Previous part of Fighting to Survive.

***

"Mr. Grissom, can you tell me why Greg Sanders was alone at the crime scene?"

"He wasn't alone. Captain Brass and I were downstairs, there were officers in and around the house. The scene was cleared before I sent him upstairs."

"He was completing his proficiency, you were supposed to be watching him. This is his second chance to complete his proficiency, is it not?"

"Greg made a simple error the first time around, I don't think it should have stopped him from becoming a CSI. He has what it takes, he's been to several crime scenes in the past, he's been training with some of the best CSI's."

"Despite your personal feelings of Mr. Sanders, he should have not been left alone. You should have been right there with him, making sure he doesn't screw up again. It's your job, you both should have known better, and until we've completed a full investigation into this matter, you're on suspension. As for Mr. Sanders, once he's capable of returning back to work, I expect him to be back in the lab, where he belongs."

Although Catherine has been trying to physically restrain Warrick the whole time, Ecklie's last comment is the last straw as the CSI leaves the observation room and runs into the interrogation room, Grissom catching Warrick just before the younger CSI can get to Ecklie.

"You son of a bitch, how can you take this out on Greg, he's the one that was shot. You have no right putting him back into the lab because of this."

"That's not the only reason I'm putting him back in the lab."

"Then what the hell else is there?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I understand through recent events you and Mr. Sanders are somewhat of an item. If he does become a CSI, he will become your subordinate, and that is not allowed. It's already enough that Grissom is playing favoritism and allowing Mr. Sanders another chance at his proficiency, despite him failing the first, and what was supposed to be the only one. I am not about to let him move up on the ladder by sleeping with his coworkers."

Grissom doesn't hold him back then, only watches as the dark fist collides with Ecklie's jaw, causing the assistant director to stumble back. Only when Warrick moves to take another swing does Grissom stop him, knowing the angry CSI could keep going if no one stops him.

"That's enough Rick, it's not going to help anything."

"You're damn right it's not, you can join Grissom on suspension, I don't want to see you around here for the next two weeks."

"You can keep your suspension, I quit."

Warrick pulls his arm away from Grissom and storms out of the interrogation room, pushing through the crowd of onlookers that have gathered in the hallway, Catherine hot on his trail.

When she finally reaches him, it's out in the parking lot when he's about to get into his car, the female CSI slamming his door shut when he tries to open it, catching him off guard. He expected someone to come after him, but he just doesn't want to deal with it right now, not when Greg's still unconscious in the ICU with damage caused by a gun wielding lunatic.

"Not now Catherine."

"Don't you dare tell me not now. Greg was shot, he's in the hospital and the last thing he needs is you quitting. I've been watching him Warrick, we've all been watching him for the past several weeks, struggling with everything, and if you quit this easily then you're showing him that it's okay for him to do the same."

"You heard the shit Ecklie was saying in there Catherine. Do you think it's going to be any easier for him knowing that he'll never get out of the lab because of our relationship? At least now, with me out of the way he has a shot."

"Don't do that to him Warrick. You feel guilty about this, I get it, but how do you think he's going to feel knowing that you quit your job because of him, regardless of your intentions?"

"I can't do this Catherine, I can't deal with this right now."

He feels as drained as he looks, his voice returning to a normal tone so that he's no longer yelling.

"Rick, go home and get some sleep, then go back to the hospital and stay with Greg, in that order. Take the two weeks, take care of Greg, and when the suspension is over, we'll go from there. Until then Sara, Nick and I will do everything we can to find the guy that went after Greg."

The look in her eyes says there's no room for argument, and after a moment Warrick reluctantly agrees to do as she says, allowing himself to be pulled into a hug before she opens the door for him.

--

Despite how tired he really is, Warrick can't sleep, not with so much going through his mind. Instead he paces around Greg's apartment, straightening things up here and there, trying to do anything he can to make the time go by until morning.

On his fifth trip back into the bedroom, he decides to pack a bag for Greg, knowing that his young lover might be there for a little while. Greg's not one to stay in the same place for too long, and Warrick has a feeling that he's really going to have to take Greg's mind off of it if he expects the younger man to stay put.

He throws Greg's MP3 player n the bag along with a few pairs of boxers and sweatpants, adding to it some magazine and books from Greg's bookshelf before going into the bathroom, grabbing some toiletries. When he's finished shoving all the items in the duffel bag, Warrick sits on the bed next to it, his elbows sliding down to rest on his knees as he puts his face in his hands.

Within seconds of closing his eyes he's asleep, staying in the same position for several minutes until he wakes up again briefly only to readjust himself and lay down with his head on Greg's pillow.

When he finally wakes up hours later it's to the sound of his phone ringing, and it takes him a moment before he pulls it out of his pocket, seeing Catherine's name flashing on the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"I take it by the last three unanswered calls that you were getting sleep like I told you to. Do you feel any better?"

He's got a headache from hell, and although he would like to sleep it off, he sees the time on Greg's bedside clock and realizes that visiting hours starts in an hour.

"I've got a headache, but it's nothing I can't deal with. What's going on?"

"I was just calling to check on you and let you know I talked to Ecklie, he's going to forget about you quitting, but you're still on suspension. I think it'll be good for you to take a break through, you've got other things to focus on. Have you heard anything on Greg's condition yet?"

"Not yet, I packed him a bag, I'm about to head on over to the hospital right now. How's the case going?"

"Sara and Nick are trying to get the girlfriend to talk, they'll be heading over to the hospital to talk to Greg once he's awake. I'm on my way to Grissom's right now, see if he can remember anything, you know he won't let suspension stop him from closing this case."

"Hopefully you can close it soon. I only wish I can be there when you bring this guy in, give me a few minutes alone with him."

"Don't worry about the case, just take care of Greg, I'll talk to you later if we find out anything."

They say their goodbyes, and Warrick takes a moment to really wake up, the bag still sitting on the edge of the bed. After some time he stands up and moves into the bathroom, brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face before moving back into the bedroom and grabbing the bag.

In less than an hour he's back at the hospital standing at the nurses desk, the woman asking him to wait until the doctor's finished doing a check on Greg. While he's waiting, he hears his name being called from behind him, and he turns to see Sara and Nick approaching him, Sara pulling him into a hug as soon as she gets close enough.

"We heard what happened with Ecklie, how are you holding up?"

"I'll be better once they let me in to see Greg. How far have you gotten with the case, do you know how the suspect was able to get to him without being caught?"

"We're not sure yet, Brass might be right about him hiding on the roof. We hope Greg will be able to clarify that for us."

As they continue to talk, Warrick occasionally lets his gaze shift to Nick, the Texan remaining silent throughout the course of the conversation, looking a bit uncomfortable. It kind of makes Warrick upset, Nick acting like this just being around him, but he knows he shouldn't be too surprised after meeting the CSI's father and seeing how he is towards this type of thing.

He only hopes that Nick will eventually accept it, because the Texan is both Rick and Greg's friend, and it's going to make things hard to work together.

"Mr. Brown, you came back just at the right time, Mr. Sanders woke up just a few minutes ago."

Warrick's snapped out of his thoughts when the doctor walks out of the ICU room, Greg's chart in his hand and a nurse following behind him.

"He's awake? How's he doing?"

"He's groggy from the medications he's on, but otherwise he's fine. I'm going to keep him in the ICU for a few days, he needs to get a lot of rest and time to start healing. If at all possible, try to keep your visits brief."

The last comment is directed towards Sara and Nick, and the two nod as Warrick thanks the doctor and hesitantly goes to Greg's room, suddenly nervous about seeing him as the CSI slides the glass door open.

Greg is laying with his eyes closed when he walks in, and although Warrick tries to be quiet, the younger man opens his eyes when he senses another presence in the room, blinking a few times before his gaze finally settles on Warrick.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

Warrick sets the bag by the door and walks over to the bed, his hand grabbing Greg's when the younger man painfully lifts it a few inches off the bed.

Greg's only response to the question is a grunt of pain, and Warrick leans forward, kissing him briefly on the forehead before hearing someone clearing their throat in the doorway.

"I'm going to talk to the doctor."

While Nick flees the room with red cheeks and looking more uncomfortable than ever, Sara remains with a goofy grin on her face, looking at the pair the way a grandmother looks at her grandchildren, wanting to hug them tight and pinch their cheeks.

