Six months had passed since Gil Grissom declared his feelings for Catherine. They were married one month after he asked her. They both sold their houses and found one more suitable for their new life together. Lindsey loved her new room and there was space for Gil to have his own 'office' which Catherine thought resembled a bug zoo more than anything. But he spent happy hours in there, reading his entomology journals and feeding his critters. Catherine loved the back yard. There was a nice patio with a small outdoor kitchen, complete with a fireplace. She loved sitting out there on the cool desert evenings, warming by the fire. Gil liked it there too, but he never watched the fire. He watched his wife. He was still somewhat in awe that she loved him and had married him. At home with Catherine and Lindsey, his reticence had slowly dissolved. At work however, he was the same old Gil Grissom; unless his office door was closed and Catherine was inside with him.
Both Gil and Catherine had the night off. Lindsey was at a movie with her friends and the two were sitting on the patio, holding hands and enjoying the peace of a beautiful evening. "I'm so glad we found this house." Catherine said. Gil looked at her and smiled. "It is a beautiful house, Catherine. But you are my home." He squeezed her hand and leaned over to kiss her on the neck. He had intended to keep it light, but her response to him encouraged him to continue. As he kissed and nibbled, she closed her eyes and moaned. "Not that I'm complaining, Gil. But ...again?" she flashed him a sultry smile.
He stood, still holding her hand. "Always." She followed him inside to their bedroom where he continued his snack on her neck. Catherine, who had previously accused him of having no emotions, had been surprised by the ferocity of his passion. It seemed that once he opened himself up emotionally, he had no desire to curb his feelings. He basked in the sensuality of their lovemaking. And much to her surprise and pleasure, he never seemed to get enough of her. She loved the way he felt next to her, his skin on hers. Honestly, she never seemed to be able to get enough of him either.
Over an hour later, their latest session of ecstacy concluded, she was in the kitchen fixing a snack. He walked up behind her and wrapped her in his arms, attacking her neck again. "God Gil, you're a sex freak. I think you're addicted to it."
"Hmmm, " he mumbled into her ear. "Addicted to you. Your smell, your soft skin, your eyes, and especially the way you moan my name when I'm having my way with you." His brilliant blue eyes rested on hers, filled with all the warmth and love he was feeling.Her blood was boiling again already and she sensed that he was feeling the same. "Gil, I didn't think 50 year old men were supossed to be able to ...ah, be able to please their wives three times in one day."
"How many 50 year old men have you to keep happy?" he teased. "Pleasing you is a happy assignment. One that I want to do well." He kissed her lustfully, his carnal appetite craving more of her. Her snack that she was preparing was forgotten as he took her again, right there on the kitchen counter. Once they both were satisfied he pulled away, exhausted, softly kissing her and warming in her afterglow.
"Okay Gil, I'm going to take a shower or maybe even soak in that wonderful spa tub. And I'm going to come out all nice and fresh." She was smiling wickedly. "Before you get all charged up again just think about this..." her fingers were tracing his muscle lines on his chest. "If you touch me again tonight, I promise I'll chop it off." She was smiling and teasing him, but he recognized the warning in her taunt. "Okay," he pouted as his lip stuck out a little and he assumed the look that he knew she couldn't resist. She slid off the counter and headed back to their bathroom.
He cleaned up the kitchen and then followed her back. She had indeed decided to soak in the tub, so he headed for the shower. As he washed he put on a show for her, doing his best to imitate some of the dancing he'd seen her do years earlier. She couldn't help herself, she started laughing. "It's a good thing that you never tried to make it as an exotic dancer," she laughed. You would have failed miserably."
"What? I thought I was doing okay." he smiled as he turned off the water and emergerd, drying with a towel. He sat on the edge of the tub and leaned down to kiss her. His eyes travelled over her body appreciatively. "Want me to scrub your back?"
She eyes him suspiciously. "Just remember what I said," she smirked.
Laughing he reached for the washcloth and began to squeeze water over her back. Then he gently began to wash it, lovingly running the cloth over her. When he ws finished he leaned close to her ear. "Have anything else that I can help you with?' he whispered suggestively.
"Yeah, you can turn down the bed. And then I'm going to sleep."
He headed into the bedroom and straightened the bed for her. He turned off the lights except for her bedside lamp. She had finished her soak and came in the room looking for something to sleep in. Finally she crawled between the covers and smiled at him. "Coming to bed?"
He kissed her. "No, I don't want to end up in ER tonight. Besides, Lindsey should be coming in soon. I'll wait up for her." He turned off her light and softly closed the door as he headed to the living room. She drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and warm from his love.
