I knew her from somewhere
Stanford California
May-1998
"You know you're missing your own going away party," said Greg. Jenna was sitting on a bench outside of the office. She shrugged.
"So are you, I don't think they'll notice us missing anyway. They'll probably have more fun with us gone," she muttered bitterly.
He had noticed that they seemed like two dead spots at the party, it had been a week since he ended things with Jenna and it had been the week from hell. They had tried to keep the end of things to themselves, but everyone seemed to notice how quite and strained it was between them. When Laura, Mary and Barb caught Jenna crying in the bathroom, they knew, but kept it to themselves. Mitch was hell bent on holding them a good bye party anyway and Greg and Jenna let him, though their mood to party was gone to say the least. He sat down next to her and sighed, she was wearing the blue silk dress from Marv and Laura's wedding and was wearing her hair in a low bun and the jade charm he gave her. He could feel it, that distant between them and he hated it, while they promised to stay in touch, it wasn't the same as being together. He wished he could say something to bridge that growing gap between them.
"Jen…" She turned and kissed him without warning, it was one of those kisses that made him weak in the knees and made him want to lose control. His hands found her and he wasn't sure it was the dress he was touching or her. She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him in for more, allowing his tongue into her mouth, Greg felt like the whole week had just been one giant nightmare and this was real. Him, her, this moment, he didn't want it to end. She broke the kiss, ran her hands down his chest she took his hands and smiled.
"I had to fight that all night," she told him quietly.
"I know." Jenna's smile became even brighter, her eyes were bright like stars and she went to kiss him again.
Stop this…you're making it worse! He pulled away from her and shook his head.
"I can't…" he saw the look in her eyes; it was the final light going out. He had taken all the warmth and life from them.
"Are you sure this is what you really want?" He couldn't answer her with words, they would betray him.
No I want you…I should have wanted you from the start, but I was a dumbass. I can't be with you though; I have to take care of what's going to be my child. I can't run from that. I'm sorry; you don't know how sorry I am. Instead he nodded yes to her question.
"Alright." She looked at their hands and let go of his hands. She reached up to the necklace and took it off. "This is yours." She went to hand it to him and he shook his head no.
"That's yours. I got for you. Please keep it, it was from me as your friend" Jenna nodded and put it back on. She stood up.
"I'm gonna go now. I have to finish packing some stuff, before I get my plane home."
"I can drive you," said Greg. He just wanted one more moment with her, just one. Jenna shook her head.
"You know, when I ended it with Roberto, he asked me to leave him alone, because the longer he looked at me the more he wanted to cry. I understand how he felt now." She gave him one last hug, and told him. "Be happy Greg," She ended their hug and started the walk home, leaving him in the parking lot. He sat down on the bench and hoped that someday she would be happy too.
Vegas 2005
Jenna was fuming and fiddling with her necklace; she was looking forward to taking it off and shoving down Greg's throat if given the opportunity. It was cold and overly bright in the room they had her in for questioning. She was only wearing a tank top and jeans, it was to hot to wear anything else in the kitchen, she wished she would have asked Willis to bring her a sweater, she was freezing.
Frank Willis, her father's best friend, her godfather and her lawyer was sitting next to her, looking over the papers given to him by Brass and was frowning as he read them.
"This is absurd, Jenna they don't have anything to prove you did it. That's your rolling pin, of course your prints are on it…but where were you doing those two hours?"
"One of my girls needed my help and that's all I'm going to tell you."
"They can't make me tell them anything."
"I told her I wasn't going to tell anyone, I keep my word, you know that."
"Stubborn, just like your father, I'm going to try to get you out of here as soon as possible."
"Thank you, that holding cell makes my skin crawl and it smells like piss," Jenna took a sip of the water that the LVPD was kind to give her after locking her in a cell for over five hours with the prostitutes and drug addicts of Vegas, plus they took her shoes, something about her shoelaces and how they could be used as a weapon. They let her keep her necklace and belly button ring, because they were harmless. However, she had to hide the necklace inside her jeans pocket after one of the crazies made a grab for it.
Yeah we're going to shove it down his throat and throw him shoeless in the Cell of Piss with the scum of Las Vegas. A door opened and Brass walked in.
"I see you've lawyer-up Miss. Bianchi."
"I'm Jenna's godfather; the fact that I'm a lawyer has nothing to do with why we're here. We're here because your CSI's are harassing my client and you're trying to pin a murder on her with flimsy evidence at best. No judge or D.A will take this case to trial. Give me something placing her there, other prints on a pin that belong to her and her bakery."
Damn he's good.
"Well we have her prints on the murder weapon and two uncounted for hours from you're client. Miss. Bianchi, tell me why you shouldn't be looking at 35 to life."
"I didn't do it, that's why," said Jenna.
"We've already been over the prints, repeatedly. Those two hours, a mistake on my client's behalf. She works a lot of hours and lost track of time. You're willing to waste taxpayer's time and money along with sending an innocent woman to state prison because she lost track of time."
