Something Happens (Greg/Sara)

G

gregsandersfan

Pathologist
A/N: Yes, I hope to update "Troubled Times" soon. :eek:
In the meantime, another fic. :devil:
I hope you'll enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I still don’t own them, and really, I'm not getting closer to it at all.

Summary: Greg is enjoying himself with an old friend, until things get out of hand and get worse than Greg ever imagined.

Rating: PG-13


Something Happens

Chapter 1

Finding some kind of edible food, no matter if it was takeout or not, was Greg’s only goal on a mild summer afternoon, when he was strolling through the inner part of Las Vegas, having just brought a tiring double shift behind him.

He had asked Sara if she wanted to go and grab some food together somewhere, but she rather traded another shift worth of work for that meal. Greg hoped that she did not want to tell him something with that decision.

Greg looked lazily at the shops at his right side, wandering slowly along the sidewalk. At least he would have the next two nights off. It was his birthday tomorrow after all, and this year he had decided to take that day off, if possible. His last birthday he had spent for the most part in the company of a decomp which had altogether made a gory scene. He did not want to count on his luck this year; Grissom would probably have an extra-nice scene for him as a present.

So he had taken it off, even if it meant that he would have no little birthday party with his co-workers. However, he was actually hoping some of them would drop by at his place, if they found the time that was.

Greg was just standing in front of two shops, deliberating between Greek takeout and Chinese takeout, when a man approaching him from his left side caught his attention. At the moment the man noticed him as well, and smiled.

“Hey, Greg,” he called, and Greg was already waving to him.

“Hey, Charlie,” he greeted him cheerfully, when the other man had stopped in front of him. “What are you doing around here?”

“Visiting a friend who I haven’t seen for like a decade maybe?” Charlie laughed. Greg smiled. He and Charlie had not really been close at college, but had been friendly enough that Greg was happy to see him again.

“Wanna go for a drink?” he suggested.

“Sure.” The other man looked around. “Do you know of a good place?”

“There’s one right around the corner,” Greg pointed at the end of the street. “I’ve been there a couple of times.”

His friend agreed and some minutes later they had both seated in the bar, a first round of drinks being ordered. Greg did not plan on taking too much. Celebrating into his birthday was one thing; but he did not need the hangover when he had to go in for work again the following day.

“So how have you been doing?” he asked the other man who was nipping on a beer. He remembered that Charlie had not been much of a drinker at college. Neither had Greg, but Charlie had rather been known for hardly drinking at all.

“I’ve been doing okay. Been here and there,” he shrugged. “You?”

Greg shrugged as well. “I’ve been working in Vegas for the most part.” He did not feel like dissecting the details of his career with the other man. At least not right now. He took a sip from his own beer, wondering that Charlie had obviously not followed the straight career path Greg always assumed he would.

“Vegas… that’s the city for the Greg we know, isn’t it?” Charlie smirked.

Greg grimaced. “More or less I’d say.”

“You miss the sea though, I guess?”

“Yeah,” Greg admitted, nodding. He certainly missed some things in California and the beach and the sea were only two things of it, but he would not want to leave Las Vegas either. There were some things, or rather some people he would miss even more.

Greg chuckled quietly, when he thought that he would easily trade living at the Pacific for living with a certain brunette. If they ever got past that stage of casual flirting that was connected with a deep friendship. Which was actually a promising base, Greg thought. He chuckled again at himself, pulling then his thoughts off Sara and back to his old college friend.

“What have you been laughing at?” Charlie wanted to know.

“Nothing. Just me,” Greg claimed, cheering to the other man before taking a large sip from his drink.

Several rounds of drinks followed and a couple of hours and way too many college stories later, Greg was leaning back in his chair relaxed.

“How comes you haven’t settled down yet?” Charlie was asking now. ”I’d think the girls have it for a guy like you.”

Greg smiled sadly. “Not as much as I’d want,” he stated. “I’m just a friend. A good listener. A good partner. The guy to go to when you need somebody to help you out,” he rambled.

“A good start?” Charlie suggested.

“A good start maybe. But the story ends here. No second part follows,” Greg shrugged. He downed another gulp, smiling to himself then. “There’s this brunette…”

“And?”

“I tried, I really tried.”

Greg hoped that he was only imagining the swing of desperation that sounded in his voice. He put his empty beer on the small table in front of him, shrugging again. “Whatever.”

Greg did not notice that Charlie had leaned back and was watching Greg curiously, his expression thoughtful.

Greg tried to bring the conversation back to easier topics, and less personal ones. Greg did not have a problem to talk about all kinds of topics, but he did not really feel well talking about his sentiments for Sara to a man he did not really consider a close friend. If they were actually together, it would have been another situation, he would have gladly talked about her, but as things lied he was not inclined to it.

*************************************************************

Later at night Greg was walking slowly into his apartment, wondering when he had given up the intention to not drink too much. He could be glad that he had the night off, as well as the next one.

When he had said goodbye to Charlie, the other man had hinted that he might come over for Greg’s birthday, maybe even planning something for the day. Greg was not opposed to it. He would still have the other day to rest, and his sense for harmless adventure had not left him. And it was definitely better than waiting at home that somebody from the lab might drop by.

Opening the fridge, Greg retrieved a bottle of water, admitting to himself that he was hoping Sara would come over. She had not hinted at any such thing recently, which had surprised him, since she had been talking about his birthday wishes some months ago. Now it seemed to have left her mind.

Greg did not make it into his bedroom anymore, or out of his clothes for that matter, but crashed onto the couch, trading the comfortableness of his bed for the immediate rest on the couch, resting his head somewhat comfortably on his arms.

He was woken up by the ringing of the bell, lifting his head groggily to gaze over the side of the couch. After his mind had caught up with the situation and the bell rang another time, Greg finally got up, walking toward the front door tiredly.

It was Charlie again who was standing outside. He seemed excited, and Greg thought that it was actually him who should be feeling this way, since it was his birthday which was still a special day for him, but maybe he was just too groggy for it.

Charlie started rambling something, and Greg had to stop him by lifting his hand, and ask him to start again because nothing what the other man said seemed to make sense. He had a definite hangover, Greg guessed, sighing inwardly.

“I have a surprise for you for your birthday,” Charlie started again. “I rented a cabin out at the lake for a day… we could get two of those jet boats… stay overnight…you said you haven’t planned anything for today… relieve old college days…”

“Okay, okay,” Greg said confused, somewhat taken by surprise. “I’ll just go and change,” he pointed at his clothes from the previous day. “Get some stuff…”

“Okay.”

Twenty minutes later both Greg and Charlie were sitting in Charlie’s car, Greg’s own car still standing parked in the city, since he had taken a taxi home the last night. Greg leaned back, looking out of the window, trying to relax and enjoy the day. He wondered since when he had started to ponder so much. He was just spending a fun day with an old friend; there was nothing wrong with it.

Charlie had not said anything for a few minutes, but when Greg turned to look at him, he noticed that his excitement seemed to have changed into nervousness, making Greg wonder.

“I’m not sure I did the right thing,” Charlie said suddenly.

“It’s great,” Greg tried to ensure him. “Thanks for the trouble, really.” He smiled at the other man, but Charlie’s expression remained strained. They were already close to their destination when he spoke again.

