Chapter 12

Nick quietly searched the crime scene, but his mind was on Sara. When she had told him she was going to interview a rape victim he was sure she had lost her mind. His mind flashed to the night they spent together after Grissom called him. He had never seen her so vulnerable, and her inability to tell him what was wrong only upset her more.

Looking up at Grissom, Nick tried hard not to blame him for her reaction. They had all been trained to deal with rape victims, and logically he knew little things would trigger unexpected responses.

He had been at a total lost as to how to help her, and had tried to convince her to seek some professional help. Refusing his offer, he watched as she started to push away from him, and knew he needed to backpedal quickly.

They had survived the night, and the worst of the night terrors, but now, someone had to get through to her, and find a way to make her see the benefits of counseling.

Bring the camera up, he forced himself to focus on his current task, but promised himself that he would call Sara as soon as he was done at the crime scene. After scanning the road, "No skid marks, no signs of another vehicle."

"The engine's running, no flat tires. Why'd she stop?" Grissom added. He realized his mind set had been changed drastically from the way he previously processed crime scenes. He was thinking first in terms of why the victim did what she did rather than what the suspect had done.

---/---

Sara watched the silhouette of the resident move behind the blue curtain. The flash snapped suddenly, causing her to jump slightly. She was mad at herself for being unable to stay near Linley Parker. After her rape exam, she had vowed to make sure the next rape victim she helped would be comforted during the process.

Fidgeting quietly, she could sense Catherine's protective presence. The blonde wasn't helping Linley either, and Sara was selfishly grateful Cath hadn't pushed the issue when they had arrived after the exam had begun.

Observing the figures moving, Sara knew what was about to happen. Linley slid down the table, and the clanking of the metal instruments on the metal tray caused her to squeeze her eyes shut.

"Sara?" Catherine whispered her concern.

"I'm ok. I need to be here," she explained again, trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince her friend. Sara could feel the cold metal slide inside her, and the pressure created by gloved hands, and cotton swabs. 'I can't talk to her,' came her sudden realization as the latex gloves snapped off; she turned away, feeling ashamed of her weakness. "I'm going to take the SAE kit to Greg." She spoke, trying to control her voice, and not betray the fear that had gripped her heart.

Catherine didn't want to call attention to her colleague's discomfort, and drew in a breath, trying to determine what Sara needed physically and mentally, "You don't want to take the statement?" Nodding, she knew the answer as soon as she looked in her eyes.

"Do you mind?" Her voice sounded small and vulnerable.

Taking her hand, she shook her head and offered a look of understanding, "No."

As the curtain pulled away, Sara watched the resident that had performed her exam appear. The women looked subtly between the two familiar women with concern and remorse, but tactfully chose not to mention the reason for their familiarity. Knowingly, she handed the box to Sara, and looked at Catherine before continuing, "She's ready."

Taking the box, Sara looked at Catherine, "Thanks." Her words were meant for both women, and she turned to leave.

Catherine pushed the curtain aside, and observed the haggard woman sitting on the exam table, "Linley Parker, I'm Catherine Willows. I'm with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I know that you've been through a horrific ordeal." She was trying to keep it professional, but all she could think of was the pain and trauma she watched Sara endure, and felt the burden of compassion toward the Linley.

"4-4-6." She responded.

Catherine, thrown slightly off balance by the abrupt comment, started to process what she was just told.

"That's all I got. Nevada plates. Some kind of SUV. Black, I think." He voice held a slight tremor, but her eyes showed nothing but determination.

Reminded of Sara's determination, Catherine offered a small smile of pride for both women who seemed to be willing to hang on to every last ounce of control they had, "Can you start from the beginning?"

As she spoke, her voice never wavered. She was most likely suffering from shock, and had detached herself from the reality of the situation, but it still surprised the older woman. The way the human body protected itself amazed her, but she knew, from personal experience now, that the fallout was severe.

"…He didn't use a condom. He got up to zip, and I kicked him in the groin and I ran. And the rest, I guess you know." Linley Parker looked at the older woman without emotion.

The sympathy Catherine felt was unlike anything she had experienced with any other victim, "Thank you. That was very… specific. You said that you looked at
him. Could you describe him to a forensic artist?"

For the first time emotion broke through the battered woman's barriers. The raw emotions changed her features as she answered with an emphatic, "Yes."

