A/N: Here's your chapter I was able to update sooner cause I'm on spring
break I might get in another chapter this week. Major thanks to my aunt
Lynndy (trace-element) who by the way is working on a new story called On
the Road Again which I am co-writing it's a really funny story you have to
read it when we start posting. I'll say no more of that but I would like to
mention that Lynndy was reading a book where the bad guy used firebombs I
swear I'm not copying him I didn't even know such a thing existed. With
that said enjoy and thanks for the reviews.
Ch 8
Archie had woken up the day after Sara. He was slightly hurt that no one had come to visit him after he woke up but he had received the news about Grissom, Nick, and Greg.
He was especially concerned Greg who had become his friend over the years. He knew the others would be fine given time but with Greg no one knew. His thoughts where broken by a knock on the door.
"Come in", he said gloomily.
"Hey how ya feeling?" Sara asked walking in the room.
He brightened a little at realizing someone had remembered him through all the chaos.
"Like I have 2nd degree burns on my sides." He replied with a smile.
"Their releasing me tomorrow." She said glad to be able to get out of that hospital.
"Great, promise you'll visit?"
"I swear it." she said laughing.
It felt so good to laugh after what seemed so long.
"How's Nick?" Archie asked having not heard much on his condition since the day before when he had been shot.
"He's fine; he's walking around and everything. They heard a bunch of shouts down the hall.
"I wonder what that's all about." Archie mused. They had been talking awhile when Jessica walked in and filled them in on what had happened in Nick's room.
"Oh my God Patrick?" they both gasped when she told them.
"Wait he was in a dress?" Archie seemed to have just made this connection.
"Yes, it was that James guy that Nick busted his ass to put away remember the one that set fire to that hospital."
"Yeah I remember." Sara said followed by Archie "Me too I had to go over what was left of the security tapes."
Sara was starting to worry this guy was really dangerous. "I'm gonna go get some air." She said and left.
She started toward the exit then changed her mind and turned toward Grissom's room. The doctor had said that he could wake up any time and she really needed him to right now.
"Gil please wake up I need you." She said taking his hand. She might have imagined it but she could have swore his eyelids fluttered.
"Gil can you hear me?" she asked hoping beyond hope that he could.
The doctor had also said that until he woke up he would be in a coma and it could last for years.
He could hear her and he let the voice of the woman he had secretly loved for so long guide him back to life. His eyelids fluttered and opened. Wincing at the light he lightly whispered "Sara?"
"Yes I'm here Gil thank god your awake." She said.
"What happened Sara?"
"You were in a car wreck Gil a lot has happened since then."
"How long have I been unconscious?"
"Couple of days."
"What's happened?"
Sara had to recount the events after the crash to him and fill him in on his condition. He looked as though he wanted to jump out of bed and rush down the hall when heard that Nick had been shot but she assured him that it was alright.
He was shocked to find out that who had made the visit to Nicks room. "And I hired the bastard." He mumbled. "Hey it's not your fault Gil." She said and stroked the side of his face.
He was shocked by this movement and couldn't do anything but stare into her brown eyes for a while. Finally he asked "Why do you keep calling me Gil?"
'Good question' Sara thought to herself before answering "I don't know it just seemed right even though I usually address you as Grissom."
This answer was so formal compared to earlier that he was taken aback. She shifted gears again trying to gain confidence.
"I need to tell you something." She said looking away.
"Yes" he prodded her on.
She looked him in the eyes and said "I love you I'm sorry but I couldn't help it."
If he had let her she would have dashed out of the room right then but he closed his mouth that had hung wide open and stopped her before she reached the door. "Sara wait!" he held up his hand as is to reach her and winced at the pain it brought.
Sara just stood frozen not looking at him but at the tiled floor. "Sara I .I never told anyone this but I .I love you too."
At this she looked at him with her brown eyes shining with the tears threatening to fall.
"Really?" she asked not sure if what he said could possibly be true.
"I love you Sara Sidle and I've always wanted to tell you that but I couldn't."
She wanted to rush up to him and hug him but instead she just sat down and took his hand in hers. When their hands joined without any words both of their doubts washed away and Sara smiled the first genuine smile in days and she fell asleep right there.
