A/N: Sorry for the delay. Real life sucks. GF is really pissed at me, means less time for thinking/writing. I am hiding in a random classroom just to write because I too am a coward. Will try to get more up soonish, but just found out my top choice of Uni to work at is going to have an opening next year which means I really need to finish my dissertation so I have a chance of landing the position.
Chapter 4: Since you went away / You Could be Happy
Grissom raised his hands above his head slowly as not to scare the gun man, "I don't know. Can you be a bit more specific?" Gil winced when he said it, he was not trying to be sarcastic or try to cause problems, he just did not know who they were.
"Doctor Dylan Terrance and Judith Liber."
Grissom searched his memory, did he meet a Dylan today. The jerk! It was the jerk professor. That is not going to help him. He could not take the gunman to that room full of innocent people. "I am not sure." Grissom answered.
"Who are you?"
"I am just visiting to give a lecture today." Gil answered not wanting to give his name or indicate he was a doctor.
"Where is everyone?"
"No idea. I was coming back to grab my notes." Gil answered.
"You are not very helpful." The gunman said his finger shifting to the trigger.
"Are you ok?" Gil asked, remembering he read somewhere if you asked a random questions in this type of situation the gunman often would stop from shooting to think of the answer.
"Do I look ok to you?"
"Not really. You have blood on you. Is it yours?" Gil knew the answer, but he asked anyways he had little else to go on.
"No." The gunman almost sounded remorseful, but his focus returned his finger now on the trigger, the gears in his head shifting deciding if he should pull the trigger. After a moment he spoke again, "The last person I ran into was not very helpful either."
"Maybe we can go look for this Dr Dylan and Judith together." Gil said, see he could be helpful as long as the gunman didn't kill him, "Why are you looking for them anyways?"
"You ask a lot of questions."
"Sorry." Gil said starting to lower his hands.
"Keep them up."
"Ok." Gil said making sure he kept his hands above his head despite the burn in his shoulders. Stress was carried in his shoulders, and no one couldn't say this event and the past few days have not been stressful.
"Walk over to the whiteboard and put your face to it." The gunman ordered.
Gil turned around and walked to the whiteboard that was behind him. When he got there he turned his head and put his face against the board.
"Stay there and don't turn your head my direction." He heard the gunman rummaging around in the bag that had been on his shoulder previously.
Not seeing the gunman was making Gil nervous, he would at least like to see his death coming. He turned his head a bit just to get a glance of where the gunman was and was rewarded with being smacked with the but of the gun hard into the back of his head. The force of the hit sent Grissom's head into the white board. The pain and surprised caused his legs to buckle and he went down hard landing on the floor in a heap.
The gunman started to lash out at Grissom who now lay on the floor. The first kick knocked the wind out of Grissom landing solidly against his exposed rib cage. All Grissom could do to protect himself was to curl into a ball and ride out the attack. Despite covering most of his vital parts, each kick that connected with an arm or a leg hurt. The gunman was not holding back.
Once out of breath and possibly rage, the gunman stopped looking down at the man below him. Grissom was now bleeding from a cut on his face, his nose and lip where both bleeding as well.
The gunman growled, "Get up." Grabbing Grissom by his shirt and pulling Grissom back to his feet pushing him against the whiteboard.
Grissom was panting, trying not to wince in pain. His ribs burned and ached. Each breathe felt like a struggle, one kick must have gotten him in the stomach and knocked the wind out of him. The world seemed to be spinning or maybe it was him.
"Turn and face the board, this time I would keep my eyes forward if I were you." Grissom obeyed the command turning to the board he put his hands onto the white board, maybe he could anchor the world and it would stop spinning.
"Slowly lower your arms and put them behind your back." The gunman ordered his hand now in the center of Grissom's shoulder blades pushing him into the whiteboard.
Grissom did as he was told placing his forehead against the board as an anchoring point. The board was cool, and it felt nice against his forehead. He felt the gunman run a role of duct tape around to secure his hands behind his back. After multiple times around Gils wrist and up his arms to the elbow, the gunman stopped finally and ripped the role free.
"Move over to the chair now." The gunman pointed towards an empty chair by the table that held a portable podium on it. The same podium Gil had just used earlier that day to hold his notes. The gunman kept his hand on Grissom's elbow guiding him to the chair, keeping a watchful eye on him, as Grissom stumbled and weaved to the chair. The gunman did not mean to hit his captive so hard, he wanted him conscious and capable of walking on his own.
"Sit." The gunman said once they arrived at the chair. "I would not move if I was you."
