3:00pm Monday
Sara had been sitting in her car for the past hour. She had jumped in her car as soon as she hung up the phone with Jim and headed straight to Grissom's. She had sat outside his apartment for an hour trying to plan out how she would tell him but when she couldn't think of how, she went out for a walk around his block. An hour later she was sitting back in her car and now an hour after that she still sat behind the wheel, thinking.
She looked up at his door then, taking a deep breath, she stepped out of her car and headed slowly to his door. I have to do this. Shelly is in too much shit. She's over her head and Griss has to know. She started walking faster, thinking about how much danger Shelly really was in.
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3:14pm
He woke up with a start; the pounding, so he thought, coming from his head. When more pounding came not five seconds later, he realized it was coming from his front door.
"Grissom!" More pounding. "Grissom! Wake up!"
He stood up from his couch and turned off his TV, all while thinking, why is someone banging on my door? He had barely turned the handle to the door when it came flying open with Sara Sidle rushing through. What the…?
"We need to talk." Sara demanded as she sat down on his couch.
"I gathered as much. What did I do or not do this time?" He tentatively asked while closing the door and walking toward the couch; feeling as antsy as he did, he didn't sit down.
When she looked up at him and saw the confusion and weariness mixed with concern stare back at her, she realized that she was acting like a maniac. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees and stared straight into his eyes. "I need to ask you a few questions."
"One who asks a question is a fool for a few minutes, one who doesn't is a fool for a lifetime." He quoted, but he suddenly felt uncomfortable again when he realized she could have waited for shift if it was a work related question, which meant one thing, it was personal.
"Griss," Sara grumbled, shaking her head. She placed her file folder on his coffee table as he sat slowly down beside her. "Does the name Shelly mean anything to you?"
"You already asked me that." He answered perplexed.
"You're right; you said no." She looked into his eyes to try and see his answer there. "But what about the name Rebekah?"
Grissom narrowed his eyes at her and replied slowly. "I've met a lot of people in my lifetime, Sara. Why are you asking me these questions?"
She lowered her eyes, determining she didn't really want to see his answer, even though she knew what it was going to be. "Rebekah Elizabeth O'Brien?" She asked softly.
Grissom jumped up from his seat on the couch and started pacing. He stopped abruptly and stared her down. "What are you talking about, Sara? I don't know anything about a Shelly but if you must know then yes, I know a Rebekah O'Brien but I have absolutely no desire to talk about that. It's history."
"Look Griss…"
"No Sara. I'd expect my private life to be asked about by Catherine but no you. What Becca did to me has nothing to do with you. It's over." He stated emphatically.
"No, it's not Grissom." Sara too shot up from the couch and stood directly in front of him. "There's been young girl that has been staying with me the past few days. I've been working a case off the record for her and you need to know this because it has everything to do with you."
"The rape victim; I heard about that. You really shouldn't…"
"No Grissom, look and listen." She picked up Shelly's DNA profile, handing it to him. "This is Shelly's profile. Take a look and memorize it." She stood back and watched his brows furrow in concentration. She then picked up his profile. "Now look at this one." She thrust the profile towards him but made sure to use her thumb to hide his name. "Play 'match the dots', Griss."
She stood and watched as his mind quickly connected the two profiles.
"They have eight common alleles." He stated wearily.
She nodded. "I didn't want to do this this way but my hand has been forced." She said sadly. "I printed this profile off at work. It's from the department database."
Grissom's wide, fearful eyes bore into Sara's.
"That's your profile Griss." She removed her hand from the paper.
He stood staring at the two profiles for a long, silent minute. My profile? 8 common alleles? I have a daughter? Nobody … Rebekah never told… Oh god. He swallowed hard and looked up to Sara. "Shelly … she's my… my daughter?"
Sara nodded, her eyes connecting with his for another silent minute.
Grissom closed his eyes and walked numbly to the couch and sat down slowly. How? It ended badly but for her to keep this from me? My god, what is happening? He looked back up and connected with Sara's eyes. "That's why you were asking me about the names." His voice was barely above a whisper.
Sara nodded and swallowed hard, fighting her own emotions. "Her name is Shelly Gillian," Grissom's eyes narrowed at the sound of her middle name. "O'Brien. Rebekah mixed yours, Gil, and your mothers name, Jillian, for Shelly's middle name." Sara had to look away to keep her tears at bay. When she risked a glance at Grissom, who was still staring at her, and saw the tears pooling in his eyes she couldn't hold back any longer. As fast as her tears came, she was sitting beside him on the couch, grabbing his hand in support.