As soon as Catherine and Warrick heard about what happened at the hospital they where going nuts running background checks, going over evidence from James Patrick Collins.
"Look his mother lives right here in town." Catherine said pointing at the screen.
"Think she knows her son is in town?" Warrick said with a mischievous smile.
"You bet. I'll go talk to her." She said about to leave. "Wait aren't you going to take O'Reilly?"
"Nah I can fend for myself I'll be back bout an hour if she's home bye." She stated that last comment halfway through the door.
"Bye." He muttered.
She wasn't even done the hall when her cell phone rang.
"Willows speaking."
"Hey Cath I'm really sorry but I just can't baby sit tonight."
"Aww you sure?"
"Yes. I'll bring her by the lab."
"Alright I'll think of something. Bye."
"Bye." She heard Rachel repeat on the other line before clicking off. She sighed then looked back towards the room she had just left before walking back to it.
"Warrick?"
"Yeah" he said completely absorbed in what was on the computer screen.
"Can I ask you a really big favor?" she asked.
"Sure." He said still not looking up.
"Lindsey's babysitter can't sit tonight is it alright if she stays at the lab with you?" she held her breath.
At this his head snapped up to look at her. "No one else can watch her?" he practically pleaded.
Catherine looked done and uttered a very quiet "No."
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed "Alright as long as she promises not to touch anything and be quiet."
"You got it!" Catherine said rushing down the hall.
She dialed Rachel's cell and waited for her to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Hey Rach can I talk to Lindsey?"
"Sure." She said handing the phone to the blonde girl in the backseat.
"Hello Mommy." She said so cheerfully that Catherine winced.
"Hey Hun Uncle Warrick's gonna watch you for a little while tonight at the lab." This statement caused a loud squeal from the under end of the phone.
"On 2 conditions." She said sternly. "1 do not touch anything at all especially if you don't know what it is. 2 you must be quiet at all times and not bother Warrick with a bunch of questions he's still working alright?"
Lindsey had been listening intently the whole time "Okay Mommy I promise."
"Good you can play a game if it's quiet I think there's some in the break room bye baby."
"Bye Momma." Lindsey said then hung up the phone.
Greg had absolutely no idea how long he had been down there but it felt like an eternity and he was tired of waiting. He had a lighter in his pant pockets but he was going to get to it he couldn't think of.
Having not heard Patrick for awhile he decided it was safe to try. He tried stuffing his bond hands in his pocket but his shoulder disagreed. He didn't know of any other way and thrust his hand in almost screaming with the pain it brought.
He could feel the lighter in his hand and pulled it out. He nearly passed out again but he had done it. He kept running his thumb over the starter but he was wondering if the thing was broken. It finally started and he winced as the heat burn his flesh next to the rope he was trying to get off.
He broke out into a sweat and cried out from the pain but held the lighter steady. At long last the rope came free. His hands were bleeding from the burns and from were the rope had cut into him.
"Damnit" he whispered wiping away the tears that had come while trying to free himself.
'No time to wallow in self pity Greg get a move on' he kicked himself mentally for taking that long he could hear Patrick coming in across the house or whatever it was.
He got up and ran for the door he had seen while bond on the floor. He was out in an alleyway it was pitch dark outside and he hadn't gone but a foot when Patrick grabbed him from behind. They wrestled there for a moment but Greg finally passed out from the pain the fight caused in his shoulder and from his hands.
Warrick was still looking through the case file when Lindsey arrived. She had stopped at the break room to get a game before she came to the room the receptionist had pointed out to her.
"Hey Linds. Take a seat." Warrick said when she walked in.
"Hey Uncle Warrick." Lindsey said in her cheery little girl voice only she possessed.
He was glad Lindsey was happy but with the mood he was in it was absolutely sickening. He smiled but made a grimacing face when he turned.
Lindsey began playing her game and Warrick succeeded in blocking out all the little sounds she made when she was thinking. In the back of his head the part totally devoted to Catherine he wondered if she was having any luck with Mrs. Collins.
Catherine knocked on the Collins residence door and shivered this was one of the worst neighborhoods in town 'perfect for a psychotic sociopath to hide an innocent lab tech' she noted.
