Chapter 37

Sara aimed, trying so hard to concentrate, doing her best to block out the sounds of Grissom's struggle. She gripped the trigger, it wasn't easy with her fingers but she blocked out the pain. Squeezing...squeezing...

BANG!

She fired and gasped. The bullet grazed the rope and the threads split, but didn't break entirely. Grissom still hung.

Kate nodded in appreciation. "Not bad, but not good enough, one more try Sara, or it's over."

Sara gritted her teeth and prayed to god. For the first time in a long time she truly prayed to a higher source. She fired...

The rope snapped and Grissom fell to earth with a thud, landing on his side he gasped over and over again.

Sara dropped the gun and ran to him, quickly crouching down on the floor.

Kate sniggered and moved back over to Josh. "Nice shot, I am impressed and to be honest, a little surprised." She leaned against the truck and allowed them a brief reunion.

Sara gently lifted Grissom's head as he wheezed and placed it on her thigh.

"Don't move." She whispered, carefully unhooking the noose and freeing it from his neck. She winced seeing the abrasions on his skin. His neck was dark purple, splattered with red blood clots. "Breath baby okay? Nice and easy, just breath."

Grissom blinked rapidly and attempted to do as requested. Sara reached to his wrists and untied the rope binding his hands together. His arms fell limply to his sides as he attempted to regain some composure.

"That's it baby, breath, just like that." Sara encouraged him best she could as he sucked some well needed air into his lungs.

"Okay, that's enough." Kate called over. "Break is over."

Sara shot her a look that could kill if it were a weapon. "Why don't you just leave us alone? Haven't you done enough?"

"Enough?" Kate snorted. "We are only just getting started my dear, thanks to you, the show must go on."

Grissom squeezed Sara's hand, letting her know he was going to be okay.

"So Sara, are you going to enlighten me into the whereabouts of little Michael or do I have to go find him?"

Sara looked at Grissom and he shifted quickly. She placed her arm over his chest to calm him. She shook her head and he stilled. Sara looked to Kate.

"You won't find him."

"Oh?" Kate chuckled. "Will I not? We shall see. Maybe If I asked nicely, you might tell me huh?"

"Not a chance."

"Oh?" Kate folded her arms and grinned. "Have you forgotten how polite I can be when you don't do as you're told? How are the fingers by the way?"

Sara swallowed hard but remained silent.

"How about I get Josh to find his trusty cutters? You know how much I like to...snip things."

Sara held onto Grissom tighter and he could feel her shaking. "I'm not telling you where he is."

Kate smiled. "Too bad, but lucky for you I'm egger to move to the next stage of the game or else we could have had a little private time, you and me. But, that can wait." She kicked from the truck and headed towards the cabin.

Sara looked back to Grissom. "Can you run?" She whispered.

Grissom blinked hard, mouth agape. Still trying to bring himself back to earth.

Sara cupped his face softly. "She won't find him I promise, but we have to run. Now. We need to buy some time. Can you run?"

Grissom nodded faintly.

"Oh Josh!" Kate shouted before entering the cabin. "Get them in the truck so we can all go for a nice drive. Our final destination awaits..."

Josh nodded as Kate disappeared inside the cabin and headed towards Grissom and Sara.

Sara reached into her slacks and unseen to Josh pulled out the knife.

Grissom's eyes widened when he saw her intentions but he wasn't about to stop her. It was time to fight back and he knew it.

"Right you two, time for a little trip..." Josh bragged.

Sara took a deep breath when she felt him behind her and swung around quickly. Josh had no time to react as she thrust the knife deep into his thigh.

"Agh!" He screamed, tumbling to the floor in agony. "You fucking bitch!"

Sara quickly turned back to Grissom and helped him to his feet, holding him tightly around the waist.

Josh riled on the floor in pain as Kate ran from the cabin hearing the commotion. Sara's eyes caught her and her heart pounded.

"We have to go. Now!" She supported him the best she could and pulled. They stumbled towards the forest and disappeared amongst the trees just as Kate reached Josh.

"God damn it!" Kate screeched as she knelt by Josh. She grabbed the knife and pulled it from his leg.

"Fuck!" He hollered in agony, blood pouring from the wound.

"Oh stop moaning and get the hell up after them."

Josh struggled to his feet, wincing heavily and began his pursuit, limping as he went. Kate followed quickly behind.

Grissom and Sara ran, as quickly as they could.

"Come on Gil..." Sara begged, noting he was struggling.

Grissom tried, damn it he tried but he had to stop. "I need a minute." He wheezed lightly, struggling to find a voice.

"Okay...okay, rest." Sara put her arm around him as he doubled over; she looked around, trees, trees and more tress, at least they could see, dawn was here. Her only hope was the panic room alarm had been activated; help had to be on the way.

Josh gritted his teeth as he ran and pushed the pain to the back of his mind, he was pissed. He'd been fucked over by a woman, a damn woman! His eyes narrowed as he spotted them in the distance. He pulled a gun from his pocket and aimed.

Sara jumped as the shot boomed around them; she looked up to see Josh hurtling towards them. "Oh god, Gil. Run!"

Josh fired again and missed once more.

The sound of crunching leaves echoed in the air as Grissom and Sara ran and Josh and Kate chased.

"Sara..." Grissom gasped. "I can't keep....this....up..."

Sara looked around quickly. 'Think damn it, think!' She spotted a large tree, grabbed his hand and pulled.

Josh ran to the last place he'd seen them and stopped, breathing deeply. Kate appeared behind him.

"Where are they?"

Josh winced and looked at his leg. This wasn't right; he was losing way too much blood. He felt drowsy and a little disorientated. Shrugging it off his eyes scanned the woodland. How could they have just disappeared?