"Ok." Gil answered not sure what was going on, he lowered himself gently onto the chair. He felt blood trickling down his face. He wanted desperately to reach up and wipe it off, but he couldn't with his hands secured behind his back. He could move his head to the side and wipe it on his shoulder, but that would require moving his head, and he was definitely told not to do that. The world seemed to slowly stop spinning, that was a good sign. The fact the gunman guided him to the chair was helpful.
Back into the bag, the gunman was now behind Gil. The gunman walked to face Gil, "you know what this is?"
"A sawed off shotgun." Gil answered trying not to shiver at the thought of the damage it would do to him.
"Have you ever seen what damage this could do to someone's head?"
"Unfortunately, yes I have."
The gunman turned his head in interest, not common for the academic types, he continued to talk "Good than you will think twice before you mess with me while we are looking for them."
Gil thought they were ready to move, but he soon realized he was wrong and he felt the color draining from his face when he realized exactly what the gunman was going to do.
With the barrel of the sawed off shotgun pushing harshly into the back of Gil's head right in the dent where the spine reaches the hindbrain, the gunman used his other hand to stick a piece of tape to the barrel. He took the role around once around the barrel and then started to wrap it so that the tape came over Gils left shoulder, sticking to his neck the entire time, and than back to his right shoulder, around the barrel, and repeated over and over until the gun was securely tapped to the back of Gils head.
Gil closed his eyes trying to avoid panicking. That would not help right now. His heart was pounding so hard he felt it in his ears. He felt his body start to shake a bit, he tried to stop it, but he couldn't.
The gunman was calm enough to allow the shock to wear off some. He watched the older man before him and he knew he should feel bad for what he was doing, but this guy was probably just like Doctor Dylan. Praying on students. Using his position of power to get what he wanted. It made him sick. "Get up." The gunman snarled his own anger taking over him.
Gil slowly moved to stand up, the gunman had to help him as Grissom started to teeter over dizzy still from the beating. Once securely on his feet Gil opened his eyes, wishing he had the use of his hands so he could wipe the sweat from his face, maybe pull at the tape around his neck that felt like it was slowly choking the life out of him. It was not that he was having trouble breathing, just the feeling of it securing the gun to his head was enough to feel like it was restricting his oxygen flow. The brain needed oxygen, it was important, and he needed his brain. He felt himself shake his head to clear his rambling, rambling from fear, but he stopped himself shortly after he started because probably not the brightest idea he had with a gun tapped to his head.
"Move." The gunman said pushing Grissom forward by pushing the gun deeper into Gils scalp. "What is your name?" The gunman asked as they made their way to the door.
"Gil" Grissom answered him, even he could hear the fear in his voice.
"You a Phd?"
"Yes."
"Ever sleep with one of your students?"
Gil paused a second thinking about the answer. Technically Sara was one of his students, but he did not sleep with her until they were out of that position, "No."
"Took you awhile to answer."
"You will have to excuse me. I am pretty sure I have a concussion. Makes thinking hard, and I am a bit nervous about having a gun pushed into the back of my head." Grissom replied sarcastically, realizing after he spoken it probably was not the best idea.
"What's wrong Dr. Gil afraid someone is going to be cleaning the inside of your head off the wall."
"Yes." Grissom answered he could not avoid the shiver that ran through him.
"Be a good boy, and don't try to use that big brain of yours to get out of this and you'll be fine." The gun pushed deeper into his head. "now where is everyone?"
"I already told you I don't know."
"You want me to believe they invite you for a lecture and let you wonder around afterwards. What kind of host is that."
Gil closed his eyes, he didn't want to answer. "Why don't you tell me what you want with Judith and Dylan?" Gil had an idea, but he was not completely sure, maybe he could talk the guy down.
The gunman pulled back on the gun, stopping Gil in his tracks. They were now searching rooms up and down the hallway. "They killed my daughter."
"How?" Grissom asked, he knew he could end up regretting, but he wanted to know.
"Dylan courted her while she was in his introduction to theory course. She was obsessed with him. I tried to warn her about men like you."
Grissom noticed the you and not he. He wanted to correct the gunman, but he knew now was not the time. He did not want the gunman settling for the only target he had.
"He slept with her at finals time. She had gone to get extra help." The man cleared his throat, by the sound of it trying to clear the tears that were forming. "She left for winter break. They talked over email. When she came back, he wanted nothing to do with her." The man pushed Grissom forward towards the conference room. "He told her to move on. We went to the chair of the department to complain after she told me what had happened. He abused his power. It is not right. He deserved to get punished."
Grissom knew the answer; there was no punishment to be given.
"The chair explained to us that there was nothing they could do. My daughter was a willing participant and they did not have a no fraternization with students policy. Nothing could be done about it."
