"Your food is going to get cold if you do not start eating it soon"
Greg raised his head, glancing at his food.
"Yeah I suppose I should. Are you sure you do not mind?"
"No not at all. Want to hear how our interview went with Tyler?"
Greg picked at his food, his demeanor becoming more sullen. "Um, I guess."
She noticed this. She thought he would be interested to hear what Tyler had to say, but maybe it brought him back to that day too much. "I don't have to if you do not want to right now."
He shook his head, but not looking at her now. "It's fine. Go ahead, what did he have to say?"
She went ahead and told him pretty much word for word what Tyler told them.
Greg was only half listening. He tried focusing on eating his food more so than anything. He did not like hearing how much pleasure Ty took in slicing a person up. Greg had enough experience with it to know first hand. He only found the parts about Jessica's involvement interesting.
Catherine noticed Greg's non-responsiveness to what she was telling him about Tyler. She began to wonder if she should have ever told him any of it.
"Greg, what's going on in that head of yours," she finally asked him after a couple minutes where all he did is mumbling that he was paying attention.
He glanced up at her from his half empty tray. "What do you mean?"
"You said you were okay with me telling you about Tyler, but you have not spoken a word in response to what I told you. If it bothers you to hear about it, why did you let me tell you about it?"
He sighed. "I was going to hear it at some point, so I might as well get it over with now. It does not mean I am ready to react to it."
Catherine now understood. "You rather not think about it at all. You've been having nightmares, haven't you?"
He scowled, he hated to admit it to anyone, but Catherine would understand. "Yes, they started a couple days ago. It seems the more I hear about Tyler and Jessica's plans, the more my mind likes to twist my dreams up."
"So why did you have me tell you?" Sympathy in her eyes as she asked him.
"Like I said I would have heard about it at some point. What's the point of prolonging the inevitable?"
Since Greg was finally opening up honestly, Catherine decided to do the same with him.
"Well you are not the only one to have some nightmares. I have had a couple too."
Greg was not sure if she was telling the truth or just saying it, hoping to make him feel better.
"Yeah really?"
"Yes, I have. They seem to be getting more frequent. Perhaps because I've been worried about you."
"Have you now? Even after what I had said to you before?"
"Of course I have. I was hurt by it, I will admit, but I still care about your well being." She could not believe she was telling him all this.
He finally broke into one of his famous grins. "It's nice to know I can be a total jerk and still be liked."
"Well I guess I took into consideration what you've been through and the meds you were on. But I have to admit, what you said about the lab explosion really did hurt. I thought you were past that."
Greg's smile dropped, then he sighed. "I guess I am…wait no I am past that. I did and still do not blame you for the explosion. It was an honest mistake and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Catherine nodded her head slightly, and then asked him about this time. "What about this time around? Do you blame me for leaving you alone?"
Greg's eyes expressed shock. "No, not at all. It is not the first time I've been left alone for a few minutes. It's just the first time something happened. It could have been you just as easily and I am glad it was not."
She frowned a bit. "Is that some sort of macho thing, saying I could not have handled it?"
"No, I just never want to see you hurt, that is all. I already told you that."
Catherine gazed at him for a moment. "Yeah I guess I am just starting to get that now."
It was Greg's turn now to feel himself blush a bit. He quickly lowered his head, trying to act like he was taking another try at his food.
Catherine looked at her watch. She had to get going soon. She did not want to leave yet because she still felt like a lot of things were left unsaid, but it was not like Greg was going anywhere soon.
She watched him picking at his food, but noticed he was not really eating it. Maybe once she left he would eat.
"Greg, I need to go now. I have to get to work."
He looked at her, some disappointment written on his face. "Oh, yeah. I guess it is around that time now, isn't it?"
She felt bad but she really did have to go. "I'm sorry. I promise to stop by tomorrow again. Just get some more rest, you need it."
He nodded his head. "I'm trying."
She smiled sweetly at him. "I know you are. Things will get better soon. At least our case is pretty much wrapped up."
"Yes, I guess that is good that he is behind bars now."
Catherine could still hear the uneasiness in his voice as he mentioned Tyler.
"Well, take care. I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him a big smile before she left him alone in his hospital room.
He had enough of his food and pushed his try away. He lay back down on his side in bed. He rubbed his right shoulder. That was the one wound that seemed to be healing properly, but it still ached at times.
He lay there thinking about Catherine, grateful she was able to forgive him for all the terrible things he had said. He felt better now knowing she did not hate him. He grinned to himself thinking that maybe someday he might have a chance with her after all.
He soon fell asleep thinking good thoughts for a change since he had been in the hospital.
