"So, how's Greg?" David Hodges asked when he came into the break room. They all looked up and him with odd looks. "You left when we did, Hodges. None of us have been back yet." Nick said. David stopped as he grabbed for his coffee cup and turned back around.
"Well someone was visiting him, it wasn't any of you?" he said and they all shook their heads, "His parents?" "They already headed back home, his mom was coming back next week." Catherine said.
"When I stopped to pick up the rest of the evidence bags on the way in it was obvious someone had been there. There was a pillow in the chair and some take out coffee next to it." he said and they all looked between each other and shrugged.
Grissom came in with the night's assignments and the topic was forgotten for the time being. But something tugged at David's mind about it. Someone was visiting Greg, but as far as they knew all his friends were there, so who was it?
David watched the elevator numbers go up and yawned. He should have just gone straight home to sleep, but everyone else was working overtime and he didn't want Greg to think he'd been forgotten. So he'd stopped and gotten a couple coffees and decided to stop, even if just for a short visit.
The elevator dinged at the the 6th floor and the doors opened. He wasn't looking and almost walked right into the girl coming on. They did a quick spin past each other with mumbles of "sorry" and "excuse me" and "my bad".
In just those few moments he picked up the scent of lilacs and cloves and when he turned to look just as the doors closed he got a glimpse of multi colored and black dreadlocks pulled up on her head in a loose tie, a pair of cat's eyes sunglasses, and very red lips. They started to curl up into a smile and she winked at him over the top of the glasses as the doors slid closed.
He stared at the closed doors with a tired smirk and then shook his head and made his way to Greg's room. When he went in, Greg was asleep so he set the cups down and then made himself comfortable in the chair, thinking he'd catch a nap until Greg woke up.
David adjusted the pillow that was there and then leaned into it with a sigh. A minute later he sat straight up and put it to his face, taking a deep breath. There it was, the same smell of lilacs and cloves. He pulled the pillow back to look at it and noticed a couple of black hairs, and a slight smudge of red lipstick. He looked down into the garbage and there was a coffee cup, also smudged with the same red shade.
David looked at the sleeping Greg and was confused. For some reason Greg had a mystery woman coming to see him while they were all on shift and he wasn't mentioning her, either. So who was she?
"Okay, who's gonna ask G about this mystery chick cause now I've seen her, too." Warrick said and leaned on the table in David's lab. David looked up at him and said, "Short? Black dreds? Sunglasses?"
"And pin up girl lips? Yeah, that's her alright." Rick answered and nodded. "Pin up girl lips?" Nick said and looked confused. "Red ones." David said and both he and Rick gave each other a look. "I can't believe Greggo wouldn't say anything." Nick said and shook his head.
"She must know our schedules, cause she's always just leaving as one of us is getting there." Rick said. "Maybe not today." David said and smiled. Both Nick and Rick looked to him.
"I have a budget meeting that will get done a good hour before we normally get done. Nothing says I have to come back to the lab after." he said and they both smiled back.
David got off the elevator and headed for Greg's room, noticing the door was open before he even got to it. He glanced in and didn't see anyone but Greg, who was asleep. There was a coffee cup on the table, though and a bag near the chair he didn't recognize.
He heard someone coming down the hall so he ducked into the room and hid in the bathroom just as the voices reached the door.
"We'll call you if there's any need to and you'll be calling to check in?"
"Yes. I wish I could stay, but it was hard enough getting time off as it is." David noted a bit of an accent he couldn't place.
"It's good you could come. Have a safe flight back."
"Thank you."
He heard someone come in the room and looked in the reflection of the bathroom mirror from where he was. It was her. He was about to step out when he watched her lean over and kiss Greg gently. He woke up and looked up at her and smiled. She brushed his hair back and said, "Hey." and smiled down at him with a look of such love on her face it made David stop.
"You're leaving aren't you?" Greg whispered and frowned.