"I am sorry." Gil said hoping that was enough, but he knew it wouldn't be.
"That is not the end of the story." The gunman pulled back on the gun stopping Gil. "Word got out somehow. The other students heard about it and they tormented her relentlessly. Calling her horrible names, refusing to work with her, she said it was impossible to live anymore. She thought he had loved her. The breaking point was when she saw him with another student. Doing the same things he had done to her." The gunman paused his free hand wiping the tears from his face, "She killed herself last week."
"Should we go look for the others?" Jade asked Sara, both women had been staring at the closed office door.
"No." Sara answered, "We should wait until the all clear is given." Sara had already called the campus police to report a siting of the shooter, and her office to let them know what was going on. Both were on their way to the building.
"Should we go check for anyone who might be injured outside?" Jade asked, she studied these events. Where she grew up drive by shootings were not uncommon, but that had been years since she had to live in fear of a bullet.
Sara weighed the idea, they could help anyone injured, but at the same time she would be putting her life and Jade's life in danger. "Do you have any first aid skills?"
"I know CPR." Jade responded knowing she really did not have much skills in the way of first aid, but she had only learned CPR as part of a requirement to be a teaching assistant in the department. "But I could be a look out. That I am good at." Jade added.
"Ok. But we do not leave this area." Sara said moving towards the door. "If anything goes down you run for outside and you don't stop no matter what ok?"
"Yes." Jade said following behind Sara.
Sara led the way out into the hallway looking around to make sure the gunman was not around. "Come on." Sara moved forward allowing Jade out of the office.
The first thing they came across was a woman who was dead. There was nothing that could be done for her at this point. Sara looked at Jade to see how she was taking it. The girl looked like it was almost completely normal to see a dead body lying on the floor.
"Where do you think everyone is?" Jade asked ignoring the body. It was not that it didn't phase her, it did. It was that she did not show the emotion, it wouldn't help.
"Probably at the conference room." Sara said looking down the hallways towards the conference room. Jade grabbed Sara and pulled her back against the wall when she heard Grissom's voice.
"I am sorry for your loss." He paused to think of is next words, "Do you think this is how she would want you to mourn her?"
"Shut up." The gunman pushed the gun harder almost making Grissom fall from the unexpected push forward. "It does not matter what she wants. She is dead now, and those bastards had a hand in it. Now tell me where they are?"
Grissom felt the gun shaking, he knew it was anger, the gunman was not to far off from pulling the trigger. "Listen please." Grissom said, "I truly am sorry about what happened to your daughter. It was not right." Grissom paused waiting to hear something, he could not see the gunman's face, "I understand you are angry, that you are hurt, that the very people who were supposed to help her, hurt her." Grissom felt his knees shake, he was terrified, "And you are right if I did know where the people you are looking for I would not tell you. Not because I don't want you to find them, but because your daughters memory does not deserve this damage." Grissom paused, he was taking the sign that he wasn't dead yet as a good one, "We can walk out of here now. No one else has to get hurt."
"Too late for that." The gunman responded seething with anger.
Sara could hear the anger in the gunman's voice, she could sense something was going to happen soon if someone did not intervene. "Come on we need to get back to the office." Sara said grabbing Jade and pulling her back toward the office.
"Turn." The gunman said pushing the gun again.
Sara and Jade both turn and tried to move back towards the office door.
"Don't fucking move." The gunman yelled to them.
Sara grabbed Jade and pulled her so that Sara would shield the younger girl before turning around to face the gunman.
Jade audibly gasped at the site of Doc with gun tapped to his head, and his bloody face. She wanted to ask him if he was ok, but she was too afraid of what would happen if she spoke.
Grissom felt his breath catch. This was not how he wanted to find the two women. He wanted to scream for them both to run, but he knew that would not end well for anyone. The fear was evident on Jade's face, but he was not sure if he saw any on Sara's. He was sure his own fear was showing through. No longer for himself but for the two women he cared about.
"Where is everyone?" The gunman asked looking at the two women.
"We don't know." Sara answered her arm behind her holding the younger girl in place.
"Where have you been hiding?" The gunman asked.
"In my office." Sara answered.
"Why didn't you run outside?"
"We wanted to check if we could help some of the wounded." Sara responded feeling herself tremble slightly. Grissom looked horrible, she was trying to remain strong even if she had her own reason to dislike him, no one deserved the treatment he was getting.
"Where is Dylan Terrance's office?"
"Down there." Sara said pointing at an office down the hallway.
"Move towards it now, all of you." The gunman ordered holding Grissom back to let the two women walk in front. Sara pushed Jade so she was in front of her now, shielding the girl as they walked by the gunman.
