Title: Fighting to Survive
By: Jesika
Pairing: Greg/Warrick
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Viva Las Vegas and Play With Fire.
Note: Although Nick is being portrayed as being homophobic, please read through to the end before you dismiss the story.
Summary: Takes place after "Viva Las Vegas". Greg doesn't know what to feel anymore, and his relationship with Warrick is taking the brunt of it.

***

Silence and darkness is all that surrounds the young lab tech as he sits in his car outside of the CSI lab, watching with faint interest as Warrick and Nick break their playful banter to head to their own cars. There's anger present in his eyes but he's unsure of who deserves the brunt of it, himself for doing something so stupid as to compromise a scene, or the two happy men for betting on his failure. He knows that that isn't exactly what the bet was about, that it was more versed on whether or not the new lab tech could handle it, but he still feels that it was a setup for failure.

Neither men notice him watching them as they get in their cars and pull out of the parking lot, heading off to their separate homes to get some much needed sleep, and although he feels he should be doing the same, he's never had as bad of an urge to get sloshed as he's having right now, wanting to drown all of his sorrows away in a bottle of cheap liquor, allow him to forget, even if only for a short time, how much of a failure he's become in the matter of one proficiency test. He wants to forget the look of disappointment in Grissom's eyes when he told him he failed the final test, but he knows that the look will only increase ten fold if he were to come into work hung over on his next shift.

He decides that his best bet would be to just go home and crawl into a cocoon of blankets and sheets as he pulls out of the parking lot several moments after the other two men have already left, unaware of his supervisor that's been watching him the whole time from his own SUV, unsure of what to say to the younger man after finding out that the replacement quit, and his chances of getting back out into the field have considerably dwindled.

Greg feels he can't get into his bed soon enough as he pulls into the parking lot of his apartment building a little over a half hour later, his movements slow and dragging as he pulls himself out of his car and walks up the three flights of stairs to his small apartment, stopping when he notices the older man sitting with his back against the door, his eyes closed after a long day of work and his breath coming out in a steady rhythm.

He wants to try his hand at getting around the CSI without waking him, but he knows that's not even an option, considering once he opens the door the older man will go falling back into the hallway of his apartment. Although it seems tempting, and he feels the sleeping CSI deserves it, he opts just to get it over with and wake the other man, nudging him in the leg with his foot, calling his name until the sleep filled eyes are looking up at him.

"What are you doing here Warrick?"

Greg doesn't bother hiding his annoyance at the other man's presence in his doorway, moving past the CSI who's still sitting on the ground as he shoves his key in the lock and turns it, walking into the dimly lit hallway and throwing his keys on the small table near the entrance.

It takes Warrick a moment before he's fully awake again, standing up from his spot on the ground and closing the door behind him, quickly following Greg into the kitchen, trying to wrap his arms around the lab tech's waist but only receiving a hard shove in return that almost lands him on his ass on the floor. It doesn't take but a split second for him to realize Greg is thoroughly pissed at him, and although he doesn't know exactly why, he manages to keep his distance as he remains standing near the counter, watching Greg sift through the fridge until he comes up with a half empty bottle of water.

"Should I repeat my previous question, or are you going to do me the honors of answering it freely?"

"I just came by to see if you're okay, I heard about the proficiency test."

"Did you lose that bet as well?"

Greg's tone is flat, and he doesn't wait for an answer as he attempts to push past the older man, stopping when he feels an arm wrap around his bicep to halt him from moving any further. Looking up into the older man's eyes and feeling his anger dissipate slightly, he realizes the answer to his own question is that he's in fact more mad at himself than he is for his recent boyfriend betting on him. It doesn't change the fact that it happened though, so after a few moments of passing silence he pulls his arm away and walks off in the direction of the bedroom, fully aware of the CSI following him down the hallway.

When they reach the bedroom Warrick grabs his arm again but this time he pushes him up against the wall, keeping a tight hold of the younger man's arm while his other hand presses flat against the wall on the side of his boyfriend's head, his gaze intent and angry.

"It was just a stupid bet Greg, it had nothing to do with you. Don't be taking your anger from the test out on me, you know I wanted you to pass."

"Whether or not the bet was about me, it still shows how little faith you have of me getting out of the lab. I could have sworn that just yesterday you told me that you had faith in whoever I got as a replacement, and then you pull this shit? You lied straight to my face!"

Greg shoves Warrick again and this time the older man lands sitting on the bed, making no movement for several moments to get up when he remembers the conversation they had before going into work the previous day, laying wrapped in each other's arms talking about the younger man's future as a CSI. He has complete faith in the lab tech, in whoever he hires, or so he thought he did until he noticed how uptight the new girl was and then he couldn't help but let his old ways show, betting Nick that she wouldn't last through the end of the shift.

"If you were able to lie so easily about this, then how many other things are you lying to me about? Is this, are we a lie, am I just a fuck to you?"

Greg's tone is more serious than Warrick has ever heard it, and he's starting to wish that he hadn't come by tonight, that he should have kept his distance, but after finding out about the proficiency test he wanted to make sure the younger man was okay, be here for him if he needed it. It's all the lab tech has talked about for the past several days, his nervous and excited energy being put to good use in bed, but Warrick didn't take time to consider what might happen if his boyfriend failed, how he would react to something he was so sure of passing.

"You know that's not true, you know I care about you! Why else would I spend so much damn time with you, why I would do my best to teach you how to do good field work if I didn't care about you?"

"Because I put out, I'm your damn slut."

"How could you even think that?"

Warrick is back on his feet and standing dangerously close to Greg, the lab tech not standing down despite the anger present in the older man's eyes. He doesn't know why he's trying to push him, knows that he shouldn't be taking his anger at himself out on his lover, but it seems like the easiest thing to do, questioning Warrick's motives instead of dealing with his own feelings. He's tired of letting other people off so easily for their actions, letting them take advantage of him, and this time he's taking the upper hand, stopping things before they can go too far and he can be hurt too much.

"I think you should go."

The words are just above a whisper, Greg's hands finding their way into his pockets when he realizes they're starting to shake again after years of remaining steady. He knows this argument could go on all night, that they could dance around in this circle forever, and he's too emotionally drained to do it right now, just wanting a little peace and quiet to himself.

"I don't think you should be left alone, not like this."

"So you're going to what, stay here, babysit me? Despite the word around the lab, I am grown up enough to take care of myself, I've done it for many years before you even came along."

Their voices have finally died down back to normal range instead of the screaming from moments ago, and although he's angry about the words leaving the other man's mouth, Warrick wants to stay, prove to him that he isn't just some random fuck, that he does care enough to stay no matter how much the other man tries to push him away. They may seem like two complete opposites on the outside, but over the past few months of getting to know the younger man, he can't think of anybody else he would want to be spending his time with.

"I'm not leaving you, not when you're this angry. You can keep yelling at me and putting this all on me, that's fine, you can even hit me if that will make you feel better, but I'm not leaving."

Greg realizes that the older man isn't going to budge no matter how much he yells and screams at him, so he takes the initiative and takes a few steps backwards, pulling his hand out of his pocket long enough to close the bathroom door in front of him, leaving the CSI on the other side out of his line of sight.

The young lab tech stares at the closed door for several moments, expecting Warrick to come in after him, considering he didn't lock the door, but all that resonates throughout the small apartment is silence, complete and utter silence. He knows that Warrick hasn't left, that the older man is just waiting for him to come back out again, but he feels completely defeated, turning to the mirror and trying not to let a hollow laugh escape at the pathetic man staring back at him.

"Failure."

Warrick can hear the lab tech's soft voice from within the bathroom, can hear the self hate in the other man's voice, and he realizes that none of this is about him or the bet. He wants to go in and wrap his lover in his arms, hold him and reassure him that they've all had their mess ups in the field, but he knows that it's best just to give him some time alone, time to settle his thoughts and calm his nerves.

He rubs a hand over his face before sitting on the floor next to the bed just a few feet away from the bathroom, knowing that the younger man isn't going to be coming out anytime soon as he leans his head back against the mattress and closes his eyes.

***

The shrill sound of the alarm on his cell phone brings Warrick out of a deep sleep, his neck aching from the position he fell asleep in against the bed almost eight hours ago. It takes a moment in his sleepy daze for him to realize where he is, but when he does, his eyes immediately glance at the bathroom door to see it still closed, the younger man still most likely on the other side.

Several quiet pops can he heard as the CSI stands up and stretches his back, reaching his hands above his head for a brief moment before lowering them again, feeling the dull ache in is back that he's sure is going to follow him for the rest of the day. He knows he could have easily slept in the bed, but he also knows that Greg is most likely sleeping in the same position on the bathroom floor, and he much rather suffer with his lover than avoid a few kinks in his back.

A silent knock is the only sound that makes it's way through the quiet apartment as Warrick stands at the bathroom door, waiting for a few moments without a response before he slowly pushes the door open. His eyes immediately fall on the huddled form laying on it's side in the bathtub, and the CSI cautiously takes a few steps inside the room, moving to the side of the tub and kneeling down when he realizes the younger man is still fast asleep, his lips twitching every few moments.

If it were any other time he would laugh at the sight of his lover sleeping in the bathtub, but at the moment all he can do is frown at the realization that he's the reason the lab tech is in here in the first place, instead of his own bed sleeping peacefully.

