Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter Thirteen

8:00am

Once Catherine had called the lab to update the rest of the team, she sat down in the family area down the hall from Sara's room.

"Why Sara? She doesn't deserve this. Why would anyone do this to her? Yeah, she does come across as stubborn and sometimes too… independent for her own good but she's really just a sweet, innocent, lost little girl on the inside. Growing up was hard enough. She put up all these walls to protect herself and as soon as she thinks it's safe to lower them, this happens. I can't let her put those walls back up. I need to help her understand that there are some people that she can trust. She doesn't have to hide from us. I want to meet the girl that she's hiding."

So deep in thought, Catherine didn't hear Dr. Walker come into the room.

"Ms. Willows?"

"Huh?" Catherine jumped at the sound. "Oh, sorry. Just thinking…"

"That's all right. Sara's talking to Detective Vega now. We collected some hair and semen from the exam that we'll send to the lab. I think she is still in slight shock from this. She probably shouldn't stay by herself for a while."

"She's going to stay with me." Catherine interrupted.

"Okay, well, she'll be able to leave by tomorrow if everything checks out. I'll write out a prescription for pain medication." Dr. Walker explained. "Now, during the exam, I noticed a small tear."

"What?"

"It's small enough to repair itself." She reassured the CSI. "It's going to take some time, though. I'm sure you already know but no intercourse until it's healed. Hell, I wouldn't even recommend wearing thongs. It's going to be very, very sensitive while it heals. Some people have said that water helps; baths, swimming, whatever. If any problems arise, bring her in right away."

"Okay." Catherine nodded. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job. Now, would you mind if I took a look at your hand? Sara seems to have quite the grip."

Catherine held her left hand out, realizing for the first time, just how sore it was.

"Well, nothing's broken but it's definitely bruised. Let me wrap it up and you'll be fine in a few days." Dr. Walker told her before pulling some gauze and medical tape out of her lab coat pocket.

"Catherine?" Detective Vega walked into the room. "She's asking for you. We took her statement and with all the evidence collected, this will seal the deal. It shouldn't even go to court."

"Thanks, Sam."

"You're all set." Dr. Walked finished wrapping her hand and stood up.

"Thanks." Catherine stood up and followed her out of the room before going their separate ways.

"Catherine!" She heard a voice from behind her. "What happened to your hand?"

"Hey, Greggo. Sara had a very good hold on it for a while."

"How is she?"

"She'll be fine. She's a fighter." Catherine smiled at the balloon and flowers that Greg was holding. "Nice balloon."

"You think she'll like it?"

"She'll love it. C'mon, she just finished talking to the police." Catherine led the way to Sara's room. "Ready?"

Greg nodded and followed Catherine into the room.

"Hey, Sara. You have a visitor."

Sara opened her eyes and smiled at Greg. "You bought me a balloon? And lilies?"

"I remember you saying that they were your favorite." Greg replied, hesitantly approaching the bed. He knew female rape victims didn't deal with male contact very well.

"Thank you, Greg."

"How you feeling?"

"Better. Still sore but definitely better. The doctor said I could go home tomorrow."

"That's great!" Greg sat down on the side of the bed. "Everyone was worried. Even Ecklie."

"Ecklie?" Sara was shocked.

"Yeah, he made the case top priority."

"Wow, I thought he would have been jumping with joy at the prospect of me being out of work." Sara said. "How's the rest of the team? You know, besides being worried about me?"

"Well, Grissom put Nick and Warrick on a DB case that they only solved because he threatened to stick them with decomps for the next month." Greg told her. "They're coming by soon. Wanted to shower and change first so you didn't kick them out."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door and the three remaining members of the graveyard shift stepped into the room, each carrying balloons, candy and flowers.

"Hey, girl." Warrick stooped down to kiss her forehead. "You gave me quite a scare. Let's not do that again, huh?"

"Okay, 'Rick." Sara smiled.

"He's right, darlin'. You're much too important to lose." Nick followed Warrick's move and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm glad you're okay, Sara." Grissom said from his spot at the end of the bed.

"Thanks, guys." Sara yawned. "Is that candy for me?" She grinned sheepishly. "I'm starving."

"Of course it is." Nick handed her the giant bags of M & M's and Sour Patch Kids, which he knew was her guilty pleasure.

Staring at both bags like her life depended on it, Sara decided on the Sour Patch Kids. "Um…" She held the bag out to Greg, who was still sitting on the right side of her bed. "Will you open this?"

Greg obliged and handed the bag back to her.

After offering the candy to the rest of her visitors, Sara leaned back against the pillows, munching away happily while everyone else filled the room with chatter.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

10:00am

It wasn't long before Sara handed her bag of candy back to Catherine and curled up into a ball as best she could on her left side before yawning and closing her eyes. Grissom had already left, saying something about paperwork and Warrick and Greg were getting ready to head home to sleep.

"We'll stop by Catherine's tomorrow after shift." Warrick told her, referring to himself and Greg. "Get some rest, baby girl."

"Thanks for coming by." Sara opened her eyes slightly and smiled.

"I have to go pick up some things for the guest room. I'll be back in a few house once Lindsey makes it to my mothers'." Catherine stood up. "Get some sleep, sweetie."

"Mmm…" Sara mumbled sleepily.

Once Catherine was gone, Sara opened her eyes to realize that Nick was still sitting in a chair on the left side of her bed.

"I guess I'm going to head out, too. You need sleep." Nick started to stand but Sara stopped him.

"Will you stay? Until I fall asleep? I really don't like being alone in hospitals." She blushed.

Nick sat back down and smiled. "Of course, darlin'."

Using her not broken hand, Sara reached out to grasp Nick's hand, lacing her fingers through his before closing her eyes again. The last thing she saw was Nick moving closer to the bed and resting their hands on the arm of the chair.