“Wrong? Maybe it was wrong. But I wanted the right thing. And you wanted it too, didn’t you? But it could mean so much trouble. I don’t like it. But it’s okay,” he rambled, while Greg was only frowning, puzzled at the non-sensual rambling of his friend.

“What’s up? Are you alright?” he asked slightly worried.

“You wanted it, Greg, right?”

“What?” Greg asked confused. “The trip, yeah, I agreed with it, but what’s wrong?”

Charlie did not answer but took a side road that led them away from the main road, and soon he stopped near a cabin. Greg could see the lake not far away from the spot. His friend got out of the car and walked away some paces from the vehicle. Greg got out as well, watching the other man puzzled, wondering more and more what was wrong.

Charlie kept glancing back at the car and Greg grew more and more worried.

“It was wrong. Yeah, wrong,” his friend said. “How do we get out of that again?” he seemed to ask himself as well as Greg.

“Out of what?” Greg wanted to know, walking over towards the other man. Charlie’s gaze wandered to the car again, only this time Greg noticed that he was not looking at the whole car, but only at the trunk, and Greg had a terrible suspicion.

His heart beat faster at the imagination of what could be in the trunk, and at the fact that he was involved in the situation. But he had no choice; he had to find out what was in the trunk and what Charlie had done that made him rambling non-sensually.

Greg walked slowly towards the trunk, Charlie watching him nervously.

“I did it for you, Greg,” he said shaking. Greg gulped and tried to calm himself. He stopped behind the car and laid his hand onto the trunk. There was no choice, he had to open it. Charlie’s statement made only clearer that there was actually something; that there was actually a problem, a big one.

Greg opened the trunk carefully, having a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. The lid went up and Greg looked down into the trunk, and his stomach turned to ice, seeing the body of a woman lying inside.

“What have you done?” he asked his friend unbelievingly, not taking his eyes of the brunette. “What have you done?” he repeated quietly, reaching out to stroke Sara’s still face.

TBC
 
Chapter 2

Greg reached into the trunk, trying to lift Sara carefully. It was not an easy task, but he had to get her out of there and he would not let come Charlie near her anymore. He was shocked at what his so-called friend had done, but he was only concerned with saving Sara. He did not even pay attention what Charlie was doing; his eyes were only on her.

She was unconscious, but Greg could not see any injuries, so she had probably been knocked out somehow, and he hoped it had not left any permanent damage. Charlie had bound her hands and feet, which did not make it easier to get her out. Greg gritted his teeth, seeing what Charlie had done to her.

After some seconds Greg had gotten a good grip on Sara and was pulling her carefully out of the vehicle. He did not like the idea of laying her onto the ground, but he did not have much of a choice, leaving her lying inside the trunk was definitely not an alternative.

“We have to get her to the hospital,” he declared, hoping that Charlie would agree, as he would need his car.

“What? Why? No!” Charlie intervened. “I got her for you, Greg.”

Greg could not believe what he was hearing, although nothing should really surprise him anymore after what Charlie had done to Sara. Greg laid her slowly onto the ground, hoping she would wake up. It would make things easier, even though the situation was horrible altogether.

“We have to get her to the hospital,” he replied firmly. “And I can’t believe what you have done, how you can think that I wanted that. That’s completely over my head!” he yelled angrily. Greg could usually keep his calm, but the whole situation was driving him to his edge. He turned to Sara again, starting to work on the tape that bound her hands.

“You can’t let her go. She’ll go straight to the cops,” Charlie warned him. Greg knew that this was true of course, but did not care in the slightest.

It came to his mind that Charlie did not even know that Greg worked for the crime lab, and Greg was definitely not going to tell him now. And as for the police finding out about Sara’s abduction, it was Charlie who had done it; Greg would not feel sorry for him for a second; and they could not blame Greg, since he had had no idea of what Charlie had been doing. And even if they did, it was not Greg’s biggest worry now. Getting Sara home safe and sound was the only thing on his mind.

“We have to get rid of her,” Charlie continued, disappointment still sounding through his voice on Greg’s apparent disapproval of his deed.

Greg’s heart beat even faster at this announcement. He had to get Sara out of here.

“I’ll get her to the hospital,” he said firmly.

“No! No, stop, Greg. Leave her where she is or I’m going to kill her.”

Greg thought his heart might collapse any moment, so fast was it beating, but he knew that he would be, and had to be, able to protect Sara.

“I’ll get her out of here,” he declared, looking at Charlie again. And was cursing himself for not having paid attention to what the other man was doing, for Charlie had retrieved a gun from somewhere, pointing it shaking at Sara now.

“You won’t,” he said.

“Don’t do this,” Greg pleaded, moving himself slowly in front of Sara. “If you kill her, the cops will be after you as well, and it will be for murder,” he warned the other man.

“There’s no connection between her and I. They’ll never get me. She’s just a random girl who I don’t know.”

“You don’t know her?” Greg asked trembling, wondering whether this should give him hope or made everything only worse.

“No, I don’t,” Charlie was shaking his head as if it was a matter-of-course. “You said a brunette.” He rubbed his forehead, holding the weapon only with one hand now. “I was hanging around near your place this morning and that’s when I saw her… she’s pretty, so I thought you’d like her,” he rambled on, steadying the gun then.

Greg’s mind was racing. On the question why Sara had been near his place he spent only a moment. It was a sharp sting though when he realized that she had maybe wanted to come over for his birthday, had been there for him.

He thought about how he could use the fact that Charlie did not know that Greg knew Sara, and that Sara knew him.

“Get out of the way, Greg,” Charlie told him now, approaching him with the directed gun, but staying out of reach.

“No, I won’t,” Greg said decidedly. “If you shoot, you’ll hit me,” he said swallowing.

“I’d never hurt you, Greg,” Charlie replied horrified. “You’re my friend.”

Greg was still trying to calm himself. He took a deep breath, before he suggested, “We could bring her to the hospital somehow. She does not know you… does not know us. They’ll never find a connection to us.” The other man seemed to ponder.

“Charlie, you said you’re my friend, please do that for me,” Greg asked hopefully.

“She doesn’t know us… you’re right…” Charlie said slowly, and the slightest bit of tension was going off Greg. He was hoping that things would turn to the good still. Or would at least come to a somewhat bearable end.

It was then he noticed that Sara was wincing and moaning slightly, and he feared what Charlie would do if he panicked when Sara woke up and made clear that she knew Greg. He hated himself only for the thought of what he was about to do, but Greg looked up at Charlie quickly.

“Do you have some cloth to gag her?” Greg hoped it would keep Sara from yelling out that she knew him, until he was able to tell her to remain silent, or at least until Charlie’s gun was away as it was definitely the greatest source of danger.

Charlie threw him a piece of cloth that he had retrieved from the trunk of his car and seeing how ragged and dirty it was, Greg was even more horrified at the idea of putting this in Sara’s mouth, but it was not like he had a choice.

He grabbed the cloth and was just tying it behind Sara’s head carefully, when she opened her eyes. She looked at him, at first dazed for a moment, before the reality of the situation seemed to dawn on her, and she stared at Greg in horror.

Greg tried to bring both easement and an apology in his expression when he looked at her. She tried to move, but was nearly unable to, and muffled sounds were coming out of her mouth. Greg glanced at Charlie fearfully, hoping the other man would not freak.

