Up on the rooftop

Greg was allowed to go home, sleep for a few hours before going back in. Nick had called him, saying an older woman had come in to file a missing person report for Linda Stesiak; Grissom wanted Nick and Greg to talk to her and give them an update on the case.

Greg met Nick at the Lab and they headed to The Strip to talk to the victim's mother in law at her hotel room. Greg was sipping his coffee and looking at out the window thinking. Nick was driving and he couldn't stand the younger man's brooding anymore and was bounded and determined to snap him out of it

"For Christ's sakes Greg if you still like her that much find out way she stopped talking to you and why she was going to get married?" Greg looked at Nick.

"What?"

"This mood you're in is driving me nuts and people are wondering where is Happy Greg and I'm keeping my mouth shut about you and the cake lady, but I don't know how much longer I can keep covering for Pissy Greg. So be a man and talk to her."

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"Did you hear Grissom last night, 'suspects are not for dating' or something similar to what Grissom said last night."

"You're not dating her G; it's a chat between old friends. Unless you wanna date her again."

"I rather date Hodges at least he's predictable."

"Wow you are depressed."

"I just want this case closed so I can get some sleep. Three hours of sleep versus the twenty one hours I've been working is a bad combo," said Greg.

"Fine, but once this case is closed I want you to do one of two things. One. You go back to being Happy Greg. Two. If you're going to stay Pissy Greg than have a reason to be Pissy, find out why she stopped talking to you. Find out why she was planning on getting married even though you asked her to wait for you." Nick pulled into a parking space and both men got out.

"You don't think she did it do you?" asked Nick.

"Jenna's a lot of things, but I know she's not a killer," said Greg. The two took an elevator to the sixth floor and found the room that was registered to Mary Ann Brooks. Nick knocked on the door and a tall older woman with blond hair and bloodshot eyes answered the door.

"Mrs. Brooks?" asked Nick. She nodded.

"I'm Nick Stokes and this is Greg Sanders and we're with the Crime Lab do you mind if we ask you some questions?"

"No, come in please," she held open the door for them and closed it behind them. "You're here to talk about Linda aren't you? I saw her at the morgue, god what kind of person would do that. She was a pain in my ass, I'll admit that, she wasn't who I had in mind for a daughter in-law, but I didn't want her dead. No one deserves that, my son is in the next room, they had to give him a sedative to calm him down. I'll try my best to answer your questions." Mary Ann took a sip of water and sat down across from Nick and Greg.

"Can you tell us what happened the day before Linda died?" asked Nick.

"My son and Linda decided that a Vegas wedding would be easier than one in New York. It's all been a huge whirlwind, they we're to get married here with our family than go back to New York for a reception. Linda wanted a cake for after the ceremony, I told her that we could get a small cake from the hotel, but she wanted one from a bakery she read about in Modern Bride. I honestly think she wanted to come here just for a cake. So we set up the tasting and the lady who helped us was very kind, but when she told Linda that what she wanted would be impossible, Linda lost her temper."

"I think pulling someone's hair and hitting them is a little more than losing your temper," said Greg. He still couldn't help but feel a little pissed off that someone hit Jenna over something retarded like a cake.

"Focus Greg…on work."

"Like I said she's wasn't the ideal daughter in law. I was just happy the owner wasn't going to press charges and I didn't have to bride her not too. I took Linda back to the hotel, she took one of her little downers, and we did the final fittings on gowns, and made sure the rooms were booked. Around nine, Linda said she was tired and went to bed. My son and I went out, came back around 11 and Linda wasn't here, we thought maybe she had gone for a walk or went to a casino, so we went to bed and Linda wasn't back. We we're told we had to wait twenty four hours before a missing person reporting could be filed." She took another sip of water, and sighed.

"I found out that she had been dead for at least twenty two of those twenty four hours."

"Did Linda take anything with her wallet, cell phone, hotel keys?" asked Nick.

"They were all in her purse and when we saw her and the purse gone we just assumed she went gambling. I mean this is Vegas after all."

"How was Linda after you got her out the bakery?" asked Greg.

"Pissed off, ranting the whole back to the hotel. She told me one way or another she was getting a cake from that bakery." Greg and Nick exchanged a look, it seemed to click in both their minds that maybe, Linda broke into the bakery, but it didn't figure out who killed her.

When they got back to the lab, Mandy ran up to greet them and was waving test results.

"And you don't even have to sing for them. The prints on the rolling pin belong to the owner. Hey you feeling alright Greg, you look a little pasty."

"Yeah fine, just need a few hours of sleep is all. You sure about the prints?" Mandy looked highly insulted.

"I printed both ends and all the prints were hers and only hers."

"Print the whole rolling pin, please Mandy?" asked Nick.

"I hope you tell Grissom about my overtime," said Mandy taking back her test results. Greg started walking towards the locker room with Nick on his heels.

"No way, no god damn way," thought Greg. "Prints don't lie though…"

"Greg chill, it's a bakery; her prints were bound to be on it."

"But her prints only. Nick you know that doesn't look good for anyone," said Greg quietly.

"Look, let's go back and ask some more questions. Do you think you can keep your cool?" Greg looked pissed.

"Yes."

"I know it's hard to deal with cases that involve people that you've care about at one point or another, but keeping your head straight is key. It helps you and it helps them Greggo," said Nick. Greg nodded. "I'll see you back at the jeep." Nick headed off and Greg took a deep breath.

