VERY IMPORTANT: No matter how much I want it to be these are not my characters and that is Daniel bedingfield's song so I'm gonna keep remindin all you people that think I created the totally awesome csi people… I didn't
Chapter one
"Okay, so you'll have her for a week? Yeah alright mom, as long as its Disneyland in California and not Disney World in Florida."
"Catherine, you can invite that friend of yours… Gil, is it?"
"Invite him where? And anyway, he's my boss."
"You could take a break and go out to California for your own getaway. You can tell him it's a friend trip and you can meet us somewhere at the end of the week and you can spend the last week together, you, Lindsey, and Gil."
"Ok, mom, I've gotta go. I'll run it by him."
Catherine turned the corner. She was getting closer to his office with every step. She was nervous. Grissom has been her best friend since Gil had first hired her. A couple years ago, she wouldn't even think twice about asking Gil to go on vacation with her. He loved her daughter and they just seemed to get along so well together. But things are different now. They're relationship has become an emotional roller coaster ride. They're of course friends now, but now they're more cautious about what they do. One slip and the roller coaster runs over the edge. She can't stand when there's tension between them.
wow I got here pretty quick Catherine thinks to herself as she approaches her boss's door. She knocks softly and goes in. Grissom raises a hand as if to say 'hold on a minute.'
"Ah, of course, your crossword puzzle," she glanced over at it, "Uh, Grissom? This isn't genius level in case you didn't notice."
"Thank you, Catherine, I do easy ones occasionally, but I don't usually get stuck on them."
"Okay, let me see, oh? You don't know this one, Grissom? Come on its four letters for 'affection for another person'. Grissom, it's Love," she added to herself: how I feel about you but she was even surprised about her own thought. Do I really love him? Well of course I love him but am I in love with him…
"Oh, I could've guessed that if you gave me some time. So what do you want?" If only she knew that's what he felt for her. Love. "I don't have assignments yet."
"It's not about that. My mother is taking Lindsey to Disneyland, California. I was wondering if, while she was gone, you wanted to keep me company on our own trip to California," she waited for a response but it didn't come. Grissom was at a loss for words, in a good way.
"It'll be just as friends, Grissom, I promise," She said a little nervous this time. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable. They had finally gotten their friendship stable again and she blew it.
"'Course I'll go. I'd love it," Catherine sighed in relief as Grissom said this, "Will I get to see Lindsey at all though? You know I haven't seen her in a while."
"Oh, yeah, she misses her uncle Gil," Things are almost back to normal "You'll have to come over and see her sometime." They fell silent for a second just taking each other in. Its not that they haven't seen each other in while, its just they haven't been that comfortable around each other lately.
She is so beautiful Grissom thought watching her flip her hair back and then tuck it back behind her ears. Then Brass called breaking the silence.
"Grissom. Yeah. Okay, see you there," he said and hung up the phone, "Possibly a robbery and homicide, tonight it going to be slow so I would send Sara, Nick, and Warrick, but they've gotta finish up their other case then they'll probably come over to take turns with us."
"Okay, you're driving," Catherine said heading towards the door.
Chapter two
Catherine and Grissom worked the fairly easy scene with Brass talking to them.
"So Grissom, you didn't even ask me when we were going, my mom is picking Lindsey up soon…" Catherine started trying to fill the silence.
"Going where?" Brass raised an eyebrow.
"Well, while my mother has Lindsey, I thought Grissom could come to California with me. God knows he needs to take a break, lie on a beach and soak up the sun," Catherine said smiling.
"Awe man, why didn't you ask me?" Brass said teasingly.
"Oh, Brass, Did you want to go to the beach with me?" Catherine said with her latexed hand on her hip.
"Well yeah, who wouldn't want to see you in a bikini?"
"Oh I guess I'll consider you next time," Catherine blushed and winked. Grissom turned away from them. Why did he feel jealous? Catherine was allowed to flirt with other people. They decided together not to trade their friendship for anything, so Catherine was free to flirt. Anyway, Grissom's flirted with other girls and it didn't bother Catherine. Catherine realized the tension in the room and decided she would work by herself for a while and let Grissom cool down a little.
"I'm gonna work on the bedroom for now," Catherine notified Grissom and Brass, but mostly Brass because Grissom was caught up in his jealousy.
