AN: Warning: Mention of blood & A harsh word or two. Thanks for the reviews. Here is the next chapter.


Chapter 53: Staying strong for everyone

He opened his eyes the second he heard a woman's voice on the other side of the bar yelling for somebody to call the ambulance. He shakes his head and got into action by asking his team if everybody was ok, but didn't pay attention to their voices because he was concentrating on finding out if Sara was ok first.

He moved off of her and looked down as she turned her body so she could look up at him. They looked into each other's eyes, showing how frightened they were on what just happened, then he asked. "You ok honey?"

She nodded. "I didn't get hit." He breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at his hand and saw the blood on it, she looked back into his eyes with her eyes wide, and just before he could talk he heard Lauren's voice or it was more like a scream.

Now he knew it was a different type of circumstance and scream but he had a sudden flashback of when his mother had done the same thing on that horrible day.

He shakes that thought away, looks over at Lauren and noticed Vince was laying on the ground with his eyes closed and blood coming out of him from the back. He wasted no time getting up and walking over there, which wasn't very far to begin with. He helped Lauren turn Vince on his side and they each put as much pressure on the wounds as they could, then he also yelled for an ambulance even though he knew it wouldn't make them come any faster, he just didn't know what else to do. He looked back down at Vince and said. "You hold on tight Vince, you're going to make it through this, you just have to."

He felt so powerless as he was putting pressure on one of Vince's wounds and looking around the bar watching other people in their respective groups checking how they were doing. When his eyes finally turned to his group he saw Brass, Warrick, Greg and Sara making sure they were alright then he turned a little to the left and saw Nick with Catherine, and he had his hand on Catherine's arm. He looked at them wide-eyed as Nick looks over at him and said loud enough for him to hear. "The glass got her, but I don't think it's too serious."

Grissom sighed in relief as he continued to put pressure on his friend's wound, while listening to Lauren crying and trying to talk, so Vince could know that they were still there. His heart continued to pound as his fear for his friend continued to grow.

To everyone in that bar it seemed like hours before they heard any sirens but it was merely a few minutes after the shooting took place, and the paramedics wasted no time getting in the building and tending to the serious injured people, which was Vince and another man from a different group on the other side of the bar.

After Grissom helped the paramedics put Vince in the back of the ambulance and told Lauren, as she climbed in the back with her husband, that he would see her soon the doors of the Ambulance closed.

As he watched it drive away another Paramedic walked up to him, puts his hand on his arm and asked. "Sir you ok?"

The shock of everything that happened must have worn off because he felt a little pain on the spot the man had touched and he cringed a little. The young man saw the reaction, so he removed his hand, but when he did he saw a little blood on his glove covered palm that had seeped through Grissom's jacket.

He looked into Grissom's eyes and said. "It seems you've been hit, let's check it out."

Grissom nodded and followed the young man to the back of another Ambulance that was there, then sat down as the Medic took a look at his wound.

A few minutes later Catherine and Sara walked outside, saw Grissom sitting in the back of the ambulance and walked up to him quickly.

Grissom saw them coming, so he puts his uninjured arm up and spoke before they could get the words out. "I'm fine."

The Medic looked at the beautiful women, smiled, then replied as he saw both their worried looks. "He really is, but I want him to see a doctor as soon as he can, just be sure."

The man noticed the blond just nodded, but the other one still looked worried as she replied. "He will, thank you." He nodded and watched the man he was helping and the brown-haired woman looking at one another with a tender gaze, and after noticing their matching wedding bands he realized they were more than likely married to each other.

The quietness lasted a few more seconds, then Catherine looked at Grissom and said. "I put everybody to work, gathering bullet casings, taking pictures and getting testimonies from every eyewitness they can find. We are going to get everything we need to find those bastards and put them in jail, ok?"

Grissom nodded and replied. "Thank you, Catherine."

Catherine nodded back as Grissom looked at her bandaged arm, and she waived it off. "I'm fine, Nick was right it wasn't serious at all, the Paramedics looked at it, patched me up and said I was good to go."

Grissom knew that if her wound had been more serious Nick would've probably insisted that she go to the hospital, so that lessened his worry about her a lot and he nodded, then told her to get back to work.

