Disclaimers: I do not own anything of CSI. If I did, then things would be a whole lot different.
A/N: This story has not been betaed. My beta, happyharper13, is sadly being hampered by other obligations at the moment. She informed me that she most likely would not have the time to go over the items I have sent her for a while, which she deeply regrets. I know that many of you are diligently waiting for the next chapter of "California Here We Come" and the final chapter of "Hear my prayers" so I decided to post this. There might be some OOC. I hope you enjoy it.
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On any given Sunday.
The third shift CSIs like to consider themselves family. Grissom was the all-knowing father while Catherine was the mother hen. Warrick was the cool brother who knew how to pick-up girls and have a good time. Nick, on the other hand, was the well mannered son who was reserved and considerate. Sara was the focused and at times stubborn sister who was always trying to get her father's eye. And Greg, though not a CSI was the energetic and outgoing little brother who never seemed to keep his mouth shut. True, they got on each other's nerves at time but they could always count on each other for support.
When the CSIs had a few days off, they tended to get together and hang out with one another. The usual arrangement was the team going over to someone's place and having drinks and takeout. Their Sunday get-togethers were often big, especially if there was a game on TV. Everybody brought something to eat or drink. Nick would always cookout on the grill for everyone when they were at his house.
After a while, they began to work out a schedule. They began to alternate going to one another's places. At Grissom's townhouse, the team saw Gill's extensive collections of bugs and books. When they gathered at Catherine's house, Catherine's daughter Lindsey and her mother were there. Warrick's apartment always had smooth jazz music playing in the background. Nick's house was always straight and clean. Over at Sara's condo, the team felt like they were in a very sterile and bland environment. Everyone's personality could be seen in their homes.
But eventually, the CSIs realized that Greg had never invited them over to his apartment and he seemed to never be around on the Sundays they had off. When they asked him about it the next day, the tech made some quick response and then would flee to the safety of his lab.
This was especially confusing for Nick who had firsthand knowledge of this before the rest of the team. Ever since he and Greg started seeing each other, he was always spending time with Greg but when it came to Sundays off, Nick found that Greg was nowhere to be found. When they were alone and the Texan asked Greg where he was, the tech would only say it was for something that was private.
The CSI was convinced there was more to it.
And the rest of the team was convinced as well.
"Look, Sanders is great and everything," a slightly irritated Warrick was saying in the break room, "but I'm tired of him coming over to our places and him never returning the favor to us."
"Yah," Sara said, "And what's with those bad excuses when we ask him where he's been on Sundays?"
Nick said nothing as he listened to his colleagues discussed Greg. Since both he and Greg had not told any of the CSIs about their relationship, Nick was afraid of giving out too much information about Greg. And the thing Nick feared most was that the team would look at him differently if they knew he was both gay and seeing Greg. Then there were the cops they had to work alongside with. From his days working in Dallas, Nick knew that cops could be very homophobic.
"Do you think he's seeing someone?" Sara offered as a possible answer.
Nick almost choked on the coffee he was drinking when Sara spoke.
"You alright man?" Warrick asked his best friend.
"Yah, I'm fine," Nick answered. After catching his breath, Nick turned to Sara "what makes you think Greg is seeing someone?"
"Well think about it, he's never around on Sundays, we never go over to his place and when we ask him about it, and he gives us some excuse and then takes off." Sara brushed a strand of hair from in front of her face before she continued. "It makes sense. Why else would Greg be acting like this?" Then Sara's eyes lit up at an idea that popped into her head, "Maybe they're living together. That would explain why we've never been invited over to his place."
"Come on Sara," Warrick interjected, "what kind of person would be able to live Greg. He's a puppy with too much energy and he's high on caffeine half of the time."
Sara arched an eyebrow at her green-eyed colleague and it caused him to shudder.
"Then again, you may be on to something here. What do you think Nicky? You two seem tight."
Before the Texan could address his friends, Catherine came into the break room.
"You guys talking about Greg?"
