Chapter 9

After a couple hours, Greg began to feel tired, and lay down in the dirt. Slowly the rain turned into snowfall and day into night but Greg stayed sat where he was. He saw a figure coming towards him and didn't quite know what to do. The figure was Catherine, and at first she seemed angry, but that anger dissipated as she got closer. Greg could barely focus on what was happening around him. He heard her yelling, and more people arrived. He was vaguely aware of a blanket being wrapped around him,

"Leave me alone!"

He said angrily.

The CSIs were not deterred however, in fact, this made them even more concerned. Greg turned to go to sleep but the CSIs shouted at him. Warrick and Nick helped him up.

"Come on; let's get you to a hospital."

Greg continued to protest until once again he found himself in a hospital bed, gradually being warmed up. _____________________________________________________________________

In the waiting room the CSI's argued.

"Grissom, this is all your fault!"

Catherine stated boldly.

"Catherine calm down, I just thought Greg needed some time alone."

"Yeah alone. In a field- In the cold without a coat on the first day released from the hospital great idea Gil!"

"I assumed he would find his way home- I didn't see you objecting at the time!"

Warrick, Nick and Sara glanced at each other before standing up, interrupting the pair. Sara stood in between them.

"Guys, this isn't helping."

Catherine sighed.

"I know I know, I just- I'm worried about Greg. And not just physically, either."

"We all are Cath"

Nick led her to a chair. But they hadn't seen the look in Greg's eyes when she had found him. The sparkle of light, hope and happiness which always brightened her day had gone out. And the prospect of it never coming back terrified Catherine to the core.

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Greg, fully warmed up and recovered, sat in the hospital bed facing the CSI's, avoiding their stares.

"Greg, what the hell do you think you were doing? You could have died out there!"

Sara broke through the silence.

Greg sighed and looked at the ceiling.

"So."

He said.

"Do you have any idea how guilty and upset we would have been?!"

Sara's voice rose and Nick placed a hand on her arm to remind her to stay calm.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Greg replied quickly, as though it were a natural response. They could see that his anger and upset over the loss of his sister was conflicting with his true nature, causing confusion. Sara calmed down and felt bad for yelling at him.

"I'm sorry Greg, I didn't mean to yell. It's just that we're your friends, we were worried about you."

And then added quietly.

"We are worried about you."

Greg tiredly sat up and got out of bed, to their surprise.

"I want to go home. The nurse dried my clothes, can one of you give me a lift?"

Grissom glanced at the others before saying:

"Uh, Greg you don't have a house to go back to...I've got a spare bedroom, you can stay at mine until you get a new place."

Greg looked even more dejected as Sara offered to go and get the few things that had survived the explosion, and the forms to hand over all of Rachel's things to Greg, the receiver of her will.

"Get changed, I'll wait for you downstairs."

As they shuffled outside to allow Greg to get changed, Sara began to cry. She hated seeing her friend like this. Almost suicidal. She felt hurt for the things Greg had had to go through, she knew the others did too, but she couldn't keep how she felt locked up any longer. Nick put his arms around her and tried to comfort her as best he could. Grissom would have, but he was deep in thought.

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Greg unpacked his things in his temporary bedroom. It didn't take long. He sat down tiredly. There was a knock on the door, and Grissom entered. The expression on his face was one Greg found hard to describe, but when he spoke there was an authority in his voice that Greg was used to from work.

"Tell me about her."

"I don't..."

"No, I mean it. Tell me about her."

The confident tone of Grissom's voice annoyed Greg; how dare he?

"No."

Greg replied, unable to hide his anger.

"I want to know!"

"Well I don't want to tell you, we're not at work now, I don't have to do what you say!"

Greg's voice rose in frustration. Grissom's tone changed to include disappointment.

"I always thought of you as...such an open person Greg."

Greg paused, then said

"You're wrong. Sure I tell you the facts- I tell you what you ask but I never tell you about how I feel, I've never talked to anyone about anything that actually matters."

"Then tell me now."

"I can't!!"

Frustrated and tired, Greg angrily wiped away the tears as he said

"You don't understand."

"Because you won't help me understand. Rachel was my friend too Greg."

Greg shot him a look of pure fury.

"Goddamit she was the only member of my family I cared about- hell the only one left!!! She was more than my sister, she was my best friend and you think after a few days you think you know how I feel?!!!"

Greg was screaming now and Grissom felt guilty, but knew he had to continue now.

"If you were such great friends, then why did she kill herself to get away from you?"

Greg froze.

"...She....she didn't mean to she didn't.....mean....to....."

Greg repeated, finally breaking down. Grissom drew closer to put an arm round his shoulder.

"I know, I'm sorry Greg."

TBC- Thanks to all those of you who have reviewed, {{{{{Reviewers}}}}} And you might want to thank Krazykid197 (Krazy) who's been bugging me for this chapter, I managed to squeeze it in just to shut her up ;)

Krazy- But it's for your own good. Sparky-How? Krazy- Because if you hadn't posted I would have killed Greg. Sparky- You wouldn't. Krazy- I would. Or maybe Harper? *runs away, as a maniacal Sparky, tries to kill her*