Catherine smiled with a nod and went back into the bar, leaving Sara, Grissom and the brown-haired, brown-eyed Paramedic, which was a different one than the one that helped Catherine.

Sara looked at her husband as he turned his gaze to her and before they could talk the medic cleared his throat and said. "All done, but like I said I want you to see a doctor soon."

Grissom nodded as he got up from the back of the ambulance, taking his ruined jacket with him, then him and Sara walked closer to the bar and stopping by the broken window on the side they were standing earlier.

Sara was about to talk, but Grissom does before she could, while looking into her concern eyes. "Really I am fine." Then he sighed and looked down at his arm and said. "I am sorry about the shirt though."

The Paramedic cut the sleeve so he didn't have to move the arm so much to take the shirt off.

Sara shook her head. "Do you think I really care about the damn shirt?"

He looked back at her and tried to diffuse the tension a little when he spoke with his lips in a small, upward motion. "I care, you bought it for me and it was one of my favorites."

It was a nice blue shirt that Sara had bought for no real special reason other than the fact it brought out her favorite feature from her husband, the color of his eyes.

Sara shook her head again, puts her hand on his cheek and replied. "Well if it had come down to the shirt or you, I think you know which one I would pick."

He nodded, took her hand off his cheek as he looked through the now open window and he could just see the scene of them before and after. When he saw the blood spot of where Vince was lying he looked down, but looked back into Sara's eyes after he felt her hand on his cheek. "Why don't you go to the hospital." He was about to open his mouth, but she puts a finger to his lips to stop him. "I want you to get your arm checked now rather than later, plus you can go check on Lauren, we are fine here. You taught us well." The team members he could see were dong their jobs, then as he looked back at Sara, she started talking again. "In fact I'll go with you."

Grissom shook his head, squeezed her hand before releasing it and said. "No you stay." He saw that she was still torn to either go or stay so he smirks a little and said. "They need one of us to help."

Sara's lips turned up a little then replied. "Alright, but call if you need anything and I'll be right there."

He gives her a tender look as he nodded and said. "I love you."

She smiled a little bigger and replied. "I love you too." She kissed his cheek before walking back into the bar.

He looks at the area again, then shook his head and started walking along the bar to get to the vehicle.

As he was passing the other window he saw Greg just standing there in a daze with his camera phone in his hand, it wasn't the ideal item to use because they preferred using the regular digital cameras but they had to make do with what they could while the scene was in this state. Grissom shakes his head again and turns, then walked in the bar and headed right to Greg.

He puts his hand on his shoulder when he got closer, which made the young man jump, he gives him a small smile and said. "Sorry Greg."

Greg gives him a small smile back, cleared his throat and said. "No, I'm sorry if I woul..."

Grissom cuts him off. "Greg you did nothing wrong. We just went out to have a little fun, no one could have predicted or expected this to happen. Vince isn't in the hospital because of you, whoever shot-up this bar is responsible and I need you to put whatever your feeling away for the time being and concentrate on the task at hand, so we can get the real guys who did this." He watched Greg swallow his emotions and Grissom continued. "You can do it Greg, I know you can. I trust and have faith in you." Greg nodded, Grissom gives him a little smile and nod back. "Alright now get to work."

Greg cleared his throat and said. "Yes boss."

Grissom watched him for a few seconds to make sure he was really ok to continue, and when he was satisfied he looked at the rest of the team, which they looked at him and nodded, then went back to work as he turned and walked back out of the bar.

Right as he got to his vehicle another vehicle pulled up behind Venice's, he unlocks the door, then as he opened it he heard. "Gil."

He sighed at the voice and said. "Yes Conrad."

He could only imagine why Ecklie was here but was shocked when Ecklie spoke again. "I can lend some of my guys to help, if you would like."

Grissom wanted the people who was responsible to pay and if he could get that justice by getting help from other sources then he would take it, even from him, so he nodded and replied. "That would be nice, thank you Conrad." Ecklie holds out his hand, Grissom looks at him in the eyes, while hiding his shock, then shakes the other man's hand.

Things may not be different after this but least at this moment they came to an understanding. They release hands and Ecklie nods, then turns and walks on the sidewalk as he got on the phone to call his team. Grissom watched him for a second then got in the vehicle.

