White Lilies
By: Emmithar
Rating: K
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to CSI, although I wish I did.
Summary: Sometimes the world works in funny ways. Simple Greg/Sara fluff.
White Lilies
It seemed to go on forever; one hallway turned into the next, branching off in two different directions, ending in a complete loop. One could get easily lost in here, it had happened countless of times. But over the years he had learned how they turned, learned where they led. He could more in likely navigate the building blindfolded, if it were asked of him. At any odds, here, where he was now, was his least favorite place. It was the last place he ever wanted to be.
Greg let out a sigh, shuffling forward a few steps, coming to a pause, turning around on his heel, and moving in the other direction. His eyes flicked towards the closed door, the blinds were drawn. Biting his lip he hung his head as he resumed his slow pacing once more.
He could feel the others watching him as they passed by, pretending not to look, but watching from the corner of their eyes. Greg acknowledged none of them; he avoided all contact. At the present moment, he needed to clear his mind, needed to get his story straight. He was already in enough of a mess, the last thing he needed to do was make things worse by being nervous.
It was hopeless; Greg leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets as he stared straight ahead. They could give him all the time in the world and he still wouldn't be ready. It didn't help matters knowing that at any second the door would open, and it would be his turn to go inside.
He leaned his head against the wall, staring at the ceiling now. Grissom was inside with him now; Ecklie had wanted to talk with him first. The simple thought of going in Ecklie's office sent butterflies coursing through his stomach. No, make that flying saucers…butterflies wouldn't hurt this much.
To be honest, he felt sick. It had been his first solo case, and he had blown it. Completely. Ecklie wasn't his only concern though, it was Grissom as well. More than anything, he had wanted to prove to Grissom that he was capable of doing this job. After tonight, he would be surprised if Grissom ever let him pull a solo again.
Next to him, the door swung open, and Greg had to back away quickly to avoid being hit. Grissom nodded to him, motioning for him to enter. His look was one of concern, and that alone did not help to lighten his mood. With a deep breath, Greg held his head as he walked inside, coming to a stop in front of his desk.
Behind him Grissom shut the door, and Greg was surprised, yet thankful that the older man was going to stay with him through all of this. Ecklie had his back to them, sorting through the filing cabinet behind his desk.
"Have a seat," his voice always seemed to have this chilling effect, and it was the last thing Greg needed then as he pulled the chair closer to him, not even glancing up at Grissom as he sat down next to him.
Ecklie closed the cabinet then, turning back towards the both of them. On the table he laid Greg's file down, tapping on it before he himself took a seat. His eyes wandered from Greg to Grissom, than back to Greg, who fidgeted nervously under his gaze.
"So enlighten me," Ecklie finally said after several minutes of silence. "Tell me what happened."
Greg cleared his throat, his eyes shifting to the floor as he began to recount his story. He had only started by saying it was his first solo case when Ecklie cut him off.
"We don't need the entire detailed version Greg," he snapped, "Just tell me where things went wrong."
"When I finished processing the first room, I left the bagged evidence in a pile on the table while I processed the bathroom. I had been in there about ten, fifteen minutes when I could hear sounds coming from kitchen. When I checked to see what was going on I discovered that a dog had made its way in from the outside, and was scrounging through the bags on top of the table. One of the evidence bags contained raw meat, and I guess I didn't seal the bag completely."
"You guess?" Ecklie interrupted him. "You have lost potential evidence to a homicide investigation, as well as contaminated everything else due to your carelessness."
"With all due respect Ecklie," Grissom sat up, "It's not like Greg brought the dog in himself. The animal made its way in through an open window; he lived at the residence with the victim. Aside from that, Greg followed procedure. He filled out the forms, remarked the evidence. I don't see any reason why he should be punished for this."
"The simple fact that all of this could have been avoided," Ecklie told the both of them. "This is not the first time Greg has compromised a crime scene either." Ecklie picked Greg's folder off his desk, opening it. "Using the bathrooms at a crime scene, a possible transfer of DNA, and washing away evidence."
"That was accidental," Grissom spoke up even before Greg could. "That's not even supposed to be on his record."
"Everything goes on his record Gil," Ecklie dropped the file back on the desk. "Honestly, I don't know if Sanders is ready for this job."
Greg all of the sudden felt really small, as if he was trapped, unable to move. He knew that he would be facing some sort of consequences for his actions, but this. He wasn't sure if he could handle this.
"Just because he makes a few mistakes doesn't mean he's incapable," Grissom pointed out, keeping his voice calm, "It means that he is human."
"Human or not," Ecklie shook his head, leaning back in his chair, "My decision is final. Five days, unpaid leave." He turned to Grissom then, it was as if he had forgotten that Greg was even there.
"I'm expecting that you'll find a replacement to take over this case."
Even as Grissom nodded he stood, and Greg wasn't too far behind. They were halfway out the door when Ecklie called out, causing the two to turn back.
"We're not finished here Gil," he mentioned, watching the pair leave. Greg glanced up at Grissom concerned, but the older man didn't even acknowledge him, only shutting the door as he went back inside.