Catherine studies the room. It's dark. She turned on her flashlight rather than the lamp until she made sure she wasn't harming any potential evidence. When she did finally flick on the light she could examine the room more carefully. She made a mental note that the bed was made but the blankets on it were ruffled as if someone sat on it. There wasn't really anything out of place. A man's shirt and tie were set out on the dresser for work the next day and the woman's cosmetics were all in neat stacks and rows. Catherine looked over at the closet. It looked like a walk-in closet. It was closed for the most part except one of the double doors was cracked open a little. Catherine looked at the small carpet that was folded over from where someone opened the closet door and it never got fixed. She cautiously moved towards the doors, her breathing picking up speed.
Brass was completely clueless why Grissom's mood had changed. Grissom couldn't help but be angry at Brass. He was flirting with Catherine right in front of him. But of course on a more logical note, Brass didn't know how Grissom felt about Catherine. Grissom's current feelings of jealousy quickly vanished when he heard a gun shot and a spine-chilling scream. A scream coming from the room Catherine had just walked into. Brass, Grissom, and a couple of uniforms run to her rescue, guns drawn. A man was holding a knife to Catherine's neck.
"Drop the weapons or I'll spill Catherine's blood right here," the man instructed. He knew Catherine's name. This was planned. Everyone dropped their guns while Catherine continued to scream.
"No! Don't! Listen! TRAP!" as Catherine screamed this, a second man had already come out of the walk-in firing a couple of shots and setting off a smoke bomb. The two of them and Catherine went out the door, jumped of the second story balcony and shoved Catherine into a car driven by yet another accomplice.
Catherine struggled in the car, she could see men chasing after the car and for a while she heard sirens. They're gonna get me she thought trying to struggle but the two men's force and the shooting pain in her leg weakened her. Slowly the sound of the sirens faded and Catherine falls unconscious.
Chapter three-Grissom's Flashback
"It's okay Gil," Catherine says looking into a mirror. She had a dark purple bruise forming around her eye. Catherine was attacked at a crime scene. This wasn't the first time it had happened to her. One time she attacked at a scene with Warrick, but each time she knows she has to act strong. That's how she'll survive it. This time the man was with the cops but when she saw Catherine and Grissom holding some DNA swabs, he made a break for it punching Catherine and knocking her to the ground.
"Do you want to see a doctor?" Grissom asked looking at her through the mirror genuinely concerned.
"For a bruise, Grissom? No I just need some make-up."
"Well, you're doing a good job hiding it," Grissom said.
"Don't you think I had to cover up worse than this when I was with Eddie?" Catherine glanced sideways at Grissom's shocked face, "Oh shit Grissom, I always thought you knew. I mean, I knew you hated Eddie, but I thought… oh, god Gil."
"He hit you," that statement was too simple, Catherine knew there was more, "He hit you. I didn't do anything to stop it. He HIT YOU!" Grissom slammed his hands on the car. Catherine was shocked by his outburst and didn't know what to say.
"Catherine, why didn't you… I guess I always suspected it but I thought if he was you would tell… Catherine, why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't know. You know how I was with Eddie. I thought I loved him. I thought I was lucky someone wanted to marry me."
"Catherine, how long did that go on?" Grissom said turning to face her watering eyes.
"A couple years after we got married. And it was only if he was drunk, high or it was my fault. I really was going to leave, but then I would've had nowhere else to go."
"You could've gone to me," Grissom said quieter.
"No I… I just couldn't. He did get better though. When Lindsey was born he stopped drinking... for a while…" Catherine was starting to cry and her voice was raised, "You don't know what it was like. He was the father of my child, she needed a father. Don't you think it pained me to have my daughter witness her father beat me unconscious? I was a wreck. I did try to leave once. He got to me before I even made it all the way up your driveway."
PRESENT
Grissom rubbed his eyes. They couldn't keep up with the car. They lost it. He might lose Catherine forever. He still couldn't believe he didn't know about Eddie. This is the first loop their relationship went through.
By now, Sara, Warrick, and Nick had heard about what happened. Sara approached Grissom's car quietly. She got in and sat in silence for a moment.
"We'll find her," Sara said after a few seconds.
"Yeah," was all Grissom could come up with to respond.
"The blood Catherine lost was a lot, but not overwhelmingly a lot," Sara said.
"Blood?"
