A/N: Ugh, what was I thinking about taking on three stories? Lol. Silly me. Hard for my brain to work out which one it wants to work on. For now, I'll listen to hat, he's being evil!
Thank you so much for all the great comments and reviews. Please keep them coming :)
Humble and gracious thanks to PrintDust for the great beta. I loved your extra special touches!
So, I guess we better see if Sara is going to reveal a few secrets...hehehehehe. (References to Retribution, part one of this series, so it helps if you have read it!)
Enjoy!
Chapter 21
Ryan kinked his neck from left to right cracking it.
Sara saw his eyes roll although she wasn't sure whether it was in pain or satisfaction.
"You tell me the whole truth..."
Nodding quickly, Sara realised she couldn't do anything else but do as he demanded. There was something about him, something that she knew- she just knew that he would know if she was lying to him.
"You tell me...everything..." His voice turned firm again, commanding.
Sara swallowed hard as she felt Grissom grip tighter onto her hand. "Yes..." she whispered, her gut tightening.
Slowly, Ryan lowered his weapon but only enough to wave it towards the living room. "In there...now..." he directed her.
She managed a swift look to her husband before offering Ryan her full attention again. Her fear rose steadily as she thought about leaving her husband unshielded and still chained to the railing. "What about him?"
Ryan pursed his lips. "He stays there for now. Until...our conversation is over. Then, and only then, will l decide what to do with him."
"Promise me..." She took a calming breath. "When I step away you won't shoot..."
He smiled, though slyly. "For now," he replied. "Now move before I change my mind."
With some hesitation, Sara eventually pulled her hand free from Grissom's and nervously stepped forward, slowly descending the stairs. She didn't look at her husband again; at that point it already hurt enough to be walking away from him.
Ryan glared at him, his tight jaw ticking with barely suppressed rage.
After sucking in a nervous breath, Grissom attempted to wipe the blood from his nose on the shoulder of his shirt. The action caused him more pain and he gritted his teeth.
Slipping his gun into his belt, Ryan stepped closer, leaning to look Grissom dead in the eye, his expression threatening. The CSI pushed himself back as fear seeped through his nerves, his head pushing hard against the woodwork behind him.
But, after a few seconds of staring, Ryan simply stepped away without a word and Grissom sighed with relief. Not that he had any illusion this was over yet - it was far from it.
Sara stood in the dining area by the sofa checking over the fallen officer; he was still unconscious. She checked his pulse, finding it was thready and weak but still there.
"Sit down," Ryan ordered. "Over there..." He pointed to the unoccupied sofa.
She didn't argue when moved across the short space and sat, even if only on the edge of the cushion, her body language giving away her nervous state.
To start with, Ryan remained standing, crossing his arms firmly over his chest. She looked up at him and his brow rose as if...he was waiting.
Running an unsteady hand through her hair, Sara shuffled uncomfortably and then took a breath. It wasn't every day she shared such personal secrets, especially with a man who had been holding them at gunpoint for hours. In fact, since the trial, she hadn't spoken of what had happened to her and Grissom to anyone. At least not in any detail.
"I'm..." She shook her head, "...not entirely sure where to start with this..." she admitted.
"Start where you want," he countered quickly. "I just want to know why that son of a bitch hurt you."
Sara closed her eyes and at first her brain tried to seek a reason why he wanted to know. But, she quickly realised she didn't have time to analyse the situation. He was demanding to know so all she could do in order to save her husband was comply. In order to set the most understanding picture, starting at the beginning would work best. More to tell but at least he may have some compassion. Maybe...
Her brain kicked into retrospective gear and shifted back some years to a time that she would rather forget.
"Almost three years ago..." she began, her voice quiet. "...I was...kidnapped by a couple...from my home." Her eyes popped open and she looked right at him. She noticed his eyes narrowing a little. "I was taken to..." She shook her head, "...a house somewhere..." She gave a fake smile. "I never did get the address," she attempted to joke in an effort to make it easier.
He unfolded his arms and moved to the sofa, sitting on the arm. "Carry on," he urged.
She took another breath, her mouth was becoming drier by the second. "I was tied up...beaten..." She stopped again, her eyes closing for a second time.
Surprisingly he waited this time until her eyes opened and she was ready to continue. She reached for a bottle of water beside her and took a long swig before she began again. But she kept her eyes downcast, not looking at him and she fiddled with the water bottle.
"They got Gil to the house, he was a mess...they'd beaten him too."
He edged forwards on his seat but didn't interrupt.
"It was all a game to them," she continued. "They just wanted to hurt us."
Now he said something. "Why?"
"Revenge," she replied in an instant, flicking her eyes to Grissom as he watched from across the room. "Retribution for a case my husband had been involved in several years earlier." Her eyes returned to her captor. "They took and hurt me because they knew it would hurt him."
He shrugged his shoulders. "Still doesn't explain about your back."
She sighed and then swallowed heavily. "I'm getting to that," she admitted.
"Okay...so then what happened?"
Sara still couldn't quite believe she was telling him all this and her face crumpled a little as she remembered more. She looked to the ceiling, her eyes beginning to fill with tears she really did not want to fall. She had to be strong.
