Disclaimer: not mine, so please don't sue. Thank you.

A/N: So here's the exciting conclusion! Last chapter, with the big confrontation and all. Yippee. This may be my last story awhile. I'm starting up a big project pretty soon.

Spencer looked over at Greg. "What?"

"I know who the killer is, the guy that we're looking for." Greg looked a bit pale, but his voice was steady.

"And?"

"His name is Jason. He works at a coffee shop near the campus. I stop by there almost every day and see him." Greg swallowed. "He's studying to be a CSI." Greg reached for his jacket.

"Where are you going?" Spencer asked. Surely Greg wasn't stupid enough to go after the killer alone.

Greg looked him in the eye. "I know this kid. I can talk to him." There wasn't much he could at the hospital anyway.

"Wait!" Spencer grabbed his own jacket and hurried after Greg. Digging through his pockets for his phone as he ran, Spencer caught up with Greg in the parking lot.

Greg was searching the lot for Denali when Spencer reached him, forgetting that he left it at the crime scene.

"Greg." Spencer got his attention. "Need a ride?"

Greg smiled at him, "I guess so." Going in without backup could hazardous to your health, anyway. He accepted the keys and climbed into the driver's seat.

Spencer settled into the passenger's side and dialed his cell phone, only pausing long enough for Greg to give him the coffee shop's address. After relaying the information to dispatch, Spencer turned to Greg.

Greg explained, "I'm not sure why, but it was the coffee that triggered the memory."

Spencer shrugged, "Scent is the strongest sense tied to memory." He shifted in has seat as he looked at the speedometer.

Greg laughed, and slowed down a little. It would be very anti-climatic to die in a car wreck on the way to visit a serial killer. "And Warrick says I drive like grandmother."

Spencer didn't know who Warrick was, but he laughed anyway. He just hoped that Jason's only weapon was the knife he'd ditched at the last scene. The familiar weight of his nine-millimeter in holster reminded him that he was ready for almost anything.

As the truck pulled into the parking lot, it occurred to Greg that he was completely unarmed and racing into danger, again, Praying that no one got hurt this time, he stepped out of the car.

His hands were shaking as he pulled the door open. Spencer followed him into the dark coffee shop.

The place was deserted at this hour, except for two figures behind the counter. "What can I get for you, Mr. Sanders?"

Jason stepped out into the light, dragging the other person with him. It was Sam, the manager of the shop. Jason was holding a gleaming knife at her throat.

"Let her go, Jason. She hasn't hurt anybody." Greg pleaded with him. "This isn't her about her."

Spencer just watched. Antagonizing the unsub now would result in disaster. Greg was trying to talk him down, and help would arrive soon. Spencer just hoped that the arrival of more police wouldn't trigger another violent response.

"You don't understand." Jason hollered at them. "She'll hurt me eventually; they all do."

"Is that what the others did, Jason?" Greg asked, trying to get his attention away from the poor hostage.

Jason glared at him. "She hurt me. I loved her and I did everything I could for her." Pause. "She tells all of that the truth is the most important thing, and she lied to me. To everybody."

Greg continued, trying to get the kid to release Sam. "But Sam here hasn't done anything to you. Why not just let her go? It's only you and me now, anyway, trying to work this out." His hurt was pounding so hard for moment Greg thought it might burst of his chest. He forced himself to speak. "Jason?"

The young man was moving out into the open, dragging Sam alongside him. He was hold his throbbing wrist awkwardly against his body. The other hand holding the knife. It was all h needed to keep in control. "How do I know you won't shoot me as soon as I let her go?"

"I don't even have a gun."

While Jason was trying come up with a response, the hostage decided she's had enough standing around. Sam brought the heel of her boot down on Jason's sneaker. He screamed, but before he could recover, grabbed his injured wrist and yanked down hard, forcing him to his knees.

Greg ran forward. He had help Sam before anyone else got hurt. Spencer followed his, brandishing his gun.