"Yeah, Catherine was shot in the leg, according to Brass"
"Oh."
"Well good news is one of the uniforms chasing got a license plate. Brass is checking it out now."
"Sara, you don't know… I didn't know what to… I don't want to lose her"
"You won't," Sara said simply. She paused as she got out of the car, "You really do love her don't you?" It wasn't really a question; it was more like a statement. Grissom didn't know what to say to this so he just watched Sara walk away. Of course he loves her.
Chapter four-Catherine's flashback
"What the hell is the matter with you?"
"Catherine, you told me what he did and I had to know how bad."
"Thanks but I took care of it. You had no right to look at those files. No one was supposed to know about that. Even you-especially you! I thought you knew but just in case-Grissom I can't have my boss looking into every reason I call out sick."
"Catherine, he put you in the hospital!"
"He was only like that when he was high or drunk. Otherwise, he was a good father. He loved his daughter."
"He was not a good father if he got drunk, high and beat you in front of your daughter. Don't try to defend him. He never loved you, Catherine. I know you know that and you knew it too."
"He was the first person who had ever loved me."
"No"
"Excuse me? Who else Grissom? Who loved me and would be willing to marry me?"
"Me," Grissom turned and headed towards his car and drove away, leaving a stunned Catherine in the parking lot at CSI. Later that night, Grissom found himself getting one of the terrible migraines he gets once or twice a year. He dug through his cabinet looking for his little bottle of pills. He swallowed a rather large pill and downs some water before he heard the doorbell ring. He walked across his hallway to find only Catherine with mascara-stained tears running down her face.
"Hi, Gil. I'm sorry!" Catherine sobbed throwing her arms around his neck. He patted her on the back and let her cry. He didn't know why, but it seemed like the right thing to do. After a couple seconds the shaking and sobbing slowed, but didn't stop. He knew she needed something more. He put his hands on both sides of her face and kissed her lips gently. All she needed was someone to love her. He led her over to the sofa and they fell asleep laying on the couch in each other's arms. The next morning was difficult. Even though it was the right thing for them at the time, they couldn't fall in love… too late.
"Gil, I can't."
"Catherine what is so hard?"
"This love thing. I can't… I just, just don't want to trade what we have. What if this doesn't work? What would become of our friendship? I can love you, but I can't be in love with you," she said and quickly left. She was so vulnerable last night. She couldn't show it again.
Chapter five
Catherine woke up and tried to stand. Her leg gave way as she put too much pressure on it. She didn't know where she was. She was in an empty greenish gray room with nothing but the dirty couch she was on and a rickety table in the corner. Then it all hit her. She had been shot, and kidnapped. She looked down at her khakis to find them stained with crimson blood. She also noticed her leg was bandaged. Well now she knew they didn't want her to bleed to death. As far as she could tell that was all they had done to her so far. She noticed a wooden door at the far side of the room and tries the knob. Locked of course, that's what she expected. When she pressed her ear to the door, Catherine could hear muffled voices.
"While we've got her can't we just…"
"No, Chris, they have all of our DNA on file. They have mine and Dave's on for murder and yours for sexual assault. She's one of them. That's why we took her."
"It does seem like a waste though, Frank," said the man who must've been Chris. Frank seemed like the leader of the group.
"Dave, Chris, you two can go set it up and I'll watch her. It shouldn't take too much more than three hours, right?"
Catherine backed away from the door. She knew someone was coming. Frank opened the door. Catherine recognized him. It was…
"Frank Dunstan."
"Who the hell is that?"
"Catherine and I were working the case with leading detective…. You."
"Oh, yeah wasn't he the one that punched Catherine. Yeah, she was coming over to swab his DNA. When he was convicted and sent to jail the only person he ever talked about was Catherine. He did it, didn't he. He was smart, Gris,"
"He was smart," Grissom agreed, "Revenge, that's motive right there."
"Here look at his file. He is a murderer. No surprise," Brass continued to scan the page, "Kidnapping…well he already did that…well he used who he kidnapped to lure others into the trap and when he killed them, the victim would see. Okay well that comes right out and says he tortures his victims by harming people they love. Who would that be for Catherine?"
"Her daughter…" Grissom said.
"You?"
"Jim, no he wouldn't go after me. She doesn't care about me that way."
