Spoilers: Should only be tidbits from aired episodes of season 6.
Disclaimer: CSI isn't mine, but I hope you enjoy this story anyway.
"Hey girl." Warrick was the first team member to walk through her door in the morning. After a quick peck on her cheek he began pulling muffins out of a plain brown bag in front of Sara on the movable table. "Grams heard about what happened, started cooking up a storm and sent these over for you and the team."
Sara smiled Warrick's grandmother was a great cook and an even better baker. The muffins were huge fluffy streusel topped blueberry mountains of culinary goodness. "These look fantastic War. Please thank her for me."
Greg and Nick came in each carrying several Starbucks cups, based on the smell there were several different styles of coffees. "Your tea Madame." Greg announced in a mock English butler tone, setting the large paper cup in front of her then pulling out packets of sugar, small containers of cream and stirring sticks out of a small bag.
"Tea Greg? I very disappointed in you." She was shocked he'd brought her tea? Greg was the lab's coffee connoisseur and anything else just seemed odd.
He nodded seriously understanding her surprise then added in a conspiratorial whisper in a terrible fake accent, "Dah Boss man said you can't have caffeine yet, so no coffee for you Missy."
Greg's funny voices were one part of his quirky humor she loved, so no one was surprised by Sara's laughter. "So where is the bug man?"
"He'll be here in a minute." Catherine sauntered in, pushing her sunglasses up so they sat on her head and dropping a small overnight bag on Sara's bed. "More clothes." She explained offhandedly grabbing the specialty coffee cup Nick was handing her. "So how you feeling?"
"I'm fine." Sara noticed the skepticism on her friends faces. "Really guys I'm okay." The awkward moment passed and by the time Grissom and Brass entered the room it was like a normal team breakfast with Nick, Greg and Catherine doing most of the talking as they jumped from topic to topic ranging to politics to entertainment and then to work, though she noticed they were carefully avoiding subjects they thought might upset her.
It was really very sweet and totally unnecessary, but rather than talk about the pink elephant in the middle of the room she just added occasional comments here and there. Mostly she just observed her friends; she noticed weariness in their posture, fatigue and smiles etched onto weary faces. They seemed different from a couple days ago. It seemed the case and her confinement was taking a physical and emotional toll on all of them, aging them before her eyes.
Nick was closest to her leaning on the wall near her bed. "So Sar when's the Sidle clan descending?"
"They aren't Nick." Her tone was neutral; she'd long ago accepted she didn't have a close knit circle of friends and family. She hated being the girl whose mother murdered her father, so it had always been easier to keep people so they didn't learn about her childhood. It had been easier until Grissom forced the revelation out of her. He'd accepted it and her without pity and the stigma of being a victim.
"Sara you should call them, your family should be here for you." Nick sat down on the edge of her bed. It troubled him that Sara wasn't calling her family. He knew she wouldn't want to worry them, but his family had been such a vital part of his recovery. He couldn't imagine getting through those first couple days after being buried alive without his folks and the team. It had felt so good at the time to just let someone else take care of things. "Something like this brings families together."
"Nick I don't have any family to bring together. I went into foster care when I was twelve." Sara looked at her cup; she didn't want to see the concern and questions in their eyes. They were investigators and would be curious, but she wasn't prepared to answer their follow up questions that would reveal even more. While her lack of family seemed to bother them all, Sara wasn't ready to share, for now it was enough for her that Grissom knew how bad her secret really was.
Nick felt bad this was something they should have known about a friend, someone they'd worked with for years. He thought they were closer than that and felt bad that he hadn't known not to mention it. Unsure how to apologize he was grateful when she tugged him close and hugged him tightly. When he pulled away Sara looked him in the eye so he knew she was serious "It's okay because I've got you guys and I'll be back at work before you know it."
Catherine had always thought they were building a family around Grissom, but watching as Sara was hugged by the boys and Brass gave her a kiss on the head, she rethought her position. They hadn't been a family before Sara arrived to investigate Warrick, even though they'd been a team for a couple years before that. Sara was the one that had taken the group of colleagues, while Grissom formed a team it was Sara who'd created a family.
Even when they were split into two teams it was Sara who worked with both teams and the lab keeping the ties between the two shifts strong. Now Sara would need them to help rebuild the strength that this ordeal had cost. Catherine was determined to help Sara and the team overcome this latest trial and become the family Sara needed and deserved.
"When you getting outta here?" Greg asked. "Cause the work's starting to pile up without you." Greg winked outrageously and Sara laughed again.
