Title: Day After Day
Chapter: 10
Author: Evidence
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Special thanks again for all the reviews. While the chapter starts slow, I think you'll like the ending. g Still have two more chapters left go.
The shack stank. "How did Sara survive this?" Catherine said outloud but really to herself. She had already bagged the rotten Devil Dog and the rope. Now she found herself scraping, what she assumed to be Sara's blood, from the watery floor. She had wisely put on her blue forensic coveralls before entering this abyss. Catherine was glad; if not she would have deposited her blouse and slacks in the garbage.
"Hey," she heard from outside the door.
"Hey, yourself, Warrick. Did you process the truck?"
"Yup, auto detail is towing it back to the crime lab." He shifted anxiously from one foot to another. "Um...did you hear..."
"Anything about Sara?"
He shook his head.
"Sorry, no. I hate to call Grissom. What if the news isn't good, you know?" Catherine said.
"I hear you." Warrick scratched his chin. "Okay, I'll go back to the lab. If I hear anything I'll call you."
"Thanks, Warrick."
Catherine finished up at the shack and met Nick at a blood trial that was heading down the side of the mountain.
"What do you got?" she called to the handsome CSI.
"I think this is where Mark Raymond escaped. See how there is sight droplets of blood heading down in the dirt." Nick pointed to the shinny red substance illuminating the forest. "I was just about to take a hike and see where this trial ends. Would you like to join me?"
"Love to."
They began the descent careful not to disturb any evidence. Nick paused at one point. He rubbed the back of his neck with his gloved hand.
"Ah, Nick, you'll have to discard that glove now."
"I know." He set about changing his gloves. "Cath, is there any word on Sara's condition?"
"Not yet."
He sighed and continued the trek. "I found blood in another section of the woods. It looks like a struggle took place there." He paused. "I hope Sara beat the shit out of the guy."
Catherine had to laugh. "Me, too."
They walked on quietly until they came to the end of the trail which was at the bottom of the mountain. A park was adjacent to the mountainside and across the street there were a few shops: McAndrews Electronics, The Curling Salon, and Gergier's Drug Store.
Nick and Catherine exchanged a look and headed for Gergier's. The store was unkept and old. A man nearing seventy was at the cash register. There was no business right now.
"Excuse me, sir. I'm Nick Stokes and this is Catherine Willows, we are from the Las Vegas Crime Lab."
"Crime Lab? What's that?"
"It's..." Nick wasn't sure how to explain what they did to the man.
"Mr. Gergier?" Catherine asked. The man shook his head. "We just have a few questions. Did a man come in here late last night?"
"No, we're closed then."
Nick and Catherine exchanged a look, it was a good lead that just wasn't panning out.
"But," Mr. Gergier rubbed the white whiskers on his face, "someone did break in last night."
"Have you contacted the police?" Catherine asked.
"No, some punk kid probably, he didn't harm anything."
"Sir, what was taken?" Nick could feel his heart racing.
"Oh, just some Neosporin and gauze."
"Nick!" Catherine's eyes caught sight of blood on a white telephone.
"Oh, man. Sir, I think that the guy that robbed you also might have used the phone." Nick gestured to the device. "May we investigate your store? You know, take some samples, search for prints. We might find this guy."
Mr. Gergier said, "Sure, do what you want."
Catherine smiled. "Oh, I think this treasure hunt may pay off with the grand prize."
Nick laughed. "What's that?"
"Mark Raymond."
"Mr. Grissom!" A large hand shook his shoulder awakening him from the god nap he was having. He had seen Sara in a dream. He had lost his hearing and then a vision appeared in front of him- it was Sara. Suddenly he could hear again. She came to him and rested her hands on his shoulders. "You will always hear me, I'm a part of you," she had said. They were just about to kiss when he was rudely interrupted.
"I'm wake. What is it?"
Dr. Pearson scowled. "She needs her rest, you shouldn't be in here."
Grissom was still in Sara's hospital room. His hand was wrapped in hers.
"I'm sorry, doctor but I'm not leaving."
"This isn't a choice, Mr. Grissom. I've already kicked your young wacky friend out of this hospital."
He must be talking about Greg. He had somehow bonded with the lab tech over the last few hours and felt the need to defend him. "He is not wacky, slightly eccentric but a good friend to many people. Sara needs her friends and family here with her. I'm not leaving." Grissom had never felt more determination in this life.
"Fine. I'll get security then." Dr. Pearson exited the room with a huff.
"Good, I didn't think he was ever going to leave."
"Sara?" Grissom turned his attention to the soft female voice that was speaking.
"Hey," she said trying to smile.
