Couldn't help myself, new story! Please read my other stories and review them, just like this one, PLEASEEE! Love to know what you think and criticism is welcome. This story has an M rating because it will contain content which is for mature people only and may contain the odd naughty word. I don't own CSI sadly. But anyway, please enjoy and review!

Drunk

"You better get your ass into work man, and quick. I don't know how many more chances you're 'gonna get before Russell loses it with you. You need to get your act together. I'll see ya later."

Catherine joined Nick as he was walking down the corridor.

"Was that Greg you were telling off?" Catherine asked him as Nick put his phone in his pocket annoyed.

Nick took a big breath in, "Yep. Couldn't actually get a hold of him, I just left him a message. I don't know what's gotten into him recently. This is the third time this week he's been late." Nick stated disapprovingly.

Catherine raised her eyebrows, "Third?" She questioned.

Nick looked at her, now raising his own eyebrows, "Uh huh. Tuesday he was, granted it was only a few minutes but still, he had the day off before so he should have been well rested. Wednesday he managed to get here a little bit early, but then yesterday and today he's been late again."

Catherine shook her head, "When was he meant to start?"

Nick looked at his watch, "Two hours ago."

Catherine looked with her mouth agape at him, "Two hours! Are you sure he's okay? That's not like Greg."

"Yeah, I know Catherine but the past week, like I said, he's been late more times than I have since I've been working here." Nick told her, no sympathy at all for Greg.

"Well maybe, but can you just tell Russell you're going to drop by his apartment when you go out next?" Catherine asked him, slightly concerned about Greg.

Nick sighed, "Alright, but just because it's you" He told her smiling cheekily at her.

Catherine smiled back, "Thank you. See you later."

Nick and Catherine parted ways and Nick headed to Russell's office.

"Hey Boss, I'm just dropping by Greg's before I go to my scene if that's okay?" He asked holding onto the door frame.

Russell looked up, "Sure, just don't spend too long there. You've both got work to do" He said sternly.

"Got it. Thanks." Nick said before walking out to the garage.

Nick arrived at Greg's apartment complex and turned his engine off.

He ran up the stairs two at a time, well bounced up them almost. He found Greg's apartment and knocked on the door.

He heard movement then a slam against the door. Growing a little bit worried, he shouted Greg.

"Greg?"

There were more sounds coming from inside the apartment and then silence. Nick tried the door and to his surprise, found it open.

He walked into the apartment and looked around. Just behind the door was Greg, his back propped up against the wall and a bottle of vodka in his hand.

Nick shut the door behind him and stood over Greg.

"Greg, what the hell are you doing?" Trying to sound stern but sounding slightly amused, which he really was.

Greg looked up from where he sat on the floor, as if only just realising someone was there. "Hey Nick. D'you wanna drink?" He asked, his words slurring together.

Nick let a slight chuckle pass his lips at his drunken friend. "No man I don't want a drink. You're meant to be at work."

Greg looked at the watch on his wrist and blinked hard a couple of times to try and focus on it. Whether he managed to or not, Greg started to try and get up.

Nick leant forward to help him but Greg forcefully pushed him away, dropping the Vodka bottle onto the floor. Letting it smash into a million sharp pieces,

"Hey, man, I only came here to see if you were okay. There's no need to be like that with me" Nick told him, wiping down his t shirt where Greg had spilt Vodka onto him.

"Yeah well I'm fine, so you can leave." Greg told him, his words still slurring together badly. And the only thing holding him up was the wall he was leaning on.

Nick looked at him shocked. "You call this fine?" He asked astonishingly.

"You're meant to be at work, but you're here getting out your face on booze. I'm going to make you some coffee, now go and get a shower."

Nick moved towards the kitchen but Greg swung his arm out and punched Nick forcefully in the jaw.

"Get out!" He shouted drunkenly at Nick.

Nick rubbed his jaw, Greg actually threw quite a good punch, and Nick was amazed at how powerful Greg was since he wasn't exactly muscley.

