A/N: Righto, hey guys. How are we? I really enjoyed writing this chapter, which makes a change because it usually drives me crazy. Maybe it's because It's All For You is now driving me crazy instead. Ha! Plus fluffy hat is taking over in this now. Evil hat has been told to go sit in the corner for a while. Lol.

Many thanks to Calim for the beta. Not much red pen this time :D Now that makes a change! :P

Gracious thanks for the reviews and I thank you all again for sticking with my story after all this time. And most of you have been there from the very start. 5 years next month. I will try and post on the anniversary if I can get a chapter done in time.

BTW, whoever reviews next will take the crown of being review number 2000! How amazing is that? Thank you all so very, very much.

Ok, I'll shut up now. Let's see how Grissom is relapsing… urmmm…. Ooops… :P

Chapter 118

Sara's eyes popped open. The banging of a door waking her from a troubled slumber. Her dream of Grissom getting shot was not the most pleasurable of things to be seeing in one's mind's eye and she was grateful for the interruption to her nightmare.

But then, when she heard whispering and the scurrying of feet along the corridor, she immediately sat up, blinking through the darkness. Her pulse hitched as she glanced towards the bedroom door and her senses picked up that something was wrong.

Sliding from the bed, she was quick to light the lantern on her bedside table, shivering as she did so. It was freezing. Her gut cramped then. She'd forgotten to suggest they lit a fire in Grissom's room. How could she forget that? Grabbing her robe, she was quick to wrap it around herself, grab the lantern and head for the door.

She immediately headed for Grissom's room, hearing voices coming from inside as soon as she drew near. Her pace increased and she turned into the room, lowering her lantern with mouth agape to see Rana, her father and her mother attempting to pin Grissom down as he violently shook upon the bed.

"Oh, my God," she gasped, rushing forwards. "What's happening?"

Laura grimaced, looking over her shoulder. "It would be best if you went back to bed, Sara," she advised. "I can come get you once he's calmed."

Shaking her head, Sara extinguished her light and placed in on the floor. "No," she argued. "Tell me what's wrong."

Letting out a sigh, Laura turned her attention back to Grissom, ripping the sheet from his body as the captain and Rana tried to keep his shoulders pinned to the mattress.

"I suspected he was doing a little too well earlier," Laura said, heading for the mantel to retrieve the morphine. "As David feared, he has relapsed and his fever has spiked again." She looked to her daughter as she returned to the bed.

"Gil, lad! Calm down, please!" the captain begged.

Sara's attention shot back to her fiancé. His eyes were tightly closed, his entire upper body shaking like he was stuck in a wagon on the bumpiest road the world had ever seen.

"He's having some kind of attack," Laura continued.

"Hurt's so much!" Grissom cried suddenly, his voice again so pained. Sara held her hand to her mouth to fight back the threatening sob.

Grabbing a clean rag, Laura rounded the bed until she was square with his wound. They had left it uncovered in an attempt to let it breath and it oozed pus now. So much more than before.

"You need to hold him hard, Thomas," Laura warned as she tipped some of the liquid onto the cloth. "Because he isn't going to like this."

The captain gazed up at his wife and gave her a single nod and both he and Rana increased the pressure on Grissom as Laura pressed the cloth into the wound.

"Aggghhhhhh!" Grissom hollered, his entire body pushing up from the bed.

With perspiration oozing from his brow, the captain struggled to keep the rancher restrained as Laura attempted to wipe the puss from the wound and give him some pain relief.

"You're doing well, Gil," she commended, concentrating hard on her task. "Not too much longer and the pain should begin to fade…"

"NO! he screamed, his shaking continuing. "Sara!" he cried then, his shout trailing into a sob. "He's going to hurt her!"

The captain looked to his daughter as Grissom continued to fight. He was delusional.

Sara took a breath on a thought and stepped to the dresser, retrieving the box containing Grissom's locket from the top drawer before hurrying back to the bedside.

"Let him go," she requested.

"What?" the captain questioned, his struggle with the rancher continuing all the more.

She nodded. "Please. Let him go and step back. I want to try something…" Taking the locket from the box, she looked over the chain.

Laura frowned at her daughter. "Sara, what are you doing? David said that…."

