April 26
Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York
"…Vegas has left the ball entirely in our court concerning this case, so I'd like to wait until she wakes to talk to her," Catherine heard a voice speak in a quiet tone. "What's her condition so far, Doctor?"
Catherine opened her eyes and tried to speak, but immediately found a tube down her throat, "Doctor, I think your patient is awake," she suddenly heard another voice say. "She looks terrified."
Unfamiliar faces filled her view, "Catherine, hi, I'm Doctor Fields," a man said kindly. "You've been very sick for the past several days, but you were found by a very good young man and his father and you're going to make a full recovery. I can get the tube out if you do exactly as I tell you to do, all right?"
Soon enough, the tube was gone and Catherine found herself staring at Mac, Dr. Fields, Kim, Lindsay, and Chief Sinclair, "…Where am I?" she said in a faint, shaky voice. "I feel sore and cloudy."
"You're at the Angel of Mercy Hospital in Manhattan," Mac explained softly. "You were found five days ago passed out in an alley, bleeding to death. John Boscorelli and his father found you there."
Catherine frowned, "What happened to me?" she asked in a tired voice. "I'm pregnant and…"
"It was an ectopic pregnancy and it was removed," Dr. Fields spoke softly. "As were other things…"
Catherine's eyes widened in shock, "The surgeon had to do a full hysterectomy due to the amount of bleeding," Dr. Fields spoke in a quiet voice, sighing patiently. "You would have died otherwise."
"Rick…he never knew," Catherine spoke weakly, tears filling her eyes. "I was so scared to tell him because we decided to not have any more after the twins and Lindsey's had issues lately. I guess I won't be able to tell him because Sara probably pressed charges and I'll be headed to jail now…"
Chief Sinclair sighed, "LVPD has decided to let us handle the situation you created, ma'am," he spoke in a formal voice. "Medical testing has shown that your pregnancy may have altered your mental health."
Mac sighed patiently, seeing that Catherine was now devastated, "We can arrange for you to speak to Rick later on, but I think you should rest for now," he spoke quietly. "We want to let you regain your health before we decide what to do. There will be an officer outside if you need anything…"
"Can…can I thank that kid and his father?" Catherine asked tiredly. "I'd like to thank them…"
Mac paused, "I'll ask them," he replied, wondering what John Boscorelli's reaction to that would be.
Las Vegas, Nevada
"Nicky, you shouldn't go alone," Jillian Stokes spoke anxiously as she followed Nick through Greg's house, watching as Nick packed a duffel for his hospital say. "I can wake Parker up and take you."
Nick sighed, "Mama, I appreciate it, but I already called a cab," he replied in a tired voice.
"I didn't tell Derek like you asked, but I did tell your father," Jillian spoke quietly. "He'll be looking after Derek and the ranch while I'm gone and he hopes that you get through the surgery okay…"
Nick looked at his anxious mother, "Mama, I don't blame Derek for what happened to me in New York in Miami because he was sick and couldn't think clearly," he replied patiently. "How's he doing?"
"Physically, he's doing a lot better," Jillian explained softly. "He's coming to terms with what he did while sick and he insisted on using some of his inheritance to send money to Jenny for Jessica anonymously and if that child in New York belongs to him too, he'll send money up there. He also wants to apologize and repay Lieutenant Caine, but the Lieutenant has already said that's unnecessary."
Nick nodded just as there was a knock at the door, "That must be the cab," he said anxiously.
Jillian sighed as Nick went over to the door and opened it, frowning when he saw Grissom on the stoop, "Morning, Grissom," he said in a tired voice. "I hope Ecklie didn't suddenly pull my sick leave."
"No, I'm your taxi," Grissom spoke calmly. "I don't work until tonight, so I have some time since my mother's living at my house and looking after my kids. I figured you needed the support."
Nick didn't say anything and Jillian silently zipped his duffel up, "I'll come by after I take Parker to school," Jillian spoke softly, kissing Nick's cheek. "Just focus on doing what the doctor says."
Murmuring a quiet thank you, Nick followed Grissom out to his vehicle, "By the way, one of the cops who were fired for that party in Bed-Stuy assaulted a superior and New York wants to take care of that first before the trial about the party," Grissom said calmly. "Your part will probably be in June…"
"Then I can take Parker," Nick spoke softly. "Maybe we can visit his grandmother."
Grissom nodded as they got into the vehicle, "For now, just focus on today," he spoke calmly.
Nodding, Nick buckled his seatbelt and tried not to think what would happen if he had cancer.
