Greg looked up from his hands and took the cup being offered to him; he took a drink and waited in silence.

Grissom sighed and sat down next to Greg; the waiting room was eerily quiet at two in morning, but that was fine to both guys each wanted to say something, but neither knew how to.

"I'm sorry," Greg muttered setting the cup down on the chair next to him.

Grissom looked at him holding back anger, "For…"

Greg looked at Grissom, "For not telling you, for hurting her, for getting her pregnant, for leaving…and for ever being with her to begin with."

Grissom looked across at the TV trying to find someway to answer, "Greg, do you love her?"

Greg rested his elbows on his knees and cupped his face nodding, "Oh God, yes."

Grissom kept his eyes on the TV, "For how long?"

"Since I laid eyes on her," Greg said into his hands.

"Does she love you?"

Greg stayed quiet, "I-I-I think—."

Grissom looked at Greg, "I know she does."

Greg removed his hands from his face, but moved them to the side of his head, "This is my fault."

"No, it's not," Grissom said quickly.

"Yes it is, Gris," Greg shook his head rapidly and looked at Grissom wide eyed, "If-if I hadn't left…she wouldn't be here."

Grissom stared at Greg knowing he could not answer to that because Greg was right, but instead he said, "Do you know what she wants to name the baby?"

Greg choked back a sob, but nodded, "Yeah."

"So, what are the names?"

"Well, if it was a girl she was going to name her Ebony Jean Sanders, Jean for my mother," Greg folded his hands together, "and if it was boy she was going to name him Peter Gil Sanders…obviously for you."

"Why do you say 'was'?" Grissom asked.

"There's that chance the baby won't make it."

"The doctor said it's almost impossible to loose the child, Greg, you will be a father," Grissom cupped Greg's shoulder patting him reassuringly.

"Grissom," Greg stared across the room focusing on a spot on the wall, "Would you—would you let me marry Katrina?"

Grissom bit his lip and pulled his hand back standing up quickly. He didn't want to say yes, he didn't know why, but he couldn't say no...He couldn't hurt Katrina, "Will you ever leave her again?"

Greg tensed at the word 'again', but nodded, "No, I swear it. I'll stay by her side through anything and everything."

"Do you promise to love her…forever?" Grissom bit back tears imagining giving away his daughter after just getting her back.

"Yes," Greg watched Grissom's back waiting for the older man to say something.

"Then, yes, Greg," Grissom turned back to him, "I'll let you marry my daughter."

A small smile spread slowly across his face, "Thank you."

"Keep her happy," Grissom forced a smile. He was about to add something when Dr. Simms quickly entered the waiting room.

"Mr. Grissom, Mr. Sanders," Dr. Simms gulped loudly and looked franticly at them, "We have a problem."

Greg stood up slowly and waited.

"Well, what is it?" Grissom demanded.

"Katrina," Dr. Simms paused, "Katrina has slipped into a coma."

"What?" Grissom asked.

"She's in a coma, there's nothing we can do about it," Dr. Simms stared at the two men, "They baby is fine, but we don't know when she'll wake up."

Greg's knees felt weak, his lips trembled and his eyes became watery; he fell back into his chair cupping his face in his hands, "No."

"I'm sorry," Dr. Simms said desperately trying to calm the two, "She was doing fine too, we don't know why she went into a coma. All we know is that she won't wake up. Her heart has slowed and her breathing deepened…she won't be waking up anytime soon."

Grissom looked at the floor and clenched his fists, "Thank you."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Dr. Simms asked.

Greg looked up at him, "When will she wake up?"

"I'm sorry," Dr. Simms said again, "We—we don't know."

Greg's face fell back into his hands and he fell silent.

Grissom looked down at Greg then at Dr. Simms, "Can he see her?"

Dr. Simms looked at Grissom confused on why he didn't want to see his daughter, "Uh, yeah, of course he can. Mr. Sanders follow me please."

Greg stood up slowly and slumped towards Dr. Simms glancing back at Grissom who nodded at him before sitting back down.

