Here and Now

By: Emmithar

Rating: K+

Summary: They started off as acquaintances, and soon became friends. Friendship then blossoms into more, but can they ever really be happy when the longing to live life constantly struggles with work? Greg/Sara

A/N: Just a different take on the development of Greg and Sara's relationship. Not related to any of my other works.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI, or anything associated with it.

Chapter One: Just Friends

It was always busy at this hour, but if they came early enough they were always assured a table. It was always the four of them, sometimes Grissom would join, but for the most part the nightshift ate without him. Recently however they had added a fifth member, with Greg's promotion, and had welcomed him warmly; all of them proud of his accomplishment, even though he was quick to dismiss it.

Warrick was always the first to arrive, grabbing a table near the back were it wasn't as noisy. Nick would show up a few minutes later, with Catherine in tow not to far behind. Sara and Greg were different stories, each of them living their fair share away from the diner. They would come strolling in at different times each afternoon, depending on the flow traffic, and what time they had left their place. Grissom was always last, if he ever did come.

So in the end, it wasn't a big surprise to find the three regulars sitting together, getting a quick bite to eat before heading in to work. Nick sat across from Warrick, who had scooted to the inside when Catherine walked in, making room for her to sit down as well.

Warrick had opted to skip breakfast that day, taking instead a single cup of coffee, watching in dismay as his Texan friend attempted to eat three slices of French toast as once. Catherine could only shake her head, somewhat glad she had eaten with her daughter before coming in.

"Slow down Nicky, it's not going anywhere," Warrick cleared his throat, taking another sip of his coffee. It had already turned cold, leaving an unpleasant bitter taste in his mouth. He made a sour face, setting the cup on the table.

"I'm starving man, I missed dinner last night, Laura was having another one of her episodes."

Catherine raised an eyebrow as she leaned back against the cushion, one arm resting on the back while the other held her glass of water. "Laura?"

"Nick's girlfriend," Warrick explained quickly, "I thought you two were over with."

Nick shrugged as he took another bite, looking up from his plate. "We were, but she wants to give it another try. I don't think it's going to last much longer, she's crazy."

"Should suit you well," Catherine remarked, moving quickly to hide the smirk on her face.

There wasn't a return comment, instead Nick waved across the diner as Greg moved quickly through the crowd, muttering a thanks as the other man cleared a spot for him. He didn't need to look at the menu, ordering what he always did whenever they met here. They all exchanged hellos, watching as Nick finished devouring his plate in distaste. For some peculiar reason Greg no longer was sure if he wanted to remain sitting by his friend.

"Traffic must have not been too bad," Warrick commented gently, moving to break the silence that had settled over the table. "You're never this early."

"I left early," Greg confessed, his head resting in one hand as the other plucked at his napkin. "Neighbors are remodeling, and of course they have to do the noisiest of things while I'm trying to sleep. Hammering, and sawing…I mean, can't they do that while I'm working?"

"No," Catherine stated bluntly, "Because then they keep everyone else awake."

Greg shook his head, laughing softly. "Just my luck that I had to work nights. Now I'm pretty much a zombie. I haven't slept in days."

"You could always stay at my place," Nick offered up, using his napkin to wipe his face. "I have a guest room."

"So I can listen to you and Laura instead?" Greg teased, tossing a sugar packet at him.

"Does everyone but me know about this Laura?" Catherine asked incredulous, exchanging glances between the three men.

"Grissom doesn't know yet," Nick offered up, laughing as she frowned.

"Now I feel real special. Seriously Greg, if you need a place for a few days, think about it. We don't want drop dead from shear exhaustion."

He waved her off, grasping the warm mug in his hands. "I'll be okay; it's my night off after this shift. I'll sleep all night."

"If Grissom doesn't have you work over," Warrick pointed out. He glanced up as the final member arrived, watching as she grabbed a chair from another table.

Sara waved off any offers of food, shaking her head. "Already ate," she explained quietly, doing her best to shake off a yawn. "Woke up early to go eat with a friend."

"Why do we meet in a diner if half of us don't even eat?" Warrick asked out loud, waving one free hand.

The others shrugged in unison, Catherine stifling half a laugh. "It's because we always have."

"It's kind of pointless," he argued, "I could be getting an extra hour of sleep, instead I'm sitting here watching toast boy here shovel food down his throat like there's no tomorrow."

Nick shook his head, holding up a hand. "Not going there. I'm headed out, I want to start early on that Jane Doe case, it's already going to be long enough as it is."

Warrick nodded in agreement, glancing over his shoulder at the clock that hung on the wall. "Lab results should be back by now, I'll head over with you."

Catherine said her goodbyes as well, following the two men out, leaving Sara and Greg by themselves. She slid into the booth across from Greg once she had put the stray chair away, watching him as he finished eating.

