Hunters and Collectors

Disclaimer: CBS owns CSI

A/N Catherine isn't looking so great right now and if she survives has a long road ahead, but the trick is getting her to survive first. Will she?

Chapter 13

They walked into the ICU room and sat beside Catherine's bed, the parts of her that weren't bandaged were a rainbow of bruising, the tubes everywhere, an IV in one arm, a ventilator down her throat, a heart monitor, she was even catheterized. She looked as pale as one of the bodies on Al Robbins' morgue tables, and she was extremely fortunate that she wasn't there now.

"Hang in there mom, you'll get better, you have to, we have things to do together. Uncle Gil is looking out for me for a while as is grandma but I need you back home." Lindsey couldn't help herself anymore, the tears falling down her face unchecked.

"Come on LInds, let's get out of here for now and get you home and some rest, your mom will be fine here, she has the best care and the hospital will keep us notified." Grissom and Lindsey reluctantly left the room and headed to the waiting room. The remnants of the team were gathered there and surprisingly enough Sara and Sofia were also there having just been released from the hospital's clutches.

"She doesn't look fantastic guys, she taken quite a severe beating, Lily I think it's best if you take Lindsey home for a while, Catherine will be out for quite some time but tomorrow may be a better day. "

Lily agreed and left with Lindsey, leaving only the team left. Sara spoke first and voiced her concerns.

"How bad is she Grissom? Seriously."

"Whatever isn't broken is badly bruised or cut, a machine is breathing for her and it's way too early to tell if she'll ever come back to us, all we can do is hope and pray. Catherine has always been a strong woman, but after the hell they put her through, I just don't know any more. Nothing more we can do here for now so I suggest we all go see Nick and then get some rest."

It was like a forced march that they were on, leaving Catherine behind them to troop up to Nick's room, all with long drawn faces, fatigued or worried. No one bothered putting on a brave face for Nick, he had been vaguely informed of the situation so he knew it wasn't good news when they first entered his room.

Nick saw their faces and thought the worst. "Catherine?"

"She's alive Nick, but in a coma," replied Grissom. He went on to repeat everything he'd been told and Nick's jaw dropped.

"I think I can honestly say that I wish I'd been on that SWAT team to take down those bastards, but then most of you do too so it would have been a bit crowded. I just can't understand why though, it doesn't make any sense."

"We are also trying to make sense of it too Nick, we are hoping the remaining suspect will give us some information. We have him cold on several counts of murder, theft, fraud and now rape and attempted murder of a law enforcement official, so we'll see what Brass has when we get back."

"Ok Grissom, look you guys need sleep, and most definitely a shower so go home now, I'll be out of here in two days anyway."

With that they all muttered tired thanks and left for their respective homes, Sara leaving with Grissom and Sofia riding with Greg. Only one thing on their minds, sleep. And sleep they did, then showered, then ate. Not one single person found it odd that Sara had gone home with Grissom, they were all too tired to let it register.

Brass was tired too, he had been interrogating George for hours, showing him every shred of evidence they had against him and his co conspirators, the last part was the rape kit. He couldn't very well say she wanted it, then again she couldn't deny it so maybe it was worth a shot.

"Look Captain Brass, Catherine is a most unusual woman, I'm sure you will agree. Ok I'll even admit to kidnapping her, but only for use as a hostage, but well, we got a little closer and she seemed to like me, liked the thrill of the way we did things. Even as far wanting me to play rough with her, her only problem was that she had a reputation to maintain and I had those other two girls who were jealous. We had to be careful and Catherine knew it. So I suggested that if I tied her up and made it look like rape the girls would laugh it off, and her reputation would be intact, unfortunately it didn't quite work out that way. The girls got jealous anyway, tossed me out of there and said they'd kill her before I could replace them."

"You should have been a writer George, you spin a good yarn, none of which is particularly palatable nor believable."

"Can anyone disprove it?"

"Catherine should be able to soon, so I'll let you know."

"I heard she's in a coma and may never wake up, so that leaves only my statement and you can't disprove that." He almost laughed in Brass' face but wisely didn't. Jim sent him back to lock up while he had a report to write and words to have with Grissom and hopefully soon, Catherine.

Jim knew deep in his heart that Catherine was in no way prone to Stockholm Syndrome so what George had said didn't make sense, but try convincing a jury of that, Catherine had to wake up to give her side of the story. The only alternative was to have George charge with every other count apart from the rape, add that later, the other charges would stick and put him behind bars. Brass could reinstate the rape charge when Catherine was better, if she got better.

Catherine hovered on the brink, she may have been in a coma but her thinking processes still functioned to a certain level but it was all internal, she was analyzing the situation inside her head and not making much sense. She saw a brilliant white light and people, some she recognized, one in particular, it was Sam. Now she was confused, Sam was dead wasn't he? Did that mean that she was dead? What about Lindsey? Sam was talking to her.

"You shouldn't be here Catherine, you have to go back, this isn't your time to die and your family and friends need you back badly."

"Sam? It's so quiet and peaceful, I don't feel any pain any more, can't I stay here in the peace and quiet? Going back is a big leap, I don't even know how to."

"You think you might be happy here Muggs, but Lindsey needs you, you will find no happiness here, your pathway to happiness will lead you through the pain but you have to want to go, so think happy thoughts and go back where you are needed most. I can't tell you how to go back, you have to want to go back while there is still time."

"I just want to stay for a while, the pain is too great, but Lindsey's pain will be greater, is that what you mean Sam?"

"Muggs, you are my daughter without a doubt, and just as stubborn as myself, don't let the villains win this round, I'll see you in due time, now go back."

The frantic noises and pain echoed all around her once more as the doctors yelled 'clear' once more and shocked her heart back to life. "Ok she's in sinus rhythm again, keep tabs on her, don't leave her for one minute."

She tried to reach out and found all movement restricted so she moaned through the ventilator tube. It got a nurse's attention.

"Doctor, Ms Willows is waking up and wants to talk."

A/N Pity they didn't shoot George first eh? Seems like the road just got bumpier but Catherine has been given a good talking to by Sam and will face the world again.

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