Disclaimers ect on the first chapter and we are back to a regular PG13
rating here.
Woo hoo! Its finally done, satisfying and yet sad all at the same time. Oh well, you gotta let go at some point I guess. (
Well as a big thank you to everyone who reviewed, I posted 2 chapters tonight. A HUGE thanks to all who reviewed, its very encouraging, especially for a new author. I have to apologize to all of those who were hoping more Catherine, Nick and Warrick I have a hard time writing them, especially Catherine. So I only used them peripherally, I didn't really realize it until like the third chapter and just ran with it. Again I cannot thank you guys enough….every day I check and it makes me sooooo happy. Anyway enough with my ramblings….. enjoy!
Chapter 11- The End
After Sara has a nice long chat with Brass and gets her gun replaced, she and Grissom head out to the desert where someone found a mostly buried body. When they begin to dig up the body Sara notices its not a human, looking closer she determines its probably a dog and whoever had called it in obviously didn't get a good look, they had just seen bones sticking up from the sand and the police on scene hadn't touched anything.
"Well that was fun." Sara says ruefully on the way back.
"We have to check everything." He says, giving her a long look.
"I know, I know."
When they return to the labs they are the only ones there. Sara goes to finish up some reports and do some backlog work for the dayshift while Grissom retreats into his office to check on one of his bug experiments. Just when the utter silence was starting to get to her, the rest of the team starts trickling in.
Nicky comes up to her and leans over her shoulder watching her fill out paperwork "Heard your body was a canine." He says with that Nicky grin.
"Yep, sure was. Got a nice road trip to the desert out of it though." She replies sarcastically looking at him. At that moment Warrick walks in and takes the opportunity to hassle her a bit.
"Yea, with Grissom." The tone in which he says it makes Sara turn around in her chair and look at him. When she turns to face him, Warrick notices the expression of alarm that briefly crosses her features before being replaced by feigned confusion.
"What are you talking about Warrick?" She asks with the most innocent expression she can muster. She couldn't believe Warrick was onto them already. This is not good.
"Nothing I suppose." He smiles at her, getting a bit of joy out of making her squirm. He knows he would never reveal anything. Nicky just watches the conversation in front of him confused, knowing there is a whole other one going on but he just doesn't know the topic, when suddenly he understands.
"Ohhhh." Nicky says and looks as two pairs of eyes settle on him. One amused the other has the deer in headlights look.
"All caught up now Nicky?" Warrick asks, almost ready to start laughing.
"Oh my god, you guys…." Sara starts, but is cut off by a very serious looking Warrick.
"Don't worry about it, we don't know anything. Right Nick?"
"Nothing." Nick responds nodding his head.
"Thanks" She says and the two men just smile at her.
"Anytime." Warrick tells her and pats her shoulder.
Unexpectedly Grissom comes into the room, an indescribable look on his face, and stares at the three people there. It looked to him like something had just happened, but he placed that to the back of his head for the time being.
"Brass just called, they have a report of a man fitting the suspects description wandering up and down the strip, bothering women, he appears to be carrying a gun. Currently he is in front of New York, New York."
"Lets go." Warrick says and he and Nick head out the door. Sara tries to follow but is halted by Grissom at the doorway. She gives him an unyielding look and he lets her go past, he wasn't in the mood to argue with her, besides he was pretty sure he would lose anyway. Plus half the LVPD was heading there now.
Grissom and Sara get into the Tahoe with Nick and Warrick; Catherine was already enroute with Brass. The ride out to the strip seems to take forever to Sara and she just stares out the window, hoping this is the end to this whole mess. More than once, Grissom looks over at her and worries about her safety and her emotional state and hopes that this time they catch Jason Reading. It isn't hard to find where the problem is, the strip has been shut down from New York to the Monte Carlo on both sides and Tropicana Blvd has been closed completely. The last thing Vegas needed was a tourist getting injured or killed.
Arriving on scene, the group finds that they are almost first on scene, seeing Brass quickly. As they get out, each one goes to the back of the truck, grabbing a police jacket, Sara is last and Grissom is getting concerned about the time its taking her when she suddenly appears and accompanies them to get debriefed.
"What's going on? How come your guys haven't taken him yet?" Grissom asks testily.