Grissom felt the tears come to the surface. He had cried more in the last few weeks than he did in his whole life. "You're going to be just fine. Your doctor said it will take a while to heal but there is nothing life threatening."
She looked down at his hand and hers. She couldn't tell where hers began, and his ended.
"How long have you been awake?"
"Just before he came in. You were sleeping with your head on my thigh."
A blush rose to his cheeks. "I'm sorry."
"I didn't mind." Her eyes fluttered. "Oh, hell what did they give me. I feel like I'm going to fall back to sleep in a minute."
"You go to sleep, I'm here."
"You're getting kicked out in a minute, remember?"
Grissom looked into her eyes. It was now or never. He said it before when she was unconscious, he could do it again. His heart began racing in his chest. He felt sweaty and unsure but he knew it was a leap he had to take.
"Grissom, are you okay? You look...strange." Sara furrowed her brows at him.
"Sara, I..."
"That's the man." Pearson was back with two burly security guards. They grabbed at Grissom's shoulders picking him from the chair.
"No!" Sara yelled throwing her into a choking fit.
Dr. Pearson rushed to check on her. The guards dragged Grissom along. He struggled against them. This must be how it felt when Romeo was kept away from Juliet, he thought. He was desperate to get to her although it was irrational. He knew the guards would just grab him again. He knew he would be able to see her later but he couldn't stand to be away from her now. God, this must be what it feels like to be in love, he thought. No wonder there have been all those sugary sweet love songs, and romantic, tearjerker movies. This is what it feels like!
With that Grissom said the first thing that came to his mind, "Sara, I love you!"
He was pulled out of her room but not before he saw the look in her eyes- she had heard him.
Moments later he found Greg down in the florist shop. "Hey, Greg."
The young lab tech jumped. "Shhh! I snuck back in, they'll catch on that I'm here."
Grissom laughed. "I snuck in, too."
Greg held up the teddy bear he had in his hands. "I thought I would get this for Sara. Hey, do you get kicked out, too?"
"Yeah." Grissom's eyes caught a large bouquet of red roses. "I think I'll get these for Sara."
"You know red roses symbolize love." Greg gestured to white carnations. "Why don't you get her those."
"No, I got just what I want." Grissom paused as he grabbed a blank card to attach to the flowers. What should he write? "Love," he had said it twice in one day that was probably enough. Hum...
Joe knocked on the door. "Sara, these are for you." He let the florist deliveryman walk into the room and set the bear and roses on the table besides Sara.
"Thank you."
She was still getting over the shook of hearing what Grissom said. Did he mean it, she wondered. Or did he say it in the heat of the moment and would just take it back later?
She read the tag on the bear first: Get well soon, Greggo, it said.
The roses, she assumed, where from her parents, she opened the card to see:
I was lost without you,
I never want to be lost again.
Grissom
Tear welled in her eyes. He was reaffirming his love. Of course he couldn't write, "Love, Grissom." But the words he put on the paper meant the same. She had gone from him telling her he didn't want to date her to him now telling her he loved her and would be lost without her. She had survived and she now was beginning to build a life with the man of her dreams. Nothing could ruin Sara's happiness.
Back at the lab Warrick met Catherine and Nick in the locker room. "Bad news guys."
"About Sara?" Nick asked.
"Sorry, I don't have any information about Sara. The phone lines are down at the hospital. No, this is about the phone call that was made at the drug store."
"Go on." Catherine swallowed.
"Mark Raymond called his mother, Beverly Raymond. Brass set a unit to her house but no one's home."
"Well find him, Warrick, don't worry." Nick set his eyes.
"It isn't that. Beverly Raymond is a RN and she just checked in at work. She works at Desert Palm Hospital, where the EMTs brought Sara."
"Is Brass on his way?" Catherine felt whoosy.
"Yeah, he's tried to call both Griss and Greg but they must have turned their phones off." Warrick sighed.
"Did he try to page them?" Catherine asked.
"I don't know."
Catherine tore her pager from her belt and typed in a message. "Please, get it Gil."
Grissom and Greg sat outside the hospital. "We would have been fine if that nurse hadn't recognized us." Greg said shaking his head. "I've never been thrown out of a place twice."
Grissom raised one eyebrow.
"I haven't."
A vibrating motion caught Grissom off guard. His pager read: Suspect Maybe At Hospital. He heard the sirens and saw the red flashing lights pull up beside him.
Brass jumped out of the car. "Raymond might be inside."
Without another word Grissom and Greg followed Brass and the other officers into the hospital. They took an elevator up to Sara's floor. The doors swung open as they heard gunshots.
