A/N: This is it. Don't blink or you'll miss it; the case wraps up quickly, I'll admit. In my defense, I will say that the story was never meant to be a case file. My main interest was always the characters and not the case; I wanted to put three of my favourite characters together and that's exactly what I did. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.
*
"What are you smiling about?" Tony asked Sara, as they sat in the dark car.
"Well, two things," she admitted, as she poured some coffee from a thermos. "First, this is my second night on a stake-out. I'd never been on a stake-out before."
"I feel a bit guilty," he admitted, and seeing her look, continued. "This is your last night in Bradfield. I'm sure it's not quite the way you envisioned things when you first arrived."
She smiled broadly and shook her head. "It's okay. This is kinda cool."
"Kinda cool," Tony repeated, rolling the words around in his mouth. "Hmmm. And what was the second thing you were thinking?"
"I keep trying to imagine Don in that little… flat."
He took the coffee Sara offered and conceded a smile. "Technically, that is a duplex, since it has an upstairs. But I see your point; the proverbial bull in a china shop."
They looked up the street, a small block of brick boxes in a quiet suburb where Sian Pembry lived. Earlier that day Carol and Don had visited her and attempted to explain the situation in the least alarming way possible. After several exclamations of shocked disbelief, accompanied by repeated affirmations that they were indeed serious, she was mollified by Carol's assurances that she wouldn't be left alone for a moment, until the attacker was caught. Two plain-clothes officers kept watch from the street for the entire afternoon, and a female officer was posted inside the miniscule dwelling.
The night shift was an almost carbon copy of that set-up, with Kevin in his own car at the far end of the street and Don accompanying Carol inside. Tony and Sara kept unofficial watch from his car, a little way down the road
"Can I get you any more tea?" Sian nervously asked Don.
"Ah, no thank you, miss, I'm fine." He fidgeted as he sat in the tiny chair. Under other circumstances, Carol might have laughed out loud at his discomfiture.
The endless supply of tea was beginning to take its toll. As much as he didn't want to leave his watch for a second, he could hold it no longer.
"Can you tell me where the loo is?"
"What?" she asked. "Oh. The loo. Here, let me show you."
As she started up the stairs, Don turned to Carol and whispered, "It's not like you'd need a bloody map in this mouse house."
Carol pressed down her smile and jerked her head towards the stairs. "Go on."
Just as Don slipped out of sight, Carol's radio crackled to life. "D.I. Jordan, he's coming up the steps now. I repeat, he's coming up the steps!" Kevin relayed urgently.
The doorbell rang and though she stood up, Carol made no move to answer it. Glancing up the stairs, she muttered, "What the bloody hell is Don doing up there?"
The bell rang again.
She hesitated. Answer the door by herself or wait for Don to come back down?
The bell rang again, forcing her decision. She crossed quickly to the door; unlatching the lock she swung the door open.
A stocky man, matching the photo of Alan McGregor from his DVLA file, stood on the step. Cold brown eyes looked down at her from under a thatch of sandy blonde hair but he greeted her with a smile. "Sian Pembry?"
At that moment, his intended target chose to come down the stairs. McGregor's eyes narrowed for a moment, shifting from Carol, to Sian, then back again. In that split second, Carol knew it was over.
Later, everyone would tell how it all seemed to unfold in slow motion.
In the blink of an eye, McGregor pushed Carol back into the narrow entranceway and took off like a shot. Glancing up the street to where he had parked his car, he saw Kevin barreling down the sidewalk on foot. Turning on a dime, he fled in the opposite direction. Kevin quickly weighed his options and ran back towards his own vehicle.
"He's coming your way, Dr. Hill," Kevin barked into his hand-held.
"Oh, Christ," Tony groaned, seeing events unfold before Sara even opened the car door. And yet he was still a step behind her as they gave chase down the lonely street, her long legs eating up the distance.
"Stop running!" Sara yelled, but McGregor's only indication of acknowledging her command was a nervous glance over his shoulder.
"Yes, please stop running," Tony gasped as he struggled to keep up.
