A/N: Hey my amazing readers! I cannot thank you enough for the all of your awesome reviews and for favouriting and following this story let alone reading it, you're the best! I know I'm struggling to keep updates consistent but I'm trying to make up for it with long chapters :P This one is a bit of a filler but I hope you'll enjoy anyway and there will be more from Greg's POV in the next chapter :) Enjoy!
Reviews are much appreciated and we'll have cake sometime as a thank you :3
Chapter 6: Trying To Find Hope
"No" Seth said bluntly lowering the knife and pushing Greg back. The young man fell to the floor and whimpered, slowly moving a shaking arm to cover his deeply cut skin. "I couldn't end it like that. There's so much more I have planned!" the manic man said excitedly. He stood up and turned to Nick, who was sat back against the wall breathing heavily and looking beyond words. "You" he said jabbing the knife towards the Texan "just remember you and your CSI buddies did this" he said pointing the back at Greg. "You should just leave stuff alone. I'll be back later, just make sure the kid doesn't die." He said directly before leaving the room.
"Nick…" Greg moaned as soon as they were alone again. He'd managed to roll himself onto his side to face Nick and the CSI could see the blood smeared all over his friend's front and running down his arm "Won…won't stop bleeding"
"Alright, it'll be ok Greggo. I'm coming" Nick said determinedly. He looked down at the metal connecting him to the wall and saw the screws were just coming loose. He started pulling again, with as must strength as he could.
"Nick…stop" Greg's quiet voice pleaded "you'll break your ankle"
"Don't care" Nick mumbled as he continued to yank his foot.
Pain was shooting up and down Nick's side as he could pretty much confirm one of his ribs was broken. But he didn't care, he'd push through it and help Greg if it was the last think he did. The need to protect his little brother was taking over and nothing else mattered. The Texan gritted his teeth and bared it. Eventually there was a satisfying creek as the metal gave way. Nick immediately stumbled over to Greg and ripped a sleeve off his own shirt to help stop to bleeding.
"I'm s-sorry Nick" Greg whispered as the older man put pressure on his wounds. Tears started to stream down the lab techs face once more "I t-tried to be st-strong, honest I d-did."
"Greg you have nothing to be sorry for. I was just scared I was going to lose you" Nick said with tears in his own eyes. "And you are being strong, ok" he said reassuringly as it was obvious the younger man was trying really hard to stay conscious.
"I won't let you down" Greg said looking Nick in the eyes and the Texan pulled him into a gentle hug.
"I know you won't" he replied "you could never let me down."
Sara and Grissom arrived back at the lab after processing the store to find Catherine sat alone in the DNA lab. Greg's DNA lab. She had one of his CD's in her hand and was looking distant; she just wanted to feel close to him again, to him and Nick as she often found them laughing in here.
Grissom was already worried about Sara because she hadn't said a word since they found out Greg was missing and now it seemed he should be worried about Catherine too as she had tear lines streaking down her cheeks.
"I should have checked on him" Catherine said without even turning around. She heard Sara and Grissom enter but felt too guilty to look at them. "From the state he was in yesterday I should have made sure he was alright."
"Cath, this isn't your fault" Sara said much to Grissom's surprise as she'd broken her silence. "You weren't to know. It's no one's fault other than the bastards who did this." She moved to stand behind Catherine and started to soothingly rub her shoulders.
It was a rarity for Sara to comfort Catherine as they hadn't always got along, but that didn't matter now. Sara really admired Catherine and appreciated everything she'd done for her the past months. She'd been there as they put aside their differences. And now Sara knew that the older woman needed her comfort and reassurance, just like she had needed it from Catherine earlier.
"There was nothing we could have done" Grissom added in a somewhat stern tone as if he was trying to convince himself of that fact.
"No!" Catherine cried much to her friends' surprise. She jumped out her chair "there is always something" she argued. The red rings around her eyes appeared much more prominent in the light. "We shouldn't have even let Nick get taken but now they have Greg too, two boys who I love like my own flesh and blood." My sons she thought. She knew that if it were Lindsey who had been taken, she would be reacting the same way.
Catherine had started to shake a while ago from fear and anger. Sara was concerned the older woman might fall over so she moved swiftly over to Catherine and wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace. Catherine broke down once more into Sara's shoulder.
"Remember what you told me?" Sara said eventually trying to trying to get Catherine to look her in the eyes as she pulled away. "You told me that we would find Nick and I believed you. I still believe you and I believe we'll find Nick and Greg alive."
Catherine wondered what had happened to her. She used to be so optimistic and so determined and now she just felt like giving up. But she knew she couldn't, she would never give up and neither would Sara, Grissom or Warrick. The thing that worried her most was what state the guys would be in when they found them….would they even have a pulse…
"I know that this is difficult for all of us" Grissom said taking charge as usual "but we have to carry on as if they are any other victims because if we let our personal emotions take over it'll just slow us down."
Catherine gave a shaky sigh as she finally controlled her tears and she turned to look at Grissom even though Sara still had an arm around her shoulders for support.
Grissom moved forward and put a hand on both the girl's shoulders "I need you to stay with me on this one" he said looking into their eyes in turn. "And I know Warrick feels guilty now but he won't stop until we find them."
"We're with you all the way. We're with Nick and Greg." Sara said. Catherine nodded in agreement.
"Good" Grissom said "Sara, go to autopsy and get the bullet that killed the store owner and take it for processing. Catherine, start to look at the security tapes we collected, Warrick should be here soon to help you. I'm going to found out more about the last parcel we got."