"The alarm your client set was for midnight. She didn't come home till almost 2 a.m. That's a little more than losing track of time." Wills leaned over and whispered something to Jenna. She muttered something and shook her head no.
"I didn't do it." Brass shrugged.
"Here's what I think happened, you get ready to leave, and you set the alarm, head down stairs and you hear something in the kitchen. You go to see what it is and you see the crazy lady who slapped you in front of your employees and in your own business and decide to get even. Jenna's jaw dropped.
"You know I've heard TV cops cook up crap like this, but hearing it in person sounds even more far fetched. Willis I wanna go home," said Jenna.
"Afraid I can't let you go yet," said Brass.
"Why not," snapped Jenna. Willis put a hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down." She turned to him.
"This is crap. Why the hell would I kill someone in my own kitchen? It's like burning your own house down with you in it." She was near tears. "I've worked so hard to make the life I have and to think that I would throw it away for someone who bitch slapped me? No! I didn't do this."
"Just tell me where you were between midnight and 2 a.m.?" Jenna looked at Willis.
"It will ruin her life," she muttered.
"Sweetheart, I'm worried about yours right now. Just tell him." Jenna sighed.
"One my girls needed my help and that's all I'm saying." Brass nodded.
"Well I hope she thanks you by visiting you every week." Brass motioned to the other officers to take Jenna back to the holding cell.
"Willis, could you call my mom?"
"Already did, she's trying to get a flight here."
"I didn't do this, I swear. But, I can't tell you." Willis nodded and the officers started leading Jenna back.
"I hope your DNA techs come back with something good, otherwise you have nothing on her," said Willis picking up the papers and leaving. Brass sighed; years of dealing with criminals had helped him figure out when people were screwing with him and if they were guilty. Jenna Bianchi didn't do it, but she was covering for something. He decided to go get some breakfast and go bug DNA to see if they had anything yet.
……………………………………………………………………………..
"Nice house," said Nick walking into Jenna's living room.
"I thought about buying one, but considering all the hours we work, I wouldn't have time to enjoy it or keep it up," said Sara putting down her kit. Nick turned on the lights and looked around.
"Where to you want to start?" asked Nick.
"Well, if she didn't clean up at the bakery, she would have been a bloody mess…bathroom," said Sara.
"I'll check the bedroom; see if she left her clothes there." It took them a few minutes to get the layout of the house. Jenna's bedroom and bathroom were upstairs. Sara checked the sink, tub, and drains for blood and didn't find any.
She would have to shower here, there is no shower at the bakery. Unless she went somewhere else? Making a mental note about that, she went into the bedroom and saw Nick poking through a jewelry box.
"No rings, no bracelets, nothing with crystals here," said Nick.
"If you worked in a bakery, would you wear anything on your hands or wrist?" asked Sara.
"She used to wear an engagement ring," said Nick.
"That's different. She doesn't strike me as a pink crystal girl, lots of necklaces, earrings and belly button rings though. I was never into piercing, never had the figure for these" said Sara picking up one of the belly rings. She sat it down and started to look through the dirty clothes. Nick went over to the closet to see if maybe the clothes had been wash and dried.
"I wonder how?" he muttered to himself.
"You wonder how what?" asked Sara, noting that most of the clothes were covered in flour and frosting.
"I wonder how her and Greggo ended up dating. I mean, they strike me as total opposites. Greg's…well Greg and well with the expectation of her Hodges's prank, she strikes me as a very serious person," said Nick. Sara looked at him.
"Girls with belly rings aren't that serious." Nick started to look in the top of the closet.
"Well she has a damn good head on her shoulders, she's signed to at least three major casinos as their in house provider of baked goodies and over half the chapels in Vegas have her on call, she owns two bakeries and brought in more last year than you I make combined."
"Well she found the market and is making use of it, kudos to her. If I had known there was money in cakes, I would have followed." Sara put the clothes back in the hamper. Nothing on them suggested murder, unless flour was the victim. Nick went to move something in the closet when a box fell out, spilling some of it's contents on the floor.
"Way to go," said Sara and she starting picking up the contents. Mostly letters, she noticed the address on one of them and paused.
"Sorry," Nick went to help her pick up the stuff and Sara stopped him.
"Am I reading this address right?" asked Sara. Nick took it from her and read.
Greg Sanders
Apt 271, Building D
San Francisco, California 94116
"These are for Greg, all of these are for Greg," said Nick picking up another couple of letters. He noticed 'return to sender' was written on all of them.
"That's not Greg's handwriting," said Sara.
"What?" Sara frowned.
"After years of looking over Greg's notes in DNA and trying to figure out his chicken starch, I know his handwriting. This return to sender is far to neat to be him. Someone else sent these back."
"Wait, Greg told me that Jenna stopped writing him. But, it's pretty clear that she didn't or we wouldn't be staring at these letters. I taking these back to Greg," said Nick grabbing a letter with the earliest date off the stack.
"You can't do that, that's not what we came here for. The fact that we even took time to look at these…"
"I won't tell, if you won't tell, besides these were meant for Greg," said Nick giving Sara a small smile.
"I had nothing to do with this, you understand."
