A/N: Sorry for the delay. Some idiot agreed to work on a project outside of his research area, which means the idiot has to read a bunch of new literature to get caught up on.

Chapter 14: Wait and Bleed Part 2

The phone on another desk further inside the lobby rang. Mr. One glared at it but knew he had to maintain contact. He had already known he and his team were not making out of the bank, but he kept up the illusion that it was possible for the three other men. He did not need them turning on him.

Answering the phone he dragged it as far as the cord would allow so that he was sitting on a desk closest to the hostages. "What have you got for me Mr. Negotiator?"

"The car and helicopter are almost here. The car is out front, and the helicopter is only a few minutes away."

"Good."

"Before I give them to you, I will need hostages in return." The negotiator said trying to buy time.

"How many?"

"Five. Preferably anyone injured or in a weaken state, like the pregnant woman."

"Five." Mr. One made it sound like he was thinking about it. "No. You just give me what I want and I won't kill five of the hostages. How does that sound? They are dropping like flies in here."

"That was not our deal." The negotiator said, "We had agreed you would let some hostages go in return for your car and helicopter."

"I did didn't I." Mr. One said, "What did Gilbert tell you when he was out there earlier?"

"The CSI guy?"

"Yes the scientist guy, Gilbert."

"Nothing."

"You know he's been a bit of a pain in my ass. I might give you him." Mr. One grinned looking at Grissom in a predatory way, "You know I think I will do that."

"How about another hostage? The pregnant woman."

"Sure. I think I can give you two hostages." Mr. One said raising his gun. He aimed it at Betty who was next to Grissom sitting on the floor.

Grissom moved faster than his inured body probably should have allowed him, he knew what was going to happen.

Mr. One fired seconds after Grissom moved not enough time to adjust his aim.

Grissom felt a bullet tear through his arm, white hot pain erupting as he landed on the arm. A scream sounded from someone. Despite the pain, his adrenaline kicked in, he had promised he would keep Betty safe. He struggled to his feet the pain in his arm almost dulled, but before he could advance on Mr. One, another bullet tore through the air. Grissom grunted when he felt the sharp pain in his stomach. The blow stopped him in his tracks. He felt warm liquid seeping down his stomach. He looked down and saw blood stain growing on his shirt. Suddenly his legs gave out and he felt himself drop to the floor. First to his knees and then a bright flash sent him down further onto his back, his legs twisted under him.

He heard gunshots, he did not see anything but dots swimming in his vision. For a second, his discombobulated brain thought he was blind, but he realized the bright flash was flashbang, the bank was filling with smoke as he heard screams and more gunfire.

Brass was waited for the gunfire to cease before he rushed inside. He knew his entering could only complicate matters, while there was a gunfight, so he waited outside by the door. As soon as he was sure it was safe to enter he rushed inside walking over three dead bodies. It was hard to see through the smoke. So hard he almost tripped over another body on his way towards where he remembered the teller's desk were. There were screams from hostages, all of them too scared to move. Brass called out, "Everyone stay where you are. The HRT will give you the all clear when you can move."

Brass finally made it to where the hostages were, stepping over two other bodies along the way. It took a few seconds before his eyes settled on his friend. Grissom was laying on the cold floor looking up at the ceiling. It sounded like he was saying something, his mouth was moving. Brass rushed over to him, pulling his own coat off, he gently put it under Grissom's head. Taking in his friends battered appearance. He noted the blood on the back of his hand that he had used to cradle Grissom's head as he shoved his coat under.

"Gil" Brass called to his friend who was talking, but softly.

"What is that Gil?" Brass asked lowering his ear to his friends mouth so he could hear the words coming out.

This is the end beautiful friend, this is the end my only friend, the end of our elaborate plans, the end. Of everything that stands, the end. No safety or surprise the end. I'll never look into you eyes again.

"The Doors Gil. Never pegged you as a fan." Brass tried to joke gently smacking Gil's face, "Come on buddy I need you to stay with me. This is not the end."

Brass knew he needed to help stop the blood loss. The abdomen wound was the worst. Pulling his button up shirt off, leaving himself in only his undershirt, he used it to apply pressure to Grissom's wound, already worried Grissom had not been trying. The man knew what to do for a bullet wound. It either mean Grissom was too far gone or there was more damage than could be seen with the naked eye.

"Grissom, it's ok the medics are right outside. As soon as SWAT clears the building they can come in and help you. Stay with me buddy." Brass said feeling Grissom push against his arm, Brass had interpreted it as Grissom trying to grasp something, instead of Grissom trying to push him away because the pain he caused applying pressure to the bullet wound on Grissom's abdomen.

Grissom's continued fight made Brass realized as Grissom feebly tried to push Brass's hands away from his abdomen. "I know it hurts buddy, but we need to stem the blood loss."

Season's don't fear the reaper, nor do the wind sun or rain. Come on baby don't fear the reaper. Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper. Grissom mumbled his incoherent thoughts.

"Grissom buddy you got to keep your eyes open for me." Brass said pushing down harder on the wound, worried about his friend who was mumbling nonsense lyrics to himself. Brass could feel the blood leaking through his fingers, and he felt helpless to save Grissom. His friends blood, he had to keep him alive. It worried Brass that Grissom was not responding to him in a coherent fashion. He seemed to be away, awake, but not aware of his surroundings.

Grissom grunted in pain when Brass pushed down harder in hopes of doing some good. Finally he spoke to Brass, "Stop."

"I can't Grissom. I need to apply pressure." Brass said looking around, where were the paramedics? Grissom needed to get out of here now.

"Is.." Each words was difficult to say, his throat was dry, he felt his brain trying to move onto a different subject, maybe sleep, it just did not want to work. He could not remember the woman's name he had promised to protect instead he settled for, "Woman ok?"

"Yes." Brass answered, technically a lie because he had no idea what woman Grissom spoke of, but now as not the time to ask.

"Sara." He wanted Brass to tell Sara something important because this really felt like the end. Sara needed to know how he felt and that he was sorry he was too stupid and damaged to have done anything about his feelings. Each time he tried he had screwed it up.

"What about her Gil?" Brass asked shifting on his knees, they were starting to ache from the cold floor. Brass knew that if Sara had been in the bank with Grissom, he would have told them earlier when Grissom came out to pick up the food and water.

Brass watched in horror as he watched his friend's eyes slide closed. Brass used one of his hands to smack Grissom to try to bring him back to consciousness, "Open your eyes buddy. Come on. Whatever you want to tell Sara, you need to tell her. She'll rip my balls off if I tell her and you aren't there to take the grunt of her anger. Come on Gil."

Thanks for reading!