In the house, Carol scrambled to her feet, yelled for Don and gave chase.
Thudding down the stairs, Don ordered Sian to lock the door behind him, and the big man surprised himself with a burst of speed down the street.
The disjointed thunder of feet echoed out over the otherwise silent street as they hurtled after McGregor. At last, a long slender arm reached out, stretching just far enough to clutch a handful of his coat as it blew out behind him. Letting the laws of physics take their inevitable course, Sara stopped running and twisted as she dropped to the ground, yanking McGregor around with her. Literally throwing him against the curb, he landed with a sickening thud where he lay motionless. Winded by the fall, she was just picking herself up as Tony breathlessly caught up.
"Are you all right?" he asked, his arm around her as she bent over at the waist, nursing her shoulder.
Two deep gulps of air and she responded. "Yeah. Yeah. But ask me again in the morning." Looking down at the now groaning body on the ground, she added, "I told him to stop running."
Tony mirrored her bent position and took a few deep breaths of his own before answering, "That you did."
Her feet nearly screeching to a halt, Carol took in the scene. "Right," was all she could manage and she placed her hands on her knees.
Don was five steps behind her and promptly sat down on the curb. "I hope to bloody hell he's not going anywhere."
"We should probably check his head for injuries," Sara suggested, her breathing slowly returning to normal.
"Yeah, sure," Don panted, but made no effort to move.
The slam of a car door caught everyone's attention, and Kevin ambled onto the scene. "Aren't you all a sad looking lot?" he said with a grin.
"Piss off," Don moaned.
"So what do we have here, then?" Kevin asked.
"Trouble," Sara answered. "Big trouble. I've just caused six months worth of red tape for all of us. American criminalist involved in British arrest."
Kevin scratched his temple and smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about, miss. That's not the way I saw it." Four heads turned to look at him. "As an officer of the law, I saw a Good Samaritan risk her life to aid in the capture of a highly dangerous and fleeing criminal."
Carol tilted her head, seeing the younger man in a new light. "My, my, Kev. I didn't realize you were so adept at avoiding the shit hitting the fan."
"How do you think I've kept my job as long as I have, guv?" he grinned. "Christ, the way I see it, they'll give her a medal."
"I'm ready to give her one myself," Don said as he finally found the energy to walk over to injured criminal and click the handcuffs on him.
"I'd be happy with another vacation," Sara joked, the adrenaline of the last ten minutes finally ebbing away.
"Anywhere but Bradfield, eh?" Carol joined in.
Looking at Tony, she nudged him good-naturedly with her shoulder. "Nah. Bradfield's pretty okay."
Tony smiled at her, returning her warmth. Then making a pained face, he said, "I don't suppose you could carry me back to the car?"
*
"That was quick," Tony remarked, as Sara emerged from the spare room, bag in hand.
"The advantage of travelling light," she quipped. "Only takes a second to pack."
"In that much of a hurry to get out of Bradfield, are you?" His smile softened his mock accusation.
Although his comment didn't require a reply she shook her head and looked around. "No." She said sadly, "I'm really gong to miss this place."
"You're always welcome."
"Thank you." She paused then smirked, "But I think it might take me a while to recover from Don's long goodbye."
Tony shook his head. "Poor Don. He's going to be inconsolable for days."
They both laughed at the memory of her farewells at the station. Don had greeted her at the office door, brimming with excitement.
"Well, if it isn't our Hero of the Day!" he smiled.
"Heroine," Carol corrected. "Hello, Sara. How are you?"
"Good. Great. How are you?"
"Fantastic now that word's come down on our Mr. McGregor. The Magistrate informed us this morning that he would be remanded without bail and it looks like the CPS will be going for the maximum sentence at trial. He figures the DNA results along with the amount of circumstantial evidence we already had should be enough to ensure a conviction."
"Not to mention the chloroform we found in his jacket," Kevin added.
"That's great," Sara beamed.
"I put your name in for a special recognition award," Don said.
"What?"
