Title: Bright Lights; Dig City Author: Jayke Manners
Category: Drama / Angst
Spoilers: Only received up to end Season 4 in Aussie – so pretty much anything up to there…
Disclaimer: If anyone out there is listening… I'd like to own CSI, or maybe just the right to play with them a little? No? Damn.
Summary: Casefile / Angst / GS
I never knew a person could get so addicted to reviews, thanks very much everyone, you are keeping me going on this! I hate to say it now, but I'll be away for a week so the next update wont be for a while. I'll get one in as soon as I get back… if you want me to keep going that is
(Oh, and I am getting sorely tempted to get very shippy, which I don't really want to do as I'm trying not to have them all go OC in a case-file story. What the hell are these 'challenges' everyone keeps doing? They look fun and darn it, I need an outlet!)
Oh and sorry if this is a bit crap, I haven't had time to review it so.. forgive me.
THIRTEEN
Nick was hunkered at the lab table, surrounded by a mountain of books, documents and lab equipment. He tried to think of them less like masses of workload to plough through and more like divisions of an army, all battling toward winning the same war. He grimaced when Greg burst through the door, grateful for the distraction. "Hey bud, bring me good news?"
Greg smiled ruefully, "No such luck. All your hairs came back as separate donors. No ID's, no records, no nada."
"Aww man."
Greg nodded, "I share your pain." He glanced at the paperwork, "How's the fibre search going?"
"Fifteen samples, two matches. Or at least, two known makes and models."
"So they're definitely car fibres?"
"Yep, most likely from the trunk. It's the most popular place for dead body transportation."
At that little gem of information, Warrick entered, joining in on the conversation. "Finally, we know something. Well, almost." He placed two files on top of the pile in front of Nick. "I think I found your cars."
Nick sat up, "No way!"
Warrick smiled, somewhat repentantly, "Well, at least I found where they came from. Not that it's gonna get us any closer." He opened a file and prodded the first page, "Stolen vehicles. I checked the DMV to coincide with the missing persons – we got two for two."
"One of those cars was only stolen a couple months ago…"
"Yeah," Warrick flipped the folder to the last page, revealing a photograph of a charred wreck. "They destroyed it three days after the insurance claim was processed."
The hope which was rising in Nick's eyes faded. He shook his head slightly, bowing it and rubbing his eyes as he rested on his elbows. "Man, this is insane. We've gotta do something. This guy's gonna go again."
Warrick nodded, "Find me some more cars to hunt down – maybe there's still one out there, somewhere."
But they all knew there would be no cars. The evidence was being destroyed before they even had the chance to discover it.
FOURTEEN
The hallway was deserted. With two hours before Days arrived, Grissom was intent on getting out of there before Ecklie made an appearance. He had a bundle of file copies he was taking home and needed to talk with the team before end of shift. He glanced at his watch, almost taking out Catherine as she rounded the corner.
"Whoa, Grissom. Careful." Catherine wiped her chin with the back of her hand, trying to rid herself of the coke that splashed there before it dribbled down onto her shirt. She sighed in resignation, both at her shirt and the case. "Definite no way on the DNA kid. Alibi checked out."
Grissom sniffed, they'd all figured that.
"All we have to do now is work out how the hell his hair ended up at a place he's never been, on a dead girl he's never even met." A thought occurred to her and she looked hopeful, "Any more matches?"
By the expression Grissom gave her, she knew there wasn't.
"Hey, Catherine!" Sara called out from the other end of the hall, striding toward them with fast, short steps. "You just interviewed that DNA match right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"He still attend LV High?"
Catherine nodded, "Yeah, he's a senior."
Sara whipped out a photograph and thrust it toward them, "Our first vic, Jessica Andrews. Three guesses which school she attended?"
Catherine grinned, "Well now, that's a co-incidence."
Grissom pursed his lips, "And if there's no such thing as a co-incidence?"
Sara raised an eyebrow, "Commonality." Catherine nodded.
The three stood silently a few moments, each considering the possibilities, it was Grissom who spoke first. "Was our match on the football team?"
Catherine turned, surprised. "Yeah, how'd you know?"
He grinned slightly and answered with a jeopardy theme, "Answer: I am a place often filled with teenage boys, white cotton towels and a whole lotta male DNA."