"I was forced...oh, God..." She sucked in several deep breaths, her face flushing with embarrassment at what she was about to reveal. It wasn't the first time she'd had to say this but it had been a long time since the trial. "...they forced me into an oral sex act." Her head lowered and a single tear fell as she looked at him. His expression remained the same. "I...I...refused at first...I just couldn't, so..." She held her hand over her mouth and tried to compose herself. After a moment, she removed her hand. "...they cut his finger off..." She drifted off now, shaking her head, turning away from him while wrapping her arms around her bump.
Slowly, Ryan stood and moved towards her. She felt the sofa dip as he sat by her side.
"I guess that explains his finger..." he said softly - surprisingly softly.
She turned back to him and she didn't expect him to be so close. She recoiled a little and studied his face. He looked, for the first time, a little sympathetic but his eyes were still questioning.
"Are you..." She smoothed a hand over her stomach feeling a solid kick, "...really going to make me continue with this?"
He looked over to Grissom for a second with unsympathetic eyes. "Until to you tell me about your back..." His eyes shot back to her. "Yes."
Sara's chin trembled and her throat grew dryer after another heavy swallow.
Ryan raised his hand and wafted it through the air. "Continue..."
Fighting to hold in her emotions, Sara gathered whatever strength she said left in order to continue. She entwined her fingers over her lap. "We were dumped back in a holding room and I tried to escape..." Her eyes stayed fixed to his. "...I got caught. Then...I was tied up again and...Gil was brought back to me...They..." She cleared her throat, "...they had a bullwhip and gave him a choice...Either they punish me for trying to escape or, he does..."
"Ah..." Ryan said, stopping her. "The less painful option..." he mumbled.
Sara frowned. "You know what I'm going to say, don't you?"
He ran his hands over his thighs. "He beat you because if he hadn't, they would have."
"Yes."
Ryan closed his eyes and kept his eyes closed for some time. So long Sara began to feel even more nervous than she already was.
She wasn't entirely sure what to do or what he was thinking.
Suddenly his eyes sprang open and he shot to his feet, startling her and she sat back against the sofa in surprise. Her confused eyes looked up at him and she nervously nibbled on her bottom lip. Her frown deepened as he reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head.
"What..." She shook her head, "...are you doing?" she asked now finding herself staring at his bare chest. Her eyes scanned over his flesh and she noticed numerous scars upon his torso and then when he turned around, her jaw dropped when she looked upon his back.
His back was covered in numerous scars. Sara concluded there must have been twenty, probably more, all varying in size. They had withered and discoloured probably due to their age. They looked old.
As he turned back around to face her he grinned at the dumbfounded look on her face. "A little stunned?"
"I..." she began but stopped. She really didn't know what to say.
"I got beaten," he declared, sitting back on the arm, not bothering to put his shirt back on.
Sara flicked her head back in surprise at his confession and the fact he was actually talking to her in a calm trusting manner. He didn't have to be telling her this. She tried to relax a little.
"By whom?" she dared to ask, trying to keep the trust going.
"My father...he was..." His nostrils flared. "...let's just say...an aggressive man. He spent more time swinging his belt than wearing it...amongst other things..." His voice turned bitter now and he closed his eyes again.
Sara blinked hard. Was he alluding to what she thought he was? If so, this was running way to close to home for her.
He kept his eyes closed but continued. "I...took most of it. I'd step in when he'd try to go for my brother. I couldn't have him hurting Jay. He was so young...I just..." He shook his head again, "...couldn't." His fingers clenched tightly in a ball. "They were the worse times. It made him angrier when I interfered. But..." he laughed, "at least it kept him away from Jay."
With a little hesitation, Sara reached forward and placed a gentle hand upon his arm. His eyes opened sharply and their eyes locked.
"How long did it go on for?" she asked with compassion.
"Years," he responded immediately.
"And how did it stop?"
She noticed immediately as his pupils dilated and the right side of his mouth curled, just a tiny bit.
"When I killed him," he said bitterly. "I stabbed the son of a bitch to death."
Sara's mouth hung open but nothing came out as his words filtered through her brain.
Her opportunity to say anything further was quashed though when the door burst open and Jay ran in totally soaked to the bone. Sara removed her arm as Ryan stood and looked in his brother's direction.
Jay approached them, cursing to himself about being wet. He stopped a few feet away, wiping the rain away from his wet face. He looked to Sara and then to his brother before noticing Grissom was cuffed to the stairs. His full attention fell upon his sibling with a confused look upon his face.
"Is there a party going on here or something?" he laughed, pointing at his brother's naked upper body.
Ryan and Sara exchanged a look before Ryan shook his head. "Not quite," he replied. "Just a little...chat."
"And that required the removal of your clothing?" he jested.
Ryan picked up his bloody shirt and threw it at his brother. "I need to change anyway."
Jay sniggered and held up his hands. "Fine...I won't ask."
Sara floated her attention between the two but came to the conclusion her conversation with Ryan was over - at least for now. She didn't, however, know what to think now. It was pretty baffling and indeed struck at her heart. Not that he knew her story...well not that one anyway.
"Did you get rid of the car?" Ryan asked.
