Breaking Point 1/?
Summary: Set just after Viva Las Vegas. Possible title change. After a mess up at a scene, Greg is forced into a position he never thought possible.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
Rating: possible R
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Greg had just barely gotten back from the scene, his final proficiency, well at least he hoped not. After cataloging the evidence, he was in the process of switching his work outfit to his home one, he could've smacked himself for his stupidity.
Using the bathroom at a crime scene was probably the dumbest thing he'd ever done and there was evidence there too. He only hoped Grissom would let him try again.
Tying his last shoelace, Greg nearly jumped when Conrad Ecklie poked his head in the locker room, growling. "Sanders, my office now!"
Letting out a sigh, he unconsciously swept his pants off before grabbing his suit jacket and following behind the director. Reaching the older man's office, Ecklie barked. "Sit down." Before closing the door, himself.
Plopping down in front of the desk, Greg waited a few minutes before Ecklie spoke again, his voice tight but angry.
"It's come to my attention that something happened at your scene tonight."
"Yes…" Greg started, his eyes lifting to the man in front of him, momentarily, before they dropped to his hands. "I spoke to Grissom… he said it was a mistake but that he would give me another chance."
After a beat the older man spoke again. "That's sweet Mr. Sanders but Grissom doesn't run this lab… I do." Another minute passed before he finished. "I spoke with the undersheriff, and he agrees. After the lab explosion and contaminating a scene, you can either go back to DNA or be terminated."
"Your joking, right?" Greg was past the point of irritation as he stood up. "I didn't cause the lab explosion… and I made one mistake at one scene."
"One mistake that will likely cost us that case." Putting his glasses on, Ecklie folded his hands in front of him. "Either go back to DNA or collect your things."
"Eight years of my life… I make one mistake and I'm gone?" Greg all but yelled, his eyes blazing.
"Or you can go back to DNA." Ecklie repeated, an annoying smirk on his face.
"FUCK DNA!" Greg screamed, pushing away from the chair. He so badly wanted to scream more obscenities, but he was so livid he couldn't think straight. Hastily moving from the room, he made it to the locker room. Letting out an ear bending yell, he threw open his locker. Pulling out his backpack he pulled anything and everything out, shoving it half hazardly into his bag.
"Greg, what's wrong?"
"Go ask your boss." Greg snapped at Grissom, slamming his locker, not caring if it shut or not. Moving around the older man, he didn't stop, even with Grissom calling his name, until he got to the front desk.
Judy jumped when he slammed his credentials on the desk. "Nice knowing you." He snapped once more, before leaving the lab, all eyes on him.
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Nearly two hours later, Nick, Warrick, and Sara arrived back at the lab, the work on their cases all but done when Catherine walked up to them, the look on her face told them she was out for blood.
"What's up Cath?" Warrick asked, his eyes moving to the groups of people, deep in conversation.
"Ecklie." She hissed, her eyes shooting daggers down the hall, where his office stood. "Greg used the bathroom at his scene, without processing it first…" The four shared a look of understanding, before the strawberry blonde finished. "Grissom was giving him a second chance when Ecklie called him into his office, reamed him and then gave him an ultimatum. Go back to DNA or leave."
"Oh my God." Sara cried, her hands moving to her mouth, tears already pouring from her eyes. She already knew the answer.
"You're kidding me?" Nick ground out; his own eyes were pools of fire.
Shaking her head sadly, Catherine wiped her eyes. "Grissom's been in his office the last half hour trying to reason with him but its not looking good."
"Where's Greg?" Sara squeaked, her heart dropping further as the older woman shook her head.
"I don't know. Grissom and Archie, both called him, but he didn't pick up."
"Has anyone checked his place?" Nick offered, as Sara started pacing, her mind a blur trying to figure out where he could be.
"I just barely found out myself." Catherine sighed, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"Well, I'm going." Nick growled, heading for the door.
"Me too." The brunette jumped, following the Texan back out of the lab.
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Arriving at Greg's apartment, Nick was mildly surprised when Sara pulled out a key and unlocked the door. "Since when do you have a key?"
"Since Greg and I started working closely… sometimes I'd come over and we'd go over our cases or vice versa."
"Right." Nick drew out as he followed the brunette inside. "Greg!"
"Gre… oh my god." Sara's eyes widened as she surveyed the damage. His bookcase still stood, the multitude of books that were neatly in place a few days ago, now lay strewn across the floor. A few books in particular, about DNA, torn apart. In the kitchen they found some broken glass, from what looked to be a plate and drinking glass.
"Greg?" Sara called this time as they stepped into his room. They found the bag he usually had in his locker, packed to the brim, sitting in a pile of mirror glass.
Looking in the bathroom and closet, they found nothing. "He's not here, but he was definitely pissed off."
"Wouldn't you?" She asked, putting her head in her hands. Where could he be?
As soon as the words left Catherine's mouth, she knew he was done. Her and Greg had spent one night not talking about the case before them. Instead confiding in each other over things they hadn't expected. From her childhood to her crush on their boss. Greg sat there, unmoving, eyes on her til she was finished. During the more painful parts he would grab her hand and squeeze it until he knew she was okay.
Then Greg delved into his. From his mother's incessant overprotectiveness to his experience in the lab explosion. Explaining his difficulty with going back into the lab, his shakes after being there more than a few minutes, even him slipping in to Grissom's office, begging him for a chance to go out into the field.
Afterward they shared a deep hug that lasted a few minutes, ending with Greg pressing a comforting kiss to her forehead, while she tentatively pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth.
That conversation had been less than two weeks ago and now she stood next to Nick, unsure of where he might be. "We should head back to the lab, see if they found out anything."
"Ok…." Sara reluctantly agreed, the mere devastation of his apartment showed her what he was feeling, and it scared her because she didn't know how far he'd go, being in that much pain.
Leaving their shifts that night was harder than most. No one had heard from Greg and an hour of Grissom begging and badgering Ecklie to the point of frustration, with no budge from the other man.
In a futile attempt to go over Ecklie's head, Catherine made an appointment for her and Grissom with the undersheriff. Catherine herself knew if that didn't work then she would keep going up the ladder. There's no way Ecklie would win.
Sara, annoyed by everything, stopped by Greg's apartment only to find it in the same condition her and Nick left it in.
Rubbing her tired eyes fitfully, she nearly broke down outside her door. Shakily, she put the key in and unlocked the door. Pushing it open, she flipped on the light, rubbing again at her tired eyes.
"Sara."
A small voice squeaked to her right.
Looking down at the voice her legs nearly gave out finding Greg, his legs bent and pressed deeply into his chest, his eyes red and swollen from crying as he rocked back and forth.
Dropping to the floor, tears in her eyes, she put her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. After a few minutes, she heard him whimper.
"What am I gonna do?"
That question alone brought more tears to her eyes as she pulled him closer. "I don't know Greg… I don't know."
R&R….. story unbeta'd. more stories coming. I have quite a few updates and some more new ones that I'm slowly typing.