"Does Greg know he looks like a chicken with his head cut off into a million pieces?" Hodges commented casually as the CSI-in-question walked into another door for the third time. Three pairs of eyes watched as he absently wandered into the locker room, seemingly not noticing the black and purple bruise forming on his forehead.
He received cold glares in return from the pair of CSIs standing in front of him. "Shut up, David," Sara snapped rather testily as she grabbed the trace reports from his hands.
"Just saying," said Hodges defensively, holding his hands, palms outwards, in an 'I-surrender' gesture. His eyes smirked, however, in his traditional I-kiss-Ecklie's ass sense. "But he looks like an idiot-" Nick's narrowed eyes caused the trace lab tech to shut his mouth and turn towards a different subject, which he did with supercilious ease. "Okay then. You guys are all set." Flashing them his customary half-smirk, Hodges turned back to his loads.
Once they were out of earshot, Nick took Sara's arm and pulled her gently towards him. To her questioning gaze, the Texan sighed deeply. "Hodges is right, though, Sar, Greggo's a wreck."
Flashing chocolate eyes met his dark ones. "You think I don't know that, Nicky?"
Nick shrugged helplessly, letting her arm go. "There has to be a solution to this." Deep down, though, it was useless-Robyn truly did belong with a competent and loving family, even if that might not include Greg.
"Got any ideas to share then?"
Wisely keeping his mouth shut, her friend followed her down to the locker room, where Catherine was applying an ice pack to the large bruise Greg received just above his right brow. Both looked up as the couple entered through the doorway, and the strawberry blonde shot them a motherly glance. The entire lab had heard by now, and from personal experience, the older woman knew exactly what Greg was going through.
But for Greg…
Everything was going to hell in a handbasket.
Patting his knee affectionately, Catherine exchanged concerned looks with the other two before leaving. "Hope you feel better, Greggo," she said soothingly before heading towards Grissom's office.
Lowering herself on the seat next to Greg, Sara sat there, looking at him, with an incomprehensible expression splayed across her face. "Not that it's much, but you can stop by and see Robyn any time you want, Greg," the brunette offered softly, cringing inwardly at how flat her condolences sounded even to her own ears.
"Thanks." His voice was terse, emotionless as the dripping ice pack made a puddle on the floor.
In edgy silence, the three stayed there for a few moments, mulling over the day's events. Then suddenly, the ice pack slid with a slap to the cold concrete floor, Greg's hands open limply. Whipping their heads towards the sound, Sara and Nick traded perplexed expressions and faced their friend.
Hopeful hazel eyes met Sara's.
"Marry me."