"Yah. Sara thinks the reason he's so secretive is because he's got a secret girlfriend he doesn't anybody to know about," Warrick informed her.
"She may be right Warrick."
"What do you mean Cath?" Nick asked before Warrick or Sara could.
"Well," the blond CSI started, "I was out grocery shopping yesterday and I saw Greg at the market. He didn't see me, but I saw him shopping with a very attractive young woman. She was hanging onto him and she kissed him on his check before after they had gone through the check out."
Nick could not speak.
"Here," she said as she pulled out her cell-phone, "I managed to take a picture of them before they left."
She brought up the picture on the screen. Greg was clearly visible. Hanging onto his arm was a young woman who looked like she was in her mid-twenties. She had a super mold figure and long brown hair.
"So if he is seeing someone like this," Warrick said, "why hasn't he introduced her to us?"
"Maybe he's embarrassed by us." Sara offered.
"Now that's a lie Sara," Nick finally spoke up, "we're his best friends."
"What type of person doesn't tell his best friends he's seeing someone?"
Nick did not know how to reply to Sara's question.
"We could always ask him," Catherine said.
"Sounds like a plan," Warrick said, "you can do it Sara."
"Me?" she said, "Why me? Why not you or Catherine? Or even better Nick?"
Luckily Grissom entered the break room at that moment.
"I think that's enough talk about Greg's personal life," the entomologist said telling them the conversation was now over, "I just saw into Greg and he has the DNA results for our cases ready. Are you all waiting for an invitation?" he asked when he saw no one moving. His questioned was answered by the sound of chairs being pushed back and his CSIs walling out the door to Greg's lab.
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Greg sitting in his chair, eyes closed, as he rocked his head side to side and mouthed the lyrics to the song that was blaring from his CD player.
The team walked into the lab just as Greg started to play the air drums while he mouth sang.
Greg finally opened his eyes and saw his gawking audience.
"Oh, hi everyone," Greg said in his casual voice.
"Hello Greg," Grissom calmly replied. Greg got up from his seat and went over to the CD player and pressed the pause button.
"You have our results Greg?" Catherine asked him.
"But of course I do my fair lady," Greg said in a mock medieval tone "for Her Royal Majesty, Catherine of Aragon and her footman Grissom," he said as he handed the result to Catherine, "thy DNA sample dost come from thy suspect who is in deed, the ex-husband dost match. The dame spot that has plagued Lady Macbeth," Greg now turned to Sara, "and her noble knights, Sir Nickolas and Sir Warrick, while known the vile touch of bleach, all was not lost. For, through thy humble servant's expertise, hast managed to match with that of thy suspected killer of thy victim, the once grand king of the discount automobiles."
Greg handed Sara her results and just smiled at her. They all knew Greg had a taste for the dramatics but this little act was something completely new to them.
"I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er."
"Macbeth, Act III, scene IV," Grissom deduced.
"Correct."
The CSIs were speechless. Greg was all heavy metal and clubs. He was the last one to be quoting Shakespeare.
"Hey, there's a lot you guys don't know about me." Greg shot them a sly smile before going over to the CD player and pressing play. He walked over to one of the drawers to get his CD case, not seeing Warrick nod his head to Catherine who, in return, nodded to Sara.
The song suddenly stopped and Greg looked up to see that Catherine had pressed the pause button again. He also saw that everyone was still in the lab even though they had the results they had been waiting for.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"In a way Greg," Sara began to say. "This Sunday, we have the day off. We've planned to go over to Nick's place. Do you want to join us?
"Sorry," came the tech's quick response, "but I have plans. Next time."
"We know about your plans."
"What?!" he said as he sprung around to face her, "what do you mean?"
"Come off it man," Warrick said with a roll of his eyes, "Cath saw you with her the other day at the market. She showed us a pic she took of you two on her phone. What we can't figure out why you won't introduce us to your girlfriend unless you think we're not good enough to meet her."
