Chapter five

Three months later

Greg scrubbed at his jaw, an unshaven look was not good on him. Grissom, Nick and Warwick all managed it but he couldn't. Catherine told him it was his baby face, which nick and Warwick laughed at, Greg shook his head and growled he wasn't going to live that down any time soon. As he scrubbed however his hand pressed down hard on the red hand print across his cheek. He winched at the pain then glanced out the window to see the woman behind his mark.

His latest case had involved a hooker, her client and his wife. Some how Greg had managed to step between the wife and the hooker and received the wife's right hook. Nick and Warwick wouldn't stop laughing as the hooker was charged with false rape claim and wasting of police and the wife was charged with an assault on a CSI, sending him flying across the table and the two fighting women kicking him occasionally with the hit meant for each other.

Greg glared at his team mates before heading out of the interview room, skulking away. He was too new a CSI for him to being teased about this too. So he turned and headed towards the chocolate machine, he needed a sweet treat anyway and it was clocking out time any way. He reached the desk and was about to get his treat when a red head caught his eyes, sprawled out on the chairs facing the desk and Judy. Greg couldn't help the smile spreading across his face… he didn't notice the pain from his hit, he walked over to Lotte and squatted before her and brushed a few strands of hair from her face waking her up, her green eyes fixed on him before she smiled drowsy at him "uncle Greg" she declared before she allowed her self be scooped up in a hug. She almost curled herself up on his lap and against him when Greg sat down with her and he began to twist her loose red hair around his fingers.

Though he still held back the tears of rage and sadness when he remembered the day almost two months ago he was finally given the news he dreaded, the case was moving on. With no traces or any hope of finding Lotte's father and any attempt of bring him to charges for what he did the case had to be dropped with only the comfort of an APB out on him. Greg nearly got him self suspended when he demanded that they try harder for Lotte's sake, they had the evidence… hell Greg didn't just know that Lucas Keats murdered his wife in cold blood but he could prove it… but sadly Brass told him the cold hard truth… it wasn't a case of not enough evidence it was more that their prime suspect had evaded capture and it looked like it was going to stay that way. Greg hated to think that Lotte will always know that her mother's case was open cold case.

Lotte finally woke up sitting up rubbing at her eyes, she glanced at Greg and grinned "uncle Greg, why have you got red on your face" Lotte questioned as Greg grinned back at her "well, some bad lady hit me… uncle Nick and uncle Warwick thought it was really funny because this lady wanted to hit another lady and I got in the way" Greg told her, his stomach tighten when she clung to him but he soothed her "it's ok, it's ok… uncle Jim took her away and she can't hurt anyone else" he assured, leaning back to allow the child to settle comfortable. After a few moments Greg looked down at her "hey what are you doing here any way… ain't you meant to be in bed" Greg asked and Lotte shook her head "the babysitter got a phone call… her mom was ill and she had to go to her. She phoned and phoned Sara, but she didn't pick up so Judy said she would look after me until Sara got back to take me home" Lotte explained and Greg smiled then thought. Sara was at a difficult scene. Last he heard she, Catherine and Grissom needed expert climbers and a safety crew when a recruit slipped down the drain. It would be a good few hours before Sara could even hope to think about leaving.

"Well Sara is out in the field, I don't think she's going to be back for another couple of hours" Greg told her as Lotte sank in his arms then yawned. Glancing at his watch Greg noticed that his shift had finished, and thinking fast he pushed the girl back to look at him "how about I take you home… we can make the best breakfast ever" Greg questioned as Lotte beamed at him and nodded, Lotte had grown close to Sara's unusual family but she had especially grown close to Greg. He had always brought her presents and was always making a fuss over her. Still grinning Greg stood holding Lotte in his arms and turned to Judy "hey can we leave that there for a few minutes… promise we'll be back for it. We don't want you thinking we're slobs" Greg declared causing the nightshift receptionist to grin and nod "go on" she ordered with a smile on her face while Greg and Lotte headed to the locker room hoping that Ecklie didn't feel like stepping in right at the moment.

She needed a shower. Sara allowed herself into her apartment, dropping her mud caked jacket on the floor and closed the door. It was a tough case and thankfully they had gotten all they could before another mudslide hit. The rain during winter was harsh for Las Vegas, and when they saw that the drain was surrounded by hills Sara groaned. They had been half way through removing the body when the first mud slid hit, Grissom had the good mind to order both Sara and Catherine to tie a rope around them before they attempted anything. It was a good thing because there was nothing to grab onto when the ground beneath them moved out with such force.

Their shift had ended but none of them had any intention of leaving just yet, it wasn't till and second crew arrived that Sara remembered she had to leave, the last time she was late getting home to the baby sitter she was lectured. Sara closed the door quietly and she was intent on giving Lotte a quick kiss before she got changed and ready to drop her off at school when something caught her attention on her couch. She moved forward and saw a tall figure sprawled out on her couch. Two sets of shoes had been abandoned causally beside the table and a man's jacket was draped across the back of the couch. The picture Sara found herself looking at was very disarming. Greg was sunk deep into the pillows one leg across the seats while the other was hanging over the side, behind him and almost half across him was a small figure. Lotte had buried herself against Greg, his arms wrapped protectively around her. Sara bent down in front of them and smiled at their peaceful faces, she reached forward and brushed some red hair from Lotte's face then she turned to the other one, she reached out stopping her hand a second when she almost touched Greg's sleeping face. She took a deep breath and brushed some of the golden tinted hair away trailing her fingers across his frown lines. She smiled at his stubble and trailed her fingers along the hairs, enjoying the feeling of rough from smooth. She snatched her hand back when Greg's eyelids flickered then they began to open. At first he looked startled then he focused on Sara and he grinned. Shifting he glanced at Lotte then looked back at Sara with a sigh.

