A/N - well I had some time on my hands - it is Christmas holidays. And i would like to get this story finished! I'm glad you all like it and Happy Birthday CSIFreak6!

Chapter 29:

Everyone stood in shock as the scene before them unfolded. The tall man lay in a pool of blood at Sara's feet. She hadn't moved, the gun still pointed at now the nothingness before her. She couldn't move. She couldn't breath. She could only stay still and hope that someone would save her. Brass lowered his gun and looked in shock, staring at the woman in front of him. Her face was so pale; she looked so scared. But she wouldn't move.

Nick slowly started to make his way towards Sara. She kept staring at where her brother's face had been moments before.

"Sara?" He said quietly. She didn't react except the sobs that continued to rise out of her throat, her gun still held tightly. "Sara. Put down the gun honey. It's okay. It's over." Not knowing what she was going to do, he kept walking towards her slowly, as to not startle her.

Grissom finally regained his composure and watched everyone else. As he saw Nick edge towards Sara, who refused to put the gun down and was started to shake uncontrollably, he rushed outside to get the paramedics who had come.

"Wait." He instructed to them, making sure they waited until Nick got to Sara first. He finally reached her and softly grabbed her hand, prying the gun from her fingers and passing it quickly to Grissom, who bagged it.

"Sara?" He said again quietly, taking her shaking hands in his, trying to get her to look him in the eye. He turned to look at Grissom, concern flooding his eyes. Grissom motioned towards the paramedics - two of them were working on Daniel Sidle, the other two waiting for the go ahead to help Sara. Nick shook his head, and mouthed 'Not yet'.

Sara's eyes started to dart around the room in panic, looking at everything except and moving being. Nick had finally gotten her to lower her arms, her hands wrapped in his.

"Sara?" He said again. Her sobbing wouldn't stop. It was the cries of a scared woman; one who was confused and afraid and didn't know exactly what happened. Just as Nick was about to call the paramedics over, he heard her soft voice through the tears.

"I killed him." With that, she slumped to the ground, her cries shaking Nick's heart as he held her tightly. She could feel the darkness approaching, as she held on tight to Nick, hoping that he would stop her from falling in the dark hole she could see was coming to claim her. Within seconds, she collapsed in his arms.

-+-+-

Sara woke up to the beeping of the heart monitor. It took her a minute to place herself as to where she was. Everything was a blur. She could feel the warm grip on her hand, but the hand was unfamiliar. More calloused, more rough. Sara didn't want to wake him up. He looked like he hadn't slept in hours, but her movements must have brought him from his unconsciousness.

"Are you okay?" Grissom asked quickly. She just nodded. He must have sensed what she wanted to say, because immediately he explained, "We finally got Nick to go home and rest. I'm sure he'll be back really soon." She nodded again. Sara opened her mouth to talk, but found she just couldn't form the words.

"The doctor said you might be in a little bit of shock. Are you having troubles talking?" She nodded again. She felt incompetent, only nodding her head back and forth, not even being able to form a word. Her brain was running at a hundred miles an hour, trying to process what was going on. She was a killer. She was just like her mom. She sold out her family and now they were gone. All of them. She could feel the hot tears stream down her cheeks.

"You didn't kill him." Grissom said quietly. They both turned as they heard the door open and Nick walk in. He rushed in and pulled Sara into a tight embrace, as she screwed up her eyes to try and fight back the tears.

"Are you okay? God, I'm so sorry Sara." He looked at Grissom when she didn't say anything.

"She's having trouble talking. Give her time - the doctor says its stress and completely normal." Grissom explained. Nick turned to look back at Sara, who held his gaze with watery eyes. "I'll let you finish Nick. Feel better okay Sara?" She just nodded, trying to reflect through her eyes the sincerity she felt. She knew Grissom got the point as he smiled at her sadly before he left. Grissom's departure was followed by silence, until Nick finally spoke up,

"You didn't kill him honey." He said quietly, and she nodded slowly, the hope rising in her eyes; the hope that Nick was destroyed to have to dash. "I'm so sorry Sara, he didn't make it. But it wasn't you that shot him." A sob rose from her chest. Part of her felt relieved that it hadn't been her that did it, the other still mourned for her brother.

"Who?" She finally whispered. She needed to know.

"Jim did. We weren't about to lose our girl. Not for anything in the world."