The next night at work they were called to a homicide; a street shooting. Gil rarely let Catherine go on cases alone anymore. He tried to pair her with the others so that there would be no questions about the two married CSIs and any impropriety. But everyone else was out on cases, so he went with her. Brass waited for them at the scene. "Looks like a mugging gone bad." he told them. "A Lewis Goodlett. Missing a watch and ring. David's with him. Found his wallet...no cash." Cath nodded and heaed to the body. Gil circled the sidewalk around the body when gunfire suddenly broke out. Gil lunged toward Catherine and covered her with his body. Jim and the uniforms all drew their weapons. Gil reached back and pulled his but was more concerned with covering his wife than finding a target. Shots fired again. He watched as the bullets hit the surface and bounced. "Jim," he yelled. "Up and to your left."
Jim and his men studied the buildings in the direction Gil had indicated. Spotting movement in one of the windows, they prepared to fire. Flases lit the window frame and the officers opened fire. Jim and two uniforms made their way to the door and charged in and up the steps. Following the sound of the gunfore, they located the room where the sniper was and crashed in, guns firing.The sniper was dead. Jim gave the 'all clear.' Gil eased off his wife. She moaned and he was horrified to see blood oozing from her shoulder. Franticly, he called for paramedics. He tried to stem the flow of blood and keep her awake. She looked pale and he was frightened and desperate. He couldn't lose her. "Stay with me Cath. Please, stay with me."
Jim came running up from behind, panting from his run as he had realized she was hit. He kneeled beside her and tried to help Gil with her. The paramedics arrived and Jim backed Gil away from her a couple of feet to let them in. They went to work and quickly got her ready for transport. Gil rode with her, holding her hand and talking the whole way.
At the hospital, the scene was hellish. Doctors and nurses worked around her in a frenzy, trying to stabilize her. Gil stood just outside the door, his face horror stricken. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he considered that she might not make it. He felt so helpless.
Jim appeared next to his friend. "What's the word?" he asked.
Startled by Jim's sudden appearance, Gil shrugged his shoulders. "None yet. Still working on her." His voice was weak. Jim was as concerned for Gil as he was for Catherine. "Come on, let's sit over here. She'll need you when they finish. You need to try to relax a little."
Gil allowed himself to be led to some nearby benches. The two men waited in silence. A few minutes later a doctor approached, "Mr. Grissom?"
Gil stood, somewhat shakily. Jim stood behind him, ready to support his friend. The doctor spoke, "She's lost a lot of blood. We have managed to stop it for now but surgery will be required to repair the damage to the artery. I want to get some blood in her and be sure that she is stable before we proceed. It'll be a few hours."
"Is she...will she..." Gil couldn't ask the question. He was too afraid of the answer.
The doctor understood what he was asking though and responded. "She's not out of the woods but I think her chances are good. It all really depends on how she does with the surgery. Let's take it one step at a time for now, Mr. Grissom."
Gil nodded and found his way back to the bench. His eyes fixed upon the door to her room. He rarely blinked as he watched, willing her to live. Inside the doctor saw him watching and spoke to a nurse. She walked toward Gil and Jim. "Mr.Grissom, the doctor said you can come in for a few minutes while we wait."
Quickly he was beside Catherine. Timidly he held her hand. The hand had been so full of life jsut a few hours before. Now it was cool and lifeless. The feel of her cool fingers petrified him. He wrapped his other hand around the two joined hands. He closed his eyes and fought for self control. Then he looked at her face. She looked peaceful, if too pale. Maybe that meant that she wasn't in pain, he hoped. More likely that she was deep in a coma. His years as a coroner were betraying him. Too much knowledge and information. He swallowed hard and fought back the tears that threatened to overtake him. He wanted to speak to her, to tell her to stay with him, that he loved her. But he couldn't speak. All he could do was hold her hand and watch.
"Mr. Grissom?" It was the doctor again. He was holding her chart in his hand. "Did you know that your wife is pregnant?"
Gil blinked. "No," he whispered hoarsely. "You're sure?"
"Yes, the tech ran a test. We do that with women who are critically injured if we suspect the possibility. She's about eight weeks along, I would guess. This is all going to be very hard on the fetus. We'll do what we can for it but your wife is my primary concern."
Gil nodded. "Yes, of course." Tears threatened again. Had she known? He doubted it. She wasn't good at keeping secrets, especially happy ones. He turned back to her, loving her even more if that was possible. He stood there, watching her and holding onto her hand; he was afraid if he let go she'd slip away from him. He hoped that the baby would survive all the trauma that this was causing but he knew he could survive losing that little part of them that was inside her. He wouldn't survive if he lost her.