"Don't even think about it, Sidle."

"What? You two just look too cute together."

Greg can't move his head far enough to see her standing in the doorway, but Warrick glares for the both of them, shaking his head and grinning.

"I wish everyone felt that way. Are you going to come in or just stand there allowing everyone to see us?"

"I'm coming in, calm down."

Sara finally closes the door and walks further into the room beside Greg's bed, leaning over him so he doesn't have to move to see her.

"I'd ask how you're feeling, but I've already heard your response. Do you think you're up for some questions?"

Greg winces as he shakes his head to the best of his ability, his eyelids already becoming heavy after such a short period of time. He doesn't even want to force himself to remember what happened right now, his whole body flaring with pain despite the medications they have him on.

"That's alright for now, you don't look like you'll be awake much longer anyways. I'll let you get some sleep, and I'll drop by a little later."

Greg tries to nod but it doesn't work, so he instead squeezes Warrick's hand, the CSI thanking Sara for giving Greg more time before she leaves.

When she's gone, and the door is closed again, Warrick returns his full attention back to Greg, his lover trying to keep his eyes open as the older man brushes the hair away from the butterfly bandages above Greg's eye.

"Get some sleep, I'll be here when you wake up."

***

Warrick wakes up to a hellacious pain in his neck and back, and the sound of painful coughs coming from nearby. When he opens his eyes and realizes the noise is coming from Greg, he forgets the pain in his body and quickly stands up, only realizing that the doctor is in the room when he hands his patient a small cup of water, telling Greg to drink it slowly.

"What's going on, is he okay?"

"He's fine, he's just having a few problems with his voice. The attack seems to have caused some temporary swelling in his throat, so it'll be difficult for him to talk until the swelling goes down."

"Are you sure it won't cause any permanent damage?"

"It shouldn't, but we'll keep a close eye on him. Everything else seems to be okay, I increased his pain medication to make him feel a little more comfortable, but that means he'll also be a little more drowsy and sleep more."

Warrick looks down and sees exactly what the doctor means, the cup still held loosely in Greg's hand resting on the bed, his eyes closed with fatigue. The CSI tries to take the cup from Greg before he can spill it, but the movement wakes the younger man up again, his grasp on the cup only relinquishing when he sees Warrick standing above him.

"I'll let you two be alone now, but call me right away if there's any problems."

Warrick thanks the doctor with the nod of his head, but his gaze is still too focused on Greg, the cup now held in one of his hands while the other gently pushes the hair away from Greg's face. The action causes Greg to close his eyes again briefly, and when he reopens them, the amount of people in the room has duplicated.

Catherine and Sara stand near Warrick, and Greg uses all the strength he currently has to lift up his hand to wave at them, the younger man grunting when Warrick pulls his hand away from his face.

"Hey, do you think you're up for some questions? I know you're still in pain, but the sooner we find out what happened, the sooner we might be able to catch this guy before he does anymore damage."

Catherine doesn't want to have to do this right now when it's obvious he's in so much pain, but she needs his statement, she needs to know what really happened in that house.

She looks confused when Greg makes a funny gesture with his hand, and Warrick steps away from the bed for a moment, leaving the room and returning a moment later with a pad and paper. He flips it open to a clean page and lays it on the bed under Greg's hand, giving the younger man a pen to write with.

Where's Grissom?

Greg's eyes flicker to Warrick's, and he gets an uneasy feeling in his stomach when no one answers him right away. From what he remembers before he passed out, the suspect left the house before Grissom got to him, so it must be something else, something almost equally as bad as getting hurt by the suspect.

"Grissom was taken off the case, it's just protocol because of the shooting."

That's not it, what aren't you telling me?

Warrick hoped that a simple explanation would satisfy Greg's question, but it's obvious that it hasn't, the younger man sensing more from the situation just by the look on his coworker's faces.

"He was suspended until further notice. Ecklie's saying that Gris should have been with you while you were completing your proficiency, so he's pinning the blame on Grissom."

I failed?

"That's not what is important right now Greg, we need to know what happened in that room. How did the guy get to you?"

Warrick doesn't want to have to tell Greg that the younger man is never going to get out of the lab, that their relationship is what is keeping him there, and it's causing his tone to become angry, causing Greg to shy away from him., letting his partner's hand go as he casts his eyes down to his lap. He can feel all of their eyes on him, and he wishes they would go away, leave him in the silence of his hospital room. He hasn't been left alone since he got here, doctors and nurses checking up on him constantly during the rare times in which Warrick isn't around; it's starting to get to him.

They won't back down though, it's apparent by the look in their eyes, and he lets out a heavy sigh that soon turns to a painful cough. Warrick tries to give him the cup of water back but he pushes it away, holding his chest until he gets it to stop on his own.

"Why aren't you telling us what happened Greg, did the guy threaten you? You're safe here, there's security outside and we won't let him get to you."

Greg shakes his head furiously and angrily writes on the notepad again, his hand shaking, his body still racked with pain.

I don't want to talk right now, just go away.

Warrick doesn't want to back down, not while their suspect is still out there on the loose, but when he looks at Greg and sees the pain and frustration in his eyes, he puts his hands up in defeat and takes a few steps back, giving Greg some space.

"Greg, we're not trying to make any of this any harder for you, we just want to get this guy behind bars so we know you're safe. Until that happens, as much as I hate to say it, we're worried that he might come back to try and finish the job."

The young lab tech doesn't respond right away, his gaze flickering to his partner standing a couple of feet away. He's not really angry at Warrick, he just wants his space, and he really doesn't want to recount his attack with Warrick standing by. He doesn't need the CSI seeing that he screwed up again, and it seems that Warrick is starting to pick up on Greg's apprehension, the older man looking at his lover before catching his coworker's attention.

"I'm going to the cafeteria and get some coffee, give you guys all a moment to talk. Call if you need me."

Warrick's tone is emotionless, and he doesn't bother making anymore eye contact with the other occupants of the room as he leaves. Greg's body finally relaxes and he lets out a painful sigh when Warrick's finally gone, the women giving him a questioning look as he does so, slightly put off that Greg seems happy to get rid of his lover.

Warrick stands outside the door for several minutes, thinking about the look he saw in Greg's eyes, trying to figure out what it meant, other than 'go away'. They were doing good, before this guy hurt Greg, and Warrick's damned if he's going to let this tear them apart again.

He thinks about it further as he finally moves away from the door and walks down the hall, not going towards the cafeteria, not really knowing where he's going. He needs to think, clear his head, and he quickly finds himself outside, sitting on a bench that's against the brick wall, close to the entrance of the hospital.

He puts his elbows on his knees and lets his head fall, his thoughts all over the place, trying to figure everything out. He needs things to settle down, he needs to be able to be with Greg without all of this drama going on around them, without their job getting in the way and pulling them apart like this. He knows the job will always pose a threat to their relationship, but they just need some time to get their footing on the relationship.

He wonders what Grissom will say to giving them a vacation together after all of this, after the case is closed and Greg is well enough to be released. It's something they both need, deserve, and Warrick makes a mental note to ask the older man the next time he sees him.

"How's he doing?"

Warrick's brought out of his thoughts by a sudden presence standing in front of him and he looks up to see Nick standing there, hands in the pockets of his jacket, a concerned look on his face.

"He's getting agitated, but otherwise he's doing the best he can."

Nick nods, and then there's an awkward silence, the two men looking at each other for several moments until Nick nods his head towards the spot on the bench next to the other CSI, wordlessly asking Warrick if he can sit.

"Go ahead."

Nick sits and the silence carries on, Warrick still hunched forward, waiting for Nick to say whatever is on his mind. The older CSI never thought there would be a time where they didn't have anything to say to each other, and he only hopes that when Nick does finally verbalize what he's thinking, it's not too harsh concerning his coworker's relationship.

"When I was growing up, my father taught me that it's wrong for two people of the same sex to be together. No one really flaunted it around in Texas, it wasn't very accepted."

"Greg and I don't flaunt our relationship around to everyone."

Silence, and Warrick knows that this conversation is about to take a quick turn. He knows the way Nick's father is, he knows that the CSI usually sticks by what the older man says, and he knows that what both men believe is purely against the type of person he is.

