Chapter two for your enjoyment. Thanks for the reviews so far - keep them
coming! - *You will review my work...you will review my work* Everybody
now! *You will review my work.*
*****
Chapter Two - Distant Voices
The room was shadow cast - moonlight shimmered slightly through the gaps in the curtains but light was flooding the room from the open door where Brass was standing, on the phone. He cast a stern look down to the illuminated floor where two of his officers were standing over the still form of a man. He was laying face up, blood was covering the front of his shirt and pooling out slightly on the floor around him. The sound of an ambulance was heard off in the distance.
*****
Hearing the ambulance brought Catherine back to reality.
"Catherine?"
She heard Brass say.
"Jim - Jade's here - "
She dropped the phone as she full reality hit her and ran full tilt out of the room and down the corridors to the break room. She stopped sharply just inside the door to the break room causing Warrick to stand quickly in shock.
"Hey Catherine slow down, you almost gave me a heart attack!"
He stopped talking at the look on her face; her eyes were tear filled and she was pale. Jade stood, a sense of dread spreading over her like a shadow as Catherine look at her.
"What; what is it?"
Catherine took a breath.
"There's been an incident."
Jade had a bad feeling she knew what was coming and she felt her hands shaking.
"Grissom's been shot."
Jade let out a shaky sigh and tried to remain composed. Warrick looked stunned.
"What?!"
He exclaimed.
"How bad?"
Jade asked calmly. Calmer than she felt.
"He took two in the chest, one in the stomach."
Catherine's voice sounded forced. Jade's composure weakened dramatically and a voice whispered frantically in her mind.
*Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.*
Catherine continued to talk.
"He should be at Desert Palm in a few minutes. Brass is with him."
Jade was unable to get her legs moving. Every muscle in her body was paralysed in shock and she had a dazed expression on her face as she tried to process the information.
*Grissom's been shot, shot, two in the chest, taken to Desert Palm, one in the stomach, Grissom's been shot, Grissom, shot, Brass is with him, an incident, shot, Grissom...Gil Grissom - *
She could hear Warrick calling to her but his voice sounded distant, far away. Nothing seemed real and all she could think of was Gil. She bolted from the room. It took a moment for the others to react but Warrick and Catherine were soon hot on her heels. She ran down the corridors and out to her car where she frantically fumbled with her car keys but couldn't get them in the lock, her hands were shaking so much. Warrick reached her, the most composed of the three and gently took them off her. He told her that he'd drive and he unlocked the car and they all jumped in. The tires squeaked and he burnt rubber as he shot out of the car park and down the road towards the hospital.
Catherine looked at Jade who looked stricken. Just how Catherine was feeling.
*****
Brass was standing in the corridor staring at a door when he turned to see Catherine, Warrick and Jade power walking towards him.
"How is he?"
Catherine asked immediately. Brass looked at Jade who was staring at the blood on his shirt.
"They're working on him now." He leaned into Catherine and added quietly. "It doesn't look good."
Catherine kept herself composed and nodded silently.
The doors that Brass had been looking at suddenly opened and a trolley pushed out with nurses and doctors surrounding him. Jade recognised the doctor heading towards Brass.
"Jack!"
Dr, Jack Martin looked at her and gave her a smile.
"Jade - I didn't know you were back."
"How is he?"
She asked frantically. Jack's expression went serious.
"We're taking him up to surgery. He's weak but stable. Jade...I can't tell you that he's gonna be okay."
He told her gently. Jade nodded and stared down at the floor.
"Thanks Doc." Brass replied. "Where can we wait?"
"There's a waiting room at the end of the corridor, and you can get coffee up there and to the left."
He said pointing, then he jogged off down the corridor himself. For a moment they were silent and still, then Catherine spoke.
"I'd better call Nick and Sara - I haven't had the chance."
Warrick and Brass nodded while Jade stared down the corridor.
"And I'd better get back out there - whoever it was killed the officer watching outside. Call me when you hear anything."
Brass headed back down the corridor with Catherine. Warrick turned to Jade.
