Sara was in the layout room working on the physical location and evidence regarding the attacks. Her phone rang and she pulled it from her belt side to see it was Sofia. Rarely did the blonde call her, even if she was on a case so she answered it immediately. Eyes still on the layout table, she listened as the blonde spoke to her. She knew a tear-filled exchange when she heard one and it worried her.
"Sofia, are you alright?" She listened and dropped the marker in her hand. "What? When? Where are you? I'm coming right now. I don't care, I'm coming right now." She closed the phone and left the layout room as is. She'd deal with the reprimand she'd receive later.
Racing to her locker room, the brunette grabbed her vest from her locker and moved to the front desk. Judy must have read something in her expression because she set a pair of keys on the counter, where Sara swiped them immediately. Heading towards the parking lot, she saw Grissom walking in and he seemed confused by her expression also. It read anger and fear.
"Sara?" He caught her arm gently. "Honey, what is it?"
She pointed at him immediately. "I will deal with you later."
"What happened?"
Unable to stop herself, she hit his chest with her fist. "You sent him alone. You sent him alone!" She all but screamed. "Greg, you sent him alone. He got beat down by the same people doing these attacks. No back up. Nothing." She pulled away and shook her head. "He isn't cleared to carry yet! He's not supposed to be alone!"
"Oh God." It escaped him and he pulled her in, holding her as she cried in his arms.
"He's alive." She stated through the tears as she hugged him, "Sofia said he's alive."
Gil Grissom knew in that moment that he'd never forgive himself for sending Greg alone. He should have planned for it but he'd thought the new CSI was safe. Holding Sara and listening to her tears, he knew it was fraction of what he deserved. If Sara was in tears, he didn't know how Sofia was doing. Sofia had training to compartmentalize so she'd betray nothing in the field until she was in a locker room alone. However, he didn't know if she'd be able to hold it in given the circumstances.
Sara picked up her head from his chest and used a hand to brush back tears from her face. Grissom watched her gather herself and she nodded, clearly saying she was alright. He brushed back a piece of hair. "I assume Sofia called you."
"Yeah, I'm going to head out to the scene. Be with him while they transport him to the hospital. Process him and call his parents if necessary."
"Go, I'll talk to Catherine so she can brief the rest of the team. We process in house, no other shift."
Sara nodded. "Okay."
"I'll also meet you at the hospital."
Parking her Denali, Sara jumped out keys and kit in hand and headed towards the sectioned off scene. She saw an officer standing by and threw her keys at him, nodding to the vehicle as she did. He knew immediately what she was demanding and headed towards the locked SUV while calling on his radio that he was transporting a vehicle back to the crime lab. Sofia seemed to be verbally addressing a woman when she headed towards the blonde.
"Hey." Sara stated as Sofia said the same at the same time.
"Hey."
Sara put her hand on Sofia's arm, "how are you doing?"
"I've been better but I have to hold it together. Work is helping and being able to be close by, it's helping even more." They walked towards where Greg was.
Seeing the medics on the two other people instead of Greg had her heckles up. "Why isn't there a medic on Greg?"
"He's been stabilized." Sofia told her, "he was first priority. I made sure of it." She looked back at the brunette. "Sara, he's going to be okay."
She shook her head. "Even you know that platitude is worthless."
"I know but it's what I have to believe." Sofia shook her head. "I'll go crazy if I don't."
With Sofia heading to the other side of the sectioned off area, Sara bent down beside Greg on the ground. Seeing him breathing helped her calm the tiger that wanted to destroy everyone who touched Greg. Gently placing her hand on his head, she glanced at him fully to see he needed processing as soon as they reached the hospital, if not before.
"Sara." Her name was stated faintly as she watched him.
"I didn't think you could see me." She didn't. His eyes looked swollen shut and his face was full of bruises. He looked beat down in every sense of the word.
He spoke after a moment. "I can't, but I know that Sidle-Grissom scent."
Wanting to laugh, she kept it together. "I'm going to take that as a compliment." Rage flew through her but she kept it together. She had to because Grissom couldn't deal with Greg being injured and having to bail her out of county lockup also.
Greg had her attention back on him after she looked up and away. "I scratched one of them." He moved his hand a fraction and she caught it as lightly as possible, barely touching him. "And you should check my vest. I think the same guy spit on me." Rage filled her at the idea that after beating Greg up, he spit on him. That is what people did to insult cops. As if the beating wasn't enough, insulting him also had to happen. "And one of the cars crashed into the Denali. I guarantee there's transfer on it." As if his thoughts were solely on the evidence, a facet of training she and Grissom had instilled in him, Greg told her what she should do. "You should process the scene now. Me later."
"I came here for you, Greg."
Greg surprised her. "They should leave the city."
"Who?"
"Whoever did this." Greg told her quietly. "They're not ready for you in Mama Bear mode. Or Sofia. She has a Glock, a Sig Sauer, and a shotgun. And those are just her on-duty weapons."
Sara couldn't help the smile on her face. "Well, I'm sure between the two of us, we'll get them."
