AN: Last chapter. The structure will make sense.
------------------
1 Year Later.
------------------
---------------------------
It's weird….
…The way the mind works.
One day it can cope, the next day; it's overwhelmed. And it's the little things that push you over the edge. Because the little things add up. A word…a look…something that makes you feel that life is pointless….
---------------------------
It was disconcerting watching Grissom go in for his operation. It seemed to aggravate the teams emotions, they were suddenly very aware that just because one bad thing is happening, it doesn't mean another can't coincide with it.
The operation was a success.
It was hard to watch someone being 'fixed' and knowing that could never happen for you.
But he was glad Grissom was back; hearing intact. After the operation Grissom seemed more reluctant to talk to him. Before they frequently had conversations – usually dwelling on there conditions.
------ "Greg" ------
But they…couldn't now. Grissom was 'better' – he no longer had the same fear that Greg did – that he'd eventually be forced to quit.
…. He wouldn't have minded talking about anything.
But that was the problem with Grissom. No room for small talk.
He didn't really 'talk' either. He 'conversed.' His words were full of pragmatics, metaphors, and other general literary confusion.
But it was nice to talk to someone. Someone who wasn't constantly insisting 'everything's going to be alright,' without the courage to back the statement.
Warrick was ok. He'd been different since Nick left; he took himself more seriously. Greg guessed it was not just because they were close friends; but when Nick was around, he could mess around; just be a guy.
------ "Greg?" ------
--- Greg swore he had heard his name called – twice now. 'It's just the drugs' he thought to himself. ---
Warrick did talk to Greg about his condition – well, he tried. When things got to difficult, he seemed to ignore him.
But Greg no longer resented him for that.
Because he did it too.
When things got difficult, with his condition, with anything; he ignored it.
And although he might not want people around him to take the same course of action, it'd be hypocritical to blame them for something he did himself.
Distractions aside, tremors are a difficult thing to ignore. People assume that if you're wrapped up in something – that the tremors don't bother you.
People are wrong.
He still, on occasions, attempted to hide them. Grissom had told him he didn't need to. Greg had rebuked that if he could hide his deafness, he could hide his tremors.
Anyway, he only did it if he felt it would make someone very uncomfortable.
------ "Can you hear me Greg?" ------
---The voice again. It was soft; and sounded far away. ---
---The voice could wait. ---
Nick had sent him a post card the other day.
He actually apologised for leaving him. He didn't realise what he was doing until he'd gone. And he really believed that he needed to get away from it all.
He'd planned to go across Europe, but had stopped as soon as he got to Spain.
He met a girl. And from what'd he'd written, it sounded like he was going to settle down with her.
'About time' Catherine had commented earlier, when he showed the other CSI's the card.
Grissom had objected to the postcard being placed on the notice board – because of the front image - he said it would constitute as sexual harassment.
Catherine said she'd worn less as an exotic dancer.
Catherine; well, she had become more 'parental' – well that's the word Sara chose. She seemed to constantly want to know how he was, if his symptoms were worse, if he was taking his meds or not…
…He'd found her crying a few times. Not 'crying' in the usual way but in the 'CSI' way –blurry eyes and few tears – no outbursts. She confessed a few things to him; about her own medical problems.
It was hard to see her like that; Catherine always seemed so strong, it was rare to see her in moments of weakness, and it made him feel so helpless.
------ "Greg…Please? Wake up?" ------
He could never believe how supportive Sara had been. She was the only one who seemed to act relatively normal round him…
The thought of her made him smile. She never did tell anyone to his knowledge about the time on the roof.
He was incredibly grateful for that. The last thing he wanted to do was go to a therapist or have Grissom make him take leave.
He felt he needed to be around people.
They met up regularly now – him and Sara - and he knew it wasn't just for his own benefit. She said she enjoyed getting out; she enjoyed being with someone who wouldn't be instantly repelled if she mentioned a case – like all her other friends were.
He enjoyed the way she was always honest and open with him.
Greg could feel the sun warming his face his body, it penetrated his lab coat. Not that he was one for sun; he'd just ended up lying there.
He felt strangely at peace. Whatever happens to you things will carry on.
The lab carried on without Nick well enough. Sure there was some angst about his method of leaving but there are worse ways to leave a job.