"Cause we have a problem." Brass responds. "He managed to grab a girl before we got here so now it's a hostage situation." Sara just looks at him with an incredibly beleaguered look on her face. The team takes in the scene around them; Jason has the hostage on the walkway in front of the casino holding onto her for dear life. Right now there are maybe five cars and seven officers who have formed a semi-circle around them at a safe distance in the street. Just as Sara is about to say something, commotion behind them causes the group to look at the suspect and his hostage. Until this point Jason was simply holding the girl tightly and screaming at the police who where surrounding him incoherently. Now Jason has the gun lifted and pointed at the woman's head. His screaming also becomes more understandable, the police have spooked him, and his head keeps darting from officer to officer.
"Back off, back off, back off…. she's going to die you know, I am going to make sure of that. But you…you need to get away from me, do you hear me? Go away!" He is screaming at the police who have surrounded him and the woman, who is looking terrified. Grissom notes that the woman fits the profile to a T yet again. Brunette, he couldn't tell eye color, tall and thin. Grissom is so focused on the situation in front of him that he doesn't notice Sara walking forward until it's too late.
"Jason!" She screams as loud as she can and takes a few steps toward Jason, stepping into the semi-circle that the police have formed around him. He looks around confused for a moment until Sara steps even closer "Right here Jason, I am right here." She tells him and gets right in his line of sight. Meanwhile the rest of the team stands there staring at her, beyond concerned. Nick and Warrick finally look at each other afraid for their friend. Grissom just stares, he cannot believe she would put herself at risk like that. He is terrified and yet furious with her all at the same time. What is she thinking? He asks himself, not bothering to try and hide the look on his face, he finally had her in his life; he didn't want to lose her. Quietly Catherine puts a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him some comfort.
She whispers to him "It will be ok Grissom." Though she didn't believe that one hundred percent herself.
He just stares at her with a blank look on his face "What is she thinking?" he voices aloud to her.
"Grissom this has consumed her life the past three days, she feels guilty about those women's deaths and wants it to end. She thinks whatever happens is her penance." She says softly.
Slowly Sara approaches Jason and takes a deep breath, she didn't care how it ended at this point, as long as it did. She hadn't been thinking when she walked out toward him, calling attention to herself, not thinking about her safety, or what Grissom was probably thinking. She just didn't want another persons blood on her hands and decided to take care of it herself. She is aware of the procedures for hostage situations and knew this woman would be dead if left to that.
"Jason, its me, Sara. Let that woman go, you have the wrong person."
"No, no, no you are trying to trick me. I know you are, I know you Sara." He says and looks at the woman he has the gun trained on. "You're a dead woman Sara." He whispers to her, the woman just screams.
"NO! Jason, I am Sara… look at me. Remember yesterday morning Jason? What did you do?" Sara is visibly shaking at this point; but doesn't let it show in her voice, which is strong and confident.
"I almost had you then Sara, almost, so close, but then I heard the sirens and I know I couldn't do what need to be done in time, so…so I ran."
"Right. What happened though? You attacked me right? You remember hitting me in the head? Do you? After I broke your nose?" Sara tries to remain calm, any perceived threat to this man and both she and the hostage were dead.
For a moment he looks confused and then silently nods.
"Ok Jason, look at me, look at my head, you see the bruise here?" She asks, pointing to the livid area on her temple. "See…. you gave me that when you hit me back. I am who you want Jason, not her. She didn't kill your brother; I did, shot him right in the chest. Remember? Its me you want Jason…not her, not her." Sara says the last part softly and she can tell that Jason is considering her words, the gun is now down by his side and he is looking at Sara very carefully, paying particular attention to the bruise. Slowly Sara advances on Jason, gauging his reaction.
"Let her go Jason and you can have me. Ok? That's fair right? You don't want to kill the wrong person again do you Jason?" She says and slips between the roping on the bridge stepping onto it with him, stopping maybe five feet from him. Grissom is getting increasingly anxious as he watches, and though he cannot hear what Sara is saying he knows what she is doing, trading for herself. Never in his life has he felt such dread, he has a bad feeling about the way this is going to end.
"Come on Jason." She says when he makes no move to release the hostage. "You aren't giving your brother justice by killing the wrong person." That gets his attention.
"No, no, I don't want to do that. He would be angry with me." Slowly his grip loosens on the woman and Sara nods to her to run. When she is clear of the walkway Sara takes a few steps closer.