"You want to speed it up there Greggo?" she wondered lightly, "We need to be headed in as well."

"What's the rush?" Greg asked, taking a long, slow sip of his coffee, solely to irritate her. He grinned once seeing the frown on her face. "I mean, we finished our case last night."

"One finished case always means a new one," she pointed out. "Not only that but you should check the time. Our shift starts in ten minutes."

Greg laughed softly, doing his best not to choke on his drink. He was rewarded with a peculiar look from his partner, one that he could not ignore.

"What?" she asked him, raising one eyebrow.

Greg wiped his mouth with his tattered napkin, shaking his head as he folded it into fours. "Nothing really…just that I know something you don't."

She waited for moment, but when he didn't continue she urged him on. "Which is…?"

"That clock is fifteen minutes slow," he stated smugly, pointing towards the wall.

She frowned, turning to look in the direction he was pointing. "Greg…if the clock is fifteen minutes slow, that would make us five minutes late."

Greg shook his head, ready to argue, but came to a stop as he thought over what she had said, realizing dimly that she was right. He gave her half a grin, but it was met with an unamused frown as she gathered her things.

He finished his coffee quickly, jumping up as she left the table. "It's a good thing the lab's only across the street, huh?" he prodded her in the side. Sara stepped around him, nearly colliding with a waiter who had her hands full.

Greg laughed as he caught up with her, holding open the door as she walked through. She was shaking her head, glaring up at him. "You just better hope Grissom's in a good mood."

It was hard to tell if Grissom was in a good mood, or a foul one just by looking. You could tell by the tone of his voice, or the lack of it as well. But just because he did not say anything, didn't prove any point at all. Sometimes the older man was there, others he was lost in thought.

Greg often admired his intelligence, even though he himself had graduated high school with a 4.0, and followed through college with much of the same effect, he doubted that it even came close to the accomplishments of his boss. He spoke in riddles, even without meaning too, sometimes it was hard to catch, and even harder to understand. He was like an encyclopedia, full of quotes, and interesting facts and information most people never even stop to think about.

The man could also be quite forgiving sometimes, depending on the situation. Greg was hoping that this was one of those times. He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze flicking over to where Sara stood. She seemed unconcerned, her stance evenly balanced as she waited for their supervisor to say something.

One would figure as well. Sara had been a CSI for years now, whereas he had only been in the field for a couple of months. Her tardiness would probably be dismissed; his would be more-in-likely frowned upon. Several weeks into his new job and he was already showing up late.

Not that it was the only reason he was nervous. He had always been nervous around Grissom; the man seemed to have a knack for it as well. Sara always held her ground against everyone, whether it would Ecklie and Grissom, or a suspect accused of murdering little kids. That was another thing he admired.

There was little that intimidated her, she was quick to defend herself, and always stood up for others when they needed a hand. He could remember several times where Sara had backed him up, staying late to help him finish a case, or covering for him when he slipped up. He was getting better, he had to admit. He wasn't making nearly as many mistakes, and was beginning to remember procedures that before he needed help with.

"Nick and Warrick are finishing up their Jane Doe case, and Catherine's taken an arson case. Since you've finally decided to join the rest of us, you can't exactly be choosey. Male DB, found in a freezer compartment of grocery store, north of here. David's already on his way."

He handed the slip of paper to Sara, who took it without hesitation, reading over what he had already said. Grissom looked between the pair, slipping his glasses on as he started to speak once again. "Try not to be late," he urged them, tapping his wrist as he left the room.

"Let's get going then," Sara called over to Greg before following Grissom out into the hall. Greg was not too far behind, moving quickly to catch up with her. He patted her on the shoulder, pointing towards the locker room in silent indication of what he would be doing before heading in that direction. Sara's only response was that she would meet in him in the car.

He did a little kick-step, using his momentum to jump up and over the bench that ran the length of the lockers, humming to himself as he moved the dial on his lock. Once open, he reached inside, grabbing the black jacket off the hook. It wasn't very heavy, granted you never really needed a heavy jacket living in Vegas, but he had learned from hard experience that jackets were indeed needed the further away from town that you got.

Closing the locker he walked on top of the bench this time, devoting his concentration on staying balanced as he walked the length, jumping off when he reached the end. He would be chided for fooling around, that was if he was caught. The last thought brought a smile to his lips, as he hurried along the hallway.

Catching up to Sara again wasn't hard, she was in the garage, moving towards the key board to grab a set for one of the remaining company vehicles. Greg ran the last few steps, reaching up for the same set she was, but his attempt was in vain, as she pulled them quickly out of his reach.

"Nice try," she stated, turning towards him. The set of keys looped between her fingers. "I'm driving."

