Fallen

Chapter 2: "Bring Me to Life"

He stood at the easel, his painting taking shape as his life soon would. Pictures hanging on the walls around him gave him his inspiration. He would draw and paint a portrait of his family. Each portrait made it more real as he superimposed his image over an other's.

As he retook his place. . .

The whimpering sound from the cot in the corner of the room caught him off guard, causing his stroke to be jarred and the image to be blurred slightly.

Angrily, he turned and started for the small feature curled into the fetal position and laying as close to the wall as she could manage. But, his steps slowed as his mother's voice floated over him. "The child's too young to know better. Teach her to do differently, don't take your anger out on her. . ."

"You're right, Mama. She has to be taught," he said aloud as if the woman was actually there with him as he let the paint brush fall to the floor. Carefully, he continued to cross the room, stopping at the cot and kneeling down next to it. "Don't cry, baby," he said softly as he reached out to brush away one of her tears, causing her to uncurl enough to look at him. . .

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core

He couldn't help but smile at how like his her dark eyes were before she once again shrunk back from him. "I want my daddy," she muttered through tears as she pushed back into the corner and away from his touch.

Her words angered him as they chilled him. Reaching out, he roughly grabbed a hold of her arms and pulled her towards him, ignoring her terrified cries. "I'm your Poppa. He's not taking you away from me again," he told her harshly, then, as he trusted her away from him and pushed to his feet, he added more softly. "Your mother will be here soon. We'll be a family then. Like we were always supposed to be. Just like we're supposed to be. . ."

Where I've become so numb

Without a soul
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

She let Nick lead her down the hospital corridor, her mind barely registering the ciaos around her, and how could it when her whole life had become ciaos?

Reality was starting to settle over her. . .

There was no waking from this living nightmare.

She could no longer convince herself that her daughter was hiding.

Waiting for her or Warrick to call for her.

She supposed that on some level she had known it since she had arrived to find that her home had been turned into a crime scene.

And even more so, she could no longer convince herself that Warrick's injuries were minor. Not while her footsteps took her closer and closer to an ICU waiting room.

[wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside

"Meg," Nick said softly off to her side as he placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her progress.

Stopping, she turned her head to look at him, although she couldn't seem to focus on him. "Why don't you sit down while I go find Rick's doctor?" he suggested, even as he guided her to a nearby chair and into it.

Worriedly, he left her side and started towards the nurse's station, looking back every couple of steps to check on her. . .

She sat on the edge of the seat, her hands curled around the edge of the hard plastic. The urge to laugh or cry was bubbling up in her throat. She stubbornly fought down the need, knowing that if she gave into the urge she'd be unable to stop. She was numb, and she wanted to remain that way.

She wanted to float away.

To forget...

She couldn't help but wonder if that was how Vickie felt before a break. Before Nikkie or another alter over took her personality.

The only thing was, she didn't have to let go of one personality for another to take over. She carried three around inside her at all times. She was at once Natalie Balssom, Natalie Buchanan, and Meghan Jessica Davis-Brown. Each so different from the other, and yet so a like. Two hidden beneath the guise of one now back to haunt her so that she wasn't sure if she was one or more than one of those people any more. In truth, she wasn't even sure if she was even one of them at the moment.

After all, each had been defined by a family.

Each part had lost a piece or more of her family.

Only this time it would be so much more devastating.

For once, she had allowed herself to dream.

To wholeheartedly believe that she'd finally have what she had never been allowed to before.

Warrick had understood where she had come from, even if he hadn't known the whole truth. He didn't critize her need to work so hard. He didn't judge her or her motivations. He didn't question her need to give Christina more than she herself had had growing up.

Even more than that, he had loved her unconditionally and wholly. Loved her just as she was. He had never asked her to change or tried to make her into the image of someone else. Although there had been women in his life before her he had never judged her because of the imprint they had left on him. In fact, sometimes, she had secretly been grateful that there had been no blue-eyed porcelain princess in his life for her to be held up against. . .

[Save me] Call my name and save me from the dark

"Meg?" Nick called for the second time as he knelt down in front of her and tried to pry her hands from the edge of the chair. As her glazed eyes connected with his and started to focus, the doctor standing behind him spoke softly: "shock."

Looking back at the younger man, Nick nodded in agreement before turning back to his friend, his hands rubbing hers to try to warm them as he spoke to her in an even tone. "Meg, this is Warrick's doctor.

