Just a quick thanks to all my wonderful readers. I enjoy reading what you guys have to say, and it also gives me motivation to keep on writing. :D


Chapter Six: Reliving Fears

Nick shrugged his shoulders as the brunette watched him, obviously waiting for an answer. "Without something to compare it to, I can't really give you anything."

"There has to be more than that," Sara disagreed, checking the results herself. "He knows more than he's letting on, I just don't know why."

"I can tell you there were at least two suspects; Greg got a piece of them both. Bruising shows that whoever hit him is right handed…upward strike, suggesting the person was shorter than he was…but that doesn't help much. For all we know he could have been on the ground as opposed to standing."

Sara nodded, her thoughts solemn. Nick had taken over with running the case, as much as she had disagreed. "It's common for most people in the heat of the moment to loose perception, memory. Maybe if we just give him something to work with it'll come back to him."

"We could try," Nick nodded. "I don't want to press him; he seems uncomfortable enough about the situation. He was really jumpy the first few nights."

"He's had nightmares," Sara stated softly, ignoring the look of surprise her friend gave her. "This isn't going to stop until we find them. And with each passing day they could be getting further and further away. We can't wait."

"If they're creatures of habit they'll stick around."

"If," she muttered under her breath, looking up as a form occupied the doorway.

"I am a genius," Greg declared, a grin spread across his face.

"Enlighten us," Sara challenged, only Nick remained silent as the level one CSI began rambling off on his findings.

His grin only ended up widening as he waltzed into the room, taking his own seat at the end of the table. "There were six missed calls on our vic's cell phone, two of which came from Benjamin's cell; the first came 43 minutes after TOD and the second, four hours later. Bar tender can verify that he was there during those times, and remembers the suspect using the phone. The other four calls, came in at five minute intervals starting ten minutes after her death. Archie was able to trace the number back to a phone booth about a block away. I've already gone out and collected prints, came up with not only a hit, but our vic had a restraining order against the guy."

Sara blinked. "You went out to a crime scene alone?"

The man rolled his eyes, "Chill, I went with Brass. He's bringing our guy in now as we speak."

Sara nodded, a smile crossing her lips in approval. "Good job…how come you didn't come to me though?"

"It was just a hunch," Greg shrugged, "it's like you said, you find something, run with it."

"That's right," she agreed, although she knew that she had heard that first from Grissom. It was Nick who spoke up next, clearing his voice as he changed the direction the conversation was headed.

"I need to ask you a few questions about the other night."

The smile had that seemed to be ever painted on his face vanished quickly as the young man took on a more serious attitude. He sat up in the chair, as if listening intently to what the Texan had to say.

"We have some leads, but we need you to fill in the blanks. We need anything you can tell us…anything you can remember. Something you saw, that you smelt maybe…heard."

Greg shook his head, muttering vaguely that he didn't know. Nick let out a sigh as Sara shot him a concerned look. "Greg…"

"You know what, I think Brass may be waiting for me, I should get going."

Nick held his hands up in the air as somber man left the room nearly as quickly as he had entered. It was Sara who went after him. Greg had made his way to the DNA lab, opposed to interrogation room if he was indeed meeting up with Brass. The room was empty, given Sara ample time to discuss it with him.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Sara came to a stop, barely inside the door. She hadn't even said a word, but apparently Greg was ahead of her. He was pacing back in forth in an anxious manner, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Where is she?"

"Since when do you need Mia to run your samples?" Sara kidded lightly, watching him. He was uneasy, and it scared her. The last time he had been like this was that night she stayed with him.

"I need an update on the results, and I can't get them if she isn't here."

"It's okay to be scared Greg."

He shook his head, muttering again. "I'm not scared…you just don't understand."

"Then make me."

Greg looked at her, speechless now. He had gotten himself into a hole, one he was desperately seeking a way out of. He leaned against the table, hands holding onto a chair. "I can't."

"Why?"

Greg tilted his head, considering the question. Then he let out a sigh. "I looked right into their eyes, I listened to them, heard all their threats…and I don't remember." He lifted his eyes, hopeful that his lie had convinced her. "What kind of investigator does that make me?"

She smiled, nudging him in the shoulder a little. "Human."

Greg let out a fake smile, turning away. He wasn't certain how long the façade would last, but hopefully long enough. Her smile became more serious as she watched him. "Anything would help, anything at all."

"If I remember," Greg responded.

They both glanced up as Warrick stuck his head in the doorway. "Someone's here to see you, he's waiting out in the lobby."

She nodded, waving a small thanks as the other man continued on. Turning back to Greg she studied him for a moment. "It must be Rick, he's early though."

"I thought you weren't seeing him anymore," Greg mused quietly, grateful to grasp a different situation for a while.

"I'm not," Sara smiled back at him, even as she headed out of the room. Greg shook his head, still somewhat disappointed in the fact she had found someone. At least she was happy, that much was obvious. She had talked so mildly about him that first night, and though she had said little about him in the past few days Greg knew there was something different about her.

He let out a sigh, laughing at himself as he took a good look around. He had no real idea what he was doing here. There was nothing for him, nothing running through DNA at the moment. Greg collected the strewn files, making headway to the interrogation room. It was empty which was no real surprise. Brass had radioed ahead to inform the lab he wouldn't be in until another half hour.

He decided to head towards the break room, longing for a soda. What he actually craved was a beer, but he also knew there was no way Grissom would allow something like that to go on inside the lab, and certainly not on company hours. He traded hands with the folders, wishing now he had left them in the DNA lab. There was no real need to carry them around, and Mia would have just pushed them off to the side until he went back later to get them.

Coming inside the door he came to a stop, gaping almost as he met eye to eye with the stranger inside. He seemed to fit almost perfectly, dressed well and clean shaven, his hair brushed to one side, a visitor's pass clipped to his shirt. The sight made his skin crawl, and even with the differences Greg could never forget a face. It was one of the guys from the alleyway.

TBC