"Yes." Sara picked the box back up and put it back in the closet. They looked over the rest of the house for five hours and didn't find anything to tie Jenna to the murder of Linda Stesiak. They got in the SUV and started the drive back.
"Why do you think she kept them?" asked Sara.
"My grandmother had a box of all the stuff her and my grandfather shared. She told me there are things the heart just can't let go of."
"I guess she couldn't let go of Greg."
…………………………………………………………….
Three hours of searching the bakery top to bottom had yielded nothing and now Greg was waiting for the car to come into the garage.
"Jenna had her car taken in this morning, the brakes were acting funny. I drove her in. Do you want to check my car too?" snapped Ofilia as they searched Jenna's office. Grissom told her it wouldn't be necessary and that it would be best it the staff left for the night. Ofilia sent the other woman home, but stayed there almost the whole time they were searching answering any question Grissom would ask her. Greg was happy when in hour two Grissom told her to go home that they would lock up. She threw one more nasty look at Greg and left.
"She doesn't like you very much," said Grissom. Greg shrugged and kept looking through Jenna's desk. It felt a little more than weird to be searching through the desk of someone you once loved, trying to find evidence of their involvement in a murder.
"I normally don't pry into other people's lives, but considering we're investigating her, what was Jenna like? I can normally read people like a book; however, I haven't been able to read her, she's a challenge. Give me some insight." Greg looked at Grissom.
"Are you screwing with me?" Grissom put down the books he was moving.
"No I'm not, I would like to understand the person you put your self respect and job on the line for." Greg shrugged.
"She was funny, caring; smart…she knew how to keep me on my toes. I really liked her." Greg went back to the desk and Grissom spoke up again.
"You loved her didn't you? That's why you want to prove she didn't do this."
"It just…I knew her, she was my best friend and I know she couldn't have done this." Grissom nodded and they worked in silence for the rest of the time.
The car came in a little before four a.m. the guys who had to tow it here weren't happy, but Greg was happy that he had something to do. The car was clean; no surprise considering it was Jenna's car. Nothing to indicate that she had recently gotten rid of blood stains or vacuumed the car. Greg found a cd case in the side door and couldn't help but flip through it. Flogging Molly,
And she told me I had pissy white boy music
Alicia Keys, a mix cd of the 80's, Selena
Only Jenna could mix pissy Irish rock, R&B and happy Spanish pop in the same cd case. The car took over an hour, but nothing in it to suggest that a person covered in blood or that anything bloody had been in the car. Greg sighed and went to go change clothes and poke Wendy to see if DNA had anything for him yet.
"I'm trying…god first Nick, than Brass, now you. I have a cart full from a drug bust that I have the Under sheriff breathing down my neck about…I'm really trying!" said Wendy.
"I'll buy you dinner if you step my DNA up front." Wendy sighed.
"I was going to move it up front anyway considering it may clear the person who owned Hodges in so many ways. Give me at least twelve hours and you'll have your answers, sorry about the wait, but you of all people should know the hell I'm in," said Wendy.
"I know and you're a peach for doing this for me."
"I hope she's worth the hassle Sanders."
She's worth it.
Greg was sitting in the break room with his eyes closed trying to figure out how one early morning rollout could screw up his life this badly when Nick came charging in.
"Greg you have to see this."
"Unless it a one way plane ticket to Hawaii, Mandy's second report or Wendy's DNA profile I don't want to see anything other than the back of my own eyelids. Nick smacked on the head with a piece of paper.
"Stop being pissy, we've talked about this. I have something that maybe better than all three of those things." Greg sighed and opened his eyes, Nick handed him a letter with his address from San Francisco on it in Jenna's handwriting. His jaw dropped.
"Where did you get this?" Nick leaned in.
"I found it in Jenna's house, in her closet. She had them in a box with a couple of other letters addressed to you, along with 'return to sender' written on all of them. You told me she stopped writing you." Greg looked at and shook his head,
"I've never even seen these." He took in the return to sender handwriting and frowned. "Dana…fucking bitch." Greg fell back in the chair defeated. "If I wasn't getting her letters, maybe she wasn't getting mine?"
"Who knows, but she didn't give up on you, that much is clear. Just don't tell her or anyone where that came from. It could be considered improper seizing of evidence or any other fancy term for stealing that can be used. Got any other cases?"
"Not yet…it's been slow tonight. I've been going over Jenna's car and the bakery. We didn't find anything."
"Here house is clean also. Look, go and sit in your car and read this and figure out what you want to do. I'll page you if Grissom or someone else comes looking for you," said Nick.
"Thanks man."
"What can I say, I like playing cupid." Greg rolled his eyes and headed out.
He got in the car and shut the door and stared at the letter. He couldn't open it; it was silly it was meant for him after all, even with all the years that had passed. Why had she kept them? Greg wasn't in the mood to try to understand woman and their logic and looked at the post mark: November 15 1998.
Two weeks before the engagement announcement came. He couldn't wait anymore and ripped the envelope open. The paper was thick and he could see that her hand had been shaking while she wrote him; the ink had smudged in places. He couldn't tell if it was from time or had she been crying when she wrote him this. He started reading.
