Title: Ripples in the Water

Author: Evidence

Chapter: 2

Rating: PG-13

Author's Notes:  Little Dylan has been brought home.  As he grows Sara and Grissom find themselves growing too- although apart.  There will be a few light moments to break up the tension.

The crying jarred him awake again for the fifth time that night.

"My turn," he heard Sara say.

He turned on the beside lamp- no use to try to sleep.  Soon Grissom could hear Sara's soft singing through the baby monitor.  She didn't mind any of it: the lack of sleep, the feedings, the cleanup.  Sara had taken on the act of motherhood as if it was a new facet of her job.  She put all her energy into being a mom just as she did being a CSI.  Grissom admired how good she was at it all.

Sara returned and curled up beside him in bed.  "You can close the light."

"I doubt I'll sleep."

"I might."

He sighed and switched the lamp off.

"He was fine just wanted his mommy."  He could feel her breath on his chest.

"Smart boy."

"He is Grissom, he is smart."

Once again Grissom said nothing.  How could he hurt her by throwing the truth in her face?  Dylan wasn't smart and would never be.  It was better to stay silent and let her believe the fantasy.

When he could hear the peaceful tones of Sara's sleeping he carefully exorcised himself from her and their bed.  He walked silently and swiftly to Dylan's room and peeked in.  The Mickey Mouse nightlight captured the baseball themed room.  Nick's baby gift to them had been to paint the room so that it looked like a baseball field.  The floorboards were green with four white blocks that represented the plates.  The walls were lined with brick like wallpaper (for some reason Nick was a Cubs fan and wanted the room to look like Wrigby field). The ceiling was painted a bright blue and Nick had done his best to make a realistic looking sun. 

Grissom okayed Nick's idea believing Sara would never go through with it but she ended up loving it.  She said that it reminded her of the magic words he said to her that day on the hockey case.  The sport was beautiful to him and the room was beautiful to her.

Dylan was cooing softly in his crib.  He was adorable as he slept.  This was the time to enjoy him before he grew and his problems came into focus.  Grissom shook his head.  Why did this have to happen to them?  Couldn't they enjoy a little happiness? 

Of course once the diagnosis was made Grissom did research.  He never should have.  What he discovered scared him.  He didn't tell Sara she would either find out on her own or ask him if he found out anything.  He wouldn't lie then, he would tell her the truth.  When children like Dylan lose oxygen to their brains, part of the brain begins malfunctioning.  Grissom had the word imprinted in his mind: anoxia.  That was what happened to his son.  He replayed on a daily basis the doctor saying in that dull, dry tone, "Anoxia is a brain injury.  It occurs when someone, Dylan, loses oxygen to his brain."  Grissom had picked up more information about the dreaded "a" word.  How it was considered an acquired brain injury.  That there were two categories of brain injuries: traumatic (a car accident) and nontraumatic (lost of oxygen).  At least Dylan's injury was the lesser of two evils, the nontraumatic.  His problems would not be as severe as another child who had the former, they could be considered mentally challenged. 

Grissom read that babies knew their mothers by their sense of smell.  He wondered if Dylan even knew he was there.  Would he even care if suddenly there wasn't that person called "Daddy"?  Grissom pushed the thought from his head and went to the living room.  Turning on a small light he opened a book and began reading.

Sara found him the next morning asleep on the couch.  His eyes fluttered and then her face came into focus.

"Why didn't you come back to bed?"  She sat on the coffee table, staring at him.

"I…I wasn't going to fall asleep so I stayed out here.  No reason to disturb you."

"Well, you did fall asleep.  You were sleeping nicely when I came to see what was up with Dylan."

He noticed then the blanket on him and the book he was reading on the table.  "I'm sorry, Sara, I didn't hear him."

A smile escaped her mouth.  "It's okay, I'm not mad at you, just…curious, I guess."  She stood up.  "What do you want to eat?"

"Oh, I'll pick something up on the way to work."

Sara shook her head trying to connect her thoughts.  "Griss, today's your day off, remember?"

He rubbed his temple.  "Yeah, I know but I have so much paperwork to do…I better go in."  He left the couch and headed for the shower wondering what thoughts were going through her head.  Would she realize that he didn't want to be home with them?