One of the medics came over and he knew them both so he knelt down a fraction. "Hey there. Sara, we're set for transport. Miller and I are going to get him on a board and take him. Five minutes until rig arrives. You coming?"
"Yeah." She set her hand on his arm. "Thanks, Wilcox."
Wilcox nodded. "You guys are family. Whoever these assholes are, they better pray they don't need transport from their arrest site. That's between you two and me."
"You seen Sofia anywhere?"
Wilcox motioned behind them. "Damage control, mother of the boy behind us."
"Just let her know about what you just told me."
The ambulance arrived and Sara watched painfully with Sofia by her side as they put Greg on a board. He was placed on the gurney and wheeled to the ambulance, the boy behind them having been taken first. Despite everything, Sofia had seen that the mother went with him. Sara knew the blonde was a lot better than her in so many ways. Once Greg was in the rig with Sara beside him, Sofia got on and took the hand not covered in evidence.
"I'm going to come to the hospital as soon as possible." Sara saw Sofia's face waver, no longer in control. "Sara's going with you. She'll process you and when she gets done, I'll be there."
Greg squeezed her hand. "Sofie. I'll be alright."
"Yeah, yeah you will be." She kissed his hand and pulled away. Her expression went to Sara as she wiped away a tear from her eyes. "I know it goes without saying but please take care of him." Sara nodded as the blonde left the rig and shut the door, slamming her hand on the back to tell it to take off.
Grissom found his way upstairs to see Sara waiting patiently on a bench across from the ER's nurse's station. Two brown bags of evidence, sealed with red evidence tape, sat beside her kit between her legs. She seemed to be waiting on something so he sat down next to her and she accepted the hand he held out. After a few moments, she looked up when her name was called and it was a nurse.
"CSI Sidle?" A nurse inquired as he neared her. He probably recognized her from previous interactions.
"Sidle-Grissom." She corrected standing and saw the nurse had a bag of collection envelopes, typically used by the ER. "Who are these from? CSI Sanders, the college kid, or the tourist?"
The nurse held out a clipboard for Sara to sign so the chain of evidence stayed in tack. "Mr. Tanner. The surgeon is finishing up with Mr. James' surgery, the charge nurse will have any evidence collected before and during surgery."
Grissom stood an inquired softly. "Is Greg up for visitors?"
"His nurse will know more. I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you." He accepted the clipboard back and Grissom watched Sara pull evidence tape from her kit and tear off a piece, putting it along the edges of the plastic bag. Once her initials were on the bag, she put them into a brown bag and did the same thing as was previously done seconds before.
A nurse at the charge desk told them Greg was okay to have visitors for a few minutes so they both went to the room number they'd been given. Greg laid in bed, his nurse stood close by checking on meds, fluids, and pain killers. She turned suddenly and seemed taken aback. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Sanders isn't up for visitors at the moment."
Anti-inflammatories along with his face being cleaned made it possible for Greg to see out of one of his eyes. "It's okay, they're my mentors. I'd like them here."
"Five minutes, no more." The nurse stated and left the room.
"Just another day at the office, huh?" Grissom asked him.
"At least I can see now." After a moment he spoke again. "Mom's pissed. Don't let her out of the lab." He told Grissom jokingly despite seeing Sara beside him.
Sara chuckled softly. "I'm going to remember you said that."
"Good." Greg took a breath. "Where's Sofie?"
"She had something she had to follow up. Potentially another attack." Sara rubbed the top of Greg's foot. "She told me to tell you she'd be here soon.
He was silent before he spoke again. "The guy they beat up, how is he?"
"He's going to be fine." Grissom spoke softly, knowing Sara was just as worried about Greg as he was.
"What about the other guy? The guy I hit?"
Sara rubbed Grissom's arm as he spoke. "His name is Demetrius James. He's in surgery."
"Is he, like, a gangbanger or something?"
Taking over for Grissom, Sara spoke. "Actually, he's a student at the university."
"Is he going to be okay?" Worry clouded Greg's voice.
"I don't know." Grissom seemed unable to be reassuring despite Greg needing it. "Has someone called your parents?"
Greg sighed. "Sara wanted to, but I didn't let her."
Grissom looked at his wife and she shared a single look that told him all he needed to know. He turned to Greg, "we should let them know."
"Mm."
"What's the matter?" He asked first to Greg then at Sara, who shook her head.
Sara finally spoke. "He hasn't told them he's in the field. Even after it being a few years since he started going out periodically then full-time."
"Why?" The entomologist seemed unable to understand. "Greg you're an amazing CSI. Why haven't you told them?"
Greg looked at Grissom. "When I was in high school, I never played any sports. Not football. No basketball. Definitely no hockey."
"I never would have guessed." Grissom told him, all three knowing it wasn't time for sarcasm so it was light.
"Well, it wasn't by choice." Greg sighed, "my mom wanted four kids. Ended up with only one. She always made sure I stayed close. If I got a nosebleed, she'd take me to the ER." He chuckled weekly. "In some ways, you and Sara have more faith in me than my mom does. You think and know I can do whatever I put my mind to."
After a few moments, Grissom spoke. "Well, now would be the time to come clean."