"Keep my head straight, easier said than done."

From the looks of business traffic, the small local news story about Linda being killed in the back didn't slow down business any. Greg and Nick walked in the front where Ofilia was seating couples down for a cake tasting. She spotted Nick and Greg and told the couples to wait just one moment.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, we have a few more questions we need to ask Miss. Bianchi," said Nick. Ofilia eyed Greg and turned back to Nick.

"She's in the kitchen," said Ofilia and she turned around and muttered. "It's una vergüenza su pequeño amigo rubio es tal tirón o engancharía tan para arriba con usted." Nick grinned.

"Por supuesto tome su lado, pero don't me juzgan basado en él." Ofilia turned around and grinned.

"Lo que," she went back to the customers.

"What did she say?" asked Greg.

"Never mind," said Nick opening the door leading to the kitchen. Greg and Nick were bombarded by the sounds of the Clash, Rock the Casbah. They shut door and Julia and two other women looked up.

"What?" asked Julia turning off the music and glaring.

"Looking for Jenna, we were told she was in here," said Nick.

"Oh Lissa was freaking out about being in the kitchen, Jenna took her up to the roof to talk her."

"The roof?" asked Greg. Julia shrugged.

"It's private, relaxing and we have parities on it sometimes. If you go through that door it will take you up the roof."

"Thanks sugar," said Nick to the goth girl and Greg followed him up the stairs. They opened the door to the roof and found Jenna and a young girl with short red hair sitting at a table. The roof was covered in gravel and had a few picnic tables and a swing set. The girl with red hair was very upset and Jenna was comforting her.

"Trust me we all screw up at some point and no one is perfect. You're doing a good job Lissa." The young girl let out a tired smile.

"I needed to hear that."

"Excuse me ladies," called out Nick. Both looked up and Jenna let out a sigh and stood up. Greg had to admit that even though he was pissed at Jenna, she was still a beautiful woman. She was wearing blue jeans and a black tank top that showed off her mid-drift slightly and showed off a small belly button ring. Her hair was down and was much longer than he remembered it being, almost to her waist.

"Damn it…work…focus on work."

"Lissa are you alright to go in the kitchen or would you rather be in the office?"

"I'll see you in the kitchen. Umm should I leave my bracelet in your office?" asked Lissa.

"Just give it to me at the end of the day, I'll try to fix it," said Jenna. The young girl nodded and head back downstairs. Jenna than turned her attention to Greg and Nick.

"Can I help you two?" asked Jenna.

"Maybe, we found your prints on the rolling pin that was used to kill Linda Stesiak. Can you explain that?" asked Nick. Jenna raised an eyebrow.

"It's a bakery, I use rolling pins it's a common tool."

"Your prints were the only ones we found." Jenna looked slightly pale.

"Is it a white rolling pin with flowers on it?" Nick nodded and Jenna looked a little relieved.

"I was wondering where that went, my brother got it for me has a Quinceañera gift. I'm the only one who uses that pin, so of course my prints are on it."

"Does everyone here know that's your pin and your pin alone?" asked Greg. Jenna rolled her eyes and Nick could feel that both of them wanted to snap at each other.

"Yes everyone here knows that my pin, I've had it for over fifteen years. Anything else?"

"Not right now, thank you," said Greg. Jenna turned to walk back down the stairs when Nick called out.

"Ok, you two are acting like little kids and it's annoying. Jenna, he's driving me crazy, Greg you're staying up here and you two will talk out whatever issues you have." Nick turned and left the rooftop, Jenna glared at Greg.

"You told him about us, what the hell?"

"He heard you blow up at me yesterday morning, so I had to explain." Jenna turned her back on him and looked out to the skyline.

"Well you deserved it." Greg's jaw dropped.

"I deserved that. Would you mind sharing with the class why?" Jenna turned around and Greg could see she was getting ready to start throwing words like bombs.

"You come into my business, my life, and have the balls to tell me I screwed up my life. You…of all the people in the world have no right to start judging the choices made by others. Yeah I wanted to go back and finish school, but my responsibilities were here and still are. You made your decision and chose your family, I did the same thing. So don't you even start throwing stones at me Greg Sanders. Now get off my roof, get out of my business and find out who killed that lady." Jenna turned around and sat on the swing facing away from Greg he was trying not to shake with anger.

"You broke my heart how's that for throwing stones. I asked you to wait and than you cut me out of your life like it was nothing, you were my friend first and foremost and when you left it hurt so much that little things like sleeping and eating were damn near meaningless. I almost wish we had never met."

"Fine by me," Greg turned and slammed the door leading back downstairs shut. Jenna waited till he was gone and started to cry, she didn't know how long she had been sitting their when Ofilia sat down next to her.

"Men…they always know how to push the right buttons." Jenna nodded and wiped her eyes.

"Thank god I don't wear makeup, I'll be down in a few minutes okay." Ofilia nodded and went back downstairs.

"Well it's not the first time he's made you cry," thought Jenna before getting back to work.

Ofilia and Nick's brief exchange.

It's a shame your little blond friend is such a jerk or I would so hook up with you-Ofilia

Of course take her side, but don't judge me based on him.-Nick

Whatever-Ofilia

Writers note-I know most of the flashbacks so far have been Jenna's POV, but it helps understand where she's coming from, character development is good. Flashbacks from Greg's POV are coming in the next few chapters. I swear -

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