Dylan was growing fairly well although his right arm was giving him problems.  He had a hard time trying to grasp anything.  The doctors were now saying he had gross motor control problems were the large muscles in the body do not work properly.  Grissom had spent the majority of time at work.  Sara had taken three months off to be just a mom.  Grissom longed for puzzling cases that required working doubles.  Sara kept lamenting how much she missed him but he blamed the job. 

Catherine noticed the distance forming between them and decided to try to help them out.  She surprised them with a weekend vacation to Los Angeles.

"Catherine, we can't go, we have Dylan."  Sara looked down at the reservations for the hotel.

"You know I can take care of a baby.  Lindsay was one once."  Catherine grinned at the couple.

"I don't know if I want to leave him," Sara looked at Grissom.

"It would be nice to have some time to ourselves," he put his arm around her, "we trust Cath."

"Yeah…alright but I'm calling everyday okay?"  Sara wiggled her finger at Catherine.

"I'm forewarned."

Departing for the trip took forever.  Sara had to explain to Dylan where they were going and that they would be back soon.  Grissom had tried to tell her that Dylan didn't understand but she wouldn't listen.

Finally they were off and heading to LA.  This is just what we need, Grissom thought.  Time away, time to be together.  By shutting out Dylan he had effectively shut out Sara, too.  The hotel was lovely and near famous attractions.  They had a grand time looking at the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"Griss, here's Kermit's!"  Sara pointed to the star.

"Kermit the frog has a star?"

"Yeah, look."

"He's a puppet!"  Grissom shook his head.  Hollywood would give anyone a star even if they weren't real.

"Let's take a picture for Dylan."  Sara grabbed the small digital camera and snapped a few shots.

"So where to next?  Rodeo Drive?  Tour of where stars live?"  He put his arms around her waist and looked in her eyes.  He loved her so much.  It felt so good to be close with her again.

"Wherever you want.  As long as we are together."  She kissed him sweetly on the lips.  "But first let's call Cath and see how Dylan is."

"Okay."  Dylan was never far from her mind.  He sighed as she produced the cell phone she bought for the trip and watched her smiling and laughing as Catherine related stories to her.

She handed the phone to him, "Here your turn to talk to Dylan."

He took the small black phone from her outstretched hand and held it to his ear.  "Hey, we'll be home soon." 

Catherine's voice emerged on the other end.  "Don't hurry back, we're having fun."

"Thanks again, Catherine."

"My pleasure, I miss having a little one around."

The afternoon was filled with laughter.  Grissom felt nearly exhausted when they finally got back to the hotel room.  He threw himself down on the bed, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. 

Sara placed herself down beside him.  "That was certainly fun today."  She kissed him.

"Sara…" he started.  "I'm too tired."

"Oh, okay."  She shrugged then smirked at him.  "You're getting old Gil Grissom."

"Don't remind me."

Sara changed in the bathroom and when she went back to lie beside him, he was already fast asleep.

The next day they spent at a Venice art show that Sara was interested in.  Grissom found a lovely print that he thought Sara would love.  He asked Sara if she would get him a soda and then quickly went to the vendor selling the prints. 

"Yes, sir, how can I help you?" The man's dark tan matched the color of Grissom's shirt. 

"I would like to buy that print, The Garden Valley, please."

"Sure," the man smiled brightly and took if from the display rack.  "It's expensive, you know."

"That doesn't matter; it's for someone special."  Grissom forked over his credit card and watched the register ring up $70.  He couldn't wait to give it to Sara.  "Are you the artist?" he asked the vendor.

Red showed through the tan.  "Yes, sir I am, my name's Evan."

"Well, Evan it is quite beautiful.  My mother owned an art gallery, you probably could sell your work to a gallery."

"Oh, I don't know, sir but thank you."

Another man approached carrying one of Evan's postcard pictures.  He handed Evan a fifty for the twelve-dollar item.  Grissom watched as Evan struggled to make change finally being rescued by the returning woman who was with him earlier.

"I got it, Ev, don't worry."  The woman was slightly older than Grissom and he realized quickly that she was Evan's mother.  This would be their life with Dylan.  Even as an adult he would need them to do the basic things in life.  Downtrodden Grissom returned to find Sara.

