Gil felt that it took an eternity to make it back to San Francisco so that he could hold Emily in his arms. The child seemed just as anxious as he was, because she was squirming to get out her grandmother's embrace. Sara's mother was a stern looking woman. She held Emily tightly and glared at Gil like he had done something to offend her.
"Quit looking like that," Sara snapped at her, picking up Emily's bag and taking the toddler.
"I don't believe his story," Sara's mother said, motioning to Gil. "All men are scum and he's just playing you."
Sara sighed. "Mom," she said. "I really don't want to discuss this now."
Ms. Sidle looked irritated. "When you call me crying that he gave you a black eye," she said."You'll want to talk then."
"That's enough!" Sara said firmly. "You know Gil has never hurt me."
Sara's mom pulled her closely and whispered into her ear. Though she was trying to be quiet, she wasn't doing a good job. Seeing Sara's mother shed serious light on Sara's behavior. Though he had probably known about her past before the accident, he needed to relearn it now.
"Just come in," Sara's mother whispered harshly. "We'll light some candles and clear our minds. I just want to bring peace."
Sara pulled back gently. "I need to get Emily home," she explained. "Besides, I really don't feel like having my hair knotted up in your beaded doors."
Emily sneezed and Sara looked down at her quickly. "Mother," she said. "You hadn't been lighting you incense around her have you."
"I always make sure she isn't around," Ms. Sidle insisted. "What kind of grandmother do you think I am?"
Sara brushed it aside. "I'll call," she said. "Thank you for keeping Emily."
O~O
By the time they pulled the car into the driveway, Emily was rubbing her eyes. Gil pulled himself out of the car, hobbled up the stairs, and keyed into the house. He wanted to help Sara, but he figured it was best that he didn't get in the way. When he was better he would be able to do more to help her. He sat on the couch, propped the pillows up against him, and waited on Sara to bring Emily inside.
"She's sleeping," Sara stated as she laid Emily in Gil's arms. "It's been a long weekend for her."
Gil agreed. "I know," he said. "I am so glad to have her in my arms again."
Sara smoothed back Emily's hair and smiled. "I know," she said and then she grew serious and fixed her brown eyes on Gil's blue ones. "I was wondering when I would get a turn."
Gil felt a smile pull at the corners of his mouth. "I think I can't make time later," he said.
Sara returned his loving smile. "Good," she said, giving him a small, tender kiss.
Sara stood and made herself busy by re-washing all of Emily's clothes. Sara knew her mother, and she knew that all Emily's clothes would smell like oils and incense. As she dumped all her clothes, one by one, into the big washing machine, she felt Gil watching her. It was so good to be wanted by him again, even if he didn't have his memories back. Dr. Pridmore had said that there was a strong possibility that Gil would never get his memories back, but Sara had concluded that she was thankful that he was healing and that soon normality would come again.
O~O
While Sara was dressing Emily for bed, Gil opened a bottle of pain medicine and popped two into his mouth. A severe headache had crimped his style once before, this time he would outsmart the pain. From the toddler's room, Gil could here Sara singing a sweet lullaby to Emily. It was the first time that he remembered hearing her sing; it made him feel warm.
"Good night sweet princess," Sara said.
Gil hobbled out of the bathroom and over to Emily's bed. "Goodnight Ladybug," he said, giving her a kiss.
Emily muttered something that sounded like 'goodnight' and put her arm around Frank. Gil put his hand on Sara's lower back and she gave him a smile over her shoulder.
"Dr. Grissom," she said. "Are you trying to get me in the mood?"
Gil grinned. "Is it working?" he asked.
Sara pulled away and headed for the bedroom. "Come find out," she said over her shoulder.
Gil hobbled after her and made a mental note to lose the crutches; they were hurting his libido. Once inside the bedroom, Gil closed the door softly and gazed at Sara. She was standing inches away from him and for once in his life; he knew he could touch her. He reached with a tentative and caressed her neck, sliding his hand up the back of her head. Her hair was threaded through his fingers and it felt like silk. Sara sighed and closed her eyes.
