Disclaimer: I don't own anything except an old pair of doggy slippers that my real dogs chewed up. Everything in here is someone else's except Ronnie, Maddie, Indigo, Scott, Mark, Aiden, Ellen, Chris, Eliza, Bartholomew and Kayla. And that's it…I think
WARNING: Violence and swearing ahead.
Hero
Chapter 4
Scott Cooper was a 6"3, well-built construction worker. His shaggy, dirty blonde hair was tousled and unkempt from worry, his blue-green eyes-so much like Ronnie's- were red rimmed.
"I'm Nick Stokes," Nick greeted softly as Scott and Brass entered the break room of the CSI building.
"Scott Cooper," he returned, his voice hoarse from crying as his eyes ran slowly over Nick, "My sister spoke highly of you."
Nick smiled sadly, eyes filling with tears, "I'm sorry we couldn't meet Friday at dinner like we'd planned."
Scoot nodded, sniffling slightly as he dropped into one of the chairs, resting the side of his face in his hand, "I'm sorry, but I don't really understand why I'm here."
Brass took a seat beside the man, opening his mouth to reply, but Nick spoke first, "Ronnie and Maddie's kidnappers sent a package to the CSI building that-that lets us s-see them-"
"What?" Scott demanded, leaning forward alertly, "So you know where they are?"
"No," Nick sighed, "The kidnapper was sure to make it so that we can't see anything of their surroundings."
"Damn," Scott cursed softly, slumping back in his seat to glare hatefully at the table top.
"But your sister's been a big help," Brass interrupted, "She looked out the window in the room and told us what's outside the building that they're being kept in. She also told us that he said she'd done something to him, but she can't think of what that is or who he is. She thought maybe you might have an an idea of who would want to do something like this to her."
"Our A/V guy managed to pull this picture from the camera," Nick said softly, pulling a side-view photo of the man from a photo and passing it to Scott, "It's not the best view, but he never fully faced the camera so this is all we've got."
Scott stared hard at the picture for several tense minutes, then shook his head with a sigh. His head fell, his fingers burying in his hair as he blew out a frustrated breath.
"I can't think of anyone who'd want to hurt Ron-Ron," Scott sighed, slumping back in his chair, "Everyone loved her and she loved everyone. It's why I worry about her so much-she's too trusting." There was a pause and then he shakily asked, "Can-Can I s-see the-them? P-Please?"
Nick sighed, but nodded wearily, standing and leading the way to the A/V room where Archie was keeping an eye on the screen. Brass and Scott followed, but where Nick and Brass walked straight into the room, Scott stopped in the doorway, knuckles going white from his grip on the doorjamb.
"Sweet Jesus," Scott whispered hoarsely, staring at the large screen that depicted the situation his sister and niece were in.
In the two hours since Archie had first set up the screen, the man had not returned. Madigan was still sleeping, curled against her mother's side. Ronnie had slept for about an hour before her injuries had made her waken, and she was now sitting in a sitting position against the wall, running her fingers through Maddie's hair as she softly hummed a country song.
The handprint on the left side of her face had darkened to a slight brown, while the punch to the right side of her face had darkened to a deep purple. Her tender ribs prevented her from moving quickly and every movement caused her pain.
Hesitantly, Scott moved further into the room, asking softly, "Did he do that to her?"
"Yes."
"Did he hit Maddie too?" he asked, his soft voice making it hard to discern his feelings and his unwavering stare at the screen making it impossible to see the expression in his eyes.
"No."
"Good," Scott answered, before turning promptly on his heel and exiting the room. With a shared concerned look, Nick and Brass followed.
Scott stalked from the room, striding angrily down the halls and out of the building. Brass and Nick exited the building just as Scott threw his first punch at the wall of the lab building.
"Goddamn son of a BITCH," he creamed angrily hitting the wall again, and then again as he yelled, "Mother fucking bastard!"
"Hey! Stop it!" Nick protested, grabbing the larger man's arm as it came back to hit the wall again, "You're going to hurt yourself!"
Scott remained rigid a moment, before sighing, his whole body relaxing as he sank forward to rest his head against the wall, saying softly, "I already did."
Nick frowned, but before he could ask for further explanation, Scott held out his "punching hand". The skin of every finger was from the second joint to the knuckle.
Scott pulled his head away from the wall, pivoting so he was leaning his head back against it instead, while he stared at his injured hand, saying, "Ronnie would kick my ass if she heard me swearing like that and hitting a wall."
Nick nodded his agreement, saying simply, "She would. Then, of course, she'd cuss you out worse than what you were just doing."
Yeah," Scott said softly with a sad, reminiscent smile, before he ran his good hand through his hair, tousling it even more than it had been. Dropping his hand, he raised his eyes to levelly meet those of the CSI and police captain, asking simply, "How can I help?"
XoXoXoXo
Ronnie felt a jolt of fear course through her body as she heard the door creak open, but she refused to show it. Instead, her chin came up in a defiant tilt as she pulled her self shakily up onto unsteady feet.
The man entered with a sneer already in place as he gazed at her shaky form. At her equally as contemptuous look, he strode further into the room, his angry footfalls startling Maddie from her peaceful sleep. Ronnie instantly picked up on her daughter's fear. Despite her own fears, Ronnie stumbled away from the wall, placing herself again in between her daughter and her kidnapper.
