A week had passed since the day that changed the whole CSI lab and the workers in there forever . Since the moment a tragedy had happened , a tragedy no one could stop . The images were hunting all of them ; it was hard to even try and hide the feelings that were making the bodies tremble with an imaginable fear .

Sara was sitting on the couch , in then break room . She pulled her knees to her chest , dressed in a black pair of pants to her chest . The girl looked like she was sleeping , but she wasn't . Her head was buried in her hands and when she looked up at the person that entered , tears of sorrow and guilt were falling down her cheeks . She was pale , and her eyes were surrounded by black circles . She didn't sleep at all in the last days . Next to her sat Nick , and he took her in his arms , trying to comfort the sobbing girl . But he was weeping too . Dressed in black , like Sara . On the table was a photo and they just looked at it . On the hallway , everybody was dressed in dark colors , and they were all sad and some of them crying . Hodges , Wendy , Mandy , Bobby , Archie and many other lab techs .

Catherine entered the break room and threw her tired body on a chair .

"Why the hell are you two crying ?" she yelled at Nick and Sara , not being able to stop her own tears . Using her right hand to wipe away the tears ,m with the left one she took the picture in her left hand .

"It is not your fault , it is all mine , okay ? I should be the one blaming myself , not you two !" she burst in hot tears .

"Yours ?" Sara said "not yours !"
"Sara … I was there and I couldn't do a thing . I was like stunned . If I would've just cut that rope , I could've saved him ."

"Yes , but … if I wouldn't have went to that fucking shop , I would have arrived there sooner …"

Grissom entered the room in that moment … followed by Warrick . They were pale and sad also , probably they didn't have a lot of sleep lately .They were going in there to have a little break before they restarted the job . Work was helping them to think at else than the tragedy …

The robber was very annoyed . He tied up Catherine and Warrick . Grissom was next and he didn't know what to do to escape . He just hoped Sara and Nick would arrive sooner . This guy was getting impatient . And this was so not good for them . Before tying Grissom , he looked at the young CSI in the corner .

"So , you guys are cowards , don't you ?" he laughed with a frightening happiness ."well , I'll show the entire world I'm the best ! Better than you all !"

"Yes , sir you're the best" Warrick started "but , still …what do you want to prove by taking all of us hostages ? " he motioned to Grissom to immobilize the guy .

Grissom lunged at the robber , trying to take the gun away from him . Greg lifted to his feet , ready to give Grissom all the help he needed . But the guy wasn't that idiot . Before the supervisor even had the time to touch the gun , he was hit in the head . Grissom fell to the ground , blood oozing from the wound . He turned to Greg who he saw was ready to attack him . With the bloodied gun in his hand he made a sign for Greg to come closer . Everyone was scared , not knowing what the killer was up to . He put a hand on Greg's shoulder and pushed him to his knees on the ground in front of him . And then , to everyone's fear , he pressed the gun on Greg's forehead .

Greg was stunned with an imaginable fear . All his tiny body was shaking and the guy's creepy smile was making his blood cold . He was frozen and couldn't do any move .

"This happened because of you " the kidnapper said "say bye-bye !" he told Greg before pulling the trigger . Catherine made a desperate yell , but it didn't stop the bullet from leaving the revolver and entering Greg's skull . Everything was happening in slow motion … the sound , the bullet . Greg didn't even had time to close his eyes . His body was pushed backwards by the power of the blast and he fell on the ground . A red dark spot on his face on his forehead … he was dead . All of them were in shock . Catherine was crying , while Warrick was still stunned ; like it was impossible to believe what just happened . Grissom's eyes were wide opened .

"See ?" the guy kicked the body with his foot . "he's dead … and all because of you ! " he spoke coldly . "all this is your fault . If you wouldn't have tried to stop me , he'd be alive now …."

Greg's lifeless eyes were looking at them . They were watching him , to see if maybe he was still alive . But he wasn't .

The police arrived a couple of minutes later and took the killer away . But when Sara and Nick entered with Brass and saw the dead body …

…

It was still hard to believe . Everyone blamed himself for Greg's sudden death . Sara because she didn't arrive there in time to stop the massacre . Nick for making him and Sara be there too late . Grissom for making the guy kill Greg . Warrick and Catherine for not being able to help Greg .

It was so painful for everyone of them to look at Greg's photo or even think at him without feeling their heart bleeding with guilt . The thought they were responsible for his death … but they weren't . And when they were tired of blaming themselves , they blamed the others . It was a shame to see them like that always fighting , always sad.

And that day was so stupid … they had a fight and were all of them sad .Sitting around the table , looking at Greg's photo and blaming themselves . They changed a lot in one week .

His face was still in their minds , they were missing him so much . The lab was so empty without him … they would have never thought that he was the only one that animated it .

They looked at each other with tears in their eyes and remembered the funeral , where everyone was crying and his parents , especially his mom were destroyed . They still had in their minds the images of the seconds when , powerless , three of them watched Greg getting killed . The other two cursed themselves for not being there to help . And they were a total wreck now … not the united and powerful team , but a useless crowd with no reason to live . Everyone was working to forget , but still clinging to his memory , not wanting to let go of his presence . Sometimes , looking at the hall which now looked sad and cold , they saw him walking and coming to them . But it was all a dream . Greg wasn't going to return . He was gone for good , but still they couldn't accept it . They just didn't let his soul rise up to the sky , and held him down on the Earth .

They were still unable to think he wasn't there and didn't want to accept the fact . In their minds , he was still alive and so his soul was kept somewhere between heaven and earth , captive in their memories .

Only their acceptance could give him the possibility to escape from the middle world , to be free , not trapped between the two worlds . Until they would decide to let him go , the doors of heaven would be closed for him .

And his spirit needed freedom …

….

TBC

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