Manhattan, New York
Ray Jr. yawned as he continued walking down the street from the station where the bus had dropped him off. He had nothing but his wallet with school ID and cash, cash he had managed to swipe from his father's wallet while in Miami. He hadn't been able to use his right arm since the incident at the prison and so he had been using his left arm to take buses from Miami to New York for the last few days.
The streets were still quiet and all Ray knew that his mother was here and remarried to a retired cop, according to what his father had said. His father had heard that his mother had remarried and was angry, jealous, and fully intended to seek revenge after he finished paying debts to Ivan Sarnoff.
As Ray Jr. walked, he suddenly noticed a precinct nearby and he knew that his mother was most likely still a cop and she might be there. After taking abuse from his father for so long, he needed his mother.
Ignoring the pain in his arm, Ray Jr. silently entered the precinct and looked around, hoping to find his mother, "…Bosco should be in later this morning if you need to talk to him about time off with your girlfriend, Sergeant Davis," he heard a casual voice say as Flack and Ty entered his view.
"Hey, can someone help me find my mom?" Ray Jr. called out to them. "She lives in New York."
Ty looked concerned, but Flack walked over to Ray Jr. and quickly frowned when he noticed bruises on Ray Jr.'s neck and that Ray Jr. was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a jacket that seemed too big for him.
"I'm Detective Flack," Flack spoke kindly, smiling at Ray Jr. "Who's your mom?"
Ray Jr. sighed tiredly, "Her name's Yelina," he spoke quietly. "She got married last October…"
Ty's eyes widened as he realized that this was Yelina's missing son and the stepson that Sully had expressed a wish to know, "How'd you get up here?" Flack asked quietly. "Last we heard, you were with your dad at a prison in Miami and you ran away because there was a violent fight…"
"I stole money from my dad and took a lot of buses," Ray Jr. spoke quietly, reaching into his pocket with his left hand, which was awkward for him, and getting his wallet. "My school card is in there."
Ty frowned, "Why are you using your left hand to get in your right pocket?" he asked.
Ray Jr. eyeballed Ty nervously and didn't say anything, "You look injured," Flack commented, noting that the boy was afraid of Ty. "Can you tell me your name? I might be able to help you find your mom."
"Raymond," Ray Jr. replied softly. "My dad pulled on my right arm and it's hurt ever since."
Flack nodded, "Would you let me take you to the hospital?" he asked calmly. "Sergeant Davis won't hurt you and while I sit with you, Sergeant Davis is going to call your mom. Would that be okay with you?"
Ray Jr. nodded and exhaled before suddenly collapsing at Flack's feet from sheer exhaustion.
Bed-Stuy, New York
"Daddy, where's Mommy?" Joey Doherty asked his dad as he walked alongside him and Camille, who was in a stroller. "Mommy usually takes me to school and takes Camille for a walk…"
Jimmy sighed heavily as they passed the space where Danielle's old house had once been, but was now just a patch of land. Danielle still owned the land, but she hadn't wanted to do anything with it because she felt it would insult his memory to build something over the land where he had been murdered.
That day, however, Jimmy noticed that there were rough looking black and Hispanic men standing in front of the property, "…This is the address that I thought she had," the black man said nervously.
"That Danielle chick is slippery," one of the Hispanics said. "Warrick, seriously, what is…?"
Realizing that the men were looking for Danielle, Jimmy quickly ducked into the nearby firehouse and went for the phone. He dialled Bosco's number and waited, hoping someone would answer.
Manhattan, New York
"The higher-ups are going to talk to Miami prison officials about the letter that Doctor Price sent me, but there's really nothing else that can be done right now," Bosco spoke in a tired voice as he sat on the living room couch, watching as Danielle fed Maritza a bottle. She'll get restricted on sending any more mail due to the graphic nature of what she sent me, but as far as her request for custody…"
Danielle sighed, "I'm not legally Maritza's mother and Doctor Price has been stalling my adoption attempts by saying you'll be incompetent to raise her if something happens to me," she spoke in a quiet, sorrowful voice. "All we can do, Maurice, is do our best to take care of her as long as we're allowed."
Just then, there was a knock at the door and Bosco scoffed as he stood up to get it, frowning when he saw Danny at the door, "Detective Messer, what is it?" he asked in a concerned voice.
"Um, this is your info for that hearing you have concerning Officer Mattaroski's assault on you," Danny spoke anxiously, handing Bosco a manila envelope. "The hearing will be pretty soon, so…"
Danielle suddenly came to the door holding Maritza, having overheard Danny, "Hearing?" she asked.
