Thanks again for the reviews. You guys rock! And before you start throwing things, just remember that it was just as hard for me to write this chapter as it probably is for you to read it. :) So you have fair warning that this chapter may make your stomach turn. Enjoy!
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Sara exited the lab and headed for her car. Just as she was about to unlock the door, she remembered that she had to give Greg a ride home. She pulled out her cell phone and called him. "Hey, Greg, where are you?"
"Not far from you," he replied.
"Really?" she asked, looking around the parking lot.
"Bet you can't find me, Miss Super Crime Scene Investigator," he challenged.
Sara started walking back towards the building. "I'm pretty confident I can find you."
"I'm waiting."
Sara slowly made her way to the corner of the building. She peaked around and saw Greg leaning up against the wall on the side of the building. "What do I get when I find you?"
"The pleasure of my company."
Sara closed her phone and walked around the corner, totally surprising Greg. "I wouldn't say you're company's all that pleasurable."
Greg grabbed at his chest in mock pain. "You're breaking my heart, Sara."
"That'd be a first…I've never broken a guy's heart before," she said sadly, leaning up against the wall next to the young man.
Greg eyed her for a moment. "I don't believe that. I'm sure you've broken plenty of hearts, you just don't know it."
"How 'bout you? How many hearts have you broken?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Sadly, none. I was always the one with the broken heart."
"We're two of a kind, Greggo." She let out a load sigh.
"What's wrong, Sara? You don't look too good."
"Thanks a lot."
"No. I didn't mean it that way, because…damn! You're hot! I just meant that you look, I don't know…depressed or something."
"It's just this case and some other…personal things." She glanced at Greg and gave him a small smile. "Thanks for asking. It's nice to know that someone cares."
Greg turned very serious. He turned to face her, casually leaning his left shoulder against the wall. "I do care, Sara. A lot. I'm always here for you, no matter what."
Sara turned to face him, mirroring his pose. "Someday…some woman is gonna be so lucky to have you."
"Yeah, well, that's someday. You have me now." He looked down shyly.
Sara couldn't help but smile at him. He was quite charming when he was acting this way. He was so adorable that she just wanted to hug him. "You know what I would really like right now, Greg?"
He looked up at her. "What?"
"A hug. I really need a hug."
"Not a problem," he replied. He pushed off the wall and took a step toward her. "You meant from me, right?"
Sara let out a chuckle. "Yeah, from you. Do you see any other fumbling, rookie CSIs around here?"
Greg smiled sweetly at her and tentatively reached out and grasped her waist. He waited a second to see if she would tell him to stop. When he heard no comment from her, he pulled in close and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. She slowly wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid her head on one. Sara wrapped her arms a little tighter, and Greg responded by hugging her a little tighter.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Sara pulled back slightly. Greg flashed her a shy smile and asked, "Was it good for you?"
Sara nodded. "Thank you," she said as she kissed him on the cheek. She started to pull back, but instead she leaned in and brushed her lips over Greg's. He was once again shocked that she had kissed him. Shock soon morphed into pleasure as she continued to kiss him. He gave into the moment thinking again that this had to be some kind of fluke. Sara Sidle would never willingly kiss him on two separate occasions. He was exhilarated by the feel of her tongue—little tingles of pleasure coursed through his body. His hands had a mind of their own as they started to explore her back. Sara slowly ran a hand up his neck and into his hair, an action that resulted in a soft moan escaping Greg's lips. Totally forgetting where or who they were, one of Greg's hands slid under the hem of Sara's shirt and slid along the waistband of her jeans. Sara pulled him closer, before suddenly breaking off the kiss. She rested her forehead against Greg's as she tried to catch her breath.
"Uh…I think I should take you home," she said, trying to regain her composure.
"Damn, Sara!" Greg breathed out. "I haven't even bought you dinner yet."
Sara pushed him back a little. "I meant, I should drop you off at your home and then go home myself."
"You're no fun," he pouted.
Sara took a step back from Greg and smoothed down her clothes. "I think we've had enough fun for one day." She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him towards her car. "Come on, Rook."
Sara and Greg thought that they were hidden, being on the side of the building, but they were sorely mistaken. Not more than a hundred feet away, Warrick Brown stood in open-mouthed shock at what he had just witnessed. Next to him, Conrad Ecklie's face had taken on an evil sneer.
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"Hey, Grissom, do you have a minute?"
Grissom looked up from the microscope and at Warrick. "Sure. What do you need?"
Warrick took a step into the room and in a low voice replied, "I need to speak with you in private."
"Okay," Grissom said, clearly confused. "Let's go to my office."
Warrick followed Grissom to his office. Grissom held to door open for him and then closed it. He took his seat behind his desk and looked at Warrick expectantly. Warrick sat down across from Grissom, looking like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He hadn't looked Grissom in the eye since they had entered the office and Grissom was starting to get an uneasy feeling.
Warrick finally looked up into Grissom's eyes and Grissom was surprised to see the conflict going on in the young man's eyes. "I don't know how to tell you this, Grissom. And I really wish I didn't have to…"
"Whatever it is, Warrick, just tell me," Grissom quietly said. "Is it your gambling…" he trailed off when he saw Warrick shaking his head sadly.
"Nah. It has nothing to do with me. I'm good."
"You're starting to make me anxious, Warrick."
"I kinda saw something…and it's not really that big of a deal…but it could be a big deal…and I just-"
"Warrick, please, just say whatever it is you're trying to say," Grissom pleaded, feeling a strange sense of dread.
"Well, you see…the problem is…I'm not the only one who saw what I saw. Ecklie saw it too. And damn! Grissom, I'm so sorry."
Grissom was now very serious. "What did you see, Warrick?"
"I saw Sara…"
Grissom's heart was starting to sink. His mind was running through all the bad things that Sara could have possibly done that would have Warrick this twisted up.
Warrick cleared his throat. "I saw Sara and Greg…"
Greg? Grissom thought, confused. What did Sara and Greg do?
"…They were kind of in a personal situation…and I saw it and Ecklie saw it. And he got like some sense of evil delight at the sight. I could practically hear the plot forming in his head. I think he's gonna try to fire her or something."
Grissom almost had to pick his jaw up off his desk. He was in such a state of shock. Finally finding his voice he said, "Explain 'personal situation'."
"They were kissing…kinda passionately." Warrick saw the look in Grissom's eyes and averted his eyes to the floor and let out a little groan. "I didn't want to have to tell you this, but I figured you deserved the head's up…especially if Ecklie is gonna go after Sara."
Looking down at his desk, Grissom, in a quiet voice, said, "Thank you, Warrick. I appreciate the head's up."
Warrick stood and made his way to the door. He turned back to Grissom before he opened it. "Let me know when you want Ecklie taken out…I know a few people," he joked, trying to lighten the mood a little. His attempt failed.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Warrick gave one last look at the seemingly defeated Grissom before slipping out of the office quietly. He walked down the hallway staring at the floor. The usual swagger was gone from his walk. What in the hell is Sara thinking? he kept asking himself as he continued to walk.