Title: Gone
author: Cindy Ryan
catagory: Crossover--CSI/West Wing, angst
Pairings: Josh/Donna, possibly Nick/Donna, Grissom/Sara
Raiting: PG-13 could change later
Summary: During a vacation to Las Vegas Donna Moss disappears. Can the CSI team find her in time?
Spoilers: general, WW--season three--Simon reference
Notes: This hasn't been beta read so all mistakes are mine.
"Good afternoon, Mr. President."Leo greeted as he opened the adjoining door from his office and walked into the
Oval office.
Jed heard something in his old friend's voice and walked around the desk. "You have news on Donna?"
Charlie who had been picking up folders from the desk froze.
Leo nodded sadly. "Sam called. Police have found a body that fits Donna's description."
Jed sank down into a nearby chair. "Are they sure?"
"No."Leo replied shakily."Josh is on his way to help with the identification."
Jed looked out the patio doors for a long moment before he stood. "Let me know next time Sam calls. I'd like to
talk to them."
"Yes,Sir."Leo replied as he turned and headed back to his office.
*********
Grissom pulled his vechicle up behind Brass's car and cut the engine. He opened the driver's door and looked back at
Josh Lyman. Seaborn had already gotten out of the car.
The deputy chief of staff was sitting stiff as a board. He was staring straight ahead but Grissom knew he wasn't
seeing any of it.
"Josh?"Grissom prompted gently.
"Yeah?"
"We're here."
"I know."
"You can take as much time as you need."Grissom offered as he saw Brass approach.
Josh swallowed hard and shook his head finally pulling his gaze away from the windshield. "No. If....if it's
Donna I need to know."
"Okay."Grissom replied as he exited the car closing the door behind him.
Josh sat there for a few more seconds before he slowly opened the door and got out of the car.
*******
Sara moved her head from side to side desperately trying to get the kinks in her neck to subside. She couldn't remember
the last time she had got a decent full night's sleep. But as Sara looked down at the rope pieces spread out on the
table she knew she wasn't going to rest until they found something to help Donna Moss.
The rope itself was old and moldy probably whatever the kidnappers could find in the house they rented. She had already
lifted them for prints and was waiting for the computer to come back with a match. Now Sara was hoping the ropes
held more clues. Perhaps a flake of skin, a piece of torn thread or even a hair.
Sara reached for her evidence kit and got to work.
********
As soon as Josh walked around the front of Grissom's car he saw the body lying on the shoulder of the highway. From
the distance Josh was he couldn't tell if it was Donna. But the body....the woman....had Donna's blonde hair and was
approximately the same height.
Josh took a few more steps and had to stop. The reality of what he was doing and about to do was starting to hit him
full force. His Donnatella could be lying in front of him. The police needed him to make sure because the body
they had found was too badly beaten.
Josh felt bile rise in his throat and he lowered his head placing his hands on his knees. He forced himself to take
long slow breaths. Donna needed him. If this was her lying there she needed him to bring her justice.
Grissom took a step forward but Sam waved him back. Seaborn moved quickly to Josh's side squatting so he was eye level.
"Josh....."
"I'm okay, Sam. Reality just hit hard that's all."
"Josh, I can do the identification."Sam offered. "You don't have to see her like this. If it is her."
Josh straightened and shook his head. "No, this is something I have to do."
Sam stood. "Okay."
With stronger steps Josh joined Grissom and Captain Brass. The body was lying on her left side so it's back was to
Josh.
"Are you ready?"Grissom asked.
Josh nodded not trusting his voice.
With gloved hands Grissom gently rolled the woman's body onto her back. Out of the corner of his eye Josh saw Sam
recoil and turn away. Josh forced himself to look down.
The woman's body was battered in every way possible. There wasn't an area of skin that didn't have a large purple
bruise. Some bruises were caked with dried blood.
"Josh?"Grissom prompted.
Josh felt giddy. He had to blink several times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.
"It's not her."Josh whispered as he raised his head.
Sam jerked in surprise. "It's not?"he asked with relief.
"It's not Donnatella."Josh affirmed as he met Grissom's questioning gaze.
"Are you sure?"Brass asked.
Josh nodded. "Donna has a birthmark under her collar bone, a mole. This isn't her."
"Thank you, Mr. Lyman."Brass replied as he stepped around the body. "I'll have an officer take you back to your
hotel."
"No."
"Josh."Sam stated as he came to stand at Josh's right. "You need to get some sleep."
"NO!"Josh protested. "I can't sit in a hotel room and do nothing. Donna's hurt somewhere, scared...."
Sam placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know, Josh, I know. But you have to stand back and let these people
do their jobs."
Josh shook him off. "I can't, Sam. I have to look for her."
"Josh you can come back to my office."Grissom offered as he peeled off the plastic gloves. He knew it was one way to
keep Lyman updated but out from under Brass's investigation.
Josh stopped and turned back to the CSI. "Thanks."
"Head back to the car and I'll meet you there in a few minutes."Grissom replied.
