Title: Give Me One Reason
Summary: He is leaving and she can't stop him.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of this material.
"I love you."
She'd told him that once. She had showed up at his door after making sure Nick was fine at the hospital. He could tell she was shaken by the thought that she had almost lost one of the most important people in her life.
He had pulled her into a hug, feeling her sob silently into his shoulder. His hand wove soothing circles over her back as he comforted her with reassuring words.
Somehow they had ended up on his couch, her telling him about funny little things Nick did when they worked cases together. They talked about frivolous things until finally she started to drift off.
It was after he had pressed a soft kiss to her forehead that she had mumbled those words. They kept him awake awhile longer until sleep took him.
She was gone when he woke up, leaving him feeling as though he'd imagined the whole thing. Shaking his head, he got up and showered, getting ready for another day of work.
Arriving at the lab earlier than he usually would, he hoped to talk with her. But she didn't show up until the rest of the team was there. She greeted him like it was any other day of the week.
She never brought up that night in any of the conversations they had over the next several months. He decided that if she wasn't going to acknowledge what happened then neither would he.
He saw it a few days before the rest of team. The stolen glances between her and the man she'd been after for years. Eventually they told everyone about their relationship. His smile of congratulations didn't make it past his lips.
He began planning that same day, knowing he wouldn't be able to stomach seeing them together. It wasn't until 6 months later that the prefect opportunity presented itself.
He'd been sent to a convention in Miami, where he met Horatio Caine. After talking with the older man he found out there was a slot open at the CSI level there. Accepting it was the ideal way of getting out of Vegas without anyone reading into his departure.
So here he was, 2 months later, waiting in the terminal for his plane to board. He had said his goodbyes a few hours earlier, with promises to keep in touch. She hadn't been there, already out working a homicide scene. He slipped a note saying farewell into her locker.
Sighing, he reclined in his uncomfortable plastic chair. There were a lot of upsides in moving to Miami, with the only downsides being leaving his friends and her behind. It was better this way, he thought.
Looking up at the clock nearby, he saw he had about 45 minutes until he left Las Vegas for good. He closed his eyes, shifting in his seat to got some semblance of comfort out of the modern torture device.
He didn't think anything of it when he felt somebody sit down next to him. That was, until said person spoke.
"So all I get is a letter when one of my friends is leaving?"
He silently cursed his luck. He should have known it wasn't going to be as easy as he had hoped. Turning his head and opening his eyes, he looked at her before letting his head fall back again. God, she was still as beautiful as the day he first saw her.
"Didn't want you to get all teary-eyed in front of everybody, being the big drama queen you are." He joked.
He could almost feel her scowl at him. He had always hated the fact that she didn't smile more, because she seemed to glow when she did.
"Why are you leaving? Why Miami?" She asked.
"Because I love beaches and women in bikinis?"
He peeked at her before snapping his eyes back shut. The scowl had deepened and he could tell she was getting annoyed.
She was silent for a good five minutes before speaking again. "Are you leaving because of, you know."
"That was months ago. Besides, why should I care who you're in a relationship with?" He sat up, rolling his shoulders.
"Stop being like that. I know you had, or you have, feelings for me. Be honest with me, is that why you're going?" She looked at him, pleading with her eyes for an answer.
He looked away, standing up and grabbing his bags. "I have to go, my plane is going to leave soon." He started to walk away, towards the boarding area.
She followed him as he made his way through the crowd. "Stay, we need to talk." She said, grabbing his arm.
"Give me one reason to stay here." He told her, close to his breaking point.
"I told you that I loved you." She softly replied.
He faltered slightly at this. For the first time she had admitted to remembering what she had said that night. But he had resolved to do this, so he pulled away from her.
"Goodbye Sara." He walked away again, this time without her following.
"Goodbye Greg." She whispered, as she watched him go.