"First of all, you handled that case, too, so he would love to hurt you. Second, Gil, I've known you for too long. You love her, she loves you. I'm going to go through Catherine's emergency contacts to make sure her mother can keep Lindsey safe and away. You watch yourself," and with that Brass turned down another hallway.
Grissom couldn't believe what people were saying. Yes he loves her but she doesn't love him. They decided they shouldn't try it and Catherine had been on dates since. Obviously it wasn't really love. Or…
Chapter six
"Oh it looks like you do remember me," he said in a dark voice, "You and that Doctor Grissom or whatever put me in jail. Yeah, I didn't like that. But I did notice Dr. whatever wasn't leading on the case. You were. You did most of the work while he trained that lab rat… Greg? But, you testified against me."
"Yeah, I did and you went to jail. Unfortunately not long enough!" Catherine said with fake confidence. She was scared to death but she wouldn't give in. She's handled dangerous men before but nothing like this. She noticed he had a gun in his pocket and in his back pocket was something, probably knife.
"Oh, I served my time. When I got out I found a hobby," he said with an evil grin across his face.
"Oh? Not into torturing and killing people. That's your signature, isn't it? What are you doing now? Stamp collecting?" Catherine said unsure if she really wanted to know what his new hobby was.
"No, no, Cat-"
"Don't call me Cat," she audaciously.
"Oh, but isn't that what you're boyfriend, Gil, calls you?
"Gil isn't my boyfriend."
"What? You don't think I've done my research? Like I said, Cat, I've gotten a new hobby. I know everything about you. You're lucky you sent your daughter on vacation. I know what you had for dinner last night, the night before, three weeks ago, six months ago. I know your boyfriend. You and your supervisor.
"He's not my boyfriend. He never will be. He's barely even my friend," she knows what he does to his victim's friends, family and anyone they care about. Meaning Gil.
"Are you saying there's nothing between you and Dr. Grissom? Catherine you two can be lying to yourselves but it's definitely obvious to everyone else. Do NOT insult my intelligence!" Without warning he slapped Catherine across the face. As she leaned forward from the pain she noticed she had a clear shot at getting the gun, she grabbed it with quick reflexes and held it up to him.
"Let me go."
"You won't shoot me; I have other men here, Catherine."
"They left!" Catherine said still not sure if that was true or if there were more people. She had to take a chance. She shot but he had lunged at her so she missed. He missed too and she took the time to run. She ran out of the house screaming for anyone who could possibly hear her. Dunstan closed the gap between them quickly. He had his knife out and he slashed madly at Catherine. He tore her shirt, but at his next attempt, he missed and fell. She ran down the street and found a house with lights on. She banged on the door and someone opened letting her in. It was a man and his wife. Both were in their pajamas, but both seemed authentically concerned for the stranger that showed up on the doorstep.
"What's wrong? What happened? Are you alright?" the woman asked leading Catherine into the living room to catch her breath. Her husband locked the door. Catherine could hear the click. It was loud. That meant it was a heavy lock. That made her feel better. She was safe.
"You're clothes are torn. Jeff go get her something to wear. Oh my god!" she exclaimed looking at Catherine's leg. Catherine changed her clothes right in front of them. She didn't care. She didn't let them touch her wound though.
"What's your name?" the woman asked.
"Catherine," She didn't want to give these people too much information. Its not that she doesn't trust them, it's just if she admits anything that happens to her it becomes real.
"I need your phone," Catherine said suddenly realizing she needed Grissom. She was safe, but she needed to get back to the lab or home or Grissom's…
"Grissom," he answered his phone on the third ring.
Catherine sighed into the phone, "Gil"
"Catherine? Where are you? I've never been so worried."
"I don't know. I took his gun and held it to him then I ran and I ended up at a house down the street and they're nice they've been helping-"
CRASH
"Grissom! You better be tracing this. He found me!"
"I'm tracing but I need longer."
"I can't stay."
"Catherine, run but leave the phone unhooked and I can get it."
"Cat, you know they can trace that call. You don't want that do you?" came a devious voice. He quickly hung up the phone. He had the gun. Catherine couldn't even remember what she did with it but he found it.
"Cat, come see what you did," he grabbed Catherine by the hair and took her from the kitchen back to the living room where the couple was. Catherine gasped. She could see the window broken on the ground. And blood. Blood on the man, the woman, the floor, the wall. Blood.
"All because of you, Cat."
