A/N – Well, I FINALLY got my Internet at home, and I thought I would celebrate by posting another chapter…hopefully they'll be more regular now :)
Chapter 9:
"She told you all that?" Grissom asked, astonished at the information Catherine was relaying. She bit her lip, thinking about everything else she knew, understanding more and more Sara's reasons for keeping it hidden.
"She's doing a lot better; She's still having trouble saying his name, and obviously there's a lot she dealing with too. I mean we all know the abusive childhood she had. It'll take some time for her to completely heal, but the doctor expects we should have our Sara back relatively soon." Everyone smiled, happy that things we're looking up for their friend, Catherine still grieving inside for what she knew, knowing that it would take Sara's whole life to get over everything that had happened.
"Anything else we should know, minus the fact that that Chris guy needs a serious ass-kicking?" Greg said. Grissom gave him a look, but he just shrugged. Everyone else was pissed at Chris anyways – if he had any sense, he would never show his face to any of them, unless he wanted some serious problems. They wanted to respect Sara's wishes to leave him be, for her "unknown" reasons, but even in Grissom's heart, he knew how much he wanted to do something more to the jerk than just let him walk free with a slap on the wrist.
"Sara doesn't want to press charges against him for hitting her. She's also going to be seeing a nutritionist – trying to get that back under control. Apparently it had been almost 2 days since she had last eaten, the day she passed out. She told me that she just wouldn't remember to eat and just never felt hungry enough. The therapist wants to keep seeing her, but, if nothing else goes wrong, she could be back within two weeks. I think she might even be released in the next few days." Catherine added.
"She shouldn't be left alone though…" Grissom started. Warrick quickly intervened, after noticing the meaningful look Grissom was throwing at Catherine.
"I think Nick's got that covered." He said with a small smile. Brass spoke up,
"He's still at the hospital?" Catherine nodded,
"Sara wanted to talk to him alone and explain what had happened."
"What about that whole piece of paper in the waste bin thing still hasn't been explained. The note that Chris left inferred a lot more than that he was just mistreating her. It made it sound like Sara had been hiding something from him." Catherine quickly started to break off Grissom's train of thought,
"I'm sure we were just…"
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Jackie poked her head into the room.
"Sorry to interrupt," she started. "But Mr. Grissom – there's a visitor here for you." Grissom sighed. The sheriff had said he had wanted a word with him about their last case. He always did this when Grissom would avoid him, popping in when he knew he couldn't worm his way out.
"Send him in," Jackie nodded and smiled. The rest of the crew looked at him hesitantly. He glanced quickly at the door.
"Stay so the sheriff won't bug me long – make him think we're working." They all sat back down and started filing through their papers. Grissom looked up at the man standing in the doorway, standing a little in front of Jackie.
"Mr. Grissom is right in here sir," she said as he stepped into the room. Grissom stared at him, and once everyone else noticed his presence, all hell broke loose.
-+-+-
"You're not mad at me?" Sara asked hesitantly, breaking the silence that had filled her hospital room. Nick looked at her, astonished,
"Mad at you – of course not? Why would I be mad at you?" He asked tenderly, taking her hand in his.
"Because I didn't tell you what was going on. I knew you didn't like Chris from the start – I should've trusted your judgment. Because I got angry at you for interfering the day I passed out. Because now," she started to cry, "you've sat for days in a hospital room with someone who barely knows why she gets out of bed anymore." She continued to sob as Nick held her close.
"Sara, I'm not angry at you. I promise. I wish you would've told me sooner, so I could've helped you, but we can't change the fact. So I'm here now. I'm going to help you now. I don't regret staying here with you the last few days. If you're here, it's where I want to be. You're going to get through this and I'm going to be by your side the whole time, if you want me to be."
"Are you sure?" Nick nodded and smiled at the brief look of surprise on her face. He leaned and kissed her on the cheek.
"Yup. Positive. Now, Dr. Ferguson doesn't want you staying alone, at least for a little while. So what do you think about me moving in?" Again her eyes widened.
"Nick – are you sure? Are you saying you want to live with me?" She had a small little grin. It made Nick's smile even bigger, happy that she was starting to sound like her old self.
"That's right. So what do you think? Ready for a roommate? Come on, it will be fun." She rolled her eyes.
"Nick – you don't have to…" her cheerful face suddenly dulled to seriousness.
"Sara, come on. We've been buds for how long now. I want to take care of you. End of story okay?" She nodded, her eyes droopy with exhaustion. "You're tired honey, I'll let you sleep. Sooner than you know it, you'll be back home in your own bed." She whispered back,
"Nick…would you um, mind, just staying for a few moments until I fall asleep?" He looked at her slightly concerned at the look of fear in her eyes. He could see her struggling, and her pain. It broke his heart.
"Of course. I won't go anywhere. Is everything okay?" She didn't respond. His heart stopped. "Sara? SARA?" He got up quickly and took her hands, praying that she wasn't slipping away again. She had been cognitive for so long. He touched her cheek, saying her name again, trying to get her to look at him.
"I just want you to stay until I fall asleep, maybe it will keep the nightmares of them away." Nick sighed in relief as she looked at him with pained eyes. Suddenly it hit him,
"Them?" he asked as he took his seat next to her again. A look of panic flitted across her eyes.
"Him, I meant. Him. Isn't that what I said?" He looked at her, curiously, but still grateful that she hadn't gone catatonic on him again.
"You said them, but I'm sure it was just because you're tired." She nodded and squeezed his hand, as she closed her eyes. Without opening them she said softly,
"Thanks Nick. Make sure you get some sleep too okay?" He smiled at the concern in her voice for his well being,
"I will Sara, don't worry – just get a good sleep."
"Nick?" she said again, in a voice barely higher than a whisper, this time her eyes focused on his.
"Yeah? What is it sweetie?" He said, leaning over and softly caressing her cheek.
"Thanks – for everything. I love you." He kissed her on the forehead.
"I love you too Sar. Goodnight." Her eyes closed peacefully as she drifted off. Nick's heart was racing. He knew it wasn't a declaration of love she had given him. It was more showing how deep their relationship was, and how she felt about their friendship. Still, it made Nick's heart leap with joy to hear it.