Author's Note: I have never done a case in all my fan fiction stories so I decided to try one. Hope ya'll like it! Review please!

Chapter 8 – Shoot Out

Sara and Nick left the coffee shop about 20 minutes later. After such a rough night Sara was very glad to be going home. She hailed a cab and nearly fell asleep while the cabbie drove to her cousin's place; she and Charlotte would be moving at the end of the week.

Sara was debating calling in sick the next night. Talking about Alex had brought up some memories that made it hard for Sara to sleep. And besides, she felt a little embarrassed, pouring herself out in front of a co-worker like she had. In the end she decided to go and just hold her head high. However as soon as she walked into the lab she felt very nervous. She stood outside the break room and crossed her fingers that Nick hadn't told anyone about their…talk.

Sara closed her eyes and walked in. It looked like it was a normal day. Or at least as normal a day it could be here. Catherine was sitting at the table talking to Grissom with a folder between them. Warrick and Nick were sitting at the other end laughing at something. Nick looked up as Sara walked in and greeted her warmly like he always did. She gave a nervous smile back. She had been worried that he might look at her differently, but just looking at him once told her that he hadn't told anyone and didn't judge her at all. Very refreshing.

That day Catherine and Sara were put on a case together. Sara saw Catherine shoot a glare at Grissom when he said this and she approached him after he was done.

"I don't think she likes me very much," she whispered to Nick on the way out.

"Just give her some time. You'll grow on her and she will warm up," he reassured her with a smile.

Sara really hoped so. This bitterness between them was not only unnecessary; it was going to end up interfering with work.

"Grissom I don't want to work with her," Catherine whispered hotly at him.

"Catherine, we are all a team and, weather you like it or not, we all work together. You will just have to live with it. I trust Sara and she is an excellent CSI. Now go," he said pointing at the door. He had always treated Catherine as his equal rather then his subordinate, but every once in awhile she tested his nerves. She had worked with him long enough to know which buttons to press to get him really angry and vice versa. She gave him a glare and spun on her heel.

Sara was standing just outside the door with her kit. "I'm driving," Catherine said as she passed by.

"Wouldn't argue," Sara said to her receding back. She quickly caught up with her and they both got into a dark blue Tahoe. Catherine ripped out of the lot and down the street. Sara sat at the edge of her seat as if it might eat her if she sat back. She didn't even dare try to start a conversation because she had already tried that. It always ended after the first couple seconds leaving them in more of an awkward silence than they had started in.

After what seemed like eons in that car they pulled up to a not-so-classy hotel off the strip. They walked down a poorly lit hallway on the fourth floor to room 405 that was propped open and had tape across the door. Ducking under the tape did not reveal a pretty sight. A girl was spread across the bed and tangled in the covers. She could have been sleeping except for the blood that was spattered all over her and under her. The walls and ceiling matched the sheets with blood spatter and cast off. The TV that had once been on the cabinet opposite the bed was now on the floor, smashed along with what looked like two lamps. Amongst the glass were an upturned chair and an unplugged phone. The two women took it all in with wide eyes as O'Riely approached them from the corner.

"What…in hell happened here?" Catherine asked breathlessly.

"Hotel manager came up and knocked. They door was open so he took a peek and nearly threw up so he called us. Other then that I have no idea what happened here." He took a quick glance at the two CSIs. "I was hoping you could tell me that."

Catherine let out a slow breath. "I'll take the body if you take the rest of the room." She acknowledged Sara without actually looking at her, while taking a few cautious steps into the room.

"Ok," Sara said but she was already absorbed in her job. She was taking it all in, deciding what to attack first. Her eyes fell on the door which caught her attention. The latch was broken. She knelt down and looked at it carefully. The top half of the latch was coming off the door and the whole thing had metallic scratches all over it. The wood around it was splintered which proved Sara's thought. Forced entry.

Catherine worked he body over the next hour or so. She obviously had been beaten and very possibly raped. At one point David, the coroner, came in and cleared the body so Catherine could process it completely. She took samples and hundreds of pictures. She hated these battered women cases and waned to make sure she caught the guy.

O'Riely had been there awhile and so far he was just standing around. He told them he was going to get coffee and left.

Catherine was sure to keep tabs on Sara. She still didn't trust her with a crime scene. She really didn't have a reason to not trust her but that didn't change her point of view. So far, however, Sara was doing an exceptional job. When Catherine was finished with the bed she did a little once over to see if she could spot anything. Sara had gotten everything and even some things Catherine probably wouldn't have noticed herself.

"Checking over my work?" Sara asked with a smile without looking up from the table she was printing.

"No," Catherine said shortly. She walked back over to the bed with her back facing the door.

Sara was finished in the bedroom so she decided to start the bathroom. She was only working a few minutes when she heard the outer door creak then slam. She stood up and Catherine's reflection was caught in the mirror. A man was holding her and trying to gag her with a towel. Catherine looked terrified and Sara gasped as she grabbed her gun and took in a breath before spinning into the room.

"Let her go!" She shouted. She caught the guy by surprise and he nearly tripped spinning around with Catherine in his tight grasp. Sara tried to get to them as the guy righted himself and picked Catherine up clear off the floor and swung her around. Her legs nearly caught Sara so she stepped back, almost tripping herself.

"Get away," he said in a deep voice.

"Let her go first," Sara said matching his threatening tone but she was really more terrified then she had ever been. As far as she could see he didn't have a weapon, but he looked like he might be able to make a hole in the wall using just his fist.

He let out a little cackle and threw Catherine at Sara. She broke her fall and Sara took off after the guy. As soon as she got into the hallway she fired. It hit him in the arm and he yelped in pain but kept running after a second. Sara took off but he was already out the window at the end of the hall. Sara thought he was crazy for just jumping before realizing there was a fire escape. She kept running and looked out the window. He was already gone. "How did he do that?" she thought to herself.

She whipped out her cell phone and called dispatch as she ran back into the room. She closed her phone after finishing and entered as Catherine was just standing up. She wobbled on her feet and Sara reached out to help her.

"Are you ok?" she asked. Catherine nodded.

"You get him?" she asked after a moment.

"No. he got away," she said reluctantly as she led Catherine out into the hall.

After O'Riely and a few cops got there and Catherine was sitting down she looked at Sara and said, "Thanks."