Warnings, clarifications etc.: I just wanted to throw out there- I'm NOT usually a GSR writer. And this is an angst filled- depressing story. It's going to be a bumpy road with many painful revelations- I just want to let you all know now- because it will get worse. And if you're starting to find it's not your cup of tea- I'd advise you to walk away now rather than tear my head off later!

Please review!

Disclaimer: I own zilch.

This City is Contagious

(7)

When Sara woke the sound of morning radio floated into the room, her head pounded in her skull as yet another hangover settled in. She couldn't stop the groan that escaped pasted her lips as she attempted to let her body adjust to the daylight that was flooding through the windows.

"I thought you could use this." Greg's voice entered her ears just as she closed her eyes again forcing her to wake up. Sara pulled herself up into a seated position her eyes putting together an image of him before her. In his hand was a glass of fizzing liquid- aspirin she assumed.

"Thank you..." Her voice cracked as she attempted to speak to him. Greg simply just nodded handing her the glass and perching on the bed beside her.

"I've made breakfast, for when you're feeling up to it." He said gently, meeting her eye with caution.

"Greg...I'm sorry for last night...for everything I've done recently." She began after she'd taken a sip from the glass he'd given her, the liquid soothing her dry and burning throat. "I haven't been fair to you...to anyone actually."

"Sara, you don't have to say anything..." Greg sighed taking her hand his own.

"I do..." She said her eyes filled with guilt as she studied him. She didn't understand why he was there, why he'd stayed when it would have been so much easier to simply just walk away from the mess she'd become.

"Sara, the only thing you need to do is get help." He muttered nervously, worried about her response to his suggestion. Sara simply just nodded clearly uneasy with the idea. "I'll come with you, if you want me to..."

"Thank you for everything Greg, but I think...I need to handle this on my own..." Sara gave him a weak smile hoping it would be enough to satisfy him.

"Okay, but the moment you need me, I'm on the other side of the phone...any time all you have to do is call." He smiled at her with everything that he could muster.

"I will thank you..." Sara replied taking another sip.

"That's enough thanking me, you need to go shower...you look rough." He joked with a twinkle in his eye that she couldn't resist.

"Aren't you a charmer Mr Sanders" She responded punching him lightly on the arm.

"What can I say...It just comes naturally to me" He shrugged standing up making his way out of the room.

With a sigh Sara tossed aside the covers and made her way into the bathroom. She climbed into the shower letting the hot water wash over her hoping it would take the fuzziness away with it. She smiled as the sound of Greg singing along with Bon Jovi as he padded around the house. She knew she needed to make a change, do whatever it took to improve the way things were.

Once she had showered and dressed she went in search of Greg. Sara found him lounging on the sofa his eyes glued to the television as a steaming mug of coffee sat in his hands.

"I never knew you watched 'Keeping up with the Kardashians'" Sara teased as she threw herself into the seat next to him.

"I don't...but I was channel flicking and it was as if some exterior force was controlling me and I couldn't change channels. They're...fascinating..." He commented barely noticing Sara take the mug of coffee out of his hand.

"Pervert" She snorted, not being able to help herself she took a sip of the hot coffee enjoying the bitter taste swirling against her taste-buds.

"Am not..." Greg insisted taking the coffee back from her. "Get your own..." he pouted pretending to be annoyed with her teasing.

"My house, my rules" Sara smirked taking the coffee out of his hands once again.

"Well I spend so much time here I might as well put it down as a second residence..." Greg laughed giving up on the coffee.

"That's true." Sara mused. "What are your plans for today?"

"I don't have any plans my social calendar has been very empty of late." He replied sounding slightly defeated. "What about you?"

"Well Ecklie says I watch too much TV...So I'm not going to do that..." Sara sighed.

"We could do something...What do you feeling like doing?" Greg asked as her feet found their way onto his lap.

"I want to get out of the city for a bit..." She sighed tilting her head slightly looking past him out of the window.

"We could do that...go up to Lake Mead..." He suggested kneading her feet.

"Sounds good...I have a phone call I have to make first." Sara smiled placing a kiss on his cheek handing him the mug back.

She took the phone into her bedroom pacing as she listened to the dial tone waiting for Grissom to answer. She could almost imagine him sitting at his desk, pouring over books in his dimly lit office, caught up in work.

"Dr Grissom's office" He answered, his voice clearly tired.

"Gil, it's me...sorry I didn't call earlier...I got caught up with some stuff..." She spoke, pleased to hear the sound of his voice.

"Sara..." There was a rustling sound in the background and the sound of a woman's voice saying 'I'm going to the bar, would you like a drink'. There was more rustling and Sara assumed he'd put his hand over the phone while he replied to the woman's question.

"Sorry about that dear...how are you?" His voice returned, filling her ears while other thoughts had already occupied her mind.

"I'm fine...Where are you? I can't hear you that well?" She asked.

"I'm with a student..." He said slowly.

"Okay...I'll leave you to it...talk later bye." More than a few questions were on her mind but she attempted to ignore them as they said goodbye. She couldn't understand why he was drinking if he was with a student, but then the idea of him lying also seemed absurd. With a sigh Sara fixed herself up- ready for a day lounging in the sun beside the lake.

The day floated by without either of them realising, the sun began disappearing over the horizon as they lay watching the sky turn to night above them, realising that soon enough they would be at work again starting a new shift.

"Sara can I ask you a question?" Greg muttered to her taking a drag from his cigarette before offering it to her.

"Sure..." She took the cigarette watching as smoke rolled past her, cautious of what he could ask her, of the amount of honesty he wanted to hear.

"What's wrong?" He took a deep breath before asking her the question that he really wanted to know the answer to. "Why...have you been drinking so much?"

Sara took a drag of the cigarette in her hand her eyes focused on the sky above rather than the man who was watching her with a critical eye.

"Leave it Greg..." She said in a low voice.

"Sara..." He turned on his side, and eventually she followed suit facing him. "I just want to know how to help you..."

She smiled softly at him, she delicately brushing a hand across his cheek.

"You are helping by being you..."