Title: A Clear Vision
Author: Evidence
Chapter: 6
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Thanks again for the reviews. This has been fun to write and soon it will be done (which seems the hardest part of any story- the ending). There is not a real cliffhanger this time. Hope you enjoy!
He felt almost woozy like he was on a moving ship. Something was wrong, wrong with Sara. He could read it in the expression that occurred between Catherine and Jim. This couldn't be happening, it had to be some awful dream.
Catherine sighed. "Sara had to have her spleen removed."
"She can leave without a spleen." His heart was still racing his chest.
"Yes, I know but right now she's…" Catherine started and then stopped looking to Jim to continue.
Jim Brass rubbed his temple. "Sara's in CCU, Gil. The doctors lost her at one point but got her heart beating again. Right now they are not sure she'll survive the night. Her spleen is gone but her other organs are not functioning up to par. The doctors are afraid they might give out."
Grissom took a minute to digest the information. "I need to see her."
"They won't let us in, they are not going to let you be wheeled into there right now," Catherine said softly.
"I need to be with her."
"Gil, it's not possible." Catherine sighed.
"Get my doctor, I want to see Sara." Anger was ebbing in his throat although he didn't mean to direct it at Brass and Catherine. Sara was ill, she needed him and the hospital was interfering.
"I'll get him," Jim left the same hospital room.
"She has to know I care, Catherine." Grissom looked into his old friend's eyes. "Maybe if she knows I do she'll fight, she'll get well."
Gosh, he sounds so naïve, Catherine thought. The odds were against Sara but Grissom was willing to place bets on her recovery. He was in love. "She knows Grissom. Sara knows you love her."
"I never said it." Tears were forming at his eyes.
"Sometimes actions speak louder than words."
"I've never shown her my love."
Catherine thought for a moment. "Yeah, you have only it has been subtle. A little moment here and there."
"I should have done more."
"Yeah, you both should have." Catherine managed a small smile.
"Well, Mr. Grissom I hear you have a special request." A man with dark, short hair entered the room with Brass. "I'm Doctor Trad. I worked on Ms. Sidle."
Grissom nodded his head.
"I'm afraid you cannot see her right now, only immediate family. Her parents have been contacted and they will be able to visit her. You need to worry about getting better, not your colleague."
"She's not my colleague, she's my…" What was she really? Was there a word to describe how their relationship was right now?
"I'm sorry Mr. Grissom but I have to deny your request." He left abruptly most likely not wanting an argument.
"You heard the doc. Now Cath and I will leave you so you can get some rest." Brass motioned to Catherine.
"I was just sleeping, Jim." Grissom could not hide his anger. He was being denied the one thing he had just realized he needed to feel whole.
Nick strode in, a big grin on his face. "You're awake, great!"
Catherine mouthed, "Leave now."
Nick ignored her. "You look upset, gee and there I told Sara you were fine."
"What?" Three heads turned to look at Nick.
"I kinda lied and told the doctor I was her brother, you know we look similar, so he let me see her."
"Nick…" Grissom felt a swell of admiration for the young man.
"I told the doctor that I was coming for a surprise visit when I got word about the crash. He bought it hook, line and sinker." Nick winked at Catherine who shook her head.
"How she is?" Grissom asked.
Nick's grin disappeared. "Well, she looks like hell and she's not conscious yet but I sat with her a minute and talked to her."
"Experts say that does help." Catherine nodded her head at Grissom. "See, Nick has seen Sara so you don't have to worry about her anymore."
"I still worry Catherine." He spoke to Nick. "Is she breathing on her own?"
Nick kicked at his right heal with his other boot. "No, she's hooked up to a breathing machine."
"Well, that's common after losing an organ." Catherine was hoping to allay some of Grissom's concerns.
"She's not doing that well." Grissom pushed his head back into the soft pillow and stared up at the ceiling. "You guys can leave, I do need my rest."
