Thanks for all the reviews, sorry for the late update. I've got a longer chapter to make up for it.

Thanks goes to Jenny for her help and advice on this!

Chapter Fourteen: Moving Forward

By the time he had left his place it was well into the nineties. It didn't surprise him; the news was calling for triple digits again. The man hadn't really noticed though. He worked mostly nights, well after the sun had gone down, and for the times he worked during the day it had been inside the air-conditioned lab.

It still hadn't prepared him for the heat. He had cranked the AC up as far as it would go, wishing that he had dressed in lighter clothes. It really wasn't an option now, he told himself, checking the clock.

Sara had called him nearly forty minutes ago. Nick hadn't gotten all the details, but he knew her well enough to guess that she and Greg had been fighting. That had been hours ago. Sara hadn't seen Greg since and neither had anyone at the lab.

It was then Nick had agreed to check a few places for her. She was worried; so was Nick, but he wouldn't let her know that. He knew Greg well enough to know where he might head. He also knew Greg didn't have any money, or mode of transportation. That alone wiped out over half of the places he could have gone.

Even still, it took Nick three stops before he found what he was looking for. He pulled to a stop, grabbing a bottle of water off the passenger seat before getting out. Years ago, before any of this had started, he and Greg would often jog together on their days off. It was a cheaper alternative to going to the gym, especially in the offseason when prices jumped. It was in one of these parks, under the shade of a tree, that Nick found him.

Greg didn't even look his way as Nick sat down, but he did take the water that was offered. It was a good thing, because already he looked dehydrated, and Nick could only guess the man had been out in the heat since leaving the hotel. He took a few swallows of water before recapping it, muttering a quiet thanks.

Nick only nodded, but said nothing, not really sure where to start. The last thing he wanted was to become involved in a feud between his two best friends. He could only imagine that they each wanted him to be on their side. Nick was saved from having to say anything however when Greg was the first to speak.

"How did you find me?"

"Sara called." There was no use in trying to deny it; Greg would have seen right through the lie.

"How'd she know I was here?"

"She didn't," Nick clarified, now understanding what he was asking. "I guessed."

"That obvious huh?"

"It's a good kind of obvious. We needed to find you; Sara was worried, I was worried."

Greg let out a sigh, tracing his finger around the lid of the bottle. "You shouldn't have come."

The statement shocked him. "You are my friend. Why wouldn't I?"

"You should be sleeping."

"So should you."

Greg glanced at him, "I slept last night."

"So did I," Nick answered with a shrug.

"You were at work last night."

"I know," Nick confessed with a smile, "Just don't tell Grissom."

He laughed. It was quiet, and barely undetectable, but the smile on Greg's face said it most of all. Nick laughed as well, motioning to the water to indicate he wanted Greg to drink more. He did so without complaint. They sat there for a while without saying anything, resting in the shade. Finally Nick couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"You want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Greg said quietly.

This is what worried him. Nick knew their personal problems were just that; personal, but he also knew how much it helped to talk about what had happened. It was hard for Nick to remember the last big fight the pair had.

What he did know for sure was the fact that everything was much more difficult back at the lab with the two fighting. "Are you sure?"

"We just had words."

"Words hurt."

Greg shook his head, "Stick and stones Nick."

"And whoever said that never got hit by a dictionary."

Greg only smiled that time, but it seemed sad and withdrawn. "It wasn't that big of a deal, honest."

"Then why are you way out here?"

Greg let out a sigh, closing his eyes. "I needed to think."

"And…?"

"Sara's been hiding things from me…we fought about it," he answered with a shrug. He took another drink of water before continuing.

"I've been trying to get her to go see somebody about her weight…only to find out that she has been; and not telling me. She's just too stubborn to swallow her pride and admit that she was wrong."

Nick frowned. "Is this about her health or her pride?"

Greg was quiet for a moment before answering. "Both; but its not just that Nick. If she can't confide in me over such a minor thing…"

He couldn't finish, but Nick understood what he was saying. He himself had never been in a serious relationship, so such topics had never come to light. But he had to keep reminding himself that Greg and Sara were in a serious relationship…very serious.

"Maybe she just didn't want to worry you."

Greg laughed, "Why would I worry?"

"Well," Nick cleared his throat, "If I told you that I was seeing a doctor on a regular basis, would you worry?"

"Of course," Greg answered quickly. "But that's completely different."

"How?"

"Well, for starters, we're not in a relationship."

"Okay, so what if we were?"

Greg frowned, turning to look at him. "What?"

"If we were in a relationship, would you still worry?"

Greg nodded, "I'd worry about what's wrong with me."

"Seriously Greg, humor me here."

The other man nodded, leaning back against the tree as he thought about it. "I suppose I still would be. But I don't see how that has anything to do with Sara hiding things behind my back."

"You would worry about me," Nick told him, "so you would worry about her. She just knows you well enough. Figured it wasn't worth the hassle. Especially since it wasn't that big of a deal."