Dr. Simms left Greg inside Katrina's room shutting the door behind him, the darkened room making it difficult for Greg to see much…but finding Katrina was the easiest thing ever. Within seconds he was by her side holding her hand and kissing it crying into the bed sheets, "Why Katrina, why?" He rested his forehead against her shoulder stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. His whole being crashing to the floor, "Don't leave me alone, I need you Katrina, I need you more than anything…I asked your dad if I could ask for your hand in marriage. He said yes and I promised to take care of you…but I can't do that if you don't wake up."

There was no answer.

"Katrina, please, I love you, come back to me."

Again…no answer.

Greg's tears fell again in a silent cry as he stared at his angel's face, "Please…"

)()()()()(

"She's in a coma," Wendy said as she fell into the chair.

"What?" Hodges sat the coffee pot down and leaned against the counter; he stared at Wendy in shock, "But how?"

"James says he doesn't know," Wendy let out a loud sigh, balling her hand into a fist, "She was fine one minute…then gone the next."

Hodges looked down at the black substance in the mug before setting it down to walk over to Wendy. He knelt in front of her taking up both of her hands and kissing them, "She'll be okay, Wendy."

"You don't know that," Wendy said looking out into the hallway watching as people passed by, "Nobody knows that."

"I don't need to know, to know," Hodges scrunched in confusion at his own remark, but shook it off, "If she's any thing like her dad, as stubborn as her dad, she will be fine."

Wendy forced herself not to look at Hodges knowing fully well he was right, instead she looked down at their connected hands, "God, I hope so…for Greg's sake."

"Yeah, me too," Hodges whispered, "Look, I get off in twenty minutes, but I'll stay here until your shifts over, then we can go to the hospital…okay?"

Wendy looked up at him pulling a hand free to stroke his cheek, "Thank you."

"No problem," He stood up leaning forward to kiss her forehead before walking back to grab his mug and head back to the Trace lab.

Wendy let out another sigh trying to calm herself down, but her head was in a mess and everything just felt wrong. She shook her head trying to remember the last thing she and Katrina talked about, "Baby names…" She let out a small laugh shaking her head as she remembered Katrina's face twisted with excitement as she looked through the baby book. Wendy had already picked out names, but being as Katrina was she hadn't yet picked any. Wendy's name choices were: Carter Zeek Hodges or, if it was a girl, Elizabeth May Hodges. Wendy smiled thinking of the names and how soon they'd have a face to go with them.

"Wendy," Wendy looked up to see Henry standing there.

"Yeah," Wendy stood up slowly.

"Catharine wanted to see you," Henry smiled before leaving Wendy alone.

Wendy took a deep breath and walked towards Catharine's office, she pushed open the door without knocking to see Warrick, Nick, Sara, and Catharine all muttering about something.

"Um," Wendy stopped short trying to find words, but Catharine held up a finger silencing her.

"Wendy," Catharine put her hand down, "did you hear from Grissom or Greg yet?"

Wendy shook her head surprised that nobody knew yet, "No, but my brother did call."

"The doctor, right?" Nick asked.

Wendy nodded, "Yeah, he called,"—deep breath followed by a gulp—"Katrina's in a coma."

Shocked faces zipped across the room like a high school rumor.

"You're kidding me," Warrick looked up at Wendy from where he sat in a chair.

"Oh, man, one of us should call Grissom, see how he's doing," Nick said.

"I'll call him, but maybe we should wait to see if he calls," Sara said.

Catharine nodded in agreement shaking off her shocked face, "What about the baby?"

"Fine," Wendy said, "James said the baby will be fine."

"Good," Catharine said.

"How's Greg?" Nick asked.

"I-I don't know," Wendy muttered looking down at her hands, "David and I are going over to see him after my shift."

Catharine sighed, "Okay, send our regards. Tell Grissom we'll be around as soon as we can."

Wendy nodded then walked out of the room back towards the labs to finish what work she had.