He didn't seem so uncomfortable anymore.
People were no longer 'coping' – they were just being themselves.
Sure; he knew that some of them were freaked out by it, especially when the saw the tremors.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he open his eyes to find Sar kneeling over him, staring at him.
"God! Greg, you scared me!" Sara yelled, fear in her eyes.
"I was just resting," He responded, as though it was no big deal.
"Resting? On the roof!" She exclaimed.
Greg straightened up and smiled at her. "You told me you came up here when you needed to do some thinking…and I needed to do some thinking."
"I just…" She began.
"Don't" He responded, predicting her statement.
"Anyway, suns shining, looks like its going to be a beautiful day," Greg said, looking up toward the sky, shielding his eyes from the suns rays.
"Yeah," Sara said, she still sounded worried. She proceeded to sit down next to him.
Greg could hear this worry, "There's no need to worry about me anymore Sara, I'm ok with everything." He said instantly.
She looked away, " Just because you're ok today, doesn't mean you'll be ok tomorrow," she said sadly.
"But I can hope" he said, optimism in his voice.
Sara turned, a confused expression covered her face, which dissipated into a smile.
"I guess," she said positively.
"Bad things happen Sara, but life goes on. Look at Grissom; he got over it. His life's gone on." He said knowledgably.
She smiled at this. Greg always said the most reassuring things. He was the most profound person she knew; even compared to Grissom – because she always understood what Greg was talking about – he made things clearer while still being perceptive.
"Life goes on," she said in agreement, smiling at him.
He smiled in return.
'Life goes on'
---------------------------
It's weird….
…. Although words and expressions can make you feel like life isn't worth living…
… It's amazing how just one smile can make you feel that everything's worthwhile.
---------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fin ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There we go. Final Chapter. As no one wanted me to kill Greg, I didn't. I've left it open.
The response to this story, in my opinion, has been phenomenal. I want to thank all my reviewers; I've been really ill when writing this; and you're reviews always seemed to bring a smile to my face. You guys rock!
An extra thanks to the people who have submitted multiple reviews, and have stuck with reading the story.
- Lithium Shamrock (LIS)
------------------
1 Year Later.
------------------
---------------------------
It's weird….
…The way the mind works.
One day it can cope, the next day; it's overwhelmed. And it's the little things that push you over the edge. Because the little things add up. A word…a look…something that makes you feel that life is pointless….
---------------------------
It was disconcerting watching Grissom go in for his operation. It seemed to aggravate the teams emotions, they were suddenly very aware that just because one bad thing is happening, it doesn't mean another can't coincide with it.
The operation was a success.
It was hard to watch someone being 'fixed' and knowing that could never happen for you.
But he was glad Grissom was back; hearing intact. After the operation Grissom seemed more reluctant to talk to him. Before they frequently had conversations – usually dwelling on there conditions.
------ "Greg" ------
But they…couldn't now. Grissom was 'better' – he no longer had the same fear that Greg did – that he'd eventually be forced to quit.
…. He wouldn't have minded talking about anything.
But that was the problem with Grissom. No room for small talk.
He didn't really 'talk' either. He 'conversed.' His words were full of pragmatics, metaphors, and other general literary confusion.
But it was nice to talk to someone. Someone who wasn't constantly insisting 'everything's going to be alright,' without the courage to back the statement.
Warrick was ok. He'd been different since Nick left; he took himself more seriously. Greg guessed it was not just because they were close friends; but when Nick was around, he could mess around; just be a guy.
------ "Greg?" ------
--- Greg swore he had heard his name called – twice now. 'It's just the drugs' he thought to himself. ---
Warrick did talk to Greg about his condition – well, he tried. When things got to difficult, he seemed to ignore him.
But Greg no longer resented him for that.
Because he did it too.
When things got difficult, with his condition, with anything; he ignored it.
And although he might not want people around him to take the same course of action, it'd be hypocritical to blame them for something he did himself.
Distractions aside, tremors are a difficult thing to ignore. People assume that if you're wrapped up in something – that the tremors don't bother you.
People are wrong.
He still, on occasions, attempted to hide them. Grissom had told him he didn't need to. Greg had rebuked that if he could hide his deafness, he could hide his tremors.