Left alone in the hallway again, Greg slowly made his way back towards the locker room to gather up his stuff. He supposed that five days wasn't too bad, compared to alternative options that was. He came to a pause outside of the DNA lab, having to reconsider his thoughts before deciding that a quick visit wouldn't hurt.
Mia glanced up as he pushed past the doors, giving him a soft greeting as she went back to work. Greg grabbed the closest chair, swinging it around as he sat down in it backwards, leaning against the back.
"So," Mia asked him, "how steamed is he?"
Greg shrugged, watching her as she pulled open the half-chewed evidence bags. "Well…he could make his own coffee," he offered up.
Mia laughed lightly, "That mad huh? How bad did you get it?"
Greg waved her off, "It's nothing," he assured her, "Don't worry. Any luck with those?"
Mia looked back down at the samples she held in her hands. "Actually, I think I might be able save most of them."
"Really?" Greg let out a sigh of relief, letting his head drop down on his arms. "That's wonderful." At least this way the evidence wouldn't be disregarded from the investigation.
"It's a simple process really," she reassured him, "Once I extract the DNA, all I have to do is exclude the animal donor. The samples are still intact, lucky for us, we just have excess drool," she made a face, holding up her hand for emphasis.
Greg nodded, resisting the urge to laugh. There really wasn't anything funny about the situation, but he knew Mia was only trying to help. Standing, he nodded to her, making his way out the door.
"Take care of everything," Greg told her quietly, "I'll be back in next week."
She gave him a concerned look, but he ignored it, already pushing past the doors. He knew that if he stayed too much longer, Ecklie would be on him about it. The man was never appreciative of the night shift hanging around longer than they should.
He smiled weakly as he passed by Sara, thinking about giving her a quick hi but never mustered the voice to do so. It was a surprise though, because she followed him inside, watching as he changed.
"You get an early leave or something?" she laughed a little at her own joke, startled by his answer.
"Something like that," he told her, pulling off his shoes. He threw them into the locker, satisfied with the bang that they created.
"Because of the case?" she asked, more serious now.
Greg nodded as she sat down next to him, and he paused momentarily to meet her eyes. "You've heard already?"
Sara nodded, turning away. "I'm your mentor Greg, if something happens to you, I hear about it."
"Wonderful," Greg muttered, reaching in his locker to pull out his other shoes, as well as his jacket. "Then I don't need to explain anything."
Instead of responded to his sarcastic remark she swung one leg up on the bench, so that she was facing him now. "Hey listen, I have tomorrow off, do you want to go do something maybe?"
Greg turned to her, meeting her eyes. "I don't need pity," he told her, his voice serious.
"I'm not pitying you," Sara responded after a moment, confusion in her eyes. "Why would you think that?"
Greg shrugged, tying his last shoe before standing. "Maybe because you've never really paid any attention to me before, that whenever I try and ask you out you're always to busy to listen."
"Greg," she said softly, "I never realized…but I'm not pitying you. Please believe me when I say that. I like you, I really do."
Greg nodded, already heading for the door. "I like you to Sara, but somehow I feel that's all we'll ever be. Just two people that like each other."
"No," Sara's voice was soft, so soft that Greg had to turn around in order to hear the rest of what she said. "I mean, I really, really like you. Maybe more than a friend…it's just…"
"Grissom?" Greg asked, shrugging his shoulders. His hands were in his pockets of his jacket now, and he leaned against the far wall.
Sara bit her lip, looking away from him. "I don't know," she stated. "I know that nothing will ever happen between us, but I still hope each and everyday that something will…it's pathetic really."
She glanced up at them, her tone changing, becoming more childlike. "I have this vision, that one night after coming home from work, and I'm all alone. I can hear the rain against my window, and the teapot whistles on the stove. I pour myself a cup of tea, and I sit down on the couch, and just listen to the sound of the rain hitting the glass. Then there is a knock on my door; I put my cup down on the table, and go to answer it. And he's standing there, out in the rain, holding a bouquet of white lilies….my favorite kind of flower. And he came there to see me…" she trailed off, laughing softly.
"I know…you don't have to say anything. I know how crazy it sounds."
Greg shook his head, "No, not crazy, just hopeful."
She shrugged, looking down. "That's not really the point though…Grissom hardly even notices me, and I'm getting tired of trying to be someone I'm not in order to impress him. But you…you have always noticed me, you have always seen me for who I am, and who I can be. That's what makes all difference…" she shook her head, standing, and for the first time Greg noticed the tears that were in her eyes.
"Sara?' he asked quietly, but she was already pushing past him.
"I can't do this," she told him, walking quickly down the hall.
Greg called after her one last time before she rounded the corner, debating over whether or not he should follow. His thoughts were cut off as Nick rounded on him, pulling back into the locker room, his voice low.
"What did you do to her?" he asked, glaring at him.
Greg returned an equal gaze, frowning. "What did I do?" he repeated the question. "I did nothing."
"So Sara ran away upset over nothing?" Nick demanded.
Greg shrugged out of his grasp. "Pretty much, yes."