"I wouldn't exactly call shoving your tongues down each other's throats in the locker room keeping it private. I just - it's not my place to tell you who you can and can't do, but I don't want it flaunted right in my face. Whatever sins you and Greg do together, just keep it to yourselves and away from the lab."

Nick stands up to leave but Warrick is quick to follow, grabbing Nick's arm and spinning the CSI around when he tries to leave. Nick tries to push the other man away from him, but Warrick's grip is tight, keeping Nick right where he wants him.

"So you're going to throw away years of friendship just like that, because of what your homophobic father taught you growing up? Think for yourself Nick, you're willing to just get rid of it all for what he thinks is right and wrong?"

"I'm not the one throwing it away, you're the one shacking up with some guy. You're the one doing the wrong thing here, you only have yourself to blame for being a fag, for letting Greg drag you into this."

Without putting thought into his actions, Warrick suddenly finds his balled fist colliding with the side of Nick's face, letting the CSI go as he collapses to the ground, holding the offended area in his hand, looking up at Warrick in shock.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"You, you fucking homophobic prick. I'm not going to be sorry for being who I am, and I'm sure in hell not going to listen to you bad mouth my boyfriend while he's laying up there in pain, expecting the person that's against him to solve this case. Stay away from him, and me."

Warrick turns to leave, but he's forced to the ground when he's suddenly tackled from behind, Nick's fist coming at him when he manages to turn onto his back. He isn't quick enough to escape the punch to the face, but he does manage to push the other man off him hard enough that Nick's head hits the concrete, hard.

The CSI is left in a daze for several moments, and when he's finally able to pull himself up to sitting, Warrick's no where to be seen.

***

"I want Nick off this case, now."

Catherine is startled by Warrick's angry tone when she steps out of Greg's hospital room, leaving Sara behind to continue to get all the needed information from Greg.

She knew as soon as Warrick appeared outside of the room looking furious and out of sorts that something was wrong, but to think that Nick could have something to do with it, that's just not something she wants to believe. She knows that the Texan wasn't exactly happy about the idea of his best friend being gay, but to go as far as to hit Warrick and cause the black eye that he's now sporting?

"Rick calm down and talk to me, what happened?"

"I'm not going to let that homophobic prick work on Greg's case, I'm not going to risk letting him compromise it and allow the suspect to get away."

"Rick wait, do you really think that he would purposely do that? Just because he's not fond of your lifestyle, he'd purposefully let Greg's attacker get away?"

"It definitely wouldn't surprise me if he did. Apparently there's a lot of things I didn't know about him, like the fact that he blames Greg for my being gay."

It's surprising to Catherine that Nick would say that, but the look on Warrick's face when he repeats it reveals the truth about situation, making the female CSI a little upset with her colleague. They're dealing with enough right now, gunshots and suspended CSI's, and the last thing any of them needs, especially Greg, is for everyone to start fighting like this.

She knows that if she takes Nick off of the case now, it'll only leave Sara to help her find the suspect, and that won't be enough to catch this guy in time. However, she can't in good faith keep Nick on the case if she thinks there's any chance he might compromise it.

"Listen Rick, let me talk to Nick about this. I understand your concerns, but I also want to be absolutely positive about taking him off the case because we need all the man power we can get at this point."

He doesn't want any discussion about this he just wants the other man off this case, but with Catherine acting as the temporary supervisor over the graveyard shift he knows it won't be that easy, so he reluctantly nods, feeling someone watching him as he does so.

The door to Greg's room opens a moment later, and Warrick sees the younger man looking at him as Sara leaves the room, looking at Warrick with concern, noticing the faint trace of a bruise forming high up on his cheek bone, as if someone punched him.

"What's going on, who hit you Warrick?"

"Don't worry about that right now Sara, are you finished up in there?"

Sara turns her direction towards Catherine when the older woman starts speaking to her, and she holds up several sheets of paper as she nods, Warrick assuming that the papers are filled with Greg's written responses to their questions.

She hands them over to Catherine, and the older CSI briefly scans through them before turning back to Warrick, finding him staring in through the door of Greg's room, right at the younger man.

"Rick, do what I said yesterday, and just take care of him. He did nothing wrong at the crime scene, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As for Nick, I'll take care of him, just keep your distance from him for now."

He faintly nods, his attention not really all there, and he suddenly finds himself wanting to be close to his partner. Everything Nick said, it just makes Warrick care more about Greg, and without putting much thought into his actions, Warrick is suddenly leaving the two female CSI's out in the hallway, going into Greg's room and closing the curtain around the bed.

Greg watches Warrick's every movement, aware of the black eye, of the emotion held in those orbs. He's in so much pain, tired from the emotional roller coaster he's been on for the past month. He just wishes he were home right now, curled up in his own bed with his partner, their phones and pagers shut off.

He can't have that right now though, probably never really will, so he does the next best thing and grabs Warrick's hand when the older man is close enough, pulling his partner against the bed as he moves over to the edge.

"Greg, I can't lay with you, there's too many wires, and that bed isn't exactly big enough for the two of us."

Since Greg's writing hand is currently holding Warrick's, he settles for pulling Warrick towards him more, the older man eventually caving in after trying repeatedly to avoid eye contact with those dark orbs, knowing he can't turn those down.

"Fine, but if I hurt you at all, then I'm getting out of the bed and sitting back in the chair."

Catherine and Sara watch from outside of the room, just at the right angle around the curtain as Greg moves to the edge of the bed and Warrick climbs in with him, the younger man's face twisting in pain as he moves to lay on his side, putting his head on Warrick's chest and closing his eyes as he begins to relax again.

"He looks tired, physically and emotionally. You think he's going to be okay?"

Catherine only wishes she could answer that question for Sara, but so much has been going on with Greg lately that it's hard to say. Although he has Warrick by his side, the two still seem to be a bit unstable, and that makes the female CSI wonder if their relationship is really all that healthy.

--

The room is silent except for the heart monitor's rhythmic beeping, Warrick's eyes closed as he holds Greg against him, thinking as he has for the past few hours about everything that has been happening. He tried sleeping like Greg is now, but after trying for a solid hour he gave up and just let the thoughts go.

They haven't had many disturbances since Sara and Catherine left, but Warrick opens his eyes when he hears someone coming into the room, the doctor too focused on the chart that he's holding to notice the CSI watching him walk over to the side of Greg's bed.

It's a moment before he finally puts the chart down and grabs his stethoscope, making eye contact with Warrick for a split second before pressing the stethoscope to Greg's back over the injured lung, listening for any abnormal noises that signals a leak in the patch that he's created.

When he's finished, he replaces the stethoscope back around his neck and carefully pulls the blanket down to Greg's waist, thankful the younger man is sleeping on his good side as he pulls back the hospital gown and looks at the bandage, making sure it's not wet with blood.

"Have you noticed anything abnormal while he's been asleep?"

The doctor tries to keep his voice low so as not to disturb Greg as he pulls the gown and blanket back over Greg, picking up the chart from the edge of the bed and writing in it.

"He's been coughing a little here and there, but nothing really unusual."

"Any blood in the sputum?"

"No, not that I've seen of."

"Alright. It's imperative that we watch out for that, it could be a sign of bleeding in the lungs from the patch.

His nurse has informed me that there might be some worry with his mental status, so I'm going to go ahead and restart him on the anti-depressants he's been taking. I'll start the dose out low, but if he needs more after that I'll increase it to what his psychiatrist had it at before."

Warrick is confused, it's apparent by the look on his face, but the doctor doesn't catch it right away, the older man still writing in Greg's chart. It isn't until several moments of silence have passed that he finally averts his gaze to Warrick, finding the CSI looking back at him with his eyebrows knitted.

"Is there a problem Mr. Brown?"

"Greg's not on anti-depressants."

"It says in his file that he started taking them about three years ago."

Three years, when the explosion happened. Warrick never considered that Greg could have been depressed after the accident, he never showed signs that he was, but that was three years ago and a lot of good has happened to him since then.

"He must have started taking them after the explosion in the lab, but I'm sure he's stopped since then. His files just haven't been updated yet."

The doctor gives a quick glance through them again to make sure, stopping when he finds the information that he saw before.

