Headlights.

For the second time, Grissom was frozen in them. He could feel Catherine and Greg bustling around him and he could hear their questions. But he couldn't answer. He was sitting there, motionless, in the middle of the road, his shocked expression illuminated by the headlights on Catherine's Tahoe. Every few seconds, he bent over to give Sara another breath but other than that, he did nothing and he thought about nothing. It wasn't until Catherine shook him firmly that he came back into reality.

"Gil," Catherine said calmly. "Gil, talk to me."

"We're here, Grissom," came Greg's trembling voice. "We found you."

"Gil?"

"Grissom, what happened?"

He could answer now but at the same time, he couldn't. He didn't have time to. "She's not breathing!"Grissom told them, almost frantically. "Her lung collapsed. She can't move any air."

Catherine nodded quickly."We had a team standing by. I already called us in. They're sending an ambulance to meet us at the main road. Gil–"

"She's not breathing," Grissom said again, meeting Catherine's gaze. He searched her eyes and he realized that she was reading him, almost as well as Sara had. Almost. And in that moment, Grissom knew that Catherine could see the thousand emotions in his blue eyes. He knew that she could see how much pain he was in, how much he'd been through and how much he'd changed in those five long hours. Her gentle stare gave him strength. And he was sure that his stare told her everything.

"Can she be moved?" Greg asked, looking up at Grissom with wide eyes.

"We have no choice," he replied, forcing himself into motion. "We have to go! We don't have time to talk right now."

"But she's not breathing–"

"We'll have to continue AR in the truck!"

Catherine's arm was under Sara's shoulders before Grissom could finish his sentence. Greg, on the other hand, was frozen in place. His face was almost as pale as Sara's and his mouth twitched nervously, as if he were trying to say something but nothing would come out. He just stared as the two older CSIs worked quickly, lifting their unconscious colleague with as much care as possible.

"I'll, uh, I'll get the door," Greg said slowly, his eyes fixed on Sara's limp form. He took a deep breath and then he snapped into action, running ahead a few feet to the Tahoe, opening the back door immediately upon arrival. When Grissom and Catherine arrived with Sara a few seconds later, Greg frantically crawled into the front passenger seat, leaning over to help position Sara in the back. He held her head and neck still while Grissom and Catherine settled her onto the seat.

"Good, Greg," Grissom said quickly, as he climbed in with Sara, hovering overtop of her. He didn't really have time to give out praise but he could see the growing fear in Greg's eyes and he needed his youngest CSI to stay calm and collected. As Catherine clambered into the driver's seat, Grissom briefly locked gazes with Greg, silently demanding that he keep it together.

Greg seemed to understand. He nodded and then looked back down at Sara. "She's bringing up blood," he muttered, remaining calm and choking back a cry. "There's so much of it."

Grissom looked down and, as a jolt of paralysing pain surged through his body, he realized that Greg was right. The blood no longer trickled gently from the corner of Sara's mouth. Instead, a steady, crimson stream now flowed across her chalk-white cheek and down along her neck, making a trail all the way to the two fingers Grissom had pressed against her throat.

"Internal bleeding, Greg," Grissom explained hoarsely, as he leaned in to give Sara a breath. He covered her mouth with his own and he gave her yet another gentle, controlled puff of air, sending all of his prayers with it. Breathe, Sara, he silently cried, as he kept his fingers on her faint pulse. The weak beat under his fingertips was his only solace, the only thing that kept his own heart from stopping. But the beat was fading steadily and Grissom was already having a hard time finding it."Go Cath!" he called out. "She barely has a pulse. We need to go–now!"

"Stay with us, Sara," Catherine urged in a low, determined voice. She put the Tahoe into drive and then she slammed her foot down on the gas pedal. For Grissom, a haunting flashback accompanied the sudden movement and he had to do everything in his power not to flinch noticeably. Masking his fear, he gave Sara another breath and then trembling, he listened as the stones from the road slapped furiously against the bottom of the SUV.

