Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or anything relating to them, just borrowing them to satisfy my stupid brain. Any references to real life events; anything I may have read, seen or heard are completely unintentional and coincidental. I gain nothing from this other than to finally get this idea to stop repeating in my head. So please don't sue me or threaten to kill me. if this offends you in any way or it just plain sucks, I apologize that you've wasted several minutes of your life you'll never get back. Just pretend you never saw this, know for future reference to avoid it at all costs should you ever see the title again, and go on with your life. Any and all mistakes are mine. Also, any names, places or references are purely fictional!
A/N: Thanks for the reviews VagorielV and mikkir!!! I didn't want to leave you all hanging for too long :) Not too shabby...2 updates in one day :) Here's some more of the angsty stuff! I like how the story is actually falling into place, if I do say so myself. You guys keep the reviews coming please :) cuz I'm still writing away. Thanks for reading everyone!
The force of the shot pushes me backward into a set of drawers and I struggle to raise my arm and fire off a shot before sliding down into a sitting position.
"Bitch! Shit!" Todd yells grabbing his thigh before hobbling out of the house and leaving me alone.
It's strange. I didn't even feel any pain at first.
I felt myself being thrown backward and then my legs give out, but no immediate pain...until now.
I start coughing and the pain shoots through my entire upper body causing me to look down. Oh God, this isn't good! The bastard shot me right in the chest!
I try putting one hand on my wound to slow the bleeding, but it isn't helping. Dark bubbling blood is pouring out of me...I've really done it this time. I try to slow my breathing but another round of coughing causes me to see stars. I can taste the iron...I'm coughing up blood!
I'm a CSI, I know what these kinds of chest wounds look like...and I know how they end.
I know I don't have much time before I lose consciousness...but I need to make a call. Catherine has to know what I know...why Lindsay is gone. I dial Catherine's number once more, expecting to leave her one final message.
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As I step out of the shower, I can hear my phone ringing. I run over to it and see it's Sara's name again. Should I leave it and let the machine take it like the last one?
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"Hello?"
"Catherine?" I whisper in disbelief.
"Yes Sara, what do you want?" Catherine asks in a detached tone. I guess I deserve that.
"I left you a message a little while ago...did you get it?" I know she didn't even bother to listen to it yet...I'm surprised she even answered this time. I shouldn't be wasting time with stupid questions though. My fingers and toes are starting to tingle and my vision is getting duller.
"I saw you called before, what do you want?" Catherine asks getting a little more frustrated, wondering why she picked up the phone.
She hates me...I can hear the venom dripping from her voice. I could tell her that I've been shot...maybe the medics will even get here in time...
"I gave you an address in the message...call, call Brass and give him the address...Lindsay's murderer has a brother...it's...it's his address. I know why he killed our daughter Cath...I know..." I have to stop to take a breath. My legs are numb now and I'm finding it really hard to breath...let alone hold a thought.
"Sara, are you drunk right now? Why are you stuttering? Look, I really can't talk about Lindsay right now..."
She thinks I'm drunk...I guess I deserve that too. See, she ignored your call before because she hates you. It would probably be better off for her in the long run if I just died here. I have to cut her off though because I don't think I can hold up the phone much longer. My arms are starting to get numb now too.
"It wasn't...it wasn't about money...it was revenge...He's after Sam...you need to be careful...please, please Cath..." I say until another bloody, gurgled cough racks my body. My words are coming out between breaths now. I need to end this...while I can still see enough of the phone to end the call.
"Ca...Cath...please. Listen to the message...and call Brass...Todd Dorball...check...check the hospitals...he...ummm...he has a gunshot wound...to the leg." Shit, this is getting hard! I thought I would have had more time than this. Oh well, at least I got to hear her voice again. I smile to myself as a tear begins to run down my face. I guess it's a good thing I can still feel that.
"Sara! Sara, where are you?! You're scaring me! What's going on babe?! Are you okay?" Catherine screams into the phone.
Catherine really sounds panicked. At least I got her attention now. If she had answered the phone before or even just listened to the message she would know where I am. But she didn't...and now you're getting what you deserve Sidle. I shake my head as if to stop the voices in there from torturing me. Think about Catherine and not yourself Sidle! She's better off without you. I really hope Todd doesn't go after her. I hope she goes to Brass right away and stays safe. There is so much I wish I could tell her right now...I wish I could calm her down and tell her everything's going to be okay.
"Sara! Sara are you still there?! Please, please answer me babe! Where are you?! Are you okay?"
Oh God, she's crying now...way to go Sidle! You shouldn't have called! She may hate you, but nobody wants to have to hear a person dying on the other line...you've traumatized her yet again Sidle...
Another cough causes me to see stars...and when I open my eyes I realize everything is much darker and blurred. I guess this is it. Tears now run unabated down my face as I try to picture Catherine. It's better this way my love...one day you'll see that too. I'm so sorry all I seem to do is hurt you. I can't even die properly...I had to drag you into it too...I caused you more pain...
"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine Cath...I'm fine. Look babe...I gotta...I gotta go okay..." I cough again.
"No! Sara! Please, tell me where you are babe...tell me where you are...are you at the address on the message? Sara! Come on! Please don't leave me, please..." Catherine cries into the phone.
"I gotta...go...I...I..." I cough again and for a second I forget where I am and what I'm doing. I can't breathe...what's going on...
"Sara!"
"C...Cath?"
"Yes Sara, I'm here babe. Where are you? Let me help you babe! Whatever's going on...Sara...just hang on for me....and let me help you." Catherine pleads into the phone.
Even in my confused and foggy state, Catherine's voice helps guide me back into reality. Wow, did I just black out there...This isn't how I thought it would end, but in a strange way I almost feel relieved...at peace.
"Cath, I'm okay...I gotta go...I love you babe! I love you!" I want to tell her that I'm not in pain anymore too, but I'm already crying too much. I manage to hang up the phone before it slides out of my numb fingers and unto the floor.
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"Sara! Sara! No! Shit!" I slam the phone down. Oh God what do I do....what do I do...I pace back and forth in absolute panic until my brain finally kicks in and I grab my cell and my home phone.
With one hand I dial my voicemail on the home phone and Brass at the same time on my cell.
"Brass." I hear Jim say as I hit my password on my home phone to activate the voicemail.
"Jim it's Catherine!" I say while I multitask and grab a pen to write down the address that Sara's voice is telling me on the other line.
"Catherine, can I call you back hun...I'm on the road heading to a break and enter on..." Jim begins until I cut him off.
"Sara's in some kind of trouble...I think she's really hurt...she found the brother of the guy that killed Lindsay...she went after him alone...oh God Jim! I ignored her call..." I say rushed into the phone as I listen to her original message and begin to put the pieces together. Oh God, if I had picked up the phone that first time...
"Shit! Give me the address! Damn it Sara!" Jim yells as I hear the screech of the breaks on the other end.
I rattle off the address as I put my own shoes on and grab my keys.
"I'll meet you there Jim." I say heading out the door.
"I'm by there right now! I'll be there in a minute. I'm gonna let you go and call EMS Cath, just in case. Be careful driving, I'm sure she's fine Cath. I'll see you there." Jim says without waiting for an answer before hanging up.
No, she's not going to be okay...she didn't sound okay...oh God please help us...please.
I continue praying as I jump into my car and speed away. Please, not you too. Remembering the last words Sara spoke to me before she ended the call; I finally answer her back.
"I love you too Sara!"