"Mr. Sanders refilled his prescription two weeks ago, and he's still got more left until he's scheduled to visit his psychiatrist again."

After a moment Warrick nods, the doctor doing the same when his pager suddenly goes off and he makes a haste exit, leaving Warrick even more confused than he was before.

He doesn't know whether or not he should bring it up to Greg when he feels the younger man start to shift in his arms, his eyelashes fluttering open silently. It's quite obvious that Greg didn't want Warrick to know about this, and the CSI can't help but feel a little angry at that, making an effort to hide that tone in his voice when Greg finally acknowledges his lover's wakefulness.

"The doctor just left, he said he's going to restart you on the anti-depressants you've been taking."

Greg immediately tenses at that comment and closes his eyes, tight, cursing the doctor for telling Warrick. He's done good at hiding it until now, and despite how much he's trying to cover it up, he can still sense the anger in the older man.

He wants to explain, to try and prevent Warrick from really being angry at him, but the writing tablet is no where in sight. Instead he just remains where he is, bracing himself for whatever argument Warrick is about to start.

"Why didn't you tell me you were taking anti-depressants? Why did you even need to take them after we got together, I thought we were happy?"

Just another thing to be added to the growing amount of stress he's dealing with. He finds it hard to believe that he hasn't snapped yet and told everyone around him to just go to hell, as he locks himself away from everybody. That's not happening though with a gunshot wound and a face and chest that's battered like a pi��ata.

"I want to be here for you Greg, I want to take care of you and I want us to be happy, but how can I do that when you won't let me? You hide things from me, you keep everything inside and don't talk to me, and then you get upset for reasons you won't explain. I'm trying really hard here, but you're not working with me."

***

"Is there a reason you're hiding out down here while there's a hot twenty something upstairs needing a little nursing, and maybe a sponge bath?"

Warrick's eyes that were previously focused on the cold cup of coffee in front of him now watch Catherine walk through the maze of tables scattered throughout the cafeteria, her attitude a little more cheerful than what it was during her previous visit.

"I needed a break, he probable needs one to."

"A break? We haven't been gone that long, which could only mean that something happened between you two, so spill it, what now?"

She sits in the seat across from him with nothing but genuine concern written on her face. Her thoughts from before of this being an unhealthy relationship resurface, and she only hopes that Warrick can prove her wrong as he pushes the cup of coffee aside, hesitating for a moment and giving a brief glimpse around the cafeteria before deciding to talk about the most recent events that have put a strain on their relationship.

"Greg was asleep earlier when the doctor came in. He said that they're going to restart Greg on anti-depressants, that they're afraid of his mental stability, but I didn't even know he was on anti-depressants to begin with. He's been on them since the explosion, he sees a psychiatrist regularly, but he never even bothered to tell me this whole time we've been going out."

It's easy to see he's upset, and Catherine has to think carefully of how to respond. She cares deeply for both men, and while she wants things for them to work out, she also knows that it's something they're really going to have to do on their own terms, when they feel they can completely trust each other instead of hiding behind small lies and other insecurities.

"Are you upset that he didn't tell you, or upset that he's taking them in the first place Rick?"

He has to think about that, because he's not really sure himself. He thought Greg was happy. Maybe not in the past few weeks with the initial results of the proficiency and everything that's followed in the aftermath, but at the beginning of their relationship, before all of this happened.

"I just wish he would talk to me about this. If he's not happy about something why can't he talk to me about it, why does he have to find answers in the bottom of a pill bottle? I've done nothing but try and keep him happy since we've been together."

"So you think honesty should play am important factor in your relationship, and by not telling you about the medications, he wasn't being honest with you?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"So then is it safe to assume that you've told Greg about his current status at the lab? You've told him that he'll no longer be able to become a CSI?"

Point and match. She's got him there and he knows it, looking away from the CSI before him and temporarily focusing his attention on one of the cafeteria workers cleaning up a table, wishing that she hadn't brought that up, especially with him being in the current mood that he's in.

"Rick?"

"I haven't told him yet. I know how he's going to react when I tell him, and I can't do that with him again, especially not right now."

"Right now? You're not telling him just to make yourself feel better? You think it's going to be any easier to tell him when he's getting ready for his first day back and he finds a lab coat in his locker instead of a field vest? What you're doing to him isn't any better than him not telling you about the medications, Rick."

"I'm trying to protect him-"

"And maybe he was trying to protect you. Don't you feel hurt, thinking that he was never really happy with you?"

It has turned into some twisted therapy session as Catherine stares deeply at Warrick, seeing how upset the male CSI is getting, Warrick's hand finding it's way back to his Styrofoam coffee cup, trying not to completely squeeze it to oblivion.

"I don't know how to make this relationship work anymore Catherine, I don't feel like I can make him happy, there's always something bringing us down."

"Are you giving up?"

He feels so weak and pathetic, trying to wipe at the tears forming in his eyes before they fall, nodding in response to Catherine's question.

"We can't keep going like this, its better to stop now."

She can almost feel her heart break as she stands up and walks around the table, leaning over to pull Warrick into a hug. He holds her close, feeling like he's going to completely lose it at any moment.

Although she originally came back to talk to Warrick about the current situation with Nick, she feels that it can wait, deciding rather to stay with Warrick until he decides to go back up to talk to Greg, a conversation that she knows definitely won't go well.

--

Greg is laying on his side when Warrick finally enters the room again, the younger man sleeping heavily due to all the medications being pumped into his system right now. Despite the amount of pain he might be in though, his facial expression is calm, relaxed, and Warrick can't help but sit in the chair next to the bed and stare, take in all the features of the face he loves.

It's moments like these that make Warrick happy he and Greg got together, able to just stare at the younger man without the fear of being caught, of looking embarrassed if Greg were to open his eyes right now, see the hand getting closer to his face until it's brushing stray hairs away from his face.

He feels like crying, knowing that he's about to let this man slip away, but he thinks it's for the best, that it will do them both good without the constant arguing and fighting. That's not something Greg needs right now, and he only hopes that the younger man understands, that he doesn't think Warrick is doing this because he doesn't love him anymore.

As he continues to stare at his lover, Greg begins to stir, the relaxed expression on his face morphing into one of pain as he moans out and squeezes his eyes shut. Warrick is quick to let his hand cup Greg's cheek, his thumb rubbing gently in the skin, making his presence known to try and calm his lover.

After some time Greg finally allows his eyelids to slip open, looking up at Warrick with fresh tears in his eyes. It's a clear sign that the pain medication is starting to wear off, and Warrick quickly hits the button for the nurse's station, informing the woman of Greg's condition when she responds after a moment.

Within minutes, more pain medication is being injected through Greg's IV, and Warrick tries to keep him calm until it starts to kick in. The younger man has managed to turn himself on his side throughout this, his hand reaching out and grabbing Warrick's that isn't rubbing against his face.

When he gets a hold of it he laces their fingers and squeezes tightly, Warrick whispering soothing words until he feels the pressure on his hand dissipate and sees that Greg's eyes are closed once again, his breathing starting to even out with sleep.

Warrick goes back to watching him until there's a quiet knock at the door, and only then does he look up to see Catherine in the doorway, taking in the site of the two men holding hands, Warrick still rubbing Greg's face.

"I take it you didn't tell him about the breakup?"

"I was going to, but I can't do that to him while he's in this much pain. I still don't know how to tell him about Ecklie, that just might hurt more than the physical pain he's suffering through right now."

"What about Ecklie?"

It's raspy and dry, so unlike Greg's normal voice, but when Warrick looks down in surprise he sees that Greg is indeed awake, looking up at Warrick with questioning eyes. Catherine sees the pain in Warrick's eyes at realizing Greg's been awake the whole time, and although she wants to help him out of this mess, there's not much else that she'd be able to do other than to tell the truth, and that's better coming from Warrick.

She tells the two men that she should get back to the lab before quickly departing, leaving Warrick with his mind spinning, trying to think of what exactly to say to Greg. It's quite obvious that he has no other choice but to tell the truth but he knows he has to carefully word it to try and protect Greg's feelings.

"Warrick-"

Greg's voice breaks through the older man's thoughts, and he feels Greg's hand squeeze his own as he painfully looks into the younger man's eyes, hoping he has the strength to get through another one of Greg's oncoming bouts of anger, and most likely depression.

