A/N: I'm so sorry for how long it's taken me to post an update to this story. Things/life have gotten in the way. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and if there's any particular storyline you'd like me to explore, I'm all for it. :)
Chapter 26: Close For Comfort, Part 2
A thousand emotions swirled around within him as he sat in the courtroom that day, listening to the testimony of his friends and colleagues, listening to the outbursts of the grieving family. All the while, trying to keep his expressions neutral, to neither display guilt nor innocence.
How could he feel like he was innocent? He had killed a man.
A hand reached over the bar to squeeze his arm gently, and Greg knew without looking who was trying to reach out to him. Greg patted the hand in acknowledgement of the gesture, feeling it quickly receding away.
His testimony had been brutal, and when the jury finally came back as excusable, Greg felt some internal relief. Could he have avoided killing Demetrius James? In hindsight, Greg believed so, and no one could convince him otherwise.
He snuck out of the courthouse without speaking to anyone, ducking by the lab for a quick word with Grissom. On his way out, he found himself the unwilling recipient of a lawsuit.
As if today couldn't get any worse, Greg thought to himself dismally.
He made his way into the bar, finding Adam, along with a cold beer, waiting for him. He sat down next to his friend, and for a few moments, they said nothing.
Until Greg said, "you didn't have to come back out here."
"Nothing would've stopped me from being here," Adam replied.
"If you wanna get married, there's about 75 chapels that'll be more than happy to…"
Adam scoffed. "So, things must've gone from bad to worse."
Greg glanced over at Adam with annoyance.
"They're suing you?" Adam asked.
Greg simply nodded.
"I don't care what the jury says, that was justifiable."
Greg shrugged.
"You don't think so?"
"There's nothing justifiable about running a kid over with a car and killing him," Greg said softly before drinking from his beer.
"He was going to kill someone else," Adam replied. "He had a rock. Would it be any different if you shot him instead?"
"I don't carry a gun."
"You're missing the point."
"I had a reasonable suspicion that hitting Demetrius James with a car was going to kill him."
"But that wasn't your intent."
"That doesn't matter."
"Doesn't it?" Adam asked. "You're not a murderer, Greg."
"No, I'm not," Greg replied. "I'm just a killer."
Adam sighed heavily, squeezing Greg's forearm much like he'd done during the inquest.
Greg didn't say anything else, knowing that Adam wasn't going to attempt to argue with Greg at the moment. But Adam didn't have much of an argument, anyway. Greg had killed someone. By definition, he was a killer, regardless of the reasoning behind it.
"Stanley Tanner's still alive, and that's because of you," Adam reminded him quietly.
"At the expense of Demetrius James," Greg added.
"Who was a killer himself."
Greg didn't respond.
"I would've done the same thing, if I were you," Adam added. "If I had been in your position."
Greg nodded slowly.
"How many times have you heard that lately?"
Greg shrugged.
Adam took a drink from his beer, watching as Greg did the same.
"What did Mac say when you said you were coming back out?" Greg asked quietly.
"He reminded me I had quite a few vacation days saved up," Adam replied.
"When do you leave?"
"Tonight."
Greg nodded.
"Sorry I can't stay longer," Adam said.
"Thank you for coming out here at all," Greg replied softly.
"Any time. You and I both know, you'd do the same for me."
Greg nodded solemnly, silently praying that he would never have to.