Greg pounced on him before Spencer could get a shoot off. Greg grabbed hold of his shoulders and spun him around. He pinned Jason to the floor. Greg sat on him, trying to catch his breath as Spencer led Sam any from the killer, never letting his eyes leave Jason.

A minute later, half a dozen police cars pulled into the lot, sirens blaring. Greg rolled is eyes as Jim Brass and a bunch of uniforms forced their way in. "About time you guys showed up."

Brass shrugged. "Couldn't let you have all the fun." Greg stood up as Jim cuffed Jason and dragged him to his feet. "I'll need to get a statement from you guys later."

Greg watched the officers put him in a squad car. He looked over at Brass. "I thought I knew this kid."

"Nobody really knows anyone." Jim told him. "You gonna tell me what jut went down?"

Greg sighed and told him about the coffee, the knife, and sneakers, and well, everything. Jim listened, and let him talk as Greg lamented that if he had figured this out sooner, Nick wouldn't have been hurt.

When he was sure that Greg was finished talking, Jim told Greg this wasn't his fault, and that if he wanted to go home before McKeen and the flock of reporters that always seemed to follow showed up he'd tell Gil what happened. Greg thanked him and walked off.

He didn't head home, however. Greg caught a ride with one of the uniforms pack to the station. He watched Jason from the observation room when Jim finally made it back.

The veteran detective sat in the chair opposite him, ready to talk. Sanders had watched this and even participated in this ritual more often then he cared to remember.

Now, he watched as Jim began to work his special brand of magic on him, not they even needed the confession. Still, juries liked things neat and tidy, and they liked to know why.

The two them began to exchange verbal blows. Greg listened as Jim worked his way in and had Jason telling him about how Jenny was running off with that bastard, the dean.

Jim nodded, and the killer continued with how that bitch in the dorm room had been cheating, asking him to help her and how her roommate had come home too soon; he hadn't wanted to hurt the CSIs, and certainly not his friend, Greg.

He felt strangely detached from the whole thing; at least until Jason said Greg was one of only friends. That had him feeling nauseous again.

Greg was startled when Catherine tapped him on the shoulder. "What are you still doing here?"

"I don't know." Greg said.

"He's going away for a long time, Greggo." She said. "You did good."

"Yeah." He wished he could feel good about it.

"But seriously, what are you still doing here?" She forced a smile. "Somebody needs to be there when Nicky gets up."

She had a point. Right now, he needed to be there for Nick. He would feel a little better if he knew that his friend was okay, anyhow. "Bye. And thanks." He grabbed his jacket and keys to his own car.

Greg cranked up the radio on the way to hospital, not really wanting to let himself think right now. He arrived a few minutes later. He grinned when he spotted Warrick's car sitting by visitor's entrance.

He went in and was directed to Nick's room. Rick was in chair across the room, and they were both snoring.

Greg fought back a laugh and shook Warrick. "Dude, why don't you go grab a cup of coffee?"

Rick muttered something that sounded like five more minutes, Tina.

Greg shook him again. "Tina? I thought you and Yoko spilt."

"We did." Warrick grumbled. He got up and stretched. "I think I'll go take a walk. See ya in a few."

Leaving Greg alone with Nick. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes. "Is he gone?"

Greg nodded. "Went for coffee."

"Good. How the hell can a guy get some rest with his snoring."

"Don't you know a hospital is a lousy place to rest?"

Nick laughed, "Very true,"

Greg smiled. "How are feeling?"

"Not too bad. Just tired." Nick said.

"We caught the guy." Greg told him. "Got enough evidence to put him away for life."

"In that case, I'm feeling much better."

"From what I just heard, Greg solved the case and got the guy," Warrick announced from the doorway,

Greg turn an interesting shade of red.

"Good job, man." Nick smiled at him. "So, you not only saved my ass today, you catch a dangerous serial killer and solve a high profile case."

"Guess I did."

A/n: the end. Please tell me what you think, gang. Thank you for reading this story, hope you liked it.

-Leftyguitar