After he shuts the door he calls Catherine to tell her what is going to happen and said that he allowed it, which she just told him that he was the boss and it was is call, then after he hung up, he drove to the hospital carefully, not only because of his arm but because there was a lot of traffic to get through because of what happened.

Once he got there and in the building he was walking to the receptionist when he turned his head and saw Lauren sitting there looking down at her hands. The hospital staff must have given her some scrubs to change into because she wasn't wearing the dress she had on that had Vince's blood on it. Grissom looked down at his hands as he thought of that and his heart started to speed up again as he saw his blood on his hands, so he decided to go into the restroom before he went up to her, knowing he had to calm himself down first because he didn't want his emotions effecting her already fragile state.

When he was standing in front of the sink he stated the faucet and watched the water come out. After a few seconds he cupped his hands together so they would fill up with water and splashed his face a few times, then he got soap from the soap dispenser on his hands and started scrubbing the blood off the best he could. Once he got as much as he could off, he splashed his face one more time, then puts his hands on the counter, closed his eyes and bent his head down trying to take a few breaths, while his mind was reliving the scene.

He was thankful that his thoughts were interrupted when the bathroom door opened a few minutes later. He opened his eyes, turned off the sink, grabbed a few paper towels to dry his face and hands, then tossed them in the trash and walked out of the restroom as he took one last calming breath.

He was a few steps away from Lauren when he cleared his throat, she looked up at him and he noticed her eyes were red from crying, then she stood up and wraps her arms around his neck, which was shocked him at first, then gives her a one-armed hug.

A few minutes later she pulls back sniffling and said. "Sorry."

Grissom shook his head and replied. "It's ok, have you heard anything yet?"

She shook her head and replied as she sat back down in the chair she had gotten up from. "No, but before they took him to surgery they said it might take a while."

Grissom nodded in understanding, then she saw his arm and looked up at him worriedly, he waived it off. "I'm fine, but do you need anything? to eat, drink?"

She shook her head 'no', but then asked. "Can you get the kids? I couldn't tell them on the phone but I couldn't leave to go them. I have to stay here for Vince." Then she looked down again, trying to hide her tears.

Grissom walked up to her, squats down, puts his hands over hers and said. "He will get through this." She looks at him and he continued with confidence in his words. "He has a lot to live for and I know he isn't ready to leave you or the kids, keep that faith."

Lauren gives him a small smile. "Thank you Gilbert, you've been in our lives from the start and I can't think of a better friend than you, and not only for him but me too. I'm glad he started working with you all those years ago.

He smiled at her words and replied. "Me too." She gives him another smile, then after he squeezed her hand, he stood up and continued. "I am going to get the kids. Stay strong, he would want you to do that."

He figured he could wait a few more minutes before the doctor looked at his arm, because if it was that serious he would've already been admitted to the hospital by now.

She nodded at what he said, and after another short look he turned and walked out of the hospital to go get the kids, once again driving as carefully as he could.

When he got back to the hospital with the kids a few minutes later, they went right to their mother as he found a doctor look at his arm, knowing that if he didn't he would've heard about it from Sara later.

Once he was back in the waiting room stitched and patched up with a new bandage he stood off to the side waiting for news with the Lewis family, he knew he wouldn't be able to sit still and he wanted to give them enough space so they didn't feel crowded or anxious if he started pacing.

A few hours later, which movement from anybody in the area was slim to none, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, and coming face to face with a once again concerned Sara. He shook his head and replied. "He is still in surgery." She looked at his bandaged arm and looked back at him, he nodded and replied. "Stitched up, re-bandaged and ok." She knew he was far from ok, at least mentally, but she let her response slide.

After a few seconds of just looking at him, she puts her hand on his cheek, and after putting his hand on top of hers he asked. "Not that I am glad to see you, but shouldn't you be working?"

"Yes, but I had to see you for a few minutes to make sure you were physically here." She wipes an unexpected tear away as she continued. "Working the scene and looking at our area multiple times got my mind to relieve it, but with different outcomes and none of them were very good when it involved you."

Grissom nodded in understanding, then brings her in his arms and whispered. "Don't worry I'm here." She wraps her arms around him and they hold on to each other with their hearts and thoughts going out to the Lewis family, but thankful to have each other at times like this.


AN: Will they get the suspects? will Vince be ok? Find out next chapter. Please review.