"You did the right thing there Jason, James will be very proud of you." Sara says and closes the gap, she is now standing almost directly in front of him, maybe three or four feet from him. Close enough for her to see the madness in his eyes and it scared her.
"Yes I did, and he will be even more proud when you are dead." He says with sudden clarity and points the gun directly at her. Sara didn't expect this, though she should have known, honestly she didn't have a plan after the hostage was released, she hadn't thought that far ahead, she is working on adrenaline.
"Jason, come on…is shooting me enough?" She says trying to by more time.
"Yes, it will have to be. I am not as crazy as I look Sara, I know I am dead one way or the other. This is my last chance." He says with a deadly tone.
The next few seconds seemed go by in slow motion for her. She heard the shot, maybe two or three, she couldn't be sure, and felt incredible pain in her chest and abdomen as she hit the ground. Just before she passed out, she heard Grissom screaming her name and she remembers the fear in his voice and then several more shots before darkness came over her.
Grissom couldn't believe it, she was standing there and then she was on the ground, shot point blank in the chest, twice. He was aware of Warrick holding him back while the police fired at Jason and he too hit the ground in a sea of blood. He was almost outside himself, he could hear her name being called and it sounded like his voice, but he couldn't remember saying the words. Finally Grissom pushes past the younger man as the police advance on the two people laying prone, their guns trained on Jason. When he finally gets to her he kneels down next to her, the look on his face enough to keep the police at bay for the moment, besides they are busy with Jason. She is so pale and motionless; he is frozen into inaction, thoughts swirling in his head, horrible thoughts of burying her. By then Catherine, Nick and Warrick had caught up to him and where also staring down at their fallen colleague and friend, assuming the worst. She had taken two slugs right in the chest.
Finally Grissom snaps out of it, reaching down with a shaky hand and touching her neck, searching for a pulse, finding none but continues to search, unwilling to let go. The others look on in horror as they realize what is happening. Catherine starts to cry openly while Nick and Warrick try desperately not too.
"Oh my god." Grissom says and turns to a police officer "Get that ambulance, she is alive."
The officer nods and motions to the paramedics who where already on the scene. Before they can even get there though Sara opens her eyes and moans loudly.
"God dammit that hurt." she says with some difficulty and slowly pulls herself into a sitting position. Her friends all stare at her in amazement, and complete confusion. They had just seen her shot, why was she sitting up? Is the thought on everyone's mind.
"Sara, lay back, you where shot." Catherine says confused by her behavior and looks at Grissom who has a knowing look on his face.
"Yea, no kidding, and it hurt. You know I really didn't think it would hurt that much. Damn." The last part she says while looking at Grissom who appears very angry. Uh oh she thinks. Glancing at the people around her and taking in their confusion, Sara slowly unbuttons her shirt to reveal a Kevlar vest, dented in two spots where the bullets had hit and were still lodged securely in place.
"Dammit girl. You scared the shit out of us. Again!" Warrick almost yells at her. "We thought you were dead."
"I am sorry, I had a feeling and was going to tell you…. but we got distracted." Sara's breathing appears labored to Grissom as she is talking. The paramedics finally make it up to her; they hadn't rushed when they noticed her sitting up.
"Ma'am are you ok?"
"Yea, just having a hard time breathing." She says slowly.
"Ok, lets take a look." They say and help her to remove her jacket, shirt and vest, effectively pushing Grissom and Catherine out of the way, leaving her in a tank top that she had worn underneath. "Whoa, you are a very lucky lady." One says to her and shows her the inside of the vest. One of the bullets points was through the vest, if she had been half a foot closer it would have gone all the way through.
"Jesus" Grissom hisses a little louder than he wanted to while rubbing his face with his hands. He has been pacing the entire time since he was removed from her side. When he looks down one paramedic is pressing on Sara's midsection and she sucks in a breath when he hits the spot right where the bullet almost went through.
"Looks like a cracked rib, maybe broken. Lets get you to the hospital and check it out." He says and Sara just nods.
"He's dead." Nick reports as he and Warrick return from talking to Brass.
Coldly Grissom responds "Good" and follows Sara into the ambulance.
"We will meet you there." Warrick yells and Grissom nods in response.
As the doors close Warrick looks at Nick, "I wouldn't want to be her right now, he is pissed."
