Title- Drowning
Warnings- Greggo's Death, but, if you read the other four, you'd figure it out by now. This will probably be the saddest, darkest one I've written. I'm seriously putting as much emotion as I can, and hope this doesn't fall short. Also, Kittyluv could not beta this story. Mistakes are my own.
Summary- He felt like he was drowning, and Nick knew it wasn't just the alcohol, but the image of Greg's eyes dimming, that kept choking Nick, holding his head under the water, and he didn't know if he could keep his head up.. or if he even wanted to anymore... WARNING- CHARACTER DEATH, Companion to Not What He Expected, Losing a Son, Getting Clean, and Wishing for Silence, BUT CAN STAND ALONE!
Disclaimer- Like I said, if I owned this show, Greg would die frequently, only to return the next week. Not good for a story that tries to be realistic.
A/N- Ok, Nick's turn. I'm gonna try to step it up, I am gonna put A LOT of raw emotion in this one, and I'm hoping, if my other works have touched you, this one will stab you. ALSO! This talks about how Greg died! Special thanks to those who harassed me, you know who you are!
The home phone was unplugged, and his cell phone had been thrown against the wall recently, and now laid in several pieces, forever silenced.. Just like Greg. Without thinking, Nick Stokes brought the cool lip of his current beer to his lips, and took a swig. The cans and bottles littered his usually clean apartment, and the Texan didn't give a damn. He thought the others might still be knocking, but he had fixed that interruption, too- Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss were singing a usually soft lullaby, though, when blasted through his sound system, 'Whiskey Lullaby' could drown out most things, like the constant knocking at the door, but never Greg Sanders' last attempts to breathe.
Again, the lip of the beer met his own lips, and he gulped down the rest of his beer. It had become his own little personal drinking game- Think of Greg and take a gulp. Simple. Nick had lost count to how many beers he had used in the game, but he knew that, if he really cared, he could possibly have severe alcohol poisoning. Sadly, he didn't care anymore. Not since Greg had been taken away.
'Oh, need to get another beer' Nick thought to himself as he stood, stumbling slightly, and headed for the fridge. He cursed as he opened the door- He was out of beer. Angrily, he tightened his on the beer bottle in his hands before he chucked it, smiling drunkenly as it smashed and shattered into a million pieces. For some reason, though, the sight of glass falling reminded him of two incidents, both involving Greg Sanders.
With an anguish cry, Nick punched the wall. The movement was too much, and he found himself falling, but the wall caught him. He tried to keep his balance, but his head was suddenly pounding, and so, he slid to the floor. Tears escaped his eyes, and hiccups road his body, but all he could do was think,
'Why, Greg, can't you leave me alone?'
He closed his eyes, and leaned back, only to open them quickly, seeing a goofy smile slide off a young face, before blood (so much blood) appeared everywhere, and then, the smile and the man was no more. Nick tried to slow his breathing, but it only caught as he spotted a picture across the room, hanging innocently on the wall. A picture of his preverbal family, with himself and a certain CSI 1 smiling in the center, a smile he would only see in photographs for the rest of his life.
Just staring at the picture, one that once brought a warm smile to the Texan's face, now forced a sob from chapped lips. Still, he couldn't tear his eyes away, wishing to engrave this image inside his head, so he didn't have to remember Greg as he last saw him.
Weak
Pale
Broken
Dead
The last word caused Nick to let out a low, painful moan, and he wished he could drown himself away in a few more beers, but, instead, he felt himself drowning in memories. Each image reminded him of the times he thought he needed to help Greg, but was proven wrong.
How, first day for the new lab tech, and a tough case.
But Greg handled it better than the old lab tech
How, Warrick came rushing into the lab demanding results impossibly early,
But Greg had them not only ready, but double checked
How, after the shift, Warrick was ready to relieve some stress,
But Greg came in bearing coffee and defused the situation
(Blue Hawaiian, a miracle)
How Holly Gribbs was shot and Greg was forced to run the evidence
But the lab tech treated it like any other case
Nick stopped thinking of murdered CSIs, they were so close to the events that led to his current binge, but that didn't slow his mind down- No, now, he reflected on how, when he was supposed to be the older brother, Greg took his place.
