Disclaimer: Don't own em don't sue.
A/N: Thanks to Jax (aka CSIaddict) for giving me the song to put in this fic. You're right. It totally fits. I wish I had seen it sooner. I read the lyrics, and I knew where I wanted to head with the fic… or rather, a brainstorming session ensued. Thanks so much!
To everyone, thank you so much for your replies! They always make me smile when I check me email : ) Just glad that there are people out there who are reading.
You Can Still Be Free Chapter 2: Bloody Valentine
Nick pulled up to Sara's place. She was sleeping in the seat beside him. He almost didn't have the heart to wake her up. "Sara, honey. We're here."
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked over at him. "5 more minutes." She smiled a little and closed her eyes again.
Nick cracked a smile and looked at her. Sometimes she could just shut out everything that was going on inside her life to be funny and charming… And then other times, she just changed into this vulnerable person that he hadn't quite gotten used to. "Very funny, Sara. We need to get you into your bed so you can sleep."
Nodding, she opened the door to the Tahoe. Nick raced around to the other side. He just wanted to be beside her at all times. He found himself looking out of the corner of his eyes, suspicious of anything that was slightly out of the ordinary. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he walked with her in silence.
Sara sighed as they walked. She felt comforted by Nick's presence. Almost as if nothing could go wrong while they were together. But she knew that she was only fooling herself. If Bill wanted to come after her, then there was nothing Nick could do to stop him.
The entered her apartment, neither of them uttering a sound. Sara simply walked down the hall to the bedroom. Grabbing a pair of flannel pants and a simple white tshirt, she entered the washroom.
Nick waited for her in the living room. He knew that something was bothering her. She wasn't saying anything, and it takes a lot for Sara to remain silent for such a long time. He didn't want to push her to ask her what it was that was bothering her.
Sara emerged from the washroom. Nick took one look at her face and his heart nearly broke into a million pieces. Her mascara was running down her cheeks, creating tracks of tears. She looked so lost, so… vulnerable. Nick crossed over the apartment in double time and pulled her into his arms. He had been waiting to do that. He felt her cling to him, almost unable to let go. "You need to get some rest, Sara."
"Please don't leave me alone Nick. Don't leave me yet." She didn't want to lose her lifeline yet.
Nick kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere, Sara. I'm staying right here with you."
Nodding, Sara turned and they walked to the bedroom. She lay down and felt him sit on the edge of the bed. Kicking off his shoes, he lay down beside her. She felt his body against hers, and was finally comfortable. Sleep claimed her in seconds.
Nick lay awake, listening to the sound of her breathing. He knew he had to do something to protect her, but he didn't know what.
~~ Back at the Lab ~~
Catherine knocked on Grissom's door. "Enter." He stated, not even looking up from his paperwork to see who it was.
"Gil." Catherine said softly as she closed the door behind her.
Grissom's face visibly softened when he saw who it was. "Cath."
Catherine sat down in front of him and sighed. "You were a bit hard on her you know." She whispered, knowing that she was definitely no the first person to tell him that.
Grissom sighed and rubbed his temples. "I know Catherine. I know." Putting his head in his hands he sighed again. Lifting his head slightly, he continued. "Don't you think I know I was hard on her? All I wanted was some information on the perp. Hell, I was scared for her. Am scared. She doesn't deserve this Catherine. No one does."
Catherine smiled a little. That was the soft Grissom she knew. He rarely let this side of him show, but when it did, you couldn't help but smile. "It's always harder when it hits closer to home. I know that you think of Sara like a daughter. But you have to understand that she is scared, and vulnerable right now. She doesn't know what to think. You have to back off, okay?"
Grissom nodded. "Yeah." He stood up and kissed Catherine on the head before leaving his office to speak to Brass.
~~ Sara's~~
The sound roused Nick out of his light slumber. He immediately swung his legs over the bed and put his feet in his shoes. Turning over, he began to wake Sara. "Sara. Wake up."
"Mmm… Sleeping." She said, rolling over again.
"Sara. You need to wake up now." Nick said, pushing her shoulder gently.
Sara's eyes flew open. "What is it?"
"I think there is someone in the apartment." Nick stated bluntly.
"Oh God… Do you think it's him?"
Nick nodded. "Where is your gun, Sara?"
Grinning, she reached down to her calf. She pulled her gun out of it's holder. "Right here."
