Overheard

Chapter Five

It was two in the morning when Greg made his way home. He had been
going through the motions most of the shift. He was surprised he had
made it so far. He kept himself from caving in, but now he was
alone. He could break down without someone walking in on him and
asking what was wrong.

He was very tired now, he would sleep through the day if he could.
He fought back a yawn as he turned the corner and drove down the
street. He could barely keep his eyes open, but he told himself he
was almost home. There, he could sleep. He just hoped Sara's words
didn't invade his dreams.

Greg turned down another street and didn't see the oncoming car
speeding toward him. It broadsided him, causing his head to smack
the driver's side window. Stars danced before his eyes and he shut
them as the cars skidded down the street. The cars finally came to a
stop and he took a deep breath to calm himself.

He sat, dazed, for several minutes, the shock slowly wearing off. He
shook himself then looked toward the other car.

Better check on them, he thought as he got out of his car.

Greg walked over to the other car, glanced through the windshield to
see how the other driver was.

"Are you okay?" He called as he neared the vehicle.

He saw someone in the car and wondered if the person was conscious.
He went to open the car door when the driver suddenly sat up. He
jumped back as the woman stared at him. He calmed himself and stepped
closer.

"Are you all right?" Greg asked. "Do you need help?"

The woman rolled down her window and he saw blood on her forehead.
He heard sirens in the distance. She must have as well, for her eyes
widened. She tried to start the car and he wondered what the woman
had done to be fearful of the police. Were the sirens for her?

"Are you all right?" Greg asked again as the sirens drew near. Not
knowing how she fared, he didn't think the woman should be going
anywhere.

The woman glared at him as she shoved open her door. She climbed out
of the car and pointed a gun at him.

"I'm in a hurry," she said as she slammed the door, her voice dripped
with venom. "I already killed one man, I won't hesitate to do so
again."

"So they are chasing you."

"Too bad I ran into you. You wrecked my car. Now, I'll have to run on
foot."

The expression on her face changed and cold fear washed over him. He
followed her gaze to his car.

"Other than the smashed passenger door, you're car looks to be in
better shape than mine," she said as she moved toward him. "I think
I'll take it."

The gun went off, startling him. He stared at her in shock as she
smiled at him. She shoved him aside and he stumbled onto the
sidewalk. Searing pain went through him and he clutched his
stomach. He watched as she climbed into his car and started it. He
took a step toward her, wanting to stop her, but his legs gave out.

The woman drove away as the sirens wailed in the background, getting
louder. He glanced down and saw blood flow over his hand. He gasped
as another stab of pain went through him. He tried to get to his
feet, but stumbled into the woman's car.

Greg saw the police come to a stop before him. They climbed out of
their cars, guns drawn. He stared at them as his breathing became
shallow.

"Greg?" Brass's voice came to his ears, but he barely saw the captain
as his vision darkened. Someone shouted as he fell to the ground.


~*~


Sara paced her living room, her phone to her ear.

"Come on, pick up," she whispered.

She had been home only five minutes when Grissom had called. There
was a break in the case. A victim had escaped and been picked up and
taken to the police. She and Greg were needed to gather evidence from
her.

"You can't be that deep a sleeper," she said, worry filling her.

She had called Greg immediately after hanging up with Grissom. She
now waited for him to pick up. This was the third time she called
him in an hour.

"Where are you?"

Sara jumped when her cell phone rang. Thinking it was Greg, she
relaxed and hung up her phone. She picked up her cell and answered
it.

"Where the hell are you? I've been calling you for the past hour."

"Sara?" Grissom asked from the other end. Her face flamed and she
cleared her throat.

"Sorry. What is it?"

"It's Greg. He's been shot."

Sara sat heavily on her couch, her stomach flipped. She was barely
able to speak as images flashed before her.


"Brass found him while chasing a murder suspect. She ran into him
while fleeing the police. She shot him and took his car."

"How is he?" Sara asked, her voice cracking.

"He's in surgery now."

Sara hung up, gathered her jacket and purse and flew out the door.
Dark fear spread through her as she climbed into her car and sped
toward the hospital.

She arrived twenty minutes later. The car was barely parked before
she climbed out of it and raced into the building. She stopped at
the front desk, asked where Greg was, and ran up the stairs.

She took the stairs two at a time until she reached the third floor.
She kept the fear at bay as she ran up to Grissom and Nick. She was
afraid to ask about Greg, feared the worst.

They hadn't parted on the best of terms last night and she felt
terrible. She sat for a few seconds before she stood and began to
pace.

"We haven't heard anything since he was brought in," Nick said as he
stood to one side, hands on his hips.

"Brass put on APB on Greg's car," Grissom mentioned. "The killer
shouldn't be hard to find. She picked the wrong car to steal."

"And the wrong person to shoot," Sara said as she stared off into
space. Her heart pounded with fear and tears built in her eyes. She
felt terrible for arguing with him, but she wanted to know why he had
acted so strangely. She placed a hand to her face as a sob escaped
her.

How could I have been so cold to him? Sara thought as the tears fell
freely. He poured his heart out to me and I pushed him away.

"He's going to be all right, Sara," Grissom said, his voice
concerned. "He's young and strong, he'll pull through."


"We fought before he left," she said as she wiped away the tears.

"About what?" Nick asked, moving closer.

Sara didn't want an audience as she talked with Grissom, but she knew
Nick would want to hear it. She sighed and looked up.

"He heard Grissom and I talking about him. He believes I don't care
about him, never did."

"Did you tell him differently?" Nick asked.

"I tried, he doesn't believe me."

"You're going to have to convince him otherwise," Grissom said.

Sara nodded, but she didn't know how. She tried talking to him, but
it hadn't worked. Maybe she should show him she cared. She sighed
and closed her eyes. What was more important was Greg getting
better.

The three sat in silence as they waited for the doctor. Sara sat in
a chair and placed her head against the wall. She closed her eyes
and tried to think of something positive.

She thought back to when Greg finally became a CSI. He had been so
happy then and she had been happy for him. They worked a lot of
cases together after that. She had watched him grow as a CSI and
she'd grown comfortable with him. Close even. She had begun to look
forward to working with him, even hoping they would have a case
together.

Somewhere along those cases, she became attracted to him. She had
kept it hidden even to herself, but it bubbled to the surface. It
wouldn't be denied any longer and she didn't want to. He meant too
much to her.

Thirty minutes after Sara's arrival, the doctor joined them. Sara
looked up and braced herself for the worse.

"He made it through the surgery," the doctor said. "He lost some
blood and had a mild concussion."

Sara released the breath she didn't know she held. The relief washed
over her, nearly making her faint. She closed her eyes and rested
her head against the wall.

"He's stable right now and should be ready for visitor tomorrow."

Grissom and Nick nodded, but Sara didn't want to leave. She was still
worried and wanted to see he was all right for herself. She looked up
when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Sara," Grissom said. "You can be the first to see Greg
tomorrow."

Sara smiled slightly, but it took Nick and Grissom both to get her to
stand. She allowed them to take her to her car where she climbed
into the passenger's seat.

"See that she gets some sleep," Grissom told Nick as he started the
car.

"Will do," Nick said as he put the car into drive.

Sara closed her eyes as Nick drove her home. She was tired and
emotionally drained. She had a feeling Nick would ask questions as
soon as she got home. She wasn't sure she could answer them.