Title: Fear
Author: Stepf
Notes: We are getting near the end here, its almost sad. Thank you for sticking in and hope the end is worth it for you.
Thanks: Meg and Adina, going where no sane person should go, correcting my horrific grammar. If there was an award for that, y'all should get it. I love you guys!
Holding tightly onto Nick's hand, Sara watches his chest, the up and down movements reassuring her that his body is doing what it's supposed to do. According to the doctor, he could regain consciousness at any time; while he is still on heavy pain medications, the sedation has been lifted. Grissom had left her alone with him almost five minutes ago and Sara still can't manage to say a word without almost breaking into tears. Taking a deep breath, she tries yet again.
"Hey Nick." She pauses, unsure what to say to him. "You know I'm not much of a conversationalist, so how 'bout if you put both of us out of our misery and talk to me.. Fine, don't. I'll bore you with stories of college, and I warn you, they iare/i, boring. Unless you want to tell me yours." Waiting for a response and getting none, Sara settles into the chair and starts talking.
"Well, that brings me to how I met Grissom.." Sara stops suddenly when Nick's hand squeezes hers and gets her attention. "Nick?" As she says his name, his eyelids slowly open, blinking rapidly from the sudden flood of light.
"Sar?" His voice is raspy; she can barely make out the word.
"Hey.it's ok. Let me grab the doctor, ok?" She tries to pull her hand away, but Nick just grasps harder.
"You.ok?"
"Fine, Nick. Don't worry about me. I'm so glad you're awake; we all are." Using her left hand, Sara grabs the call button and presses it, a smile covering her face the whole time. Everything is going to be fine.
During the discussion with the doctor - the same one that treated her - about Nick's condition, during which they learn that he will be in the hospital a minimum of another week, Grissom walks into the room, surprised to find Nick awake and sitting mostly upright.
"Nick. How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck." The younger man grins. His voice is still scratchy from the ventilator, but clear.
"Yeah, I can imagine." Grissom watches as Sara listens to the doctor with rapt interest. He remembers that expression from so many years ago and a seminar. With her hand securely resting on Nick's in a gesture of comfort, for one brief instant Grissom feels jealous, but he quickly dismisses the feeling. Sara and Nick were already friends before this happened; he can imagine going through what they did will only pull them closer.
"So, he will be fine, right?" she finally asks.
"Fine. He is one organ lighter, but with some time and therapy he should be one hundred percent in a few months. I think he can go back to light work in three to four weeks, full time in six to eight. He has to be careful though; a broken pelvis is something he needs to be cautious with."
Nick just nods. He can't believe they are both alive to talk about what happened. He had thought for sure when they hit those barriers they were both dead. 'You came pretty close,' a voice in his head reminds him. As the doctor leaves, Nick smiles a tired smile at Sara.
"You sure you're ok?" he asks quietly.
"I'm fine Nick, really." Lifting her right arm, she shows him the heavy cast. "Short of one cast, a few broken ribs, a concussion, and this lovely slice across my forehead, which I'm sure will leave a scar, I'm good. You are the one that gave us a scare." Grissom notices that she intentionally left out her perforated lung, but chooses not to correct her.
"Well, you got off easy then."
"Sure did. You look tired, buddy. Get some rest and I will be back later, probably with Cath and Warrick in tow. You need to sign my cast so Warrick can; I told him he had to wait." As she touches his forehead lightly and traces the bandage on it, one that matches hers, she smiles at him.
"Yeah. Ok, wouldn't want to make War wait too long. 'Night." He murmers the last part, already half asleep.
Two days later Sara is practically bouncing up and down on her hospital bed. Grissom stares down the anxious woman, trying to get her to stop, but all he gets is a broad smile in return. They are waiting for the doctor to return with her discharge papers, and Sara is quite obviously ready to leave.
"Sara I know you are ready to go, but relax a little."
"Sorry, I just can't stand being confined in this place one more minute. The food stinks, the place smells like.disinfectant and the nurses are not so friendly."
