A/N: A ha, finally a chapter. I'm sorry this takes me so long. The mojo has been missing for this story and I simply can't force it. It comes when it comes. I just hope it was worth the wait and I thank you for your patience.

I think Evil Hat must have fallen asleep on this one, although that might not be a bad thing. Thanks for all the continuing reviews, they are great.

No beta, all mistakes are mine.

So, on we go… :)

Chapter 113

Sara turned onto her side, her lips parting to emit a tiny moan. Her eyes slowly popped open and she stared at the drapes covering the windows not so far away. There was light coming through…

It was light? Why was it light and where was she?

She shot upright, immediately looking to her left to see her mother asleep in a lounge chair next to the bed, a blanket covering her body.

Laura seemed to sense her daughter's return to reality though and her eyes opened. She half smiled, rotated her shoulders in order to try and alleviate some of the tension and shuffled forwards. "Morning," she yawned, pulling away the blanket. "How are you feeling?"

Sara blinked hard at her mother, her brow furrowing in confusion. "How long have I been asleep?" Sara asked, slightly panicked. "How long have I even been in bed?" She pushed the covers away and swung her legs around the side of the bed. "I should be with Gil. I can't be here…"

"Hold on…" Laura reached out and took her daughter's hands in her own. "Just take a breath and calm down. You needed the rest. You fell asleep at Gil's bedside. We weren't about to leave you like that."

Bowing her head, Sara took a breath. "How is he?" she mumbled.

Pulling her hands free, Laura ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. "I left him a little before 4am, your father insisted. But…he has a fever…"

Sara's head shot back up and her face crumpled. "Oh, God…."

"Hey…" Laura pulled her into a tight embrace now and Sara held on solidly to her mother, "…it was expected. Such injuries and loss of blood will usually lead to a fever, Sara."

Digging her right cheek into her mother's shoulder, Sara sniffed hard. "Who's with him now?" she sighed.

Laura smiled, rubbing her hands up Sara's back. "Rana. Gil needs a woman's touch right now. Your father wanted me to go to bed but I felt better staying in here with you. She would have come for me if his condition had worsened."

Sara nodded into her mother but didn't pull away just yet. Although she hated to admit it, she was actually enjoying the comfort. "Do you know what time it is?" she asked.

Looking over her shoulder, Laura checked the mantel clock. "Just passed seven," she answered.

Now Sara pulled back. "I want to go back to him."

"Okay," Laura replied on a whisper. "But there will be conditions."

Now Sara frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You need to look after yourself some, Sara," Laura pleaded. "I will not stop you sitting with Gil, he is your husband to be after all, but you must rest when rest is needed and you have got to eat also. You need to keep your strength up if you want to help with his care. How about some breakfast first?"

Sara shook her head. "I'm not that hungry just now but I understand. I will eat in a little while, after I've seen Gil. I promise."

Laura held her hand to her daughter's cheek. "Okay."

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Sara changed into more befitting clothes for the day and was escorted back to Grissom's room by her mother.

Rana sat close to Grissom, a bowl of water on her lap. The housekeeper reached for the cloth which lay upon Grissom's forehead, dipped it into the cool water and replaced it upon his burning forehead. She sensed an arrival in the room and looked over her shoulder.

She instantly stood upon seeing Laura and Sara, placing the bowl down upon the bedside table.

"How's he doing?" Laura asked, releasing Sara's arm as they drew close to the bed.

"About the same, Ma'am," Rana replied. "His temperature is still raging."

Laura closely looked Grissom over. His face was pale but he had patches of redness here and there about his skin.

Sara watched as her mother leaned forward to place her hand upon Grissom's cheeks and then his forehead. "Has he moved at all?" Laura asked.

"I got a few moans from him during the night but very quiet ones. That's about it, Ma'am. He hasn't moved an inch."

Casually nodding Laura stepped back and gestured for Sara to sit. Sara did so, her eyes glued to her fiancé.

Gently, she took his left hand and attempted a smile as she spoke to him. "Hey…" she whispered, "…I'm here." She squeezed his hand a little tighter. "Why don't you try and open your eyes for me, huh?"

Not a whisper of a response came from Grissom and she reached forwards with her free hand, brushing her finger tips through his disheveled hair.

Sara felt a gentle pressure on her back and looked over her shoulder.

Laura smiled down at her daughter. "I'm just going to take a quick look at his wound."

All Sara did was nod and sat back, releasing her fiancés hand as Laura rounded her and carefully pulled down the sheet that covered Grissom's mid-section.

Leaning over her future son in law, Laura carefully inspected the bandage covering his wound. She noted a few speckles of blood visible on the medical covering but nothing major. She felt a massive surge of relief that David's stiches were holding. At least for now. "So far, so good," she said, replacing the sheet over his waist.

"Do you think he might wake up today?" Sara asked.

Laura stepped back. "I don't know, Sara," she admitted truthfully. "We just need to do the best we can for him. Maybe that will bring him back to us." The lady of the house looked to her worker. "Can you bring some fresh water?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Rana replied. "Right away."