After a beat Sara smiled. "What is the boys' locker room at LV High?"
FIFTEEN
In a couple of hours, the early morning light would begin to filter through the windows of the deserted hallway, but for now, it remained bathed in an artificial glow, eerily quiet. Nick smirked softly, remembering the days spent running wild and playing pranks on his team-mates – all in a locker room just like this. His smile faded when he caught a glimpse of the police tape on the door and remembered the reason he was on all-fours, collecting hair from the drains of the shower room.
Sara knelt a few meters away, shining the UV and swabbing some final traces. She was surprised at the amount of samples she'd taken over the past three hours, obviously the cleaners left rather a lot to be desired. Her nose wrinkled at the thought. She closed her eyes and flicked out the UV, annoyed by its traitorous quivering. Damn she was tired. Slowly her mind drifted to the bottom drawer of her office desk, of a way to take the edge off, relieve the nervousness in the pit of her stomach. Sara sighed and pushed the thought away, leaning back on her haunches and enjoying the coolness of the tiles on her aching back.
Then the memory descended.
A sudden, fierce wave of nausea overcame her and she gagged, desperately clenching her teeth to stop the bile that rose in her throat. 'Oh God, not again,' she told herself. 'Breathe… Just breathe... Breathe.'
Nick heard a clatter as the UV fell to the floor, "Sara?" he turned toward her. "You okay?" The sight of her – white, clutching her knees with shaking hands and eyes closed in pain – had him on his feet in an instant. "Sara…"
"I'm fine." She quickly stood, irritation in her voice, but the movement was too rushed and she reached out a hand to steady herself on the wall, it was Nick who grabbed a hold.
"Whoa," his eyes filled with concern as his other hand supported her waist. "Easy, easy."
Sara pulled away, ignoring his troubled expression. "It's ok Nick, I just stood up too fast, back off." At his shocked expression, she instantly regretted it. "Sorry, Nicky. I'm… Sorry." Offering an apologetic smile, Sara turned for the door, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, freshen up a little okay?" Not waiting for an answer, she walked out the door, noting with relief that Grissom hadn't heard the conversation, engrossed in his work at the other end of the room.
Nick stood and watched her unsteady progress along the floor, his clear eyes glinting in the light. Eventually his gaze turned toward the figure in the corner.
Grissom was staring, silent; lips pursed in concern for the disappearing form of Sara Sidle.
SIXTEEN
Sara pushed at the door and walked straight to the wash basins, noting too late to care that she had entered the male bathrooms by accident.
'Still early,' she thought. 'No one will be here for an hour yet.' She splashed water on her face, drawing relief from the feel of it, cool and cleansing against her skin. The nausea had subsided, but her arms were trembling as she leaned against the porcelain. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Sara almost laughed out loud. Good lord, she was a sight to behold. Her skin was pale, dark circles rimmed her puffy eyes. She half expected to see track marks running up her arms – that's what she was starting to look like – a strung out junkie waiting for an overdue fix. Trouble was, she only had access to one method, when the fix she really needed seemed to be getting further and further away.
"God, Sidle," she spoke out loud. "Get a grip on yourself."
"I can do that for you baby."
Sara spun around at the strange voice, hand instantly on the revolver at her hip. It relaxed only slightly when she realized it was just a couple of kids from the football team, although 'kids' could hardly be the best description – they were twice her weight and had at least six inches on her.
"Damn girl," the taller one licked his lips and gave a small strut, "you are fi-ine." He looked to the ceiling, "Thank-you God."
Sara grinned without humour, "Very funny boys." She moved to exit, but they stood in front of the doorway, blocking her path.
"Hey baby, where you going so fast?"
Sara could feel her heart start pumping, in a few seconds the sound in her ears was almost deafening. She flipped out her ID and stared the pair down, "Actually, wherever I damn well please. Get away from the door."
At the sight of the badge both boys subdued instantly, raising their hands and parting to make way between them for her to pass. "Sorry, no offence ya know? We're just playin' wit ya. No harm, no foul."
