Entreaty
Chapter 16
Side note: Thanks again for everything, Alison.
Mojave Desert
Sara exited the Tahoe and stretched her arms behind her back. After a nice filling lunch at the café in the last town and the long drive out here to the spot where Kyle's car had been found she was relieved to be standing on her two legs and on firm ground.
She watched Grissom climb from the driver's side of the Tahoe and walk around to the front of the vehicle as he scanned their surroundings. As far as you could see in each direction was blue-sky miles of uninhabited land with scatterings of tall outcroppings of rocks.
"They were out here overnight before packing everything up and preparing to meet someone." Grissom turned in a half circle. "The Navigator was found here. Traces of a campsite were found over by those rocks." He motioned towards a large outcropping of red rocks.
"That bothers me." Sara met Grissom's eyes with a frown. "If they were such experienced campers then they wouldn't leave behind any trace of a campsite. Would they?"
"That puzzles me too." Grissom admitted. He nodded towards the outcropping of rocks. "I also wondered why they left the car over here, but set up camp a distance away." He measured the distance with his eyes and found that there was a good five hundred feet from where the pair presumably camped.
Grissom wiped his brow. They had been out here less than twenty minutes and he was already feeling the heat from the desert assault him. With one hand he pulled his shirt away from his body and let it flutter back where it settled against sticky skin.
"Maybe we shouldn't bother setting up the tent. What's the point?" Sara asked as she pulled her hair up into a bun and eyed him with interest. "We can visualize the scene without actually recreating the campsite."
Grissom was walking away from her as she spoke. His eyes focused on the rocks.
"Grissom?" Sara placed her hands on her hips for a brief minute before opening the backdoor of the car and pulling a 64-ounce bottle of water from the cooler. Soon, she was trailing after Grissom, who was almost to the rock formation.
"It does look like a beetle doesn't it?" Grissom was tilting his head in contemplation. "I didn't notice it before when I came out here."
Sara was not sure Grissom expected her reply as he circled around the rocks and studied the soil. Watching him, Sara squatted down and placed the water bottle beside the rock as much out of the sun as she could manage. A flicker of metal caught her eye.
"Uh. Grissom. I think that you should see this."
Drawn by the excitement in her voice, Grissom walked over until he was standing beside her. His eyes flicked from her upturned face to follow her gaze as she turned her head and nodded towards the object.
"A shell casing?" Grissom breathed out slowly as he crouched next to her. "It wasn't here the other day."
"Are you positive?" Sara pulled her sunglasses off and bent closer to the object. "It could have been beneath the sand until that thunderstorm last night."
"The reports indicated that metal detectors were used all around this site and for two miles around that. No metal was found."
Sara did not challenge him with words. Her quirked eyebrow spoke volumes.
"They could have missed it." Grissom admitted. "Or someone could have been out here shooting yesterday."
"Where are you going?" Sara watched him retreat. She had been doing a lot of that lately, it seemed.
"To get my evidence kit." Grissom responded over his shoulder.
Sara looked back at the shell casing and let her eyes wander around the rocks. It was late afternoon and she was thankful they had stopped at that diner. If they had been here before 4:00 p.m., she would have been sitting in the air-conditioned car.
"No, you wouldn't Sidle." She chided herself as she twisted the top off the bottle of water and took a long sip. "You would be right here with him."
The person in question reappeared with a determined look and an evidence bag. The cotton shirt was now plastered against his chest and sweat ran from his forehead along the sides of his face.
"Drink." Sara held the bottle out to his protesting scowl.
"I need to bag that shell." Grissom was already snapping on latex gloves and reaching for the object in question. Securing it inside the bag, he labeled it with a black sharpie.
"Now drink." Sara thrust the bottle beneath his nose and he only hesitated a second before taking it from her with a gentle tug. Taking a long sip, he found that he was thirstier than he realized and was soon chugging half the water.
"Hey, not so fast." Sara grinned as she tapped his hand that held the bottle. "We are sharing that you know."
"We have plenty of water in the car." Grissom teased and waved his arm in that general direction. "You can get another bottle while I search for more shells."
"Oh? Is that so?" Sara took the water and with a purposeful look held it to her lips before taking a long sip. "And who found this evidence in the first place? Hmm?"
