Chapter 18

Grissom's leg throbbed with pain and his pants coated with layers and layers of blood. The penetration from the poker was deep and some how Richards had managed to pierce an important blood carrying vein.

"I've been wanting to hurt you for so long, you have no idea." Richards breathed into Grissom's ear and laughed. "God that felt so good."

Richards prepared another poker while he whistled a familiar tune. Ash opened her eyes to she Grissom hunched over and bleeding heavily. She was now fading in and out of darkness as her blood loss took its toll. Sound had faded completely and everything seemed to slow. Watching Richards hurt her remaining family was so painful she didn't even have the energy to shout to Sara as he slowly slid the hot poker into her shoulder. Sara barely moved but screamed so loud that it made it's way to Ash's numb eardrums.

Grissom's head snapped up so quickly that he gave himself whiplash. "NOOOO." He roared loudly.

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"Ok move in." Brass ordered. The door was busted opened with C4 and all but one jumped at the loud explosion, Sara.

Four troopers were on Richards in seconds as other untied Grissom, Ash and Sara. Grissom rushed to Sara and lowered her to the floor. He turned to Catherine, Warrick, Nick, and Brass with pleading eyes, but couldn't speak. Ash saw his unspoken pleas and said them for him. "She needs to get to hospital, her lung collapsed." The EMT's were there in minutes and loaded Sara, Ash and Grissom into one ambulance, as neither wanted to be split up.

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Nick was with Ash as she was treated for her cuts to her arms, legs, stomach and chest. They still hadn't heard anything from Grissom or Sara and Catherine was trying desperately to find doctors. Warrick and Brass had gone back to the station with Richards and started processing.

Nick held Ash's hand lightly as the nurse carefully sewed her up and bandaged her with as little discomfort as possible.

"Nick I need to know about Sara and Grissom, please." Ash asked as tears streamed from her closed eyes.

Nick kissed her cheek. "I'll find out."

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Grissom was in surgery to fix his leg and Sara was in the next room having her lung, leg and shoulder repaired. The doctor's worked quickly on both, but the blood loss was horrendous. Catherine found the doctor that had been helping Sara and cornered him when he came out from surgery. It had been hours since they all got there and even Warrick was with Nick and Ash, while Richards was rotting in the cell back at the lab with Brass watching him very closely.

"Can you tell me about Sara and Grissom? They were both in surgery. Your there doctor right?" Catherine asked softly.

The doctor looked down at the clipboard he was holding and nodded. "Mr Grissom is doing fine, He'll need physio on his leg and a few months to heal, but he should be walking in no time."

"And Sara?" Catherine was happy that Grissom was going to be all right, but she still didn't know anything about Sara.

"I'm sorry."

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Grissom was in recovery after his surgery. The morphine was doing its job, but it wasn't stopping the mental torture he was going through. He needed to tell Sara, but was afraid of what she'd do. He'd told her once before, but is not sure she heard him. It's been so long since then and it's only got stronger. They survived last time and he regretted over the years that nothing happened. He hated himself for not being strong enough, man enough to tell the women he adored that he loved her with all his heart.

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". Miss Sidle sustained a great deal of blood loss and she's still in surgery. That's all I can tell you." Catherine moved away from him and let him pass.

"Thank you." She said loud enough for him to hear. He nodded and smiled sadly.

Catherine decided that seeing the rest of the gang was good right about now. She walked into Ash's room and put on a small smile. Ash was holding Nick's hand as they talked. Warrick was watching the news, the story about them was already out in the open. "Hey Ash how you feeling?"

"Ok, did you find out about Sara and Griss? They won't tell us anything."

Catherine sat on the bed and nodded. "Some. Grissom's in recovery, he should be fine, but Sara's still in surgery."

Ash closed her eyes and buried her head back against the pillow. "I need to know, why is it taking so long?"

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