The door opened and she flashed her badge to the woman on the other side of the door "Catherine Willows LVPD crime lab are you Mrs. Collins?" she said as though she wanted to be somewhere else.
"Yes is there a problem?"
"No ma'am just need to ask you a couple of questions about your son James."
The woman's face darkened at this and she said "Is this some kind of joke James is on death row waiting to be executed."
She made an attempt to close the door but Catherine wouldn't let her "Ma'am this is no joke your son escaped prison and I need to ask you a few questions I'd be happy to get a warrant if you'd rather."
The woman stopped pushing on the door and reluctantly let Catherine in. "Thank you Mrs. Collins"
"Come on in and sit down." She indicated an empty chair which Catherine took.
They talked about an hour going over some of things she thought might have caused her son to be so troubled and things he had told her before going to prison.
"Thank you for your time Mrs. Collins." Catherine said standing up."
"Oh I'm not Mrs. Collins any more I'm." her sentence was broken when someone started pounding on the door.
"It's my husband you have to leave hurry out the back." She said giving Catherine a shove towards the door in the back of the kitchen.
She exited out onto a dark alleyway. She could hear shouts coming from the woman's living room.
"Whose car is that outside!" she heard the woman cry out in pain and say "it's just one of the neighbors."
Catherine was about to go back in and arrest the man for spousal abuse when a door further down the alley burst open and Greg stumbled out trying to run for it.
Catherine was about to shout over at him when Patrick came out wrestling Greg back towards the door. He had his hand over Greg's mouth to keep him from screaming and he finally passed out from what she guessed was a lack of oxygen.
She didn't want to let Patrick know she was there so she had backed against the wall the woman inside her house all but forgotten.
As soon as he finished dragging Greg back inside she dialed Brasses number "Brass speaking"
"Jim I know where Greg is you have to bring me some backup."
"Alright where are you?"
"I'm in the alley way behind North street downtown hurry."
"Alright but promise me you won't go in there."
"Sure thing Jim." She said hanging up.
He wasn't sure how to take that but he knew he had to hurry before she did something stupid.
Catherine walked up to the door with her gun drawn and slowly pushed it open. She entered a small room with absolutely no accessories and spied Greg in the corner totally unconscious.
She turned her back to the front entrance and was about to lean down to help Greg but she felt something heavy smash into her head and all she could see was blackness.
Ch 8
Archie had woken up the day after Sara. He was slightly hurt that no one had come to visit him after he woke up but he had received the news about Grissom, Nick, and Greg.
He was especially concerned Greg who had become his friend over the years. He knew the others would be fine given time but with Greg no one knew. His thoughts where broken by a knock on the door.
"Come in", he said gloomily.
"Hey how ya feeling?" Sara asked walking in the room.
He brightened a little at realizing someone had remembered him through all the chaos.
"Like I have 2nd degree burns on my sides." He replied with a smile.
"Their releasing me tomorrow." She said glad to be able to get out of that hospital.
"Great, promise you'll visit?"
"I swear it." she said laughing.
It felt so good to laugh after what seemed so long.
"How's Nick?" Archie asked having not heard much on his condition since the day before when he had been shot.
"He's fine; he's walking around and everything. They heard a bunch of shouts down the hall.
"I wonder what that's all about." Archie mused. They had been talking awhile when Jessica walked in and filled them in on what had happened in Nick's room.
"Oh my God Patrick?" they both gasped when she told them.
"Wait he was in a dress?" Archie seemed to have just made this connection.
"Yes, it was that James guy that Nick busted his ass to put away remember the one that set fire to that hospital."
"Yeah I remember." Sara said followed by Archie "Me too I had to go over what was left of the security tapes."
Sara was starting to worry this guy was really dangerous. "I'm gonna go get some air." She said and left.
She started toward the exit then changed her mind and turned toward Grissom's room. The doctor had said that he could wake up any time and she really needed him to right now.
"Gil please wake up I need you." She said taking his hand. She might have imagined it but she could have swore his eyelids fluttered.
"Gil can you hear me?" she asked hoping beyond hope that he could.
The doctor had also said that until he woke up he would be in a coma and it could last for years.
