A/N  Big thanks to Ash for getting this chapter back to me even though she was away on vacation! Special thanks to Xanti for helping Ash get this chapter to me (computer's are evil) while she was away! Big huge thanks to Amorith, without whom Grissom would be an uncharacteristically bumbling over-emotional baby. And finally, the biggest thanks to all those who are reviewing!

Chapter 10

Outside, in the early morning light, he could see the dark liquid clinging to the t-shirt she wore.  Sara held a knife tightly in her hand – even in the shock of it all she knew she had to cling to the weapon – the evidence.  Grissom looked down at her as he laid her on the grass outside and saw that her face was screwed up in pain, tears streaking randomly down her cheeks.  She moaned again and looked at him.

"Grissom? Oh God… it hurts," she began to shake and Grissom griped her tight.

"It's okay Sara, the ambulance is coming – they'll be here soon, you're going to be okay, its okay… Sara? Sara can you hear me? Sara, open your eyes – look at me, Sara don't leave me, please – Sara open your eyes," he was getting panicky now, groping at her face – willing her to open her eyes.  Her face wasn't screwed up in pain now – she looked almost peaceful. "Sara please," he whispered to her and hugged her closer to him, "Please wake up, I love you Sara, you can't go – not like this, please – Sara wake up," he gulped back the tears that were threatening to fall and looked down at her again.  He could see her struggling with consciousness, trying to open her eyes.  "That's it, good – open your eyes, wake up for me please Sara."

Her eyes fluttered open, he could see they were glazed over and she wasn't focussing – but at least they were open, she was awake.  She furrowed her brow in a frown and looked wildly around, not focusing on anything, "Grissom?" It was as though she thought he had left her.

"I'm here Sara – I'm right here," he touched her face and turned it towards him.  He saw her focus slightly; saw the recognition in her eyes.  She lifted a bloodied hand to touch his bearded cheek.  A single tear flowed out of her left eye.

"Sara…" he whispered. 

And then they weren't alone anymore.  He heard car doors banging and then heard Brass shouting some orders about securing the premises.  He looked up as Brass came running towards him, "He's not here, Jim – I think Nick chased him down the street – but… I dunno," he looked at the Detective helplessly and then back at Sara – who cried out as another wave of pain coursed throughout her body. 

He heard Catherine, "Gil – oh God, what happened? We heard it on the radio, the ambulance is almost here."  As if on cue, the blaring sound of the ambulance siren came rushing down the street and towards them.  The doors banged shut and he heard footsteps rushing over to him.  Then someone was pulling him away from Sara.

"No!" he cried out as someone – Warrick – wrestled him away from her.

"Let them do their job Gil – she'll be okay," Warrick shouted at him and pushed him roughly away from the paramedics that had crowded around Sara.

Grissom looked around helplessly, Catherine came into focus.  "Are you okay Gil, are you hurt?" she walked tentatively towards him. He looked nuts – blood everywhere, glazed over eyes, he was shaking uncontrollably.

Grissom shook his head, "Just Sara… and Nick – where is he?"

"Someone's gone to find him, it's okay," Catherine tried to sooth him.

"A girl, I think there's a girl in the house – Nick heard her – we went in, Sara… was – Oh God," he looked around wildly and saw that Sara was now being taken into the ambulance.  He ran over towards them.  Warrick moved to stop him but realised that it was safe and let him go.

"I'm coming," Grissom demanded to one of the paramedics.

"Get in," he said simply and moved up the front of the bus to get in the drivers seat.  The other paramedic followed Grissom into the back and shut the doors.  The siren began to blare again as the bus lit up and sped away.

Warrick exhaled loudly and looked at Catherine with wide eyes.  She was crying, but she was also bagging the knife that Sara had been holding onto as if it were her life source.  He wanted to hug her but his mind was on Nick – where was he?  His fears were put to rest quite soon when the Texan came running towards him.

"What happened Warrick!" Nick yelled at his friend.

"Sara man… she – she was stabbed, you didn't see it?"

Nick looked horrified, "No – this guy just came running at me so I chased him," he turned to look behind him where two officers were pushing around a tall, yet skinny man.  His hands were cuffed behind his back, a snicker plastered on his face.

Rage filled Warrick.  He stormed up to the suspect, fists clenched and ready to swing.

"Whoa whoa!" Brass yelled to him but it was too late.  Warrick punched the guy square in the jaw, stared fiercely at his shocked expression, and stormed back to Catherine who grabbed at his arm protectively.

Everyone's attention was quickly averted, however, when the shout came from another uniform.  They'd found a girl in the basement.

~~

He sat there alone – in the hall outside the operating theatre.  Every now and then a nurse would rush out and he'd stand up and try to ask her what was happening but he was mostly ignored – the nurse was too busy to say more than 'we're working on her sir'.

After what seemed like hours, he heard footsteps coming towards him.  He looked up to find Catherine, Warrick, Nick, Brass and even Greg come ambling down the hallway.  He stood up and Catherine hugged him, then he sat back down again – the others finding the seats beside him. He didn't show it – but he was incredibly relieved to see that Nick was okay. Sitting there not knowing what was happening to Sara was terrible, but worrying about Nick as well had been torture.

"Any news?" Nick asked.

Grissom shook his head and stared at the floor, "The… there was a girl?" he struggled to talk, his mouth felt dry.

"Yes, she's okay – freaked out, but okay," Warrick said quietly.

Grissom nodded, "Good… Mitchel?"

"In custody," Brass said.

Grissom nodded again, "Good. Who is working it?"

"Warrick and I collected – everything's back at the lab, Ecklie's crew are processing everything," Catherine said.

They all sat there in an uncomfortable silence.  The minutes dragged on with still no news from the operating room.

Finally Grissom stood up and sighed exasperatedly, "What the hell is taking so long?" He began pacing the hallway – back and forth, back and forth. He saw a doctor walking towards him and grabbed him by the arm just as he was about to walk past. "Are you working on Sara Sidle?" he said roughly.  Warrick shifted in his seat, ready to intervene should Grissom get anymore aggressive. 

The Doctor looked startled and stammered at him, "No sir…"

Grissom glared at him, "Well get in there," he pointed to the operating room, "Find out what the hell is going on and tell me!"

The doctor stammered again – Catherine would have felt sorry for him if she hadn't been so for what Grissom was doing – and finally nodded his head, running into the operating theatre.

It was another half an hour before he returned and Grissom was livid by the time he did.  He was wearing scrubs – it was possible that they had actually used him to work on Sara.  Just as Grissom was about to bite his head off he raised both of his hands in front of his chest and announced, "She's going to be okay!"

The words shocked Grissom.  For all the time he was waiting he never expected those would be the words he'd hear.  He stared open-mouthed at the doctor.

Finally, Greg stood up and spoke, "What took so long?"

The doctor turned to Greg and began to explain, "There were a couple of complications during surgery but she's doing fine now – she'll have a small scar, and I'd say a little emotional bruising, but other than that she should completely heal up.  She's being taken to a private room on level 23. You should keep visitors to a minimum – but you can see her."

Greg nodded and thanked the doctor. He turned to Grissom who was still standing by the wall.  He looked drained, but relieved.  "Grissom?"

Grissom looked up at him.

"Come and see her with me," the younger man said, taking him by the back of his arm and guiding him down the hall towards the lifts.  The rest of the group gathered together.  Warrick finally hugged Catherine who was in tears again. Nick and Brass both had their hands on their hips, breathing huge sighs of relief. They all smiled in relief at each other, the good news slowly sinking in, and eventually they followed Greg and Grissom down the hall.

TBC