"I was at the precinct and Mattaroski started commenting on my experience and grabbed hold of me," Bosco explained in a quiet voice. "Detective Taylor had him arrested and I pressed charges, but…"
Danielle sighed irritably as the phone rang, "We'll discuss this later," she replied in an upset voice.
"I take it she didn't know," Danny spoke anxiously, watching Danielle answer the phone.
There was silence and Danielle suddenly swore loudly before throwing the cordless across the room on to the couch, "Jimmy just phoned and said that Warrick Brown and bunch of Hispanic guys are at my old house in Bed-Stuy looking for me," she growled angrily. "I'm going to kill Grissom once I finish feeding Maritza. I don't know how Warrick knew where I lived, but that information was kept under wraps…"
Danny frowned, "Warrick Brown is in New York looking for you?" he asked in a concerned voice.
"What is all the shouting out here?" Sully asked as he suddenly came out of his master bedroom.
Danielle scoffed, swore, and took Maritza back to her small bedroom, "Warrick's in the city looking for her," Bosco spoke in an irritated voice as the phone rang again while on the couch. "Sully…"
Sully hurried over to the phone and answered it, "Hello?" he asked in a quiet voice. "Who is this?"
There were sounds of talking and Sully suddenly froze, "Yelina!" he called out anxiously.
Yelina came out of their bedroom, "What is it?" she asked in a concerned voice.
"NYPD's on the phone for you," Sully spoke in a shocked voice. "About Ray Junior."
Yelina snatched the phone from Sully with a shaking hand, "This is Yelina," she quavered.
For a few moments, Yelina was silent and then she suddenly started to cry, "Ray Junior took buses to New York and he's in the hospital," she spoke anxiously, covering the phone. "He's alive…"
Sully embraced Yelina and held her as Danielle came back into the living room, "Um, I need to go for a walk," Danielle spoke in a quiet voice. "The whole Warrick thing just…I need some space."
"It's not a good idea for you to go around alone if Warrick's looking for you," Danny spoke firmly.
Danielle sighed, "The idiot was in love with me and always offering to babysit the kids in hopes that I'd go out with him," she spoke in a tired voice. "His reaction when I rejected him…I don't wish to discuss."
Bosco frowned, sensing that Danielle was hiding something, "Wait…he's how Edward found out where you were," he reasoned, seeing the pain in her eyes. "I thought that was Catherine's deal…"
"That case is officially unsolved with multiple theories," Danielle spoke quietly.
Bosco gave Danielle a look, "How badly did Warrick hurt you?" he asked in a stern voice.
"I'm not discussing it here," Danielle spoke firmly. "That case file is in Las Vegas."
Danny frowned, but didn't say anything as Danielle turned to Yelina, "I have something I need to do, so I can take you to see Ray Junior," Danielle spoke quietly. "It might be better for him to just see you at first."
Sully nodded, but Bosco didn't agree, "Danielle, what is going on?" Bosco asked sternly.
"I want to talk to Catherine," Danielle spoke softly. "I want to go while the kids are still sleeping."
Bosco looked concerned, "When I get home, I promise we'll sit down and I'll explain things," Danielle spoke softly, giving her husband a kind look. "Catherine…as many bad things as she's done, she helped me out of a jam many years ago and she was discreet about it. Let's just say Warrick and a gun…"
"That scar on your abdomen," Bosco spoke quietly, his expression somber. "It was from him…"
Danny's eyes widened, "I owe Catherine and I'm going to do my best to help her now," Danielle spoke in a quiet voice. "I know she might not be awake yet, but I'd like to talk to her all the same."
Police Department/Crime Lab - Miami, Florida
"Is there any good reason you dragged me out of bed and made me come down here when I'm supposed to be on sick leave, Robert?" Rick said in a stern voice as he slowly followed Robert off the elevator on to the Crime Lab floor. "I appreciate you housing us, but I am really not working…"
Robert sighed heavily, "I have no idea, Rick, but I was told that my uncle needed to talk to you," he replied patiently as he turned to face Rick. "He wouldn't have asked that you come in if it…"
"Catherine's been missing six days and both my kids are freaking out about it," Rick snarled, clearly out of patience. "If she was found dead, I'm going to sue everyone who was involved in the investigation."
Robert nodded, as he hadn't been allowed to participate in the investigation due to his relation to Catherine, "Sergeant Stetler, hello," Calleigh spoke in a quiet voice as she approached them.
"Where's Horatio?" Rick asked in a cross voice. "It's only so long before the pain meds wear off."
Calleigh sighed, "Horatio's in his office and he'll be down in a few moments, but you're welcome to wait in the lounge," she replied, sighing at Rick's bandages and casted arm. "How are you feeling?"
