Disclaimer: CSI belongs to someone else, but I like fanfiction.

A/N: Okay, I took some CSI quotes literally. But hey, it's all good fun! I started this ages ago, and YAY it's finally finished!

You scientists! I bet you've never even drawn your weapon! - Officer Tyner

Yeah, I hope I never have to! - Grissom

You'd better tell Grissom we've got a war. - Sara
Grissom crouched in the mud. How long had it been? How long had it been since there was silence, peace and quiet, evidence that had not been contaminated? People were dying, and there was no closure Captain Grissom could give to any of the victim's families.

Damn this war.

He scanned the trench with tired eyes. His troops couldn't take much more of this. They were scared, uncertain, unable to do anything.

Grissom swore and brought his fist down in the mud. Everyone looked up at him - they knew he'd been cussing more since he'd succeeded Captain Brass as Captain of CS Infantry, but to curse using the word 'lawyer'… well, that was more obscene than usual.

CSI. Crime Scene Infantry. That's all they were, really. Soldiers on the front line. But under heavy attack from all sides - victim's families, defence lawyers, the sheriff's top platoon… even Captain Ecklie's squad. The DA wanted answers… but how the hell could Grissom give any answers when his troops couldn't even get at the evidence! The Police Force was ruining everything!

First Officer Willows threw a blood sample over the trench and blocked her ears. But there was no explosion, no triumphant cry of prosecuting lawyers or the shining light of a successful DNA test. The sample had been tainted.

"Dammit!" She kicked at the mud wall. "That's the fourth one this shift!"

Officers Brown and Stokes whispered amongst each other, putting together a theory based on what evidence they could gleam from the case. They both reared back and fired their theory… but on the other side, a brilliant and very expensive defence lawyer shot them down.

"We need proof over here!" Brown cried, peeling the debris of the lawyer's statement from his arm. Stokes did the same, but only whimpered quietly.

How long had it been? Three shifts? Four? Grissom had lost count. And almost lost hope, too.

Doctor Robbins and the medic, David, remained hunched over the body, not letting threats from the Police Force deter them from their study. If there was one piece of evidence the PF wouldn't touch, it was the body. For that, Grissom was thankful.

Officer Sidle was working with Private Dawson, still stubbornly trying to find the murder weapon. Silently, Grissom wished her the best - with a murder weapon located, the Force would have choice but to back down. And the war would be over.

Over the roar of the planes and the rattling of bullets overhead, Grissom heard a whimper. Officer Sanders sat in the corner of the trench, shivering, holding his scientific weapons close to him. Grissom slid through the mud to get to him.

"How you holding up, solider?"

The youngest CSI looked up at him, eyes wide with fear and ringed with lack of sleep. "I never thought it would be like this." He rasped. His throat was dry from lack of Blue Hawaiian. "I never thought…"

Grissom winced. Had it been a mistake to bring this recruit into the field so early? Sure, he was eager, bright, and loved his job… but being a CSI on the field was demanding. Even more so when there was a war. Had Grissom been too hasty bringing this labrat onto the field?

"You don't have to be here," Grissom said gruffly, "We could call for an evac, give you a few days off. You can come back when the heat's off."

But the boy shook his head. "No, sir!" Determination glinted in his eyes. He gripped his weapons tighter. "I'm not abandoning my team!"

Grissom knew that there was nothing he could say to deter the soldier. Strangely, that made him feel better. Sanders was part of his team - and his team would never surrender.

"Attaboy." Grissom managed a smile. "You'll go far yet, son."

Private Sanders grinned in return, "And they'll be a big bonus for me at the end of this, right?"

Grissom's face was deadpan. "Only if we manage to get out of here alive."

Private Sanders' grin vanished, and he nodded. With this war on, nothing was certain.

"Incoming!" Private Hodges called. The whole team looked up to see an airdrop package parachuting down over the trench. The tired and worn-out CS Infantry all managed to elicit a cheer - it was a relief package from Captain Brass… their man on the inside.

