Rating: M for language.
Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews. It makes all the difference!
Saints and Angels
Chapter 4
Drugged.
The moment that Catherine opened her eyes, she knew that she must have been given something. Wherever she was, it was dark, and she couldn't hear anything. She was laying on her side, on what felt like a cement floor. It was very cold. For a few moments, she fought the urge to close her eyes and go back to sleep.
"Sara?" she asked softly, trying to sit up. She instantly felt sick to her stomach.
She tried to look through the darkness, in search of her partner.
"Sara!" she said again, louder this time.
"Yeah…Catherine?"
"Thank god…You didn't answer the first time."
"Any idea where we are?"
"No clue. I must have been drugged, but I can't remember a thing."
Catherine closed her eyes, almost trying to force her brain to come up with something. Sara had been shot.
"Oh shit. How's your shoulder?"
"Fantastic."
"Sara…"
"I'm fine. It hurts, but I'll make it. We need to find a way out of here…"
"Wherever 'here' is? I'm sure the guys are looking for us. I don't know how long we've been gone, though."
"Try not to think about it, Catherine."
"You do the same."
Sara couldn't see anything, because the room was completely blacked out, but she knew that Catherine was close to her. When she reached out a hand and touched her arm, Sara hissed in pain.
"Sorry! I just wanted to make sure-"
"What? That it hurts!''
"I'm sorry, really. Let's move as far to the left and start a grid search. Surely we can find a door or at least windows…"
"Alright, after you," Sara whispered, linking her good arm through one of Catherine's.
They had moved at least 20 paces to the left, and still hadn't found anything, not even a wall.
"It's a big space-"
"Let's just keep moving."
Nine more steps and they came in contact with a wall. Running her hand down it, Catherine felt flecks of old paint chip off with even a light touch.
"Old paint too. Abandoned building?"
"That narrows it down…"
"Maybe there's a door."
"I can't see a thing, Catherine. Right or left?"
"Right?"
As they moved down the wall, hands reaching out, they heard motion behind them, too loud to be a human coming up from behind.
"Rats?"
"Probably…Hey, I found something!" Sara happily gasped. "It feels like a doorframe. Maybe a window frame…"
She knocked on the surface, and the hollow noise told them it was wood. Feeling out the surface around, she knew there were several planks of wood. It had to be a window.
"Let's try to pull a couple of these planks off. Maybe we can get a little bit of light-"
A loud screeching noise- metal on metal- sounded behind them, cutting off Sara's thoughts. Suddenly, there was dim light all around them. Catherine wasn't sure if they had been seen, so she nudged Sara to the right, trying to push her into the nearest corner.
"Don't even think about it, CSI Willows."
It was Tate, and Mike wasn't far behind.
"It's not too late for you, Tate. If you let us go…"
"We can't let you go now, can we? You know our names and what we look like. However, it doesn't look like your boss is too worried. He doesn't want to pay up…." Mike said, almost annoyed.
"He can't, you fucking idiot. The lab doesn't negotiate with terrorists."
"No need to call names, Ms. Sidle. Terrorists, huh? I like the sound of that." Tate laughed out.
"However," Mike cut in, "since we can't make any money off of you, which is a damn shame, and we can't let you go"
"Then what?" Sara spat out, almost knowing what he was going to say next.
"Then we might as well have a little fun. What do you say, pretty lady?
"Over our dead bodies, you piece of shit." Catherine yelled out. There was still at least 10 feet separating them….If only they could get around them to the door….
"That can be arranged, BITCH." Tate said, suddenly very angry.
"What my partner is trying to say is that it's decision time."
"Decision time?" Sara asked. What the hell was this guy talking about?
"You two get to choose."
"Choose WHAT?"
"Which one of you stays, and which one of you goes."
"Decide wisely, though."
Both men laughed.
"Catherine goes, " Sara said without hesitation.
"Sara-"
"Ughm, guys, I know that you probably want a decision now, but can we have a couple of minutes…alone. To decide?"
"Five minutes. We'll be back. You better be ready."
When the men left, and the room was thrown into complete darkness again, Catherine turned towards Sara.
"Sara-"
"No, listen."
"You need a doctor-"
"I'm fine. I'll be okay."
"Sara-"
"You have a DAUGHTER. Think of Lindsey, Catherine. And you'll come back for me. I know you will bring the team back in time-"
"You don't know that! What if they drug me again-"
Sara didn't need her to finish to know what she was thinking. Hell, she wasn't even sure that they wouldn't kill Catherine before it was all over. She had to try.
"Just go. I'll find a way out, if you can't get back-"
"Don't say that"
"Say what?"
"Say what you want, Sara, but don't say it like I have no intention of coming back. I just don't think that you should have to…You know what they are going to do to you…."
Catherine was crying.
"Cath, I managed to survive it the first time-"
"WHAT?"
"I know that we have never been close," Sara said, putting her hands on each side of Catherine's face, "but know this when I say it, okay? You have taught me a lot, Cath. And I know that I've been a pain in your ass, but for once, I need you to listen."
"No. No, Sara. I can't let you-"
"It's not your choice."
Catherine shook her head, the tears flowing freely now. Sara swiped at a few with her thumbs. Her aching arm dropped to her side. This was it. She couldn't fight anymore anyway.
"Tell Grissom-"
"Please don't do this-"
"Tell him, that in the end, he was on my mind. Tell Nicky and Warrick that-"
The screeching sounded again, a warning to what was to come.
"Tell them that I loved working with them. Tell Warrick to take his head out of his ass too, okay?"
Her hurried words made Catherine bite back a smile. She knew what she was talking about.
"You ladies figure it out?" Tate asked from behind them.
"Yes, just let us finish here please," Sara pleaded.
There was silence again.
"Sara….Oh my god. What do I say to you? You're saving my life, and there's nothing I can-"
"Just give Lindsey a big hug for me, okay?"
"You got it, kiddo," Catherine cried out, grasping Sara into a tight hug. She knew her shoulder was hurt, but she couldn't bring herself to let go.
"Today, CSI Willows."
"Goodbye Catherine. Remember to tell them-"
"I will, Sara. I will."
Glancing back towards her one more time, Catherine walked towards the two men waiting for her near the door.
Suddenly, Sara was once again alone in the dark. And this time, she had no one to blame but herself.