"And then get some rest," Laura instructed. "You have been up half the night."

Rana nodded glumly before retreating from the room.

"She seems very down," Sara noted.

"Yes," Laura agreed sadly, moving to the window. She parted the drapes with her right hand and looked over the world outside. The morning frost was still glowing across the grounds and she noted numerous workers clearing up the debris from the previous night's activities. She smiled a little, the hay always was a nightmare to clear away but her husband always insisted on it. The workers didn't mind though, they had become so accustomed to the Sidle traditions now. It had been such a lovely evening until…

Now her smile faltered and she answered her daughter. "She has known Gil since he was a boy, she loves him very much."

Sara bowed her head, retaking Grissom's hand and running her thumb along his.

"Morning…"

Turning away from the window while tightening the belt on her robe, Lara saw her husband.

Sara turned in her chair and watched her father as he approached her. He gave her a tiny smile and clasped his hands over her shoulders, tenderly squeezing. "You holding up, sweetheart?" he asked.

Returning her attention to her fiancé, Sara gave a small nod. "I'm trying…" she whispered.

Stepping from the window, Laura moved to her husband and placed her head on his shoulder. He smiled at her.

"I thought you'd still be sleeping," she said, slipping her arm through his. "You haven't been in bed all that long."

He kissed her hair. "Found it hard to sleep," he admitted. "How is he?"

"Pretty much the same as he was last night." She lifted her head and sighed. "I should probably go and dress. I'm not showing much of a standard walking around in my dressing gown at this hour."

The captain half laughed. "I think that's the least of anyone's worries, my dear."

Rana returned, carrying a bowl of fresh water. She placed it by the bed and turned to her employers. "Doctor Phillip's is here," she informed them. "Should I show him up?"

Sara continued to watch over the man she loved, not really paying any attention to the conversation going on behind her.

"He's quite early," Laura said with a frown. "But yes, Rana. Let him up. I'll go and change quickly."

The housekeeper nodded. "I'll bring him up and then come help you, Ma'am…."

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Rana showed David to the room and then scurried along the corridor to help the Lady of the house dress.

"Good morning," David announced with a yawn. "Sorry," he apologized immediately, placing his free hand over his mouth. "Very restless night," he admitted drawing close to father and daughter by the bed. "My wife isn't sleeping too well, it's why I'm here earlier than planned."

The captain nodded his understanding. "I think we all have that problem right now."

"Yeah…" David sighed. "How are you feeling, Sara?" he then asked.

Sara pushed her chair back and shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure," she admitted glumly.

David placed his bag down onto the floor by the bed and attempted to offer her a smile of reassurance. "Can you give me a little room so I can take a look at him?" he asked softly.

The captain held his hand out to his daughter. "Come on, Sara, let's give David some space."

Sara nodded and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. She stood back from the bed with her father, his arm firmly and supportingly wrapping around her waist as they watched the doctor attend to his patient.

First of all, David lifted Grissom's eye lids one at a time, closely checking his pupils. "Have we had any movement from him?" he asked, shifting to check Grissom's pulse, his forehead and his temperature.

Wrapping her arms around her mid-section, Sara shook her head. "No. A few moans but nothing else."

"Well…" David reached into his bag, "…even a few moans is better than nothing. It means he is being responsive. The problem is…" He removed a fresh bandage from his bag, looking over his shoulder, "…once he becomes conscious of the pain, it could get very unpleasant."

Sara and her father exchanged a concerned glance. "What do you mean?" Sara questioned.

David took scissors from his bag and carefully began cutting away the dressing over Grissom's wound. "Just give me a second," he asked needing to concentrate on his task. His tongue poked through his front teeth as inch by inch he cut through the material. The strapping was tight against the skin so he had to take extra care, the last thing he really wanted to do was give Grissom another injury.

Finally, all but one sheet of bandage fell free the rancher's torso and David closely inspected the material that was left. A thick blood red circle stain sat in the center of the covering and the doctor lightly ran his fingers over the top of it.

Grissom whispered a groan and Sara's eyes flickered, her breath shortening when she heard him.

David's head shot up and he glanced over Grissom's features, waiting to see if any more response would come from him.

It did not.

"I'm going to leave the covering dressing on for now," he said, unraveling the fresh bandage. "Thankfully the bleeding is stilled but if I pull away the old bandage it will almost definitely reopen the skin due to the clotting of blood stuck to the material. We need to wait until he is more stable then we can soak it off with some water." He looked to the captain. "Can you help me?"

The captain nodded and stepped forward. "What do you need?"

"I need you to help me slip the bandage under and around him. It's difficult with only two hands and we have to be careful. We need to keep him as still as possible."

Sara watched on as her father and David carefully wrapped the fresh bandage around Grissom's frail body. Gently lifting him just enough to slip the material around his back. The task was finished quickly and David ensured the fresh bandage was tightly packed just like the first one had been.

Both men stood back once David was satisfied. "I'm going to stay with him for a while," the doctor said. "His fever is very high and I'd just like to monitor any more response we get from him. That's…" He aimed the next part of his question at Sara, "…if you don't mind? I realize this is hard time for you."

