Thanks for all your positive reviews. I appreciate every single one of them. I apologize for taking forever to update. I am finding it very difficult to write these next few chapters. Please be forewarned that this chapter is somewhat violent. I do not wish to exploit Sara as being a weak female brutalized by a man. I wish to establish that her capturer is emotionally unstable and has a violent nature. I realize I maybe writing Sara out of character but in this story she has to maintain some of her feminine vulnerability based on her past experiences with controlling men. I would love all feedback and suggestions if you are interested. Thank you.

Chapter 28

Grissom could hear Greg's anxious voice calling his name on the other end of the phone. Engaged? Sara? It wasn't possible. He cleared his throat trying to focus on what he should say. "Greg, Catherine and I are on our way back to the lab. We'll talk then." he said curtly.

He flipped his phone shut and shoved it into his pocket, scowling deeply at the road ahead of him as his other hand clutched the steering wheel. He could feel Catherine's worried eyes watching him intently. They had just left Nick and Warrick at the hospital with strict orders to get some rest.

"What is it?" Catherine asked with concern. Grissom sighed heavily. "It seems that the gun our suspect used to kill those girls tonight was also used to kill a SFPD detective 4 years ago. The detective happened to our suspect's partner."

Grissom hesitated for a moment before continuing. "It also seems that the murdered detective had been engaged to Sara while she was working in San Francisco." he finished in an even voice. He turned to look at Catherine when she didn't respond. Her mouth was open in disbelief. "Why didn't she tell us?... Jesus I wonder if Nick knows? …My God if he doesn't…Why the hell didn't Sara tell us Gil?"

Grissom slowly shook his head, still not quite believing this latest bit of damning information. "Lets get to the lab and see what else Greg can tell us," he said calmly. Silence filled the SUV as both senior CSI's thought about how this turn of events was going to affect their investigation and how Nick was going to react if Sara hadn't told him.

400 miles away in a cabin outside of Reno

The pain in Sara's throat was excruciating. She reached up and tenderly touched her neck. She winced. She was going to have one hell of a bruise. She slowly opened her eyes only to be greeted with darkness. She blinked a couple of times and sighed thankfully when she realized it was nighttime. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious only knowing it had been daylight when he had sent her to sweet oblivion.

Sara listened for a full 3 minutes before breathing a ragged sigh. She was alone in the room. Thank God. She flexed her tired and aching muscles. She slowly sat up, her eyes finally adjusting to the darkness. She was in a small room without any windows. The only thing in the room was a bed, if you could even call it that. It consisted of 2 mattresses on the floor. That was it. There were no sheets, blankets or pillows.

She shifted uncomfortably, realizing she needed to use a bathroom. She would have to ask him to take her. Something she was sure he was eagerly waiting for, her having to ask him for help. She cursed silently, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. God how she hated feeling vulnerable and dependent on a man, it was something that she never wanted to experience again.

Unfortunately the memories came flooding back too quickly, drowning her in their intensity. Jason. God how foolish she had been. She had thought he had loved her, wanted to marry her. She had been so stupid. She realized suddenly that the others would find out about him. What would they think? What would Nick do? She hadn't been honest with him. She had purposely held back this part of her life. She hadn't told Nick because she didn't want him thinking any less of her, thinking that she was pathetic. She didn't want him realizing the same thing that Jason had. She wasn't enough, that she would never be able to satisfy all his needs and desires. She wasn't woman enough.

The tears ran freely down her cheeks. She had to believe Nick was different. That he loved her for who she was. He had told her so time after time. She had seen the love in his eyes. With him it had been special. It had felt right. For the first time in her life she had felt truly loved. She had to hold on to that feeling, believe in it. She wouldn't let this mad man take that away from her. Nick was her salvation.

God Nick! She tried desperately to believe that he was all right. She had realized he had had on his bullet proof vest. That thought alone gave her some comfort. She knew he had been seriously hurt but somehow she knew deep down inside he was okay. And Warrick she prayed that he was all right too. They would find her. Nick would save her. She couldn't give up on that hope.