When Grissom asked her about it, years later, Sara was never able to remember the moments that followed with any clarity. One moment she was turning sideways to push through the door, the next all she could hear was an awful lot of distorted noise and shouting and blurred images of light. Her name was being bellowed in her ear and strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, one pulling at her hand which was somehow intent on snapping the wrist of a strange man screaming beneath her on the floor. Her vision was fuzzy, she didn't understand where all the yelling was coming from – but it sounded strangely like her own voice, and Grissom's and Nick's, mingling with cries of pain from… who the hell was that under her knee and why was she ramming his head into the ground?
It was Grissom's voice that finally broke though, "Sara! Sara, let go! SARA, damn it let go NOW!" A pain shot through her as Grissom roughly yanked her hand away. She was dragged backwards, held tight against his chest, wrist clamped with a vice like grip as Nick pulled the stunned footballer from the ground, a threatening gaze and upheld arm warning the friend to back the hell off. Sara's breath came out in wracked gasps, she was unable to speak, unable to move against the grip of Grissom, holding on for dear life.
The boy began screaming, "Man what the hell are you doin? What are you on girl? I outta sue your ass you stupid bitch!" He swung away from Nick who allowed him free but kept his hand up, forewarning of a damn fine beating if anyone got out of line.
"Sue me?" Sara's was yelling, and a voice inside her head told her she sounded crazy, sounded out of control. "Go for it, right after I drag you in for assaulting a law officer!"
Nick interjected, "You did what?" He looked like he was going to kill someone, probably the guy closest to him, then maybe start on the one behind.
The kid was still shaking, "No way man! She wanted to get past… I just went to escort her out the door; I hardly even brushed her…"
"Ohhh, wrong answer buddy." Nick had whipped out the handcuffs and was ready to rock when Grissom interrupted, "Nicky, leave it."
Nick turned, stunned. "What?"
Grissom gave him a look, "I said leave it." He glared at the footballers, silencing them instantly. "You two, get out of here. Now."
The pair considered an argument, but between Nick's eagerness to slap them in handcuffs and the rather terrifying expression on the older man's face – they merely swore beneath their breath and sauntered out the door, one calling over his shoulder as they left, "That bitch is crazy man, you need to get her a straight-jacket!"
The three stood silently for a moment, Grissom still holding Sara, Sara trying to regain control of her breathing and Nick, hands on hips, gazing in bewilderment at the pair in front of him
After a while Grissom nodded at Nick, "You go finish up. We're done here. Get those samples to the lab."
Nick paused and for a moment it looked like he was about to ask the question he really needed an answer for, but under Grissom's gaze, after a long look at Sara, he simply nodded and walked away.
Sara realised after a time her back was still pressed against Grissom's chest, her hand still clutched by his own. Grissom knew that he needed to step back, they couldn't stand like this forever, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to let her go – scared that once he did, she would fall...
Sara fought to keep the lump in her throat from breaking through and spilling from her lips, to blink back the tears stinging her eyes. She was terrified of what had just happened, of the fact she couldn't even remember what she'd done, if that footballer had even touched her before she slammed him into the ground. She knew she was almost done in, that even the slightest surrender on her part would have her slip completely, out of control. The thought occurred to her that maybe it was better if she did.
"Sara?"
At the sound of his voice she pulled away, only his hand holding on managed to stop her leaving completely. She wouldn't meet his eyes, staring down, gazing at the hand on hers as his thumb stroked her wrist. "Sara, what just happened in there?"
She didn't answer straight away, her eyes locked on the only link she had to the ground beneath her. Grissom began to think she might not have heard him, the way she just stood there, hypnotised by the movement on her wrist, as if it wasn't even a part of her own body. Suddenly, she took a sharp breath and he watched as from somewhere within, Sara called upon her strength, or maybe it was her weakness, and drew the mask up into her eyes. When she looked up, there was nothing left of her, when she spoke, there was no one there.
"He assaulted me Grissom, so I stopped him. I stopped him before he could turn me into one of your desert babies." Her next words were not accusing, spoken like she was commenting on the weather, "And then you let him go." Her hand pulled away and she started to walk back to the Tahoe.
"Sara..." he waited for her to turn, but she merely stopped a few feet away, and tilted her head. "When we get back I want to see you in my office."
Her chin turned a little further in his direction, before she nodded once, and left the building.