She wasn't happy.  "Gil, where the hell did you go?"  Her eyes cast down to the picture he was holding in his hand.  She nearly dropped his soda.  "Did you…"

"It's for you Sara, I saw how much you liked it."  He smiled once again pushing the memory of Evan and his mother to the back of his mind. 

"Oh, Grissom.  Thank you."  Sara quickly kissed him.  "How are we going to bring this home?"

Grissom laughed.  "Yeah, with it's frame it is kind of big for the plane.  We'll manage."

"Are you tired?"  she asked, a devilish look in her eyes.

"No, why?"  Then he realized.  "Let's go."  He threw the soda in a handy trash bin, grabbed Sara's hand and took off for the hotel.

The phone rang interrupting them. 

"Who the hell…" Grissom began.

"Ignore it is probably room service."  She continued kissing his neck.

"Sara, it's been a while."  He moved his hands up and down her spine.

"I know," she breathed.

The phone rang a few more times but they continued to ignore it.  It was the first time they made love in a few months.  Grissom felt like everything was perfect for a few moments.  He let his worries do by the wayside.  He looked down at Sara asleep on his chest and he kissed her hair.  Somehow everything would work out as long as he had her.

Another ringing began, this one slightly different from the hotel phone.

"Griss, is that my cell?"   Sara woke up shaking her head.

"Maybe…"

"Griss, what if it's Catherine."  She moved back from him.

"Sara…"

"I've got to answer that."  She left the bed and grabbed the cell from the table where she left it.  "Hello." 

"Sara?  It's Catherine I'm so sorry to call you but…Dylan's been throwing up and I couldn't get him to stop.  I brought him to the hospital and the doctors think he's fine but… you needed to know."

"What hospital?"  Her words came out in a rush.

Grissom turned and get out of the bed.

"Desert Palm.  I called you this afternoon and then a little later after dinner but…"

"Oh, God, that was you?"  Sara pushed back her hair.

"Look, I would want to know if it were my kid but you can stay on your trip.  You'll be home tomorrow anyway."

"No, we're on our way right now.  Thank you Catherine.  Tell him we love him."  She closed the cell up and rubbed the tears away.

"What's the matter?"  Grissom asked.

She repeated what Catherine had said.

Grissom nodded his head.  "He'll be fine this happens to babies."

"Grissom, our son is in the hospital!  We need to get back to him."

"We'll be there tomorrow. Sara, it's past midnight right now."

"I don't know what you've doing but I'm going to grab a plane now if I can."   Sara began searching for clothes to put on.

He grabbed her hand so she had to turn to face him.  "Look, I'm worried about him too.  Catherine should have never called."

"Sometimes I don't think I really know you at all."  She removed herself from his grasp.

He was stunned.  How could she say that?  Of course he was worried about Dylan but it wasn't like they were at the lab and Catherine was telling them they needed to go home.  They had to book a new flight, get a plane, and then take a taxi to the hospital. 

"We should have never left him."  Sara had thrown on a t-shirt and pants.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead.  "Let me put some clothes on and call the airlines maybe there is a flight leaving earlier."

Sara looked into his eyes, tears welling at hers.  "Griss, I want him to be okay."

"I know, I do, too."  She let him put his arms around him.

There were no earlier flights so they spent an anxiety filled time waiting.  Eventually they reached Dylan and discovered that he had a new problem added to his laundry list: a milk allergy.  His system was trying to purge itself of a toxin.  Allergies come and go sometimes the doctor had said but it was something more added to the shoulders of his parents.

A few nights later they the planned to make love again but between Dylan's cries and Grissom's headache they never accomplished their goal.  Grissom went back to the couch and looked at the painting hanging above it.  Evan's painting. It was a beautiful world he had captured full of greens, flowers and a childlike innocence.  Grissom was memorized by it.  His hope was that Dylan would have something special that he could do so that like Evan he would be able to earn a wage and have dreams.  Grissom placed his hand on the frame and silently wished for the life that he and Sara once knew to return.

To be continued… (Dylan begins getting a little older as a new problem surfaces.)