Greg nodded, and Nick could see the understanding on his face. There really wasn't much else he could give him. The rest would have to come from Sara, and Nick had a feeling that wasn't too far away. Sitting up he reached into his pocket.

"Speaking of relationships," he handed the small box to the man.

Greg watched him suspiciously as he took it. "We've been 'dating' all of three minutes and you're already proposing to me? Don't you think this is moving a little to fast?"

"Just open it Greg."

He did, and fell quiet at the same time. The smile that had been on his face faded, and became more serious. "Where did you find this?"

Nick shrugged, "It was in your clothes, from the scene."

"I thought I had lost it," he answered quietly, fingering the ring. "I didn't notice it was gone until I got to the hotel."

He looked up, meeting the Texan's eyes. "Who else knows?"

Nick shook his head quickly. "No one. I swear," he added when Greg didn't say anything in return.

Greg finally nodded, closing the box in his hands. "Thank you; really, this means a lot to me."

"It's that serious then?"

Greg nodded, "I really do love her. She's just been changing a lot lately."

Nick could give him a small smile. "Everyone changes Greg; everyone."

It hadn't been the best of days. Though he had slept, it almost seemed pointless after the running he had done. To top it all off he had gotten sunburned, and ended up nearly getting sick before he came to the lab. Nick thought it was heat exhaustion and Greg knew the man was more in likely right. Not wanting to go back to the hotel he had opted to stay at Nick's place, riding in with him to work that night.

No sooner had he walked through the door was he being pointed in the direction of Grissom's office. He knew he was on probation, and required to report to his supervisor at the beginning of each shift, but Greg had been hoping to avoid that. The last thing he needed at the moment was someone babysitting him, and telling him how to do his job.

Greg took the long way around, stopping in the locker room to change, and then in the break room for a cup of coffee. There was no point in denying it; he was stalling for time. Five cups later he was still standing there, staring blankly at the wall. It was where Grissom found him as well.

Greg muttered a quiet apology, dumping the rest of the coffee into the sink. If he never had coffee again it would be too soon; he was worried enough as it was, and now his stomach was starting to cramp.

"You know, that coffee pot used to be full."

"Really?" Greg questioned, feigning innocence. "Somebody should probably fill it back up."

Grissom didn't look too amused as he motioned Greg to follow. The former lab rat hesitated for a moment, wanting to turn around and leave, but thought better of it. If he was already in trouble there was no reason to add onto it.

Grissom was already sitting at his desk by the time he got there, busy filling out paperwork. Greg could easily tell it hadn't been done in a long while, and wondered if that was what Grissom had in store for him. He didn't want to be stuck back in the lab like Nick had been; but the thought of doing paperwork made him ill; that, or it could be all the excess caffeine he just had.

"Come in and close the door."

It wasn't until then Greg realized he had been standing halfway in and out of the office. "We could just leave it open," he suggested.

The look on Grissom's face said otherwise. Greg nodded, stepping inside and closing the door, sitting down in the nearest chair. Closed door conversations were never good. "Are you firing me?"

Grissom must have not heard him, because he never answered. "What did the paramedic say?"

"That I'll live," he responded, "and no, I don't have a concussion." He added on a mentally I told you so.

"I just want to make sure," Grissom told him sternly, "You really don't look so good."

"I forgot my sunscreen."

"Is that all?"

Greg shrugged. What was he supposed to say? Personal problems were supposed to be left at home. Besides that, he didn't feel comfortable in discussing his and Sara's arguments with his boss.

"We got a match from DNA."

It was surprising; Greg didn't expect to be updated on the case since being pulled off. "You know who attacked Walters?"

Grissom stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. "No…but we know who broke into your place."

"Oh," Greg nodded quickly, feeling a bit foolish now. He should have known what Grissom was talking about. But it wasn't his fault that he didn't see the break-in as another case.

"Came back with a Riley Wesjan. Name sound familiar?"

Slowly Greg shook his head. The name meant nothing, but he frowned as he watched the other man. "Should…it sound familiar?"

Greg shook his head after a moment. "Should I?"

Though most of his memory had returned from the accident, there were still bits and pieces that were fuzzy, or completely gone. Every so often something would come up in conversation, and Greg would find himself lost. He was wondering if this was one of those times.

"He has a record, been around the country. We believe he may also be connected to the previous break-ins in the complex. He seemed particularly interested in your mail though."

Greg shrugged. "Hey, if he wants to pay our rent, I'm not going to complain."

"We don't think he's after your rent bill Greg," Grissom's voice was stern. "Wesjan has a record of swiping credit card reports, investment reports. He has a history of identity theft."

"You think he's stealing people's identities?"

"We don't know Greg," Grissom shook his head. "None of the other previous victims have had their identity stolen. We're not sure what he's after; but he had gone through stacks of old mail, without so much as swiping a CD, or unhooking the stereo or anything else."

"It's not like we have something of value…" Greg shook his head, frowning for a moment.

"What is it?"

