~~ Chapter Eight: With You ~~
(Inspired by a Linkin Park song)

~~

The first thing Archie noticed, before he even opened his eyes, was that his head felt like a two-ton truck had just fallen on it. He expected to open his eyes and see his Lizzie picture, which always rested beside his bed. But what he saw definitely wasn't Lizzie's beauty. He was sitting in a dark, lonely room. It looked almost like a basement, only without windows, and with a barred door. There was a small mattress resting in the corner, with only a small blanket. Frankly, he felt kind of girlish right now, because he just wanted to break down and cry right there. He wouldn't, and couldn't do that, though. He had to remain strong, and keep his wits about him, if he wanted to make it through this alive. Apparently, Darin and Tammy had found his beeper and cell phone in his jacket, because he didn't even have that with him. He looked at his watch. It was eight p.m., on the dot. He was supposed to be with Lizzie right now, cherishing every little thing about her. Only, rather than that, he was in a very unfamiliar place, cherishing the fact that he was even alive.

He wondered if Lizzie even knew he was gone yet, or if she just thought he'd forgotten about their date. Lizzie was a smart girl. She could put two and two together. And even if she didn't, he knew that Greg would tell her that he wouldn't miss a night with her for his life, so if he was gone, there had to be a logical reason. If they knew he was gone, he knew that they were doing an all out search for him. He reached to his back pocket, for his wallet. At least they hadn't gotten to that. Ok, so maybe they did…he thought, noticing that all his money was missing. It was only twenty bucks, anyway. He told himself, continuing to look through his wallet. He opened up the picture flaps. The only picture there was the Halloween party picture. He found it funny that he was in a life-or-death situation, and all he could think about was Lizzie. "Williams, you must be something special…" he mumbled to himself. "I don't even know if I'm going to live to see tomorrow, and still, all I can think about is you."

As soon as those words exited his mouth, Tammy Felton's voice was heard through the room. "Awake, I see?" she asked, as she opened the door. She tried to be threatening, but Archie was not scared at all.

"Unfortunately…" Archie mumbled, rolling over, and turning his head from Tammy. "Now, can you leave me alone, so I can NOT be awake anymore?" he asked her, rolling his eyes a little.

"I could always make it so you won't wake up anymore, if you're not careful…" she hissed out a threat, glaring at Archie. "I just thought I'd let you know that Darin and I are keeping a close eye on your little friends at the crime lab, and they're going insane. Grissom and Sidle are doing all the on the street work, while Stokes and Leeland stay at the lab looking things up. Sanders, McReady and…that weapons tech…what's his name?" she asked looking to Archie for an answer. At first, he didn't give her one, so she asked again. "What's the WEAPONS tech's name?" she repeated, a little more forcefully this time, getting in Archie's face.

"Bobby…" Archie spat. "Bobby Dawson."

"Oh, right…Dawson," she continued, after finding out Bobby's name. "Sanders, Dawson and McReady have all they can do to keep little Miss Williams sane. They're all doing their fair share, yes, but McReady has sent herself into a panic."

Archie's eyes softened with concern. "Is she ok?" he asked, hating that he was asking the woman who kidnapped him if Lizzie was ok. He wished that he could find out for himself.

"Maybe…" she grinned evilly, hoping this would bring Archie some sort of pain. "You should have never gotten Darin and I convicted! Then you wouldn't be in this mess!"

"I'd get you convicted a million times more, now!" he snorted out a laugh, then looked away from Tammy, who was now fuming with anger.

"WATCH IT, Archie!" she shouted, pulling out a gun. "One more outburst like that, and I pop a cap into you!" she took the safety off. "Or, maybe I'll have Darin put a cap in Williams!"

Archie's eyes widened, at the thought of anyone shooting Lizzie. He tried to calm himself down, so that Tammy couldn't see his fear. He closed his eyes, suppressing the tears that so wanted to flow. He missed Lizzie so much, and he would get shot a million times if it meant being able to see her again. But, he did want to see her again, so he had to be sure he made it through this alive, and that she didn't get hurt in the process. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and fixated his glance away from Tammy.

Tammy laughed again, shook her head, then left the room, leaving Archie alone with his thoughts, and his picture.

~~

Greg and Cecilia had graciously offered for Lizzie to stay with them at Greg's house, but rather than be a menace, she decided to just go home. She hadn't gotten a wink of sleep all afternoon, and when eight 'o clock rolled around, she pushed herself to get out of the house and go to work. Even though it was her day off, she wasn't going to be spending it with Archie, as she'd planned, so she grabbed her things, threw her coat on, and left for work.

