A/N back after a long delay as other more boring stuff got in the way…anyway enjoy and feel free to drop a line and tell me what you think.
The first two days of Sara's hospital stay hadn't been to bad, mostly because she was fairly out of it from been dehydrated but now on the third say she felt better. Not well but better than she had been and well enough to start moaning.
"Come its not that bad," said Warrick attempting to cheer Sara up while he and Catherine took over from Grissom who had been sent home for a shower.
"You've got Greg's DS," smiled Cath, "to him that's like lending you an arm," she smiled getting a slight upturn of the lips from Sara. She was sat on her bed crossed legged like a child, playing with her IV. When she was admitted Cath had been out to buy her some decent pyjamas because it seemed she usually wore Grissom's old tee shirts or something unsuitable for public viewing, that had certainly peeked Greg's interest in the conversation about shopping.
"I just want to go home and have everyone stop fussing around me," sighed Sara giving up trying to loosen her IV because it was beginning to hurt.
"You heard what the doctor said if you keep fluid down to day and solid tomorrow you can go," reassured Warrick.
"Great," muttered Sara, "then they stick me again in a fortnight,"
"Last round," said Cath putting a hand on Sara's knee.
"Unless it didn't' work,' mumbled Sara.
"I see you haven't lost your infectious optimism and cheerfulness," smiled Cath.
"And your still got you sarcastic streak," commented Sara.
"I got Grissom to go shower didn't I," retorted Catherine.
The next day Sara was a lot more optimistic she no longer felt sick just incredibly tired, a feeling she was becoming used to. Grissom couldn't help but smirk as she swore at the little white DS she held in her hand as she lost at the game again. With nothing better to do she had become rather addicted to the console to stop her going completely insane over her stay. Finally the next morning she was discharged and allowed home, she was grateful of the change of scenery even if she did sleep for twelve hours after getting home.
It wasn't until the next week she finally had enough strength to do something other than drag herself around the house. She had finally got Grissom to stop ringing every half hour from work, to every hour. She made the short walk to the shop and rewarded herself with ice cream for her journey. However as she wondered back towards the house she found a familiar sense of unease creeping up, four days now, four days until he 'last' round of chemo. She hadn't said the word last out loud she was afraid it would jinx it somehow. She also hadn't admitted how scared she was of it. She'd done a good job hiding it from Grissom as he attempted to probe her about it the other day. On entering the house she found herself not wanting to be alone. She looked over at the clock, only eight Grissom still had hours left on shift as did everyone else. Then it occurred to her where she wanted to be, sure Grissom would lecture her about germs and a weaken immune system but right not she didn't care she just wanted to be around people rather than alone with her thoughts so she picked up the phone and called a cab. The lab was its usual busy self, Judy didn't even look up as Sara passed through reception and her wonderings of the hallways went relatively unnoticed it was only Hodges who did a double take at her presence as she passed by trace in search of anyone from the night shift.
"They're all out," called Hodges looking back down at his microscope as Sara paused.
"Cath and Nick are in autopsy should be back soon they'll want to see this," smiled hedges.
"What you got?" asked Sara stepping inside the lab.
"Graphite," replied Hodges, "found up the victims nose."
"Some one stuck a pencil up their nose?" asked Sara leaning over the microscope to take a look.
"Some one stuck several," replied Hodges, "different densities, some one decided to snort on the party pack." Sara gave Hodges the raised eyebrow treatment for his last comment, "oh yeah also found traces of cocaine," he added.
"Sara," Cath's voice startled Sara and she reacted like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, "what you doing here? Is everything ok?"
"Yeah I just needed some company," replied Sara nervously the effort of her trip suddenly catching up with her.
"Why don't we go the break room get something to drink," suggested Cath seeing the tiredness on Sara's face.
"Ok," said Sara with a half smile then she turned to Hodges, "thanks," she said genuinely glad of his company he hadn't pestered her as to how she was, hadn't made any comment to her illness, although that might be because he didn't' know what to say but he had treated her as he always had which right now was what she needed.
"You know Grissom going to have a fit when he finds you here," said Cath pouring Sara a drink of water and herself a coffee.
"I know the house was just too quiet," said Sara taking the drink, "is there any biscuits I'm kind of light-headed," admitted Sara rather dealing with it now than pass out in the hall somewhere.
"Here," Cath handed Sara a packet of half eaten biscuits.
Sara was only half way through the first biscuit when she blurted it out, "I'm scared," she said in no more than a whisper but Cath picked up on it sitting down next to her.
"I'd be worried if you weren't," said Cath placing a hand on Sara's knee.
"I don't want anymore chemo, I don't want to be that sick again. I know I need it but my entire body is tell me to run away and hide form it." Tears were neo forming in Sara's eyes and she had to fight to keep them from falling.
"I wish I could tell you it was going to be ok Sara, I really do," sighed Cath, "but you're a fighter you got through the last lot and you'll get through the next, it might not be as bad."
"It might," admitted Cath, "but were all going to be here for you, I know it's not much we can do,"
"No it helps having you all here," interrupted Sara, "sometimes I find it hard…to…talk to …Grissom," she stuttered tears now falling.
"Well everyone finds that hard," smiled Cath, "sometimes it the people your closet to you find it hardest to talk to because you don't want to let them down or worry them, but that's why were here," said Cath pulling Sara into a hug letting a few tears of her own escape.
Nick had watched the exchange form the hallway not wanting to intrude but wanting make them aware Grissom was on his way back from the crime scene.
"You can come in Nicky," said Sara catching sight of him.
"Hey girl," he smiled been joined by Warrick.
"What you doing here?"
"I needed to get out the house for a bit," said Sara trying to wipe the moisture off her cheeks before anyone noticed.
"Your probably sick of people asking you this but it's not going to stop me how you feeling?" said Nick like a concerned brother.
"Tired mostly and frustrated because I get so tired," answered Sara, "but it's better than before," said Sara with a hint of a smile.
"Well you know were all here for you," said Nick, "speaking of Grissom's on his way back with Greg," he added.
"Sara," Greg's cry could have alerted the whole of Vegas to her presence, he was that excited he bolted down the corridor away from Grissom and into the break room enveloping her in a hug.
"Hey Gil," smiled Sara as he walked in.
"You got bored?" asked Grissom trying his best not to start lecturing about needing rest and been away from bacteria with a low immune system because he knew while she needed all that she still needed to be herself and that meant independence and self reliance to a degree.
"Yeah, I'm kind of tied now though," admitted Sara.
"Well when you've had enough the couch in my office is free," smiled Grissom giving her a quick kiss on the check, "I've got an appointment in autopsy," he added turning and leaving a very surprised Sara behind, because just on occasion Grissom fully understood her and could do exactly what she needed.
TBC……………………