This one was written for a challenge at Talk CSI with the song "Save Me From Myself" by Vertical Horizon as the inspiration. Unfortunately, I didn't finish my fic until months after the challenge due date! :-) So here it is now. Thanks for reading!
Thankfully the rain had let up. It was going to be difficult enough looking for clues in the darkness of the late hour, and rain definitely would not help. Jason Axsom, five years old, had been missing for approximately six hours according to his hysterical mother. She had explained to Captain Jim Brass that the boy had been playing in the backyard by himself but had failed to come inside when darkness fell, a rule he had never disobeyed before.
At first the woman suspected that the boy had gone with his father. Divorced almost as soon as the child had been born, the two parents still had a rocky relationship despite the love they both had for Jason. Earlier in the evening, before the rain had started, the man had stopped by to play in the backyard with his son. When Mrs. Axsom noticed that he was gone and did not see the boy either, she assumed that he had left with his father. It was a source of contention for her, but it wouldn't be the first time her ex had taken Jason without letting her know or getting her permission.
It wasn't until the man called a few hours later wanting to say goodnight to the boy that she realized something was wrong. She made the call to the police, almost ashamed to tell them why she hadn't called sooner, and now the streets were full of neighbors and officers all looking for her son, calling his name.
But Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle were not calling. They were quietly examining the backyard…the last place the boy had been seen…with their flashlights. Sara crouched close to the wet grass, sweeping her light across the yard looking for footprints as Nick stood next to her surveying the area as well. He aimed his light away from the house, illuminating a large grove of trees. "Hey," he said. When Sara looked up he nodded toward the trees and lowered his light to reveal a well-worn dirt path now turned to mud and leading through the woods. "Looks like he was an explorer." He began walking toward the path, and Sara stood up and silently followed him into the trees.
The sudden downpour from a couple of hours ago had left its mark on the path. The CSIs' flashlights showed no evidence of anyone having come this way recently, but any footprints that might have been found would have been obliterated by the water and mud. Still, they continued to walk and now called out the boy's name, hoping that he was hiding somewhere nearby, perhaps afraid to come out for fear of being punished.
Suddenly, Sara stopped. "Nick...do you hear that?"
Nick stopped a few feet in front of her and cocked his head as he listened.
"There aren't any rivers near here, are there?"
"Not normally." Nick began walking again, bent over slightly and looking ahead through the trees, as Sara followed closely behind. "But there are a few creeks. And that sudden rain after the dry spell could have..." He stopped as the sound got louder and aimed his flashlight ahead, illuminating the rapidly rushing water. "...could have turned a creek into a river."
Sara stepped up beside him. "He wouldn't have crossed that. He couldn't have even if he tried. A little guy like that would have been swept away as soon as he got in."
"Yeah...well..." Nick walked closer to the water and directed his flashlight up and down the creek. "Maybe he went across before the rain came and couldn't get back."
"Maybe," she agreed. "You think he's holed up somewhere? Decided to wait it out and maybe fell asleep or something?"
"Could be."
The two CSIs walked slowly in opposite directions along the edge of the creek looking for anything that might help them find the boy. Sara had gone only a short distance when she stopped. "Hey, Nick? Look at that." He came over to join her and looked across the creek to where she was shining her light. Set back a few feet from the edge of the water was a huge oak tree. From their position they could just barely make out an open portion at the bottom of the trunk. The tree was large, round, and hollow at the base offering up what was surely an irresistible hiding spot for an adventurous little boy. If they had any doubts, they were erased when Nick aimed his light as well. Lying next to the tree on the far side of it was a small, raggedy, tan and brown teddy bear.
Nick and Sara exchanged worried looks. Whether the tree was a favorite place of Jason's or whether he sought its shelter from the storm, it didn't matter. The boy had been there, but it was impossible for them to see if he was still there. They called out his name, but there was no response.
"Maybe he can't hear us over the water," said Nick.
"Or he's too afraid to come out."
They called across the water again, this time assuring the boy that they were there to help him, that he wasn't in trouble, and that they were going to take him home to his mother, but there was still no response.
"He's not there, Nick," Sara said, sounding only half-convinced.
Nick sighed and bit his lip, looking around the area and then back at Sara. "We need to check. There's another storm on the way. This water won't have a chance to go down for him to cross back over if he's there. It might even go higher. And if he's afraid to come out of there..."
"We need to go get him," Sara finished his sentence.
Nick nodded in agreement and the two of them surveyed the area again with their lights. Trees on either side of the bank hung low over the surging water. What would have been an easy wade on a normal day was now made almost impossible by the earlier downpour.