"I need you to promise me that you won't get yourself worked up, alright? Your condition is still a little unsteady, and the last thing it really needs is for you to get upset and raise your blood pressure."

He already knows what Warrick is going to say, it's apparent by the look in his eyes, and he reluctantly nods as Rick sits in the chair next to the bed so that they're eye level.

"Ecklie thinks that it would be best for you to stay in the lab. He's not blaming you for what happened, but he thinks it would just be better for you."

There's a moment when Warrick thinks that Greg is going to snap, but the younger man holds true to his promise, closing his eyes and trying to calm his suddenly quickened breathing.

"Greg?"

"I don't want to stay in the lab."

"I know, you belong out in the field, but... he's really giving you no choice in the matter. With our relationship being spread around the rumor mill at the lab-"

"That's why, you want to break up?"

His voice is interrupted by short gasps of air, and Warrick feels guilty that the younger man heard about the breakup. Greg seems to be taking it surprisingly well though, and Warrick hopes that this isn't the calm before the storm as he nods to Greg's comment.

"Breaking isn't going to help take me out of the lab."

"It couldn't hurt."

"You think that I would rather be a CSI than have a CSI? What's the point if I don't have you there with me?"

It's definitely not the reaction that Warrick expected out of his partner as he feels Greg's thumb start to rub gently into the hand that he's still holding. Warrick thinks it might be the medication that's keeping Greg calm, he can't really be for sure, but whatever it is, all thoughts of breaking up with the younger man have been chased away.

"So all this hard work you've put into passing the proficiency and becoming a CSI, and you're just going to throw it all away?"

"It's not like I can't go to another lab to become a CSI. Besides, I think if faced with the decision you'd quit your job for me, and I'm willing to do the same."

Warrick can't help but grin at that, and Greg looks at him in confusion, unsure of what's so funny about that. When he asks Warrick about it, the CSI shakes his head before looking at Greg again, feeling extremely relieved that they're on stable ground once again.

"I actually did kind of quit the other day. Ecklie and I got into it about keeping you in the lab, and I told him I quit after he tried to suspend me for hitting him. Catherine convinced me it wasn't the best thing to do and managed to get my job back, but now I'm on a two week suspension."

"You hit him, and I missed it?"

Warrick laughs, and for the first time since he was brought to the hospital, Greg smiles, despite the pain it causes from the fading bruises on his face.

***

Warrick knows they shouldn't be doing this here, but a twisted cocktail consisting of diminished pain in his lover, a steady intake of pain meds, and a private room outside of the ICU keep him from thinking straight as he holds his body up over Greg, the two men oblivious to everything around them as they continue their heavy make out session.

For the past few days as Greg has been steadily getting his voice back, they have spent the time talking, the younger man explaining the anti-depressants, that it wasn't Warrick fault that he was taking the medications.

He was taking them as a result of the aftermath of the explosion, when he tried to handle things in an unhealthy way before painfully deciding on his own to go see a professional about what he was trying to deal with. He never wanted to appear weak, like he couldn't handle anything such as going out into the field, therefore he kept the medications and doctor's visits to himself.

Although Warrick still doesn't understand completely why Greg wouldn't just come talk to him about it, he's glad that the younger man at least realized that the way he was handling things wasn't good for him, and he set about fixing the problem of letting it completely run his life.

The next topic on the list of many to discuss came in the form on Ecklie's refusal ot let Greg leave the lab. As a part of Warrick had figured, and hoped he was wrong about, the initial reaction from Greg regarding the matter was subdued greatly by the amount of medications that were in his system at the time. As time wore on and it really started to sink in, Warrick found himself once again in Greg's bed, this time holding his partner while the younger man let his tears flow, angry at Ecklie for holding him back, and angry at himself for ever thinking he could make it as a CSI.

Upon hearing those words leave Greg's mouth, Catherine, who managed to sneak in unannounced during the conversation, filled another hour of their time trying to explain to Greg that he is, indeed, and excellent CSI and a valuable member of their team. Although he refused to listen at first, he eventually accepted her kind words, the tears soon coming to an end shortly after her departure away from the hospital and back to the case that she's been neglecting her parental duties to solve.

Eventually the two men settled on waiting until Greg is better and at least out of the hospital before deciding what their next step at the lab should be. Warrick wants to do everything he can to make Greg happy, but he's finding it a bit difficult to do with Greg trying to stop him at every turn, trying to protect the older CSI's happiness as well.

As it has become obvious, talking has become too draining for the couple, and all the different emotions have brought them to the edge, combining with their lack of any intimacy since the shooting with a sense of need and reassurance.

Although it started as simple close mouthed kisses over the side of the bed, Greg was quickly advancing to the next level, pulling on his partner's shirt until the older man finally complied and carefully climbed on the bed, grateful for his own strength as it now allows his torso to hover inches away from Greg as they kiss frantically.

It's not apparent how long it has been going on, but to Greg, it can never really be too much, the younger man finding the ability, through all the medications he's on to get turned on, making it obvious as he masks the small hints of pain and thrusts his body up into Warrick's.

Almost immediately Warrick puts one hand on Greg's hip to hold the younger man down, pulling away from the kiss and gasping for much needed air as the two men stare at each other.
"Greg, we can't go any further than kissing right now."

"They removed the catheter when was transferred from the ICU, I'm fine."

"That's not exactly what I mean. We're in the middle of a hospital, you're still in pain and have stitches in, and there's a police officer standing just outside."

"It's three in the morning, there's no one around, and I'm sure Officer Johnson wouldn't take much persuasion to keep everyone out. I've got some money in my wallet, if you can locate my jeans."

Warrick would think Greg were kidding if he wasn't staring at the younger man right now, the look of want and need apparent in Greg's eyes.

"Greg, I'm not going to pay the police to keep watch so that we can have sex, it's insane. And that still doesn't address the problem of your pain and the stitches. It's just not going to happen."

He moves to get off the bed, realizing that he shouldn't have allowed himself to be pulled on in the first place as Greg reaches out and stops him, and for a moment both men's eyes are locked in a heated gaze.

"You want this just as much as I do, and there's no way I'm going to wait until the doctor decide to finally let me get out of here."

Greg's pleading, and Warrick has to finally turn away from that look on his face, feeling his insides start to crumble. This is insane, one of the worse ideas Greg's had, and yet Warrick finds himself finally nodding, a small breath of air escaping Greg's lips as he does so.

"I can't believe I'm actually agreeing to this. If we get caught-"

"We won't if you'd hurry up and go talk to Officer Johnson."

Warrick glares at his partner, but the look in Greg's eyes, the playful tone in his voice, for the first time in a long while, the old Greg is laying under Warrick, as if the past few months haven't happened. It causes the older man to stop all movement and once again stare, his hand still on Greg's hip while the other continues to hold his body weight up.

"I love you."

The words are soft, truthful, and the lustful need takes over the playfulness, Greg's hands aching with a need for contact as he frames Warrick's face with them, pulling him down for another kiss.

The thought of actually talking to Greg's temporary body guard completely leaves Warrick's mind as he finds himself carefully grinding himself into Greg, their lower bodies rubbing together, causing a mix of moans and panted cries to erupt throughout the room when they finally pull apart.

In a blur that leaves Warrick breathless with his eyes closed, Greg's hospital gown is pushed up around d his waist and Warrick's jeans and boxers are pushed to his ankles, his arms starting to burn with fatigue as he continues to hold himself, relying on Greg to point him in the right direction as the younger man holds his erection and guides Warrick into him.

It's not romantic in the least bit with the cramped space of the hospital bed and Warrick's inability to move much due to holding himself up. He wants to touch Greg everywhere he can get his hands, but he isn't doing this to please himself, he's doing it for Greg, and as long as the younger man's eyes are closing in pleasure like that and his back arches as Warrick begins to thrust into him, he's fine with putting his own wants aside, knowing he'll be able to touch Greg as much as he wants when he gets the other man home form the hospital.

Despite the amount of medications flowing through his system right now, Greg is quick to reach the edge of no return, his hands tightening on Warrick as he gasps for air, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his hips arching slightly.

