Chapter Three – Living On A Prayer

Sara sat heavily in the seat that she had claimed at Grissom's, her shoulders slumped in defeat. She and Brass had been out most of the night tracking down each one of the men on the list that Sara had printed out but to no avail. Nothing had stood out about none of the suspects and Sara was nearing the end of her energy store.

"One double screwdriver and buttered olive bread roll."

Grissom handed Sara her lunch, watching helplessly as she nodded her thanks and put the food down in front of her on the table.

"You have to eat Sara."

"I also have an electricity bill to pay but that won't be happening anytime soon either."

Sara sat back further into the seat, her legs folded neatly beneath her.

"I know he's on that list Grissom."

Grissom nodded as he settled himself in a seat with his own lunch.

"I know that too but we really need to narrow it down."

Sara narrowed her eyes.

"What about the piece of plastic?"

Grissom shook his head.

"Just a regular run of the mill shower curtain corner, one that thousands of people have brought. One needle in a very large haystack. We need to get Greg to question Eden more. Now that she's relaxed, she might open up a little more."

Sara swallowed a yawn that threatened to overtake her, shaking her head slightly.

"Poor kid. Have they found any of her family?"

"Sadly enough, no. There are no other known relatives and no one is willing to take her in over there. She has officially become part of the wonderful social services system. As for right this second, it's impossible to tear her away from Greg."

Sara smiled a little.

"It's cute though. I don't think Greg has ever had a girl quite so enamoured with him before."

"Well hopefully it will give him a chance to get more information."

Silence fell as Grissom started to eat his lunch and Sara sipped at her screwdriver, her mind wondering. The sooner they got this guy off the street the better for everyone, including Catherine.

"The pearl you found on little Alexis? It was real."

Grissom looked over at Greg who had just burst into the room, followed by his shadow Eden. She didn't invade the room but stood more off side, as if she was scared what would happen if she stepped further inside.

"Why did the results take so long? It's been days."

Greg sighed.

"Because Grissom, I have many talents but pearls is not one of them. I had to send it to be evaluated by a professional and guess what? I found skin inside the pearl."

"And it was Ivy's we already know that."

Greg shook his head as a smile came over his face.

"It was female but not Ivy's. I ran it through the system, it was an unknown but we know have something to compare the suspects too. Were any of them married?"

Grissom shrugged.

"You would have to see Sara for that. Good work by the way. Can I talk to you for a second?"

Greg nodded as he took a seat across from Grissom, Eden standing behind him, looking at Grissom with those huge earnest brown eyes.

"Eden do you think that you could go and get a soda from the machine? I need to talk to Greg privately."

Eden took the dollar that Grissom offered, saying a quite thankyou before leaving the two men alone.

"Greg I need you to question her more about the man."

Greg frowned.

"I've pushed quite far with what happened Grissom. If I push to hard she might clam up."

Grissom shook his head.

"We don't have many options open to us Greg and she's the best thing we have going for this case. You need to push because you are the only one she will talk to freely. We need that. We don't need to do this in an interview setting just keep track of what she says and get back to me ok?"

Greg nodded as Eden re-entered the room, a sweating can of soda in her hand. Greg gave Grissom a small smile.

"I'll go ask Sara about her suspects. I'll get back to you if anything comes up ok?"

Grissom nodded as he watched the pair leave the room, hoping that Eden was strong enough to cope with what needed to be done.

He hit her again and again, watching as he blood dripped onto his shoes, the anger boiling again. He hit her until she stopped begging, until she stopped moving. He threw her back in with the others and went back up into the main part of the house, the anger still boiling in his veins. After the little bitch had gotten away, he thought that there was nothing they could do to find him so he had continued on his way as normal. Then they had turned up at his door. A tall bitch and a fat cop, asking if he owned a Hypnic mask. He had said yes, keeping his wits about him, making sure he remained calm and let nothing show. The woman had passed a critical eye over him, and it took everything in his strength not to lash out at the know all bitch. She knew too much, he could see that she knew more then she was letting on. It took quite a while before they were satisfied enough to leave and he had come right back down here and taken his anger out on the one thing that didn't matter, his girls. He heard his wife calling and he quickly changed. That was another know it all bitch that had to go. She had almost found his room, and he was certain she had heard the girls calling. He had to sort out that problem before she ruined all of his fun.

Sara sat across from her first official suspect since they had started up this case, examining him silently as he sipped the water she had placed in front of him calmly. He hardly looked like a killer, but that hardly mattered as Sara had learnt over the years that looks can be terribly deceiving. He wore a pin stripe business suit, his hair dark and slick and his eyes serious. Nothing was physically out of place with the man, even his suit looked like someone had ironed it on him. It all looked too perfect as far as Sara was concerned.