Carol nodded. "Yeah, we all submitted your name for a local Samaritan award. It was Don's idea."
Sara felt her eyes fill. Standing on tip-toes, she reached up and gave the big man a heartfelt hug. "Aw, thank you."
He pulled back and gave a shy grin. "Ah, it was nothing. You deserve it."
"Too bad I won't be here to accept it," she lamented.
Don frowned. "What do you mean?"
"My flight leaves tonight. I'm leaving for London later this afternoon. I just came to say goodbye."
"Ah, hell," Kevin groaned. "You didn't even get a chance to look at my car."
She slapped the young man on the shoulder. "I'd say I'll check it next time, but I'm not sure when I'll be back."
"You're always welcome," Carol said. "I wish I could drive back to London with you," she smiled. "It's not right to send you off without an appropriate fanfare at the departure gate."
"Well, think of it this way, by not driving back with me, you'll avoid the near-death experience of me trying to remember which side of the road I'm supposed to be on."
Carol laughed. "Ah, you'll be missed, Sara." She stepped forward and gave her a warm embrace. "Remember what I said about that stick," she whispered into her ear.
Sara grinned and whispered back, "I will. It was so good to meet you."
Kevin butted in. "Well, if we're handing out free feels…"
"Hands above the waist, Kev," Tony warned.
"Killjoy," he accused the psychologist. But he did as he was told and offered a platonic hug.
"Well, Don," Sara invited and was alarmed by the intensity of his embrace. She gave a huge laugh.
"Injuries, Don, injuries," Tony called out.
"Oh, right, sorry," he apologized and brushed the sleeves of her jacket down.
"I'm leaving you in charge of my award," she told him. "You better make sure it gets to me."
"It'll get to you if I have to hand-deliver it myself," he promised.
"Could you picture Don in Las Vegas?" Carol wondered, and they all laughed.
"I thought Don was going to cry right there on the spot," Tony said, remembering the farewell.
"Me, too," Sara admitted with a smile. "Poor guy."
"Don't be surprised if he does hand-deliver that award."
"Well, if he doesn't, maybe you could."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Now, what would Dr. Grissom say if I showed up on the doorstep of your lab?"
Sara's mouth twitched. "He'd wonder who died this time."
"What odd lives we lead," he pondered with a tilt of his head. "Hmmm. Anyway," he said, returning his attention to Sara, "you ready to go?"
She patted her jacket. "Passport, ticket, keys." She patted her pockets again. "Keys. Have you seen my keys?"
He held them up. "I've got them." When she reached out for them, he shook his head. "Come on," he said and gestured towards the door. He grabbed his jacket and followed her down the stairs.
Once outside, he unlocked her trunk and placed her bag inside. Sara looked down at her shoes.
"I hate good-byes," she said.
"Well, then wait until we get to the airport before you say it," he suggested in return.
Glancing up in surprise, she could only manage to say, "What?"
"I'm not one to test Fate more than I have to, Sara," he explained, dead-panned. "You driving from London to Bradfield without incurring any damage was enough."
"You're driving me to the airport?"
"Why not? It's a nice drive."
"It's three hours. And how will you get back?"
"I'll take the train. I've always wanted to take in the countryside."
"At ten o'clock at night?" she asked.
"Are you always this difficult?" When he got no response, he wryly added, "Besides, three hours in a car with me should prepare you for your ride back to Las Vegas."
She gave him a look that would burn through steel. "Get in the car."
*
They stood at the departure gate, neither one wanting to speak first. It was the announcement of her flight that prodded both of them.
"That's…" she said.
"Well…" he said, at the same time.
They both laughed and before their laughter died, Tony stepped forward and embraced her warmly. "The key's under the second potted plant on the left," he whispered. "Just in case I leave you on the steps again."
She smiled against his ear. "I'll just ask Carol for hers." They pulled back and Sara wiped her eyes. "Damn, I didn't think I'd cry." She looked up into his blue gaze. "I'm going to miss you."
"You're just saying that because I've loaded you up to your gills in alcohol."
