DISCLAIMER: CSI is the property of CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok guys this is my first Cath/Sara fic so please be nice. This hasn't been betaed, so all mistakes are mine. Please give feedback. I can accept helpful suggestions but blatant flaming will be ignored. Oh yah in my fic the team isn't split up.
SPOILERS: Minor spoilers for Lady Hether's Box and Nesting Dolls in later chapters.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Sick Day
By Dacia
Part Three
Grissom hung up his phone and headed towards the break room. "Hey Griss where are Cath and Sara? It's not like both of them to be late especially Sara," Nick asked.
"Where is Greg?" Grissom asked.
"I'm right here sorry traffic was a nightmare from my house to here," Greg said out of breath as he ran into the break room.
"That's ok well I have four cases tonight and we're all working solo. Greg you have a 419 on Berkeley Street. Warrick you have a decomp at Lake Mead. Nicky you have a B and E at the Vegas Mall and I have a possible suicide at the rampart."
"Griss you still haven't told us where Cath and Sara are neither of them have the night off," Warrick commented.
"Well we have a problem. Apparently Lindsey found Catherine on the kitchen floor unconscious but breathing. She called Sara and the three of them are at LMC. Sara promised to call once she has news on Cath. All right everyone lets get to work, and I will call you if I have any news." Everyone just nodded as they turned and filed out of the break room and headed to their respective scenes.
Sara came to a halt outside the emergency room and got out of the car. She could see Catherine's sister waiting for them. She ran over to Sara's Denali and hugged Lindsey tightly to her. Sara, not wanting to intrude on the family moment gently unbuckled Catherine and carried her into the emergency room. "Are you ok Linds?" her Aunt Nancy asked as she looked over the frightened little girl.
"Yes Aunt Nancy, I am ok Sara is so awesome," Lindsey said with admiration in her eyes as she glanced at Sara. Sara just blushed and gave Lindsey a small smile.
"Hey Lindsey do you know if your mom has eaten much this week, sweetheart?" Sara asked.
"She's tried to eat but she keeps throwing it back up," Lindsey said softly as she glanced worriedly at her mom, who was cradled in Sara's arms like a helpless and fragile little baby.
"Ok well let's have the doctors look at her and they can tell us what is wrong," Sara said as she walked up to the receptionist desk with the others right behind her. The receptionist signed them in and asked Sara and Nancy to fill out as much of the forms as they could. Then she called for a doctor who came and took Catherine from Sara's arms.
"I wanna go with my Mom!" Lindsey said as the doctor began to walk away. The doctor turned back to the group and smiled at Lindsey.
"My name is Dr. Rose, what's yours?"
"My name is Lindsey."
"That's a pretty name. Well Lindsey I tell you what. I need to check your mom out for a little while. Once I have done that you can come and see her ok?" Dr. Rose said as she gave the small blond a smile. Lindsey just nodded and reached for Sara's hand with her free hand that wasn't holding on to her Aunts.
"Can I give her a kiss bye?" Dr. Rose nodded and Lindsey leaned in and gave Catherine a kiss on the forehead then the doctor turned and walked off to take care of Catherine leaving the three of them to sit and wait wondering what was wrong with her.
Everyone had finished their cases and were sitting in the break room. Grissom was reading a forensic journal. Nick and Warrick were playing a videogame, and Greg was playing a card game on his cell phone. All of a sudden a cell phone rang, breaking the silence. "It's mine," Grissom said as he picked up his cell. "Grissom."
"Grissom, its Sara we are at the hospital."
"How is Catherine doing?"
"We don't know the doctor hasn't come back out to talk to us. I can come in if you want me to, but I really want to stay with Lindsey," Sara said the last part so softly that Grissom had to strain to hear her.
"No stay with Lindsey and call us when you know more ok?"
"Ok I will talk to you later Grissom," Sara said as she hung up her phone and turned back to the little girl who had fallen asleep in her lap.
"How is she doing?" Greg asked as soon as Grissom had hung up.
"She is being looked at by the doctor and Sara is going to stay with Lindsey tonight." Everyone took in what Grissom had said and prayed that Catherine would be all right.
Sara must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing she realized Lindsey was gently shaking her shoulder.
"Sara, wake up Mommy's doctor is here." Sara rubbed her eyes and blinked tiredly. She woke up just in time to here Nancy reprimand Lindsey.
"Lindsey willows! Where are your manners young lady? You know that it is not appropriate to call adults by their first name.
"It's ok Nancy I told her that it was ok," Sara said with a smile trying to make sure that the young girl didn't get into trouble. Lindsey just nodded and turned to the doctor.
'"So Dr. Rose, how is Catherine?" Nancy asked.
"Well she is running a temperature of 104.3. She is also being intubated because it is extremely difficult for her to breathe. We ran some tests, and our findings indicate Pneumonia."
"So what does that mean for her?" Sara asked as Lindsey stared at the doctor with wide eyes.
"Well we are going to admit her to the ICU to closely monitor her."
"Has she regained consciousness and what is intubation?" Lindsey asked with a questioning look on her face, not sure if she had pronounced it right.