"Do you have a tattoo Mr. Broderick?"

The man frowned at her question.

"I don't believe that is any of your business Miss Sidle."

Sara matched his frown with a tight smile.

"I'm afraid it is when I'm investigating a series of murders. Do you or do you not have a tattoo?"

The man shook his head.

"No I don't. I don't believe in marking yourself in such a permanent manner. Why is it that I am a suspect?"

"Because out killer is married and owns a Hypnic mask and you fit the very limited profile."

Sara slid a warrant across the table and waited until he had read it before speaking again.

"So unless you're shy Mr. Broderick, drop your pants please."

Sara watched carefully as the man stood and did as he was told, the pants making a faint sound as the belt scraped across the floor. Sara snapped on her latex gloves and puled slightly on the pale skin of the man's inner thighs. She felt her heart sink when she found nothing but pink skin there.

"Thank you Mr. Broderick, you can pull up your pants now. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Sara smiled tightly as the man left the room. She marked his name off the list and let her head hang over the table. After this case, she was so taking a holiday.

Greg was still trying to figure out how to broach the subject of the man when Eden questioned him about it herself.

"You need more information don't you?"

Greg raised his eyebrow at the girl.

"And how, young lady, do you know that?"

Eden shrugged.

"I listened at the door after Mr. Grissom sent me out. I knew you were going to talk about me. Adults do that when they want to talk about kids."

Greg smiled at the girl.

"You're a smart one; I'm going to have to be more careful around you. And we do need more information from you. The mask and tattoo helped but we need something that is more individual to the man. Can you think of anything more?"

Eden closed her eyes, a small frown of concentration appearing on her brow.

"He was rich. His clothes were really soft and smooth, the kind that a lot of money can buy. Mama used to bring home clothes from the laundry mat where she worked and she showed me the rich man suits. He was a rich man. He's fat too, with short sausage fingers and he sweated a lot."

Eden opened her eyes, facing Greg.

"Does that help?"

Greg quickly made a mental not of Eden's description, smiling at the girl again.

"Yeah it does but promise me that if you remember anything else tell me or Mr.Grissom ok?"

Eden nodded solemnly, her face breaking into a bright smile.

"What are we going to do now?"

Greg was in the lab working when he heard a blood curdling scream come from Grissom's office. Greg ran down the hall to find Eden ion Sara's arms shaking like a leaf. Sara settled herself on the sofa with Eden, her eyes catching Greg's.

"I was walking past when I heard her scream. She was having a nightmare."

Greg knelt down, his hand on Eden's slim back.

"Hey Eden, are you ok?"

Eden shook her head against Sara's shoulder, keeping her face hidden from Greg. Sara stood up and offered Greg a small smile.

"I think me and Eden need some girl time. I'll go and take her to get freshened up ok?"

Greg nodded and watched them walk out the room, his heart somewhere near the region of his shoes. He couldn't save Eden from the demon that would haunt her for the rest of her life; he could only save her from him now, long after it was too late. And that made him feel more depressed then ever before.

"Here we go sweetheart."

Sara handed Eden a wet paper towel to clean off her face, watching as the girl scrubbed furiously at her now dry tears.

"I can't cry, I have to be brave."

Eden's voice was soft and determined, and Sara felt her heart go out to the girl. She knew what it was like to live with nightmares and the day horrors they could bring. Sara sat down next to the girl.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Eden's shoulders sagged and shake as the tears began again.

"He was raping me again. He was hitting me and putting himself inside of me and it hurt. I don't remember if I screamed, if I did anything to help myself. He was on me again and it stung because his sweat fell into my open cuts."

Eden's words broke off at that point and she collapsed into Sara's arms again. Sara did her best to comfort her, stroking her hair and whispering that it would be ok but she knew that it would be along time before Eden would be ok, if she ever would be ok.

"You know that it's ok to cry? You don't have to be brave all the time."

Eden shook her head, her tears making wet marks on Sara's shirt.

"I have to be brave. Greg, Mr. Grissom and all the girls need me to brave."

Sara pushed the hair out of the girl's eyes.

"I know for a fact that they would not think any less of you if you cried. Even I've cried in front of Mr. Grissom before. As for Greg, he's just worried about you."

Eden's looked at Sara, shock and surprise on her face.

"Why did you cry?"

Sara shrugged.

"I was having a really bad day. Now do you want to grab a shower and a change of clothes while we're here?"

Eden nod and gave Sara a smile.

"Thank you Sara"

Sara nodded.

"Not a problem Eden. Now let's get you in the shower ok?"

