Ties by SLynn
Summary: Kidnapping, competition and change. Lots of change. Takes place approximately three months after the end of 'Appreciation'. Sixth in the ill-named 'Happy Enough' series. Greg/Sara and Nick/OFC
Spoilers: Up to 'Nesting Dolls'
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.
Chapter 4: Promises
"You needed to see me?" Greg asked.
"Have a seat," Grissom answered without looking up from his work, "and shut the door behind you."
Greg pulled up his favorite chair and buried his head in his hands as he waited.
"How are you?" Grissom asked, having finally finished reading.
"Doing?"
"Yes, Greg. How are you doing?"
Greg shrugged in reply, but Grissom waited for and wanted more.
"I'm alright. Tired, but aren't we all?"
"We all appreciate your willingness to step up and help out in the lab," Grissom said, "but don't overextend yourself."
"Listen, I know why you're concerned," Greg started, "and I appreciate it, I do. But I've been in remission for over a year now."
"Exactly, remission," Grissom said, keying in on that last part. "You still need to take it easy."
"Is there like some sort of latent guilt you're feeling for working me too hard over the years?" Greg asked jokingly. "Because really, you might want to call my parents and form a support group. No one gave me cancer."
"I know no one gave you cancer," he said, unable to keep from smiling a bit. "I'm just trying to remind you that you're still a cancer patient. I know you're only trying to take the stress off of Amy, but let Catherine and I handle that. You've made a lot of progress, don't sacrifice it."
"Is this the official go home speech?"
Grissom nodded briefly.
"Alright," Greg relented, "I know I'm stretching it kind of thin, but I am only doing it because I want to help solve this case. That's it. Well, that and get promoted."
"Which do you want more?"
Greg didn't even have to think twice about it.
"The case."
Nick gently shook Amy on the shoulder.
"What?" she groaned, squinting as she turned towards the source of disturbance.
"Time to go home," he told her.
She repeated her question as she slipped into a sitting position on the couch.
"Yeah," Nick said, "you've had enough."
He held out a hand to her which she took, still dazed.
"What time is it?"
"Nearly two," he answered, leading her down the hall.
"No," she said through a yawn as she shook her head. "I've got a couple more hours."
"Not tonight you don't," he returned.
Amy didn't protest further; she was too tired to and before she knew it they were home.
"Come on," Nick encouraged, opening the door for her and shooing the cat away.
Amy stalked through the house; dropping her purse and coat along the way; taking off her shoes before she reached the bed and lay down.
"I can't stay long," Nick said as he sat down beside her.
"Who's running the lab?" Amy asked.
"Don't worry about the lab," he returned, reaching over and taking over her glasses.
"Does that mean Greg?"
"No," he answered without a hint of anger, "Grissom sent him home too."
"I know he didn't ask for it and I know he didn't want it, but I wish he hadn't taken over the lab."
"Amy…"
"I can handle that lab," she argued.
"Everyone knows that," he reasoned. "Greg too. I'm sure he only agreed to it because he didn't want you overworking yourself, that's all."
"But…"
"And if you want the truth, Ecklie shouldn't have let him. Neither of you should be working these types of hours."
"He does look bad," Amy said, sitting up a bit.
"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" Nick joked.
"I'm serious," Amy said, despite cracking a smile. "You know, maybe you…"
"I'm not talking to him."
"How long is this going to last?" Amy sighed.
"Get some sleep," Nick said instead of answering.
He leaned over and kissed her quickly before saying goodbye, having a shift to get back too.
It was complicated.
Nick could see Greg's point of view about the whole thing, the problem was that Greg wouldn't see his. And Nick couldn't fix that; only Greg could.
Part of him wished Amy and Sara would stop pushing him to make this right. They didn't seem to understand that he would if he could.
It just wasn't his call.
Sara made it home just before eight the next morning. She made as little noise as possible knowing Greg was sleeping in the back room. Since he'd switched to swing shift she'd taken to stay up most mornings so they could spend part of the day together. About the time he went to work, she'd go to sleep. It wasn't much of an adjustment to make for her, since she rarely slept long. The only hard part was that they didn't really share a bed anymore unless they had the same nights off.
Deciding to forgo her new routine, Sara slipped into the bedroom, changed and slid into bed beside Greg. It hadn't been easy; he hadn't left her much room. He laid spread out on his stomach, snoring softly. She couldn't help but smile as she cuddled up beside him.
The movement had been enough to jar him from his otherwise peaceful sleep.
"Hi" he said, rolling over so that they were face-to-face.
"Hi yourself," she returned playfully, wrapping her arms around his chest.
Greg laughed softly in the semi-darkness of their room, before kissing her on the forehead and squeezing her close. Sara seized the opportunity, the proximity, moving forward and kissing him hard. He responded instantly, hands moving to her hips as he rolled on top of her.
And then the phone rang.