"Please." He is thankfully cut off by the door opening and the doctor entering holding papers.
"Ok Sara, you're cleared. I just want to review with you your discharge instructions. No physical activity for three weeks, you can return to desk work after two. At your three week check-up we will evaluate going back full time. I have for you antibiotics, you need to finish these up - a ten day course - three times a day. Also pain killers, Percoset, take these as needed. Okay?" Only Grissom notices when Sara blanches slightly at the mention of Percoset.
"Thank you doctor," Grissom responds and Sara nods. As the doctor leaves, a less animated Sara gets off the bed and gathers her coat. Grissom had brought over clothes for her that day.
"You ok?" he asks and lightly grasps her arm.
"Fine, for some reason the mention of Percoset just threw me off. No big deal." She gives him a strained smile. "Let's go see Nick and get the hell out of here."
"Yeah, ok."
Opening Nick's door, they find him conversing with a young nurse, Grissom thinks her name is Bethany. Sara shakes her head before leaning into Nick and whispering in his ear.
"You whore, you have been awake for all of two days and already hitting on the nurse."
He merely gives her a wide smile. "You out of here?" he asks as the nurse leaves the room.
"Yup, I've been released. But I will be back to visit soon, don't you worry."
Nick gives her a grave look. "I do worry, Sara; that guy is still out there. And I think it's apparent the lengths he will go to. That was a close call, next time he might succeed."
"I have protection until they catch him, Nick. Plus I'm staying at Grissom's; he doesn't know where that is. Don't worry about me anyway; you need to concentrate on getting better and working on that nurse." She gives him a wink.
"Oh, before you leave Warrick has given me strict instructions to sign your cast. How's that feeling?"
"It itches like crazy and I have some pain, but it's ok. Let me find a pen." Sara leaves to find a pen at the nurse's station, as soon as the door closes behind her Nick turns to Grissom.
"How is she really?"
"She will be fine Nick. The arm and ribs will heal. Her guilt.that might take a little longer."
"Her guilt? It wasn't her fault, she didn't ask for this."
"I know that Nick, but she still thinks she could have done something to avoid it."
At that moment Sara returns with a permanent marker, handing it to Nick and perching herself on the edge of the bed, holding her arm out to him. Sara can feel the slight pressure as Nick writes furiously on the hardened plaster. When he is done she looks at the black markings and laughs.
"'Next time find your own ride?' That's sweet Nicky, thanks, no wonder you get all the girls."
Nicks retort is cut off by the doctor coming in the room. "Time for your CT scan."
Nick gives them an apologetic smile.
"That's ok, Nick. Sara needs to get home and rest anyway. I am pretty sure Warrick and Catherine were coming by this afternoon, we'll see you later." Grissom guides Sara out of the room.
"See you later, Nicky," she says and Nick nods in response.
Downstairs, Grissom leads her to his Tahoe and drives the trip to his townhouse in near record time; Sara doesn't even have time to fall asleep, which is what her body is aching for right now.
Walking through the front door, no one, including the protective detail parked on the street notice a man watching them intently from an empty townhouse across the complex.
He watches her enter the townhouse and fumes. She had obviously not learned her lesson; she belongs to him, forever. No one else. Why won't she just learn that lesson? He thought that running her and that friend of hers off the road would show her how serious he is, apparently not. Joey paces behind the safety of now closed curtain blinds. He had the good fortune of finding a townhouse that is currently for sale and unoccupied.
Sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, he contemplates what to do. If she won't be with him, he won't let her be with anyone else. Smirking, he slides over to the window and peeks out; Grissom's Tahoe is still there, as are the police. His only problem is dealing with the cops, they need to be distracted.
Checking his backpack, he finds the lock pick that was used previously to break into Sara's apartment. Joey moves back into his position on the floor and waits, Gil Grissom will leave at some point. He reaches out and double checks his bag to be sure he has everything he needs to get out of the city fast, cash and some clothes. If he succeeds in carrying out his plan, the police will be looking for him like rabid dogs. If he succeeds, Sara Sidle will be dead.
tbc........