'Cat' now became an evil name to her. That was the lost thing she could think before he knocked her out and everything went black. Again.
"Damn!" Grissom buried his head in his hands.
Chapter seven, Catherine and Grissom's flashback of their Dance
After the decision to be "just friends" Catherine took time to give each other space. This was her first day back for a week. Just in time for the New Years party.
I hope she doesn't come. I don't know what to say to her. This is happening way too fast. But I've had a week. Oh no. She's here. She's gorgeous. She's always gorgeous. She's wearing the dress I bought her. The short, black dress shows off her perfect figure. She's gorgeous. She's always gorgeous. I love when she puts her hair up like that. I think I told her once. I like the way her strawberry blonde curls fall loosely from the clip. She looks gorgeous. She always looks gorgeous. Oh no. She saw me. Could I act like I didn't see her? No. Too late. She's coming. And smiling. I love her lips. I kissed them once and everything just faded away.
Where is he? Hiding, I bet. I can't face him, but- I have to. What will I tell him? I love you. No I can't. If I'm trying to prove to him that we can't be together, why am I wearing the dress he gave me? Why am I wearing my hair the way he likes it. I'm not wearing any perfume because one day in our second year together he told me not to. It was one of his famous random intervals to express what he thought and he told me he liked the way I smell, without perfume. Weird, but knowing Grissom, it's a good thing. I love him. I'm in love with him. But he can't love me. He agreed with me on "just friends" so he can't be in love with me. There he is. In the corner, of course. He's staring at me. I can't get away now. Just walk over. Left foot. Right foot. Dodge Hodges. Halfway there. Maybe I can pull Jacqui into a conversation- no! Who else… Ecklie-no. I'd rather talk to Grissom.
"Hi, Gil!" she said in a cheery voice. Like nothing had ever happened.
"Hey, Catherine, so how was your, uh, time off?" he said in a nervous but still casual voice.
"It was good. I spent a lot of time with Lindsey. Oh yeah, she misses Uncle Gil. She says she had a secret to tell you but I can't know about it. You'll have to come over sometime."
"Okay, I'll do that," Grissom had almost forgotten there was any tension between them at all. Then the music started. It was slow.
"Grissom, dance with me," Catherine said pulling him out to the center of the room. For some reason he couldn't refuse.
this is our song they both thought when the words began.
"If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?"
oh, he makes me feel so good.
"If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?"
she squeezed my hand. Don't fall in love… wait I already have
"If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call? If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all?
No. He's practically holding me up now. I can hear his heart beating when I put my head on his chest like this.
"I never know what the future brings but I know you are here with me now. We'll make it through and I hope you are the one I share my life with. I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand. If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am? Is there anyway that I can stay in your arms?"
she just pulled me closer. I don't ever want to let go.
"If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed? If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?"
I can't stop thinking about him. This song must've been made for the way I feel about him.
"If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life? If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?"
I wish she would marry me.
"I don't know why you're so far away but I know that this much is true. We'll make it through. And I hope you are the one I share my life with. And I wish you could be the one I die with. And I pray in you're the one I build my home with. I hope I love you all my life"
(Both)I'll always love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
"I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand. If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am? Is there anyway that I can stay in your arms?"
And they kiss. They were unaware of the other people in the room until they heard the whistles and cheering as soon as everyone noticed they were kissing. Catherine and Grissom stepped out of their trance. Catherine had tears streaming down her face.
"I have to go!" and with that she left him to listen to the end of the song by himself.
"Cause I miss you body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away. And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right and though I can't be with you tonight and know my heart is by your side…"
"I love you, Catherine, whether it's wrong or right," Grissom whispered at the door Catherine disappeared through.
Chapter eight
"Gris, what just happened?" Warrick asked walking into the room to find the computer running and Grissom with his head in his hands.
"She's alive…"
"Yeah, I know. Don't worry, we'll get her," Warrick said comforting his boss even though Warrick was starting to think time is running out if it hasn't already.
"No. I actually talked to her."
"Oh, good. Where is she? She on her way?" Warrick said thinking Catherine was found and safe.
"She got away but he found her again. I heard him. The computer's tracing the call."
"Hey Gris, Sara and I found where Dunstan lives. Can we head over now?" Nick said as he walked in with Sara. Grissom suddenly became busy staring at the computer, so Warrick filled them in.