Greg just stood there, mouth hanging open, saying nothing. Nick could see the anger that was slowly building up within the chocolate brown eyes he loved even if his colleagues could not. Grissom was annoyed that his team had decided to grill the young man about his personal life at this time but out of habit, he stood back to observe the interaction.
"So, how long have one of you guys been following me?" Greg asked when he found his voice.
"Following you? No, Greg, it's nothing like that…" Sara started to say.
"Then what would you call it Sara?"
The hurt and angry tone of his voice was what made Nick finally speak up.
"Look Greg, none of us have been following you on your days," he secretly hoped, "it just that on Sundays off, you're no were to be found and you've never invited us to your apartment. So when Catherine saw you, she figured that the person you were with, was your-"
"Girlfriend. So the logical reason I'm not around is because I have some secret girlfriend who I, for some selfish reason, have never introduced you guys to. Is that what you all think?"
No one said anything.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you all but wrong. I didn't know that I share every single aspect of my life with you people."
"Greg, were your friends," Warrick said.
"I seem to recall a time not too long ago, where none of you would have given me the time of day, let alone if I wanted to come hang out at your place."
The tone of his voice told them that they may have gone too far with their speculation.
"There are parts of my life I keep private from you all for a reason. Every single person in this lab dose the exact same thing to me. Get out."
"Greg…"
"I said GET OUT! You have your results so you can go. And personally, I don't want see any of you at the moment."
With that, Greg turned his back on the team and went over to his CD player and pressed the play button once again. But this time, he turned the volume up as high as it could go.
Grissom led his team out of the lab and everyone went their separate ways to work on the cases. They could hear the loud lyrics as they went down the halls.
Nick stood outside the DNA Lab and watched his deeply hurt boyfriend for a few minutes. Greg was sitting with his back to the windows, hunched over, not moving.
Nick wanted to go in and confront Greg but he knew that he could not. He had to wait. He turned and took off down the hall to find Sara and Warrick.
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When Nick and the rest of the team entered the locker room hours later, they heard a soft voice.
"Don't worry I'll be there. When have I ever let you down? No, I don't think he suspects anything. I know. Dress? Casual but nice. I'm not going to show up in my Manson shirt and jeans Amanda. Ok. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."
Greg hung up his phone and looked up. Seeing the team, he stood up, swung his backpack over his shoulders and walked right past everyone without a word. Nick took off after Greg, leaving everyone else in the locker room.
"G, wait up," he called out after he caught up to Greg in the parking lot.
"I'm not in the mood Nicky," Greg said in a deflated tone.
"I…I just wanted you to know I had nothing to do with any of that. It was all Sara, Warrick and Catherine." He placed a hand on Greg's shoulder and gently squeezed it. "And I want you to know, that I would never think you would cheat on me."
"I know Nicky," Greg said and he placed his hand on top of Nicks.
"Were just a little curious is all."
"Like I said Nicky, there are parts of my life I keep secret for a reason. You'll just have to trust me."
"I do."
And with that, Greg turned from the Texan, walked over to his car, got in, and took off.
Nick walked back into the lab and saw the rest of the team standing together in a circle. When Nick got nearer, they broke apart.
"Nicky," Catherine began, "we've decided that this Sunday, we're going to follow Greg and find out exactly what he's been up to."
"Are you sure that's a good decision Cath," Nick asked her, " after what happened in the lab, I think it would be best if we just dropped the whole thing. He'll tell us when he is ready."
"I would agree with you Nick," Grissom said, "but this mystery has been going on too long for my taste. I think Catherine has the right decision."
Nick could see that Sara and Warrick had the same look of determination in their eyes as everyone else.
"Alright. Count me in."
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When Sunday finally came, Nick found himself in Catherine's Tahoe with the rest of the team sitting near Greg's apartment building. They had decided to dress like they had a court date after they discussed the phone call Greg was taking in the locker room.
"We've been here since eight-thirty," Warrick was saying after he took a drink of the coffee Sara had brought along, "And it's almost nine-thirty."
