Disclaimer: Don't Own. Don't Sue. Do Review.
A/N: Hey again. Thanks to MissyJane, lil smiles, Moose, =), pdhtgal, cRaZyPiXiE, Shondie and The Madhatter for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are incredible. Sorry about the mean cliff-hanger. To make up for it, I've tried to update ASAP. Only one more chapter to go *sob * :o( Well R&R and ENJOY!!! - Bex
"Jenny? Jenny?" Grissom shouted down the phone.
He's only answer was the silent line. His panic was rising. What was going on? Was she all right? Was Warrick all right?
'This is not good,' His mind warned. 'This is definitely not good.'
"Gil, what's going on?" Catherine asked, worried by the panic in his face and voice.
"The phone line's gone dead."
"What about Warrick? He's with her right? You can call him?" Sara suggested.
Grissom shook his head, "He's phone's not working."
"Great!" He heard Nick mutter.
Gris slammed down the phone. He was just about to feebly try to ring Jenny again, when the phone blared into life. Quickly, he snatched it up.
"Hello?"
There was no answer.
"Hello?" He tried again, his voice rising.
Then a clear voice broke through. A voice he recognised instantly.
"Hello Jenny."
The last colour in his face drained away and he looked at his colleges, who shared his worried face.
"We've got to get over there now."
~*~*~*~*~
Jenny edged back slightly, trying her best to hide her mobile. She prayed that it had called Grissom and by some chance he could hear this. She looked panicked into the eyes of her husband's murderer. Someone who may soon become hers as well.
"Ju...Julian," She stammered, desperate to keep the fear from her voice. "Wh...what are you doing here?"
He staggered forward and she took another step back. The vile stench of cigarette smoke and whiskey clung to him. His eyes were blood shot and his face gaunt. His temper was always worse when he was drunk.
"I came to see you. Aren't you glad to see me Jen?" He slurred.
'What do you think you asshole?' Her head screamed, but she knew that she shouldn't provoke him. Not if she wanted to get out of here alive.
"Where's Warrick?" She asked dreading the answer.
He laughed drunkenly, "He fell asleep."
The laugh made her sick to the stomach. He made her sick to the stomach. She backed up further, wanting to keep as much space between them as possible. She tripped over the futon, landing flat on her back. Before he noticed, she managed to hide the mobile under it. She begged that someone was on their way. Slowly, she dragged herself up. Julian's face was a mask of confusion.
"What's wrong Jenny?"
That question made her anger rise, engulfing her fear. Her rage took over her. Her hatred.
"You really thought that I wouldn't have found out Julian?" Jenny screamed at him, her voice soaked in pure loathing. "You really thought that I would never know that you killed Ethan?"
~*~*~*~*~
"...that you killed Ethan?"
Grissom heard Jenny's words snap over the radio. The phone in his office was on speakerphone and Greg had found away for them to listen to it over the radio as they sped along to the apartment block.
He knew that Jenny's outburst was not going help anything. He was scared for her. Worried about what Julian may do to her. Worried that she was going to share the same fate as her husband.
Then there was Warrick. What had happened to him? Was he alright? Was he hurt? Was he aliv...
'No. Don't think like that,' He ordered himself.
Right now he was helplessly forced to listen to what was happening, knowing that there wasn't a thing he could do.
'Hold on Jenny,' He begged. 'We're coming. Just hold on.'
~*~*~*~*~
Julian's froze for a moment as if she had slapped him. Jenny forced herself to look him straight in the eye. There was no fear in hers. Instead they danced with rage.
"Why?" She demanded, "Why did you kill him?"
"Because he stole everything from me," He snapped.
His face and tone made the fear flood back into Jenny. There was a glint in his eye that made her heart freeze.
"He was more successful then me. He was dad's favourite. He was popular. Everyone loved him and he could do no wrong. And I was forced to live in his shadow," He shouted, years of pinned up anger escaping. "And you were the final straw."
~*~*~*~*~
Grissom head snapped to meet Catherine's. Her face mirrored his shocked confusion. What was Julian talking about? What was going on?
~*~*~*~*~
"You," Julian continued angrily closing in on Jenny, "Were just another one of his achievements. Turning you into some sort of Cinderella. You were just another prize."
"He loved me," Jenny whispered, her voice drenched in fear.
"NO!" He screamed, shoving her hard against the wall. "I love you. I DID!"
