A/N- So here is my new story. It takes place in current times pretty much on the show. It's another Greg focused story but Nick and Morgan play very big parts and maybe there will be a coupling (okay there will be but you have to read to find out who he ends up with, if anyone). This is mostly a starter chapter and then in the next one the core plot of the story will be introduced. Expect lots of angst and drama as usual from me. I have half this story already written just got to get it typed out. Hopefully it will be updated more often than my last one. Enjoy and review!
The warm breeze did nothing to break the one hundred plus degree heat wave that hung over Las Vegas the last few days. He wiped at his brow and silently cursed the murderer for dumping a body out in the middle of nowhere in this scorching weather. He glanced over at his case partner and felt better knowing she was suffering just as much as he was.
He placed the last bit of fabric he found in the sand in the brown paper evidence bag. He walked over to Morgan Brody to see if she was about finished. "We should have been back to the lab by now. Are you almost done?" he asked her. She peered up at him through her sunglasses. She liked how the sun made his soft, spikey-like hair almost look blonde.
"I am just finishing this last shoe impression and then we can get out of this heat," she said as she focused back on the shoe print in the sand.
Greg Sanders looked down at her and contemplated asking her out for a beer after work. He liked her, a lot and since he got cruelly shot down by the person he had wanted to be with, Morgan was looking more attractive to him every day. "Say, do you want to grab a beer together after work?" He finally asked her.
She looked up at him again knowing full well he had a crush on her. She had been ignoring his attempts at dates for some time now, but she had to admit she was really craving a beer and he really was cute.
"Sure, why not, as long as you are buying as you still own me one," she said with a smile.
He grinned back. "Ah yes, I do don't I? Well you are on then. Let's put all this stuff in the back of the Tahoe and get back to the lab. I am sure Russell is having a fit by now that we have not come back yet."
They gathered their evidence and placed it in the back of the Tahoe. Greg got behind the wheel as he knew Vegas a lot better than Morgan who was still fairly new to town. They had all stopped teasing her about getting lost on the way to a crime scene and usually someone else did the driving if it was someplace new to her.
"So where do you plan on going for this beer after work? I hope it isn't too far from the lab," she asked him as he drove.
He shrugged, "We can just go to Louie's around the block. That way it's close to the lab and not too far from our places. I know I rather have a cheap cab ride back if I drink too much than an expensive one. Besides, Louie's is nice and casual and open early," he grinned. With them working the graveyard shift there often weren't too many bars serving that early. Their nights out were late mornings for most people. But they were used to their schedules and having a beer at 10 am wasn't as strange as it sounded.
"I agree with you there but I won't be drinking enough to not be able to drive home. I'm pretty bushed after spending all morning out in that heat. I am ready to just have a couple cold ones and call it a day," she said as she gazed out at their surroundings as they drove back to the lab. They were in city limits now and the casinos were now looming in the not too far distance.
"Yeah the heat can be draining. Just hard to believe it got so hot so quick this morning," he said.
They got to the lab and caught up their supervisor, D.B. Russell on their findings. They turned in their evidence to be processed and made their notes before hanging up their vests in their lockers and heading over in their separate cars to Louie's Bar and Grill.
They sat down at a table and ordered a couple beers and some wings to eat. "So has Vegas grown on you yet?" Greg asked her as he took a sip of his beer. She shrugged. "I guess it has although this heat is not helping it in the points department and I still really miss the beach," she said.
"You know, I'm from California, further up the coast but there are days I miss the beach too," he told her. She cocked her head. "Really? I didn't peg you for a California boy the way you talk about Vegas."
"Well I've lived here most of my adult life. I've got caught up in it. You can't beat the night life."
"So do you ever go back home?" She asked him. He looked at his beer and took another swig. "Not much," he said quietly. She felt there was something more he was not saying. Was he not close to his family? She could kind of relate. She was still sort of cold towards her biological father, Conrad Ecklie but she had to admit he was making strides in making up to her all their lost time.
