Title: Ripples in the Water

Chapter: 9

Author: Evidence

Rating: PG-13

Author's Notes: Thanks again for the reviews!  A little twist in this chapter so hold on.

He saw her as he was entering the DNA lab.  She was with Greg looking at the results of a particular case.  He smiled to himself as he waved a hand to the both of them and she smiled back.  Things had changed between them.  They had eaten several meals together as a family, brought Dylan to the movies, had sat in front of the t.v. together on a Saturday night.  Over the course of four months, Grissom and Sara had slowly been working their way back to each other.  There was no intimacy yet, not even a kiss but they were talking and that was a start.  They had a lot to get pass in order to make a new future.  Good times could not erase the memories of words spoken in anger.  Grissom had passed to the corners of his mind the affair.  The relationship must have ended, he assumed, for now when she could date someone she wasn't.

"Greg, do you have the results from the McPherson case, yet?"  Grissom asked.

"No, I've been busy with your wife.  She's got me hopping."

"Good, someone needs to keep you working."  Grissom smiled.  His wife, how wonderful it sounded to hear that again.

"Well, Greg's all yours, I'm clocking out and going home to a handsome young man."  Sara started out the door.

"Sara."  Grissom called.

"Yeah."

"I'll call when I have some down time and chat with Dylan and you, okay?"

Her eyes showed her happiness.  "That would be great.  I think I'll going to bring him to the park for dinner, he was asking for a picnic, then we'll be home."

"Okay."  Grissom watched her profile as she left and headed to the locker room.

"You kids," Greg said with a shake of his head.

"What?"  Grissom scrunched his eyebrows trying to comprehend the young man.

"You kids are crazy in love again, it's good to see."

"There is a lot to work though."

"Yeah but at least you trying and the love's there Gil I can see it."

"Did you just call me Gil?"  Grissom crossed his eyes.

"Yeah…"

"Don't.  Now work on the results."  He started out the door and then added.  "Please."

Greg laughed.  Grissom was still Grissom even when he was in love again.

The phone rang and once again the answering machine clicked on.  Grissom hung up.  Dinner must have taken longer than Sara expected.  He went back to looking at the McPherson file on his desk.  A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.  A glum Jim Brass stood halfway in and halfway out.

"Jim, what's…"  Grissom read his expression too well.  "Oh, no, what happened?"  His heart began thundering in his eyes, dryness took over his mouth.

"Judy just took a message for you and I told her I would relay it.  It was the hospital, Gil."

"The hospital?"  A million thoughts ran through his head making him deaf to what Brass was saying.  "Jim, please repeat what you just said."

"The hospital called looking for you.  There has been an accident.  Dylan's fine."  He walked up to Grissom now and put a hand on his shoulder.  "Your boy's fine."

Grissom digested what he was saying.

"Sara though…"

"What happened?"  It was almost a yell coming out of his throat.

"Sara was getting the picnic basket from the backseat of her Tahoe.  Dylan was already out.  Some kids were fooling around in their car and they slammed into the back of the Tahoe."

"I've got to get to the hospital."  Grissom jumped up, unsteady as if drunk and grabbed his black jacket from its hanger.

"I'll drive you."

The bright lights pained his already burning eyes.  Tears had formed creating moisture on his glasses.  His senses were all off.  He hadn't felt like this since the day Dylan was born and complications arose.

"I'm Gil Grissom, Sara Sidle Grissom is my wife."  He chocked on the last words.  What if he never got the chance to tell Sara he still loved her, that he always would? 

The blonde receptionist directed him to the ICU.  Jim, with a hand on Grissom's back led him to the waiting room.

"Daddy."  It came as a cry as the boy ran up to his father.

"It's okay, Dylan.  Mommy's going to be just fine."

"It was bad."

"You, you saw it."

Dylan merely shook his head and Grissom held him tighter.

"Thank you," Grissom spoke to the officer who had been staying with Dylan.

"Mr. Grissom?"  A doctor in scrubs baring the name Dr. Underwood entered the small blue waiting room.

"Dylan, let's play with these cars, okay?"  Brass took the youngster's good hand and brought him to a corner of the waiting room filled with toys to keep one's mind off their troubles.

"How's Sara?"  Grissom swallowed hard.

"She'll be okay but she's going to be laided up for quite some time.  She broke a vertebrae."

Grissom's eyes shut.  "Can she walk?"

"Yes, we are able to take some bone from her hip and infuse it into that broken vertebrae.  It is in the middle of her back so she is numb in her arms and legs but that will eventually go away, once she has the surgery.  With physical therapy and three months of complete rest she'll be back to normal.  She was very lucky."

"Is she awake?"

"Yes, she refused any pain medication because she wanted to see you first.'

Grissom wiped at his eyes.  "I would like to see her now.  Dylan, I'll be back in a little bit," he spoke to the boy who shook his head.

Sara was in noticeable pain, lying with a collar on and bruises on her face from where she must have hit the seat.  "Grissom," she said so quietly he could hardly hear her.

"I'm here." He took her hand in his.

"Dylan's okay.'

"I saw him, he's fine, Brass is with him now."

"I need surgery.  Anything could go wrong in there.  Promise me," her eyes filled with tears, "promise me that you'll take care of Dylan."

He swallowed.  "Of course I would but Sara don't say that, you will make it."

"I'm just saying if I…"

"Don't even think it."  He kissed her forehead, a familiar, natural move. 

She tried her best to smile. 

"Are you ready?" The doctor asked entering the small corner she had been placed in.

"Yes," she responded staring at Grissom as the attendants began preparing her for surgery.

Catherine came and took Dylan to her house while he waited.  Nick stopped to check in several times.  Warrick had just left a few minutes before.  Everyone was concerned but none more than Gil Grissom.  He had nearly rubbed the skin raw on his knuckles from nervous itching.  He needed Sara to be well, he needed her. His life had been a void since he had left like it was before she entered his world.  He wanted to feel whole again.

"Mr. Grissom."

Grissom jumped up at the sight of the doctor.

"How is she?"

He waited there until she woke.  "Hey," he said smiling. 

"Gri…" was the only thing she could get out.

"I've got great news.  The surgery was a success.  It will take a few months before you're back to yourself but you will be okay."

Her eyes closed and opened.  A small smile formed.

"I have something to ask you."  He fixed his chair so that he was closer to her.  "I need to take care of Dylan while your mending."  He paused searching for a way to bring up the subject.  He had great fear that her response would be negative.  "You are going to need help, too. I want to take care of you both so…Sara, may I move back in, at least temporary?"

He watched a tear roll down her check.  She blinked twice.  Yes.

To be continued… (Sorry I'm late in updating and that the chapter is short but life got in the way.  We are beginning to conclude this little tale.)