Julian grabbed both of her arms, pinning her against the wall. She struggled, helplessly being forced to stare at his face. Her eyes widened like a trapped animal, her heart pounding wildly in her ears, body gripped with fear.
"But you couldn't see it," He whispered in a singsong voice. "You were too caught up by perfect Ethan. Too blind to see the truth."
"I loved him," She gasped, his strong grip hurting her.
"No," He muttered. "You never saw it. You never belonged in his world Jen. All the years of pretending to be something you're not. Doing it all for him. I saw it. He wasn't worth it."
He grasped both of her arms in one hand and thrust them against the wall. A small groan of pain escaped her lips. He was only inches away now. She could see the mad glint in his eye. The one beyond reason. She could feel his hot, sweaty breath on her face. The strong stench of smoke and whiskey stung her nose. He trailed the fingers of his free hand down her cheek, gently caressing the skin and tears underneath it. She tried to flinch away, repulsed by him. Hopelessly she struggled to free herself.
"He got everything he want and I wanted everything he had. But none of them were ever within my reach. You stung worse of all. But now I can have them. Have everything he had. Even you."
He began to lean closer. Jenny struggled harder, her head screaming at her to get away.
"No Julian. Please," She begged, her voice mixed with salty tears, "Let me go. Let me go."
~*~*~*~*~
The cars screeched to a holt in the empty car park of Laramie Apartments. The CSIs leapt out of the vehicle. Several police officer and Brass followed them out of a few swat cars.
Grissom instantly spotted the SUV and joined the others in the lightening fast sprint to the side door. He stared at the mess by it. Coffee and donuts were smeared across the tarmac.
"Is that...is that blood?" Sara asked shakily.
She pointed at the crimson droplets mingled in with the mess. Nick bent down for a closer look and gave a dark nod.
"We need to get inside," He muttered.
Two police officers arrived at the door with a battering ram. Grissom prayed that Julian wouldn't hear them.
"On my count," Brass ordered. "One, two, three!"
The battering ram smacked against the door and after a couple of hits, the door gave in and swung open. Catherine was the first inside and froze when she saw more red droplets.
"Oh god," She breathed.
Grissom squeezed her shoulder.
"Come on Cath. I need you to be strong and focus. I need you to find Warrick," Gris told her. "You need to do this for his sake."
Catherine gave him a feeble nod and stared at the drops.
"The drop formation is pointing away from the door," She mumbled, following the trail. "They're leading towards the lift."
She gasped at the blood smeared across the closed doors. Grissom braced himself, then hit the open door button. The doors slid open to reveal Warrick propped lifelessly against the corner of the lift, blood trickling down the wall behind him from the back of his head.
"Warrick!" Catherine cried, running to his side.
She knelt down beside him, touching his face with a shaky hand. He shifted slightly under her touch, moaning as he stirred.
"My head," He groaned in pain.
Sara handed a grateful Cath some tissues. Warrick winced, inhaling sharply as Catherine pressed them to the back of his head. He stared groggily at the faces which looked back.
"What's happening? All I remember was a sharp pain in my head before everything went black. What's going on?" He asked quietly. His face then shifted to a look of panic at the worried faces. "Where's Jenny?"
Grissom was about to answer when a blood-curdling scream cut him off.
"Jenny!" Warrick shouted, trying to stand up, but his legs buckled and he slid back down.
"Stay with him," Gris ordered Catherine before turning and sprinting towards the stairs.
'Please don't let me be too late,' He pleaded. 'Please.'
~*~*~*~*~
He was getting closer and closer with every second. Jenny's heart was racing, eyes looking skittishly around the room, searching for an escape. She was desperate to get away. Desperate to get him off her.
She continued to struggle violently, managing to free a leg. Without a moment hesitation, she brought her knee up between his legs. Julian yelped, collapsing to the floor in pain.
Adrenaline flashed through her blood stream. One thing was certain; she needed to get Warrick's gun. At least then she had a chance to protect herself from him. But before she could get too far, a hand grasped her ankle causing her to fall to the ground, smacking the side of her face on the corner of the futon as she went.
Jenny spun onto her back, the hand still gripping her ankle tightly. Her fearful eyes meet Julian's raged ones.
'Got to get away,' Her head screamed, 'Got to get away!'
She brought her free foot up in a swift moment under his chin. The impact caused his head to snap back. He released his grip, hands flying to his face to cradle his chin.
Jenny shuffled away and dragged herself to her feet. She ran to the side table, yanking the gun out of the draw. She backed against the wall, cocking the gun and pointing it directly at Julian's head. The anger in his eyes vanished. Now his filled with fear.
