I'm Back
Chapter 15
Sara was sleeping when he entered the room so he took the time to just watch her. She was even more beautiful when she was sleeping. He pulled a chair up to the side of the bed and decided he would just sit and watch her until she woke up. As much as he wanted to touch her he didn't because he was afraid it would wake her up. He wanted whatever time he could have with her.
Sara woke and immediately knew that she was not alone. She turned her head and looked into the eyes of her worst nightmare. Before she had a chance to scream she felt a hand clamp over her mouth and could feel his hot breath on her cheek. "Don't scream Sara I don't want to hurt you. I love you I would never hurt you. I had to hit you at the house because I know you would have done something to protect Catherine. She'll never love you like I can love you, no one will. You're mine and if I have to kill you to be with you forever than that is what I will do but I don't want to have to do that." She felt the blade of the knife at her throat and she knew that he was serious.
She turned her head so she could look into his eyes and what she saw there scared her more than the knife. His eyes were insane and she knew that he would kill her in a heartbeat rather than be without her. She also knew that she was going to have to get herself out of this one on her own. She felt the cut on her side and knew that she was probably going to undo the stitches that Jeanne had put in earlier that morning but there was nothing she could do about it. She felt the knife move away from her neck just enough to feel it would be safe to make a move. She bit down on his hand and sat up at the same time. She felt the pain in her neck and side but couldn't take the time to worry about it. She tried to scream but her had his arm around her neck and was cutting off her breathing. "I told you I would kill you and it looks like that's the way it's going to be, now do you want it quick with the knife or slow by me strangling you to death."
Sara was not about to die without a fight and she in her already weakened state this was one fight she may not win but he didn't know that. He pulled her off the bed onto the floor and was on top of her chest now using one hand on her throat while he had the knife in the other, she was starting to get light headed. She started kicking out with her feet hoping to make contact with something that would give her some leverage to be able to push out from under him. Instead she made contact with one of the machines and she kicked it into the wall and it crashed and tipped over.
"What the hell." The guard at the door heard the noise and opened the door and saw the two of them on the floor wrestling. He grabbed the man on top of Sara and threw him off of her up against the wall. The man swung his arm around and cut the officer down the cheek and escaped while the officer was screaming and holding his face. He ran down the hallway before anyone was able to catch him.
The commotion in the hallway woke Catherine she sat up too quickly and had to fall back on the bed. "Mom go check and make sure Sara's ok. That had to have been her stalker. Quick go check and come back and let me know if she's ok. Hurry!" Lily left the room only to be pushed back by other guard who had come around the corner at the noise.
"Stay in there until we have everything under control."
"Mom what the hell is going on? Why can't we leave the room? I need to know if Sara is ok." Catherine lay there with a worried look on her face.
Lily sat down on the bed next to her daughter and held her as she cried and felt helpless as there was nothing she could do to ally her fears. The commotion continued outside her room and about half an hour later Catherine was able to hear Brass' voice outside her door and he was angry. "What part of this list did you not understand? The names on this list were the only people that were to be allowed in her room. Now because of you she's back in surgery and guess what? You're back on the street on a walking beat and I will make sure that it will be at high noon when it is hotter than Hades. By the time you are done you will pray that you never met me. Now get out of here." Jim opened Catherine's door and wasn't surprised by the worried look on Catherine's face.
"Why is Sara back in surgery? What happened? He came back didn't he? How the hell did he get in the room?"
"As I'm guessing you may have heard the officer that was on duty let him in. He says he was dressed as a priest and had told him that Sara had asked for him. He didn't think anything of it."
Catherine saw the worried look on his face and that worried her even more. "That still doesn't explain why Sara is back in surgery. Come on Jim what aren't you telling me?"
"He was choking her and she was able to kick some equipment over and it alerted the guard outside the door. When he went in the man was sitting on Sara's chest choking her and when
he saw the guard he cut Sara's throat and right now they are fighting to save her." He walked around to the other side of Catherine's bed sat down in the chair and took her hand. "It not as bad as it sounds."
"How can someone cutting her throat not be as bad as it sounds Jim?"
"He nicked the artery but it wasn't severed and the rest of the cut was pretty bad." He hung his head down and took a deep breath. "When I got here they already had her in surgery so if something like this is going to happen an ICU ward is the best place for it to happen. But it shouldn't have happened. This is my fault, I put a seasoned officer on but he made a rookie mistake that could have cost Sara her life. And her stalker it getting more and more daring or more and more stupid."
"She's a fighter Jim she'll be fine. Let's not let the guys know about this quite yet, especially Grissom. We don't need any more histrionics. Can I talk to Jeanne or whoever is on right now?"
"Sure let me go get her." He stood up and kissed her on the forehead and walked out of the room.
"Damn how much more can she take? Her body can't too much more trauma. And that asshole is still out there. I hate not being able to do anything to help find this guy but it's even worse not
being able to do anything to protect her." Catherine looked up as Jeanne walked into the room.
"Well you two sure have kept things hoping around here." The grin on her face helped Catherine relax a little more. "I Think you can relax, barring any unforeseen circumstances in the operating room she should be back in her room shortly. She's going to have a few new scars to add to her old ones but she should survive."