"We don't have far to go, Griss," Greg said, still leaning over the seat. Grissom gave Greg a quick look and then moved to breathe for Sara again, keeping his steady rhythm. Then, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out one of the bandages he'd brought, immediately handing it over to Greg. "What do you want me to do?" Greg asked, his voice high and frantic.

"Wipe the blood away."

"Right."Greg nodded quickly and after Grissom gave Sara another breath, he ducked in, tenderly wiping at Sara's mouth and neck to remove the bright red trail. "Okay, I got it," he squeaked, withdrawing to give his supervisor room. Grissom nodded his thanks without breaking his focus.

"Breathe, Sara," Grissom whispered encouragingly, over and over again. As he continued the steady rhythm of artificial respiration, Grissom thought about his conversations with Sara, about the heartfelt words and feelings they had finally shared with each other, about the incredible way he had felt when he was telling her how much she meant to him. Every time his lips met her lips, he wondered if he would get the chance to feel that way again. He wondered if he deserved to. He was pretty sure that he didn't but then again, he hadn't deserved two miracles either.

Greg reached for Sara's hand to squeeze it tightly. "How–how long has it been since–" He closed his eyes. "Since she stopped breathing?"

"Too long," muttered Grissom. "Too damn long."

"Oh–" Greg replied, his voice shaking. He clearly had no idea what to say to that."Well, we're almost there," he managed, a second later. Then, in a barely audible whisper, he added, "Hold on, Sara."

Grissom knew that he had to ignore Greg, even though the younger CSI's intentions were obviously good. It wasn't anything personal; Grissom just couldn't allow himself to think about anything or anybody other than Sara. He couldn't even think about how tired he was getting or how his heart was beating out of control or how his own breathing had become so choppy that he was gasping for air.

"Do you want me to take over?" Greg asked meekly.

Grissom shook his head fiercely but it wasn't in response to Greg's offer. With a look of sheer determination on his face, Grissom somehow found the strength to intensify his efforts. "I'm not letting her do this," he faltered between gasps. "No way." He managed to suck in another breath and he immediately gave it to Sara, not bothering to take any air for himself.

"Do you want me to take over?" Greg asked again, his voice cracking this time.

Catherine jumped in. "You need a rest, Gil–"

"Dammit, Catherine!" Grissom shivered. "If we don't get her–"

"No!" Catherine stopped him, her tone sharp, distressed. "Just don't, Gil. The road is right here. It's right here!" And with those words, they emerged from the trees, racing unceremoniously out of the darkness.

Grissom didn't have time to celebrate his return to the world in any way at all. He didn't even think about it. In fact, as soon as the tires thudded against the tarmac, he was in action, gently lifting Sara's head and moving across the seat to open the door. His fingers grasped the handle just as Catherine slammed on the brakes, bringing the Tahoe to a skidding halt.

Grissom jumped out, instantly scanning the road with tired, bloodshot eyes. But there were no flashing lights to be seen."Where in hell is that ambulance?" He muttered loudly. He looked ahead into the brightening horizon, wondering if he'd finally come to a dead end. This is it, he thought, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. We've come so far and Sara fought so hard! It just can't end right here! Not when we're almost there! Tears welled up in his eyes but he forced them back wildly, willing himself to concentrate."We need an ETA on that ambulance, Cath! We're running out of time!"

Catherine brought the radio to her lips, making the desperate plea, and Grissom ducked back into the SUV to give Sara another breath. Greg was still leaning over the front seat, holding Sara's limp hand in his own. "Should I take over?" he asked yet again, his voice very small. "I can do it, Griss. If you need me to."

No. I need to do this, Grissom wanted to reply. But the sound of Catherine tearing back into the vehicle interrupted his thoughts. "Where are they?" he demanded, his eyes immediately searching his long-time friend's face for answers.

"They're sending a chopper!" Catherine replied, spitting the words out. "It's on the way right now. Should be here any minute!"