"You ok doc?" Jade asked when she walked by.
"Everything will be ok." Grissom said hoping the gunman would not punish anyone for the exchange.
"I thought you were just here to give a lecture." The gunman asked almost with a growl.
"I am."
"Than how do you know them?"
"She is my graduate student. Came to give a talk herself."
"You sleep with her?"
"Hell no." Jade answered for Grissom with anger seething behind the answer. "I do not…"
Sara grabbed the girls arm harshly when she saw the color drain from Grissom's face. While Grissom did not say anything, she was sure if Jade finished that sentence it would not be good for anyone.
"You don't what?" The gunman asked.
"I don't sleep with old men." Jane understanding Sara and Grissom's unspoken warnings.
"Smart girl." The gunman stated.
Now at the door Sara reached out and tried it. "It's locked." She said for the gunman after the handle wouldn't budge.
"Knock."
Sara knocked and no sound came. "I am pretty sure he was out to lunch. I saw him pass me in the hallway on my way in. Probably not more than 20 minutes before you showed up."
"Nice try." The gunman said, "He is here, I know it." Anger rising up the gunman spoke again, "Let's play a game. I will give you to the count of five to tell me where everyone is and than I will pull the trigger. You two can wear Gil's brains."
"One." … "Two"… "Three…"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice familiar to both Grissom and Sara said from behind the group.
"Why is that?" The gunman asked turning his back on Sara and Jade to look at the group of officers behind them. It was a SWAT unit with him, the familiar voice was surely behind the riot shields.
"Oh you have six different sharp shooters with your head in their sites." Brass responded to the gunman.
"You shoot me he dies."
"I can live with that. Gil there is a bit of a prick."
The gunman couldn't help but snort at the cops comment. "Didn't notice."
"What I mean to say is collateral damage happens." Brass answered slightly more professional, "And if Gil is collateral damage, one life is better than multiple lives."
Gil closed his eyes, ok so people were pissed off at him, but that was a bit harsh. He hoped that it was Brass's way of getting the gunman to give himself up. Gil spoke softly to the gunman, "Please. Think of your daughter. Do you really think she wanted you to die because of all of this?" Gil paused, "That is what is going to happen. We both will be dead, and nothing will fixed. Your daughter will still be dead, you will be dead, I will be dead, and the real fucker behind all of this will be walking around like nothing happened."
Gil paused, hoping he was getting through. His hands were shaking behind his back, where he legs as well? He didn't know, "If you give yourself up, you can tell your side in court. You know the media is going to pick this up. You can tell your daughters story." Was that the gun shifting behind his head, he wasn't sure if he imagined it or if it happened. "The media will listen. They will tell her story for you. Dylan will not get away with what he did. His reputation, his career, and everything will be ruined."
"Ok." The gunman said not indicating if the Ok meant he was going to give up or it meant it was all over for him and Gil. "First I want all of the police out of here now."
"We cannot do that."
"I want to make sure when I give myself up you do not kill me."
"We cannot leave you with them." Brass aid, "How about a compromise"
"I am listening." The gunman answered back.
"You hand the gun to one of the woman behind you."
"Don't see what the compromise is here."
"You didn't let me finish." Brass answered back, "I will have these fine SWAT men leave if you send one of the women out. Than it will be me, you, Gil, and one of them."
"You won't shoot me?"
"Only if you make a move to hurt anyone."
"Ok. I want a news crew in here too, at least a camera."
"I cannot do that." Brass said, "Regulations won't let me endanger anyone else's life. I give you my word on Gils life that I won't shoot you."
The gunman laughed, "You already told me what his life was worth to you."
"Good point. How about on my own? I'll put my gun away after the SWAT walk out of here."
"Fine."
"Ok guys you heard the man exit the building."
"Which one of you want to go out?" The gunman asked.
"Let Jade go." Sara said looking at Jade slowly pushing the girl forward.
"Fine with me." The gunman said, "Jade is it."
"Yes." Jade said looking at the gunman as she walked by him.
"Stay smart and don't sleep with old men."
"No problem. Try not to kill my mentor. I need him to finish my dissertation." Jade responded ignoring the fear and pain she saw on Doc's face.
As soon as Jade got behind them, the SWAT guys listened to Brass and slowly backed out of the corridor to the exit, each keeping their gun aimed at the gunman until they and Jade were clear of the door.
"Putting my gun away." Brass said holstering his gun. "Now it's your turn."
"Here." The gunman said moving to the side still holding the gun. "Take it. Be careful it has a hairpin trigger."
