"Nick's been kidnapped."

Greg had laughed humorlessly when Warrick had announced that little bit of information to him and Hodges in the break room. It was the only thing he could think to do. If he hadn't laughed, he would have started crying and he didn't think that would help. That had been over an hour ago and had been the last noise Greg had made up to that point. He was now standing in the A/V lab with the rest of the team, watching Nick on the monitor in front of them.

Nick looked so scared. Greg felt the tears stinging his eyes, but ignored it like he ignored the feeling of everyone else's eyes on him. They all knew him and Nick had gotten into a fight and were taking a break, but they all knew they would get back together. They also all knew that this was torture for the youngest member of the CSI team. Greg just stared at Nick's pale face and watched as he tried to find a way out that wasn't there. He watched as the man he loved slowly started falling apart in what was meant to be his final resting place.

And Greg had no idea what to do.

He felt completely lost. All he wanted to do was find Nick and hug him and make everything go away. He wanted everything to just stop and be okay again. He didn't care if Nick still hated him and they were never back together again. He just wanted Nick to be above ground and safe. He just wanted Nick to be okay.

Greg tore his eyes away from the screen and fled to the bathroom. He made it into a stall and fell to his knees just as the contents of his stomach appeared in the toilet bowl in front of him. After a few more dry heaves he forced himself to his feet. Unfortunately, splashing cold water on his face did absolutely nothing. So Greg wiped his hands on his jeans and trudged out of the bathroom aimlessly. He didn't know where he was going, but he did manage to catch Ecklie telling the lab techs that Nick's ransom wouldn't be funded.

Greg fell up against the closest wall and slid down until his knees were up against his chest.

And then the tears finally came.


Nick tried to keep his breathing even and slow. He kept his eyes closed and tried to pretend that he was at home in his bed, not underground in a plexiglass box. He also was keeping his eyes closed so he wouldn't look at his watch to find out how much time had passed. He estimated that he had about two hours of air. After he was sure two hours had passed, he assumed that he was being given air. Which meant he wasn't meant to just flat out die. He knew his team would come looking for him. He knew they could find him.

But he didn't think he deserved to be found.

All Nick could think about was Greg and what he had done to him. He had used him and caused him a lot of pain, even though it hadn't been intentional. Nick was just trying to fix their relationship any way he could think of. But in the process, he had destroyed it completely beyond repair. And now he was never going to get the chance to try and make it right again.

Nick knew he deserved to be left where ever the hell he was, never to be seen again. Just in case he was rescued, he thought about everything he was going to say to Greg when he got out. He made himself promise to apologize for everything he did and do whatever it took to make Greg forgive him. Even if he wouldn't take him back, Nick had to make sure Greg knew he was sorry and had never meant to hurt him.

Knowing that there was a chance he wouldn't ever be found, Nick decided it was a good idea to tell Greg everything on the tape he had just said goodbye to his other friends and family on.

"Greg..." He started, his voice cracking slightly. "I just want you to know that I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Whether you believe me or not that's the truth. I love you more than anything. I want that to be the last thing I say to you. I want you to know that you're all I've been thinking about. Not just down here...since the day I met you. I love you Greg."

Nick clicked the tape off and dropped the tape recorder to his side. He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm even as the box was still slowly cracking around him. Then it hit him. The worst pain he had ever felt in his entire life. It felt like thousands of tiny needles were stabbing him and injecting searing hot liquid into his veins and muscles.

The ants.

But Nick wasn't thinking about the pain. He was thinking about that if he wasn't found, if they never found that tape, the last thing he would have said to Greg was "Fuck you Greg."

Definitely not what he wanted to say. He should have said "I'm sorry" or "I love you." Anything than what he had actually said.

Nick's body was still despite the fact that his mind was racing. He was praying that Greg would just move on and forget about him so that he would end up being happy and with someone who deserved him. He hoped Greg would get the life that Nick hadn't been able to give him.


Greg had been standing in the doorway when Nick had shot out the light. Just like Warrick, Greg thought Nick had ended it. He watched helplessly through the tears clouding his eyes until he saw green light fill the monitor, revealing Nick's still breathing body. He felt the air rush back into his lungs and was able to breathe again. He turned around and fled from the sight of Nick still in that box. After seeing what he thought had been Nick killing himself, Greg couldn't watch anymore. He couldn't stand there and watch Nick slowly suffocating right in front of his eyes.

He found that the layout room was empty, so he went in and closed the door behind him, shutting out the noise of the lab that he never remembered being this loud. He sank down into a nearby chair and let his eyes close as his head fell back. He tried to take deep breaths, but every breath he took reminded him that it was one less Nick was going to have. Each breath meant another passing second with Nick still underground, alone and waiting to either be found or die.

