Apologies for the delay, hope you enjoy
x x x x
"So this is where you've been hiding." Catherine commented dryly, sauntering into Grissom's office. "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."
Grissom blinked up at her in confusion. Realising that she wasn't going to get a response from him, she made herself comfortable in the chair in front of his desk and continued.
"Have you been to see Sara yet?"
"No." He mumbled, focussing his attention back on the computer screen in a failed attempt to end the conversation. Cath pursed her lips.
"What about Warrick?"
"No."
"Okay." She nodded slowly. "Are you planning on seeing them anytime soon?" He sighed, taking his glasses off and fixing her with a tired look.
"How can I?" He asked sadly. "I wouldn't know what to say to either of them." Catherine offered a sympathetic smile.
"Well, I can't speak for Warrick but I know that Sara wants to see you." She said with a hopeful shrug. His only response was another sigh. She nodded; she knew him well enough to understand his silent answer. "Well, that's not why I came anyway." She admitted. He fixed her with a curious look, glad the heat was off him, at least for now. "I wanted to know if you have a contact number for her family."
"What for?" The entomologist frowned. Cath blinked at him.
"Well, I think we should let someone know what's happened." She explained slowly. "Her parents have a right to know that their daughter is in hospital."
Grissom pursed his lips, tapping his glasses against the table gently.
"Catherine…" he began tentatively, debating how much he should say. "Sara doesn't really have any family … she grew up in foster care."
"Oh." Cath looked down, taken aback by this new information. "Oh. Okay." She cleared her throat and pushed herself away from the desk. "I'll tell her that you asked after her." She added as an afterthought, standing up.
"Thank you." He mumbled gratefully, instantly returning to staring blankly at his laptop. She made to leave but stopped in the doorway, casting a concerned glance back at him.
"Hey," she called softly, regaining his attention. "When was the last time you slept?" He exhaled deeply, a look of concentration flashing across his face. How long had he been sat here?
"Two days ago." He answered honestly after a minute. Before she could speak he held up his hands. "I know; I'll go home soon, I promise."
"No you won't." She sighed knowingly.
X x x
"Are you sure Brass said you could sit in on the interrogation?" Greg asked suspiciously, trailing behind Nick in the hallway. The older man didn't respond, which in itself was answer enough. Hoping to cut the tension, Greg changed the subject. "What did you find in his flat?"
"Not enough." Nick scowled. "There was a broken lamp and a few stains but not enough to suggest a struggle." He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know man, there's just not enough to prove he did it."
"Maybe he didn't." Greg suggested quietly, instantly regretting it when Nick sent him an irate look.
"You're saying she's lying?" He barked.
"No!" Greg backtracked. "No, of course not." He swallowed, trying to think of a way to pacify the Texan. "I'm just saying that until we get the DNA back we don't know exactly what happened. Maybe she's confused. She's obviously been through a lot and Warrick freaked her out at the hospital, maybe she is just mixed up."
"She's not mixed up." Nick contradicted sullenly. "She said he did it and I believe her." Greg bit his tongue for a moment, contemplating how best to phrase his next thought.
"Please don't bite my head off-" He started gently. "-but are you gunning for him because you genuinely think he's a rapist, or because of your fight?" Nick's dark eyes flashed briefly to his own.
"He did it." He snapped instantly, stalking down the hallway and leaving Greg standing alone.
"Alright." The trainee hummed sarcastically, throwing his hands up. "Well I'm glad you gave it some thought."
X x x
"State your full name and address for the tape." Brass droned, though it probably wasn't necessary. Warrick dutifully did as asked, never tearing his gaze from Nick's.
"How's Sara?" He asked once he'd provided the relevant information.
"What happened two days ago?" Nick responded coolly, ignoring the question. Warrick bit back a retort, determined to keep calm. He had had enough time to think in the last couple of days and he'd come to the conclusion that if he kept losing it he was never going to get out of here.
"I'm not answering any questions until you tell me how she is." He answered calmly. Nick scoffed, shaking his head. Brass, on the other hand, relented quite easily to the demands.
"She's fine." He snapped gruffly. "Catherine's keeping an eye on her."
Warrick nodded, grateful for the response. He sat back and folded his arms, waiting for the first question.
"What happened to her?" Nick repeated forcefully. Brass held out his hand, silently warning the Texan to rein his tempter in. He had decided it would be an effort in vain to stop the CSI from attending the interrogation but he was not above kicking him out if necessary.
"What have you remembered about the day before yesterday?" He rephrased the question on Nick's behalf. Warrick took a deep breath.
"I remember leaving work. I'd had a rough shift-" he gave Nick a pointed look. "-so I wanted a drink before going home. No one else wanted to go but Sara agreed to come with me."
"You bullied Sara into going with you." Nick disputed, earning him a scowl from Warrick.
"She didn't have to come." He argued testily.
"Yeah, like you really gave her a choice! She was probably scared you'd throw another temper tantrum!"
"Alright!" Brass held up his hands, sending a sideways warning glance at Nick. "Warrick, why don't you tell us what you remember about what happened when you got back to the flat?"
Warrick took a deep breath. The events of that morning had been coming back to him in pieces, but everything was still hazy.
"We went inside. I was … unsteady on my feet. Sara helped me into my room." He paused, taking a moment to send Nick a warning glare in case he dared interrupt again. "I guess she helped undress me and put me to bed."