While Brass worked for the Police Force, his roots in CS Infantry were well-known. Captain Grissom now had Brass' old position; and while the two forces were sometimes at odds, Brass would be rooting for CSI… even if he could do nothing else. With him on the inside, it was easy for him to smuggle out untainted evidence, giving the Infantry a chance to end the war. But it was risky business.

The CSI's watched as the package parachuted gracefully towards them. The stretched their arms up, ready to receive their untainted gift from the detective.

But from across the no-man's-land of public opinion, the mayor sent a threatening phone-call. The precious package was diverted, and landed between Ecklie's trench and Grissom's. And Ecklie had seen the package.

Time was of the essence. If they didn't get it now, their case would be put on hold for weeks! And with the Police Force contaminating more and more crime scenes, time was a valuable commodity. Even more valuable than coffee.

"I'll get it!" First Officer Willows leapt from the trench.

"Catherine, no!" Grissom barked at her. But he knew if anyone could get that package, it was Willows. That woman wore armour that nothing could penetrate.

She dodged everything from lawyers, threats from suspects, public opinion polls, even dodgy evidence, and made her way through the mist and haze towards Brass' gift. At the nick of time, she swept it from out of Ecklie's grasp and headed back to the trench, the cheers of her team spurring her on. She was almost in the safe zone when she was felled by a blow from behind. A Child Services Agent had hit First Officer Willows in her Achilles Heel - they knew she hadn't seen Lindsay for two days. And they were coming for Willows' daughter.

Willows fell, wounded, and dropped the package in the mud.

Grissom swore again, this time in desperation. "Man down!" He shouted, and leapt to his feet. His troops leapt after him, desperate not only to get the package Brass had sent, but to save Willows. She was more than just a First Officer to them - she was a friend and a confidante.

Officer Brown was first up and out, and he was the first to make it to willows. "You okay?"

"Forget about me!" Willows said bravely, her face screwed up in pain, "Get the evidence!"

But Brown shook his head. "I'm not leaving without you." He picked up Willows in his arms and ran back to the trench. Officer Sidle pulled Grissom out of the way of a phone call from the mayor, and both soldiers dropped into the mud. Public opinion flew past their heads as they hunkered down even further into the mud. Sidle, her mind ever on the case, grabbed the evidence and held it close to her while she waited for a break in the fire. Grissom couldn't help smiling - if anyone ever said that being a CSI was an unsuitable job for a woman, Grissom would march them straight over to Sara Sidle.

"Come on," Grissom grabbed Sara's arm, "Back to the trench!"

Sara looked to him with weary but determined eyes, and nodded. They crawled back, their heads down, dragging the package together.

When they reached the trench, they found Willows waiting for them. She had refused medical help until she knew Grissom and Sidle were back safely. She gave an immense sigh of relief as the Officer and the Captain slid back into the trench, the evidence parcel between them.

"You made it! Thank heavens!"

Grissom dropped his eyes to hide his own relief at seeing Willows alive and well. "Get that wound patched, soldier. We need you back on the front line as soon as possible."

Willows saluted, and let David and Brown lead her away. Grissom turned back to Sidle.

"Good work out there," he said, knowing full well he wanted to say something completely different. "That'll probably get you some stripes."

Sidle just nodded, her eyes anywhere but the Captain's face. "I'll get this processed right away, sir."

Grissom gave a sigh, but nodded. He watched the soldier go.

"Sir?"

He turned around. It was Private Sanders. "Sir, how much longer do you think this war will last?"

"It's hard to say," Grissom said gruffly, not wanting to admit his deepest fears. "We just have to keep doing what we're doing. That's all we can do."

"Isn't there anything else?" Sanders was beginning to panic.

Grissom sighed, knowing that there wasn't any comfort he could offer the boy. "Pray."

"Father, Son, Holy Spirit?"

Grissom drew a triangle in the air. "Victim, suspect, crime scene."

"Amen."

"No." Grissom shook his head, his jaw set. "Evidence."