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Present Time
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Adrenaline faded as the coyote trotted away in response to the rumbling thunder. Sara slowly sank back down, relieving the pressure on her shoulder. As the immediate threat diminished, the drug, temporarily overshadowed by her body's chemical response to fear, began to reassert itself and she dropped into a dazed stupor, eyes staring, blinking only in response to the flashing lightning.
Time passed slowly... The low rumbles and growls of the approaching storm became sharp cracks and booms, the vague glow of lightning became distinct daggers traced through the dark sky. Disjointed images, memories entwined with a surreal version of reality. Grissom... A woman buried alive, helicopter blades whipping the dust into a frenzy, a hand on her cheek... morphing into a razor sharp stone at her throat, Grissom's eyes burning into hers... His hand grasping hers, keeping her from drowning in her tears and her memories... Nick buried alive, contemplating a gun, but found, brought back to life...Grissom taking her home, his home, holding her... A warm shower... Bruno licking her hand, the drool running down her wrist... Pressure on her arms, and an echo from the past, "Pin me down." ... Another voice, Nick's maybe, ringing through time, "How do you drown in the desert?"
The cold drops of rain splashing up to hit her slowly cleared the remaining drug haze from her mind. Pools were forming around the car and rain was gushing down, filling them quickly. Sara could feel the water seeping in around the edges of the car, filling the spaces under her body. As the as the pools turned to rivers, Sara's hazy wits began to recover, noting limbs pinned by metal, not his hands, and she struggled as she realized that she soon wouldn't be able to stretch high enough to breathe. To survive.
As the rain continued to sheet down around her, lightning strikes caused the sky to glow in quick bursts then fade into deeper darkness as the thunder boomed.
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1981
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"That's very good, Chloe! Come here Princess!"
"Daddy, when's Mommy coming home?"
"Natalie, I told you. Mommy's not coming home. She went away to another place. Please stop talking about her, and practice your song."
"I don't want to."
"Natalie, you have to practice. You can't carry a tune."
"Daddy, I'll practice more. I like singing. Nattie doesn't have to, I'll do it!"
"I know you like it, Princess. That's why you're Daddy's special girl."
"I love you Daddy."
"Love you too, Baby... Natalie, please practice. I want you both to come on stage with me next week. I can't afford a baby-sitter, and Grandma and Grandpa are busy. I've got a chance to open for a great magician. This could be my big break! I need you to practice."
"I don't like it, Daddy."
"Please, Natalie, you need to practice!"
"NO!"
Flash
CDs covering the floor. Reflected rainbows glittering on the walls. Chloe, blond hair covering her face, cowering in her father's lap, his arms around her. Dark eyes penetrating, angry. Blue flowers on the curtains drooping behind him, blue rug with a dark stain near his feet. The light of the rainbows mocking her, twisting around her, making the room spin...
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One Week Later
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"Okay, you don't have to sing, Natalie, but you need to come out on stage with me. Chloe and Dolly will do the singing. Let's go."
Flash
Coloured spotlights flashing over a black shiny surface, steam billowing up from below, thousands of people, a rainbow teaming with brightly coloured shirts, cheering and screaming. Swirling colours blurring together, the cheers becoming a continuous drone. Light fading to blackness.
"Daddy! Daddy! Something's wrong with Nattie! She fell over!"
"Looks like it's just us, Princess... This nice man will help Natalie, are you ready to sing?"
"Yes, Daddy. I'm ready!"
"Okay, here we go."
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"They loved you, Doll Face! You were wonderful!"
"Daddy, where's Nattie?"
"She went to the doctor, Sweetie. Look, the newspaper man wants to take a picture of you, you were so special! Why don't you sit on my lap with Dolly, and we'll get a good picture."
"Love you, Daddy."
"Love you, too, Princess."
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Earlier Today
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The chiming major chords of the slot machines, the happy clinking of change won, the constant flashing of bright lights and banners -- it all seemed nicely normal after their brief glimpse into the life and mind of the man who had sired the most unique serial killer he had ever investigated, outstripping even Milander. What would it have been like for her, six years old, seeing her sister die then dealing with her father's own break from reality? Would we appear as dolls to a small girl observing from above, as models -- Grissom's thoughts were interrupted as Catherine voiced her own.
"The great Rainone is in great denial. Of course losing a child in the hands of another could do that to you... You do agree that Natalie killed Chloe, right?"
"Yeah, I was just wondering what it must have looked like to her."
"Good point... I wonder when dear old dad started his new act. That must have been hard. Seeing his obsession with Chloe. Could explain her fixation on the doll... Chloe died in front of her, but came back to haunt her through the doll. Now she's trying to kill the doll."
"Maybe, but his preferential treatment of Chloe probably began before she died. Did you notice the newspaper article? No sign of Natalie in the photo... One leg for the doll and one for Chloe. His career and his 'lightness.' No room for darkness, for Natalie. He shows his disdain for Natalie through the doll: 'my sister who couldn't hold a tune.' Wonder if he expressed those thoughts before Chloe died." They reached the casino exit, and Grissom tossed Catherine the keys to the SUV, pulling out his cell and beginning to dial. "Here, you drive. I'll call Sara and the guys to meet us at the lab. Now that we're sure who she is, we'll work full force on a manhunt, before she finds another victim."
He shifted his focus to his cell phone as he heard a cheerful, "Hello, Gilbert."
