Title: Barely Existing
Author: Cindy Ryan
catagory: angst, Xover
pairings: Jack/Sam, Grissom/Sara
Summary: After 'Play with fire' Sara vanishes, Grissom calls in a favor
Notes: Merry Christmas everyone! Here it is finally the rewritten verison of Barely
Existing that I posted a few months back. Thanks to everyone who's been so supportive of
this story. Especially my two beta readers for their invaluable feedback.
This is a Grissom/Sara romance story. If you don't like that pairing turn back now. :) Timeline
wise this is set about three weeks after Play with Fire. I also fudged with the WoaT timeline
so I could fit Fallout into this story.
I apoligize in advance for any funky formating issues.
12:15 a.m.
"You okay?"Warrick Brown asked as he pulled his car over to the side of the road. "You barely said two words since we left."
Sara smiled sheepishly at her friend as she gathered her things. "Sorry, Warrick. I'm fine, just tired."
Warrick rolled his head from side to side trying to get the kinks out of his neck. "Yeah I don't think I'll ever complain about no over time again."
Sara laughed as she opened the passenger door and stepped out. "You joining Nick and I for breakfast tomorrow?"
Warrick shook his head ruefully. "Would love to, but I can't. If I get home within the next half hour I might actually get five hours sleep before I have to go back."
"Thanks for the ride."Sara said as she closed the door. "My Tahoe should be fixed in a couple days."
Warrick smiled. "No problem. See you tomorrow."
"Night."Sara replied as she turned away from the vehicle and walked up the drive to her apartment building.
Warrick watched her for a few moments before he put the car into drive and pulled back into traffic.
***********
7 a.m.
Criminalist Nick Stokes hummed softly to himself as he walked up the sidewalk to Sara Sidle's apartment building. It'd been nearly three weeks since the lab explosion. Greg had been released from the hospital three days before. Catherine was back from suspension and the lab itself was slowly coming back together with construction crews there twelve hours a day.
Nick yawned as he knocked on Sara's apartment door. They didn't have to be at work till nine but they had agreed the night before to grab breakfast before shift.
"Come on, Sara."Nick called after silence answered his knock. "If I'm up after working a double so can you."
When no response came Nick placed his fist on the door to pound harder thinking she was in the shower. Nick was shocked when the door moved inward under his touch.
Instincts took over and Nick unholstered his gun and slowly pushed the door the rest of the way open.
Sara never left the door unlocked.
"Sara?"Nick shouted as he stepped into the living room. There were no signs of a struggle. No furniture was overturned, no books on the floor.
Mail was stacked neatly on the kitchen counter.
Nick's fear intensified as he moved through the small apartment. Kitchen was intact, so was the bathroom.
The bedroom door was closed. Nick tightened his hand on his gun as his free hand turned the knob on the door and pushed it open.
The room was dark and empty. The bed was made and looked like it hadn't been slept in.
Something was very wrong. Nick thought worriedly as he took out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for Sara's number.
Voicemail.
Nick disconnected and hit the button for Grissom's number.
Sara was in trouble, Nick could feel it.
*********
8 a.m.
An hour later Gil Grissom stood just inside the doorway to Sara's apartment. Brass was outside interviewing neighbors.
"I want to be the one processing this."Nick muttered as they watched part of the dayside CSI unit canvas the living room.
Grissom nodded. "I know, so do I. But I have to agree with Covallo on this. I don't want anything to interfere with finding Sara and if that means we sit on the sidelines than we sit on the sidelines."
Nick moved a few steps from his boss. Not really pacing but he couldn't stand still any longer. "That's bull, Grissom and you know it. Covallo's playing politics. Sara needs us......we can be objective."
Grissom was feeling exactly what Nick was feeling. He hated standing here helpless. He had known Sara longer than the rest of them and it was killing him not to be doing something, anything to help her. But Grissom also knew that if they wanted to stay involved in this case in any way they had to play politics.
"Can you?"Grissom demanded noticing they were drawing wary looks from their colleagues but he didn't care. "Could you be objective if you had to process Sara's blood from a carpet fiber? Pull her hair from a wrench?"
Nick winced but held his ground. If she'd been missing since Warrick dropped her off last night she'd been gone eight hours. He didn't care about his job or his career......standing here wasn't doing anything to bring his friend home.
"It'd be hard as hell but yeah I'd be able to if it'd bring Sara through that door that much faster!"Nick replied his voice rising with each word.
"If you're truly her friend, Nick, you'll let this be handled by the book."
"What is it with you two?"Catherine demanded as she and Warrick stepped into the apartment. "I could hear you all the way down the hall."
Nick whirled to face the older woman. "Grissom pulled us off of this. We can't process anything that's brought from here."
"You know that's procedure, Nick."Catherine replied gently. "If the team's personally involved they can't process any evidence."
Nick threw up his hands in frustration. "So we just sit here and do nothing?"
"If it's the only way we can help Sara, then yes."Catherine replied though she hated it as much as Nick did.
"I'm going to go talk to Brass."Warrick stated as he turned and left the apartment.