"The Doctor said Sara can go home tomorrow, but she's off work until she gets the all clear from her doctors." Grissom answered quietly meeting Sara's gaze, silently telling her that meant both her Physician and her Psychologist. With the slightest movement of her head, she nodded agreeing to see both without the fight she'd initially given him when the EAP sessions had been initially suggested. He breathed easier knowing she would get professional help.
Slowly the mood shifted back to the more comfortable team breakfast atmosphere they had earlier. It was comforting being together, talking, laughing and just enjoying being together. As they finished drinking their coffees and eating breakfast Sara began to really notice the exhaustion in her teammates. While she appreciated their visiting she didn't want it to impact either their health or their cases. "You guys need to head to bed and get some sleep."
"You kicking us out Cookie?"
"Brass you guys are running on what four hours of sleep, fast food and industrial strength coffee? Go home. Get some sleep; I'm not going any where."
"She's right guys." Catherine agreed in her most maternal tone. "Head home get some sleep and we can drop in before work." Sara caught the pointed look the other woman gave to Grissom which seemed to say 'that means you too mister.' He seemed to be ignoring Catherine so Sara raised a questioning eyebrow since she doubted he'd even gotten four hours of sleep since this started.
"You call if you need anything. Anything at all."
"Sure Nicky and take Greg without I'm not sure he should drive when he's had this much coffee." Sara watched as Warrick and Catherine tidied up, Brass was leaning back in the chair watching the news while Grissom appeared to be reading one of the ballistics journals Bobby had brought her last night.
"Hey Warrick can you check with the nurses' station and see if they have a phone book?"
"You aren't planning on tossing it are you?"
Sara grinned at his joke. "No, but if I'm going home tomorrow then I'll need to make a few calls this morning to make that place livable again."
"Like what?" Grissom asked looking up from the article.
"Well I'll need a locksmith to change my locks and maybe have someone out to do a security check to see about getting an alarm and stuff like that. Plus I'll bet there's fingerprint powder everywhere so I might have some cleaners out to help me." She kept her tone light, but just thinking of the mess and problems she faced at home was exhausting.
"You're supposed to be resting Sara." Grissom reminded her in a tone that no one usually argued with.
"And I will just as soon as I take care of everything."
"Sara your body has been through so much in the last couple days. Honey your heart stopped we nearly lost you." It was hard to miss the strain in his voice and the emotion he just barely had under control. Catherine had seen Gil's fear and knew that if Sara fought him the fear would turn to anger which would only make Sara angry. It wouldn't be in anyone's best interest to create more tension right now.
"Sara how bout you let us take care of everything. Jim and I will oversee it all from the cleaning to the security. Okay?"
It was the swirl of emotion in Gil's eyes and the tension in his body that had Sara swallowing her argument. She was prepared to remind them that she was capable of doing this; after all she'd been taking of herself for most of the last twenty-five years. Instead she nodded and in a resigned voice agreed. Trying to get everything done from a hospital did seem a little overwhelming. "Okay."
"Right so guys let's go get some sleep, so we can get started. There's a lot we need to do so Sara can come home." Catherine practically shooed the guys out of the room.
"Thanks Cath." The red head waved off the sentiment and followed the team leaving Grissom alone with Sara. "Griss?"
"Honey you need to rest."
"I've been resting. I've gotten more sleep in the last couple days than I did all last week. I don't want to rest anymore."
"So what do you want to do?"
"Well I read your letter and was hoping we could talk about that." He stepped closer until he could hold her hand. "Grissom I need to know that you aren't doing this because of what happened 'cause relationships based on intense circumstances never work."
"So we'll have to base it on sex then." Grissom finished the movie quote, smirking when Sara's mouth fell open in shock that wasn't the answer she'd expected at all. Looking at him she liked the way his blue eye twinkled merrily, his grin was infectious and his warm, calloused hand felt so right. She couldn't recall ever seeing him look so sexy.
Her heart was pounding and her skin tingled, but she wasn't sure if it was from his physical presence or him unexpectedly finishing the quote from Speed. Flashing a slightly flirty, but very naughty smile she was privately pleased that maybe the Bug Man wasn't as predictable as everyone thought. He was like an onion and she couldn't wait to unpeel the next layer.
AN: This is the final chapter of Water Hazard. Thank you for reading and reviewing. This isn't the end of the story though. Keep a look out for the sequel Close Quarters. Grissom and Sara will be juggling the demands of a working and romantic relationship. The team will be continuing the search for Steven Ray, but will they find him before he strikes again.