Precious Things by SLynn
Spoilers: Up to 'Nesting Dolls'
Rating: R for violence and disturbing content.
Disclaimer: Not mine – well, some are mine, just not the ones you recognize.
Chapter 15: Shouldering
Sara found Greg right where they'd said he'd be, in the computer lab with Archie. She wasted no time extending the invitation to both of them. Having gotten no where, or no where significant, they both agreed. Locking everything down they headed back with her to the break room.
Politely as she could, Sara asked Archie to excuse them both and that they'd meet everyone in a few minutes.
Once it was just the two of them Sara again wasted no time.
"What happened with you and Catherine?" she asked in as much of a whisper as she could manage.
Greg shut his eyes and shook his head. This was exactly what he'd wanted to avoid. The fight was between him and Catherine and if Sara knew the details she'd be livid. Sara detested anyone calling into question her ability to do the job.
"It was nothing. I probably owe her an apology, but really it wasn't anything major."
"Warrick didn't make it sound like that."
"It was nothing," Greg repeated. "Really, I can handle it."
"Okay," Sara relented as they moved to join everyone else in the break room.
They'd just made it to the door as everyone began to trickle out.
"We're going to P.F. Chang's in Henderson," Nick said to them, Amy and he both stopping in the hall.
"How many?" Sara asked.
"Eleven," Archie said with a smile shutting his cell phone, "my girlfriend's joining us."
"I thought she was imaginary," Greg said smiling at him.
Archie smiled back but said nothing more, just kept walking.
"Make it twelve," Warrick said stopping as well. "Cath is bringing Lindsey along."
"I'll see you guys there," Charlie said on his way out the door.
Greg did a mental calculation.
"Wait," he said shaking his head, "I only count ten."
"Grissom's coming," Nick added.
"Okay, still not twelve."
Nick didn't answer this time, just looked to Amy who had an odd smile on her face.
"Oh don't tell me," Greg said shaking his head at her.
"I'm sorry," Amy pleaded, "I couldn't not invite him. He came into the room when we were talking about it. It would have been rude. You don't have to sit by him. You don't even have to talk to him."
Greg didn't say any more, just gave her one more look before they all turned to go. Like it wasn't going to be weird enough with Catherine there after this afternoon, but now he had Hodges to contend with as well.
It hadn't taken too long to get a table big enough for their party, partially because Warrick had shown some foresight and called ahead. Still, it was lucky. Saturday night was a busy one in Vegas but they were at the restaurant just before the evening dinner rush began.
This was a rare thing on many levels.
For once they weren't having take-out at the lab. They weren't eating at the little diner for breakfast. And they weren't discussing work. This was really a casual dinner with friends and it was a nice change.
And as afraid as Greg was that it was going to be terribly awkward, it wasn't. Catherine seemed ready to forget they'd even fought, which was nice. And Hodges, well he wasn't about to make the first crack at him in front of Grissom and Greg wasn't going to give him the opportunity by starting it himself. Instead both men had to be happy with the occasional wince at the sound of the other man's voice.
Archie's girlfriend was indeed real and her name was Danielle. Her and Amy were roughly the same age and talked animatedly throughout dinner.
Charlie really was a nice guy. He'd seemed a bit taken back upon learning that Greg and Sara were engaged, but wished them luck and asked when the wedding was. Nearly everyone at the table had laughed. Well, everyone but Greg and Sara.
"You might want to try asking them something they can answer," Warrick said to him in return.
"We haven't set a date," Sara said with a very forced smile and an evil glare in Warrick's direction.
"I think Nick and Amy are going to get married before the two of you do," Archie said and again, everyone laughed. This time the exception wasn't just Greg and Sara though, Nick and Amy both looked a little mortified.
"Ow," Archie said loudly, "who kicked me?"
"I did," Amy said with a glare of her own.
"Actually," Danielle spoke up, "I think you kicked me."
"Oh," Amy returned with a blush, "I'm sorry. I was aiming for your boyfriend."
"It's alright. I'll talk to him about it later," she said with a smile.
"Thanks."
Archie started to ask who it was that did kick him if it wasn't Amy but thought better of it. He had a pretty good idea as to who it was and thought it might be better to just keep quiet.
