Disclaimer: Don't own any of the CSI characters. All and any of the original characters that I created are mine.
THANKS TO:
Catherine Willows-Grissom: Thanks! I like G/C myself
cRaZyPiXiE: She will soon be funneling that guilt into anger.
PeTiTeCaT: Hank will pay eventually…
Charming-Storm: Further developments in Hank's case in this chappie.
MissyJane: I think there might be a line up as to who wants at Hank's throat first.
CSIaddict: Thank you thank you! Hank IS sick…. That's for sure.
Prue Halliwell-Trudeau: Thank you… I like the Hank/Sara/Nick triangle too
Mia: Thanks :o)
SisterBear: I know! I feel so sorry for Catherine and Grissom too!
CraziRiver: Thanks! :o)
Chapter 17
1 week later
Sara sat in the break room at work, pouring over the reports. She was looking for a way to get Hank for murder. She sipped on coffee and held her head up with her arm. Fatigue was slipping into her body, and she kept yawning.
"You should go home babe." Nick said, walking into the break room. He had just come back from a new crime scene that had just come in this morning. He sighed and sat down in front of her. "Sara… You need to go home. I've had a key made and you can move in at anytime."
Sara smiled at Nick. He had a way of making whatever she was working on at the time was not nearly as important as whatever it was that he was saying. "Thanks. But I need to finishing working on this. I'll be ready to go in about an hour."
Nick leaned over the table and kissed her softly. "What are you reading now?"
"Hank's statement. I'm trying to find a way to prove that shot was premeditated. If I can't get murder, which would be difficult since no one knew about the pregnancy, I'm at least going to try and get manslaughter. If I can prove that he wanted to shoot Catherine, then I may have a nice lead in the case."
"Sara… You can do that from home."
She sighed. "I'm not going home until you are."
It was Nick's turn to sigh. "Well, that won't be for another 2 hours, tops. I have to finish the paperwork on the case I just wrapped up. I wish I could help you with this right now, but crime doesn't seem to stop."
I know this pain
Why do lock yourself up in these chains?
No one can change your life except for you
Don't ever let anyone step all over you
Just open your heart and your mind
Is it really fair to feel this way inside?
Sara smiled at Nick, fatigue covering her features once more. "I know it doesn't. I'm not even supposed to be working right now. Grissom insisted that I take time off." Sara shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "But it just doesn't feel right taking time off when I need to be doing what I do best. Work."
Nick raised his eyebrows. "That isn't what I would say was what you do best."
Sara's face slowly turned crimson as a blush spread across her cheeks. "You're a regular comedian, Nick." She yawned and stretched. "Let me know when you are ready to go home."
Nick smiled and nodded. He kissed the top of her head as he left to get results from Greg.
~~Grissom and Catherine~
Catherine lay in the hospital, magazines splayed across her bed. She was bored. More so than she had ever remembered being in her entire life. Grissom sat beside her in his wheelchair. He was slated to be released in two days, Catherine's release scheduled for about a week after that. They wanted to keep her in for observation. "Gil?"
"Yes, Catherine?"
"Are you sure there are no magazines left that I have read in this room?"
"I'm sure. Warrick promised that he would bring something new in for you to read on his next visit."
"Could I get a book maybe?" She asked sweetly.
Gil looked at her strangely. "But you don't read novels really." She gave him a look that said: You dare to question me?
"Just find me something fun and juicy to read. Nothing too heavy."
Grissom wheeled himself out of the room. "Yes dear." He muttered under his breath.
Some day somebody's gonna make you want to
Turn around and say goodbye
Until then baby are you going to let them
Hold you down and make you cry
Don't you know?
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day
~Break Room~
Nick walked in, his eye scanning the room for Sara. He found her sprawled out on the sofa, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling softly. She was asleep. He smiled as he watched her, waiting for her to feel his gaze on her. She didn't even seem to stir.
"Sara?" Nick asked softly, touching her shoulder. He saw her cell phone lying open in her hands. He reached for it and was able to take it from her grasp without her waking. He checked the most recent phone calls and noticed a strange number from one of them.
"Sara? Wake up?" He studied her more closely and noticed the pale color of her skin. "Oh no… no no no… Sara…" He ran to the cabinet that housed the coffee grains. He opened the container and ran back over to her. He held the open package under her nose. "Sara… come on honey… Wake up."