He smiled a little. Good old Sara was always prepared. "Wait here. I don't want you to come outside no matter what." Nick turned his back and started walking out of the room quietly.
"Nick!" Sara whispered harshly. He turned waiting for her to continue. "Don't do anything stupid. I love you."
"I love you too." He said, and disappeared into the darkness of the hall.
~~~
Bill had been waiting for this moment. He could get rid of her new boyfriend and then have her all to himself. He spotted Nick rounding the corner at the same time that Nick spotted him. "So I was right. You were the new boyfriend." Bill sneered.
"You got that right, buddy and you aren't getting anywhere near Sara."
Oh, my love, please don't cry
I'll wash my bloody hands and we'll start a new life
Bill laughed, and lunged at Nick, knocking the gun out of his hands. Nick landed hard on the floor, the air rushing out of his lungs. Bill was on top of him, raining blows down upon his face. "No we'll see who'll get Sara."
Nick could feel himself slowly slipping away. One moment he could see the living room, the next minute stars, and soon after that, only darkness. It claimed him faster than he thought it would. He fought it relentlessly. SARA! Was his last thought as he succumbed to the impending darkness.
~~The Bedroom~~
Sara had just hung up with 9-1-1 when she heard Bill step into the bedroom. Without even looking, she fired off a warning shot.
"Now, Sara. You know better than to shoot at me." He advanced into the bedroom.
Sara hopped off the bed, using it as a barrier between them. "Stay away from me." She held her gun poised firmly, ready to shoot.
I ripped out his throat
And called you on the telephone to take off my disguise
Just in time to hear you cry
"Sara, honey. Listen, you don't need to have that gun." Bill had advanced slowly. He kicked swiftly, and the gun went flying from her grasp.
Sara let out a shriek and grabbed her hand in pain. "Stay the hell away from me!" She cried.
Bill grinned a crooked smile. "I can't do that Sara. You see, you're part of me. You and me, we're soul mates."
Sara shook her head vehemently. "No. No we aren't."
Bill reached out, his hand enclosing around her wrist. He swung her around, and brought her to him, her body plastered to his. Sara could feel his breath on her neck, causing her to cringe. He placed small kissed down her neck, his hand reaching out to grope her breast. Sara squirmed a little, fighting to get out of his hold. Hot tears of anger and fear rolled freely down her cheeks. She knew what was coming.
Bill tossed her on the bed, and landed on top of her, panting. "Isn't this where Nicky boy walked in last time to save the day?"
When you mourn the death of your bloody
valentine
The night he died
You mourned the death of your bloody valentine
One last time
Sara let out a sob and pushed against him, to no avail. "Bill stop it! Get off me!"
His hands flew to her shirt, reaching for any way underneath it. She could feel the seams rip at the arms.
She reached for his face and scratched him. She knew she had drawn blood.
One of his hands flew to his cheek. "You bitch! How dare you!"
Sara took this opportunity as a way out. Drawing up her knee, she aimed it at his groin. He howled in pain as she made the connection. He rolled off of her, and she jumped up and ran.
She could hear his stumbling footsteps behind her, and she knew that he wasn't that far behind. She could see Nick in the living room, slowly getting up onto his knees. Blood trickled down his face, and she gasped when she saw him. He stopped short when he saw her. His gaze went from Sara's face, to her ripped shirt, to Bill running behind her, his gun drawn. Nick lunged for the gun that had been knocked out of his hands earlier. He held it in his grip. "Take one more step, Billy boy, and I'm going to shoot."
Bill let off a wayward shot, breaking a vase in the process. Sara screeched as the vase broke, glass showering the floor.
Oh my love please don't cry I'll wash my
bloody hands
And we'll start a new life
I don't know much at all, I don't know wrong from right
All I know is that I love you tonight
Nick gritted his teeth. He didn't want to have to do this. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. "One more warning, Bill. I will shoot."
Bill stopped short and waiting, his chest heaving. "She's going down first." Swinging his gun in Sara's direction, he took aim.
Everything happened in slow motion. Bill pulled the trigger. "No!" Nick cried. He fired the shot without even thinking.
Sara screamed and ducked down. Her arm was burning. Tears welled up in her eyes and blood pounded in her head.
Nick stared straight ahead, slowly lowering his weapon.
There was...
