Stalker

Chapter Nine


Greg headed into the lab, his thoughts still on the argument he had with Sara. He couldn’t believe she had used him like that. Of course, it wasn’t entirely her fault. He should have stopped her, should have left the room.

I couldn’t do that to her, he thought as he poured himself a cup of coffee. She needed me.

He took a sip and let the warmth soothe him. He closed his eyes and sighed. He let his feelings for her, his desire for her take over. He wished it had been the same with her.

“Where’s Sara?”

Greg turned and saw Nick standing in the doorway. He sighed again and sat at the table. He stared into his coffee and wished a hole would open up and swallow him.

“Still at my place,” he answered softly.

“You left her there?” Nick asked, stunned.

Greg stared at him and regretted saying anything. He felt worse now.

“We had a fight,” he admitted.

Nick raised an eyebrow and sat across from him.

“What about?”

Greg shook his head, not wanting Nick to know. It hurt enough as it is without rehashing it to someone else.

“It’s personal,” was all he said.

“Whatever it is it’s no excuse to leave her there alone. In case you forgot, there’s a stalker after her. He could find her and take it upon himself to hurt her.”

“I know.”

“Go back and get her,” Nick said as he stood.

Greg stared at Nick as he left the break room. He sighed and placed his head in his hands. He didn’t think he could face her again. Not after what happened.

“There you are.”

He looked up and froze. His heart beat increased as he gazed at Sara. He was glued to his chair even as he wanted to escape the room.

“Sara,” he said gauging her emotions from her expression.

She stepped into the room, her face nearly unreadable.

“I called a taxi to get here,” she said as she sat across from him. He wondered if she heard his heart pounding in his chest. It was loud enough.

“You must have forgot I left my car at my place,” she concluded.

Greg looked at his hands, feeling even more terrible than before.

Can this day get any worse? He thought in despair.

“I’m sorry, Sara,” he said softly, not looking at her.

“Forget it, Greg,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

He glanced at her and saw the hardness in her eyes. She was angry at him. For leaving her alone or for last night, he didn’t know.

You screwed up again, Sanders, he thought as he looked away. She’ll probably want to stay at a hotel now.


“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Sara asked, her voice on the verge of rising.

“What is there to say?” Greg returned, staring at her. “You used my feelings for you for your own purpose then tossed me aside. Is that what I am to you?”

“You left me at your apartment,” she mentioned. “What if the stalker found me?”

Greg glared at her. He felt bad enough about leaving her, but she made it sound as if he wanted her to get hurt. He shook his head, fighting the urge to say something he would later regret.

“If you don’t think its safe there then find someplace else to stay.”

He stood and left the break room, his nerves on edge and not from the coffee. He ignored everyone he passed as he made his way to the locker room. He needed to be somewhere private to be alone. He knew he wouldn’t be civil to anyone until he had calmed down.

Greg sat on the bench and ran his hands through his hair. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths until his heart slowed and his temper was reined in. He sighed and stared at his locked.

I can’t stay here, he thought. I can’t be near her without hurting.

“I just heard you don’t want Sara to stay at your place,” Grissom’s voice sounded confused and a touch angry.

Greg sighed and stared at his feet. He hadn’t expected Grissom to reprimand him so soon.

“We had a disagreement and I don’t think it’ll be resolved anytime soon.”

“Why do you think that?”

Greg glanced at Grissom. Why did everyone want to know about his private life?


“It’s complicated. It’s personal.”

“Sara needs to be watched, Greg. You need to get past this complication.”

“You want her to stay with me?” Greg asked, surprised. “Why? We might kill each other.”

“No you won’t. She trusts you and she’s comfortable with you.”

You have no idea, he thought as he sighed.

“She’s angry with me and I’m angry with her. I want to go home before I hurt something.”

“You have an hour to cool off and then you’re back here. We’re going to need everyone tonight.”

Greg nodded, thanked Grissom then headed toward his car.


~*~

Greg unlocked his door and stepped into his apartment. He shut the door and took in the silence. With Sara staying with him, the apartment seemed alive and happy. The weight of the silence fell upon him like a heavy blanket. It unnerved him and saddened him at the same time.

Sara, he thought with dismay.

He ran a hand through his hair as he went to the sofa. He sat, ignoring the crumpled blankets. He closed his eyes as the morning’s argument played over in his mind.

He knew he shouldn’t have left her alone, but he had to leave before he did or said something he’d regret.

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. He stared at it, wondering who it could be. He really wasn’t in the mood for visitors.

Greg sighed and went to answer the door. He opened it and was suddenly shoved back. The door banged against the wall as he stumbled backward.

“What the hell?”

“She’s mine!”

Greg was caught off guard and didn’t see the fist which connected to his face. Stunned, he fell over the arm of the couch and onto the floor. He shook himself and stared at the intruder.

The man wore a black trench coat over a red sweater and black jeans. Blonde hair was closely cropped to his head. His blue eyes burned angrily at Greg and he knew he would never forget them.

“What do you want?” Greg demanded as he stood. “Who are you?”

“I want Sara,” the man said, his voice sending shivers down Greg’s spine. “She’s mine.”

“You’ve been stalking her.”

The man gave him an oily smile, “She’s to be mine. She just doesn’t know it, yet. Not with you in the way.”

“You’re not going to have her,” Greg said, his protectiveness for Sara over riding his caution.

“She will be when I take care of you.”

A knife appeared in the man’s hand as if by magic. Greg wished he had a gun as the man came at him, knife raised. He stopped the downward motion by grabbing the man’s arm. He yanked the arm forward, sending the man tumbling into the couch. The man bounced off the couch and onto the floor.

Greg headed toward the phone to call the police, but the stalker grabbed his ankle, tripping him. He fell to the floor, his hands out to brace himself. He spun around and kicked the man in the face. Greg scrambled backwards and sat up to reach for the phone perched on the end table.

He barely lifted the receiver when the intruder leaped at him. The sudden attack sent him back to the floor, dragging the phone off the end table.

“She’s going to be mine,” the man growled as Greg tried to shove him off.

A flash of metal caught his eye and a wave of pain shot through him. He punched the man in the face only to be back-handed in return. Stars sparked before him and he tried to blink them away.

Greg’s vision cleared in time to see the knife’s downward stroke.


The man stared at his victim lying on the floor. He watched as the light went out in his rival’s eyes and smiled. He felt better now that he had rid himself of his competitor.

He wiped the blood from his knife and stood. He spotted a notepad on the end table where the phone had been. Smiling wider, he pulled out a pen and wrote a quick note.

“She’s mine now,” he whispered as he left the apartment, closing the door silently behind him.