"And I'm going to make a few phone calls."Grissom added as he pulled out his cell phone and followed Brown out into the bright morning daylight.
**********
Nine hours missing
"Viv?"Jack Malone called as he stepped out of his office. "Make plane reservations for everybody. We just got a priority."
"Where?"The black woman asked as she met her boss's pace.
"Vegas. A CSI's disappeared."
"I'll try to get the next flight."Vivian replied as she grabbed the nearest phone. "How long has the CSI been missing?"
"Nine hours."Jack stated as he moved into the bullpen. "Everybody go home pack a bag we got a priority."
"Who?"Martin asked as he grabbed his suit jacket off the back of a chair.
"A Vegas CSI has disappared."Jack explained as he handed out an 8x10 photo. "Sara Sidle, age thirty-one, single. I'll fill you in on the rest once we're in the air. Viv's trying to get the first flight so try to be back here in half an hour."
The group dispersed leaving Jack to study the photo of the missing woman.
"So how did this get flagged as a priority?"Vivian asked as she walked up behind her boss.
Jack motioned to the picture. "This is Sara Sidle. Her boss is Gil Grissom. I worked a case with him a few years back, he called in a favor."
Vivian nodded as she shrugged into her coat. "I managed to get all of us on the same flight. Leaves in an hour and a half. But it's a direct flight we won't have to deal with any layovers. I'll be back in twenty minutes."
"Thanks, Viv."Jack replied as he put Sara's photo in a manilla file folder and walked back to his office to retrieve his jacket.
********
Jack had almost reached the ticket counter when he heard someone call his name. Turning he saw Samantha Spade walking toward him pulling a small suitcase behind her.
"Sam, what are you doing here?"Jack asked as soon as the blonde came within earshot.
Sam's eyes narrowed slightly as she shifted her purse to her other arm. "Danny called me. I've been cleared to return to duty."
Jack shook his head. "Not field duty."
Sam sighed. "I'll sit in the Vegas office if I have to. Jack, I'm going stir crazy just sitting at home. My leg is almost back to normal."
"What about your physical therapy?"Jack asked. He wasn't trying to keep her out. He just didn't want her to push herself too hard too soon.
"I can have my doctor recommend somebody in Vegas if we're there longer than a week."Sam replied as she shifted her purse from one arm to the other.
Jack met her gaze for a long moment before turning his attention back to the ticket counter. "I'll see if they have any seats left on this flight."
Sam's face visibly relaxed. "Thank you, Jack."
Jack nodded and moved toward one of the ticket agents.
Author: Cindy Ryan
catagory: angst, Xover
pairings: Jack/Sam, Grissom/Sara
Summary: After 'Play with fire' Sara vanishes, Grissom calls in a favor
Notes: Merry Christmas everyone! Here it is finally the rewritten verison of Barely
Existing that I posted a few months back. Thanks to everyone who's been so supportive of
this story. Especially my two beta readers for their invaluable feedback.
This is a Grissom/Sara romance story. If you don't like that pairing turn back now. :) Timeline
wise this is set about three weeks after Play with Fire. I also fudged with the WoaT timeline
so I could fit Fallout into this story.
I apoligize in advance for any funky formating issues.
12:15 a.m.
"You okay?"Warrick Brown asked as he pulled his car over to the side of the road. "You barely said two words since we left."
Sara smiled sheepishly at her friend as she gathered her things. "Sorry, Warrick. I'm fine, just tired."
Warrick rolled his head from side to side trying to get the kinks out of his neck. "Yeah I don't think I'll ever complain about no over time again."
Sara laughed as she opened the passenger door and stepped out. "You joining Nick and I for breakfast tomorrow?"
Warrick shook his head ruefully. "Would love to, but I can't. If I get home within the next half hour I might actually get five hours sleep before I have to go back."
"Thanks for the ride."Sara said as she closed the door. "My Tahoe should be fixed in a couple days."
Warrick smiled. "No problem. See you tomorrow."
"Night."Sara replied as she turned away from the vehicle and walked up the drive to her apartment building.
Warrick watched her for a few moments before he put the car into drive and pulled back into traffic.
***********
7 a.m.
Criminalist Nick Stokes hummed softly to himself as he walked up the sidewalk to Sara Sidle's apartment building. It'd been nearly three weeks since the lab explosion. Greg had been released from the hospital three days before. Catherine was back from suspension and the lab itself was slowly coming back together with construction crews there twelve hours a day.
Nick yawned as he knocked on Sara's apartment door. They didn't have to be at work till nine but they had agreed the night before to grab breakfast before shift.
"Come on, Sara."Nick called after silence answered his knock. "If I'm up after working a double so can you."
When no response came Nick placed his fist on the door to pound harder thinking she was in the shower. Nick was shocked when the door moved inward under his touch.
Instincts took over and Nick unholstered his gun and slowly pushed the door the rest of the way open.
Sara never left the door unlocked.
"Sara?"Nick shouted as he stepped into the living room. There were no signs of a struggle. No furniture was overturned, no books on the floor.