Notes: We are getting near the end here, its almost sad. Thank you for sticking in and hope the end is worth it for you.
Thanks: Meg and Adina, going where no sane person should go, correcting my horrific grammar. If there was an award for that, y'all should get it. I love you guys!
Holding tightly onto Nick's hand, Sara watches his chest, the up and down movements reassuring her that his body is doing what it's supposed to do. According to the doctor, he could regain consciousness at any time; while he is still on heavy pain medications, the sedation has been lifted. Grissom had left her alone with him almost five minutes ago and Sara still can't manage to say a word without almost breaking into tears. Taking a deep breath, she tries yet again.
"Hey Nick." She pauses, unsure what to say to him. "You know I'm not much of a conversationalist, so how 'bout if you put both of us out of our misery and talk to me.. Fine, don't. I'll bore you with stories of college, and I warn you, they iare/i, boring. Unless you want to tell me yours." Waiting for a response and getting none, Sara settles into the chair and starts talking.
"Well, that brings me to how I met Grissom.." Sara stops suddenly when Nick's hand squeezes hers and gets her attention. "Nick?" As she says his name, his eyelids slowly open, blinking rapidly from the sudden flood of light.
"Sar?" His voice is raspy; she can barely make out the word.
"Hey.it's ok. Let me grab the doctor, ok?" She tries to pull her hand away, but Nick just grasps harder.
"You.ok?"
"Fine, Nick. Don't worry about me. I'm so glad you're awake; we all are." Using her left hand, Sara grabs the call button and presses it, a smile covering her face the whole time. Everything is going to be fine.
During the discussion with the doctor - the same one that treated her - about Nick's condition, during which they learn that he will be in the hospital a minimum of another week, Grissom walks into the room, surprised to find Nick awake and sitting mostly upright.
"Nick. How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck." The younger man grins. His voice is still scratchy from the ventilator, but clear.
"Yeah, I can imagine." Grissom watches as Sara listens to the doctor with rapt interest. He remembers that expression from so many years ago and a seminar. With her hand securely resting on Nick's in a gesture of comfort, for one brief instant Grissom feels jealous, but he quickly dismisses the feeling. Sara and Nick were already friends before this happened; he can imagine going through what they did will only pull them closer.
"So, he will be fine, right?" she finally asks.
"Fine. He is one organ lighter, but with some time and therapy he should be one hundred percent in a few months. I think he can go back to light work in three to four weeks, full time in six to eight. He has to be careful though; a broken pelvis is something he needs to be cautious with."
Nick just nods. He can't believe they are both alive to talk about what happened. He had thought for sure when they hit those barriers they were both dead. 'You came pretty close,' a voice in his head reminds him. As the doctor leaves, Nick smiles a tired smile at Sara.
"You sure you're ok?" he asks quietly.
"I'm fine Nick, really." Lifting her right arm, she shows him the heavy cast. "Short of one cast, a few broken ribs, a concussion, and this lovely slice across my forehead, which I'm sure will leave a scar, I'm good. You are the one that gave us a scare." Grissom notices that she intentionally left out her perforated lung, but chooses not to correct her.
"Well, you got off easy then."
"Sure did. You look tired, buddy. Get some rest and I will be back later, probably with Cath and Warrick in tow. You need to sign my cast so Warrick can; I told him he had to wait." As she touches his forehead lightly and traces the bandage on it, one that matches hers, she smiles at him.
"Yeah. Ok, wouldn't want to make War wait too long. 'Night." He murmers the last part, already half asleep.
Two days later Sara is practically bouncing up and down on her hospital bed. Grissom stares down the anxious woman, trying to get her to stop, but all he gets is a broad smile in return. They are waiting for the doctor to return with her discharge papers, and Sara is quite obviously ready to leave.
"Sara I know you are ready to go, but relax a little."
"Sorry, I just can't stand being confined in this place one more minute. The food stinks, the place smells like.disinfectant and the nurses are not so friendly."
"Please." He is thankfully cut off by the door opening and the doctor entering holding papers.