Grissom let out an erratic sigh and he rested his fingers on the side of Sara's neck, searching again for her fading pulse. "God, we're–we're losing her," he said breathlessly, shaking his head before giving Sara another breath. I can't lose her. I won't lose her! he cried, in unspoken desperation. Don't give up, Sara. Just hold on. For me. "Come on, Sara. Come on," he said out loud, urging her to keep fighting while urging himself to do the same. "Come on–"

"Let us help," Catherine said firmly, her eyes surprisingly calm. With a reassuring nod, she moved to the other side of the Tahoe and she took Grissom's arm, tugging lightly to pull him away from Sara. "Greg and I can handle this," she said, speaking softly. "Just rest for a second, Gil. You've been through a lot."

He might have considered resting for just a minute but right then, Grissom realized that he felt nothing under his fingertips. Nothing. "No pulse–" he gasped out, his mind going blank as he shook Catherine's arm away. Grissom closed his eyes for a moment, trying to pull himself together. He really wasn't aware of anything he was doing but thankfully, his training kicked in and he snapped into command mode. "Get her on the ground!" he practically shouted, as he slipped his arms under Sara's shoulders and pulled her out towards him. Greg immediately jumped over the seat to guide Sara's legs out while Catherine grabbed the blanket and spread it out on the road.

"Put her down here," Catherine instructed, as she moved to help guide Sara's still from to the ground. They managed to set her down carefully and then all three CSIs dropped to their knees, wasting no time at all before beginning their frantic efforts to revive their friend. Catherine immediately positioned herself at Sara's head, clearing her airway while Grissom moved to start chest compressions, with despair in his eyes. Greg was lost somewhere in the middle, holding Sara's hand and calling to her gently, his face becoming paler by the second.

Don't leave me, Sara, Grissom begged, his words getting caught in his throat. We got our miracle. You can't leave me now! As he pushed rhythmically on Sara's chest, Grissom could feel the last bit of hope leave his soul. He had been clinging to that lingering hope desperately but with every compression over Sara's heart, he felt it seep out of his tired body. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. He said those words silently to Sara with every compression and with every beat of his own heart.

Catherine gave Sara another breath, in time with Grissom's compressions, and then she moved her fingers to Sara's neck. After a moment, she lifted her head, shaking it softly. "Nothing," she whispered. "No response."

Greg bit his lip. "God, please," he said brokenly, desperately. "Please, no. Sara, come on!"

Grissom briefly met Greg's empty eyes as he continued working on Sara, pushing forcefully on her already damaged chest. He wondered how much the CPR would aggravate her internal injuries, even though he knew it wouldn't matter if they couldn't get her heart beating again. He could feel her broken ribs crack under his hands and it made him feel sick to his stomach. I'm not hurting her, he had to keep telling himself, as he tried to block out reality.

A few seconds later, after Grissom finished another set of compressions, Catherine gave Sara another breath and checked her again. This time, when Catherine lifted her head, her face was wildly bright. "We got her," she cried out, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's weak and I don't know how long it'll last but–"

Catherine's words were cut short by a rumble in the sky and Grissom looked up to see a helicopter approaching, a dark but hopeful shadow in the early morning light. But he knew better than to feel relieved at the sight. Sara was just barely holding on and he had no idea how far away the nearest hospital was. He could only pray that it was close and that it was equipped to deal with injuries as severe as Sara's.

When the helicopter landed, Grissom was immediately swept into a frenzy of activity.He no longer felt like himself at all. Instead, he felt like the world's smallest creature, insignificant and ignored. He almost felt betrayed when the paramedics burst out of the helicopter and took over. It was what he wanted, of course, but at the same time, Sara was being taken away from him, removed from his care. He would no longer be able to help her, to be with her and he hadn't really thought about that. So it took him by surprise when the paramedics shoved him aside, forcing him to feel useless, to just stand by and watch–as if he hadn't already done enough of that. All Grissom got to do was relay the details of the accident and Sara's condition. And just when he finished doing that, they were already loading Sara onto a stretcher, setting up IVs and giving her oxygen as they dashed towards the helicopter.