You could sustain
Or are you comfortable with the pain?
You've got no one to blame for your unhappiness
You got yourself into your own mess
Lettin' your worries pass you by
Don't you think it's worth your time
To change your mind?
Sara's eyes began to flutter, and some color began to return to her face. She opened her eyes slowly. "Nicky?" She whispered softly.
"Sara? What happened?"
"I was on the phone one minute and then…" She stopped in mid sentence, he hand flying to her mouth. "I think I'm gonna be sick."
Nick helped her over to the sink, and held back her hair and rubbed her back soothingly as she emptied the contents of her stomach. She rinsed her mouth out with water, and then stood, leaning back against Nick for support. "Take me home. We'll talk about it there."
Nick nodded and they began walking slowly to his Tahoe. Silent tears ran down Sara's cheeks the entire silent drive home. She didn't say anything and he didn't push. They walked into his house, Sadie running up to greet Sara. "Hey girl." Sara said tiredly.
"Sadie, go lie down." Nick commanded the dog, who shot him a look and then retreated to her cushion near the sofa. Nick helped Sara over the sofa and they sat down. "Okay Sara, what's up? What is all this about?"
"It's Hank."
Some day somebody's gonna make you want to
Turn around and say goodbye
Until then baby are you going to let them
Hold you down and make you cry
Don't you know?
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day
"What do you mean, it's Hank?"
"I mean, he confessed."
"And, isn't that a good thing?"
"Yes and no."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't get him for murder for one, but he's managed to get himself a psychiatric evaluation, which we both know he won't pass. He's only going to wind up in an institution after what he did."
"Who told you?"
"Brass called me. Next thing I knew I was on the phone with him, and then the world just went black."
Nick pulled her against him. "We'll get him, Sara. Don't you worry about that."
I know that there is pain
But you hold on for one more day and
Break free the chains
Yeah I know that there is pain
But you hold on for one more day and you
Break free, break from the chains
~Grissom and Catherine~
Grissom wheeled himself back into her room, carrying a variety of books. "I got some, but I don't know how much you'll like them." He got closer to the bed and realized that Catherine was crying.
He pushed himself up from the chair and onto the bed. The effort exhausted him, but he didn't care. HE needed to find out what happened. "Catherine, what's wrong? What happened?"
"Hank."
"What about Hank?"
"He confessed…" She said sniffling in between words. She leaned against him and sobbed.
Grissom sat there, holding her, somewhat confused. Isn't a confession a good thing??
Some day somebody's gonna make you want to
Turn around and say goodbye
Until then baby are you going to let them
Hold you down and make you cry
Don't you know?
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day yeah
If you hold on
"I know what you are thinking, Gil. It's a good thing, but it's not."
"How so?"
"Hank is going to be evaluated to see if he is mentally able to stand trial."
Grissom sucked in a breath. "Oh dear."
Catherine launched herself into his arms, not being careful of her stitches on her abdomen. She didn't care. She needed to have him holding her. "Gil… Please just hold me for a while."
Grissom smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here for as long as you need me to be." He helped Catherine lie back on the bed and then lay down beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "I love you, Catherine."
"I love you too, Gil."
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day,
If you hold on
Can you hold on
Hold on baby
Won't you tell me now
Hold on for one more day 'cause
It's gonna go your way
~Nick and Sara~
Sara lay quietly in his arms. "Nick?"
"What do you think we can do about Hank?"
Nick sighed. "Look Sara, there isn't much we can do. I just wish you would stop thinking about it."
Sara pulled out of his embrace. "I'm so sorry I upset you. So sorry that I need to do this for myself." She stood up from where they had fallen asleep on the couch. She opened the door and stepped out into the pouring rain. She stayed on the porch for a while, mainly because she wanted to cool off and also didn't particularly feel like walking in the rain.
Nick followed her out. "Sara. Look I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you get sick over this again." He pulled her into his arms. "I know you need to do this for yourself, and I'm behind you every step of the way."
Nick held her while she cried. He made his own silent vow at that point. If you so much as make Sara worry, Hank, I swear to God, I will find a way to make sure you never see the light of day again.
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can't you change it this time
Make up your mind
Hold on
Hold on
Baby hold on
A/N: Song: Hold On, by Wilson Phillips; Album: Greatest Hits (©2000)
EEK! I'm starting school on Monday!!! MONDAY???!!?! Where did the summer go??