"Oh yea." Nick agrees and they meet with Catherine and head over to the hospital.
"Dammit Sara, that was a stupid thing you did. What were you thinking?" He was practically yelling at her in the back of the ambulance.
"I…. I wasn't thinking Grissom I…I am sorry. I just new that he was determined to kill someone, and it wasn't going to be that woman. I had to stop him. Plus I had the vest on, I knew I was safe, I just didn't expect him to shoot me so soon." The look on her face was enough for him to soften and he immediately felt bad for yelling.
"God Sara, do you have any idea what you did to me tonight? That was a huge chance you took. What if he had shot you in the head? We wouldn't even be having this conversation. I swear I aged 20 years in that one instant. I thought you were dead. Gone, forever. Do you see that?" He was talking to her desperately, trying to make her understand.
"Yes Gil I see that. Do you understand why I did what I did?" She asks him quietly. He nods without saying a word.
"Good." She says and grabs his hands in hers. "I am truly sorry I scared you."
"Good." He says quietly and leans into her, putting his forehead on hers. "I love you Sara, more than you know."
She looks at him stunned for the moment then responds. "I love you too Gil."
***************************
She looks down at the headstone, the second one she has seen today and sighs. Feeling a hand on her shoulder Sara turns around and looks at Grissom.
"Thanks for bringing me out here. It stinks not being able to drive yet." She tells him.
"No problem."
"I…I just had to come out here you know. Explain why this happened. They had no idea what was going on. I feel like I owe it to them you know?" She looks into his eyes and finally sees that he really does understand. "They deserve to know."
He nods at her and walks away. When he turns back she is squatting in front of the headstone, talking.
"Ok, ready." She says after about 15 minutes, wiping away tears from her eyes, and they head back down the hill to the Tahoe. She finally let go of her guilt, she knows now that there was nothing she could have possibly done. Looking up at the man standing next to her Sara smiles, maybe some good had come of this whole mess.
Grissom looks down at her and catches her smiling at him, he returns the smile, grabs her hand and they walk to the truck. They were moving on with their lives, together.
Fin
**************************************
"Its easy to wear your heart on your sleeve when your not looking in his eyes." Sara (You've Got Male)
Woo hoo! Its finally done, satisfying and yet sad all at the same time. Oh well, you gotta let go at some point I guess. (
Well as a big thank you to everyone who reviewed, I posted 2 chapters tonight. A HUGE thanks to all who reviewed, its very encouraging, especially for a new author. I have to apologize to all of those who were hoping more Catherine, Nick and Warrick I have a hard time writing them, especially Catherine. So I only used them peripherally, I didn't really realize it until like the third chapter and just ran with it. Again I cannot thank you guys enough….every day I check and it makes me sooooo happy. Anyway enough with my ramblings….. enjoy!
Chapter 11- The End
After Sara has a nice long chat with Brass and gets her gun replaced, she and Grissom head out to the desert where someone found a mostly buried body. When they begin to dig up the body Sara notices its not a human, looking closer she determines its probably a dog and whoever had called it in obviously didn't get a good look, they had just seen bones sticking up from the sand and the police on scene hadn't touched anything.
"Well that was fun." Sara says ruefully on the way back.
"We have to check everything." He says, giving her a long look.
"I know, I know."
When they return to the labs they are the only ones there. Sara goes to finish up some reports and do some backlog work for the dayshift while Grissom retreats into his office to check on one of his bug experiments. Just when the utter silence was starting to get to her, the rest of the team starts trickling in.
Nicky comes up to her and leans over her shoulder watching her fill out paperwork "Heard your body was a canine." He says with that Nicky grin.
"Yep, sure was. Got a nice road trip to the desert out of it though." She replies sarcastically looking at him. At that moment Warrick walks in and takes the opportunity to hassle her a bit.
"Yea, with Grissom." The tone in which he says it makes Sara turn around in her chair and look at him. When she turns to face him, Warrick notices the expression of alarm that briefly crosses her features before being replaced by feigned confusion.
"What are you talking about Warrick?" She asks with the most innocent expression she can muster. She couldn't believe Warrick was onto them already. This is not good.
"Nothing I suppose." He smiles at her, getting a bit of joy out of making her squirm. He knows he would never reveal anything. Nicky just watches the conversation in front of him confused, knowing there is a whole other one going on but he just doesn't know the topic, when suddenly he understands.