Sara took the gun holding it as motionless as she could. She saw Gils hands for the first time, she saw them shaking slightly despite being secured behind his back. "It's ok Gil I got it." Sara said wondering if it would make her ex-husband fill better.
"Good. Now slowly move away from them." Jim said keeping his hand on his gun ready to pull it if necessary.
The gunman complied until Jim ordered him, "Stop. Turn around and than lower yourself to the floor on your knees."
Jim waited for the gunman to respond the entire time keeping his focus on the gunman. "Cross your legs behind you now please."
The gunman complied, and the next second Jim was on him, securing his hands with handcuffs behind his back.
"All clear." Jim called to the SWAT team waiting outside. "Is there anybody else hurt?"
"Just a girl dead over there, that I know of." Sara said indicating the main office area.
Two of the SWAT members removed the gunman from the building asking him questions as they walked him out to a waiting squad car. Questions such as were there any explosives inside, anything else they should worry about.
The other members of the SWAT team went to clear the building. Brass walked up to Sara and asked, "You have that?"
"Yes unless you want to switch me?"
"Nope I'd much rather rip the tap off our old friend here." Jim said looking over Gil who was still panting, clearly in pain from what looked like to be a decent beating.
"Be careful." Gil asked in a pleading voice. He knew Jim was pissed at him, and probably had every right to be, but right now Gil needed just a little compassion.
"Oh don't worry. Hate for the hostage to get killed on accident." Jim said almost joking. He looked at the tape, "I figured best to remove the gun first."
"That would be great." Gil responded.
"It's going to hurt some." Brass said looking for a spot to pull the tape, or should he cut it away. "What do you prefer, I cut the tape away or unwind it?"
"Whatever you think you can do without cutting me or making the gun go off."
"Unwinding it is." He found the end of tape and started to slowly pull it away from the gun and Gils neck. He kept his attention on the tape as he spoke to Sara. "Did you know our buddy was in town?"
"I learned earlier this week."
"Oh he called you?"
"no. Flyer in my mailbox here." Sara responded playing along with Brass who seemed to decide ignoring Gil's presence the best.
"What a coward." Brass said as he pulled the last of the tape off the gun, it was now just around Gil's neck. "I'll let you get the rest." Brass said holding out his hand for Sara to hand him the gun.
"Thanks." Gil answered softly.
Sara looked at her ex-husband who was barely standing now. "How about we move to my office to get the rest off?"
"Ok." Gil said letting her lead him to her office with her arm around him gently guiding him, but also as support.
"Have a seat." She said indicating the guest chair. She kept her arm on his elbow as he lowered himself into the chair. "Do you want me to finish freeing your hands or the tape around your neck?"
Gil contemplated and decided having his arms free would be a better option. He could remove the tape from his neck than, if his hands cooperated. "My arms please."
Sara enjoyed the silence between them. She did not know what else she would say to him otherwise. Though Gil's silence did worry her a bit. "You ok? Besides the obvious? Any injuries we should worry about? Maybe we should get a paramedic?" She was asking the questions rapidly out of nerves.
"Can you please just get the tape off?"
"Ok." Sara said taking it to mean he was not injured seriously enough to require immediate medical attention. She knew Gil did not like to show when he was in pain, let alone admit it, but he would have if there was a life threatening injury, right?
Sara slowly removed the tape, wearing a pair of plastic gloves from her backup kit she kept in the office. Always the CSI. When she finished she watched Gil bring his arms to his side, and a small hiss escaped his mouth.
"You ok?"
"Yes." Gil said closing his eyes. The blood returning to his numb arms hurt, not as bad as his ribs or his head, but it all added up.
"I'll just bag this." She said putting the tape into a bag. Not being able to stop herself she walked up to Gil and gently rubbed his shoulders in a show of compassion.
He looked up her, his blue eyes bloodshot. She couldn't help but realize how old he looked. There was pain, she was not sure if it was purely physical pain. "Lets get the tape off your neck." She said gently starting to remove the rest of the tape. She tried to make it as painless as possible for him. As soon as he was free he moved to rub his neck and she stopped him. "We need to get pictures."
"Sorry." Gil said lowering his head.
"Let me go see if I cannot find someone from day shift to get those pictures."
She left Gil in the office to go find someone. SWAT had cleared the building already, or so she thought. She found Jade outside.
"Is Doc ok?"
"Yeah he is in my office." Sara responded to the girl looking her over.
"Can I go see him?"
"Let him have a few minutes to himself. We are not done processing him yet."
"Ok."
"You need to go to a medic and get checked over."
"I'm fine." Jade answered.
"Ok." Sara answered smiling as she saw familiar faces walking up.