Greg opened his eyes and looked around for something to distract him from the image of Nick's lifeless body on Doc Robbins autopsy table. He didn't want to think about the next victim in their next case being Nick. Greg tried to focus on watching Grissom and Sarah look over some more evidence, but he couldn't concentrate. He hadn't slept in he didn't know how long. His eyelids were getting heavier every second until he couldn't keep them open anymore.

They fell closed again and Greg drifted off to sleep.

Greg stood up against the wall of Doc Robbins' office, watching as he and Warrick examined Nick's dead body. He couldn't move, breathe or speak. All he could do was stand there and listen to what they were saying and watch what they did.

"He suffocated, right?" Warrick asked with no emotion in his voice.

Robbins shook his head. "No, he passed out before that. Then he went into shock from the ant venom and lack of oxygen. COD is cardiac arrest. His heart just stopped beating."

Warrick was nodding slowly. "Do you think he realized he was dying? I mean, if it had been me I would have just taken the easy way out ya know?"

"I agree with that. I don't think he knew how much time he had. Either that, or he had something he was looking forward to after getting out of there. He must have really wanted to do or say something to someone before he died. That must be why he didn't give up."

Greg's knees started shaking. Robbins and Warrick looked over at him, both knowing that he was the reason Nick didn't give up. Greg thought their stares were enough to make him want to curl up in a ball and die. Then Nick's head turned and looked at him with those lifeless, gray eyes.

"Greg! Greg wake up!"

Greg was startled out of his nightmare by someone repeatedly yelling his name. He flinched and slid to the right, falling off the chair and onto the floor. He landed with a thud. He opened his eyes and looked up at Catherine, who seemed to be anxious beyond belief. She ran over to him and helped him up before pulling him in the direction of the door.

"What the hell Cath?" Greg asked sleepily.

"We know where Nicky is." Catherine said simply.

Greg was wide awake now.


Staying still didn't seem to be helping at all. Neither was trying to slap away the ants that were still crawling all over him and biting every inch of skin available. Nick finally yelled out in pain. His own voice sounded weird to his own ears, especially as it echoed of the plexiglass walls surrounding him. He kept his eyes shut tightly as he groped the bottom of the box, searching for the cold metal at his left side.

He finally found it. He slid his hand around the cold metal and gripped it tightly. He found comfort in the cold metal against his hot skin. He knew it was his way out of this hell. He knew that he could end it whenever he wanted. With one quick pull, it would all be over. Forever.

But he didn't want it to be over.

Not yet.

Nick yelled out again, but this time in frustration. He was in so much pain and had a quick, painless way out. It would all be over before he even heard the gunshot. He wouldn't have to wait to run out of air. He would finally be able to just relax. It would be over.

The more he thought about it, the more appealing that idea became to Nick. He took a deep breath and before he knew it his hand brought the gun up and held it under his chin. He hesitated long enough to think about how much he deserved to die this way after what he had done to the one person he had actually loved. Greg had been everything to him, but he had treated him like nothing. He just hoped Greg knew that he loved him.

His finger tightened on the trigger. Then he saw it. Red and blue flashing lights drowned out the sickening green glow around him. But he thought he was hullicinating, so he didn't open his eyes. He didn't open his eyes until he heard the voice cut through the silence.

"Hey! Put that down!"

Nick's eyes snapped open to see Warrick on the other side of the glass. All the dirt had been brushed away and Nick could clearly see through to the other side. He was extremely happy so see his best friend, but he looked beyond him to the crowd of people standing at the edge of the hole his box was in. His eyes locked with Greg's tear filled ones, and Nick felt his heart skip a beat. Greg didn't blink or move at all. Nick knew Greg's hands were shaking without even having to look down at them.

Nick dropped the gun back to his side and closed his eyes. He couldn't bere that look Greg had in his eyes. It was the most painful thing Nick had ever seen. Greg looked lost and scared, but most of all surprised. He had been surprised to see Nick with the gun again. Nick knew Greg didn't think he would have done it until he saw him seconds ago.

What happened next is all a big blur to both Nick and Greg. All Nick can really remember is reaching his arm out of the box and searching for Greg's hand, but not being able to find it. Greg had gotten the fire estinguisher, but after that had just stood back and watched. When Nick landed on the dirt after the box had blown up, everything seemed to be going in slow motion to Greg. The paramedics. Nick in the stretcher. The ambulance doors closing.

Then Nick was gone.

Again.