Chapter 18: A Friend In Need
It had taken a while but Warrick had eventually got Catherine into his car and driven her home. She had not stopped crying since the parking lot.
Once inside her house Warrick was met by Lily, who'd being babysitting Lindsey for the night. Warrick explained briefly what had happened and left Catherine in the safe hands of her mother.
The blonde had coiled herself up on the couch and didn't even look up when Lily re-entered the lounge and placed a cup of coffee in front of her.
"Well this explains what was wrong with Lindsey today. Why didn't you tell me Catherine?" She asked, sitting next to her daughter.
"Why, so you could lecture me too?" Cath sniffled. Lily observed her for a minute before her voice softened.
"You really do love her don't you?" Cath nodded miserably. "Oh Catherine, you have got yourself into a mess haven't you." She nodded again. Clearly she wasn't going to get a verbal answer tonight so instead she led Catherine upstairs and sat her on the bed, hoping that she would take the hint and get some sleep. Lily checked on Lindsey who was still fast asleep, before making herself comfy on the couch. It was going to be a long night.
X x x
A few hours later she went back upstairs to check on them both and she found her daughter curled into an impossibly tight ball and though asleep now, it was clear that she had been crying. Lily sighed and tugged the blanket over her. "What have you done my girl?" She muttered quietly.
X x x
She tried to ignore it in the hope that it would go away. It didn't go away. If anything it got louder. Eventually she acknowledged that it wasn't going to stop and hauled herself out of her nest of blankets on the couch.
Swinging the door open she found two dark puppy dog eyes staring back at her. "Cute PJs." Greg wiggled his eyebrows mischievously with a cheeky grin.
"What do you want Greg?" despite how crap she felt she couldn't help smiling at the lab rat. He held up bags of what appeared to be Chinese food and a DVD.
"Thought you might want some company. I brought food." He sauntered past her and began helping himself to plates and cutlery while Sara made her couch somewhat more suitable for two people to sit on.
X x x
By the time the movie had finished Greg was lounging comfortably wile Sara was laid against him with her head on his shoulder and Bronte was stretched across the two of them. They sat like that for a while just talking until Greg shuffled out from under them and carried the plates through to the kitchen. When he turned around he noticed the suitcase for the first time. "You're going somewhere?" he asked innocently.
"Yeah, I thought I'd go see Calleigh, then maybe visit my brother in New York."
"How long will you be gone?" She couldn't bear to do this but he had to know.
"Greg, I'm not coming back." If you slowed this down you could actually pinpoint the second realisation dawned. Greg's boyish features fell and he looked like a kid who'd just lost his puppy.
"Why?"
"I can't stay here anymore. With Catherine and Grissom it's just…. It's too hard. I'm sorry."
"But, what about me? And Nick and Warrick. And me." He sounded so sad it broke her heart.
"Greggo, you'll always be my best friend. But I have to get away from here, away from…her." Greg put down the food he was still holding and walked over to wrap her in a bear hug.
"You can't go." He mumbled into her shoulder.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not gonna let go of you." She laughed softly, but the tears in her eyes were threatening to fall.