"Ohhhh." Nicky says and looks as two pairs of eyes settle on him. One amused the other has the deer in headlights look.
"All caught up now Nicky?" Warrick asks, almost ready to start laughing.
"Oh my god, you guys…." Sara starts, but is cut off by a very serious looking Warrick.
"Don't worry about it, we don't know anything. Right Nick?"
"Nothing." Nick responds nodding his head.
"Thanks" She says and the two men just smile at her.
"Anytime." Warrick tells her and pats her shoulder.
Unexpectedly Grissom comes into the room, an indescribable look on his face, and stares at the three people there. It looked to him like something had just happened, but he placed that to the back of his head for the time being.
"Brass just called, they have a report of a man fitting the suspects description wandering up and down the strip, bothering women, he appears to be carrying a gun. Currently he is in front of New York, New York."
"Lets go." Warrick says and he and Nick head out the door. Sara tries to follow but is halted by Grissom at the doorway. She gives him an unyielding look and he lets her go past, he wasn't in the mood to argue with her, besides he was pretty sure he would lose anyway. Plus half the LVPD was heading there now.
Grissom and Sara get into the Tahoe with Nick and Warrick; Catherine was already enroute with Brass. The ride out to the strip seems to take forever to Sara and she just stares out the window, hoping this is the end to this whole mess. More than once, Grissom looks over at her and worries about her safety and her emotional state and hopes that this time they catch Jason Reading. It isn't hard to find where the problem is, the strip has been shut down from New York to the Monte Carlo on both sides and Tropicana Blvd has been closed completely. The last thing Vegas needed was a tourist getting injured or killed.
Arriving on scene, the group finds that they are almost first on scene, seeing Brass quickly. As they get out, each one goes to the back of the truck, grabbing a police jacket, Sara is last and Grissom is getting concerned about the time its taking her when she suddenly appears and accompanies them to get debriefed.
"What's going on? How come your guys haven't taken him yet?" Grissom asks testily.
"Cause we have a problem." Brass responds. "He managed to grab a girl before we got here so now it's a hostage situation." Sara just looks at him with an incredibly beleaguered look on her face. The team takes in the scene around them; Jason has the hostage on the walkway in front of the casino holding onto her for dear life. Right now there are maybe five cars and seven officers who have formed a semi-circle around them at a safe distance in the street. Just as Sara is about to say something, commotion behind them causes the group to look at the suspect and his hostage. Until this point Jason was simply holding the girl tightly and screaming at the police who where surrounding him incoherently. Now Jason has the gun lifted and pointed at the woman's head. His screaming also becomes more understandable, the police have spooked him, and his head keeps darting from officer to officer.
"Back off, back off, back off…. she's going to die you know, I am going to make sure of that. But you…you need to get away from me, do you hear me? Go away!" He is screaming at the police who have surrounded him and the woman, who is looking terrified. Grissom notes that the woman fits the profile to a T yet again. Brunette, he couldn't tell eye color, tall and thin. Grissom is so focused on the situation in front of him that he doesn't notice Sara walking forward until it's too late.
"Jason!" She screams as loud as she can and takes a few steps toward Jason, stepping into the semi-circle that the police have formed around him. He looks around confused for a moment until Sara steps even closer "Right here Jason, I am right here." She tells him and gets right in his line of sight. Meanwhile the rest of the team stands there staring at her, beyond concerned. Nick and Warrick finally look at each other afraid for their friend. Grissom just stares, he cannot believe she would put herself at risk like that. He is terrified and yet furious with her all at the same time. What is she thinking? He asks himself, not bothering to try and hide the look on his face, he finally had her in his life; he didn't want to lose her. Quietly Catherine puts a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him some comfort.
She whispers to him "It will be ok Grissom." Though she didn't believe that one hundred percent herself.
He just stares at her with a blank look on his face "What is she thinking?" he voices aloud to her.
"Grissom this has consumed her life the past three days, she feels guilty about those women's deaths and wants it to end. She thinks whatever happens is her penance." She says softly.
Slowly Sara approaches Jason and takes a deep breath, she didn't care how it ended at this point, as long as it did. She hadn't been thinking when she walked out toward him, calling attention to herself, not thinking about her safety, or what Grissom was probably thinking. She just didn't want another persons blood on her hands and decided to take care of it herself. She is aware of the procedures for hostage situations and knew this woman would be dead if left to that.