It was a few minutes later that Grissom realized and acknowledged her support with a tight squeeze of her hand. He never let go of her hand or her eyes.
"But Griss, there's more and for this you have to promise me that you will try to stay calm because I'm sure your pulse is already above ninety-five."
More? How much can one man handle, damn it? When he nodded slowly, his frightened eyes boring into hers, she swallowed the lump of emotions that were blocking her voice and forged on.
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"Shelly!"
Shelly turned around towards the voice calling her name.
"Deryck?" When he ran towards her and surrounded her in a bear hug, she wrapped her arms around him just as tight. "D? What the hell are you doing here?" She whispered, fighting with all her might against the lump in her throat that was threatening to strangle her.
The 16 year-old, 5'8", African American teen with dark brown cornrows and deep green eyes leaned back and stared into Shelly's eyes; his looking like they were about to tear as well. "When Rhory went after mama I knew fo' sure that he was comin' here. I made sure mama was otay wit the hospital an' Q.T. and B were otay wit Sage then hitched my ass out here to help you."
Shelly smiled and wiped the water from her eyes. "I appreciate that Lil' D but you shouldn't have come here." She narrowed her eyes. "He's here for me and you've just added an extra risk. Besides, Las Vegas is big, how did you find me?"
"I wrote down the area that mama highlighted on that paper before Rhory stole it then I started searching the different parks around this area. You always loved the parks. And, now that I've found you, I'm going to do everything in my power to help you."
"Thanks D but…"
"I'm here to help." He stated with conviction.
Fine, but I just want it on record that I don't think you should be here." He nodded and shrugged it off as she continued, "You could get killed and I really don't feel like becoming a keeper tonight." She managed with a small smile.
A 'Keeper' in the 'Gun Runners' was one who kept a corpses soul safe until the family or friends of the deceased was contacted. That person then had to deliver the deceased's soul to their family and then it was their obligation to keep that family safe.
"I'll try to make sure you don't." He smiled too.
They sat within the trees, talking, while the sun slowly hid behind the buildings surrounding them. After a few hours, Shelly finally looked at the clock on her cell. "It's already past nine and I'm getting pretty damn hungry. How 'bout you?" Deryck nodded and stood as Shelly began pulling food from her bag.
"I'm goin' ova to those bushes to take a leak." Shelly nodded and watched as, not even three steps later, she heard two shots ring out and witnessed Deryck drop like a ton of bricks.
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"I can't sugar coat this Griss because Shelly is in a lot of trouble." When he nodded, his frightened eyes boring into hers, she continued,
"When Shelly was 16 she was raped by a man named Rhory." She looked deep into his eyes, which took on a very haunted and angry dark blue hue. "During which, her son was conceived." She paused again and gave him time to digest the bomb she just dropped into his lap. "Before she left my apartment earlier she received a phone call, from who I don't know, but this person told her that this Rhory guy got to the foster mother that was taking care of Brennan. Now he is here to get rid of Shelly so that, so he thinks, he can take Brennan without a fuss."
Grissom stared straight ahead at his wall, not focusing on anything but Sara's words. Holy shit. I … Brennan? I have both a daughter and grandson? They're in trouble. My god, what has Rebekah done to us. He shook his head angrily before turning sad eyes to Sara. "You're telling me that I not only have a daughter but a grandson as well and I they both may be killed before I even meet them?"
His voice was calm. A little too calm She thought. Holding this back is going to kill him… not as much as never meeting Shelly or Brennan… never meeting? He said… which means… Shelly's description was wrong. I knew it! Rebekah lied to her about her own father.
Sara looked into Grissom's eyes and she was taken aback at the sudden kaleidoscope of emotions she saw there, even more so at the fact that he wasn't hiding them from her. Although it has to be hard to hide this much.
First there was confusion, then anger, then sadness; the last was of frightening realization and his eyes grew large. "Where is she now?" He yelled as he jumped off the couch and raced to put on his shoes.
"I'm not sure. Jim has put out a BOLO on her for me." Sara answered. Grissom started and then looked back at her as she answered her ringing cell phone.
"Sidle." She answered.
"Sara, it's Jim. We haven't gotten any word on her yet. Have you been able to contact her?"
"No, I… I haven't even thought to try." Sara raised her free hand and held her forehead. "How fuckin' stupid am I?" Grissom looked at her with that familiar raised brow.
