AN: Warning: One harsh word. Thank you for the reviews. Here is the next chapter.
Chapter 54: Good & Bad News
After Sara and Grissom pulled back from their hug they had another small moment, then she reluctantly left the hospital to go back to work. He knew how much she wanted to stay, not only for him but for the Lewis's too. But he trusted her the most to get the case wrapped up, so he needed her out there.
When more hours went along and there was still no word about Vince he needed to get out of there, so after offering to get the kids something to eat, he left. But before getting them food he went to the house to change his clothes and to let Hank out, along with some of his food and water since he wasn't sure when he will be back, then he went to the lab to check on the progress of the case.
When he got there he walked down the hall and looked through the window to the layout room and saw two of his guys in there, so he turned back around, stopped in the door way and smiled at their concentration, then cleared his throat as he walked in the room. Greg and Warrick looked up from getting prints from the bullets, which there was a lot collected and he wasn't surprised at all.
"Any luck?"
They both sighed, but Greg was the one that said something. "We already sent a few prints to Nick, but there were too many smudges to get anything.
We are hoping this few will work, we do think it's two different shooters though." Grissom looks at Warrick and he nodded in agreement, then he looked back at Greg and he smiled as he finished. "Two different bullets means two different guns, which more than likely turns out to be two different people."
Grissom nodded with a smile and said. "Good job and keep it going." The guys nodded and went right back to work as Grissom walked out of the door and headed for another room that the rest of his team could be in, the computer lab.
He walked in the room and noticed somebody missing. "Where is Catherine?"
They look at him and Sara was giving him a small sad smile as Nick answered. "She went to go see Lindsey to reassure her that she was alright."
Grissom nodded and replied. "Any progress? I just talked to Greg and Warrick and they said they believe it's two shooters."
They nodded, then Sara answered. "And we determined with the skid mark that the tires are more than likely on a Chevy pick up truck, which was confirmed by a few eye witnesses who said they think the color was dark blue or black, now we need the licenses plate that goes with the right truck."
Grissom asked. "So you did get some eye witnesses?"
Nick talks while checking the few prints he had. "Yeah but they couldn't get a good look at the shooters because they were wearing all black with masks,
and they only remembered a few numbers on the plate." He sighed, then continued in a little more positive tone. "On the upside though, everybody that we talked to said the same numbers."
Sara snorted and said. "Same numbers but different order, which I like to add is making it difficult on finding the correct plate."
Grissom nodded in understanding and as he was about to say something, Greg ran into the room and right up to Nick, saying. "I think I found a good one for you."
Warrick was right behind him but had stopped in the doorway.
Nick smiles at Greg, takes it, scans the print in the computer and they wait while it searched its database, hoping it gets them something.
A few minutes later Nick smiled and said. "Definitely not new to the system, which is a shame because he isn't even 21 yet." He clicked the suspects file, told them who it was, gave Sara the licenses plate number to the vehicle he drives so she could check on her end, and looking further down this guy's file they found out he had a younger brother that was equally trouble, so it could have been their second shooter.
A second later Sara smiled as she said. "It's confirmed his vehicle was there."
Grissom smiled bigger. "Alright, Warrick, Nick and Sara, get Brass, go to their address, get them and bring them in." They nodded as Nick and Sara got up.
Nick met Warrick out in the hall, and Sara pats his shoulder as she met the guys in the hall.
When it was just Grissom and Greg, Grissom looked over at the younger man and he was looking down, sad he didn't get to join in the fun. Grissom cleared his throat and said. "Ok Greg you can go too." Greg looks up with a smile, but before he walked past him, Grissom puts his hand on his shoulder and spoke in a supervisor tone. "But under no circumstances are you gong in that apartment before everybody says clear, am I understood?" He didn't want any harm to come to him, especially on his first case since becoming a CSI. Greg nodded, and Grissom releases him, then spoke in a softer tone this time. "Alright get these guys."
Greg nodded and replied with a smile. "You got it boss." Then he ran out of the room to catch up with the others.
Grissom took another breath when he was alone, glad this is almost over, then he turned and walked out of the room to go get something to eat for the kids.
When he got back into the hospital with the food and drinks he didn't see Lauren but the kids hadn't moved, the younger two were now laying down in the chairs, but they were in the same area as when he left.
He walked up to them, looked at Vincent and asked. "Where is your mom?"
"The doctor came and took her to see dad. She wanted us to wait before we saw him and told us to stay here."
Grissom nodded in understanding and gave the food to the kids, then watched Alexis and Vincent take care of the two younger ones and had to mentally smile at that. They may give each other a hard time every once in a while, just like siblings are known to do, but in a crisis they had bonded together.
Five minutes later Grissom wanted to go see how Vince was doing to make sure for himself that he was alright, so he told the kids to wait right there and asked if they knew the room number, which Vincent told him. He gave them a smile, reassured Paige and the rest of them that everything was going to be ok, then walked in the direction of the room.
