Turn Back Time

Chapter 9

By Joey

Okay, this chapter is quite a bit shorter, ('bout half the size) of my others, but I really wanted to update, to show you guys that I'm not planning on leaving it for a few months again.

Also, I originally wanted to update on June 25th cos that was my 19th b-day.. but I wasn't ready, so instead I thought today would be just as good a day as any as it's Canada Day! And well, I'm Canadian and I guess I should do something to celebrate my country's 136th birthday.. not as good as mine, but not bad.. and I don't want to be hanging out with my sister and her boyfriend either :( Bla!

Anyway.. please read and review..

He was prepared for the smash of his shoulder against the hard wood of the door. What he wasn't prepared for was what happened, the door went flying open, smashing into the wall, and Nick went flying through the now open doorway into the counter in the middle of the room.

After he gingerly picked himself off the floor, rubbing his side that had connected with the sharp edge of the counter top, (there'd be a bruise by tomorrow), he turned back to survey the door.

While the door had appeared solid from the outside, now that he could inspect it from the inside, he realized that the wood was rotting away around the lock, and all it had needed was a little force to completely break through.

He repositioned his gun in his hand, moving forward through the kitchen to the doorway into the hallway, ready to inspect the rest of the rooms. He felt like a spy as he let his gun travel around corners before him as he moved throughout the first floor. What felt like an hour later, in reality it had been just over five minutes, he was sure that the first floor of the house was clear.

There were stairs leading upstairs and down. He decided to check the basement first, as the pictures of Sara looked like they had come from a basement type setting. He opened the basement door, reaching out his empty hand to flick on the light, before starting down the stairs.

He'd been face to face with a gun twice in his 33 years, and both times had brought him close, if not to tears. But the fear he'd felt then, was nothing to the fear he was feeling now as he approached the bottom steps. Either he was seconds away from meeting up with Sara, or he had just found another dead end, and it would be back to the drawing table.

"Please," Nick whispered the small prayer as his feet his the sturdy floor of the basement. There were two doors to choose from now, one on his left, and one to the right. After tossing a mental coin, he chose the right door to check first, but was disappointed when it opened to only show a an empty closet with a few old blankets and towels on the shelves.

Gathering up his courage, he turned around and headed to the other door. He opened it, gun pointing into what ever recess should appear, eyes closed, not wanting to see what was on the other time. He knew he'd set his hope too high, and that it'd be to easy for him to leave this disappointed.

The sound of another person is what caused him to finally open his eyes again and look into the room that was beckoning to him. There, in the center of the room was a chair, two arms handcuffed to the back of it, but hands he'd recognize anywhere. The person on the chair was shaking in fear.

"Sara?!" Nick exclaimed as he rushed into the room.

"Nick?" A weak voice is all he got in return, but it was enough for him. Nick could feel the tears start to slide down his cheeks as he moved around the chair to face Sara from the front.

Her eyes were hidden behind a blindfold, which he reached up to take off when Sara's voice stopped him. "No."

"No?" Nick questioned, confused.

"Nick, we need pictures. This is a crime scene," Sara reminded him in a matter-of-fact tone, very different from the voice that had responded to his call seconds earlier.

Nick almost burst out laughing at the change that had seemed to take place in a matter of milliseconds. He knew at that moment that she was going to be alright. "Okay, but I don't have my kit on me at the moment Sara, I think we can make an exception this time."

"Uh-uh," Sara shook her head as Nick once again reached for her blindfold. "Nick, there's no fucking way I'm letting this guy get off on a technicality. Go get your kit, I can sit here for a few more minutes."

Nick nodded in defeat, before remembering that she couldn't see him. "Fine," he agreed. But as he moved to leave the room, the sound of footsteps overhead stopped him in his path. He looked at Sara to see if she'd heard them as well, but he didn't need to ask, as he could already see the change in her posture as she'd frozen in fear. Nick carefully closed the door to the room he and Sara were in, before moving to the side of the door, gun aimed, prepared for who ever was going to walk through the door next.

"First floor's clear," Brass called out to the group of CSI's huddled around one of their Tahoe's. They immediately picked up their kits and moved forward towards him, entering the house. "I've sent two men to check upstairs, but I figure if she's here, she'll be in the basement. You guys need to wait up here for us to clear down there first."

"We'll just look around on this floor," Catherine nodded, speaking for the team, who picked up their kits and started moving about the floor.

Brass moved away from them, heading to the group who was standing by the basement door, preparing to move down. Brass moved to the front of the group, gun held firmly in front of him as the led the way down the stairs. When the reached the bottom, the group split into two, Brass leading a few men to the door on the left, and the rest going to the right.

"On the count of three," Brass instructed his men, who all nodded in response. "One…Two…THREE!"

On both sides of the hallway the men moved forward, flinging the doors open. Then men on the right, were disappointed as they found themselves facing a broom closet. The men with Brass on the left however, were in for a surprise as they pushed open the door and came face to face with a gun.

Don't forget to review! I think I'm going to make it over 100 :)