"Wanna flip for it?" Nick gave Sara a serious look before his mouth turned up into the slightest smile, betraying his amusement at her sudden wide eyes. "Kidding," he said with a wink as he took his vest off, keeping his jacket on. He put his maglite in the front pocket of his jeans while Sara aimed her light in front of him so that he could see what he was doing as he held onto what looked to be a sturdy branch on a tree close to the water, and then slowly and carefully he slid down the bank into the rushing stream.
Nick gave a low hiss as the cold water instantly filled his boots and soaked the lower portion of his jeans. He moved carefully toward the other side of the water, working sideways so that he could hold onto the tree branch for support as he went. He was grateful for that support when halfway across his foot slipped on a large rock under the surface causing him to lose his balance and nearly fall over backward. He heard Sara gasp as the branch bent with his weight but then sprung back up, pulling him upright again. He looked over at her with a look of panicked relief. The water rushing against his lower legs was powerful, and both of them knew if the little boy had tried to cross back over after the rain there was no use looking for him here. He would be downstream as far as the creek ran. And if Nick wasn't careful, that's where he would end up as well.
In the middle of the creek now, there was nothing to hold onto, so Nick faced forward toward the other side and made slow, steady progress one step at a time, taking care to ensure that each step was solid before making the next. The bank on this side of the creek was much lower than and not as steep as the other side, but still when he got close enough he grabbed onto another branch. Better safe than sorry. He easily made his way out of the water, his boots slipping on the mud there as he left the water behind.
"See anything?" Sara called over the sound of the roaring water.
He squinted and pulled his flashlight out of his pocket. He made his way to the old tree and examined the ground where the small toy bear lay. There were no fresh tracks in the mud, but just inside of the tree where it was dry he could see several small sneaker prints in the dirt. He leaned over and picked up the bear, stuffing it into his jacket pocket, and then shined his light deeper inside the hollow. Back in a crevasse there were three little Matchbox cars and a plastic dinosaur. He stood up and yelled back to Sara, "He's not here! Hasn't been since the rain!" He turned around and aimed his light into the trees behind him, then turned the light back to the creek bank. A short walk in both directions along the edge of the water confirmed his suspicion. No footprints in the mud except for his own. Still, he called out for the boy, but there was no response. He shook his head and yelled again. "He's not here! I'm coming back!"
Nick took hold of another tree branch as he eased into the water again. His legs below the knees were still cold and wet from his first trip across, so the water did not shock him as much this time. He made his way to the middle of the creek fairly easily and let go of the branch, moving more slowly across the center now that he had no support. He reached an arm out when he got close enough to grab a branch from the other side, but as he stretched to get it one of his feet took another slip on a rock. "God damn it!" He wrenched sideways to keep his balance but paid the price when his foot went the other way, twisting his ankle painfully underneath him.
"Nick!" Sara was practically dancing near the edge of the water as she watched nervously. "Be careful!"
"I'm okay!" he answered, though he felt like he might throw up. The icy water quickly chilled the pain away, however, and he kept moving toward the bank, gritting his teeth. A few more steps enabled him to grab the branch he had been trying to reach earlier. He held onto it as he moved closer to the edge of the creek. But as he neared it he stopped and looked around. This was not the same place where he had entered the water the first time. The bank was just as steep, but the water here was deeper, coming to just above his knees now. He looked for a good place to try to climb out and saw some larger, exposed tree roots sticking out of the mud. One of them had enough room under it for him to slide his hand under and grab onto. He pulled on it a few times to make sure it would hold, and then began to pull himself out of the water.
Sara crouched down near the edge and stuck a hand out to help him up, but he waved her off so she moved back to give him some room. But as she tried to stand up from her crouched position her foot slipped on the wet grass and she came back down on her knee. Her knee also slipped, and the next thing she knew she was heading toward the water.
It happened so fast that Nick didn't even have time to think. He saw Sara falling and did the first thing his instinct told him to do. He let go of the tree root that was holding him up and made a grab for the other CSI, getting a handful of the back of her jacket with his left hand as he went backward, his feet splashing into the water. He threw his right arm around her, stopping her momentum and keeping her from going head first into the creek, but she still stumbled and fell with one knee in the deep water.
"Dammit!" she cursed.
"Hey..." Nick laughed as he helped her back to her feet. "And you told me to be careful!"
She shot him a dirty look with a hint of a grin under it.
"C'mon." He held onto her arm and put a hand on her back, guiding her to the bank where the tree roots stuck out.