"What the hell man!" Nick shouted back. "Go and get in the shower before I do something you don't want me to," He warned then turned back to go in the kitchen.

Greg ran in front of him and put his arms on the counter at the side and in the middle, blocking Nick from getting past.

"I said get out!"

Nick just stood there looked at Greg. What Nick didn't expect was Greg hitting him again.

Greg began shoving him towards the door and cursing at him whilst he was doing so. Nick thought it had gone too far and was growing increasingly angry at Greg.

When Greg tried to roughly push him forward, Nick spun around and now it was Greg who got hit in the jaw.

Greg flew backwards and smacked his head on his tile floor in the kitchen. Nick's punch had been a lot more powerful and serious than Greg's. Greg looked up at Nick and Nick could see a hint of fear coming through his eyes.

Greg felt around the back of his head and he brought his hand back around the front to his face and saw blood on his fingers.

When Nick saw the blood he offered his hand to Greg, feeling bad about what he'd just done.

Greg looked up again and shuffled back, away from Nick. Then, got up with the help of the counter and started walking past Nick towards his door.

Nick turned around once Greg had walked past him and saw Greg open his door, then turn to look at Nick with tears glistening in his eyes.

"G, look I didn't mean to do that..." Nick started, but Greg interrupted him.

"Just go."

Nick walked to the door but stopped before he went out of it.

"Greg, what's wrong with you, huh? Just tell me."

Greg shook his head making him dizzy, Greg began shutting the door, but Nick put his hand on it stopping him.

"Nick leave me alone." Greg told him angrily. "Just fuck off and leave me alone." He said again, shouting this time though.

"Greg i'm not leaving you like this, get dressed and you can come with me to work." Nick told him, keeping his own voice down.

"Stop telling me what to do!" Greg shouted at him more and more. "Go and leave me alone!"

Nick put his hands up and huffed. "Fine, but don't expect me to cover your ass. And don't be surprised if you get suspended either."

Greg looked at him and shut the door. Nick got back in his car and decided to go back to the lab.

"Hey Nick, why aren't you at your scene?" Russell asked with his hands waving around questionably.

"Well, I just thought I'd come and tell you that Greg's at home. Drunk."

Russell put his head back in frustration. "You should have dragged him here Nick! How bad was he?"

Nick sighed, "Bad enough to get violent."

Russell dug his keys out of his pocket. "I guess that's where that bruise has come from on your jaw then?"

Nick nodded.

"Right I'm going around there now." Russell told him jingling his keys around in his hand.

Russell knocked on Greg's door. "Greg it's me."

No answer.

"Greg, you open this door now if you still want your job." Russell threatened.

Greg opened his door and then walked away, leaving it open for Russell.

Russell walked in and closed the door behind him.

"I saw Nick's face." He started off saying.

Greg just nodded then bent down to sort the broken glass from the Vodka bottle he had dropped over half an hour ago.

Russell came over by him and looked at Greg trying to pick up the glass. His hands were shaking and he was struggling to pick up the small pieces of glass.

"Why are your hands shaking Greg?" Russell asked.

Greg just shook his head, wanting him to drop it.

"Greg, look at me." Russell told him. Greg looked up and Russell saw his red rimmed eyes.

Russell frowned. "Greg, I'll clean that up."

Greg looked at Russell again then stood up.

Russell smiled at him, but Greg just looked away.

"Why don't you go and sit down for a minute whilst I clean this up?" Russell suggested, and Greg nodded then walked to sit on his sofa.

Once the glass had been cleaned up Russell joined Greg on his sofa.

"So, fancy telling me why you're late today? Or the other two times you've been late this week for that matter?"

Greg looked at him and apologised, "I'm sorry. I just, I just have a lot going on."

"Such as?" Russell asked him.

Greg shrugged, "Stuff."

"It must be something big to make you hit Nick whilst you were drunk." Russell told him.

Greg swallowed. "Did he happen to tell you how he hit me? Or did he conveniently leave that bit out?" Greg asked sarcastically.