Dearest Greg,
This will be the last time I write you, unless I get something from you that tells me I should do something else. I hope this gets to you before the news of my engagement does. That's right, I'm getting married. I realized that I can't wait any longer for a person who isn't their anymore.
Let me back up, god even writing to you makes me lose all thought. Over the past few months, I've been alone; I've been going through the motions of living and not really feeling anything. Part of that I can tie to my mother's illness. It's been hard to see the woman who raised me and was the strongest person I knew crumble before my eyes. Taking care of her has been hard and it's something that has pushed me harder than I thought it would.
Frankie and the other members of my family have tried to help, but at the end of the day, it me who fights with the doctors to make sure she being taken care of, me fighting with the insurance company to pay for another round of chemo or whatever treatment the doctors says she needs, me who holds her hand and singing to her when she crying in her sleep from all the pain. At the end of the day, there's no one to hold my hand and let me cry and while I knew you couldn't be here for me physical, I hoped that you would be there for me, even if it was in a letter or a phone call. However, months have gone by and it's been nothing from you, no letters, no calls, just silence.
Another reason that I've stop feeling was because of you. I let you have so much of me; I didn't realize that you had all of me, until there was nothing left. Granted, I shouldn't have given away so easily, but it was you and you had it before I realized it was gone. You made me happy and maybe that's why it was so easy to let you have me and not give it a second thought.
So I sit here, alone, waiting for someone who said they cared for me, when in all actuality I wonder if they ever cared for me at all. I wonder if all the 'I love you' I heard in my ear at night meaningless, was I meaningless?
While I know that Andy will never have me the way you did, but he's been here, he's been the one to hold my hand and let me cry. He's been the one to help me feel something again. Hell, he helped me remember that I could feel something other than the heartache I've felt over you since May. When he asked me to marry him, I almost said no, I care a great deal about him and I want him to be happy, but I don't know if I love him the way you should love someone you're suppose to spend your life with. Than I look back and remembered that I loved you like that and look where it's gotten me. I realize that if given a chance I could love Andy like that, I could be happy if I start looking forward to what's in front of me and not backwards to what has left me.
I don't expect you to understand my decision, I didn't understand your decision to go back to Dana and give up what we had, but I respected it because it was the right thing to do. I ask you to either respect my decision, or give me a reason to call it off, give me a reason to wait, tell me why you've been ignoring me for the past five months, give me something, anything to hold on too.
Sincerely
Jenna
Greg fell back in his seat, holding the pages that had a piece of Jenna tied in them. God, no one she went back to her ex, she thought he left her.
They had spoken once after Jenna went back to Vegas and it was tell him she was quitting school and giving up her internship to take care of her mother because she had cancer and he heard the heartbreak in her voice. He, however was so absorbed in his own issues and Dana came home and heard him talking to Jenna, she started screaming and so they hung up without really speaking. He called her one more time after that, it had been brief and to the point, he asked her to wait for him.
He told her how miserable he was, how much he missed her that he wanted her, but she needed to wait until the baby was born. She agreed, told him that a letter for him was in the mail and that she would call him soon. That had been the last time he heard her voice, he didn't get her letter and he tried to reach out for a while, than got upset when she couldn't be reached and than he was consumed with his own issues with Dana and the baby that turned out not to be his at all. When he found out that Jenna was getting married, he stopped trying to reach her.
To hell with her…I asked her to wait and this is how she pays me back. I hope he screws over like she screwed me over.
It was a selfish, hurtful and childish thought, but that's how he felt at the time. Work took over and filled the void left behind, than it started to become boring in San Francisco, he needed a change, something new. When he heard about the Vegas Crime Lab, how they were the busiest lab on that side of the country and how they were the best, he was hesitant at first. Jenna was in Vegas, it was her home, and he didn't think he could stand seeing her again. But, than he realized that she was married, off limits, he longer had any reason to want her and some selfish part of him wanted to see if she was just as miserable as he was.
So he moved to Vegas and became part of the lab here and started to find that he enjoyed his work again, it wasn't something to fill a void anymore. He started dating again, flirting, nothing serious, after Dana and Jenna he was fine with girls who wanted a one night stand, and he was starting to enjoy life again. However, he started to crave a change, something new. When the change came to work in the field, he wanted it and he worked his ass off to have it and for the first time in his life he wasn't bored, he didn't think he ever get bored with field work. He was really happy with his life.
However, holding this piece of paper in his hands really dented that, she hadn't planned on getting married to screw him over, she thought he left her…and in a way he had. He read the letter over again and really started to feel ashamed about his actions involving her.
I let you have so much of me; I didn't realize that you had all of me, until there was nothing left. Granted, I shouldn't have given away so easily, but it was you and you had it before I realized it was gone. You made me happy and maybe that's why it was so easy to let you have me and not give it a second thought. He honestly didn't realize how in love Jenna was with him eight years ago until now. He loved her too, but she always put more into their relationship from the start.
