I am so sorry that this chapter took so long and for leaving you all hanging on a cliff hanger for so long. Thank you so much for all the reviews that I have had for this 'fic, they are all very much appreciated.

Fragility

Chapter 2

"Meningitis?" Gil said in horror. "But she didn't have a rash before shift." He was so frightened he didn't know what he was saying.

Catherine was the only one to pick it up. How could Gil know that she hadn't had a rash?

"There isn't always a rash, especially in adults." The Doc said without looking up from his patient. "Or it may have developed in the last few hours."

After a few minutes the seizure started to ease. "Her temperature is extremely high." The Doc said with his hand on her forehead. "Sara, can you hear me?"

Sara moaned quietly as she started to come around. Her head felt like it was heavy but filled with cotton wool.

"Can you open your eyes Sara?" The Doc said persevering.

She shifted uncomfortably, trying to get away from the questions. She knew someone was speaking but she didn't have the energy to listen.

"Jim, how long until the ambulance gets here?" Doctor Robbins asked.

"Two minutes." He replied watching the woman he thought of as his daughter frighteningly ill.

"Try to lay still Sara." Al said, laying his hand gently on Sara's shoulder to stop her moving.

Grissom sighed with relief when he heard the siren approaching. He looked up as two paramedics came hurrying up the drive.

"Her name is Sara Sidle. She has a fever, headache, neck ache and vomiting. I suspect she may have meningitis."

"Miss Sidle can you hear me?" The first paramedic asked, kneeling down beside her.

Grissom stood back with the team and watched as the paramedics treated Sara. Catherine placed her hand reassuringly on his back, rubbing in gentle circles.

Gil didn't hesitate, he jumped in the back of the ambulance with Sara, leaving the team alone.

The team watched in stunned silence as the ambulance drove away with Sara and Grissom inside.

"Doc, is she going to be ok?" Greg said breaking the silence.

The doc took a deep breath. "I hope so Greg."

Catherine looked around confused for a second. "Ok guys, the sooner we finish up here the sooner we can get to the hospital." The guys turned around and went back into the abandoned crime scene.

---

Grissom sat beside Sara holding tightly onto her hand as the paramedic worked around them. She placed an oxygen mask over Sara's mouth and took her temperature.

"Does she have any medical conditions?" She asked him.

"No, nothing." Grissom replied looking up from Sara's face.

"Allergies?"

"No." He replied. "Yes, she's allergic to penicillin."

"OK." She noted it down on the form she was filling in.

"Has she taken any medication?"

"She took some aspirin about an hour ago." Grissom could hardly concentrate on what was being said to him, he knew how serious meningitis was, and it terrified him seeing Sara so desperately ill.

"We'll be at Desert Palms soon." She said in a soft voice.

Grissom nodded silently, turning back to face Sara. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. Sara's eyes opened and closed again within a second, the bright light of the ambulance hurting.

"Sara?" Grissom had seen her eyes flicker. "Sweetheart."

"Gil?" She muttered, her voice confused and husky from beneath the oxygen mask. "Hurts."

"It's ok, sweetheart, you're going to be ok." He smiled at her even though she couldn't see him with her eyes tightly closed to block out the light. He stroked the hair back from her face hoping that she would be reassured by his presence.

"We'll be at the hospital in just a moment." The paramedic said looking out of the window.

"Hospital?" Sara said in a frightened voice. "No."

"You're sick, Sara. You need to go to the hospital but it's ok, I'll be right beside you."

Sara squeezed his hand slightly and then drifted back into unconsciousness. They arrived at the hospital seconds later and Grissom fought to stay beside her as medical staff gathered around. He wouldn't let them push him away, he said he'd stay beside her and he didn't want to be a liar.

He watched a nurse take a blood sample from Sara's hand. She squeezed his hand as the needle penetrated the skin of her hand. "It's ok." He whispered into her ear. He could tell that she was aware of what was going on around her, he knew that she was terrified. She was scared of hospitals at the best of times and the high temperature she had was leaving her confused.

"Are you her emergency contact?" A doctor asked him.

He looked up from Sara's face and nodded. "Yes, Gil Grissom."

"We suspect bacterial meningitis so we're starting her on antibiotics immediately but we need to confirm the diagnosis quickly. We're going to perform a lumbar puncture. We'll insert a needle directly into the spine and remove some cerebrospinal fluid which we will test for the bacteria."

Grissom nodded, he knew what a lumbar puncture was, and he knew that it was painful.

The doctor turned his attention back to Sara. "Miss Sidle, we need to take a sample of the fluid in your spine. It's going to hurt a little but it'll be over quickly."

"No." Sara moaned. She tried to shake her head but the pain in her neck stopped her.

The doctor looked across to Gil. "Just give me a second to talk to her."

"You need to be quick." The doctor replied stepping back and signalling silently for the nurse to prepare the necessary equipment.

"Sweetheart, I know you're scared but I promise I will only let them do what is for the best." He said quickly. "Do you trust me?"

"Yeah." She murmured. "Ok, but don't leave me."

"I won't, I promise." He looked over to the doctor and nodded.

"Ok, Sara, we're going to roll you onto your side." The nurse said helping Sara to do so and then gently pulling her knees up towards her chest.

Grissom stood in front of her, holding her hand and stroking her head. Sara jumped slightly as her back was washed with cold iodine. The doctor found the right spot and injected an anaesthetic into her skin. "Ok, Sara, you're going to feel a little pressure and then it will all be done." The doctor said as the nurse handed him a long spinal needle.

Sara squeezed Grissom's hand as the doctor inserted the needle, she moaned slightly. "Ssh, it's ok, nearly over." Gil whispered.

The doctor collected a few drops of the spinal fluid and then removed the needle, stepping back to allow the nurse to apply pressure. "All done." He said as he handed the sample to another nurse to take it to the lab.

"There we go sweetheart, it's all over." Grissom said, tenderly wiping the tears that had slipped from beneath her eye lids away with his thumb.

"Let's get her up to intensive care."