"Son of a…"
Sara laughed, moving out from under him as she reached for the phone.
"It's probably a telemarketer," she said to him before answering.
Greg scoffed, adjusting to sit up slightly as he watched and waited for her to finish.
Sara hung up after saying very little.
"What?" Greg asked, seeing the serious look that had replaced the playful one in an instant.
"There's been another kidnapping."
"I'm never going to get used to this."
Nick laughed as he turned to the tall woman with the dark complexion and eyes sitting beside him. It hadn't taken long for Nick to adjust to her presence, Tess had fit right in. She was a quick learner, unafraid of asking questions or of hard work. She was a bit like Greg, a late bloomer; only deciding she wanted to be a CSI after having spent six years in the coroner's office in Los Angeles.
She smiled back at him, one eyebrow raised.
"Don't laugh," she said in mock seriousness. "I mean it. Am I supposed to sleep during the day or not?"
"CSIs never sleep," Warrick chipped in, taking a seat beside her. "Didn't Nicky tell you that?"
"Everyone sleeps," Tess shot back. "And I know this case is hot, but how are we supposed to concentrate when we can't even keep our eyes open?"
"Who are we waiting on?" Ecklie called out as he came into the room. Today's meeting was for investigators only, giving the techs a much needed break.
"Sara and Greg," Sofia supplied.
"Catherine too," Warrick said over the din. "She had to drop off Lindsey."
"Sorry," Catherine said almost before Warrick had finished speaking, rushing into the room with Sara and Greg right behind her.
"Alright then," Ecklie sighed, ready to begin. "Greg, would you mind shutting the door? Hit the lights too."
Greg did just that before taking a seat next to Sara.
"Michael Davies," Ecklie said as he flipped on the overhead. "I'm sure most of you know who he is."
He paused as a low mumble broke out. Everyone in Vegas knew who Michael Davies was. He was one of the premiere entertainers on the strip, home grown even. You couldn't drive two miles down the interstate without seeing one of his billboards.
"His wife woke up this morning and found an empty bed and a note. Sofia?"
Ecklie stepped aside as Sofia took over.
"We arrived at the house shortly after seven this morning. All indications were that the house had been locked and alarmed as usual. Mr. Davies' hours are late but his wife tells us that he never varies in his routine. The assumption was that he was abducted outside his home. Mrs. Davies' found the note on the hood of her husband's car. We found no fingerprints, no sign of a struggle and no fiber evidence yet, but did recover a stun gun which we believe was used to subdue Mr. Davies."
She paused and looked up, expecting to be questioned.
"Where was the stun gun found?" Greg asked.
"Under the car. The assumption is that in the struggle it was dropped, kicked out of sight and forgotten."
"Footprints?" Sara asked hopefully.
Sofia shook her head slowly.
"It looks as if the perps washed the driveway down before leaving. The garden hose was found out front and we've been assured that it is not normally kept there or kept running overnight."
"We're sure these two are connected?" Warrick asked.
Ecklie and Sofia nodded at nearly the same time.
"The note left at this scene indicated as much," Sofia provided.
"Did they leave a demand?" Nick asked now.
"Just a promise of more to come," Sofia answered with a shake of her head.
Greg half-listened to the press conference on the television as he dialed Dr. Tracey's number from the break room. Nearly everyone had stayed after the meeting, only a few opting to go home; Greg refused to be one of those few.
He looked over to the screen and saw Brass assuring the public that the Las Vegas police department was on top of things.
"Dr. Tracey's office," the familiar voice on the other end said. "How may I direct your call?"
"Hi," he said, "this is Greg Sanders. I'm returning her call."
"One minute," the woman said, quickly putting him on hold.
"Greg," Dr. Tracey came on next, sounding happy to hear from him. "How are you?"
"Good," he returned, having a hard time not sounding that way. "Sara said you called."
"I did," she said, "I have some news, I'm retiring."
"Really?" Greg asked surprised. Sure, Dr. Tracey was in her sixties but she struck him as the type of person who would never retire.
"Yes," she laughed in return. "And because of that, I'd like to set you up to see a colleague of mine; a fine oncologist who is still building his practice. What do you say?"
"Now?"
"Not now," she laughed again, "I was thinking tomorrow afternoon. Stop by after lunch, say one o'clock? Bring Sara along."
"Okay," he agreed. "Sure. I mean, I'll still need a doctor, right?"
"Right," she confirmed. "We'll see you then."
"Oh, Dr. Tracey," Greg managed before she hung up, "what's this new doc's name?"
"Lang," she answered. "Dr. Matthew Lang."
Greg got suddenly quiet.
"Do you know him?" she asked.
"I… I think we've met."
Dr. Tracey seemed to sense his unease.
"Is it a problem?" she asked, sounding concerned.
"No," Greg said too quickly. "No, I just… we'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"Alright," she relented. "Till then."
"Bye," Greg said, hanging up the phone.
This wasn't good.