Anyway, he only did it if he felt it would make someone very uncomfortable.
------ "Can you hear me Greg?" ------
---The voice again. It was soft; and sounded far away. ---
---The voice could wait. ---
Nick had sent him a post card the other day.
He actually apologised for leaving him. He didn't realise what he was doing until he'd gone. And he really believed that he needed to get away from it all.
He'd planned to go across Europe, but had stopped as soon as he got to Spain.
He met a girl. And from what'd he'd written, it sounded like he was going to settle down with her.
'About time' Catherine had commented earlier, when he showed the other CSI's the card.
Grissom had objected to the postcard being placed on the notice board – because of the front image - he said it would constitute as sexual harassment.
Catherine said she'd worn less as an exotic dancer.
Catherine; well, she had become more 'parental' – well that's the word Sara chose. She seemed to constantly want to know how he was, if his symptoms were worse, if he was taking his meds or not…
…He'd found her crying a few times. Not 'crying' in the usual way but in the 'CSI' way –blurry eyes and few tears – no outbursts. She confessed a few things to him; about her own medical problems.
It was hard to see her like that; Catherine always seemed so strong, it was rare to see her in moments of weakness, and it made him feel so helpless.
------ "Greg…Please? Wake up?" ------
He could never believe how supportive Sara had been. She was the only one who seemed to act relatively normal round him…
The thought of her made him smile. She never did tell anyone to his knowledge about the time on the roof.
He was incredibly grateful for that. The last thing he wanted to do was go to a therapist or have Grissom make him take leave.
He felt he needed to be around people.
They met up regularly now – him and Sara - and he knew it wasn't just for his own benefit. She said she enjoyed getting out; she enjoyed being with someone who wouldn't be instantly repelled if she mentioned a case – like all her other friends were.
He enjoyed the way she was always honest and open with him.
Greg could feel the sun warming his face his body, it penetrated his lab coat. Not that he was one for sun; he'd just ended up lying there.
He felt strangely at peace. Whatever happens to you things will carry on.
The lab carried on without Nick well enough. Sure there was some angst about his method of leaving but there are worse ways to leave a job.
He didn't seem so uncomfortable anymore.
People were no longer 'coping' – they were just being themselves.
Sure; he knew that some of them were freaked out by it, especially when the saw the tremors.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he open his eyes to find Sar kneeling over him, staring at him.
"God! Greg, you scared me!" Sara yelled, fear in her eyes.
"I was just resting," He responded, as though it was no big deal.
"Resting? On the roof!" She exclaimed.
Greg straightened up and smiled at her. "You told me you came up here when you needed to do some thinking…and I needed to do some thinking."
"I just…" She began.
"Don't" He responded, predicting her statement.
"Anyway, suns shining, looks like its going to be a beautiful day," Greg said, looking up toward the sky, shielding his eyes from the suns rays.
"Yeah," Sara said, she still sounded worried. She proceeded to sit down next to him.
Greg could hear this worry, "There's no need to worry about me anymore Sara, I'm ok with everything." He said instantly.
She looked away, " Just because you're ok today, doesn't mean you'll be ok tomorrow," she said sadly.
"But I can hope" he said, optimism in his voice.
Sara turned, a confused expression covered her face, which dissipated into a smile.
"I guess," she said positively.
"Bad things happen Sara, but life goes on. Look at Grissom; he got over it. His life's gone on." He said knowledgably.
She smiled at this. Greg always said the most reassuring things. He was the most profound person she knew; even compared to Grissom – because she always understood what Greg was talking about – he made things clearer while still being perceptive.
"Life goes on," she said in agreement, smiling at him.
He smiled in return.
'Life goes on'
---------------------------
It's weird….
…. Although words and expressions can make you feel like life isn't worth living…
… It's amazing how just one smile can make you feel that everything's worthwhile.
---------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fin ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There we go. Final Chapter. As no one wanted me to kill Greg, I didn't. I've left it open.
The response to this story, in my opinion, has been phenomenal. I want to thank all my reviewers; I've been really ill when writing this; and you're reviews always seemed to bring a smile to my face. You guys rock!
An extra thanks to the people who have submitted multiple reviews, and have stuck with reading the story.
- Lithium Shamrock (LIS)