Disclaimer: I don't own any thing.
A/N: Thanks to Joan and Susan for their wonderful beta jobs. This fic is near complete, I just need betas done. I haven't forgotten my WIPs I'm working on them. This fic is dedicated to Kimberly H. thanks for all the support.
CHAPTER ONE: THE STORM
Thunder and lightning crashed through the Vegas sky. Rain had yet to pour down, although it had been threatening to destroy Catherine and Sara's crime scene the entire night. The women jumped as a lighting bolt struck down close to them.
"We're going to be heading back in five." Catherine had her phone basically glued to her ear. "Really?" She looked around outside. "If the rain holds out we will be back at the lab in twenty minutes, so if I don't see you when you get back, I'll see you at home." She smiled to herself. "Bye." She put her phone away.
"You almost finished?" Catherine asked Sara, as she started to load the truck up with the evidence they'd collected.
"Yeah," Sara responded as she snapped a few last photos. Another flash of lighting lingered in the air. "Its getting closer," she observed. The CSI closed the back door of the truck just as a lighting bolt struck a tree within ten feet of where she'd been standing. "Damn it! We should head back before we get killed out here."
"Sara, neither of us is going to get killed tonight." Catherine was surprised the tree didn't burst into flames, but she wasn't about to wait around and see if anything or anyone else would get hit. "Let's get out of here."
Sara slid into the car just as the sky opened up, sending millions of rain drops crashing to the ground. "I'll be glad when tonight is over." She started to rub her eyes, "I'm so exhausted it's not funny."
"I thought I've heard everything. Sara Sidle is exhausted!" Catherine chuckled as she drove down the road. "I thought you never slept," she smiled and turned to see her passenger yawning.
"I don't, maybe that's why I'm so tired." Sara placed her head against the window and fought to keep her eyes open.
"We'll be back at the lab in thirty minutes or so. It's hard to see the road when it's raining this hard." Catherine leaned forward a bit, in hopes of getting a better look at the road ahead. "Why don't you try to get a bit of rest until then?" She took her eyes off of the road for a moment, "You'll feel better."
"That's the worst I've seen it," Greg stated as he and Warrick walked into the lab, soaked from head to toe. He almost slipped on the floor as he walked down the hall.
"I hear you on that one. I've lived in Vegas my entire life, and I can't remember it getting this bad," Warrick shivered slightly.
"Hey, Greg, Warrick. How'd it go?" Grissom said as he came around the corner.
"It didn't, by the time we got close the road was closed due to high water," Greg answered. "Sorry."
"Hmm, well glad you guys made it back safety. Go hit the showers and get into something warm. Also get a hot drink."
"Already on it," Warrick told Grissom as he and Greg headed down the hall. "Oh, hey boss," He turned around suddenly. "Is Catherine back yet?"
"Haven't seen her." Grissom looked at his watch, "She and Sara must have gotten caught in the storm."
"Yeah, maybe." Warrick turned back around and continued on to the shower.
"Catherine, I think you should pull over." Sara could just see the road herself, and was concerned about the conditions. "It's really hard to see, I don't want us or anyone else to get hurt."
"You think I would deliberately put our lives in danger?" Catherine shook her head.
"No, I didn't say that." Sara moved a bit in her seat. Her cell phone was digging into her side and she pulled it out. "But you can't control how other people are driving. I just think we would be safer if you pulled over."
"We'll be all right; I think we're safer staying on the road. Someone might hit the car if we pulled over and we could get seriously hurt." Catherine continued driving. It wasn't that she didn't care about Sara's request to pull over, but she truly felt to stay moving was their safestoption.
"Okay fine." Sara tossed her phone on the dashboard. She didn't want Catherine to pull over only because of the weather, but because she was also starting to feel sick. Not wanting to tell Catherine she didn't feel well, Sara just wrapped her arms around her stomach and rested her head against the window.
Catherine looked over at Sara for a moment and could see she looked a bit pale. She felt bad for not stopping, but she didn't want to take the risk of someone hitting the truck. Sighing she looked back at the road, "Sara, I'll make you a deal. Since I'm going to keep on driving, when we get back to the lab I'll let you use the couch in my office to rest until the weather clears, and you can get home safely." Not getting an answer, she went to look over at Sara but stopped. She hit a large puddle of water and the traction control didn't kick in so the truck started to hydroplane, which caused her to turn white. She tried to control the truck as it slid all over the road. Before she knew it, she'd lost complete control and the truck started to flip over. Sara's screams and the crunching of metal echoed in her ears.
As the truck continued to flip, it crashed through the fence lining the storm drain. The fence added no protection as the truck landed sideways in the concrete channel, now filled with water. The entire accident last mere seconds, but it felt as if it lasted hours.
Warrick paced about the lab. He was getting nervous. Catherine had yet to arrive back at the lab, and knowing she was Sara was the only thing that was providing a little comfort. He knew Sara wouldn't let Catherine do anything stupid, but fear for them both of being hurt somewhere was overwhelming. He had tried to call a couple times, but was unable to get through.