When he got to the correct room he was about to knock when he heard Lauren yelling. "I don't care! I still love you, this changes nothing about how I feel for you and it never will. You are not going to push me away because of this, for better or worse remember?" She sniffled before continuing. "Now, I am going to get our kids so they could see their dad and when you're cleared to go back to Minneapolis we will work out what comes next." Before he had a chance to move out-of-the-way the door opens and he became face to face with Lauren, which she had a few tear stains on her cheek.
Before he could say anything Lauren wipes her tears away and said. "Maybe you can talk some sense into him, I'll give you two a few minutes."
Grissom gave her a small smile and said. "Thank you and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop."
She pats his shoulder and replied. "It's ok Gil." Grissom nodded and stepped to the side as she walked out of the room.
He took a few seconds before walking in the room and shutting the door behind him, then he looked at Vince in the hospital bed, which was in a 15 degree angle and wires were attached to him so the doctors and nurses could monitor him closely and he was also looking down.
Grissom wasn't sure if it was because he was embarrassed that he had heard Lauren yell at him or if it was about his condition.
Maybe it could've been a little of both, Grissom mentally shakes his head as he walked up to the bed and asked. "What's wrong?"
Vince sighed, looked back at him and said. "Let's just say the first bullet came close to killing me, but the second bullet made me paralyzed from the waist down, possible for life." Then he looked back down.
Grissom was a little shocked on the prognosis, but shook it off and said. "You're still alive. Do you think that Lauren would rather have you dead than paralyzed?" When Vince was still looking down, Grissom sighed and said. "Listen, when I got scared about losing my hearing I wanted to push Sara away but she wouldn't let me, and in the end I am so glad that she didn't."
Vince finally looks up at him, snorted and said. "Yeah but losing your hearing is a lot different than not being able to walk again, run again, play with my kids the way that I like and possible never ma..." He stops himself before he said something a little too personal then he looked back down.
Grissom shook his head and said. "Ok, you're right, our situations are completely different but things in the medical field have come along way and you didn't say this condition is permanent, so that means there is still a chance and I know you, you won't give up on yourself or her and the kids. Don't make me into a liar."
After a few minutes Vince looked at him again and that's when he let the vulnerable side come out. "I'm scared, Gil."
That was the first time he used his first name, it was always boss or Grissom or maybe a few times Gilbert, but never just Gil, and for some reason it made him smile, a little.
"I know you are, and as clichéd as this sounds, the love of your family will help you through this, you just got to let them in."
Vince sighed, nodded and said. "Alright, I'll fight through this and for them with everything that I have." Grissom nodded with another smile.
After Vince took another breath he pushed the vulnerable side away and asked in a hard tone. "Did you guys find out the bastards who did this to me?"
Grissom nodded and just before he opened his mouth to talk, his phone rings.
He moves away from the bed and turns around as he gets the phone out of his pocket, then he answered it right away without checking who it was first. "Grissom."
After a sigh Sara said. "Want the good or bad news first?"
Grissom ran his hand down his face, he was a little afraid of what she would say, but replied. "Please just tell me."
"Alright, they were at the apartment but they tried to OD. They should be at the hospital any minute now, but it was touch and go before they even got into the ambulance, they might not make it."
Grissom sighed and said. "Thank you Sara, get all you can from their apartment to solidify our case and see if you can find any evidence of the driver, they would need that third person if they were both shooting, my guess it would be a friend of theirs."
"You got it, we'll talk later and you can catch me up on your end."
"Alright, Love you."
"Love you too, babe. Bye."
"Bye."
He hangs up the phone, turns around to look at Vince, and Vince asked. "Not good news is it?"
Grissom sighed again. "Not at the moment."
Vince does a small smile and said. "I guess I should know by now that not everybody gets justice."
Grissom shakes his head and replied. "I promise Vince someone will pay and I'll do everything in my power to make sure it happens."
Vince nodded, and their moment was interrupted when there was a knock on the door, Vince looked in that direction and said. "Come in."
The door opened and Grissom saw Vince's face light up on seeing his family, and right there he knew that despite how Vince was feeling about his new condition, in the end he wouldn't have pushed them away because they were his world, especially his wife. They've always looked at each other the same way him and Sara look at one another, and this time was no different.
Grissom watched the family surround Vince and when he saw husband and wife put their foreheads together while closing their eyes he knew they were going to be ok, he also knew it will not be an easy road. Vince could do everything he is supposed to do and still end up never doing the same things as he did before, but with Lauren by his side they will work through this rough patch together, whatever the outcome. That he was certain of, especially after seeing that moment between them
As Grissom continued to stand there and watch them his thoughts began swirling around in his brain, then when he came to the part of what he told Vince about getting justice and thinking about everything they all went through, this anger washed through him when he thought about what the suspects tried to do, and hopefully didn't succeed, after they did what they did.
He wanted and was determined to get that justice, just like everybody else who was a victim of a crime, but he didn't want it only for himself or his friends/team members or even his wife, he wanted it for everybody who was in that bar that was effected because of one heartless and thoughtless act.
AN: Find out what happens next chapter. Please review.