Shaking her head to clear it, Natalie repeated his words questioningly: "Warrick's doctor?"

"Yeah," Nick replied as he let go of her hands and the doctor moved to take the vacant seat next to her.

"Mrs. Brown, I'm doctor Holden. I'll be the primary on your husband's case," he informed her evenly as she turned to look at him and froze slightly in shock. . .

[Wake me up] Bid my blood to run
[I can't wake up] Before I come undone

Staring into familiar brown eyes and a familiar yet older features, Natalie couldn't help but wonder if she had in fact finally gone crazy.

She was looking into the face of a dead man, after all. But then again, she was supposed to be dead as well, and she wasn't. So it was possible that the man in front of her could be. . .Inhaling, she looked at her hands and shook her head as she tried to come to gripes with what she was seeing and what her mind was telling her was reality.

"Mrs. Brown, are you ok?" the doctor inquired as he reached over and took her pulse.

"Just. . . just having trouble. . .um. . . processing everything that's happening," she admitted shakily as she pulled her wrist away from him.

"That's understandable. I'm Doctor Steven Holden, your husband's doctor," he reiterated.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Natalie fought back a laugh as she repeated after him, "Dr. Steve Holden?"

"Yes," he responded, noticing how Nick was watching her with growing concern. "Would you like a drink of water or something?"

"I don't think you'd be serving what I need right now," she answered as she shook her head and wrapped her arms across her chest. "How's Warrick? When can I see him?"

Steve Holden stared at her a moment as he tried to figure out the words to let her know just how bad her husband's condition was. Watching him, Natalie let out an exasperated sigh, "just tell me. Contrary to how it might look, I'm not going to fall apart," she said simply as she straightened in her seat, trying to infuse strength into her posture.

With a raised eyebrow, Steve Holden looked over her shoulder to Nick, who shrugged. The movement was the only indication the doctor needed. "All right then. The truth is, Mrs. Brown, that your husband's condition is critical. He had multiple injuries. . ."

"Are you trying to tell me that Warrick was shot more than once?"

"Yes."

"Oh, G-d," Natalie muttered brokenly as she buried her head in her hands. Stepping forward, Nick place a hand on her shoulder and nodded towards the doctor to continue as she raised her head and used her hand to brush back the red hair that had fallen over her face.

"Mr. Brown has a couple of flesh wounds. However, there are two injuries that, combined with blood loss, present more serious concerns. We're asking for your permission to operate."

"What are they?"

"The first is an injury to his shoulder. A bullet is still lodged in it and there has been some damanage to the muscles. However, there's a good chance that will Physical Therapy he will regain partial if not complete use of it," Dr. Holden informed her evenly.

"That. . . that sounds. . . better than I thought," she breathed. "What about the other injury."

"A bullet grazed your husband's head. Due to that there has been some swelling. If the pressure is not relieved there are a number of life threatening complications it could lead to including. . ."

"I'm well aware of the types of complications that can arise from such an injury," Natalie snapped, her mind already forming a list of worse case scenarios as images of various victims laid out on Doc Robbins's table and Ben flashed through her mind.

"She's CSI too," Nick said in explanation of her reaction.

"Can I see him?" Natalie asked, a touch of desperation in her voice.

"We need to get him into the OR as soon as possible, but I can let you have a few minutes with him before hand. I just need you to fill out some of the paperwork beforehand."

"I can do that for her, so that she can have more time with Warrick. If that's ok?" Nick suggested.

"I just need her to sign the form for surgery and then she can go in, it's ok with her that you fill out the other paperwork."

"I'm sitting right here, you know that right?" Natalie asked as she pushed to her feet. "Nick can fill out the papers and I'll sign whatever you want me to. I just want to see my husband."

"All right, I'll get the papers and then show you to his room," Steve said as he rose and started for the nurse's station.

"Thanks for volunteering to file out the paperwork, Nick."

"No problem, Mig," he replied with a sight smile.

"Can you also. . ?"

"I'll call in."

"Thanks," she answered with a slight smile as Holden came towards them with two clipboards. Taking the one he handed her, she quickly signed it and handed it back to him as he gave the other clip board to Nick.

"I'll show you to the room. Just to prepare you. . ."

"Dr. Holden, I look at dead bodies for a living. I think I can deal with a living one," she answered tensely avoiding his eyes as she looked at the closed door they came to. "I want to go in alone," she told him softly as he started to push the door open.

