Disclaimer: Any characters even resembling any on the TV show CSI obviously belong to them, not me.

A/N: Chapter 11 is not only dedicated to rawkchick91 and SpeedRacer15, but to remoob1513 as well... Thanks again for letting me know that hadn't posted my chapters:)

Onto the fic...

Sara sat, fidgeting as she peered over a menu at Greg, before darting away to look at their surroundings. Somehow, when Greg had convinced her to go to his favorite coffee bar, she hadn't expected it to look so… European. She had expected something ultra-modern, or a Starbucks, or something… much more hip. The place they had come to, Caffe Kimbo, was definitely not some place where she would expect someone like Greg to be a patron. Yet, here he was, ordering his 'usual' from the waitress, who had greeted him by name, and acting … very un-Greg-like.

She didn't know why that bothered her, really. Okay, that was a lie. She was bothered because if he had kept this hidden from her, what else could he have hidden? Or rather, how much had she chosen not to see, comfortable in her stereotype of "Greg-with-wild-hair-and-insane-music-taste?"

That thought was not very comforting.

She looked again at Greg, trying to figure out what exactly she was going to say… she really was winging it here, which frightened her more than she was willing to admit.

Silence reigned for a few minutes after the waitress left with their orders. Greg was apparently content to simply wait for her to speak. Right, well, she had asked him to talk, not the other way around… So she should say something, right?

She looked down at her hands, surprised to see that she was fidgeting. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it, then closed it again." Why is this so hard? She wondered.

"Are you showing me your goldfish impression?" Greg asked.

She glanced up at him. He had a glint of humor in his eyes, and his mouth was giving her a lopsided smile. Her heart flipped, for some odd reason. "I… I just don't know what to say to make it better, Greg."

He nodded in response.

"I mean," she continued, "I screwed up royally. I know I did. I know I hurt you, and I hurt Wart and Sam by lying to them, and even worse, I hurt myself." She looked down at her fingers again, not wanting to see the pain in his eyes. "I wish I could tell you why I was so stupid, but I don't really have an answer. I was scared and selfish… and I may have lost someone I really do care about because of it."

There was silence for a moment, Sarah staring at her hands, waiting for a response from Greg.

She heard him sigh. "What do you want from me, Sarah?"

A feeling of helplessness rolled over her. What did she want from him? "I… I want to hear you laugh again. I want to be able to be in a room with you without having my heart ache. I want to be able to at least attempt to earn your friendship back…" and if something more happens, well, I'd be wiser this time, and not break your heart again, she added to herself.

"What about Hank?"

She blinked. "What about him?"

"Are you sorry you lied to him?"

She considered this for a second, before looking up at him. "Honestly, I don't know. Part of me is, because I should have been able to say, 'Hank, this is not something I want you to attend with me,' and have it be okay with him. On the other hand, I enjoyed the weekend with you, which never would have happened if I had told him the truth."

Greg nodded slowly. "Are you still dating him?"

She shrugged. "Kinda. He's been busy, I've been busy… we're growing apart, but neither of us has really called it off yet." It surprised her that she wasn't more hurt by this fact. She had been so mad earlier that evening, but sitting across from Greg, she couldn't feel upset about it. There was something about Greg that made her forget her anger with Hank, her doubt in herself, and simply focus on being with Greg… and that should worry her more than it did.

At that moment, the waitress reappeared with their coffees. This was a welcome interruption, because it gave both Greg and her some time to think without the silence being awkward.

She was stirring some sugar into her coffee when Greg said, "Sarah? I'd really like to try and be friends with you again."

She stilled, his words slamming into her and giving her hope. She looked up, catching his eyes, and what she saw there made her heart ache even more. Pain was obviously still there, and a bit of distrust still lingered, but she also saw a hope and a determination that made her wish that she had seen his affection for her sooner. Maybe this would have all turned out differently if she had handled this situation different.

Her hand reached out slowly to grab his. She squeezed it gently, softly smiling at him. He returned her smile; then turned his attention back to the rapidly cooling coffee in front of him. They drank the rest of their coffee in comfortable silence.

It wasn't perfect, but it was a step in the right direction.