mixed_muses CSI/24 AU

[lvpd_sidle]

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.

Comments

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

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

[lvpd_sidle]

"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.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"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?"

[lvpd_sidle]

"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?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

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?"

[lvpd_sidle]

"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."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

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."

[lvpd_sidle]

"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."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"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."

[lvpd_sidle]

"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.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

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

[lvpd_sidle]

"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."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"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.

[lvpd_sidle]

"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."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

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

[lvpd_sidle]

"You do the same." She lets go and tries to relax back against her pillow.

"We will all be by tomorrow," Grissom says quietly, squeezing her other hand once before letting go.

He nods to Jack before leaving the room.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"I will. Night, Sara," Jack says, squeezing her hand before leaving the room.

Once the door's closed behind him, he lets out a breath, running his hands through his hair then rubbing the back of his neck with both hands. "Christ, could I ever use a drink."

[gris_bug_man]

"I'm offshift. I'll buy." Grissom gives him a wry, understanding look, and opens a door back into the bar.