"Just be patience Rick," Nick told him, "here, have a doughnut."
Warrick took one of the Krispy Kream doughnuts and took a bit of it. They sat there for five more minutes before the door of Greg's apartment finally opened. Greg came walking out dressed in a pair of khaki pants and blues bottom shirt with tie. His hair was not spiky but under control and nicely combed.
"Wow. I don't think I've ever seen Greg like that," Sara said in an astound voice.
"Me either," Catherine said.
Greg got in his car and started the engine. Catherine did the same and started to follow Greg once he drove out of the parking lot, making sure to stay a few cars behind him but to where they could still see his Jetta.
After driving for another fifteen minutes, Greg pulled into a large parking lot.
"Oh my God," Sara said.
"God is right," Grissom said.
Everyone agreed. Not one of them could believe where they had followed Greg too.
Greg had led them to the Lord's Shepherds Lutheran Church.
As they pulled into a parking space, they saw Greg enter the church with the young women from the picture Catherine had taken.
"Did any of you know Greg went to church?" Warrick asked as they walked up to the entrance.
"No," Nick said. He saw that both Catherine and Sara had the same look of disbelief on their faces. Grissom appeared to be deep in thought.
No one said anything when they entered the church. Seeing Greg was nowhere to be seen, the CSIs headed into the Sanctuary.
They took seats in the back pews and started to see if they could find Greg. Grissom spotted him in one of the front pews, sitting next to the mystery women, who happened to look over her shoulder at that moment. They knew she looked straight at them from the look on her face. After she turned back, she leaned over to Greg and whispered something into his ear. But before he could react, the music started to ply and the choir began to sing.
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After the service had ended, and the people began to fill out of the pews, the CSIs were among the first to leave. They lingered in the entrance hall to wait for Greg.
"That was some service. I never would have thought of connecting Jesus with Bruce Springsteen," Warrick said.
"Oh I'm glad to hear that Mr. Brown," a voice said from behind them.
They turned and saw the reverend standing behind them.
"You're welcome reverend. How did…"
"I know who you were? After talking so much with Greg about his work colleagues, I feel like I've known you as long as Greg. Doctor Grissom, Ms. Sidle, Ms. Willows, Mr. Stokes," he said in acknowledgement to the other members.
"Greg talks about us?" Nick asked.
"Oh yes. We've hosted several lectures for our younger members about possible future careers and Greg has shared many of the exploits both he and yours have been entailed in. But enough about that," he said with a wave of his hand, "I'm so glad you decided to come to our services today. We are so happy you all have decided to join our congregation."
"Join?" a shocked Nick said.
"Just a little Lutheran humor Mr. Stokes," the reverend said with a smile, "so don't worry about us trying to convert you against your wills. If we did that, then what was the point of Martin Luther nailing his thesis to the cathedral door? No offence Doctor Grissom."
"None taken," Grissom replied.
"Ah, here is our friend now," and everyone turned to the Sanctuary entrance where Greg and the young lady were walking out of.
"Greg. Amanda. Over here," the reverend called over to them.
Greg's face became one of surprise and shock when the pair walked over.
"Hi everyone," Greg said once he saw the entire third shift.
"See Greg, I told you it was them," Amanda told him.
"Yah, you were right Amanda. I guess I didn't believe it at first."
"Oh now Greg. You should know that my daughter would not lie."
"You're right Reverend Jansen."
"Why don't Amanda and I leave you with your friends?"
"Ok."
Reverend Jansen and his daughter took off down the hall, leaving Greg behind with his friends.
"So. You're dating the daughter of the reverend?" Warrick asked.
Greg said nothing. Instead he headed over to a door that led to the choir changing room, and went inside. He left the door open for them to follow which they did. Greg waited till Sara closed the door before he spoke.
"First of all, no, I'm not dating Amanda. She already has a boyfriend and we're just good friends," he said as he looked straight into Nick's hazel eyes, "But more importantly, what are you all doing here?"