A couple days had gone by and Greg's infection was finally about gone. Catherine had stopped by each evening before her shift and brought him take out food from a couple of his favorite eateries. He started feeling much better after eating real food again.
When she was there, they both managed to skirt the issue of what had happened back in that motel room. Instead she talked about her current cases and what the others were up to at work.
Everyone else had stopped by too, for short visits. They all noticed his spirits seemed to be better in more recent days.
Dr. Maddox came in to check up on Greg's progress again. "So how are you feeling today?"
"Better I guess," Greg shrugged as he sat up in bed for the doctor to examine his back again. "Do you think I can get out of here soon? Two weeks is too long to be trapped in here."
The doctor laughed. "Well actually I just wanted to double check on your wound and make sure it was still doing fine, which it is and seeing as it's nearly all healed from the infection, I can safely say you can probably be out of here in two days."
Greg breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally!"
Dr. Maddox came around and took the seat across from Greg. "Now you'll be able to get out of here, but you and I both know you are still having trouble getting around on your own, plus you'll need to go through some physical therapy for your shoulder and to get back to being able to walk normally. Do you have anyone who can stay with you while you recover at home, say like your family or a friend?"
Greg's happiness about being released diminished some now. "Well, I'd have to find out about that."
"That's why I am giving you a couple days to make arrangements. You can't be on your own for the first couple weeks. I can't have you getting an infection again or something else by overdoing it on your own."
There was a knock on the room's door. Both Dr. Maddox and Greg looked to see who it was. Catherine peeked her head in. "Did I come at a bad time?"
Dr. Maddox stood up. "No, I was just telling Greg here that he can get out of here the day after next, but he will need someone to be with him. He has sometime to work it out, though."
He turned back to Greg. "I'll check in with you again tomorrow and see if you have a decision yet. Otherwise, things are looking good. We just can't have you overdoing it."
The doctor nodded his head at Catherine as he walked past her, out the door.
Catherine came over and took a seat. "That's great, Greg. You are finally going to get out of here."
Greg nodded, but did not seem as enthused as she expected him to be.
"What's wrong," she asked him.
He sighed, looking away for a moment then looking at her. "Well, like he said I need to have someone stay with me or something like that. I don't know what to do."
"What about your parents? I am sure they would take care of you."
Greg shook his head. "No! I think I would rather be here. I have not even told them about what happened. They totally freaked out when I was beaten. If my mom found out about this and had the chance she would kidnap me, lock me up and never let me out of her sight again."
Catherine smiled at his extreme explanation. "They can't be that bad."
"Oh yes they can be. No, I just can't even mention this to them until I am completely better. I can't think of anyone who might be able to stay with me though. I'll want to jump off the bridge if I have my parents do it. I don't know what to do."
Catherine thought for a moment. "You could stay at my home."
Greg's eyes opened wide in surprise. "What? Your place? No, you work all day and Lindsay. No, it would be weird."
"Wait Greg, hear me out. My mother is there most of the time, mostly to be there for Lindsay, but she could help you when I am not there. And Lindsay could really use your help with her in Chemistry. Remember, you offered." She was grinning at him,
Greg rolled his eyes. "Pulling the Lindsay card is harsh. But still it does not seem right, me living with you."
"Greg, it would just be temporary until the Doctor says you are fine to be on your own again. At least think about it. You still have a day to wait yet anyway."
"Fine, I will think about it." Then he lowered his voice and stared at her. "Did you bring what I asked you for?"
Catherine grinned. She picked up a bag she carried in with her and pulled out a smaller paper bag. She placed it on his table.
"Here, just what you asked for."
Greg pulled the contents out of the bag and grinned ear to ear. Then he looked at her, his eyes beaming. "You truly are an angel."
She laughed off her blushing. "Come on now, its only food."
"No, it's Mr. Chan's Chinese food. I've been dying for this stuff for the last two weeks now." He started opening up the boxes and digging into the food.
"Well at least you have been eating again. That's good to see. I was getting worried about you again."
Greg glanced at her. "You need to stop worrying about me. You are reminding me too much of my…" He stopped short of saying 'mother' because he did not want that image in either of their heads.
She broke into a grin, knowing what he was going to say. It was true, she had been sort of mothering him the last couple days, but she noticed how much happier he had been, so if it was helping him feel better, she would continue doing it.
"I can't stay long today. I have to go in early to have a meeting with Ecklie. So think about my offer and let me know tomorrow."
"Okay, I will let you know. Good luck with Ecklie. See you tomorrow." Greg smiled admiringly at her as she walked out the door.