Glancing down from the tree branch directly above them Sara breathed as faintly as she possibly could, although her heart raced faster than a speeding train. She could see Grissom, crouched behind a large boulder about ten feet away.

Kate was getting impatient. "Where the hell are they..."

"Shut up!" Josh snapped his eyes narrowing as he continued to scan the area, slipping his gun into his pocket. He turned to Kate and held his finger to his lips. "Just listen..." He whispered.

Kate frowned she couldn't hear anything, then again, she didn't have Josh's training and clamed up.

Grissom panted lightly leaning the back of his head against the boulder, clenching his knuckles until they turned white. He trembled, he couldn't help it.

Sara shifted in the tree and the branch creaked, Josh quickly looked up and an evil grin graced his lips.

"Oh no...." Sara mumbled.

Kate looked up pulling her gun from her pocket. "Hello my dear."

Launching himself from behind the boulder Grissom screamed a hearty cry as he lunged for Josh.

Josh's eyes widened in shock, unable to react in time Grissom's full body weight hit him in the gut and both men went scrambling backwards, falling over each other.

Seeing her chance with Kate distracted Sara jumped from the tree, landing on top of her, knocking her to the ground. Sara quickly got to her feet and jumped on Kate's back grabbing her hair. Looking to her right she saw Grissom struggling with Josh. She was distracted one second too long and the butt of Kate's gun caught her on the side of the face....

Grissom and Josh rolled on the floor.

"Son of a bitch!" Grissom gargled, managing to straddle Josh, his fist repeatedly connected with Josh's face.

"Aaaaaghhhh!" Josh grabbed Grissom's wrist and twisted it hard managing to overpower him, switching positions. Spitting blood into Grissom's face he laughed as Grissom struggled beneath him. "That the best you got Doc?" Josh took his revenge and he now punched Grissom in the face, over and over again.

Even though he was dazed Grissom had a thought. Under the brutal assault of Josh's fist he managed to slither his hand down to Josh's leg.

"Fuuuuuuuuck!" Josh screamed in agony as Grissom shoved his fingers inside the knife wound ripping it open even further. Josh's head spun as Grissom pushed him from his body noting how pale he now looked. Grissom got a look at the wound, Sara had snagged an artery and he was bleeding out. Grissom punched the wound, again and again. Josh fumbled for his pocket and shakily managed to grab his gun. Grissom scrambled to grab his hand and once again the two men rolled on the ground, both now fighting for the weapon.

"Get the fuck off me..." Josh pulled as Grissom fought for the gun and with a surge of power Josh tugged, hard, but his grip was poor and the gun went flying. Shaking his head Josh tried to focus, why were there now two Grissom's? This was so unfair. He'd lost too much blood and Grissom took full advantage landing blow after blow on his enemies face and body. Josh struggled for a minute or so but eventually his eyes closed and he fought no more.

Sara fell backwards from the force of blow. Her skull hit a rock with a loud crack; she was unconscious in an instant.

Scrambling from Josh's still form Grissom shot to his feet, turning quickly towards where he had last seen Sara.

The deafening sound of a gunshot thrashed through his ears and he found himself tumbling backwards, an agonising pain in his left shoulder. He hit the tree behind him with a thud. Looking down he saw blood pooling through his shirt. Mouth agape and eyes confused he looked up to see Kate grinning at him, gun smoking, still pointed at him. His eyes snapped shut as she fired again. His knees buckled as the second bullet hit his abdomen, his legs gave way and he slithered down the tree to settle on the cold forest dirt.

Slowly, his eyes flickered and tried to focus. He could do nothing but watch as Kate slowly walked towards him. Shock was already setting in and he was helpless.

Kate cocked the safety back once more and stood merely two feet away from him.

"No more games Grissom. It's time for you to die now. Oh and don't worry about your wife. I will make sure she joins you real soon; once I've made her beg, just a little bit more."

As Grissom watched Kate squeeze the trigger he closed his eyes, he couldn't fight her anymore. It was over. His body jumped when the gun shot reverberated throughout the trees.....

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Grissom's eyes slowly opened. Why wasn't he dead? His glance fell upon Kate. She looked surprised, but not so much in a good way. All of a sudden she fell to her side and Grissom watched as blood pooled around her body. His head raised and he saw Sara, Josh's gun still pointing at Kate, her whole body shaking. Her eyes met his just as he began to lose consciousness.

Sara dropped the gun and quickly ran to him. Crouching by his side, she cupped his face in her hands and shook him slightly.

"Gil? Baby? Gil please!"

Grissom's eyes flicked open and then closed again. As blood oozed from his body he struggled to stay awake. His eyes closed once more.

"Gil! Gil!"

Grissom fell forward and Sara laid him softly on the ground, his eyes faded.

"Gil!" She screamed. "Don't you dare you leave me now!" Ripping his shirt open she gasped. "Jesus..." She held her hands over the wound in his stomach, applying heavy pressure as the blood seeped through her finger tips.

Grissom's eyes closed once again but this time they didn't reopen.

"No! Gil? Gil? God no! Giiiiilllll? Baby wake up please....plllleaseee, Gil stay with me....." Tears streamed down Sara's face. "....Gris...som....."

2 weeks later.....

The sun was warm and beat down on Sara as she stood by the graveside. She was alone now. The others had left at her request and waited by the car. She just needed a minute alone.

Her face was emotionless and blank now. Looking up to the sky she sighed feeling the sting of tears burning her eyes. Finally she looked back to the hole in the ground and bent. Grabbing a handful of dirt she hesitated before throwing it onto the coffin...

A/N: Oh No! What did I do? Don't you just love it when I end chapters like this? Eeep, sorry. Well we are almost at the end now. Only a few more chapters to go. I hope you are still enjoying and please keep the reviews coming. I thank you all again for taking the time to comment.