"He is in town to give a lecture and still manages to get himself into trouble." Nick said calling to Sara. "If I did not know better I'd think you had something to do with this."
Sara smiled and shook her head at her friend.
"Seriously." Greg said, "When I heard I got the call to come into work, and heard what it was, I was sure you lost it and were going to kill him."
"As if I cared about him like that anymore." Sara said. "Can one of you go in and finish processing him?"
"I will." Nick said realizing it would probably be the gentler option for Grissom.
"Hey stranger." Greg said to Jade, "And you thought you were not going to see anything exciting in Vegas while you were here."
Jade smiled at him.
"How about we go over here and give some nice police man your statement?" Greg said, "If there is any evidence from you to be collected I'll collect it."
"Good idea Greg." Sara said noticing the junior CSI and the woman had a bond. Sara remembered than that Jade had talk about going out with Greg last night. That made sense, the two seemed to be a lot alike.
"What about you?" Greg asked.
"I want to go check on the others." She lied, she wanted to check on Gil. She was worried he was in shock and maybe injured but not willing to admit it. Leaving to two, she returned back to her office. "How is it going?"
"Good." Nick answered, a paramedic having joined them. "I am going to go help day shift process some of the evidence." Nick strategically answered, finding a way to leave Grissom and Sara alone, well almost alone.
"Mind helping me?" The paramedic asked. Brass had sent him in to allow Grissom some privacy, since he knew his former friend would refuse to go to the hospital.
"What can I do?"
"I need to get the coat and shirt off him. And his arms a bit weak." The paramedic answered.
"Sure." She said feeling weird about helping her ex-husband undress.
Gil seemed to be just as embarrassed as Sara. "Sorry." He mumbled to her.
"It's ok." She said, "Not your fault."
She helped him slide the coat off his arms. His hands were shaking horrible she noticed. "It's ok."
"How is Jade?"
"Out with Greg." Sara responded noticing a brief emotion across Gil's face one she couldn't place. Was it jealousy, was it relief? She couldn't tell it moved across so fast.
"Good."
She was helping with the buttons on his shirt, his hands were too shaky to do them himself. The paramedic seemed to be checking a gash on the back of Gil's head.
"Ouch." She said out loud when she saw the bruises that were forming on her ex-husbands torso.
"yeah." Gil responded trying not to chuckle, it hurt too much.
"You know it's not a good idea to piss the man off with a gun."
"I know." Gil said this time not holding in a gentle laugh, "But you know me I can piss of a monk."
"You could." Sara said smiling at him as she saw him wince from laughing. "Sorry. Should probably stop making you laugh."
"I deserve it." He said softly, almost t himself, she barely heard it, and even questioned if she had heard him say it.
"Why don't you go to the hospital?" She asked.
"I just want to go back to my hotel room and sleep." Gil said softly.
"Probably won't happen." The paramedic said, "You need stiches. And it is highly likely you have a concussion. Severe enough you are going to need looking after. Hospital is the best option."
"No." Gil said, "I can set the alarm on my phone to wake me up every hour." He said knowing the procedure for a concussion.
"And what if you don't wake up?" Sara asked softly.
"I'm fine." Gil said.
"I beg to differ." The paramedic answered.
"Just stitch me up please." Gil responded.
"I strongly advise you to seek medical treatment at a hospital."
"Not right now." Gil said, "Maybe later after I give my statement."
Brass walked into the office, "How is he?"
"Refusing to go to the hospital." The paramedic answered.
"Gil I'm giving you two options. 1) I can arrest you and take you to the hospital for treatment. Or 2) You can go on your own. You choose?"
"What are you going to arrest me for?"
"Being a dick."
"Last time I checked that was not against the law."
"Well we cannot be sure if you were an accomplice or not. So I could hold you for at least 24 hours." Brass responded. "Does that work better for you?"
"Fine." Gil said, "But I am not staying."
"We'll discuss that later." Brass answered.
"I'll finish my initial assessment and than we'll take you to the ambulance."
"No. I will take a taxi." Gil answered.
"I'll drive you." Sara said before she even thought it surprising everyone in the room. Before Grissom could decline she added, "Just to make sure you got there."
"I'll come by in a bit to get his statement." Brass said.
"You could just send one of your guys." Gil said.
"I'd rather take it myself." Brass said, "We have a lot to discuss."
"I am going to go outside and check on Greg and Jade while he finishes working on you Gil." Sara said her hand gently on his arm. "Come out and find me when you get done".
"ok." Grissom answered wishing she'd just let him take a taxi, but his head hurt too much to argue.