"Don't you get along with your family?" She decided to risk asking.
He started playing with the label on the beer bottle. "It's kind of complicated. My mom was always overprotective and well my dad…well he wasn't around much," he shrugged.
"Hmm, sounds like something else we have in common then," she said before taking another swig. She noticed he seemed deep in thought. There was definitely something more to that story she could tell but she would let it go for now. But it made her like him more, knowing there was more to him than just the brainy and sometimes goofy CSI guy he seemed be.
The wings came and while they ate they made small talk about their college experiences. "Stanford, even more impressive," she grinned at him. He shared a crooked smile and blushed a bit down at his beer.
"Yeah, well what can I say, I was a nerd in school. I really enjoyed chemistry and the like. But hey, it landed me the top job here in Vegas pretty much right after graduation so it paid off," he told her.
"Then why did you leave the lab for field work?" she asked him.
"I was getting restless in the lab and sick of always hearing Nick and Warrick and Sara tell me about their much more exciting days out of the lab. I wanted to be a part of that. Grissom, our old Supervisor, gave me the chance twice actually and well the rest is history.
"Warrick was the CSI who was involved with that Gedda guy and killed by the former Under-Sherriff, right?" She asked, wondering more about the history of the lab.
"Yeah, he was a great guy and it really changed a lot of us after he was killed." He shook his head, remembering getting the call and then seeing Grissom covered in his blood as he came back to the lab.
"Changed you how?" She asked. He looked up at her. "We don't put up with as much shit anymore. We are less likely to let things roll over us, I would say."
"I guess I can see that," she said thoughtfully.
He decided to change the subject. "So what actually brought you here to Las Vegas?"
She took another swig of her beer before answering. "Well the fiasco in LA with Haskell sort of put a black mark on me and they had financial cutbacks, so I was one to go. Vegas seemed like the next best place since my dad was here and well, it is the top lab in the country."
"Do you, uh, leave anyone behind?" Greg asked, trying to find out if she had a boyfriend back in LA. She smiled, knowing why he was asking but it soon turned to a frown as she remembered her ex-boyfriend.
"No one to be concerned about anymore. Let's just say it was a rough relationship and I'm not really eager to get back into one anytime soon," she said to him. She felt bad saying it like that but she really was not interested in dating a co-worker right now since her last was one. She was happy being single for now with no attachments.
"Oh," he replied, dejectedly. He had the worst luck with trying to be in a relationship. His last one lasted but only a few days only to have his girlfriend end up being a murderer. He at least figured dating someone from work that he knew and basically trusted would be better than his previous relationships. But his luck with trying to date a co-worker was bombing too. He was about to give up on love completely.
Morgan could see that his mood soured and she felt a bit guilty. "Say how about the next round is on me?" But he shook his head. He wasn't in the mood for any more drinks or any more company. He was ready to go home and mope now.
"Maybe next time but right now I think it's time to go home and get some sleep. We had a long day," he said to her. He pulled out some money and tossed it on the table to cover the bill. "Are you going to be okay to go home?" he asked her.
She nodded. "Yes, I will be fine, than. I'll see you at work later on then?"
"Nope," he shook his head. "I'm off, remember, I traded days with Sara. I guess you will have to figure that case out without me for the night."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Sara needed the extra day to visit her husband." Greg nodded. "Yes, she wanted a long weekend to see him."
Morgan stood up and grabbed her purse. "Well, have a nice day off then. I better get home myself." Greg stood up and walked out with her to their cars. Greg waited for her to leave before even getting in his car.
He sat in his car, wondering about his lack of love life again. Perhaps he needed to try going for guys again. He was bi-sexual and the recent relationships that lasted longer seemed to be with men. The one man he really wanted he had absolutely no hopes of ever being with after what happened a month prior when he tried to come on to him. That was the biggest mistake of his life and there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't regret it.
