A.N.: Ok, this is my first fanfic that I've been brave enough to put up, so please no flames
'...' –Greg's thoughts
Hospital Talk
As Greg lay in his bed, the hospital silence was driving him crazy. He tried to think about something other than the explosion with no success.
'How could I have been so careless? I swore I put everything back, kept the combustibles apart, turned off everything I turned on. Where did I go wrong?'
It had been about a week since the Las Vegas Police Department's crime lab blew up and nightmares still kept Greg Sanders, the lab technician, awake. No one knew why the lab blew up, it just did.
'But labs don't 'just blowup'! Did I trip over a cord on my way back the chemical case? Yeah, I tripped on a cord and didn't realize it. That sounds great. Makes me sound like a guilty idiot. I should just keep my mouth shut and be "poor Greg, the only one seriously hurt." Yay me.'
This was true though, only Greg was seriously hurt, for he was in the lab when it blew. And why wouldn't he be? It was his "office". But Sara Sidle, a CSI, who had been walking past the lab wasn't hurt as bad as Greg, but had been thrown against the far wall. When Gil Grissom, his boss, had come to visit him two days afterward he had said she was still in shock and had cut her hand pretty bad, but she would be okay. But for six days he hadn't heard anything. Sure, Gris and Catherine had come in a few times to ask more details about what had happened and Nick and Warrick had visited a couple times, but the last time anyone had come was two days ago. Two days he had been alone with his thoughts. Only the nurses came to him, and even then he was asleep.
Lost in his thoughts again, he didn't hear the faint knocking, nor did he see the shadow in the doorway, illuminated by the lights of the hallway.
"Greg?"
"What?! Oh Catherine, come in."
Slowly, Catherine walked into the room and took a seat next to Greg's bed.
"So, to what do I owe this visit Cat?"
"I uh...well...you see Greg, I ... um"
"You what? Cat? What's wrong? I'm sorry, but you look like hell"
This was an understatement. Cat looked like she hadn't slept in a few days, her eyes red, with dark circles under them. Her usually neat hair was pulled back into a messy bun and her always-present assertiveness was gone and replaced with...
'Fear? Is that fear I see in her eyes? It can't be. She never lets her emotions show. But now she looks vulnerable, like she could break at any moment.'
"Cath? Is this about Sara?"
"Huh? Oh no. Sara's fine. It's,... we found out what happened in the lab."
'Oh great. Here it comes. I'm fired. But why is Grissom not here? He probably thought Cath could break it to me easier. I knew it! I left something on! Maybe I left something out? I did trip! I tripped on a cord, caused a spark and boom! What am I going to do? Maybe that lab in New Orleans is still hiring?'
"It wasn't you." Catherine stated quietly.
"What how? If it wasn't me, who was it? What happened?"
"It was me"
"You?"
"Yes, me."
"But how? You weren't even near the lab! You were in Grissom's office! And out on a case earlier! Weren't you? It couldn't have been you!"
"Greg! Calm down. It was me. I was in the lab earlier, before you got there, with Warrick."
"But-"
She cut him off," let me finish"
She proceeded to tell Greg how earlier that evening she was testing a glass bottle with a chemical in it under the fog hood with the hot plate and how Warrick walked in and presented her with new evidence in her case, then they had been called to the interrogation room and she completely forgot about the bottle.
"So I blew up the lab." By this time she had started to sob, with her face in her hands," I'm so sorry Greg, I could have sworn I turned it off. I'm really very sorry."
As surprised as he was all Greg could do was comfort her and think about it more later. "It's okay, it was a mistake, you're human.
It was at this moment that Catherine Willows, outstanding CSI, wonderful mother and caring friend completely lost it.
"NO! IT'S NOT! IT'S NOT OKAY! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!"
"Catherine, first of all, can you keep it down? And second of all you were wrapped up in that case, we all get like that, it was an honest mistake."
"I should have remembered something like that! You could have been killed and I would've been responsible! How would I live with that!?"
"CATHERINE! STOP! You made a mistake! We all do! Chill! Anyone could've made that mistake. Okay?" "Yes but-"
"No buts! It was a mistake! You deal with them all the time!"
"I know it's just you could've been killed, Sara could've been seriously hurt, and the entire building could have exploded and I would be responsible for a lot of lives!"
"But I'm not dead, Sara's fine, the lab is still there, a little singed, but still there. We're not playing what if'. What happened, happened. We can't change that, but we can change what we do about it."
An uneasy silence fell over the small room. The only sounds being those of the nurse's station. Seconds ticked away, and soon Greg's nurse, Marc, came in to give him his medication. When he left, silence captured the room again. Until Cath broke it.
"Greg?"
"Yeah Cat?"
I'm on suspension, six weeks."
"Brass gave you less than required."
"Grissom talked him into it, the Redfeild case, You know"
"Yeah."
"Well, I've got to pick up Lindsey from the babysitter's. I just wanted to tell you what happened and that I'm sorry."
"Cat-"
"No Greg, lets not argue again; lets just leave it at that. I'm sorry, okay?"
"Alright. Thanks for telling me. Hey look on the bright side, you'll get to spend more time with Lindsey."
"You're right. I hadn't thought about that. Thanks Greg."
"No problem."
"And umm, don't stay in here too long, we need you, we really do."
"Thanks Cath"
"No problem."
With that Catherine left, leaving Greg alone with his thoughts again. He let put a loud sigh.
'I'm happy that's over. I knew I had to go back to the Chem. cabinet for a reason. If I had been standing where I was, I would be six feet under by now. Though not really because the autopsy alone would take...'
Finite
AN: so yeah there it is. It was actually for my English class that's why everything's explained in the beginning. And I like this ending better. So please review!
Lizzy