lvpd_sidle | mixed_muses CSI/24 AU

mixed_muses CSI/24 AU

Sara Sidle was missing and Natalie wasn't responding to interrogation.

Gil Grissom found himself walking through a door into Milliways and he saw Jack Bauer sitting near one of the windows.

He has investigative experience. He's a friend.

Her words echoed in his mind.

A hand clenched. After many years of hurt, he and Sara had finally managed to find a friendship comforting and comfortable.

I will not lose her.

Remembering the darkness in Jack's eyes from their one, brief conversation, Grissom decided to head over to him.

Somehow, I think he won't either.

"Sara is missing," he said to him without preamble.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He's just propping one foot on the skid to lean out and search when he spots the small figure moving against the background of rushing water and mud.

"I've got her!" he yells over the storm, "Give me the cable!" The rescue team balks, one of them reaching to pull Jack back in. "Dammit, I was in Special Forces; I've probably done this as many times as you have, now hook me up!"

Maybe it's his faked credentials, maybe just the force of his personality, but in seconds, they're snapping the line onto his harness. Sliding out of the helicopter, he turns his back t the open air an rests his feet on the skid for a moment before jumping backwards, jerking his thumb downward to signal the crew to lower him down.

At this moment, Sara doesn't care who is coming down. All she knows is that she wants away from wherever she is and she would really like to be warm again.

She shivers, knowing that she's already gone into shock. Internal bleeding may be a factor. My arm's broken. Concussion, some other cuts...

She moves forward to meet the descending figure.

She blinks, almost certain that she's hallucinating. "Jack?" Her voice is a rough croak.

He keeps his knees bent as he touches the ground, the rescue team quickly letting out a lot of slack so he doesn't have to worry about getting pulled off his feet as the helicopter moves in the storm's winds. He can't go far, though, and he reaches out to support her as soon as she gets close enough.

"Sara, are you okay, are you hurt anywhere other than your arm?" She's on her feet which is enough, though the way she's hugging her arm to her chest indicates that she's injured it somehow.

"Concussion. I may have a couple of cracked ribs." She staggers on her feet. "And I think I'm---" she slumps forward against him, unconscious.

He grabs her just before her eyes roll back, her body going limp. There's no time to worry or panic, there's too much to do--

--have to get her in the chopper, have to get her to a hospital--

--wrapping the belt attached to his harness around her waist, he clips it in securely, keeping up a steady stream of encouragement though he knows she probably can't hear him.

"It's all right, Sara, you're safe. We're gonna get you to a hospital--"

Wrapping an arm tightly around her waist, he jerks his thumb upward, signaling for them to be hauled up. It's probably just as well that she's out cold as they're pulled off the ground with a jerk that would have caused more pain in her arm and ribs.

Within minutes they're approaching the helicopter and Jack unwraps one arm from around her so he can grab onto the skid, turning them so she's closest to the open doorway. The rescue team unclip her first as Jack rattles off possible injuries, then help him in, wrapping them both in blankets.

[ooc: Grissom will get his reaction now. Feel free to god the arrival at the hospital however you like.]

"Jesus Christ," Grissom breathes, catching sight of Sara's pale face. He reaches across and takes her other hand, knowing Jack won't let go either. "You're going to be okay, Sara. You beat her. You beat her at her own game. You're going to be okay."

After a few minutes, Sara stirs, opening her eyes blearily. "In custody?" The words are obviously painful to speak.

"Yes," Grissom says quietly.

Jack holds Sara's other hand until they arrive at the hospital and a waiting trauma team whisks her away to the ER. A nurse provides him with a towel and a spare set of surgical scrubs to change into, and he heads into the bathroom to change. It's only once he's alone that he allows himself to take a deep breath, that he realizes that he's shaking.

She's all right. She managed to get out from underneath that car and walk over to me, she's got to be all right. She'll be okay. She's tough. Pull yourself together; it's not going to help anyone if you're losing it.

Pulling on the scrubs, he notices with distate that the top has short sleeves. His tattoos and more importantly his scars are clearly visible. Needle scars and track marks are still stand out on the inside of his arms; hopefully no one will notice or ask questions.

After a couple minutes to pull himself together, he heads back out, quickly finding Grissom. "Any news?"