---/---

Grissom's hands gripped the steering wheel as he drove back to the lab quickly. He had tried to see the crime through the rapist's eyes to determine the unanswered questions, but as he processed the scene and tried to think like the suspect, all he could think about was finding Sara, and making sure she was ok. He should have never let her go to the hospital, and he really wasn't sure what he was thinking when he consented.

Parking he reminded himself that he needed to approach her tactfully, and without any hint of confrontation. The last thing they needed was for her to feel like she needed to go on the defensive with him. Walking through the halls he searched for his CSIs.

"Gil," Catherine's voice called out from behind him.

Turning, he was surprised he had passed her without seeing her. Waiting for her to approach him, he reached for her elbow and guided her to a private corner. "How did it go at the hospital?"

The question had five dimensions and they both knew it, "It's hard to say. She didn't take the statement, but stayed until the exam was completed. She took the rape kit, and headed back here, and I haven't seen her yet."

"Where's the victim?" Grissom asked, knowing if he found her he would find Sara nearby

Nodding down the hall, "I have her set up with the forensic artist."

Without another word, he headed down the hall.

---/---

Sara watched Linley through the glass, and couldn't help think that the young woman was stronger than her. She had been an emotional wreck, and still considered herself in that state, she was merely better at hiding it. In the back of her mind she knew she should seek some sort of counseling, and wondered if her past was making her current recovery more difficult.

Grissom slowed his pace as soon as he spotted Sara's tall, slim frame. Glancing through the glass she was staring at, he looked up and studied her a moment.

Her trademark eyebrow raise informed him she was aware of his presence, "What?"

'Talk to her without offending her,' he reminded himself. "How many vacation days do you have on the books?"

Stiffly turning she tried to look at him. Her shoulders still hurt, and the pain was beginning to radiate up through her neck, "About...ten weeks, I guess. Why?"

Her pain did not go unnoticed, "I think you should take a week or two."

Turning, she felt compelled to keep an eye on Linley, "I-I'm still on the case. I just didn't do the interview for once in my life."

Nodding slightly, he glanced at the individual that seemed to have the majority of her attention. He was deeply concerned about her having any involvement on the current case, but didn't know how to express that without upsetting her.

"When was the last time you took a vacation?" She changed the subject suddenly.

He considered her words, and knew she had asked the one question that would defeat any sensible argument he could make.

"Never, right?" She added knowingly, watching the proceedings in the adjacent room.

Grissom knew he couldn't win the current discussion and answered her simply, "Okay." His own voice sounded odd to him, but he was intensely focused on not saying the wrong thing, which he so often did with Sara. Turning to leave, he decided he had to be content with keeping a distant watch over her.

---/---

Sara breathed out slowly, grateful her supervisor hadn't removed her from the case, but she knew Gil had fought hard to keep from saying what was really on his mind. She wasn't sure she had the energy to argue with him, and had settled on logic, the one thing he could not refute.

"Sara," Nick's soft voice drew her from her thoughts.

"Hey," she started, but knew there wasn't another logical argument in her, and simply waited for him to state his concerns.

Coming up behind her, he stood so their shoulders touched. He knew they were at work, and she would not tolerate any sign of weakness, and opted to take the subtle approach. "How is she?" he asked.

"She's amazing. She hasn't broken down. Her mind is clear. She's been one of the best witnesses we've ever had." Her voice carried a tone of defeat.

"Sara–" he was about to remind her about shock, post traumatic stress disorder, when she interrupted him.

"I wanted to be on this case so I could help her…but I can't. I thought I could at least take my experience and become a better CSI, but it's only made me feel the victim's fear and pain." Pausing she turned stiffly again to face Nick. "She's stronger than I was, than I am."

His face contorted in sympathy, "Sara, no. You're recovering. We all are. Let yourself heal. Linley is in shock, and you are the strongest person I know."

Fighting a smile, she turned back to the glass. "Yeah?" her soft voice cracked slightly.

"Yeah. Now come on, you can buy me coffee," he told her, trying to remove her from the source of her inner battle.

A small chuckle escaped her, "I get to buy you coffee?"

Taking her by the elbow, he guided her toward the exit, "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, but I get the feeling you aren't appreciating it."

Tucking her arm around his bent elbow, she laid her head on his shoulder, "Thank you."

TBC