A/N This chapter's a bit of a mush. It was written in bits as and when I got the chance and inspiration struck me, so it might not flow very well. As always, please read and review.
When they reached the hospital, they found Nick frantically pacing the waiting area. Understandably, he looked awful. Catherine wrapped her arms around him and he barely managed not to break down in tears.
"They won't tell me anything."
Warrick joined them, resting his hand on Nick's arm.
"She'll pull through, man. Sara's strong."
Nick sank down into an empty chair and covered his face with his hands. Grissom took up Nick's path and began pacing the waiting area. Unseen by anyone, Ellie slid down the wall and sat, shaking, curled up on the floor.
Finally a doctor stepped through the swinging doors of the trauma room and strolled up to the group.
"Are you with Sara Sidle?"
Nick's head jerked up sharply. "How is she?"
The doctor took a seat opposite them. "It looks like she's going to make it."
The all visibly relaxed and Nick sighed with relief.
The doctor continued. "It was touch and go for a while. She lost a hell of a lot of blood, causing her heart to stop briefly, but we managed to restart it, and stop the bleeding. She's on her way up to surgery now to repair the damage to her lung caused by the bullet."
Nick cut in, "What about our baby?"
The doctor looked down at his hands, avoiding Nick's worried gaze. "I'm sorry. The trauma Sara suffered was too great. Due to the extent of the damage, she lost the baby. I'm truly sorry."
Nick uttered a strangled cry. "Please don't let Sara die on that operating table. I can't stand to lose anything else."
"Our surgeons are the best," the doctor promised. He rose from his seat. "A nurse will be along shortly to take you upstairs. You can wait there for more news."
He left them grieving for a life that never got to see the light of day.
The wait for news of Sara's condition was agonizing. For hours, which felt like days, they comforted one another and prayed openly for good news. Only Ellie remained silent. She sat, locked away in her own little world, staring blankly, her face set in mask of determination.
Her insides churned with guilt and self-loathing. Each time she caught sight of a CSI's distraught face, especially Nick's, another swell of self-hatred burst inside her.
After what felt like an eternity, Sara's doctor appeared again. Naturally curious people, all the CSI's searched his face desperately for clues of Sara's condition.
"Sara made it through the surgery. It was successful and we managed to repair the damage. She's in intensive care now. We don't know when she'll wake up."
"But she will wake up, right?" Nick asked anxiously.
The doctor nodded gravely. "Providing there's no complications. It's just a matter of time and patience now."
"Well can I see her?" Nick could no longer sit still. "I want to be there when she wakes up."
"I can only allow you in. The rest of you might as well go home and get some rest. I'm sure you'll be kept informed of her progress."
He glanced across at Nick, who nodded, whilst hopping from foot to foot, desperate to see Sara.
The doctor continued, "You can return and visit her when she's awake and a little stronger."
No one looked particularly pleased with this arrangement, but they were all too exhausted to argue.
AS they turned to leave Warrick and Grissom expressed their sympathy to Nick with a nod and Catherine hugged him. Ellie observed this from a distance. The doctor led Nick off to Sara's room, leaving them to return to their cars.
Catherine had driven Nick's Tahoe to the hospital rather than leave it at the crime scene. They decided now to leave it in the parking lot, so Nick wouldn't be stranded at the hospital. Instead the all piled into Grissom's car.
They dropped Warrick off first. He could barely keep his eyes open, he was so tired, but he knew that he would be plagued with nightmares about Sara, preventing him from getting ant real sleep.
Next stop was Laura's, to return Ellie home. Catherine made her promise to stay in the house until she picked her up to visit Sara. Although Ellie didn't know Sara, she felt an obligation to check on her progress. Hell she'd saved her life. She owed her big time. Also, she desperately wanted to speak with Sara. She had questions that only Sara could answer and most of all she just wanted to thank her. Ellie still appeared to be in shock and Catherine was certain she wouldn't venture out this time.
Grissom and Catherine drove to Catherine's house in silence, both lost in their thoughts. It was only when the pulled into the driveway that they acknowledged each other's presence. Amid the chaos, Catherine had managed to arrange for Lindsey to stay another night at her friend's house, but looking at the dark, empty house, she had no desire to be alone.
Grissom stared at her, his face filled with concern. Catherine considered dismissing it all as concern over Sara. After all, those two had been friends for years and despite their complex relationship, she knew her cared for her deeply and felt a duty to protect her. Even so, Catherine suspected that he was also worried about her.
She thought that on some level her cared for her as much as he did for Sara. They had a different kind of relationship. They shared a connection that no one could explain. Catherine and Grissom were very different, but they still remained close.
Catherine silently scolded herself for being so selfish and thinking of her own feelings, whilst Sara lay helpless in a hospital bed.
Neither had moved from their seats in the car. Finally, Catherine made eye contact with Grissom. She took a deep breath and licked her lips nervously. This was insane. She was acting like a confused teenager.
"Would you like to come in?"
Grissom nodded, not taking his eyes off her.
Catherine grinned, relieved that she wouldn't have to be alone. She jumped out of the car and was immediately hit by the cold, night air. She shivered. She hadn't noticed the cold when she left the hospital, probably still in shock.
Grissom followed her to the front door. They stood on the dark porch, whilst Catherine searched frantically through her bag for her keys. The cold was freezing her lips. Grissom must have read her mind. As her fingers closed around her keys, his lips closed around hers. She froze, but as warmth spread through her body, from his lips, she relaxed.
Blindly she pushed the keys in the direction of the lock. Even as the door opened Grissom never stopped kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him inside. He kicked the door shut behind them. Closing the door on the icy night and all the horrors it had brought them.
