I wasn't sure how to rate this story. Below I've chosen PG-13 which would lead me to a T rating here. No violence is written about but there are strong emotions evoked because of the accident mentioned in the summary that may not be suitable for younger children.

Unthinkable

by Susan Dietz (Calim1)
Rating and Reader Alerts: PG-13
Category: GG/SS/DRA/AU

Summary: A tragic accident pushes Grissom to his limits.

Author's Note: Angst, angst, angst. Memories are in italics.

© September 2010

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.

by Susan Dietz

Chapter 1 – Oh, God

It was a bad scene. Nine bodies in all strewn about a warehouse, each riddled with bullet holes. Blood was everywhere, guns were everywhere and the media was everywhere. The Sheriff had already made an appearance and CSI Lab Director, Conrad Ecklie, was on site taking his directing job very seriously.

"Catherine! What took you so long?" he bellowed across the warehouse to the strawberry blonde sashaying her way out of the late afternoon sun and into the warehouse.

Prying off her sunglasses Catherine Willows barely looked at the man as she surveyed the surroundings.

"There was an accident. I got caught in traffic."

"That's what those flashers are for on your vehicle," he snidely remarked as she set down her kit next to fellow CSI Nick Stokes.

"No shit," she answered under her breath causing Nick to hide a smirk as he placed another marker next to another bullet casing before snapping a photo. "Where's everyone?" she asked as she pulled on a pair of gloves.

"Warrick's out back, Greg is in the office and Grissom is in the corner over there, staring at the wall. He's been doing that for the past hour."

"Where's Sara?"

"She's on her way," Nick informed her looking at his watch. "Actually she should've been here by now."

"Maybe she called Grissom," she said.

"He seems a bit distracted," Nick added.

"And that's new?"

Nick grinned. "More than usual. He's been that way for about an hour. I'm starting to get worried."

Catherine nodded and watched Gil Grissom noting the slumped shoulders; the way his eyes couldn't seem to stay focused and wondered if he and Sara had had a fight. She shrugged. He'd never admit it so she decided to let it go.

"Where do you need me?"

"There's another room off the warehouse to the left. We found one body in there but no gun."

"Sounds like a challenge," she said grabbing her kit and moving off.

"Have fun," Nick called after her as he placed another marker and took another photo before glancing once again at his boss.

Grissom was a man of concentration, renown for it as a matter of fact, but not today. Something was jerking his attention from the odd blood spatter that didn't match where the body lay at his feet and sending sparks of worry through him. Rolling his shoulders, he forced himself to zero in on what was here and the puzzle that surrounded him.

The victim was about 4'11" with one gunshot wound. It appeared, at first glance, that he'd been shot at point blank range. But the blood spatter, arching at a 5'6" height, wasn't in the right area of the wall in contrast to where the body lay. There were no other bodies near this one, no lingering pool of red to announce a victim that had either been removed or had moved of its own accord and no bullet casings nearby.

A perplexed look crossed his handsome features but immediately disappeared to be replaced with surprise as an intense feeling of dread overcame him. He stepped back and touched the wall to steady himself. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a shiver of alarm tease every nerve ending. Quickly glancing around, narrowed eyes took in each face, each person, to see what was making him hyper alert. He centered on Nick who was giving him an odd look and slowly rising to his feet.

"You okay, boss?"

Grissom blinked and said nothing, a movement out of the corner of his eye pulling his attention to Captain Jim Brass running toward the warehouse. His stomach clenched and his heart began to thud.

Brass never ran unless it was something bad.

His mind went into overload. Maybe it was his mother. Perhaps she'd taken ill and he would need to leave. Could it be another crime scene worse than this? What it if was Hank? He mentally shook his head. Why would his dog sitter call Brass and not him?

And then he stiffened and his blood ran cold.

That left only one other.

Jim Brass ignored everyone and everything else as he made a beeline toward the warehouse, eyes zeroing in on Grissom who was already facing him. He slowed his steps to give him time to school his features, realizing he'd failed when panicked blue eyes met his as he came to a stop.

"Sara?" Grissom asked before Brass could open his mouth, both hearing the shakiness in his voice. His breath hitched at the pained expression the captain gave him. "Oh, God."

"She's at Desert Palm. Let's go."

Grissom held Brass's intense gaze for just a moment, not even bothering to ask how bad, for he already knew just before he started running for their cars.

Nick watched the exchange between the two then caught the look of pure panic on Grissom's face as he flew out of the warehouse.

"Grissom never runs," he muttered, his own feelings of unease seeping in when he spied his boss's silver kit left behind near the blood spattered wall.

Chapter 1 of 9 + an Epilogue. This WIP is complete but being finalized chapter by chapter. Reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading.