Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own CSI or these characters.
Sara managed to fall asleep when the pain medicine took effect, but awakened with the first of what would be many nightmares. Grissom tried his best to doze off in the recliner in the room, but the recent events, the kidnapping, their relationship revealed, Lurie, and now throw in Sara's nightmare; it was fitful rest at best.
Just as Doris had predicted, Lurie's team rolled in just after 6:30am. Braily first, followed by the underlings, and bringing up the rear was the man himself. Gil sprung to his feet, instantly readying himself. He gently awakened Sara, "Honey, the doctors are here, I need to speak to this man outside," he added.
Sara was dazed from sleep, as she got oriented, Gil had left her side. Dr. Braily was already asking questions, readying his stethoscope and pulling at her gown to examine her. Sara was looking around a bit frantically, feeling that something wasn't quite right. Grissom went straight over to Lurie, "I'd like to speak with you in private." He then waited for Lurie to make a move. The doctor was standing at the foot of the bed. It was his job to oversee Dr. Braily, but he was so distracted by Debbie's likeness in Sara he barely noticed anyone else in the room. The resemblance was frightening, and the memory of the passion it stirred in him was even more frightening. Grissom's presence along side of him brought him back to a stark reality, "Doctor?"
"Certainly," he replied, finally, with a courteous, but nervous smile, "Carry on Braily," as he made his way to the door with the young team looking at him quizzically. He had hoped to avoid any one on one interaction with Grissom. He had planned simply to do his job, and let his brush with Las Vegas's crime lab stay in the past. Now he realized, that was not to be.
Once outside, "Dr. Grissom, it's been a while, how are you?"
"I'm trying to understand how you are assigned to Sara's case?" Grissom inquired, cocking his head for emphasis.
"Right, right, Sara……I don't remember her from the investigtion, and I know I would have, is she new?"
"No, she's not," Grissom replied tersely.
"Well, It's clear that you two are a couple. So you finally put your job aside for her." Recounting the interrogation, "I believe you said you couldn't risk everything you worked for to have her, wasn't that the way you phrased it, was she the one you were referring to?"
Stunned that he would even bring that up, "Is that how you talk to your patients?"
Lurie formed a sarcastic smile, "With all due respect, You... are not my patient."
"I still find your remarks a bit too personal, unprofessional actually."
"Oh really, any more unprofessional than you dragging me down to the police station to compare my social life to yours?" pausing for effect, "or more appropriately, your lack of a social life," he snorted, unable to resist lashing out at Grissom for the interrogation he endured.
Grissom felt his blood pressure rising, but outwardly stayed calm in reply, "That was certainly not the reason you were brought there. We were exploring a plausible theory explaining a double murder using the evidence we collected. Any crime that passionate can only be explained by getting very personal with a suspect's life."
Lurie felt his composure slipping, but he was leery of going down this road with Grissom. It was all he could do not to lash out some more. He resented the fact that the evidence hadn't been there all along, but that he was brought in there in an attempt to get him to cave in, to become emotional and confess, or trap himself. That was an insult to his intellect. That same intellect reasoned now that with the crime remaining unsolved, Grissom would never miss a clue. He needed to stop discussing it, or risk inadvertently incriminating himself. He swallowed his pride and politely continued, "Well, you are the expert in that area."
Sensing a note of sarcasm, Grissom spoke firmly through clenched teeth, "You still haven't answered the question I posed today; how is it you are Sara's doctor?"
"Very well, it's a simple coincidence. There's a rotation the ER follows, my team was up," he calmly replied.
Grissom wasted no time cutting to the chase, "She and I request that you transfer her care to someone else. I don't think I should have to elaborate on that."
Lurie took in a deep breath and sighed, "Before you asked me to step outside the room, I was hoping we could just all be professional about this. My credentials as a physician are solid, my reputation is excellent, and I was never even charged with a crime. Not to mention, and most importantly, Sara's hospital course has been all anyone could hope for, she is recovering quite well from a life threatening ordeal."
"That being said, I don't dispute any of it; but, I have a personal opinion, I'm entitled to that."
Lurie reluctantly nodded, "Very well, let me update you. We've already looked into her overnight status and her morning labs. She's responded beautifully. Unless Dr. Braily picks up something on his exam or her final radiology reports come back with something unexpected, we plan to withdraw all her treatment except for the fracture, which will be picked up by the ortho team we consulted. We usually stay on board until discharge, but I'll speak to the orthopedist, and let him know I'll be transferring her total care over to him today."
Grissom still frowned.
"That's the best I can do, it would take at least that long to bring another team up to speed and for what? Just to sign off on the transfer? She's doing great. She shouldn't need any more care from us."
Gil just nodded, "stay away from her," he admonished as he returned to the room, leaving Lurie outside trying just to breathe. As soon as he gathered himself, he returned to the room, got a report from his resident, approved of the plans, smiled, and followed his team out the door, fighting the urge to look Sara's way once more.
"Gil, was that who I think it was?" Sara asked with her eyebrows raised.
"Yes, dear," he answered, "I didn't figure it out until last night, and I didn't want to give you something else to worry about. Just then I told him he had to transfer your case."
"Oh my, he was with that group last night," she shuddered. "Even in my haze, I thought he was looking at me a bit inappropriately, staring really. I can't describe it, but now I know I didn't imagine it. I just didn't place him until now."
Grissom's stomach lurched at the thought of it. He reached for his cell phone, "who are you calling?" Sara asked.
"The team, it's time for a visit! Let's pick up our spirits," he smiled.
"Oh, you are so right! Forget about that madman," as she adjusted her sheets, she rolled her eyes and added, "just don't leave me alone in here."
He winced then smiled, "Nick, you guys are requested here at the hospital after shift….."
TBC….
A/N: For those of you who are fans of this Lurie subplot, no worries, he'll find a way to hang around and stir things up...