"Jason, its me, Sara. Let that woman go, you have the wrong person."
"No, no, no you are trying to trick me. I know you are, I know you Sara." He says and looks at the woman he has the gun trained on. "You're a dead woman Sara." He whispers to her, the woman just screams.
"NO! Jason, I am Sara… look at me. Remember yesterday morning Jason? What did you do?" Sara is visibly shaking at this point; but doesn't let it show in her voice, which is strong and confident.
"I almost had you then Sara, almost, so close, but then I heard the sirens and I know I couldn't do what need to be done in time, so…so I ran."
"Right. What happened though? You attacked me right? You remember hitting me in the head? Do you? After I broke your nose?" Sara tries to remain calm, any perceived threat to this man and both she and the hostage were dead.
For a moment he looks confused and then silently nods.
"Ok Jason, look at me, look at my head, you see the bruise here?" She asks, pointing to the livid area on her temple. "See…. you gave me that when you hit me back. I am who you want Jason, not her. She didn't kill your brother; I did, shot him right in the chest. Remember? Its me you want Jason…not her, not her." Sara says the last part softly and she can tell that Jason is considering her words, the gun is now down by his side and he is looking at Sara very carefully, paying particular attention to the bruise. Slowly Sara advances on Jason, gauging his reaction.
"Let her go Jason and you can have me. Ok? That's fair right? You don't want to kill the wrong person again do you Jason?" She says and slips between the roping on the bridge stepping onto it with him, stopping maybe five feet from him. Grissom is getting increasingly anxious as he watches, and though he cannot hear what Sara is saying he knows what she is doing, trading for herself. Never in his life has he felt such dread, he has a bad feeling about the way this is going to end.
"Come on Jason." She says when he makes no move to release the hostage. "You aren't giving your brother justice by killing the wrong person." That gets his attention.
"No, no, I don't want to do that. He would be angry with me." Slowly his grip loosens on the woman and Sara nods to her to run. When she is clear of the walkway Sara takes a few steps closer.
"You did the right thing there Jason, James will be very proud of you." Sara says and closes the gap, she is now standing almost directly in front of him, maybe three or four feet from him. Close enough for her to see the madness in his eyes and it scared her.
"Yes I did, and he will be even more proud when you are dead." He says with sudden clarity and points the gun directly at her. Sara didn't expect this, though she should have known, honestly she didn't have a plan after the hostage was released, she hadn't thought that far ahead, she is working on adrenaline.
"Jason, come on…is shooting me enough?" She says trying to by more time.
"Yes, it will have to be. I am not as crazy as I look Sara, I know I am dead one way or the other. This is my last chance." He says with a deadly tone.
The next few seconds seemed go by in slow motion for her. She heard the shot, maybe two or three, she couldn't be sure, and felt incredible pain in her chest and abdomen as she hit the ground. Just before she passed out, she heard Grissom screaming her name and she remembers the fear in his voice and then several more shots before darkness came over her.
Grissom couldn't believe it, she was standing there and then she was on the ground, shot point blank in the chest, twice. He was aware of Warrick holding him back while the police fired at Jason and he too hit the ground in a sea of blood. He was almost outside himself, he could hear her name being called and it sounded like his voice, but he couldn't remember saying the words. Finally Grissom pushes past the younger man as the police advance on the two people laying prone, their guns trained on Jason. When he finally gets to her he kneels down next to her, the look on his face enough to keep the police at bay for the moment, besides they are busy with Jason. She is so pale and motionless; he is frozen into inaction, thoughts swirling in his head, horrible thoughts of burying her. By then Catherine, Nick and Warrick had caught up to him and where also staring down at their fallen colleague and friend, assuming the worst. She had taken two slugs right in the chest.
Finally Grissom snaps out of it, reaching down with a shaky hand and touching her neck, searching for a pulse, finding none but continues to search, unwilling to let go. The others look on in horror as they realize what is happening. Catherine starts to cry openly while Nick and Warrick try desperately not too.
"Oh my god." Grissom says and turns to a police officer "Get that ambulance, she is alive."
The officer nods and motions to the paramedics who where already on the scene. Before they can even get there though Sara opens her eyes and moans loudly.
