Again, huge thanks for everyone who's reading, following and reviewing this! CSI001, We Love Neville, Eric And Nell's Oreos, and everyone-you guys rock!
Oh, and I haven't forgotten about that letter in the earlier chapter, but you'll have to wait until next chapter to find out what was in it (I'm so naughty)!
Greg tells Morgan about what happened...how does she react? Read and review!
I still don't own CSI
With a heavy sigh, he said, "I was...I had just finished testifying in my first jury trial. I got back to the lab, helped Catherine with a case the team was working on, when Grissom...you remember him?"
Morgan shook her head. "Vaguely."
Greg sighed again. "There was this...this gang that were going around beating up tourists." He chuckled sadly. "Fannysmackin', they called it, beacause they went after tourists...fannypackers, they called them. But their first victim was a dishwasher...he was also their only fatality."
Morgan listened intently and softly squeezed Greg's hand.
"Anyway, Catherine asked me to help her with some evidence, and then Grissom asked me to go out to a new scene. The gang was spotted out near an alley."
Greg looked down. Morgan just kept hold of Greg's hand.
"I drove by the alley and saw them beating up a man named Stanley Tanner. I called it in, but it would be a several minutes. I just...I knew he'd be dead if I waited, so I drove into the alley, sounded the sirens and the horn..." Greg couldn't bring himself to look up. "All of them scattered away, except for one. He kept kicking Mr. Tanner and he turned around and looked at me...wearing these Halloween-style contact lenses." Greg shuddered quietly at the memory.
Morgan said nothing, just kept looking at Greg and holding his hand.
Taking a deep breath, Greg said, "He...the kid...ran over and picked up a rock. At first, he raised it over Mr. Tanner's head, like he was going to..." Morgan squeezed his hand as he trailed off. "But then he turned and looked at me," Greg said, slowly bringing his head up to meet Morgan's concerned gaze. "He came running at the SUV, and before I could really process it, I hit the gas."
Morgan winced. "You hit him?" she softly asked.
Greg nodded and looked away. "He later died." Greg sighed and stood up. "I can't believe it's been five years already."
Morgan stared in disbelief at Greg. Here was one of the happiest people she knew telling her he killed someone. After a pause, she said, "But it was self-defense."
"You don't think I kept telling myself that?" Greg cursed himself for sounding so harsh. "I went through the freakin' coroner's inquest with the kid's family looking at me like I was so...so evil."
"But they ruled..."
"They ruled the death acceptable." Greg began to pace a bit. "Then the kid's family sued me and the police department for wrongful death. State agreed to a $2.5 million payout." Greg stopped and looked at Morgan, who blinked her eyes in surprise.
Calming himself down a bit, Greg said, "A few months later, the kid's brother was involved in a crime scene. A woman was dragged to death after she was thrown from a limo. Turns out, this club promoter noticed him because he had money."
"But when he was suspected of murder the kid was on his own?" Morgan asked.
Greg nodded. "Their mother confronted me at the station. Sara and Judy called security to get her to leave. She yelled 'I owed her'. So I followed her, and I told her Demetrius...that was his name...that he was a killer and her other son made the decision to do drugs and get into that limo. That it was on them, not me."
"What did she say?"
Greg sighed. "She just looked at me, said Aaron, her other son, was all she had left, and walked away."
Morgan stared at Greg. "I'm sorry."
Greg looked into Morgan's concerned face. "Like I said, it was five years ago. You don't have to..."
"Greg," Morgan interrupted. "You acted in self-defense, just like I did."
With a heavy sigh, Greg sat back down beside Morgan. "I guess I should have told you sooner."
Morgan shook her head. "No. I shouldn't have pushed..."
"No, Morgan. It's okay. I mean, it's not like I advertise it or anything."
Morgan reached over and placed her hand on Greg's wrist. "So, it's been five years?"
Greg nodded, looking down. "Mrs. James wrote a letter to the papers after her other son was released after the investigation. She said that she knew it was wrong to blame me, but grief does terrible things." Greg winced and looked up at Morgan. "Sorry."
"It's okay."
After a couple of moments of silence-with both of them not knowing what to say-Morgan's cell phone rang. Retrieving the device from her pocket, she smiled when she saw who it was from.
"It's Doc Robbins. Says he has something I have to see."
Greg smiled. "I have to get ready for court today, anyway."
"Oh, right. You and Catherine have that case with the, uh..."
"Yeah," Greg said with a slight smile.
Morgan smiled. "Look, I'm sorry if I pushed..."
Greg held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Don't be."
Both stood up at the same time. "Um, so I guess I'll see you back at the lab after court?" Morgan asked.
"Yeah," Greg said with a slight smile as he walked Morgan to the door.
As she was about to open the door, Morgan turned to Greg. "I still owe you breakfast. Say, maybe get something and bring it here?"
Greg smiled. "Sure."
Morgan's own smile grew wider. "Okay," she said, opening the door. "I'll see you."
"Okay. Catch you later."
"Bye."
Greg waved and smiled as Morgan walked to her car. She was somewhat relieved to know what the big mystery that happened to Greg five years ago was, but she still felt that maybe bringing it up was more harm than good.
As he watched Morgan get into her car from his window, Greg sighed. He hoped that knowing what he went through five years ago wouldn't scare her away. He'd been crazy about her from the moment he saw her. He sighed and closed his blinds as her car drove away, hoping she wouldn't see him as a victim...even if he had seen himself that way after his beating and hated it.
TBC...