Chapter Three

After entering Nick's house, the older man showed Greg to the guest bedroom. Greg put his bags of clothes down on the floor near a dresser. He felt uncomfortable in Nick' house; like he didn't belong. He had only been in Nick's house once before when Nick had invited him and Warrick over to play video games and drink beer. Greg had assumed that the only reason he was invited was because he had been in the break room talking to Warrick when Nick had invited the other man over.

Nick showed Greg around the house and then said, "Don't be afraid to use the shower, watch TV, get something to eat, or whatever you need. I'm tired; I'm going to go to bed now. I'll talk to you later man."

"Alright," Greg nodded. "Thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem man," he grinned and walked down the hallway to his own bedroom. Greg watched him walk away and sighed. He couldn't help wondering if he would be safe at Nick's place. He was afraid that if his stalker found him, what effect it would have on his friend. He didn't want to remind Nick of his own stalker from a few years ago. Just trying to ask the man a question about stalkers had proved disastrous.

With a sigh, Greg returned to the guest bedroom. He decided that he too would get some sleep. Hopefully he would be able to sleep better in a real bed than he had since this whole mess with Lisa's ex had begun.

The sound of banging abruptly woke Greg several hours later. It took him a moment to realize where he was. When he heard the noise again he feared that his stalker had found him and was inside Nick's house. Greg quickly got out of bed and poked his head out the door of the guest bedroom. He immediately noticed that all the lights were still out except a dim light coming from the kitchen and Nick's bedroom door was closed.

After hearing the noise again he realized that his that his stalker must have found him. He remembered in the break room at the lab, Nick had once told Catherine that he only kept his bedroom door closed when he was in it. He had told her when they were talking about his house after a cookout that Nick had all of the CSI's over his place for. Nick had said that it was a force of habit from growing up with so many nosy siblings. Greg quickly walked back inside the guest bedroom and fished his small pocket knife out of his discarded jeans pocket and walked toward the sounds still coming from the kitchen. He was determined to face the man before he woke Nick up. Hopefully he could convince the man to leave without Nick ever finding out he was there.

As he slowly approached the kitchen the sound of increased banging and muffled curses reached his ears. Greg, on instinct, tightened his grip on the small weapon. His hands were shaking as he reached the kitchen. Ever since the lab had exploded causing burns over his back and neck, he noticed that his hands would shake when he was nervous or scared.

Taking a deep breath Greg stepped into the entrance of the kitchen and said, "Stop what you are doing, I have a knife." His words were spoken hastily before he could focus on the man crouching in the kitchen searching for something in a cupboard under the counter.

"Whoa man, if you don't want breakfast just say so, you don't need weapons," Nick said raising his hands into the air while grinning.

"Nick," Greg breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making breakfast, but I can't find the damned waffle maker. My sister sent it to me two Christmases ago. I don't remember where I put it," Nick explained.

Not willing to leave the man off the hook just yet as his heart still thundered in his chest. He spoke again as he flipped the knife closed and leaned against the doorway, "I thought you only kept your bedroom door shut if you were asleep or in your bedroom? I remember you telling Catherine."

Nick looked at him and grinned. "Sometimes when I have unexpected company and my room is a mess I keep the door closed to hide the evidence of my uncleanliness."

"Oh," Greg said willing his hands to stop shaking. He felt like a fool as Nick crouched in his kitchen looking at him oddly.

"I'm glad you are trying to keep my place free of burglars, man but there's no need. I have an alarm system. Every thing's cool," Nick assured him.

"I'm sorry," Greg said. "I guess I'm just not used to staying with anyone."

"What about Lisa?"

"That's different; we were in the same bed. If she was at my apartment or I was at hers. It's kinda hard to forget you're not alone when the other person is wrapped up in your arms with their head resting on your chest."

Nick nodded, "I guess that's true." He was still watching Greg oddly. "Greg, listen, this doesn't have anything to do with the stalker you were trying to tell me about does it? I know I was upset, but if you really...."

