Author's Notes: Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I went back and forth for a long, long time trying to decide where I was going to go with this story. Let me know if you're still reading!

Jenny

Betrayal - Chapter Three:

"Sara Sidle."

Upon hearing Greg's voice, Sara abruptly stopped, almost falling as Nick collided with her. Nick put a steadying hand on her shoulder as Sara began to tremble slightly, hesitating before taking a step towards the younger man.

"Greg." She said softly, her eyes filled with unshed tears as she tried to catch a breath, still winded from her jog with Nick. "Um...what are you doing here?"

Greg gestured to the apartment, "Living here. Angie and I got an apartment--"

"Oh." Sara interrupted, trying to keep her voice even as she replied, "Congratulations. How are you feeling?"

Greg raised an eyebrow, "Oh, so now you're worried how I am? Took you, what, three weeks to ask?"

"What are you talking about?" Sara asked sharply, her eyes narrowing, "Me? You've been the one avoiding my calls."

Greg shook his head, holding his hand up, "Forget it. I'm not really in the mood to talk. I should be getting back inside, anyway, Angelle's going to worry."

"Oh, and we can't let that happen, can we?" Nick asked sharply, grabbing Sara's arm as she turned to leave, "You owe us--at least Sara--an explanation. You can't just shut out people for no reason."

Greg looked from Nick to Sara, then back to Nick before responding cooly, "I don't owe either of you anything."

"Greg!" Angelle's voice called from the top of the stairs, "Pigeon, come back to bed, you shouldn't be out and about."

She walked down a few steps, spotting Sara and Nick. Plastering a huge grin on her face, she said sweetly, "Sara, how wonderful to see you! And Nick, is it? I'm Angelle Orgeron, Greg's uh, friend from home."

Sara resisted the urge to gag, glancing to Nick before giving an equally fake smile to Angelle, "Wonderful to see you too. Wouldn't want to keep your pigeon out any longer than need be, so we'll be going."

"Will you call?" Greg asked, halfway hopeful despite the disappointment he felt.

Sara glanced at Angelle's seemingly angelic face before enthusiastically nodding, "Of course. You still have the same number, right?"

"You know I do." Greg replied, looking at Sara strangely.

Sara and Angelle stared at each other, both silently daring the other to back down first. Greg looked from Angelle to Sara, then back to Angelle, asking softly, "Why would you think my number changed?"

"Well, every time I try to call it, I can't get through to you." Sara replied, her gaze narrowing as Angelle slightly looked away. "I wanted to make sure you were still using the same number."

Greg started to speak, but Angelle's syrupy sweet voice cut him off, "Maybe it's just been so long that you don't remember the number correctly."

Sara straightened her posture a bit, ready to take Angelle on if need be, but Nick touched her arm softly, "We're going to be late for work."

"I'll call you, Greg." Sara murmured, still staring intently at the other woman. "And if I can't get through, I'll come by."

Greg started to say something, but Angelle cut him off before he could get the words out, "Come on, pige, it's time for some rest."

Angelle led Greg towards the stairs, slowly leading him to the second floor. Halfway up, she stopped, studying him intently. "What's bothering you, sug?"

"Why were you so rude to her?"

"Don't be silly." Angelle replied, shaking her head with a smile, "I wasn't rude to her."

Greg sighed with a shrug, "You weren't necessarily rude, but...I don't know...why don't you like her?"

"She's done nothing but use you when it's convenient to her, and she's broken your heart more than once. Do you expect me to take her in my heart and treat her like family? I just can't do that, and I don't understand how you can." Angelle replied, opening the door and leading Greg to the bedroom, "You're such a good man, and no one sees that. They treat you like garbage, and you always come back for more."

Greg laid down, too tired to defend himself or his friends. He knew that his relationships with his Vegas "family" wasn't like Angelle described it, no mater how strained things had become over the last year. With every action initiated by Sara that hurt him, he knew there had to be twice as many made on his behalf that ripped her to pieces. It was part of their dynamic, part of their relationship, part of their history...he didn't expect Angelle to understand, although he did expect her to accept it.

He had almost fallen asleep when Angelle walked into the room, a glass of tea in her hand, "I made you some warm tea, pigeon." She handed him the glass, sitting beside him and urging him to drink it, "It's going to make you get better faster than you can imagine."

"Did you make it yourself?" Greg asked, taking a sip, "Mmm, this is amazing."

Angelle smiled proudly, "It's an old family recipe. Good for your heart, good for your soul." She kissed his forehead gently, moving her hand to his cheek, then his forehead, "You're getting warm again, I'll get you some aspirin. Get some rest, okay? We don't want you to have to go back to the hospital, now, do we?"

Angelle bounced out of the room, and Greg moaned, finishing off the tea and placing it on his bedside table. He hated being cared for and babied. His parents and grandparents had never made this big of a fuss over him, and since he was used to fending for himself, this treatment was very smothering and overwhelming. He knew Angelle would be back soon, probably ready to talk until he fell asleep, and as much as he liked her, he wasn't in the mood for babying and visiting. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the short period of silence, unable to shake the feeling that this was the calm before the storm.

--

"I don't know what he sees in her. Tell me that you got the same vibe from her." Sara huffed, a few steps in front of Nick as they jogged their way back to Nick's house.

Nick groaned, speeding up to his brunette counterpart, "There is something off about her, but I wouldn't say that she's a bad person."

"She's not telling him I'm calling. I know it. I just know it. That little witch." Sara said, slowing down to catch her breath, "I can't stand her. Call it a hunch..."

"I know." Nick replied, taking a few deep breaths himself. It was no secret that he and Greg didn't get along, and hadn't in awhile, and even now he was finding it hard to take up for him, even if it meant pleasing Sara.

His lack of enthusiasm was unnoticed by Sara, who could only continue to rant and rave about the girl interfering in her love life. She didn't have any proof that Angelle was the reason things were falling apart right now, but she couldn't deny that she and Greg had been on a smooth path until Angelle came to Vegas. Well, as smooth as it could be for them, anyway.

With a determined nod, she decided it was time to take a closer look at Angelle Orgeron, and she knew just the person to ask for help.

--

"Do you realize we could lose our jobs for this?" Catherine asked, shutting the blinds in her office.

Sara bit her lip with a worried nod, "I know. But you have to see where I'm coming from...wouldn't you want to do the same thing if there someone coming between you and Warrick?"

"Of course." Catherine responded, hurriedly opening the strip of paper with a screen-name and password on it, "And I don't think Callahan will rat on us for borrowing his log in information, but there is risk involved."

Sara nodded, glancing down at her watch, "Okay, we'll make it quick. In and out, and then we're done."

"I've talked to her a few times," Catherine offered as the page uploaded, "She's a complete bitch, I can tell just by listening to her talk. She's never been rude, but she's just..."

"I know." Sara agreed, "She just rubs you the wrong way."

Catherine nodded, "Okay, where is she from? What's her full name?"

"Angelle Orgeron, New Orleans." Sara replied, "I think she said she was living with Greg in Houston though, so check there too."

Catherine was silent for a moment as she waited for her inquiry results to come back. After a few minutes, her eyes widened as she glanced over to Sara, "Paydirt."

"Let me see." Sara exclaimed, jumping out of her chair and trying to look over Catherine's shoulder, "What is it?"

Catherine printed the report before shutting down the screen, turning back to face an eager Sara, "Once Greg sees this, he'll be appalled at what he's living with."

TBC