Sara struggled to her feet and swayed unsteadily. When was the last time she had eaten anything. She closed her eyes and fought down the nausea that rolled up violently up into her throat. She moved on shaky legs to the door and rested against it for a moment. She swallowed the bitter taste of bile back down and raised her hand to the door. She slammed the palm of her hand against the solid wood 3 times and yelled. "Hey!"

She waited a moment and was met with silence. She tried again. Silence. She twisted the doorknob in fury and slammed her shoulder against the door, screaming "Bastard!" Nothing. She tried to calm her overtaxed nerves. She wiped at the tears coursing down her cheeks in frustration. She banged on the door again this time using his name. "Ted open the door. Ted I need to use the bathroom. I know your there. TED! Damn you open the door." She threw her weight against the door, a small sob escaping from her lips. She slid to the floor in defeat. She knew what he wanted but she refused to give it to him.

She curled up into a ball and tried to focus on anything other then her need to pee. She lasted 10 minutes until the pressure became too much. She sat up slowly and slammed her hand against the door. " Ted ….please.. I need to go to the bathroom….Ted?" she said desperately. Silence. She choked back her tears and sobbed "Ted please… I need you…please, please."

The door opened suddenly and Sara fell onto her arms on the floor at his feet. He reached out and gently stroked her cheek. "Now that wasn't so hard Sara. All you needed to do was ask me nicely," he said with a victorious grin.

He pulled her along after him and pushed her into a small bathroom. He stood there and waited. She looked at him with large brown eyes. "You said you had to go, now go! I'm not leaving." Sara opened her mouth to protest, but she knew it would only anger him. She looked away from him and swallowed her humiliation. She did what she needed to do as quickly as possible.

She went to the sink and washed her hands. He took a step forward and moved in close behind her. She met his dark dangerous eyes in the mirror above the sink. He smiled menacingly at her. He reached up and touched the ugly bruise on her throat. She forced herself not to wince.

"Sara,' he said huskily as he continued to stroke her neck. "You are so lovely." Her hands griped the sink in revulsion. "Why do you pick men that are so wrong for you?" he questioned.

When she didn't answer he continued, "I would have given you everything. I would have shown you what real love was suppose to feel like. I thought you would have learned your lesson after what Jason did to you. But no, you fall right back into the arms of another arrogant, self serving bastard. Nick Stokes is just like Jason. How can you not see it?" he growled hotly.

Sara shook her head adamantly. "They are nothing alike. Nick is a kind, honest, tender man. He would never hurt me." she hissed. He grabbed her by the shoulders and roughly turned her around, slamming the small of her back against the sink. She gasped in pain.

He began to laugh cruelly. "Nick is made from the same mold as Jason. Conceited pricks that suck you in with their good lucks and charm until you give them what they want, your body and self esteem. He'll humiliate you just like Jason did. He won't give you a second glance when he finds someone prettier, sexier. You're such a fool Sara. You let him defile you and I can't have that. I can't have you with another man's touch soiling you."

He yanked her harshly and pushed her callously into a shower stall. "Clean his stench off you now Sara. I want you to be pure when I touch you," he spat angrily as he turned the water on and slammed the shower door shut. Sara gasped in shock when the cold water hit her body. She recoiled into the corner trying to get out from underneath the icy spray. She went to turn off the water when the door opened suddenly and he stood there with a gun pointed at her.

"Take you clothes off now Sara," he said in a calm voice. She didn't move. "You'll do as I say or I'll kill one of your friends. Do you know how easy it is to rig a car bomb? That's all it would take would be a turn of the ignition switch and BOOM!" he screamed. "Bye, bye Greg Sanders," he finished with an evil smirk.

She knew without a doubt he would do it. She could not have anymore innocent deaths on her conscious. With shaking hands she began to undress. He watched her silently, his beady eyes never leaving her body. When she finished, he took her wet clothes from her and handed her a bar of soap. He leaned over and adjusted the water until it got warm. "Cleanse yourself until this bar of soap is gone. I want no trace of him left on you." he said coldly. He shut the door and left her to do her business.