It was another twenty minutes before the medic was satisfied that Gil was not seriously injured. Gil limped outside, one hand on his ribs, his arms having the feeling returned, and another hand blocking the sun as he walked outside. The light hurt his head, sending sharp pains, much like his migraines through the front to the back of his skull. He had his button up shirt on, and the coat he left in Sara's office. He looked around trying to find Sara, she had not been too descriptive on where she would be other than outside.
"What's up Doc?" Jade asked with a smile on her face. She and Greg were leaning against a car when they saw Grissom approaching. "Glad you're alive."
"Me too."
"Who'd of signed off on my dissertation." Jade joked with him. They both knew it was her way of telling him she was happy he was truly alive and ok, without embarrassing either of them with a show of emotions. Emotions were things that should be hidden.
"I'm sure Voldermort would have."
"You must have had your head hit hard."
"Why is that?"
"You called him Voldermort."
"Who is Voldermort?"
Grissom responded, "A character from Harry Potter."
"I know that." Greg said.
Jade explained to him the nickname she gave her professor.
"Have you seen Sara?" Grissom asked when the girl was done talking.
"She is over there." Greg said pointing towards a SUV.
"Thanks." Grissom limped away, glad his hands had stopped shaking, and his legs seemed to be carrying him just fine. His ribs were not broken, at least that was the paramedics assessment. An x-ray or something was necessary to determine it for sure. As Grissom approached he saw Sara talking to a man about Grissom's age. He watched them as he made his way slowly towards them. Sara was comfortable with this man, he could tell by her body language. She acted like she did around him, when they had yet to start to date. Was Sara dating this man? He knew she liked older men, but this guy looked like a total douche bag, to borrow Jade's language.
"Hey Grissom." Sara said smiling, "You ready to go to the hospital."
"Yeah."
"Sorry" Sara said noticing Grissom looking at the other man who was standing with her. "This is the my friend Rick."
"Nice to meet you Dr. Grissom. I've heard a bit about you."
"Nothing good I'm sure." Grissom said staring at the man trying to hide the fact he already hated the man he didn't know.
"No good things." Rick said. "I will see you later Sara. Call me when you can reschedule that breakfast." Rick hugged her before he left.
Grissom glared at the mans back. Sara was not a hugging person, she did not hug random people.
"You ok?" Sara asked Grissom seeing the glare on his face.
Grissom turned his head towards her, "Yeah just the sun hurts."
"Want to borrow my sunglasses?" Greg asked walking up behind Grissom with Jade.
"Not necessary." Grissom answered.
"We brought water for everyone." Jade said handing Grissom a bottle of water.
"Thanks." Grissom said taking the bottle from her and taking a small drink. His mouth ached from the previous beating.
"We better get you to the hospital." Sara said.
"I am going to stay with Greg if you two don't mind?" Jade said, quickly filling in for the look of surprise she got from Grissom, "I still want to visit the lab tonight. Greg said he could take me in with him and drop me off after his shift."
"You are a grown woman. No need to ok it with me." Grissom answered a bit more grouchy than he meant to, he would later blame it on being in pain and the ordeal he went through.
"Great." Jade said seemingly unfazed by Grissom, "Take good care of Doc for me Sara."
"Hop in this is me." Sara said unlocking the doors.
Grissom limped over to the passenger side and slid into the car trying not to jostle his ribs or his head too much. "Do you have a towel or something?" He asked once inside.
"What for?"
"Don't want to get any blood on your head rest." Grissom answered softly.
"Oh" Sara said looking around, she had a blanket she kept in the back. She got out and grabbed it. "Here lean forward a bit." S he said now at the passenger door. Sliding the blanket behind his head she gently rubbed his shoulder again to provide some form of comfort to him. "Better?"
"Yes" Grissom said leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
"Don't fall asleep on me." Sara said after climbing back into the driver side.
"I won't."
"How about you talk to me just to be sure. That way you can keep your eyes closed. Or you could sing." Sara joked remembering one time Grissom had come home plastered. He had gone out with Brass after a particular difficult week. Brass had made some poor uniform unit drive the two to their respective houses. Grissom had walked into the house singing Otis Redding's My Girl at the top of his lungs.
"What do you want to talk about?" Grissom replied.
"I don't know." Sara answered as she started the car, the CD player picked up wherever it had left off on her drive over.
Seems like to me
The sky ain't half so blue
Seems like to me
Everything wants you
Seems like to me
I don't know what to do
Since you went away
Grissom was quiet for a second listening to the mellow tones of the song, "Who is this?"
Sara blushed a bit because the song had meaning, she hoped Grissom did not understand it, "Some CD that Lindsay gave me for my birthday."
