So it took me forever to finish my homework, which is why i dind't get this up sooner, but now its up! So have fun everyone, and thank you to all my reviewers!

Chapter 7

Catherine didn't live far from the Harrisons, and her house looked almost identical. Warrick was fighting to keep panic down. Nick and Catherine, why them? He asked himself. Reason said that it was because they were the only two people at the crime scene, but he had a gut feeling that there was something more in this. Nick was his best friend. Last time had been difficult enough, and it had instilled a fear of kidnap in all the CSIs' hearts. Warrick couldn't imagine what Nick was thinking at the moment, or if he was even alive. He stamped down on that thought. Catherine too, of all people, he had to choose one with a daughter. Catherine was as good a friend as Nick. All of them were. By now, they were a family and when a family lost one of its own, the family fell apart. It had happened last time with Nick, and now it was happening again. Catherine had a daughter to leave behind also.

Warrick didn't want to get out of the car. He didn't want to go near Catherine's house. He wanted Lindsey to be safe, but he didn't want to have to face her innocent face and tell her that her mother was missing. What was he going to say? What was he going to do? Grissom's statement about the bomb had shaken him, as it had Brass and Greg. He was trying to keep his fear down. He was scared for himself, for Nick, for Catherine, for Lindsey.

He was there, and he leapt out of the car immediately. The police were close behind him. He let them go first and pound on the door. Please let her be there, please let her be alive, he thought. They waited and he considered breaking down the door. There were no other vehicles around, but that didn't mean anything. They could easily be hiding. A thought struck him, and he clung to that idea. It might have been an empty threat. Then again, they might have kidnapped Lindsey also.

But no, he heard footsteps behind the closed door. "Lindsey?" He said loudly.

"Warrick?" Her voice came muted through the door and he heard her unlocking it.

"Lindsey, we have to hurry. Your mom wants us to take you to the lab." Warrick said, saying the first thing that came to his mind.

She looked confused, and stood in the doorway about to say something, but Warrick pulled her away from the house. "What?" She was in her pajamas and looked bewildered and scared. "Why do we have to go there?"

Warrick saw her glance around at the police officers. "We'll explain everything when we get there, alright? We have to get out of here." He said, pulling her towards his car. She stumbled along behind him, looking back at her house once or twice, but he didn't let go until she was safely buckled in. He got in and started driving immediately, praying he wouldn't hear an explosion. Lindsey was saying something, but he wasn't listening. His eyes were fixed on the rear view mirror. The police had followed him out, and he saw one car drive back towards the Harrison's.

"Warrick!" Lindsey exclaimed.

He looked forward, saw a white SUV pulling out of a driveway and slammed on the brakes. It was then that he heard it. Heart pounding wildly, he turned around and saw flames in the direction of Catherine's house. Lindsey's scream of terror was almost muted. He could barely hear over the ringing in his ear. The SUV had stopped and its driver was getting out, looking horrified. "Stay here," He said to Lindsey, before getting out too.

The lady who had climbed out of the SUV ran up to him. He turned and saw the other police car turn around and go back to the burning house. "Oh my god!" The lady said. "I'll call the fire department. Oh my god, did you hear the explosion? Was it a bomb!"

Warrick looked around at her, trying to arrange his thoughts. "Don't worry about it. The police have got it." He said, almost dazed.

She looked past him and saw the retreating flashing lights of the police car and seemed to calm down a little. Warrick took a deep breath to slow his heartbeat. "I'm Warrick Brown with the Las Vegas crime lab." He said, introducing himself. He had to get Lindsey back to the lab, but perhaps this lady saw something.

The lady looked at him bewildered. "Alice Golden," She said.

"Did you see anybody drive by earlier?" Warrick asked, trying to focus on their conversation. "Notice anything unusual?"

She shook her head, glancing past Warrick at the fire and looking distressed. "I was asleep. My son called me and asked me to come pick him up from a friend's." She said. "He said they were drinking and he wasn't comfortable around them."

Warrick tried not to sigh in disappointment. "You didn't see anything?"

"No," She replied. "I just woke up ten minutes ago." She did look tired and dishelved.

Warrick ran a hand through his hair, glancing back at the car where he could see Lindsey waiting in the front seat. Distractedly, he said. "I have to go. There's not much you can do about this. If you remember seeing anything suspicious, contact us please." She nodded and he hurried back to the car.

Lindsey looked terrified. "What's going on? Was that a bomb!" She was distracted and twisted around in her seat trying to look back.

Warrick looked at her, alarmed. What was he supposed to say? She looked so scared. He wasn't good with kids, but he leaned over and gave her a hug, trying to be comforting despite his own fear. "Lindsey, I'm going to take you back to work with me, alright?" He managed to say. He had enough sense to not answer her first question. Gently, he pulled away from her and started the car.

At the lab, he helped Lindsey out of the car. She looked distracted and confused. He didn't expect anything else. What would he do with her now? He couldn't leave her there alone, but he had to get back to the scene. She kept glancing back as if she thought she could see the house from there as they walked back to the lab. Perhaps he could put her to sleep in Catherine's office or something. "Warrick?" he looked at her. "Where's my mom?" She asked in a tone that clearly said she was trying desperately to stay calm.

He hesitated. Of course she wanted to know, but how could he tell her. He looked up at where he was going. They were just outside of Grissom's office. Why couldn't Grissom be there? He'd know what to do. "We're working on that," He said, finally. What now? He thought. What was he supposed to do? She was opening her mouth to say something, and he looked away hurriedly.

To his relief, he saw a familiar blonde lady walking further up the hallway. "Sofia!" he called out. She turned and he saw her eyes flick from him to Lindsey and back to him. He ran to catch up with her.

"Is that Lindsey?" She said, looking at her and smiling. "Hey Linds," She said, before looking back up at Warrick with a questioning look.

"Could you watch her for me?" Warrick asked in an undertone.

Sofia looked at him for a moment before looking back at Lindsey. "Hey Lindsey," She said. "Why don't you go lay down in your mom's office, she'll be back soon." They both could tell Lindsey wasn't buying any of it, but didn't say anything.

Lindsey looked up at Warrick. He saw the first sign of a tear and, slightly regretfully, nodded at her. "Go on. Get some sleep." He could think of nothing else to say.

Sofia walked her back up the hallway to her office and he saw Sofia turn around and mouth "Wait for me,"

He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment. What a night. Why couldn't people just leave them alone? He opened his eyes again. Nick and Catherine, why!

His thoughts were interrupted by Sofia's return. "What's going on?" She demanded.

He looked at her, suddenly exhausted. "Nick and Catherine are missing." He said. "They planted a bomb at Catherine's house."

Sofia was silent for a moment. "How did you know it was there?"

"Beats me, Grissom told me to go get Lindsey." Warrick said wearily. "Look, I have to go."

Sofia nodded.

"Keep an eye on her for me?"

Sofia nodded again. "If you guys need any help, I'm here," She said.

He thanked her gratefully and hurried out to his car.

TBC...