“So what are we going to do now?” Charlie asked.

“Get her into the car and-,” Greg started but the other man shook his head decidedly.

“Let’s get her inside,” he said, pointing at the cabin they had parked next to. “I have to think.”

Greg did not like the idea, but once again he had not much of a choice. He had to keep Charlie calm, or nobody knew what was going to happen. He helped Sara to her feet, after he had removed the tape that had bound her legs. Charlie approached them and held the gun pointed at Sara’s head.

“Go with him,” he ordered, signing at Greg. Sara looked at the gun fearfully, and it was not before Greg pulled her into the direction of the cabin that she took her gaze of it. Now she gave Greg a look of utter disbelief and abhorrence, and Greg looked away in pain, back at the man he had formerly called his friend.

Once they were inside, Greg brought Sara to the couch that was standing at one end of the room, watching then uneasily how Charlie was binding her legs together again, without laying the gun out of his hand for a moment. Sara had long stopped trying to yell at them, only the expression of fear and disgust had remained.

Charlie strode quickly towards the door of the cabin, and Greg followed him, throwing a last glance at Sara who was avoiding his gaze now.

*************************************************************

Sara had made sure to get off shift in time for once. Since Greg had decided to take work off on his birthday, she had planned on dropping by at his place. What she remembered was that she had parked her car only a street away from where Greg was living. After that it was black.

Now she was lying somewhere on the cold, hard ground, not knowing how she had gotten there, her head hurting. She moaned softly and tried to open her eyes. Suddenly somebody was bringing a disgusting material into her mouth. Sara finally opened her eyes. It took her a moment before her gaze focused and she could see Greg looking down at her, while he was tightening the knot of the gag.

These were the facts Sara’s brain registered, although they seemed to be absurd. She had to be in some terrible nightmare. Or she had lost her mind. The pain in her head was definitely too real for a nightmare.

She stared at Greg, and wondered if it was sorrow she saw in his eyes. What was he doing? Why was he doing that? Sara did not, could not understand. She was not even really afraid, for she knew that Greg would never do anything to her. But what was it then what was happening now?

She tried to move, but failed, tried to yell at him, ask him what he was doing, what he was thinking, but only muffled sounds left her mouth. Greg looked away and Sara could hear another man speaking. Greg was not alone. There was somebody else in it. Sara closed her eyes briefly, telling her heart beating to slow down, hoping for her breath to calm. It felt still too unreal; all of this could not be happening.

Greg and the other man seemed to discuss what to do. Then Greg was pulling her to her feet. She swayed slightly, but he was holding her, keeping her from falling. His touch was careful, avoiding grabbing her too tightly. And she still did not understand. And she had always thought she would be able to figure out everything somehow.

Sara could see the other man now, and had the urge to draw back fearfully when she saw him approaching her with a gun in his hand which he was pointing at her head. Her breathing fastened again in fear. He was not going to shoot her, was he? Why was Greg not doing anything? Why was Greg doing what he was doing?

“Go with him,” the man told her. Sara’s gaze was fixed at the gun. Then Greg pulled her forward and she turned to look at him. More and more she began to think that it was not her who had lost her mind, but Greg. Greg was doing this to her and it made no sense. It was real, so much she had to realize shaking, but it was not anything she would ever comprehend.

Inside the cabin Greg made her sit onto the couch that was standing on the far end of the room. The other man came and bound her legs again; Sara would have wanted to kick him, hinder him from doing what he was, but the gun in his hand made her lie still. She was afraid now. She had not been earlier when she had thought Greg was alone in this. Greg would never do this to her. Greg would never hurt her. But now together with the other man he was doing so.

Her mind seemed still to explode, trying to process this fact. She just could not believe it. Greg’s friend was leaving for the exit quickly and Greg followed him. He was glancing back at Sara, but she did not look at him. She could not anymore. She could not watch Greg do this anymore.

*************************************************************

Charlie stopped outside of the door, and Greg quickly caught up to him.

“What do you want to do? We have to get her to the hospital. Didn’t we agree on that?” Greg wanted to know, cursing himself that he had let it come so far to let him bring Sara inside.

Charlie was fiddling with the gun, not answering on Greg’s question immediately.

“And how do you want to do that?” he asked suddenly after a minute.

“We get her into your car, drive over to Desert Palms where they can check her over…” Greg started.

“So we just walk in with her there and let them call the cops or what?”

Greg was getting desperate, trying to find a solution Charlie was going to accept.

“We could just drop her off somewhere,” Charlie suggested now. “Somebody will find her sometime and we’ll be long gone then.”

“No,” Greg said resolutely. They could not let Sara leave alone somewhere, waiting for somebody to find her. There were too many incalculable risks linked to that, and too many horrible fears of what could happen.

Suddenly Charlie cocked the gun, and strode the few paces over to the entrance of the cabin. “I’ll just kill her and the problem is solved,” he decided fervently.

“No, don’t do that. We’ll find a solution,” Greg called desperately, stopping Charlie in his movement. “Just let me think a moment, please.”

“Why do you care so much for her?” Charlie asked frowning. “Do you know her?” he added in a sharp tone.

TBC
 
No comments? :eek:

Chapter 3

“Do you know her?" Charlie repeated his question.

Greg shook his head slowly. “No, I don’t. Do you?” He hoped he sounded convincing.

Charlie shook his head as well. “I told you I didn’t. So why are you so concerned for her if you don’t know her?”

“You don’t understand it, do you?” Greg returned irritated. He had realized this day that he knew Charlie even less than he had believed. They had never been close. Charlie had used to be rather quiet and drawn back, but at the same time not as scientifically interested as Greg, so that they had shared hardly anything at college, only hanging out from time to time.

Now Greg wished he knew him better. Not because he had any desire to be better acquainted with him, but because it might have helped getting him, and Sara, out of this situation, if he had known what was going on in Charlie’s head.

“So what do you want to do now?” Charlie asked, ignoring Greg’s angry statement. “She’s all yours.”

Greg’s face hardened, but he moved past Charlie to the door of the cabin, turning around to look at the other man again.

“What are you waiting for? Have fun,” Charlie shrugged.

Greg actually considered punching him, but realized that the gun in the other man’s hand made that one a very bad idea, as Charlie might stray off his earlier promise that he would never hurt Greg if attacked this way. And it would not even help them. Greg turned back to the door sighing, a desperate plan forming in his mind.

He closed the door behind him, hoping Charlie would stay outside. Sara had apparently been watching him, but looked away once he glanced over at her. Greg approached her slowly, his mind racing what to say and what to do.

Sara glanced up at him, seeming now more angry than afraid. Greg crouched down next to her.

“Please promise me not to yell and not to tell him that we know each other,” he asked her. Sara only stared at him. “Promise me that, and I’ll get rid of the gag, okay?”

Sara looked at him for another moment before she nodded reluctantly. Greg reached out behind her head and started to untie the gag, his hands trembling so that he needed longer for the task than he wanted.

Once the cloth was gone, Sara blurted, “What on earth are you doing?” She obviously had to force herself to speak quietly.

“I’m so sorry. It wasn’t me. It was him, Charlie. I have no idea why he did that; he’s sick in his mind.”