"Don't beat yourself up too much Sara. You're in a very emotional state right now and I'm sure you're just worried about the kid." Jim tried to sooth.
Sara sighed. "I'm sure you're right Jim but still, I should be able to pull it together to think of a simple thing like that."
"Sure, but you're an emotional creature kid, don't beat yourself up. Now, I also phoned for another reason. I need to know if there is any way that she could have gotten a car from someone and driven out of Nevada?"
Sara thought about it while Grissom finally gathered his senses and went to the kitchen to grab a couple bottles of water, as well as his migraine medication. He walked back and handed Sara one of the bottles. They were still standing in his hallway by the front door.
"Other then me, the only other people she knows in Las Vegas are Sophia and Greg, but that was just in passing and she hated Sophia so she definitely wouldn't go to her." But then again she said helping her would put you in danger and if she didn't like Sophia then maybe she went to her not worrying about that. She shook her head adamantly. She is so not like that.
"From what I gathered, I'm pretty sure she would be excellent at hotwiring a car but I don't think she would do that. She didn't have any money on her, unless of course she still had the change on her from the money I gave her for dinner last night." Sara thought some more. "No, I'm sure I saw that money on the counter before I left."
"Okay," Jim interrupted, "Is there anymore information that you can give me about this person that you said was after her?"
"All I know about him is that he has straight, reddish blonde hair; he's about 5'6" and his first name is Rhory."
"No car? License plate number?"
"No. He must have flown down here because he was only just in Chicago. Check in with Chicago PD and see if they can give you any information. He attacked a women there and sent her to the hospital before coming here."
"Will do Sar. Hang in there 'kay?"
"I will, and Jim. If you have any information at all please… please let me know." Sara begged.
"Of course."
Sara hung up her phone and looked up to Grissom, who was still standing in front of her. When he saw the tears in her eyes, he rushed the three feet, closing the gap between them, then gathered her into his arms.
"He didn't have any news. He says to hang in there but I don't think I can Griss. I've bonded with her too much. I know that I should start taking your advice and stop it but I can't and now this is the most painful thing I've had to go through in a long, long time. She's like a little sister to me and I can't stop feeling so scared." She sobbed.
"It's going to be okay Sara." Grissom whispered into her hair. He was fighting his tears but he was slowly losing the battle. That's my little girl out there, in danger, and I can't do anything about it. I don't even know what she looks like! God, this is so screwed up. I've never hated you more then this second Becca, never. He thought as he looked up, willing his thoughts to reach Rebekah, wherever she was at that moment.
Grissom led Sara to the couch and sat her down gently. He placed their waters on his table and grabbed the remote. His silent tears had stopped and Sara's sobs were slowly dissipating as he sat down slowly next to her and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders. "I guess we have to wait?" His voice wavered slightly as he turned on the TV.
Sara nodded and leaned into him, loving the feel of the support she always craved from him.
They sat watching anything but crime dramas, trying to keep their minds off what could be the outcome of their own life drama at the moment.
It wasn't until much later that night, just after 9:00, when Sara finally got the call she had been waiting for.
"Jim, do you know anything yet?" She asked as way of greeting.
"A call just came in. An officer just spotted someone matching your girl's description. He's going to check it out then call back in."
"Thank you Jim. Please call…"
"As soon as I know … I know." Jim said lightly then shut his phone.
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"No!" Shelly rushed to his body and checked for a pulse. Finding none, she turned her head in the direction the shots were fired and saw Rhory Tulanni standing fifteen feet away, gun pointed towards Deryck's prone body but his eyes narrowed at Shelly. She lifted her left foot and positioned herself over Deryck's body. "Does it make you feel like a real man to shoot down a 16 year-old kid Rhory? Huh?" Shelly yelled.
"I'll do what I have to do to get my son. Where is he?"
"He's not here Rhor."
Rhory pointed the gun in the vicinity of Shelly's heart. "Debbie said he was here damnit! Where is my fuckin' son?"
"He's not in this park, I can tell you that much."
He cocked his gun as he saw an officer walk up behind Shelly. Shelly noticed his movement and turned back. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Are you Shelly O'Brien?"
"If you don't get the fuck out of here, you'll get hurt officer." Shelly spat.
Officer Rickter took in the scene in front of him for the first time. Shelly's body blocked the view of Deryck's body below her and with no lights surrounding the area, it was hard to see Rhory standing half behind a tree fifteen feet ahead of him. When he realized the situation, he quickly grabbed for his radio. "Charlie 4-9 requesting back-up at my loc…" Two shots stopped his request.