"You, dear." Grissom bit back the grin that threatened to erupt as he watched her eyes widen. "I'm going to walk around this area with the metal detector." He pointed to his detector as Sara shook her head to clear the cobwebs he spun so easily.
"I think that I'll walk around." Sara spoke to the air as Grissom focused on the beeps emitting from the detector. "In the blasted desert heat." She mumbled beneath her breath.
Thirty minutes later, she was back at the car digging into the cooler for another bottle of water. Leaning against the hood, she let her eyes wonder back over the plains until her gaze fastened on the lone figure moving with unsteady legs over the sand in the direction of the car.
She was in the middle of the desert with the only man that could wrestle her emotions into a knot. Why had she allowed it to happen? From this distance, she could not see the expression on his face, but when his head snapped up and he looked straight at her she felt her heart flip flop.
Then he was shouting something and her senses erupted anew as she heard a loud humming sound. When he started running towards her, waving his arms wildly, she jumped and felt her heart slam inside her chest. She looked up in time to see a small single engine plane winging over where she stood. Instinct made her dive behind the Tahoe just as a loud barrage of bullets hit the cars body and windows. Glass shattered above her and all around as she felt a body fall on top of her, pressing her into the sand.
Grissom waited for the plane to circle around and come at them from the side of the car they were on, but instead the hum grew distant and soon faded.
Shaken from the entire experience Grissom slowly rolled off Sara. "You okay?" His voice shook as he spotted red dots on Sara's hands.
"Scratches." Sara assured him as she sat up and leaned back against the car, her eyes wide with shock. "Grissom," Sara stared at the man now crouched in front of her, whose expression mirrored her own. "What just happened?"
Grissom opened his mouth and then shut it without uttering a word. He shook his head as a new thought hit him and he clambered to his feet. "I need to call for backup."
"You think they will come back?" Sara stood on shaky legs and surveyed the damaged car. "I'm glad they didn't hit the gas tank." They stared at the untouched gas cylinder and breathed a sigh of relief.
"I don't know if they will refuel and come back or not." Grissom replied to her earlier question and then pointed to the steaming hood. "Although, I don't think we are going anywhere anytime soon."
Sara pulled open the front door and scooted into the car. She reached for the first cell phone that she saw.
"Shit."
"What's wrong?" Grissom's concerned voice would have brought a smile to her lips fifteen minutes ago, but now she simply held up the phone.
"Well, shit." Grissom echoed. "Where's the rest of it?"
Sara held up the second half.
"We will have to use your phone." Grissom leaned into the car and waited for her find her own cell phone.
Sara stared at the glass-riddled seat and reached for her jacket, hoping it had protected the fragile lifeline.
"Wait." Grissom leaned between her and the steering wheel and grasped her wrist lightly. "I don't have scratches on my arms and hands." He picked up her jacket with tentative fingers and tossed it onto the floor. Sara shifted to allow him more room as he reached for the phone. "It's in one piece." Grissom said.
Finding the humor in the worst situation she had ever been in, Sara could not resist.
"That's always a good thing." She replied with a weak smile as she waited for him to pull back out of the car.
Grissom pushed the call button and held the phone to his ear, before tapping in numbers and pressing send.
Sara held her breath as she watched his face. "What's the matter, Gris?"
Grissom held the phone up for her to read. 'No roaming.' Blinked on the faceplate.
"No." Sara said with a dismal look.
They stared at each other, seconds stretching into minutes. "I suppose that we know why it wasn't important to shoot us." Grissom said with a wince.
"Greg will try to contact us." Sara said without much confidence. "And Brass. He will be suspicious when he can't get through on your phone."
Grissom glanced at the setting sun. "We can try walking back to the main road when it gets dark."
"What if someone is waiting for us, Grissom?"
"They can just as easily drive out here or fly back if they want to finish us off."
Sara had to agree with him. "Then we'll try walking out of here when it gets dark."
Grissom leaned back into the car and touched her arms and hands with gentle fingers.
"They are not deep scratches, Gris." Sara let him inspect the minor cuts. "Not like that cut after the explosion at the lab."
The mention of the explosion made Grissom turn her left hand over and run the tip of his finger over the scar. Sara watched him with a curious mix of emotions playing across her face.
When he looked up at her, his eyes held an emotion that she could not place. Then it was gone as he abruptly released her hand and turned back to the rocks.