Eden nodded and stripped herself off and jumped into the closet stall, turning the shower on fall ball. Sara could not hide her shock as she took in Eden's slim body and the scattered bruising that were now a horrible yellow. Eden didn't seem to notice Sara as she washed her hair and body before turning the shower off and taking the towel that Sara offered her. She dressed quickly in more of Lindsey's old clothes, this time is was a pair of faded blue jeans and a dark green turtleneck.

"Want me to brush your hair?"

Eden nodded and Sara brushed her hair and put it in a braid down her back. Sara cleaned up the towels and the dirty clothes, hanging them in her locker to wash later before taking Eden back into the lab to talk to Greg.

Catherine just pushed the food around the plate, keeping her gaze away from Warrick's. She didn't need him to ask her how she was, to see her lie to his face.

"I've got something for you."

Warrick didn't move from his seat across from her, and Catherine risked raising her eyes to meet his. He was worried about her and he loved her. It was there in those beautiful eyes of his.

"What do you have for me?"

Warrick lifted a CD from under the table and Catherine watched as he got up from his seat and put the CD in the player. It was a piano playing softly, a beautiful gentle rhythm.

The night can be long in Vegas,

Giving none mercy,

Offering no friendships,

And I was stuck there in the thick of it.

I had nothing but darkness around me,

No hope to surround me

But then I saw you

And saw my light enter my life.

I didn't want to care,

I didn't want to love you

But you changed my life,

And now I know,

I will always need you here

Catherine turned her eyes to Warrick the moment she heard his gentle voice on the CD, his words mingling softly with the piano in the back round. Her eyes stayed on his as the music and words continued.

Life can be hard,

And you can fall so quickly

But you have become something more,

Something stronger then life,

You are my Kryptonite,

My biggest strength

I didn't want to care,

I didn't want to love you

But you changed my life

And now I know,

I need you here

The beautiful piano music continued for a while longer and then ended. Another piece began to play but this one was without words, just the beautiful piano going up and down again and again.

"Dance with me."

Catherine said nothing as Warrick pulled her into his arms and they gently swayed across the living room floor, and for the first time in a long time, Catherine forgot everything except Warrick's arms around her and the soft piano music he had written for her.

Brass shook his head.

"There is no way I can get you a warrant based on this."

Sara looked at him with steely eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because there are nine different names here. You can't give me a list of characteristics that general and expect a judge to go for it."

Sara handed him another sheet of paper.

"Judge Milton, Juge Hunter and Judge Mitchell are the ones you need to approach. They are more then willing to give out warrants on child abuse cases. Talk to one of them and tell them exactly what's going on."

Sara turned on her heel and left Brass feeling slightly gob smacked. He had always made a point of staying away from Sara's wrath and now he landed himself right in it. Brass pulled out his phone and started to work on those warrant's before Sara came back.

Grissom was in his office when his beeper went off and, feeling a little confused, made his way to Doc's sanctuary.

"Hey Grissom. I want you to see this Jane Doe they brought in to me this morning"

Grissom was about to approach the table when Sara came bounding into the room.

"Hey Doc, what you got for me?"

So side by side they came to stand nest to the table, the woman laying pale and blonde beneath the stark white sheet.

"Meet your donor for that skin that was found in that pearl. I had Greg do a quick run through to see if my hunch was right. We still don't have a name, she's pretty clean system wise."

Sara smiled at Doc.

"Great. What can you tell us about her?"

Doc pointed to a ring tan on her left hand.

"She was married or recently divorced. She has not given birth but scarring on her uterus indicates an abortion. Other then the contents of her stomach, caviar and toast corners, there is nothing extraordinary about her. No scarring, no birth marks."

Sara moved closer to the body, a specimen jar in her hand.

"I'll just take a sample of that polish and try and track down what it is and where she got it done."

As Sara scraped at the woman's nails, Grissom turned his attention back to the woman's body.

"COD?"

Doc pulled back the sheet covering the body, pointing to her throat.

"Manuel strangulation and then he did this."

He pulled back the sheet completely revealing shallow, jagged stab wounds that littered the chest and stomach.

"He strangled her then stabbed her repeatedly. The wounds are all shallow and didn't cause much damage at all. They were made more out of frustration then anger."

Grissom took the paperwork that Doc handed him and nodded his thanks, leaving the room, Sara close on his heels.

"So we now have a little connection to this case. The question is whether she's the guy's wife or an innocent person who stumbled upon the tragedy."

Sara shrugged as they walked toward his office.

"She could have been both."

Grissom nodded as they entered his office and Grissom made them cups of tea while Sara settled herself in a seat across the desk. She enjoyed watching him like this, in his more natural environment away from people, with just his jarred specimens for company. He didn't relax all that much this time around though; Sara knew that this case was affecting him just as much as it was the others on the team. She also knew how worried he was about Catherine. She knew that their strong bond went a little bit beyond a normal friendship and he relied on Catherine more then he cared to say.