"What do you mean about her old scars, how many scars does she have?"
Jeanne realized she may have said something she shouldn't have said. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything about that and I think I should shut my mouth now. You'll have to ask her about them ok? But I really do think she'll be ok. He nicked the artery and there was quite a bit of bleeding but hey should be able to stitch that up a she should be none the worse for wear. Oh and her side split open again."
Catherine actually laughed at that. "Her side is never going to heal if she keeps splitting it open like she's been doing. Are you sure she'll be ok?" Jeanne saw the real worry and concern on her face and nodded her head. "Can I get out of this bed so that I can be sitting by her bed when she wakes up from surgery?"
"I think that can be arranged. Let me go check to see where things are with the surgery so we can get you ready ok?" She turned and left the room.
"She was right about the two of you livening things up around here. I bet they are used to things being quiet in ICU and then patients not giving them mush to worry about. Between you having a heart attack and Sara being attacked you've been keeping the staff hopping."
"Do you think I'd don't know that Mom? I'm hoping that things will quiet down once we nail the son of a bitch responsible for all of this. I may have Lindsey move in with you until we solve this one. I don't want to give this guy anything else to use against either one of us. You what I just remembered? I still haven't been able to see what my hair looks like."
Lily actually winced. "I was hoping you have forgotten about that."
"Come on how bad can it be? Can you brush it for me?" She asked Lily as she was handed a small mirror. "What the hell. What did they do shave the whole side of my head? And Sra saw me looking like this?"
Ah, there's the vain sister I know and love. And yes she did see you like that and she didn't run the other way. Must be love." Nancy bent down to kiss Catherine's forehead and then gave her mother a hug.
"Who's with Lindsey? Mom I have to do something with my hair before Sara gets out of surgery."
"Whoa back up, why is Sara back in surgery and why didn't anyone call me?"
"Nancy where's Lindsey?"
"She and Jeremy are over Jonathan's house. You know how the two of them love to go over there. He and Mike got a new puppy and the kids love it. Now tell me why Sara is back in surgery." Catherine and Lily filled her in as to the goings on in the ICU since she left . "How long since you got an update? Maybe I'll go check."
"Sit down and brush your sister hair she wants to look good for Sara when she wake up. Jeanne just left here to get an update and will be back soon." Nancy sat down and helped Catherine to sit up so she could brush her hair.
"How are Mike and Jonathan and what kind of a puppy did they get?"
"They're doing great, Mike just got home from his shift and is on call in case a fire breaks out but most of the time the on call fire fighters are never called in. Jonathan just finished the last painting for his show next week at the L.V. Art Museum. This is why he said he would take care of the kids he didn't have to work today. He said he'd watch them for as long as we needed him to. He also said it was about time you and Sara got together, he and Jonathan were about ready to lock the two of you in the proverbial closet until you finally asked her out. They bought the cutest little Shih Tzu puppy and the kids adore him." She was gently brushing Catherine's hair so as not to hurt her. "You know we can brush your hair over most of this. Now I can kid you about having a comb over."
Catherine reached back and slapped Nancy's hand. "I'm not that much older than you so you better watch out you're next. Hey Mom, you ok?"
Lily looked up at Catherine. "What?"
"You were staring off into space and there was a strange look on your face. You ok?"
"I've never been this close to the reality of your job. I always knew it was dangerous but I didn't realize how bad it can be." She held up her hand when she saw that Catherine was getting ready to protest. "Don't say anything. You've had some run ins with these creeps but I don't think there has ever been anything this close to home. My family is being threatened and the guy is still out there. I want to kill him for threatening you and it has made me realize how important your job is because once this asshole is caught it will be your office that puts together the evidence to put him away for a very long time, maybe forever. I was always proud of you for going back to college to make something of yourself and now I'm sure you made the right decision,"
"I don't know what to say Mom, thank you. It is safe to say that you are ok with Sara and I? I kind of thought so from your reaction this morning."
"Yes dear I am ok with you and Sara being together. She obviously care a great deal for you. From what you've told me she was willing to sacrifice herself for you, how could I not be ok with it?" They all looked to the door as it opened and Jeanne walked through.
"Let me remove that tube. The draining is done and then you can cover it before you see Sara. She's doing remarkably well considering what her body has been through the past 24 hours. You are going to have to behave and she will be pretty doped up for awhile." Catherine sat still for her to remove the tube and wince at the slight pain but it was worth it.
"That's ok now I can get back at her for her making fun of me. Do I look ok? I feel like a teenager, I'm too old to be feeling like this. Can you bring Lindsey by later Nance?"
"You're never too old to feel like a teenager. I'll bring Lindsey by in a couple of hours now go sit with your girlfriend." Catherine sat in the wheel chair and looked up at Nancy with a silly grin on her face. "Cathy has a girlfriend, Cathy has a girlfriend." Catherine had to laugh at the childish chant from her sister.
"Thanks sis. And thank you for being here Mom."
"Now do as your sister says and go sit with your girlfriend." She leaned down and kissed Catherine on the head. "As long as you are going to be otherwise occupied I think I will head out with Nancy ok? I'll be back later."