She was the one who started the friendship, the pranks, everything that they had, been because she took a step. Granted, sometimes she took a step back, but it was more than he had done. The only thing he really started between them was the sex, and he had a feeling if given time, she would have started that too.
I care a great deal about him and I want him to be happy, but I don't know if I love him the way you should love someone you're suppose to spend your life with. Than I look back and remembered that I loved you like that and look where it's gotten me. That floored him, she had considered him someone she loved enough to spend her life with. She was going to settle with someone she really didn't love, because he hurt her so badly and she couldn't stand to be hurt anymore.
Way to go Greg, you had someone who really loved you and threw her to the wolves.
…was I meaningless? God no, she meant the world to him and it broke him when he had to let her go. He could have fought for her when he heard she was getting married, but he backed down and didn't try because he was hurt.
Think how much she hurt, when you didn't come for her…that's all this letter is, a plea, she didn't care why you weren't their, she just wanted you back.
Give me something, anything to hold on too. Greg sat the letter aside and started banging his head on the steering wheel, for despite having a high IQ he was still a moron.
The nightshift was allowed to go home on time for a change. Greg asked Brass about Jenna before he left, Brass gave him a look
"She's in a holding cell downstairs, until we get something back from DNA saying she in the clear that's where she's staying. She could be a flight risk, she has family in Europe…it's just procedure. "
"Can I…"
"I know you mean well Sanders, but it's best that you not talk to her right now. She's our main suspect in a murder investigation and do you honestly think she'll talk to you?" Greg thought about it and than realized that he would have to explain to Jenna how he ended up with a letter she wrote eight years ago that was in a closet in her house. He nodded and left defeated. He slept for shit and downed three cups of coffee before going in the next night. Wendy was his first stop for the night and she knew what he wanted.
"Just give it another minute," said Wendy. The printer started humming and spit out the results. "Female unknown, doesn't match her. Congratulations, your ex and our hero isn't our killer." She handed him the results and it was all he could do not to hug her.
"You are the best," said Greg. Wendy shrugged.
"Just make sure she knows that the lab loves her." Greg took the results and almost ran into Grissom's office with them. He opened the door and saw Grissom, Brass and Julia from the bakery sitting there. She was wearing black pants and a blue shirt that read-CSI, but the letters spelled out Can't Stand Idiots. She was frowning and tapping her foot.
"Hello Sanders, Miss Patrick was telling us a story about Jenna's two hour void. Would you like to join us?" asked Brass.
"Before I do, the DNA came back from the crystals, not a match to Jenna." Julia sighed.
"I could have told you that you dumbass. Freaking can't believe no one told me about this until an hour ago, I didn't go in this morning because of exams and I didn't hear anything on the news. God Jenna's a stubborn bitch, I love her, she a great boss, but she's hard headed. Than again I can't believe that Barbie wouldn't come clean…well considering what Jenna's doing to cover her ass."
"Can you please start at the beginning for the rest of us?" asked Grissom.
"Jenna went out to Summerland, because Lissa called her, freaking out."
"Lissa, the intern?" asked Greg. Julia rolled her eyes
"Yeah, I was at this party in Summerland and I'm talking this guy by a keg when Jenna calls me and wants to know if I've seen Lissa. I didn't think Lissa went out at all, let alone on a work night. Jenna's freaking out, because Lissa called her crying and said she was at this party in Summerland and that something had happened. So Jenna is freaking and I'm freaking out, because I'm not part of her fan club, but it would suck if something happened to her. So Jenna gets their and we spend an hour looking for her, around 1:30 Lissa calls her and tells her that she's sorry and that she went home and asks Jenna if they can talk later. Jenna read her the riot act over the phone, something about; don't ever scare me like that again, I'll ring your neck if you do, the standard threats…sounded like my mom for a good ten minutes."
"She tell you why Lissa called her?" asked Brass.
"She said that Lissa sounded strung out when she called and that's all she would say. Lissa's parents are overbearing pricks and I can only imagine what would happen if they found out Lissa was on anything. Jenna's covering for her, because you jack asses come sniffing around and they'll probably throw Lissa to the curb."
"So Jenna was with you?" asked Brass. Julia reached into her bag and threw a cell phone at Brass.
"Here, run some fancy test and pull up my cell phone record, Jen called around midnight. Can I go see her or is she not allowed visitors?" Brass shook his head no.
"We had to put her in solitary confinement, for her own safety." Brass added when he saw the look on Greg's face." A fight broke out between some drunks and Jenna ended up in the way. Has a lovely bruise to show for it too."
"Great, it's nice to see the taxes she paid to have a business in Vegas are paying off. When can I get my phone back?" asked Julia.
"It shouldn't take us long to confirm your phone records. By the way, I love your shirt," said Grissom
"Made it just for you assholes, cause you all seem like idiots. I'm out of here, I'll pick up my phone later. I'm going to tell the staff that maybe when this is done and Jenna sues your asses, we can have a Christmas party in a tropical island." Julia picked up her bag and slammed Grissom's door on the way out.
