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Title: 20 Seconds
Author: Autumn Oak
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Note: Thank you to my beta, Jenna.
Summary: Greg is a master of the twenty second conversation.

***

"The GCMS will have a complete chemical analysis in 20 seconds." Greg announced cheerfully as he pushed a button on the machine. Next to him, Catherine nodded through a barely concealed yawn. Greg raised one eyebrow at his coworker. "Partying hard last night?"

"Are you kidding me?" Catherine laughed. "If by 'party', you mean 'find a replacement baby sitter for Lindsey so I can make my court appearance today', and by 'hard' you mean 'during finals week', then yes, I partied hard."

"Ouch."

"Well, it turns out the trick is to look outside the local student body for a sitter." Despite her warn-out demeanor, the CSI gave the lab tech a genuine smile.

The GCMS beeped as the printer spat out it's results.

"Hey, you were right about your vic - he was high as a kite..."

***

"You get my results, Greg?"

"I'll have them in half a minute." Greg slipped the sample into the machine and hit the button with a flourish. He turned to Warrick as the digital readout began its countdown. "You watching the game today?"

The CSI sat down on the extra stool. "Nah, I've got other plans."

"Ahh. Got a hot date?"

"I will be spending the day with a special lady."

Greg grinned. "Yeah? What's she like?"

"Well, she's blond, she's feisty as hell, and her bedtime is at nine-thirty."

Pausing mid-thumbs up, Greg narrowed his eyes. "What - wait, Lindsey? Oh man."

The GCMS beeped and Greg looked over the printout.

"Warrick, quit raising the bar for the rest of us, and I might tell you what your mystery poison is."

***

"Have my samples been processed?"

"As we speak, Grissom. D minus fifteen."

"I put a rush on those, Greg." Grissom tapped his fingers on the table as he leaned over Greg to look at the machine's readout.

"I'm working as fast as possible, man. Hey, I hear your vic was killed at Sea Planet, and I was wondering if you-"

Beep.

"-and I was wondering if you checked... wow." Greg stared at the sheet in his hand.

"What? The results, Greg. I don't have all day."

"Um, it came back calcium stearoyl lactylate, corn dextrin, corn syrup, cosein, dextrose, fecros sulfate, gypsum, hydrogenated vegetable oil, polysorbate 60, sodium caseinate, sorbic acid, sucrose... I never dreamed I'd say this, but your vic was killed with a twinkie."

***

Greg slipped the test tube into the GCMS. "Twenty seconds 'till lift off!"

Sara watched him with a small frown. "Didn't your shift end four hours ago?"

"Five hours and thirteen minutes, but who's counting?"

"So why are you so chipper?"

"Can you keep a secret?" Greg asked, and leaned in closer to whisper, "I'm on the good stuff."

"Blue Hawaiian? But there wasn't any in the break room!"

"Ah, that's the secret part. Doc Robinson is letting me brew it in the morgue. It's the only way I can keep it away from you CSIs and your sticky fingers."

"I knew David smelled too nice this morning! And what makes you think I can keep your secret?"

Beep.

"You know," Sara added as Greg grabbed the printed results. "I'm on my second shift."

"Can I buy your silence with a cup of Blue Hawaiian?"

"Deal." Sara grinned. "Now, about that powder sample..."

***

"Hey, Greggo. What'cha got for me?"

"Hey Nick. Once I get this set up, you'll know in-"

"-twenty seconds. Got it." Nick stood behind Greg, watching.

Greg shifted uncomfortably. "You're making me feel like I'm under a microscope."

"That sounds hot. Would you be in a lab coat, or just your boxers?"

Greg smirked and spun his chair around. He reached out to grab Nick's hand, but the CSI stepped back. "Glass walls, Greg." Nick reminded him.

Greg pouted as he pushed the button to start the GCMS. He now had twenty seconds until Nick got his results and left. With a plan in mind, he knocked a pen off of his desk. Nick knelt down to retrieve the pen and Greg quickly joined him. On the floor behind the desk, they weren't visible from the hallways. Satisfied with the success of his plan, Greg pulled Nick into a victory kiss.

The beeping of the GCMS was duly ignored.

***