Chapter 1

"CSI, this is dispatch. All vehicles involved in the Drugs Disposal, please keep this radio channel open. Over"

The police radio echoed in the front of the van that was heading to Salt Lake City, to dispose of drugs evidence safely in the incinerator. Grissom and Sara sat alongside the drugs employee driving the van, Nick and Warrick were in an SUV following behind, and Catherine was driving a compact, leading the group of vehicles along the street.

"Roger that, Dispatch. This is Gil Grissom; we are heading to the corner of 53rd and Queens, just leaving the Strip. Over"

The radio crackled again, and this time it told the CSI's:

"Roger that, Gil. CSI, we have a funeral procession headed your way. Procedure?"

Grissom picked up his radio, and told it:

"Okay Dispatch, thanks. Let it pass."

Grissom looked out of the window in curiosity, and also to distract himself from the angel sat beside him that was Sara Sidle. She had been leaning into him for the whole of the trip so far, and as much as he knew he liked it, it was starting to bug him. As he watched the funeral procession pass, he noticed something was wrong with the hearse - there was no coffin inside it. As soon as he turned to tell the driver something was wrong, a compact drove straight into the hearse, and the CSI procession skidded to a halt. Grissom and Sara got out of the van, looked around, when suddenly; around 15 men got out of the hearse and pulled out guns.

"Get down!" Grissom shouted. "Sara, get down! Catherine, get Nick and Warrick, now!"

As soon as Grissom had finished shouting instructions to his CSI's, the men from the hearse started firing at them. Casings were raining down, passers by running for their lives, and the CSI's arming themselves ready to fight back. Sara was the first to get up and fire back in self defence - she dove between 2 vehicles parked in the road, firing her gun, and took down 4 men. Warrick, Nick and Catherine were poised ready for action behind Catherine's compact, and jumped up and began firing. Grissom was busy reloading his gun, when he was shot at. The bullet skimmed his arm, and he began to bleed. He cried out with both shock and pain, and hid behind the van. He could see Catherine, Nick and Warrick firing carefully timed shots, taking down about 4 of the attackers each, but he couldn't see Sara. He quickly began firing at the ambushers to clear a pathway to a car parked on the curb, when he saw Sara.

She had been found behind Nick and Warrick's SUV, and she was surrounded by 3 men. She was laying on the floor, bleeding from a wound to her leg, when mercilessly, 1 of the men shot her. The last thing Grissom heard was Sara's pain-filled cry, and he bolted towards the men. They saw him coming towards them with his gun raised, and made a run for the van. The attackers started the engine, and drove off in the van that was full of drugs evidence. Catherine, Nick and Warrick started shooting at the van, but to no avail. Grissom was distracted by this at first, but he heard Sara's voice.

"Grissom….Grissom, help me. It hurts…" Sara moaned in a quiet whisper, her voice soft yet full of despair. Grissom knelt next to her, telling her:

"It's okay, Sara, you're going to be okay…" But then he looked around her. She had been shot in the abdomen, and was bleeding heavily. He looked into her eyes, her beautiful brown eyes, and they were full of fear.

"Nick, call an ambulance, now! Hurry! Sara's been shot! My Sara…" Grissom's voice trailed off, getting quieter and quieter with the words 'My Sara'. Sara groaned and Grissom started putting pressure on her wound to stop the bleeding. Sara's breathing was getting heavier, and her face was pale…she was running out of time….

"My chest….m-my chest…it hurts, Grissom, make it stop!" Sara cried out to Grissom, begging him in such a helpless, childlike way….

"Okay, the bleeding is slowing down. Don't worry Sara; the ambulance will be here soon…"

Sara opened her mouth as if to speak, but instead cried out in pain. She mustered all of her strength, and whispered:

"G-Grissom, in case…in case I don't make it…." She breathed in sharply, as the pain was getting worse…"In case I don't make it, I w-want you to know…I...I love you…"

"No, Sara, you're going to make it…." Grissom told her, and also told himself. A sound of sirens raised hope a little, and Grissom could see Catherine guiding the paramedics to where Sara lay.

"The bleeding has stopped, and her breathing has improved, but she says the pain is getting worse…." Grissom told the paramedics.

"Grissom?" Sara asked, as she was lifted onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

"I want to go with her." Grissom told the paramedics, and Catherine stopped him.

"Gil, do you really think this is a good idea? We've gotta track down the van, Sara's in good hands now…"

"Cath, she told me she loves me. Loves me back. There's no way I'm letting her go. Please. You know how much Sara means to me….let me go with her…." Grissom pleaded.

Catherine furrowed her brows a little, but nodded her head.

"Send Sara our love." She asked Grissom.

Grissom nodded, and lifted himself into the ambulance. Catherine, Nick and Warrick were left to watch the ambulance drive off, with one of their closest friends fighting for her life inside it.

"Oh my God, what happened to Sara?" Warrick asked.

"She was shot at by one of those men who ambushed the drugs disposal. We've lost the drugs evidence, and we may lose Sara…poor Grissom" Catherine told Warrick and Nick.

