Enjoy ;)

Distaste

(2)

Sara took a deep breath of the hot, humid air that had consumed Las Vegas clinging to every inch of the buildings that surrounded her. It felt strange being back after spending some time away trapped in what seemed like a different world with her husband. The absence of her phone ringing had been surreal as the sound of silence would slowly sink in as the morning light appeared as a sign of the start of the day. As the night spread out across the sky, the stars appearing through the dense clouds everything became very real. It was back to getting on with life.

Making her way across the parking lot Sara studied the people around her, lost in the tasks they needed to carry out, rushing to and from their cars. Chills settled in her system as she walked through the doors into the air conditioned building the sound of her steps suddenly becoming louder than before resounding through her ears and off the walls.

"Sara..." Judy watched her carefully a slight look of shock crossing her features as she passed the front desk.

"Hey Judy...Nice to see you" Sara smiled. "Has it really been that long I've been away?" Her husky laugh filled the hall way as she made her way towards the break room. For a split second it felt as if everyone's eyes were on her but Sara brushed it aside. Perhaps no one had expected her to come back after spending time with her husband. Why would anyone want to come back here while knowing they had a way out?

Sitting down at the break room table Sara took a deep breath realising that they would never know what it was like sitting around realising there was nothing you were doing but being by someone's side. She needed to be here. She needed to be doing something because she'd have been going insane without work.

"Sara" Hodges appeared at the door with an overly pleasant smile. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well thank you" She nodded turning her attention back to her phone hoping that he would go away.

"Have you checked your emails recently?" He asked nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"No..." Sara shook her head meeting his eyes. "Grissom and I had some quality time together, without phones...computers..."

"You may...want to check them..." Hodges told her turning to leave the break room. Sara frowned opening her emails on her phone wondering what it was that he wanted her to see. It seemed like the usual types of messages- junk, mail from Ecklie about changes in the lab and updates from PD. The only one that seemed out of place was from Archie.

Sara clicked on it leaning back in her chair wondering what the video was and better yet if it was something she actually wanted to see. As Sara glanced up she caught Hodges's eye as he watched her from his lab the simple action forcing her to press play.

As the image on the screen became clear Sara could feel her heart sink. The candles were ones she had bought. The bodies tangled together were her and Greg. She switched the video off taking a deep breath trying to figure out how this had happened. Tears stung her eyes as a sense of panic and dread consumed her. Pulling herself to her feet she stormed into the hallway not being able to stop the tears as they made their way past her eyelashes.

"Sara..." Greg appeared in front of her but it didn't help. Her stomach tied up into knots as he approached her- the smell of his cologne overwhelming every one of her senses. "Sara, please, listen to me"

"Get away from me Greg..." Sara shook her head but it didn't deter him as he moved closer to her. "Don't touch me"

"Sara...Please... I'm sorry" He pleaded with her to listen but Sara took another step back her hands held up indicating for him not to move any further.

"Sorry isn't not going to take it back Greg, how could you be so careless?!" Sara shouted drawing attention from people in the various labs nearby. It was as if everything has stopped as their colleagues watched them argue.

"It... It had a password on it... I was careful..." He shook his head.

"Careful! How can you say you were careful! It shouldn't have existed in the first place!" She exclaimed- her hands curled up into fists as she stood staring him down.

"It... You said it was okay... for me to film" But Sara cut him down quickly.

"Okay! You think this is 'Okay'? Did I tell you it was OKAY to share it around the lab with all your buddies? Did I give you permission to humiliate me?" The words came out in a rush.

"Sara I didn't mean for this to happen... I left... my phone in the break room and... Some people got a hold of it... that... that video wasn't meant to go past anyone... it was for me... and I made a mistake... but I didn't expect anyone to hack my phone..." Greg attempted to calm her down but it didn't seem to work.

"Then you're a bigger fool than I thought Greg. A selfish, self-centred fool and I want you to stay away from me." Sara spat at him.

"Sara I love you... Don't do this..." He was begging her not to walk away but the look in his eye only seemed to enrage her more.

"Love; I've been humiliated in front of all our friends, I've lost the respect of all our colleagues...I'll probably lose my husband...and I'm supposed to be ok with that because you LOVE me?!"

"You don't want to be with him anyway" He stated in a defeated voice.

"Is that what this is? You did this to make me choose? Are you crazy?!" Sara shook her head in disbelief.

"No... No I didn't... But if it makes you realise... then it can't be a bad thing... everyone will get over it... they'll forget it even happened in a bit... but I'm not going to leave you Sara..."

"It can't be a bad thing? Maybe not for you Greg- it's a big badge of honour for guys isn't it- proof that you got your leg over. They'll all pat you on the back and laugh about it in the bar... bet you had a great time declaring your masculinity didn't you? Did you have fun telling everyone that you got a married woman into your bed? Well let me tell you what it's like for a woman... Even if I manage to convince my husband it was a one off he won't look at me the same way ever again. All the men in the lab will think I'm 'easy', all the women will think I'm a slut... all the respect I have worked so hard to gain over the years in this lab is gone. Just like that. They're not going to care how many cases I closed. They aren't going to see the hours I work. Or how lonely it is when you're husband on the other side of the world. They are just going to see the woman that cheated on her husband and let some guy film her having sex with him. So no, it's not going to blow over Greg and you may not leave me but I sure as hell am leaving you" And with that Sara turned and walked away leaving Greg reeling watching the space she had been occupying.

The smell of whiskey was starting to feel like home. Sara took another mouthful enjoy the way the liquid and ice rattled against her mouth the burning and stinging sensation as it slid down her throat. The bar tender reluctantly placed another glass down in front of her.

"Are you sure you want another?" the bar tender asked anxiously.

"I'm sure" Sara replied her fingers curling out the tumbler throwing the liquid back in one go. "Now I'm done" She placed the money on the bar stumbling towards the door realising that she didn't know where she was going to go. Glancing at her phone she was faced with all the calls that Greg had placed. Drunkenly slurring his address to the cab driver she settled into the seat the anger slowing building up once again as she realised that the earth wasn't going to do her a favour and swallow her up before tomorrow. She would have to face everyone again.

Greg's house stood in front of her and wanting revenge seemed to consume her. It would have been best to blame it on the alcohol but as Sara picked up the spade left in the garden she didn't care why she just needed to do it. The sound of the windshield cracking beneath the spade made an odd sense of satisfaction. The headlights went next, the glass spreading across the ground in a mess the alarm kicking in, a piercing noise filling the air but it did not distract Sara from her assault.

It was a new car. Greg had spent the past few weeks making sure everyone in the lab had seen it; constantly chattering about driving everyone up the wall.

"Sara what are you doing" Greg appeared on the top step in nothing but his boxers.

"What does it look like?" She shouted before hitting the bonnet once more. "And since you like showing stuff off so much- how about this?"

The sound of the sirens collided with the car alarm in a symphony of chaos as Sara continued to dent the vehicle. Vartann stepped onto the drive way, slowly approaching her fearing that she would turn the spade on him next.

"Sara...I know you're angry but please put the spade down" He attempted to sooth her.

"Angry doesn't cover it" She growled kicking the tire before throwing the spade aside. "We're done Greg" She shouted in his direction.

"Come here" Vartann pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed into his shirt. Greg stood helplessly by the front door not knowing what to do or what to say.