Briefly a snatch of the song they had just heard floated through his mind. You're nobody, 'til somebody loves you. So find yourself somebody to love. He repressed a grin, "Hey, we got an ID..."
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1981
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"Okay, girls, we're going to have a lot of people coming over soon. I want you two to be good. Lots of Daddy's friends will be here."
"Okay, Daddy. I'll be very good."
"I know you will, Princess... Natalie, you help take care of Daddy's special girl while Daddy's busy, okay?"
He only wants her. I'm never his special girl. I was Mommy's special girl, but Mommy went away. I wish she'd go away.
"Natalie?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Nattie, can we play house in the tree?"
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"Hi Daddy!"
"Hey, Chloe! Love you, Baby!"
He never says he loves me. I wish she would just go away. GO AWAY, CHLOE!
Flash
A deep dark pool, spilling from the sidewalk onto the lawn, red mixing with green. A white shirt and floral skirt, arms curled upward as if in sleep, legs cushioned in the grass, white shoes still pristine.
Flash
Daddy's hand on her neck. More people, a white dress shirt, a red flowered dress, a brown paisley, a tan suede jacket over a light blue shirt, dizzying stripes of rainbow.
Flash
Flashing lights, men in uniform, a bed with wheels, a sheet pulled over her face. Daddy sobbing, women wailing, a voice through the madness...
"Natalie, come down Sweetheart. We don't want you to get hurt, too. Come down."
A comforting hug, but not Daddy's. Never Daddy's.
Flash
Crowds thinning, people leaving. A red pool slowly turning brown. Daddy bringing a white bottle with a blue label.
Flash
A strong, pungent smell. The red fading, Chloe disappearing. Tears streaking Daddy's face, red tips on his fingers, sleeves pushed up, hair falling in his face, a bristled brush, spots of light appearing in the red. A pervasive, never-ending smell.
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Two Months Later
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"Daddy, can you play with me now instead of Dolly?"
"This isn't Dolly, this is Chloe. We'll play later. I'm practicing a new song...
"I've got a pain in my sawdust. That's what's the matter with me. Something is wrong with my little inside. I'm just as sick as can be..."
No! That's not Chloe! Chloe went away, like Mommy! How did Dolly turn into Chloe? Why won't Daddy play with me!
Flash
Glass smashing, plates flying and cracking, glittering colours spreading across the kitchen floor. Rainbows on the light blue tile, patterns within patterns. Blue flowered curtains moving in the breeze.
"Natalie! Now look what you've done! I can't do this anymore! I CAN'T!"
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Earlier Today
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The miniature woman was undoubtedly Sara, sending his mind into an uncontrolled tailspin. I just talked to her. She's planning to meet me at the lab... How? It can't be... Grissom physically shook himself, gently replaced the car, and pulled out his cell, hitting speed dial. Come on Sara, pick up. Pick up! ... Maybe she's in traffic. Please, God, let her be in traffic...
Grissom quickly dialled again, "Jim, it's me... I got another miniature. It's Sara... Yeah, I'm sure it's meant to be her but I just talked to her a little while ago. It can't have happened yet, but Sara's not answering her phone... Yeah, I hope so. Look, Sara's got a new Prius. It's got a GPS locator, can you follow up on that? I'll get the team to start processing the miniature... Thanks Jim."
Hitting speed dial again, he strode down the hall toward the break room, following Catherine's voice without really listening. Come on Sara. Please. Answer your phone... Just pick up!
"... can see where she gets it. You wouldn't believe her biological father. I think he even creeped Grissom out! I swear it felt like I'd entered a David Lynch movie, only there was no dwarf. He's created this --"
"My office. Now! Grab Greg." He spun on his heel, hitting redial yet again, listening to the rings, then to Sara's voice, "This is Sara Sidle..." Hanging up then quickly dialling again, he barely noticed the others filing into his office, their stunned gasps as they saw the miniature. Nick leaned over to gently lift the car, just as he had done...
"No! Oh no..."
"Is that... Sara?"
"It's moving! Is she alive?"
"Gil?"
"Sara's not answering her cell... I've got Brass looking for her car. Take that --" He couldn't even bear to glance down at the perfect -- he knew -- half-inch scale model of Sara, trapped ... Focus Gil! "Take that to the layout room. Search for anything that might give us a location, a lead, anything... I'm going to find out how it got here."
Without giving them time to respond he strode off toward Judy's desk, returning his phone to his ear, pleading desperately with the woman he loved, "Come on Sara, pick up, please pick up..." He sighed as her voicemail kicked in once again. Keep going Gil, you'll find her. Just track the package. Even if ... even if Natalie got her, they can't be far. I just talked to her! Maybe they're using Sara's car.
"Who was in my office while I was gone?"
"No one. Just some girl from janitorial. She went in... vacuumed... took out the trash, that's all."
Janitorial... She works for us! I can get an address... Spinning toward personnel, he reached automatically for his cell phone to try again, feeling a momentary burst of relief when it rang in his hand, quickly dispelled when he saw the caller ID, "Jim?"
"We found Sara's car... Gil, I... It looks like she was abducted. The car's open and her keys, kit, and phone are all here, but..."
He didn't even hear the rest of Jim's explanation. Gone...
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TBC
A/N: Feedback greatly appreciated! Nitpicks welcome.