Reaching Out

Chapter 7

Lindsey stared at the phone in shock, then looked over at Megan. The brunette, thinking that Sara was still the one on the phone, merely shrugged at her, not knowing why it might be that Sara wants to talk to her.

Her mother's voice pulled Lindsey's attention back to the cell. "Yes, Lindsey. It's me."

"Mom, hi. Listen I…I…" Lindsey started, but then hesitated how to continue. She wanted to tell her mother she was sorry about leaving the way she had, though, the mild fear and panic that had settled in her entire body caused her to be unable to utter another word.

The blonde felt Megan's hand reach for hers and entwined their fingers. The comforting squeeze from the other girl calmed Lindsey down. Locking eyes with Megan, Lindsey realized she was glad she hadn't missed out on this trip.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Mom, I'm sorry about-" Lindsey finally started, but was interrupted by Catherine.

"It's okay, Lindsey. I understand why you wanted to go, but what I don't understand is why you didn't just tell me."

The words registered in Lindsey's mind; the sad undertone in her mother's voice clearly noticeable. A single tear found its way across the young Willows' cheek. "I'm sorry about leaving the way I did," the blonde started again.

As she looked at Megan she was met with such tenderness that it overwhelmed her completely. The brunette let go of her hand and reached up to wipe away the remnants of the salty drop that still stained her cheek. Lindsey leaned into Megan's touch, then smiled broadly as she continued, "But I'm not sorry about going on this trip."

"I know," Catherine replied. "So…Where are you now?"

"We're almost at San Francisco. About thirty minutes of travelling left before-"

"Hold on. Who's we?"

Lindsey had to smile. She knew her mother would pick up on that. "Megan and I," she replied, looking into ice blue eyes.

That answer caused some uproar. Listening carefully she heard her mother muttering to Sara. Holding the phone in between the two of them Lindsey let Megan listen along to the other women's conversation as well.

"Do you know this Megan Linds' talking about?"

"She's my niece."

"Your niece?"

"Yes. Megan is my brother's only child."

"Brother?!?"

"Yes, brother."

Both of the girls sniggered as they heard Catherine grilling Sara with tons of questions. Though suddenly the tone of the older women's conversation became more strained.

"Why did you never tell me you had a brother? Or a niece for that matter?"

Hearing the desperate sigh from Sara, Lindsey decided it was time to break in. "Mom," Lindsey said as she tried to get her mother's attention, knowing how she could get when she found out something new -especially when it had to do with a certain female co-worker of her.

"Mom!"

"Yeah?"

"Stop interrogating Sara. She's not a suspect of one of your cases." Lindsey laughed as she heard a mumbled apology.

"Where will you be staying once you get to San Francisco?"

"Megan offered me to stay with her," Lindsey replied as she rested her head on the brunette's shoulder.

"Good," Catherine replied immediately. "Will you call me when you get there?"

"Sure," the blonde said. Just as she was about to end the conversation, she remembered the note she'd found in her bag. "Oh, and mom?"

"Yes, Linds?"

"Thanks for the n-"

But before she could finish her sentence she felt like she was being catapulted out of her chair, pushed into Megan. Total chaos overtook the bus, people as well as bags being thrown through the vehicle. Several of the bus' windows broke, the shatters flying everywhere.

After skidding a few feet on its side, the bus finally came to a halt. Lindsey felt a throbbing pain in her head and entire right side of her body. She looked for Megan, and started to panic when at first she couldn't find her. Suddenly her eyes caught a glimpse of the other girl's dark curls. Megan had been thrown two rows down the aisle, and, from what Lindsey could see, she appeared to be unconscious.

Lindsey carefully started to crawl her way over to Megan. She felt something trickling along the side of her head and as she reached up and touched her fingers to it she felt a warm stickiness spread across her hand. Pulling back her hand she saw her hand was covered with blood.

Not important, she thought, trying to ignore the pain wrecking through her body. All she wanted and needed now was to get to Megan. As quickly as she could she found her way through the debris -the crashed bus reminding her of the car-crash she'd been in years ago.

"Megan?" The blonde stretched her arm and was just able to touch Megan's left leg. Tugging a little at Megan's leg she tried to wake her, but to no avail. The brunette was knocked out cold.

"No…No…No." Lindsey started to sob as Megan didn't respond.

People started screaming and the last thing Lindsey saw before she slipped into unconsciousness as well, was the cell phone that she still clutched in her hand.

"Li... wha…pened?"

Chapter 8

Catherine heard a loud crashing sound, then the connection seemed to be lost, mostly static reaching her ears. Though when she heard some screams breaking through the crackling she knew the phone still transmitted some sounds.

She stood up, distress taking over. What she'd heard didn't predict any good. She started to pace in front of Sara who was still seated on the couch.

"Lindsey? What happened?"