He cautiously runs a hand through Greg's hair and the younger man begins to stir, pushing into the touch before he slowly lets his eyelids flutter open, the innocence that surrounds his while he's sleeping starting to fade, but remnants of it still clinging to him. The CSI expects his lover to pull away from the touch his hand provides, but instead he just stares at the older man, his silent demeanor making Warrick shift a bit uncomfortably. It's rare to see the young tech so quiet, so still, so unlike himself.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay, I have to get going in a little while. Unlike some of us, I don't have the night off."

He tries to lighten the mood in the room, but it proves to be a quick failure, the lab tech remaining silent and expressionless. He's stopped pushing into the touch and is gradually pulling away, Warrick pulling his hand back when he notices the steady action, his eyes lowering for a moment while he tries to find his words.

"You may not believe me, believe how much I care about you, but I really do. It was wrong for me to bet against you, I should have been thinking before I did it, but I let my old habits get the best of me. I don't want you to feel like you're a failure though, just because of one error you made at a crime scene, it happens to the best of us and all you can do is learn from your mistakes and try not to do it again. We all have faith that you can pass the last proficiency."

From the blank expression on Greg's face, Warrick can easily tell he's not going to get any sort of response from the younger man, their eyes remaining locked on each other until Warrick breaks the gaze and leans forward, brushing his lips across the younger man's cheek. He wants some sort of response from him, because truthfully, he's scared. He feels like he's sucked all of the life out of the younger man, and although he knows that their relationship is still steadily going down hill, he wants to hold onto it for as long as possible. He doesn't want to lost the man laying in front of him.

He remains close despite the lab techs reluctance, taking a deep breath of sweat and tears and soap, hesitating for a moment before moving his lips down to Greg's neck and placing another kiss to the smooth skin to receive still no response.

When he finally pulls away Greg's got his eyes closed, his lips parted slightly, and Warrick can't help but lean down to capture the younger man's lips with his own, his hand finding it's way to the back of the techs neck and pulling him closer when he feels Greg gradually beginning to kiss back, allowing his tongue to slip in.

They don't pull away again until the CSI feels a hand pushing on his chest, his breath catching slightly as he pulls away, hesitating for a moment before letting their eyes meet again. Tears.

"You should get to work."

Greg's voice is raspy from the screaming match the two men had before, and his hands are still a bit shaky as he stands up, giving himself a moment before stepping out of the bathtub. Immediately his legs give out from under him, and before he can get too close to the ground, Warrick has his arms wrapped around the tech's thin waist, helping him back into the bedroom and over to sit on the king sized bed.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't need your help, I can handle walking on my own."

Greg seems drained as he swipes at the unshed tears and lays down on his side with his back to Warrick, the older man remaining silent for a moment, unsure of whether or not he should leave the young tech alone in this state of depression. The decision is made for him, however, when his phone suddenly rings, the CSI hesitating for a brief second before pulling it out of his pocket and sighing when he sees Grissom's name flashing on the caller ID.

"Brown... yeah I was just getting ready to come in... okay. I'll be there in just a few."

Warrick snaps his phone shut, his eyes remaining on Greg's motionless form throughout the brief conversation with his boss, and he hesitates again for a moment before climbing on the bed and laying with his chest flush against Greg's back and arms around his body, ignoring the flinch that the move causes the younger man to make.

"I've got to go, but I'll call later and drop by after work, we really need to talk about this without screaming at each other. Until then, get some rest, and think about what I said... I really do care about you."

He wants to assure Greg that he's not going anywhere, that he's not going to give up that easily on what they have between each other, and although he just wants to lay here and whisper comforting words to the young tech all day, tell him how much he means to the CSI, he knows that he still needs space, needs time to get over the failure he's feeling inside, the look Grissom gave him when he handed over the file. He needs time to just let things settle before the chaos is kicked up again around him, so he makes the difficult decision that's not really all his own.

The CSI hugs Greg's body against his own and drops one last kiss onto his neck before pulling away and getting off of the bed, his gaze flickering one last time to Greg before he leaves the apartment building, set on coming back after work and fixing things, proving his love to the young lab tech.

Greg remains in bed long after the door to his apartment has closed, tears building in his eyes that he refuses to let spill. He wishes he could go after the older man and just let him hold him until he falls back to sleep, but he doesn't want to show any weakness. He already feels that he's barely hanging onto their relationship by a thin thread, realizing that Warrick can have anyone out there that he wants, and once he comes to his senses, there's nothing stopping him from leaving.

The thought has been running through Greg's mind since before they even went out, and it only started intensifying lately when he noticed how much time the CSI has been spending with Catherine, the way he lets his hand linger on the small of her back or the way they flirt so easily.

Some would call it jealousy, but he looks at it in the sense of preparing himself, ready to face the ultimate breakup they seem to be approaching. He knows that Warrick isn't ready to come out to everyone yet, but the lab tech feels like he's being alienated by his companion, completely pushed aside in the process of hiding his sexuality.

It's several more hours before Greg finally manages to pull himself out of bed, the tech stumbling into the bathroom, his eyes avoiding his reflection in the mirror. His hands are still a bit shaky as he reaches for the medicine cabinet, pushing bottles aside until he finds the one he's been looking for.

The plastic is cold against his skin as he holds the prescription bottle, unsure of whether or not he wants to take them after so long, vaguely remembering what he became after the first time he took them. He knows it's something he's going to have to deal with, however, if he's going to survive the remainder of this relationship without any repeats of the previous night's events.

***

The apartment is eerily silent when Warrick walks in after a long shift, the sound of his keys hitting the table in the hallway seeming to echo throughout the small living space as he makes his way to the living room.

An old Geographic Channel special is casting shadows throughout the otherwise dark room, the TV muted, and Warrick is silent as he walks around the couch, seeing his lover asleep with one arm thrown over his eyes, the other hanging loosely over the edge of the couch. The corner's of his lips drop the slightest bit at the edges, forming a frown, and Warrick can't help but mirror the expression, gently grabbing the hand that's hanging over the couch in his own and letting the pad of his thumb rub over the back of the younger man's hand.

Greg mumbles something incoherently at the action before letting his other hand drop, his eyes unfocused from sleep as he slowly looks up at the man kneeling beside him, Warrick's lips unconsciously turning into a grin at the sight of Greg's doing the same.

"Hi."

That one simple word seems to make Warrick's heart flutter just the slightest bit, the voice holding innocence, Greg's eyes heavy with sleep as the two men stare at each other, taking in the silence around them.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I would have been here sooner, but we had to follow another lead on our case."

Greg nods his head, his hand clutching Warrick's that is still wrapped around his own, and Warrick's concentration is thrown off when he feels lips suddenly pressing against his own, a warm tongue asking for entrance.

His free hand rests on Greg's bare stomach, smoothing across it as he deepens the kiss, feeling a hand that's not his own pulling at the hem of his shirt, trying to pull it over his head. His mind quickly snaps to the last time he saw his lover though, how Greg was acting then, and he forces himself to pull away, his breath haggard as he looks down at Greg.

"We still have to talk."

"I just needed time to calm down and think about some things, I'm fine."

Warrick can tell that there's something off about Greg, that something in his eyes just doesn't seem right, but he reluctantly brushes it off as he's pulled in for another kiss, mentally trying to pass it off as just being the tiredness that's laced in with the tech's voice.

When Greg starts pulling at his shirt again, Warrick breaks contact for a split second, letting the material fall to the floor as he continues to sit on his knees, his hand quickly moving back to rest on Greg's stomach while the other wraps behind the back of his young lover's neck to pull him closer. His hips buck against the couch when he feels hands unbuttoning his jeans, a low moan escaping between them.

Their movements become more frantic with each passing second, Warrick's hand slipping past the elastic band of the sweat pants that Greg is wearing and grabbing the base of Greg's erection, grinning into the kiss when he feels his lover arch up into the touch.

As Warrick's lips move to devour Greg's neck and chest, the tech gives up his failed battle with the CSI's jeans and settles for gripping his lover's ass, his other hand entangling itself the best it can in Warrick's hair as he moves further down, the sweat pants easily sliding down his hips to reveal his erection.

Moans and gasps escape Greg's lips as he's suddenly enveloped in the moist warm mouth, but the noises seem rehearsed as he stares up at the ceiling, his eyes looking emotionless, empty.

His eyes snap close when he feels Warrick start to move up his body again, his breath catching in his throat when a tongue suddenly invades his mouth, a warm hand still stroking him while the other manages to loosen his grip on Warrick's ass.

"Lets take this to the bedroom."

Greg doesn't say anything, just allows himself to be pulled off the couch and into the bedroom at the end of the hall, his sweat pants discarded somewhere along the way so that he's completely nude by the time his back hit's the mattress. Warrick glances down at him briefly before reaching over to the nightstand beside the bed to grab a condom and lube, setting them next to the pillows before positioning himself the legs that have fallen open for him.

After rolling the condom on and massaging his erection with lube, Warrick leans forward and grabs Greg's hands in his own, lacing their fingers together while sucking on his lover's neck, enjoying the feeling of Greg grinding up into him, wanting penetration from the man blanketing him.

"Warrick, quit teasing."

Greg's voice is quiet, his eyes closed and his breath coming out in shallow pants as Warrick pulls away from his neck, looking down at his lover while releasing one of Greg's hands and guiding it down his own body. He gasps when he reaches his cock and wraps his hand around the base, squeezing it briefly before guiding himself into Greg, feeling his lover arch up underneath him, trying to take more in.