"Okay, we'll be back to check on you." Catherine lightly touched his hand.
"Get better." Brass waved as he headed out.
"Nick?" Grissom called.
"Yeah, Griss." Nick turned back into the room.
"Would you do me a favor?"
"Okay…"
"Would you go see Sara again and tell her…tell her..." Grissom struggled for the right words. What should he say, how should he say it. "Tell her that I'm waiting for her. I'm waiting for her to wake up. Okay, would you do that?"
Nick could see Grissom was trying still to hold something back: tears probably. It was odd to see so much emotion in the usually reserved supervisor. He had changed, Sara had changed him. "Of course I will. I'll go tell her that now."
"Thank you." Grissom let his eyes close picturing Sara at the crash site.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grateful of his charm, Nick was allowed by a young nurse to see "Sister Sara" again. He agreed to only stay a minute and gave her a big smile.
"Hey," He said. He pulled a chair over to her bed and took a seat. "It's Nick again. The doctor won't let anybody in only your brother. Don't tell anyone but I am now your brother, okay? So shhh on that." He paused looking at the pale face that at the moment hardly resembled Sara.
"I've got a message for you from Grissom. He wanted me to tell you that he is waiting for you to get well." Nick stopped and thought about the last conversation he had with Griss before the crash. How Grissom ignored his question involving Sara. If Sara made it, things had to change. He may be making the wrong decision but at least someone was doing something to progress this relationship along.
"Sara, Grissom loves you. He didn't have to say it in words, it is written over the emotions that are clouding his face. He's scared to death he's going to lose you. Fight, come back to us. Come back to Grissom. See what happens, take the risk. Sara just don't give up. If anyone can survive this and come out stronger it's you. Grissom is waiting for you. Don't let him wait forever."
He got up and put a hand to her cheek; she was ice cold. Suppressing his own tears he left the CCU. He missed seeing the slight movement of her thumb. Down in the depths of a watery dream, Sara had heard what he had said and she was determined to open her eyes. It would take great effort but she wasn't giving up, not now, not when everything she ever wanted was in front of her.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The monitor blinked and beeped. The nurse who was stationed at the front desk quickly reached her. "Ms. Sidle?" she asked looking into the now open eyes, "You are at a hospital. The helicopter crashed that you were on. I'm just going to call for your doctor, okay?"
Sara managed to blink her eyes twice.
"Very good! I'll be right back." She hurried off her pink jacket flapping in the breeze.
Sara's mind began to sharpen. She could hear the breathing tube acting like her lungs, she could see the darken room she was in. It was like she had awakened from a dream. She had dreamt that Nick was visiting and he was telling her something important. She couldn't remember what it was. The dream was fading away quickly.
Dr. Trad entered the room and turned on a bright light. Sara's eyes became half slits.
"Well, hello, glad to have you back with us." He checkered her vitals and explained about losing her spleen. He didn't mention the fact that he thought he would get a call that night saying that she was dead. Instead miracle of miracles she was alert. "I need to pull out your breathing tube, your lungs are working fine now." He pulled out the long tube causing a coughing fit in his patient. "It's okay that is a normal reaction."
Sara gained her composer as quickly as she could and sought to use her voice. "Grissom." It was an effort but it came out.
Dr. Trad was taken back. "Oh, yes your friend. He is in stable condition and is doing quite well. Soon he will be out of the hospital."
Sara nodded and closed her eyes thanking God.
Dr. Trad didn't linger around much longer and Sara was glad. She needed time to piece together all that happened. She was content knowing that Grissom was all right, she couldn't stand losing him like that. Sara fell back to sleep and watched her dream unfold again. That was when she heard what Nick had said about how Grissom felt. She awakened quickly and still holding on to the precious dream or now as she knew it to be- a memory, she buzzed the nurse.
"Yes?" The nurse asked.
"Phone. Let me…talk to Grissom."
To be continued…