She gave a lazy grin. "I can't believe you kept ordering all those drinks for me," she accused.
"I can't believe you kept drinking them," he remarked. "Carol will be proud you got that send-off she spoke of." He looked around the airport. "Did you play that game when you were a child? I believe it was called, 'Tag'."
Nodding, she answered, "Yeah. You touch someone, and they're 'It', then it's their turn to make someone else 'It'."
"Right," he said.
"Why?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel like we're playing that game. Twice we've gone our separate ways, and twice it's been at an airport. It's like we're handing off the next game to the other person."
She smiled again, but quickly got serious. "I am going to miss you, Tony." She stepped forward and hugged him again.
"I know it's an odd thing to say considering the distance, but don't be a stranger, Sara." He leaned back and put his hands on her shoulders. "It wouldn't be the same without you."
She cupped his face with her hands and softly kissed him on the lips. It didn't speak of passion or amorous intent; it was merely one of heartfelt affection. She then bent down and hefted her bag over her shoulder. She laughed when she noticed his eyes were still closed in silent repose.
"I'm leaving now," she announced.
"Hmmm? Oh, right," he said. "Good-bye, Sara."
"Good-bye, Tony." And as much as she didn't want to do it, she began walking away.
"Call me when you get in!" he called after her.
She gave a thumbs-up, then a thought occurred to her and she ran towards him. Startled by her actions, he didn't move. She got within arms reach and slapped him on the shoulder. Giving him one final grin, she said, "You're 'It'," before jogging towards the gate.
*
Despite the crowd of people waiting in the arrivals area, the only person she really saw was Grissom. A huge smile spread across her face and she all but ran to meet him. Slowing down a few feet in front of him, she attempted to reign in her joy as much as possible, but nothing would remove the smile.
"Hey," she greeted.
"Hey yourself," he returned. Seeing her in such a mood was a surprise to him. "Sleep deprivation?" he ventured.
"What? Oh," she realized what he was implying. "No, I actually slept most of the way."
"You? Slept? For almost ten hours?"
"Yeah! Can you believe it? The fact that Tony plied me with liquor at the Heathrow bar as a big send-off might have had something to do with it," she admitted with a grin.
"You're drunk!"
"No, not now. Not really. No." She paused. "Maybe a little. High altitude."
He shook his head and picked up her bag. "Come on. We'll go get some coffee. You can tell me all about your trip."
"It was great," she said. "I had a great time."
"You look like you did. And I don't just mean the booze."
She lightly punched his arm. "You should try it sometime."
"What? Booze or a vacation?" he asked playfully.
"Well, I wouldn't discount the first one, but I think you'd enjoy a vacation more."
Grissom looked like he was giving it some serious thought. "Maybe I'll go with you next time." He took great pleasure in the look of surprise on her face. He started walking away and turned around to find her still rooted on the spot in surprise. He couldn't help but laugh. "Come on. You're going to tell me all about this trip." When she joined him at his side, he said, "So, what did you do?"
They began walking down the hall, shoulders bumping. "Well," she began, "I went on a double-decker bus." He nodded. "Went to the Science Museum."
"Oh, how was that?" he asked, curious.
"It was really cool!" she exclaimed. "Though I got a few looks when I tried to refute one of their experiments."
He laughed. "That's my girl." She bumped into his shoulder again. "What else did you do?"
"Hmmmm… what else?" She thought pensively. "Oh, right. I helped solve a murder investigation."
He stopped in his tracks and Sara turned with an amused grin. "You did what?"
She started walking backwards, encouraging him to continue forward. "I helped Tony and Carol solve a murder investigation." She saw the look of amazement in his eyes. "I did! I have bruises to prove it! They're sending me an award and everything."
"You're drunk," Grissom sighed.
"I'm a heroine!" she corrected with a laugh. "Want to hear about it?" she teased.
Realizing she was serious, he narrowed his eyes in a mock scowl. "You know I do."
She affected a passable English accent and hooked her arm in his. "Well, come on then."
*
end.