I Need You Now: Chapter 8

A/N: Still incredibly sick, so I'm keeping up with my CSI marathon. In the middle of watching Sqweegle as I write this, so if this is disturbing, blame that episode. Anyone else slightly freaked out by it?

This is working out to be a longer fic than I thought, so lets lets hope it keeps going (:

Hope you all enjoy.

-xx

xxx

Getting Grissom to leave the hopsital was harder than Sara thought it would be.

After the Doctor had made his rounds, talked Sara through everything that had happened to her once she entered into the hospital, her recovery time and medication she would have to take. As guessed, rest was vital for her recovery, and he made it clear to Grissom that she was not to be back in work for at least three weeks,. Grissom had only too quickly obliged.

That twenty minute talk, had left Sara feeling exhausted. Apparently the morphine was still in her system, tiring her out easily. She was not happy about this, but she knew if she wanted to get back to the lab anytime soon, rest was vital. Maybe if she rested as much as possible now, she would be able to get back sooner than three weeks.

After spending another ten minutes assuring Grissom that she would be fine if he was to go home, shower, get something to eat and sleep for a few hours before returning to her. Sara had to promise that she would sleep and if anything happened, she would let him know straight away. She had opened her mouth to argue that she didn't have a cell phone, when he produced a new lab-issued one for her, with a knowing smile. "Always one step ahead." He had said with a grin, before bidding his goodbye and promising to return soon.

Sara had every intention of sleeping, it seemed to be calling out to her. Unfortunately, when Catherine Willows appeared at your bedside, sleep was not an option.

Sara knew Catherine was handling the investigation, and that she was still working, so it wasn't for a personal reason she was coming to see her. Well, it was part of it. She knew what was coming, but she didn't want it. She hoped to just put it off a little while longer.

"How're you doing, Sara?" Was the first question the strawberry-blonde had asked as she sat down in the chair that Grissom had only minutes ago vacated.

"Well, I've been better. A little stiff, and extremely tired." She may have been playing down her pain a bit, she never was one for sympathy. She hoped that by letting her know how tired she was, Catherine would leave and they could do this another time.

"This won't take long, I promise." She wasn't biting, she knew Sara was trying to avoid this, but they had pulled a blank with DNA, no hits, so Sara's statement was the only thing they had to go on at the moment. It was better for Catherine to do it than anyone else. "I need your account of the night, Sara." She said gently, turning in her chair so that she could face her.

A sigh left Sara's lips and for just a moment she closed her eyes. She didn't want to relive this. She wanted to bury the images deep in her mind, and never allow them to surface again. "Can we do this some other time Cath? I'm really tired, I need to get some sleep, I promised Grissom..." She trialed off, at the knowing look her friend gave her.

"It will only take a few minutes Sara. And I promise I won't tell Grissom you were awake." She said, in an attempt to encourage Sara to begin. She knew the longer she left the brunette, it would become harder and harder for her to talk about what happened.

Another sigh left Sara's lips, and she slowly nodded. "Okay.. Lets get this over and done with." She mumbled slowly, forcing herself to sit up slightly so she could face Catherine more.

She gave Catherine a few moments to set up, glad that Catherine had decided to take a tape recorder, rather than writing everything down. With a nod, she pressed the record button, and it began. "This is CSI Willows, beginning her enquiry with CSI Sara Sidle, retrieving her statement of events." She paused to take a breath, giving Sara a moment to get herself together before they began. They had both gone through this before, seen victims go through the traumatic experience of having to relive every moment of what they had been through. "Lets start with where you were going, Sara. What brought you out that night?"

Did she have to give the real reason as to why she was going out? She hadn't even spoken to Grissom yet, so maybe a little white lie wouldn't matter at this stage. It didn't change what happened. "I had been out.. Had a beer.. I wan't drunk, before you ask. I just got home, and I wasn't feeling very well, so I decided to get some air, take awalk, maybe tire myself out so that I could sleep. I've been finding it hard to sleep lately." That part wasn't a lie anyway. "I was only a few blocks away from my apartment. The next thing I remember is feeling this.. Disgusting hot breath on my neck.. Right behind me.." She could remember it all, so vividly, feel it on her neck again, sending shivers through her body.

