Title: Goodbye, Mr. Grissom - Chapter 14

Disclaimer: These guys don't belong to me.

Spoiler(s): None

Grissom was certain the sound he heard was a helicopter. It seemed to draw closer but then became a steady drone.

"What does that mean?" He wondered. Heaving himself up, he put his weight on his left leg and hopped to the middle of his rocky prison. He listened intently.

"There has to be a way to draw attention." He thought. If he just had some matches, he could set his jacket on fire and send up a signal.

"There's not even two sticks to rub together!" He muttered after scouring the surrounding area.

"From now on…….." He began a vow. Matches or a lighter would be a part of his personal accouterment. Needing to relieve some of his weight from his good leg, he hopped to the rocky wall he'd tried so hard to climb. Should he try it again?

"Come on – see them!" He tried to shout as he gazed up at the vultures still circling. It came out more as a croak than a shout.

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Catherine paused to catch her breath at the base of the rocks. Glancing up in the sky, she noticed one of the vultures dive toward the earth slightly to her left.

"Gil!" She yelled. She wasn't sure if it was the wind or her fervent desire but she thought she heard a muffled 'Here!' She began scrambling up the rocks, wishing for a pair of gloves as she ripped a fingernail nearly off.

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"Where the hell is she going?" Brass huffed as he neared Nick and Sara. Nick had quickly outdistanced him in their pursuit of Catherine and Sara.

"I don't know but I trust her instinct." Nick answered.

"Sara, you okay?" Brass asked. Sara was bent over double, head between her knees, while Nick rubbed her back.

"Yeah, I got a stitch. I'll be all right. There's got to be another way up. I don't think I can make that climb." Sara stood and motioned to Catherine's figure nearing the top of the rocks.

"You guys find it, I'm going after Cath." Nick stated and began a steady climb.

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"Gil!" Catherine breathlessly shouted again, once she had reached the top.

"I'm here!"

She made her way on rubbery legs to where the call and following coughs had emanated. Noting a trail from the south that a four-wheel drive vehicle could navigate, she looked over the edge of precipice to find Gil Grissom, grinning as best he could, and gazing hopefully up to the edge.

"Catherine." He greeted. He looked wonderfully alive; but then, she noticed how he was leaning on a rock and his face was swollen and bruised.

"Hang on. Help is on the way. I'll be down in a sec." She told him. Pulling out the radio, she turned slightly so he couldn't hear.

"He's alive and looks okay but we need a Medi-vac here, ASAP."

"Roger that. Medi-vac on the way." Came the reply from one of the helicopter pilots a few seconds later.

"Hey! How are you?" She asked once she reached the bottom to find him sitting with his back against a rock. More than once, she'd heard him utter, "Catherine, be careful!" While she made her descent.

"I've been better." He smiled crookedly. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you."

"I'm so happy to find you. I'd kiss you, if I could see someplace that wouldn't hurt."

"Not many places left but here would be okay." He pointed to his right temple with his left hand. She gave him a quick peck and ruffled his hair.

"Chin's not bad either."

"Yeah, but it's got dirt and blood on it." She replied, wiping some of the grime away from his beard as she investigated his head injuries. In the end, she gave it a quick kiss too.

"I saw that!" Nick yelled down. Catherine giggled.

"That's so nice to hear." Grissom said.

"Seriously, where's it hurt the worst?"

"Right knee is in bad shape and my right shoulder is probably dislocated. I think I have a mild concussion, along with dehydration, maybe had a touch of hypothermia and I started coughing last night." He diagnosed.

"I think you've got a little fever." She said placing her hand on his forehead. "But, it doesn't sound like anything a hospital stay can't remedy."

"I hate hospitals."

"Me, too."

"So, you're okay?"

"Yeah, broke a nail, though." She held her hand up to examine her throbbing finger.

"I hate when that happens. Ouch, that looks rough. You might be in the next bed over."

Further conversation was impossible. The roaring engine and screeching tires of the Denali would have drowned it out. And then, there was the general cacophony resulting in the arrival of the rest of the team. As the various faces peered over the rim, Grissom felt a knot of emotion welling from deep in his chest until he had to choke back the tears.

"You brought everybody." He whispered.

"Hey, only the best……………." She kissed his temple again.

Finis!