He met Grissom's gaze, still frowning. "A few months ago, we had problems with the mail coming in. They've been renovations on the complex; mail would be missing, or it would just not show up. Sara and I finally purchased a PO Box. We assumed it was just because of all the chaos."

"We're you the only ones?"

Greg thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No, there were a few others, maybe more. It wasn't a highlight discussion, but sometimes it would come up in conversation. I couldn't tell you who it all was."

Grissom nodded. "I'll send someone over to talk to the other tenants, see how many of them were not getting regular mail deliveries."

"You think he was swiping mail before? What for though; what is he looking for?"

"We won't know until we ask him. Meanwhile, I have 419 in Clark County I need you to take. Brass is busy with another case but Damen will meet you there."

Greg frowned, watching the other man. "I can't process a scene alone," he reminded him. "Ecklie…"

"You do your job. I'll deal with Ecklie."

It felt weird, he had to admit. Knowing that he technically supposed to be out here. There was no telling what Ecklie would say, but even though he was worried, Greg felt relieved to know that Grissom sided with him.

After leaving Grissom's office he had changed, bantered with Nick, grabbed his case, and headed to the scene. Alfred Damen was waiting for him when he arrived. Since starting here, Greg had yet to work with the older man.

It was awkward, no doubt about that, but Greg would rather take the former cop over Brass. It seemed as though he got nothing but foul disposition from the detective as of late. Greg was also sure Brass would have sent him straight back to the lab.

Not having any field experience with Damen before, Greg was hopeful that the man wouldn't judge him. Greg couldn't blame him if he did, given the circumstances of late. Word traveled quickly around the Lab, and most times was exaggerated.

But the smiling face said differently as Damen shook his hand when he arrived. It was different for Greg; normally such formalities didn't take place at a crime scene, but he didn't argue against the fact.

"What do we have?"

"I didn't think you'd come out alone," Damen responded. "I heard…"

"I was cleared," Greg told him quietly. "Can you update me?"

Damen nodded quickly, turning away. "Male, in his late twenties; no ID, no wallet."

Greg set his case down, glancing over the victim. "Looks like a hit and run, he's got tire marks on his clothes." He pointed as Damen crouched next to him. "When did the call come in?"

"About an hour ago; I arrived…maybe twenty minutes ago. Paramedics had already been on location, he was DOA."

"With the way his neck's bent," Greg nodded, taking a few pictures. "I'd say he was killed instantly."

"I'm sorry you know."

Greg frowned as he lowered the camera, confused by what the detective meant. "There's nothing we could have done for him…"

Damen was fidgeting nervously. "Not that…what happened, with you, you know…"

"Oh," Greg nodded, understanding now. "I wasn't hurt, just lucky I guess. At least that's what Nick tells me. He also told me that I was an idiot for fighting the guy. Guess he's right."

"Not about that," Damen responded quickly, "I mean, yeah, the guy breaking in was bad. I heard about that, must have been scary, huh?"

He was now more than confused, but Greg also had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing…really."

"No," Greg corrected him, "It's something, otherwise you wouldn't have brought it up."

The man moved to his feet, letting out a sigh. Greg was up behind him not too much later. "Damen?"

"I didn't mean to get you into trouble, really. I didn't think anyone would notice, and I was going to return them, I just…I panicked, once I saw how big of a deal it was…"

"What…the case files? The statement…that was you?"

"I was going to put them back; I swear…you can't tell anyone!"

Ill would have been an understatement at the moment. But that wasn't his only concern, because it was turning to anger quickly. "You took them? Do you have any idea to what you done? You could have compromised the entire case!"

"Look, this guy comes up, a reporter, wants information on the school case. I tell him that I don't know anything…"

"What did he offer you?" Greg asked quietly, trying to keep calm.

Damen shook his head. "Money, what else?"

"So you took the statement, the evidence logs…but you didn't give it to them. That wasn't the statement I took."

The man let out a sigh. "I needed the extra money; my wife, Lucy, she's sick, really sick. But after I took the files…I couldn't do it. The reporter just wanted inside information. There was no way for him to tell whether or not it was accurate."

"Where are the statements then?"

"Why? You can't turn them in; they'll want to know where they were. I could lose my job. Greg please, you can't tell anyone."

"So you just want me to take the fall for something I didn't do?"

"You got off easy," Damen told him quietly. "They know you here; they'll take your side. They won't for me. They will fire me, and I won't find work somewhere else. What will I do then? I need to take care of Lucy…do you really want to be responsible for her death?"

"Don't, drag her into this," Greg told him curtly. "You only have yourself to blame."

"Why bring it up again?" Damen questioned, taking a step closer to him. "What's been done is done. It's not going to change what's happened. Please Greg…I wasn't going to say anything to you, but I felt like you deserved to know. Don't make me the bad guy in this, please."

Greg let out a sigh, closing his eyes. "Fine, I won't tell them."

Damen let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks…"

Greg held his hand up, cutting him off. "You're going to tell them."

TBC