"We are onto something that has someone spooked." Grissom let his eyes roam over the landscape. "Someone with connections apparently."
Sara stepped from the shattered vehicle and walked around to stand beside him.
"I think that we should stay here tonight." Grissom stated.
"Why?" Sara touched his elbow. "I thought you wanted to walk towards the main road tonight. By tomorrow it will be much too hot for us to go anyplace."
"I'm not sure why, Sara." Grissom turned his head to look at her. "I just have a strong feeling that we shouldn't leave yet."
Taking a deep breath, Sara let go of his arm and turned towards the car. "I'll check to see if we have enough water to get us through tomorrow and longer if necessary."
Grissom followed her back to the car. "I'll set the camping equipment out. We can pitch the tent over by the rocks."
Sara heard the thread of excitement in his voice.
"You're enjoying this." Sara accused him with a soft smile. "The adrenaline of having someone shoot at us must have brought out all your manly feelings."
"My what?" Grissom's lips twitched.
"Your manliness." Sara grinned. "Oh, never mind."
Grissom pulled out the camping equipment while Sara took stock of their supplies. The shattered glass and bullets had done no apparent damage to their water, a fact that sent relief coursing through her veins.
She could handle having no food for several days, but water was vital for their survival.
Grissom was puzzling over the tent when she stepped around the rocks to inform him that they were okay on water.
"You do know how to put up a tent, don't you Gris?"
Grissom's chin snapped up and he scowled good-naturedly. "Of course, Sara." He locked his jaw before turning back to the flat canvas. "You could help if you want."
Sara smiled at his back before moving over to the opposite side of the tent. Together they managed to stabilize the tent into a nice secure standing position. Sara then tossed the sleeping bags inside before turning to study Grissom's thoughtful face.
"You can always sleep outside with your bug friends."
Their eyes met and he shifted from a half crouching position to stand. "I'll take my chances with the creepy crawlers inside the tent."
"Be careful Gris. You may have to contend with more than you can handle."
"I doubt that."
Sara was the first to break eye contact. "I'm going to get more water from the car and also bring the snacks over here."
Grissom hesitated a beat. He glanced at the dark blue sky looking for a sign of a plane. He did not see one, but he found himself trailing behind Sara back to the car.
"We should probably take the cooler." Grissom leaned over her shoulder, his breath tickling the inside of her ear.
"Gris, don't do that." Sara protested as warmth spread up her neck.
"Don't carry the cooler to the tent?" Grissom asked with mock bafflement.
"You know what I mean." Sara used her elbow to gently prod him backwards so that she could breathe and he could reach the cooler.
"I'll get the snacks after you haul that out of there." Sara added after putting a safe distance between them. She watched Grissom lean into the car, his back muscles rippling beneath the clinging material.
Shaking her head at her own internal fantasies Sara forced her eyes away from Grissom's body and surveyed the horizon. A part of her kept expecting the plane to come back or even a car to appear carrying more people set on harming them.
"Are you okay?" Grissom was holding the larger blue cooler with both hands and eyeing her warily.
"I'm fine." Sara tried to smile but failed miserably. "It's surreal. That's all."
Grissom nodded. "I'm going to take this to the tent. You are coming?"
"I'm right behind you." Sara retrieved the sack full of snacks. When she backed out of the car, she found that Grissom was waiting. Surprised and touched, she could not resist. "I knew dinner with you would be exciting, Gris. You do know how to entertain a gal."
She received no reply, but the look he sent her made her heart thump.
They reached the interior of the tent and Sara set about removing items from the bag.
"You're cooking for me, Sara?"
Sara froze, her eyes fastened on a box of powdered donuts. The teasing quality in his voice was unnerving. She was not going to allow him to charm her and then ignore her at his whim. Still, she found her eyes drift over to where he was lounging on one of the sleeping bags. She quickly scolded herself for her weakness. He was lying on his side facing her, one hand propped beneath his cheek and the other smoothing a small spot on the sleeping bag in front of him. His eyes were filled with humor and something deeper. They flickered over her face as she quickly looked away. Swallowing over the fresh lump in her throat Sara tried to take her mind off the fact that she was alone in the middle of the desert in a tent with Grissom.
"You can have powdered donuts for dinner." Sara told him with a forced lightness. "Or you can have chips. We have a variety--sour cream, barbecue, plain."