"Poor Grissom?" Warrick asked Catherine, and Nick's deliberate avoiding of Warrick's eye confirmed his thoughts. "Grissom…and…Sara…oh! Poor Grissom. What's he gonna do if...if we lose Sara?"

Nick replied: "I dunno. He'll be lost, we all will. She'll pull through, though, won't she Cath?"

Catherine shook her head. "Honestly, Nick, I really don't know…" She sighed heavily, "I really don't know."

FIN

Chapter 2

Grissom had sat in his chair outside theatre for what seemed like an eternity when a surgeon came out of the swinging doors and approached him. Grissom stood up immediately.

"H-How is she?" Grissom asked nervously.

"She's suffered an awful lot, Mr Grissom. A gunshot wound to the abdomen, as you know; a rather deep wound to the leg; she also suffered a concussion from the fall as she was…she was attacked wasn't she?" The surgeon asked.

"Yeah-yes she was. I found her just after she was shot. So, uh, how did the operation go?" Grissom repeated.

"We removed the bullet safely, but she has lost a lot of blood. She's currently on a high prescription of pain killers, so she'll be out for at least 2-4 hours, I'm afraid, and even after that she may not be up to talking. Overall, the operation went well, but she will be in intensive care for a while, and she'll have to stay here for around 2 weeks, depending on how she recovers. We have done the best we can, Mr Grissom, but I'm afraid the rest is up to Miss Sidle and, well, time." And with that, the surgeon left Grissom to himself. Grissom sunk down into his chair.

"Done the best we can…intensive care for around 3 weeks…depends on…why can't anyone give me a straight answer?" Grissom asked himself in a frustrated way. He had to see Sara, even if she couldn't talk to him, or even if she wasn't aware that he was even there. She had told him she loved him back…what now? No, he couldn't plague Sara with questions like that at a time like this…she had been through too much…after sitting in his chair for an hour just contemplating these thoughts, Grissom sat up and went to see Sara.

There was silence apart from the faint beep of the heart monitor. Grissom closed the door silently, and sat down next to Sara. She looked okay, like she was sleeping, and would wake up any second, and everything would be fine. Grissom took Sara's hand, and held it softly. He never knew how much he needed her until he nearly lost her. Her words repeated themselves in his head:

"In case I don't make it, I w-want you to know…I...I love you…"

"I love you too, Sara. More than you will ever know." Grissom replied to Sara's voice.

Sara stirred…

"Mmm…" She breathed in heavily, "G-Grissom, is that you?" Sara mumbled weakly. Sara tried to sit up, but could barely open her eyes long enough to see what she was doing, and was so weak she couldn't support herself.

Grissom leapt out of his seat at the sight of what Sara was doing, "Whoa, Sara, you just lay down, you've been through enough, and yes, I'm here now, here for you, my Sara…"

"Did you call me 'your Sara'?" Sara asked Grissom in a soft, albeit concerned voice.

"Ermm, yeah I did, cos you are my Sara. But we shouldn't talk about this right now; you need to get some rest." Grissom helped Sara lay down comfortably, but she stopped him.

Sara sat herself up slowly, and told Grissom:

"I was so scared, Gil, I thought, I thought I was gonna die, and I was never gonna see you again."

Grissom took her hand and held it softly in his. He gazed into her eyes: eyes that were usually full of passion and strength. But now all they showed Grissom was fear, weakness and pain. He wanted so badly to scoop her up into his arms and confess his true feelings for Sara, his Sara, but she seemed so fragile, like a porcelain doll that could shatter from even the lightest touch. Grissom contented with holding her hand, kissing it gently now and again, while Sara lay down in her hospital bed, obviously thinking about something.

She mumbled softly: "Grissom…"

"Yes, Sara? Are you okay? Are you comfortable?" Grissom asked fussily.

"Y-Yes, I'm as good as can be expected really, but…ermm…when…when I was injured, before the ambulance took me away….about what I said to you." Sara said in an almost shy way.

Grissom looked up at Sara, looked properly at her this time, trying to catch a glimpse of what was running through her mind.

Sara gave a sharp wince, and withdrew from Grissom for a bit…she was in pain…

"Gil, it's okay if you don't feel the same way…h-h-honestly, it's…it's fine…" She winced again, this time more obviously.

Grissom stood up. "Sara, are you okay? D'you want me to get a doctor?"

Sara indicated that she wanted him to sit down and, despite his concerns, did as she asked.

He hesitated, and then spoke: "Sara, my Sara, I do feel the same as you…I was just too afraid to admit it, even to myself. I'll never let go, Sara, I'll always be here for you, whenever you need me…I promise."

Sara nodded, kissed his hand, closed her eyes, and finally she looked contented. She fell asleep…

There was silence for a few seconds, Grissom sat next to Sara, still holding her hand, when the heart monitor let out an ominous high pitched beep. Gil looked at Sara, holding her hand still, brushed a little hair from her face. He felt warm tears roll down his cheeks, and kissed her on the lips.

"I'll never let go, Sara, my Sara. Remember me. I love you."

He laid his head down on her shoulder, and fell asleep.

FIN