Jessica Summers, bene, icklebitodd, Apollo13, Cherrydrops12, Zurrikan, CSIFan, jtbwriter, Sidle Chick, Iethena, Transylvanian, Georgia, leothelion04, sassysarasidle and of corse my beta Inara Cabot
Ecklie sighed as he closed the thirty second file. There were still at least a hundred for him to go through. So far he had found fifteen people who could hold a grudge, thirteen who looked capable of puling it off and none with any real reason or capability just theories and some sort of desperate hope.
Greg was trudging up to the next dinner with Warrick in toe. So far they had been to fifteen dinners and most were a waste of time, two didn't have anyone who was working last night in so they would have to go back. After such disappointment they were becoming tired and frustrated.
"I don't see how you do it," sighed Greg getting the photo out ready. "I mean where do you go and find meningitis"
"Maybe that's it," said Warrick suddenly "were looking in the wrong place"
"What do you mean?"
"Well meningitis isn't easy to get hold of"
"Yes but it's not like it's supplied. Who has access to it?"
"Hospital staf,f lab staff. Ok this is turning back into a needle in a haystack isn't it"
"Pretty much like this" sighed Greg as they reached the counter.
Another dead and the sun was beginning to set as Catherine and Brass approached the final shop. There was a young man working on the counter as they approached.
"Were you working here yesterday?" asked Brass walking up to the desk flanked by Catherine.
"Yes," replied the young man stood the other side.
"Did you see this woman?" asked Catherine holding up the photo of Sara.
"Yes Sara was in here" he replied carrying on cleaning.
"Your on first name terms?" questioned Catherine.
"Well I don't get many people come in here who aren't drunk at that time of night. She comes in every night we spoke a bit"
"Right could you come down to the station and answer a few question's?" asked Brass not really giving him a choice.
"I don't finish for another hour"
"I'll talk to your boss," said Brass as Catherine walked him out
"Is she ok?"
"She will be" replied brass catching them up. As they left Catherine turned round and some caught her eye. A woman stood cleaning the coffee machine looked familiar.
"Catherine you coming?" asked Brass, Cath snapped back to what she was doing and thought nothing else of it.
Nick was sat in the break room waiting to meet Warrick hey were going to visit Sara before going home for the night.
"Hey what's that?" asked Warrick seeing Nick tossing what looked like an over sized power ball up and down.
"It's a present" smiled Nick as Warrick got changed.
"You brought Sara a ball?" he asked.
"No man. The nurse said sensory things are good, she said we can still pick up light when were asleep"
"And that's got what to do with a ball?" laughed Warrick.
"Watch" said Nick holding it up as he did it began to change colour and glow.
"Nice"
"It reminded me of Sara"
"Ok you've lost me again" he smiled getting a card from his locker.
"Well it's like her moods always changing"
"I'll tell her that" the familiar voice of Greg Sanders came from the doorway.
"Thanks man" smiled Nick.
"Say hi from me" said Greg before leaving.
"Can we stop at the gift shop?" asked Warrick as he and Nick left.
They were now stood in the middle of the hospital gift shop waiting for Warrick to choose Sara a present.
"Come on man," sighed Nick tossing his ball around again.
"I want something she'll like," he said pressing the back of a stuffed kangaroo which began jumping up and down.
"Oh man I got to get her this" he smiled picking it up.
"You think she'll like that?" laughed Nick.
"Yes it's like her when she finds the piece of evidence to convict some one" smiled Warrick paying for it.
"She jumps up and down," laughed Nick receiving strange looks as he got in the lift.
"She did once. I told her she wouldn't get a print of this scrunched up duck tape and when she did she held it in front of me and jumped up and down, ok so she'd had twelve coffees"
"High on caffeine I'm surprised she didn't stick it to you" laughed Nick getting out.
"What should I expect?" asked Warrick as they reached the room.
"Wires. The ventilators out and that was the worst looking" they stopped outside her door as the blind was pulled they decided to knock.
"Come in" came Grissom's weary voice. Once inside it was clear he had hardly slept for three nights and judging by the blanket wrapped round him he wasn't planning on going home to sleep tonight.
"Hey" smiled Warrick gently touching Sara's arm. He was trying not to show how alarmed he was by the tubes going into her. Even Nick was taken back by the nose tube.
"The marks are going," stuttered Nick looking at the red marks on her skin.
"Yes, apparently that's the antibiotics working" Grissom spoke in one tone both men noticed he was holding Sara's right hand on his lap his fingers gently stroking hers.
"We come barring gifts," said Nick holding his card up and waving it at Grissom who was now sipping at his cold coffee.
"Yer wait till you hear why Nick got his," laughed Warrick talking to Sara.
"Sorry about the card wasn't sure what you'd like" he wasn't sure whether he should open it or what so he just looked at Grissom "looks like you've got some already" smiled Warrick looking behind Grissom where two cards were along with a portable radio and a purple balloon tied to the back of the bed.
"I know you don't like cute but the eye's reminded me of you" said Warrick opening the card which said get well and had a picture of a brown Labrador puppy in a basket on it. He held it in front of her before placing it on the side.
"Who got you the balloon?" asked Nick.
Grissom was surprised at how sensitive Warrick and Nick were been unlike Ecklie who had ignored Sara they were talking to her, knowing that voices may held her regain consciousness.
"Me" replied Grissom.
"Wow, nice choice" laughed Nick tossing his ball about.
"We thought the place need brightening up and it was this or pink"
"I didn't know you liked balloons," laughed Nick opening his own card.
"I brought her one when we were working a caravel, she tied it to her kit and walked around with it all day" smiled Grissom.
"Nice picture" Grissom held his hand out to look at Nick's card that was really a picture of him and Sara.
"We got stuck in there for ten minutes" laughed Nick. The picture was of him and Sara sat in a bathtub with a dummy.
"How's the investigation going?" asked Grissom once Nick had showed Sara his present and placed it on the side while Warrick set his of bouncing along the window seal.
"Catherine and Brass are questioning someone who worked in a coffee shop, said Sara came in last night. Only we have to wait for his lawyer so we can't start until tomorrow, so Catherine's gone to spend time with Lindsey."
"We'll get them," said Grissom stroking Sara's forehead. Ten minutes later when Nick and Warrick left Grissom had settled down for the night in his seat Sara's hand still resting in his as he drifted off.
TBC….