Shelly jumped toward him and felt for a pulse; finding one, she pulled Officer Rickter the rest of the way behind the large tree. She ripped open his shirt, ignoring Rhory's demands that she come out, and checked between Rickter's body and vest, elated that she felt no blood. The bullet didn't penetrate the vest.
"Give up Shelly. Come here and give me my son. If you play this right, I won't kill you and we could be a great family."
Shelly pulled out Rickter's firearm and fired a shot in Rhory's direction, effectively shutting him up for the time being.
Rickter, who was awoken by the gunshot, started to grumble in pain but Shelly quickly placed her hand over his mouth. She looked down and noticed that one of the shots must have got him in the leg. "Remove your shirt and I'll make a tourniquet." He grimaced as Shelly put pressure on the bullet wound and he removed his shirt. Placing part of the shirt under his leg, she looked up apologetically. "Bite your baton when it starts to hurt more." As soon as he bit down she pulled tight on the shirt, finishing her makeshift bandage.
She ducked behind the tree better when two more shots rang out from Rhory's direction. Shelly promptly fired three back, nicking the tree he hid behind with each shot.
Looking down at Officer Rickter she demanded, "Give me your extra magazine." When he shook his head she raised the gun to his forehead. "I don't care if it's against regulations; give me your extra mag." She hissed.
He nodded to his belt and Shelly reached down and grabbed his extra, tucking it into the drawstring of her pants.
"Shut your radio off." She whispered. At his questioning gaze she explained, "If dispatch can't get a hold of you then it's an automatic red flag." He nodded and, shifting painfully, he shut it off.
Feeling a shot skim her back, Shelly quickly stood and fired five rounds into the tree Rhory stood behind.
"Give it up Shell's you're going to die here for no reason!"
"Protecting my son from a sewer rat junkie is a good reason to me!" She yelled and then emptied the magazine into the tree.
Hearing the jammed clicks of an empty magazine, Rhory laughed, "You always were a hothead Shells! Now what are you goin' to do?" He asked, stepping out from behind his tree.
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Grissom looked to Sara with pleading eyes.
"An officer says he may have found her. He's checking it out."
They stood in awkward silence, both busy thinking about the many different outcomes that could come from this.
Sara finally found a way to break the silence. "Do you have a scanner?" She asked him.
He nodded and dug out his scanner from his computer desk. Placing it on his coffee table, he sat down on the couch. He looked up to Sara and held out his hand in silent invitation. She placed her hand in his and sat, both silently listening to the, at the moment, quiet scanner.
For five excruciating minutes they sat in relative silence, hands clasped tightly in support. When they heard the dispatchers voice loud and clear state, "Charlie 4-9 requests back-up at his location at Desert Life Park. That's a back-up request at Desert Life Park." They both jumped.
Grissom was the first to break. "That's right down the block from your apartment." He said shakily.
"Yeah, but it could be nothing." She replied, hoping she sounded more convincing then she felt.
Silence stretched for a few more minutes until the dispatcher grabbed their attention again with her frantic request. "All units report to Desert Life Park; that's all units. Officer down. Charlie 4-9 not responding. All units, Desert Life Park."
They both jumped up and ran for the door, the scanner long forgotten.
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Shelly, as quietly as she could, refilled with the new magazine then reached around Officer Rickter's ankle his back up firearm. Giving Officer Rickter a wink, she yelled, "Fine Rhor," Then she tossed the back up firearm out from behind the tree. After hiding the nine-millimetre in the front of her pants, she walked out from behind the tree. "You've got me Rhor."
She started walking towards Rhory and he quickly pulled her in front of him as police sirens and lights rang out through the trees. Noticing a corner grocery store a few yards out and across the street, Rhory grabbed Shelly's hand and started pulling her in that direction. Seeing two cop cruisers pull into his way, he let out three shots to each cruiser then pulled himself and Shelly between the two cars and into the store.
Once inside, Rhory tossed Shelly down against a shelf and fired two shots into the air to get the attention of the already frightened people. The four costumers and two workers all screamed. Rhory smile slightly. "Everyone get your asses over near Shelly! Now!"
When Rhory took his eyes off everyone and looked back out to the police, Shelly pulled out her cell and dialled 911. When the operator picked up she whispered, "Patch me through to Captain Jim Brass."
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A/N: This chapter was shorter then the past few but I felt that was enough action for the time being. Smiles evilly
I hope to get the next chapter up within the next couple days. Thank you all for your continuing reviews. I very much appreciate it.