Brass and Sofia walked into the lab. Warrick saw them in the hall and updated them.

"So we still have nothing?" Asked Brass.

Warrick shook his head and grimaced. "All we got is a chevy truck, pewter color...'95-'99. Hodges and Wendy are trying to trace the sand in the paint but he's not hopeful."

"Damn," flinched Brass.

Sofia opened her phone to call in the new information. It would be added to the bulletin.

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Gil spotted the truck in the wash behind the cabin. They hurried to it.

"Do you have the keys?" asked Catherine.

"No," replied Gil. He looked surprised at the thought that he would.

"You were digging in his pockets...I thought maybe..."

"Sorry...didn't think about that."

She looked back toward the cabin. "Don't go back. Come on..."

She moved towards the truck. Thankfully it was unlocked. Climbing behind the wheel, she worked her way under the dash. Gil climbed in on the other side, watching her, intrigued.

"What?" she asked as she saw his expression.

"You know how to hotwire cars?" he asked.

"Had to learn with Eddie. He was always getting the car repossessed. Or losing his keys while we were out. So I had to learn." She shrugged her shoulders.

A small smirk travelled across Gil's face. "Your talents never cease to amaze me," he sighed.

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"Got it," declared Hodges as he walked into the break room.

"What?" asked Warrick.

"Red Rock Canyon...the sand from the paint..."

"Great, now we have a place to start looking," declared Brass. He was on his phone immediately.

The group headed towards their cars to join the search.

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Catherine was able to get the truck started and the bounced along the wash. They had no idea where they were and no idea what time of day it was. Otherwise they might have been able to choose a direction. Without any information, however, following the wash seemed like a good choice.

As she drove, Gil stared ahead. He was also watching for signs that someone might be following them. As he glanced behind him and then back to the front, his eyes caught Catherine's expression. "Cath, I'm sorry..." he said. "I was tryiong to get to you sooner but..." He was miserable that Snarly had gotten to her.

"I know, Gil." She looked at him, her eyes sad and frightened still, but reassuring also. Then she saw his wrists and gasped. "Gil, your wrists!"

He looked at them for the first time. The zip ties had cut into them deeply and blood still ozzed from several places along the cut lines. His hands were covered in his blood. He looked around the truck for a rag or something to wipe them or maybe wrap them with. He found nothing. She stopped the truck, throwing the gear into park and tugged at the tail of his shirt that she was wearing. Tearing the fabric, she managed to get strips long enough to act as bandages. He held his wrists out for her to wrap them, watching her as she worked. She seemed calm enough now but he knew that she was concentrating on getting them out of there. Once they were safe and she had time to think, he knew the horror would set in. He determined that she wouldn't be alone when reality hit. "Cath...he...did he..." Gil couldn't bring himself to say the words. The thought that anyone, let alone an SOB like Snarly, had touched her in that way sickened him. And he had been powerless to keep the guy off of her. He was ashamed...he should have been able to do more to help her. Logic told him he had done the best he could, but his heart chastised him for his failure to protect her.

She looked at him, her eyes threatening tears but the expression was blank. The implications of his question stung. Looking away, she mumbled, "yeah... he got penetration...but you got there before he..." She couldn't continue.

"I'm sorry, Cath. I'm so sorry..." He reached for her but she pulled away.

"I know, Gil. And I know you got there as fast as you could. Your wrists tell me how hard you fought to get free. And I'm grateful... but I can't think anymore about that now. We need to get out of here."

He had been hurt by her pulling away, but he understood. It was a natural reaction. Still, he wanted, no...needed to comfort her. Somewhere inside his head he realized that he was being selfish in his need. He felt like he had failed her...he had failed her, and he needed to do something to make it better. She needed her space. He sighed heavily and decided to concentrate on their escape. That was the best he could do to help her right now. Maybe comfort would come later.

They continued the path down the draw. Off in the distance, he saw signs of life; not people life, wildlife and vegetation. "Cath, look over there," he said as he pointed. "There could be water."

"Yeah, she agreed. They followed the draw awhile longer and then she veered off toward the vegetation. They arrived a a small watering hole. "We need to be careful," he warned. "This is probably the only water for miles. All kinds of creatures probably come here."

"Yeah...careful...But is the water safe to drink?"

"I don't see any dead animals."