He waits for several moments, allowing his breath to calm down before he starts a slow rhythm, staring at Greg's still closed eyelids, trying to read the emotion on his lover's face. It seems as though he's afraid to open his eyes, and Warrick knows that he's not okay from the previous night, his muscles not only tight from being thrust into, but because he also doesn't want to be here.

"Greg, baby open your eyes."

Warrick slows his thrusts down until they're almost non-existent, moving slowly as he cups Greg's cheek in his hand, the pad of his thumb rubbing under his lover's eye, waiting for him to open them. He can tell he's hesitating, not wanting to look up at him, but he finally opens his eyes, his gaze immediately focusing on the ceiling above them.

"You're still upset about last night."

It's said as a soft statement, not a question, and Warrick halts his movements altogether, the sex no longer as important as needing to find forgiveness from his lover. It's what has been on his mind all day, trying to think of ways to apologize to Greg for the way he acted. He thought he got off easy when Greg kissed him earlier, was too caught up in he fact that Greg wasn't yelling at him anymore to realize that this is worse than originally thought.

Greg's eyes are empty, emotionless, and the way he's avoiding Warrick's gaze right now shows that he really doesn't want this, that he's just doing this for his lover's benefit instead of his own. Although Warrick doesn't want to remain in this position, in Greg, he knows that this might be the closest Greg will let him get, and that's what he needs right now.

"Are you going to talk to me at all, or are you going to just completely ignore me? I don't know what I can do to make this better. I screwed up, I admit it, what more do you want from me?"

"Make love to me."

Warrick opens his mouth to respond but Greg slowly lets his eyes meet his lovers, unshed tears hiding just below the surface. He doesn't know how to read his partner anymore, how to deal with Greg's changing emotions, and he carefully pulls out of the man below him, laying down next to him on his back, looking at the ceiling just as Greg was doing before.

Greg sees the action as rejection, and he turns away from Warrick, pulling the thick comforter over his now shivering body, trying to fight back the tears. He took the pills, he's not still angry with Warrick, so why is Warrick still pushing him away?

Greg feels arms wrap around him from the back, and he finds himself pushing back against the warm body, placing his arms over his lovers and burying his face into the pillow. Warrick knows that this isn't forgiveness, that this isn't an invitation to talk, but he's willing to take anything he can get from Greg at the moment.

The feel of Greg's body shaking against his own causes Warrick to pull his lover closer against him, and he's starting to think that maybe he's not so good at this whole relationship thing, not when he can't even figure out what's going on in Greg's head right now, why the tech has been so moody lately. The beginning of their relationship seemed perfect, despite the fact that he had to get used to Greg's over abundance of energy, but now it feels that Greg is on autopilot, the spirit drained out of him so that there's nothing left but a fractured shell of a human.

"I wish I knew how to help you, how to bring the old Greggo back."

The words are said on the breath of a whisper, but Warrick doesn't expect a response, especially not when the sobs have slowly died away and Greg's breathing is coming out in a mostly normal rhythm, signaling that he's fallen asleep. His arms tighten around Warrick's unconsciously, and the CSI pulls Greg closer, not wanting to let go in fear of losing him for good.

--

Warrick jolts awake to the sound of glass breaking, and he looks to the other side of the bed to find Greg gone, the mattress long since cooled from the tech's departure. It takes the CSI a moment to fully wake up before he finds his boxers on the floor and pulls them on, cautiously making his way down the hallway until he sees Greg from across the living room kneeling down on the kitchen floor, silently picking up shards of glass from the linoleum.

His lover doesn't notice his presence right away so Warrick silently continues to watch, the younger man's face etched with an undistinguishable emotion when a shard of glass cuts into the skin of his palm, causing blood to bubble to the surface. He seems in a trance at the sight of the blood, and he continues to stare at it until he feels someone watching him, his eyes flickering for a moment over to where Warrick's standing before quickly returning to pick up the glass again.

It isn't until Greg stands up to throw the glass away that Warrick realizes his lover is fully dressed, the bag that he takes with him to work sitting on the counter. A look of confusion crosses his face, knowing that Greg isn't supposed to go in for another few hours, and he silently walks to the doorway of the kitchen, stopping to lean on the doorframe to keep his distance from Greg.

"What are you doing up so early?"

Greg doesn't answer right away, instead moving over to the sink and washing the blood off his hand. He was hoping to get out of the apartment before Warrick got up, but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking long enough to hold the glass without dropping it.

"Ecklie called, said they're backed up at the lab and asked me to come in."

"We're not done talking yet, and if you think avoiding me is going to work-"

"There's nothing left to talk about. I told you I was fine, I tried to show you that I'm fine, and yet you pushed me away. I get it, you don't have to spell it out for me."

Greg doesn't turn back around until he moves to reach for his bag, trying to leave the kitchen but being stopped by a hand on his chest. He tries to move around Warrick but the CSI side steps, blocking Greg's only exit and angering the tech.

The anger is mirrored in Warrick's eyes as well and Greg finds himself taking a step back, unconsciously putting enough space between them to prevent connection with his partner's fist. It's not the first time in a relationship that he's had to do it, and although somewhere inside he knows that Warrick wouldn't hit him, his internal feelings have been wrong before and landed him in positions he rather not repeat.

When Warrick notices Greg's apprehension, he lets his gaze drift past his partner's for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. He's starting to see a pattern, the way Greg acts when Warrick gets angry, or makes too sudden of a move near him. The behavior could mean several different things, none of them good, and Warrick realizes that he's going to have to get to the bottom of this soon before he completely loses his partner.

"Greg, can we please just take this time to sit down and talk all of this through? No yelling, no arguing, just talking. There's things we need to start being honest with each other about, things we need to get out in the open, and until that happens we're just going to keep doing this stupid dance around it."

His voice is calm, reassuring, and Greg slowly relaxes when he sees the anger leave his partner's eyes. He knows he gave too much away when he stepped back from Warrick, but he doesn't much care at the moment, instead just wanting to get away from here, from Warrick and from Vegas all together.

"I don't have anything else to say, and holding me against my will isn't going to get you anywhere fast, I'm already late."

Warrick can tell that the fight has completely drained from his partner, and he reluctantly takes a step aside, watching Greg quickly walk past him, not bothering to look back once as he leaves the apartment.

***

The glass walls rattle faintly around the DNA lab like they used to before the explosion, before Greg became more reserved and quiet. Warrick knows that it could only mean one thing as the lab tech glares down into his microscope, the CSI standing at the end of the hallway in just the right spot so he's able to see Greg, where the lab tech can't see him.

Greg seems to be getting upset at things too easily lately, a simple mistake on the proficiency or the bet, things that don't seem to be as big of a deal to Warrick as Greg is making them out to be. Not that he thinks they're unimportant, but he feels Greg should take a moment to calm down and realize that he's getting a second chance, that not all is really lost.

Warrick's attention remains on his troubled lover until he feels a hand clap down on his shoulder, turning to see Nick standing behind him, the younger CSI's gaze following Warrick's into the DNA lab where Greg now has his back to them.

"I'd stay clear of him today, he's already thrown something at Archie when he went in there; he tried to turn Greg's music down."

Nick squeezes Warrick's shoulder without another word before leaving him alone, taking off in the direction of the break room to wait for the assignment hand out from Grissom. Warrick moves in the same direction but stops at the doors of the DNA lab, hand poised to open the door but stopping when he hears his name at the end of the lab.

"Rick, break room now, we've got a busy case load tonight and no time to hang around talking."

Grissom disappears into the break room without allowing the CSI time to respond, and Warrick glance at Greg one last time before rolling his eyes and letting out a heavy sigh, figuring it may just be best to leave well enough alone for now until Greg has had at least a little time to calm down.

As soon as he enters the break room, Grissom shoves a case slip into Warrick's hand, the others holding separate cases as well.

"Rick, you've got a 419 in an alleyway. The victim is twenty-four year old Emily Jacobs, her parents reported her missing yesterday when she didn't show up for her own birthday party. As I've already stated, we've got a full case load tonight, so everyone's flying solo, lets get this done."

Grissom's already backed out of the break room before he even finishes speaking, and the CSI's disburse to begin on their oen cases, Warrick's eyes briefly catching with Greg's as he walks past the DNA lab to leave for the crime scene.

--

"What have we got?"

"Caucasian female DB, mid twenties, found by a restaurant owner that was taking the trash out to the dumpster. He checked her for a pulse, and when he didn't find one, he called 911. So far we've got no other witnesses, but we're canvassing the area for anyone that might have seen or heard anything."

Warrick thanks the detective before walking down the alley where David's already kneeling next to the body, his gloved hand gently raising the hair from the woman's face, the latex becoming stained with the blood that's caked in the once perfect curls of her hair.

"David, you're here early. Do you have any ideas of the COD yet?"

"It's been a long night, jumping from one case to another. As soon as I get done here I've got to head over to where Sarah's at.

It looks like whoever attacked this woman really wanted to make sure she was dead. So far I've found an open skull fracture, deep strangulation marks around her neck, and a through and through penetration wound. Looking at the exit wound, I'd rule out a gunshot wound, but I can't really be sure until I get her back to the lab and clean her up. As for time of death, according to her liver temp it was approximately eighteen hours ago."

Warrick looks at and around the body for any visible evidence, swabbing around the penetration wound when he notices a copper residue around and in it. Around the body there's only a minimal amount of blood pooled on the concrete, and it's easy to see by the positioning of the body and the amount of blood that this was a dump job, the killer most likely not bothering to stop as she was pushed from the vehicle.

