4/15/09

Greg Sanders was walking into the locker room while loosening his tie after the Demetrius James inquest. It had been a rough few hours on the young CSI. As he put his tie and jacket into the locker marked SANDERS, someone blindfolded him from behind and cuffed him.

"Hey guys?!! Someone want to help me out here?" Greg shouted as he was dragged down the hallway. No one answered his cries. Soon, about 3 minutes later, he was pushed into the backseat of a Denali. Greg heard two people get in next to him and twp more people get into the front seat.

"Come on! This is so not funny guys! I need sleep after that inquest." He tried to plead with his captors. He didn't get anything out of the four people in the car except a giggle. He tried to analyze the giggle as best as he could. It could've been Sara but then on second thought it also could've been Catherine. Greg was back to square one. About ten minutes later Greg was pulled out of the car and un cuffed. Finally, Greg could feel the blindfold being loosened from behind. As the bandana fell away, Greg was met with the smiling faces of Nick Stokes, Catherine Willows, Sara Sidle and Warrick Brown.

"Ugghhh!!! Why did you guys kidnap me?" The younger man wanted to know. As if rehearsed, Nick and Catherine answered simultaneously,

"You need to be cheered up." And pulled him by the armpits into the diner. The diner they were at was called, Dream Diner and was just off the Las Vegas Strip. It was a frequent haunt to the LVMPD Nightshift CSI's mainly because it was open 24 hours and very few people showed up there at 5 in the morning, when nightshift ended. Greg was shuffled into the diner and plopped into his usual seat in their usual booth.

"Alright guys now can you tell me why I'm here." Greg asked, getting annoyed.

"Greg you've been on pins and needles ever since they told you about the inquest. We as a team decided that you needed to have some relaxing time. Especially after what Nicky told us happened at that circus they were trying to pass off as an inquest." Catherine spoke up, apparently the spokesperson for the group. Greg looked around the table. First at Catherine who offered a small smile, then at Nick who raised his eyebrows in a well-you-do-deserve-it look, next at Sara who just patted his hand, and last at Warrick who winked at him. Greg heaved a great sigh. What could he do? The only option was to sit here and have an early breakfast with his team.

"Alright, alright I give. We can have breakfast." He held his hands up in the universal sign for surrender. He was met by four grins and the instant chatter coming from them as everyone talked about what to order. Everyone but Greg. Poor Greg was still shaken from that inquest and couldn't focus on anything other than the details of that night. He saw himself hit that kid in the Denali, he saw himself being pulled out of the driver's side window. The most vivid image from that night though, was the image of all those hands and feet coming at his face. He shuddered. Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder. Catherine's face came into his line of vision.

"Are you okay Greg? Do you want to talk?" She asked in a low voice so the others couldn't hear. Greg nodded. He figured talking with Catherine wouldn't hurt. He slid out of the booth with Catherine on his tail. They left the diner and went out to the Denali they came in.

"So Greg, you want to talk about it?" Catherine asked in the same way she would have asked Lindsey the same question.

"Yeah, every time I close my eyes I see that night. I can't help but hear the family's screams and protests from today. That judge was biased and the jurors didn't want me to come out of this with anything. It felt like the whole world was against me Cath. Today the only people that were there for me were Nick, Sofia and my lawyer. I feel so guilty about it too, Cath. I know you guys keep telling me that it was self-defense and I had no choice but, it doesn't feel that way. I feel like I should be in trouble here or---"Catherine cut Greg's monologue off right there.

"Greg you might feel so guilty about this and honestly the only thing I can say to you about that right now is that it wasn't your fault. Greg you're a good person and you would never purposely hurt someone. You shouldn't be in trouble for this and the doctors did whatever they could. You called it in and if you hadn't driven into that alley, that man would be our third vic, lying on the metal autopsy table. You did the right thing. Greg, I'm sorry that you had to kill that boy but, it was his choice to join that gang and it was his choice to come at you. It was his mother's fault for not providing a stable home life. That's why we do this job. To keep boys like that off the streets and out of trouble." Catherine tried her best to lift Greg's spirits. The young, spiky haired brunette leaned into Catherine's open embrace. She could feel the front of her shirt getting wet from where Greg was crying. He gave a loud sniffle and leaned back.

"Thanks Cath. I really needed someone to listen and to let me cry." Greg gave the blonde woman a quick kiss on the cheek before a knock came to the window. Nick's face came peering in from the outside.

"Food's here. You guys coming in?" the Texan asked. Greg nodded and the two climbed out of the car. Catherine walked ahead of the two men. Nick held Greg back.

"Hey Greggo. You know I saw that little kiss you gave my girlfriend. I really hope you aren't trying to him on her. 'Cuz if you are then I might have to hurt you. Okay?" Nick asked semi-jokingly. Greg put a mock scared face on and waved his hand,

"Oh no, never Nick. Cath's all yours."

"Good" Nick said and slung an arm around Greg's shoulders and the other around Catherine's waist. Walking back to the diner Greg reflected on the conversation he had just had with Catherine. She was right, It wasn't his fault and there was nothing he could do about it. He decided to get over the whole deal and enjoy his friends who cared about him.