"Rick, sit down, I'm sure they are both ok. They probably pulled over and waited out the storm." Nick looked up at Warrick.
"Nick's right, I mean the storm is bad, but…" Before Greg could continue the lab was thrown into complete darkness for just a moment, only to have the generator kick in, turning on emergency lights.
"Whoa!" Nick's eyes grew wide with shock. "I think you spoke too soon."
"Hey, where did Grissom run off to?" Warrick had just realized that Grissom hadn't been around for some time.
Greg looked around the barely lit room; everything looked and felt different in the dark. It felt kind of creepy actually. The beeps and shuffling of feet sent a chill to his bones. "He headed home. His mother is visiting. He wanted to check on her. He insisted on going."
"I hope he gets home okay." Nick poured himself another cup of coffee as best he could. "Rick, I'm sure the girls are safe somewhere."
Warrick shook his head. "This is the worst storm I've ever seen. And it's cold, if they get stuck somewhere…" He didn't want to think of it. He was right though, it was the worst storm Vegas had seen in years. The temperature wasn't any better; for the first time since the nineteen fifties, it had dipped under thirty degrees. "I can't think about it," Warrick muttered. He took a seat and waited for Catherine and Sara to walk through the door.
Catherine's knuckles were white from tightly gripping the steering wheel. Tears streamed down her face, when she realized it was all over. Taking a few deep breaths, she noticed the water was starting to slowly seep into half the submerged car. "Sara…Sara we need to get out. Sara?" She looked down and her co-worker and stared. "No…no…no." She unbuckled her seat belt and slowly let herself fall down into the water.
Sara started to come around when she felt someone touching her cheek. Moaning she opened her eyes. "What…" She noticed the position of which she was laying and looked to see Catherine kneeling beside her.
"Come on Sara, we need to get out of here." Catherine helped Sara free herself from the restraints of the seat belt. "You're hurt." She found a tissue in her pocket and pressed it against the younger woman's head. "Can you hold this?" When Sara had a hold of the tissue, Catherine helped her to feet. Catherine started to look around for something to break the car window with. Finding a screwdriver in the glove box, she climbed up to the driver's side window. "Cover your head."
Sara complied. She heard the glass break and felt the shards hit her head. "You alright?" She looked the blood soaked tissue from her head and threw it into the water, which was now up to her knees.
"Yeah." Catherine cleared the glass away and hoisted herself through the window. "Can you climb up?"
Sara quickly regretted disposing of the tissue when she felt more blood trickle down her face. "I think so." She maneuvered herself up to the window and took Catherine's hand. Once through the window, both women stood up and started to carefully but slowly walk the length of the car.
The metal of the car scrapped the bottom of the storm drain. The end of the car was only a couple feet from the edge of the concert wall. Catherine knew if they were both careful they could make it.
She managed to pull herself to land first, in spite of her sore muscles. "Just give me your hand." Catherine reached out for Sara. "I promise I won't let you fall!" She shouted over the rain and wind, which cut through her body like a knife. Sighing with relief when Sara's hand was in hers, she began to think the nightmare was almost over.
Sara stopped for an instant. She could feel the Denali under her feet start to move. "Cath…I…" The vehicle shifted, throwing her balance off and sending her falling into the water. Coming up for a breath, she fought to swim to safety. For she and her co-worker it seemed the more she tried to fight it the more she got carried away by the rushing of the water.
"SARA!" Catherine ran along the edge of the storm drain, tears streaming down her face. She fell to the ground crying. The last time she saw Sara, she was sucked under the water once more. "Sara…no…"
Pulling her phone out, Catherine prayed she could get through. "Dispatch, this is CSI Willows…" She cried even harder. 'Please hear me.' "Dispatch?" It was no use she couldn't get through.
Just as everything seemed lost, a car approached slowly. When it arrived, red and blue flashing lights appeared. Catherine didn't see the police officers run towards her or hear their calls. All she could do was sit on the ground repeating Sara's name.
"Miss, can you stand?" Officer Jones asked as he bent down to her. "Miss?" Jones looked into Catherine's face. "Catherine…Catherine what happened?" Jones waved his hand in the air, to alert his partner to call for an ambulance.
Catherine looked up at Jones, tears still falling from her eyes. "Sara…" Looking back to the water, she stared in the depths of the murky, rushing water. "She fell in, she needs help." Her head snapped back to Jones's. "You've got to help me get her out."
"Alright," Jones nodded his head, "first, let's get you in the car." Jones, now joined by his partner, Officer Braidly, helped Catherine to her feet.
"No, I'm fine, help Sara; she's the one who needs help." Catherine tried to get back to the edge of the water, but had no luck.
Just as the officers made it to their car, the ambulance and another car pulled up. "Jones, Braidly, what's going on?" Brass came up to the pair.
"Catherine?" Brass took a hold of Catherine. "You need to let the paramedics take a look at you." He tried to take her over to them himself.
"No, Jim…" Catherine struggled to get out of his grip. "Sara…she fell in…we have to get her out." She let Brass hold her when she completely broke down. "We have to get her out…" Collapsing from exhaustion, she fainted into his arms.