A/N: Sorry for the delay getting this chapter up. I've been struggling with this one and the next one. Sorted now, so you can expect them a little closer together.
Critical Conversations.
Rod had sent Allison and Richard home as soon as they left the ICU. He could see that they were only just holding it together.
After checking in with the powers that be, Rod had headed for the office. He wanted to get the required information for the doctor and he felt that he should phone Catherine Willows. He was sure they would have seen the news report or at least heard about it, but as no names were given out he wanted to fill them in.
He still wasn't sure what made Sara leave Las Vegas, but he had a gut feeling she would want them to know.
All this was running through his mind as he flicked through Sara's file, so it came as bit of a shock to see that the person who held her medical power of attorney
was one Gilbert Grissom of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. To say he was surprised was an understatement. I mean Sara had mentioned she had worked with him, but to give someone medical proxy you had to be close enough to trust them with your life.
One more little twist in the tale of Sara Sidle.
Sitting back in his chair he punched in the number for the Las Vegas Crime Lab.
"Las Vegas Crime Lab how may I help you?"
"I was wanting to speak with a Catherine Willows please" Rod hoped she was there.
"Just one moment and I'll see if I can find her for you, may I ask who is calling?"
"Yes, Rod Marshall, Washington FBI" Rod figured that would get him put through quicker.
"One moment please"
It was only a moment later that he heard Catherine's voice over the line.
"Catherine Willows'
"Hello Ms Willows, Rod Marshall, Washington FBI, I spoke to you a few months ago"
"Hello again Agent Marshall, have you got more bugs for us?"
" Please, my name's Rod. No not bugs. Actually Ms Willows" he was interrupted by the voice at the other end of the phone.
"Call me Catherine please"
"Ok, Catherine. This is actually not a work related call. Well actually it is, but not in the way you think. I wonder if you have seen the news report on the explosion that injured a number of FBI agents today?" he paused when he heard a hushed gasp.
"Actually we've just been watching it. They said there were a number killed and one in a critical condition. Oh God no! Not Sara!"
Rod could hear the anguish in Catherine's voice.
"She's alive Catherine, but she's not good." He couldn't help the loud sigh that escaped him as he said those words.
"Oh God! How bad is she Rod? Look I'm just going to put you on speaker so that you can tell the guys as well."
Rod waited til he heard the tell-tale click that indicated he was on speaker and gave them the news.
"Sara was close to the explosion. She has some fractured ribs which caused a punctured lung. Her shoulder was dislocated and she has fractures to the same arm plus lots of cut and bruises. She also has a fractured skull. At the moment she is serious but stable and when her lung is a bit better they will take her for surgery to fix the skull fracture." He paused. "Unless she deteriorates over the next twenty four hours" he added.
He could hear several voices all talking at once, but could not really make out their questions before he heard Catherine take the phone off speaker so she could talk to him again.
"I think you can guess that everyone here is pretty upset. We are all one big family here, and up til she left Sara was a much loved member of that family. She still is. What can we do? Can we have the hospital details? Will you keep us posted? God it's so hard being so far away."
Rod listened as Catherine rambled, he knew they must all be feeling even more helpless than he did and he was right on the spot.
"I'll definitely keep you up to date Catherine. The doctor said that all we can do at the moment is wait, she is still unconscious, but they don't seem overly concerned with that. You can do one thing for me though" he told her.
"Anything you need Rod".
"My files say that her medical power of attorney is one Gilbert Grissom, I'm assuming that's the entomologist. I have let the hospital know, but I think it would be better to tell him personally and I need a contact number."
"OH SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!! Grissom. Um Rod I think it would be best to leave it to me to tell Gil. To cut a long story short, he and Sara have a history and I think I'm going to need to be there when he finds out."
Well! Rod thought. I must get the long story some time. But for now that can wait.
"That would be fine if you think that's the best way to handle it. It was hard enough for us and we are here."
"I think it will be best. OK well I better go do it now, before the hospital contacts him if possible. Actually Rod if you haven't done it yet could you hold off calling the hospital for about an hour so I can tell Gil?"