How, after he was found innocent of Kristy's death, he went on a drinking binge, much like this one,
But woke up on Greg's couch, the smell of cleaning supplies telling him he really didn't make it to the bathroom.
How, after the Crane incident, he expected everyone to tip toe around him,
But, Greg invited him drinking, and let the Texan move in for however long he wanted
(Longer than he needed, but Greg never complained)
How, after the lab explosion, he couldn't go see Greg so weak,
But Greg never held a grudge, just made him payback with beer
(Why did most of his memories involving Greg also involved beer?)
How, after the kidnapping, he thought nothing would be the same,
But Greg forced him to come to their weekly video game night, and kick his ass, royally.
How, after Greg became a CSI, Nick thought nothing would change,
But Greg started growing up, keeping his hair tame
How, a week after Greg's change, he showed up at the door on Video game night expected to be turned away
But Greg answered, hair spiked, ready to play.
(Nick won that day, but it was close)
How, some nights, he needed someone to talk to, and ended up at Greg's door
But the ex-lab tech was always there to listen, able to relate.
("We both have scars, Nicky, that's why we're not afraid to show them.")
How, after 3 years, Nick asked to see Greg's burns, expecting no,
But Greg stood up, stripped off his shirt, and showed the scars, faded, but still there, etched for eternity, like it was no but deal.
That night, Nick drank himself into oblivion at Greg's, selfishly glad the ant bites wouldn't scar. He felt guilty in the morning, but smelled no tell tale cleaning products, so that was one small victory.
How, after Greg was attacked, after Nick punch some guy (who turned out to be the right guy, thank you God for that chance), he went to visit Greg in the hospital,
But never made it through the front doors.
It were those moments that Nick felt the weakest, and hated himself the most, but he also hated God then, too, because it seemed he enjoyed striking down the pure and innocent. He didn't know anyone like Greg.
Someone who always made you smile when you were frowning
Laugh while you were crying
Happy when you were sad
Glad when you were mad
It were moments like a young man dancing in a lab to please those watching, who turned work into joy, and had fun with his toys that made Nick wake up some days, just to see what weird thing Greg would be up to today. No more, though. There would be no more loud music, no more laughter in the halls, no more porn stored in between text books, no more smiles, no more Hawaiian blue, just no more.
And Nick couldn't take no more.
Slowly, the event, four days ago? Maybe more. Time passed oddly when you were on mandatory leave and drunk.
Nick couldn't stop it from playing in his head, no matter how many times he wished for a stop button, a pause button, anything to stop the images.
A fight over the music station.
Greg finally winning.
Nick, shocked, when the lab rat still put on the country station.
Even more when Greg started singing along.
Big & Rich, 8th of November
Nick had broken the CD went he got home that day..
Probably would never listen to it again
The pulled up to the house.
Simple, two story house in a normal neighborhood.
In his mind, Nick had now painted it blood red, though it was white in real life.
Greg and himself had been briefed, mother and child dead, shot, child upstairs.
Greg instantly insisted on taking the second floor.
Nick knew why, but relented, watching the blonde run upstairs.
Seconds, minutes, hours past.
A scuffle
A yell
A glance up
A heart that stopped.
Greg
Standing there
Eyes wide
Breath quick
Gun pointed at his head
And man, covered in black, with a hand on the trigger.
OMG!
OMG! IT'S A TWO-SHOT, finished the second half, but wanna hear what you guys have to say. ALSO! GUESS HOW GREG DIES! Bonus if you get it right- Sneak peak at the new story~ The Sun Always Shines Tomorrow! THE FINAL PART TO THE WHY? SERIES! To give you all a warm, happy ending.
