A/N: Righto guys, here is the next chapter. Time to get the clogs moving and turn things up a notch :D Thanks for all your reviews, please keep them coming. So let's see how deeper our poor couple are about to get shall we? :)

Chapter 10

Nervously, Grissom edged closer to the store.

"Someone's coming," Ryan said stepping back and looking to the two monitors which he hadn't destroyed during his frenzy. He watched Grissom closely as he got nearer. "Doesn't look like a cop but be cautious. Don't give him an inch."

Jay nodded as Ryan moved back towards him; gun in hand, ready, just in case.

Grissom's heart rate was off the chart when he reached the slightly open door and he took a deep breath before placing his hand upon it.

"Keep your hands in the air," Jay commanded immediately sensing the CSI's presence and Grissom did as told ensuring he kept his hands in full view.

He cautiously pushed the door open but before his feet had barely stepped inside he was roughly grabbed by Jay, tripped and slammed onto the deck. He didn't struggle but winced as his face hit the cold tiled floor. He breathed heavily as he let the young thug pad him down without objection and remained perfectly still with his palms flat by his side.

Jay looked up, "He's clean, apart from these." He held up Grissom's cell phone and wallet.

"Get up," Ryan commanded as he eyed Grissom closely, grinning as he watched him quickly scuffle to his feet.

Jay pocketed Grissom's cell but kept a hold of his wallet.

The grave shift supervisor looked around swiftly, noting a partially blood stained patch of flooring and then the debris. He understanding then why they couldn't make contact by phone and assumed the blood had come from the victim Michael spoke of. He saw the hostages bundled on the floor and then finally, his eyes clashed with his wife's not too far away. He noted her bound wrists and her tired, anxious face but he heavily sighed with relief when he saw she was alright.

Looking to his brother Ryan pointed to the spare chair by Sara. "Get it," he instructed the younger man. Jay did as asked and placed the worn piece of furniture next to Grissom. "Sit!" Ryan demanded firmly, pointing to the chair. "Any of you move, you'll be eating lead," Ryan warned giving the hostages a second of his attention. They all got the message.

Grissom complied and slowly sat on the chair, floating his glance between the gun man and his wife. Jay remained behind him with his gun pointed at the CSI's head.

"You're not a cop?" Ryan asked.

The supervisor took a breath. "No, I'm not a cop."

A smile suddenly formed on Ryan's lips as he sensed something familiar. "What's your name?" the eldest brother asked inquisitively tapping his fire arm onto the side of his leg.

Narrowing his eyes slightly Grissom noticed as Sara flinched. If they knew who he was would that work against them?

"Gil," he responded, looking his assailant in the eye.

Ryan nodded but smirked again. "Funny. Gil, what? And don't you dare lie to me."

Grissom's glance once again floated to his wife and he could see her shuffling uncomfortably. He looked back at Ryan and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Grissom," he stuttered softly and quietly, almost wishing he hadn't.

"Ah..." Ryan's smile grew. His piercing eyes caught Sara's before looking back to his male captive, "...the husband...and...if I remember correctly...didn't you threaten me?"

Grissom felt himself tense and he felt a little bile rise up his throat. "I think you would be a little upset too...if you were me," he said quietly, trying not to sound threatening.

Ryan circled around Grissom's chair before coming to stand between husband and wife again. Both CSI's felt their anxiety building.

"I suppose I would," Ryan agreed, grinning at the supervisor. "She is quite a keeper though isn't she? But...I don't think she is very happy with you, you know?" he teased now. "All those missed phone calls and messages..."

The CSI remained silent.

Ryan walked around Grissom again but this time stayed behind him. He placed his hands onto the CSI's shoulders and Grissom flinched when he felt the barrel of Ryan's gun scrap across his neck. His eyes fluttered closed.

"You know, I asked her why it seemed you had pissed her off so much but..." he looked to Sara, "...she didn't seem very chatty."

Sara's glance flicked away from her captor and she met her husband's gaze as his eyes flicked open.

"It's not nice to upset your wife, Gil, especially when she's in such a fragile condition." He leaned forward and Grissom peered over his shoulder to look at him.