"Grissom just talked to Catherine, but she's not safe yet. Gris is tracing the call," Warrick explained.
"Got it," Grissom said grabbing a paper from the printer.
"Let me see that!" Sara said grabbing the paper from him, "Gris, this is a couple house down from Dunstan's," Sara said comparing the two addresses.
"She did say she ran to a neighbor's house," Grissom thought back to the call, "but what happened to the neighbors?"
"Let's go find out," Nick said with Warrick nodding in agreement.
Nick and Warrick decided to work on the neighbor's house. Sara and Grissom took Dunstan's.
"Hey Gris," Sara said emerging from the room she was working on, "I found a couple guns, all the stuff you need to make smoke bombs, and this scrapbook… you might want to look at this. Grissom… are you listening to me?" she walked into the room Grissom was in.
"This had to be where they kept her. This is probably her blood here," He looked around the room. He had a couple prints he found. He called in Jacqui to look at the prints. They didn't have time to run it through the computer. They had to do it old school. The blood will have to go through the computer even though they already know it's hers. Sara tried again to show Grissom the scrapbook.
"I don't have time to look at this, Sara…" but he did look and it made him feel sick. Pictures of Catherine filled the scrapbook. Pictures of her in her yard, picking Lindsey up from school, going to work, shopping, talking with Grissom.
"He's been stalking her, Gris," Sara said flipping through the book to the back, "And you."
"What?"
"Well it kind of does match his M.O. doesn't it? He picks a victim. Leaves them alive long enough to kill someone close to them and then kills the main target in the end. Catherine is the original victim, you're the one he will lure to her and kill to traumatize Catherine before killing her too."
"But he picks who the vic cares the most about. That's definitely not me…"
"It isn't?" Sara said in disbelief, "Catherine loves you, so you would be the one that Dunstan chooses. It probably seems like a double win for him. Not only will it kill Catherine to see you dead, but he probably already wants you dead anyway. You helped Catherine with that case, didn't you?"
Grissom nodded but Warrick and Nick came in before he could think more about this.
"We found Catherine's clothes," Warrick reported holding up an evidence bag.
"We also found a lot of blood," Nick said, "but we already knew she was shot.
"Yeah," was all Grissom could say looking at the now crimson khakis Catherine had been wearing. Sara started putting the scrapbook into an evidence bag. A slip of paper fell out of it. It was a small yellow post-it note that read:
2mIlesfROmDes.GAsSTationNeaRsPaRks
Before anyone else understood, Grissom was heading out the door. He explained it to the other CSIs and Brass who were clueless to what had just happened and were now jogging to keep up.
"The gas station near sparks… I know where it is. It's in the middle of the desert. It's abandoned. Catherine had to go there when she thought she was helping out with that one guy's girlfriend kidnapping. She showed us. Remember that case? We had to find where Cath went while she followed random clues that ended up leading to nowhere… well it's that gas station, well two miles from it. But which direction?"
"Grissom, we don't know what that means, though…" Brass started.
"I do. She's there. I know it," Grissom said driving away. The others followed his car with the sirens going. As they got farther from the strip and closer to the desert Grissom shut off his siren and the rest did the same. Grissom didn't want to give them any warning they were coming. He had a feeling that told him he was heading in the right direction. He just… knew.
I'm coming, Catherine Grissom whispered under his breath.
Chapter nine
Catherine woke up but didn't open her eyes. She waited for her alarm to beep again. It didn't. Then what woke her up? Was it Lindsey? Slowly she started to feel a sharp pain in her head. She had forgotten what happened. The kidnapping came back to her, how she almost escaped started filling her mind. She felt the car go over a bump in the road. Ughhh the pain… She had a white hot sting in her leg. She felt like someone poured boiling hot water on her. And another bump… another hurt started again as more memories filled in. She tenderly touched her side. She had broken a couple ribs. As she awoke more and more pains started to fill in. She wished she could slip unconscious again. At least the pain would stop. The car stopped and Catherine was thrown forward slightly. This time sound escaped her lips.
"Ugh…" more pain shot through her body and she could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand. He was watching her through the rearview mirror.
"Awake? How was your nap? I was getting worried. You've been out for a while, now," he continued to grin at her.
