"Sara!" Grissom shouted choking on the thick black smoke filling the room. Flames roared making it difficult to hear any reply not to mention the constant ringing in his ears; the sound of his ear cells dying.
In the initial explosion Sara had been thrown back from the car with the power of the blast. She and Grissom were now lying semi conscious on the floor of the garage as the fire ball burned in the middle. Bits of twisted metal and melted plastic scattered the floor and other smaller fires burned around them as the various chemicals in the room overheated or caught alight.
"Warrick," coughed Sara seeing his leg sticking out form the back of the burning SUV. Her left side stung like a giant graze. Getting no response from the other CSI she attempted to stand only to find her legs shaky and her lungs screaming in their need for more oxygen. She coughed violently on the fumes as she got to her knees, shards of metal and glass piercing her skin.
"War-rick," she choked out again.
He was aware of the intense heat but the pain coursing thoughout him made it difficult to think properly, let alone move. The car door was now twisted and hanging on but was still stopping Warrick from getting out; his left leg stuck out through the tiny gap his trousers stained with blood from where the door had dug in.. The entire front half of the SUV was up in flames and the back burned around Warrick, the fire getting closer with each second.
Reacting on instinct and without thinking Sara grabbed the door; the metal melding to the palms of her hands and finger with the intense heat sending a pain she didn't know was possible up her hands jarring her senses. But she didn't let go, although she wasn't sure she could even if she wanted to; her hands felt like they'd melted onto the metal. She pulled the door sending it to the ground with a bang. It was then she heard Grissom call out to her. She was having trouble making anything out through the haze of smoke and tears that had sprung to her eyes with pain and irritation from the smoke.
"Warrick. Help," she coughed trying to grab warrick's arm but it was too painful to touch anything.
Grissom moved blindly through the smoke crouching down as much as he could.
Warrick felt the touch of skin on his and tried to slide himself on his elbows but the heat and lack of oxygen made it much harder, yet, somehow he managed to slide back getting away from the heat, his leg shooting pain through is body with each movement. Then his support went and he found himself falling face first.
"Hello!" shouted Nick coughing as he inhaled the black smoke.
"Nick," Catherine had taken off the shirt she was wearing over her vest top and ripped it tying the torn material around her face so it covered her nose and mouth. She handed Nick and Greg pieces respectively and they too made makeshift masks.
Upon entering the garage a wave of heat and flames nearly forced then back. They knew about flashovers but the thought of their friends made all logic flee from their minds.
"There!" shouted Greg seeing Grissom stumbling around.
"Gil!" Catherine called to the entomologist avoiding the flames to her left.
"Warrick!" shouted Nick seeing the obviously injured CSI struggling on the floor inches away from the burning car. Nick immediately went over to Warrick's side and grabbed him by his arm, lifting him so the Texan supported his weight. "Walk man," shouted Nick not able to drag Warrick weight completely unaided. Warrick did as he was told helping Nick to drag him through the darkness.
Greg was trying to get Grissom out but he seemed more intent on finding Sara. It wasn't until he saw Catherine leading her by her shoulders he allowed Greg to help him out. The six limped down the corridor almost falling out the fire exit on the other side.
"Get an ambulance," shouted Doc Robbins drawing all attention to the CSI's now sprawled out in the parking lot. Warrick was laying up again Nick panting heavily, his t-shirt singed and burnt to his skin in places, his leg clearly broken. Grissom was sitting coughing as Greg held what had previously been his facemask to a cut on his supervisors head trying slow the bleeding.
Sara was leaning against Catherine who was trying to hold her wrists firm. Her hands were blistered and red raw, blood spots standing out on the burns. As with all burns they hurt like hell and all Sara wanted to do was rub them or touch something, anything to stop the pain.
"Sara, hold still," demanded Catherine finding the brunette stronger then she had thought. Sara's head wound seemed only superficial as did the few surface burn down her left hand side; not serious enough for Catherine to worry about at the time being. "David, take Warrick and Grissom," Al delegated.
"Okay, Greg, keep the pressure on that head wound. Any other injuries?"
"My shoulder but its okay, see to Warrick," said Grissom knowing Warrick was putting on a brave face, not showing everyone how badly he was really hurt.
"Okay, keep your leg still. We need cold water," shouted David as people scurried around handing them bottles.
"This might hurt but we need to get your shirt off. If it's not stuck," said David. Warrick nodded not able to speak without coughing.
"Nick on three," said David taking a side of Warrick's shirt and unbuttoning it as Nick did the same. He then silently counted to three and pulled causing Warrick to hiss in pain then cough.
"Here," Archie dropped several water bottles to the ground.
"Nick, keep pouring it on the burns," instructed David pouring the cool water over Warrick's torso.