"Come on honey." Warrick said. "Let's go and sit in the waiting room.
*****
"I can't believe this is happening."
Sara said quietly. Nick and Greg looked at her, having been thinking the same thing.
"Did Catherine say anything else?"
Sara asked Nick, who had taken the call.
"No. Just that we were to drop the case we're on and process the scene of Grissom's...the scene of the crime."
Sara took a breath.
"How can she expect us to carry on as if nothing's happened!"
"Hey..." Nick said gently but with slight force. "Remember what Gris always says about personal stuff getting in the way of work. We're gonna go and process this scene like any other scene."
"And what about Grissom?"
"Catherine said she'd be back as soon as she hears anything."
"And Warrick?"
"Catherine's gonna get him to stay with Jade. She's gonna need someone."
"Oh poor Jade."
Greg suddenly spoke up. The others looked at him as he looked up from the table.
"She was so looking forward to telling Grissom how she'd done in her Ph.D. It's just not right."
He stood and walked out of the room.
"Come on - let's get going."
Nick said, standing. Sara took a breath, nodded, then followed him out.
*****
Back at the hospital Catherine was sitting holding Jade's hand while Warrick was pacing. Two hours had gone past, Brass had called twice and Nick and Sara were back at HQ processing the information they'd found at the scene.
Jade was staring at the door but wasn't really looking at anything. The world was feeling very far away - all sounds were distant and distorted and she couldn't seem to focus her eyes properly. She took a deep breath which caused a look from Catherine. She tried to focus on Catherine but her eyes and body just weren't listening - it was as if she was not completely in this universe, like she was caught between two worlds and didn't really belong anywhere. But she managed a small smile at Catherine just to let her know she was coping. Was she coping? Jade couldn't tell.
It felt like forever had passed for the trio when finally the door opened and Jade's friend entered. Jade stood quickly, letting go of Catherine's hand. The doctor reached her and made her sit down next to him, his expression serious.
"Tell me straight, Jack."
She commanded him.
"He's in the ICU. He's on life support, but there was massive internal bleeding. I'm not sure if we've saved him life...of just prolonged it for a few hours."
She nodded numbly. Catherine and Warrick looked like they were taking the news worse than Jade. Warrick continued his pacing, while Catherine's eyes welled up again and she took a few deep breaths to get rid of the lump in her throat.
"I wanna see him."
"Sure, but only for a few minutes - and just you."
"No. I want Warrick and Catherine with me."
"I'm sorry Jade - it's relatives only."
"They're his closest friends. We're all one huge family. Please Jack. I need them with me."
She finished quietly. Jack looked at her for a moment, then relented.
"Okay, but only for a few minutes."
"Thank you."
She stood. Jack led them up to ICU and showed them to Grissom's room. Jade entered but stopped quickly just inside the door. Monitors were surrounding the bed - wires, IV lines and tubes were running all around the room, going from Grissom's arms, chest, mouth and fingers, to the monitors - the place look hectic.
*Gil would hate this, there's no order.*
Jade though with a pain in her heart. There was a gentle beeping in the background of his heart and the sound of his breathing made louder by the tube down his throat. He was bare-chested, the only thing covering him was a blanket around his waist and the bandages. One was covering a large section of his abdomen, one on his left side just below the bottom rib, and one on his chest. There was blood stains seeping through them.
Jade reached back, searching for a comforting hand. Warrick grabbed it and squeezed it. Catherine placed a hand on Jade's shoulder, not just for Jade but also for her own strength. Jade gave Warrick's hand a needy squeeze to tell him she needed him there, then released it and carefully moved forward until she reached the bed. The gentle humming of the monitors in the background telling her that he was in fact alive. She looked down at him, saw his hand and delicately picked it up and cradled it against herself with both hands. For a while she was silent, just watching his gentle features, then she spoke quietly and calmly.
"Do you remember when I was eight and I saw Superman for the first time. They were showing it at the multiplex. Dad was away and couldn't take me so you did. After, I told you that I wanted to be like Lois Lane because I wanted to fly with Superman like she did...You lifted me onto your shoulder on my front and you 'flew' me all the way home. I remember like it was yesterday."
