Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or any of its characters.

Rating: Changed to T.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews to remoob1513, ObessedTWFan and loose-canon-with-a-gun.

Chapter 2: Not so sure

Greg shrugged. "Well…"

Sara threw him a glance that told him that he would hear about that later, and then she turned back to Mrs. Sanders.

"I'm Sara Sidle," she said smiling. "I'm a friend of Greg." Her emphasis on 'friend' made Greg's inner alarm-bells ring and he looked at her unsettled.

Mrs. Sanders did not notice any of that, but welcomed Sara in a warmly manner.

"Greg didn't tell us that he'd bring a friend."

Sara sent a frosty glance in Greg's direction, but replied, smiling again, "Yeah, I noticed."

"Well, it's good then that Greg's grandma is on the way to get some groceries."

"Mom," Greg asked, "don't you think we have already enough…?" He looked at the amount of food that seemed to be enough to last for the next two weeks.

Greg's mother shook her head. "No, this is very well this way."

Then she looked at Sara again intensively and her expression got worried. "What comes to my mind is that, well, we didn't know that you'd come, so we have only one bed in Greg's old room. It's large, but…. But I think we can put up a couch -,"

"Mom, it's fine," Greg interrupted her mildly. He threw Sara an apologizing look. "We share one bed anyway, so…"

Greg's mother smiled even broader now.

"Right thing to do, Greggo," a deep voice came from behind them and Sara grinned.

"Don't let your girlfriend feel cold alone," chuckled a bald man, whom Sara estimated at about eighty years, though he still seemed to be agile.

Greg grimaced. "This is Sara," he said, taking her hand, glad that she did not pull it back. "And this is my Papa Olaf, my grandfather."

Greg's grandfather welcomed them both and added, "Pretty girlfriend you've got there, Greg," and noticed amused how both his grandson and his girlfriend blushed.

"Your grandma will be back soon and your father will be here any moment as well," Mrs. Sanders mentioned.

Greg looked at her. "How comes that you're already here by the way? I thought you're at work and that's why I used the key I still have."

"I took vacation today, so that I could prepare all this…," she pointed at the food and it was now that Greg's mouth started watering, as he saw that his mother had prepared several of his favorite dishes.

"Your sister will come over with her children then as well," Mrs. Sanders announced and for a second Sara's face was crossed by an expression as if she wanted to flee at the prospect of the amount of people.

"You can take your luggage to Greg's room," Greg's mother added whereupon Greg hobbled ahead and Sara followed him with their luggage.

They entered his old room and Greg let himself fall on the bed. Sara dropped the luggage and looked at him. "Wow."

Greg smiled weakly.

"That was only a part of your family."

"Yeah, but it was already the worst part, believe me," Greg grinned.

"Greg," exclaimed Sara, unbelieving.

"Just kidding," Greg laughed. "I meant that my grandma and my dad won't overwhelm you in this way, well, my sister maybe will, but - ,"

Sara shook her head. "Greg, I don't feel overwhelmed, it's fine."

Then she frowned and Greg prepared himself for the storm to come.

"What's not fine is that you kinda forgot to mention something, didn't you?" Sara crossed her arms.

Greg looked beaten. "I'm sorry, Sara. I should've told them about you. I just didn't want all the questions on the phone and I didn't want that they kinda assail you with questions even more."

He continued quickly. "Of course, it was pointless. I mean it was clear that I'd have to tell them anyway."

He shook his head. "Now it sounds like something bad, I'm sorry." He looked downwards. "It was dumb and I can understand if you're angry -,"

"Stop it, Greg," Sara interrupted him after she had let him talk. She had approached him and he looked up, crestfallen.

"It's okay, Greg." Sara hugged him, making Greg's uneasiness disappear. "It's great that you have such a nice, loving family." She smiled, looking at him. "So don't shock them by me turning up without any warning."

Greg laughed and hugged her and Sara enjoyed his warmth.

Having still his arms around her back, he looked at her, "Let's go back then."

Sara nodded and they left the room, only to realize that the hall was now apparently filled with a crowd of people, though it were actually not so many.

Apart from Greg's mother and grandfather there were a woman who was obviously Greg's grandmother, his father, a young woman, who was a little shorter than Greg and had dark blond hair – making Sara wonder if that was maybe Greg's natural hair color, as she never stopped guessing – and two very small children who were jumping around their mother cheerfully, one of them a small boy, who reminded Sara not little of Greg.

She stayed a little behind, while Greg was greeted and compassionated by his family, but quickly she was included and Greg's sister hugged her even.

"I've heard a lot about you. Greg always talked so warmly of you. He had a crush so clearly," she laughed.

"Still have, beloved sister," Greg commented smirking.

Most of Greg's family retreated to the living room, while Greg's sister stayed.

"Sara," Greg said, turning to her, "this is Kristine, my sister."

Sara smiled. "Had never thought that."

Kristine tousled his hair, "She's not stupid, little brother."

Greg winked. "I know that too well," he chuckled and was rewarded by a death-glare from Sara, which he enjoyed thoroughly at this moment.

Kristine got earnest. "Now tell me what happened to you," she demanded, making Sara wonder how much Greg had told his family about the incident or better: how little.

Greg looked briefly at the two children who were chasing each other in the hall and his sister understood. She took her children by the hand and left for the living room.

"I can leave out that you…," Greg started, looking at Sara seriously.

"Greg, what happened, happened to us together. You don't have to lie to your sister," Sara replied soberly. Greg nodded and at this moment Kristine returned without her children.

"Let's go into your room," she suggested.

"Sara and I-," Greg started, but was interrupted by his sister, "You and Sara? I thought-," who was again cut off by Greg, "Stine, please, just let me tell you."

Kristine nodded, slowly beginning too realize how painful the whole matter was for Greg.

He started again. "Sara and I were processing a scene when the scene was attacked. They killed two officers."

Greg's sister became pale and Greg continued, "Sara and I fled and hid in the woods."

He stopped and Kristine asked, "Did you break your leg there?"

Greg looked at Sara sadly and Kristine decided not to interfere anymore.

"The assailants came after us and we fled again." He paused for several seconds. "They shot and… hit Sara… and I fell over her and broke my leg."

Kristine looked at Sara, obviously unbelieving that she was there, apparently well.

"I'm so sorry for you," she said whole-heartedly. They sat there in silence for some moments and Kristine watched how Sara took Greg's hand and squeezed it.

"Those felons were arrested then, weren't they?" she asked and swallowed when Sara shook her head. Greg rubbed his eyes.

Kristine suggested rather helplessly, "Do you want to get some fresh air?"

Greg nodded.

Greg was standing outside and looked at the house that used to be his home, while his sister and Sara were talking quietly nearby, though Greg got the impression that it was Kristine who was mainly talking.

He was wrapped in thought when he noticed his sister at his side.

"How are you?" she asked worriedly.

"Fine."

"Greg, I'm fed up with this standard answer. Be honest."

Greg looked downwards. "I'm okay, really. I'm with Sara and-," he stopped, having turned around, but not seeing Sara.

"Where's she?" he wondered aloud.

Kristine looked puzzled. "I don't know. She was here only a moment ago," she stated, and turned to look at the still closed front door, wondering.

TBC