Chapter Five:
Revelation
Norah felt like she needed to say sorry to Nick and decided to make him a real breakfast before she left to go find a job.
The table had enough food on it to feed an army-or the Stokes family. She figured he could save the extras for later or for the guys at the lab.
She wrote a note and stuck it on a visible place on the kitchen counter.
"Have a good day. Enjoy breakfast. Going job-hunting." She ended it with a smiley face and the simple closing of "Love, N." She turned to admire her work at the doorway of the kitchen one last time before slipping on a pair of shoes and leaving.
She had lined up a few interviews the day she came. She wondered of other careers she could pursue instead of acting while she walked to her first job interview. She also studied to be a chemist, but only for back up. She actually hated science.
She walked into a casino and spoke to a young woman for a minute before the waitress offered to find the manager for Norah. The woman was about her age with blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Hi. I have a job interview and I was wondering where I could find the manager," Norah said after tapping the woman on the shoulder and excusing herself for interrupting the blonde's job.
"Oh, great! We need new girls," she gave a smile. She seemed pretty friendly.
Norah smiled back. "Well I really need the job."
"How long have you been in Las Vegas?"
"Three days," Norah laughed. "How about you?"
"My whole life," She stated. "It's a surprisingly nice place to live, despite the nicknames-like Sin City." She laughed.
"I grew up in Texas." Norah simply said. She didn't want to get into too many details but also offered, "Not the most fun place but decent I suppose."
"Oh, by the way, I'm Lydia." The blonde extended her hand.
Norah shook it, "Norah Stokes."
"Have any family or friends here?"
"My uncle, a little girl whose mom works with my uncle and my ex-boyfriend who also works with my uncle."
They laughed again.
"Jeez, where does he work?"
"The Vegas crime lab."
Lydia looked impressed. "I better get back to work-I'll go get the manager for you. Good luck!" She said as she started for a room that was behind the bar. Her peppiness made Norah cringe with flashbacks from high school. But she stopped herself when she thought about her prejudices.
The manager followed Lydia out of the back room. He was an ancient man with a stern yet saggy face with deep-set brown eyes and white hair. He intimidated Norah even though the old man was about half the size of Norah.
Norah smiled as she introduced herself handing him all the necessary papers. She was scared but could hide it well-one of the great effects a good acting coach has on a good acting student.
------- Nick walked into work, belly full and face smiling. Sara was working in the layout room, mumbling under her breath as Nick walked in. "Hey."
"Yeah, hi," a grumpy Sara replied.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing! I'm just frustrated with this."
"What?"
"I made a copy of all the shoes this baseball player had in his hotel room and none match." Sara said shifting again through the copies. "And that would make me think that he's innocent but-those feet!"
"None of these are cleats." Nick discovered.
"This is all I found-but I got his DNA too so I think I can place him at the crime scene but Greg's not here so he can't test it so it's going to take longer!" She shouted.
"How are you going to prove he was there?" He asked.
"The spot of saliva and tobacco, remember? If that matched his DNA we can place him at the scene and at least it's a lead." Sara shrugged. She wasn't usually this tense but the CSI was definitely under a lot of stress. "We need Greg-where the hell is he?" She tried to calm down but she was too pissed. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and searched for Greg's number in its built-in phone book.
"Hello?" Greg answered groggily.
"Where are you? It's 8 o' clock, you're late!" She said frantically.
"Nick was surprised at himself. He'd just gotten up 3 hours ago to eat Norah's freezing, 5-hour-old breakfast. He calculated mentally how long he had slept. 'Let's see, I went to bed at 4.' he recalled. He watched ESPN in his room from about 10 until then. '13 hours?' Normally Nick could barely sleep 9 hours straight but then he remembered the yelling and frustration that took place a mere 24 hours ago. He wondered if Norah was home. She left at 10 that morning and said she'd probably be out will about 7:30 looking for the essentials for living on your own: a home, a car, a job.
"What do you mean your not coming? What do you mean your sick? You weren't sick yesterday! Whatever. Turkey pox? Aren't you a little old to be inventing new diseases for excuses? Please? Five minutes? Come on! Thanks so much!" Sara smiled and sighed with satisfaction at her newfound compromising skills. She started out the door toward the evidence room with Nick close behind.
-------
Greg set up the test tubes while Nick and Sara watched him carefully.
"What?" He asked.