"Jenny," He said softly.
Her hands shook violently, fingers poised to pull the trigger. All she had to do was curl a finger and it would go off. Just curl a finger and he wouldn't touch he again. He wouldn't breath again. She was only one movement away now before Julian shared the same fate as her husband.
'Do it. Do it now.'
The bedroom door burst open.
"FREEZE!" Brass ordered, gun raised.
He was joined by a couple of officers, Grissom, Nick and then Sara. The three CSIs placed away their guns. Grissom's eyes were fixed on Jenny, her gun still pointing at Julian's head.
"Jenny?" Gris called gently. "Jenny, you're safe now. Put down the gun. You're safe now."
She didn't move. Her eyes where still fixed petrified on Julian, gun aimed squared between his terrified eyes. Any moment now, one of her shaking fingers could set off the gun.
"Jenny?" Grissom tried again. "We're here now. You're safe. So is Warrick. Everything will be ok; you're not going to get hurt. I won't let that happen. I promise."
No one dared to breath as the deadly stalemate continued. The seconds had evolved into hours, as time slowly dragged on, waiting for the out come.
Slowly Jenny placed the safety back on the gun. Her grip relaxed and the gun clattered to the floor. She slid down the wall, tears cascading down her face. It was over.
The officers quickly cuffed Julian, who gave them little resistance. His eyes were still firmly focused on Jenny.
"Jenny?" He called to her like a scared boy. "Jenny?"
He struggled as they lead him out, his loud voice still calling for Jenny.
The three CSIs stared at the huddled figure of tears, cradled in her own arms against the wall. They knew that one of them should move to comfort her. Try and stop the flood of tears on the hidden face.
Sara was the one who answered. Sara, the one who'd never been good with people or emotions, walked over and knelt down beside her. She wrapped her arms tightly around the sobbing form of Jenny. Jenny leaned into Sara's embrace, welcoming the comfort as Sara whispered softly, trying to calm. Her tears still continued to fall heavily, but one thing was certain; she finally had her answers.
A/N: What do you think? Did you guess it was him? Well one last chapter to go after this :o( You know the drill by now; hit that button and give me your thoughts. I'm waiting for them :o)
A/N: Hey again. Thanks to MissyJane, lil smiles, Moose, =), pdhtgal, cRaZyPiXiE, Shondie and The Madhatter for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are incredible. Sorry about the mean cliff-hanger. To make up for it, I've tried to update ASAP. Only one more chapter to go *sob * :o( Well R&R and ENJOY!!! - Bex
"Jenny? Jenny?" Grissom shouted down the phone.
He's only answer was the silent line. His panic was rising. What was going on? Was she all right? Was Warrick all right?
'This is not good,' His mind warned. 'This is definitely not good.'
"Gil, what's going on?" Catherine asked, worried by the panic in his face and voice.
"The phone line's gone dead."
"What about Warrick? He's with her right? You can call him?" Sara suggested.
Grissom shook his head, "He's phone's not working."
"Great!" He heard Nick mutter.
Gris slammed down the phone. He was just about to feebly try to ring Jenny again, when the phone blared into life. Quickly, he snatched it up.
"Hello?"
There was no answer.
"Hello?" He tried again, his voice rising.
Then a clear voice broke through. A voice he recognised instantly.
"Hello Jenny."
The last colour in his face drained away and he looked at his colleges, who shared his worried face.
"We've got to get over there now."
~*~*~*~*~
Jenny edged back slightly, trying her best to hide her mobile. She prayed that it had called Grissom and by some chance he could hear this. She looked panicked into the eyes of her husband's murderer. Someone who may soon become hers as well.
"Ju...Julian," She stammered, desperate to keep the fear from her voice. "Wh...what are you doing here?"
He staggered forward and she took another step back. The vile stench of cigarette smoke and whiskey clung to him. His eyes were blood shot and his face gaunt. His temper was always worse when he was drunk.
"I came to see you. Aren't you glad to see me Jen?" He slurred.
'What do you think you asshole?' Her head screamed, but she knew that she shouldn't provoke him. Not if she wanted to get out of here alive.
"Where's Warrick?" She asked dreading the answer.
He laughed drunkenly, "He fell asleep."
The laugh made her sick to the stomach. He made her sick to the stomach. She backed up further, wanting to keep as much space between them as possible. She tripped over the futon, landing flat on her back. Before he noticed, she managed to hide the mobile under it. She begged that someone was on their way. Slowly, she dragged herself up. Julian's face was a mask of confusion.