"Duquesne, get me Horatio right now or I will blow the whistle on your and Delko's relationship to the chief and I mean it," Rick growled, clearly out of patience. "I've overlooked your little fling for…"
Pain shot through Rick's healing wounds and he doubled over, prompting Bobby to help him sit on a nearby chair, "He's just on the phone," Calleigh spoke softly, choosing to ignore Rick's comment because she knew what he was currently going through. "I'm sorry you were asked to come here…"
Footsteps filled the hallway, "I could hear shouting from my office," Horatio spoke as he approached and saw Rick sitting in a chair looking angry and exhausted. "Rick, thank you for coming in and Bobby, thank you for driving him in on your day off. I know you're anxious about Catherine and I…"
"Please cut the crap, Horatio," Rick spoke in a grumpy voice. "Tell me what you know."
Horatio sighed, "I got a call from the NYPD this morning and Catherine's currently a patient at Angel of Mercy Hospital in New York City," he explained quietly. "She's been there for the last several days…"
Rick frowned, "She wasn't sick or anything," he spoke in a confused voice. "What was she…?"
"Catherine almost died from an ectopic pregnancy," Horatio spoke in a quiet voice. "I've been trying to contact Las Vegas to see if they knew anything about her condition and how it may have affected…"
Rick's eyes went wide, he stood up, and marched down to the offices, prompting Horatio, Rick, and Robert to follow after him, "Six days after the fact is when you choose to tell me that my wife and the mother to my children almost died!" Rick shouted angrily, glaring daggers at Horatio. "I need a phone."
Horatio silently took his cell out, "I wasn't informed about Catherine's location until today, Rick," he replied quietly, knowing Rick had a right to be angry. "Your office is still under renovation…"
"I suggest you get both New York and Las Vegas on the phone right now," Rick growled. "I'm refusing to allow Catherine to be charged over something she did when she was mentally compromised. We didn't want any more kids after the twins because of how it affected her mental health. Get me a phone…"
Horatio silently looked at Calleigh, "Calleigh, please set up a conference call with the Las Vegas and New York Crime Labs for thirty minutes from now," he spoke calmly. "Rick, sit down and take a breath…"
Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York
"Catherine, there's someone here to see you," Catherine heard a kind voice say.
Catherine opened her eyes and saw Lindsay and Danielle, "Hey," Danielle spoke softly as she silently sat at Catherine's bedside. "I thought I'd come visit an old friend. What you did for me back in Vegas…"
"Warrick shot you after you refused his advances," Catherine spoke weakly, thinking back to when she had helped Danielle. "I know you never wanted to press charges, but you should have…"
Danielle nodded and sighed, "I heard you were here and I want to help you," she spoke softly.
"I went nuts and tried to hurt your son," Catherine spoke weakly. "I hurt others…"
Danielle sighed, "John saved you from bleeding to death," she spoke softly. "He's been through so much that I'm not sure he remembers Warrick shooting me, but I remember it and I know you do…"
Catherine nodded tiredly, "It's one thing I never told Sackheim," she spoke softly. "Not anyone."
"I know you'll be here for a while to recover, but is there anything I can do for you while you're here?" Danielle asked softly, stunning Lindsay. "I've got some time and I'd like to help if I can…"
Catherine sighed, "Rick should know," she spoke softly, wincing as she exhaled. "And Grissom…"
"I have a few things to say to Grissom anyway," Danielle spoke softly. "Warrick's looking for me."
Catherine looked horrified and Lindsay quietly got her phone out, "An old colleague of mine phoned me earlier and said Warrick was in Bed-Stuy with a bunch of guys," Danielle spoke quietly.
A yawn escaped from Catherine's lips, "I'm sorry," she spoke softly. "The meds make me tired."
"I'll come visit again soon," Danielle promised softly, standing up. "Thank you again."
Lindsay followed Danielle from the room, "My Emily may be losing her hearing and I did not need this news about Warrick," Danielle spoke sadly pulling out her phone. "I guess it's time I called Vegas."
Las Vegas, Nevada
The surgical waiting room was quiet and Grissom found the silence comforting because he could think about his family, both at the Lab and at home. Nick's mother had gotten Parker off to school, but she had then phoned and said that the fridge was empty and she was going to go shopping for them.
As Grissom sat there, silently reading a book about entomology that he had brought from his office to pass time waiting for Nick, his phone went off, "Grissom, this is Conrad," a voice spoke into the phone as soon as he answered it. "Miami just called and we just got an earful from Lieutenant Caine and Sergeant Stetler for not disclosing Catherine's location to Miami. There's a conference call in 20 minutes."
