When the nurse returned, Sara had already fallen back asleep, so she decided against the pain medication. She was thrilled to hear the men report that Sara had opened her eyes and managed to speak. Catherine arrived not long after, bringing breakfast and coffee. The excitement in the room was evident the moment she stepped inside.
"Good news?" She asked.
"She opened her eyes." Brass told her with a rare grin, and then reached for the coffee Catherine held. "And she said 'Hi' to us."
"She was awake for almost half an hour." Grissom explained. "We were able to have a bit of a conversation. And the nurse was able to assess her movement and awareness. Of course, she downplayed her pain and refused medication. Oh, and she asked what happened. I didn't give her details, just that she had been treated for an infection and had an abscess surgically removed."
"That's great!" Catherine exclaimed before handing breakfast orders to her friends. "See, I told you that you had to get your butt back here." She mock glared at Grissom. "And maybe that good news will distract everyone from wanting to kick your ass."
"I think we can behave ourselves in a hospital" Brass said. "But watch out if you run into Greg or Nick outside of Sara's room."
"I don't intend to leave until Sara does." Grissom insisted. "It's the least I can do for her."
"It's a good start." Brass admitted. "But don't expect that to make everything right again." He told Grissom firmly. "You need to be there for her, for good this time, if you want to be forgiven. And even if you don't owe us an explanation, you owe one to Sara." Grissom nodded.
"I know." He sighed. "And I have no idea how I'm going to make it up to her. I'm going to try, though." Catherine's phone beeped, interrupting conversation. She looked down at it, reading several messages before looking up.
"Time to face the music, Gil. Nick and Greg are coming to see Sara. Last chance to postpone the inevitable." She told him.
"It's ok, Catherine. There's nothing they can say that I haven't already thought of myself. And they're right. I'm staying." Catherine nodded in agreement and looked at Brass.
"Then I'll remind them that this is a hospital and they'd better behave."
Greg and Nick arrived together, excited to see Sara but apprehensive about interacting with Grissom. They appreciated Catherine's heads up that he was there and was staying - and understood her firm admonishment that they were to behave themselves if they wanted to visit. No one wanted to upset Sara, especially as she was having more periods of awareness.
They paused outside the door to her room, having been enthusiastic to the point of rushing out of work the moment they clocked out. Getting there quickly had been important but they hesitated before going in. It was Nick who took a deep breath and entered first, and Greg quickly followed.
"Hey Sara, good morning!" Nick said enthusiastically as he leaned over her bed to give her a gentle hug. He greeted Brass and Catherine warmly before turning to Grissom and offering his hand. "Good to see you back where you belong." He told Grissom with a calm, measured voice and shaking his hand.
"Thank you, Nick." Grissom answered. "for checking on her, getting her help."
"That's what friends do." Nick replied. "She'd do the same for me." Greg took the opportunity to lean over and gently hug Sara as well, whispering his greetings to her while Nick spoke to Grissom.
"Are you going to open your eyes for me today?" Greg asked Sara teasingly. "I don't have my coffee with me but I'll bring you some tonight."
"Actually, she opened her eyes for a moment this morning." Brass told Greg. "She was awake long enough to sign to her nurse, and she opened her eyes for a second when I came in and said 'Hi' to us."
"Aw man, and I missed it?" Greg asked, trying to sound offended but failing with a huge grin plastered across his face. "I'm just going to have to sit here until she wakes up again then."
"That's great news!" Nick said. "What was she able to tell the nurse?"
"She could move her hands and feet a bit, nodded and shook her head, and denied being in much pain." Grissom answered. "And she was able to answer some questions, and then ask what happened."
"What did they tell her?" Nick asked, concerned.
"Just that she needed to come here to treat an infection and remove an abscess." Grissom replied.
"I'm glad she's getting better. We've been real worried about her. Let's hope she wakes up for good soon. Or at least enough to see the rest of us, so she knows we've all been here."
"Don't worry, Nick. I'm sure she knows. She's responded to all of our voices at some point. And when she wakes up, I'm sure the doctor and nurses will tell her." Catherine reassured him. "But look, I know you guys rushed straight here from work. Why don't you sit down, have some breakfast and some coffee. I got lots." She gestured to the bags of food on Sara's dining table. Both Greg and Nick stood up to get food and quickly sat down again.
"So Grissom, what have you been up to?" Nick asked cautiously. "Catherine said she had to track you down on a boat in the Pacific. On your way to some remote island to study the bug life?"
"Actually, I've been tracking fishing vessels." Grissom answered. "We try to collect evidence of people who are breaking laws in place to protect endangered species."
"That's... different. Not what I expected." Nick admitted.
"I've spent the last 3 months following a fishing vessel that collects shark fins and then throws the sharks back in the ocean." Grissom said quietly. "I've passed the evidence along, so they should be arrested next time they come into port."
"Good work." Catherine told him. "Those cases are tricky. Not many people want to get involved."
"That's why I chose it." Grissom told her. "I needed a break from death. But I'm still doing good."