"Gil," Sara started. "I… I love you."
Gil kissed her eye lids. "I know you do," he said. "I see it every time you look at me. I love you too."
Even though Sara was calm and collected, he wasn't. He felt as if he were about to make love to her for the first time. Sara saw his hesitation and stepped back. With her nimble fingers she slipped each button of her blouse through the button-holes.
"My body is yours," she said to him. "It's always belonged to you."
When she was finished, she let the blouse slip down herms and pool on the floor. Gil took a moment to admire the freckles that dusted her chest. They disappeared at under her bra and Gil felt the motivation to follow the trail. Sara stepped back up to him and put her arms around his neck. Gil lowered his head to the crock of her neck and nibbled at her soft skin.
"I don't think I have ever tasted anything so wonderful," he said into her skin.
Sara smiled and pressed her lips into his hair. "That's what you said to me when we first made love," she said.
"It's true," Gil insisted.
Sara stepped back and tugged on Gil's hand. He followed her over to the bed and watched with hunger as she climbed up towards the head of the bed. Gil was quick to let the crutches hit the ground as he tugged his shirt over his head. Sara reached behind her and unhooked her bra. She arched back, letting Gil get an eyeful of her torso.
"You tease," Gil joked.
Sara moved her finger in a 'Come here' motion and Gil climbed awkwardly over to her. His mouth found her breast fast and he suckled greedily. Their bodies moved together smoothly and perfectly. So perfectly in fact, that Gil knew that she belonged to him and that he belonged to her. He kissed every inch of skin that he could find. He felt and smelled Sara all around him.
"This is it," Gil thought. "This is my life and I'm not letting it go."
When he slid himself into her, he felt connected o her in only a way that a husband could feel about his wife. As they moved together, Gil muttered endearments into Sara's ear; telling that she was his queen. When they came together, Gil knew that he would be with her to the very end.
O~O
Gil awoke to an annoying ringing and he slapped at the alarm clock. He opened his eyes and noticed that it was still dark. Sara was sleeping beside him, her arm over her head. Gil shook his head and looked around the room. He leaned over and grouped the floor for anything that conceal his nudity so that he could get up. Finally he found his boxers , pulled them on, and struggled to stand. As his confusion cleared he realized what the sound was.
"Oh no!" he said, jumping to his feet.
Forgetting about his crutches he limped into Emily's room. The ringing was louder in there and Gil knew that it was the monitor. Emily had stopped breathing.
"Emily," Gil said, limping over to the bed. "Wake up."
He shook the little girl, but no response came. Gil opened a drawer to his left and pulled out a mask. He unhooked the monitor and the ringing stopped.
"Sara!" he yelled, placing Emily's small body on the floor.
Gil put his ear to her mouth and listened. He checked her pulse and then breathed deeply into her mouth. A heartbreaking sickness washed over Gil as he tried to breathe life into his daughter. He put his hand on her small diaphragm and pressed down, not hard enough to hurt her, but hard enough to compress her lungs.
"Oh Emmy," Gil said. "Breath."
Gil heard footsteps and looked up at Sara. Her hands flew to her mouth and she ran back into the living room for the phone. Gil breathed another deep breath into Emily and pumped her chest. Finally she coughed and let out a wail. Her small body shook with sobs and Gil reached for the mask. He slipped it over her face and turned it on.
"Good girl," Gil said.
Gil could hear Sara on the phone. She requested that the hospital send the paramedics out and Gil did not disagree.
O~O
Emily's pediatrician was a pleasant woman named Dr. Daly. She met Gil and Sara at the hospital and checked Emily over. Emily seemed comfortable with Dr. Daly and Gil figured it was because they had seen a lot of each other. Gil had taken control of signing papers and talking to doctors; Sara was still too overwhelmed to do anything but tend to Emily.