"Conrad, you'll have to handle it because I'm still at the hospital waiting on Nick," Grissom replied, shocked that his superiors thought it would be a good idea to withhold information about Catherine.
There was a sigh as Brass suddenly entered the room, "Gil, I got a call," he whispered anxiously. "Danielle Boscorelli called and said that Warrick Brown is in New York looking for her…"
Grissom frowned, "Excuse me, did I just hear what I thought I heard?" Ecklie asked sharply.
"About Warrick being in New York?" Grissom replied worriedly. "Yes, Conrad."
Swearing loudly, Ecklie hung up and Grissom looked at Brass, who was carrying a folder that dated back several years, "As soon as I heard from Danielle, I dug through the old case files and found this," Brass spoke apologetically. "Danielle made Catherine and I swear never to tell anyone, but…"
Grissom took the folder and frowned when he read the report stating that Warrick had made advances on Danielle Sullivan, been refused, and had shot her in retaliation after following her home after work one day, "Jim, why wasn't I told about this before?" he asked in a concerned voice. "I should…"
"You and I both know Danielle had a lot of trust issues," Brass gently reminded him.
Grissom sighed, "I was the head of CSI back then and Catherine was the sole female CSI, so I thought it best to handle it quietly," Brass spoke softly. "She didn't press charges against Warrick at the time…"
"She could still do that now if she wanted," Grissom spoke grimly. "I'd support that."
Brass nodded, "By the way, what are you doing here?" he asked quietly. "I thought Sara was home?"
"Nick's having biopsies done because odd results turned up on tests he had about all that crap he went through in New York and Miami months ago," Grissom replied. "He wanted to keep it private."
Brass looked concerned, "Nicky's got a kid that'll be six in a few months," he replied worriedly.
Just then, a male doctor wearing green scrubs poked his head into the waiting room, "Is anyone here for Nick Stokes?" he asked in a kind voice, seeing Grissom and Brass. "Are you two here for him?"
"Yes," Grissom replied as he set the book in his bag and stood up. "How did the biopsies go?"
Dr. Wylie sighed patiently, "I got the necessary amounts for testing, but Nick did not respond to the anaesthetic so well and vomited several times in Recovery," he explained. "His blood pressure also dropped several times and while he's being moved to a room, we want to keep him overnight."
"Is he allowed visitors?" Grissom asked in a concerned voice, wondering what he would tell Jillian.
Dr. Wylie nodded and silently led Grissom and Brass out of the waiting room and down the hall to a patient room, "Nick is very weak from vomiting and the low blood pressure, so make sure he rests as much as possible," he explained quietly. "I took biopsies of masses in his thyroid, his lymph nodes, his abdomen, his legs, his prostate, and his testicles, so I expect that he'll be sore for several days."
Brass cringed, but Grissom silently made his way into the room and saw that Nick was asleep in bed sporting IV lines in both hands and a bandage on his neck. Nick suddenly frowned in his sleep.
"Who's there?" Nick spoke in a faint, groggy voice, wrinkling his nose. "Air…smells funny."
Grissom sniffed the air, but smelled nothing odd, "…Greggo, if I have cancer and die, I want you and Jenny to raise Parker for me cause you're good with kids," Nick spoke groggily, tears filling his closed eyes. "I wish you'd come back for good because I'm just getting so tired and life needs to slow down…"
Taken aback by Nick's words, Grissom silently lingered near the door and let out a quiet sigh of relief when he saw Jillian Stokes coming down the hallway, "I just heard Nicky got out of surgery," she said.
"Doctor Wylie said that Nick threw up a lot in Recovery because of the anaesthetic and that his blood pressure is low," Grissom spoke quietly. "They took biopsies of masses in his thyroid, his lymph nodes, his abdomen, his legs, his prostate, and his testicles and Doctor Wylie wants to keep him tonight."
Jillian nodded, "If you want to stay with Nick, I can take Parker," Grissom offered softly. "He'll be able to help me entertain my babies so my wife can rest. I know you're extremely worried about Nick."
"Nicky made a list of people who can get Parker from school," Jillian spoke nervously.
Grissom nodded, "I'm on that list," he replied patiently. "Let Nick know when he wakes."
Nodding, Jillian silently entered the room as Grissom left to get back to his responsibilities.
Miami-Dade Crime Lab/Police Department - Miami, Florida
"The conference call is set up," Calleigh spoke quietly as she left the room where Robert and a highly aggravated Rick were seated next to a video monitor. "Are you sure Stetler should be here?"
