Chapter 23 Ready or Not

"You're not married."

"We actually knew that, but thanks." Her automatic reply was sarcastic and clear but the lawyer's words still echoed in Sara's mind, nearly five minutes after they had been uttered. Grissom had immediately jumped in, offering the miniscule details that might have negated Jason's blunt assertion. Unfortunately, Sara knew that no judge was going to look at the miniscule details. He or she would see that the two weren't married, hear reports that they were known workaholics, catch wind of Sara's slight issues with alcohol, and make a life-altering decision. Grissom and Jason had moved on from their relationship, focusing instead on the child's education and medical care, both of which had been astounding since her arrival.

"I'm going to check on Hannah." Sara said hollowly, standing up and leaving the dining room table before either of the men could react. She walked resolutely down the hallway, her hands occasionally trembling as her fingertips brushed the painted walls, giving her an extra bit of much-needed balance. The rooms still spun every time she stood up too quickly but she was hiding it from Grissom; he didn't need any more to worry about.

The afternoon sunlight was streaming in through Hannah's open curtains, illuminating the little girl as she played quietly in the corner, setting her beloved dolls in tiny tableaus. She smiled when she saw Sara and quickly motioned for her mother to join her.

"Can we read Harry?" They had been working their way through the infamous series of books, all the while Sara becoming nervous, as the books grew darker and more difficult to explain to the inquisitive child. Only one rule in their household seemed to bother Hannah; she didn't understand why she was not allowed to read whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. The unobservant people she had lived with in her young life had allowed her to watch anything that came on the television, so why were Sara and Grissom censoring her books? She was only allowed to read certain books, Harry Potter included, when Sara or Grissom was reading with her. They attempted to explain but their reasons were rational only to parents; they didn't want their little girl worrying over issues too monumental for her to even ponder.

"We can read Harry," Sara agreed with a nod, pulling the thick volume from the top shelf of the bookcase. She and Hannah curled up on the bed and took turns reading about the boy wizard and his trials and tribulations. As Sara finished the chapter she was designated, she looked down and noticed that Hannah was sleeping lightly, her arms wrapped tightly around Griss. Consulting her watch, Sara reasoned that it was four in the afternoon, a perfectly reasonable naptime.

Had she even known, two months ago, how much sleep a small child actually needed? Would nap time have been part of an almost daily routine? Looking over at the sleeping child, she allowed herself to consider how different her life had become in such a short amount of time. And she liked it. Hannah's life, too, had changed tremendously. Seeing the child content and peaceful, Sara knew that they had found one another for a reason. She knew then that she would do anything to make sure that this bright, vibrant, delicate child would never be hurt again.

Unfortunately, she was not accounting for the unfairness of the world. During the hearing the next day, the judge granted temporary custody to the state because of some craziness that Sara simply did not understand. Before she could question the ruling or ask Jason for a translation into common English, Hannah was being torn from her grasp. Grissom held her back and spoke unconvincing reassurances, allowing the caseworkers to lead a screaming Hannah to another room. The rest of the day was a whirlwind that landed them in a position to grasp desperately at any detail that might help them win the judge's favor when they returned to court.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course," Sara answered easily, a fake smile already plastered on her face as they entered the town hall. She was dressed in a light blue silk pantsuit, the closest thing she could find to what would seem appropriate. The pearls that circled her throat had belonged to Grissom's mother and the earrings to his grandmother. Sara wished she could have met his mother before becoming a part of the family but he assured both women that they would love one another.

"This is not the way I pictured our wedding," he said, glancing at their barren surroundings.

"We'll have a real one after this is all over. The important thing is that we stay together. Who cares if it's a little less than what we expected?"

"I care," he said softly, leaning down to kiss her lips. "And you will have your day. I promise."

"All I want," Sara said slowly, "is to spend my days with you. And that's already a dream coming true." She stopped for a moment and broke out into a grin, "I just realized how corny that sounded. And I rhymed. I sounded like Dr. Seuss."

"Dr. Seuss is a literary genius," Grissom interjected with a shrug. But he too was having a difficult time hiding his smile. They stopped talking as the judge entered the room and looked at them, taking in the sight suspiciously.

"Dr. Grissom?"

"Good to see you, your honor."

"What brings you here today? I signed that warrant in the Wilder case last night—"

"Oh, this is purely a personal trip, your honor. You've met my fiancée, Sara Sidle. We would like to get married." Twenty minutes later, they were. The sanitary, monotone feel of the ceremony was almost more than Sara could handle but she held back her tears and her objections; she knew it was necessary. When they entered the courtroom to fight again for their child, they needed to provide a completely united front.

When Grissom went to work that night, Sara decided to tag along and help him with paperwork. Without Hannah, their home seemed painfully empty. She wasn't technically supposed to be there without having the proper clearances but Grissom certainly wasn't going to tell, especially if she was going to do paperwork for him. Sitting in his office working away on closed cases, she felt her tension melting away for a short time. She still couldn't achieve the same sense of fulfillment she received from her work before the days of Hannah but she was at least able to immerse herself in something other than worry and fear.

Catherine was the first to realize that she was in the building. She stopped short as she passed the office, turning on her heal and walking over to her ex-coworker. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to keep busy," Sara answered honestly, not up to offering any sort of front.

"Sara, I'm so sorry," she said sincerely as she sat down in a chair across from the brunette. "I can't imagine what you're going through. But I know this is going to work out in the end. You and Grissom make surprisingly good parents." Sara tried to glare at Catherine but ended up smiling; it was true. No one could have imagined that they would have been successful in caring for each other, let alone a child.

"I don't know what I'm going to do if we don't get her back—"

"You're not going to have to worry about that," Catherine assured her, taking her hand and squeezing it reassuringly. As she did, she looked down and noticed Sara's glistening white gold wedding band. "What's that?"

"Catherine, we were going to tell you—"

"You got married? Without telling us! We wanted to be there!"

"Cath, calm down—"

"Catherine," Grissom said from the doorway. "I don't think Sara needs the excitement-"

"I'm fine," Sara said, interrupting his scolding. "And Catherine is just surprised."

"When did this happen?"

"Earlier today," Grissom said, walking into the room and shutting the door. "We didn't have a choice. It's not how I would have liked to marry Sara, but our lawyer thought it would be best. We'll have a reception once this is all over."

"I guess congratulations are in order," Catherine said excitedly, standing up to hug her old friend.

"We don't really want to make a big deal of this. We don't want the other lawyers to have time to analyze our reasons."

"It's still a big step for you two. Congrats. And I know everything's going to work out with Hannah." She offered them a somewhat suspicious wink before turning and leaving the room, a grin still playing across her features.

Later that night, tucked safely into bed and away from the realities of the world, Sara allowed herself to realize that she was officially Mrs. Gilbert Grissom. She was smiling to herself, peaking at her ring over the edge of her book, when Grissom joined her, two glasses of juice in hand.

"After the hearing next week, that smile is going to be permanent."

"What happens if we lose?"

"We won't lose."

"We need to—"

"We need to be positive," he finished firmly. "Hannah will be home with us." Sara nodded encouragingly, attempting her best brave-face. She accepted the glass of juice he offered and sipped from it, setting her book aside and cuddling under the covers with her new husband. Despite the happiness they feigned for one another, neither of the Grissom parents slept that night.

Two nights later, Sara and Grissom were in the same predicament; lying in bed but not anywhere near the brink of sleep. As the clock struck three, the telephone rang. Sara watched as Grissom picked it up on the second ring and then listened to the caller on the other end. "We'll be right there."

"What? What's going on?"

"Hannah's been taken to the hospital."