"Nick, it's not that. It was just a joke; a bad joke actually. I forgot that you were not the right person to tell it too. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry," Nick said with a grin. "I over reacted, man. Now what do you think of having chicken and waffles for dinner if I ever find the waffle maker, that is?"

Greg smiled relieved that Nick had dropped the subject of his stalker. "That sounds great, I'm starving."

Nick sighed as he tied his shoes in his bedroom. He could hear the water running as Greg took a shower. He felt that Greg hadn't told him the truth about hwy he had been showering at the lab and sleeping in his car in the desert. He, however, was too afraid that if he said anything Greg would leave. He was determined to find out what was really going on with the younger man. With him staying at his house he would be able to keep an eye on him and hopefully convince the lab tech to tell him the truth about what was going on.

After going to bed in the morning, Nick had wondered if it was a good idea to let the man he had a crush on stay in his house. He had a feeling though, that Greg was safer with him; especially with additional security measures that he had added since his encounter with Nigel Crane. He did like having Greg nearby too. Although, listening to the younger man talk about his girlfriend lying in his arms and using him as a pillow disturbed him. He could easily imagine himself using Greg as a pillow after making love instead of Lisa. Nick shook his head to clear his thoughts before the DNA technician came out of the shower.

Greg was helping Catherine at a crime scene off strip. He wondered how long he could stay at Nick's house before the older man suspected there was really nothing wrong with his apartment complex. He had actually slept well at Nick's house last night. It was the most sleep he had gotten since Lisa had warned him about her ex.

"Greg," Catherine said as she placed a soda can into an evidence bag. He looked up at her from the display of candy he was dusting for finger prints. "We're almost done here, why don't you let me finish printing that and start taking the evidence out to the Denali."

"Sure," Greg nodded. He was somewhat relieved to get out of the convenient store for a moment. When Catherine had asked him to go with her so he could get more field experience, he had eagerly agreed. Now he wondered if it had been such a great idea after all. Catherine was in a bad mood. She had already complained to him about several things he didn't do right and she had accused him of not focusing twice already. He wished Sara or Nick would have been the ones to ask him to help with their crime scenes instead of Catherine. He had more fun the few times he had worked with them. They did not get upset if he tried to make a joke to lighten the mood the way that Catherine seemed to all day.

Greg's hands were full of bags of evidence as he made his way to the Denali, which was parked thankfully close to the store's entrance. As he walked around the back of the vehicle he noticed the blue Continental sitting in the parking lot of the grocery store across the street. It was facing the crime scene. He could see the driver sitting in the car although he couldn't see their face clear enough to get a description of him. For a moment he stood still staring at the man while still holding the evidence.

"You alright kid?" The police officer's voice startled him. The officer stood near his police cruiser to keep the scene secure His partner waited for them to finish processing inside the store.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Greg nodded as he quickly finished walking to the back of the Denali. He put some of the larger bags on the ground so he could open the back door.

"Are you sure? You look like you've seen a ghost," the officer asked him.

"Yeah," Greg forced a smile as he quickly put the evidence inside the vehicle. Once he finished he closed the door and took a quick glance at the car across the street before walking back to the convenient store. He was glad that the police were at the scene with them, but at the same time unnerved that the man was following him while he was working now too. He realized that the man must have been watching him when he left the lab with Catherine, he realized.

"Greg," Catherine said with a frown. "You're here to work and gain field experience, not to goof around and flirt with police officers. If you want to be a CSI you are going to have to pay more attention and acting the way you do in the lab. Being a CSI is a lot different than being a lab tech, the sooner you learn that the better your chances of actually becoming a CSI." She scolded him as she placed her fingerprint powder into her kit before closing it.

"Sorry," Greg said between gritted teeth.

"Grab your kit and let's get back to the lab," she told him taking her own kit in her hands and walking toward the doors.

With a sigh, Greg quickly grabbed his kit and hurried after her before she accused him of moving too slowly.

TBC