Angels Among Us - Greg

Greg sighed. He had so much to process in 5 hours before shift was over. Samples from a car accident, a shooting and a suicide. He sighed again and began to work. About 4 hours into the work, he was almost done. He looked at what he had left. The suicide. He looked around the lab. No one. He looked into the hallway. No one. He looked down at his wrists. Scars. Scars from his past that no one knew about. He wasn't always happy peppy Greg Sanders. He once was a statistic. One of those, depressed teens who tried to kill themselves. He sighed and began to work. By hour five he had finished. Grissom walked into the lab.

"Results?" Grissom asked.

Greg jumped. "Uh, yeah. Here you go. You should really pay me for doing the other labs work."

"You ok Greg. You seem jumpy." Grissom said taking the results from Greg.

"I've just been thinking about things." Greg said putting a fake smile on. "Just thinking."

"About the explosion?" Grissom asked.

Greg sighed. "Yes and No. Mostly about when I was younger."

"Right. If you need to talk to me. My door is open to you. You know that." Grissom said heading towards the door.

"I know Griss. Tonight is my night off right?" Greg asked looking at Grissom's back.

"Yes it is." Grissom said. "See you Tuesday. Go home. Shifts over."

"Right. I'll see you Tuesday Griss." Greg said walking past him and going to the locker room.

He got his coat and looked in the mirror. He had asked for the day off. It was the anniversary of him trying to kill himself. He just stood there looking in the mirror for a moment. The scar on his right cheek was barley visible now. He sighed and walked out to his car. He got in and started to drive. He had already packed his bags. He decided to take a short vacation. He would go down to Phoenix and just hang out in a hotel. He did this every year. He smiled as he reached the Arizona border. Later that day Greg pulled into the hotel where he stayed every year. Same room. He smiled and laid down on the bed. He took out his cell phone from his pocket and went to sleep. A few hours later he awoke to his cellphone ringing. He grumbled and answered it.

"Greg Sanders, What do you want?" He asked sleepily.

"Greg, it's Nick. Where are you? I've been outside your place for an hour!" Nick asked almost frantic.

"Oh. That's right. The movie. I'm sorry. I'm on a mini vacation." Greg yawned sitting up on the bed.

"Uh, where?" Nick asked.

"Arizona. I'll be back Tuesday." Greg said sighing.

"Why?" Nick asked.

"Just because. Just to be alone. Get out of Vegas." Greg yawned. He didn't want to explain himself over the phone.

"Right. See you Tuesday. Next time you leave town. Tell someone." Nick said.

"I'm sorry Nick. I'll call you when I get back to Vegas. Bye Nick." Greg said and snapped his phone shut. Greg yawned and went back to sleep. He slept for 20 hours. Woke up the next day. He sat up and sighed. It was the 12 year anniversary of the event. He got up and opened the window. It was a beautiful day. He smiled.

~~~~~~~~~

That night Greg went out to a nice restaurant. He went out and just celebrated life. When he returned to the hotel. He stopped to think about that nights when he was 16. Leading up to that night and the days after his attempt on his life.

~~~~~~~ Greg was working on something for chemistry when he heard something coming from the kitchen. He thought it was just his mom working on dinner. He kept working and he heard a loud bang and a loud crash. He stalled for a minute. 'Maybe she dropped a pan.' he thought. He kept working. About an hour later he left his room. He went into the kitchen. He found his mom dead. He stopped in his tracks. There was a panel of glass missing. He mother had been shot. He stood there. He called 911.

He was automatically put into the child services system. That first night in the first house was awful. He decided their was only one way out of the system. Kill himself. He was left alone the second night. He went into the kitchen and got a knife. He sat at the kitchen table and said a silent prayer and slashed his wrists. He laid his head on the table and thought 'I'll see you soon Mom.' He passed out shortly after that.

He woke up in a hospital room. He was alive. His social worker was asleep in the chair next to him. He sighed. Alive. Why? Why was he still here on Earth and not with his mother. The social worker woke up and explained what had happened. The family had found Greg after he had done what he had done. They went out to get him a surprise. Greg sighed

"Do they still want me?" He asked to the social worker.

"Yes Greg they do. They just want to know why." The social worker said.

Greg explained himself. After he was released from the hospital the family adopted him.

~~~~~~ Greg was brought back to reality when there was a knock on his door.

"Who is it?!" Greg yelled getting up.

"Room Service." A familiar voice said through the door.

"I didn't order food service." Greg said rolling his eyes and opening the door. It was Nick. "How in the hell did you find me?"

"Your cell phone company has tracking on it." Nick smirked. "I just made some calls."

"Right. Now. Go home." Greg said pointing down the hall.

"No. I want to know why you are here." Nick said pushing into the room. Greg sighed.

"Its the anniversary of something." Greg said following Nick in.

"Of what?" Nick asked.

"Of when I tried to kill myself." Greg said softly sitting on his bed.

Nick looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because, I don't need people thinking my crazy, or suicidal, or have people feeling sorry for me." Greg snapped jumping up. "Get out. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Fine. Fine." Nick said as Greg pushed him out the room. Greg slammed the door behind Nick and locker it.

~~~~~~~~

Greg came into work the next night. He went straight to Grissom's office. He sighed.

"Yes Greg?" Grissom asked looking up. Grissom knew Greg's sigh.

"Just saying I'm back. And better." Greg smiled.

"Right. And Greg?" Grissom said as Greg turned to leave.

"What?" Greg asked turning around.

"Don't be afraid to talk to me." Grissom said.

"I'm not." Greg said he walked back into the hallway. This was his element. The lab.