Title: The Color of Roses
By: Manigault
Note: Thanks to everyone who is reading this story and for those who have left comments!
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Grissom held his breath as Sara climbed higher into the tree and only expelled it when she reached the limb that supported the victim. As she looked over the branch and grinned down at him he found himself holding his breath again.
"You can climb, girl!" Greg shouted, wearing his own wide smile.
"Well, the question now is before I try to push the vic out of this tree, should I process what I can while he's like this?" Sara voiced these questions aloud, but she already knew the answer. With a subtle grace, she straddled the tree limb and pulled the camera around from the back of her neck to snap a series of pictures.
From the ground below, she held the rapt attention of every man as they marveled at the agility of CSI Sidle. Grissom hadn't even realized she'd taken the camera. He had been so focused on her face, hands, and a blush ran up his neck as images of her backside flashed through his minds eye. He glanced at the other men and scowled when he realized they also had a good view of Sara as she'd climbed the tree.
"Greg? You need to run get a rope from the back of my car. Then I need you to take the rope up to Sara and help her get it around the vic. You can lower him from the tree gently and not risk any extra..."
"Grissom!" Sara's alarm shot through his veins as his eyes shot back to where she had inched forward on the branch.
"What is it?" He did not intend for his question to sound so terse, but she'd scared him.
Sara had one finger pressed against the mans carotid artery, "He's alive!" She snapped her eyes towards Greg, "We need to get him down from here, now, Greg."
As Greg dashed off for the rope, Sara scanned the man for other signs of life. He made no sound and no movement. "When did your friend first find this man, Gris?"
"Right before I walked into our meeting he called me. He didn't know how long he'd been in the tree and it's a miracle that Joe found him at all." Grissom looked at Brass who was radioing in a report to headquarters and requesting an ambulance.
Brass glanced over at David, "It will be interesting to see which van he leaves in."
David nodded, but said nothing. They all stood in the darkening forest as Grissom's plans of romance faded. To make matters worse a light drizzle began to fall, splashing off the tree leaves and pooling around their feet. It was cold. His gaze remained on Sara whom he could see was shivering but her attention focused on the man.
Grissom turned and stared down the trail where Greg had run off to retrieve the rope. He should have told him to grab an extra blanket while he was there, and a couple of jackets. He squinted back up to where Sara was sitting, her finger still pressed to the carotid artery of the man.
"You still have a pulse?" Grissom asked, reading the answer in her facial expression.
"Barely, but there," Sara replied as she added with more urgency. "We need to get him to the hospital, Gris."
Grissom paced a few feet up the trail watching for any sign of Greg, before turning back, "You're doing wonderful, Sara, hang in there."
"I'm doing that," Sara said, horrified to feel a chuckle rise in her chest at the absurdity of the situation. She had really been excited to make this trip out here with Grissom and had never, not in her wildest dreams, thought it would turn out like this. She saw Greg approaching before Grissom and had to say something before she embarrassed herself, "Hurry, Greg, we need to get him out of this tree."
When he heard Sara shout out to Greg he turned and saw the young man jogging as fast as he could, considering he was carrying not only the rope, but several blankets and jackets.
"Good thinking, Greg," Grissom said, earning an appreciative blush from the younger man.
After handing the jackets and blankets to Grissom and Brass, Greg eyed the tree and made his move. Within seconds he wondered how Sara had made this look so easy. It was like climbing a slippery pole and his arms ached trying to use muscles he didn't think he had to boost himself from one limb to another.
Sara must have read his mind, because her words were encouraging, "You're doing great, Greg, you're almost here." She watched his foot slip and added with a hint of compassion. "It wasn't raining when I climbed."
Greg finally reached the branch where Sara was sitting. "Thanks, Sara, but you know you beat me everytime we rock climb."
The comment wasn't lost on Grissom, who frowned at the prospect of Sara going rock climbing with Greg.
"Well, you know that Nick and Warrick beat us both, so we're doing okay." Sara felt the need to add this statement for Grissoms' benefit, as his expression and ability to jump to conclusions was legendary where she was concerned. She took the rope that Greg handed to her and made an attempt to loop the thick material around the victims waist. "This is going to hurt him," Sara said with some concern as she tied the rope and then began the process of extricating him from the tree.
"I can help you lower him," Greg said, eager to help. He inched out on the branch, before Grissom or Sara could stop him. Sara heard the branch crack, before she felt the weight shift and her life flashed before her eyes.
TBC