Alrighty then... Chappie 7... I'm sorry to say that this is the last chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it.
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"My sister is buried in the Mountains, about a mile from the old lodge up there... It was something Jon wanted... He insisted she be buried up there in the trees, because she hated the desert. No one ever goes up there anymore, but you should be able to find it," Adam Hopewell concluded. "And I strongly suggest you surprise Jon... Otherwise he'll get the jump on you."
"We'll be careful," said Sofia, as I rose from my seat. I walked out of the room, intent on getting the team ready to go. I saw Brass heading for me.
"Gil!" he said. "What the hell has been going on? I went to see Sara, and they said something about a homicide in her room, but they wouldn't tell me any more than that..."
"Sara's gone, Jim," I said, "our perp got her... He was one of the doctors. We're pretty sure we know where he took her though. And we've got and hour to get there."
He looked flabbergasted by the flood of news for a moment. He had to let it all sink in before he could speak, "I'm going with you..." I had figured that. And I nodded. I wasn't going alone. I knew that if I did go alone, Grimwell would kill me and Sara... With the others... Maybe if he was out numbered, he'd give up. Maybe.
It took no more than a few minutes to get the team assembled. It was decided that we were all going. And fast... The drive to the mountains seemed to take an eternity. And it was tense. Everyone was on pins and needles. Myself included.
There was the old lodge that Adam had mentioned... So only a mile or so left to go. At half a mile, I had the cars stop... Didn't want to go to close with everyone there. I got out on my own... We had worked all this out. I would go ahead alone, and everyone else would follow. And if trouble began, they'd make their presence know.
I hoped that this plan was going to work...
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I was slumped forward, held up only by the handcuffs that bound me to the gravestone, when my captor suddenly cocked his head is if he had heard something. Without warning, he unlocked the cuffs, and pulled me up. I couldn't stand, so he had to hold me up, but I didn't care. His reaction could only mean one thing... someone was here.The name was on my lips, before I even knew it, "Grissom..."
"Oh yes, My pretty," said the doc, "I think it's him... with one minute to spare."
I would have struggled to get away from the man, since he didn't seem to have a weapon, if I could have used my legs. But unfortunately, they were still too wobbly to make it very far. Instead, I let him direct me to where he wanted me to go, and waited. Either I would get out of this or I wouldn't. It was all up to Grissom now. I saw him come out of the darkness, approaching slowly... and alone. Damn it! Oh well. I hoped he knew what he was doing. If not, I wasn't walking away from this.
"Grissom!" I was unable to stop myself from crying when he finally stopped, a few yards from me, and the doc.
"Sara, it's gonna be okay," he said, sounding sure of himself. But I could see the worry in his eyes. He was putting a brave face on for the doc.
"No, not for her it's not," said the man holding me, "I already told her, she's dying tonight, one way or another. And you'll be the one to kill her."
"Jon..." said Grissom, voice calm, "do you really think you're going to get me to hurt her in any way?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do... By letting Sara make the choice." said Jon, "Sara, either Grissom takes that gun of his and shoot you, or I'll take you, and torture you..." he paused for effect, and the said right in my ear, in a voice that sent chills down my spine, "and rape you, Sara... I could do it... It would be so easy. I wouldn't even have to tie you up..." He didn't even seem to know Grissom was there anymore... I felt his hand slide in the back o my gown, and move to my breasts. I couldn't help it, I started shaking. Terror, from the very idea shook my body, while pain from the pressure of his hand on my tender, bruised flesh made me want to cry.
"Stop!" Grissom nearly shouted. He was angry now. I could see it... The hand withdrew, and the relief that washed over me was enough to make me momentarily go limp. My captor held me up. "Keep your hands off of her," Grissom spat, "Or you're going to wish that you had never been born."
Hearing Grissom threaten someone was certainly a foreign thing to me, but I'd have to deal with that later. "Oh?" Jon scoffed, "and how are you going to make me wish that any more than I already do?"
"Like this," said Griss, bitterly. He whistled one short note, and that's when I saw the others.
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I saw the shock in Grimwell's eyes. He hadn't expected me to try and trick him, obviously. He'd expected me to come alone, or bring everyone else in plain sight. Too bad for him that i could be really sneaky. I had been planning on trying to reason with him some more, before I called the others... But when he'd touched Sara... The anger was hard to keep under control. Though it was as much my anger at him, as it was at seeing the way Sara had trembled, and gramced.
"Your grand plan failed, Jon," I said, "You didn't think this through very well... You got sloppy."
