Chapter three. Double Dog Dare
Or
How to cry and speak at the same time.

Greg could speak. He couldn't hear. He could stand anymore. He collapsed to the ground, only to have a hand lay itself on his shoulder. He looked up, tears finally coursing down his cheeks to see a pair of green eyes starring back at him. His breath hitched in his throat.

"It's ok. I need to ask you a few questions alright?" Greg nodded and the junior detective sat down next to him on the shore of the lake. Her chestnut colored hair was tied up in a knot on top of her head; a lone curl fell across her face as she turned to look at Greg.

"What's your name?"

"Greg Sanders," he said quietly looking at her, she couldn't have been more than 25.

"Greg, can you tell me what happened?"

"I-I don't know, I think she slipped," Greg pulled his knees up to his chest and dropped his head into his hands.

"You weren't watching her?" asked the woman; Greg shook his head turning to look at her.

"Sammy was," Greg whispered. "Lily was falling asleep and I was looking at the stars."

She nodded and rested her forearms on her knees. "Why didn't you go in after her?"

"There was a whole lot of blood on the side of the boat, and when I saw her float to the top, Lily jumped in. she's the lightest so I was easier to pull her up. Mandy wasn't moving," Greg's voice had gotten softer as tears started flowing down his cheeks in waves.

"You'll never forget her," Greg was started to see the woman looking at him with tears in her eyes as well. "You never forget the one's you love," Greg nodded his head.

"Thanks," he whispered.

Sara watched me walk out of the break room. She stared at my back as I walked into Grissom's office. I paused in his doorway debating on weather I should go in or not.

Just as a side note, I hate that stupid bass above Grissom's door.

"Common in Greg," said Griss looking up as the music came on. I shrugged and took a seat in front of his desk. He sighed and looked up at me from his computer. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really, Sara's having a bad day, and I think I made it worse," I said folding my hands in my lap and looking at my supervisor.

"You told her about your unfortunate Christmas experience?" I nodded averting my eyes to the paper work on the desk of my boss's office. Noticing nothing out of place except for the various forensic journals, even those looked like they belonged. Grissom was watching me, a glint in his eyes and a smile playing around his lips.

"Whatever happened to Lillian Morgan?" asked Grissom leaning back in his chair. I sighed.

"She's the Free Arts of New York Program Manager," I said. Grissom raised an eyebrow.

"Living people, you wouldn't get it," I snipped goodheartedly. Grissom chuckled…well not out loud.

"You want advice don't you Greg?" said Grissom, tossing me a pack of tissues. I starred at them curiously. I looked up at him, realizing what the tissues would eventually be used for.

"Into the belly of the beast," said Grissom, I sighed and stood up, making my way to the break room.

"And out of the demon's ass," Grissom heard me mutter before I walked into the break room.

I sat next to Sara and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Maybe next year Sara would remember our conversation.

End.

-x-liv