"I don't care what David said," she cut her mother short. "For once, I have to go with my heart and I believe this is the right thing. For Gil…"

Thomas and Laura exchanged an uncertain look but then Laura nodded. "Let her try," she whispered, taking a step back just in case Grissom kicked out once he was released.

On a heavy swallow, the captain pulled his arms away, he and Rana stepping back from the bed also.

Grissom cried out again but Sara didn't even hesitate and slid onto the bed, moving in close to her fiancé. Swiftly, she grabbed his shaking hand and squeezed it tightly. "Gil, I'm here," she said. "Can you hear me?"

He tried to tug his hand away but she wasn't about to give up that easily and held on firmly, pulling his hand to her heart where she held it there strongly. "I'm here, Gil…can you feel me?"

The captain evidently shuffled uncomfortably at the scene. His daughter was a little closer than he would have liked, however, Laura sensed his apprehension and was quick to join him, her arm sliding through his with a tiny bit of a smile.

"You have to trust her," she whispered and he gave a nod in return.

Grissom groaned, his eyes clenching again before slowly flickering open and that's just what Sara needed. She took the locket and pulled his hand from her heart. Quickly, she placed the chain in his palm, coiling her fingers around his so he clung to the offering.

"Your mother is watching over you, you know? She doesn't want you to give in…"

His shaking slowed and painstakingly sluggish, his head turned to her for a second before his eyes fell to his hand.

Sara smiled as she relaxed her fingers, pulling them away so he could see the locket. Raising her free hand, she ran it through his dampened hair, leaning her cheek closer to his. "She needs you to keep being strong, just like I do. You know that, right?"

Running his dry tongue across his bottom lip, Grissom blinked hard, staring at the silver in his hand. He sucked in a heavy sigh, recoiled his hand to his chest and closed his eyes again.

He trembled for a few minutes and everyone anxiously watched on before he became totally still. Sara was quick to feel his temperature, biting down hard on her lip at the heat that once again radiated through her touch. But, at least he had calmed. Taking a deep breath, she sat up and glanced at her parents.

"You should have come for me as soon as he became distressed," Sara complained, carefully, pushing herself from the bed.

Laura gave her daughter a sympathetic smile, shifting from her husband to remove the cloth from Grissom's wound now that the morphine had given him the relief he needed. "Sara, we had barely been here a few minutes before you arrived." She looked back to her daughter. "And like I said before, you need rest just like he does. I can't keep constantly waking you and you can't be with him twenty four hours a day. We have to share the responsibility here."

"I want a bed moved in here," Sara replied with a bite in her words.

The captain's brow rose and his arms folded across his chest. He cleared his throat. "You want what?" he questioned.

Sara bent to retrieve the bed sheet her mother had thrown to the floor. She replaced it over Grissom's lower body for fear of the cold in the room then looked back to her father. "I think you heard me fine," she retorted.

Thumping his fists to his hips the captain tried to keep his cool. "That isn't going to happen, Sara."

"Why not?" she shot right back at him. "Gil stayed with me when I was sick. I may not remember much but I remember he was always there when I needed him."

Laura watched her husband nervously and he held a hand to his forehead. "That was different," he answered.

Sara rolled her eyes. "How?"

"Because that was his house and I had no control," the captain growled now. "It isn't proper for you to be in the same room as him, Sara. Not until you are married."

"You can't stop me," Sara argued back. "I'll sleep on the floor if I have to."

"No you won't!" Now the captain shouted.

Grissom groaned, his head lolling from side to side, the raised voices obviously bothering him.

"Stop it, both of you," Laura interrupted on a gravelled whisper, moving to check on the fallen rancher. "You'll wake him."

Running a hand over his cheek she lifted his right eye lid and his eye rolled back. He was very much away with the fairies. Looking to both her husband then her daughter she held up her hands.

"This is not the time or the place for this conversation." She pointed a finger at her husband. "Keep your voice down unless you want him fitting again and you…" She turned to Sara, pointing at her now, "…you do as you're told. You will not be staying in here every second of the day. Yes, Gil cared for you but he tried to do it constantly and it made him ill to the point he eventually collapsed."