"Catharine's Lindsay?"
"Yes. She is off at college now."
"Good for her."
"It's Kris Delmhorst."
"She has a good voice." Grissom said hoping Sara would say something more to keep this conversation going.
"I noticed. I like to listen to it when I am driving home from work. Relaxing."
There were a few minutes of silence before Grissom spoke again, "Are you…" He paused knowing he had no right to ask this question so he changed his mind, "Are you sure Jade will be ok with Greg?"
"Of course." Sara answered.
"Thank you for keeping her safe earlier." Grissom answered, "Sometimes she doesn't think before she talks or acts."
"She seems like a good person."
"She is. A great student too."
"But she doesn't study forensics?"
"No. The department I am at is a mix of criminology and criminal justice. I happen to work on the criminal justice side, teaching forensics. Jade is more of the criminologist side."
"How do you end up being her mentor?"
"She has ruffled a few feathers, and well is not a traditional student." Grissom replied without giving the entire story.
"That is all?"
"She was the only graduate student willing to be my TA." Grissom added.
"She live with you?"
"No. Well not really." Grissom answered wondering where the question was coming from. "I have an apartment above my garage she rents. She takes care of Hank."
"Hank is still alive?" Sara asked excited, she had loved the dog.
"Yes." Grissom said, "He is doing good too. He is at a colleagues house this week."
Grissom let silence take over the car before he said, "Jade is just my graduate student Sara. Nothing more."
"Ok. Was not asking." Sara said feeling a bit defense that Grissom felt the need to say that. She did not care what he did anymore.
"Are you seeing Rick?"
"What if I am?" Sara asked.
"Just asking." Grissom said softly, "Trying to make conversation. You seemed comfortable with him is all. You seem happy Sara. I just want to know that you are happy is all."
"I am happy Gris." She answered looking over at him.
"Well than I'm happy that you are happy." He said feeling quite ineloquent, so unlike himself. He let out a soft chuckle.
"What is funny?" Sara asked watching Grissom wincing from the laugh.
"Nothing." He said panting from the pain.
"Come on." Sara said hoping he would share.
"Just…" He stopped, "A Jade moment."
"A what?"
"Jade moment. Every time I try to do my quote thing, she quotes lyrics back to me from songs. She says she sings what she cannot say, it's another song thing too."
"And?" Sara asked wondering if there was serious damage done to Grissom's head because he was making little sense.
"There is this band she listens to a lot. I actually have learned a lot of their music because of it. She insist on listening to it at ungodly levels or without headphones when she is cooking in my kitchen or hanging out grading."
Sara noted that the girl seemed to spend a lot of time in Grissom's house, even thought she had an apartment above his garage. "And?" She asked hoping he'd give more detail.
"There is a song from the only album I can stand from the group. The lyrics just popped into my head."
"What are they?"
"Really?" Grissom said not wanting to share now.
"Seriously. What was the song?"
"You could be happy."
"Haven't heard it how does it go?" Sara had heard it, was a group she had listened to.
"Come on." Grissom said, "Don't make me."
"Please. I'll protect you from Catharine and Brass a bit longer."
"You promise?"
"Yes."
"Fine." Grissom said opening his eyes. He took a drink of his water and turned his head slightly so he could look at Sara without truly looking at her. "I think it goes…You could be happy, and I won't know. But you weren't happy the day I watched you go. And all of the things I wished had no said. Are played in loops until it's madness in my head. Is it to late to remind you how we were? Not our last days of silent, screaming, blur. Most of what I remember makes me sure. I should have stopped from walking out the door. You could be happy, I hope you are. You made happier than I'd been by far. And for the tiniest moment, it's all not true. Do the things you always wanted to. Without me there to hold you back, don't think just do."
"That is a beautiful song." Sara said looking over at Grissom while trying to keep her eyes on the road. She wondered if it meant what she thought it meant. Probably not, definitely not, he had a concussion, he is in pain, he is just talking. Of course his thoughts are jumbled.
"Well it was running through my head. It's such a Jade thing. Don't tell her she'll do a happy dance probably and go back and tell everyone how she broke me of my quoting old dead white guys."
"Your secret is safe with me." Sara said. "Isn't that the theme song for that TV show Grey's Anatomy?" Really didn't mean what she had hoped it meant. He was into Jade. He just didn't know it yet. Replaced by a younger model? Sara could not be made at the girl. She had no idea and did not seem interested in Grissom.
"I have no idea." Grissom said happy that Sara did not ask him why he had thought of the song.
A/N: Song 1: Since you've been gone by Kris Delmhorst
Song 2: You could be happy by Snow Patrol