Sara did not defer to Greg’s apology. “Get me out of here,” she told him fiercely instead, struggling against the tape on her wrists and ankles. She glanced nervously into the direction of the door and Greg could not blame her. For a moment he could see the fear again that had been hidden under her anger at him.

Greg jumped up. “Be right back.” He strode over to the door of the cabin, opening it carefully and glancing outside if he could see Charlie anywhere. He moved quietly out of the building, looking around.

He was just about to re-enter, when he stumbled forward without warning and crashed headfirst against the door, dropping to the ground unconsciously.

********************************************************************

They had been outside for a while. Sara had tried for several minutes to free herself from the restraints, but had to realize that she was only hurting herself, when the tape cut into her skin but stayed intact. She was still suppressing the fear inside her, since she could not imagine that Greg would do anything to her.

She had no idea what they were planning to do, why they were holding her captive, but she had still the hope to get out comparatively unscratched, although the gun had frightened her, had made her wonder if they were only using it to scare her, or if they intended to kill her.

The more she thought about it, the less sense it made, but the more she was afraid, since Greg and the other man would certainly not want her to get free and be able to turn them in. She knew Greg, they were co-workers, friends actually she had thought, there was no question she would be able to turn him in, no doubt she would be able to tell who it had been. So they would have to get rid of her.

Once again trying to get her hands free, she let out a muffled curse, before she could see the door being opened again and Greg walking in. Sara watched him for a moment, until he looked at her and she turned her gaze away.

He came up to her slowly, and Sara tried to calm herself from the anger that was more and more rising inside her. She was afraid, yes, but she was also more than angry at the man she had thought she could trust, and the fact that he seemed to have lost his mind. She looked up at him again, and Greg crouched down next to the couch.

“Please promise me not to yell and not to tell him that we know each other,” he told her quietly. Sara glared at him. What on earth was he talking about? How could he come and ask that from her? If she was able to yell, it would be her good right to do so, hoping somebody would hear her and call for help. She would not keep quiet, what was he thinking?

“Promise me that, and I’ll get rid of the gag, okay?” he asked again. Sara was still angry, but figured that it would be at least a start to be able to talk. She wanted to scream at him, but at the end he would only gag her again. And maybe she would be able to talk him out of this insanity. So she nodded reluctantly.

Greg reached behind her head, fiddling with the knot on the cloth. It took him a long time and Sara only wanted him to be away from her. When the cloth was finally away, she had to suppress the yell that wanted out of her.

“What on earth are you doing?” she asked him rather quietly instead.

“I’m so sorry. It wasn’t me. It was him, Charlie. I have no idea why he did that; he’s sick in his mind,” Greg babbled, and Sara did not understand what he was talking about. Of course it was him. He was holding her captive. He and the so-called Charlie had kidnapped her, had brought her out here in their trunk.

“Get me out of here,” Sara told Greg angrily, struggling again against the bounds. She looked over at the door of the cabin fearfully, figuring that the greater danger came from Greg’s friend, since she hoped that the bond between her and Greg was still strong enough that he would not hurt her, that he would let her go in the best case.

Greg stood up. “Be right back,” he muttered and walked quickly to the door. He opened it and looked outside, before he left the cabin, and vanished out of Sara’s sight.

He did not return for several minutes and the small hope that had built inside of Sara was dashed again. Greg did not want to let her go. She did not know what he was going to do with her. She did not know how much time she had, but she had to try and draw the attention of somebody to her.

She did not even come so far as to let out a yell for help, when all of a sudden everything became black.

*******************************************************************

It was the sudden impact that woke her up. Dazed at first Sara realized that she was lying on cold, scrubby ground. Her hands were still bound behind her back and her arms felt like on fire after having been forced into this position for too long.

Sara could hardly see anything. It was obviously at night and she was at some woody place that was only lit sparsely by the back lights of the car that was standing only few feet away from where Sara was lying. She figured that they had just thrown her out of it, an assumption that was strengthened when she heard the lid of a trunk being slammed shut.

She could hear steps crouching in the underbrush. She was trembling heavily, not knowing whether it was because of the coldness that was creeping in her from the ground or out of fear what was going to happen. They were still here. They had brought her out here. She was shaking, wishing they would just leave, leave and let her lie there. It was better than the alternative she was fearing.

She could not control the trembling anymore and neither the wet that came from her eyes, streaming down her face, her forehead lying on the ground. Sara was scared, and she wanted Greg to come and stop the insanity he was doing, to come and help her and she might even consider forgiving him in the very distant future, if he only helped her.

TBC
 
No comments? :red:
Click to expand...

OOPS, my bad! i was about to comment it but i was disturbed by a friend (argh)

I looove it, it's brillantly written (you have a beta? cause the english is really perfect!). You know how fan of Sandle i am but i'm not ease to please lol but your story is awesomish. I can clearly imagine all of this happening on an episode: Greg and Sara aren't OOC at all and Charlie is just unbearable lol

Keep writing!!
 
sissi59100 said:you have a beta? cause the english is really perfect!
Click to expand...

I can't believe I haven't mentioned her yet. :eek:
This story is betaread by Emmithar, so thanks to her. :D


Chapter 4

Sara could neither stop the trembling nor the tears, trying to listen what was going on but the only thing she realized was that Greg was not helping her. The ground felt cold as ice under her heated skin; she heard again steps behind her.

“Greg, please…,” she sobbed.

“Greg’s not here,” a voice that she recognized as the other man’s cut in. “He didn’t want you,” he added harshly.

Sara lay just still. Greg was not even there. He had left her alone in the hands of that man. The last tidbit of hope she had had was gone.

She heard the slamming of a car door and then the roaring of an engine. Sara tensed panicking, turning herself on her back arduously, lifting her head to see what was going on. He wouldn’t… The car moved forward and slowly away from where Sara was lying who breathed relieved. Soon no light of the vehicle was to see anymore and Sara was alone.

Charlie was gone and first there was just the relief. He was gone and he had left her there, alive, at least for now. Even the fact that she was lying somewhere alone without an actual possibility to get away did not lessen Sara’s relief at first.

The fear came back later, the fear what would happen if nobody ever found her, if she was not able to free herself.

Sara tried for the umpteenth time to get rid of the tape on her hands, but failed once again. She sat up fully, cursing. If she could at least see anything, she could have made out where she was, could have seen if there was something near her that could help her freeing herself.

Painfully slowly she moved to the side, finally reaching the trunk of a tree. She leaned against it, realizing that she did not have much of a choice than to wait for the morning. Then she would at least be able to see where exactly she was and if she had the possibility of getting away. And maybe, just maybe, somebody would find her. She could not give up quite yet.

Sara even managed to drift off into a light slumber, the exhaustion and tiredness overcoming her. The thoughts and fears swirling through her head did not let her rest though, so she was soon fully awake again, pondering over everything that had happened. Everything seemed like a nightmare, and it had not ended yet.

Sara thought of Greg, still unable to comprehend what he had done and why. She remembered what Charlie had said before he had left. It really registered in her brain only now.

Realization dawned on her which made her feel more lightly. She was still trapped in this nightmare, but at least she could comprehend more of it now. Charlie’s last statement had been meant to hurt her, but now that its actual meaning had registered in her, it eased Sara’s mind, even though it did not get her out of here.

