Retribution

Chapter: 18

As they approached the ICU Sara could feel her breathing increase and her heart beating faster.
They approached Grissom’s room just as Doctor Peters came out, holding a chart in his hand. He looked down to see Sara.
“Hi,” he said. “How are you feeling?”
“Ok.” Sara lied. “Can I go in?”
“Yes, but I have to warn you Sara, Gil is still in a critical condition, so prepare yourself.”
Sara nodded and stood. Placing her hand on Grissom’s door she hesitated.
“You want me to come in with you?” Catherine asked.
Sara shook her head. “Thanks but…”
“It’s ok. I’ll be out here if you need me.”
Sara nodded and finally entered the room, her feet firm on the floor.
Sara raised her head to see the bed in the far right hand corner of the room. She walked slowly towards it and then she saw Grissom.
Sara felt her head swirl and her heart drop. She held her hand to her mouth in shock. She had tried to prepare herself but it wasn’t enough. She Noticed….. the slow beep…..beep of his heart monitor, unnaturally slow, his whiteness, almost blending into the sheets. If it wasn’t for the numerous visible bruises on his face, he could have been invisible. The tube coming from his mouth into the ventilator made her swallow hard, trying to imagine how that felt. She noticed his chest only slightly rose and fell with each breath forced into his body. He really was struggling. The cause of his current state hidden under the sheets.
Sara didn’t know which side of him to sit at. She was aching to touch him, hold his hand, let him know she was there for him. But one was restricted by his IV and the other heavily strapped, through the loss of his finger. She sat carefully, avoiding his IV. She gently stroked his hand looking into his closed eyes. The tears come and she sobbed relentlessly.
\finally she pulled herself, after several minutes of letting her emotions go. “I have to be strong..”she whispered. “He needs me.”
She reached over and stroked his bruised cheek very lightly. Wishing she could make the marks disappear. The door opened and Doctor Peters walked in. Checking Grissom’s stats and his IV.
Sara looked up at him. “Doctor?”
“Yes Sara.”
“Please tell me the truth. What are his chances?”
The doctor sighed. “He’s strong Sara, surprisingly so after what he’s been through, but everything rests on the next 36 hours. If his wound remains closed his chances will be greatly improved. After that time we can do some tests and then we will know more….” The Doctor hesitated for a second, not knowing if Sara was ready to hear this yet, but he continued. “During surgery Gil’s heart stopped many times, and there was a point when the surgeons struggled to bring him back. He was under for more than three minutes at one point. There may be damage to the brain. We don’t know.”
Sara felt herself shake at the news. A tiny sobbing hick up escaping her lips.
“At this point we can only wait…and hope.”
“How long do you think it will be before he wakes up?” Sara’s voice quaking with her question.
Again the doctor sighed. “Hard to tell I’m afraid. I know it’s hard Sara but please be patient. We will know more after the tests. I know this is not what you want to hear right now but there is a chance that he may not wake up at all. I have to face that eventuality, just in case. So must you.”
This hit Sara hard. How could he not wake up? A single tear fell down her cheek.
The Doctor felt for her, but he had to be honest. “Ok Sara, I’m going to give you a little while longer then you have to get some rest ok?”
Sara gave him a sharp look. “I’m not leaving him!” She snapped.
“This isn’t optional Sara, you need to rest.”
She wasn’t happy. “You’ll have to move me!”
The Doctor walked up close to her and took her hand. She reluctantly met his eyes.
“He needs you to be strong Sara…..for when he wakes up. You need rest. Ok?” The Doctor was compassionate, trying to be as supportive as he could.
Sara sighed, she knew he was right. “Ok.”