In the hall, Jim Brass watched his friends. Catherine was in more immediate danger but Gil was the one suffering right now. Jim had called Ecklie from the scene and CSIs from other shifts had been called in to cover the investigation. The detective looked at his watch. Graveyard was ending. The others would start showing up soon. Quietly he moved to the doorway. "Gil, what about Lindsey?"
Not taking his eyes from Catherine he answered quietly. "She doesn't know yet. She's probably getting ready for school. Could you ...?"
"Yeah, don't worry. I got it covered." Brass thought for a moment. He didn't want to leave Gil alone. If something went wrong there'd be no one here for him. He opened his phone and dialed. "Hey, Warrick...look, can you do Gil a favor?"
Gil was only mildly aware that someone was going to see about his 'daughter.' He loved her like that now but she still called him Gil. I suppose she's too old to change that now, he thought. He studied Cath's face for any sign of change. What will our baby be like, he wondered. Beautiful, like its mother...
Doc Robbins showed up a few minutes later. He spoke softly with Jim in the hallway. After hearing the details that JIm had of the injury and more disconcerting to him, the details of Gil's state, Doc approached Gil. "She's got a good chance, you know."
Gil hadn't heard him approach and jumped when he spoke. Still not looking away he said, "Yeah, but...why won't she wake up, Doc? Just a little. And she's so cool. I just wish..."
"She's cool because hospitals are always freezing; you know that Gil. And she's out of it becuase her body needs to concentrate on healing. You know that too. But ...talk to her Gil."
Gil looked at him briefly and then back at her. "She won't hear me; there's no evidence that she will."
"Evidence be damned. I've seen it make a difference too many times. Besides, even if it doesn't help her, it will help you. Talk to her. And I'll see what I can do about getting her another blanket." He limped away, his heart breaking for his friends.
Gil leaned closer to her ear. "I love you, Cath. Doc says I should talk to you. It might help both of us. I don't know but I can't seem to think right now so I'll take his word for it. Your doctor says we're going to have a baby. Did you know about it? What do we want, Cath...a boy or a girl? I really don't care, you know. It can be either...as long as you are there..." he continued talking. Babbling is what it felt like to him but at least he had a sense of being able to do something for her. Doc was right; it did help.
Several hours later they were all gathered in the surgical waiting room; Gil, Jim, Doc, Lindsey, Warrick, Nick, Greg, and Sara. Jim and Warrick had led Gil away from Catherine as the nurses prepared her for surgery. He hadn't gone willingly. SInce then he sat in the chair in a trance, retreating into his own hell. Lindsey had tried to talk to him, seeking reassurances but he had just looked at her, tears running down his face. He tried to respond but he seemed frozen, except for the tears. She'd been a little hurt but seemed to understand that his level of grief was too intense to help her deal with hers. So she turned to her other 'uncles' who took turns hugging her and consoling her. At some point Sara noticed that he was shaking. It started with small tremors and progressed until the chair shook. Alarmed she called a nurse, who in turn called for a doctor. Shock was a concern but Gil refused to give up his place in the waiting room. He wasn't going anywhere until they told him Catherine was safe. Finally the doctor ordered a mild sedative; one that would help calm him but wouldn't knock him out.
Jim stood next to Doc as all this was unfolding. "I dunno, Doc. I've seen a lot of husbands deal with this kind of thing but I've never seen anything like this. What's it gonna do to him if she doesn't make it?'
"If we lose her Jim, I'm afraid we'll lose him too." Doc's voice was thick with concern.
About an hour later, the doctor appeared in the doorway. He spotted Grissom and walked to him, sitting in the chair next to him. Jim didn't like the look of that. Doctors almost always stood for good news. They could deliver good news quickly and move on. Bad news was a different matter.
"Mr. Grissom. It was tough in there, but she fought hard and I think we're almost out of the woods. I'm sorry to say, though, that she lost the baby."
Gils dim blue eyes looked up at his face, hope showing for the first time in hours. "She's still alive?"
"Yes, she is. Like I said, she fought hard to stay with you. We repaired the damage and the bleeding is under control. She's still in recovery. We'll move her to ICU for a day or two and then to a private room. You can see her when she gets to ICU. She's going to need a lot of love and support, but I see that she'll have it." He was looking around at the gathering with approval. "I think probably you'll need some too for a while." He stood and left.
Gil took a deep breath. He looked at Lindsey and smiled, although it was a weak one. She hugged him as he whispered, "She's okay. She really is okay."
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Okay, the beast needs feeding. LOL Reviews please.