She waited and the coldness of the night was still creeping into her. Sara shivered, drawing her legs to her chest. She rolled in as best as she could in her position, still leaning against the trunk. She could not keep her eyes open and there was not a point in it anyway, so she gave in to the exhaustion once again, hoping the day would come soon.

Sara had not noticed that she had fallen asleep, but woke up when she could feel something climbing over her. The excited barking had melted with her nightmare and she realized only when she opened her eyes that it was indeed a dog that was jumping around her.

Sara jolted up stunned, looking at the animal.

“She’s alive,” a voice gasped out then, and Sara looked up further to see an old man standing a few paces behind the dog. “Well, it’s not what you would expect, you know,” he explained bluntly.

****************************************************************

Greg opened his eyes and shut them quickly again when the bright light was blinding them, wondering why the curtain was not drawn over as it usually was when he was sleeping during the day.

The next thing he wondered was why he was sleeping on the couch and why he was not undressed. Then the memories came back out of nothing, and Greg sat up shocked.

Sara. Where was she? What had Charlie done?

Greg could not even remember coming home. The last thing he could recall was that he had looked if the coast was clear to get Sara out.

He was still in the same clothes he had worn then, so much he could tell. And they were stinking, he noticed, sniffing at his sleeve. They smelled like alcohol. But he had not been drinking…

Greg looked around and saw a letter lying on the small table near the couch. He stood up and reached for it, opening it quickly.

Hey Greg,

I’ve taken care of everything. Don’t worry about it anymore.

Your neighbor really thought you were passed out from drinking, even helped me with bringing you in here and told me to wish you a late Happy Birthday.

I hope we’ll see each other again some time and will have more fun then.

So long, Charlie

Greg let the letter fall shocked. What had Charlie done to Sara? He had not killed her, had he?

Greg was crying by now. He sat back onto the couch, sobbing. It was his fault. If Sara was dead, it was his fault. Charlie had kidnapped her because of him, had probably killed her because of him and he, Greg, had not hindered him from it. He had not helped Sara; he had left her alone, had left her in the hands of the maniac who was his friend.

Greg was sobbing desperately, his forehead pressed into the couch, feeling as if the pain was ripping him apart.

After several minutes he heard the distant sound of the ring tone of his cell phone and started wondering where it was. He had taken it with him to his and Charlie’s trip and was surprised that Charlie had obviously brought it back with him.

Shaking Greg got up and looked around, seeing finally the small bag he had packed for the trip standing near the door. He strode over quickly, rummaging through the bag and taking out his singing and vibrating cell phone.

He could not believe his eyes when he was reading the caller’s ID. Sara. Greg swallowed. Was it really her or was it somebody who had found her phone? He had to pick up to find out.

Whoever the caller was, they were not giving up as the phone continued ringing for several more seconds, before Greg finally picked up.

“Hello?” he spoke into the phone asking.

“Greg?” he could hear Sara’s voice.

“Sara!” Greg leaned against the wall behind him, relieved.

“It’s me,” Sara confirmed quietly. “I’m… I’m at the lab,” she continued. “Come over please, we need to talk.” It was not a request, but a demand, and Greg could not blame her.

“I’ll come,” he said dejectedly. He was glad that she was alive and apparently well, although he did not know if she was hurt. And he would now have to face the consequences of everything.

“Don’t take too long,” Sara added, before she cut the call off without another word.

Greg shut off the call as well, letting the phone sink. It was of course no surprise that Sara had gone straight to the lab, turning him in. What else was she supposed to do? He did not know how he she had gotten free, he doubted that Charlie had simply let her go. Unless Charlie had confessed to her that Greg had not known about the kidnapping, which Greg doubted very much, Sara could not assume anything else as that Greg and Charlie had been in it together.

Greg stood up slowly, deciding that he should at least change his clothes. Whatever was waiting for him at the lab, it would not make a good impression if he turned up smelling as if he had tried to drink up courage for the crime. He bagged the worn clothes though, hoping he would maybe be able to proof that Charlie had brought him home unconsciously.

Maybe they would not accuse him for the full range of what had happened. Greg was feeling guilty for what he had done to Sara, even though it was in an attempt to save her. He had hurt her and he doubted that she would ever forgive him that.

It somewhat surprised him that Sara actually trusted him that he would come to the lab, that she had not sent somebody to get him. After all he had done, she could not expect of him to do the right thing.

Greg was just walking out of his apartment when he remembered that his car was still standing parked in the city where he had left it the other night.

He finally arrived later at the lab than Sara would think appropriate, since he had to call a cab, but she had definitely heavier reasons to be angry at him. He could not wait to see her again, and was afraid of it at the same time. Afraid to see that he was hurt, afraid to be confronted with any sentiment she might have towards him, even though they were justified. And afraid of everything else.

TBC
 
Chapter 5

It did not take Greg long to find Sara. She was sitting on a bench, the hallway deserted except for her. She was not looking his way, so Greg called her name quietly as he approached her slowly. She looked up at him, watching him for a moment, before she signaled to him to get a seat as well.

Greg dropped down at the other end of the bench, throwing careful side glances at her, needing to make sure that she was alright.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

“I’m fine,” she replied and he understood it as a sign that she did not want to tell him how she was really feeling.

“How did you…?”

Sara pulled the jacket she was wearing tighter around her, making Greg wonder why she was apparently feeling so cold. When she lifted her arms, he could see the bruises on her wrists from where she had been bound, that had been hidden by the long-sleeved shirt she was wearing. Greg had the hardest time keeping his feelings under control. It had been partly his doing.

“He dropped me off near Lake Mead,” Sara started to explain. “A man who went on a walk with his dog found me this morning.”

“Sara, I’m so sorry-“

“Greg, stop it,” Sara intervened sharply. “That’s not why I asked you to come here.”

Greg looked at her sadly.

“Listen and tell me that it was like this,” she asked him and Greg nodded.

“Charlie took you on a trip. You did not know what he was up to. Once you were at the cabin you found out that he had kidnapped me,” Sara was telling all these fact in a cold, neutral tone that was almost scaring Greg.

“You didn’t know what to do and played along to keep him calm. You didn’t want me to yell out that I knew you and gagged me. You brought me into the cabin, trying to find a solution. When he found out that you were trying to get me out, Charlie knocked you out. He did the same with me and dropped me off some miles away, leaving me basically to either be found or to die there,” Sara’s voice had become quieter now and Greg was barely holding himself together.

“Did it happen like that?” Sara asked now. “Tell me that you did not know what he was up to, that you did not do that to me!” The neutral tone had left Sara now completely, and the last words almost vanished into a sob. She cried and Greg just wanted to hold her but knew that this was the last thing he could do.

He could only watch her, until she had calmed down some minutes later. Then she leaned back, turning to look at Greg teary.

“It was like that. I didn’t know what Charlie was up to,” Greg confirmed quietly and Sara nodded. “I’m so sorry I hurt you,” he continued sadly. “He wanted to kill you and I tried to keep him calm, tried to keep you from telling him that you know me. I was afraid he’d kill you if he knew. I’m so sorry.”