Police and flashing lights
The rain came down so hard that night and the
Headlines read "a lover died"
No tell-tale heart was left to find
Bill's face had gone eerily still. His weapon dropped slowly from his hands, as blood began to seep out of his chest. Slowly, he fell to his knees, the pain visible on his face. He fell forward, dead.
Nick dropped the gun like it was red-hot, and ran over to Sara's side. Tears flowing freely, he began to sob. "Sara… Sara oh God…"
Oh my love please don't cry I'll wash my
bloody hands
And we'll start a new life
I don't know much at all, I don't know wrong from right
All I know is that I love you tonight
Sara looked up at Nick through her heavy-lidded eyes. "You saved my life Nick. You stopped him."
"Sara…" He started to say something, but his words were lodged in his throat.
Sara smiled at him a little bit. "I love you so much."
Nick gripped her hand tightly. "I love you too." He stared at he wound in her arm. "Sara, he shot you!" He had thought that the only blood that had been shed here had been his and Bill's. He hadn't wanted any of this to happen.
"Flesh wound. Bullet grazed me. It hurts but I'll be fine. Just need to stay still for now."
Nick placed his hand over the wound, in attempt to stop the bleeding. He put his head on her chest and sobbed. "I was so afraid that I was going to lose you."
Sara put her hand on top of his head. "Hush… You didn't and that's all that matters."
Tonight...
He dropped you off I followed him home
Then I stood outside his bedroom window
Standing over him he begged me not to do
What I knew I had to do 'cause I'm so in love with you
They heard the sirens as the police pulled up, the ambulance and Grissom,
Catherine and Warrick right behind them. Grissom stepped into the apartment to
see both Nick and Sara being taken away on stretchers. "Sara? Nick?"
"We're okay Gris… Just need to get checked over." Nick said. He didn't want to divulge any other information. "We'll see you guys later, okay?"
Catherine looked at Grissom. "I'm going with them to the hospital. I think you should be there too. We'll get other people to investigate the crime scene."
Warrick had already made the phone call.
~~Hospital Waiting Room~~
Catherine had her head on Grissom's shoulder. They had been waiting for nearly 3 hours, and still hadn't heard anything.
A doctor rounded the corner, and addressed them. "I'm Dr. Jones. You're two colleagues were very lucky. Miss Sidle only has few bruises and a nasty gash where the bullet grazed her. Mr. Stokes got away with a broken nose and a couple of stitches above the eye."
Warrick frowned. "What about the other guy."
"He died. On the scene." She closed the file she was holding in her hand. "Any other questions?"
Catherine shook her head. The doctor nodded and left.
~~Emergency
Room Bed 1~~
Nick lay there as the doctor finished stitching him up. I shot a man. In cold blood. I shot a man. The shock of it all hadn't hit him yet. But the guilt began to rain down upon him. But you did it for Sara, his mind countered. Doesn't matter. I still killed someone.
Oh my love please don't cry I'll wash my
bloody hands
And we'll start a new life
I don't know much at all, I don't know wrong from right
All I know is that I love you tonight
Tonight...
He sat up when the doctor was finished.
Slowly stepping down, he walked over to where Sara was having her arm bandaged.
He waited in the entrance way to the bed. When the nurse was finished, she
looked up at him, tears in her eyes. He crossed the room and sat down beside
her. "Sara… I'm sorry… I never meant to…"
Sara put her finger over his lips. "Shh. Don't say anything. What you did today was self defense. If you hadn't shot him… I wouldn't be here right now. You saved my life Nick." She said, tears flowing heavily.
Nick brought his thumb up to Sara's face to wipe away the tears. "Honey don't cry… I hate it when you cry." He pulled her to him. Her forehead rested on his chest and she let the tears fall freely.
"I love you." She whispered softly, almost inaudibly.
Nick sighed. "I love you too."
Oh my love please don't cry I'll wash my
bloody hands
And we'll start a new life
I don't know much at all, I don't know wrong from right
All I know is that I love you tonight
Tonight...
A/N: Quite honestly, I don't know where this stuff came from. I just sat down at my computer and just started writing. 7 full pages typed. Wow. This is a first for me. And 2 chapters written in 1 day… wow… I had contemplated breaking it up into two chapters, but I couldn't find a proper place for this chapter to end. So I decided to keep it all together. Now, this isn't the end of the story. There are still a few chapters left in my mind. : ) I hope to update as soon as possible!