"What's wrong Jenny?"
That question made her anger rise, engulfing her fear. Her rage took over her. Her hatred.
"You really thought that I wouldn't have found out Julian?" Jenny screamed at him, her voice soaked in pure loathing. "You really thought that I would never know that you killed Ethan?"
~*~*~*~*~
"...that you killed Ethan?"
Grissom heard Jenny's words snap over the radio. The phone in his office was on speakerphone and Greg had found away for them to listen to it over the radio as they sped along to the apartment block.
He knew that Jenny's outburst was not going help anything. He was scared for her. Worried about what Julian may do to her. Worried that she was going to share the same fate as her husband.
Then there was Warrick. What had happened to him? Was he alright? Was he hurt? Was he aliv...
'No. Don't think like that,' He ordered himself.
Right now he was helplessly forced to listen to what was happening, knowing that there wasn't a thing he could do.
'Hold on Jenny,' He begged. 'We're coming. Just hold on.'
~*~*~*~*~
Julian's froze for a moment as if she had slapped him. Jenny forced herself to look him straight in the eye. There was no fear in hers. Instead they danced with rage.
"Why?" She demanded, "Why did you kill him?"
"Because he stole everything from me," He snapped.
His face and tone made the fear flood back into Jenny. There was a glint in his eye that made her heart freeze.
"He was more successful then me. He was dad's favourite. He was popular. Everyone loved him and he could do no wrong. And I was forced to live in his shadow," He shouted, years of pinned up anger escaping. "And you were the final straw."
~*~*~*~*~
Grissom head snapped to meet Catherine's. Her face mirrored his shocked confusion. What was Julian talking about? What was going on?
~*~*~*~*~
"You," Julian continued angrily closing in on Jenny, "Were just another one of his achievements. Turning you into some sort of Cinderella. You were just another prize."
"He loved me," Jenny whispered, her voice drenched in fear.
"NO!" He screamed, shoving her hard against the wall. "I love you. I DID!"
Julian grabbed both of her arms, pinning her against the wall. She struggled, helplessly being forced to stare at his face. Her eyes widened like a trapped animal, her heart pounding wildly in her ears, body gripped with fear.
"But you couldn't see it," He whispered in a singsong voice. "You were too caught up by perfect Ethan. Too blind to see the truth."
"I loved him," She gasped, his strong grip hurting her.
"No," He muttered. "You never saw it. You never belonged in his world Jen. All the years of pretending to be something you're not. Doing it all for him. I saw it. He wasn't worth it."
He grasped both of her arms in one hand and thrust them against the wall. A small groan of pain escaped her lips. He was only inches away now. She could see the mad glint in his eye. The one beyond reason. She could feel his hot, sweaty breath on her face. The strong stench of smoke and whiskey stung her nose. He trailed the fingers of his free hand down her cheek, gently caressing the skin and tears underneath it. She tried to flinch away, repulsed by him. Hopelessly she struggled to free herself.
"He got everything he want and I wanted everything he had. But none of them were ever within my reach. You stung worse of all. But now I can have them. Have everything he had. Even you."
He began to lean closer. Jenny struggled harder, her head screaming at her to get away.
"No Julian. Please," She begged, her voice mixed with salty tears, "Let me go. Let me go."
~*~*~*~*~
The cars screeched to a holt in the empty car park of Laramie Apartments. The CSIs leapt out of the vehicle. Several police officer and Brass followed them out of a few swat cars.
Grissom instantly spotted the SUV and joined the others in the lightening fast sprint to the side door. He stared at the mess by it. Coffee and donuts were smeared across the tarmac.
"Is that...is that blood?" Sara asked shakily.
She pointed at the crimson droplets mingled in with the mess. Nick bent down for a closer look and gave a dark nod.
"We need to get inside," He muttered.
Two police officers arrived at the door with a battering ram. Grissom prayed that Julian wouldn't hear them.
"On my count," Brass ordered. "One, two, three!"
The battering ram smacked against the door and after a couple of hits, the door gave in and swung open. Catherine was the first inside and froze when she saw more red droplets.
"Oh god," She breathed.
Grissom squeezed her shoulder.
"Come on Cath. I need you to be strong and focus. I need you to find Warrick," Gris told her. "You need to do this for his sake."
Catherine gave him a feeble nod and stared at the drops.