A small smile played across her lips for a second, then was gone.
"From that moment you were my Superman...I always thought you were indestructible."
Her lip started to quiver as she said this and she knew that she'd been wrong.
"You can't leave me. I don't think I can..." Her voice started to go. "I can't go through all that again." Her eyes welled up. "I can't lose another father. Please Gil..."
She closed her eyes and looked down, trying not to cry out loud, but her body started to shake with sobs. She felt strong hands grab hold of her shoulders. She bent down and kissed Gil's hand, then lowered it back onto the blankets. She turned into Warrick's embrace and gripped the front of his shirt with both her hands, hiding her face by his collar bone. He wrapped his arms around her tightly for a moment. He glanced at Catherine who's eyes were also filled with tears and gestured that he was going to take her outside. Catherine nodded. Warrick released his grip slightly and turned to lead her out of the room, one arm still around her waist and she leaned against him.
Catherine moved over to Grissom's bed. She looked down at him, remembering everything she ever knew about him. His love of reading, bugs, riding roller coasters, his fish board, the way he thought, the way he was protective over his CSI's even though he sometimes didn't show it. She took a breath.
"When I first met you...you were...I found you fascinating. You knew so much, you taught me so much. I tried to instil that feeling you gave me about the job into every CSI I've worked with. I even managed to persuade Holly to stay for that first case because I knew that when she'd solved it she would feel like King Kong on cocaine. That's the feeling you gave me."
She looked across the room and out of the window.
"And when Holly died...If I hadn't have gotten her to stay she'd still be alive. Since then, I've had this, this cloud over my head about protecting everyone around me - you, Sara, Nick, Warrick and now Jade...I didn't want it to happen to any of you either."
She looked back down at him.
"This has been my nightmare ever since that day." Her lips thinned and a determined look crossed her face. "I'm gonna find out who did this...and I'm gonna make it their nightmare."
*****
Well? I know it's going quite fast but that's how I've planned it? Comments more than welcome.
*****
Chapter Two - Distant Voices
The room was shadow cast - moonlight shimmered slightly through the gaps in the curtains but light was flooding the room from the open door where Brass was standing, on the phone. He cast a stern look down to the illuminated floor where two of his officers were standing over the still form of a man. He was laying face up, blood was covering the front of his shirt and pooling out slightly on the floor around him. The sound of an ambulance was heard off in the distance.
*****
Hearing the ambulance brought Catherine back to reality.
"Catherine?"
She heard Brass say.
"Jim - Jade's here - "
She dropped the phone as she full reality hit her and ran full tilt out of the room and down the corridors to the break room. She stopped sharply just inside the door to the break room causing Warrick to stand quickly in shock.
"Hey Catherine slow down, you almost gave me a heart attack!"
He stopped talking at the look on her face; her eyes were tear filled and she was pale. Jade stood, a sense of dread spreading over her like a shadow as Catherine look at her.
"What; what is it?"
Catherine took a breath.
"There's been an incident."
Jade had a bad feeling she knew what was coming and she felt her hands shaking.
"Grissom's been shot."
Jade let out a shaky sigh and tried to remain composed. Warrick looked stunned.
"What?!"
He exclaimed.
"How bad?"
Jade asked calmly. Calmer than she felt.
"He took two in the chest, one in the stomach."
Catherine's voice sounded forced. Jade's composure weakened dramatically and a voice whispered frantically in her mind.
*Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.*
Catherine continued to talk.
"He should be at Desert Palm in a few minutes. Brass is with him."
Jade was unable to get her legs moving. Every muscle in her body was paralysed in shock and she had a dazed expression on her face as she tried to process the information.