Horatio sighed, "No, but I'm not planning on aggravating the man any more today," he replied in a concerned voice. "He's extremely angry at both LVPD and NYPD and there's not much I can…"
A ding filled the air and Horatio turned just in time to see Tim come off of the elevator dressed for work, "I haven't seen him in a while," Calleigh commented, looking at Tim. "He looks tired."
Horatio silently made his way over to Tim, "Hello there, Speed," he spoke in a quiet voice.
"Look, H, if you want to fire me for my sporadic hours, okay," Tim spoke in a tired voice.
Horatio looked surprised and Tim sighed, "Emily mentioned that she talked to you when you and Greg went to see her about Warrick escaping," Tim explained softly. "It was bad enough when she was shot, but then to know that he escaped with information and money stolen from Ryan…"
"It brought back the memories of when you were shot," Horatio replied in a patient voice.
Tim sighed softly, "I sort of hid from the world because I kept feeling panicked and sick," he spoke in a quiet, tired voice. "I would always tell Emily where I was, but I just needed space to deal with stuff."
Horatio nodded, "Emily…she was there when I got shot and she knew all my ups and downs, so she just told me to do what I needed to do and she'd write me a note," Tim replied, reaching into his pocket.
"I appreciate this," Horatio replied as Tim handed him the note. "Are you feeling better?"
Tim sighed, "As well as I can, but Ryan needed a ride to work," he explained. "Sofia's unavailable."
Horatio frowned, "Ryan…Ryan came to work?" he replied worriedly. "He's still doing chemo."
Tim shrugged as Ryan came off the elevator, "Mister Wolfe, I'd like you to stick close to the lab today if you're going to insist on working," Horatio spoke calmly. "Sergeant Stetler came in and found out that Catherine is in New York and he's quite upset. I promise you that I'm still working on getting…"
"I was planning to," Ryan replied quietly. "I came to help with the investigation against Warrick."
Horatio looked thoughtful, "Speed, work with Ryan and keep me in the loop," he replied, checking his watch. "I have a conference call to sit in on, but I will talk to you both afterwards, all right?"
Leaving Tim and Ryan to their work, Horatio returned to the video room and sighed as both Mac Taylor and Ecklie appeared on the screens, "You idiots both have a lot of explaining to do," Rick snarled. "You kept me in the dark about Catherine's whereabouts and I find out she almost died! You sons of…!"
"Rick," Robert spoke gently. "I know you're upset, but this cannot be good for your health."
Horatio sighed patiently, "I know Catherine isn't currently fit to travel, but I would like her to come back to Miami if she wishes to once she's well," Rick spoke coldly. "Or are you idiots going to charge her?"
Ecklie shifted in his seat uncomfortably, "I don't know what to tell you," he replied nervously. "I…"
"Hi there, Conrad," a voice suddenly spoke. "Am I late to the party?"
Ecklie sighed as Grissom came into the picture, "Conrad, Brass brought something to my attention that we need to discuss," Grissom spoke anxiously. "It involves Catherine and may get her leniency…"
The Vegas call suddenly dropped and Rick frowned, "What was that about?" he asked tiredly.
Mac's phone suddenly rang and Mac quickly answered it, "Taylor," he spoke calmly.
There was silence as Mac listened to Lindsay tell him about what she observed between Danielle Boscorelli and Catherine at the hospital. The New York screen suddenly went black.
Rick scoffed, slowly got up, and left the room in silence, "I'm going to run Rick back to the house," Robert spoke in a quiet voice. "When he gets quiet like that, it means he's in pain and tired."
"Tell Natalia hello," Horatio spoke calmly. "I know she's there with the boys today."
Robert nodded and left the room to catch up to Rick, prompting Horatio to go find Tim and Ryan.
Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York
The sight of Ray Jr. laying in a hospital bed asleep, sporting a cast on his right arm and IV's all over his body prompted Yelina to gasp softly, "Detective, Raymond had surgery for his arm and he's also being treated for malnutrition and dehydration," Flack explained, seeing her. "He also had broken ribs."
"His father was abusive to him and to me," Yelina replied coldly. "That is why we divorced."
Flack nodded and led Yelina into the room, "Ray," Yelina spoke in a quiet voice.
Ray Jr. opened his eyes and he sighed sleepily, "Mom," he spoke in a groggy voice. "I found you."
Yelina smiled and sat beside his bed, gently stroking his cheek, "Oh, Ray," she whispered.
Ray Jr. yawned and closed his eyes, "I'm so tired," he mumbled. "Hey, where's my new dad at?"