"I'm not sure. . ."

"Well, I am. I want to be alone with my husband," Natalie said stiffly as she pushed past him. . .

[Save me] Save me from the nothing I've become

Stepping into the room, Natalie froze as the door closed behind her.

She had thought she was prepared for this, and she had been wrong.

Nothing that had ever happened to her had prepared her for this moment.

Forcing herself to breathe, she crossed the room and stopped at the foot of the hospital bed. Fighting back tears, she took in Warrick's appearance. His skin was ashen and there were marks on his face and forehead. His arms were covered with gauze in various places and bruises were forming in others. More glaring was the pressure bandage on his shoulder.

Inhaling, she moved around the bed to a chair that was situated next to it and sunk into it, her hand reaching shakily for his.

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and {make me real}
Bring me
To life

"I'm sorry, Warrick. I don't know how this happened. . . I never thought. . . Oh G-d, Warrick, how could this have happened? This was never supposed to happen. . . That's why I left them. . . Why I left that life behind. . . I tried to tell you. . . but you always told me my life before Las Vegas didn't matter. . ." swiping at her eyes with her other hand she continued. "I once thought that losing Christian was the worse thing that had ever happened to me. That could ever happen. . . G-d I was so naive then. . .But this. . . this is so much worse. . .I don't know what I'd do without you. . . without Tina. . . You two are my life. . . you taught me what it really means to be loved and to love. . . gave me my only. . . my only. . ." her voice broke on a sob as she dropped her head onto the edge of the bed, "you can't leave me alone Warrick. You can't can't... you have to fight to come back to us. . .you have to. . ."

[wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside

A touch on her shoulder startled her, raising her head she looked back to see Nick standing behind her. "Mig, they want to get him ready for surgery. We need to go."

Nodding slightly, Natalie wiped at her tears as she shakily got to her feet. "I can't do this. . ."

"Mig. . ."

"It's ok," she said sadly, "just give me one more moment, all right?"

"Sure, I'll be outside," Nick replied as she moved towards the door, hands in his pockets, torn because he wanted to say something to his best friend, but knew his wife needed the chance instead.

"I love you, Warrick. I've never loved everyone like this before. I never will again. Don't leave me alone again. Without love again," she whispered as she leant over him and kissed his forehead.

[Save me] Call my name and save me from the dark

"Meg?" Nick asked as she stepped out of the room. Sobbing was the only response she could give. Acting on instinct, he reached out and pulled her towards her and held her close as she cried into his shoulder. "It's ok."

"No, Nicky, and it may never be again."

"Warrick's tough. He's not going to give up easily. He's a fighter."

"Not all fights are winnable," Natalie said as she pulled away and wiped at her falling tears. "I think I need to find a seat in the waiting room."

At her words, Nick tensed. "You can't."

"What do you mean I can't?"

"When I called in, Grissom asked me to bring you to the lab. They need to ask you some questions," he told her uncomfortably, still unsure why they would want to question her at Headquarters instead of here where she could be close to Warrick.

"OK, if that's what they need," she agreed distracted by the medical staff entering Warrick's room.

"We'll take good care of him," Steve Holden reassured as he brushed past her. Natalie's only response was a nod as she allowed Nick to guide her down the hall.

[Wake me up] Bid my blood to run
[I can't wake up] Before I come undone

Back in the lab Grissom moved through the halls moving in and out of various cubicles checking on Warrick's case and others that were pending as Jim Brass came up to him and tapped his shoulder. "I have that file you were interested in," he said once he was sure that the other man would catch all of his words. "Mind if I ask what you want with it?"

"Would you believe that I'm playing on a hypothesis?"

"In other words, you're playing out a hunch. When did they lace up ice skates in hell?" Brass asked as they came to Grissom's office and entered it.

"Hypothesis, there's a difference. I have evidence backing this up, although not a lot," Grissom answered as he took his seat and turned on the desk lamp to add more light to the room. Once facing Brass again, he asked: "did you take a look at it?"

"Yeah. Summary is this. Guy's wife was kidnapped and he decided to be a hero. He traded himself for her. Kidnapper lost an FBI tail, drove into Lake Meade. Our vic died, dayshift caught the case. Elckie signed off on it along with some forensics people from the FBI. Our newly acquired friend from the FBI was the lead investigator, however his signature's missing."

"Whose signature's missing from what?" Catherine asked as she breezed in.

