Ricochet

Author: Stumpycat

Rating: Pg

Category: General/Angst

Spoilers: Before the Shift Spilt up.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Summary: GSR Barrels in a steal walled room with nothing but a flash light and a job to do.

Notes: Thanks to everyone who has sent reviews to my previous story and this one is dedicated to my best friend moggie

Chapter 1

The Break Room

Nick, Warrick, Catherine and Sara were in the break room. Sara was getting herself and Warrick a coffee when Grissom came in with the assignments.

"Hey Griss. What have you got for us?" asked Nick before drinking his rather cold coffee.

"Nice to see you so infused with your work Nick." commented Grissom. "I have them right here." He waved the slips. "Nick and Cath; you have a breaking entering at the Tangiers. Warrick and Sara; you get a 419 at an old warehouse out on I-15. Brass will meet you there."

"What are you gonna be doing?" Catherine asked.

"Well Cath, I'm going to be doing paperwork. If you guys have any queries at all, don't hesitate to call me."

"Ok Griss." said Catherine.

Leaving with their partners for the night to collect coats and kits, they went their separate ways.

"Hey. I'm Driving" Called Sara.

"Yeah, figure that." Scoffed Warrick with a laugh.

"Hey! I'm a good driver."

"Yeah, if you're a rally driver."

While driving to their destination, Sara's phone rang. She listened to Brass as she looked out the window.

"I'm held up at HQ. I'll be with you as soon as I can get away."

"Ok Brass. There should be someone there anyway."

"Just announce yourself and flash your snazzy badge."

Sara grinned. "Ok."

"Be careful Sara. I'll be there soon."

"Ok Brass. I hear you."

"Bye."

"That was the big brass badge." Sara smirked. "He's running late."

Warrick chuckled. "Now why am I not surprised."

Crime Scene Location

They pulled up to the warehouse and searched for the cops. They were waiting for them.

"CSI Sidle and Brown." Warrick made introductions. "We're here about the 4 19."

"Yah, he's through there. You won't miss the smell I tell yah." The office drawled with a slight Texan accent. His spit and polished boots and perfectly ironed uniform gave away two options. He was married and his wife or he lived alone and loved his job.

"The scene secure?" asked Warrick.

"Yah. My partner and I went everywhere I tell yah. I'll radio in an update."

Moving into the large grey building, Sara and Warrick let investigator mode take over. It wasn't long before they came across the dead body, which was, by now, rather decomposed and had long started to smell.

"So Sara, how's things with you now? After that break you had?" Warrick initiated a conversation as they started to catalogue and collect.

"I tell you Warrick, I never felt so good in years. I needed it."

"Well, Grissom was worried about you. I've never seen him so worried. Not in a long time. You know, Sara, he might not show it, but he does care."

Sara sighed. "Yeah. I know Warrick." Checking she had what she could find on her side of the body, she stood. "I'm gonna look around a bit. Be back soon."

Warrick looked up briefly to see which direction she was going. "Watch your back Sara. I don't want Jim Brass breathing down my neck if something happened to you."

Sara rolled her eyes as she walked away. "Yes Dad. I will."

Entering a room surrounded by the cover of darkness, Sara shone her flash light and picked out large steel barrels lining the walls here and there. A pile of crates were resting about eight metres away.

Setting her field kit on the floor at her feet, she took four steps forward with her flash light guiding the way. Before she stepped forward another four, she heard a noise. It sounded like feet scuffing concrete.

She turned around when she realised the sound was coming from behind, expecting Warrick and a teasing grin about to play a prank. Seeing a figure first, then a gun she panicked, which made the intruder panic and shoot off a few rounds.

Sara tried to duck and find cover, but there was no where to go. The room was packed with barrels. The bullets were ricocheting around the room, hitting the concrete floor and throwing up bits and dust. A few hit the stack of wooden crates, sending out splintered wood.

The final few rounds hit the barrels close to Sara where she was trying to curl away and be invisible, for there was no other place to go. She felt a sharp pain, but didn't move. Another sharp pain hit when the last bullet hit the barrel right next to her and ricocheted off, grazing her forehead. She collapsed where she was.

Warrick was still with the dead body when he suddenly thought about the time and about . Hearing gunshots, he sprang to his feet. A minute later he heard the radio of the on scene cop as he ran by.

"My ETA five minutes." Brass' voice crackled.

Warrick left his kit, the evidence and the body to chase after the cop. He grabbed his cell and punched in Brass' number. "Something's wrong." He grunted into the receiver.

"Where's Sara?" asked Brass.

"I don't know." Warrick hung up and slowed down when he reached the officer. Both officer and investigator listened and clicked on their flash lights to shine into the room they stood in. "Sara?"

Warrick walked further in as the officer pulled out his gun. Warrick unfastened his own weapon and clasped it in readiness. Shining the flash light on the floor, he found feet. Sara's feet.

On the floor lay Sara, blood seeping from her forehead.

"Sara," Warrick hurriedly went to her. "Can you hear me? Please God, please be alright." He prayed as he tried to move her. She moaned in pain and he cracked a relieved smile. "That's a girl. Stay with me Sara."

"Sara! Warrick!" Brass yelled through the building, breathing hard when he entered the room.

"We need the ambulance here now. It's Sara." Warrick called to the detective.

Brass quickly raised his radio to his mouth. "This is a code 444. Office down. Repeat. Officer down. In need of assistance. Send ambulance immediately to---"

Warrick gathered Sara into his arms and hastily dabbed at the blood. "You're gonna be just fine Sara."

"Oh Sara." Brass whispered, shaking his head. "I told you to watch your back." His face contorted in emotional pain at the sight of her.

"She's gonna pull through Brass. She's tough." Warrick assured him.

The sirens of both ambulance and police back up were soon heard over the echo of the steal walls.

"She'll be in good hands Rick. They'll take care of her." Brass nodded, believing his own words.

Warrick gasped in horror when the EMT's lifted Sara straight onto a stretcher and started to wheel her out of the building. "Oh my God! What about Grissom? He needs to know."

"You go with Sara." Brass told him. "And I'll see you there."

"Ok. Lets go." said Warrick, shakily getting to his feet.

Brass pressed speed dial and waited a few minutes before hearing his best friends voice.

"Grissom."

Taking a deep, unsteady breath, he told him. "Gil, it's Jim. Meet me at Desert Palm Hospital. It's Sara. … She's hurt."

...TBC...