She hoped her daughter would be able to hear her, but as there came on reply from Lindsey she feared the worst.

"What's going on?" Sara asked as she got up as well and stepped in front of the strawberry blonde, effectively stopping Catherine's pacing.

"The bus..." Catherine started, "it...they..." She couldn't finish her sentence as she started to sob.

"No!" Sara took the cell phone, listened to it and heard the vague sound of sirens through the crackling static. Though she could feel panic trying to rear its head, Sara knew how to keep her calm and turned to Catherine. "Did Lindsey tell you where they were?"

"She...she said they were thirty minutes from San Francisco," the strawberry blonde replied.

"Alright," Sara said as she started to think of what to do next. As she noticed the look of despair in Catherine's sapphire eyes she took a step closer and reached out for the older woman, placing her hand on Catherine's shaking shoulder.

Giving her a soft squeeze, Sara spoke up, "We'll go to them right away. I'm going to make some phone calls then we'll take the first flight down there."

"I'm so scared she's...she's..." Catherine stuttered as she pulled Sara close, embracing the taller woman to get all the comfort she so desperately needed at that moment.

"Shh," Sara started. "I know how you feel right now, believe me I do. But Lindsey and Megan need us to pull ourselves together. We're going to find them don't worry, they'll be alright," the brunette said as her hand started to trace comforting circles across Catherine's back.

"How can you be so sure?" Catherine asked as she pulled back a bit and looked into Sara's dark eyes -the unshed tears noticeable in them.

"I can't," Sara replied, shaking her head and avoiding Catherine's eyes, "but I have to...For Megan, for Lindsey...and for you."

Catherine looked at Sara. She could feel the small tremble in the brunette's strong arms. "And for yourself," the strawberry blonde whispered.

Sara looked up into Catherine's eyes and merely nodded before letting go of the older woman. She wasn't sure if Lindsey or Megan would hear her, but before ending the call she said, "Hang on Megan, Lindsey, we're on our way." She then hung up, only to dial another number.

While the brunette waited for the phone to be answered she asked Catherine to inform Grissom and then to meet her in the parking lot. Catherine nodded, wiped at her eyes, grabbed her bag, and headed for Grissom's office, leaving Sara behind in the break room.

Just as Sara was about to hang up, the phone was finally answered.

"Yeah?"

"It's me. I need a favor."

*-*-*-*-*

Sara had been able to get two seats for them on the very first flight down there, and now, thirty minutes later the two women were seated in an airplane on their way to San Francisco. Now the one and a half hours of dreadful waiting had started and both of them were becoming very restless.

Grissom had been very understanding and had offered to try and find out more about a possible bus crash near San Francisco. Since Sara knew which bus Megan had been on, she was able to give their boss a bit more information which he used to track them down.

Catherine stared out of the window, not really seeing the clouds they passed through. Normally flying didn't bother her but now, being in the uncertainty about Lindsey's well-being, the strawberry blonde was on edge.

Sara noticed the older woman's nervous tapping of her feet and saw the death-grip she applied on the arm rest. Reaching out she covered Catherine's hand with hers.

"Grissom will call as soon as he has news," the brunette said softly.

Catherine turned tear-filled sapphire eyes to Sara. "I know, but the waiting...it seems to take hours," she said as she turned her hand and entwined their fingers.

Sara didn't utter a word, the small touch saying all that the strawberry blonde needed. Never had she turned to Sara for comfort, but at that moment she wished she'd done so sooner, for the brunette seemed to be the most caring person in the world. Even though Sara herself was worried about her niece, Catherine was surprised by her calmness and by her ability to pass that on to the strawberry blonde.

Catherine started at their hands, and just as she turned to look at Sara, the brunette's cell phone started to ring.

"Sidle."

"It's Grissom. Listen, I've got some information. There was indeed a crash just outside of San Francisco. The bus was hit by a truck that ran a red light. The SFPD told me that four persons died on impact, eight have major injuries, sixteen minor ones. All passengers have been brought to the UCSF Medical Center," Grissom said sternly.

"Any information on who-"

"No," Grissom interrupted. "I'm sorry, Sara, but the fatalities have not been identified yet."

"I understand," Sara replied.

"I'll call as soon as I know more."

"Alright." Sara sighed as she started to think about how to tell this to Catherine. "Thanks, Grissom." She ended the call and put her cell away, then turned to the strawberry blonde who was still watching her carefully.

Catherine could see in Sara's eyes that the news Grissom had told her wasn't good. She also noticed the hesitation in the dark eyes that were staring at her. She gave Sara's hand a squeeze. "Please, Sara. Just tell me."

Sara took a deep breath, then shared with the strawberry blonde what Grissom had just told her.

Continued…

Thank you for reading! Feedback is very much appreciated and can be sent to mbinc_65@hotmail.com