Disclaimer: Not mine, and I'm glad because I'm sure any ending I would've come up with for 'One to Go' wouldn't of been nearly as fabulous as it was!
A/N: I'm so sorry for waiting so long to update. I had the beginning written up for like a week or so, but I didn't think it was any good. And then my computer was giving me issues (not like I don't have them already, lol) I'm still a bit unsure about how this chapter turned out, but once I started writing I couldn't stop. So, I hope you like it!
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Now, settled into an ER cubicle surrounded by a pink curtain, Grissom was allowed to stay at Sara's side while a nurse mended to her injuries. Sara was awake and fully conscious now, though her vision was slightly blurred. Her face was turned toward where Grissom was seated on a chair next to the hospital bed. He had a firm grip on her hand as he saw tears swimming in her eyes.
The nurse tending to Sara was carefully stitching the gash on her forehead. The nurse diligently fixed and documented Sara's injuries. When she finished, the nurse asked, "Would you like an SAE kit done?"
"Yes," Grissom answered for Sara. Then turning again to face Sara, he asked, "Sara, honey, you remember what an SAE kit is, right?" She nodded her head ever so slightly that he would've missed it if he hadn't been watching her so intently. The nurse looked at him curiously, most people who came into the ER in need of an SAE kit, didn't know anything about what it was or the procedure.
"We're CSIs" Grissom said, when he saw her questioning look, as if that explained everything. And in a way, it did.
The nurse started by combing any and all possible trace evidence from Sara's hair. Any small particle could possibly lead them to the man who did this to her. As the nurse moved on to scraping underneath Sara's fingernails, Grissom took his hand from hers, breaking the physical contact between them. Her eyes clouded in fear that he would leave her side. Quickly he regained contact by lightly cupping her darkly bruised cheek with his hand.
His cell phone rang, interrupting nothing but silence. Taking it from his pocket, he quickly checked the caller ID. It was Brass. The nurse looked over at him, silently telling him that he wasn't allowed to use his phone here. Grissom answered it anyway, telling Brass to hold on a minute.
Turning back to Sara, he said, "Sara, it's Jim. I have to let him know about what happened. Will you be okay if I leave you for a minute?" She vigorously shook her head. "Honey, it'll take just a minute, and then I'll be right back."
"Only if she doesn't touch me until you get back," she managed to say, her voice small and weak. Grissom looked over at the nurse who put down the wooden fingernail scraper and small white envelope, bringing her hands up slightly in a surrender-like action. Grissom lightly kissed Sara's cheek, wherever it hadn't been bruised, and left the cubicle and went out into the hallway.
"Sorry Jim," Grissom said into the phone. "What's up?"
"I got a call about another rape victim, this one right outside the hospital. I figured you were still at the lab, and you could have Catherine and Sara work the scene. Sara's still at the hospital with our last rape victim, right?"
"Not exactly Jim. Ummm, can you call Catherine to work the scene? I'm already at the hospital," Grissom said.
"Sure, I'll call her. Why are you still at the hospital, I thought you were at the lab? And where's Sara at?" Brass asked.
"I was at the lab earlier, but came back to the hospital. Jim… the rape victim is Sara." Jim's audible gasp was loud even over the phone.
"Just tell Catherine to work the scene, I'm with Sara now. I don't think she'll want to speak with Catherine right now anyway," Grissom said.
"Okay, sure. Gil, don't forget you're going to need a statement from Sara."
"I know Jim, I know," Grissom said with defeat creeping into his voice, as he hung up the phone.
Quickly slipping through the curtains to Sara's cubicle, he reclaimed his seat next to her bed. She looked lost and vulnerable, like a small child, as he took her hand in his again. Her grip was tight and she was still visibly frightened. With his other hand he moved hair away from her face, tucking the strand behind her ear, and met her distant gaze.
"Honey, look at me," he said gently. Her eyes focused on his. "That was Jim. He's going to call Catherine and have her work the scene, okay?" She nodded her head. "Brass is going to need you to make a statement soon too." She didn't respond to that.
The nurse cleared her throat, gaining Grissom's attention.
"May I continue?" she asked politely, glancing from Sara to Grissom. Grissom nodded his head. The nurse again brought Sara's hand up carefully as she finished up with the fingernail scrapings.
The nurse double checked to make sure the curtains were closed, then started to roll up Sara's hospital gown. Sara shifted down on the bed, but when the nurse moved to separate her legs, she wouldn't let her.
