Letting Go

Vegas 2005

Greg walked into the lab and spotted Nick in the break room. Greg realized that he had been a little more than an ass the last time they spoke and decided to owe up to it.

"Hey," said Greg getting a cup of coffee. Nick nodded and went back to the newspaper.

"If I told you I felt like a total jackass after our hissy fit last night, would that make things better?" asked Greg. Nick lowered the paper.

"Ah Greggo, you know I can't stay mad at you, especially considering all the years you rushed my DNA samples. I shouldn't have spilled to Cat and Sara, you ask me to keep it private and I blew it. So we good?"

"Yeah we're good. Any thing from DNA and the crystals yet?" Nick shook his head.

"Wendy is backlogged with some drug bust that Cat and Warrick were working, she promised she get to it ASAP. Mandy is also taking her sweet time reprinting our pin, damn drug deals and the mess they leave behind." Greg sat down to finish his coffee before going to pester and see if Wendy could step it up a little, when Sara walked in and looked at little grim.

"Just the duo I was looking for, Grissom wants to see both you in his office, now."

"About?" asked Nick even though they both had an idea.

"The bakery case…brace yourselves, Brass is with him." Sara left to check her other cases and Nick shared a look with Greg.

"Do you think he'll give us one last meal?" Greg chugged his coffee and threw the paper cup in the trash.

"Let's just get it over with."

Nick and Greg sat down opposite of Grissom's desk and Brass shut the door. Grissom looked grim and Brass looked the way he always did.

"So any news on the case?" asked Brass. Greg just kept his mouth shut, he had a good feeling now about where this was going and he didn't like it.

"Still waiting for results, lab is backlogged," said Nick. Grissom raised an eyebrow and pulled out Mandy's report.

"Care to explain this?"

"We thought…" started Nick. Brass cut him off.

"You have prints on a murder weapon and didn't share the information with your supervisor and than, without telling your supervisor or anyone else on the case, you not only waste time rerunning the prints, you re-question the woman's whose prints are on the weapon. And this is because she and Sanders had a fling a few years back. Unless lab rat gossip has failed me" Greg tried to keep his face expressionless and failed under Grissom's stare

"Do you need to recuse yourself from this case? If it's affecting your ability to remain fair and let the evidence make up your mind, than say so," said Grissom.

"No, I'm fine working this case," said Greg. Grissom remained blank and Brass spoke up again.

"Good, because we're bring her in for questioning and possible charging her with murder depending on what DNA gives us."

"Wait hold up…just for some prints on a pin in her bakery. A good defense lawyer is going to tear that up," said Nick.

"Hopeful her lawyer can explain the two hour time gap in her alibi. The alarm has her leaving at midnight; her neighbors peg her coming home around two in the morning. That gives her a large chunk of time where she could have killed our victim, got rid of the evidence and pretended like nothing ever happened."

"She didn't do this," said Greg.

"Do I need to recuse you?" asked Grissom.

"Hear me out, she's worked her whole life for that bakery and she wouldn't do something that would ruin it, not after all the work she put in." Grissom nodded.

"You knew her Greg, you don't know her now. If the evidence points us another way, we'll follow it, but right now all roads lead to her." Greg sighed and nodded.

"I'm going to bring her in. Grissom can you and Greg come with me to search the bakery and her car. Nick can you go with Sara to search her house?" asked Brass.

"Yes sir," said Nick defeated and went to find Sara. Greg followed Grissom and Brass to a car and headed back to the bakery.

It was about eleven and the bakery was closed, but Lissa and another woman were cleaning the front of the shop and were listening to some 3 Doors Down loudly. Brass had to pound on the door to be let in.

"Can we help you?" asked Lissa after opening the door.

"Is Miss. Bianchi in?" asked Brass.

"She's in the kitchen…wait a minute," said Lissa as Brass and Grissom walked past her. Greg followed behind them. The music was even louder in the kitchen and Greg spotted Jenna the second he walked in and almost smiled. She and the other workers hadn't noticed Brass and Grissom in the kitchen and Jenna was bobbing her head to the music, singing and layering a cake.

In my head there's only you now
This world falls on me
In this world there's real and make believe
And this seems real to me

You love me but you don't know who I am
I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand
And you love me but you don't know who I am
So let me go
Let me go

I dream ahead to what I hope for
And I turn my back on loving you…

Grissom stopped the music and the whole kitchen looked up. Jenna frowned and wiped her hands on an apron.