"Our curiosity got the better of us Greg," Grissom stated for everyone, "we decided to follow you today to see what it was specifically that has your attention on Sundays. Out of everything we may have thought of, I don't think none of us thought it would have been church."
"Why didn't you tell us about this Greg?" Catherine asked him.
"If I did, what would you have said?" Greg asked her in return. Neither she nor anybody else answered him.
"You probably would have asked me why," he answered for her, "you would ask me why I was going to church when I'm a lab technician. How I can worship a God that may or may not exist when I studied science in college. When I was growing-up, my family went to church every day. The feeling I got from the services made me feel, I don't know, secure. When I moved here, those same services offered me reinsurance after seeing what people can do to one another. Not one of you have said anything about going to church since I've know you. All I ever heard is what type of churches you went to growing-up. That's all. And I didn't want it to seem like I was trying to push my religious views onto you."
The CSIs took in all of what Greg said.
"Oh Greg," Catherine said as she went over to him and wrapped her arms around him, "you didn't have to hide this from us. We would have understood."
"Really?"
"Of course we would have Greg," Sara said, "we're your friends. We're family.
"Yah man," Warrick added, "I guess we haven't taken the chance to really get to know you like we should have in hindsight."
Greg smiled at them. He looked over at Nick, who had remained silent.
"Nicky?"
"Like I already told you G, I had nothing to do with any of this."
"Oh thanks a lot man," Warrick said as he gave the Texan a slight shove, "make us out as the bad guys."
"Well, I do own a white cowboy hat."
Everybody laughter. Nick gave Greg a secret look which Greg took it as a question if the Californian would like him to wear it for him in private later. Greg nodded his head.
"Well I'm glad this is all over," Grissom stated. "But there's one thing I still don't understand Greg. If you go to morning services, what do you do in the afternoon?"
"Oh, I usually help with the lunch the church has after the service and then I help clean up after. I usually help if there's a special event as well. Then I'm a member of the church planning community. I don't get home till about five if I'm luck. Speaking of, instead of lunch, we're throwing Reverend Jansen a surprise birthday party. That was what Amanda and I were shopping for that day. You want to come?"
Again, it was Grissom who spoke for everyone. "We would be happy to Greg."
"Good. This way," and he went over to open the door and pointed down the hall, "down the hall, around the corner to the left."
The team filed out with Nick at the end. When he passed Greg, Greg gave him a kiss on the check.
"So are we going to attend church together now?" Greg asked in a hush tone.
"Wont that seem odd G?"
"They about me Nicky. When Amanda saw you, she told me that my hot Texan boyfriend was sitting in the back pew. But like I said, I don't want to push you."
"She thinks I'm hot? I'll think about it G."
The smile the Texan gave the younger man filled him with love.
"That's all I ask Nicky. I love you."
"You too. Now come on, or everybody will wonder what happened to us."
"Alright. I guess it would be in bad taste to make out in a church."
"Yah, but leave it to you to try it."
Greg just laughed and took off down the hall. As usual, Greg's child-like innocence and attitude made the at times humble Texan smile.
Fin.
-Author's Notes-
Well what did you think? Too much angst and not enough fluff and romance? Are the characters OOC? Not my usual kind of writing? Hate it like it? Let me know. I love to read your reviews. This turned out longer then what I expected. It seems I can't write a simple story.
As far as I know, there is no Lutheran Church called Lord's Shepherds. If there is, I did not know. I don't know how Lutherans conduct Sunday services. I myself am Methodist. And I also mean no disrespect to any of the Catholic faith as well.
On the subject of my personal life, the new semester is underway and the two classes I am taking will require me to do a lot of writing and essays for them. That means, I won't have the time I used to write but do not worry. I will not abandon any of my stories. Whenever I get the time, I will work on the next chapters for "California Here We Come." I have several ideas for new chapters written out. Hopefully, I will have the ninth chapter up soon. So all you have to do is wait a little bit longer. It's hard I know. But thank you for all your great support.