After collecting what little evidence he can find on the body, Warrick allows David to remove her from the scene and load her into the coroners van, informing the other man that he'll be back at the lab within a few hours to collect her clothing and obtain any other evidence before the autopsy can be performed.

Several hours after combing through the alley for any remaining evidence, Warrick realizes that it's going to be a long night, and even longer case, the only thing his search turning up is the woman's wallet, all cash and credit cards taken from it so the only thing remaining is her ID and other insignificant items.

When Warrick finally makes his way back into the opening of the alley, he finds the detective talking to a man in his late fifties, writing down on his note pad the information that he's being given.

"Warrick, this is Harold Lagozi, he's the restaurant owner that found the body."

"Mr. Lagozi, I'm Warrick Brown, CSI with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Can you tell me what happened?"

"There's really not much to tell. I came out to throw the trash into the dumpster, and I found her laying there. I tried to get her pulse, but she was already dead, so I went back inside and called the police. I came back out here to make sure no one messed with her until the police got here."

"Have you seen the woman before, maybe she was a guest at your restaurant today?"

"No sir, I own a pretty small restaurant, most of the time it's regulars and I would have definitely remembered her. She looks like she's got a lot of money, I can tell by her clothes, that's not the type of visitor I get."

Warrick sighs and glances around for a brief moment, realizing that this case is going to have to start from scratch with no witnesses and no primary crime scene.

"Thank you Mr. Lagozi, if you remember anything else, please give me a call."

The man shakes Warrick's hand after taking the card from him, giving one last glance at the detective before returning into his restaurant, leaving the CSI alone to look back through the crime scene one last time.

--

It's several hours before he's able to get back to the lab, the woman's parents already questioned at their home, shining a little more light on the woman found in the alleyway. So far it looks like the last contact Emily Jacobs had before being murdered was with her mother, making sure that the final details had been made for her birthday party.

Although he's made some progression on the case, he still doesn't have a lead as to who might have done this, the woman's family giving high praise to their daughter, a select few of her other friends interviewed agreeing with the Jacobs'. Along with the lack of enemies, there still isn't a clue as to where the primary crime scene might be. Until the police find the location of her missing car, the only thing that might give him a clue would be to try and retrace her steps from the time she left the local university where she's taking law classes, to the time she was taken, looking along the way for the clues that might help him.

After being on his feet and continuing to run into dead ends for the past several hours, Warrick decides that the one thing that will help him at this point in time would be a break, heading for the break room where he already smells the strong scent of expensive coffee brewing. He knows that along with that scent there's also most likely to be a DNA tech to go with it, but he risks the chance of Greg still being mad as he enters the break room.

Greg is hovering over the coffee pot when Warrick enters the room, the same pissed expression that he had before still set on his facial features, his fingers gripped around a coffee mug that's waiting to be filled. Warrick glances around to make sure the rest of the room is empty before walking over to where Greg is standing and leaning his back against the counter so they're somewhat facing each other, his arms crossing over his chest as he looks at his lover.

It's obvious that Greg hasn't had much sleep in the past several days and he's starting to look a little too skinny, dark circles under his eyes and his hand shaking very faintly around the coffee mug.

"You okay?"

Greg's eyes flicker to Warrick for a split second before returning back to the coffee pot, watching the dark liquid fill it while shrugging his shoulders. Warrick is really the last person he wants to deal with right now, and yet he's the only one who he hasn't snapped at yet for asking a simple question or giving him a questioning look.

Warrick watches the anger in Greg's eyes slowly fade, and he carefully reaches over to Greg's hand, removing the coffee mug and setting it on the counter before letting his hand return, grabbing Greg's in his own and squeezing it softly.

He doesn't know why he's risking being caught showing this sort of affection to the younger man in the middle of work, his body sliding closer to Greg's so they're almost touching, he just knows that nothing else seems important right now as Greg allows himself to look up at his lover, his hand squeezing around Warrick's.

They remain in the same position for several moments before Warrick pulls away again, the coffee finally finished as the CSI picks up Greg's mug off the counter and tops it off with coffee, keeping it away from Greg when the tech tries to reach for it.

"Promise me we'll talk after shift."

The anger flares in Greg's eyes again for a split second before disappearing again, and he silently nods his head, the action almost unnoticeable to the CSI. Warrick hands over the coffee just as Sarah walks in, the CSI sliding away from Greg in order to retrieve his own cup and put distance between the two, hoping that Sarah didn't notice him invading Greg's personal space.

"Greg, have you got my results yet on the Simmons case?"

"Not yet, I'll get started on it now."

Greg's gone within seconds of finishing his sentence, and Warrick lets his gaze linger on the doorway while Sarah moves to sit at the table, placing several files in front of her as she begins to go through them.

"Don't you think Greg deserves to take a break? He's in the middle of a double and it looks like he hasn't slept in days."

Sarah looks up from her paperwork to find Warrick standing in front of her, coffee cup in hand and an incredulous look on his face.

"He's not the only one working a double. I haven't even finished my case from yesterday and Grissom puts me on this one. Instead of finding the person who decided to play God and euthanize a seventy-five year old woman, I'm stuck dealing with a wife who claims her husband raped her, just so she can get full custody of her son. She refuses to have a rape kit done, and she's already told her husband in front of witnesses that she'll do anything she can to get the kid, even if it does send him to jail."

It's easy to see the Sarah's frustrated, so Warrick doesn't bother pushing her more, instead opting to just leave her be as he leaves the break room, heading down to the morgue to look over Emily Jacobs body. He has a new sense of hope that maybe he and Greg might finally get everything settled that has been going on between them lately, and although he knows that he's still got several grueling hours left before he can even consider going home, it all makes it worth it to know that he and Greg will be there together to talk things through.

***

Warrick sighs as he closes the case file in front of him, his fingers rubbing at his eyes in an attempt to ease the headache that's been forming behind them since he walked into the lab at the beginning of the previous shift.

The only lead that he has gotten on his case so far is an ex-boyfriend that had an unhealthy obsession with the victim after their breakup, and he's afraid that until they find the man, there's not much more he can do for the case but to go home and sleep, come back tomorrow with fresh eyes in hopes that he'll get any closer to finding the killer of the young woman.

The DNA lab is empty when he walks by it, and he's suddenly not so tired when he remembers that his lover promised to talk to him after shift. It's been the one thing keeping him going through the double, and he can't help the smile that lights up his face when he walks into the locker room and finds the subject of his thoughts sitting on the bench between the lockers, leaning forward to tie the shoes he just put on.

"You ready to go home?"

Warrick slides next to Greg on the bench as he speaks, trying to ignore the tension that's suddenly found its way into Greg's shoulders. The tech shrugs as he finishes with his shoes and sits back up, reaching into his locker for his jacket and bag, closing the door without a word and remaining seated when he's got everything ready to go.

"Greg-"

"I'm ready, lets just get this over with."

He sounds just as defeated as he did when he left the apartment two days ago, all the anger gone from his voice, and Warrick doesn't bother changing his clothes like he normally would, instead grabbing his bag out of his locker and moving to the door, holding it open for the lab tech.

Greg keeps his head down as he walks through the door, looking like a young child that's about to be reprimanded by his father for getting in trouble at school. Warrick's tempted to let his hand rest on his lover's back as they walk out of the lab, but he resists the urge, instead putting several feet between them as he follows Greg to his car.

"How about I pick up something on the way over? What do you want to eat?"

"Whatever, it doesn't matter."

Warrick knows that Greg's usually specific about what he eats, but looking at him now, and thinking back to the past week, this isn't even Greg any longer. He's not even sure if his young lover has consumed anything other than coffee in the past several days.

"I'll just pick up something, I'll see you in a bit."

Greg nods as Warrick closes the door for him, starting his car and pulling out of the parking lot without looking back. When he gets on the road he immediately turns up the radio as loud as it can go without causing a disturbance, trying to block out the voice in the back of his head telling him to run while he still has a chance.

Warrick waits until he can no longer see Greg's car before turning back around, almost dropping his bag when he screams out and grabs his chest, glaring at Grissom for sneaking up on him.

"What the hell Grissom, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Don't sneak up on people like that."

Grissom's lips turn into a grin and Warrick glares even harder, not understanding why his supervisor finds it so funny that he almost scared the CSI into pissing his pants.

"Actually Rick, I called your name but you were too busy watching Greg."

Oh, busted. Warrick tries to quickly think of an excuse as to why he was so focused on Greg, but Grissom speaks again before he gets the chance to think of anything, his words bringing the CSI's heart to an abrupt halt.

"Whatever you two have going on between you, I suggest you get it settled before he loses his chance to become a CSI."

He knows when he's been caught, and he knows that it would be of no use in denying the accusation. Grissom is the best CSI he's ever met, and although he's not the best when it comes to human interaction, he knows how to follow the clues in front of him to find the answer he needs as to the young lab tech's off beat behavior lately.

"He's upset about the proficiency test."

"He knows he's getting a second chance."

"I know, but he's being too hard on himself."

"That's not what I meant. I meant that he knows he's getting a second chance, so maybe it's not the proficiency he's upset about."

Warrick looks at Grissom confused, not really in the mood for one of his supervisor's games. He's already going to be late to Greg's, and he knows that with each passing moment, it gives Greg more of a chance to back out of his promise to talk.