To be continued...
Chapter: 10
Author: Evidence
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Special thanks again for all the reviews. While the chapter starts slow, I think you'll like the ending. g Still have two more chapters left go.
The shack stank. "How did Sara survive this?" Catherine said outloud but really to herself. She had already bagged the rotten Devil Dog and the rope. Now she found herself scraping, what she assumed to be Sara's blood, from the watery floor. She had wisely put on her blue forensic coveralls before entering this abyss. Catherine was glad; if not she would have deposited her blouse and slacks in the garbage.
"Hey," she heard from outside the door.
"Hey, yourself, Warrick. Did you process the truck?"
"Yup, auto detail is towing it back to the crime lab." He shifted anxiously from one foot to another. "Um...did you hear..."
"Anything about Sara?"
He shook his head.
"Sorry, no. I hate to call Grissom. What if the news isn't good, you know?" Catherine said.
"I hear you." Warrick scratched his chin. "Okay, I'll go back to the lab. If I hear anything I'll call you."
"Thanks, Warrick."
Catherine finished up at the shack and met Nick at a blood trial that was heading down the side of the mountain.
"What do you got?" she called to the handsome CSI.
"I think this is where Mark Raymond escaped. See how there is sight droplets of blood heading down in the dirt." Nick pointed to the shinny red substance illuminating the forest. "I was just about to take a hike and see where this trial ends. Would you like to join me?"
"Love to."
They began the descent careful not to disturb any evidence. Nick paused at one point. He rubbed the back of his neck with his gloved hand.
"Ah, Nick, you'll have to discard that glove now."
"I know." He set about changing his gloves. "Cath, is there any word on Sara's condition?"
"Not yet."
He sighed and continued the trek. "I found blood in another section of the woods. It looks like a struggle took place there." He paused. "I hope Sara beat the shit out of the guy."
Catherine had to laugh. "Me, too."
They walked on quietly until they came to the end of the trail which was at the bottom of the mountain. A park was adjacent to the mountainside and across the street there were a few shops: McAndrews Electronics, The Curling Salon, and Gergier's Drug Store.
Nick and Catherine exchanged a look and headed for Gergier's. The store was unkept and old. A man nearing seventy was at the cash register. There was no business right now.
"Excuse me, sir. I'm Nick Stokes and this is Catherine Willows, we are from the Las Vegas Crime Lab."
"Crime Lab? What's that?"
"It's..." Nick wasn't sure how to explain what they did to the man.
"Mr. Gergier?" Catherine asked. The man shook his head. "We just have a few questions. Did a man come in here late last night?"
"No, we're closed then."
Nick and Catherine exchanged a look, it was a good lead that just wasn't panning out.
"But," Mr. Gergier rubbed the white whiskers on his face, "someone did break in last night."
"Have you contacted the police?" Catherine asked.
"No, some punk kid probably, he didn't harm anything."
"Sir, what was taken?" Nick could feel his heart racing.
"Oh, just some Neosporin and gauze."
"Nick!" Catherine's eyes caught sight of blood on a white telephone.
"Oh, man. Sir, I think that the guy that robbed you also might have used the phone." Nick gestured to the device. "May we investigate your store? You know, take some samples, search for prints. We might find this guy."
Mr. Gergier said, "Sure, do what you want."
Catherine smiled. "Oh, I think this treasure hunt may pay off with the grand prize."
Nick laughed. "What's that?"
"Mark Raymond."
"Mr. Grissom!" A large hand shook his shoulder awakening him from the god nap he was having. He had seen Sara in a dream. He had lost his hearing and then a vision appeared in front of him- it was Sara. Suddenly he could hear again. She came to him and rested her hands on his shoulders. "You will always hear me, I'm a part of you," she had said. They were just about to kiss when he was rudely interrupted.
"I'm wake. What is it?"
Dr. Pearson scowled. "She needs her rest, you shouldn't be in here."
Grissom was still in Sara's hospital room. His hand was wrapped in hers.
"I'm sorry, doctor but I'm not leaving."
"This isn't a choice, Mr. Grissom. I've already kicked your young wacky friend out of this hospital."
He must be talking about Greg. He had somehow bonded with the lab tech over the last few hours and felt the need to defend him. "He is not wacky, slightly eccentric but a good friend to many people. Sara needs her friends and family here with her. I'm not leaving." Grissom had never felt more determination in this life.
"Fine. I'll get security then." Dr. Pearson exited the room with a huff.
"Good, I didn't think he was ever going to leave."
"Sara?" Grissom turned his attention to the soft female voice that was speaking.
"Hey," she said trying to smile.