"Cath, try and keep her still," said Al, out of the corner of his eye he could see Grissom fighting with Greg trying to come over to Sara, but he was more use over there at the moment. Al took a bottle of water and poured it over Sara hands as Catherine tried to keep them under the flow.
"Damn," cursed Doc looking at Sara. The lanky brunette's lips were turning grey as her breathing became more rapid. Reaching out the coronor pressed his fingers against Sara's neck unable to use her wrists to find a pulse.
"Thready; she's going into shock," he said as sirens were heard in the distance.
"Lay her down and elevate her legs," he instructed Catherine as Sara became more agitated and short of breath. It was struggled to get her down and keep hold of her hands as the medics arrived.
Two of the paramedic's saw to Warrick and Grissom and loaded both CSI's into the same rig. The other two medics came to Sara and loaded her on.
"Desert palms" said the man before Catherine could open her mouth to ask the question and with that the ambulances sped away.
When they arrived at the hospital the three were taken separate way, Grissom all the time asking about Sara. He was taken to a cubical, his head wound stitched, placed on oxygen and had his shoulder examined. Once he was cleared he was taken up to a ward; forced to stay overnight due to smoke inhalation. He was left there alone for around two minutes before the door opened and a nurse wheeled Warrick in.
His leg had been plastered and he too was on oxygen. A hospital gown covered his chest where his burns had been but Grissom could see gauze placed over one on his arm.
"Griss, she's tough," said Warrick almost reading his mind.
.It was twenty minutes later when another bed was wheeled into the side room containing Sara Sidle propped up on pillows, on oxygen and an I.V. running into her ankle. Her hands were dressed and bandaged; looking like she was wearing little white mittens. The laceration on her head had been stitched.
"Hey girl," smiled Warrick as Grissom got up dragging his oxygen tank behind him to see Sara.
"I see your bed rest lasted long," commented the nurse coming in to check on Sara.
"I'm okay," said Sara twitching her mouth. "Expect my nose is itching from this stupid tube," Grissom obliged sitting down on the side of her bed.
"You okay Warrick?" asked Sara.
"Superficial burns to the chest, broken leg and smoke inhalation you?" he asked reeling off as if it were a shopping list.
"Partial thickness burns to both hands, smoke inhalation and a couple of scratches," replied Sara in the same tone. "You're okay?" she added visually checking Grissom over.
"I'm okay," he replied smiling.
"Well, you are definitely on bed rest. Apparently you gave the ER staff a bit of a scare when you went into shock," said the nurse checking Sara's drip. Sara avoided eye contact with both the men in the room not wanting to see the worry in their eyes.
"This damn drips annoying. They had to put it in my ankle, but its good stuff," said Sara with a smile looking at the two men as the nurse left.
"Yeah, they gave me some earlier," smiled Warrick. There was a moment of silence before Warrick wheeled himself over to the side of Sara's bed lifting himself into the chair next to it; it padded and comfier than the wheelchair he had been in.
"I here you got those burns saving my life," said Warrick once he was sitting down. "Don't get me wrong, I'll never be able to thank you enough, but don't you ever scare us like that again. Your man here was going all emotional. I think at one point he even made an expression of worry," said Warrick getting a full blown grin from Sara.
"Speaking of worry where is everyone?" asked Grissom.
"We're here," replied Catherine swinging the door open and bursting into a fit of giggles. "I know it's Halloween but there was no need to dress up," she smiled as she took in the picture of the trio wearing hospital gowns.
"How are you?" asked Nick coming in.
"We're good," answered Warrick. "Thanks to our girl," he added patting Sara's arm.
"Presents," grinned Greg barging in with boxes piled in his arms. "Contraband candy," he grinned.
"Yeah," smiled Sara holding her bandaged hands out.
"You're not nil by mouth are you?" asked Catherine perching herself on the arm to Warrick's chair.
"No, give me," demanded Sara.
"Honey, you can't hold it," pointed out Grissom taking a chocolate bar form Greg and unwrapping it.
"How is that going to work?" asked Nick looking down at Sara's hands. "I mean eating washing, getting dressed, doing pretty much anything."
"Apparently I have to expect help. A physio's coming to speak to me later," answered Sara.
"What happens if you need the bathroom before then?" asked Greg getting weird looks form everyone. "Come on you were all thinking it."
"No Greg, we weren't," said Catherine shaking her head. "If you need anything just ask."
"Thanks," grinned Sara leaning forward to take a bite of the chocolate bar Grissom was holding out for her.
"Last time you fed me it was a lot nicer," said Sara partly due to the drugs and the fact that she forgot where she was. Now four pairs of eyes were fixed on her.
"Trick," said Sara feebly.
THE END