"Can I help you?" Brass handed her the warrant.

"We have a warrant to search your business, your car and your home." Jenna ripped it open and started reading it, her face getting paler by the second.

"This is bullshit, I've cooperated with everything you've wanted so far and now it's getting old. My home! Why? You think I did this? Oh hell no!" Jenna was pissed and she took off her apron and want into full fledged rant mood.

"What kind of a moron kills someone in their own business? I mean really who does that? I didn't kill her, I didn't like her, but that's a piss poor reason to suspect me."

"It's just we have a few more questions that need answered, if you would come with us downtown," said Grissom not batting an eye.

"Are you arresting me?" asked Jenna.

"We can, if you keep screaming and make our jobs harder," said Brass. Jenna glared at him and turned to Ofilia.

"Call Willis for me and have him meet me downtown. Tell him that I have a harassment suit lining up," she glared at Greg and followed Brass out of the kitchen. Greg saw it out the corner of his eye. The necklace Jenna was wearing. A small jade charm on a silver chain, he most ran after her to make sure he really saw what he saw.

You gave her that…right before everything blew up in your face.

Stanford, California

May-1998

Jenna was helping him pack up the last of the boxes that would go with him to San Francisco. Greg paused in the doorway to watch her; she had braided her hair back and was wearing a pair of shorts and a black halter top. He smiled and thought back on the last few weeks they had spent together. It was one of the greatest feelings he had in a long time.

They had tried to keep their relationship under wraps from the office for awhile. That failed about two weeks into their relationship when Jenna kept teasing him, by leaning back in her chair and stretching, causing her shirt to go up, smiling at him the whole time. Greg couldn't stand it anymore and when lunch came, they took a full hour at her apartment. No would have noticed anything if he had taken five seconds to make sure his shirt was buttoned right. The next morning, Laura placed disclosure forms on their desks with a post-it smiley face. Jenna and Greg spent morning break filling them out when they were finished Jenna took them back to Laura skipping.

Why did I wait so long…

Jenna got to meet his parents a few weeks ago when they came up here to see him graduate. His parents were just happy to finally meet the girl their son had carried on about over the phone and that his grandparents had been so pleased with. Greg was surprised that his parents took to her so fast, most girls that he had dated, were not to their liking and they had barely tolerated Dana. Jenna was the first girl to meet his parents and not beg for a way out ten minutes later.

"I'm sorry about the inquisition," he told her later on that night when his parents went to back to their hotel and he and Jenna were alone at his place. Jenna shrugged and put her head on his shoulder.

"Oh just wait, you have my mother and older brother to deal with…I'm sure my godparents will sit in too."

"You have godparents?"

"My godfather is nowhere near as cool as the movies show them being."

"Damn it!" Jenna laughed.

"God you are a dork." She went to put the dishes away from dinner and he followed her.

"They really like you." Jenna shook her head.

"They'll change their minds when they see how crazy my family is." She finished the dishes and he took her hand.

"No they won't, they know how much you mean to me." It was still cute to see that he could make her blush like that.

"You are a smooth talker, you know that." She gave him a hug and he put his head on top of hers.

"I love you." She took a step back and her eyes were wide, it was the first time he told that he loved her, outside of the bedroom. He had told her that he loved more than a dozen times when they were making love and he felt like he was drowning and those were the only words he could find. But, this was different he really meant it and it was more than physically being in love with her, this feeling took him over. How had she been able to stay quite all that time and feel this way and not scream?

"Greg," He kissed her softly, he just wanted her know how he felt. When he broke away from away from her, he wanted her to know something else.

"I want you to come to San Francisco with me?" Her eyes got even wider.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you right? You what?"

"Take your summer break and come with me to San Francisco."

"I…were would I stay? I don't have a job there, I would have to come back here in the fall and get a whole new place to stay. I need to sit down." Jenna sat down, she seemed shocked, surprised that he asked her to come. Unlike Dana's reaction, he knew that she was happy to be asked. He sat down next to her and held her hands.

"Well to answer your first question about living there, you would live with me."

"Whoa, you want to live with me. Have you met me, I'm a neat freak, I snore, I drool in sleep, and I'm sure you'll find all sorts of things that will drive you insane by the time July comes. Are you drunk?"

