Appreciation by SLynn

Summary: An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of 'Precious Things' This is the fifth in a series. Greg/Sara and Nick/OC

Spoilers: Up to 'Nesting Dolls'

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.

Chapter 12: Explosive

"Why won't anyone let me drive?" Greg asked Sara as they made their way to the garage.

"Because we've all seen you drive," she answered with a smile.

She felt a strange sense of relief. Yes, she was still mad. Mad at Gretchen who had obviously lied to get her worked up. And mad at herself for believing it. She should have known better.

"I don't drive that badly," Greg countered and she gave him a look of disbelief.

"Well," he said, opening the back and putting their cases in, "you didn't always mind."

"No," she answered. "Not always."

Greg stopped and leaned against the back of the SUV, a smile in place she hadn't seen in a long time.

"But you're not driving tonight," she said, easily moving to the driver's side, "You look beat."

"I am," Greg said getting in.

She started to ask if he was still having nightmares but stopped herself. That was pushing too far and she knew it.

They rode in silence for fifteen minutes until his phone went off.

Greg took it out of his pocket and frowned before answering it.

"Greg Sanders," he said having not recognized the number.

Sara looked at him briefly and saw his features change.

"How'd you…"

She tried not to look or listen, but couldn't help it. Sara knew who it was on the phone with him.

"Yeah I heard," he said nodding slightly and looking out the window. "No."

Greg let out a sigh and shook his head.

"No. No thank you."

He turned to look at Sara briefly, just caught her eye, before turning away again and letting out a nervous laugh.

"They're fine," he said before a longer pause, "No, they don't. Why would they?"

They'd reached their destination, a single-family home fairly far out of town with cop cars already present.

"I've got to go," Greg said and it wasn't hard to miss his contempt. "I'm working. Yeah. Bye."

Greg hung up and let out a heavy breath.

"Sorry," he said folding up his phone and pocketing it.

Sara shrugged and tried to play it off but the easy vibe they'd had was now gone. They both got out of the SUV in silence and retrieved their cases before walking up to Charlie who was the detective assigned to the case.

"What have we got?" Sara asked as she came up to him.

"I'm not sure," Charlie said with a tight-lipped grin they'd all grown accustomed too.

Charlie didn't grin when he was happy, but when he was distressed. If you saw him grinning at a crime scene it was going to be bad.

"Double right?" Greg asked, looking at the house with a sense of foreboding.

"Yeah," Charlie said after clearing his throat, "We think it's the couple that lives here, James and Tanya Richards."

"Think?" Sara asked.

"It's kind of hard to ID them. They've been here awhile."

Charlie began to move towards the house, leading them into the scene. As soon as they reached the door the odor hit them. It was like walking into a wall of stench.

Sara held her hand up under her nose and blinked several times. Greg had to shut his eyes briefly and shake his head before he could move forward.

"The wife, we think," Charlie said, holding a hand up over his mouth as he spoke, "is in here."

He led them to the back bedroom and into the bath. There in the tub, obviously a week old at least and floating back up, was the body. She'd been shot through the back of the head.

"The husband is this way," Charlie continued, leading them back through the house to the kitchen.

At the table, face down in a dinner plate was a man, also shot through the back of the head.

"Thanks," Sara said, still blinking away the smell, "Let's photo document the scene."

Greg nodded and the three of them moved to the living room.

"You want the floater?" Greg asked with a hint of a smile and she caught on. They'd just been talking about this last night. "I know how you like a challenge."

"How about we do this together," she suggested and he nodded.

"I'm just going to step outside," Charlie said, moving away from the two of them and out the door.

"Let's get started," Sara said, taking out a mask for each of them.

It took a few hours but they were finally able to get the bodies processed and cleared for removal to the morgue. Breathing wasn't any easier with them out of the building but they did their best.

"I'm going to check outside," Greg said needing cleaner air. "See if I can find anything."

"Okay," Sara returned, still going through the kitchen for evidence.

He stepped out into the night air, relieved that it was a relatively cool night. Taking off the mask and stripping off his gloves he rubbed his eyes before donning new ones.

Readying his flashlight he began to check the outer windows and doors without much luck until he approached the master bedroom. The window there was ajar and the screen yanked off and on the ground. Greg took several pictures before moving closer to recover anything relevant. He found several fibers caught on the window frame which he promptly bagged.

That's when he heard the sirens.

Greg moved quickly back into the house to Sara who was also looking around in surprise. Together they headed outside where Charlie met them at the door.

"Got a fire down the street," he said to them, "Some of the officers here are going now."

Greg and Sara saw the fire trucks now as they raced down the street further out of town. In the distance they could see it. Even from where they were they could see the flames, bright and huge. They exchanged glances thinking that this might be their arsonist.

"Where is the fire at?" Greg questioned.

"Old farmhouse," Charlie answered, "Abandoned. Neighbors called it in."

"Are you done?" Sara asked Greg and he knew she wanted to go right away.

"Almost," he returned. "Why don't you go? Charlie will drop me off at the fire, won't you?"

"Yeah, no problem," he answered.

Sara nodded and went back in for her things. She left some parting instructions for Greg before calling back to the lab and then heading down to see it for herself.

Greg really wasn't much longer. He and Charlie stayed long enough to secure the scene before heading down the road after Sara. The fire was just now nearly extinguished and a small crowd had gathered.

"I got crowd shots already," Sara said to him as he came up beside her.

"So what does the fire marshal say?"

"Right now," Sara answered, "Nothing. But he's tentatively leaning towards arson."

"It's our guy's type of building."

Sara nodded; it did fit.

"What did Grissom say?" he asked now.

"Not to rush things."

Greg smiled and looked down, laughed a little.

"What's funny?" she asked, looking at him with an odd twist of her lips.

"It's just between that last call and this fire I think I'm going to have to throw these clothes out."

Sara laughed softly too. Greg looked at her and realized how close they were standing. Shoulder to shoulder practically. At the same time he felt it; she did too. They locked eyes and smiled.

And then the ground shook.

The far side of the barn exploded back into flames with a bang.

Greg, only reacting, took Sara by the arm and pulled her down and behind him. People in the crowd screamed out in surprised.

Firemen rushed back toward the building as the police tried to restore order and move the crowd back.

"You two okay?" Charlie asked coming up to them in a hurry.

Greg got back to his feet, still standing in front of Sara partially blocking her and breathing heavy. He had hold of both her hands with his one and she felt it shake.

"Greg," Charlie repeated taking in his blank stare. "Sara?"

"We're fine," Sara answered, reluctantly pulling her hands from his and placing a newly freed one on his back. "Just shocked."

Charlie nodded but continued to stare at Greg who had finally come round.

"Fine," he said looking away from the fire and glancing from one to the other. "Fine."

Sara saw him clench his fists and grew worried.

"Couple of the guys said it was the propane tanks out back," Charlie told them now, "Should be out soon."

"Thanks," Sara said, still rubbing Greg's back.

Charlie nodded and left, going to help where he could. As soon as he was gone, Greg turned around and walked back towards the SUV. Sara followed behind.

"Are you okay?" she asked as he leaned against it, head back with his eyes shut.

"Yeah," he said, not looking at her or moving. "I just need a minute."

Sara nodded and moved to stand beside him, ready to wait for as long as he needed. As soon as she did he took her hand again and squeezed it.

Greg finally let go and pushed himself away from the vehicle.

"Alright," he said evenly, "Let's go."

Sara smiled at him and together they went back to the scene.