Jay pulled off his wet coat and dropped it on the floor. "Yeah. Dumped it in some woodland. Way out of sight. It shouldn't be found anytime soon."
Licking his upper lip, Ryan nodded. "Good." He looked at his watch. "Not long now. Better hope this weather shifts so we can get a phone signal."
Agreeing with a nod, Jay walked over to Grissom, noting his face. Sara watched his every move, shuffling forwards nervously. The thug sniggered. "Have a little accident?" he asked the supervisor.
Grissom just glared at him through the bars.
Sara looked up to Ryan. "Can you please release him? I told you what you wanted to know...It wasn't his fault..."
After a moments consideration Ryan reached into his pocket and pulled out a key for the cuffs. His eyes narrowed as he continued to look at her. He held the key up offering it but then as she went to take it, he pulled back. "No funny shit, understand?"
With haste, Sara nodded.
He held out the key again.
But then, unexpected to Sara he snatched it back one more time. She frowned at him.
"What..." she began but he stopped her.
"You know..." he threw the key in the air, caught it and then slipped it back into his pocket, "...I think...we'll have a little...chat first..."
Sara sighed, slumping back against the cushions on the sofa.
"Dude, is this going to take long?" Jay moaned. "I'm drenched here and I'm gonna end up getting sick if I don't get out of this wet shit or at least in front of a fire..." He flapped his hands around his soppy clothing.
Ryan stepped back and pointed to the small fire place. "Knock yourself out...I don't think the crap upstairs is quite your taste in dress anyway."
Jay rolled his eyes. "Fine...whatever..." He plodded towards the fire place. "I'll just get pneumonia or something..."
Sniggering, Ryan pointed to Sara. "Stay put," he ordered with a sly grin and then backed away towards the stairs.
CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI
Grissom watched as Ryan approached him. He had no idea what to think or what had been said between his holder and his wife.
He had a good idea about her part of the conversation but not his. He swallowed hard as Ryan climbed the few steps to him and stared him down.
Ryan licked his lips as he rotated the cuff key through his fingers. "Your wife tells an interesting story," he began, crouching down to become eye level with Grissom. "But you can enlighten me on one thing that I'm curious about."
Clearing his throat, Grissom shifted. His butt was becoming very numb sitting upon the hard stairs. "If I know the answer, then I will..." Given his current position, Grissom couldn't see any point in arguing.
"The missed calls from you on her phone...how come you upset her so much?"
Grissom blinked hard. He wasn't exactly expecting that to be the question. It was pretty irrelevant to what was happening.
He sighed, lowering his head. "Umm...we had a day planned together today. But...I got called into work." His eyes met Ryan's again. "She was upset that I went in."
"So you dropped your wife and son to cater for your wallet?"
Grissom shook his head. "It wasn't like that."
Ryan sniggered. "Sure it wasn't," he responded sarcastically. "But it's made me realise a little something."
The CSI's eyes narrowed. "And what might that be?"
"The situation your wife is in right now..." He smiled, "...is all your fault."
Grissom opened his mouth to argue but he fell short. He frowned deeply and lowered his head again. "Don't you think I feel guilty enough without you actually saying it?" The CSI bit down on his tongue for a second but couldn't help his own question. "How guilty do you feel after what you've done?"
In a shot, Ryan grabbed Grissom's hair and yanked his head up. Grissom gasped, feeling the fear swell within him again as the thug snarled at him. "How dare you question me?"
"I'm sorry," Grissom instantly replied.
"Let him go..." Sara's voice cut in and in a flash, Ryan's head turned to see her standing behind them.
"Please..." she begged.
Ryan swore under his breath but released the supervisor. "I still don't like him," Ryan informed Sara.
She took a step closer. "I'm not asking you to," she countered. "But...he's my husband. I love him and I'm asking you to please stop hurting him."
After a sigh, Ryan pushed himself to his feet. "Last chance," he warned holding out the key.
Sara got his point and took the key from him.
Leaning over the banister Ryan shouted to his brother. "I'm going upstairs to find a clean shirt. Watch these two," he commanded.
"No problem," Jay called back.
Ryan gave both Grissom and Sara a serious look before climbing the stairs.
Sara waited until he had disappeared from sight before she moved.
Trying to smile, she knelt beside her husband and reached a hand to his cheek. "Hey..." she whispered.
Staring at her, he blinked hard again and then winced, feeling as the bridge of his nose still burned. His eyes watered a touch. "Are you alright?" His voice was quiet, his speech nasally now...
Leaning over him she slipped the key into the cuffs. "I'm fine," she said but he didn't believe her.
With a click, he was released from the metal bonds. A gentle sigh expressed his happiness at being unchained.
"Can you get up?" she asked.
He nodded almost drunk like and Sara did her best to help him stand, slipping her arm around his waist once he was upright.
"So what's next?" he questioned as she slowly led him down the few stairs back towards the living room. His eyes couldn't help but pass over Jay who was watching them from the fireplace.
"Next..." she began, guiding him through the room, keeping a hold on him as he seemed unsteady on his feet, "...I'm not sure..."
A/N: Hmmm...so now what? Please review :) Have a great day x