Sara frowned, surprise highlighting her face. "What?"

Laura licked her lips, flicking her eyes to her husband. "Thomas, go back to bed. If I need you, I will come and get you."

The captain worked his jaw. He wasn't happy where the conversation had finished.

"Go…to…bed…" she insisted.

Throwing his hands in the air, he huffed. "Fine," he growled, stomping towards the door.

Rana who had been standing in silence finally said something. "Would you like me to do anything, Ma'am?" she asked.

Shaking her head, Laura pulled the bed sheet up over Grissom's chest, noting goose bumps upon his skin. "No, Rana. Go to bed and get some sleep. You've been up half the night."

Rana gave a nod. "As you wish."

Turning back to her daughter, Laura blew a gentle sigh, tightening her robe around her waist. It certainly was chilly in the room.

"What do you mean Gil collapsed?" Sara questioned, awaiting an answer.

Nibbling on her lip, Laura looked to the fireplace. "I'll answer your question in a moment, Sara," she replied. "I'm just trying to think whether it would be a good idea to start a fire or not. It's very cold in here."

Sara reached back to Grissom, passing a hand over his arm. "He's trembling but yet, he's so hot. I…" She blew out a breath, "…I was going to suggest a fire earlier but I forgot and I just don't know if it's the best thing for him or not with his temperature."

"I think we need to keep him warm and although he feels hot, I can foresee him catching a chill if we don't get some warmth into this room." Laura made a move towards the fireplace and Sara followed.

"I'll help you," Sara said, trusting her mother's decision.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

The room glowed of orange and black, a comfortable crackling coming from behind the two ladies who sat by the bedside.

"It feels much better in here now," Laura sighed as she replaced the cloth upon Grissom's forehead.

Sara nodded, not focusing on a lot apart from her fiancé as he slept. "Are you going to tell me what happened now?" she questioned.

Smiling to herself, Laura sat back, turning to face her daughter. "You were very ill, Sara, you know that don't you?" Sara nodded again. "You almost died," Laura struggled to say the words but she just about managed it. "And…although a different situation, your predicament was very similar to the one Gil now finds himself in."

"I know that," Sara cut it. "This is why I need to stay with him."

Taking her daughter's hands, Laura squeezed them tightly. "Gil tried to care for you just like you want to do for him. Twenty four hours a day…But, it made him ill. When we got back here, he collapsed because his body had become so weak, so susceptible, he caught an ear infection. It could have been a lot worse than it was…But, that was enough to scare us."

Looking to Grissom, Sara worked her jaw. "I didn't know about that," she whispered.

Laura grinned. "Why would you have needed to?" She clenched Sara's hand a little tighter. "The point is you can't be there all the time, Sara. You are still weak from your own illness. Do you really want to get sick again? What use will you be to Gil if that happens and you yourself end up collapsing? And… your father does have a point about what is socially acceptable. He's already forgiven previous indiscretions. Creating others is not an option for him. You need to understand that…"

Glancing down at her hands, Sara sucked in a big gust of air and sighed. She nodded her head. "Okay…" she whispered. "He was…just doing so well and now…"

Pulling a hand away, Laura placed a finger under Sara's chin and lifted. Now mother and daughter were eye to eye. "David said the first 72 hours were going to be the hardest. Things will get better but this relapse was more of a certainty than a possibility. Infection is…it's…"

"Unpredictable…" Sara finished for her mother.

Laura gave a nod. "Exactly."

Sara gave a sad smile. "Can I stay with him for just a little while? I don't want to leave…just yet."

Leaning forwards, Laura kissed Sara on the forehead. "Maybe an hour or two, but that's all," she replied. "I'll bring you some cocoa and get some fresh water."

"Okay," Sara agreed.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Sara leaned over the fireplace, stoking the amber glowing wood which was housed within. Her mother had left her alone after bringing a steaming hot mug of cocoa and fresh cool water for Grissom's fever. That was over an hour ago now. She glanced at the clock on the mantel on her way back towards the bed and she knew it wouldn't be too much longer before she was ushered back to bed. It was 4am now so not much point in really going back to bed but Sara had decided she would abide by her parents' wishes. After all, they were doing their best to help.