"Honey, I have to get back. If I could stay longer I would, you know that." she said and he nodded. "I know, but I still wish you could stay. I miss you." he said and David watched as her face twisted a little and he noticed tears coming down her cheeks.
"I miss you, too. So very much. You scared the hell out of me...don't ever do something like this again. You feel the need to get your ass kicked you call me, I'll come do it. No need for strangers to be messing up this pretty face." she said and stroked his cheek and he laughed.
"I love you, Voodoo Queen." Greg said and she leaned down and kissed his forehead, then smiled. "I love you, too, Surfer Boy. Call me when you're out of here. You can always come to mine for awhile if you need to." she said and he nodded.
She leaned down and rubber their noses together, making him giggle, then picked up her bag and left the room. Greg immediately rolled away and closed his eyes.
David slipped out and ran down the hall, trying to catch her. He got to the elevator just as it started to close. But enough time for him to see a pair of sapphire blue eyes looking at him over the top of her sunglasses with a smile that made him stop in his tracks.
"Take care of him for me." she said and winked at him just as the door shut.
For a second he thought about taking the stairs, but he knew he'd never make it. He also knew just from the look she'd given him that she knew he'd been there the whole time.
"Come on, Greg - who is she?" Rick asked as they'd gathered around his bed. He shook his head and took another drink of coffee. "Just an old friend. I can't say any more, please? She's got kind of a high pressure job, she wasn't even supposed to be here. She could get in a lot of trouble so just pretend it never happened. Please, guys?" he said.
They all frowned, but finally nodded and Greg relaxed. "Thank you. Really." he said and Nick smiled making Greg's face light up. "No problem, Greggo - we got your back." he said.
David sighed and stirred his coffee. "Something interesting finally happens around here and we have to forget about it. Figures." he said, still remembering those eyes looking at him. "Hey, don't give up hope, Hodges. She may come for a real visit sometime and you'll get to see her again." Greg said and laughed when David just rolled his eyes at him.
"Well, at least that explains the tattoo." Sarah said and gave Greg a knowing grin. "Tattoo? You have a tattoo?" Nick said, looking shocked. "Thank you, Sarah." Greg said and gave her a look.
"When did you see his tattoo?" Warrick asked and tried not to laugh. "The decontamination shower." Sarah said and laughed. "Okay, come on...let's see it." Catherine said and Greg blushed. The he sighed, knowing he wasn't getting out of it.
Greg rolled over on his side and very carefully moved the sheet to show the lower top of his right hip. They all leaned in to look at the tattoo. It wasn't very big, only about 3 by 3. It was a top hat with roses and a Queen of Hearts playing card tucked into the band. Written around it in scrolled lettering were the words, "Voodoo Queen".
"It's beautiful." Catherine finally said and smiled at him. Greg covered back up and smiled back. "She has one for me, too." he said. "Surfer Boy." David said and Greg nodded.
"Seems pretty serious, getting tatts like that." Warrick said and raised an eyebrow at him. Greg just laughed.
"No, it's not like that - we tried that - huge disaster - HUGE, wound up in the ER and kicked out of our dorm within a week." he said and Warrick laughed while Nick just looked scared.
"Wow...there's a story we need to hear." Sara said and grinned. Greg just shook his head and yawned. "Can't tell it. We promised it would be our mystery." he said.
"I think someone needs his rest." Catherine said and stood up. They all said their good byes and filtered out of his room.
"Hey Hodges." Greg said and David turned at the door. "Don't worry, I won't forget your precious coffee tomorrow." he said and sighed. Greg just smiled and said, "That wasn't it, but be sure you don't."
"Then what, pray tell? I need sleep." he said and frowned. Greg just grinned and said, "She likes your eyes." Then he rolled over and closed his eyes to go to sleep.
"What? Who?" David asked and stepped back in the room. Greg didn't turn back, just raised a hand and waved him away as David realized who he was talking about. He allowed himself a bit of a smirk and then left the room.
"Never let it be said I don't make an impression." he said to himself as he walked down the hall with a smile.