Chapter Nine- Blood is Thicker than Water

Thanks to mj0621, Dardeile, DrusillaBraun, jwoods471, Grammar Maven, starkidtw, CSIroxMYsox, Nisha.Boo.14, and X-FILESCSISVUBONESaddict for reviewing and hastening this update.

Sergeant it's so much kuter when I do it. I'm just kidding.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything on or in this show. Whichever is more grammatically correct. I hate grammar, only thing I've ever failed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He frantically dug for a phone book as Nick poked his head in. Grissom was sifting through a cabinet.

"What are you looking for?" Nick asked.

"Phonebooks. Montana police department." Grissom said, shoving things out and throwing them onto the floor with a bang.

Nick's spirits dropped. Here he was hoping that Grissom would be able to solve the case and get over Catherine. Sara needed him by her side, yet Grissom was completely blind to that. He seemed to only want the woman he couldn't have.

"Grissom, look I know people say the grass is always greener on the other side, but this is getting ridiculous. Sara loves you, she needs you, and yet here are you completely ignoring that and chasing after the person who's left you twice now. Grissom you always want what you can't have, but what if there's nothing there?" Nick asked, his feelings for Sara, clouding the side of his brain that would have told him to shut his mouth.

Grissom whirled, and Nick stepped back at the expression of anger in his face. Grissom's eyes were dark with hurt and rage, and his hand was clamped in a tight fist. Nick stared.

"This isn't about my relationships, this isn't about Sara. This is about Catherine and how someone might be trying to kill her. Don't get in my face about my personal life, Nicky, I promise you won't like what I have to say. Someone very close to Catherine is trying to kill her and I won't let it happen, now either get out of here and round up the team, or help me find a phone book with Montana listings." He said his voice soft, but deadly.

"Greggo, get the rest of the team." Nick said into the phone he pulled out of his pocket. He then moved to help Grissom check the cabinet across the room, pulling out a worn copy of police station listings.

Grissom grabbed it from him without a thank you, frantically flipping through it until he found the Montana police.

Three rings and a gruff voice came on the line.

"Hi, Captain Neal, I'm looking for Detective Catherine Willows, is she there?" he asked, crossing his fingers.

"No sir, she's out in the field. Can I help you?" the country man asked.

"Yeah, tell me which one of your detectives was out of the state around the time Catherine was." Grissom said. "This is Las Vegas Crime Lab, so please be truthful with me."

"Several." The man replied, sounding almost bored. "She must be quite popular these days, not the first call I've gotten about her whereabouts.

Grissom drew a sharp intake of breath, but ignored the comment. "Which ones?" Grissom asked, glancing down at the fingerprint on his file.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Catherine awoke with an aching head. She moved to touch the bleeding wound, but found that she could barely move her arms. Her hands were tied behind her back and she was in a dark room with no windows.

Shit, what the hell did I get myself into this time? She asked herself as she shifted her weight to explore her cold prison. It was damp and the floor was cold, she reasoned that it was probably a basement of some sort. She took a whiff of the air. Gasoline. Her CSI and newly trained detective mind moved to conclude an area she could be in.

Gas station? No, factory maybe. Something to do with cars and machinery. She reasoned.

Her arms were getting numb. The position was very uncomfortable and the walls felt like they were closing in. Catherine Willows, however, refused to be afraid. She had survived hell in her husband, and nothing could come close to being betrayed by the one person she trusted, but this sure came close. Her thoughts subsided for a moment as anger consumed her.

Damn him she thought. The door flew open.

"Hello Catherine, or should I say CSI Willows?" Charlie Kent asked from the doorway.

She glared back at him with icy blue eyes. "Why the hell are you doing this? You're my partner, you're supposed to watch my back, not hit me when I'm not looking."

He smiled, insane and without mirth. "Well Miss Willows, the problem is that it was your testimony and evidence that put my brother away. He was no killer, but you didn't care. You put him away anyhow and now he's dead. I demand blood in return."

Catherine put two and two together. "So I'm your main target, why kill Sam? Why hit Grissom?" she asked, she knew, but she just needed to keep him talking; it might buy her time and maybe a chance at some brilliant escape route out of here.

"Pain Catherine. I wanted to make you suffer like all the times you did me. Sam's your father. I had planned to kill Mr. Grissom first, but I could not hit the two of you harder without endangering my own life, and I couldn't die. Not until you were gone. The damn idiot just would not die. Of course I'm not done because I know the two people that you care about the most."

The first dent in Catherine's brave demeanor was created. Her expression didn't change, but a cloud filled the blue sky in Catherine's eyes.

"Yeah, I can see the fear now. I wonder which one should die first, Lindsay or Mr. Grissom. I know he'll come for you, I'm surprised he hasn't figured things out yet, I mean I thought I was hard to catch, so I had to leave a little bit of something to make sure he didn't think I was coming off as too easy."

"Don't you dare hurt him or my daughter. If you do I will personally send your balls up to live in your throat." Catherine threatened, meaning every word.

He laughed at her, moving closer and gently caressed her face. She flinched at the touch, which pleased him even more.

"Catherine, you're in no position to threaten me. I'm in control. I guess Lindsay has to be first, until Grissom can figure this out. Of course, you'll see her again. She'll die right in front of you, crying for you, but you can't help her. None of your police training or your CSI skills will help you save her. Isn't that your worst fear? Seeing you daughter on one of the autopsy tables in the morgue? Don't worry my dear you won't see her, you'll be right beside her. But you'll know that everyone that has died so far is your fault. By then I'm sure I don't have to kill you. I'll give you a bullet and you'll go the way my brother went." He said, his voice sweet, that it made Catherine sick to her stomach.

He left her then, trembling. Her mind raced as she struggled against the bonds until her wrists were swollen and bleeding. She had to save Lindsay. She let out a scream of frustration as tears filled her eyes. She had to get out of here. She threw herself at the door, bruising her shoulder, still screaming her fury.

After a while, Catherine's voice became hoarse as the pain in her shoulder became unbearable. She leaned the back of her head against the door as she sank to her knees, body shaking uncontrollably.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lindsay was curled up on the living room couch with her mother's gun in her lap and the phone clutched in her hand. The doorbell rang and immediately, the family dog started to yap and throw herself at the door. Lindsay cocked the gun and held it tightly as she made her way to the door. Her nerves were a mess, her breathing quick and rapid as she peeked out of the peephole in her door. She visibly relaxed as she undid the lock.

"Hey, Mr. Kent, where's Mom?" she asked, tucking the gun in the back of her jeans, covering it with her oversized T-shirt.

"She has a few things to clear up at the station. Told me to come here before her to check up on you." He said with a warm smile.

Lindsay grinned back, relaxing just a little. Finally word of her mother. She was so relived she never asked Charlie why her mother hadn't answered her calls.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked, moving toward the kitchen.

"Yeah do you have any coffee?" the detective asked, yawning a little.

"Yeah I'll put some on." Lindsay said, cheerfully, busying herself with the coffeemaker.

She had her back turned to him when she noticed that he casted a shadow before her on the kitchen wall. Her eyes widened as she saw him raise his arms, about to slam something into the back of her head. She whirled to face him a second too late.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note: Another cliffhanger, but I updated pretty fast this time. At least now you know who it is. Enjoy and I'll try to update again!