"Come on man," Nick was still glaring at him. "You know I like her. I don't want to see people hurting her."
"I know," Greg snapped at him, "But I didn't do anything. If you don't believe me, which obviously you don't, then ask Sara. She'll tell you."
Greg didn't wait for his response; he only pushed past him out into the hallway. He hadn't made it very far before he was interrupted again; this time by Grissom.
"I was hoping to catch you before you left," Grissom told him, walking in stride with him. "I wanted to make sure that you were doing okay."
Greg nodded, not meeting the older man's gaze. He was still frustrated for screwing up earlier, and now he was confused to as where Sara had been going, as well as angry with Nick for his accusations. He didn't need to bring any of that on his boss.
"Yeah," he stated softly, "Look, I'm sorry for what happened, if I was more careful I'd be better suited for the job."
"You didn't mess up Greg," Grissom told him, "It was an accident, could have happened to anyone. Ecklie just wants someone to point a finger at."
"And I guessing that's me," Greg guessed lightly.
Grissom nodded, "Unfortunately, yes. Just take it easy for the next five, and I'll see you back here."
Greg slowed down long enough to watch the older man disappear into his office before heading off once again, not even looking back as he walked past the double doors that led to the outside.
It had been a long day; there was no doubt in that. After leaving Greg like that, she had spent almost twenty minutes on the roof of the complex, trying to compose herself. She honestly didn't know where she had lost it, all she knew was that she had to completely turn herself around before going back in, and she had to do it fairly quickly as well.
Grissom had put her on Greg's case, since she had finished her other one last night. She was supposed to join Grissom and Sophia on a bombing, but with Greg now on suspension, someone needed to finish the case.
She spent most of the first part reviewing his case file, trying to decipher his notes, laughing softly at the small scribbles he had made here and there. Whomever he had learned to take notes from, it hadn't been her.
To make matters worse, Nick had confronted her later that night, wanting to know if Greg had been bothering her. The simple mentioning of his name brought all the previous thought back to life, and she had nearly lost it there. It took some time to convince the Texan that Greg hadn't laid a finger on her.
Even though she could tell he wasn't entirely convinced, there was still doubt in his eyes. Mainly because she wouldn't give him a reason to why she had left like that. She couldn't give him a reason.
It was simply nice to be home. Kicking off her shoes next to the door she shuffled through her mail that was sitting on the counter, not surprised to find that it was all bills. Once checking to see if she had any messages on the phone, she began to dig through the refrigerator in hopes of finding something to eat. Though she knew there wasn't, and soon was pulling the phone book out.
She was just starting to open it when there was a knock on her door, followed by second and third when she didn't answer it right away. Shaking off the strange feeling she called out that she was coming, pulling the lock free before opening the door.
For a minute she couldn't move, it seemed all like a dream. The person in front of her stood only a few feet away and he smiled sheepishly, looking down at the ground.
"Hi," he said quietly, muttering almost. "I um…I was just out walking when I saw theses…and I thought of you," Greg held the flowers up to her. "White lilies, right? You said that they were your favorite."
When she didn't take the flowers from him, Greg let his arm drop slightly, suddenly feeling very foolish. "If you don't want them it's okay…I can find someone else to give them to…I just thought you might like them."
Sara shook her head quickly, suddenly finding her voice. "No, no," she reassured him quickly. "They're beautiful…it's just that…" she was struggling to find the right words now, watching him. "It's just that…you're all wet…"
Greg smiled lightly, glancing up at the sky. "It's um…raining," he stated, blinking as the drops fell against his eyes. He looked back as Sara grasped his forearm, dragging him inside.
"You're going to get sick doing that," she warned him, closing the door. "You're soaked."
Greg looked down at himself, shrugging as he did so. He indeed was soaked, the rainwater clinging to his clothes, slowly dripping around him into a puddle on the floor. Sighing, Sara pulled the flowers from his hand, laying them gently on the table.
"Here," Sara laughed softly, helping him take his jacket off. "Let me get you a towel, you're getting my floor wet."
Greg only stood there as she disappeared around the corner, coming back a few minutes later with a dry towel, wrapping it around his shoulders. He watched her return to the kitchen, and fill an empty vase with water before placing the flowers inside.
Making his way into the kitchen, Greg held the towel around his chest, shivering lightly. "I um…I just stopped by to say that I'm sorry for earlier. I was kind of a jerk, and you were only trying to help."
"I'm ordering some take out," she interrupted his apology, looking up at him. "You staying?"
Greg shrugged, leaning against the counter. "I don't know," he stated softly, surprised as she grabbed his hand. "Stay."
Greg's smile turned into a grin as he nodded. "Okay…I'll stay."
She returned his smile, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. "I'll find you something to change in to," she stated softly, handing him the phone. "You order," she tapped on the page as she left, fully aware that Greg was still watching her. She came to a rest against her door, listening to the beeping of the phone, and after a moment, his voice filled the air. She couldn't help but smile, wondering how this simple night would end.
TBC…(?)
This may go on, may not, I'll have to see.