"Well I was well aware of your first three faults and have coped with them, I think I can cope with the others that pop up. No I'm not drunk and San Francisco is big place and I'm sure you could easily find a job their, in fact I got the help wanted section of the paper there when I went to get my apartment lease." he was grinning at her and she seemed to be absorbing what he was telling her.

"We just started dating…" he felt his smile slip, she was scared and he wanted to stop whatever negative thought was going through her head.

"I've known you for almost two years now, you've been the greatest friend I've ever had and I'll really miss you when I go and this seemed like the best way to stay together. If you feel like this is going too fast.." she cut him off right there

"I wanna go." He blinked.

"Really."

"Yeah, I wanna go with you." He kissed her again and they soon found themselves lost in each other on the living room floor and he told her that he loved the whole time she was under him, begging him to tell her again that he did.

He came up behind her and placed his hands on her hips and started kissing her neck. Jenna started to laugh and pushed him away.

"I can't help you pack with you doing that."

"You're no fun," whined Greg. Jenna turned around and smiled at him.

"I know I'm such a bitch. I'm helping you pack and won't let you nibble on me. God I'm a horrible girlfriend, you should dump me." Jenna went back to the boxes and Greg wrapped his arms around her.

"Now if I do that, I won't be able to give you your present." He pulled a small box out from a bag he was carrying. Jenna turned around and grinned.

"Oh gimmie," she started to reach for it, but Greg had the height advantage and held it above his head.

"Tell me you love me." Jenna pouted.

"Do I have to?" Greg mocked frowned.

"Well I'm sure my new girlfriend will like this," he turned to walk out of the room and Jenna jumped on his back.

"God you are such a baby…you know I love you." She started kissing the spot on the back of his neck that always got him and Greg dropped her on the sofa. She shook her head. "I thought I was no fun." Greg sat down next to her and handed her the box.

"You can have your present I suppose, you gift whore," she played smacked him.

"You're the one begging for love and bribing me with gifts, but I'm the whore…at least I'm getting paid." Jenna grinned and realized that Greg was the only person who could pretend call her a whore, outside of her female friends in Vegas, and she wasn't pissed. She opened the box and her jaw dropped.

"Oh my god." She took the necklace with the jade charm out of it's box . "It's…wow." Greg took it out her hand and put it on her.

"I saw it, when I went to San Francisco to sign the lease. I couldn't help but think, it how much you would like. You like it right?"

"It's really pretty," Jenna turned around. "Thank you." Greg touched the charm that was close to her heart.

"It matches your eyes." Jenna went to kiss him when someone started knocking at the door. He groaned when Jenna pulled away.

"Do you want me to get it?" she asked.

"Could you kill them for interrupting?" Jenna sighed.

"Only if you'll help me get rid of the body." She left the living room and went into the hallway and opened the door. Greg went to finish the box left by Jenna when he heard her shouting.

"What the hell do you want?!" The voice he heard next was someone he hoped was gone forever.

"I wanna talk to Greg, now move." Dana was screaming.

"Go to hell," Greg started down the hallway and saw Jenna trying to shut the door, but Dana was in the way.

"I NEED TO TALK TO GREG!!!!"

"WELL I NEED YOU TO GO TO HELL!" Jenna was close to giving Dana the beat down she had wanted to since day one. Greg got to the door and Dana was waving a piece of paper.

"He needs to see this, it has nothing to do with you, you fucking bitch."

"Yeah that's right I'm a fucking bitch, who's giving you ten seconds to clear off this doorway." Greg took Jenna shoulder.

"She's not worth it, Jen. Dana go away." Dana shoved the paper at his chest.

"No I'm not going anyway, you need to know," Dana seemed near tears and even Jenna felt a twinge of pity for her. Greg took the paper and skimmed through it and felt his world shift.

Close your eyes and when you open them this won't be here, Dana won't be here. It will be you and Jenna and the feel of her skin on yours. Greg opened and closed his eyes again and nothing had changed, Dana was here, the paper still in his hands and Jenna staring at him, waiting for an answer.

"Are you sure?" he asked when thought returned to him.

"That's the doctor's test results right there." Jenna had a feeling that she wasn't going to like were this was going.

"What's going on?" asked Jenna. She took the paper out of Greg's hands and read it. She felt all the blood leave her body and she felt cold, she blinked and read it again.

"How," was all Jenna could get out when she finished reading it a third time. Dana snatched it out of her hands.

"How do you think? Now I need to talk with Greg about this, without you here," snapped Dana. Jenna blinked and looked at Greg, wanting him to say something, anything to her.