Grissom felt the tears come to the surface. He had cried more in the last few weeks than he did in his whole life. "You're going to be just fine. Your doctor said it will take a while to heal but there is nothing life threatening."
She looked down at his hand and hers. She couldn't tell where hers began, and his ended.
"How long have you been awake?"
"Just before he came in. You were sleeping with your head on my thigh."
A blush rose to his cheeks. "I'm sorry."
"I didn't mind." Her eyes fluttered. "Oh, hell what did they give me. I feel like I'm going to fall back to sleep in a minute."
"You go to sleep, I'm here."
"You're getting kicked out in a minute, remember?"
Grissom looked into her eyes. It was now or never. He said it before when she was unconscious, he could do it again. His heart began racing in his chest. He felt sweaty and unsure but he knew it was a leap he had to take.
"Grissom, are you okay? You look...strange." Sara furrowed her brows at him.
"Sara, I..."
"That's the man." Pearson was back with two burly security guards. They grabbed at Grissom's shoulders picking him from the chair.
"No!" Sara yelled throwing her into a choking fit.
Dr. Pearson rushed to check on her. The guards dragged Grissom along. He struggled against them. This must be how it felt when Romeo was kept away from Juliet, he thought. He was desperate to get to her although it was irrational. He knew the guards would just grab him again. He knew he would be able to see her later but he couldn't stand to be away from her now. God, this must be what it feels like to be in love, he thought. No wonder there have been all those sugary sweet love songs, and romantic, tearjerker movies. This is what it feels like!
With that Grissom said the first thing that came to his mind, "Sara, I love you!"
He was pulled out of her room but not before he saw the look in her eyes- she had heard him.
Moments later he found Greg down in the florist shop. "Hey, Greg."
The young lab tech jumped. "Shhh! I snuck back in, they'll catch on that I'm here."
Grissom laughed. "I snuck in, too."
Greg held up the teddy bear he had in his hands. "I thought I would get this for Sara. Hey, do you get kicked out, too?"
"Yeah." Grissom's eyes caught a large bouquet of red roses. "I think I'll get these for Sara."
"You know red roses symbolize love." Greg gestured to white carnations. "Why don't you get her those."
"No, I got just what I want." Grissom paused as he grabbed a blank card to attach to the flowers. What should he write? "Love," he had said it twice in one day that was probably enough. Hum...
Joe knocked on the door. "Sara, these are for you." He let the florist deliveryman walk into the room and set the bear and roses on the table besides Sara.
"Thank you."
She was still getting over the shook of hearing what Grissom said. Did he mean it, she wondered. Or did he say it in the heat of the moment and would just take it back later?
She read the tag on the bear first: Get well soon, Greggo, it said.
The roses, she assumed, where from her parents, she opened the card to see:
I was lost without you,
I never want to be lost again.
Grissom
Tear welled in her eyes. He was reaffirming his love. Of course he couldn't write, "Love, Grissom." But the words he put on the paper meant the same. She had gone from him telling her he didn't want to date her to him now telling her he loved her and would be lost without her. She had survived and she now was beginning to build a life with the man of her dreams. Nothing could ruin Sara's happiness.
Back at the lab Warrick met Catherine and Nick in the locker room. "Bad news guys."
"About Sara?" Nick asked.
"Sorry, I don't have any information about Sara. The phone lines are down at the hospital. No, this is about the phone call that was made at the drug store."
"Go on." Catherine swallowed.
"Mark Raymond called his mother, Beverly Raymond. Brass set a unit to her house but no one's home."
"Well find him, Warrick, don't worry." Nick set his eyes.
"It isn't that. Beverly Raymond is a RN and she just checked in at work. She works at Desert Palm Hospital, where the EMTs brought Sara."
"Is Brass on his way?" Catherine felt whoosy.
"Yeah, he's tried to call both Griss and Greg but they must have turned their phones off." Warrick sighed.
"Did he try to page them?" Catherine asked.
"I don't know."
Catherine tore her pager from her belt and typed in a message. "Please, get it Gil."
Grissom and Greg sat outside the hospital. "We would have been fine if that nurse hadn't recognized us." Greg said shaking his head. "I've never been thrown out of a place twice."
Grissom raised one eyebrow.
"I haven't."
A vibrating motion caught Grissom off guard. His pager read: Suspect Maybe At Hospital. He heard the sirens and saw the red flashing lights pull up beside him.
Brass jumped out of the car. "Raymond might be inside."
Without another word Grissom and Greg followed Brass and the other officers into the hospital. They took an elevator up to Sara's floor. The doors swung open as they heard gunshots.
To be continued...