"If he's not upset about the test, then what's he upset about?"

"You're a CSI Rick, you solve murders and find some of the hardest evidence out there, put your skills to work."

Grissom's gone before Warrick can respond, the CSI continuing to glare after the older man for a moment before he walks over to his car, his thoughts now a chaotic mess as he tries to decipher the meaning behind Grissom's words.

--

Greg doesn't know what to do, doesn't know what he's going to say to Warrick. For the few brief seconds they were together in the break room, he was able to forget everything that has been going on in his head, all the thoughts swarming around and making his emotions go up and down in a head splitting headache.

He feels like he's lost control of everything, he had everything riding on the proficiency and now, now everything seem screwed up beyond repair. Becoming a CSI was supposed to prove to Warrick that he isn't just some goof ball lab tech, that he can be just as serious about his job as Catherine can.

Now he feels like all he'll ever be to Warrick is that lab tech failed CSI. He's no comparison to Catherine or any of the other's that he's caught Warrick staring at when the CSI didn't realize someone was watching him.

Greg realizes that he's beginning to pace a path into his carpet and he lets his body fall back onto the couch, shifting around so that his feet are propped up on the armrest, his body finally relaxing after too long of a double shift.

He realizes that tomorrow he's probably going to have to apologize to several people at the lab, mainly Archie, but he tries not to think about it as he closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths. The long shift has finally caught up to him, and although he tries to stay awake for when Warrick arrives, he soon finds himself dozing off.

--

The sound of his cell phone ringing startles Greg awake, his neck protesting any movement when he tries to sit up, his vision blurred as he unsnaps the still ringing object from the belt clip and flips it open. He should know before he even answers that he's not going to be able to get any further sleep, but the fact doesn't really break through the haze of fatigue still clouding his mind until he's found himself being asked to go back into work.

He wants to say no, along with a few other choice words, to Ecklie's request, but instead he finds himself mumbling "Fine, give me an hour" before hanging up on the older man, his hand rubbing at his eyes while he tries to get himself to fully wake up.

It isn't until he's in the shower that his mind is finally cleared, and he pauses when he realizes that he's alone, that he's been alone this whole time despite the fact that Warrick said he was coming by. It's been almost five hours and Greg doesn't know whether to be worried or pissed off, his fingers clenching briefly in his hair when he rinses the shampoo out of it.

The second he's out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, Greg walks into the living room to find his home answering machine without messages, his cell phone turning up the same results when he checks. He stands in the middle of his living room torn between whether or not to call Warrick, and after several moments thought he decides to just go into work and see if he's still there. If not, he can call him then, otherwise he doesn't want to risk calling anyone else to search for the CSI and raise their suspicions about the relationship between them.

--

He's going to have to see his Chiropractor, Greg thinks as he sits on the hood of Warrick's car, silently looking in through the windshield at the sleeping CSI, Warrick's chin resting on his chest as he sleeps.

This is how he found him when he arrived almost twenty minutes ago, and despite the several pages he's gotten since he's arrived, people looking for him, he hasn't been able to pull himself off this spot. He's torn between beating his fist on the windshield to wake him up, or just leaving him be, letting him screw up his neck and back even more than what it's already been. Either way, he won't be happy.

Then again, Greg thinks Rick deserves the pain of waking up from that position after standing him up last night. If he really wanted to talk to Greg, really wanted to work things out between them, he would have made the effort to get home, even if he did have to take a Taxi or get a ride from someone else so he wouldn't fall asleep at the wheel.

He doesn't even understand how this happened in the first place, Warrick showed no signs of being tired when Greg left him, in fact he seemed to be right on his heels, keys in his hand and standing out in the parking lot only a few feet from his car.

Just as well, he supposes, a true sign that their relationship is quickly coming to an end, or what's left of it anyways. He finally pulls himself off the hood of the car, standing still for a brief moment to regain the feeling in his legs before glancing around, the parking lot surprisingly empty.

The pager attached to his belt starts to go off once again, and Greg lets his gaze linger on Warrick for just a moment longer before he turns around, sighing as he makes his way towards the doors of the crime lab.

The sound of a voice suddenly coming from where he was just at causes Greg to turn around, and he watches from just outside the door of the crime lab as Warrick rolls down the window of his car, Catherine standing on the other side of the glass bent over, looking in at the CSI. They exchange a few words, the amusement evident on Catherine's face, before Warrick finally steps out, turning his head to the side to pop his neck, his gaze catching Greg's when he turns it in his direction.

Warrick quickly says something to Catherine before moving in Greg's direction, but before he can reach the lab tech, Greg disappears into the crime lab, the CSI stopping in his tracks and kicking at the ground angrily.

***

Warrick finds Greg in the locker room, shoving his bag into his locker before pulling out his lab coat and shrugging it onto his shoulders. There's no one else in the room besides the two men, and Warrick's happy for that as he closes the door securely behind him, wishing there were a lock on it but knowing he's just going to have to make this quick before someone walks in.

Greg doesn't realize he's no longer alone until Warrick clears his throat from in front of the door, and the lab tech can feel his heart rate falter for a brief moment, his anger disappearing for a split second before returning with a vengeance.

He doesn't say anything because he knows he won't be able to control himself if he does, so he remains standing silently by his locker, hands fumbling with the car keys that are still clutched in his hands, his eyes narrowed in on the man in front of him.

"Greg, I can explain about yesterday. I was talking to Grissom after you left and I started thinking about some things he said. Time just seemed to slip through my fingers and all the work just caught up with me, I guess I just passed out, and didn't even realize it until Cath woke me up."

The younger man continues to remain silent, still trying to keep from saying anything. When Warrick takes a step towards him, he moves back, and it causes Warrick to stop where he stands, looking at Greg through pained eyes.

"Greg-"

"It's over."

Greg finally speaks, his voice strong, and to Warrick it feels like a punch in the stomach. A part of him knew it was coming eventually, with all the problems they've been having lately, but he didn't expect the look in Greg's eyes. There's no hesitation in his voice or the dark orbs, but Warrick doesn't want it to be over, because he's still got fight in him, he's still willing to do whatever it takes to keep Greg.

He's not sure why exactly this relationship means so much to him, he just knows that losing Greg is out of the question, so he takes another step towards him, continuing his progression towards his lover until the younger man's back is pressed against the wall.

Both men's hearts are racing as they look into each other's eyes, and Greg doesn't move as Warrick advances on him, a quiet squeak leaving his lips when Warrick's suddenly pressing him against the wall of the locker room, gently kissing him.

Warrick knows they could be caught, but if it means getting another shot with Greg, he really doesn't care at this point, letting his hands rest on Greg's hips and pulling the younger man close to him, smiling into the kiss when he feels hands on his shoulders and Greg's lips parting, allowing his tongue entrance.

As the kiss starts to get heated, the door to the locker room behind the men open and a row of gasps can be heard. Greg tries to pull away when he realizes that they have company, but Warrick frames his lover's face in his hands, holding the younger man still until they're both struggling for breath.

When they finally pull apart, chests heaving for air, Greg seems to already have forgotten about the intrusion as he looks into Warrick's eyes, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill. He tried to hold on, to the belief that this was finally the end of their relationship, but with Warrick holding him now, and the whispered words that sounds familiarly like 'I love you', he finds his internal walls crumbling, his legs wanting to give out from under him despite the strong arms that are now gripped around his waist.

"Give me another chance."

The words are whispered between them, and all Greg can do is nod his head, his hands still gripping Warrick's shoulders in a death grip.

He knows that this isn't over, that they still have a lot of problems to work through, but at least now he knows that Warrick is really serious about trying, the CSI officially outing himself in front of all of his coworkers, something Greg thought would never happen.

Warrick gives Greg one more quick kiss before someone clears their throat behind them, and the CSI turns around to see the night shift standing in the doorway of the locker room, looks of surprise written on all faces except Grissom, who's just waiting to get the night started.

"If you two are done..."

"Sorry."

Rick finally lets Greg go, and although he feels like he's going to fall for a split second, the lab tech manages to keep himself upright, his cheeks turning an embarrassing shade of pink when he realizes that everyone's staring at him.

"Alright Sara and Nick, you have a B&E out in Henderson. Catherine, you're on your own tonight, a young woman is claiming she was raped by her professor, who says it was consensual."

The three CSI's take the case slips from Grissom before reluctantly leaving the locker room, wanting to get more information from Greg or Warrick on their relationship, but they know it'll have to wait.

When only the three men are left standing in the locker room, Grissom looks between his two subordinates thoughtfully, Greg averting his eyes from the older man, feeling a slight shiver rack his body when Warrick's hand faintly brushes against his own.

"You both know the policy in interoffice relationships. As of right now it doesn't effect either of you since you're not on the same level with Greg being in the lab, but after this shift, there's a possibility that one of you will have to change shifts."

Greg finally forces himself to look at Grissom, confusion present in his shifting body movements, and Warrick smiles from next to him, following his supervisor's line of thought.

"Change shifts?"

"I can't have two CSI's that are dating, working together. Policy forbids it."

"But I'm-"

"Tonight you'll be completing your final proficiency."

As great as it is that he's getting a second chance, Greg can feel his heart drop. This is where it all started in the first place, failing the last proficiency, and he doesn't want to have to deal with it now, when he's got a chance to fix his relationship.