It takes a few moments longer before Warrick reaches his own peak, and after he does so he carefully lays on his side next to Greg, the younger man laying against the side rail. When they've managed to catch their breaths Warrick pulls his pants back up and pulls Greg's gown back down for him, jumping slightly in surprise when the door opens and a nurse rushes in looking worried.

"Mr. Sanders, your heart rate sky rocketed for a moment, is everything okay in here?"

Upon seeing the disheveled look of the two men, and smelling the broken scent of sterility mixed with sex, she gives the two men a very dissatisfying look, moving over to the side of Greg's bed to check the beeping monitors.

"I understand the emotions that are involved with the kind of thing you're going through right now, but this is neither the time or place for you two young men to be having sex. This is a hospital Mr. Brown, and while I understand that the doctor gave you special permission to stay with Mr. Sanders throughout his stay here, I will not hesitate to have you escorted out if you start treating this place like a hotel."

Her voice is stern, and both men nod at her withering glare, remaining silent in the bed until she leaves the room again.

When she's gone Warrick feels a vibration against his side and turns to see Greg silently laughing to himself, trying to keep it under control so it doesn't turn into a round of painful coughs.

"I can't believe you Greg, we just got caught having sex in a hospital room and you think it's funny?

As he says it Warrick finds a smile creasing his own lips, and he has to try hard not to laugh with the younger man, trying to remain serious to the situation, although he's truly not.

"You should have seen, the look on your face Rick. Priceless."

Warrick's grin disappears as he glares at Greg, pulling the younger man over to him so that Greg's head is on his chest, one arm wrapped around his side protectively.

"Forget what kind of face I made Greg, it's time for you to get some sleep, you've already done more today that you should have."

A sense of calmness falls over the room as Greg gets comfortable, feeling a sense of peace, happy that he and Warrick seem to be doing okay again. Of course past experience shows that the chances of them fighting by this time tomorrow are high, he rather live in the here and now instead of focusing on what has yet to transpire.

Warrick thinks the same thing, but despite the difficulty he's had to sleep over the past few nights, it seems to be gone with the new turn of events. Their relationship isn't fixed, not by a long shot, but the one step forward two step back routine has evened out to a steady pace, and he figures that as soon as this case is closed they might be in even step again.

--

Something's not right, Greg can tell from the second he wakes up, still laying halfway on Warrick's chest, the CSI's eyes still closed with sleep. He tries to pull himself up, to get a better view of the room and his surroundings, but his body is still too weak, a dull pain radiating throughout his nerves.

Since he can't seem to get up, and he can't avoid the feeling in the pit of his stomach, Greg gently nudges Warrick in the side, trying to wake him up. After several tries the CSI still lay motionless, and the feeling starts to get heavier, feeling like there are eyes on him, watching as he bites back the pain and frantically forces himself to sit up.

The room seems normal at first glance in front of him, but as he slowly and painfully turns around to look behind him, he can't help the squeak of surprise that escapes his lips.

He doesn't break his gaze with the man advancing on him as he tries to back away, finding it hard to do with Warrick still behind him, the CSI remaining motionless even as Greg frantically starts to pound on his chest to try and wake him.

He feels like he's caught in a nightmare that he can't wake from, but it proves to be no dream when a hand wraps around his throat and the words "you should have died when I shot you" break through the silence of the room.

***

The tears are already trailing heavily down Greg's cheeks, his body tense as he weakly tries to pry the hand from his throat, his body resting heavily against Warrick's chest. While he fights with the suspect, he subtly pushes an elbow into Warrick's ribs, trying to stir the CSI from his sleep but failing to do so.

"I wouldn't bother trying to wake him up, he's going to be asleep for a while. And don't even try to call for Officer Johnson, he's on my side. Apparently one of your colleagues by the name of Gil Grissom tried to accuse him of something he didn't do some time ago, and lets just say he's looking for a little payback."

It's already becoming a struggle for Greg to breathe, his hands clawing at the suspects, collecting DNA under his nails as the lab tech manages to kick his feet out while he lay across the bed and his lover, hitting the suspect just enough to cause him to loosen his grip on Greg's throat.

"You fucking queer. You think you're actually going to get away from me?"

He recovers quickly and all source of oxygen is cut off from Greg's brain, his actions becoming languid, his hands slipping away from those of the suspect as his body begins to slump back against Warrick's.

White spots begin to flow in front of his eyes, his vision becoming hazy, and the painful burning that's searing his lungs is starting to become too much. He can't fight it anymore, feeling his brain start to shut down, and within seconds everything goes silent, disappears from around him.

There's no movement in the room for several long seconds until Greg's eyelids flutter open, looking confused and scared as he turns his head, noticing that the suspect is no longer standing over him. He's confused by it until he glances in the doorway of the room and sees Nick standing there, gun held tight in his hands, feeling a bit shell shocked.

It doesn't take much for Greg to figure out what happened, and just as a flood of officers and hospital staff fill the room, pain radiates throughout his body and he finds himself gasping for air, the new bruising forming around his neck causing the swelling to diminish his breathing until everything's dark around him.

--

Warrick's unsure of his surroundings when he wakes up several hours later, he's not in Greg's hospital room but he's still in the hospital. His head and chest are throbbing, and as he sits up he realizes that he's got an IV in his arm and electrodes on his chest to monitor his heart rhythm.

At first he thinks it's a dream, but when he pulls at the IV and feels a sharp pain go up his arm he realizes that it's reality, a very startling reality. The last thing he remembers is going to sleep with Greg, and now he's laying in a different room hooked up to machines with no one around to give him an explanation.

He considers pulling the electrodes off and taking the fluid bag for the IV with him to look for someone to tell him what happened, but just as he's about to get up the door to the room opens and Grissom steps in, pleased that one of his best CSI's is finally awake.

"What happened Gris, where's Greg?"

Grissom expected the fear that he hears in Rick's voice, and he's quick to walk over to the side of the bed, already prepared to explain what happened during the time that the younger man was unconscious.

"Our suspect, the guy that attacked Greg at the crime scene, sedated you. He came here to finish what he started but Nick got to him before he could do too much damage."

"Too much? That means he did something. Where's Greg, what did he do to him?"

Warrick's starting to panic, rethinking his previous plans as he pulls off the electrodes that are monitoring his heart rhythm. Before he can get to the IV though Grissom stops him, grabbing the wrist with Warrick's fingers poised above the IV, ready to pull it out.

"Rick calm down, Greg's fine. There's a little more bruising around his neck but not enough that they had to intubate him again. He's sedated right now, but there's no reason he shouldn't be able to go home in a few days like the doctor planned."

It manages to calm him down a little, but he still wants to see Greg, find out for himself that his lover is alright. He already feels bad enough that he was right there, in the same bed Greg was when he was attacked, and yet he wasn't able to stop what was happening. He's the one that's supposed to protect his lover and keep him safe, and yet the one person he hates the most right now is the one that saved him.

"I want to go see him."

"You have to wait until the doctor checks you out Rick, you can't just get up and leave."

And he just can't stay here either, wait for something else to happen to Greg. He's not going to lose him, not if he has anything to say about it.

"Get the doctor in here Gris."

"The nurse paged him, he'll be here as soon as he can."

It can't be soon enough, Warrick's tempted to sign both he and Greg out against medical advice and just skip town for a while, too much shit has gone down lately and he's not sure how much more either of them can handle.

This feels like the ultimate test to their relationship, failed tests, on scene attacks and shootings, and being attacked again in the hospital. Not to mention all of the other fights they had that went along with all of the stuff.

"I can't believe all of this is happening."

"You're both going to be fine. I'm granting you some time off following your two week suspension, and it might help both of you to take a vacation, get away from Vegas and any interference with his recovery."

"Thanks Gris, but are you even aloud to make that decision right now? You're still on probation yourself, Ecklie will have your ass if you keep working like this behind his back."

Rick knows the two men don't get along, but Gris isn't just doing something minor just to mess with the other man, he's risking his job to make decisions that Ecklie took away when he put him on suspension.

"Don't worry about Ecklie, just take care of yourself and Greg, make sure you're both capable of coming back to the lab. You guys are part of the night shift and nothing Ecklie does will change that."