"My mom is going to freak." Greg seemed genuinely scared so Sara put the brown evidence bags on the nearby tray table and walked to Greg's side, taking his hand.
Before Sara could say anything, Grissom spoke firmly. "You tell her that you risked your life to save someone else's and I think she'll be very proud of you."
Greg started crying and Sara reached for her phone, quickly dialing a number. "Here, I'll come back for the phone in a few minutes." She squeezed his hand as he took it.
"Hello?" Greg's tears stayed on his face as he spoke. "Sofie?"
Sara grabbed Grissom by the arm and pulled him out into the hall. "Give him a few moments to talk to Sofia. I'm going to go see if the surgeon is done with Demetrius James and has our evidence."
When she returned a few minutes later, Grissom stood in the doorway to Greg's room watching as the blonde CSI slept. Sara noticed her phone in Grissom's hand and the bags of evidence and her kit on the floor by his foot. He turned to her as she returned, just a small collection jar in her hand. "What do you have there?"
"Surgeon found them in Demetrius James." She held the jar up.
"Contacts?"
Sara nodded, "a special kind. They're called Halloween lens. They're wearing costumes."
"Great. Just a game to them." He stated soberly.
Glancing towards Greg, Sara asked the only question she had on her mind. "How's our boy doing?"
"Sofia helped calm him down. He fell asleep during the call so I hung up the phone and texted her from my own to let her know he was asleep."
"I'm guessing I'm not leaving the lab once we get back?"
Grissom nodded. "He's right. I can feel your anger just below the surface."
"Yeah, well it's deserved." She snapped, but he knew it's wasn't directed at him.
"I want you to know something Sara." He glanced at her and saw her attention on him. "I'm never going to forgive myself for sending him alone. So, be angry with me all you want but I'm just as angry at myself."
Sara put her hand on his arm and leaned her head against it. "I'm not angry with you. My anger was all over the place and it will be until these killers are caught and are in lock up. The only good side to all this is that they're going to get serious time for attacking Greg. They won't be doing it ever again."
Greg had been moved to another room once he was stable and it was full of happiness as the team and Sofia sat with him. Grissom watched from the wall behind Sara's chair as Nick went into a story about Sofia and the arrest of the criminals. "This woman takes a shot gun, cocks it, and walks right over to the suspect's car and tell his to turn off the truck, when its damn car. The look on her face, I was half expecting her to shoot him in the damn face."
"I was tempted." Sofia told him. "Touch what's mine and I'll blow you the fuck up."
Warrick put out a hand. "Okay, that's it. I'm officially afraid of Sofia. Sara, sorry but this woman scares me more than you now."
"I think we need to be more concerned of what they'll do together." Catherine stated while drinking some of her coffee.
Nick winced. "Oh that isn't a pretty thought." Sara held out her hand and Sofia slapped it.
"Wait, hold on, back up." Warrick looked at them. "You said 'touch what's mine' so does that mean Greg's your man?"
"Until we marry or break up." The blonde stated before taking a drink of the coffee. She sat at on the bed beside Greg's hip. "I mean, when a guy checks all your boxes, you don't let him go."
Catherine nodded. "She's right."
"I concur." Sara stated from her seat.
"And Greg checks all your boxes?" Nick asked with humor.
"Intelligent. Good morals. Good character. Great at romance." She ticked off each on her finger. "Great sex."
"Oh shut up." Nick stated and put his fingers in his ears. "I don't need to know that."
The rest of the room was laughing as Catherine reached out and pulled his hands down. "Once upon a time we'd hear about all the sex you had Nicky-boy. Now it's payback."
"Now it's just gross." Nick stated, "family having sex with family. I don't need to hear about this."
Warrick nodded. "He's got a point. Sara's like a sister to us and Sofia that cousin that always hangs around."
"You asked Nick." Sofia told him.
"She's right. You did ask." Catherine squeezed Nick's shoulder.
Sara chuckled as she stood up, pulling on her messenger bag as she did. "Well, we're going to leave you guys. Some of us have been up for two days straight." She stepped to the bed and took Greg's hand. "I'll pick up some Frank's this evening and swing by before shift."
"Alright." He smiled but called Grissom's name as they headed to the door. "Hey Grissom?"
Grissom turned to him. "Yeah Greg?"
"I took your advice. About my parents." He seemed nervous, "they want to meet you."
"Any time or day. Just let Sara or I know."
Sara smiled at him as she took Grissom's hand in her own, "I'm glad you're okay."
"Me too, Mama Bear." The brunette shook her head at his humor as she and Grissom left.
That was rough - like tear jerking rough. Let me know what you think about it.
I know in the show Sofia and Greg aren't dating but here they are so there we're so things rearranged or added but most of the dialogue happens in the episode.
I truly believe Sara would be angry at Grissom for sending Greg alone. Due to them being a secret in the show, that isn't shown. I also believe Grissom would be angry with himself.
The lab joke about Grissom and Sara being his "lab" parents continue. I find it humorous and know the team would play around with but also something that is bonds the three differently. He looks up to Grissom and Sara is protective of Greg.