"We've got a homicide over at the Bellagio. Grab your kit and meet me at the Denali in ten minutes."

Grissom leaves after another moment, and Greg remains frozen where he's standing, his palms suddenly sweating and his mouth going dry. He's not ready for this, he hasn't had a chance to prepare after the last proficiency.

Rick notices how quiet and still Greg's being, and he turns to see a look of panic on the younger man's face. When he's sure that Grissom is gone, Warrick stands back in front of Greg, cupping the younger man's cheeks in his hands.

"Greg, take a deep breath, you're going to do fine."

It doesn't ease the lab tech's nerves any, his eyes closing as he lets his head fall back against the wall.

"I can't do this."

Warrick lets his eyes linger on the younger man's closed eyelids for a moment before leaning in, placing a chaste kiss on his lover's lips before pulling away.

"You've been out in the field plenty of times to know what to do, just try not to get ahead of yourself, and think about your training. You read Grissom's notes on your last proficiency, you know what areas you need to work on, just go out there and do the best you can."

Greg nods, but Warrick can tell he still doesn't believe him. Just because they've gotten a step closer to mending their relationship, doesn't mean he's gained his lover's full trust.

"Listen Greg, whatever happens, whether you pass the test or not, and I have every bit of faith you will, it's not going to effect our relationship. I'm not going to think any less of you."

He seems to finally hit the right words as Greg opens his eyes and Warrick briefly wonders if that's what this has been about all along, Greg feeling like he's less of a person to Warrick because he didn't pass his final proficiency and become a CSI.

"I've got the night off, but I'll leave the phone on if you need anything. When you get off we can talk about everything. Grissom's waiting for you now though, so good luck on your case, you'll be fine."

Greg nods as Warrick kisses him one last time and lets him go, the lab tech moving to his locker to open it up and grab his vest and kit.

--

"It looks like the case is at a standstill until Brass can find John Waters and bring him in for questioning of the murder. We're quickly closing in on this case, you're doing a good job. Why don't you go home and get some sleep, I'll page you if we find him."

Greg doesn't want to leave, for the sake of appearing weak in front of his supervisor, but he's been running himself ragged all shift trying to do the best he can and not make any mistakes. So far they've narrowed the quick moving case to a man by the name of John Waters, a valet at the Bellagio who was partners with the victim. The two seemed to be running a scam together at the casino, but when the suspect found out his partner was scamming him as well, he killed him.

Grissom closes the case file sitting on the layout table in front of him and pulls his glasses off, the fatigue present in his eyes as well as he rubs the bridge of his nose. When he pulls his glasses back on and sees the trainee still standing in front of him, staring off into space, he flicks off the light switch that illuminates the underside of the layout table, getting the younger man's attention.

"There something on your mind Greg?"

"What? No, I was just thinking there must be something else I can do, paperwork or something."

"Sometimes the only thing you can do is wait. I'll call you when we find him, we can go pick him up, otherwise the only thing you can do is get some rest before the next case."

Grissom picks up the case file and leaves the layout room, signaling the end of their conversation, and all Greg can do is sigh and follow the older man into the hallway, turning towards the locker room as Grissom walks to his office.

In less than an hour, Greg is parking his car in the lot outside of his apartment building, his movements slow and tired as he makes his way up the stairs and stops at the door, fidgeting with the key in the lock for a moment before finally getting the door open.

All the lights are out when he walks into the front hallway and locks the door behind him, dropping his keys on the table just inside the door before kicking off his shoes and pulling off his jacket, leaving them both in the hallway.

Everything feels different as he moves through the dark apartment, like the tension of the past several weeks has faded, and he stops at the entrance to the master bedroom, a sliver of light peeking in through the side of the blackout curtains and streaking across the man in the bed.

Greg doesn't move from the doorway for several moments, instead just taking in the sight of the older man before he finally feels the fatigue starting to catch up with him, his hands shaking as he undresses to his boxers, hesitating for a moment before climbing into the bed.

Almost immediately Greg feels arms wrap around him from behind, and he tries to prevent his body from tensing up, feeling Warrick's lips press gently against the back of his neck.

"How was the case?"

It's said in a bare whisper against Greg's ear, and the younger man has to take a moment to calm his racing heart, trying to get used to this feeling again, of being held and loved. When he's finally able to gather himself, he forces himself to speak, his tone almost just as quiet as Warrick's, and a bit shaky.

"It's fine, we're just waiting on Brass to catch the suspect. Grissom said he'll call me when we're ready to pick him up."

Rick nods against Greg's back, still placing light kisses against his younger lover's neck, feeling as the CSI trainee gradually begins to relax in his arms. He's been waiting all day for this, to hold Greg again after all this time fighting, and the anxiety alone has been keeping him awake and restless in bed.

Despite how relaxed and ready to sleep he is now though, he knows that Grissom could call Greg away at any moment, their jobs always finding a way to interrupt them at the most inconvenient moment. With this knowledge, he knows that now is probably the best chance he's going to get to talk to his lover about everything going on, so he carefully turns Greg over in his arms, the small amount of light seeping in through the side of the curtain allowing the older man to see a hint of fear in his lover's eyes.

He's been thinking about what happened in the locker room at the lab, about how Greg reacted when Grissom told him he was going out into the field again, and he's gradually beginning to realize that his previous thought just might be true, that al of this tension and Greg's mood swings are because of the proficiency.

"I think it's time we talk about what's going on."

"There's nothing to talk about-"

"Don't start that with me Greg. You were upset about failing the first proficiency, that's when everything came to a head, so my only guess is you think I feel less for you because you're not a CSI, because you weren't able to pass the test the first time around."

Greg doesn't say anything for a moment and Warrick can see the tears building in his eyes before he opens his mouth, speaking so quietly that Rick struggles to hear it.

"You bet against me. How is that supposed to make me feel, knowing that you think I can't do it? I have a hard enough time trying to compare with Catherine, I know I'll never be as good as she is, but to know you think I can't do it at all?"

If Warrick didn't feel guilty before, he definitely does now as Greg averts his gaze, his body still slightly tensed in his lover's arms, the tears still struggling to stay in.

"Whatever you think might be going on between Catherine and I is wrong. We've been friends for a long time, but there's no reason for you to compete with her."

The room falls silent, because in reality, Warrick isn't sure what else to say. He didn't realize that this was because of Catherine, because Greg was jealous of her. In his opinion, there's nothing for his lover to be worried about, he thinks of Catherine as more of a sister than anything else. He even sat down with the older woman when he first started dating Greg to get some advice. Granted, she didn't realize who he was dating at the time, but she did know Warrick and his significant other were serious.

"Of all the people you could be with, why did you choose me?"

"Because you're beautiful and unique. You're always cheery, you always manage to make me smile even before we got together. I could go on all night and list every sappy detail about why I love you, but in the end it comes down to one thing, and that's because you're you."

He never considered himself to be a hopeless romantic, but laying here now with Greg in his arms feeling like he's worth less than what he really is, he's willing to be as sappy and romantic as it takes to get the younger man to see how important he is to him.

"I love you Greg, please don't ever doubt that."

Greg can only nod as the tears finally break free, and Warrick pulls his lover closer to his body as Greg cries silently, quietly apologizing as he allows his arms to be crushed between their bodies, his palms pressed open against Warrick's chest.

The quiet sobbing only goes on for a brief moment before all movement from Greg stops, and Warrick pulls his lover away to see Greg's eyes closed, tears still clinging to his eye lashes as he slips into a peaceful sleep.

***

Greg doesn't wake up to the sound of his cell phone going off on the nightstand beside the bed like he expected, but to the feel of lips on his neck and a hand smoothing across his chest, fingers brushing over already hardened nipples, causing him to gasp out and alert his partner that he's awake.

Warrick stops his ministrations when he hears Greg waken and pulls his lips away from his lover's neck, pulling his body up to rest on one arm so that he's hovering over the younger man, staring down at him. Neither men say anything, only continue to stare until Warrick finally leans forward, placing his lips over Greg's and being greeted with entrance right away.

Greg hesitantly lets his hands rest on Warrick's hips as the older man moves so he's laying partially on Greg, one knee sliding between the younger man's legs and carefully caressing Greg's growing erection.

Another quiet gasp leaves Greg's lips as Warrick finds his way back to his lover's neck, his free hand gliding back over Greg's chest and stomach before it stops above the waistline of Greg's boxers. He feels his young lover tense up slightly, and he gently runs his fingers along the trail below his naval until he feels Greg's body relax, giving him the courage needed to move further.

As Warrick slips his hand into Greg's boxers, he places his lips back over his lovers, catching the groan when he lets his hand wrap around the base of Greg's shaft, squeezing it briefly before letting it glide up to the head. Within minutes of repeating the action, Greg's body is arching up off the mattress and his fingers are digging into his lover's hips, his eyes closed and his lips slightly parted.

The comforter and sheets that were covering both men moments ago are now kicked to the end of the bed as Rick's tongue traces a path from one nipple to the other, his hand slipping off Greg's shaft to hold his balls, massaging them briefly before removing his hand all together.

Greg groans in displeasure with the loss of Warrick's hand, and he lets his eyes slide open briefly as he lifts his hips off the mattress, his fingers clenching in the sheets under him when he feels a warm puff of air pass over the skin of his erection, an equally warm hand grabbing his shaft away from his belly and holding it still as Warrick glides his tongue over the tip, gathering the taste of his lovers pre cum.