"The drop formation is pointing away from the door," She mumbled, following the trail. "They're leading towards the lift."
She gasped at the blood smeared across the closed doors. Grissom braced himself, then hit the open door button. The doors slid open to reveal Warrick propped lifelessly against the corner of the lift, blood trickling down the wall behind him from the back of his head.
"Warrick!" Catherine cried, running to his side.
She knelt down beside him, touching his face with a shaky hand. He shifted slightly under her touch, moaning as he stirred.
"My head," He groaned in pain.
Sara handed a grateful Cath some tissues. Warrick winced, inhaling sharply as Catherine pressed them to the back of his head. He stared groggily at the faces which looked back.
"What's happening? All I remember was a sharp pain in my head before everything went black. What's going on?" He asked quietly. His face then shifted to a look of panic at the worried faces. "Where's Jenny?"
Grissom was about to answer when a blood-curdling scream cut him off.
"Jenny!" Warrick shouted, trying to stand up, but his legs buckled and he slid back down.
"Stay with him," Gris ordered Catherine before turning and sprinting towards the stairs.
'Please don't let me be too late,' He pleaded. 'Please.'
~*~*~*~*~
He was getting closer and closer with every second. Jenny's heart was racing, eyes looking skittishly around the room, searching for an escape. She was desperate to get away. Desperate to get him off her.
She continued to struggle violently, managing to free a leg. Without a moment hesitation, she brought her knee up between his legs. Julian yelped, collapsing to the floor in pain.
Adrenaline flashed through her blood stream. One thing was certain; she needed to get Warrick's gun. At least then she had a chance to protect herself from him. But before she could get too far, a hand grasped her ankle causing her to fall to the ground, smacking the side of her face on the corner of the futon as she went.
Jenny spun onto her back, the hand still gripping her ankle tightly. Her fearful eyes meet Julian's raged ones.
'Got to get away,' Her head screamed, 'Got to get away!'
She brought her free foot up in a swift moment under his chin. The impact caused his head to snap back. He released his grip, hands flying to his face to cradle his chin.
Jenny shuffled away and dragged herself to her feet. She ran to the side table, yanking the gun out of the draw. She backed against the wall, cocking the gun and pointing it directly at Julian's head. The anger in his eyes vanished. Now his filled with fear.
"Jenny," He said softly.
Her hands shook violently, fingers poised to pull the trigger. All she had to do was curl a finger and it would go off. Just curl a finger and he wouldn't touch he again. He wouldn't breath again. She was only one movement away now before Julian shared the same fate as her husband.
'Do it. Do it now.'
The bedroom door burst open.
"FREEZE!" Brass ordered, gun raised.
He was joined by a couple of officers, Grissom, Nick and then Sara. The three CSIs placed away their guns. Grissom's eyes were fixed on Jenny, her gun still pointing at Julian's head.
"Jenny?" Gris called gently. "Jenny, you're safe now. Put down the gun. You're safe now."
She didn't move. Her eyes where still fixed petrified on Julian, gun aimed squared between his terrified eyes. Any moment now, one of her shaking fingers could set off the gun.
"Jenny?" Grissom tried again. "We're here now. You're safe. So is Warrick. Everything will be ok; you're not going to get hurt. I won't let that happen. I promise."
No one dared to breath as the deadly stalemate continued. The seconds had evolved into hours, as time slowly dragged on, waiting for the out come.
Slowly Jenny placed the safety back on the gun. Her grip relaxed and the gun clattered to the floor. She slid down the wall, tears cascading down her face. It was over.
The officers quickly cuffed Julian, who gave them little resistance. His eyes were still firmly focused on Jenny.
"Jenny?" He called to her like a scared boy. "Jenny?"
He struggled as they lead him out, his loud voice still calling for Jenny.
The three CSIs stared at the huddled figure of tears, cradled in her own arms against the wall. They knew that one of them should move to comfort her. Try and stop the flood of tears on the hidden face.
Sara was the one who answered. Sara, the one who'd never been good with people or emotions, walked over and knelt down beside her. She wrapped her arms tightly around the sobbing form of Jenny. Jenny leaned into Sara's embrace, welcoming the comfort as Sara whispered softly, trying to calm. Her tears still continued to fall heavily, but one thing was certain; she finally had her answers.
A/N: What do you think? Did you guess it was him? Well one last chapter to go after this :o( You know the drill by now; hit that button and give me your thoughts. I'm waiting for them :o)