Howdy! I'm back with another one-shot 'Moment' piece. You'll be happy to know there is no character death in this one. I'm really enjoying putting these shorter pieces together. It shows me that I don't have to have a gazillion words to make the characters come alive (although those are incredibly fun).
Thank you for your reviews of 'Hush'. Perhaps one day we'll see little Alice show up in another 'Moment' piece. Thank you to: Shahines-a new csi, My Kate, Billyjorja, Torcan, blue3crush, Hithui (sorry I made you cry) and, of course, Nancy1.
Onward ~
CSI - He's Here
by Susan Dietz (Calim 11)
Rating/Reader Alerts: PG
Category: GG/SS DRA/HC/AU
Summary: A moment of joy - one-shot - Set between Season 10 & 11
© July 2015
Feedback is appreciated
Disclaimer: The characters and general situations in this story are the property of CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer, however I reserve the rights to the specific details. It is not my intention to infringe upon their rights; this story is purely for the enjoyment of fans. Please do not redistribute in any form
He's Here
"Can I get you anything?" Catherine Willows whispered to Sara Sidle as she ran a hand across her friend's tense back.
Sara merely shook her head, her eyes fixed on a far spot out on the tarmac where she could barely make out the just landed plane with the gold world emblem emblazoned on a tall blue tail. It was slowing and beginning its turn. Soon it would be here, arriving at the gate just behind her.
He was here.
She couldn't believe it.
After 20 phone calls to the flight desk and 20 insistent responses that his name was on the passenger list, she was sure he was here.
But what if he wasn't? What if there'd been a problem during the flight or each of the 20 different people she'd spoken to were idiots, mixing his name with someone else? What if all of this was just a bad dream to go along with all her other bad dreams of the last three weeks? If any or all of that were true she would probably freak out, go ballistic and they'd have to arrest her for being a possible terrorist or something.
That wouldn't look good.
So, yes, he was here. He had to be here and, when she finally had him in her arms, he wouldn't be going anywhere, anymore, without her by his side. She made that promise with herself and was bound to keep it. Oh, she'd gone over in her head all his arguments - he didn't want to keep her from her job; he didn't want to force her to come with him; he wouldn't have wanted her to be there this time.
Her chin began to tremble and she closed her eyes. This time had been the worst.
"Hey," Catherine said holding Sara tightly. "He's almost here."
Sara nodded haltingly then shook her head. "He was in a cage, Catherine," she said, casting her eyes toward her. "He was in a cage for three weeks."
"And now he's coming home," she reminded her.
"But what if ..." Sara's voice trailed off.
"What?"
She pursed her lips. "They weren't nice to him, Catherine."
"You've spoken to him," Catherine said. "How did he sound?"
Her jaw clenched and tears trailed down her face. "Scared," she answered swiping at her face. "But it was different this time."
"How so?"
Sara looked back out onto the tarmac to see that blue tail slowly making the long trek down the taxiway toward her. "He was trying to be brave on that first call so I wouldn't ... I guess so I wouldn't notice that something horrible was about to happen."
"And the second?" Catherine pushed.
Sara sucked in a deep breath and slowly let it out before looking back at her. "He didn't try to hide anything the second time."
"And now he's here," Catherine answered holding onto both of Sara's arms. "He's right outside and, when he comes through those doors, you'll be what saves him. Okay? All of us will give the both of you whatever support you need no matter the time, the place, anything. You know that, right?"
"I do," Sara said as she nodded. "I really do. And thanks."
Catherine smiled. "Hey, he's the bug man and we all love him. We all love you, Sara. You're not alone in this."
Sara grabbed her then, pulling her into a fierce hug, feeling Catherine's arms hold her. All she wanted to do was let go and cry her eyes out. This wasn't about her it was about him and she needed to give him her strength until he could regain his own.
"The plane's here, Sara," Jim Brass said quietly from beside her holding out a tissue. "They've opened the doors."