Sara and Nick looked and each other and then at Greg. "Nothing. Why are you so paranoid?" Nick asked.
"It's hard to work when you're being watched," Greg glared.
"What's wrong?" Sara asked Greg. "You're acting.weird."
Greg shrugged. "I don't exactly want to be here."
"This is your job," Nick reminded him.
"I kind of had company," Greg said glancing up at Nick, who had no clue who it was. He looked down again at the samples.
Sara had a feeling she knew who it might have been. "God, what is up with the Norah thing? Why does everyone love her?" She practically screamed.
"Norah was at your house?" Nick's eyes full of fury. "She's supposed to be looking for a job."
"She got a job and she's also got an apartment and a car picked out so don't get all pissy." Greg said setting the samples in some machine with a name that is unpronounceable to most any layman.
"Norah's been spending too much time with you-your attitude's rubbing off on her."
Greg glared.
Nick was hurt she told Greg before him. "Wait. An apartment? Where?" Nick asked suspiciously.
"A place in my complex," Greg said without looking up.
"I have to go talk to Norah. I have to go home," Nick said, so many emotions running through his veins. He headed to the door.
Greg cleared his throat. "You won't find her there."
"Okay then. Scratch that-I have to go to Greg's apartment." Nick walked out of the lab and back in. "You better call her and tell her to be decent," he told Greg before leaving once more.
Greg smirked. He took the results from the machine and handed it to Sara. She was standing there frowning.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. Thanks." She said taking the results.
"What do you have against Norah?"
"What makes you think I have something against her? Because I don't." Sara said walking out of the lab. "It's just what she's doing to Nick that I don't like. He's not sticking to his job."
"Jealousy is against the Bible," he shouted after her.
"So is premarital sex," she said sticking her head into the doorway. "And I'm almost positive your little girlfriend wouldn't like the fact that you're giving all the details to Archie. Nick either, for that matter. Oh by the way, I think that counts as lust, which is one of the Seven Deadly Sins." She smiled and chanted, "You're going to hell. You're going to hell."
Greg shrugged. "I like the heat."
Sara rolled her eyes and left.
Greg ducked out of the building before anyone else could ask-or beg-for his services. He thought about how he had called in sick and how Grissom didn't approve but Greg pulled enough fake coughs that his throat truly did start to hurt. Grissom finally gave up after 20 minutes.
He heard three familiar voices he really didn't want to hear at that moment. "Shit." He saw Grissom, Warrick and Catherine getting out of the car and arguing about something. Most likely having to do with their case. Greg hesitated. He was afraid Grissom would make him stay the rest of the day if he saw him. 'Act like a tree and they won't notice.' He told himself, smiling at the idea.
He raised his arms in the air and swayed back and forth and started to make a noise that was supposed to resemble the wind whipping through tree branches.
The sane trio stopped and stared at him.
Catherine was the first to speak, "Time to call the mental institution." Glancing for a second at Grissom but then turning back to Greg. "He's officially fallen off his rocker."
Warrick rolled his eyes and shook his head at Greg as he walked back into the building.
Greg dropped to his knees. "Please don't make me stay! I have someone over my house-my mom! And she's.sick. I have to go!"
"Why are you here?" Grissom eyed him.
"Sara made me do it!" Greg answered still kneeling. "She said she needed me to test something."
"Isn't Vincent here?" Catherine asked more to Grissom than Greg.
Greg shook his head. "I didn't see him."
Grissom's eyes narrowed. He mumbled about responsibility and how hard it is to find good help these days as he followed Warrick's lead and went inside.
Catherine scrunched up her face. "Your mom's not actually at your house, is she?"
"Maybe she is, maybe she isn't," Greg smiled to let Catherine know the truth.
Catherine shook her head with a trace of a smile on her face, but she tried not to show it. Instead she acted concerned for his safety, "Nick's going to kill you if you mess around with Norah too much. You know he will." Inside she reminisced of her own romances of when she was younger.
"I have to get home," Greg selfishly said hurrying off to his car. Catherine just shook her head and walked into the building.
-------
Nick knocked on Greg's apartment door. "Open up, Norah!"
Norah tried to block out the noise. "Go away," she moaned. She pulled the fluffy comforter of Greg's bed over her head as if it would shield her from Nick's wrath.
Nick was now banging and not just knocking. "Get up Norah Elizabeth."