Catherine looked away not showing him her pain. She looked out the window and saw they were in the middle of the desert. The sun was setting. It was getting darker and darker. She looked around. She panicked as he got out of the car. There's nowhere to run to. All she could see was a barren desert. Miles of dry, dirt with only mountains in the distance. Nothing. Except for the little building they were parked in front of. It was the gas station from another case she had worked on. She was near Sparks. She could run now, Dunstan left her alone. This would be her chance to get away. She shifted and noticed her hands were bound. She could still go. They would find her easily though. She couldn't run to the nearest town. It was definitely too far away. Dunstan came back out with two other guys. It was Dave and Chris from earlier. She recognized them by their voices, but she never saw them until now. Dave was a short, balding man. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The t-shirt was bunched on the side showing Catherine his gun. The other man, Chris, was wearing nicer clothes. Black slacks and a light blue button down shirt. He probably has to work. She doesn't know why they're helping Dunstan. She didn't work on their cases… at least she didn't think so. She had never seen either of them, or at least didn't recognize them from any case. Could they have met in jail? Probably. They got in the car.
"I thought you weren't bringing her 'til later," Chris said a little aggitated.
"Well, she ran away. You guys need to baby-sit while I go fix some things. They might be coming by now I don't know…"
"I thought you could handle her alone," Dave said.
"Yeah, we'll see how you morons do," Dunstan replied.
They arrived at a little shack. It was still getting darker. How far was that drive? Two, three miles. Catherine couldn't tell. She wished she had paid more attention. It wasn't very far, that's all she could tell. Dave and Chris got out of the car and dragged Catherine out. Catherine struggled a little bit but knew it was a hopeless battle. They dragged her into the little shack while Dunstan drove away. They tied her hands together behind her again.
"We'll be back," Dave said. When they closed the door to the room she was in, it went completely black. The click of the lock echoed in the mostly empty room.
Chapter ten
Grissom turned on the headlights. It was dark. He knew he was getting close to the gas station, but he didn't know what direction to go in when he got there. It could be two miles up or down the road, or it doesn't even have to be on the road. He looked to his right a little and saw a cloud of dust. He could barely make the car out in the dark, but it definitely was a car coming. As it got closer Grissom could tell what car it was. White… it had to be Dunstan's car. Grissom parked his car in the middle of the road and ran out quickly. Brass's car stopped right before hitting it.
"What the hell? Grissom?"
"Let me in," Grissom said jumping into Brass's car which held Nick, Warrick and Sara. The other officers drove back farther as back up.
"Are you trying to kill us?"
"No, him."
"What if that's not Dunstan?"
"Dunstan has a white car just like that. It's dark so by the time he sees the black Tahoe, he won't be able to stop," Grissom said as Brass backed his car up. They waited a couple seconds and sure enough Dunstan crashed into the Tahoe.
Brass and the CSIs ran forward with guns out and pulled Dunstan out. Brass immediately cuffed Dunstan.
"Where is she?" Warrick yelled in his face.
"I'm not telling you shit," Dunstan yelled.
"It doesn't matter. Brass, I saw what direction he came from," Grissom said.
Another officer took a struggling Dunstan to his police car and drove him back to the strip. The CSIs, Brass and a couple more uniforms continued in the direction Grissom instructed.
Catherine opened her eyes. She heard the door unlock. A light entered the room and quickly left as the two men stepped in through the door. Catherine backed up against the wall. She could feel their breath now. They were too close.
"Chris, Dunstan said it would leave DNA"
"I don't think so."
Catherine tried to keep her pride as one of them pushed her up against the wall and started running their fingers through her hair.
"Of course it will leave DNA," she said, "Finger prints, too. We have the best crime lab in the country. They'll find me. And they'll find you. Every time you touch something you leave little bits of yourself everywhere…"
"Shut up!" one of them yelled and slammed her against the wall again. So much pain. She didn't speak up again this time. He kissed her on the lips and neck. She tried to resist but she couldn't move. She was pinned. They heard a sound outside. Almost like a door slamming. The other man went outside and then a shot fired. This time the man on top of Catherine stopped unbuttoning her shirt. The door opened and closed. She heard the man slip away.