"It makes no difference to me, if I die or not," said Grimwell, " as long as she goes with me..." I saw his hand go up to Sara's throat, and tighten. Sara gasped for air, as Grimwell's grip got tighter and tighter. None of us could shoot at him, not without risking hitting Sara. And to tackle him wouldn't be a good idea. My mind began to race for a solution. I almost had one, when I heard the gunshot, and saw both Sara and Grimwell drop to the ground.
I didn't care that there was a possibilty that he was still alive, I ran to Sara. Taking note that it was Sofia, who'd fired. Grimwell was alive... Sofia had managed to just hit the side of his throat. But it had been enough to knock him back. I was concerned with Sara though. I rolled her over onto her back, and found that she wasn't breathing. I did the only thing I could. CPR. Though I knew I had to be careful, with her injuries. Over and over again I tried to get her to breath. I took no notice of Warrick and Catherine who pulled Grimwell to his feet. I did notice the smug look he wore on his face though.
"come on, Sara, breathe! Breathe dammit!" I was aware of the crowd that was gathering around me, "Come on, Honey, breathe, please. Please... Come on Sara don't give up on me!"
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I sat i the police interogation room, a bandage around my neck, where that bitch of a cop's bullet had struck me. I was wondering if Sara was alive... She hadn't been breathing when they'd taken me away... The very though made me start to laugh. The cops looked at me weird, but I didn't care. I just laughed and laughed. It may not have gone as planned, but it had worked out in the end. Grissom was right, I hadn't planned it well enough, hadn't taken into account his unwillingness to hurt anyone, hadn't taken into account his cleverness. But it had worked, in a manner of speaking, and that was all that was needed.
I continued to laugh, until I fell out of my chair. I felt the cops' eyes on me, but I still rolled on the floor laughing. When I finally stopped, the two dragged me to my feet, and threw me back into my chair. I just stared at them, trying to unnerve them. I knew I was comepletely crazy by now, and I didn't care... I had been crazy for a long time... now was when it was showing.
A solem faced Gil Grissom came into the room, holding a stack of papers. "She's dead isn't she?' I cackled, supressing more laughs. "She's dead she's dead she's dead!" I chanted in a singsong voice. He didn't answer.
"Jonathan Grimwell, you have forgone your right to a lawyer?"
I nodded.
"Very well," he spoke in an icy tone, "You are under arrest for-"
I cut him off, "I know the charges, I don't need to be told them." I had to supress another laugh.
"Fine," said Grissom, "Guys, take him away."
I couldn't help my grin. And I couldn't help what I muttered to Grissom as I walked by him, "You know when I copped a feel? That was the last time anyone touched her... Just think... She died with that still on her mind.
I never even saw him draw back his fist. But I certainly felt it hit the side of my face. "That's for Sara, you son of a bitch," I heard him hiss. I noticed that the cops were saying nothing about him hitting me. Not that it mattered to me. I had what I wanted. I had everything I wanted... And soon, I'd be with Emily again...
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I watched as Grimwell was led away, and as Grissom came out of the interogation room, rubbing his knuckles. "Tell me you hit him really hard, " I said.
"I did, Nicky... I did," Griss replied, and headed for his office. He came back out a moment later. "Shift's over... I think I'll go-"
"I already know," I cut him off. Everyone knew where he'd be going. What he'd be doing. "We'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah, I guess," he said, though there was something there that said he wanted to take the next few days off. But I wouldn't blame him for that. None of us could. "You make sure every one else goes home, No one's gotten enough sleep..."
He left the building, and I went to round up everyone else to tell the the boss' orders.
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One Month Later...
I sat at the break room table, enjoying my lunch, when Nick walked in. Greg was sitting next to me, reading something. Nick looked at the title of the book, and said,
"you know, I read that book... the main character, what's his name? Dick? Total idiot."
"Show Dick some respect!" said Greg, not looking up from the book.
"Alright Bender," Nick replied.
"If I'm Bender, you're the Neo-maxi-zoom-dweebie, Brian," Greg retorted.
I hid a smile as I stood, and said to both of the, "You two keep it up, and I'll play the part of Vernon, and give you both detentions."
"Well," said Greg, still not looking up from the book, "I'm free next saturday, but beyond that, I'm gonna have to check my schedule."
Nick snorted into the glass of water he was drinking, and I heard a laugh from the door. Catherine. She threw a smile Nick's way, which was returned. "Afternon, Griss," she said to me, "Go take a look out in the hall."
confused, I did as she'd said.
