Thank you all for reading- hope you like this chapter- please review.

Walking on Ashes

(Four)

Taking a deep breath Sara pushed past him as Greg stood his hands limply at his sides his mind barely registering what he had done. It was the sound of her slamming the door to the spare bedroom that seemed to drag his unwilling conscious back to reality. Greg quickly followed her, hearing the sound of the door locking.

"Sara open the door" He shouted standing outside- sobering up all of a sudden it was as if the alcohol had evaporated from his body leaving him nothing but exhausted and dehydrated.

"Just go Greg" Sara leant her back against the door, sinking to the floor in tears, bringing her knees to her chest as she attempted to ignore his pleas for her to talk to him.

"Please...Sara I'm so sorry...Please...talk to me" Greg continued and from the sound of his voice floating in the air that surrounded her. The sound of his fist colliding with the door made her jump, but she refused to move.

Like she had done as a child- Sara emptied her mind letting it wander to memories and places that let her escape- and a time when Greg hadn't become everything he promised he would never be.

He stilled realising that this was not something that they would just be able to fix- this time he had gone too far and he was going to lose Sara because of it. With a deep breath he took a step back returning to their bedroom collapsing on the bed, his eyes focused on the ceiling- he wasn't going to be able to sleep- not tonight.

The sounds of her heels clicking seemed to be drawing more attention than she had ever wanted to, as Sara made her way to the break room. It felt as if everyone was starting at her; at the deep purple bruises that had appeared on her cheek, jaw and neck; the placement of Greg's hands more than clear for the world to see. She had left the house early that morning- making sure Greg was still asleep. Sara realised that she didn't want to see him- see how broken he was- because it would only drag them one step back.

"Sara..." She quickly walked past Hodges as he tried to stop her, ignoring his attempts at conversation. She didn't want to talk. She just wanted to be left alone.

After all of these years in law enforcement, after those years as a child in a house like that, she should have been able to see this coming- Greg's violence should have been more than predictable. But somehow she had been caught out. Love had overridden every part of her that wanted self preservation. And here she was again- a victim- and if Sara was honest with herself she felt ashamed. She should have known better.

"Sara...Slow down..." A familiar low voice was followed by someone's hands on her, stopping her in her tracks. Sara glanced up to meet Brass's eye his expression displaying a mix of anger and disappointment she had gotten used to.

"Come with me" without giving her a choice he led Sara to his office, wrapping his arms firmly around her shoulders pulling her against him. She kept her eyes focused on the floor refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

Once they were inside, Brass lowered the blinds silently telling the officers that were lingering outside the door hoping to get a chance to see what everyone had been talking about to leave before he had to have a word with them. Sara stood awkwardly in the centre of the room her arms wrapped around herself.

She couldn't comfortable- she didn't feel like herself. Brass slowly approached her, tilting her chin up looking at her injuries in the light but still Sara refused to meet his eye.

"He did this, didn't he?" Brass asked taking a step back.

"He was drunk-"Sara began but realised there was no point; she couldn't, she wouldn't, defend him. Taking a deep breath she replied. "Yes"

"Have you been to hospital?" He spoke in a low voice not wanting to frighten her. Sara simply just shook her head.

"I'll take you..." Brass turned to grab his car key's from his desk.

"I don't want to" she shook her head, taking a step back as if the suggestion physically hurt her.

"Sara you can't let him get away with this. He'll do it again" He persisted.

"I know. I know he will" Sara tightened her grip on her jacket.

"You need to leave...now...while you still can" Brass pointed out, realising how hard this was for Sara.

"He'll be there...I don't want to go back..." Sara shook her head even though she knew that it was ridiculous- it was her house- she would have to return at some stage even if it was just to get her things.

"I'll come with you..." He offered.

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking- I'm telling you- I'll take you and you can get your things. Do you have anywhere you can stay?" Brass asked realising that, more than anything, Sara needed support.

"No...I can stay at a hotel- its fine" She shrugged.

"You can stay with me" The tone of his voice suggesting that he was telling her rather than offering. A part of her mind scrambled to find an argument worthy to explain why she couldn't but her exhausted body had given up the will to fight. Without a word she let him lead her to his car silencing her unwilling mind as she realised that it was time to let go of the very thing she had been scared to lose.

From the outside the house liked as peaceful as every other in the neighbourhood; the grass was just as green, the roses had done just as well but the darkness in the windows hid secrets that she had wished to keep. Glancing back nervously at Brass she opened the door, looking into the house listening out for any sound of life.

The only thing that appeared different were the suitcases that were at the bottom of the stair case, from the door they could see Greg sitting at the kitchen table his hands clasped together. He looked up at them; his eyes red rimmed, his expression displaying nothing but exhaustion.

"Sara..." He pulled himself up making his way towards her but Brass stepped in way observing clearly the way she had jumped away from him. "Please...talk to me..."

"She's got nothing to say to you" The older man said sternly, warning Greg that the best thing would be for him to step away.

"I'm sorry...I never meant to your hurt you..." He was pleading for her to listen but Sara kept her eyes focused on the ground not being able to force herself to look him in the eye. The words he was saying only reminding her of a time she had wished to disappear, to escape.

"You're lucky she's not pressing charges- back off" Again the sound of Brass's gruff voice warned him of the consequences. With a deep breath Greg took a step back attempting to word all of the things he needed to say to her.

"I'm leaving..." He announced unceremoniously indicating to the bags at the foot of the stairs. "I'm going to get help...I'm going to get better...Sara I'm so sorry for everything I've done, everything that's happened..."

"I know" Her voice was quiet as it registered in her mind that this was it- it was over.

"I love you..." He said watching her realising that he had never wanted to be this person; he had never wanted to scare Sara. She met his eye for the first time since entering the house nodding not being able to say the words back.

Greg picked up his bags, stepping past them both glancing back one last time before he walked out of the front door leaving Sara and Brass standing in silence. Her heart leaped into her throat as she crumpled against the wall a shaky breath escaping her lips. Sara realised that a part of her felt relief while her heart missed Greg already.

"Hey...it's going to be okay...he's gone now..." Brass mattered attempting to sooth her, placing a hand carefully on her arm. Sara nodded her voice caught in her throat as she attempted to agree that this was a good thing- that it was for best.

But as the weeks without Greg passed Sara couldn't stop thinking about the small things that she loved about him; the way he smiled at her, brought her flowers after a bad day at work, made her breakfast in bed when she was sick. The way he had always promised he loved her more than anything else- wearing his heart on his sleeve from the moment he'd met her.

It wasn't the same without him.

As she walked through the precinct it felt as if everyone's eyes were on her- no one had forgotten the bruises, the marks that Greg had left before he disappeared. Sara could see the sympathy in their eyes as she watched her. The pity in their expression as she twisted the ring he had given her around her finger was there to remind her that Greg had left her for a reason.

"Have you heard from Greg?" Brass asked he handed Sara the file for that day.

"No" She replied shortly. A part of her was worried about him, as she walked through the door to an empty house she would wonder where he was, what he was doing, if things had finally worked out for the better.

"You sound disappointed" He pointed out watching as she pretended to study the words in front of her.

"Things aren't the same without him..." Sara shrugged trying to ignore the judgement in Brass's gaze.

It had been the first time since Greg had left she'd admitted out loud that she missed him.