As she grabbed hold of them with both hands, he pushed her up from behind. She made it to the top of the bank, pulling one knee up while she still held onto a root with one hand and grasped tall, wet grass with the other, when suddenly the root she was holding onto gave way, pulling out of the mud with a sticky, sucking sound. She started to fall backward, the grass slipping out of her grip, but Nick was right behind her again to stop her.
Nick threw up an arm to catch her as she fell, but doing so caused him to lose his balance again in the fast rushing water, taking a step or two to the side with time to give her just one more good push before he was knocked over.
The momentum from Nick's last boost helped Sara move up, getting a good hold on the tall grass and pulling herself up and over the top of the bank. She stayed on her knees, gasping for air both from the exertion and the fright. It wasn't until she turned to thank Nick for the help that she realized he had not come up behind her. "Nick?" She crawled to the edge and looked over. "Nick!"
He was on his back among several large, partially submerged rocks, a few feet downstream from Sara's position on the bank. His hands were grasping at the air, trying desperately to find something to grab hold of, but there was nothing. A stream of bright red blood ran down the side of his head where he had hit it on one of the rocks. His wide, alarmed eyes locked onto Sara's just before a wave of water surged over him.
"Nick!" She cried again, edging farther along the bank and reaching out to him. She held onto a tree branch for support, but the bank was too high here for her to reach the water. Still, she stretched out as far as she could as she saw him come back up.
The water had taken Nick by surprise as it rushed over him. Suddenly submerged, he panicked and struggled harder to get himself upright. He managed to lift his head just enough to get some air as the water level lowered once more. He coughed and gasped as he came up, hearing Sara calling his name. He had a grip on a sharp rock sticking out of the mud underneath him, and he held on as he stuck his other hand out trying to find Sara's.
She leaned over farther but still could not reach him, despite nearly falling in again herself. So she retreated, calling out to him as she scrambled to get her radio out. "Nick! Hang on!" She fumbled with the radio, dropping it once into the tall, wet grass and struggling to find it again before she tuned in to the channel she wanted. "Brass! Brass! I need help! Behind the house! At the creek! Hurry!"
Jim Brass wasn't sure what kind of situation he was heading into as he ran between the houses toward the backyard. He wasn't sure if he needed his gun or backup assistance or EMTs, so he went for all three, drawing his weapon and calling for help on his radio as he ducked into the woods. He headed quickly along the muddy path, cursing as his feet slid at one point, landing him on one knee in the thick, wet muck. He struggled to his feet and kept going. Sara's cry for help had spurred him into action without thinking, but now as he got closer to the sounds of yelling and roaring water he slowed down, trying to assess the situation and keep from rushing onto the scene unprepared for what he was heading into. He crept forward, his gun in front of him, and peered through the brush. He saw Sara kneeling at the edge of the creek, her back to him. Nick was nowhere in sight, and putting quickly putting two and two together the captain ran up behind Sara and his fears were confirmed. He saw Nick flailing in the water on his back among the rocks and then disappearing for several seconds into a rapid wave only to appear again looking more disoriented and weaker than he had moments before.
Brass dispensed with any greetings or commands and simply grabbed the back of Sara's jacket and pulled her away from the edge. He then grabbed onto a branch for support and quickly slid down the muddy bank. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he probably was not the best person to be doing this, but there was no time to think about it, no time to wait, and no time to waste. His hand wrapped as tightly around the branch as possible and his feet hit the creek and kept going until he was knee-deep in the cold, fast moving water. He moved forward quickly, almost without thinking, but still with a death grip on the branch, and stretched his arm out toward the distressed CSI. "Nick! Grab my hand!"
This whole thing had happened so fast, but Nick had felt somewhat in control throughout...until now. Once he fell all of the way into the water and hit the rocks, unable to get himself back out, he began to panic. First he was aware of Sara trying to reach him, and then he went under as the current swept over him. When he resurfaced, gasping for breath, he didn't see her anymore and looked wildly around trying to orient himself. Now, after being overtaken several times by the water, he desperately clung to a rock with one hand and heard his name called again. But this time it wasn't Sara's voice he heard. He twisted around and looked behind him to see Brass reaching out to him. He couldn't tell if anyone else was there or how the captain was trying to get to him…all he focused on was the fact that help was within reach, and he strained to make contact with Brass using his free hand.
Sara nervously watched the drama unfolding in front of her. Her worry was double now that Brass was in the raging water as well. She saw Nick extending his arm and the captain doing his best to reach him without letting go of the branch, but he just wasn't close enough.