A mix between a squeak and cry of pleasure leaves Greg's lips as he tries to keep himself in check, feeling a hand on his hips holding him down when he tries to buck up again. His body's been without this pleasure for so long that he feels like he's going to explode from the simplest of touches, his eyes rolling back when he feels lips wrapping around the mushroomed head of his erection and sucking gently.

Despite how good the sensations feel, this isn't how Greg wants to come, and it takes every bit of self control to untangle his fingers from the sheets and reach down, letting his hand rest on Warrick's cheek until the older man looks up, reading the look in Greg's eyes as he slowly makes his way back up his lover's body.

Greg opens his mouth to say the words, to tell Warrick that he wants the older man in him, but nothing comes out, his words dry and his body shaking with pleasure as Warrick's boxer clad erection slides against his own.

Warrick doesn't need to be told what to do, he can read the look in Greg's eyes, see the want and need, and within seconds he has his boxers stripped off and is reaching for the condoms and lube, stopping only when Greg grabs his wrist. The younger man is silent, his eyes focused on Warrick's as he grabs the condom from the older man and tosses it aside, grabbing the lube from his lover's hand and pouring a generous amount in his own hand.

Their eyes stay locked on each other as Greg rubs the lube onto Warrick's erection, the older man letting out a gasp as a chill goes up his spine, his hands sliding down the insides of Greg's thighs as he feels himself being guided to his lover's tight hole.

Greg positions Warrick at his opening before letting go, wiping the excess lube from his hand onto the sheets before grabbing Rick's forearms, his muscles tensing slightly as the older man pushes himself, moving slowly until he's filled to the hilt with Greg.

When he's all the way in and feels Greg relaxing under him, Warrick grabs Greg's hands in his own and leans forward so his elbows are sitting on the mattress and their hands are entwined on the pillow either side of Greg's head, their lips meeting in a slow lazy kiss.

Rick tastes the gasp that escapes Greg's lips when he pulls out and slowly pushes back in, his hips moving slightly as he repeats the actions several times, their lips finally parting when he finds Greg's prostate, the younger man arching his back and gasping at the sudden spark of lights appearing behind his eyelids.

Lips, tongue, and teeth trail down Greg's jaw line as Warrick's pace picks up, hands squeezing his own as Greg pulls his knees up so his heels are digging into the back of his lover's thighs, his erection rubbing against the older man's body each time he thrusts forward.

He can't hold on for much longer, neither men can, not after going this long without touching each other like this. It took a lot of self control the last time for Warrick not to finish with what they had started in bed and pull out, but he knew that Greg really didn't want it, and he's not the kind of guy willing to take it just because it's being offered.

It's not something he has to worry about this time around however, because Greg's into every bit of this, an endless plea of faster leaving his lips as he feels the pressure beginning to build. Warrick can't help but comply as he picks up the pace, leaning forward to capture Greg's lips again just as the younger man hits his peak and cries out.

The kiss literally takes Greg's breath away, and he starts to feel light headed as a sudden ringing occurs in his ears, his mind so foggy from lack of oxygen that he doesn't notice Warrick stopping his thrusts and moving slightly so he's leaning to the side of the bed.

He doesn't notice it until the ringing in his ears gets louder and he realizes that it's his phone, Warrick looking a bit flustered as he holds it out for Greg to take.

The screen flashes Grissom's name, and Greg groans inwardly before taking it from his lover, feeling Warrick begin to thrust slowly as he answers it, the older man still teetering on the brink of orgasm and wanting to come before Greg is forced to leave him for work.

Greg struggles to keep from moaning as he answers Grissom in short, clipped answers, his mouth being covered by Warrick's the moment he closes the phone and throws it to the side.

The feeling of Warrick coming inside of him is enough to make him hard again, but he has to force himself not to, knowing that it would look very bad of him to show up late during his proficiency. This has relaxed him though, and he doesn't feel so tense and nervous like before, Warrick pulling out and laying beside him, the two men kissing briefly before Greg sits up.

He doesn't want to leave, really doesn't, but he takes comfort in the fact that Warrick will be here when he gets back. That thought makes it easier for him to get up from the bed and walk into the bathroom, feeling Warrick's eyes on him the whole time until he's standing next to the bed redressed and looking down at his lover, Warrick's hand on his hip trying to pull him forward.

Greg complies with the motion as he leans over Warrick and kisses him briefly, only pulling away because he knows that time is winding down and they have a suspect to go apprehend.

"Be careful and good luck, you'll do fine."

Greg nods and pulls away reluctantly, leaving his lover to sleep as he makes his way out to his car, the apprehension starting to build once again at trying to pass his proficiency.

--

Grissom is already waiting for him when he reaches the crime lab, his supervisor sitting in his office with Brass across from his desk, going over the case. Brass greets him when he walks in, but Grissom gets straight to the point, handing the CSI trainee a copy of the case file as he sits down.

"John Waters has been located at his girlfriend's house out in Henderson. Police are sitting on the house right now, they're just waiting for us to get there. You ready?"

Greg would like to say no, but that's not an option as he stands up along with Brass and Grissom, nodding as they leave the office for the Denali.

Within no time they pull up in front of the suspect's house where two squad cars are already waiting for them, the officers approaching them as the CSI's step out of the Denali and Brass walks up behind from his own car.

"Witness said the suspect went in about an hour ago and hasn't come out since. We've got a car in the back as well, we've seen movement in the house but nothing suspicious."

"Alright, you guys hang back while we clear the scene."

Brass takes charge, instructing Grissom and Greg to stay back as he and the officers walk up the front steps of the two story house.

Greg shifts his weight from one foot to the other while holding his kit, watching as a middle aged woman answers the door. He can't hear what they're talking about, but he has a pretty good idea what she's saying as Brass glances back at them and shakes his head, the detective upholstering his gun as he and the cops walk into the house, one officer staying behind with the woman to keep her from following.

After what Greg can only assume was a thorough search of the house, Brass steps back onto the porch and signals to the two CSI's, Greg following Grissom as they pass the angry woman and step into the house, finding it deserted with only cops standing around.

"He must have gotten out without us noticing, he's no where to be seen and his girlfriend isn't exactly cooperating with us. It looks like he might have been staying ere a while though, so you might be able to find a clue as to where he is, or more evidence to link him to the murder."

"Alright Greg, take the upstairs, I'll look around down here. You know what to look for."

Grissom watches Greg nod and take off up the stairs before he opens his kit and pulls out a pair of gloves, pulling them on over his hands before taking a look around the living room he's standing in, seeing the many pictures of the suspect and his girlfriend decorating the walls and shelves.

"So how's Greg doing? Think he's going to pass it this time around?"

The CSI doesn't turn when Bras asks him the question, instead focusing his attention on a receipt that's waded up in a bowl of change that's sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"He's doing fine, there's no reason he shouldn't pass it."

Brass shrugs before leaving Grissom to his search, the detective taking a moment to glance around the room as well, picking up one of the framed pictures off the shelf and looking it over. The suspect and his girlfriend seem so cozy he's surprised they don't live together, or are even married for that matter. Living in Vegas and having a relationship last for almost six years without hitting the little white chapel is actually surprising to him, as much as he knows it shouldn't.

Grissom works silent for almost an hour, looking through the lower level of the house until he hears a loud thump from upstairs and finally breaks his stride. Brass hears the same thing, and both me get an unsettling feeling in the pit of their stomachs as they hear it again, repeatedly before a deafening gunshot echoes throughout the house.

Brass immediately pulls his gun, and for the first time in years Grissom does the same, fearing the worst as he follows the detective and one of the officers upstairs. The two men split up once they reach the hallway, Grissom staying behind before he hears Jim calling him from a room at the end of the hallway.

The CSI's heart almost stops when he rushes into the room to find Brass kneeling in front of Greg, the trainee looking rather beat up as he holds his stomach, gasping for air while blood seeps from between his fingers.

***

Warrick's barely aware of the tears tracking down his cheeks as he skids to a stop in front of the emergency room and jumps out of his truck, running past patients and personnel until he finds Grissom. The older CSI is standing away from the waiting room area with his phone pressed to his ear, and as Warrick gets closer, he sees Catherine is also close by, the woman closing her phone when she sees her coworker approaching.

"What happened, where is he?"

"Warrick calm down, he's in surgery right now, we're still waiting to hear from the doctor on his condition."

"How the hell did this happen, why was he in an unclear scene?"

Grissom quickly ends his call when he hears the rising anger in Warrick's voice, Catherine trying to calm him down so as not to bring unwanted attention to themselves and disturb those around them.

"Warrick, the scene was cleared, we don't know what happened."

"You don't know? He was doing his proficiency Grissom, you were supposed to be with him."

"Rick, come on, you're getting yourself all worked up. Brass thinks that the suspect may have been hiding on the roof, that's why they didn't see him during the initial walk through."

Catherine forces Warrick to sit down as she speaks, Grissom standing by silently, allowing the female CSI to handle the situation. It's already well know that he's no expert on dealing with human emotions, so he thinks it better to just stand back as Rick puts his head in his hands and tries to hold back a sob, his mind clouded with too many negative thoughts and images.

"This can't be happening, not now. We were starting to work things out."

He was beyond speechless when he got the call, expecting to tell Grissom that there's no way he can come in on his night off, but instead dropping the phone when his supervisor told him that Greg was being taken by helicopter to the Desert Palms with a gunshot wound and other injuries. Grissom didn't want to tell him over the phone, but Warrick didn't give him a choice, the supervisor finally giving in and telling him that Greg had been shot and beaten.