"Not a problem. Call if you have any problems, do you still have my numbers? And try not to worry too much Catherine.
"Thanks Rod. I do have your numbers, but I don't think we'll be able to do anything but worry. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
When Rod hung up the phone he allowed himself to think about what Catherine had said about Sara being part of their family and having a history with Grissom.
Why would Sara leave her family behind, they clearly cared about her very much
And her history with the entomologist intrigued him, he knew from just general CSI circles that the man was close to fifty, making him about fifteen years older than Sara.
Could they have had a relationship?
Did they have a falling out and that's why Sara left Las Vegas?
Still pondering the answers to those questions, Rod gathered his things together and closed up the office. He would head home now and phone the hospital once he got home, that should give Catherine plenty of time to tell Dr. Grissom. He might even give Catherine another call early in the morning to see how things went with Dr. Grissom.
When Catherine hung up from Rod, she was shaking. It wasn't just the news that was upsetting her; it was the fact that she had to tell Grissom. He was one of her closest friends, how do you tell someone that the woman they love is lying injured in a hospital thousands of miles away.
Warrick stood and put his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the couch.
"Cath? Are you going to tell Grissom now? Do you want one of us to come with you?" he asked her. He could feel her shaking and he hugged her tighter.
"Umm… Yeah, I need to tell him before the hospital rings him. Seems he's Sara's Power of Attorney" she told them. "I think it's best if I do this alone. I don't think even our new Grissom would want too many witnesses when I break this news.
Nick and Greg, their faces showing their distress, just nodded. Neither of them trusted themselves to speak.
"Rick?" Catherine moved to stand and Warrick let his arm fall.
"We need to let Jim and Doc Robbins know what's happened. If I do need someone, I'll call Jim, he's known Gil even longer than I have so could you give him the heads up for me?"
"No problem Cath, I'm on it" Warrick was once again the rock holding them together. "Will you be ok?' he asked her, concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, I'll be fine, I just need to get going."
It was going on eleven o'clock by the time Catherine arrived at Grissom's place. She had shed a few tears on the drive over, but had succeeded in keeping herself pretty much under control. She had gone over in her head a hundred times what she would say, she would need to be strong for him and she was determined that she would be.
The doorbell ringing so late at night had surprised Grissom and he was a little more taken aback at the sight of a visibly upset Catherine standing on his doorstep.
"Catherine. What are you doing here this late?" he asked anxiously.
"Umm...Gil…. Can I come in?" she asked, not meeting his eyes.
"Uhh… of course. Is everything ok?"
Catherine headed straight for the couch and sat down. She waited 'til he took a seat at the other end of the couch from her before speaking again.
"Gil have you seen any news today?" she began
He shook his head. "Not since this morning, why, did Ecklie hold another of his press conferences and mess up again?" he asked, even though he had a feeling it was much worse than that.
"Actually,no, though that would be a good reason. Gil, this is….ah….look, I'm just going to get straight to the point here" She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the face. "I had a phone call from Rod Marshall, he's Sara's supervisor. There was an explosion at a crime scene today, it's been all over the news. Sara was there Gil, she's in hospital, he said she's in ICU."
Catherine watched the colour drain from Grissom's face, and was thankful that he was already sitting. He opened his mouth to speak, but seemed to be having trouble forming the words. Reaching out Catherine took hold of his hand, immediately noticing how cold it was. She marvelled at his control, but then realised that the hand she was holding was shaking and that the shaking was steadily getting worse.
Finally after what seemed like an eternity he found his voice. His Sara, she's in ICU- but not dead. No at least she's not dead. He let out a long shaky sigh, almost a moan.
"H…how bad Cath?" his voice cracked even on those few words.
"I don't have all the details, but she has a broken arm and dislocated shoulder, fractured ribs that punctured her lung and…." she took a breath. "She has a fractured skull and is still unconscious, they are saying she is stable at the moment"
All Catherine could think of as he let himself be drawn into a hug was that for the first time since she had known him Gil Grissom let himself break.