"She a wonderful young lady. I'll take this over to A/V. By the way, Mandy's report came in, she found an unknown print in the center of the rolling pin. Not a match to Jenna. I don't see any other reason to hold her Grissom, if the phone records check out. Was she always this hard headed Sanders?" asked Brass. Greg thought back to the times Jenna covered for him and nodded.
"If she was trying to protect someone, than yeah, hard headed is an understatement." Brass shrugged and headed to A/V. Greg sighed and sat down in a chair.
"Do you think I could get one of those shirts? They are one of a kind," said Grissom. Greg shook his head and started to go over the case from square one with Grissom.
"Phone records came back clean. Sorry," said Archie handing the results to Brass. Brass shook his head and sighed.
"Thanks Archie." Brass took them to Grissom and Greg.
"Well, your girl is clean Sanders. I just want to know…"
"I DID NOT FLY OVER NINETEEN HOURS TO BE TOLD I CAN'T SEE MY DAUGHTER! HER NAME IS JENNA DANIELLA ANTOINETTE BIANCHI!"The three men exchanged looks and headed for the lobby. The screaming had pulled the lab techs away from their work and into the lobby where Judy trying to calm down a very irate Italian woman.
"MY MOTHER LEFT ITALY OVER SIXTY YEARS AGO DUE TO THIS TYPE OF TREATEMENT AT THE HANDS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND BY GOD SHE NOT MOVE TO THIS COUNTRY ONLY TO HAVE HER ONLY GRANDDAUGHTER TREATED THE SAME WAY! NOW YOU EITHER LET ME SEE MY DAUGTHER OR PUT ME IN THE SAME CELL!" She went to draw a breath, to get another round of screaming in when Brass stepped in.
"I'm going to assume your Jenna's mother." She turned on Brass and glared.
"I'm going to assume you're the pig who imprisoned my daughter. I was told I can't see her, I don't know what crazy 9-11 law you're pulling, but the last time I checked my daughter wasn't a terrorist or a murderer and I want to see her now!"
She may have been older and shorter than Brass, but Clarissa Bianchi was pissed and Brass had learned something over the years working as a cop, don't screw with the pissed off mother, be it the mother of a killer or a victim, she would take head off if you got between her and her child.
"Your daughter was the suspect in a murder investigation, we held her here for questioning. But, we can't hold her anymore, what we found clears her and I was just getting ready to go get her. Judy, could get Jenna Bianchi's personal effects so she can sign out and leave quickly?" asked Brass. Judy nodded and almost ran behind her desk.
"I'll go get your Jenna," said Brass heading down to the holding cells. Archie leaned over to Greg.
"Damn Sanders, did Jenna every scream at you like that?"
"Thankfully no." Clarissa turned around and spotted Greg. Looking at her, Greg could see who Jenna took after. Both woman had the same light tan and green eyes, while Jenna's hair was a dark brown, her mother's hair black with streaks of gray. She was about Jenna's height, but thinner and if looks could kill Greg would have been dead. She walked over to him slowly and Archie stepped away.
Thanks for the help good buddy. Clarissa looked up at him and seemed be smiling at him.
"You're Greg Sanders."
"Yes, that's me."
"So you're heartless son of bitch who made my daughter cry," she said it very quietly so only he would hear her.
"Yes." Greg had a feeling that she had waited years to meet him so she could tell him off. Jenna and her mother were very close eight years ago, he could only fathom how the strong the bond was now that Clarissa survived her brush with cancer.
"It wasn't bad enough you broke her heart, you insult her in her business and than she gets tossed in jail cell. You're lucky you're an officer and were in a police station or else I would make you one sorry asshole. You hurt my daughter again, I will make you a sorry man. Do we understand each other?" asked Clarissa quietly. Greg nodded and she smiled at him, it was the same smile Jenna got when a prank would go off and it worried him.
"Good."
"Mom." Clarissa turned around and saw Jenna standing in the lobby. Greg felt something in the pit of his stomach when he saw her. She had a large bruise on the same side of her face that he dreamed about. Clarissa took one look at her and went to her quickly, she brushed back her hair, looked at the bruise and frowned.
"Li hanno danneggiati miele." Jenna shook her head and hugged her mother.
È niente. Desidero andare a casa."
"Where are your shoes?" asked Clarissa switching back to English after noticing that Jenna was wearing purple stripped socks. Jenna walked over to Judy.
"Can I have my shoes back? My feet are really cold," said Jenna.
"I'm trying to find them," cried Judy from the back, she was scared that the younger woman would tear into too. Jenna sighed and leaned against the countered. She was tried, cold, dirty and really pissed.
After spending almost all night in the drunk tank, minding her own business, two drunks got into it, they bumped into a group of hookers and started a fight where Jenna didn't move fast enough and got hit in the face. The guards thought it best to place Jenna in solitary confinement, because she was going to be their longer. So she ended up in a closet with a bench, a pot to use the bathroom in and a very small window. She couldn't sleep, she was terrified out of her mind. She didn't kill anyone and now because she agreed to help keep Lissa out of trouble she was sitting in closet watching the Vegas night fade to day and than back into night. Meals were shoved through a door, but no one would talk to her until they informed that because she was in solitary she couldn't have visitors until someone higher in the ranks cleared her. Jenna spent a good ten hours curled up on the bench trying to warm up, they wouldn't let her have a blanket or sweater, something about suicide attempts.