He could hear her and he let the voice of the woman he had secretly loved for so long guide him back to life. His eyelids fluttered and opened. Wincing at the light he lightly whispered "Sara?"
"Yes I'm here Gil thank god your awake." She said.
"What happened Sara?"
"You were in a car wreck Gil a lot has happened since then."
"How long have I been unconscious?"
"Couple of days."
"What's happened?"
Sara had to recount the events after the crash to him and fill him in on his condition. He looked as though he wanted to jump out of bed and rush down the hall when heard that Nick had been shot but she assured him that it was alright.
He was shocked to find out that who had made the visit to Nicks room. "And I hired the bastard." He mumbled. "Hey it's not your fault Gil." She said and stroked the side of his face.
He was shocked by this movement and couldn't do anything but stare into her brown eyes for a while. Finally he asked "Why do you keep calling me Gil?"
'Good question' Sara thought to herself before answering "I don't know it just seemed right even though I usually address you as Grissom."
This answer was so formal compared to earlier that he was taken aback. She shifted gears again trying to gain confidence.
"I need to tell you something." She said looking away.
"Yes" he prodded her on.
She looked him in the eyes and said "I love you I'm sorry but I couldn't help it."
If he had let her she would have dashed out of the room right then but he closed his mouth that had hung wide open and stopped her before she reached the door. "Sara wait!" he held up his hand as is to reach her and winced at the pain it brought.
Sara just stood frozen not looking at him but at the tiled floor. "Sara I .I never told anyone this but I .I love you too."
At this she looked at him with her brown eyes shining with the tears threatening to fall.
"Really?" she asked not sure if what he said could possibly be true.
"I love you Sara Sidle and I've always wanted to tell you that but I couldn't."
She wanted to rush up to him and hug him but instead she just sat down and took his hand in hers. When their hands joined without any words both of their doubts washed away and Sara smiled the first genuine smile in days and she fell asleep right there.
As soon as Catherine and Warrick heard about what happened at the hospital they where going nuts running background checks, going over evidence from James Patrick Collins.
"Look his mother lives right here in town." Catherine said pointing at the screen.
"Think she knows her son is in town?" Warrick said with a mischievous smile.
"You bet. I'll go talk to her." She said about to leave. "Wait aren't you going to take O'Reilly?"
"Nah I can fend for myself I'll be back bout an hour if she's home bye." She stated that last comment halfway through the door.
"Bye." He muttered.
She wasn't even done the hall when her cell phone rang.
"Willows speaking."
"Hey Cath I'm really sorry but I just can't baby sit tonight."
"Aww you sure?"
"Yes. I'll bring her by the lab."
"Alright I'll think of something. Bye."
"Bye." She heard Rachel repeat on the other line before clicking off. She sighed then looked back towards the room she had just left before walking back to it.
"Warrick?"
"Yeah" he said completely absorbed in what was on the computer screen.
"Can I ask you a really big favor?" she asked.
"Sure." He said still not looking up.
"Lindsey's babysitter can't sit tonight is it alright if she stays at the lab with you?" she held her breath.
At this his head snapped up to look at her. "No one else can watch her?" he practically pleaded.
Catherine looked done and uttered a very quiet "No."
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed "Alright as long as she promises not to touch anything and be quiet."
"You got it!" Catherine said rushing down the hall.
She dialed Rachel's cell and waited for her to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Hey Rach can I talk to Lindsey?"
"Sure." She said handing the phone to the blonde girl in the backseat.
"Hello Mommy." She said so cheerfully that Catherine winced.
"Hey Hun Uncle Warrick's gonna watch you for a little while tonight at the lab." This statement caused a loud squeal from the under end of the phone.
"On 2 conditions." She said sternly. "1 do not touch anything at all especially if you don't know what it is. 2 you must be quiet at all times and not bother Warrick with a bunch of questions he's still working alright?"
Lindsey had been listening intently the whole time "Okay Mommy I promise."
"Good you can play a game if it's quiet I think there's some in the break room bye baby."
"Bye Momma." Lindsey said then hung up the phone.
Greg had absolutely no idea how long he had been down there but it felt like an eternity and he was tired of waiting. He had a lighter in his pant pockets but he was going to get to it he couldn't think of.