The woman nodded and went off to do their allocated jobs, as did Grissom. He put his thumb and forefinger to his eyes and massaged them slightly, he'd never felt so drained, so emotionally drained. Although he didn't like to show it he was having a very tough time coming to terms with the situation too.
He felt like he had let them all down. As Nick's mentor he felt he should have trained him better and kept a closer eye on them. As for Greg, even though he was not directly Grissom's responsibility he wished he had paid more attention to the young man and tried to make sure he was alright during this hard time. He was the only lab technician after all who the team felt really close too because he was always there for them.
One thing that Grissom was certain of was that they would find the boys. Right now his heart was telling him they'd be alive, but his head was telling him otherwise.
It had taken a long time, but Greg's wounds had finally stopped bleeding. Nick was amazed so much blood could come out such a small person. The Texan had been keeping pressure on the cuts for what felt like eternity before the blood stopped. The material he had been using was soaked in the dreaded red substance and Greg obviously needed medical attention, they both did. But for now Nick had to make do as he managed to secure the material in place like a makeshift bandage.
It also made him feel sick how his hands where now covered in the blood of someone he truly cared about. He literally now had Greg's blood on his hands and at the moment Nick felt like he may as well have inflicted the wounds on Greg himself. The guilt of not being able to stop Seth in time was eating away at him and he didn't think it would ever stop.
Greg had been very patient with him, not complaining about the pain once. Every now and again Nick's eyes would flick over to Greg's pale face and he could see the younger man's eyes becoming more closed every time. In some aspects Nick wished Greg would complain because then he would at least know the lab tech hadn't gone into shock.
Greg had finally fallen asleep in Nick's arms. At first Nick had worried the younger man had lost consciousness so tried to wake him and Greg stirred a little and rolled over, so the CSI at least knew he was only asleep. So, Nick decided to let him rest as the poor kid looked exhausted and he needed sleep if he was going to try and keep as much of a clear head as possible. Nick himself had contemplated trying to sleep but for the moment he just wanted to keep guard over his little brother.
Nick managed to take off Greg's jacket and fold it for the younger man to rest his head on; the CSI then positioned Greg in a more comfortable position on the floor so that he could use his new freedom (sort of) to explore the room further.
He just needed a crack, a number, a word, anything that could be of use to getting them out of there or at least figuring out where they were. Nick went to the far corner and placed his hand on the wall before beginning to walk around the room, tracing the edges. He felt every bump and break in the wall but nothing else. Nick thought he was partly hoping to find a hidden door somewhere.
He stopped at the small, barred window and peered out. It was really dark now but Nick got the general gist. Seth was right; they were well and truly in the middle of the desert. Well that narrows it down Nick thought sarcastically. There was nothing but the sand almost taunting them, keeping their location hidden. Nick was starting to lose hope by the second now. He then studied the door, placing his hands on the smooth metal and then placing an ear on it as he knocked. It was extremely thick he could tell that much. Maybe if they managed to pick to the lock or undo the screws somehow…
Greg groaned in his sleep and Nick turned when he heard the chain rattle on the lab techs ankle as he rolled over again. The Texan looked at the metal shackle still on Greg's ankle and it made him angry. It shouldn't be there and this shouldn't be happening. He would work on removing it later, but for then he went back to studying the door.
"Nick?" Greg's quiet voice broke through the darkness about half an hour later. "Nick, where are you?" the young man asked panicking slightly as he realised he was alone on the floor.
"Hey, it's ok I'm right here" Nick replied. There was barely any light at all, only that of the moon, so Greg could only just make out the Texans form coming towards him.
"Are you ok?" Greg asked, he didn't see but Nick rolled his eyes. He felt it typical that Greg would worry about him even though he was clearly walking around fine.
"Yes I'm fine, how do you feel?" Nick asked.
"A little light headed" Greg said placing a hand on his now grime covered forehead "but I'll be alright, at least I'm not bleeding anymore." It was the only snippet of good news he could think of at that dark time.
"I know, just hang on ok. We'll be out of here in no time." Nick reassured him, but he could not clearly see the apprehensive look on Greg's face.
"Can you help get this thing off me?" Greg said taking the chain around his ankle and pulling at it slightly. He was sick of feeling like some captured pet and at least wanted to be able to move a little more.
"Yeah sure" Nick said taking hold of the chain and pulling hard, but suddenly he hissed in pain and feel to the floor.
"Oh my God, are you ok?" Greg asked with deep concern.
"Yeah" Nick said gritting his teeth and sitting back up "one of my ribs is broken"
"What? Why didn't you tell me?!" Greg exclaimed taking Nick's arm and guiding him to sit against the wall.
"What could you have done? It's no big deal" the Texan argued.
"No big deal? Why you always got to play macho man?" Greg said with a small smile. It was the first jokey thing he'd said in a while.
"Because, it's my job" Nick replied.
"Look, I don't know if it's just because you're trying to make me look even more of a wimp but I know that you're just as scared as I am, even if you won't admit it" Greg said. Nick said nothing so the younger man knew he was right. "Nick, I don't want you to keep stuff bottled up inside ok, not for my sake. We're in this together, just remember that. I would never judge you I swear."
"I know and you're right" Nick said as tears began to prickle in his eyes "You're right. I'm scared."
Greg shifted to sit beside him and rest his head on Nick's shoulder, placing a hand on the Texans arm. "And now it's my turn to tell you" he whispered "we'll get out of here soon. The others will find us."
Nick gave Greg a grateful smile when suddenly there was as noise as key was placed in the lock. Nick immediately lurched forward and pushed Greg behind him in a protective manner as they waited for the door to open.