*Grissom's been shot, shot, two in the chest, taken to Desert Palm, one in the stomach, Grissom's been shot, Grissom, shot, Brass is with him, an incident, shot, Grissom...Gil Grissom - *
She could hear Warrick calling to her but his voice sounded distant, far away. Nothing seemed real and all she could think of was Gil. She bolted from the room. It took a moment for the others to react but Warrick and Catherine were soon hot on her heels. She ran down the corridors and out to her car where she frantically fumbled with her car keys but couldn't get them in the lock, her hands were shaking so much. Warrick reached her, the most composed of the three and gently took them off her. He told her that he'd drive and he unlocked the car and they all jumped in. The tires squeaked and he burnt rubber as he shot out of the car park and down the road towards the hospital.
Catherine looked at Jade who looked stricken. Just how Catherine was feeling.
*****
Brass was standing in the corridor staring at a door when he turned to see Catherine, Warrick and Jade power walking towards him.
"How is he?"
Catherine asked immediately. Brass looked at Jade who was staring at the blood on his shirt.
"They're working on him now." He leaned into Catherine and added quietly. "It doesn't look good."
Catherine kept herself composed and nodded silently.
The doors that Brass had been looking at suddenly opened and a trolley pushed out with nurses and doctors surrounding him. Jade recognised the doctor heading towards Brass.
"Jack!"
Dr, Jack Martin looked at her and gave her a smile.
"Jade - I didn't know you were back."
"How is he?"
She asked frantically. Jack's expression went serious.
"We're taking him up to surgery. He's weak but stable. Jade...I can't tell you that he's gonna be okay."
He told her gently. Jade nodded and stared down at the floor.
"Thanks Doc." Brass replied. "Where can we wait?"
"There's a waiting room at the end of the corridor, and you can get coffee up there and to the left."
He said pointing, then he jogged off down the corridor himself. For a moment they were silent and still, then Catherine spoke.
"I'd better call Nick and Sara - I haven't had the chance."
Warrick and Brass nodded while Jade stared down the corridor.
"And I'd better get back out there - whoever it was killed the officer watching outside. Call me when you hear anything."
Brass headed back down the corridor with Catherine. Warrick turned to Jade.
"Come on honey." Warrick said. "Let's go and sit in the waiting room.
*****
"I can't believe this is happening."
Sara said quietly. Nick and Greg looked at her, having been thinking the same thing.
"Did Catherine say anything else?"
Sara asked Nick, who had taken the call.
"No. Just that we were to drop the case we're on and process the scene of Grissom's...the scene of the crime."
Sara took a breath.
"How can she expect us to carry on as if nothing's happened!"
"Hey..." Nick said gently but with slight force. "Remember what Gris always says about personal stuff getting in the way of work. We're gonna go and process this scene like any other scene."
"And what about Grissom?"
"Catherine said she'd be back as soon as she hears anything."
"And Warrick?"
"Catherine's gonna get him to stay with Jade. She's gonna need someone."
"Oh poor Jade."
Greg suddenly spoke up. The others looked at him as he looked up from the table.
"She was so looking forward to telling Grissom how she'd done in her Ph.D. It's just not right."
He stood and walked out of the room.
"Come on - let's get going."
Nick said, standing. Sara took a breath, nodded, then followed him out.
*****
Back at the hospital Catherine was sitting holding Jade's hand while Warrick was pacing. Two hours had gone past, Brass had called twice and Nick and Sara were back at HQ processing the information they'd found at the scene.
Jade was staring at the door but wasn't really looking at anything. The world was feeling very far away - all sounds were distant and distorted and she couldn't seem to focus her eyes properly. She took a deep breath which caused a look from Catherine. She tried to focus on Catherine but her eyes and body just weren't listening - it was as if she was not completely in this universe, like she was caught between two worlds and didn't really belong anywhere. But she managed a small smile at Catherine just to let her know she was coping. Was she coping? Jade couldn't tell.
It felt like forever had passed for the trio when finally the door opened and Jade's friend entered. Jade stood quickly, letting go of Catherine's hand. The doctor reached her and made her sit down next to him, his expression serious.
"Tell me straight, Jack."
She commanded him.
"He's in the ICU. He's on life support, but there was massive internal bleeding. I'm not sure if we've saved him life...of just prolonged it for a few hours."