Sighing, she sat back by the bed wondering what the next day would bring. Just as she was about to reach for him again, he moaned in his sleep and his arm fell from his chest. His fingers uncoiled and the locket slipped from his hand. Reaching out, Sara picked up the chain and nibbled on her lip. After careful thought, she decided to hang it from the bedpost, just to his left. He could see it if he turned his head and it was close enough for him to grab should he desire to.

Footsteps caught her ears and she sighed again, thinking it was her mother coming to eject her from the room so she was pleasantly surprised when Gregory entered, yawning much louder than she would have wanted him too.

With haste she placed a finger to her lips as he approached. "Shhhhushhhhh…" she whispered. "You'll wake him…"

Gregory shivered, tightly crossing his arms over his chest. "Sorry," he whispered back, pulling up a chair to sit by his cousin.

"What are you doing here?" Sara asked then. It wasn't usual for her cousin to be out of bed at this hour. They usually had to drag him up at a normal hour.

"Well…" Gregory rubbed his sleepy eyes. "…I heard the, erm…let's say commotion earlier and…Aunt Laura looks tired so I suggested I take over here for a few hours. It's not like I've done much in regards to sitting with him yet."

Sara smiled and tapped him on the knee. "I'm okay for a while longer if you want to go back to bed."

He yawned again and shook his head. "Nope. I have my orders and they are to send you back to bed. I have to get Aunt Laura if you refuse."

Narrowing her eyes, Sara pouted her lips. "Going to tell on me are you, Gregory?" she questioned.

Snorting, he glanced at Grissom. "You know it's for the best, Cousin, so don't argue."

Now Sara's brow inclined. Had Gregory taken a bravery pill?

"I can't even imagine what he's going through," Gregory muttered, working his shoulder. "I mean…it hurt enough when I get hit in the shoulder let alone…" He stopped, looking back to his cousin, realizing his path of conversation probably wasn't the brightest.

Sara's face saddened.

"Sorry…" he apologized.

Shrugging, Sara closed her eyes. "It's fine…"

"Oh, by the way," Gregory began. "I fed your kitten. Poor little fella was glad for the company."

Now Sara's eyes popped open and she looked mortified. "Oh, no…I totally forgot about him," she said in a panic. The she frowned. "How did you know?"

Smiling, Gregory stood to rewet Grissom's cloth. "I bumped into Grissom when he found the little fluff ball and he told me it was a gift for you. I presumed you'd be keeping him over at the cabin so…"

"Thank you," Sara replied gratefully. "I wonder if I could sneak him into the house. I don't know when I'll be able to leave Gil for long enough a time to give him some attention."

Gregory shook his head. "Don't think that would be such a good idea right now. Not with Grissom's infection. He shouldn't be anywhere near animals, especially cats and you shouldn't either. You could pass on the germs."

"So should you be in here then?" she questioned. "Maybe you should just go and leave me to sit with him…"

He smiled at her. "I fed him earlier and I made sure I washed thoroughly when I got back. But nice try…"

Her eyes narrowed at him and she sighed.

"Why don't you go and get some rest and maybe tomorrow we can come up with a plan of some sort," he suggested.

Glancing back to her fiancé, she worked her jaw.

"You need to rest," Gregory reiterated.

She huffed and stood. "Okay, fine" she grumbled, leaning over the bed to softly kiss Grissom on the cheek. "I'll be back soon," she whispered. "Stay strong…"

Turning to her cousin she pointed to the bedpost. "If he wakes and wants his locket, it's right there, okay? It's important so make sure he gets it if he asks and you better come get me if something happens. Anything at all…"

Gregory held up his hands. "Everything will be fine. Stop worrying and go to bed."

"I wish to the heavens above that I could stop worrying, Gregory. I really, really do…"

*** In the sad moonlight, she clasped him by the neck, and laid her face upon his breast. In the moonlight which is always sad, as the light of the sun itself is- as the light called human life is- at its coming and its going.

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

A/N: Awww, Sara forgot about the kitty. Bad Sara! Lol. I just want to Give Grissom a biiiiiiiiiig hug, although that may hurt him a bit. Thoughts please? Have a great day!