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And since I wanted to show you my appreciation and because I know many people like to read fanfic on Sunday, here's the next chapter!

Greg protested when they walked out of the apartment, when they were sitting in the car and on their way into the lab, to no avail. Nick insisted on going and there was nothing that could keep him from doing so. Greg knew how stubborn Nick could be, but still tried his best.

"Hey, look who Greg brought with him while being stuck in traffic," Russell said with a grin on his face.

Greg smiled a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, well..."

"Normally you'd be in trouble because you lied. But Nick saved your ass, you're excused." Russell patted Nick on the back. "How're you doing?"

"I'm good, good... I'm here to file my report, tell you what happened," Nick replied.

"Good, then let's go in my office." He lead Nick to his office with his hand on his back. "Oh, and Greg. There's some evidence in the layout room waiting for you. You have to catch up with your workload!"

Nick sighed. "I don't know, man, it happened so fast. One minute I was asking him what he saw, the other he grabbed a knife and came right at me."

"What did you ask him exactly?" Russell asked as they were sitting in his office. Russell was sitting on his desk.

"Phew... I'm not sure. I think I asked when he got shot."

"Got shot?"

"Yeah... He, uh... he had a graze wound on his arm. He didn't want to go to the hospital but the paramedics treated the wound."

"Did they know about the HIV?"

Nick nodded. "He told them before they treated him. Reed and I knew about it, too."

"Greg didn't?"

"No, he joined us later. I didn't even know he was already at the scene when he walked in."

"Okay, so let's get back to the attack. You asked him about the wound, then what?"

"He kept on saying he needed to go, he was in a hurry. He said this right before the attack. I told him he needed to wait until we were done, then he just grabbed the kitchen knife and attacked me."

Russell made notes. "He started cutting your hands and face?"

"I don't think that's what he wanted, he was aiming for my chest, but I fought him off as good as I could."

Russell nodded. "The wounds on your hands are defensive wounds."

Nick looked down to his hands as he nodded. A pause followed.

"...And then...?" Russel said, breaking the silence, animating Nick to tell the whole story.

"At first I thought I was able to overpower him, but he... He was still in control of the knife." Nick had to make a longer pause again to recollect himself, then he went on. "He lead the knife to his throat and then cut himself."

Russell leaned back. "Then what happened?"

"Because I knew about the HIV I..." He sighed. "I froze up. There was blood all over. All over the room, all over me... I, uh... I didn't know what to do, I just stood there. I should've helped him but..."

"I don't think I would've reacted differently, Nick."

He gave Russell a faint smile. "Well, and then... Greg came in."

Russell put up some sheets. "It doesn't say on Reed's report... and Greg didn't write his yet... What did he do when he walked in? Did he get exposed to the blood? Did he touch you or Petersen?"

Nick shook his head rapidly. "No, I told him to stay away."

Russell took a moment to read in the files. "But his shirt and vest are logged in as evidence. It says he had blood on it. How'd that happen?"

"Well... Since he didn't know about the HIV, he wanted to check on my wounds and I pushed him back. I couldn't let him take any risks."

For a change, a CSI really did what was expected from him after an incident like that – he went home to get some rest. In the meantime, Greg wrote his report. He went into Russell's office to drop it off. "There you go." He handed the report over and turned around, intending to leave the room.

"Greg, wait a second."

He stopped and turned around again. "I'm sorry I lied about being stuck in traffic, but I wanted to be there for Nick and figured you wouldn't..."

"No," he stopped him. "It's not that. I get that, but next time be honest. I do understand something like that. Have a seat, I wanted to ask you about what happened."

"Oh, sure. Sure." He sat down. "But I'm afraid I don't really know much, I walked in after it happened. Everything I know is in my report."

"I know, but... How is he?"

Since the incident happened, Greg kept a happy face on. He made Nick laugh right at the restaurant and tried to cheer him up at the hospital. He tried to stay positive to help him, but he knew it wasn't really working. Finally, his mask fell off. "I'm worried. He keeps on saying he's fine but I look right into his face and see that he's not. I mean, how could he after that?"

Russell nodded.

"The risk of infection is minimal since he got the post-exposure prophylaxis early and the wounds will heal, but I know that he'll feel guilty about this man's death."

Russell let Greg talk, he didn't ask any questions or tried to lead the conversation into a certain direction, he just wanted to hear what he had on his mind. He just kept on nodding interested.

"I know first hand that it's not much comfort to know it was self defense. You're still responsible for a person's death and that can break you, it really can. I..."

But now, Russell needed to interrupt him. "What do you mean, self defense?"

Greg looked a bit confused. Russell already knew about the Demetrius James case from a few years ago, when Greg had to run over James to safe both a victim's life and his own. "Well... a few years ago I..."

"No." Russell interrupted him again. "I know your story. I mean Nick's."

"...Mr. Petersen, the guy who attacked him. He died at the scene."

"I know, but Nick said it was suicide."

"...Suici..." Greg stopped himself. "Oh, yeah." A pause followed. He looked thoughtful.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, I just... I guess I'm just tired." He gave Russell a faint smile. "It's been a long day."

"Greg..." He leaned forward. "If you know anything I don't... You need to tell me."

Greg sighed. After what happened lately with officer Spencer, he didn't want to be a snitch again. It wasn't even like he knew anything. "...What did Reed say about it?"

"I didn't talk to her yet, I just got her report."

"...What does it say?"

"Greg!" Russell exclaimed a bit impatient.

"Sorry." He laughed nervously. "I don't know anything, but I saw Nick's hands. He has defensive wounds but also wounds that suggest he pushed the back of the knife."

"Yeah, he said he thought he was in control of the knife but really wasn't. That Mr. Petersen lead the knife to his throat on his own."

Greg nodded.

"Did he tell you something different?" Russell asked a bit confused.

He shook his head. "I didn't ask what happened. He didn't look like he wanted to talk about it, so... I figured I could read the report later."

"Is there something else you want to tell me?"

"I think I told you everything I know." He was preparing himself to get off his seat.

Russell stopped him. "I know you two are friends, Greg, and it's good to be loyal to your colleagues. But you also need to be loyal to your boss... and yourself. If you keep anything important from me and it comes up later, you could be in big trouble."

Greg tilted his head forward as he exhaled. He looked up to Russell. "Off the record?"

Russell hesitated, but then nodded.

"I know Nick. He feels guilty about something. But that could be anything. I'm sure he told you the truth, but... Something, I don't know... Something about this whole story doesn't seem right."