A/N:  Thanks to all those that have reviewed.  I really do appreciate hearing from you.  This is a short chapter but I hope you like it anyway.  The next chapter… Sara's thoughts about Grissom's transformation.

Oh, and big thanks to Marlou/Ghibli for beta'ing.  Love your help!

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            For the first time in quite some time, Sara awoke drowsy.  Normally, a few hours of sleep and she'd be bouncing around her apartment getting ready for work.  Now, her head felt like a sledge hammer had met it personally.  The events of the past few nights once again met up with her synapses.  She struggled for some sense of reality but could only hear the soft breathing coming from Grissom behind her.  She turned onto her back to look at him.  Her movements caused a moan to tumble from her lips and woke him.  He blinked the sleep from his eyes, and then sat up quickly.  "Are you all right?"

            "No."  Her quick reply elicited some quick movements on his part as he stumbled out of the bed.  She could just make out his form from the dim light the curtains allowed in.  His feet giving a tell-tale sign he was walking around the bed, and then she heard him fumble with what she assumed was a box on the nightstand at her side of the bed.  A quick flash of sulfur and the match was lit.  As soon as the candle was lit, he glanced over her features.  His concerned look was all she needed to know that she looked as bad as she felt.

            "How's your head?" he asked.  She grimaced and he nodded.  "I'm going to give you some of this laudanum.  I think you need to sleep a bit more, Sara.  Your concussion only got worse with the carriage accident.  I'm surprised you don't have a cracked rib or two."  He'd grabbed the small bottle of the laudanum, turning it over in his hand thoughtfully.

            "Griss?"  She reached out for his arm, gripping it tentatively.  "I really don't want to take that stuff.  It's a narcotic.  It can be highly addictive."  Their eyes met for only a moment before he set the bottle back on the nightstand.

Sitting on the bed, he took her hand in his and asked her, "Can you go back to sleep?  You really need to get some more."

            "I know.  I will.  I just… talk to me for a bit.  I'll drift off soon enough."  She stifled a yawn then tugged at the covers.  Grissom grabbed the edges of the top blanket, tucking it up to her chin.

            "What do you want me to talk about?  What will put you to sleep the fastest?" he grinned.

            "How about your bugs?  That should do the trick in no time." she chuckled, while Grissom guffawed.

            SHORTLY AFTER she'd fallen asleep, Grissom left the room and asked the first servant he came across where he could find the Countess.  He couldn't help but to ramble into an explanation as to why he wanted to know.  The servant, a young woman, just nodded understandingly, all the while leading him down a hallway until they reached a closed door.

            "These are her rooms, Dr. Grissom. You will find the missus in here."  She bobbed a curtsy then scuttled away.

            Grissom watched her leave then cautiously knocked on the door.  To his surprise it was opened instantly afterward.  The Earl motioned him inside the room.  Grissom quietly checked over the Countess while the Earl looked on.  She was sleeping soundly and no longer had the fever.  After they stepped outside, Grissom cautioned, "She's not showing any signs of a fever but she should be kept still in any case."

            The Earl nodded then asked, "And how is Mrs. Grissom?"

            "She doesn't take to lying still very well and refuses to take any laudanum but thankfully she is drowsy.  My hope is that she will remain in bed for the rest of the day.  Tomorrow will be another story."

            The Earl chuckled in understanding.  "My sister, Danielle, is of the same disposition and does not take well to sitting still –must always be up and about.  I wonder, is your wife as independent as her disposition indicates her to be?"

            It was Grissom's turn to chuckle.  The Earl was a very observant man.  He couldn't help to think that he'd make a great CSI if he was as good at science.  Running his hand over the nape at the back of his neck, he nodded and groaned, "She is…too much so."

            The Earl waved Grissom toward the stairway and they walked down to the next level.  The butler, Gavrie, held open the doors for them as they passed through.  The Earl clapped Grissom on the shoulder and asked, "Have you breakfasted, Dr. Grissom?"

            "No, I haven't."  Grissom looked toward the man as he continued to lead him through the rooms.

            "Then you can join me.  Afterwards, we'll see what we can do about getting you some new wares, and then if you feel up to it I'll show you my specimens."

            After breakfasting, the Earl ordered the carriage around then ushered Grissom out the door and to his own tailor on Conduit Street.  Grissom couldn't help but feel a little bit on edge as they entered the establishments.  This wasn't his time period.  There were obviously many things that stood out as different.  The one most telling was the lack of female presence on this street.  He'd kept in mind that he wanted to pick up a few items for Sara, but wasn't sure how to approach it.  Were men even allowed into a woman's arena of shopping?  From what he'd seen so far, they didn't appear to be allowed in the male section.  This was completely at odds with his time.

            Hours later, Grissom stepped out onto the busy London street once again.  This time his relief was fired by the realization that they'd finished with their last shop.  He nodded at a young man in greeting as he passed by.  The Earl stepped up behind him, clapping a hand on his shoulder in camaraderie.  A servant walked around them with several packages in his arms and handed them to the footman.

            "Shall we attend to your wife's needs?  I'm sure she would appreciate a few items.  I know my sister, or my mother wouldn't be able to last a day let alone two or three in the same clothes."  The Earl pressed him forward to the carriage and within moments they were off again.

            By the time they arrived back home, Grissom wanted nothing more than to climb into bed, with or without Sara there, and fall asleep.  He'd tried on so many jackets, cravats, boots, hats and everything else, he thought he would have nightmares to last him the rest of his natural life.  And to top it all off was his lack of knowledge in regard to the societal expectations of the time.  He lost count of how many times he committed some faux pas, only to have the Earl save him by telling the shopkeepers that he was from America.  He had a lot to learn.  Silently, he prayed that Sara would be back to normal soon and would save him from making a further fool of him self.

            He left the Earl to tend to his estate business and ascended the stairs to check on the Countess and then he would check on Sara.  When he reached the Countess' rooms, he knocked lightly to see if anyone was within.  He heard a very faint shuffle and then the door opened, revealing a younger woman.  Her aristocratic bearing leading him to believe she was probably the Earl's sister.  She nodded, inviting him into the room.  He assumed she'd been told who he was.

            Her voice was soft and smooth, as she explained, "I was just sitting with her.  She woke up a couple of hours ago.  She wasn't herself."  Her eyes roamed over her mother with deep concern.

            "No, she probably wouldn't be.  She's on some pretty heavy medication.  But it will help with the pain."  He'd been hoping to find her awake.  Instead of being able to ask her how she felt, he was left with only being able to do a cursory examination, and then he asked the daughter a few questions.  Afterwards, he felt comfortable enough to leave them and headed back to the guest wing where his and Sara's room was located.

            Not wanting to wake her if she was sleeping, he cautiously opened the door and peeked around it, surprised to find she was sitting against the headboard.  A book lay across her lap, but she was staring out the window into the hazy sunshine and didn't hear him enter.  He remained where he was, taking in her appearance.  She looked rested and ready to take on another day.  His eyes roamed over her, taking in the difference from the days before.  Her hair was damp, but not the type of damp from sweat of a fever, rather it was more than likely that she'd had a bath sometime while he was out.  The fact that her hair was damp worried him however, there was a bit of chill in the air and the thought of her getting ill from it moved him to the fireplace.  He bent down, grabbing a stoker to stir the dying embers, and then placed another log onto the new flames.  The shuffling of the bed sheets drew his attention and he looked up to meet Sara's gaze.  Her eyes were beaming from the smile she held for him.  He wondered if she liked his new attire.