"Sorry, baby sitter dropped her off and I brought her home. Hope you don't mind" Greg mumbled his eyes falling lightly as sleep over whelmed him; Sara could help herself and grinned. Greg managed to open his eyes slightly and grinned back at her

"What" he questioned trying to fridge annoyance, Sara shook her head and stared at him "I was just… I was just thinking how cute the pair of you looked" Sara offered causing Greg to blush then peer down at the red haired child. Then he looked back to Sara once more and shrugged "she learned her best moves from me" he offered before Sara laughed then flicked his ear lope finding it to be the only thing she could hit without waking Lotte.

"hey what happened to being cute" Greg whined but still grinning "yeah until you were a smartass" Sara pointed out before she looked at Lotte and sighed "here, she can sleep in today" Sara declared as she stood and gently lifted the young child up. Greg followed shortly stretching. He stared at Sara and Lotte and couldn't help but smile at the scene he saw- it made him yearn, for something he couldn't have.

"Playing hooky" Greg questioned raising an eyebrow causing Sara to laugh lightly before she shook her head at him.

"I'll be heading out" Greg declared as Sara looked at him, still shaking her head "don't be silly, stay you can crash" Sara ordered before she headed down the corridor with Lotte leaving Greg a little shocked at the invitation. She had allowed him to stay… shaking his head Greg scolded himself. His friend said he could crash on the couch that was all. Greg ran a hand through his hair and began to feel tried once more; he had a three day weekend. Grissom had felt charitable, said he needed a break.

Greg sprawled on the couch once more and shifted, he had managed to fall asleep before because he was dead tired and couldn't keep his eyes open, now he realised how uncomfortable Sara's couch truly was. He turned once more when he heard Sara return, he heard her laugh when she saw him and he tilted his head back to look at her. She stood with her arms folded staring at him "Greg I know that isn't comfortable. Believe me I know… you can use my bed… me and Lotte will use her bed" Sara ordered and Greg slumped back when sharp pains ran through his neck. He sat up and looked at her unsure how to respond figuring being gentleman like was the best option.

"I don't mind… I was a student not so long ago" he stated but Sara groaned and walked around the couch grabbing his hand and pulling him forcefully to his feet and dragged him down the corridor she had taken Lotte down. She stopped outside what he assumed was her bedroom door and shoved him in wards "go on sleep… I'm going to grab a shower before I go to sleep anyway" Sara told him with a smile on her lips, Greg was stunned. But he managed a smile but before he could joke about anything Sara turned and headed towards the bathroom and clicked the door shut leaving him to turn and head to the bed before him. It was neatly made and just beckoned to him, slipping beneath the covers he sighed, if he should die he would die happy. Then he caught hints of Sara's shampoos and soaps and something in his stomach tightened.

He had dreamed this a thousand times… being in her bed with her beneath him. He explored her skin, leaving lingering kisses over her body… felt her soft fingers digging into his back, his skin red from her nails. Her taste and her smell filled his senses, drove them into over drive. He couldn't handle not touching her.

That dream he had a thousand times before, however this time it changed. It was dark and there was whimpering. He was no longer touching her; instead he was at a crime scene. Catherine was shaking her head looking at something Greg couldn't see. Moving forward Greg could tell he was at the Keats house hold. Nick and Warwick were exchanging money before they looked at him and grinned… eerie grins, they looked out of place

"We knew you would screw up Sanders. Just had to bet on it" Warwick declared his voice just as out of place as his grin. They shouldn't be doing that at a crime scene, Catherine was still shaking her head, glaring at him now as he moved towards them taking forever. Grissom was studying a bug… an alive bug that wriggled between the tweezers but Grissom didn't even seem to notice it, he dropped the bug and stamped on it. Greg was shocked it was evidence it had to be but he destroyed it.

Grissom stared at him "it doesn't matter any way… don't need the bug. We have you, you should have protected them" Grissom told him, his voice strangled almost and distant. Greg frowned and tried to make himself stop but his feet carried on walking… towards the living room and crime scene at the Keats house.

"Who? Who am I meant to protect" Greg yelled but he soon found Brass who glanced up at Greg from his squatting position beside the body that was hidden from Greg's view "sorry son, but you screwed up… you knew what you had to do and you failed…guess Grissom was wrong to make you a CSI… you couldn't protect them" Brass stood and stalked past Greg before he could ask him. He turned and looked at where Brass had been squatting… he gasped when he saw Georgian Keats staring at him. She looked like the crime scene photos, blood everywhere. She was staring at him, tears mixing with the blood. Her voice was normal, well for a dead woman. She made the most sense. Lifting a broken hand and finger she pointed at him and Greg felt a blow to his chest, a heavy pressure on his chest making it hard for him to breath.

"You could have protected them… you could have stopped him" Georgian declared as Greg shook his head "I don't understand" "you know he's coming back… he won't stop. You know that… if you don't protect them then no one will…" Georgian trailed off a looked towards where her body should have laid once upon a time. Greg rushed forward and chocked with tears when he saw the broken bodies of Sara and Lotte. Their eyes glazed blood pooling beneath them, Greg tore his eyes away and looked at Georgian who coward from something, something behind Greg. Spinning around he saw Lacus Keats leaning against the door tapping a knife against his leg grinning a sickening smile at him. He winked and pointed the knife towards Greg and drawled "I'm gonna be here real soon… promise you" then he was gone and Greg was gasping for breath.