Mail was stacked neatly on the kitchen counter.
Nick's fear intensified as he moved through the small apartment. Kitchen was intact, so was the bathroom.
The bedroom door was closed. Nick tightened his hand on his gun as his free hand turned the knob on the door and pushed it open.
The room was dark and empty. The bed was made and looked like it hadn't been slept in.
Something was very wrong. Nick thought worriedly as he took out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for Sara's number.
Voicemail.
Nick disconnected and hit the button for Grissom's number.
Sara was in trouble, Nick could feel it.
*********
8 a.m.
An hour later Gil Grissom stood just inside the doorway to Sara's apartment. Brass was outside interviewing neighbors.
"I want to be the one processing this."Nick muttered as they watched part of the dayside CSI unit canvas the living room.
Grissom nodded. "I know, so do I. But I have to agree with Covallo on this. I don't want anything to interfere with finding Sara and if that means we sit on the sidelines than we sit on the sidelines."
Nick moved a few steps from his boss. Not really pacing but he couldn't stand still any longer. "That's bull, Grissom and you know it. Covallo's playing politics. Sara needs us......we can be objective."
Grissom was feeling exactly what Nick was feeling. He hated standing here helpless. He had known Sara longer than the rest of them and it was killing him not to be doing something, anything to help her. But Grissom also knew that if they wanted to stay involved in this case in any way they had to play politics.
"Can you?"Grissom demanded noticing they were drawing wary looks from their colleagues but he didn't care. "Could you be objective if you had to process Sara's blood from a carpet fiber? Pull her hair from a wrench?"
Nick winced but held his ground. If she'd been missing since Warrick dropped her off last night she'd been gone eight hours. He didn't care about his job or his career......standing here wasn't doing anything to bring his friend home.
"It'd be hard as hell but yeah I'd be able to if it'd bring Sara through that door that much faster!"Nick replied his voice rising with each word.
"If you're truly her friend, Nick, you'll let this be handled by the book."
"What is it with you two?"Catherine demanded as she and Warrick stepped into the apartment. "I could hear you all the way down the hall."
Nick whirled to face the older woman. "Grissom pulled us off of this. We can't process anything that's brought from here."
"You know that's procedure, Nick."Catherine replied gently. "If the team's personally involved they can't process any evidence."
Nick threw up his hands in frustration. "So we just sit here and do nothing?"
"If it's the only way we can help Sara, then yes."Catherine replied though she hated it as much as Nick did.
"I'm going to go talk to Brass."Warrick stated as he turned and left the apartment.
"And I'm going to make a few phone calls."Grissom added as he pulled out his cell phone and followed Brown out into the bright morning daylight.
**********
Nine hours missing
"Viv?"Jack Malone called as he stepped out of his office. "Make plane reservations for everybody. We just got a priority."
"Where?"The black woman asked as she met her boss's pace.
"Vegas. A CSI's disappeared."
"I'll try to get the next flight."Vivian replied as she grabbed the nearest phone. "How long has the CSI been missing?"
"Nine hours."Jack stated as he moved into the bullpen. "Everybody go home pack a bag we got a priority."
"Who?"Martin asked as he grabbed his suit jacket off the back of a chair.
"A Vegas CSI has disappared."Jack explained as he handed out an 8x10 photo. "Sara Sidle, age thirty-one, single. I'll fill you in on the rest once we're in the air. Viv's trying to get the first flight so try to be back here in half an hour."
The group dispersed leaving Jack to study the photo of the missing woman.
"So how did this get flagged as a priority?"Vivian asked as she walked up behind her boss.
Jack motioned to the picture. "This is Sara Sidle. Her boss is Gil Grissom. I worked a case with him a few years back, he called in a favor."
Vivian nodded as she shrugged into her coat. "I managed to get all of us on the same flight. Leaves in an hour and a half. But it's a direct flight we won't have to deal with any layovers. I'll be back in twenty minutes."
"Thanks, Viv."Jack replied as he put Sara's photo in a manilla file folder and walked back to his office to retrieve his jacket.
********
Jack had almost reached the ticket counter when he heard someone call his name. Turning he saw Samantha Spade walking toward him pulling a small suitcase behind her.
"Sam, what are you doing here?"Jack asked as soon as the blonde came within earshot.
Sam's eyes narrowed slightly as she shifted her purse to her other arm. "Danny called me. I've been cleared to return to duty."
Jack shook his head. "Not field duty."
Sam sighed. "I'll sit in the Vegas office if I have to. Jack, I'm going stir crazy just sitting at home. My leg is almost back to normal."
"What about your physical therapy?"Jack asked. He wasn't trying to keep her out. He just didn't want her to push herself too hard too soon.
"I can have my doctor recommend somebody in Vegas if we're there longer than a week."Sam replied as she shifted her purse from one arm to the other.
Jack met her gaze for a long moment before turning his attention back to the ticket counter. "I'll see if they have any seats left on this flight."
Sam's face visibly relaxed. "Thank you, Jack."
Jack nodded and moved toward one of the ticket agents.