She got out of the car, and tried to put on a façade. Maybe if she acted normal, people wouldn't treat her like a child that had just lost her puppy. In her head, though, she was cursing the day she and Archie ever put Darin Hanson and Tammy Felton behind bars. She walked into the lab, and the first person she saw was Sara, who immediately wrapped her arms around Lizzie in a hug. Lizzie was flattered, but she really wanted to be alone at this point in time. She either wanted to be alone, or with Bobby, Cecilia or Emma. Those three were the only people who understood how much she loved Archie. "Thanks, Sara…" she forced herself to smile, and hug her friend back.

"Are you feeling any better today?" Sara stupidly asked. Sure, she meant well, but that question was a little needless.

Lizzie shrugged, and nodded a little. Obviously, she was lying. "I'll be fine, but thanks for asking…" she humored Sara.

Sara half-smiled, and walked away. Right away, Lizzie headed to see Cecilia, Bobby or Emma, whoever she came across first. Fortunately for her, the next person she saw was Emma. She walked into the break room, and sat next to Emma, who was sitting on the couch, watching the news. "Em…" she called her attention.

Emma immediately turned to Lizzie, and flashed her a comforting look. "Hey, Lizzie…" she could see the true pain in her friend's eyes. "I'm so sorry…" she told her, not knowing what else to say.

Lizzie didn't care what she said. She just wanted to be around someone who knew what was going on in her mind. Right now, she felt like dying, and knew that the only one who could really make her feel any better was Archie. And that wasn't going to happen. So, she had to suck it up, and be strong. "Thanks…" she smiled as sincerely as she could at Emma. "I am so worried…"

"That's understandable…" Emma nodded at her, and shut the TV off, seeing an announcement about Archie come on the news. She didn't want Lizzie to see that, because she knew it would bother her. "I know exactly how you feel, Lizzie…"

Lizzie knew she was telling the truth. She remembered how Emma had reacted when Nigel Crane pushed Nick out the window. She was completely somber for the next couple days, until Nick told her that it was ok to smile. "Thanks, Em…" she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I should be with him right now, you know?" she asked, looking at her watch. "We should be lounging at his apartment, watching movies. But are we? No!" she sounded angry. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do…"

"Just be strong, Lizzie. I know how hard it is, but you have to try. If Archie tries to contact you, and you're all bent out of shape, he'll panic," Emma was completely calm, and started to describe what she had done when Nick was stuck in bed, and doubting himself.

"But what if he doesn't try to contact me? When should I start to be seriously worried?" Lizzie asked, not knowing much of anything at this point in time. She was already too consumed with worry. She didn't think she could handle much more. She'd probably burst or something.

Emma shook her head. "Don't ever worry too much. If you start to worry too much, then your worst fears start to come true…" she told her. "Archie won't let anything happen to him. He's a strong guy…"

Lizzie smiled, nodded a thank you to Emma, and left the room. "See ya later…" she said, before she closed the door.

"Later, Lizzie…" Emma smiled back at Lizzie, and watched her wave to Nick as she walked by. Nick walked into the room, and sat beside Emma. "Hey baby…" she smiled, and kissed him on the cheek, as he sat down.

Nick lay down, and put his head in Emma's lap. "Everyone here can relate to Lizzie on some level or another…but I can relate to Arch…" he sighed. "Poor kid must be terrified…" he looked up at her, hoping for some kind of support.

Indeed, he got it. Emma wrapped her arms around Nick's shoulders, and kissed him softly. "Nicky, you know that he'll be fine. He's got the best team out there looking for him. And Lizzie won't give up if her life depends on it."

Nick nodded, knowing Emma was right, and he just leaned into her. "Thanks, Em. You always know just what to say!"

Emma smiled. She had made her Nicky happy again. All was right with the world.

~~

Lizzie approached Grissom's office, to tell him that she was there. Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, her cell phone rang. She reached to her pocket to take it out, and pushed the button. "Hello?" she answered.

"Lizzie?" the voice on the other end of the line almost stopped Lizzie's heart…

~~

I woke up in a dream today, to the cold and the static,
Put my cold feet on the floor. Forgot all about yesterday,
Remembering, I'm pretending to be where I'm not anymore.
A little taste of hypocrisy and I'm left in the wake of the mistakes,
Slow to react, even though you're so close to me,
You're still so distant, and I can't bring you back.
It's true, the way I feel was promised by your face.
The sound of your voice, painted on my memories.
Even if you're not with me, I'm with you.
You, now I see, keeping everything inside.
(With you) You, now I see, even when I close my eyes.
~~ 'With You' – Linkin Park ~~