A/N - here is chapter five (obviously). Anyway I've tried to explore a little more relationship in this one both between Greg and his girlfriend and with his colleagues. There's a lovely touching moment at the end. (Well i thought it was touching anyway) and a nice sickly soppy bit at the beginning. Thought it needed a little bit of nicety in it somewhere!

Chapter Five

I turned the key and shut off the engine after I pulled into the courthouse. Leaning back against my seat I looked straight ahead. I hated moments like these but had no idea how to tell her. We had been together a month. Only a month but it felt like a lifetime. A lifetime in a good way. Not one of those I'm so--sick-of-seeing-your-annoying-face-I-could-kill-you kind of lifetimes but one of those your-the-most-amazing-thing-that's-ever-happened-to-me-I-can't-remember-what-life-was-like-before-you kind of lifetimes.

'Can I tell you something?' her voice shook me out of my daydream.

I looked at her and saw an expression I had never seen before on her face. She looked afraid, like something awful had or was going to happen.

'Sure sweetie, what's wrong, is everything o.k?' I spoke quickly like I was afraid myself.

She shifted round in her seat so she could face me without having to crane her neck and took a deep shaking breath.

'I love you. I know it's really soon and we've only been dating a month but it's been such a great month and I can't help the way I feel I wasn't going to say anything because I didn't want to scare you off but I've never felt like this with anyone I realise that sounds really cheesy but I-'

I cut off her nervous rambling by pushing my lips against hers and kissing her as hard as I could. She seemed surprised for a moment and then pulled away.

'Sorry,' I said. 'I was afraid you might start turning purple if you didn't breathe soon.'

She laughed bashfully and her face reddened slightly.

'O.k., I have to go or I'll be late,' she unfastened her seatbelt and jumped out of the car quickly like she was still embarrassed and needed the time to calm down after her outburst.

I waved as she walked across the front of my car towards the entrance to her office.

'Hey you,' I called, sticking my head out of the window.

She turned and looked at me.

'Ditto, by the way,' I smiled, pulling my head back inside the car and starting it again.

The loud rapping on my car window pulled me back into reality. I jumped, slightly startled, and turned to look at the face of Gil Grissom staring at me. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I didn't know if I could take anymore of anyone ever again. It was like I hated the world andthe world hated me. Be more manly, I heard her say again Not as easy as it's sounds darlin', I wish I could say back.

'Greg, will you at least roll down the window?' Grissom asked, I wasn't sure whether he pleading or ordering. You never could tell with him.

Like it took me a great deal of strength, I hit the window button and allowed it to roll down all the way so we could speak. Well, he could speak; I sure as hell didn't feel like talking.

'We've finished the preliminary report, I thought you might like to come and see her again,' he said softly.

'No thanks, I've seen enough.' I said, honestly. I knew I wouldn't cope with seeing her like that again. I wanted to remember more of the good times. Like remembering the good times made it easier to forget the fact she had been attacked and beaten to death? I was such an idiot.

'O.k., I understand.'

I laughed scornfully but didn't say anything. Grissom seemed to ignore my attitude and continued to speak. Why wouldn't he just shut up?

'I'm afraid I have to ask you this Greg but we need a DNA sample,' Grissom seemed almost embarrassed, another thing I didn't think he was capable of.

At least this confirmed my suspicions. She must have been seeing someone and they had evidence of it, needed my DNA to rule me out as the contributor. I was already so sure of the answer but I asked him anyway.

'What for?'

'I think we should go inside,'

'I don't want to go inside, I just want to know why you need my DNA.'

'You know Greg, it's just routine,' Grissom didn't meet my eyes when he said this. He was hiding something. He knew the truth and didn't want to tell me. But I had a right to know. I felt like I was losing my mind. My inner monologue was screaming all these things at me that I would never think of before. Who had I become?

'Just come inside and we can talk about it,' Grissom said, finally meeting my eyes with a look that said he had caved and would tell my anything I needed to know.

Slowly, I rolled the window back up and got out of the car. Following Grissom like he had me on some kind of invisible leash, I said nothing and noticed nothing. I didn't even remember getting back into the building although I knew I had. Nick came hurtling down the corridor and almost bowled me over in his attempt to get to Grissom but I hardly noticed.

'Wow, sorry Greg,' Nick said, lightly and then as if realising who I was his face changed. 'Greg, I'm so sorry, we all are.'

'I've heard,' I muttered with just enough volume and hostility for him to hear.

'Greg, go sit in the break room, I'll send Sara down to get your DNA,' Grissom instructed.

Surprising myself with the lack of fight I suddenly had left in me, I did exactly as I was asked without a word. Relieved that the break room was empty as I took a seat, I closed my eyes for a moment.

'I haven't done anything,' she pleaded.

'Yeah, right, what's with the fancy dress, we're not going out until tomorrow night and I know for a fact it doesn't take women that long to get ready.' I shot back.

'You think you're so funny. Maybe you should stop being so selfish and thinking the worst and be out there finding out what happened to me!'

'That shows how much you know! I'm not allowed because I'm too involved!'

She began to scream and I thought she was screaming at me when I suddenly realised we were outside where I had found her. Someone was grabbing her, pulling her away from me. She was fighting, hitting him with her fists.

'Help me! Help me! Greg! Greg!'

'Greg, Greg?'

My eyes shot open and I pulled sharply away from the person who was trying to rouse me from my slumber. I paused for a moment, catching my breath and came face to face with Sara Sidle and yet another sympathetic expression. Was it national feel sorry for Greg Sanders day today?

'Hey,' she said, softly. 'It's only me.'

'What do you want?' I asked.

She sat down beside me. 'Grissom sent me for your DNA.'

'Oh yeah, that.'

'I was glad he sent me, I haven't seen you and I wanted to…'

'Please, please don't tell me how sorry you are. I get it. Everyone's sorry.' I said rather harshly.

Sara gave a knowing half smile. 'Actual, I was just going to let you know that I'm here for you but if you're too busy feeling sorry for yourself then I guess I should leave.'

'Sorry for myself?' I snapped. 'What do you expect? No one will talk to me. Actually no that's not accurate. Everyone will talk to me, it's just that no one will listen!'

'I'm all ears,' she said, gently.

A/N - i hope you all liked that bit. I thought it was quite sweet but because of where i decided to end this chapter, the next one is really short and pointless but resolves something anyway and develops Greg and Sara's friendship.