They're taking her away from me! Grissom's heart sank. They can't do that. I need to be with her. She needs me with her. They just can't do this. Not after all we've been through! Grissom was so distraught that he barely noticed that he'd started running after them.

"Gil! Wait!" Catherine called out from behind him.

But Grissom didn't stop. He ran over to the pilot, calling out loudly to him. "I'm riding with you!" He licked his lips nervously, watching as the paramedics loaded Sara into the helicopter. "I know about her injuries," Grissom explained. "I can help!"

The pilot shook his head. "We don't have room, sir. You'll have to meet us there!"

Grissom tried again. "Someone needs to go with her–"

"You need to let us do our job, sir!"

Grissom opened his mouth to respond but Catherine grabbed his arm, pulling him away. "Let them take her, Gil!" she yelled, her voice barely audible over the deafening noise. "Greg and I will get you there as fast as we can!"

"She's in good hands," added Greg.

But she's not with me, Grissom wanted to say. But he knew that Catherine and Greg were right, so he allowed them to guide him away. And before he knew what was happening, he was sitting in the front seat of the Tahoe, with Catherine hovering over him, reassuring him that he did everything right, and that it would all be okay–somehow.

"They're taking her to Northwestern," Greg said, as the helicopter lifted off the ground and headed into the horizon. "It's about a half an hour drive from here. At least we got her back before–"

"She still wasn't breathing," Grissom interrupted, his voice flat. He closed his eyes, bringing his hand up to momentarily hide his emotions. "This just doesn't end," he whispered. "She's been through so much and there's still so far to go." He dropped his hand, looking into Catherine's eyes, hoping to find even more comfort and reassurance there. "I don't know how she's still holding on."

Catherine squeezed Grissom's arm. "I do," she said, as a small, encouraging smile curved her lips. "She's Sara. And–" She gave Grissom a gentle wink. "She's got a lot to live for."

Greg was still pale. "We need to get you to the hospital," he said, as he climbed into the backseat.

"You need to get checked out," Catherine said softly. She gave Grissom's arm another gentle squeeze and then walked around to the driver's seat, climbing in quickly. "What the hell happened out there?" she muttered. Grissom heard her words, but he didn't answer. He couldn't. Not yet.

For Grissom, the battle was over. And yet it was just beginning. As he sat quietly in Catherine's Tahoe, he felt the whole night catch up with him. He listened to the sound of the vehicle's engine–a soft, even hum–and he watched out his window as the sun rose in the sky. The stars were invisible now and Sara was getting farther and farther away from him. He could only pray that she still felt him with her, that she didn't feel as lonely and as isolated as he did.

Resting his head against the window, Grissom sighed. In his heart, he knew it was going to be a long journey home.

TBC

Author's Note: I'm so sorry! This chapter took forever! I've been working on some other stories, some lighthearted, fun CSI stories, and I got a little too wrapped up in them! I want to finish this one before I post my next WIP, or at least get closer to finishing this one! Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews! You are all amazing!

Special thanks to Jenny70529, Anti-Social-Turtle, vsky, barenakedrachel, SmallWings, bythemoon, gabesaunt, Dizzy-Dreamer, Sunrays and Saturdays, svcmc, drakien, CSINut214, Denese25, Veronica, ToMyGrave, taramis, rokothepas, Mochaccino Love, CarbyluvYTDAW, CsiM.Csi.CsiNY.Wat., berta101, leddy, DaVinci13, tvspaz626, annieb, jtbwriter, tarrabeena, Almeida's-Angel24, Fiona Christie, LSI, silence89, CookieK2, Chicklit, snackattack, GracefulBee, Aidrianna, brainfear, Sidle Chick, naquada, DolphinAnimagus, princesspink, tori, jbr12476, Wiccagirl24, Bower, lalaforte, cjtylr74, Laura, Adenara Yatman and anyone I missed. You're all so wonderful and I appreciate your support immensely! Thanks for sticking with me!

Jazz