When Two Worlds Collide Chapter 4

Pairing: Greg/OC
Rating: K+

Spoilers: none
Disclaimer: None of this is true. And I own none of the characters. Not one of them.


The Moment

It was the evening before Greg's 30th birthday and he sighed as he switched off his car engine in the lab car park. He had tried to avoid working that night; he knew most of his colleagues would try to make a big deal out of the milestone. But he was needed so he had no choice but to be at work. He sighed again as he locked his car door and wondered what his colleagues had up their sleeves. He had caught Sara and Connie whispering conspiratorially in a corner of the break room the previous night. They were clearly plotting something; Sara never got close enough to people to be whispering like that. Or maybe his 'English Rose' had managed to melt Sara's sometimes icy façade. Either way, his two favourite girls were planning something, and he had a sneaky suspicion he was at the centre of it.

He took a deep breath before walking into the break room, and breathed a sigh of relief as he took in the lack of banners, balloons or anything else birthday related. What Greg did find was Nick pouring a cup of coffee. "Hey birthday boy!" Nick teased, "Want a cup of coffee to celebrate your last few hours of being 29?"

"Do you ever get sick of teasing me huh Nick?" Greg asked. Nick smiled, placed his arm around the younger man's shoulders and patted his arm. "But G, you're so easy to tease man!" Greg hung his head. He could not believe he had let Nick get one over on him again; he was being far too sensitive about the whole birthday thing.

Greg turned as Sara and Connie entered the room chatting, they both made a bee line for the birthday boy. "Hey Greg. Did you see a cat out in the car park?" Sara asked. "It leapt out from under your car looking scared and scratched Connie's arm when she tried to comfort it."
"Look." Said Connie, as she pushed her scratched arm in front of Greg's face. "Aw, it looks sore." Mumbled Greg as his long fingers delicately took hold of Connie's arm, pulling it closer to his face to examine the injuries in more detail. He gently ran his thumb over the largest scratch on Connie's arm and she hissed in pain. "I'm sorry Connie." Greg whispered, before looking into her pained hazel eyes. Before Greg knew what he was doing, he tenderly pulled Connie's arm to his lips and gently kissed her arm. He flushed as he realised what he had done, and instantly regretted it, half expecting Connie to pull her arm out of his grasp. He reluctantly looked up, expecting to see an angry expression spoiling Connie's delicate face, and was pleasantly surprised to see a smile on her face. Connie leant in towards Greg, her arm still in his warm hold, and whispered in his ear "Thank you sweetie." Before pulling her face back far enough to plant a gentle kiss upon his cheek. Greg's face flushed even more as he became acutely aware of the fact that the rest of the team were all staring at the scene unfolding between him and Connie. As Grissom cleared his throat and began to discuss that evening's assignments, Greg gently released Connie's arm, but could still feel the weight and texture of it on his hands, as well as the tingling on his face where Connie's lips had briefly met his bare skin. This was turning out to be a good start to his birthday.