"I haven't seen Cath around today."

Grissom handed Sara a cup of tea as he took a seat.

"Warrick rung me earlier and I told him to keep her at home to rest. They need some time to themselves."

Sara added a sugar to her tea before sipping the strong hot brew.

"They're good for each other aren't they?"

Grissom nodded, a small smile coming to his face.

"Yeah they are. I honestly cannot remember the last time that Catherine was this happy."

"Warrick can't that damn goofy grin off his face. It's utterly disgusting really isn't it?"

Sara smiled slightly at Grissom as he nodded seriously.

"Yes, utterly digusting.. You should have seen Ecklie's face when they told him what was going on."

Sara put her tea down with a sigh.

"I would have given up a month's worth of wages to see that reaction."

Grissom raised an eyebrow.

"It was a classic reaction. Catherine and Ecklie were butting heads and Warrick was doing that calm thing he does so well. With that combination, Ecklie didn't stand a chance. I would feel sorry for him if I actually liked him."

Sara laughed as she finished her tea and stood.

'Yeah that's old news. I had better go and see what Greg has for me on the nail varnish front. See ya later."

And with a small wave, Sara left the room.

"Rambling Red. It is a shade used by upmarket salons, and produced by the cosmetics company called Katie Rose."

Greg handed Sara the slip of paper, one hand on his hip the other leaning on the table as she read.

"I prefer Petal Pink or Cinnimon Crème."

Sara raised an eyebrow at him.

"Greg you are very comfortable with your female side aren't you?"

Greg shrugged.

"I lived in a house fill of woman so I know things. I like your top by the way."

Sara smiled at the lab tech as she turned to head out the door.

"Page me with anything new, I have salons to track down."

Catherine woke up for the first time in a long time feeling totally and utterly refreshed. She stayed where she was in the bed, barely daring to move in fear of breaking the spell of peace that had wrapped itself around her. Last night dancing with Warrick, she realised she had hit the bottom of her sanity with this case. And she knew that after hitting the bottom, the only way left to go was back up. She needed to be at the top of her game for Eden and all the little girls that had suffered at the hands of this sicko. She had heard Warrick call Grissom and the idea of having a day with rest made her feel a little guilty but she needed it. It had been a long two months.

"You awake already?"

Warrick's voice was low and soft against her ear.

"You know we don't have work right?"

Catherine nodded as she turned and snuggeled against his chest.

"I heard you talking to Grissom. So what are we going to do with our free time?"

Warrick smiled his lazy grin.

"I moved the TV in here and the DVD player. And if you give me a couple of minutes, I'm going to make you breakfast in bed. Grissom said you have to relax and I'm going to listen to him."

Catherine nodded as she hugged him hard. She pulled Warrick closer to her as he made a move to leave the bed. She kissed him softly on the lips before moving to his neck, causing a deep rumble from his chest.

"Can I make a request?"

Warrick's voice was barely audible in her hair.

"And that would be?"

Catherine ran a hand down his stomach and back to his chest before kissing him again and smiling widely.

"Extra bacon and pulpy orange juice please."

Warrick laughed as he kissed her and pushed himself out of the bed.

"Tease. How do you want your eggs?"

"Poached would be good. Thanks baby."

Warrick gave Catherine a quick grin as he left the room and Catherine happily stretched in amoungest the warm blankets and fluffy pillows.

As Sara watched Catherine walk back into the lab, she could see the change in the woman. There was a bounce in her step and the determination was back in those blue eyes. And Sara had never been more happy to see the old Catherine back on track. She glanced at her friends left hand to see if she could spot the ring but the finger was bare. Warrick had yet to pop the question then.

'Hey Cath welcome back! How are you feeling?"

Catherine gave Sara bright smile.

"Great. I am more then ready to get back to work?"

Sara frowned.

"How come you're feeling so good?"

"Warrick and I talked last night and I realised that I hit rock bottom. This case needs me and I can't be distracted or feeling sorry for myself. So I did what I had to too make myself better?"

"And that was?"

Catherine listed them off her fingers one by one.

"Breakfast in bed, bad movies and lots of sex."

Sara pulled a face.

"That's a little too much information there. I'm glad you're you again though. I could do with some help."

Sara handed Catherine the file on their Jane Doe and waited until she had finished reading before continuing.

"I thought that since you get your nails done regularly you might be able to help me track down the right salon."

Catherine nodded as she crossed two or three names off the list.

"Those salons are a little down market for out lady. Lets go and check out these two and see what happens."