Author's Note: Thanks for the feed back on the last chapter! Story's startin' to get really fun to write, so hopefully it's fun too read too.
Laura: I'm glad you are still enjoying the story (and reviewing too!) I share your fear for the CSI people getting rid of Greg. But, there is one bonus if Greg does something stupid, and if it something to do with Riley getting kidnapped maybe there will be a Greg Riley sad and/or angsty moment!
X
"Should I kill you?"
Greg was petrified. His eyes were wide and his head throbbed where the suspect had shoved the gun into it. The gun cocked and Greg winced.
"You won't shoot him,"
Greg's legs trembled with relief, but also with fear for Riley.
The suspect swerved around, his eyes alert and angry.
"And why not?" He hissed into Riley's ear.
Riley suppressed a shiver, trying desperately to stay calm, despite the creep whispering in her ear. Her leg twitched but she managed to stop herself from kneeing him in the crotch.
"'Cause those cops outside will hear the shot."
"Well I don't have to shoot him, to kill him."
Riley swallowed hard.
"Give me the gun," he reached out a hand.
Riley tossed her head up, trying to look confident," I don't carry."
His eyes narrowed "Give me the gun," he repeated.
Riley handed it over.
"You talk the talk, but you're no real challenge to me. You remember that Sparky."
The suspect walked over to Greg, whose eyes were cast downwards. The suspect stuck out a hand and wrapped it around Greg's chin, gripping it hard. He snapped it up so that they were almost eye level, and although his previous stance said otherwise, his eyes held a challenge.
"You don't carry. You hate guns."
Greg frowned, hating that the man in front of him knew so much about him. He tried to break eye contact but the suspect's hand around his face held him in place.
"You don't look too strong either. But, I've read about a CSI Sanders and the Demetrius James incident." Greg winced at this and tried to avert his eyes," After a beating like that," the suspect raised an eyebrow, at Greg's attempts to look away," I'd expect you took up some sort of self-defense."
Greg blushed brightly. He hadn't wanted anyone to know that, and he wondered if Riley would tell anyone or not. He had a chance to look her way when the suspect moved behind him. Their eyes locked, and hers seemed to say reassuringly "We'll get through this". Greg smiled weakly too exhausted to do anything more energy-absorbing.
Greg continued to look at Riley, and it was her gasp that informed him of the kick to his back. It wasn't until he fell on to his knee that Greg registered the pain of the initial blow. When the pain came it came hard. The suspect's knee had hit the small of his back, and Greg bit his lip hard to keep himself from screaming.
This time it was the heel of the suspect's boot, and it hit Greg hard. He screamed hoarsely as he fell to the floor, too shocked to try and halt the fall. The kicks continued, coming from all directions. The pain blended into one throbbing heap, and Greg vaguely registered Riley's pleading shouts.
Greg lay on the ground in a fetal position, is arms covering his head. He stayed like this even when the attack stopped, not realizing that there was only pain from old blows and no new explosions of pain shuddered through him.
When Greg looked up and rolled over onto his back, the suspect had Riley against the far wall, whispering to her, his face inches away from hers.
Greg gaze clouded for a moment, and when his eyes cleared the suspect was doubled over in pain, while Riley knelt down next to Greg stoking his air and whispering soothingly to him; also looking over at the suspect at intervals.
"Ri-ley," he slurred, pain shooting through bruised ribs.
"Shoo," shushed Riley, sensing Greg's pain.
Greg closed his eyes and shook his head. He focused all his strength into one word.
"Behind"
Riley turned but it was too late. The bullet shot through Riley's abdomen, tossing her against the wall.
The suspect cocked the gun again and was about to finish Riley off, when Greg staggered to his knee and tackled him, succeeding in knocking the gun out of his hand. Pain exploded through Greg's battered body as he leapt across the room grabbing the gun. The suspect's heel connected with Greg's stomach, and he almost his grip on the gun. He swerved around, and hoped he'd make the shot. The suspect was still pounding him and he crawled away aiming the gun at the suspect's leg, knowing it would temporarily cripple the suspect. He didn't carry a gun, but he had taken a course in arms, and he hoped he had the skill to pull of the shot. At the last second, just before he fired his vision glazed over and the shot traveled lower than it was meant to, hitting the suspect in the knee. He howled in pain, and clutching his knee, fell backwards.
Greg staggered towards Riley, calling for EMT at the same time. He cradled Riley's body close to him, applying pressure to the bullet wound, and, for the first time since he was fourteen, he prayed.
X
Grissom was sitting in his office, looking over at a picture of him and Sara. He sighed, they had been so happy then, when no-body knew about them, and when it was just them, no-one else to interfere. He sighed loudly when his phone rang, and let it ring ignoring it. He listened to the message Nick left.
"Grissom? Something happened at Greg and Riley's scene-"
"What happened?" said Grissom urgently picking up the phone.
"Suspect returned to the scene, Riley was shot, and Greg's been pounded pretty badly, though I'm pretty sure most of it was shock. But God Grissom, he was covered in blood, most of it hers. And when I pulled Greg away, he looked so defeated." His voice dropped to a whisper, cracking ever so slightly," I didn't even know they were this close. And my God Grissom what if she doesn't make it. He...he'll be devastated."
"You pulled through Warrick," said Grissom, hoping it was the right thing to comfort Nick, "He'll pull through this."
"But, he helped me through that Griss; and I don't know how to help him."