She nodded numbly. Catherine and Warrick looked like they were taking the news worse than Jade. Warrick continued his pacing, while Catherine's eyes welled up again and she took a few deep breaths to get rid of the lump in her throat.
"I wanna see him."
"Sure, but only for a few minutes - and just you."
"No. I want Warrick and Catherine with me."
"I'm sorry Jade - it's relatives only."
"They're his closest friends. We're all one huge family. Please Jack. I need them with me."
She finished quietly. Jack looked at her for a moment, then relented.
"Okay, but only for a few minutes."
"Thank you."
She stood. Jack led them up to ICU and showed them to Grissom's room. Jade entered but stopped quickly just inside the door. Monitors were surrounding the bed - wires, IV lines and tubes were running all around the room, going from Grissom's arms, chest, mouth and fingers, to the monitors - the place look hectic.
*Gil would hate this, there's no order.*
Jade though with a pain in her heart. There was a gentle beeping in the background of his heart and the sound of his breathing made louder by the tube down his throat. He was bare-chested, the only thing covering him was a blanket around his waist and the bandages. One was covering a large section of his abdomen, one on his left side just below the bottom rib, and one on his chest. There was blood stains seeping through them.
Jade reached back, searching for a comforting hand. Warrick grabbed it and squeezed it. Catherine placed a hand on Jade's shoulder, not just for Jade but also for her own strength. Jade gave Warrick's hand a needy squeeze to tell him she needed him there, then released it and carefully moved forward until she reached the bed. The gentle humming of the monitors in the background telling her that he was in fact alive. She looked down at him, saw his hand and delicately picked it up and cradled it against herself with both hands. For a while she was silent, just watching his gentle features, then she spoke quietly and calmly.
"Do you remember when I was eight and I saw Superman for the first time. They were showing it at the multiplex. Dad was away and couldn't take me so you did. After, I told you that I wanted to be like Lois Lane because I wanted to fly with Superman like she did...You lifted me onto your shoulder on my front and you 'flew' me all the way home. I remember like it was yesterday."
A small smile played across her lips for a second, then was gone.
"From that moment you were my Superman...I always thought you were indestructible."
Her lip started to quiver as she said this and she knew that she'd been wrong.
"You can't leave me. I don't think I can..." Her voice started to go. "I can't go through all that again." Her eyes welled up. "I can't lose another father. Please Gil..."
She closed her eyes and looked down, trying not to cry out loud, but her body started to shake with sobs. She felt strong hands grab hold of her shoulders. She bent down and kissed Gil's hand, then lowered it back onto the blankets. She turned into Warrick's embrace and gripped the front of his shirt with both her hands, hiding her face by his collar bone. He wrapped his arms around her tightly for a moment. He glanced at Catherine who's eyes were also filled with tears and gestured that he was going to take her outside. Catherine nodded. Warrick released his grip slightly and turned to lead her out of the room, one arm still around her waist and she leaned against him.
Catherine moved over to Grissom's bed. She looked down at him, remembering everything she ever knew about him. His love of reading, bugs, riding roller coasters, his fish board, the way he thought, the way he was protective over his CSI's even though he sometimes didn't show it. She took a breath.
"When I first met you...you were...I found you fascinating. You knew so much, you taught me so much. I tried to instil that feeling you gave me about the job into every CSI I've worked with. I even managed to persuade Holly to stay for that first case because I knew that when she'd solved it she would feel like King Kong on cocaine. That's the feeling you gave me."
She looked across the room and out of the window.
"And when Holly died...If I hadn't have gotten her to stay she'd still be alive. Since then, I've had this, this cloud over my head about protecting everyone around me - you, Sara, Nick, Warrick and now Jade...I didn't want it to happen to any of you either."
She looked back down at him.
"This has been my nightmare ever since that day." Her lips thinned and a determined look crossed her face. "I'm gonna find out who did this...and I'm gonna make it their nightmare."
*****
Well? I know it's going quite fast but that's how I've planned it? Comments more than welcome.