Slowly, she let go of Catherine and took the offering then dabbed at her eyes. "I'm a mess," she said with a slight laugh.
Brass smiled. "He won't even notice. Come on." Gently, he clasped her elbow and led her toward the passenger area near the jetway.
A few steps in, hurried footsteps came toward them, Sara's eyes alighting on two paramedics, a gurney between them, moving quickly toward the jetway. Her breath caught and she broke from Brass' hold and hurried toward a woman, walkie talkie in hand, standing by the boarding desk.
"Excuse me," she nearly shouted, the woman's attention quickly focusing on the upset woman pointing after the paramedics. "I need to get on that plane."
"I'm sorry but only airport personnel or emergency services may enter," she informed Sara.
"I need to know if those EMT's are for a particular passenger," she tried again just as Brass and Catherine caught up to her.
"I'm sorry, miss, but I cannot divulge that information."
"My husband is on that plane!" she shouted. "I need to see him!"
Brass grabbed Sara just as she took a step forward and held her tightly as she tried to get away.
"Ms. Stroven," he said after peering at the woman's badge, "I'm Captain Jim Brass, LVPD. This is CSI Catherine Willows and this young woman is CSI Sara Sidle. Her husband, Dr. Gil Grissom, is a passenger on the plane those EMT's just boarded. He was injured overseas so please forgive her eagerness to get aboard."
The woman's stern expression softened at the mention of Grissom's name. "My apologies," she began casting a slight smile toward Sara. "We were asked to keep all paparazzi away from the passengers. I will need to see some identification before we continue."
"Of course," Brass said nodding toward Catherine who pulled his badge from his jacket, showing it to the woman along with her own.
Stroven nodded. "Let me check to see what's going on. Give me a minute."
The woman walked toward the jetway, the scratchy sounds of the walkie echoing down the jetway, as Brass relaxed his hold on Sara.
"You aren't going to fly away from me again are you?" he asked her softly. Slowly, she shook her head. "Good because I'd hate to have to arrest you before Gil makes his big entrance."
"I could do it for you, Jim," Catherine said with a smile. "Save you from the narrowing of the eyes."
"Yeah," Brass said with a nod, "that just nails you to the spot, doesn't it?"
"All right, you can stop," Sara said as Brass released her. She fiddled with her sleeves. "Sorry. I just ..." She shrugged. "Sorry."
"Don't be," Catherine answered, rubbing her arm.
Shyly grinning, Sara's eyes fixed Stroven. How long could it take to get an answer? If she'd just let her on the plane she'd already know whether to be happy or ... She straightened up as the woman started toward them.
"In answer to your question," Stroven began as she neared, "yes, the paramedics are for Dr.'s Gil Grissom and Kenneth Fox but only to see if they need to be off-loaded first." She held up her notepad. "A Dr. Petra Ruyvenskil wanted me to tell Mrs. Grissom that 'Gil is biting at the rope to see you.'" Stroven looked at Sara with a frown.
"Champing at the bit," she corrected then glanced toward Brass and Catherine. "Petra always has trouble with our idioms."
"Ah," Brass said with a small smile. "Oh, passengers," he said nodding toward the jetway.
Sara's head snapped around and she focused on who was disembarking.
"Recognize anyone?" Brass asked.
"No, I ..."
"Sara!"
"Someone knows you," Catherine commented as they all zeroed in on the short redhead waving frantically.
"That's Randy, Randy Guzman," Sara stated, watching as the woman tried to get around a rather large man. "She's been working with Gil since his first lectures," she explained, a smile on her face.
"How come we don't know about her?" Catherine asked as the woman finally managed to sneak past the man.
"She's a Professor of Paleontology out of Stanford with a side interest in forensics. She met him at a lecture, they hit it off and he became her mentor then lecture partner. Whenever he goes on a field trip, she goes with him."
"She looks ... healthy," Brass commented.
