Chapter Eight: Ghosts
Sara wasn't like most women. She didn't obsess over her appearance. She didn't freak out when she gained a few pounds, or didn't look perfect. No one was ever perfect. She'd admit that when she was younger, she worried about her weight, especially when she was a teenager. Her teenage years were hectic, but Sara couldn't help but be somewhat vain when it came to her appearance.
Sara felt a pang of sadness. She didn't like reliving her past. There were too many ghosts. Sara had a hard time dealing with ghosts. They had a tendency to stick with her. She shook the thought out of her head and came back to the present.
Sara observed herself in the mirror. She couldn't wait for the day that her stomach started bulging. The physical proof that she would be a mother. Sara was determined to be a good mother, no matter what it took. She wouldn't let her past effect her baby's life.
Sara left her house to go get a bite to eat before work. She parked her car in a parking garage and went to one of her favorite places. On her way back up in the elevator, she received a call from Grissom. He'd found Natalie Davis' father and was going to see him.
Sara was getting into her car when someone said her name. In the hours to come she would relive the moment she turned around over and over.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There was too much on Grissom's mind. A final miniature with a replica of Sara under a crashed car. .Natalie had a psychotic break. They had no idea where Sara was. It was raining. Sara would drown if she didn't get out from under the car. They had no idea where Sara was.
Grissom hated feeling helpless. And there was no way for him to fix it. He and Greg had gone over the tapes. They'd found the car. Established the time line. They still had no idea where Sara was.
They didn't get a break until morning. It might even be to late. Sara might be dead, and it would be Grissom's fault. This was what Natalie had been counting on. Natalie had known that this would hurt Grissom, but she had no idea to what extent.
At one point, Grissom had been afraid Sara might leave him. The idea crushed him. He didn't think he could stand the idea that he'd done something to make her stop loving him. Right now, Grissom would rather have her hate him and be alive, than love him and be dead.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The pain in Sara's arm had become dull. The pain in her heart was worse. Being alone in the hot desert fighting for your life really made you think. Her life wasn't the only one at stake. If she died, so did the life inside of her. That thought alone kept Sara walking on. The thought of her ghosts kept her company. In a way, she'd always carried around the ghosts from her past. She'd never been able to fully let them go. Every time she was close to getting rid of them once and for all, they'd find a way to stay. She'd never really known complete peace because of it. Sara decided that if she did get out, she would bury her ghosts once and for all.
Sara also decided she didn't want to die. She wanted to spend many more years with Grissom. She wanted to have her baby. She wanted to be happy. She didn't want to die alone and helpless in the middle of the desert.
Sara walked until each step became harder than the last. Until the heat made her senses go foggy. Until each breath hurt. Until her skin was so dry it began to crack. Sara walked until her legs gave out, and she just couldn't get up again, no matter how hard she tried.
Sara didn't like to lose. Her whole life she'd made herself feel better by winning. By being the best. She'd lost before, but it had been little things she'd lost at. This was a big thing to lose at. Sara would have cried, but her eyes were too dry. Before the world went black, Sara's last thought was that she'd lost the most important thing of all: Life.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They couldn't find her, they'd scoured that desert and they still couldn't find her. If they didn't find her soon, it wouldn't matter that Sara had been able to get herself out from under the car. She would die from exposure.
Grissom had just about given up hope when he heard Nick's transmission on the radio. He'd found Sara. She was alive, but barely. Grissom and Catherine arrived as the paramedics were putting the IV in Sara. They lifted her up on the stretcher with Grissom's and Nicks help. As they began to put Sara in the helicopter, Grissom announced he was going with her.
The next minutes were the most horrible he'd ever experienced. Sara might not survive. They'd found her, but they didn't know if she'd be alright. Grissom placed his hand over Sara's hand and stomach, willing some of his life to pass into her. If she would wake up, he knew that she'd be okay. As for the baby, he didn't want to hope that much quite yet. The baby wouldn't have a chance if Sara didn't survive.
Grissom watched her anxiously. Still willing some of his life to pass into her. Slowly, Sara's eyes opened. The first thing she saw was the name. Grissom. She was safe. Sara looked up at his face as it softened. He looked more weary than she'd ever seen him. Grissom took a deep breath. Letting the relief course through him. His hand tightened over Sara's. She was a fighter, and she'd made it through.
Sara was too tired to think, but Grissom couldn't stop. He had Sara with him, she was alive. And he was never going to take it for granted again.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Be Continued…
A/N: I realize that this was one of my shorter chapters. I have no idea why, but with this chapter I got a pretty nasty case of writer's block. I promise that the next chapter will be longer. I don't foresee the same issues I had with this one popping up. The next chapter has been brewing in my mind for a while now.