A/N: I only own Mia. This is the end, folks! It's been a fun ride. This is my little Christmas present to all those who celebrate the holiday, and my gift to the rest of you just for the fun of it. :) Enjoy, and please review.

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Epilogue: Come One, Come All, to this Tragic Affair

Greg sighed painfully, looking down at the casket before him. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. He still couldn’t believe it. He looked at Grissom, who was standing next to him. Brass wasn’t too far away, either. Warrick and Tina were standing with Nick, all three of them saddened. Catherine and Lindsey stood near Grissom and Greg, crying softly. Ecklie stood alone in the back, quietly and as sad as a man with little to no heart can be. Greg brought his hands to his face briefly before raking them through his hair with a sigh.

The priest finished the final blessings over the body, and Greg looked at the family standing across from him. They were all weeping horribly, and Greg felt even worse. Here was an entire family, devastated, and he couldn’t even muster up a few tears. He looked at his coworkers, who all took a moment to offer their final words to the coffin before sending the family their final condolences.

Greg sighed, walking over to the casket. “I’ll never forgive you for what you did,” he said softly. Brass looked at him from behind, placing his hand on the young CSI’s shoulder. “I’m only here to prove that you’re really gone now. That, and Ecklie made us all come. I hope you rot in hell, Hodges.” He shook his head, squaring his shoulders. He knew the only person who heard his words had been Brass, as Brass squeezed his shoulder gently. He walked over, giving his condolences to the family before leaving the cemetery with his team.

He drove to the hospital after a quick stop for flowers, walking from the parking garage to the unit on the seventh floor. It was a route he’d come to memorize these past few days, since that night in the lab when Hodges shot Mia before taking his own life. She’d been unconscious since, so no one as of yet knew exactly what happened, but everyone had an idea. Still in his suit from the funeral, he strolled into Mia’s room.

Startled by the intrusion into her calm, Mia turned her head quickly to the door. Seeing Greg, she relaxed, her breath making her pulse return to normal. He nearly dropped the bouquet in his hand at the sight of her awake. He put the flowers down on her bed and quickly hugged her as gently as he could. She hugged him back as tightly as she could without hurting herself.

“Thank God you’re alright,” he said softly. “I was so worried.”

“I heard,” she croaked, her voice still hoarse from the disuse of late. “Matilda told me you sweet talked the night nurses into letting you sleep here sometimes.” He chuckled, smiling.

“Well, you know me.” He stood awkwardly, not sure if he should sit on the bed or the chair. Even though he’d just hugged her, he still felt awkward sitting there. She watched him, and instantly knew why he was hesitating.

“I’m sorry.” Greg shook his head.

“Don’t be.”

“He drugged me.”

“I know.” She nodded before patting for him to sit on her bed. “Are you okay?” She looked away as he sat down, taking her hand in his gently.

“I never thought he had it in him.” Her voice was barely a whisper now, and Greg rubbed the back of her hand softly. She looked back at him, seeing the nervous expression on his face. “He didn’t rape me.” His nerves turned into confusion.

“He didn’t?” She shook her head. “But the semen…”

“He masturbated to me standing there, half naked and terrified of what he’d do next. It’s easily one of the most humiliating things I’ve ever experienced. You guys never did a SART, did you?”

“By the time we got to you, you’d been all cleaned up, so there wasn’t a chance.” She nodded. “He didn’t rape you?”

“No.” Greg let go of the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, and Mia smiled softly. “He just…” She cut herself off, and he looked at her quietly.

“You don’t have to explain anything,” he said. She gave him a saddened half-smile.

“I’m gonna have to give a statement sometime, won’t I?” she asked.

“Not to me. You know you never have to say anything you don’t want to me.” She smiled wider.

“Thanks.” Greg continued rubbing the back of her hand, and Mia sighed. “Do me a favor.”

“Anything.”

“Come closer. Please.” He smiled, nodding and sliding closer to her. She snuggled against his side, no longer caring about showing weaknesses around him. He kissed her on the top of the head, and she smiled. “However, if asked, I’ll deny having ever asked you to do this.”

“Oh, I know.” She smiled wider.

“I’m glad you do.” The pair fell quiet for a little while before curiosity got to her. “So, what are you all dressed up for, anyway?” she asked softly.

“Hodges’s funeral,” he droned.

“He died?” Greg nodded. “How?”

“He blew his brains out right after he shot you.” She nodded, silent. “You okay?”

“I can’t believe he killed himself.” Greg shrugged, not sure what to say. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “He touched me.” Greg nodded, swallowing. “Groped me, molested me, whatever term you want to lay to it, he did it.” She opened her eyes, sadly looking at Greg.

“It’s okay,” he said soothingly.

“I’m sorry,” she replied. “I just… I let him. I didn’t scream. I just let him.” Greg didn’t know what to say, choosing instead to kiss her temple softly. “He said he’d kill you if I didn’t let him, and I couldn’t let him kill you.”

“It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault.” She was silent, her head now tucked into Greg’s chest as much as possible without pain or removing tubes. Greg cradled her gently, thinking. Hodges may be gone now, but his scars would live on forever. As he sat there, holding Mia, his mind heard Grissom quoting Julius Caesar.

“The evil men do always lives after them.”

The End.

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A/N 2: I hope you enjoyed the ride, but be on the lookout for a sequel, to be titled "The Beaten and the Damned," scheduled to drop sometime in January (in theory). Happy holidays:)