"I'm not going to kill myself you fucking morons…If I get a chance I'll kill whoever did this though!" Judy was still looking for Jenna's shoes when she spotted Greg. Most of the lab rats had went back to work, after Grissom told them the show was over. Greg had a feeling that Clarissa was just the opening when Jenna looked at him. Her face took a determined look and she took a step towards him. Clarissa grabbed her arm.
"Non è degno esso, lo ha lasciato va."
"Quello è che cosa progetto sul fare." Jenna got out of her mother's grasp. "Could you wait here for my shoes?" asked Jenna switching back to English" Jenna walked over to Greg and took the necklace out of her pocket and shoved it in his hand. She looked him dead in eyes, and he saw that dead look in her eyes.
"I wasn't lying when I said I was happy with my life. I was just starting to enjoy my life again, I put my life on hold for almost two years when my mother was sick and when Andy…" she paused and recollected her thoughts and started to speak quietly. "You want to know why I didn't marry Andy…he stole almost ten thousand dollars from the bakery, behind my back to cover gambling debts. I thought what I had to do, to get that money back, so my family wouldn't lose everything, I thought that was embarrassing and degrading."
Greg had a feeling he knew what Jenna had done, stripping in Vegas was an easy business, Catherine had told him a good dancer, or at least one who was good looking could make over a thousand a night. He teased Catherine all the time about her days in the clubs, and it was something he never gave a second thought too. But somehow it was different when it was someone you really loved and that was as caring as Jenna.
"Jen…" he went to put a hand on her shoulder. She brushed it away.
"Don't you touch me, ever again! I'm starting to get my life back, I've started to put all those years behind me. I'm really happy for the first time in years, I have my family, I have my friends and the people who work for me actually enjoy working for me. I have my work, which is damn good and I have a good part of the Vegas wedding business on my doorstep begging for my work. And just when things are looking really good, you come back. I just want to know, is there something in you that refuses to let me be happy?"
"No, I want.." he went to touch her again and she jerked back.
"Don't you dare you say you want me to be happy. Everything you've done says otherwise. You couldn't let me be happy the day I got the internship, you couldn't let me be happy in our relationship, you can't let me be happy now! You came into my business and insulted my decision to quit school, I did that for my family Greg! You chose your family all those years ago and I understood that. I wasn't happy with it, but I understood why. Are you that miserable in your life you have to fuck with mine? I don't get why you can't let me happy? Did you move to Vegas just to screw me over some more? What's next are you going to set my bakery on fire?"
She was shaking from how pissed off she was, there was still so much more she wanted to say and she couldn't seem to get the words out, Greg went once again to touch her, he wanted to explain everything, that he was sorry for how he acted, that she spent all those years alone and that life had been so hard on her.
"What do you want?" he asked her, he got a hand on her shoulder. She reached up and slapped him across the face.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH ME EVER AGAIN!!!" Warrick and Catherine came out of nowhere and got in front of Greg and Clarissa was pulling Jenna away.
"Non è degno esso innamorato, li ha lasciati appena va a casa ora," said Clarissa handing her daughter her shoes. Jenna took them and slide them on quickly.
"You know she's right, your not worth it." Jenna let her mother lead her towards the door. She turned around and gave him one final glare.
"You know what I want Greg, I want you to stay the hell out my life. You had no problems staying out of it when I needed you. If you could go back to doing that, it be great. Or better yet, go back to 1996 and fix it so we never met and I could I have back all the years I spent wondering if something was missing from my life by you not being there." Jenna slammed the door on the way out. Catherine looked at Greg.
"You ok, we could get her back in a cell?" Greg touched his face, he deserved that and the screaming, probably more if karma had its way.
"Nah I'm good."
"So that's Jenna Bianchi, I imagine she's a lot nicer when she's not hating your guts," said Catherine.
"She told me her name was Karen Cavanaugh," said Warrick. Catherine and Greg both looked at him.
"What!" they both said in unison. Warrick looked at them both.
"When Greg was in the hospital after the lab exploded, I went to see him during off hours. Catherine you were here putting your report together and I was going to tell Sanders that the results were almost done and I saw her their."
"Are you sure it was her?" asked Greg. Warrick nodded.
"You don't forget eyes like that."
May 2003
Desert Palms: Las Vegas
Warrick walked down the hall of the hospital and was hoping Sanders was awake. He felt bad when they had to keep him awake during their questioning, but it was one of those necessary evils. They had to question the little lab rat to figure out what happened. Thankful, Catherine was almost done and sent Warrick to go tell Greg they were almost finished. Warrick rounded the corner and peeked into the window in Greg's room. A woman was standing above Greg and looked really worried about being their. She was a pretty woman, long brown hair, tan and built just right, Warrick had to admit to himself:
Damn that Sanders is a lucky bastard. Warrick didn't keep track of who was dating in lab, he left that up to Nick and the other lab rats. But something seemed off about her. Her hand seemed to be hovering above Sander's spiky hair, like she was scared to touch him. She got not even a half inch from his head, and she jerked her hand back quickly, like she was going to get burned. Warrick took a quite step into the room and noticed the Greg was out like a light.