The subject was thankfully changed by Catherine who asked Amy how the plans for her sister's party were coming. Amy, eager to move on, seized upon it with much more zeal then she usually had for anything concerning Jennifer. By the end of the night she'd even invited Danielle to join them. Amy figured since Jennifer dumped this whole thing on her at the last minute, planned it for her birthday even, at least she should be able to invite whoever she wanted.
Dinner lasted just under two hours but there was still plenty of time for everyone to go home before shift started.
The drive back to Greg and Sara's house in Summerlin was quiet. Neither of them was in a very good mood. All of it made worse by the fact that when they did get home there was a message on the machine from his mother asking more questions about the wedding.
Greg pressed delete and made a mental note to call her later.
"We've got to set a date," he said now to Sara.
"December," Sara said idly, sitting down and sorting through their mail.
"That's a month not a date. We need an actual date to tell people," Greg continued, joining her at the table, "Something firm so we can pick a spot and send out invitations."
"Who are we going to invite outside of work?" she asked looking up at him in surprise.
"Our families."
"Well, your parents of course," Sara said nodding in agreement, "but really, who else is there?"
"My grandparents," he began listing, "and my mother will go berserk if I don't at least invite my aunt and uncle as well my cousins."
"I've always wanted to meet Papa Olaf," Sara said looking up at him briefly.
"What about your family?" he asked now.
Sara shrugged and kept sorting.
"Your brother, James right?"
She nodded but didn't look up.
"I don't think he can make it."
"We haven't decided when it is yet," Greg argued.
Sara still said nothing.
"What about your parents?" he tried again.
"No."
"No?" he returned.
Sara looked at him once, nodded her head and got up.
"Just no?" he asked following her out of the room.
"Greg," she said without turning around or stopping where she was going, "I really don't want to talk about this now."
"When are we going to talk about this?" he asked and she finally turned around and faced him.
"Now is not good," she said completely serious and with a completely steady face.
"It never is. Sara, do you know what I realized today? I know nothing about you."
"What? That's not true."
"Yeah," he said nodding his head for emphasis, "it is. And it's partially my fault because I don't ask enough questions. But you know what, when I do ask you don't answer."
"Greg…"
"No," he cut her off growing angrier as he spoke, "Sara, you don't tell me anything. I've told you everything…"
"You've told your shrink everything," she cut off angry now herself.
"First I can not believe you'd throw that in my face," Greg said, his voice a lot calmer then he felt, "And second, I have told you everything. Everything I've ever told Dr. Jennings I've told you too. I'm not the one keeping secrets."
"I'm not going to get into a fight with you Greg," Sara said now, her voice coming down a notch as well but still very much angry, "You had a rough day, so did I. I don't know why you got into it with Catherine but don't take it out on me."
Greg swallowed his words knowing that this was getting dangerous and he really didn't want to fight.
"Sara," he said much calmer, "I'm not trying too. I just, I don't know. I feel like… do you even want to get married?"
Sara stared at him. She had no idea where any of this was coming from. Sara didn't want to talk about her family, she just didn't. Today had been long and Sara didn't think she could take that right now. But for Greg to go from that to her wanting to call of the wedding was really strange.
"Why would you even think that?" she snapped back, unable to hide her surprise.
"Because you don't seem to care when it happens or even if it happens," Greg answered.
"Greg," she said stopping abruptly.
He continued to stare at her. His eyes searching hers for answers and finding none within easy reach.
"Greg," Sara started once more, her voice softer. She inched closer as she spoke. "I want to marry you. I do."
She was right in front of him now, so close they were almost touching. Almost, but not quite.
"Then why…"
Sara cut him off by putting a finger to his lips. Her eyes were bright, brimming even with tears.
"Just not right now, okay?" she whispered and he found himself nodding.
She managed a weak smile but he couldn't return it. Just turned and walked away.
Sara felt bad but now was not the time. This case was getting to her as much as it was him and the stress of it all was becoming too much. On top of her own problems, she felt like she was shouldering his as well. And sitting down now, on their bed as he undoubtedly sat down in the living room, she knew it didn't have to be that way. That Greg would carry it all if she asked him too. His, hers and everyone else's, that's just how he was.
But she wouldn't ask because that's just how she was.