"Can't you just let me drive a little?" Greg pleaded, following her as she made her way out towards the back.

She shook her head swiftly, the wind pushing her hair from her face as she moved down the sidewalk. Greg quickened his pace so that he was walking in step with her. "Why not?"

"Mainly because I'd like to get there alive," she taunted him, giving him a fake punch on the shoulder.

Greg was taken aback by her comment, coming to a near stop. "I get to the lab and back everyday, and I'm still in one piece."

"Yeah, and I've seen your driving, I'll pass."

"You have not seen my driving," Greg argued, moving to catch up with her once more.

"Yes," she laughed shortly, "I have."

"How can you when you never let me drive?"

It had worked, and for a moment she was speechless, but in the end she just shook her head. "I'm still driving."

It was amazing, sometimes how far night could actually stretch. At this moment, he was getting a pretty good view of it. They were miles from town now, leaving all the sights and sounds of the bustling city behind. When Grissom had said 'north of the city' he hadn't been kidding. It was nearly out of their jurisdiction.

Greg settled back against the seat, wrapping his arms over the coat that sat in his lap. It was too warm to wear it in the car, but he would need it once getting out. He turned to watch Sara, who seemed to be content with the silence, but it was driving him insane.

"You know where you are going, right?" Greg prodded,

She answered without looking at him. "Yes Greg, believe it or I do have a sense of direction."

He shrugged easily, looking back out the window. "Looks like you're lost."

"I am not lost," Sara defended herself, "it's a ways out here, so just relax."

Greg glanced at her quickly before checking the time. An hour and a half, for a drive that should have only taken forty-five minutes. Yep, she was definitely lost. He didn't say it though, only smiling smugly to himself as he leaned against the window, watching the sky.

"Would you look at that," Greg breathed softly, his eyes trailing the night sky. "You don't see stars like that in Vegas. Unless you count the celebrity bash they're having this weekend."

"Don't remind me," Sara warned him, "traffic's going to be horrible. I may use my vacation time after all."

He laughed softly at the thought of her actually using her vacation time. "Look at that there," he pointed up towards the sky, his finger pressing against the cool glass. "I think that's the big dipper. You see it?"

"Not really," she shook her head, "I'm watching the road. That's the first difference between my driving and yours."

"Harsh blow," Greg grinned, his eyes still tracking the sky. "There's the little dipper, and I think I can see Orion's Belt. There's Sagittarius, also known as the archer."

"How do you know so much?" Sara asked inquisitively, turning to look at him for the first time.

"I used to study them with my dad all the time, we'd get a blanket, find a spot outside and just try to find all that we could. Sometimes we even fell asleep out there, if it was warm enough."

"Why'd you stop?" she wondered, slowing down as she approached a corner. She watched him shrug from the corner of her eye.

"Moved out to the big cities…you couldn't see them anymore…do you want me to get the map out?"

"I'm not lost," she pointed out with a sigh. "I'm just taking a detour, that's all."

Greg chuckled, shifting in his chair. "We're on a roll tonight. Late for work, late to the crime scene…"

"Work was your fault," Sara pointed out, smiling to herself as she rounded the next corner. "Told you I wasn't lost. We're here now."

Greg glanced out the window as she pulled off the side of the road, slowing down to a stop as she reached the parking lot. The cool night air greeted him as he stepped out of the vehicle. Slipping the jacket on he zipped it up all the way before reaching back in for his case.

Sara was already ahead of him, moving under the yellow crime scene tape that was fluttering in the wind. Greg followed suit, taking brief comfort while walking through the store, but was greeted by the wind once stepping out the back.

David made eye contact, but only for a moment as he turned his attention back to the clipboard in his hands. "Body's inside, my guess he's been in there for five hours prior to when I got here, more like six or seven now. I didn't move the body, only took a liver temp."

"Thank you David," Sara nodded to him as she walked past. Greg was not too far behind, already holding a flashlight, his beam illuminating the ground. "Get some pictures of the body so David can get it back to the lab, then we'll start processing."

Greg nodded, already taking the role as student as he placed his case down. His camera was already hanging around his neck, having put it on shortly after his coat. He took several of the body, walking around to get several different angles before moving onto the rest of the freezer.

He frowned, letting the camera come to rest against his chest. "Why let the freezer keep running, and have the door stand wide open? Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?"

"A lot of merchandise in here," Sara commented lightly. "They can't take anything out, so they'll do their best to save what they can."

"Owner still hasn't been contacted; the clerk on duty came into the freezer to stock the shelves, found the body. Said he hasn't touched a thing, but he doesn't speak English very well. He'll come back to the station with me so we can get a full statement," Brass stated, coming into the freezer. He took care to step over the several upturned boxes that crossed the floor.