The whole world just seemed to stop at that moment, it felt like something was blocking his windpipe as Warrick struggled to breathe. He knows that their line of work is dangerous, but he never expected to be one of those people to get the call, someone informing you that your loved one was injured at a crime scene and they may not make it.

It's not something he can quite grasp at the moment, not when he and Greg had been so close only a few short hours ago. He wasn't willing to give up on his young lover then, when only words were threatening to tear them apart, he's definitely not going to give up now with a bullet piercing through the man he loves.

"Have they said anything yet, do we know anything on his condition?"

Because it's all he cares about now. The details of what happened, they can wait until later, but he needs to know now whether his lover is going to make it through this.

"They took him into surgery a short while ago, but haven't updated us on his status yet. All we know so far is that he had a collapsed lung when they brought him in. But we know Greg is a fighter, we've got to have faith that he'll pull through this."

Warrick reluctantly nods and takes a deep breath, finally noticing the tears on his cheeks and wiping them away. He hates his colleagues seeing him like this, but now that they know that he and Greg are together, he doesn't much care anymore.

The longer he sits waiting, the higher his apprehension gets, his heal tapping rapidly on the ground as he keeps his face buried in his hands. As time passes he hears the other CSI's show up and start asking questions, and although a few are directed his way, he doesn't move to respond, instead wondering why they're here and not at the crime scene gathering evidence to catch the man who did this.

When Warrick can no longer take waiting and being around everyone, he pulls himself to his feet, ignoring the questions as to what he's doing by walking away, unsure of where he's going but knowing that he's just got to get some space. He doesn't want to leave the hospital grounds though, so he just walks down the hallway, not really focusing his attention on one specific thing, his mind too clouded and busy to do that.

After turning down several hallways and meandering from floor to floor, Warrick finds himself standing behind a sink in the men's restroom, his hands gripped on the white porcelain. He feels like he's going to start hyperventilating any moment, so he takes deep breaths to keep it down, eventually loosening his grip to cup his hands under running water before splashing it on his face.

He's been here for almost two hours and he still has yet to get an update on Greg's condition. Occasionally he stops at a nurse's station to get information, but all he has found out so far is that his lover is still in surgery. After this long that could be a good or bad thing. Either they're taking their careful time to fix the injuries, or there are complications.

Either way, he doesn't know how much longer he can wait. His future is hanging in the balance here, their future, and it's starting to really mess him up inside, his face a mixture of emotions as he wipes it with a paper towel and throws it away.

He wants to scream, he wants to hit Grissom for letting this happen to Greg, but knowing he can't he instead goes after the tiled wall of the bathroom. The amount of anger pumping through his system shadows the pain, and the only reason he stops putting full forced blows against the wall is the sudden presence of a stranger grabbing his arm to stop him.

He's so focused on his actions that he almost hits the other man, but he manages to catch himself just in time, stopping himself at the sight of the doctor taking a step away from.

"I'm sorry."

He apologizes quickly and tries to escape the bathroom, but the doctor grabs his arm, stopping him to look at the reddened and swollen skin of the younger man's hand.

"You might want to get some ice on that before it becomes completely unusable. I can get a nurse to check it out for you."

The doctor doesn't seem at all afraid of Warrick's outburst, seeming to ignore it completely as he applies a minimal amount of pressure to the fingers, feeling it for crepitation that signals the presence of broken bones. When he doesn't find any, he lets Warrick's hand go, the CSI surveying it for himself as the doctor turns towards the sink like nothing just happened.

"Thanks, I'll just get some ice from the cafeteria. I've got to get back to the waiting room."

"He's going to be okay."

Warrick turns to leave but stops immediately at the sound of the doctor's voice, the CSI spinning around to see the older man looking at him in the mirror.

"Excuse me?"

"You're here for Mr. Sanders? I saw you come in here just as I was walking out of the operating room. We just finished with the surgery, everything went fine. He's being transferred to the ICU right now so we can keep a close eye on him for the next twenty-four hours."

"How bad is it?"

"The bullet penetrated his lung but we were able to fix it. We grafted some skin onto the hole as a sort of patch. He'll need to stay here for at least a week to make sure it heals properly. Other than that, there's just some superficial bruising on his face and upper torso from the attack, and a few other scattered defensive wounds."

It feels like a tight grip has been released from around his heart at the update on his lover, his focus now set on getting in to see Greg.

"Can I see him now?"

"He needs to be settled into the ICU before any trace can be run on him."

"It's not for trace. We're-"

He stops suddenly. It's one thing to tell his close friends that he and Greg are seeing each other, but it's another to tell a complete stranger. Fortunately the doctor's able to read his silence and he simply nods his head, drying his hands before moving to open the bathroom door.

"The nurses should be finished transferring him in a few moments. We don't typically allow visitors in so early after the surgery, but we'll open the curtain in the room so you're able to see him. That's all I can do for now, it will probably be best for him not to receive visitors until the morning."

Warrick will take anything he can get at this point, following the doctor to the ICU and waiting on the transfer, but soon the doctor is the only one left in the room, and Warrick watches as he slides the curtain open, leaving the room afterwards.

"I'll give you some time to see him, but then you'll have to go. There's not much else to do here so I suggest going home and getting some sleep while you still can."

The CSI nods to the older man's words, but he's not really paying attention to them, instead placing his prime focus on the unconscious form of his lover. The pale skin, the bruises covering his face, it's more than Warrick prepared himself for. No matter how painful it looks though, how bad, he can't pull his gaze away, in fear that he'll lose Greg if he does so.

Instead he keeps his eyes focused solely on Greg, trying not to count the cuts and bruises as he looks at the closed eyelids, wanting so bad to be in there, to hold Greg's hand and tell him he'll make it through this.

It feels like his life went by on fast forward yesterday, like he didn't get enough time with Greg before he got called in and ultimately walked into what seemed like an ambush. He's upset that he didn't get more time with his lover, but he knows it's his fault. He knows he should have caught on to the problem sooner, even Grissom caught on before he did, but there's nothing he can do about the past, only make sure it doesn't repeat itself in the future.

All too soon Warrick finds a nurse standing beside him, informing him that his moment to visit is over and that he needs to come back in the morning. It's obvious that he doesn't want to go, but he's given no choice when the curtain is closed, blocking his view of Greg.

As he's moving to leave the ICU, the same nurse stops to hand him something, and he looks at the ice pack with confusion before remembering his hand, his attention so focused on Greg that he failed to notice the throbbing in his digits from the previous encounter with the wall.

He thanks the nurse and applies the ice before leaving the ICU, taking his time to reach the elevator before going back down several floors. The only person left in the waiting room when he finally reaches it again is Sara, the younger CSI sitting in one of the hard plastic chairs with a magazine in her lap, her eyes not really focused on what's in front of her.

"Where'd they go?"

He doesn't really care, quite glad that they're gone, but he asks nonetheless, part of him knowing, hoping that this wasn't Grissom or Brass's fault. He didn't exactly give his supervisor a chance to answer him earlier, but he still feels that Greg shouldn't have been left alone, especially during his proficiency.

It takes Sara a moment to recognize the voice coming from next to her, but when she does, she automatically puts the magazine down and stands up, wanting to hug her colleague but keeping her distance instead, eyeing the ice pack that Warrick is holding to his closed fist.

"Grissom and Brass are being questioned by IAB about what happened, Catherine and Nick are processing the scene, and Sophia is out with Brass looking for the suspect."

"You draw the short end of the stick? They tell you to stay here and baby-sit me?"

He doesn't mean to sound so upset, but he knows the way Sara is, how much of a workaholic she is. She wouldn't willingly give up her place on a case, especially not one as important as this.

"Not exactly. Greg's my friend, I basically trained him to be a CSI, I want to be here for him."

"But you rather be out there looking for the shooter."

"Wouldn't you?"

Sara knows that Warrick won't let her get away with such a simple explanation, but she doesn't know if it's her place to tell the truth. It's not really something the older CSI needs to be dealing with right now, but the look Warrick is currently giving her tells her that she needs to just spit it out, tell the truth about the situation.

"Catherine asked Nick to stay until you come back and we got an update on Greg's condition, but he's... he's not exactly comfortable with yours and Greg's relationship. He wasn't exactly raised around that lifestyle, he thought he would just be better working the case."

He should have seen it coming, that someone would have a problem with his lifestyle, but he hoped it wouldn't be Nick, or any of the other CSI's for that matter. It makes him wonder if Nick's the only one who objects to it, but before he can ask Sara, she's already shaking her head, able to read the expression on Warrick's face.

"I grew up in San Francisco, so it's not like the first time I've had a gay friend. Greg came out to me a couple of months ago, so your relationship didn't come as much of a surprise. I always saw the way he looked at you."

"He's- Greg's going to be okay. The doctor found me upstairs and let me see him. They repaired the damage and said he'll have to stay in the ICU for the next twenty-four hours."

Warrick shifts the subject because he's not exactly used to discussing Greg like this, talking about their feelings and relationship. He's disappointed that Nick doesn't accept it, but there's nothing he can really do about it but try and avoid the uncomfortable.

"He's a fighter Rick, he'll be alright. You should go home and get some sleep though, once they let you in to see him you're not going to want to leave."

"I'll sleep later, first I want to know what exactly happened."

***

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