"Dave?" he said but then a shot was fired in the direction Chris's voice came from. No it definitely was not Dave. Chris didn't get hit by the shooter was and he shot a bullet into the darkness of the room. Catherine sank down to the floor. Two people were shooting blindly into the dark. There was no way she would survive this. If she tried moving she would end up being shot. Again. Someone knocked into something. She didn't know who but it came from the left of her. A shot came from the right towards the crash. There was a loud scream. A light went on. Dave was on the floor bleeding.
"Catherine!" Grissom screamed and she looked up. Grissom ran to her and Brass busted the door open.
Catherine cried and sobbed as she let Grissom untie her. She couldn't say anything. He carefully picked her up and carried her out. She briefly saw Nick, Warrick and Sara walking by them as Grissom handed her over to the paramedics and she passed out.
Chapter eleven
Catherine woke up. She felt more comfortable and she could no longer feel the pain. Was it really a dream? Just a really bad nightmare? She opened her eyes and looked around the hospital room. No not a dream, but she was safe. She looked to her right. In the chair next to her bed sat Grissom with Lindsey in his lap. Both were asleep. She laughed silently but quickly stopped. Her broken ribs hurt when she laughed. She could see the bandage around her leg. A nurse walked into the room.
"Oh, so you're finally awake? Do you know what happened? You went through pretty bad surgery on your leg. You've broken a few ribs, and lost a lot of blood, but you'll be okay. You have quite a fan club though."
"What?"
"I can't keep them out any longer; do you want me to let them in while you're still awake?"
"Yeah, okay."
She really wasn't kidding. Brass, Nick, Sara, Greg, Warrick, her mother, and even Sam Braun walked in.
Sara woke up Lindsey who went over and sat down on her mother's bed. Grissom some how stayed asleep.
"Hi, Mommy!"
"Hi, honey. Were you good while I was gone?"
"Yeah, duh. Please get better soon."
"I will, don't worry."
"Hey Lindsey, why don't you go buy something from the snack machine," Catherine's mother said and Lindsey left.
Sara went up to Grissom and screamed, "Get up!" Grissom was startled and he jumped but when he saw Catherine was awake he got up out of his chair quickly.
Catherine's parents gently hugged her and told her they'd see her later. They left together. Catherine should've been worried about Sam Braun getting back together with her mother, but that was a thought for another time.
Everyone except Grissom filled Catherine in on the adventure they had and how Grissom knew exactly where to go. They assured her that Dunstan or any of his followers would ever find her again. She liked talking to the gang, but she wanted to talk to Grissom. Catherine watched Grissom for a while. Studying him. He wasn't saying anything. Catherine cleared her throat sometime between Warrick's joke about Greg's hair and Nick's joke about Brass's suit. Sara took Catherine's hint and made everyone leave.
"Thank you," was the first thing Catherine could think to say, "So, you saved me, huh?"
Grissom looked shyly up at her, "I was so worried I would lose you, Catherine. I wouldn't be able to live with out you."
"I was afraid I would lose you, Gil. You know his M.O…" Catherine looked at Grissom and expected him to say something. He didn't.
"Gil, I love you." This took Grissom by surprise but he seemed very relieved she said it.
"I love you, too, Cat." He called her Cat. It didn't seem evil anymore to her. It made her feel warmer. She loved the way he said it. Cat. Grissom walked over and kissed Catherine gently.
"Finally!" said a couple people at once. Apparently the others didn't leave. They waited outside the door. Catherine and Grissom laughed. Even with the slight ache in her side, Catherine kept laughing. Nothing could ruin this moment.
Chapter twelve
Catherine sat with Grissom on the balcony. He kissed the top of her head and she leaned in resting her head on his shoulder. The sound of waves crashing calmed her.
"I could stay like this forever," Grissom said reading Catherine's mind.
"Mmhmm," Catherine snuggled in even closer to Grissom. A car alarm interrupted the silence and the CD player skipped before the sound of the waves coming from the boom box slowly died.
"No! I like that CD," Catherine said a little disappointed. She messed with the dials before the beach sounds started up again. Catherine looked out. She could see the buildings from the strip in the distance. Between the Las Vegas sun and the Beach CD, it almost seemed like they made it to their California vacation.
"Hey, Gil?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you ever talk to Lindsey about that secret she had to tell you?"
"Yeah, I did."
"And what did she say?"
"She told me I should marry you."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah."
"So what did you tell her?"
"I told her I would."
"You did, did you?
"Yeah," Grissom said slipping a diamond ring on her finger.
The end!!!