"And you remember her doing this?" Jim asked, scribbling it down in his notebook.
"Not really, but I woke up in bed …"
"You don't remember it because it didn't happen!" Nick spat, jumping to his feet. "She didn't put you to bed! You pinned her down and you raped her and then you passed out!"
"I didn't…I didn't rape her!" Warrick growled, running a hand over his face.
"Well someone did!" He continued, ignoring Brass' attempts to pull him back into his seat. "And you were the last person to see her so tell me Rick, what the hell did happen?"
"I don't know!" He erupted, slamming his hands on the table. "I don't fucking know what happened because I can't remember!"
"Alright!" Jim stood up, holding his arms out between them. "Nick, get out!" When the younger CSI didn't move the detective turned to glare at him until he finally caved and stomped into the next room, slamming the door behind him. Alone, Jim turned back to Warrick, who had his head in his hands. "Interview terminated at eleven thirty." He said, switching the tape recorder off and turning to the uniform that was lurking in the corner. The police officer had wisely stayed put throughout the interview but now he stood up straight, awaiting instruction from his boss.
Jim waved a disregarding hand at the pitiful man in front of them. "Send him home." He muttered. "He needs a shower."
Warrick looked up, startled to realise he was being released. He opened his mouth to offer some kind of thanks to Jim, but found himself hauled to his feet by the burly looking officer behind him.
X x x
"Hey." Cath jumped, startled by the voice. Brass held up his hands in apology as he crept into the room. "Sorry. I thought I'd find you here."
Catherine turned back to the bed without answering, watching over her colleague.
"How's she doing?"
"Sleeping." She stated obviously. "Other than that I haven't got a clue." She wiped surreptitiously at her eyes before turning to the detective. "What's going on with Warrick?"
"I've tried to get a statement out of him: I sent him home, there's no point in keeping him in until we get the forensic results." He ambled slowly over to the bed as he spoke, keeping his voice low so as not to wake the patient. "He still swears that he didn't hurt her, but I don't think he can remember a thing."
"Sara did say he had a lot to drink." Cath pointed out softly.
"Yeah. Well I'm going to the bar next so we'll find out just how much he had. It's going to be the only way to prove anything I think." He ran a hand over his face tiredly. "I thought Nick was going to punch his lights out."
Catherine looked up sharply.
"You let Nick sit in?" She asked, shocked. Brass laughed dryly.
"I didn't 'let' him. He decided to." Catherine hummed in understanding. "He's already made up his mind about what happened."
"Yeah, I can imagine." She breathed, picturing Nick's face that first night at the hospital.
As they spoke Jim's eyes had been scanning Sara for all visible injuries. Catherine studied his face carefully, reading the tormented emotions running through it. "What did he do to her?" He asked sadly.
Without a word, Cath sat forward and tenderly brushed Sara's hair aside, like she had done yesterday during the examination. Sara frowned in her sleep but didn't stir as the blonde revealed the deep bruising on her neck.
There were four distinctive marks on either side of her throat.
Beside her, she heard Jim inhale sharply and sat back sadly in her seat. She let one hand remain where it was, submerging it in Sara's hair and running her fingers through the silky brown locks.
"She's a sweetheart." He mumbled at last, casting an affectionate gaze over her.
"Yeah." Cath agreed softly, releasing a sigh. "I don't know what to do, Jim. According to Grissom she's got no family. No parents."
"She's got us." He pointed out, perching on the foot of the bed. Cath choked out a laugh.
"Yeah, 'cause we've done so much good for her so far." She shook her head. "We let this happen to her."
"No, this isn't our fault." Brass attempted to reassure her. "We're not responsible for Warrick's actions."
"No, but we are responsible for her." Cath retorted instinctively, pausing as soon as the words left her mouth. She cast a glance over the sleeping girl. "At least, it feels like we are."
Jim laughed softly, nodding in agreement. Cath, however, was not finding that realisation so humorous.
"My God," she groaned. "It's not just Lindsey; I've messed up Sara too!"
"Oh come on, you haven't messed either of them up." Jim scoffed.
"No? The most conversation I get out of Lindsey is an argument." She countered. "And, well just look at Sara!"
"Lindsey's a teenager. And this is not your fault. It's no one's fault."
Before Cath could retort, Sara began to struggle for breath; choking and gasping in her sleep.
Catherine was on her feet in a heartbeat, one hand on Sara's forehead and the other gently pinning her chest down.
"Shush, calm down sweetie." She whispered, rubbing soft circles on her chest in an attempt to relax her laboured breathing. When Sara's fit seemed to get worse, she gripped her arms and carefully lifted her onto her back. Sara turned her head frantically to one side, still struggling to catch her breath. "Alright baby, you're okay." Catherine continued calmly, leaning over the bed for the oxygen mask that was nearby. Without disturbing her, she managed to hold her head still and slip the mask over her face. "There you go sweetheart." She smiled down at her fondly as she affixed it in place.
As soon as she was done Sara calmed down and settled back into her previous position curled on her side. Catherine sank back into her seat, never tearing her concerned gaze from her friend.
A soft chuckle tore her from her thoughts.
"Yeah, you're right." Jim muttered sarcastically. "You're a terrible mother."