She stopped rambling when she felt his voice spin a web around her mind.
"I'm not hungry for donuts or chips."
Grissom did not know why he was baiting Sara. He only knew that she could have been cut down in that bullet spree today and now they could perish in the desert sun. With a sudden clarity, he realized that he wanted to hold her close to him and make love to her with no inhibitions. He could have lost her today and it was not certain that they would be rescued from the situation they now found themselves in the middle of at present. The thought of losing her was incomprehensible to him and he wanted to show her with more than words.
Sara refused to look at him. The back and forth of the past three years with him was beyond confusing. Was it too late? She told herself that it was. Then he had appeared on her doorstep asking for her help.
"Sara?" The teasing was gone, replaced by uncertainty.
Sara waited for him to continue and was disappointed to hear only a heavy sigh. Opening the box of doughnuts, she bit into one of the sugary confections and tried to ignore the man behind her. Finishing off the doughnut, she mustered the courage to face Grissom. He was stretched out on his back, one knee bent and one hand pressed over his eyes.
Sara smoothed her sleeping bag out as far from his as she could manage before sitting on the soft fabric and staring at the tent flap. She thought of going back outside and taking a short walk around the tent, but instead found herself reclining on her back with her arms folded beneath her head.
"Gris?" Sara needed to hear his voice. She thought that he had fallen asleep when he responded.
"What is it?"
Sara was not sure how to explain that she simply wanted to hear his voice.
"Not even in my wildest fantasies did I ever imagine that I would be lying in a tent with you in the desert, cut off from all civilization." Sara paused and attempted to interject humor. "The gunmen in the airplane…now that was my wildest dream come true."
Sara dared not look at him as her rambling monologue ceased.
Grissom's voice seemed to waver. "What are your fantasies, Sara?"
Sara had to look at him. She could not resist. A quick glance. The glance found Grissom with his eyes closed, one hand still pressed against his head, his other hand lying still on his stomach.
"Are you sure you want to go there, Gris?"
"No."
Sara waited.
"But we are stuck in a tent in the middle of a desert with no outside communication and nothing to do but wait." Grissom cleared his throat. "So, what about it, Sara?"
"All of my fantasies involved one man." Sara hoped she was not going to regret this topic.
Grissom drew in a deep breath. Would he ask, Sara wondered.
"Do I know him?" Grissom managed the words and held his breath as he waited for her reply.
"I think so." Sara said with intentional vagueness. "Better than I do, at least."
"Sara…"
Sara heard him move before she felt his warm breath inches above her face. Opening her eyes, she found his own eyes pinning her down with their intensity. He stretched out beside her, his right arm supporting his weight.
"Tell me his name." Grissom spoke with such softness she had to strain to hear him. It took her a second to focus her mind and frame her words.
"You know."
"I want to hear you say it."
"Why? Who do you fantasize about?"
"You." Grissom smiled. The shock of his honesty registered in the wideness of her eyes. "Your turn."
"It's you, Gris. Always has been." Sara watched him lean forward, his lips grazing the curve of her jaw.
A soft laugh escaped from Grissom causing Sara to flinch. "What's so funny?"
Grissom pushed up on his elbow and smiled into her questioning eyes. "You taste like powdered sugar." Grissom smirked. He leaned forward and kissed her nose.
"I think the heat has gone to your head, Gris." Sara arched her back as Grissom's fingers found their way beneath her shirt. "But I'm not complaining."
Grissom returned to trailing kisses along her neck as Sara ran her fingers along his spine. She felt his body move over her own and within minutes, they were shedding clothes.
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Sara had no notion of how much time had elapsed. She only knew that time had stopped and now she was lying on her back with Grissom pressed against her side, his left arm beneath her head and right arm draped around her waist.
Grissom rubbed her stomach with his thumb and she felt his warm breath against her cheek.
"Gris?" Sara turned to gaze at him as her smile faltered.
"Don't talk now, Sara." Grissom kissed her lips and hugged her closer.
"I'm only wondering if you will be here when I wake up." Sara did not pull away from him and she questioned herself for asking.
Grissom sighed. "Where am I going to go, Sara?" He moved his right foot between her ankles and kissed her chin. "Can we not talk about the past?"
Sara bit her lip. Giving into his caresses she let her insecurities fade as she pulled him close.
TBC