"You stupid bitch," he hissed, stalking forward and landing a punch to her already bruised cheek.
Ronnie yelped and stumbled sideways, but remained standing, glaring hatefully at her captor. The man growled, swinging a hand into her ribs-and then another and another. Ronnie moaned in pain, stumbling and then falling to her knees but quickly pulling herself back to her feet.
Angrily, he swung again at her face, and, reflexively, she ducked. In a sudden burst of courage, she charged forward, digging her shoulder into the man's midsection as she plowed him backwards.
"Run, Maddie! RUN!" she screamed, driving him back into the far corner wall and knocking over the equipment, tangling them both in the wires. Maddie remained frozen against the wall, wide-eyed as she watched her mother struggle with the man until Ronnie screamed again, "RUN MADDIE!"
The man landed a punch to Ronnie's left eye and she screamed in a combination of anger and pain. Maddie's eyes widened further and she whimpered slightly before obediently running from the room, stumbling down a flight of stairs and out a door. Frightened, she ran blindly down the streets, whimpering in fear.
Meanwhile, the man had landed another punch to Ronnie's stomach. She screeched in pain, but continued to use her body weight to hold him down, praying to all the Gods that her baby would get away safely.
The man yelled angrily, punching her in the right temple and then again in the chest as they heard the sound of a downstairs door slamming. But Ronnie hit out too, punching him in the jaw and then again in the eye. The man returned the favour, hitting her in the jaw and then in the side of her head. Ronnie screamed and then her fist hit him in the throat, making him instinctively drop his hold from her to grip his neck as he began coughing violently.
Seizing her chance, Ronnie scrambled from the floor and the wires, ignoring the pain coursing through her body. Stumbling and shaking, Ronnie ran for the door, swinging it open and running into the hall. She'd only taken two steps when she was tackled to the ground, her head slamming against the hardwood floors.
Let Maddie be safe, was all she could think before her world went black.
XoXoXoXo
"I know him," Scott muttered, the instant the man's voice sounded, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully at the screen, "But I just don't know how."
He cringed violently as his sister yelled, his eyes darkening with rage and helplessness. Beside Scott, Nick's face was pale as he clutched the desk, his knuckles turning white while Brass' palms began to bleed.
"Oh God," Nick moaned as Ronnie hurled the man into the far wall, screaming for the frozen Maddie to run, the fallen camera allowing them to see the fallen pair as they fought.
"Move, Maddie, please, dear God, MOVE!" Scott begged aloud, willing his niece to move and breathing a sigh of relief as she did.
"I'll get guys searching for her," Brass murmured to the silent room as Maddie's feet ran past the camera and through the door, 'though he remained in the room, all 3 continuing to watch Ronnie's violent struggle.
All three gasped in triumphant air as Ronnie's feet ran past, but it didn't last long-the captor's feet followed seconds later. Both Nick and Scott cried unabashedly as, moments later, the man dragged Ronnie's limp form back into the room, dropping her unceremoniously on the floor before running out again.
"I'll get the search for Madigan started," Brass said, tearing his eyes away from the screen, but only after Nick had breathlessly pointed out the slight rise and fall of Ronnie's chest as she breathed, letting them all know she was still alive.
"Wait." Scott said suddenly, extracting his wallet and pulling out a picture, holding it out to Brass as he said, "Use this."
It was a picture of Ronnie and Maddie. They were sitting on a large, overstuffed purple couch. Ronnie was sitting in a cross-legged position, Maddie in her lap. The little girl's legs were hanging over her mother's and were in mid-kick, her little face lit up with a grin. Ronnie's arms were wrapped loosely around Maddie and Ronnie's eyes were dancing with amusement at the photographer over the top of her daughter's head.
Brass took the photo from Scott's shaky hand, leaving the room, but not before assuring him, "I'll get it back to you as soon as I can."
The room fell into silence, Nick's eyes on the screen, watching the motionless Ronnie, while Scott paced the small room, staring hard at the photo of the man. His gaze was intent and he was muttering under his breath, trying desperately to remember who the hell this guys was.
Sara entered the room, causing both men to turn to her anxiously, but she shook her head, "We just got back from the house-nothing. And no one saw anything either."
"Damnit!" Nick swore, ignoring the disapproving look from the just-entering Grissom.
Scott ignored the facial exchange, instead resuming his pacing. His eyes narrowed at the image, running his mind over the events of Ronnie's life, trying to think of a reason someone would have of hurting his sister.
"Oh my god!" he yelled suddenly, catching everyone's attention as he stared, wide-eyed, at the picture, "I know who this is!"
"What? WHO?" Nick demanded immediately, eyes filled with hope.
Scott's eyes raised to his, filled with horror as he said, "He's the son of the man who attacked Ronnie when she was 16."
XoXoXoXo
A/N Hey! Sorry about last chapter and the lateness of this one but 1) it was an accident and 2) I've been sick so deal with it lol. Anyway, thanks everyone who reviewed last chapter-even if it was a mistake the first time- and please review me again!
Luv ya
Red.