"Make sure you document that," Sara nodded towards Greg, leaning over the body. She reached down carefully, swabbing the blood pool that had formed around the victim's head.

"Looks like a gunshot wound," she commented, glancing up as Brass came up behind her.

"There wasn't a weapon found, killer probably took it with him," he suggested.

"Or dumped it somewhere," Sara pointed out, taking a look around her. "Lots of places to stash a gun."

"Well, since you're here, I'm headed back, I have another call already, they're waiting."

Sara gave the detective a small smile, doing her best not to blush as Greg commented on her navigation skills. Not long after David had come in to collect the body, leaving the two alone to process the scene.

Sara bit her lip, doing her best not to shiver as she moved along the wall. She had assumed that the freezer would have been shut off, but without the owner's consent, they had no control over the issue. She should have been thinking ahead, should have grabbed something warmer.

She had assumed then that her long sleeve shirt would have been enough to keep her warm, as long as she kept moving, but as more time passed it was apparent that her plan was not working. She closed her case with a sigh, forcing herself back to her feet.

"I'm going to check the store," she told Greg, walking by him. The younger man only nodded, skimming his flashlight along the ground.

She came to a stop, frowning as she did so. "Greg…how long has the door been closed?"

"I didn't even know it was," he admitted, looking up at her. "I thought it was getting colder in here."

"David must have shut it when he left," she suggested, "I'll print the door, see what I get."

Greg walked up behind her, handed her his own duster that was ready to go. She gave him a small smile, dusting the first side as Greg held the flashlight up. "A few partials," he commented.

"Not enough to match anything," she stated with a sigh, "I'll try the other side."

She had reached for the handle, but it wouldn't budge, and she had tried a second time, with little success. She exchanged a worried glance with Greg, who cleared his throat. "There should be a safety latch here somewhere, it shouldn't lock like that."

Sara nodded, taking a deep breath as she forced herself to calm down. Of course they weren't actually locked in a freezer, that was a ridiculous thought. It was a requirement, to have safety release latches in all freezers now…wasn't it?

Greg pointed above her, to the small button that sat just above her eye level. She smiled to herself, already feeling better about the situation as she reached up to push it. But like the door it didn't budge. She tried again, harder this time, but ended with much the same result. Greg tried it a third time for good measure, but it was clear now…they were stuck inside a freezer, and there was no one around to help them.

Cold…he hated the cold…no he despised the cold, and this situation wasn't helping in the least bit. He had given up trying, trying to open the door, or make the lock budge. It was clear that it wasn't moving, and not only was it useless, but stupid to waste energy on trying.

Sara paced in front of him, her arms wrapped around her chest as she muttered dryly to herself. He couldn't catch all of what she was saying; only bits and pieces, but he could get a clear enough idea.

"You have service yet?" she snapped, staring at her own phone.

Greg let out a sigh, rolling his eyes. "If I didn't have service five minutes ago, what makes you think that I'd have it now?"

She shook her head, teeth chattering as she resumed her pacing. In one step he had reached her, grabbing her by the arms to stop her. Sara watched him confusedly for a moment before shaking him off.

"Stop moving," Greg told her, taking the lead for the first time that night. "We need to stay warm. Someone's bound to come looking for us in not too much longer. Until then we need to save our strength."

"We've been out here for only a few hours," she reminded him. "We can go eight to ten hours before anyone gets around to even calling us. Do the math Greg, we can't survive that long."

"So what then?" he demanded, looking into her eyes. "Just give up? I don't think so."

His tone had surprised her; he could see it in her eyes, the way she looked back at him. He took a breath, softening his voice. "Here," he moved quickly, letting go of her to take his jacket off.

Sara shook her head, "Greg, put your jacket back on."

"I have a sweater," he stated, moving to help her put it on.

"So do I," she commented dryly, but was unable to resist the offer of warmth he had given her.

"No, you have thin shirt that's nearly see through," he nodded, "and yes, I looked, if you really want to know."

She gave him an odd look, pulling the jacket around her even as Greg zipped it up. It was then he sat himself down against the wall, motioning her to follow. She did after a moment, still hesitant to trust him.

Greg wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. She resisted at first, but relaxed into his hold when she realized what he was doing. Sharing body heat, one of the surest way of survival in cold climate. Which, if she really thought about it, was where they were.

"Do me a favor and remind me to kill Grissom for making me come way out here," Sara muttered dryly, leaning her full weight against his chest. It was then she could really smell him; fabric softener on his clothes, the gel he had used in his hair the morning, the cinnamon on his breath from the gum he was chewing earlier. Oddly, it was a sweet mixture, one she could get used to…

She blushed, turning away as Greg laughed at her last comment. Just friends…she reminded herself, closing her eyes, that's all they were, friends…

TBC