Sara nodded again. She sniffed, before she continued. “Okay, this is what we’re going to do: You don’t know anything. You were not involved in any way. I know only that a perp kidnapped me and finally dropped me off. I don’t know why he did that. A far as I can tell he didn’t have any accomplices.”

“Sara, what-?”

“I came here and told somebody from dayshift what happened, asked them to call Catherine for the investigation because I “trust” her and everything; she can return me a favor. Don’t ask. She’s not here yet. Any traces they might find on me from you are there because you held me, and calmed me while we were waiting,” Sara spoke very quickly, and that was not the only reason why Greg could hardly follow.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked helplessly.

Sara looked at him for a minute. “You’re my best friend,” she started then. “It was terrible, yes, I was scared, I wondered why you were doing that, I was afraid of you even. But now I just want this nightmare to be over. I don’t want to see my best friend going through all that,” she made a small wave into the direction of the lab.

“But I hurt you,” he whispered.

“Yeah, but only to save me.”

“Then let me tell them that.”

“And what if they don’t believe you?” Sara questioned.

“They will believe it if you tell them as well.”

“And what if they think I just want to protect you?”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing?” Greg pointed out quietly, a defeated tone in his voice. They could just do what she was suggesting, but it did not feel right to Greg and he did not want to think of what would happen if they ever found out that Sara had been lying. He could not risk that.

“Yes, Greg, I am protecting you. And I do that because you are my friend and because you saved my life and because it would rip out my heart to see you going through that,” Sara had a hard time keeping her voice down, but forced herself to it, knowing that somebody working in the lab could possibly hear her talking otherwise.

Greg nodded gravely. Sara had slid over to him in the meantime, sitting now directly next to Greg. She took his hand in hers and Greg was surprised by the gesture.

“Just that we get this right,” he started quietly. “What if they get Charlie?” He would of course spill that Greg had been in it, would maybe even accuse Greg of being the one who had come up with it.

“He’s crazy and randomly accuses a CSI he’s seen me with.”

“His car?” Greg continued.

“Even if there are traces from you, it doesn’t link you directly to the kidnapping. You could just admit that you are friends and he took you for a ride. In the best case they’ll never know that you were involved at all.”

“It’s complicated and it’s all lies,” Greg stated. “I always thought you hate lies.”

Sara swallowed. “I do.” She did not look at him.

“I can’t risk that. I can’t let you put yourself in line to protect me,” Greg said decidedly.

“I can risk it. And it’s my decision,” Sara opposed him.

“Okay,” Greg gave in. “We’ll do what you want. You’re right; it’s your decision.” He had to admit that he was relieved of course. He did not like all the lies they were going to tell, he knew it was not right, but he was relieved. And if Sara wanted it, he would follow her wishes.

She leaned against him, laying her head against his shoulder. “I can’t lose you.”

Greg did not know what to say, but was saved from an answer when Catherine came walking up to them some moments later. Sara jumped up and Catherine stopped next to them.

“Sara, what happened?”

Sara hesitated. “Can we go somewhere more private to talk about it?”

Catherine looked from Sara to Greg puzzled.

“It’s okay. I told Greg, but I’d like to go somewhere else please,” Sara explained. Catherine looked at her worriedly. Sara glanced back at Greg. “Can you wait for me please?”

“Sure,” Greg nodded. Catherine and Sara left and Greg leaned back, rubbing his eyes. It was insane. Everything was completely insane. He groaned at the imagination of the situation he and Sara were in now, what all they would have to conceal. He wondered if they would ever be able to go back to normal.

He waited and after a while his stomach started to rumble and Greg tried to remember when he had eaten the last time. Hoping Sara would not come back just now and think he had left, he hurried out of the lab and to the store at the other side of the street, buying two sandwiches.

He had just dropped back onto the bench and bitten once into his sandwich, when Sara returned, an earnest expression on her face. Greg jumped up again, handing her the other sandwich.

“Thanks,” she said simply, taking it.

Greg looked at her curiously. “Is everything okay?”

“Nobody will know,” she replied in a final tone. “Can you drive me home?” she asked then.

“My car’s somewhere in the city,” Greg replied in an excusing tone.

“Well, my car is still parked near your place,” Sara returned sharply.

“You-?”

“I wanted to spend your birthday with you, Greg. This is not like I had imagined it though,” she told him, sighing.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Me too.” Sara hugged him. “A late Happy Birthday though, Greg.”

“Thanks.”

Sara let go of him. “I guess I can take a taxi home.”

“I can come with you. I don’t really want you going alone…” Greg trailed off.

Sara lifted her eyebrows. “Are you planning on following me around now all the time?”

“No, of course not,” Greg shook his head sadly. “I can understand that you don’t want me to-“

“It wasn’t meant like that,” Sara intervened. “But I can take care of myself… unless some maniac…” She shook her head, stopping him from whatever he was going to say. “Let’s go.”

TBC
 
A/N: Thanks to Emmithar for the beta.

Please leave a comment on your way out. Greg and Sara will thank you. (The question is: Am I really nicer to them when I get a lot of comments? :devil:)

Chapter 6

Sara was lying awake on her bed, still fully dressed, staring at the ceiling. Now that she was lying there, everything seemed just like a terrible nightmare. It had actually happened though, the bruises on her arms and legs were telling a clear story of that. She was still very sore and had readily agreed to take a few days off.

She did not really know yet how she was going to live and work with the web of lies she had told. But it had been necessary to protect Greg.

He had jut left half an hour ago. He had brought her to her front door where he had said goodbye, closing the door behind her. She wondered how they were ever supposed to go back to normal. He was feeling guilty and she could not forget the hours in that she had been afraid of what he was going to do to her. She knew now that he had never intended to hurt her, but forgetting was still not easy.

She could still feel the coldness and the fear in the wood where she had been lying during the night, scared and shivering, wondering how Greg could have done that to her, until she realized that he had not, until she had figured that it had been Charlie’s doing.

It had not been Greg’s fault. It had not been his doing. He had tried to protect her. And that was why she had to protect him now. She had just wanted to spend the day with him, have a good time for once. If she had not been there…

If she had understood Greg right, she had been a random target. So if she had not been there… this thinking was futile, she knew that. It had been a nightmare, but it was over now. She had to make sure that it was over. She had to protect Greg, had to ensure that the nightmare would not be prolonged because she was not doing enough…

Sara opened her eyes and what she saw made her cry out, but the sound was muffled because of the gag. She was back in the wood, the coldness still creeping into her bones. It was broad daylight now that came only partly into the shadowed part where Sara was lying though. She was close to panicking, once again struggling against the bonds. This could not be true. She had been found. She had been back at the lab. She had been talking to Greg. She had been home.

She could not still be in this nightmare. She dropped back on the ground in exhaustion, crying quietly now, realizing she would never escape. She felt so cold, she could not remember when she had eaten or drunk the last time; if she was not found soon, it was only a matter of time until she would die.

Her next few struggles to get free were not even determined anymore, for she had realized in all her previous failed attempts that she would not be able to free herself. She could not even yell, the cloth in her mouth still preventing her from it.

Sara could not quite wrap her mind around that fact, for she could not remember being gagged when Charlie had brought her out here, when he had left. Had she not been calling for Greg then? And had Charlie not answered her coldly?