Yelina looked stunned, as she hadn't overly been sure if Ray Jr. would accept her new marriage and her husband had offered to stay with Nicolas so to make the transition easier on all of them. When he heard no response, Ray Jr. opened his eyes again and as he looked towards his mother, he froze.
"Hi," Ray Jr. spoke quietly, his eyes on the door and ignoring Flack. "Are you my new dad?"
Yelina and Flack turned to see Sully come into the room holding Nicolas, "Hi," Sully said kindly.
"Mom, I didn't know you could have more kids after me?" Ray Jr. spoke in a weak voice.
Sully came over to the bed and set Nicolas down next to Ray Jr., "My name is John Sullivan and I can be your dad if you want," he explained in a quiet voice. "This is Nicolas and he's your little brother."
Nicolas made some noises and smiled at Ray Jr., "Ohh, he's cute," Ray Jr. spoke weakly.
Sully sighed, "Those crazy guys are looking for someone named Danielle," Ray Jr. spoke softly.
Flack frowned and silently excused himself to talk to Ty, who was standing in the hallway, "I know, but the police also know and they will do what they can to help," Sully replied encouragingly. "Danielle is my daughter and I'm married to your mom, so Danielle is technically your big sister now."
As Sully, Yelina, Ray Jr., and Nicolas continued to spend time together, Flack and Ty stood in the hallway, both of them discussing how they could keep Danielle safe from Warrick and his seedy friends.
Manhattan, New York
"That Walsh guy at the Bed-Stuy firehouse better not have been screwing with us, Brown," Ivan snarled as he, Warrick, a reluctant Ray, and several other goons, rode through the streets of Manhattan in a van they jacked after landing their chopper near the harbors. "He says that Danielle is living here…"
Warrick sighed heavily; after they had checked Danielle's address according to the information that was once in the Vegas Crime Lab files, they had run into this cranky fireman named Billy Walsh who had been temporarily assigned to work in the neighbourhood. Warrick had asked about Danielle and Billy had gone on a rant about how she was a lying drama queen before sharing that she had married a hotshot officer named Boscorelli and had moved to Manhattan for a life she didn't deserve.
Scoffing, Warrick poked his head out of the van to see if he could spot Danielle, quickly frowning when he saw a dark-haired NYPD detective bolt out of a hospital, flag a cab, and take off in the wind.
"I think the NYPD knows we're here," Ivan growled, swearing angrily. "We need a place to hide."
Ray sighed, "I say we find Ray Junior and…" he went silent because he was smacked hard.
"NOBODY GIVES A CRAP ABOUT YOUR KID, CAINE!" Ivan shouted. "Where's a good place to hide?"
Warrick silently went about looking through the maps of New York that they had swiped from stands while driving. He didn't know New York very well, but he knew that they were in deep trouble.
Just then, the van came to a stop at a traffic light in a residential area and Warrick looked up from his maps just in time to see Bosco and Danielle step out of a cab in front of a nice looking building. He dropped the maps, ripped the van door open, and bolted off towards Bosco and Danielle.
Ivan saw what Warrick was doing and swore, "Around the corner," he hissed to his masked driver.
"Danielle," Warrick breathed anxiously, pulling his gun from his jeans pocket as he approached Bosco and Danielle anxiously. "If you run or scream, I'll shoot you. If you try anything, I'll shoot you."
Bosco, however, responded by getting his off-duty gun out of the holster he wore on his belt and pointing it at Warrick, "And I'll shoot right back," he snarled. "Don't think I won't do it!"
Screams filled the air as passers-by noticed both Warrick and his gun and immediately fled out of the way as fast as they could, "You owe me, you little slut!" Warrick snapped, aiming his gun at Danielle.
"For what; for not killing you with my bare hands after you shot me?!" Danielle snapped angrily.
Warrick swore, but didn't lower his gun and didn't notice that Flack was approaching in a taxi and frantically contacting Mac about the situation while prepping his gun, "By the way, Boscorelli, Tara says hello," Warrick said in a smooth, but cold voice. "She wants the baby back that she made with you."
Bosco paled, but didn't lower his gun while Danielle gasped, unsurprised that Dr. Price had somehow managed to get news of Maritza to Warrick, "She's a trustee at the prison and told me about how pleasant it was to rape a cop," Warrick sneered. "Do you honestly think that you're loved?"
"Yes, Maurice is loved!" Danielle snapped angrily, glaring at Warrick. "I love him with all my soul!"
Sirens filled the air as Mac, who had gotten Lindsay's message and felt uneasy, approached the area in his vehicle, "I watched your stupid brats and you wouldn't thank me," Warrick hissed, cocking the gun as he lunged at Danielle and grabbed her by the hair. "You wouldn't thank me even though you lived in a crappy house and had to get constant babysitters cause you had school and your work at the lab!"