They walked toward the water, watching all around as they approached. Gil thought he heard a rattle but it sounded distant, so he wasn't too alarmed by it. Something scurried under a shrub near the pool. Catherine thought she saw a jack rabbit hopping away. The water looked a little murky but as he dipped his hands in, Gil was surprised that it was as clear as it was. "Small sips," he cautioned. He knew they'd probably end up with severe belly aches, but they had to have some water. It was hot and the last thing they needed was to dehydrate. He wished they had the means to boil it or something, but they were woefully unprepared for their desert trek. They splashed some of it on their faces and Gil ran it over his hair. The cooling effect was immediate if brief. "I wish we had a way to take some with us," he mused.

"Yeah...well... guess this will have to last awhile."

They headed back to the truck and climbed in. Once it was started again, they found their way back to the draw. Gil continued to scan for signs of human life. He wondered what they would do if they found any. Would the human life be friend or foe?

A few more minutes passed and he saw light reflecting off of something ahead. Catherine spotted it too. As they neared the reflection excitemnet set in. It was a road sign. Once they made it to the road the question became 'which way.' Gil pondered it for a moment. "The sun's been travelling from over back over there to up over there," he said as he pointed directions. "Which means that is roughly east and over there is roughly west. Question is, where's Vegas in relation?"

"Wish we had a coin to flip." quipped Catherine.

Gil shrugged. He looked one way and then the other. Off in the distance he saw a the mountains and thought the shape looked familiar. "I think. Vegas is back that way," he said finally.

"Suits me," replied Catherine and she turned the truck in the direction he indicated.

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The search of Red Rock Canyon was in full swing. They scoured every nook and cranny. The LVPD chopper flew over, having joined the search. Nothing. They found nothing. But everyone kept at it. It was a determined group that was being led by Jim Brass. They would find the missing CSIs. He hoped they would find them in time.

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The truck began to lurch. "Shit," exclaimed Catherine.

"What?"

"Gas..." The truck died as she said it. She tried to restart it but there was no hope. "Guess we're on foot."

Gil looked at the sun. "It's the heat of the day...don't want to be walking in it. Let's try to push this off the road and we can sit in whatever shade it provides until the worst passes."

"Yeah...okay."

They managed to get the truck a foot off the road. Gil thought that sitting in the sand and dirt would be a little cooler than sitting on the pavement. Catherine had to agree that he was probably right; although cool didn't describe anything about this little adventure. They leaned against the truck on the side opposite the sun. Eventually she leaned into him a little, taking comfort from his presence. At least I won't die alone, she thought.

He was relieved that she was willing to make physical contact. He had been afraid earlier that she would shun him totally after her experience. He wanted to put his arm around her and hold her but he decided to let her come to him. He was simply thankful that he was there for her. He wished he could have done better back at the cabin. He also wished he'd beaten Snarly to death with that board while he had the chance. That kind of anger and hatred wasn't in his nature but he he had seen it enough in others. That he felt it now appalled him but he felt justified. Snarly had done the unthinkable. To defile a woman in that way was the lowest a man could get in Gil's opinion. And that he had done it to Catherine angered Gil even more.

She sensed his strong emotions. "Gil...try not to think about it. It's over and we have more important issues right now."

"Cath... it's all I can think about. He...I should have killed him when I had the chance. And it's not over. You know it's not."

"I can't deal with all that. I just want to get home and hug Lindsey, okay. I'll deal with the rest later."

"I should have been able to protect you better. They never should have gotten us out of the car in the first place. If I'd been wearing my gun instead of storing it in my kit...'

"Stop it, Gil. You're worrying about how this is going to change me. Don't let it do this to you." She put her hand on his cheek. "You're one of the best men I know and you can't let someone like Snarly take you away from me. I need Gil Grissom...I need 'my Gil' to help me get through this. Okay?"

He stared inot her dusty, saddened blue eyes and saw her tears forming. He felt them in his own eyes. "Can I please hold you?" he asked quietly.

She settled into his arms and rested her head on his chest. "There's no place I'd rather be right now."

He chuckled, "except at home in your hot tub."

""Please...nothing with the word 'hot' in it ever again. I'm thinking of moving to Alaska right now."

They sat there, quietly giving comfort for a long time, waiting for the sun to get past it's zenith so that they could continue their journey.

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