"She looks fine," Dr. Daly said. "You acted quickly."
"Gil did," Sara said. "I didn't even hear the monitor go off. What kind of mother am I?"
Sara wiped her eyes and Gil squeezed her hand. "It isn't your fault," he said. "She's fine."
Dr. Daly filled a syringe and Emily screamed. "I am just going to give her a steroid shot," Dr. Daly said. "Hold her tightly."
Gil held Emily close to him while Dr. Daly administered the shot. Emily struggled to get loose, but Gil held her fast.
"It's alright," he said, soothing the child.
"There," Dr. Daly said. "All done."
Sara took Emily in her arms and smoother her hair back. "I can't lose my baby," she said. "I can't live without you."
O~O
They brought Emily back home and laid her in their bed. Gil hooked up the monitor and Sara went to work emptying Emily's closet. She put everything in the washing machine and added allergy reducer. Gil dragged the toy box into the living room and began to sanitize everything with bleach. Sara stripped the bed and threw the old sheets away. While Gil was washing the new sheets, Sara mopped the floor.
"I know what set her off," Sara said, walking into the living room.
She held up Frank by one arm and Gil took it. "I guess we can take it to the laundry mat," he said.
Sara shook her head. "That place is filled with so much dandruff," she said. "She'd be dead if we did that."
"We can't throw him out," Gil said. "She loves him."
Sara threw up her hands. "Then what do I do with it?" she asked harshly.
Gil handed her the bear. "We'll have it dry cleaned," he said.
Sara turned this over in her mind. "I guess that will work," she said. "The moment she sneezes, it's gone."
Gil agreed. "That sounds fair," he said.
He wanted to tell Sara to relax, but he understood her point. It something threatened a child's life; it was the parent's responsibility to get rid of the source. Sara put the bear in a trash bag and carried it out to the car. Gil busied himself by washing out the inside of the toy box and placing the toys back inside.
"You acted so quickly," Sara said as she reentered the house. "You knew where everything was."
Gil couldn't explain how he knew where the breathing mask and medication was kept. In his past, he didn't remember ever performing CPR on a toddler.
"Maybe you remembered it," Sara suggested.
O~O
School started back up in the middle of January and Gil found himself going over new material. Sara had started teaching again, so Emily went to a babysitter's every day until Sara brought her home. All of Gil's classes were so familiar that he didn't need to do much refreshing. His office at UCLA was almost an exact replica of the one he had in Las Vegas. Insect aquariums lined the walls, but unlike in Vegas, pictures of Emily and Sara lined the shelves. He found that his colleges were understanding of his condition and very impressed that he had the persistence to move on with his life.
"If I had half of you enthusiasm, Grissom," Said his college Dr. Lougee. "Then I would be Dean and not you!"
Sara stopped by his office twice a week to eat with him. While they ate, the talked about their days; it was good to have normality in life and finally find your place. Gil's love and passion for Sara only magnified itself each day. Every day he learned something new about her. He learned that she cried when she watched Lifetime movies, he learned that she loved sunflowers, and he learned that she loved ice cream. Every day after he left his office, Gil would bring home a carton of Rocky Road and by dinnertime the carton would be empty. The thought that Sara could be pregnant had fluttered in Gil's mind, but he brushed it aside and waited on her to tell him.
"She'll tell me when the time is right," he thought as he locked his office door one rainy afternoon.
As he walked down the dark hall, a woman bumped into him. Gil looked up to say excuse me, but for some reason no words came out. He only starred at her dark hair and dark eyes.
"Do I know you?" he asked.
The girl nodded. "I took your introduction course," she said. "Introduction to Entomology."
Gil smiled. "Oh," he said. "Have a good day."
As Gil walked away, he felt afraid to go home. He wanted to go back to his office and grade papers from there, but he was too afraid to turn around. Something about the mysterious girl angered him and he felt the need to know why.