"Door was closed for a reason, Catherine," Grissom said stiffly as he looked over the file. "You could've knocked."

"You sure I didn't?"

"Well, I didn't hear a knock either," Jim put in as he looked over his shoulder at her.

"I'll flash the lights next time," Catherine snarked as she sat on the edge of Grissom's desk and turned to make sure that he could have a view of her lips in case his hearing dimmed out.

"Do that," Gris sighed as he flipped through the file. "There's no picture of the body. Before or after."

Glancing at the file Catherine raised an eyebrow, "could probably get one on-line if it's the same Christian Vega that I'm thinking of," she told him.

"This case was before your time with Dayshift."

"Doesn't mean I don't like the guy's art, Grissom."

"What?"

"For a man as literate as you are, I'm surprised you didn't recognize the name. Pricey artist. A lot of the hotels on the strip have started to use prints of his work in their rooms, although the major pieces--- portraits of his family members haven't been made into prints yet. They go for a pretty penny at auction."

"How do you know all this?" Brass asked.

"Dayshift caught a burglary that included the theft of one of his portraits. Insurance wanted to make sure it was the real thing. That was one of the ways it was proven," she shrugged. "So you want me to look it up?"

Catching sight of Special Agent John McBaine's approach, Grissom slid the file under others on his desk, "no. And don't mention this to out guest."

"What are you up to?" Cat asked.

"You'll find out soon enough," Grissom answered stiffly as McBaine knocked on the door. "Come on in," he called as he rose to his feet. "Jim and Catherine will show you to the interrogation room. I've got a couple of things I need to check on before I get there," he informed the younger man as he grabbed a couple of things off his desk and headed for the door.

Watching him go, John frowned slightly: "why are we doing this in the interrogation room and not at the hospital?"

"Don't want any one to say that we didn't cover all bases," Jim shrugged.

"Besides, this is more private," Catherine added as she gestured for them to precede her out the door. . .

[Save me] Save me from the nothing I've become

Walking down the hall of the labs, Natalie started to grow uncomfortable.

This wasn't right. They should be questioning her at the hospital not here. Not unless they thought that she. . . but no, they couldn't think that.

Footsteps bouncing off the walls, she continued the trek next to Nick till they came to Grissom. Looking uncomfortable, Nick left and started towards one of the trace labs as Grissom looked at her questioningly. "We'll get this out of the way as quickly as possible," he told her tensely.

"OK. Have you. . . have you found anything?"

"You know how it works," he told her softly as he started down the hall.

She stood there for a moment before hurrying to catch up to him and placing her hand on his arm. As he looked down at her, she couldn't keep the fear out of her face or voice: "Am I a suspect Gris?"

"You tell me," he replied as they came to the interrogation room and he opened the door letting her precede him into it. He watched as she looked around the room as if she had never been in it before, her gaze avoiding Catherine and Jim, only to lock for a moment with McBaines. "Let's get this started," Grissom said simply as he let the door close behind them. . .

{Bring me to life}

As the main part of the interview started wrapping down, Grissom looked over to Catherine, "Cat, can you see what Gregg's come up with DNA wise?"

"Wait a minute, we're not. . ." she started to protest.

"Still have superiority," Grissom said stiffly.

"Whatever," Catherine sighed as she rose and stormed out.

From his place in the corner, John McBaine cringed slightly. He had a feeling that something out of the ordinary was about to happen. Something that neither he or Natalie were ready for.

As if on cue, Jim Bass turned off the tape recorder that was documenting the questioning. Catching his movement, Natalie looked at the two men confused. "Are we done?"

"Not quite, Natalie," Grissom said evenly, noting the shock cross her face.

Quickly masking her reaction as McBaine moved towards them, Natalie shakily formed a response. "Why. . . why would you call me that?"

"Because your friend here did at your house," Grissom answered.

"You never heard me call her that," John protested.

"It's amazing the things I don't hear."

Nervously pushing her hair back Natalie shook her head, "no. . . you. . . misunderstood. It was getting dark. . ."

"Compare the two names," Grissom challenged as he pushed a mirror towards her, "then tell me otherwise. . ."

[I've been living a lie..There's nothing inside]

"This can't be happening," Natalie muttered.

"What can't be happening?" Jim challenged.

John put a hand on her arm, "you don't have to do this."

"Yeah. Yeah, I do. I all ready told you, McBaine. I'm going to do anything to get the person who did this. You're not going to stop me."