Catherine sat forward slightly, covering Sara's hand with hers. "He was white.. Late thirties, early forties. Had green eyes.. He had stubble, like he hadn't shaved. He was taller than me, maybe six foot? He wore jeans.. A black hoodie, I think. There was nothing destinctive, no scars, tattoos.. He seemed.. Normal.." She trailed off, seeing his looming face, burning in the back of her mind.

"He shoved me up against the wall.. I tried to get him off.. He took my wallet, my phone.. Then I felt the knife against me. I told him I was walking to meet my boyfriend, that he was a cop.. He didn't care, it seemed to arouse him even more. His grip loosed on me a little, i remember that definately. I broke away, and.. Well, I managed to hit in in a certain area." The thought brought a small smile to her lips as she remembered it. Catherine had to smile also, that was the fiesty Sara she knew.

"He went down, but took me down too.. Hit me in the head.. I.. I think I started to crawl away then.. I'm not sure.. But, the next thing I remember is him sitting on top of me.. His disgusting breath on my face again.. He had been drinking.. I could smell it.. He said all I had to do was play nice.. He wanted me to look at him.. When I did, that was when he.. Stabbed me." The tears were glistening in her eyes now, but she refused to allow herself to cry, blinking them back furiously, biting her lips softly. "I think someone else was there.. Chased him off.. Then all I can remember after that is waking up here. I'm sorry."

Catherine immediately shook her head, giving Sara's hand a soft squeeze as she shut off the tape recorder. "Don't apologise at all, Sara.. You know what it's like trying to get information from victims, that was the best I had ever recieved. You did great, girl." She said with a soft smile.

Sara gave a small shrug of her shoulders, nodding slightly. "I see day after day girls who don't get justice because they can't remember enough, and there was no physical evidence to give a lead. I'm trained to notice things, Cath. I'd be a failure if I didn't."

"No, no you wouldn't. You'd be a woman who went through a very traumatic experience. It is more than understandable."

Sara nodded, taking in Catherine's words. "I guess you're right." She said quietly.

"I'm still on the clock here, Sara, so I'm going to get this back to Brass, and see what we can come up with in the lab. You're going to stay here, and keep your promise to Gil, and rest. I'll come back once shift is over, and you better rest."

Sara offered a soft smile, and nodded to the blonde woman as she rose from the chair and left Sara to sleep.

Earlier, Sara might have been able to sleep. Definately not now, Catherine should have known that. She had just relived through everything that she had been put through. Everytime she closed her eyes, she could see his face as he sat on top of her, feel the knife pressed into her body, his breath hot on her skin. All she wanted to do was curl up and cry, but she could do neither. The pain in her body didn't allow her to curl up like she wanted to, and her pride didn't allow her to cry.

She reached for the phone on the stand by her bedside, flipping it open. A soft smile spread across her lips as she noticed that Grissom had already programmed his number into the cell phone. she knew it off by heart anyway.

She was about to press the call button when she sighed, shaking her head and closed the cell phone, leaving it back on the stand. She couldn't call him. He was probably sleeping. She didn't want to wake him up. He needed the rest just as much as she did.

She closed her eyes, bringing her hand to her head, rubbing her temple softly. She had had a headache ever since she woke up. The result of being punched in the head, she guessed. She should have taken her car to Grissom's. If she had taken her car, that would have never happened, she wouldn't be lying here in the hospital.

She had to talk to him when he returned. She never got her chance to do it the night before, and if there was one thing this experience thought her, it was that she couldn't waste anymore time. They had wasted so many years, when she knew how she felt for him, and she knew how he felt for her, he just wouldn't admit it. She almost died, and if she had, it would have been the biggest regret of her life.

She didn't know what she was going to say to him, but she had some time now to string it all together.

She only hoped he wouldn't reject her anymore. She wasn't going to give up now.

xxx

A/N: That's it for now.. Only a few more chapters left before I finish this, guys.

Hope you all enjoyed.

Reviews are appreciated.

-xx