Work Text:
The car stood in the middle of the almost deserted parking lot. The hood was up and no lights were on the car. The dim lights of the parking lot barely illuminated the young woman. Watching as she moved from under the hood to the driver seat where once more she tried to start the car. When it didn't start she opened her cell phone and tried to call for help. Her action showed that she didn't get whom ever she was trying to reach.
The jumper cables hanging over her door held his eyes as he watched from afar. She swept the area for any sign of possible help coming to her rescue. Then her eyes seem to lock on to his car in the drive up lane.
Greg was watching this all from the line at the drive thru. He kept hoping that someone else would drive up and help her. How do you explain the almost panic he was feeling at the thought of giving her car a jump. He hoped that one of the cars in front of him would drive over and help her. But the panic in him grew with each car that drove out of the line and on to the street. They left the woman behind with her jumper cables hanging on the door.
The sight breeze moved the jumper cables causing them to flash at Greg. He was a man and should not be thinking twice about giving her car a jump but...
"That will be four fifty, please." The lady in the drive-up window was holding out her hand.
Greg's hand felt as if it was shaking as he handed the money to her. He felt as if she knew that he was in a panic. She was judging him. That as soon as he drove to the next window she would whisper to her co-worker "Hey, look at the guy in the car panicking over giving someone's car a jump." He could hear their laughter in his head as he moved up.
The guy handed his drink and bag out to him, "need anything else? Thanks. Please come again." And the guy moved away without waiting for Greg's reply.
The woman stood looking in Greg's direction. He felt as if she saw his face and knew his name. That she would tell it to every reporter that would listen, "Greg Sanders left me stranded in a parking lot because he panicked at the thought of giving my car a jump. How can you let him continue to work as a CSI if he can't even give a person's car a jump?"
The world would laugh!
But every since the lab explosion the thought of giving a car a jump or anything like that sent him into a panic. He thought about calling Nick, Warrick, Catherine or Gil but how could he ask them to come all the way over here just to do something he should be able to do. Jim, maybe he could call Jim. Greg stopped in a parking spot and pulled out his cell phone. He opened it, closed it and opened it once more and stared at it.
What would he say, "Hey Jim, could you drive over and give a woman's car a jump. I know you're busy. Oh, you're in the middle of a shoot out, but it'll only take you a minute. Sure I'm across street from her." Right, that really works.
Face it Greg it's you or no one. Maybe she can handle it and all you need do is supply the other car. You can do this Greg. Put the car in reverse and pull out of the space. Good. Now put it in drive and go forward. And breathe, don't forget, slow breaths. Now it's clear for you to pull out into the street. Good, slow breaths. Right, turn right Greg! Turn right you can do it. Turn Right Now!! Now don't hit her. Stop the car. That's it put the fronts close together. Good now get out. Greg, breathe, now, open the door and step out.
Walk slowly over to her. "Hi, you need a jump?" Cute, now tell her your name and show her your badge. "I'm Greg Sanders and I'm with the Crime Lab. Can I help?" Breathe, calm "I never used jumpers before." Okay, small lie but maybe...saved, she can handle them. Greg sits in her car and turns it on when she says to. Second try, it starts.
She pulls the cables off and Greg moves out of her car as she throws them in it. "Thanks, Greg." She slides into her car as he walks to his car. Greg watches as she pulls out of the parking lot and on her way.
See Greg, all that panic for nothing, one good turn done for the night.
And now Greg pulls out of the parking lot and heads for work. Now I just have to explain to Gil why I'm thirty minutes late. I think I'll leave out the part about sitting for nearly fifteen minutes working on getting across the street.