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I stood in the hallway, waiting... Catherine had said she'd send him out there... I hadn't told anyone I was coming... I had wanted to surprise everyone. Two heads came out of the break room at the same time, and I heard to voices say my name at exactly the same time.
"Sara!"
The next thing I knew, I was in a tangle of people. I managed to get free, eventually. "Why didn't you tell me you were being let out today?" Grissom asked, as I hugged him properly. And since trying to follow our rules was pointless now, I kissed him too. I didn't get the chance to answer, before Greg had hold of me. He did't let go until Nick came along to remind him that people do need to breath. I was thankful for Nick's help.
As it turned out, I didn't get to answer Grissom until after hugs had been traded all around. "I wanted to surprise you," I explained, "though, I think I should have warned someone, so I didn't get bombarded like this..." I paused, and looked back down the hall, and waved at who I saw there, 'Hey, Brass! Miss me?"
"Me? Miss you?" he said, appraoching me, and giving me a quick hug, "Never."
"I'll remember that next tim you're gone for a while," I told him, and let Grissom pull me back to lean against him, as we all caught up on things that had taken place. Since it was a fairly slow day, we had a long time to talk, and goof off. It felt good to be out of the hospital, finally, and to just be able to talk with my friends...My family, really, is what they were, without those "are you okay?" looks I got when they spoke with me at the hospital. Nice to be able to just talk about mundane things, like the weather, or a tv show we'd all seen. We all stood there, in the middle of the hall, just enjoying the evening. And for once, when Grissom said that the shift was over, no one objected to going home.
I certainly wasn't going to. Something in the way my boss was looking at me told me that I was going to enjoy being home that night.
As Grissom drove, he asked, "You want to go home, or not?"
"Home," I said, and saw a brief flash of disappointment cross his face, before I finished with, "Is with you... "
He looked at me, and the mischevious smile that formed on his lips made me glad of my answer.
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Nick, as he had several times before, gave me a ride home. As I got out of the car, and waved to Lindsay, who was heading for the school bus, Nick stopped me, "Hey, Cath, wait a sec,"
"What's up?"
"Um... Well, I was wonderin', if you'd be interested in goin' t' dinner tomorrow night.. With me."
"I thought you'd never ask," I replied with a grin, "I'll see you tomorrow night, before shift starts."
He smiled back at me, nodded, and waved. I shut the car door, and walked up to my house, feeling exetremely happy. Things were gonna get better... I could feel it.
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Epilogue
Jonathan Grimwell was charged with the murder of Mark Holly, Sara's body guard, attempted murder, and kidnapping, and found guilty on all charges. Sara had been reluctant to go to the trial, which had bee held off until she recovered, but her friend's had managed to convince her to attend. And in the end, she was glad she had. Though even if they hadn't gotten anything out of her, the jury would have found him guilty, but it felt good to tell somebody what had happened.
She hadn't liked the way that Grimwell had stared at her and Grissom throughout the trial. The look he wore on his face was one of pure hatred. It promised that should he ever get out of prison, neither of them would be safe... But even that worry was gotten rid of when he was given the death penalty. Then he had panicked... Saying he couldn't die until he'd had revenge. He was ignored. But Sara hadn't wanted to stay any longer than necessary. She and Grissom had left the moment the Jury's verdict was given.
After their shift was over, early that morning, they sat together on the couch of what was now their house. Sara leaning back against Grissom, with his arms around her, and his lips pressed against her hair. They just sat there, thinking. It wasn't a time for words then. It was a time for thinking. Until, that was, Sara had suddenly sprung up, and raced for the bathroom. Grissom had found her bent over the toilet, when he got up to follow her. They traded knowing looks... Both knew what that meant.
After that morning, they sat like that together every morning after work, and talked. Tried to figure out what they were going to do. But neither was overly concerned... More like content, to be able to just sit there, and enjoy an hour of peace, and talking before retiring.
Despite the knowledge of future problems, everything seemed all right...And that was enough.
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Enjoy it?
I am already working on another story... It will be called "The Puzzle Master" And I'll have it up within a week or so, as I already have chapter 1 comeplete and I'm workin on Chap. 2.
Here's a preview of it, The prologue:
/Prologue:
It was on what had started out as a perfectly normal night, for the graveyard shift, that the worlds of seven people came crashing down around them. Each received a phone call that would be the start of a long and terrible ordeal. The start of something that would scar all of them, and their loved ones, for ever.
And it was all as the man who called himself "The Puzzle master" had planned. \\
Be looking for it!