"Not like you let me before," he muttered.

{Bring me to life}

"All right. I wasn't always. . . My name used to be Natalie."

"Why did it change?" Jim asked.

"You don't need to know that," McBaine protested.

"We'll be the judge of that," Jim told him as he looked at Natalie. "It's ok, hun. Just tell us. We'll understand."

"I was married before. My husband managed to get in debt to the wrong people. We were only married a few days and he was killed. I didn't know about the debts, but. . .well, some of the people he owed to. . .they blamed me for some loses. . . they came after me. . ." Natalie tried to explain.

"It's not connected to this," McBaine cut in.

"Because you know who's involved?" Grissom asked. "You know I found your reaction to the sketch odd," he commented as he pulled out the sketch. "Maybe you can clear this up."

"Nat, don't. . ." McBaine started as Natalie looked at him questioningly before taking it.

"Why shouldn't I? If I can help," she started as she looked down and gasped, the paper falling out of her grasp and fluttering to the table as she covered her mouth with her hands.

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

"Shit, shit, shit," McBaine muttered as Natalie dropped her hands and stared at him.

"You sorry son of a Bitch!" she yelled at him as she pushed back from the table and went towards him. "You knew. . . you knew and yet you let me think. . . How. . .how is this possible?" she asked as she looked frantically around the room, as if somehow she would get the answers that way.

"I swear, Natalie, until I saw that sketch, I thought he was as dead as you did," he protested.

"Right. I just bet," she shot back while backing him into a corner. Seeing where things were going, Grissom and Jim rose and moved to interceded. "You couldn't just let me think he died. You had to make me die too. Better for my family. Safer. Yeah, because my family's oh so safe now. . .If I was back there. . . G-d. . .I wouldn't have to worry, not like I do now. . .I wouldn't be in an interrogation room. Uncle Bo wouldn't have. . ." she shook as she fought back tears. At the hand on her arm she rounded to look into Grissom's blue eyes, "you thought. . . you really think I would. . ."

"No, but I had to be sure," he said simply.

"Right because it's only the evidence with you," she said angrily as she wiped at her eyes and spun back to John. "Tell me something, what are you going to do? Huh? When he wants money that I don't have in exchange for my daughter, what am I going to give him? I don't have access to a trust fund now. I haven't picked up a cue stick in years. . . My friends think I might have. . . and my husband. . .Oh, G-d, I can't even call him that can I?" she asked as she started to fall to the ground.

"I'll pull every string I can, Natalie," McBaine said softly.

"Will you? That's reassuring," she answered as she looked up at him and the door opened.

[All of this I, I cant believe I couldnt see
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me]

Stepping into the room, Catherine looked at them all in confusion as Gregg came up behind her. "I've got something," he said stiffly from the doorway.

"What?" Natalie asked as she pushed to her feet.

"It's not good."

"Some of the blood was hers too, wasn't it?" at Gregg's nod Natalie's legs started to waver, but Grissom and Jim caught her before she could collapse.

"If it's any consolation, it's from the smaller samples. She hasn't lost a lot," Gregg tried to reassure.

"At least not then."

"Come on, we're taking a break from this," Catherine said as she moved towards the younger woman.

"Yeah, because I can take a break from my life. Oh, wait, it isn't really my life is it?" she asked looking towards John. "Tell whose is it at the moment?"

"Don't go there."

"Why not? Tell me why not. Tell me who the hell I am right now. Can you? I mean, MJ Brown's an illusion that you made. Your Pygmalion. You must be so proud. Still using me for bait. That's the real reason you came to Las Vegas. Not some anonymous tip. You never could tell the truth."

"I'm telling it now. I didn't know. I wouldn't use you for bait. I had wanted to I could've during the Music Box Killings."

"And the fact that you didn't is probably my fault too. I mean, if you had used me what? Gabrielle would be alive? Flash would have her career? You would have gotten him sooner right? If I wasn't involved. I mean, I was a distraction right? The merry widow you were indebted to, only I wasn't a widower after all."

Looking over at the other men, Gregg raised an eyebrow as Catherine voiced the question they both had: "you two following this?"

"Unfortunately," Jim muttered.

I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything

[Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul]
{Don't let me die here}{You Must Accept The Fall}
Bring me to life

Grissom moved over to Natalie and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't," he said softly. "This isn't helping."