Sara sat up again, deciding to at least try to lean against the trunk of a tree. She would at least be able to see something then. Maybe she would see somebody. And maybe she would be able to draw somebody’s attention to her after all.

It took a while, but then Sara was really able to see somebody coming into her direction in the distance. Sara’s hopes grew and she kept watching the person coming closer. She could see that it was a man.

Her stomach tightened fearfully when she recognized the man. She looked quickly around if there was a place where she could hide since she could not run. Now she did not want to be seen. She did not want to sit there like on a silver plate waiting for them to finish her off after all. Nausea was coming up at that thought, even more so at the thought of Greg doing that.

But he had seen her and fastened his step now, finally running up to her, Sara only staring at him. Greg slowed down and crouched down next to her. He was removing the gag, loosening the bounds as well, at the same time mumbling things Sara was not able to understand. But the moment she was able to move again, she jumped up, although her body felt as if it did not quite belong to her.

Then she ran. She did not know where she was running; her only intention was to get away from Greg. Once she had accomplished that, she would be able to look for a way home, a way out.

Greg was calling after her. And she should have reckoned it that he was faster than her. After the first surprise of her running away, he had taken after her, and soon she could hear him calling her name, telling her to stop, little behind her. Then he caught her arm, effectively stopping her.

She jerked around, trying to get free again, but Greg was still holding her arm tightly.

“You hurt me,” she said, and to her surprise Greg released her arm.

“Sara.”

She stared at him fearfully, at the same time anger was rising in her. Anger at what he had done, and anger at the fact that the two of them were out there, apparently in the middle of nowhere. And she started to get angry because she could be now.

“Please don’t run away,” Greg pleaded, reaching out to her again, but she backed away.

Sara was angry now. She wanted to yell at him, kicking herself though for the fear she was still feeling. He was alone, apparently unarmed. There was not anything he could do to her, was there? So why was she still afraid?

He was making a step towards her again.

“Stay away,” she hissed, realizing that there were still many things he could do to her, especially in the weakened state she was. And she made some more steps backwards, away from him. She still could not believe that she was afraid of Greg, had to be afraid of him, something she would have never dreamt she would ever have to be.

Sara bit on her lip, trying to avoid the symptoms of sadness being added to all the emotions that were already tormenting her. Greg was watching her backing away.

“Sara, I want to help you. I won’t hurt you,” he told her now.

She did not believe him. Her eyes were darting around, still trying to find a way for her away from him and his lies. She took another step backwards, but this time her foot caught in a root of a tree and she fell backwards. A small cry escaped her before her head hit against something hard…

Sara was holding her head. It was pounding painfully. It was still light day and this time she was not even surprised to find herself lying on her bed, still fully dressed. She had not changed into her pajamas after all.

It took another moment before she noticed that her cell phone on the bedside table was ringing. The caller’s ID told her quickly that it was Greg who was trying to call her. Reading his name on the display, the images and feelings of her nightmare instantly returned.

Sara groaned. Obviously the nightmare would not end as quickly as she had hoped, if it was following her into her sleep.

The phone was still ringing in her hand, and Sara finally picked up.

“Sara?” she heard his voice. “It’s Greg.”

“What’s up?” she asked, remembering her dream. Why had she been afraid of him? Why had she been running from him?

“I… I just wanted to make sure you’re doing okay.”

Sara did not answer. It had been an irrational fear. He had wanted to protect her.

“Sara?” his voice sounded worried, bringing her back to the present. “Are you okay?”

Sara breathed out slowly. “I am, Greg.” She could almost hear the doubt in his silence.

“Sara, do you really want to do this? I don’t want to get you into trouble.” She did not have to ask what he was talking about. She hated lies. But if that was the only way to protect him…

“Yeah,” she replied. “It’s too late to go back anyway,” she added, biting on her tongue then, for she knew that she had shown her doubts with this addition.

“It’s not too late. We can still tell the truth,” he sounded faint.

“We can’t,” she returned. “I can’t,” she paused. “I can’t turn you in, Greg.” And at the same time she was racking her brain to find a solution.

But she could not do it. If she went and told that she had been abducted, that Greg had participated in it, that she had finally found out that he had not known about it, that he had protected her, that he had saved her, they would in the best case believe her and Greg would be fine.

In any other case though they would think she was only saying it to protect him, or because she was afraid, or even because she was not right in her head. They would arrest him, interrogate him, charge him… Sara did not want to think about having to see him go through all of that. If she could not convince them that Greg had not known about, had not wanted the abduction, but that he had saved her, he would be lost.

Sara realized that she had not spoken for a long time, but Greg was still on the other side of the phone. She could not do it, she knew that. It had to stay her and Greg’s secret.

“Talk to you later, Greg,” she finally said, switching off her phone, realizing that she was probably cutting everything off he had still wanted to say.

Sara felt alone. She could not talk to anybody. She felt alone with all the thoughts running in her mind. And the only person she could talk to… she had still to convince herself that she was not afraid of him. It was an irrational fear of her nightmares. She was not afraid. She felt safe with him. He was her friend. That was why she was saving him now. Even though she hated what she was doing. And everything made her feel alone, while she was still telling herself that she was not afraid.

TBC
 
Chapter 7

“Sara, please tell us from the very beginning what happened. We can go slowly, if you want to,” Brass explained her. Sara nodded in the small private room of the Las Vegas Police Department that Brass had led her in, Catherine being present as well.

Right now Sara did not have a problem talking about what had happened at all. She did not feel affected by it, knowing that this would probably come later. Right now she was much too focused on keeping Greg out of the matter, on telling nothing wrong, to feel that way.

She had given Catherine only a short statement the other day, and the blonde had taken samples from her, deciding then to give Sara the chance to rest before they would meet up again at the PD the next morning.

Sara knew that the search for Charlie was on, but she did not have a clear idea what leads the crime lab and the police had.

She started to tell them what had happened, Brass asking question for clarification from time to time. It was not too difficult to keep Greg out of it; nothing of what had happened could not have happened without him. She had thought about it and was telling Brass and Catherine now the story she had made up which was basically telling the truth, only she did not mention that Greg had been there, what Greg had done. She only mentioned Charlie.

When she had finally finished telling how she had been found and returned to the lab in the following, Catherine and Brass were looking at her quietly, apparently wondering, amazed even maybe at Sara’s obvious calmness. They did not know that Sara was concentrating on staying calm because she needed to focus, focus on not saying a wrong word.

“Do you have idea about the motive?” Catherine asked finally.

Sara shook her head. She realized she would have to talk with Greg about it. He might know. She had gotten the feeling that everything had happened because of him, for him. She had not been able to look into Charlie’s crazy mind. Maybe Greg could tell her. But there was nothing she could tell Brass and Catherine.

“Did he… hurt you?” Brass asked quietly, and Sara figured what he was wanting to know.

Once again she shook her head. “Not that I know of,” she admitted though.

She was pretty sure that nothing had happened. She hoped Greg would be able to fill the gaps, the times in that she had been unconscious. She realized that she would have to talk to him; hanging up on him when he was calling was not going to be a way to achieve that.

When Sara was apparently not going to say anything more, Catherine opened a file she had brought.

“The samples I took from you… the DNA testing came back with four different DNA sets: yours of course, Greg’s, the DNA of the man who found you, and an unknown fourth,” she told them.