"Excuse me," whispered Warrick. She jumped and turned to look at him.
Damn she has eyes that could make a man fall on his knees, Sanders you are one lucky son a bitch.
"I'm sorry, I was just getting ready to go," the woman whispered back. She held up a white bakery box. "I just wanted to drop these off, I know hospital food sucks and yeah…" she trailed off looking like a trapped fox. Warrick wondered why she was so jumpy.
"Can I have one? I haven't eaten anything all day," she opened the box and handed him a cupcake, she looked over at Sanders to make sure he was still out. Warrick took the cupcake and took a bite, he had a feeling that Grissom would kick his ass if he found out that he was taking food from a strange lady in the hospital of an injured co-worker, but damn he was starving. It was a damn good cupcake though.
"I didn't catch your name," said Warrick.
"I'm Karen…Karen Cavanaugh." She shook his hand. Warrick still had a feeling that something was up, hot girls don't randomly visit guys in the burn ward with cupcakes.
"You know Sanders? I work with him, I don't recall him ever mentioning a Karen." She nodded.
"We knew each other…a long time ago, back in college. I just heard about it on the news and wanted to make sure he's ok. And now that I know he is, I should be going." She went to leave the room and Warrick followed her.
"Do you want to leave him a message or anything for when he wakes up."
"Nah, in fact it's best he not even know I was here, like I said…we knew each other a long time ago. I really don't even know why I came," she said the last part more to herself than to Warrick. "Just enjoy the cupcakes." She headed out and Warrick had to shake his head.
I should have got her number. He sat down and took another cupcake, they were red velvet cake with different frostings. Warrick finished the box without realizing it and he didn't tell Sanders about the cupcakes or his mystery visitor, partly out of shame from eating a sick man's get well gift and because something in her voice told him she really didn't want him to know she had been there.
Vegas-2005
"You ate his get well gift?" asked Catherine with shock.
"Hey she told me to enjoy the cupcakes." Warrick was defending himself and Greg's mind was reeling.
She came to see me in the hospital? Why? She knew I was in Vegas, but she didn't try to contact me… than it dawned him that if he thought Jenna was married, she probably thought the same thing about him and Dana. They had just missed each other, than again, Greg wondered what would have happened if he had been awake.
"Well now that the drama's done, we need to talk about our cases," said Catherine.
"What?" asked Greg. Catherine sighed.
"Think later Greg, focus on work. I think the drug bust and your murder are tied together," said Warrick.
"How? Don't tell me you found flour at your drug bust," said Greg. Warrick held up an evidence bag with a credit card in it.
"Found something you've been looking for." Greg looked closely at the card. It belonged to the late Linda Stesiak.
"I say we take this Grissom and we talk our cases out," said Catherine heading to his office, Warrick and Greg trailing behind her. Greg knew Jenna wanted him out of her life, but until this case was closed he couldn't do that.
You know you can never do what she's asks you to do
Greg found himself knocking on her apartment door around ten. Jenna took a look through the peep hole and unlocked the door.
"Greg what are you…" He kisses her and forces her back into the apartment. He shuts the door and finds himself begging her.
"Just one more moment, please?" The apartment is dark and bare, Jenna has either shipped her stuff home or placed it in storage. She been sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag and her stuff is being piled into suitcases, it nothing like the first time he was here and it was filled with her presence. She tries to send him away. It's not right, Dana is waiting for him, it hurts too much. He cuts off her arguments by kissing her, pulling her hair out the bun, enjoying the feel of the silk dress, letting his hands roam over her, reminding her of what they had.
He knows her weakness is him and he knows what he's doing is wrong and it makes him a bastard for doing this, but he needs this, he needs something to hold on to. Much later, when they lay there in the dark and she crying quietly he holds her closes and all she can say is…
"I told you…the longer I look at you the more I want to cry. Now look what you done." She breaks down into full sobbing and he holds her tighter. He stays until she falls asleep. He tucks her in and leaves her a note, deep down he knows that a note is the best thing, if he stays any longer it will just hurt even more.
I love you…be happy too.
Greg
Notes-Yeah I hope people like, sorry it's so long there was a lot I wanted to cover. Yes the end is near. Things will all fall into place.
Side notes- Jenna and her mother talking
Li hanno danneggiati miele.- Did they hurt you honey?
È niente. Desidero andare a casa.-It's nothing, can we go home now?
Non è degno esso, lo ha lasciato va.- He's not worth it, just let it go.
Quello è che cosa progetto sul fare.- That's what I plan on doing.
Non è degno esso innamorato, li ha lasciati appena va a casa ora- He's not worth it sweetheart, let's just home.
Love it, hate it, review it please.