)()()()(

What could be said? What was there to say? Just so you know I was held at gun point, almost killed, but then my pregnant girlfriend jumped in front of the bullet to save me? Greg shook his head there was no way he could say that. He took a deep breath and dialed the number into his cell and waited.

"Hello," the voice chimed.

"Momma," Greg said softly.

"Greg, honey," Her voice broke into distress, "I thought something bad happened to you."

"No, Momma, I'm," he gulped, "fine."

"Where are you?"

"At the hospital," Wrong choice of words.

"WHAT!? WHY!?" Jean Sander's voice shrieked loudly forcing Greg to pull the phone away from his ear, "So, help me if you're hurt and you're lying to me—."

"No," Greg said cutting her off, "I'm here because…"

"Because what?" Jean asked.

Greg took a deep breath and tried to form the words correctly, "Remember when I was staying with you…and there was this girl."

"Yeah, I do."

"The reason I left without telling you was one Dad wouldn't let me back in the house…and two…she was in trouble."

"What kind of trouble? Is the baby okay?"
"Yes, Momma," Greg said before continuing, "The baby's fine, but she's not. She was kidnapped by her psychotic Mother and I was called by this woman to go there. I-I went there knowing fully well I would die."

"Oh my God, Greg, why would you go?" Jean asked, "Why would you risk your life?"

"Don't you get it?" Greg asked bewildered his eyes flying open in rage, "I went because I love her!"

Jean fell silent the only sound was that of soft static.

"I didn't die, I wish I had because she wouldn't be here then," Greg choked back a sob, "Momma, she was shot because of me."

"Greg," Jean muttered, "Why did you go?"

Greg's anger soared and he got to his feet, "Did you not just hear me? I went because I love her! I wouldn't be able to live not knowing if she was okay! I knew I was going to die, but I was going to die to save her and my unborn child! I was standing there ready to be shot with only one thing running through my head: I will always love her. I was ready to die, Momma, I was ready…but when that gun fired and no pain ran through me…my life fell. The love of my life had just jumped in front of me taking the bullet; her body fell to the ground taking everything with her. I collapsed next to her begging her to stay with me, begging her to not leave. She was prepared to say her last good-bye to me…but I wasn't ready to. This was different…I was fully prepared to die, but when she was shot everything changed. I remember thinking how I couldn't live without her. While she was asleep in the hospital I asked her father, my boss, if I could marry her. He said yes…and just like that it was gone. The doctor came in and said she fell into a coma."

"Greg, my poor baby," Jean said longing to hug her son.

"I love her, Momma," Greg said as tears threatened to fall, "Tell Dad, he was right…tell him there is no way I'm turning my back on this. Tell him…I planning on walking back into it." Greg snapped the phone shut not waiting for an answer. He looked at his angel asleep on the hospital bed dreaming an endless dream, "Katrina, please come back to me fast." He walked over to her and kissed her forehead allowing his lips to linger there before pulling away to admire her soft unmoving features. He gave her hand a squeeze before walking out of the room to find Grissom needing a favor.

)()()()(

A sleep of the dead some would call it; others would call a sleep of those who deserve it. Her friends and family say if it were one of the two she'd be one who deserves the rest, the painless thoughts, and never ending smiles. She'd wake up one day to be met with those smiling faces, but not today…or tomorrow…or next week…or next month…or the month after that. They'll wait and wait, they'll wait for as long as it takes for her to open those eyes and allow the light of happiness cover her…but as of right now all they can do…is wait. While she sleeps a sleep of the dead that she happily deserved…they'll talk of the past, the present and the future, but now with her…not yet. Dreams would change, hopes would fade, but his love for her will grow stronger and bigger as the days pass. And when she finally wakes up………well I guess that's a mystery bigger than this that is just waiting to burst open. So the only thing left is to follow the clues that lead her back to those smiling faces…good luck, Katrina. I love you…and I'm sorry.

~Signed,

Brittany Kain

A/N: Not the end! Almost there I promise! There will be closure….or will there? Nah, I'm kidding there will be.