A/N: Can you believe this is the 40th chapter! I'm shocked!

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI. I am not profiting from this story in any way, shape or form.

"Oh my God," Sara sighed as she walked into the house; She dropped her keys onto the small table by the front door and hung her coat on the coat rack.

She wandered to the kitchen and smiled when she saw Gil sitting at the island in the middle of the room; He appeared to be studying something, his concentration unmoved.

"Ahem," Sara cleared her throat to announce her presence.

"Oh, hi! Did you have a good time?" Gil asked as he realized she was home; He stood up from his chair and walked over to her with a smile on his face. "I missed you."

Sara blushed as he kissed her.

"Yes I had a good time. And I missed you too."

He continued kissing her; Sara felt the minutes pass but she didn't mind. As the two finally separated, she suddenly felt very tired.

"Did Liz give you any trouble?" She yawned.

Gil pursed his lips for a moment.

"No trouble. I think she may have a cold. She had a fever and was coughing so I gave her the couch medicine in the cupboard and tucked her in bed."

Sara's eyes widened; Liz was sick and her own mother hadn't been home to comfort her?

"I'm going up to check on her."

Before Gil could talk her out of it, Sara took off for the stairs and ran up them; Lily's barking from her training crate in the bathroom echoed down the hall.

Sara reached Liz's room; She tiptoed in and knelt by her daughter's bed.

"Mommy?" Liz sleepily asked, eyes still closed.

"Are you okay sweetie? Do you feel sick?" Sara rested her hand on Liz's forehead. "Oh you have a fever."

Liz exhaled shortly, her brown hair sticking to her cheek and neck.

"Mommy, I want to sleep in your bed," She mumbled.

Sara nodded. She removed the blankets that were covering Liz and lifted the small girl out of the bed.

"Okay."

When the two reached the bedroom, Sara carefully placed Liz on her side of the bed.

"Let me change then we'll bring your fever down."

She quickly undressed and slipped on her favorite pajama pants, the ones with puppies all over and a white t-shirt; She checked on Liz one more before going to the bathroom and getting a washcloth damp.

"Liz, I'm going to put this cloth on your forehead, okay?"

Liz nodded, eyes still tightly shut.

Sara felt bad; Every other time Liz had been sick, Sara had been there to make her feel better.

She climbed onto the bed and laid down, her left hand propping her head up so she could watch Liz.

She watched her daughter's chest rise and fall with each breath, her eyes flutter at her dreams and her hand occasionally move as if she were grasping something.

Gil entered and quietly grabbed his clothes to change; Sara watched him go before turning back to Liz,

"Mommy, is my fever gone?" Liz mumbled in her sleep; She reached up and placed her hand on Sara's, which was resting on Liz's forehead.

"Not yet. Go back to sleep."

Liz turned over on her side and Sara went to find Gil; She didn't remember him telling her he had to work.

She turned the corner to the bathroom and saw him refreshing Lily's water.

"Hey, are you going to work?" She asked.

"No. Going out to get some ice cream and stuff for Liz; God knows she's like you when she's sick. Only eating junk food," He smiled at his wife.

He placed the water bowl in Lily's crate and closed the door; He fastened the latch and stood up, kissing Sara as he left the room.

"Do you want anything?"

"No. Thank you," She hugged him and flashed a smile; He grinned as he jogged down the stairs.

Sara returned to their bedroom.

Liz was now awake; Her brown eyes were glassy, that was a sign she was definitely sick.

"Mommy, where's daddy going?"

Sara rushed to her side as she coughed.

"Oh, sweetie. He's going out to get you some food. You want a popsicle?" Sara replied.

Liz nodded, still covering her mouth even though the coughing had stopped.

"Okay. I'll get you a pink one; Hold on."

Sara ran down the stairs and into the kitchen; She pulled a popsicle out of the freezer, cut the top off and was back up in the bedroom in record time.

"Thank you, mommy."

Liz sucked on the popsicle; The melting liquid running down her throat soothed the burning feeling.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier," Sara apologized.

She stroked Liz's hair, something that had always calmed her when she was a baby.

"It's okay. I'm tired now; Can you throw my popsicle away, please?"

Sara grinned as she took the wrapper away from Liz; She stood in the doorway as Liz fell asleep.

Lily barked as Sara entered the bathroom.

"Yes? I suppose you need some love," Sara laughed as she unlatched the door, releasing the puppy out into the bathroom.

Lily climbed into Sara's lap and panted expectantly; Sara shook her head.

"No, I don't have anything for you. You really are dumb at times, aren't you?"

Lily barked happily in agreement.