Josh nodded wearily as he turned and walked back to the car Sam following in his wake.
author: Cindy Ryan
catagory: Crossover--CSI/West Wing, angst
Pairings: Josh/Donna, possibly Nick/Donna, Grissom/Sara
Raiting: PG-13 could change later
Summary: During a vacation to Las Vegas Donna Moss disappears. Can the CSI team find her in time?
Spoilers: general, WW--season three--Simon reference
Notes: This hasn't been beta read so all mistakes are mine.
"Good afternoon, Mr. President."Leo greeted as he opened the adjoining door from his office and walked into the
Oval office.
Jed heard something in his old friend's voice and walked around the desk. "You have news on Donna?"
Charlie who had been picking up folders from the desk froze.
Leo nodded sadly. "Sam called. Police have found a body that fits Donna's description."
Jed sank down into a nearby chair. "Are they sure?"
"No."Leo replied shakily."Josh is on his way to help with the identification."
Jed looked out the patio doors for a long moment before he stood. "Let me know next time Sam calls. I'd like to
talk to them."
"Yes,Sir."Leo replied as he turned and headed back to his office.
*********
Grissom pulled his vechicle up behind Brass's car and cut the engine. He opened the driver's door and looked back at
Josh Lyman. Seaborn had already gotten out of the car.
The deputy chief of staff was sitting stiff as a board. He was staring straight ahead but Grissom knew he wasn't
seeing any of it.
"Josh?"Grissom prompted gently.
"Yeah?"
"We're here."
"I know."
"You can take as much time as you need."Grissom offered as he saw Brass approach.
Josh swallowed hard and shook his head finally pulling his gaze away from the windshield. "No. If....if it's
Donna I need to know."
"Okay."Grissom replied as he exited the car closing the door behind him.
Josh sat there for a few more seconds before he slowly opened the door and got out of the car.
*******
Sara moved her head from side to side desperately trying to get the kinks in her neck to subside. She couldn't remember
the last time she had got a decent full night's sleep. But as Sara looked down at the rope pieces spread out on the
table she knew she wasn't going to rest until they found something to help Donna Moss.
The rope itself was old and moldy probably whatever the kidnappers could find in the house they rented. She had already
lifted them for prints and was waiting for the computer to come back with a match. Now Sara was hoping the ropes
held more clues. Perhaps a flake of skin, a piece of torn thread or even a hair.
Sara reached for her evidence kit and got to work.
********
As soon as Josh walked around the front of Grissom's car he saw the body lying on the shoulder of the highway. From
the distance Josh was he couldn't tell if it was Donna. But the body....the woman....had Donna's blonde hair and was
approximately the same height.
Josh took a few more steps and had to stop. The reality of what he was doing and about to do was starting to hit him
full force. His Donnatella could be lying in front of him. The police needed him to make sure because the body
they had found was too badly beaten.
Josh felt bile rise in his throat and he lowered his head placing his hands on his knees. He forced himself to take
long slow breaths. Donna needed him. If this was her lying there she needed him to bring her justice.
Grissom took a step forward but Sam waved him back. Seaborn moved quickly to Josh's side squatting so he was eye level.
"Josh....."
"I'm okay, Sam. Reality just hit hard that's all."
"Josh, I can do the identification."Sam offered. "You don't have to see her like this. If it is her."
Josh straightened and shook his head. "No, this is something I have to do."
Sam stood. "Okay."
With stronger steps Josh joined Grissom and Captain Brass. The body was lying on her left side so it's back was to
Josh.
"Are you ready?"Grissom asked.
Josh nodded not trusting his voice.
With gloved hands Grissom gently rolled the woman's body onto her back. Out of the corner of his eye Josh saw Sam
recoil and turn away. Josh forced himself to look down.
The woman's body was battered in every way possible. There wasn't an area of skin that didn't have a large purple
bruise. Some bruises were caked with dried blood.
"Josh?"Grissom prompted.
Josh felt giddy. He had to blink several times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.
"It's not her."Josh whispered as he raised his head.
Sam jerked in surprise. "It's not?"he asked with relief.
"It's not Donnatella."Josh affirmed as he met Grissom's questioning gaze.
"Are you sure?"Brass asked.
Josh nodded. "Donna has a birthmark under her collar bone, a mole. This isn't her."
"Thank you, Mr. Lyman."Brass replied as he stepped around the body. "I'll have an officer take you back to your
hotel."
"No."
"Josh."Sam stated as he came to stand at Josh's right. "You need to get some sleep."
"NO!"Josh protested. "I can't sit in a hotel room and do nothing. Donna's hurt somewhere, scared...."
Sam placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know, Josh, I know. But you have to stand back and let these people
do their jobs."
Josh shook him off. "I can't, Sam. I have to look for her."
"Josh you can come back to my office."Grissom offered as he peeled off the plastic gloves. He knew it was one way to
keep Lyman updated but out from under Brass's investigation.
Josh stopped and turned back to the CSI. "Thanks."
"Head back to the car and I'll meet you there in a few minutes."Grissom replied.
Josh nodded wearily as he turned and walked back to the car Sam following in his wake.