Russell smiled. "He did leave that part out actually. But did you hit him first?"

Greg nodded, "Yeah but I'm like half his size, I only tapped him compared to what he did to me. Anyway, I didn't mean to."

Russell agreed with him and nodded his head. "He may be bigger but that's not the point. You got drunk for some reason and hit him because of it. Now what's made you do all that Greg?"

Greg looked around nervously. "I just had an incident on Monday and, eh, it just kind of put me on edge a bit."

"What happened?"

Greg looked at him, "I'd rather not talk about it."

Russell saw how Greg was reluctant to share what happened but needed to know why he was acting the way he was.

"I want to know Greg. This can stay between me and you. No-one else has to know."

Greg noticed that Russell was starting to get ideas about what had happened.

His breathing hitched when he spoke, "I went to a bar on my night off and these guys just tried to pick a fight with me."

Russell knew Greg had left something out. "And..."

"And they roughed me up a lil' bit."

Russell nodded and knew there was something else. "Who did you go with to this bar? Did they get roughed up too?" He asked.

"Erm, some friends." Greg answered. "They left before I did though."

Russell looked at Greg. He was tense and extremely nervous.

"How did they rough you up then, these guys i'm guessing?"

"Yeah, they were guys." Greg told him. "They just beat me up a tad, that's all."

"Are you sure nothing else happened? You can tell me Greg. I promise I won't tell anyone." Russell smiled at him, trying to reassure and comfort him.

"Nothing happened, okay? Why can't you just listen to me?" Greg asked him slightly angry and annoyed.

"Greg," Russell said, then moved a little bit closer to Greg on the sofa, "I know there's something you're not telling me. And I think I know what has happened."

Greg looked down, feeling tears trying to make their way out.

"Have you reported it?" Russell asked him softly.

Greg just shook his head. Just what Russell thought.

"You should Greg, and then the people who did it can be locked away."

Greg already started shaking his head, which still made him dizzy since he was still basically drunk.

"I can't force you but I would if I were you. I can process the clothes you were wearing then and do everything else so that nobody else is involved?" Russell asked yet told him at the same time.

Greg swallowed deeply and finally nodded.

Russell smiled, "Thanks Greg. I know you don't want to but, you're doing the right thing. So, what do you want to do first? We can go back to the bar first?"

Greg licked his lips nervously. "It doesn't matter to me. But, I, erm, I threw my clothes in the trash once I got home."

Russell thought for a minute, "Has your bin been emptied yet?" Greg shook his head.

"Alright then, I'll go and find them. But first, let me make you a drink. You know you could have told me sooner, I don't think any less of you." Russell told him honestly.

"I actually think more of you now."

Greg got up. "I'm going to get a shower. Just do what you need to and help yourself to food and drink and stuff." He said to Russell before walking off.

Greg had been in his bathroom for half an hour and Russell almost got up to see what Greg was doing but just then Greg walked out.

"Sorry I took so long." He apologised.

Russell smiled, "Don't worry about it. Hope you don't mind me watching your TV?"

"Nah, it's fine."Greg said dejectedly.

Greg's eyes were red and tears were still swimming around in them.

Russell turned off the TV and looked closer at Greg.

Greg turned his head to look at him and let a tear roll down his face. He quickly wiped it away.

"Sorry." He hastily apologised.

"Don't be Greg. Come here" Russell told him and motioned with his hand to join him next to him.

Greg shook his head a bit and sat in a separate chair which matched the sofa, and brought his legs up to his chest and crossed his arms over them. He then put his head down into them and cried.

Russell got up and pulled a tissue out of his pocket. He stood next to the chair where Greg sat then gently placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. They stayed there a while until Greg looked up and took the tissue Russell had.

Greg wiped the tears but more fell afterwards anyway.

Russell smiled sympathetically at him and squeezed his shoulder.

After apologising, Greg told Russell sadly, "Please don't tell anyone about this or what's happened. I don't want anyone to know."

"Of course Greg. I won't tell anybody."

"Thank you."

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