"God dammit that hurt." she says with some difficulty and slowly pulls herself into a sitting position. Her friends all stare at her in amazement, and complete confusion. They had just seen her shot, why was she sitting up? Is the thought on everyone's mind.
"Sara, lay back, you where shot." Catherine says confused by her behavior and looks at Grissom who has a knowing look on his face.
"Yea, no kidding, and it hurt. You know I really didn't think it would hurt that much. Damn." The last part she says while looking at Grissom who appears very angry. Uh oh she thinks. Glancing at the people around her and taking in their confusion, Sara slowly unbuttons her shirt to reveal a Kevlar vest, dented in two spots where the bullets had hit and were still lodged securely in place.
"Dammit girl. You scared the shit out of us. Again!" Warrick almost yells at her. "We thought you were dead."
"I am sorry, I had a feeling and was going to tell you…. but we got distracted." Sara's breathing appears labored to Grissom as she is talking. The paramedics finally make it up to her; they hadn't rushed when they noticed her sitting up.
"Ma'am are you ok?"
"Yea, just having a hard time breathing." She says slowly.
"Ok, lets take a look." They say and help her to remove her jacket, shirt and vest, effectively pushing Grissom and Catherine out of the way, leaving her in a tank top that she had worn underneath. "Whoa, you are a very lucky lady." One says to her and shows her the inside of the vest. One of the bullets points was through the vest, if she had been half a foot closer it would have gone all the way through.
"Jesus" Grissom hisses a little louder than he wanted to while rubbing his face with his hands. He has been pacing the entire time since he was removed from her side. When he looks down one paramedic is pressing on Sara's midsection and she sucks in a breath when he hits the spot right where the bullet almost went through.
"Looks like a cracked rib, maybe broken. Lets get you to the hospital and check it out." He says and Sara just nods.
"He's dead." Nick reports as he and Warrick return from talking to Brass.
Coldly Grissom responds "Good" and follows Sara into the ambulance.
"We will meet you there." Warrick yells and Grissom nods in response.
As the doors close Warrick looks at Nick, "I wouldn't want to be her right now, he is pissed."
"Oh yea." Nick agrees and they meet with Catherine and head over to the hospital.
"Dammit Sara, that was a stupid thing you did. What were you thinking?" He was practically yelling at her in the back of the ambulance.
"I…. I wasn't thinking Grissom I…I am sorry. I just new that he was determined to kill someone, and it wasn't going to be that woman. I had to stop him. Plus I had the vest on, I knew I was safe, I just didn't expect him to shoot me so soon." The look on her face was enough for him to soften and he immediately felt bad for yelling.
"God Sara, do you have any idea what you did to me tonight? That was a huge chance you took. What if he had shot you in the head? We wouldn't even be having this conversation. I swear I aged 20 years in that one instant. I thought you were dead. Gone, forever. Do you see that?" He was talking to her desperately, trying to make her understand.
"Yes Gil I see that. Do you understand why I did what I did?" She asks him quietly. He nods without saying a word.
"Good." She says and grabs his hands in hers. "I am truly sorry I scared you."
"Good." He says quietly and leans into her, putting his forehead on hers. "I love you Sara, more than you know."
She looks at him stunned for the moment then responds. "I love you too Gil."
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She looks down at the headstone, the second one she has seen today and sighs. Feeling a hand on her shoulder Sara turns around and looks at Grissom.
"Thanks for bringing me out here. It stinks not being able to drive yet." She tells him.
"No problem."
"I…I just had to come out here you know. Explain why this happened. They had no idea what was going on. I feel like I owe it to them you know?" She looks into his eyes and finally sees that he really does understand. "They deserve to know."
He nods at her and walks away. When he turns back she is squatting in front of the headstone, talking.
"Ok, ready." She says after about 15 minutes, wiping away tears from her eyes, and they head back down the hill to the Tahoe. She finally let go of her guilt, she knows now that there was nothing she could have possibly done. Looking up at the man standing next to her Sara smiles, maybe some good had come of this whole mess.
Grissom looks down at her and catches her smiling at him, he returns the smile, grabs her hand and they walk to the truck. They were moving on with their lives, together.
Fin
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"Its easy to wear your heart on your sleeve when your not looking in his eyes." Sara (You've Got Male)