Huge thanks to Marlou for her beta services hugs

Warrick held Sara's limp body close to his chest as he neared the outside world, the flashing beams of neon blue light from the emergency vehicles causing him to blink back the intrusion from his eyes.

Looking down, he willed the woman in his arms to open her eyes, anything to give him a sign that she was aware of what was going on around her.

Scanning the scene before him, his eyes caught hold of Grissom's slumped figure, his whole body motionless against the wall of pain that engulfed him.

Looking down, Warrick gave Sara's body a soft shake, urging her to open her eyes and see how many people here loved her, but she stayed still, unmoving.

Silence penetrated the air around him as he emerged into the cool wind, the solitary cry of the fire alarm filtering through the night sky, screaming out its pain for all to hear.

Pulling her body closer to him, Warrick lowered his lips to her head, whispering words that he hoped she would hear.

" Sara," he told her, his eyes stinging with emotion as he carried her towards freedom " You can wake up now, see?" His voice caught in his throat, choking back the lump that constricted his words " Sara, come on girl, you can do this, you're the strong one, remember?" As he spoke he held her tighter, a solitary tear escaping to roll down his face.  "Wake up…please?"

She remained silent, her face deathly pale. The only sign of her inner battle to survive was the slow rise and fall of her chest. Holding her close, he stepped through the rubble leading to the threshold, unwilling to relinquish his hold on her to the paramedics that tried to tear her from his arms.

"Get off of her," he growled angrily, refusing to let them pull her away, his need to protect her overwhelming his aching heart.

From his place on the sidewalk, Grissom's head snapped up, his body on full alert as he took in the sight before him. His ears hummed with the thudding of his heart, the sound drowning through his senses as he fought to calm his breathing.

Finding his strength, he climbed to his feet, his need for her becoming too overpowering to fight anymore. His heart reached out to her, screaming out the words that he could never voice before, his courage urging him onwards until he was there by her side. Taking a shaky step closer, he reached out a trembling hand to touch her, his fingers aching to feel her warmth beneath his hands. " Sara?" he whispered, his voice straining against the tears threatening to emerge from deep inside him as he stepped a little closer towards her still form." Oh god, Sara," he gasped, his voice catching on a sob as his eyes blurred with tears.

Reaching down he found her hand with his own, wrapping her inside his warmth, trying to pass on some of his body heat as if he could heal her with his touch.

Warrick watched on helplessly, his own torrid emotions burning inside his chest as he watched his boss and friend crumble before his eyes. Stepping closer to Grissom, he sandwiched Sara's body between them, offering the older man some comfort from his pain, but knowing at the same time that these wounds would never heal.

" Take her Griss," he croaked through his tears ", I…"

Reaching out his arms, Grissom took her from Warrick, cradling her like some treasured possession until he dropped his head to nuzzle his face into her hair, her softness hiding his heartbreak until he could no longer take the pain and sank to his knees. He held her in his arms as he rocked her between the ragged breaths that his lungs tried desperately to catch and hold on to.

The surrounding paramedics watched on helplessly, pleading in silent movements that they needed to take her away from here if she was going to survive.

When Grissom didn't move, Brass stepped closer towards him, kneeling beside his friend who refused to be parted from the woman in his arms.

" Gil, let them take her, she'll be in good hands," he told him softly as he cast a worried glance over the fallen body of this remarkable woman, " let them take her alright, you need to let her go."

Nodding numbly, Grissom loosened his hold on her body, lifting her in his arms to slowly and carefully ease her down onto the awaiting stretcher, his reluctance to leave her side overriding his emotions.

Taking a step back, he looked down to his body and the dark red stain that now adorned his shirt " Oh god," he gasped sorrowfully, the shock pushing him to stare down at his blood spattered hands.

Everything faded from around his body to leave only the scene before him. Taking a step closer, he watched on numbly as the paramedics rushed around Sara's broken body, securing her gently while they worked to stop more of her blood from seeping through her clothes

Lindsey looked up from her place at Catherine's side, her eyes alert to the sorrowful wail that came from somewhere in the midst of night. Moving away from her mother's arms, she lunged forward towards Sara, her cries bringing the stillness of the night to an end. Catherine reached out to pull her back, needing to keep her close beside her. She had almost lost her daughter once tonight and she selfishly needed to keep her close for fear of losing her again. But now, when she looked on to see the broken figure of her friend on the sidewalk she snatched her hand away to watch with more than motherly pride, as her daughter reached out to extend her comfort to another human being.

 Warrick's arms came up to wind around the little girl, stopping her movements to hold her back while the paramedics worked on the woman they all loved. Stooping down beside her, he picked her up in his arms, holding her close to urge the little girl who had shown more bravery than anyone he had ever seen in his life to be brave for just a while longer.

" SARA," she cried, reaching an arm out for her new- found friend, needing to help her keep the promise they had made to each other whilst they were trapped together. " Sara," she sobbed, huge tears rolling down her cheeks as Warrick turned her to face away from the scene.

" Sara will be ok," he told her firmly, his own eyes wet with tears " She has you to come back to."

" I promised her," she sniffed, her voice breaking on a sob as she threw her arms around his shoulders clinging to him desperately. Warrick pulled her closer, feeling the wetness from her sobs seeping through his cloths as she clung to his body.

Catherine's eyes swam with tears as she stepped closer towards Sara's prone body, torn between helping her daughter or her friend. Looking towards Warrick, he nodded to her in silent communication that he would take care of the little girl in his arms while she gave comfort to the one person everyone had seemed to forget.

Stepping closer to Grissom, she rested one hand on his arm while the other rubbed his back as she tried to ease away some of his pain.

Grissom stood rock still, his eyes fixed on the woman on the stretcher, showing no indication that he felt Catherine beside him. Watching quietly, she glanced over at Jim, questioning him silently, willing him to tell her what she needed to hear.

" Not good," he mouthed silently, his eyes brimming with the emotions choking him, " she's bad."

" Oh god," Catherine gasped, bringing a trembling hand to her mouth, her mind screaming out in turmoil as she laid her head on Grissom's shoulder trying to offer some comfort while his world fell apart around him.

" Sir, do you want to travel in the ambulance with her?" someone asked Grissom, breaking the silent walls around him. For a second he watched numbly, unmoving, his eyes scanning Sara's closed eyes with a mixture of love and fear.

Stepping closer, Catherine rubbed his shoulder " Yes he does," she nodded, bringing him out of his reverie to urge him towards the ambulance, " We'll follow you Gil, ok," she said softly as she squeezed his shoulder, his silence worrying her more than anything else he could be unleashing right now. " Gil?" she repeated, pulling his arm to turn him towards her " Ok?"

When he turned to catch her eyes, she gasped with the intensity shining so clearly from his sorrow filled depths, his aching pain all too visibly clear.

" Go with her Gil," she urged, stepping forward to engulf him in a quick hug before pushing him away from her so he could climb in behind the paramedics taking Sara away.

TBC……