No room to argue, and Warrick can only nod, turning his attention to the door when the doctor steps in, the CSI getting noticeably apprehensive to get out of the hospital bed and back to Greg.

"Welcome back Mr. Brown, you left us there for a while. How are you feeling now?"

Nervous, worried, scared, anxious, and any other word that might be used when someone is drugged while their boyfriend is almost murdered.

":I want to get out of here."

"Well hopefully I can make that happen for you right now, I just need to double check your vital signs and make sure everything's looking alright."

As he talks he starts the procedure, listening to Warrick's lungs and heart, watching the monitor afterwards before writing several things in the chart he walked in with.

Within minutes he's clearing the CSI to leave, and Gris watches his colleague's fingers twitching with anticipation as the doctor removes the IV and remaining electrodes, finally allowing the younger man to get up from the bed.

The ink on his discharge papers isn't even dry before Warrick's out the door, only stopping once to find the new location of Greg's room on another floor, the previous room now cordoned off by police tape.

He doesn't hesitate when he reaches the room, pushing the door open immediately only to stop in his tracks just as fast, his anticipation of seeing Greg quickly fading to anger.

Nick sits in the chair next to Greg's bed, the lab tech still sedated while the Texan lets his head hang low, his elbows resting on his knees and his body motionless.

"What the hell are you doing here Nick? I told you to stay away from us."

"I'm here to sit with Greg, I didn't think he'd want to be alone after what happened... I'm not here to cause any trouble."

"You shouldn't be here at all."

Nick doesn't say anything right away, letting his gaze drift to Greg for a moment before standing up from the seat and taking a few steps towards Warrick, holding his hands up so it's clear that he's not a threat.

"Listen man, just give me a minute to speak before you throw me out."

"One minute, and then I want you to leave the hospital for good."

"Fine. Last time we saw each other, things were said that don't exactly bode well for either of our characters. I stand by what I believe, I don't agree with the whole gay thing, but it wasn't my place to say the shit I did. I know that Greg didn't make you the way you are, I just... it's something I'd have to get used to. I'm not sure if I can, but-"

"Your minute is up."

Warrick doesn't mean to sound so cold, but he just doesn't want to deal with Nick right now, not when Greg's laying several feet away looking worse for the wear. He doesn't want to accept attempted apologies or attempts to convince him that what he's doing is wrong, he just wants to hold his lover and promise to protect him for as long as he can, and that's why he holds the door open and directs Nick to leave, looking away when he sees the way Nick is looking at him.

Without another word Nick leaves the room and Rick closes the door behind him, quickly walking to Greg's bed when they're finally alone. He's been away from him for too long, and he can't grab his partner's hand fast enough, squeezing tight in hopes of getting a response.

The only response he gets though is the sound of a door opening, and he curses under his breath when he sees Catherine walking in, looking far from happy.

"I just saw Nick out in the hallway."

"Not now Cath."

"No, I think now is the perfect time Rick. You didn't even give him a chance to talk did you?"

"He wanted a minute, I gave him a minute."

"Yeah, that's real mature of you. I know he said some shitty things to you before and he really had no reason to hit you, but the least you could have done was listen to what he had to say, all of it, not just one damn minute."

Catherine's beyond mad, worse than Warrick thinks he's ever seen her, and he's starting to think that maybe kicking Nick out wasn't such a good idea, not for his own health anyways.

"Fine, get him back in here, let him finish what he was saying."

"It's too late Rick, he's already gone."

"So call him back."

"No, he's gone, Sara's on her way to drop him off at the airport."

Wait, what? surely he's not leaving because of an argument they had, just because Warrick told him to leave so he could spend time with Greg.

"What are you talking about Cath?"

"I'm talking about what happened earlier, Nick shooting the suspect and saving Greg's life."

"You're not making any sense."

He's only serving to anger her more, and it takes several moments of looking at the young man laying in the bed to calm her down, finally lowering her voice and sitting down in the seat that Nick was previously in as Rick sits on the edge of the bed.

"After the suspect sedated you earlier he went after Greg. He got close to killing him but Nick got there just in time and shot him. The problem is, he shot the guy in the back, and the witnesses we have say that Nick gave no warning before he shot the guy."

Shit.

"Homicide."

"He was taken into custody shortly after the shooting. Ecklie was nice enough not to cuff him, but still, you know the consequences."

"Immediate dismissal. If he's being charged with homicide though, why's he leaving?"

"That's the part you didn't let him get to. He knew that if it went to trial that the whole lab would be investigated and that they would find some things that wouldn't look too good for the director and assistant director, so he managed to cut a deal with the DA, and Ecklie."

"He cut a deal? He had a chance to win the case, that guy was crazy and he was killing Greg."

"I know, but he saw an opportunity. He didn't think it was fair the way Greg was being treated just because you two are seeing each other. You're colleagues, but you don't make the decision of how far he goes in the lab. As long as he doesn't start sleeping with Grissom, there's no reason he should be kept in the lab."

That's not something Warrick wants to think of, Greg being with someone else, especially Grissom. This whole situation seems unreal, it feels like the whole night shift is being thrown into a mixer.

"I don't understand why Nick would give up his job for Greg, he doesn't even like him since he found out that we're seeing each other."

"Just because he doesn't like your lifestyle doesn't mean he thinks Greg should be held back in the lab. Either way it happens Nick loses his job, at least this way some good is coming out of it."

Warrick doesn't know what he should say, he feels guilty for kicking Nick out earlier. Not only did the Texan save Greg's life from the suspect, he also gave up his innocence and a fair trial in order for Greg to advance.

"So what's going to happen to him now?"

"Well, other than leaving CSI? He's given up the chance to prove his innocence, and part of the plea bargain was three years probation. I think his parents played an influence in the decision, they talked to the DA and ironed out the details of the plea bargain. For now he's going back to Texas and working for his father, and after that, there's no telling."

All within the time that he was unconscious, Nick's parents must have really wanted to get this out of the way, cutting a deal for their son and returning him back to Texas all within less than twenty-four hours.

He can't just fly all the way to Texas just to apologize though, and he's sure Nick won't answer his phone if he tried calling. If it's not one thing it's the other, and Warrick's surprised he hasn't completely lost it by now.

***

"How's he doing?"

"The same he was the last three times that you called me Rick. Greg is in good hands, he's still sedated, just take care of what you need to and get back here."

Catherine hangs up before he can say anything else, the CSI closing his phone before rubbing his temples. This isn't some romantic movie, what the hell is he doing chasing Nick to an airport? The fact that he didn't even make it in time proves it's not a movie, but that doesn't stop him, now holding a plan ticket in his hand, waiting for the woman to start calling seats to board that plane.

It wasn't even his idea to begin with, Catherine forcing him out of the door of the hospital room, the CSI fighting tooth and nail to stay with Greg, wanting to be there when Greg wakes up, wanting to continue to be there while the younger man recovers.

He knows he owes it to Nick to apologize for the way he acted back in the hospital room, he just wishes he could do it over the phone, sitting next to Greg.

The woman finally starts to call out to board the plane, and Warrick has to fight back the urge to go back to Greg, knowing that even if he did go back, Catherine wouldn't let him in until she had proof that he and Nick worked things out, or at least started to anyways.

This whole situation is starting to give Warrick a headache, and he sighs when his section is called, the CSI picking up his overnight bag from the ground and handing his boarding pass to a fight attendant standing at the door, scanning him into the system before allowing him to board.

--

The headache he had before feels like it's starting to turn into a migraine when he finally steps off the plane, cursing silently to the woman who brought her crying infant onto the plane and sat in front of him.

Now that he's out of the situation though, he takes a moment to breathe before looking around him, this being his first time to step into the DFW airport. He doesn't know exactly what his first course of action should be, the CSI not really thinking much about what he's supposed to do once off the plane in a city he's never been to before.

After several minutes he realizes he's not going to get anywhere without transportation, and he juggles the decision whether to take a cab out to the Stoke's ranch or renting a car. He knows that this trip isn't going to last long, Nick probably won't even give him the time of day just like Warrick did, and he decides to get a rental car in case he has to make a fast escape without time to call a cab.

He follows the signs over to the car rental booth, but before he can get to the front of the line he happens to look through the glass wall over to the baggage claim area, finding a familiar figure hunched over in a chair, elbows on knees, head down.