"Do you want to tell me what you did?" He smirked and Grissom quickly looked away. Just like Sara, he had no intention of discussing his personal issues with this man.

"He's not a cop...but, he's a CSI too," Jay informed his brother, holding up the ID he had just pulled from Grissom's wallet. "Supervisor, Gilbert Grissom..."

Turning his head, Ryan looked to his sibling and then the I.D. Tapping his weapon onto the side of Grissom's skull he urged the investigator to keep still. Suddenly and rather unexpectedly he laughed. "So..." He stepped to the side and floated his gun between the couple, "...you two are married but yet, he's your boss?" He looked to Sara with a grin. "Screwing the superiors huh?"

She didn't think his questions were amusing and averted her gaze with a disgruntled sigh.

Grissom cleared his throat. "How about we discuss your demands and how we can end this, rather than our personal life? I can't see how that's going to help you..."

Ryan's nostrils flared a little and he stepped behind Grissom again. He leaned forward, placing his lips right by Grissom's ear. "How about you do whatever the fuck I tell you to do?" he growled.

Every nerve ending in Grissom's body tingled. He didn't like being controlled. Sucking in a shaky breath, he attempted to keep his cool. "What is it you want?" he asked.

Suddenly the lights flickered and then everything went dark.

"What the hell is going on?" Jay marched to the door and looked through the blinds. "It's them isn't it? They turned off the power." Suddenly the younger brother seemed very edgy and waved his gun through the air as the inadequate emergency lighting kicked in offering only a small amount of illumination.

Grissom and Sara could still make each other out through the semi darkness and Sara witnessed as her husband shrugged his shoulders. Obviously this was something he didn't know was going to happen. No one however, expected what came next and Ryan hit Grissom in the back of the head with the butt of his gun, causing the CSI to fall from his chair and hit the cold floor with a painful groan.

"What are you doing?" Sara screamed getting to her feet.

"Move..." Ryan looked at Sara, pushing his gun into Grissom's temple as he rolled onto his back, "...and I will put a bullet in his brain." He glared at her. "You understand!?" he then shouted.

"Alright...alright...yes...I understand." With eyes wide Sara quickly nodded and shakily sat back down in the chair but didn't take her eyes from the gun jabbing into her husband's skull.

Ryan turned his full attention to Grissom and slid the gun from the side of his head, placing it right between his eyes. The older man swallowed hard as he tried to control his breathing as well as battle the stinging pain in the back of his head.

"What...are they doing?" Ryan demanded, gritting his teeth.

Swallowing hard Grissom closed his eyes for a moment. "I don't know," he said quickly.

"Bullshit! They turned off the electric, didn't they?"

The CSI's eyes flicked open and he lightly shook his head. "I give you my word, I know nothing about this and I'm certain..." He swallowed hard again, "...they wouldn't..."

Grissom didn't have a chance to finish as the store clerks voice cut into the conversation.

"It's the storm," he said, holding up a shaky hand to get some attention.

Ryan's eyes shot to the clerk and Jay instantly pointed his gun at the man who had dared to move. "What do you mean, it's the storm?"

"It trips off the electric sometimes," the clerk nervously continued. "We have a backup generator in the basement; you just need to flick it on."

Pushing himself to his feet, Ryan kept his eyes menacingly locked with Grissom's and his gun steadily pointing at the CSI's head. "Jay, take him, get that generator on."

"Right..." Moving from the door Jay approached the clerk. "With me...now!" he demanded.

The clerk nodded and got to his feet.

"Move..." Jay waved his gun towards the back. "And you lot...stay exactly where you are," he warned everyone else.

"Yes, Sir," the clerk answered and Jay followed him as he set off into the store.

Ryan's eyes scanned the room through the darkness. First to Sara then the hostages before settling back on Grissom. He repeated this over and over.

His eyes were resting on Sara when Grissom spoke.

"Can I...get up?" the supervisor groaned, the cold, hard floor doing nothing for his head.

"No," Ryan said immediately. "You just stay there until I say you can get up."