Brass was hoping he had enough time to wait for the back up to arrive, but he still could not see or hear anyone coming, and Nick was looking more and more exhausted. He wasn't sure how much longer the CSI could hang on. He knew that one of them was going to have to let go and make a lunge for the other. He was willing to take the risk but knew that Nick would have a better chance of making it since he was younger and stronger. The captain's position was slightly downstream from Nick's, just enough so that even if Nick let go and the water picked him up it would move him past Brass and give him the chance to grab him. It was the only way. "Nick! Nick! Let go of the rock!"
It wasn't as if Nick had a choice at this point. The freezing water, the head injury, and the sheer fatigue had taken their toll. His fingers relaxed and slipped away from the rock and he felt his body being carried by the water…floating…then submerged, the sounds from above muffled. He stopped fighting it and let the water take him. He was so tired, and it felt so good to let go. But as the darkness crept in he was suddenly and violently yanked back, breaking the surface of the water with a gasp and feeling himself being pulled away.
Brass saw Nick slip away from the rock and under the water, and he stretched out as far as he could without letting go of the branch. It wasn't going to be far enough, however, so he put a leg out in front of him and it stopped Nick from going past him. He was able to use his leg to get Nick's leg closer to him and bent over and grabbed onto his jeans, pulling him closer until he could reach his jacket, and getting a good hold on it he pulled the man up out of the water.
The reality of his situation came back to Nick as soon as he broke the surface struggling for air. He grasped frantically for something to hang onto and managed to lock onto the sleeve of Brass' jacket, and seconds later he felt the man's arm around him pulling him backward.
Sara saw Brass desperately trying to hold onto Nick while inching backward toward the creek bank and she knelt down as close as she dared to the edge, hoping to be able to help him as soon as he was close enough. Shouts from within the trees, however, brought the promise of more help and she called out to them. Several officers quickly appeared and ran over to her location, and in a flurry of activity she was pushed back as two of them jumped into the water to help.
Nick clung desperately to Brass as the two officers helped them to the bank. Once there, the others still on the shore reached in and helped pull the captain up, still clutching the CSI. All of them ended up in a heap on the ground before separating, leaving Brass to pull Nick farther from the edge. He let go of the man and sat back hard on the ground.
Nick was on all fours, coughing and spitting out water, and then he collapsed on the ground and rolled over onto his back, panting, eyes wide and staring up. He heard one of the officers calling on the radio for paramedics and waved him off. "I'm okay…I'm okay…" he gasped as he shivered on the ground.
"The hell you are!" Sara knelt next to him still looking clearly frightened.
"I just…need to catch…my breath," he managed to get out and then punctuated it with more coughing as he sat up.
"Nick…hang on…hang on a minute." Brass put his hands on Nick's shoulders and looked him over. "Let's just hang on a minute and let them check you out."
"I'm okay," he insisted again.
"Your head's bleeding," Sara said.
"It's just a cut."
"And probably a concussion," added Brass.
"Sir…" one of the officers interrupted, holding his radio. "What do you want me to tell them?"
Brass looked at Nick who was on his knees now and determined to get up. "Have 'em meet us out front." He stood up and held out a hand to Nick who took it gratefully as the captain helped him to his feet.
Nick hissed as he put weight on his sprained ankle. He began to pace around in a small circle, limping.
"You're pushing your luck," Sara warned nervously. "I think you should sit back down."
"It's just a sprain, Sara…I can walk it off."
She looked at Brass for help, but he seemed resigned to letting Nick have his way on this one.
Nick sat in the open door of the ambulance on the street outside of the Axsom house, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a cup of coffee in his hand. A paramedic was putting the finishing touches on a bandage over the cut on his head. Brass and Sara hovered around him as did several of the officers who had helped with the rescue.
"Any sign of him?" Nick asked. He drained the remainder of the coffee and crumpled the cup.
Brass shook his head. "Nothin'. We've expanded the grid and have the dad at the station now…gonna send some CSIs to search his place."
Nick got up from his seat and looked at Sara. "Let's go then."
"Uh uh." Brass held up a hand. "Not you. You're not going anywhere but home."
"Jim! That's crazy! I'm fine. I can help."
Brass started to protest again when he was interrupted by an officer on the lawn of the house.
"Captain!" the officer called, a phone to his ear as he waved the man over.
"Hang on," Brass said to Nick. He looked at Sara. "Make sure he stays here. Both of you stay."
"Right," she answered and then looked at Nick.
"Like you could stop me," he scoffed.
"Try it," she warned sternly, raising an eyebrow.
He held her gaze with narrowed eyes for just a moment before he laughed. "Okay…you win. You're scaring me now…stop it. I'll behave."
"Smart man." She nodded with satisfaction, then noticed that something behind her had gotten his attention. She turned to look.
"What 's going on over there?" he asked.
