Disclaimer: It's all not mine.

Summary: Greg acts in his worry for Sara, causing her to miss something that lets his concern grow even larger, while Sara questions his motives. SaraGreg

A/N: Thanks to Emmithar for the beta!

Wanting Out

Chapter 1

Sara turned the key in the lock, opening the door of the apartment. She walked into it slowly, almost shakily, letting the tiredness finally come over her, now that she was at home. It was already getting dark outside, a sign for how long her day had actually been as her normal shift should have ended in the morning. Sara rubbed her eyes, dropping her bag and keys, and made her way into the living room. It had not been normal anymore since she and Warrick had started working on that case that had multiplied itself soon, when the investigation of one homicide had led them to several others. It had caused them working doubles more often than Sara was able to count anymore. Grissom did not have the means to provide them with real assistance as the rest of their shift was busy enough as well, so that only Nick or Greg helped them out in the lab from time to time, before they were called out again on their own scenes.

Sara crashed onto the couch, unwilling and too tired to really think of doing something else. She was hungry, but could not be bothered to cook anything or order at least some take-out. She closed her eyes, cuddling somewhat into the couch.

She had been dozing for what seemed only a moment to her, when somebody brushed some strands of hair out of her face, letting their hand linger there for a moment, before crouching down and kissing her briefly on her forehead. Sara murmured something approvingly, and finally opened her eyes, only to meet Greg's broadly smiling expression.

"Why don't you go to bed? It's more comfortable," he suggested quietly. Sara yawned, sitting up a bit.

"Didn't want to wake you," she replied sleepily.

"I've had my share of sleep," Greg assured her. "And I'd never mind being woken up by you, you know."

Sara yawned again, smiling this time.

"Okay, okay, I'm going to bed," she agreed, standing up and making her way into the bedroom, followed by Greg.

"Are you going to work tonight?" he wanted to know then, watching Sara undressing and changing into pajamas.

"Sure," she answered simply, climbing into the bed.

"Why don't you take the night off? You're much too tired. You can't go to work like that," Greg reasoned, knowing too well that this discussion would be fruitless, but nevertheless trying it.

"Have to…," Sara murmured, already drifting off to sleep. Greg shook his head and left the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him.

He had not been home very early himself, but had at least had the opportunity to catch some more hours of sleep than Sara would be able to, if she really followed her intention and went in to work tonight.

She had hardly slept the past week. The case she and Warrick were working on had not allowed them slowing down for a minute. When the first body had turned up in that neighborhood it had not appeared to be an unusual occurrence. That was until the second and third had followed – direct neighbors of the first victim, all three shot in front of their houses. When the death toll had risen to six, again all people living in that area, and finally even the mailman, delivering the post in the morning, had been killed in that neighborhood, understandable voices of concern had grown even louder that whoever was doing this had to be stopped.

Sara and Warrick had been called out on a new scene almost every day, if you could call in even new scene at all, as the locality was known to them now too well. Greg had helped out in that case enough to have some insight in it, apart from what Sara had told him additionally. Even though they had not really had a lot of opportunity or time to talk lately, as Sara was more working than doing anything else including sleeping.

Naturally she had appeared exhausted lately, and Greg was growing more and more worried. As far as he could guess she had not even eaten something today; she had not even when she had arrived home, having crashed directly onto the couch instead. Greg had heard her coming, having lain in bed, waiting for her to finally arrive home. When he had realized that she would not come to their bed, he had gotten up a little disappointedly and had made his way over to her.

Now that she was sleeping in their common bedroom, he decided on preparing some food so that she would at least eat something when she would wake up. A plan forming in his mind, he settled on making only some sandwiches. He made one for himself with eggs and ham, packing the meat then carefully back into plastic and placing it into the lowest part of the fridge, as far away as possible from Sara's stuff, as she did not want that her food had a smell of meat on it. Greg made three sandwiches for Sara, putting them onto a plate on the small table in the kitchen. He attached a note to it, before he walked quietly into the bed room again. Sara was sleeping and Greg checked that she had indeed not set up an alarm clock as he had thought. Greg smiled, and left the room silently.

When Sara woke up, everything was dark. The curtains on the window were obviously drawn down, something they usually did to be able to sleep during the day. Sara did not hear Greg breathing calmly next to her, which she was used to hear, and reached over to where he was usually sleeping, only to confirm that he was indeed not there. She sighed, feeling just like lying in his arms for a short while now, before she would have to get up and go in to work again.

She was admittedly tired, but it did not help anything. She could not leave Warrick hanging who had to be just as tired as her, having worked almost the same long hours as she had.

Sara had no idea how late it was. She remembered suddenly that she had not set up an alarm clock to wake her and was already sitting up nervously, when she thought that Greg would wake her in time. So she laid back into the cushions, taking possession of the whole bed, seeing that Greg was not there.

When Sara woke up again, the worry was starting to grow in her, as she was sure that it had to be close to midnight now. Why did Greg not come to wake her up? She jumped out of the bed, realizing instantly that this had been a bad idea when dizziness came over her. She stood still for a moment, waiting for her head to stop swimming.

She was surprised that she did not find Greg in their apartment, but only a note attached to a plate with sandwiches in the kitchen. She found it sweet that he had cared that she would eat something, but wondered what he had written.

Sara,

You know I'm not a great cook, so here are only some sandwiches, but still bon appetite.

I know you'll hate me for this, but I didn't wake you and will tell Grissom that you're sick. Get some rest, you really need it. You can continue catching the bad guys tomorrow,

Love, Greg

While Sara had smiled at the beginning of the note, she was now crumbling the piece of paper angrily, checking the clock in the kitchen for the first time now. It was already past 2 AM. She had overslept and Greg had wanted her to do so. Leaving the food Greg had prepared behind, she got dressed hastily. She was already on her way out of the apartment, went she went back into the kitchen quickly, taking one of the sandwiches. Greg would be paying for what he had done, but that was no reason for her to let the food go bad, especially because she was indeed hungry. She ate on her way to her car, figuring that she would be at least three hours late for work.

TBC