Sara leaned over and began to retch until there was nothing left in her stomach. The man was insane. She took the soap and began to scrub herself everywhere she had felt his rat like eyes. Without physically touching her he still managed to rape her with his eyes. She felt violated and dirty, like she would never be clean again. She scrubbed herself until her skin was red and numb, the water ran cold and the soap was gone. But to her it still wasn't enough.

She wrapped her arms around herself and huddled in the corner, trying to avoid the frigid water. She tried to hold back a sob but it escaped from her lips anyway. She couldn't let herself fall apart now. Nick told her she was the strongest woman he knew. She had to believe that now. She could get through this. She had survived the viciousness of cold hearted men before and she could do it again. This time she had something to fight for. She had Nick. She would get through this for Nick. She would fight with everything she had because she would not let this psycho take away the one thing she had. Hope. Hope for a life with Nick, a life that involved love, happiness and a chance at a family one day. He would not win.

Sara readied herself and turned the water off. She tried to control the shaking of her body but couldn't. She felt frozen on the outside as well as on the inside. She pushed open the door and sighed with relief when she saw that she was alone. There was a single towel on the counter and she snatched it up. It barely covered her shoulders but at least it was something. She dried herself off a quickly as possible and covered her front as the door opened.

He stood in the doorway for a moment just staring at her. He then reached out his hand and offered her something. Without thought she took it from him and held it up. It was a silky red negligee. Numbly she dropped the towel and slipped the sheer material over her head. It emphasized all the right areas on her body and stopped in the middle of her thighs. She couldn't have done any better if she had picked in out herself. "Thank you,' she murmured dully.

He smiled in response. "Good girl. You're learning. Now let's get you something to eat." he said allowing her to pass by him and step into the next room. Her eyes quickly scanned the room. It was a kitchen/ living room area. He motioned for her to take a seat at a small table. She did wordlessly, her eyes still observing and filing away everything she saw.

Sara heard him laugh and her eyes flew to his. "You have your CSI look on Sara. Are you memorizing every small detail of this place just in case you get the chance to escape? Are you looking for a weapon to use against me? he said menacingly as he took a step toward her.

She looked up at him with blank eyes. "You really don't want me to just give up do you? I figured you'd want me to play at least a little while longer." she said with a hint of a challenge in her voice He stood there watching her for a moment, his face unreadable. Then suddenly a huge grin broke out across his face and he let out a deep laugh.

"God Sara you're incredible, so full of life and determination. And you wonder why I fell in love with you." He leaned down and whispered hotly in her ear, "I'm so going to enjoy breaking you." Sara felt a tremor of fear race through her body. She prayed her friends would find her before that happened.

400 Miles Away at the Desert Palms Hospital

Nick slowly opened his eyes. The room was dark. He glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed in helplessness. It was 9:00 pm. Sara had been missing for over 18 hours.

"We're going to bring her home Nick." Warrick said from a nearby bed. "Hey man, how are you feeling?" Nick asked. "I'm a little banged up and the burn throbs but other then that I'm ready to get the hell out of here." Warrick replied.

"I hear you. My chest is still sore but I'm going nuts just laying here. I need to be doing something to help. I feel like I've failed her." Nick said dejectedly.

"Nick man, you know Gris, Cath, Brass and Greg are working their asses off. They'll find her. Don't doubt it." Warrick said with conviction.

"I know Rick. It's the thought of that bastard touching her, hurting her. It's tearing me up inside." Nick said quietly.

"Sara's strong Nick, she's a fighter. Plus she's smarter then anybody I know. She's going to get through this. I promise." Warrick said with certainty.

"I hope that you're right man," Nick said softly as he turned his head away from his friend letting the tears fall silently down his cheeks. "I hope that you're right." he whispered sorrowfully to himself.

TBC

This chapter did not turn out as well as I would have liked. I have a feeling it will be slow going for the next couple of chapters. I need to establish the history of Sara/ Ted/ Jason and I am finding it difficult to write. So please bear with me. As always reviews help inspire me so please keep them coming. I also enjoy suggestions so feel free to help. Thanks!