"Greg," she reached out to touch him.

"She's right, Jen could you…this is between us," it pained him to say that to her, and the look in her eyes pained him even more. Jenna went back down the hallway and got her purse and hated the feeling she got when her back was to Dana as she walked out the door and heard it slam behind her.

"How….when are you due?" asked Greg sitting down in a chair trying to get his world back in order."

"They pegged it for around November. You know this isn't what I had planned for my life either," snapped Dana.

"Don't yell at me right now…you can't just come back here tell me you're pregnant and expect me to think rationally about anything." Dana sat down in a chair across from him.

"I'm sorry."

"I thought, what the hell, we were careful for this reason," muttered Greg.

"Well either the condom broke or someone fell asleep at quality control when my pills were going through. Like I said this wasn't what I had planned for my life either," said Dana.

"I…what do you want to do?"

"I don't know I'm not getting rid of it though."

"I wasn't asking you too. God what kind of asshole do you think me for?" Dana nodded.

"You're not an asshole, I don't know Greg. I don't have a clue what I'm going to do?" Dana started crying. Greg felt pity for her; he was partially responsible for this mess. He got up and sat down next to her and gave her a hug.

"Don't cry please. Just tell me what you want to do and I try to help you."

"I can't do this alone."

"I didn't expect you too, it's mine too." Dana looked him in the eye.

"I want you back."

"Dana…"

"Greg you asked me what I wanted and that's what I want, I want you back to help me take care of this baby."

NO…What about Jenna…you can't do this to her. It was like Dana could read his mind.

"I'm going to lay my cards on the table. I'm pregnant with your child, she's not. You choose her over me and your child and I will make sure you never see the baby. I will make sure that it knows that its father picked his fling over his child and that it hates you."

"That's not even fair," said Greg.

"It's your choice now," said Dana getting up and leaving him their alone.

God what a bitch…it's my kid too…she can't do that to me.

You know she will it's not fair to make your kid suffer.

But…

You know what you need to do, it's going to hurt you, it's going to hurt Jenna, but it's the right thing to do.

Jenna walked for about a mile and than realized she had her purse and bus fare. She caught a bus and went back to her place. She was almost finished packing her stuff, her life was in boxes waiting to go to San Francisco.

We're not going now. Jenna fell to the floor and started to sob, something in her heart told her that she wasn't going and that she wasn't going to be with Greg anymore.

We should have known it was a dream; it was too good to be true. Jenna wiped her eyes and looked around. She had told the managers she would be out by next week; she would be homeless in less than five days.

I wanna go home. She wanted her mother, she hadn't been home since Christmas and she hadn't planned on coming home this summer and her mother sounded sad. But, when Jenna had told her why and how happy she was, her mother had understood. Hopefully she would understand this too. Jenna got up and was thankful she hadn't disconnected her phone. She curled up in the corner and listened to the ringing on the other end.

"Torta dei dolci, this is Clarissa, how can I help you?"

"Mom…"

"Jenna, is that you? What's wrong miele, have you been crying?" Jenna spilled everything to her mother in between sobs.

"He's going to break up with me and it hurts so much….I…can I come home, please. I can't be here anymore."

"Oh miele, you don't have to ask to come home. You're my daughter and you're welcome home anytime. Just let me know when you're coming in so I can have your room ready."

"Thank you." Jenna heard someone pounding on her door.

"Jen, Jen let me in," Greg was yelling though her door.

"I'll see you next week mom."

"I love sweetheart." Jenna hung up the phone and unchained the door. Greg was standing their and he looked like he had ran the whole way here. He noticed the phone in her hand.

"Who were you talking too?"

"My mom, I'm going home…to Vegas."

"But, Jen we…"
"I'm not going with you now, not with Dana being pregnant. You're not going to be with me anymore either are you," Greg took her in his arms and let her cry.

"Jen…I'm sorry."

Writer's notes-I don't feel so bad slacking off and writing this, due to the fact that my group project people are slacking off and not working…so far I have half the project done…so I'm allowed to play. Sorry this is a short chapter, the next one is much longer

Plus I have a cold and can't breathcan't sleep, so I started writing again. I hope that people are enjoying the story so far.

Oh miele means honey in Italian.

Next Chapter-We knew her from somewhere

The team gives Greg pieces of info about Jenna.

Love it, hate it, review it please…I need to now if I'm doing something right.