"Yes you said it right. Intubation means that we had to stick a tube down your mom's throat so she can breathe easier. She hasn't woke up and probably won't for a while. She is sleeping of her own choice right now, but we will probably sedate her when she tries to wake up so she doesn't fight the tube."
"Can I see her?"
"Well you're not allowed in the ICU because of your age, and because of the fact that we don't want to get your Mommy any sicker."
"But I want to see her. I have to see her!" Lindsey said as tears filled her big blue eyes and her bottom lip began to tremble. Nancy reached out to take her hand but she cuddled up next to Sara. Sara just held her close and sent Nancy an apologetic look over the little girls head. Nancy just smiled and mouthed its ok I think she is comforted by you more than me right now.
"Well I tell you what. Lindsey can you look at me, sweetie?" Dr. Rose said as she knelt down in front of the little girl. Lindsey lifted her tear streaked face and looked at the doctor.
"Yes Ma'am?"
"If you wash your hands really well, and put on a mask you can go in and see her for just a minute or two is that ok?"
"Oh thank you so much," Lindsey said as she gave the doctor a smile as she got up pulling Sara and Nancy a long with her. Sara stopped at the door of the ICU, and let go of Lindsey's hand.
"C'mon Sara Mom would want to see you to," Lindsey said as she gently tugged on Sara's hand.
"Linds, I can't go in. It's family only in the ICU," Sara replied.
"Actually is your name Sara Sidle?" Dr. Rose asked consulting Catherine's chart.
"Yes it is," Sara said with a puzzled expression.
"Well you're her emergency contact, so you're allowed in." Sara stared in shock.
"I'm her emergency contact? I thought it would be Nancy," Sara said with surprise.
"Catherine wanted you as her emergency contact. She didn't explain why and I decided it was her own decision," Nancy replied. After hearing this Lindsey grabbed both adults' hands and ran into the ICU.
"Lindsey Elizabeth Willows stop!" Nancy called after her. Lindsey stopped and looked at her aunt.
"You have to wash your hands, and get a mask on first, remember?" Lindsey nodded sheepishly and did as she was told. Sara and Nancy also washed their hands and put on a mask before they walked into Catherine's room.
The site of Catherine lying in the hospital was such an uncharacteristic sight. She looked so fragile, and small. "Hi Mommy, I love you. I have been a very good girl for Aunt Nancy and Sara. Sara told me that I could call her by her first name. I have to leave now but I will see you later. I love you Mommy," Lindsey said as she gently patted Catherine's hand and then walked out of the ICU Nancy followed her out after gently patting her sisters hand, leaving Sara alone with Catherine.
"Oh Cath c'mon and wake up. You have to get better. I am going to let you get some rest. Don't worry we are taking good care of Lindsey," Sara said as she gently ran her finger down Catherine's cheek before walking out of the hospital room.
"Aunt Nancy I am sleepy," Lindsey said as she yawned.
"Ok let's go home, sweetheart," Nancy said as she put an arm around the little girl's shoulders.
"But what about Sara?"
"Don't worry about me Lindsey, I will be fine. I'm going to stay with your mom so she isn't alone. I promise to call you if anything changes ok?" Lindsey nodded and walked out of the waiting room with her aunt behind her.
Another case had come up and Grissom had taken it and let the rest of the team hang out in the break room in case Sara stopped by. "I hope that Catherine is ok," Warrick said.
"Yah me to," Nick agreed.
"Well Cath is strong she is a fighter," Greg said with confidence. Just then Nick's cell phone rang.
"Stokes."
"Hey Nicky its Sara. I tried to call Grissom but he didn't pick up."
"Yeah there is another case and he took it. His cell phone probably doesn't have good reception. Hold on a minute, and I will put you on speaker phone ok Sar?"
"Sure Nick."
"Hey Sara how is Catherine and Lindsey and how are you hon?" Warrick asked.
"Yah how are you guys doing?" Greg asked.
"Lindsey and Catherine have just gone home. Catherine has Pneumonia and is running a very high fever. Currently she is unconscious. Her body is very weak. She has lost about ten pounds this week because she can't keep anything down. Once she wakes up she will be sedated so she doesn't fight the tube. I'm going to stay here tonight. I promised Linds I would. Besides, I'm her emergency contact, so I have to be here if," Sara stopped as her voice caught and tears filled her eyes. Nick noticed the change and took her off speaker phone.
"Hey Sar, its ok. She will be fine. You call any of us if you need anything ok little sis?"
"Ok thanks Nick I will talk to you tomorrow," Sara said as she hung up. Nick hung up and turned to the others.
"Sara is Cath's emergency contact I'm surprised," Warrick said.
"Yah as much as they fight that surprises me," Greg added. Nick remained quiet. He was the only one that knew that Catherine had feelings for Sara. He was sworn to secrecy and so he couldn't tell them anything. Grissom came in about an hour later and they filled him in on what was going on. They left out that Sara was her emergency contact.
"Ok guys go home and get some sleep. You're all on call but there are no other cases," Grissom said as he turned around and walked out of the break room. Everyone nodded and got up and headed home for some much needed sleep, while praying that Catherine would recover soon and the night shift would be back together.
To Be Continued