He sighed and started his car up. As he drove home his mind was too preoccupied with his love life to even notice that someone was following him. He still had no idea when he pulled into his parking spot at his condo and went to his door.
He unlocked his door and went inside. He went straight for his cabinet under his sink and grabbed a bottle of Vodka. He got a glass out of his other cabinet and poured half a glass worth of vodka in it. He went over to his sofa and sat down. He took a long sip of the drink and set his glass down. He eyed a picture on his side table and picked it up. It was a team picture taken before Catherine left. He missed her. She had a way of telling him things without any bullshit. He liked that. So many others tried to pick their words carefully but she spoke straight from the heart. He felt like anytime he did he got burned.
He looked at Nick in the photo. The photo was taken before the incident. He thought back to the day he was invited over to Nick's for a Bar-b-que. The beer had been flowing heavily and the food was great. A few others had been there but they left leaving Greg alone with Nick. They had been sitting on Nick's sofa when Greg found himself staring at the man he loved but had been so afraid to say anything to. The alcohol gave him courage though and when Nick turned around and asked him why he was staring at him so funny, he made a move that he regretted to this day. He had quickly moved in and kissed Nick. Nick seemed to let it go on for a few seconds before he pulled away and slugged Greg, asking him what the hell he was doing. Greg was horrified by Nick's reaction, he was sure that Nick had feelings for him too but that reaction was not what he expected.
Nick looked at him like he was crazy. "What the hell was that? Do you think I'm gay or something?" Nick yelled at him. "I…I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I…shit Nick. I'm sorry," he tried apologizing.
"Get the fuck out of my house and don't ever speak of this again to anyone, do you hear me?" Nick yelled in anger.
Greg was almost scared of him at that moment. His jaw was throbbing from the hit he took and Greg wasn't sure he would ever be able to talk to him again. "I'm leaving. I'm really sorry." He said before he practically ran out the door. When he got to his car and started it, he started crying. He was mortified but he could see Nick look out the window at him. He knew that really he shouldn't be driving but he pretty much felt sobered up after that happened. He was able to drive home with no incident even though his hands were shaking the whole time he was holding the steering wheel.
He ended up not being able to get any sleep and called in sick the next day. Later the following day he had a knock at his door. He looked out the peephole and saw it was Nick. He didn't look angry but Greg was scared to open the door to him he hated to admit to himself.
"Greg, I know you're inside and I know why you didn't come into work. We need to talk," Nick yelled through the door. Greg bit the bullet and opened the door to him. Nick frowned when he saw how disheveled he was and how his jaw was bruised and swollen a little. Nick felt guilty. He walked inside and Greg kept his distance from him.
"Look about yesterday, I over-reacted. I just never expected you to kiss me. I'm…" he hesitated before he continued on. "I'm not into guys okay and I didn't realize you were." Greg looked down. "I'm bi-sexual but I have been crazy about you for years and more recently I thought you were into me. I was wrong, I'm so sorry," Greg apologized again.
"I accept. Listen I don't want it to be awkward around work for us. We'll just act like nothing happened," Nick suggested. Greg thought that was easier said than done, especially when he was the one with the bruised jaw.
"Sure, I don't want it to ruin our work relationship either. Now that I know that you are definitely not into guys I'll keep my distance personally. Okay?" Greg asked, not sure that's how Nick wanted it.
"Yes, that's okay. I just wanted to clear the air between us. Sorry about hitting you. I…I guess I will see you at work tomorrow," Nick said before walking to the door. Greg watched him leave and then locked the door after him.
Greg sighed as he looked at Nick in the photo. He was never going to find love in the workplace. He was kidding himself. He just figured if he was going to find love, he was going to have to get out more. He decided he was going to go out for the evening. But first he finished off his drink and headed for the shower. He would try to get a few hours of sleep before heading out for a night of fun and possibly finding someone.