A/N This is as much as I've written so far, so any ideas about how to continue would be greatly appreciated. The next chapter will be up as soon as I've written it.
When they reached the hospital, they found Nick frantically pacing the waiting area. Understandably, he looked awful. Catherine wrapped her arms around him and he barely managed not to break down in tears.
"They won't tell me anything."
Warrick joined them, resting his hand on Nick's arm.
"She'll pull through, man. Sara's strong."
Nick sank down into an empty chair and covered his face with his hands. Grissom took up Nick's path and began pacing the waiting area. Unseen by anyone, Ellie slid down the wall and sat, shaking, curled up on the floor.
Finally a doctor stepped through the swinging doors of the trauma room and strolled up to the group.
"Are you with Sara Sidle?"
Nick's head jerked up sharply. "How is she?"
The doctor took a seat opposite them. "It looks like she's going to make it."
The all visibly relaxed and Nick sighed with relief.
The doctor continued. "It was touch and go for a while. She lost a hell of a lot of blood, causing her heart to stop briefly, but we managed to restart it, and stop the bleeding. She's on her way up to surgery now to repair the damage to her lung caused by the bullet."
Nick cut in, "What about our baby?"
The doctor looked down at his hands, avoiding Nick's worried gaze. "I'm sorry. The trauma Sara suffered was too great. Due to the extent of the damage, she lost the baby. I'm truly sorry."
Nick uttered a strangled cry. "Please don't let Sara die on that operating table. I can't stand to lose anything else."
"Our surgeons are the best," the doctor promised. He rose from his seat. "A nurse will be along shortly to take you upstairs. You can wait there for more news."
He left them grieving for a life that never got to see the light of day.
The wait for news of Sara's condition was agonizing. For hours, which felt like days, they comforted one another and prayed openly for good news. Only Ellie remained silent. She sat, locked away in her own little world, staring blankly, her face set in mask of determination.
Her insides churned with guilt and self-loathing. Each time she caught sight of a CSI's distraught face, especially Nick's, another swell of self-hatred burst inside her.
After what felt like an eternity, Sara's doctor appeared again. Naturally curious people, all the CSI's searched his face desperately for clues of Sara's condition.
"Sara made it through the surgery. It was successful and we managed to repair the damage. She's in intensive care now. We don't know when she'll wake up."
"But she will wake up, right?" Nick asked anxiously.
The doctor nodded gravely. "Providing there's no complications. It's just a matter of time and patience now."
"Well can I see her?" Nick could no longer sit still. "I want to be there when she wakes up."
"I can only allow you in. The rest of you might as well go home and get some rest. I'm sure you'll be kept informed of her progress."
He glanced across at Nick, who nodded, whilst hopping from foot to foot, desperate to see Sara.
The doctor continued, "You can return and visit her when she's awake and a little stronger."
No one looked particularly pleased with this arrangement, but they were all too exhausted to argue.
AS they turned to leave Warrick and Grissom expressed their sympathy to Nick with a nod and Catherine hugged him. Ellie observed this from a distance. The doctor led Nick off to Sara's room, leaving them to return to their cars.
Catherine had driven Nick's Tahoe to the hospital rather than leave it at the crime scene. They decided now to leave it in the parking lot, so Nick wouldn't be stranded at the hospital. Instead the all piled into Grissom's car.
They dropped Warrick off first. He could barely keep his eyes open, he was so tired, but he knew that he would be plagued with nightmares about Sara, preventing him from getting ant real sleep.
Next stop was Laura's, to return Ellie home. Catherine made her promise to stay in the house until she picked her up to visit Sara. Although Ellie didn't know Sara, she felt an obligation to check on her progress. Hell she'd saved her life. She owed her big time. Also, she desperately wanted to speak with Sara. She had questions that only Sara could answer and most of all she just wanted to thank her. Ellie still appeared to be in shock and Catherine was certain she wouldn't venture out this time.
Grissom and Catherine drove to Catherine's house in silence, both lost in their thoughts. It was only when the pulled into the driveway that they acknowledged each other's presence. Amid the chaos, Catherine had managed to arrange for Lindsey to stay another night at her friend's house, but looking at the dark, empty house, she had no desire to be alone.
Grissom stared at her, his face filled with concern. Catherine considered dismissing it all as concern over Sara. After all, those two had been friends for years and despite their complex relationship, she knew her cared for her deeply and felt a duty to protect her. Even so, Catherine suspected that he was also worried about her.
She thought that on some level her cared for her as much as he did for Sara. They had a different kind of relationship. They shared a connection that no one could explain. Catherine and Grissom were very different, but they still remained close.
Catherine silently scolded herself for being so selfish and thinking of her own feelings, whilst Sara lay helpless in a hospital bed.
Neither had moved from their seats in the car. Finally, Catherine made eye contact with Grissom. She took a deep breath and licked her lips nervously. This was insane. She was acting like a confused teenager.
"Would you like to come in?"
Grissom nodded, not taking his eyes off her.
Catherine grinned, relieved that she wouldn't have to be alone. She jumped out of the car and was immediately hit by the cold, night air. She shivered. She hadn't noticed the cold when she left the hospital, probably still in shock.
Grissom followed her to the front door. They stood on the dark porch, whilst Catherine searched frantically through her bag for her keys. The cold was freezing her lips. Grissom must have read her mind. As her fingers closed around her keys, his lips closed around hers. She froze, but as warmth spread through her body, from his lips, she relaxed.
Blindly she pushed the keys in the direction of the lock. Even as the door opened Grissom never stopped kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him inside. He kicked the door shut behind them. Closing the door on the icy night and all the horrors it had brought them.
A/N This is as much as I've written so far, so any ideas about how to continue would be greatly appreciated. The next chapter will be up as soon as I've written it.
