get everything done." He asked her again to leave, "Catherine, please, I don't want to talk about it anymore."
"Okay, I'll go for now, but we're not going to forget about you no matter how much you push us away. I'll see to it that no one else comes by tonight, but I can't promise to keep Sara away much longer."
Sara. He had so much to deal with right now; he did not have the physical or emotional strength to deal with Sara. "Please Cat, I can't… I can't deal with her. Please keep her away."
Catherine wanted Gil to know how important it was for Sara to see him, "You know she spent ever free minute she had, here at the hospital, while you were unconscious." She was going to tell him that he should let her at least come by to see how well he was doing, but he interrupted her.
"Cat, I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but I can't deal with Sara's needs right now. Please, convince her to stay away, for a few days at least."
She didn't know how she was going to handle things with Sara, but she agreed to try, "Okay, Gil, I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you," he told her.
She smiled her acknowledgement.
She was preparing to leave when, to her surprise, he grabbed her arm. "I mean it Catherine, thank you, for everything. Let the others know how much I appreciate what they've done. Jim told me how the guys cleaned up my house. And, I know Sara cares. It really does mean a lot to me to have all of you as friends."
She put her free hand over the one that was holding on to her arm and told him, "No thanks needed. We're not doing anything you wouldn't do for any of us." Then she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."