Edited 2007-11-12 21:21 (UTC)

"Internal bleeding is a strong possibility. Her left ulna and radius are both fractured and two of her left ribs are cracked. They're checking right now for internal bleeding." His words are clipped, tension visible on his face.

He turns to face Jack and notices the scars. He makes no comment, however. Your story is your own.

"I want to thank you once again," he says quietly. "You got through to Natalie in a way the rest of us may not have...and Sara very well could have drowned."

Jack shrugs, staring off down the hall. "By the look of it, she would have started unraveling if anyone had brought that bleach in, and Captain Brass already had that ready."

He rubs his forehead for a moment, silently praying that there isn't any internal bleeding, that all she'll have are broken bones and a concussion, so that she won't be stuck in here for very long. "Did they say how long it would take to finish the examination?"

"No---"

A doctor comes into the waiting area. "Are you Miss Sidle's family?"

"Yes."

"I'm Dr. Corrigan. Essentially, Ms. Sidle is a very fortunate woman. There appear to be no signs of internal bleeding. She does have a moderate concussion, however, and we would like to keep her here overnight for observation."

"Is she awake? Can we see her?" Jack asks, quickly.

"Yes, she is. You may visit her for fifteen minutes, but after that, I insist that you abide by the hospital's strictures. A nurse will bring you to her." He nods sharply and walks away.

Shortly thereafter, a nurse leads Jack and Grissom to Sara's unit.

Two IV lines are running to her arms and she is hooked up to a cardiopulmonary monitoring machine. The beep beep beep is monotonous.

Her skin is very pale. Bruises stand out in very sharp contrast.

"Hi," she says softly.

"Hey," Jack says, walking over to her bedside and taking her hand. His smile is somewhat forced; a brave face when he's still rattled at the scare they'd had. "How're you feeling? They giving you the good drugs?"

"I feel like shit," she says with a painful chuckle. "The county won't pay for the good drugs."

She breathes in deeply, wincing. "Natalie--"

"Is in custody," Grissom says quietly. "And there is no chance she can escape."

"She and I aren't that different--"

"--you've never murdered anyone, Sara. Do not make her your responsibility."

The two lock eyes for a moment before Sara nods.

"I'll go give the others an update," he says quietly, nodding at Jack and leaving the room.

"I guess he got you when I was taken?"

Jack nods, still keeping that tense smile on his face as he remembers the way his stomach dropped at Grissom's announcement. Hard to believe it was less than two hours ago.

"He asked if I'd interrogate Natalie. What happened?"

"He called me as I was coming out from dinner and told me she'd been identified--she was working at the damned lab as a janitor and we never suspected...." she shudders, her breathing shallow. "I heard someone say my name and saw her point a gun at me. Next thing I knew, she was pouring water on my face and slamming the vehicle on top of me."

She sees the look on his face and stops. "This wasn't your fault, Jack."

Now the smile's a little more genuine, if a little wry. "Even I can't twist this one to be my fault, Sara. I just...I don't have that many friends. The thought of losing one was pretty scary. Though not half as frightening as it must have been for you."

"Something tells me you wouldn't have been stopped from trying," she says, equally wry. She lightly squeezes his hand. "I'm stubborn. Don't worry too much."

"I'll stop worrying when you don't look like death warmed over and you're back helping catch bad guys. Which I have a hunch will probably be sooner than your doctor suggests."

"Having this one go after me wasn't my idea," she says mulishly.

"We won't bring up the last time you acted as a decoy," Grissom says from the doorway to her room.

"Or the times you went after known serial killers unarmed," she retorts sweetly.

Jack raises an eyebrow. "You sure neither of you ever worked at CTU?"

"Pretty sure, unless there's something Grissom hasn't been telling me." Beat. "Then again, that wouldn't be unusual."

"I don't know why we were worried," Grissom says dryly, bringing a cup of water over to her.

"Right."

"I beg your pardon," a nurse says, lingering at the door. "Visiting hours will be over in five minutes, and Ms. Sidle needs her rest."

Sara sighs, looking away. "Warn the night staff to be prepared for nightmares."

"I'm sure they know that already. Try and relax and get some sleep?" he says, phrasing it as a question as he knows it's easier said than done.

"I'll try." She reaches out and catches his hand before he can move away.

There's a lot that she'd like to say, but she really can't get beyond a soft, "Thanks."

He gives her a weak smile. "It was the least I could do. Get some sleep."

mixed_muses CSI/24 AU

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