Title: Love, Death, and Justice
Author: CATH.fan4
Rating: T (PG-13)
Summary: Alternate ending to Strip Stangler. Warning - Character death! NSR & GCR
Disclaimer: See first chapter. I don't own the Shania Twain song- Shania Twain does. (no, really?)
Spoilers: Strip Strangler, Lady Heather's Box
Autopsy Room
Doc Robins bent over Sara's cold body, examining the wounds. The ligature marks around her neck were far deeper than on any of the other girls. The needle marks dotting her skin were numerous and deep - harsh reminders of what Sara had suffered.
The aging coroner reached for the saw to open up the skull cavity. As the sharp blades sliced into Sara's head, a single bead of moisture dropped onto the protecting glass mask that the doctor always wore.
CSI Lab
Flashback
The lab is still - quiet. Catherine watches from the doorway as Sara scrawls a label on a box of evidence. Sara shuffles uneasily when she realizes Catherine is there. Catherine is silent, thought -filled. Sara speaks quietly, "Cath, I did my best."
End Flashback
Catherine sat in the lab remembering the day that Eddie died. Crying softly, she replied to the words spoken long before. "I know, Sara. I know." Somehow, just speaking those words aloud - those words Sara had longed to hear from her friend/mentor - eased the pain a bit.
That's it. Catherine thought to herself. That's all we can do. Keep the little memories alive and with us, and hope to let her go little by little. Never completely though, we have to always remember her.
Greg came rushing into the room, disturbing Catherine's reverie. "Catherine!" He practically squealed, sliding to a stop in front of her. "I got a name off AFIS! 'Syd Google' - does that ring any bells? Computer said he was some sort of security guy in a neighborhood off the Strip."
Catherine frowned slightly, "I don't recognize the name, but I'll call Brass and have him put an APB out on the guy."
Sara's Apartment
Warrick stood by as Grissom spoke with Catherine over his cell. Grissom snapped the phone shut and turned to Warrick. "Greg pulled a name for us; Brass is going to get some guys together and go make the arrest." Grissom was pale; the usual light of joy at catching the perp was gone. In its place were only sorrow, sadness and loss.
Grissom picked up several bags of evidence and turned to leave. Warrick held back, looking around the room. "You did good, Sara." he muttered, his voice thick. "You got him." Glancing back one last time, he ducked under the tape and walked out.
Las Vegas Police Department
Grissom walked into the LVPD, heading toward Brass's office. Just inside the door, however, he was stopped by Sheriff Mobley.
"Gil. What has been going on? I have been trying to reach you all night."
Grissom halted and looked at the sheriff without saying anything. The other man continued, "Special Agent Culpepper was going over some of the evidence, and decided that perhaps Brad Walden isn't responsible for the other deaths. He is willing to allow you on the case as he reopens the other murders, but only under the condition that you follow his lead. Is that understood?"
Grissom stared at the man. "We already knew that Walden was not the perp. Last night the real 'Strip Strangler' killed CSI Sidle. You know, the woman Culpepper used as a decoy? He left her unguarded because he 'had already caught the killer.'" Grissom's voice was flat, completely without inflection.
"Gil-" The sheriff stopped. "I'm sorry. I didn't know..."
Grissom started to turn away. "Just tell the feds to back off. This is our turf now."
The sheriff nodded in agreement and walked away, leaving Grissom. Brass spoke up from where he had been standing in the doorway. "How's everybody holding up, Gil?"
Grissom exhaled slowly, "Nick is falling to pieces, of course; Cath got hit pretty hard with this - she and Sara had become fairly good friends; Warrick is... Well, Sara was part of the family - for all of us."
Brass walked over to Grissom, his eyes slowly filling, but not quite overflowing. "I know, Gil. If I had another chance to go back and change how things worked out for Ellie and me, I would want her to be like Sara."
Nick's House
Nick paced along the hallway, to full of adrenaline to sleep. The quiet waves of country radio washed over him, one song after another. Then a Shania Twain tune came on:
'Cause I'm keeping you
forever and for always
We will be together all of our day
Wanna wake up every
morning to your sweet face always
Mmmm, baby
In your heart I can still hear
a beat for every time you kiss me
And when we're apart,
I know how much you miss me
I can feel your love for me in your heart
Nick listened to the words as he fought to hold back the tears. This had been their song - his and Sara's. This was the song that was playing as he picked her up for their first date, the song that he played for her on his guitar when he proposed to her last weekend. Frustrated, he turned off the music.
Nick sank down onto his couch, looking at his surrounding. All around were reminders of Sara - pictures of them together, a tiny rosebud that he had given her... Everywhere he turned, there was something of Sara's.
Finally, it all seemed to overwhelm him. "Sara!" He cried, letting the tears cascade down his checks. "Sara," he whispered, "You can't go. I need you. I love you."
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