This is my first long fic about CSR so please be nice.
I want to say thank you to Deb (wee idgie) for having the patient, the strength and of course finding time to read my fic and help me with my English mistakes. It made a huge difference. Thank you.
Catherine and Sara are not my characters but I think you guys know that by now ;)
Catherine stepped out of her car and blew her lover a kiss along with the silently mouthed words 'I love you', before getting into the elevator. Because none of the co-workers knew about the relationship, they always travelled to the lab in separate cars and tried hard to keep their hands and eyes off each other during work time. If she was honest, Sara was getting tired of it. She wanted people to know just how much she loved Catherine and how much Catherine loved her back. So what if they were both girls? It shouldn't matter to anyone!
Once in the break room, Sara went straight to the coffee machine. Everyone was already in the room waiting for Grissom with the assignments but she didn't say anything to anyone. As soon as she took a seat, Grissom entered.
"Ok guys. We have two cases tonight. Catherine, Warrick, you have a B and E at the Tropicana. If for some reason you need it a hand, call Greg. Nick, you and Sara have a homicide in Henderson"
"What about you?" asked Catherine.
"I have a meeting with the sheriff."
"Anything we should be worried about?" Warrick said before anyone else did.
"It's about some new technology that we are trying to get him to buy, nothing serious." Everyone at the room sighed in relief. Not wanting to wait any longer Sara got up from the chair and walked towards the door.
"Are you coming or not?" she shouted back at Nick as she realized he hadn't moved yet. It wasn't her intention for it to sound so harsh it just came out that way. Not wanting to be the centre of everyone's attention, she left without another word.
Sara was wrapped in herself and didn't hear the footsteps behind her. "Are you ok, Sara?" She jumped out of her skin as a man spoke. She turned to shout at who ever had startled her but stop when she realised it was just Greg and that he was already feeling a little guilty for startling her.
"Yeah, I'm… fine. Just a little tired." He looked at her trying to figure out whether she was telling him the truth or not. After a few moments he nodded in understanding and turned to leave.
"You know if you ever need to talk Sar, you know where to find me." Despite the flirting thing, Greg was really very sweet and Sara really cared about him.
"Thanks Greg"
She grabbed her stuff in the locker and went to parking lot. She found Nick there already waiting, leaning against the SUV. She unlocked the door and they both got in.
"I'm sorry Nick; I didn't mean to speak to you like that."
"Everyone does it every now and then Sara, it's no big deal."
She smiled at the kind Texan, he was like a brother to her. "Thanks."
They drove to the scene in complete silence. Though at any other time she'd actually be grateful for the silence, today she realised she'd prefer mindless conversation to take her mind off her frustrations. On arrival at the scene they both got out of the car and walked to the front door, stepping underneath the yellow tape and finding Brass waiting for them.
"The victim's name is Anthony Carson. Neighbour called because she heard a gun shot." Brass explained.
"Did he have a wife or girlfriend or any children?" Sara asked.
"Apparently, he was married to his job. He travelled a lot on business and didn't have any time for a relationship or a family."
"Even workaholics can find time to have someone in their lives." Sara said absently. Nick and Brass looked at her surprised but said nothing. "So, where is the body?"
"Bedroom," came the detective's one-word reply.
"Ok, thanks. Is it ok with you if I…?" she looked at Nick and nodded toward the house.
"Sure. No problem." Sara walked towards the front door and stepped inside.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Nick turned to Brass. "She was talking about herself, right?"
"Well if she was, then I couldn't be happier for her," the detective replied, his lips curling into a small smile.
"Yeah, me too," Nick agreed.
Inside the house Sara was impressed by the order and cleanliness. Motive wasn't robbery, this guy had good stuff and it was all still in its place. She walked slowly to the bedroom at the end of the hall. She placed her case just on the inside of the door and took a good look around. The victim was laid on the floor just in front of the bathroom entrance, wearing a blue robe. Apart from that there didn't seem to be much out of place. She took plenty of photos of the body where it lay which was all she could do until the assistant coroner arrived to perform his assessment and do a TOD. She took a few pictures of the room too, just in case she needed later.
It didn't take long before David arrived, shooting the brunette a warm, genuine smile. Placing his case down, he knelt and began his first examination of the dead man.
"A gunshot with no exit wound. No marks on the wrists," he said as he turned the body. "That can indicate one of two things, either the victim knew his killer or he was taken by surprise."
"Or both," Sara added.
"According to the liver temperature, time of death was six hours ago. I'll try to get you more during the autopsy."
"Thanks David." Sara smiled at her gentle colleague.
"No problem Sara. I'll see you back at the lab."
Now that the body had been removed, Sara could focus on collecting the evidence: fingerprints, fibres, hairs as well as some sort of botanical material on the carpet near to where the body had laid. She used Luminol on the sheets and found no trace of sexual activity. She took a few final images of the closet and bathroom and began to pack up her kit.
"Everything ok in here?" Nick asked having finishing the front of the house.
"The guy clearly did live alone. There is no second toothbrush in the bathroom, no sign of anything that belongs to a woman there and in the closet," she answered. "I got some trace evidence from around the place but my guess will probably all be his. You had any luck?"
"Actually yes, the front door was clearly forced. I found cigarettes and footprints in the garden. I've taken photographs and an impression of the print."
"Well I hope that will help us to catch the bastard." Nick nodded in agreement. "We have enough to be working on, maybe we should head back now?" she suggested.
"Sounds good to me."
They were walking down the path to towards the SUV when suddenly a gun shot echoed out of nowhere. Nick instinctively grabbed Sara's arm, pushing her nearer to the vehicle for protection. Hidden behind the hood, he scanned the street trying to work out where the sound had come from but couldn't see anyone besides cops all of whom seemed to be at a complete loss as to where the hell it had come from.
"Nick?" Sara's voice was soft, almost a whisper.
"I know. We need to get out of here."
"That would be great but there's just one problem."
He looked at her in confusion. Sara's gaze fell downwards to where she was desperately trying to contain the blood pouring from her stomach.
"Oh my God! We need an ambulance here!" he screamed placing both his hands on Sara's belly and applying pressure to the wound. "It's ok. Everything is going to be ok Sara." He said trying not to show his own panic for her sake. "Get me a paramedic here – NOW!"
"Nick?"
"Yeah?"
"If something happens to me, if I don't make it. I need you… to do me a favour."
"Sssh Sara, this is not the time to speak… And you're going to be ok, ok? Just hang in there"
"If I don't make it, tell Catherine that… she is the most…. important person in my life… and that…." Sara tried to finish, but her voice no longer came. It was getting harder and harder to stay awake.
"No Sara, stay with me. Damn it Sara. SARA." Nick called her name but there was no answer. He looked up at Brass who had rushed over when he heard Nick's frantic cries. There was a mixture of shock and fear in his eyes as he continued to cover the wound. The blood still seemed to be flowing despite his efforts.
The paramedics arrived barely two minutes later and Nick stepped aside, tears in his eyes, so they could take care of her. Brass put his hand reassuringly on the young CSI's shoulder before returning to his officer's, shouting orders. Nick could only watch as they lifted her fragile unconscious form onto the stretcher and into the back of the ambulance.
"Are you coming?" A paramedic yelled over to Nick, who was stood staring into space in complete shock. They were racing against time so not getting any answer from the zoned out CSI he got inside the ambulance and shut the doors behind him.
A loud sound brought Nick back to reality as he saw the ambulance speed off. He flipped open his cell phone and began to dial a well-known number.
"Gris, we have a huge problem."
tbc