Sara blinked lightly, giving him a soft smile. "I don't mind," she replied. "After all, you are the doctor so that can only be good if you're here right?"

The captain pulled out his pocket watch and had a look at the time. "Can I get you anything, David? Coffee, tea?"

David picked up his bag and placed it carefully on a free space on the bed. "Coffee would be great, if it's no trouble."

"No trouble at all," the captain responded. "I'll get something sorted." He passed by his daughter, giving her arm a tender squeeze before he left the room.

"What did you mean earlier, when you said about Gil becoming conscious of his pain?" Sara asked, sitting back in the chair.

Scratching the back of his head, David rounded the bed and dipped the washcloth he had removed from Grissom's forehead back into the water. "People react differently to pain," he began, replacing the damp cloth onto Grissom's head. He turned then to face the heiress. "His injury is life threatening so therefore his recovery will more than likely be a difficult one. A number of factors can hinder his progress."

Sara frowned. "Like what?"

Sighing a long breath, David pulled up a chair and sat beside her. He entwined his fingers on his lap and explained. "Infection is a big risk. Fever can change a man, make him delusional. It won't aid his ability to fight, neither will an infection. And, if you are delusional and in pain, you can be very angry. I have seen men in similar predicaments having to be strapped down in order to stop them hurting themselves further. They just simply try to fight in order to push the pain away. I have seen others have a quick surge of panic and then pass out again. Everyone is different."

Sara swallowed hard. "Do you think he will get an infection?"

David bowed his head. "It's more probable than possible," he said quietly. He raised his head to look her in the eye.

Feeling her lower lip tremble, Sara cleared her throat, giving her fiancé a quick glance. "Many die through infection don't they?" she dared to ask.

"Yes, they do," David replied, unable to lie to her. He pushed himself up and walked back to the bed. "But…" He reached into his bag again, "…we will make sure we are as prepared as we can be in order to give him every fighting chance for anything that may hinder his recovery." Pulling out a bottle, he moved back to her and held it out.

"What's that?" she asked.

David smiled. "It's a liquor. A mixture of alcohol and opium. Should he wake and have the violent attacks I spoke about, this will help. It will calm him and aid him back into sleep."

Sara slowly reached out and took the bottle but she didn't look all that convinced and David could see it.

"Keeping him in a state of rest right now isn't a bad thing, Sara. The less exertion his body gets, the better. His body will recover much fast if unhindered."

"What if he wakes up and he's alright? I mean…" She clenched her knee with her free hand, "…I know he isn't going to be alight and he will be in pain but, if he's calm?"

The doctor straightened his glasses. "The liquor is there to aid him should he need it and I leave that decision in your hands, Sara. I'm trying to help but I won't force you to do anything you don't feel is the right thing for him."

She nodded. "Okay."

He gave her another smile. "I have another thing that will help with the pain but I am awaiting a new batch being delivered. It should arrive today. I will have some dropped in if it arrives."

She puffed out her cheeks and gave him another nod, placing the bottle he had given her onto the bed side table. Biting down on her tongue, she pondered her next question for a few moments.

"Can I ask you something? And I need you to be totally honest with me."

David looked down at her, his lips gently pouting. His face showing he knew her question before she asked it. "Do I think he'll survive?" he said, saving her the anguish.

"Yeah…" she whispered on a shaky breath.

He coiled his hands around the back of the vacant chair. "I believe he will fight. After all, he knows what he's fighting for."

"Will that be enough?" she questioned.

He gave her a genuine smile now, looking her dead in the eye. "You would be more than enough for any man."

Sara felt her cheeks reddening and she looked away, back towards the bed, although a small smile caught her lips. "Then I'll take that as a positive answer."

David looked to the doorway as the captain returned, along with his wife and a servant carrying a tray.

The tray was placed upon the dressing table and the worker began pouring coffee.

"Sara…" Laura began, approaching her daughter.

Sara looked to her mother and noticed a slight nervous look upon her face.

"The sheriff is here," Laura continued. "He needs to talk with you about last night."

Feeling a heavy lump form in her throat, Sara shuffled uncomfortably. "Oh…"

Laura held her hand out. "Come on, sweetheart, let's get this over with. David is looking after Gil and he will stay with him until we get back."

Sara went to push herself up but she hesitated. Could she relive the horrible ordeal of the night before? So soon? With her fiancé fighting for his life because of what had happened? She shuddered, thoughts of the late Jeffery McKeen reentering her brain. She never wanted to think about that man ever again but yet he plagued a good proportion of her thoughts.

But, she sucked in a breath and pushed herself up. It was now her turn to be strong. Be as strong for him as he was for her. She could do this. It was time to get The McKeen's out of her life forever.

"Ready?" Laura asked.

Sara nodded taking her mother's hand. "Let's finish this."

*** - "The curse of those occasions is heavy upon me, for I always remember them."

*** - Extract taken from A Tale of two Cities by Charles Dickens

A/N: Hmmm, I foresee a rocky day ahead. Will Hat come back out?