"She's an aerobic dancer and a black belt," Sara offered, "and she's in her 60's."
"Good," Catherine said with a sigh of relief causing Sara to turn a look on her. "I'm just glad I don't have to take Gil to task is all."
Smiling, she started toward the woman. "Randy," she called accepting the woman's hug and returning it.
"Sara, oh, Sara," she said into her neck. "I'm so sorry."
"Whatever for?" she asked.
"I didn't take care of him like I promised."
Biting her lower lip, Sara slowly pushed Randy back, noticing the bruising on the left side of her face and arms. "He's here. That's all that matters."
"Gil saved us, Sara. He and Kenny they ... they helped us escape. I didn't want to leave him but he made me go," she said, tears running down her face. "I told him I'd promised you that I'd keep him safe but he and Kenny pushed me through the window along with most of the group." She wiped at her face and took in a deep breath, slowly letting it out. "I'm alive because of the two of them. I'm standing here because of what they did. I won't ever be able to repay that."
"No one expects you to repay anything."
"That's what Gil said," she answered more tears falling. She swiped at her face and took hold of Sara's hand. "I don't want to scare you but they hurt him, Sara. Logically, there's no way either of them should be alive. Kenny told me what happened after they found out we'd escaped." She paused then shook her head. "Gil loves you so much, Sara, and I think that's the reason why he's here."
Digging in her pants pocket, Randy pulled out a crumpled ball of paper and laid it on Sara's palm. "Gil asked me to hold onto this." Her chin began to quiver. "It got me through, having this in my pocket. I managed to talk myself into the idea that if I made it through so would he. And he did." She smiled then and let go of Sara's hand. "I feel much better giving this to you now that I know you can give it back to him."
Slowly opening the paper ball, Sara sucked in a quick breath as the object inside revealed itself.
"What is it?" Brass asked as he peered over Sara's shoulder.
Randy glanced up at him. "His wedding ring. He wanted to make sure Sara got it in case ..." She cleared her throat. "In case he didn't come home."
He blanched, then startled a bit when he felt Catherine's hand on his arm. Covering her hand with his, he cleared his throat and gave her a slight grin then turned his attention to Sara. She was crying and that just broke his heart. Reaching out, he took hold of her shoulder and pulled her to him, holding her tightly.
"It's okay," he said, feeling Catherine tugging on his arm and pointing. Glancing up, he smiled and he gently pushed Sara back. "I think you might want to turn around."
Sara frowned then froze when a well loved voice came her way.
"Sara?"
Her eyes slammed shut. Oh, God, God. Only his voice could make her name sound like that. She spun.
He was there, a few feet from her, being held up by a paramedic and a stranger. Bandages covered his chest and head and he was only standing on one leg. Cuts and lacerations were mixed in with bruises of every size, shape and color and his face was flushed and sweaty. But those eyes, those eyes she'd been dreaming about since all this started, pulled at her.
"He insisted upon standing," the paramedic stated. "So let's try and make this quick."
That was all she needed.
"Gil!" she cried and rushed toward him, stopping inches from him when she realized there was nowhere to touch him.
But before she could step back, he grabbed her and pulled her in, burying his head against her neck, her name tumbling from his split lips over and over again. She held on tightly and kept on holding him when his leg gave way, the two men easing them to the floor.
"We really have to get him on the gurney and off to the hospital," the EMT stated.
Neither heard him, to intent on clinging to what they thought they'd never see again.
"It's okay, Gil," she whispered, running her hands lightly across his back as he sobbed against her neck. "You're home. You're home."
She held him tighter, her own tears rolling down her face, relishing in the familiarity of him - his heartbeat, his scent, the feel of him - all that she thought might be lost.
He was here.
He was in her arms.
He was alive.
Good ol' Mr. G has survived another case of Grissom whump (beating up the poor man physically and/or mentally) so we should applaud his tenacity.
Happy 4th to all of you in the States. Please review. You know how I crave them. Thanks! :-D