Although they couldn't make out what was being said, they could hear the voice of Brass getting louder as he talked to the officer. His hands were in the air and he was pointing in all directions as he grew redder in the face. The officer simply nodded in response and finally walked away, speaking into his radio.
"C'mon." Nick walked past Sara and over to where Brass stood, still fuming. "What's going on, Jim?" he asked as Sara joined them.
The angry captain could barely get the words out. "The kid's okay. They found him."
The two CSIs exchanged confused glances before Sara asked, "That's good news…right?"
"Yeah…yeah," he answered, sounding calmer but still annoyed. He let out a heavy sigh and pointed to the house. "He's in there. Been there the whole time."
"What?" Nick exclaimed. "She said she searched the house…called for him. We were in there too…in his room. Where was he?"
"In her room." Brass ran a hand over his face. "She said the bed wasn't made…he was under the blankets asleep."
"At least he's okay," said Sara.
"Yeah…here's the thing though…here's the thing. She found him over an hour ago. Gave him a bath and fed him before she even thought to let us know! Means we were out here…" He shook his head.
"I know…I know," Nick said, growing angry himself. The woman's inattention to her own child had put them all at risk…the officers, the neighbors, and everyone who was out here searching. And he had almost died because of it. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself, blocking out the cold wind that had begun to blow as the next storm rolled in. He shook his head and sighed, then took another look toward the warmly lit house. "It's okay, Jim," he said.
"It's not okay! All these guys…" he looked around at the police cars and officers in the area. "They're needed other places tonight, but they're here wasting time and money and…risking their lives…"
Nick shrugged. "It's our job. It's what we do."
"You could have been killed. Sara…could have been killed. All because…" Brass looked at the house where the front door was opening. "And she couldn't care less…doesn't have the decency to even let us know she found him so we can go home…go help other people…"
Mrs. Axsom and the little boy were walking toward them, and afraid of what the captain might say or do, Sara tried to calm him down. "C'mon, Brass…you're just hyped up over what happened earlier. But we're okay, and this thing…with the kid…happens all the time. It's no big deal."
He leaned in close to her and said evenly, "It's a big deal to me. You're my responsibility. It's a big deal to me."
"Excuse me!" Mrs. Axsom called out as she approached them. "Captain…Brass, is it?"
Brass took a deep breath and turned to face her. "Yes, ma'am?" he said as politely as he could under the circumstances, expecting her to apologize for what had happened.
"Could you tell me when all of these people are going to be out of here? All of the lights and noise…I've been trying to get Jason to bed but it's just impossible with all of this commotion."
"All of this commotion is…" He stopped himself from saying what he wanted to say, feeling the eyes of Nick and Sara on him and seeing the small boy peering at him from behind his mother's legs. He sighed. "They'll be out of your way soon, Mrs. Axsom."
She smiled at him. "Good. Thank you."
For this, she thanks me, he thought and rolled his eyes. "You're welcome."
The woman turned and started to usher the boy back to the house but stopped when Nick called out.
"Hey…Jason?" He went to them and crouched down. "Is this yours?" he asked. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the rumpled bear.
"Toby!" The child beamed as he reached for the toy and then hugged it. "Where did you find him?"
"Behind your house…on the other side of the creek." Nick stood up and ruffled the boy's hair. "You be careful crossing that water. It can be dangerous."
Jason looked up at him and said, "I will."
"Good." Nick smiled. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Well, we need to get inside." Mrs. Axsom put her hand out and the child took it. "Come on, Jason."
The trio watched them leave and go into the house before Brass said, "Well…guess I'll get these guys out of here." He put a hand on Nick's shoulder and said, "I'm glad you're okay." He squeezed the CSI's shoulder and then left.
"Come on," Sara said to Nick. "I'll drive you home."
Nick laughed as he followed her to their SUV. "Haven't I been through enough already tonight?"
"Just get in," she shot back as she opened the driver's side door and got into the vehicle.
Nick stared out the window, watching lightning flash as they drove in silence for a few minutes before he looked her way. "Hey…Sara?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. You guys…you and Brass…you probably saved my life."
"Hey…you saved mine too, remember? That's how you fell in." She flipped on the wipers as heavy drops of rain began to fall against the windshield. "Like you said…it's what we do."
"Yeah." He looked out the window again as a shiver ran through him.
"Happy endings all around, and still they haunt me."
Thanks again for reading! Please leave a little review and let me know what you think. Thanks to JacquiT for her advice and beta work! I'm going to start a new multi-chapter story soon as a post-ep to "Stalker", so stay tuned! Sign up for author alerts if you want to be notified when it's published. :-)