"Nothing's going to," she said angrily as she pulled away from him, and turned to him. "How did you. . .?"

"I would've pushed off the name thing, except for something Nick said," Grissom admitted as he started to move her to a chair and signaled the others to leave them alone.

"Come on, McBaine, I've got some questions for you," Brass said.

"And I've got some calls to make to get them for you."

"You weren't on it from the time you saw the sketch?"

"I'm waiting for returns."

"Nick? I don't understand," Natalie started as she sat down in the chair, unaware of the fact that the room was emptying

"He didn't trust McBaine because of something that a friend of his said."

"I still don't. . ."

"He said that McBaine got the guy's sister and brother-in-law killed. Their names were Natalie and Christian, and since I saw him call you something else, I went with the evidence and made a hypothesis."

Natalie laughed hollowly, "you should play hunches more often, Gris. You're good at them. Ironic isn't it?"

"Not really. Catherine had felt you were hiding something, but I never thought. . ."

"Who would? Who could? I really didn't have anything to do with what happened. Not that way."

"I know that."

"He was coming after me. He had to have been. I shouldn't have switched cars. Shouldn't have let Rick talk me into going to the doctor's. He was just being overprotective and then this happens. . ." she shook her head.

"We still haven't gotten a ransom demand. . ." Grissom started as the door opened and Jim walked in, a piece of paper in his hand.

"Spoken a bit too soon," Jim interrupted, causing Natalie to look up as he held out a clear plastic bag containing a piece of paper.

Swallowing, Natalie took it from him: "We might be able to get some money from evidence. . ." he suggested as she read over the note. "But I'm not comfortable about the hand off."

"It's not your choice," she said sadly. "Even with money from evidence. . . even if I called Marco and asked him. . ." she shook her head.

"What about your family?" Grissom asked.

"Aside from the fact that they think she's dead?" Jim wondered.

"I can't. . . my family life was. . .I can't even explain. . ." she sighed. "But. . ."

"But what?"

"I can't not. . .I just. . . I can't face all of them. I'm not sure I can face any of them. . . But I need to don't I, if I'm going to be able to save Tina?"

The two men traded guarded looks, "Gris, you said Nick knew my family, right?"

"You'd know better than I would."

"No. No I wouldn't. I didn't know them till I was in college. If they knew Nick, I never met him."

"Then yeah. I did."

"Can you? Can you ask him if he'd try to call Joe for me, not tell him why? Just convince him to come here?"

"Joe?"

"Yeah. I assumed. . ."

"He said the guy's name was Kevin."

"No. . . No, I can't face Kevin. . . he's too judgmental. Joey. . . Joey I can deal with."

"Then I'll ask him, but are you sure you don't want to do it yourself?"

"How would you feel if you got a call from you dead sister?"

"Point taken. I'll ask him," Grissom said as he rose.

"Ask who what?" Catherine asked from the door.

"It doesn't matter."

"I'm on this case too, you know. You don't share you're off. It's dayshift's especially if I think you're covering for someone," she shot back testily.

"I'll explain later."

"You better," she sighed as she looked at Natalie, "why don't you come with me and get cleaned up a bit. I'll drive you back to the hospital."

"You don't have to. . ." Natalie started.

"I'm supposed to clock out for a meal. I'd prefer not to eat alone and I know you well enough to know that the only way you're going to eat through this thing is if one of us forces you too. Besides, I'd like to check on Warrick too." Catherine answered.

Shaking her head, Natalie conceded the older woman's point. . .

[wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside
[Save me] Call my name and save me from the dark
[Wake me up] Bid my blood to run
[I can't wake up] Before I come undone
[Save me] Save me from the nothing I've become

"Not what you were expecting, was it?" Jim asked after the two women left the room.

"Not even close. I better go find Nick, get the ball rolling on this and find out what the hell McBaine knows and doesn't. I'm not losing any of them if I can help it," Grissom answered shaking his head as he exited the room.

"You think she's still alive?"

"I don't have evidence telling me otherwise."

Bring me to life
[I've been living a lie.. Theres nothing inside]
Bring me to life

On the other side of town, Christian continued painting himself into another man's life and family to the sound of a little girl crying herself to sleep. . .

song credit: Bring Me To Life

Author's notes: before anyone asks, no the doctor isn't Al. Going back to when I first started watching OLTL Max had a brother Steve who died. He was engaged at the time and she later had their son, hence Dr. Steve Holden.