Chapter Nine

Words lost their significance, actions stopped speaking and gazes never could be met after that. They broke the news to their guests and friends slowly. The wedding had to be cancelled and there was no polite way of doing that. They all went through the necessary work mechanically.

Maybe a dim glimmer of hope still resided within them. Maybe they felt that not facing the pain in their hearts would make the process easier. Maybe they were just too shocked to even realize they were in pain. Maybe… maybe…

There were just these "maybes" now. Sureties had been crushed along with everything they had dreamt for the wedding day.

The hardest part had been to break the news to Lindsay. No one had a clue as to how they should tell the little girl about her mother. Finally, Lily insisted that Lindsay should only be told that Catherine's been in an accident. There was no reason to tell her the truth until after they reach Vegas…


Sofia rubbed her neck tiredly. She had pulled almost twenty four hours of non-stop work. She had even forgotten when the last time she had slept was. Time had lost its meaning for the people in the Crime Lab. This was no more just another high profile case.

DNA techs, trace workers, bomb experts, all were pouring over whatever they collected. But perhaps nature, in general, seems to have a grudge against them. That morning, a heavy storm had drenched the city of Vegas and reduced the crime scene into a huge soggy mass.

She had gotten a call from Brass informing that everyone was making their way back to Vegas. Sofia had wanted to ask him how they were handling it, when she stopped herself. She wasn't sure she really wanted to hear an answer.

She found Grissom in the break room. His eyes were glued on the wall somewhere between the vending machine and the coffee pot.

"Hey." She announced herself softly. He didn't look up but greeted back.

"What's the progress with Harper's guys so far?" Grissom asked.

"The storm and the media flurry aren't helping matters. The evidence is being washed down the drains faster than we can recover."

"Have we found the bomb yet?"

Sofia slumped. "No. The rubbles are lain down in layers. The CSIs have only been able to go through one quarter of them."

Grissom clenched his fist. "So, in other words, the investigation is getting nowhere?"

"Grissom, everyone's doing their best…" Sofia's voice trailed off when her sight fell upon the glass walls separating the break room from the corridors. "Grissom."

"What?" He looked up at where she was staring.

Standing in the corridors, looking at them, were his friends, his colleagues and also his biggest nightmare. Nick's palm rested upon the glass, as if he was trying to steady himself. Greg had his arms around Wendy and both appeared to be trembling. Warrick towered from behind them. His dark, handsome face was creased with tightly controlled anxiety. Nancy was holding her mother together, undoubtedly to prevent her from breaking into sobs. Stacy Connor stood with her arms folded and her eyes haunted.

But Grissom's breath lodged in his throat with a painful thud when he saw Sara walk into the break room. At that moment, he found his eyes blur. He had never cried since he had been an adolescent who had gotten a C in biology. But right then, he felt his heart burst with unshed tears.

"Sara." He heard Sofia whisper from beside him.

Sara came towards them and then stopped at a little distance. Her face was set in a cold mask. There wasn't the barest trace of emotion in those eyes. They looked as lifeless as a pair of black glassy orb. The lips were thinned, the muscles slackened.

Unconsciously, Sofia shivered.

"Sara?" Grissom called out softly, almost afraid that his voice would shatter her.

"What do we know so far?" She asked.

Grissom exchanged a brief look with Sofia.

"Dayshift is processing the explosion site right now. They have collected blood samples, skin samples and anything they can, for DNA. Relatives and friends have provided clothes, combs, those things, for DNA comparisons. There are around nineteen people injured and we estimate around seven to eight casualties." Sofia looked away from Sara.

"Any information on the explosives?"

"They are still scavenging the area." Sofia replied evasively. She wondered how much she should tell Sara and how much she should leave out. Sara was an expert CSI. But right now, she also happened to be a possible victim's family.

"Gil." Lily Flynn walked inside the room. "Just tell me this much… do you think Catherine was in that blast?"

Grissom looked into her eyes. Unlike her daughter's, they were a bright hazel. But very like her daughter's, the brightness came from experience and learnt survival intelligence. He knew he could lie but that wasn't something he ever resorted to. He hated lying, partly because he wasn't good at it. And now, here was a mother, asking for answers and both lying and telling the truth was an option he found impossible to take.

"Lily, there is an eyewitness who thinks she saw Catherine in the parking lot before the blast." He held the older woman's hand. "But nothing is confirmed as yet."

"And meanwhile… what should we do?" She cupped her hands in front of her mouth. "Should we harbor hopes or should we just abandon it?"

He stared helplessly at her. Hopes were something he didn't have, much less offer.

"I don't know." He answered in honesty.

Sara reached out and Lily fell like a rag doll in her arms. Then Nancy arrived to take her mother out of the room. She looked up at Sara.

"Are you coming?"

Sara gave a small shake of her head.

They watched as Nancy and Lily slowly trudged their way out. His team was here and Grissom knew that it was his responsibility to direct them. They had seen the worst over the years and they had all gotten through it together.

… Except Catherine had been with them earlier.

"Wendy, I want you in the DNA lab. Samples are backlogged to the brim." Wendy didn't hesitate and immediately was on her heels.

"Greg." Grissom turned towards their youngest member. "For today, I want you back as a lab technician. The lab is extremely shorthanded."

"I'm on it."

"Nick, I want you with the bomb squad. The dayshift bomb expert is away on a conference and it will take him time to return. I want you on it ASAP."

"Warrick, process the crime scene. We could do with as many hands as possible before the rain completely washes away any evidence."

Warrick and Nick nodded and sped away, anxious to get some work done.

"And what about me?" Sara asked.

Sofia, aware of the upcoming tension, politely excused herself. She had to interview the administrative staff of The Boulevard. With Sofia gone, and only him and Sara in the break room, Grissom could feel the weight of the gloom that hung in the air.

"Sara, if you want to take a few days off…"

"No, I don't."

He licked his lips to try and form his words in an appropriate way. "I don't think you should… work the case."

"Why, because of conflict of interest?" She challenged.

"One of the reasons."

"About Catherine, nothing is… confirmed. Therefore, there is no legal conflict of interest, yet."

He let out a deep breath. "It's not just the legal part I'm worried about."

Her jaws were set. "I'm okay."

"No, you are not okay." And then he cringed. If there ever was a worse moment to have terrible people's skills, he didn't know it.

"I'm okay." She repeated firmly. "You think I'm not capable enough?"

"You know your capability is not the issue here."

"Then give the orders. I want to be out there, processing the scene. You yourself said we need as many hands as possible."

"Yes, but…"

"Grissom, just do it." She sounded almost pleading and that made him stop. He had known Sara for so long and yet sometimes he felt he didn't know her at all. But if there was one thing he was absolutely certain about her, it was the fact that her work was her therapy.

"Alright."