Having not heard Patrick for awhile he decided it was safe to try. He tried stuffing his bond hands in his pocket but his shoulder disagreed. He didn't know of any other way and thrust his hand in almost screaming with the pain it brought.
He could feel the lighter in his hand and pulled it out. He nearly passed out again but he had done it. He kept running his thumb over the starter but he was wondering if the thing was broken. It finally started and he winced as the heat burn his flesh next to the rope he was trying to get off.
He broke out into a sweat and cried out from the pain but held the lighter steady. At long last the rope came free. His hands were bleeding from the burns and from were the rope had cut into him.
"Damnit" he whispered wiping away the tears that had come while trying to free himself.
'No time to wallow in self pity Greg get a move on' he kicked himself mentally for taking that long he could hear Patrick coming in across the house or whatever it was.
He got up and ran for the door he had seen while bond on the floor. He was out in an alleyway it was pitch dark outside and he hadn't gone but a foot when Patrick grabbed him from behind. They wrestled there for a moment but Greg finally passed out from the pain the fight caused in his shoulder and from his hands.
Warrick was still looking through the case file when Lindsey arrived. She had stopped at the break room to get a game before she came to the room the receptionist had pointed out to her.
"Hey Linds. Take a seat." Warrick said when she walked in.
"Hey Uncle Warrick." Lindsey said in her cheery little girl voice only she possessed.
He was glad Lindsey was happy but with the mood he was in it was absolutely sickening. He smiled but made a grimacing face when he turned.
Lindsey began playing her game and Warrick succeeded in blocking out all the little sounds she made when she was thinking. In the back of his head the part totally devoted to Catherine he wondered if she was having any luck with Mrs. Collins.
Catherine knocked on the Collins residence door and shivered this was one of the worst neighborhoods in town 'perfect for a psychotic sociopath to hide an innocent lab tech' she noted.
The door opened and she flashed her badge to the woman on the other side of the door "Catherine Willows LVPD crime lab are you Mrs. Collins?" she said as though she wanted to be somewhere else.
"Yes is there a problem?"
"No ma'am just need to ask you a couple of questions about your son James."
The woman's face darkened at this and she said "Is this some kind of joke James is on death row waiting to be executed."
She made an attempt to close the door but Catherine wouldn't let her "Ma'am this is no joke your son escaped prison and I need to ask you a few questions I'd be happy to get a warrant if you'd rather."
The woman stopped pushing on the door and reluctantly let Catherine in. "Thank you Mrs. Collins"
"Come on in and sit down." She indicated an empty chair which Catherine took.
They talked about an hour going over some of things she thought might have caused her son to be so troubled and things he had told her before going to prison.
"Thank you for your time Mrs. Collins." Catherine said standing up."
"Oh I'm not Mrs. Collins any more I'm." her sentence was broken when someone started pounding on the door.
"It's my husband you have to leave hurry out the back." She said giving Catherine a shove towards the door in the back of the kitchen.
She exited out onto a dark alleyway. She could hear shouts coming from the woman's living room.
"Whose car is that outside!" she heard the woman cry out in pain and say "it's just one of the neighbors."
Catherine was about to go back in and arrest the man for spousal abuse when a door further down the alley burst open and Greg stumbled out trying to run for it.
Catherine was about to shout over at him when Patrick came out wrestling Greg back towards the door. He had his hand over Greg's mouth to keep him from screaming and he finally passed out from what she guessed was a lack of oxygen.
She didn't want to let Patrick know she was there so she had backed against the wall the woman inside her house all but forgotten.
As soon as he finished dragging Greg back inside she dialed Brasses number "Brass speaking"
"Jim I know where Greg is you have to bring me some backup."
"Alright where are you?"
"I'm in the alley way behind North street downtown hurry."
"Alright but promise me you won't go in there."
"Sure thing Jim." She said hanging up.
He wasn't sure how to take that but he knew he had to hurry before she did something stupid.
Catherine walked up to the door with her gun drawn and slowly pushed it open. She entered a small room with absolutely no accessories and spied Greg in the corner totally unconscious.
She turned her back to the front entrance and was about to lean down to help Greg but she felt something heavy smash into her head and all she could see was blackness.