The sight makes the CSI freeze, and it takes a moment for him to respond when the lady behind the counter calls for the next person in line. When he realizes she's talking to him, Warrick apologizes before stepping out of the line, eyes still on the Texan, trying to figure out what to do next.

He suddenly curses himself for not taking a moment to think about what he's going to say to the former CSI, because all too soon Nick realizes he's being watched and looks up, spotting the CSI right away.

There's a moment that they stare at each other before Nick suddenly gets up, and although Rick thinks the other man is going to come yell at him, Nick instead walks to the closest door, leaving the airport.

It takes a moment for Warrick to react, and when he finally does, he quickly pushes his way through crowds of people, finding the door to the baggage claim area and leaving through the same door that Nick exited through.

He finds the Texan quickly walking through the parking garage, and he has to increase his speed to get to him, grabbing Nick's arm when he finally catches up to him.

Warrick realizes the mistake only after he feels the familiar pain of a fist colliding with his face, causing him to stumble back against a car and grab his bleeding nose. He thinks that this is only going to turn into a repeat of what happened at the hospital as Nick comes at him again, but this time he doesn't fight back, only hunches over when Nick hits him hard in the stomach.

He's on his hands and knees gasping for air when he feels the second blow and hears an odd cracking noise, pain radiating throughout his chest when he realizes he's cracked a rib.

He braces himself for another hit, one hand holding his chest while the other braces himself up on the ground, but it never comes.

It's unexpected, and he cautiously brings his head up, finding Nick pacing several feet away. Warrick barely gets a glimpse of the glistening on Nick's cheeks, the Texan's head down, and Warrick carefully pulls himself off the ground, wincing in pain as he continues to hold the area where Nick kicked him.

"Nick-"

"What the hell are you doing here, you have no fucking right."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I fucking gave up everything for Greg. I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for him, and you don't even give me a fucking chance to explain."

"How the hell was I supposed to know what you did for Greg, I was unconscious. Besides, the last fucking time I talked to you, you went homophobic on my ass and blamed Greg for turning me into what I am. I don't have to listen to that shit from you Nick. I've got too much going on right now to be dealing with that shit."

There's silence, both men's tempers flaring, Nick still pacing. Rick didn't want to have to deal with this again, but Catherine continued to push him, not content with leaving well enough alone. She should have given things time to calm down, but Rick knows she's only trying to help, so he doesn't blame her too much for any of this.

"You can try and blame me for this Nick, but it was your choice not to fight the case, Greg and I can do just fine without your help."

"Why can't you just fucking say thank you for what I did Rick?"

"Because I refuse to feel like I owe you for anything. Why didn't you just fight it, why would you give up your career for someone you clearly don't like?"

Warrick's tone is filled with a physical pain as he leans himself against someone's car, and he watches Nick continue to pace. The Texan doesn't respond for several moments, and it takes another prompting from Rick until he finally answers, voice more confined now, softer and more filled with emotion.

"You wanted me off the case."

"What?"

"You wanted me taken of the case. Do you really think I'm that type of person, that just because I don't like the way you two live your lives, that I would jeopardize the case?"

"You said some harsh shit Nick, I was only trying to protect Greg, he's been hurt enough throughout all of this. How did you expect me to trust you after everything you said?"

"Forget what I fucking said at the hospital! I'm sorry, alright? I screwed up."

The men fall silent, and Nick knows he's right. In that moment outside of the hospital he became his father, the person he's currently hiding from. They were the same words he heard leave his father's lips when he found out that Nick, himself, slept with another man. It only happened once, experimental, but his father's words were harsh, enough to make him shy away from that lifestyle and those that take part in it.

"I didn't mean for what I said to come out the way it did."

"Why should I believe you now? It's not something you can just take back and I'll forget about, especially when it came from someone that I thought was a friend."

"What do you want from me Rick? I've already lost my job, I've given up the chance to prove that I'm not guilty, and now I've got to deal with my father telling me how much I've fucked up. He always told me that I wouldn't make it as a CSI, that I was meant to be on the police force, and I was just fine proving him wrong. But when I try to do the right thing and save someone, I lose everything, there's nothing else I can do. I'm sorry!"

"Don't apologize to him Nick."

Both men turn at the sudden intrusion of their conversation, and Nick knew he should have to a different terminal all together when he got off the plane instead of just moving down a couple of gates to avoid his father.

"It's because of you that my son has lost respect, that people will now think of him as a criminal."

"Don't even try to jump in on this, it's not your battle to fight."

Warrick moves to the back of Nick's mind as the former CSI focuses on his father, knowing that the older man is just going to make everything worse.

"Like hell this isn't my battle. Who's the one that tried to get you out of this mess? It's already in the papers Nicholas, 'Judges Son Shoots Suspect in the Back'. Was the kid even worth it? Was he worth losing your reputation and respect?"

"I don't give a damn what everyone else thinks of me, to those that matter, I have already lost their respect."

It's a bold statement on Nick's part, and all goes silent for a moment. The father and son are glaring at each other, and although Rick is still angry with Nick, he thinks that maybe he should separate the two men before something happens.

"Nick, come on man. I think you both need to calm down."

Warrick's not sure what to make of this turn of events, but he just rolls with it, daring to grab Nick gently by the arm and pull him away from the older man, a man that can really ruin Nick's life more than what it currently is.

"I think you need to stay out of this, this isn't any of your business."

"You're wrong, this is my business. That kid you're talking about is very important to me-"

"You're the homo right? We'll, I'm going to tell you the same thing I told my son a long time ago-"

Before he can get it out, Nick has broken free of Warrick's grip, the former CSI hitting his father with more force than what he hit Rick with before.

"Shit, Nick!"

Warrick grabs him again before the younger man can hit him again, and the Judge curses Nick loudly as he holds his jaw in the offended area.

"That's it, you're on your own Nicholas, I'm tired of the lack of respect for this family. If you want to go off and be a homo then so be it, but I won't be a part of the charade's."

Warrick doesn't bother to take the time and ask what the judge meant by that, he just pulls Nick away, afraid that the former CSI is going to do something he'll really regret.

Soon they're back in the airport, sitting down in the most secluded area they can find. Although there's still some people around them, none seem to be paying attention to the two men, and Warrick's grateful as he watches Nick, the former CSI sitting with his head down, as he's been for the past twenty minutes.

"You alright?"

Nick shrugs his shoulders, and after a few moments the Texan finally pulls himself up so that he's sitting straight.

"You wanna explain what happened back there?"

Warrick forces himself to be civil to the other man because at this point, Nick lost a lot more than just his job and his innocence. His father now has the complete ability to destroy him, and if the look on the Judge's face is anything to go by, he's going to do just that.

Nick doesn't really feel like talking - arguing - much anymore, but a part of him feels like he owes Warrick at least a partial explanation to his actions towards his father.

"I didn't want him to finish what he was going to say to you."

"Why?"

"Because it's the same thing he told me back when I was in college, and... it's the same thing I said to you back at the hospital. It should have never been repeated the first time, I wasn't going to let him repeat it again."

And just like that it all makes sense to Warrick. He sits silent for a while, neither men saying anything, Warrick letting it sink in while Nick tries to block the memories of his confrontation with his father back in college.

"So you're-"

"No. It happened once, I never even thought about it again after that. It's... it's not something I want to talk about."

Warrick can easily see how uncomfortable Nick is about the subject of his past and he decides to drop it, knowing it's not something he would want to talk about either if he were in Nick's position.

"I'm sorry man."

"Everything is royally fucked up now. No job, no family... what the hell did I do?"

"In some weird way you did what you thought was right. You don't need your dad, there's plenty of people that care for you in Vegas. I might not be one of them at this point, but that's not a reason to run away."

Nick nods after a moment, and silence falls on the two men again until Warrick finally stands up, turning to Nick.

"Come on, lets go back to Vegas."

The former CSI only stares at Warrick like he's suddenly grown a second head, and Warrick waits for several moments until he finally shrugs and turns around, leaving Nick behind. It takes several moments, but soon Warrick feels the Texan's familiar presence by his side, the two men walking silently over to the ticket counter, the CSI pulling out his phone to get yet another update on Greg's condition.

***

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