A lengthily breath fell from Grissom's lips as he stared at the dark ceiling above him. One thing he really hated about his current position was that he couldn't see his wife. He couldn't offer her anything right now... no peace of mind...no strength...no support. This wasn't entirely working out how he'd hoped.

Sara just kept her eyes on the scene before her. It was hard to believe that barely ten minutes before she had almost made a breakthrough with the man who now held a gun to her husband's head and had him pinned to the floor. But something did niggle her about her captor and a feeling inside told her that she still might be able to make that breakthrough. If, she was given the opportunity.

Totally off cue her stomach rumbled. It rumbled so loud Ryan looked over to her. At that point in time Sara felt no desire for food, but her demanding body was telling her otherwise. Alas, for now, that issue would have to wait and she just quietly apologised.

The lights suddenly flickered and came back on. Not at full strength but if you were judging they were probably getting about seventy percent of their power. Ryan smiled knowing the generator was on.

Within a minute or so Jay remerged, pushing the clerk in front of him. "You stay right there," he scowled then looked to his brother.

"Ryan you have got to see this," he said with almost a tinge of excitement in his words.

The eldest brother frowned. "What?"

"Just...don't ask questions...go with him..." He looked to the clerk. "Show my brother exactly what you just showed me."

The clerk nodded without objection.

Ryan's interest was obviously heightened by his brother's keenness.

"Get up on your knees," Ryan commanded to Grissom.

Complying as quickly as he could Grissom gradually sat up, wincing as his did so, his head throbbing. He ensured he moved at a snail's pace and made no brash movements as he turned over and slipped onto his knees, sitting back on his heels.

"Hands behind your head," his captor continued.

As his eyes met his wife's once more the CSI again did as he was told and slowly placed his hands behind his head, entwining his fingers as he did so.

"If you move a muscle, you are a dead man. Do you get me?" the younger man behind him threatened prodding his weapon into his skull.

"Yes," Grissom responded with haste clenching his eyes shut for a second in an attempt to dispel some of the pain in his head.

"Jay," Ryan called to his brother and the younger man was there in a second. "Watch him and keep your eyes on the rest. Shoot anyone who moves."

"Gotcha," Jay chuckled, stepping to the side so he could keep an eye on everyone but he kept his gun pointed at Grissom.

As Ryan disappeared into the back with the clerk the CSI couple returned their attention to one another, their eyes locking.

After a lengthy moment Grissom finally spoke. "Are you alright?" he softly asked his wife.

Sara was about to respond but Jay interrupted the moment. "Did I say you could speak?" he growled, sidestepping and ensuring Grissom could see the gun pointing at him.

Turning his head to look at him, Grissom narrowed his eyes. Was he not even allowed to ask his wife if she was okay?

"Did I?" the youngster now spat.

"No," the CSI whispered.

"Then keep your damn mouth shut until you are told you can open it."

Sighing heavily Grissom returned his attention to his wife but did as he was told and remained silent. He tried to think...his brain attempting to take in any information it could. It was obvious to him that the brother's had a good level of control over their captives. He could easily sense the fear in the air and he could most certainly see it on his wife's face. However, he couldn't see how they were going to get out of this. What scared him the most was they were certain to try and use Sara to get what they wanted. The LVPD generally looked after their own but now with McKeen outside, he had no idea what negations could be made and what demands may or may not be met.

It was a horrible, horrible feeling.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Ryan slammed the clerk against the basement wall. "Why the hell didn't you tell us about this before?"

"I...I..." the clerk stuttered, "...didn't even think about it. It hasn't been used in years. If...we hadn't come down here...it wouldn't have even crossed my mind."

Pushing away from the clerk Ryan rubbed his chin, deep in thought. After a minute, he smiled. "Back upstairs," he commanded, waving his gun.

The clerk did as told and Ryan followed him back up the basement stairs and into the store.

"Back with the others," Ryan commanded the worker and he was quick to comply, scuttling to where the other hostages were and retaking his position on the floor.

Grissom looked over his shoulder and noted the reappearance of the older brother. He spoke quickly. "Swap my wife for me."