“Charlie,” Sara said.

“You know his name?” Brass wondered. Sara realized that she had never brought it up so far.

“I… I think he mentioned it.” It had been Greg of course who had told her his name.

Brass looked somewhere between surprised and amused.

“Did he give a surname?” he asked incredulously.

Sara shook her head. Greg would most certainly be able to tell it if they were really friends, but that was information she could not disclose.

“Can you give a description of him?”

This time Sara nodded. Soon a woman had been called who seated herself with Sara at a computer, starting a program that would help them making a picture. Sara described Charlie as well as she could, but was finally rubbing her forehead frustrated, for it was Greg’s face that was constantly popping into her mind, her brain apparently trying to forget Charlie’s.

“Do you need a break?” she was asked and Sara negated that.

After they were finally finished, Catherine offered to take her home.

“I’d like to go to Greg’s actually,” Sara stated. They needed to talk. She needed him to fill the gaps in her mind, to answer the why, if he could.

“I’ll get you over there,” Catherine declared and Sara only nodded.

Some minutes later Sara leaned back in the passenger’s seat of Catherine’s car while the blonde started the engine, pulling from the parking lot into traffic smoothly. Catherine turned the radio on, glancing at Sara briefly.

“Can I ask you a favor?” Sara wanted to know. It had been in the back of her mind.

“Sure,” the blonde agreed. Sara was searching for the right words, before she started.

“Can we keep this between us? I mean I don’t want to spread it in the whole lab…”

Catherine was silent for a moment before she shook her head. “I’m sorry, but that won’t work, didn’t work, actually.”

Sara looked at her sharply. “What do you mean?”

“By last night half the dayshift knew about it. I did, Greg did… Sara, the lab is investigating… it wasn’t possible to keep it from Gil, Nick or Warrick.”

Sara leaned back in her seat again. “I see.” More people she had to lie to.

“I told them to leave you alone, that you’d come to them if you needed anything,” Catherine added.

“It’s okay.” As much as everything was alright.

Catherine looked at her questioningly for another moment before she left her alone. They did not talk anymore until they arrived at Greg’s place. Then Catherine insisted on stopping by Greg’s as well, so the two women made their way to his apartment, Sara ringing at the door.

It was as if Greg had been expecting her, for the door was opened quickly, but Greg was obviously taken aback when he did not only see Sara in front of his door but Catherine as well. He caught himself quickly though, smiling at them.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Sara returned. “I want to talk to you.” She looked at him, and she saw the question in his eyes. His glace darted over to Catherine for a moment, his expression changing to a slight frown then.

“Okay,” he said slowly, stepping aside to let her in. Sara walked into the apartment, while Greg stayed at the door looking at Catherine who did not make any movement to come in as well.

“I’m just saying hi,” the blonde woman smiled. “And thanks for taking care of Sara right now.”

Greg smiled insecurely. “You’re …very welcome.” If she knew how much he had taken care of Sara, Greg doubted she would be saying the same. But she did not know, as opposed to his first thought when he had just seen both Sara and her.

Catherine said goodbye after that and Greg closed the front door to follow Sara into the living room.

“You didn’t seem to be too happy to see Catherine,” Sara stated, knowing she was pressing the right button. She just had to make him talk to her.

Greg sat down onto the carpet, looking up at her. Sara had sat down at the couch, looking rather uncomfortable.

“Well, for a split-second I wondered if you had told her the truth,” he admitted sighing. “Maybe that would’ve been better…”

Sara shook her head silently.

“I mean, I’m gonna feel bad every time I see her or one of the others at the lab,” he explained. He was not looking at her anymore, but was staring at the floor crestfallenly.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Greg.”

“I made you lie to them.”

“It was my decision,” she reminded him quietly. Greg did not answer her and Sara delved into her own gloomy thoughts for a while, staring at Greg’s wallpaper, before he spoke again.

“We shouldn’t have done that. We should trust enough in the system that we’re working for…” He paused. Trust in it that it would turn out right. “We’re deceiving our own people…” Then Greg was quiet again, looking carefully up to Sara again, seeing the tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you feel bad,” he said deflated. He slid the few paces over to her. “I’m just feeling horrible that I made you do that.” He took her into his arms and Sara sobbed quietly into his shoulder. He realized that she was risking everything for him… her job, her career, and he wished he could make her take it back.

After some minutes Sara leaned back with puffy eyes, looking past him at the other side of the room.

“It’s not fair that you’re taking that risk, Sara,” Greg said finally. “It was horrible enough that all that had to happen to you, and now you’re risking everything.” He hoped that was enough to convince her of the plan that had been forming in his mind.

His tone had obviously alerted her, for she looked up to him again, frowning.

“What are you going to do?”

“The lab is darn great at finding things out, you know. And I don’t want all this coming down on you, when they find out that I was involved.” He knew she would not like it. She would hate it actually.

“What are you going to do?” she asked more sharply. She would yell most likely. But he had to do this.

“I’m going to turn myself in,” he answered simply. “That will still hold up your statement. You were out of it for some time and just didn’t know that I was into it as well.”

“No!” Her answer was loud and clear.

“Sara, I need to do this…” He stood up.

She jumped up. “Don’t you dare!”

“Sara…”

“I was so scared! I was horrified at what you and your friend were going to do to me!” she was almost yelling at him. “It was like in my worst nightmare when I woke up and you were putting that gag in my mouth, were forcing me into that cabin, I was scared as hell.” She paused for a moment, and she knew that Greg would not interrupt her.

“I was lying in that wood, afraid I was going to die, or one of you would come back and finish me off, and still at the same time I was thinking to find an explanation until I thought my head was going to explode.”

Sara was crying openly now, and dropped back onto the edge of the couch. “And still I knew that I would forgive you one day… because I just couldn’t imagine I wouldn’t…”

Greg was dead silent the whole time she was talking and looked more crestfallen than he ever had.

“So, Greg, I want one thing of you… that you listen to me and don’t go and turn yourself in,” she stated quietly but firmly. “None of that was your fault, do you understand me?”

Greg was still silent and Sara hoped that he would listen to her. She could not bear him doing what he intended. She wished all of that had never happened, realizing that this thinking was futile. But one question once again came into her mind.

“Greg,” she called him, hoping he would even hear her. “Can you tell me… why Charlie did it?” How she was asking it, it sounded more like she would ask a suspect why he had committed a certain crime. She had sounded calm, professional, scarily after her outburst only some minutes ago.

“For me,” Greg stated simply after a moment of silence. “He did it because I had told him about you. You were a random target, yes, but he took you because you came close to the woman I…”

“What, Greg?”

Greg felt that she deserved his full honesty, if that was the only thing he could give her.

“I’m not sure how much I told him in my drunken state, but I remember telling him that I’d never had a chance with you, that it doesn’t matter how much I love you, you’d never look at me this way…”

Greg doubted that he would ever be able to look at Sara again. He had been honest, that was what he had wanted, but he felt the offence of telling her how he felt after everything that had happened to her because of him.

After a long while he looked up to her again after all. It was worry that caused him to do so, as Sara had not given any sound of her after his narration. And it broke his heart once again to see that she was crying again, and again because of him.

TBC
 
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