Grissom, seeing the problem, said to Sara, "Honey, you want to catch the guy that did this to you, right?" She nodded her head. "Then you have to let the nurse do her job. She's not going to hurt you, and I'll be right here with you... If you want her to stop at anytime, because you feel uncomfortable, just tell her."
"Yeah, because everything else was sooo comfortable," Sara muttered. Grissom was glad to see that she still had her sarcasm. Slowly she separated her legs so the nurse could continue. Her hand gripped Grissom's, occasionally tightening whenever the nurse hit an especially tender spot.
"All done!" the nurse finally announced, turning away to pack together the SAE kit. Sara quickly rolled the hospital gown back down and curled her legs underneath her. She wanted desperately for Grissom to hold her.
"I'll be right back," the nurse said.
Sara looked up at Grissom, "Gil?" She didn't need to ask, the moment he saw the unshed tears again in her eyes, his arms wrapped around her, holding her close against his body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, lacing her fingers together behind his head. As she buried her head into his shoulder, he felt her tears wet his shirt. Her muffled sobs seemed to be choking her as she attempted to stop them.
"Shhh… Honey, it's okay. It's okay, you can cry, just let it out now, don't hold the tears back," he said, as his hand ran soothingly through her hair and he rocked her back and forth a bit, whispering calming things into her ear.
She pulled back after a few minutes, looking up to meet his eyes.
"Sorry about your shirt," she said, referring to the tearstains.
"No need to apologize sweetheart… Once the nurse comes back I'll take you home. I'll ask Brass if he can take your statement either later or back at our house, okay?" Grissom asked. She nodded her head, using the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes.
The nurse entered the room again, with Sara's file in hand.
"Since your clothes were bagged as evidence you might want to wear these pants, under the gown, home," the nurse said, handing Sara a pair of hideous green hospital scrubs.
"Thanks," Sara said.
Then nurse focused her attention on Grissom, "Will you be taking the SAE kit with you to the crime lab?"
"Yes. I'm going to pass it to my coworker, Catherine, who's processing the scene in the parking lot," Grissom explained.
"Okay," the nurse said, passing him the bags of everything she had collected. Speaking to Grissom more than Sara, she said, "Her injuries aren't severe so you don't have to worry about that too much. The gash on her forehead has seventeen stitches; her abdomen and lower back are bruised up, along with the bruise on her face. She does have some vaginal tearing, but it's nothing serious. Also, she has a minor concussion, so she'll probably get some headaches, but that's normal. If her vision blurs any more than it is now, or she feels any dizziness at all, please bring her back here immediately. She really should stay awake for the next 24 hours so the effects of the concussion don't spread, but if she does go to sleep, just make sure to wake her every hour… I didn't find any semen in the vaginal vault, which, as you know, suggests that your suspect wore a condom… I think that's everything. Good luck catching this guy."
"Thanks," Grissom said as they left the ER.
As Grissom and Sara reached the car in the parking lot, Grissom spotted Catherine still working the scene.
"Sara?"
"Hmmm?" was her response.
"I just have to give this stuff to Catherine and then we can leave. Why don't you wait in the car?"
She shook her head, "No, I'll come."
"You sure?" Grissom asked.
"Yeah," she said.
"Okay then," Grissom said.
They made their way over to where the crime scene tape separated Catherine and the scene from the rest of the parking lot.
"Catherine!" Grissom said. She brought her head around so quick, he was afraid she might've gotten whiplash. Catherine spotted Sara next to him, and had to keep from gasping at her bruised and battered face. She also observed how Sara seemed to be clinging to Grissom: her arm was wrapped around his and her other hand was wrapped in his fingers; Grissom seemed to be trying not to notice. When Catherine reached them he passed the evidence the nurse had collected over the crime scene tape to her.
"Sara, are you okay?" she asked, concern slipping out with the words.
"I'm fine," Sara said, ending the sentence with a sigh. Catherine glanced over quick at Grissom, who looked like he was shaking his head at Sara's answer.
"Catherine, can you process the evidence back at the lab? I'm going to bring Sara home," Grissom said.
"Yeah, sure. Feel better Sara," Catherine said, as Sara and Grissom made their way back to the parked Tahoe.
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A/N: Well, I hope that chapter was worth the wait and your time, if it wasn't, then I'm sorry. Puh-leaze Review! Whether you loved it, hated it, or want me to fall off the face of the earth. :)