His request immediately got Ryan's interest as well as Sara's and both stared at him.

The supervisor's attention was brought back to his wife as she questioned him with her eyes but there was not time for the two as Ryan quickly stepped up behind him.

The hostage taker rounded his victim and looked him in the eye. "Now why would I want to do that?"

Grissom cringed. He was way past the years he could be on his knees this long, especially on such hard flooring. He could feel the acid cursing through his joints. "Can...I please...stand up?" he asked, feeling the sweat brimming on his forehead.

Ryan grinned. "If you can't even manage to stay on your knees, how on earth do you ever manage to keep up with your wife?"

Instantly, Grissom got the sexual jibe in his apparent joke.

Sara watched her husband and she could see he was struggling to let the comment go.

"I would think..." Grissom pushed himself to his feet, even without permission," he glared at Ryan, "...the twins, my wife carries, will answer that one for you."

Ryan's brow went skyward and Sara's eyes widened. Did her husband just say that? Oh no...he...didn't just say that...did he?

"And here's me thinking we weren't discussing personal things..." Ryan retorted. "However...twins huh? I guess then in that field, you can keep up. Are you sure they're yours?" He smirked.

The CSI tightly clenched his fingers, feeling anger cursing through him. Sara noted his posture and his glare.

"Don't, Gil," she quickly interrupted with urgency in her voice.

His eyes flicked back to her and she shook her head at him. "Don't..." she repeated, more softly this time, calming him, directing him.

"And you expect me to swap..." Ryan continued pointing at Sara, "...her...for you?" He laughed out loud. "I don't think so. After all, I now have three precious ones...don't I?"

Grissom realised now exactly what he'd just said, telling this mad man that Sara was not only carrying one child but two... that was probably the worse move ever. But it was too late now.

Sara just looked at him in disbelief and he sighed.

"Sorry to break this up..." Jay cut in with a smirk and caught his brother's attention. "Did you see it Ryan? Downstairs..."

Ryan's eyes sparkled. "Yeah, I saw it," he replied. "And I know exactly what to do about it."

"You do?"

Ryan smirked and looked to Grissom. "Oh yes."

Grissom was confused. What were they talking about?

"Go get me some paper and two envelopes," Ryan instructed his brother.

Watching as Jay disappeared into the store, Grissom cleared his throat. "Can I ask what's going on?"

"Demands," Jay replied quickly and without hesitation.

"Oh?" Grissom sounded surprised.

Ryan checked the hostages. "That's what you came in for isn't it?" His eyes shifted back to the CSI.

Probably feeling braver than he should, Grissom slowly removed his hands from his head. He flexed his fingers, attempting to regain some feeling in them and Ryan watched him carefully. "Partly," the supervisor admitted.

"And the other part for your wife I'm sure," Ryan finished for him.

"I'll do anything you want...please...just let her go..." Grissom's tone was begging now. "If you had any idea what she's been through..."

Ryan flicked the safety back and forth on his gun. "Enough," he snapped, pointing his gun at the CSI. "I've already told you she isn't going anywhere, so stop pushing me."

Grissom held his hands up. "Alright...alright..." He took a step back.

Jay returned, breaking up the confrontation. "Got what you needed, Bro," he said, holding out the paper and envelopes Ryan had requested.

"Watch them," Ryan directed taking the stationary from his brother. He moved to the cashier's desk as Jay directed his weapon at Grissom and he rummaged through a draw in search of a pen. He found one and began writing.

Both Grissom and Sara watched on both wondering what was going to come next.

All Grissom wanted to do was turn back the clock. He wished he could. Just be at home, holding his wife, telling her how much he loved her. A clap of thunder broke his thoughts and he swallowed the lump in his throat.

After what seemed like forever, Ryan moved from the desk and back to Grissom. He held up two envelopes and smiled. "It's time, my friend..."

A/N: Hmmm... Anyone have a guess as to what's going to happen? And poor Grissom, keeps putting his foot right in his mouth. Not quite sure if it's tense enough yet though :) Thoughts please!