Brass's POV:
I pulled into the parking lot and immediately saw that Sara was being pinned up against her SUV. Her attacker's hands were wrapped around her neck as he yelled something at her. I instinctively called for back-up. I drove over to the far end of the expansive parking lot. The man ran. He ran only after violently throwing what appeared to be Sara's lifeless body on the ground.
I was torn between pulling my gun out of its holster or running to my fallen colleague. The moment I got to Sara's side, she coughed and gasped to draw air into her lungs. I couldn't bring myself to leave her alone, so I could pursue her attacker. I couldn't bring myself to leave her alone if moments were all that she might have left. I called for an ambulance. I called inside the crime lab to get someone out in the parking lot.
"Sara, talk to me," I urged her. Her eyes were open, but they were veiled in an eerie glassiness. The red marks around her neck were intensifying to where they became crimson against Sara's pale skin. Those marks might have been red, but her lips were the faintest pink. They might have even been something closer to lilac.
"Jim, what's going on?" Nick said as he ran over to where I was kneeling on the ground next to Sara. I was silently praying for Sara to cough, gasp for air, or something that would let me know that she still was alive. My fears were becoming more realized as I heard the sirens of the ambulance and squad cars looming in the distance. I wasn't sure if I could keep her alive until then. I was terrified to move her if her neck was indeed broken.
"Pictures, Nicky. Pictures now," I instructed as I backed away. When we nailed this guy, I wanted the jury to see what he did to the young CSI.
"What the hell happened?" Nick asked as he began clicking away.
"Someone was strangling her when I pulled into the parking lot. Why isn't the ambulance here yet?" I said as I returned to where I had been sitting and gently holding Sara's hand.
"She was assaulted in the parking lot?" Nick said with a terrified look on his face.
"Sara," Greg yelled as he ran out of the lab. He looked exhausted. Greg tripped and fell hard to the pavement as he ran over to us. He scrambled to his feet and ran to Sara. Greg looked heartbroken. He was by far the CSI that was closest to Sara. Sara had become his mentor. I saw the way Greg went to Sara with questions at crime scenes. I heard Sara give Greg pep talks before he went to testify in court. He ran to her; Greg asked her to be okay.
I was shocked back into reality the minute the paramedic told me that I needed to give them room to work. I stood between Nick and Greg. We all watched in horror as the paramedics began to work on Sara. IV lines were placed. She was placed in a neck collar and tied down to a backboard. We were all silent. I could feel Greg trembling as we watched Sara get loaded into the ambulance.
"Come on. I'll drive you. Nick, go get your kit," I ordered.
"But this is the day shift's case . . . Catherine doesn't let us pick our cases," Nick said.
"Do you really want anyone off day shift to take Sara's statement?" I barked. Nick shook his head before disappearing into the crime lab. He quickly returned with his kit in hand. He was followed by a weary looking Grissom and disheveled looking Sophia. Nick and Greg piled into my car. Sophia and Grissom began to talk to the officers and make sure that the scene was as secure as it could get. Ecklie ran out of the lab and flagged us down before I was able to leave the parking lot. I always hated that man. That man made his way into my back seat. I had always hoped that Ecklie would be in my backseat . . . in handcuffs. I never thought it would be like this.
We sped off to Desert Palms Hospital.