Terrified that she was going to be killed right there and then, Danielle started crying anxiously as Warrick stroked her neck with the loaded gun. Flack and Mac got out of the respective vehicles and got their guns out, both of them noticing that most residents of the building were now looking out their windows including John, who was watching his younger siblings, "Does this feel good?" Warrick asked mockingly. "Walsh said you were always easy to intimidate. The guy from that firehouse told me where you were…"
Swallowing hard, Danielle swore and belted Warrick in the gut with her elbows, "Does that feel good?" she hissed, moving out of reach when he grabbed his stomach. "I was taught self-defense …"
Warrick swore and fired several shots at Danielle, but all the bullets missed and became embedded in the bricks. Bosco swore and got between Warrick and Danielle, ready to end this once and for all.
"If you ever fire another bullet at my wife, I'll kill you!" Bosco shouted, his rage escalating.
Warrick scoffed and fired shots at Bosco, prompting Bosco to fire back at Warrick because he was absolutely done. Danielle gasped as three bullets hit Bosco straight in the chest and downed him.
"Maurice!" Danielle exclaimed, sinking to her knees beside Bosco. "Maurice, please…."
Gasping for breath as he sat on his knees, Bosco used his free hand to adjust his shirt and show a Kevlar vest that he was wearing, "I hurt," he gasped, frowning when he saw Warrick, who was bleeding from wounds in his ribs, reloading his gun with several shell casing around him. "It's over…"
Ignoring the pain in his injured sternum and ribs, Bosco aimed his gun at Warrick and fired off several shots before collapsing due to intense pain. The shots hit Warrick in the chest, sending him to the ground in a heap while still sporting an angry facial expression. Warrick, unfortunately, managed to fire off one more shot because he was determined to take the Boscorelli's with him if he was to die.
The last shot ricocheted off of a column and flew off into the street, hitting Flack in the shoulder and causing him to collapse to the street, "Don!" Mac cried out, anxious about the whole shooting.
"Flack was shot?" Bosco gasped in an anxious voice as he slowly sat up with a hand on his ribs.
Danielle's eyes widened in shock as she watched a large pool of blood form around Warrick's body, "I think Warrick's dead," she spoke in an anxious voice, turning to face Bosco. "Are you okay?"
Bosco coughed and winced, sighing as he looked into Danielle's eyes, "Are you?" he asked weakly.
More sirens filled the air as ambulances and police, all of whom were called by people in the apartments who witnessed the altercation, approached the scene, "Mac, I'm all right," Flack gasped. "Just…wow."
Mac quickly examined Flack's wound and pressed his jacket over it, "Hold that there," he ordered firmly before looking over to where Warrick's body lay. "Sergeant Boscorelli killed Warrick in self-defense."
Anxious talking and yelling filled the air as Faith, Ty, Carlos, Brendan, Captain Miller, Danny, Hawkes, Sid, and several other members of CSI, FDNY, and NYPD flooded the area with supplies, "What happened?!" Danny exclaimed as he saw that both Bosco and Flack were shot while Warrick was dead.
"I wish I knew," Mac replied anxiously. "All I know is that Boscorelli shot Warrick in defense…"
Windows of the apartment building started opening, "Dad, do you want me to come out?!" John called out anxiously, horrified by what he had seen. "David and Ellie are playing with Mikey, Emily, and Mari…"
"Stay in the apartment!" Danielle shouted anxiously, in shock over what happened. "Please!"
John nodded and disappeared from the window, promptly shutting it to protect his siblings, "Carlos, what are you doing in the field?!" Danielle exclaimed. "I thought you were home with Tommy!"
"Holly, Tommy, and Kylie talked me into giving a half-shift a try cause they saw I missed it and Holly's at home with Tommy because she needed to use some vacation days before she lost them," Carlos explained anxiously as he and a trainee brought over a bunch of equipment. "What happened?!"
Bosco coughed, "I've got a vest on, Nieto," he replied gruffly. "Warrick tried to kill Danielle."
"Mac, should I get Lindsay?" Danny asked anxiously, watching as paramedics tended to Flack.
Mac sighed, knowing that the pregnant Lindsay had taken special duty of sitting with Catherine because it appeared to have less risk, "We'll manage!" he snapped. "Hawkes, go examine the body!"
"Does anyone know cause of death?!" Hawkes shouted as he hurried over to Warrick's body.
Bosco sighed, wincing as he shifted, "I killed him," he replied in a tired voice. "I had no choice."
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