"Ok Sara, you're cleared. I just want to review with you your discharge instructions. No physical activity for three weeks, you can return to desk work after two. At your three week check-up we will evaluate going back full time. I have for you antibiotics, you need to finish these up - a ten day course - three times a day. Also pain killers, Percoset, take these as needed. Okay?" Only Grissom notices when Sara blanches slightly at the mention of Percoset.
"Thank you doctor," Grissom responds and Sara nods. As the doctor leaves, a less animated Sara gets off the bed and gathers her coat. Grissom had brought over clothes for her that day.
"You ok?" he asks and lightly grasps her arm.
"Fine, for some reason the mention of Percoset just threw me off. No big deal." She gives him a strained smile. "Let's go see Nick and get the hell out of here."
"Yeah, ok."
Opening Nick's door, they find him conversing with a young nurse, Grissom thinks her name is Bethany. Sara shakes her head before leaning into Nick and whispering in his ear.
"You whore, you have been awake for all of two days and already hitting on the nurse."
He merely gives her a wide smile. "You out of here?" he asks as the nurse leaves the room.
"Yup, I've been released. But I will be back to visit soon, don't you worry."
Nick gives her a grave look. "I do worry, Sara; that guy is still out there. And I think it's apparent the lengths he will go to. That was a close call, next time he might succeed."
"I have protection until they catch him, Nick. Plus I'm staying at Grissom's; he doesn't know where that is. Don't worry about me anyway; you need to concentrate on getting better and working on that nurse." She gives him a wink.
"Oh, before you leave Warrick has given me strict instructions to sign your cast. How's that feeling?"
"It itches like crazy and I have some pain, but it's ok. Let me find a pen." Sara leaves to find a pen at the nurse's station, as soon as the door closes behind her Nick turns to Grissom.
"How is she really?"
"She will be fine Nick. The arm and ribs will heal. Her guilt.that might take a little longer."
"Her guilt? It wasn't her fault, she didn't ask for this."
"I know that Nick, but she still thinks she could have done something to avoid it."
At that moment Sara returns with a permanent marker, handing it to Nick and perching herself on the edge of the bed, holding her arm out to him. Sara can feel the slight pressure as Nick writes furiously on the hardened plaster. When he is done she looks at the black markings and laughs.
"'Next time find your own ride?' That's sweet Nicky, thanks, no wonder you get all the girls."
Nicks retort is cut off by the doctor coming in the room. "Time for your CT scan."
Nick gives them an apologetic smile.
"That's ok, Nick. Sara needs to get home and rest anyway. I am pretty sure Warrick and Catherine were coming by this afternoon, we'll see you later." Grissom guides Sara out of the room.
"See you later, Nicky," she says and Nick nods in response.
Downstairs, Grissom leads her to his Tahoe and drives the trip to his townhouse in near record time; Sara doesn't even have time to fall asleep, which is what her body is aching for right now.
Walking through the front door, no one, including the protective detail parked on the street notice a man watching them intently from an empty townhouse across the complex.
He watches her enter the townhouse and fumes. She had obviously not learned her lesson; she belongs to him, forever. No one else. Why won't she just learn that lesson? He thought that running her and that friend of hers off the road would show her how serious he is, apparently not. Joey paces behind the safety of now closed curtain blinds. He had the good fortune of finding a townhouse that is currently for sale and unoccupied.
Sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, he contemplates what to do. If she won't be with him, he won't let her be with anyone else. Smirking, he slides over to the window and peeks out; Grissom's Tahoe is still there, as are the police. His only problem is dealing with the cops, they need to be distracted.
Checking his backpack, he finds the lock pick that was used previously to break into Sara's apartment. Joey moves back into his position on the floor and waits, Gil Grissom will leave at some point. He reaches out and double checks his bag to be sure he has everything he needs to get out of the city fast, cash and some clothes. If he succeeds in carrying out his plan, the police will be looking for him like rabid dogs. If he succeeds, Sara Sidle will be dead.
tbc........