Norah cringed. She hated when people used her full name. "I'm tired."
"Then go home."
Norah growled as she lifted the sheets off of her and got half way through the apartment before she realized she only had her undergarments on. She frowned and shouted at Nick to stop knocking and that she'd be there in a second. She went back into the bedroom and quickly put her clothes on and ran through the living room, which was more like a corner of the kitchen, only big enough to hold Greg's couch and television set. She went to the door and hoped Nick didn't suspect anything, even though she was sure he did.
She opened the door and looked at Nick, "What?" She asked trying to make her hair a bit less unruly.
Nick pressed his lips together. He glared at Norah, "Do you want to be living with your uncle for the rest of your life?"
"What?"
"You were supposed to be doing something today. Other than screwing Greg, that is." Nick said tightening his jaw.
"I got a job."
"Doing what?"
"I'm a cocktail waitress in a casino," Norah smiled with pride but Nick held his expression. "It's a temp until I can get a better one, okay?"
"No, it's not okay, what about everything else you were supposed to do?" Nick counted on his figures, "Find a car, an apartment."
"I did!" Norah shouted, her eyes growing bigger. "You can't expect me to buy them now, I mean it's not like I have that much money. When movies don't do good in the box-office the people in those movies don't get paid as much," Norah said as if she were explaining an easy math problem to a slow student.
"What's going on with you? Ever since you met Greg-which, by the way, was three days ago-you've been acting so different." Nick shouted at her.
Her eyes became bloodshot as she tried to resist crying. Had she really changed that much? "Whatever. You're so over-reacting." She shook her head.
"You've barely been home! You're always with Greg. Three days and your already having sex with the guy? Are you some prostitute who goes after my friends and colleagues for revenge? I thought I knew you better, we used to be best friends." Nick didn't care what the people of Greg's apartment thought, obviously. He was standing in the hall just screaming at Norah.
"How do you know I had sex with him?" Norah countered.
"I know you Norah and I know Greg. Plus, look at Warrick and you. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see a pattern," Nick shouted. By now some people had opened their doors a crack to peek out at the two of them.
Norah glared in their direction and pulled Nick inside the door and slammed it shut. "Can't you act like a rational adult?" She scowled at him.
"No. No! I can't. Okay Norah?" Nick shouted even louder. "You came here and I've barely seen you at all-"
Norah cut him off, "What about your work? That's interfering with it too, it's not just me you know!"
"Remember how you were talking about not hurting Greg? Well have you told him yours and Warrick's little secret yet because I think he deserves to know." Nick said.
"Why don't you tell him--you've told everyone else in this apartment building!" She said grabbing her black purse off the table and walking out the front door and past all the nosy on-lookers outside. She started walking through the parking lot as a car pulled in. The horn honked at her as they slammed on the breaks to avoid hitting her. She threw them a very specific obscene gesture and started walking around the car. Her tears streaked her cheeks.
"Norah?" Greg got out of the car and hurried over to her. She was currently on the sidewalk and walking faster as he approached. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay? I'm really sorry, I didn't know it was going to take that long. Please don't leave."
She turned around. "This can't happen. I have a secret, I guess. Something that I can't tell you but I have to if this is going to happen and it will probably will ruin it anyway," Norah spoke fast.
So fast that Greg just stood there dumbfounded, not understanding any of it. "This isn't one of those incest-type things, is it?"
Norah tilted her head. "Huh?"
"You, Nick, you know."
Norah had to laugh. "No!" She became serious again, "I think we should go somewhere and talk." She took a deep breath. She had to admit Nick was right. Greg did deserve to know and probably would find out eventually and then it might be worse.
Greg got back into his car and unlocked the passenger door for Norah. She got in and looked out the window at Nick who was walking out to his car. Greg backed out into the street.
She noticed the radio station was on the one she had picked out the night before on their date. She smiled, knowing Greg hated the pop and R&B music she preferred-one of the many things she learned about him the night before.
They pulled into a coffeehouse. Greg parked the car and they got out. He followed her inside. "What would you like?"
Norah bit her lip, a nervous habit she had. "Um.a cappuccino would be great." She wondered if this was the best place to talk. She had already been around enough guys who had made scenes already that day. She sat at a well-lit table in the corner of the Starbucks. It was far away from the only other people there. A pair of women who were about 21-years-old and seemed to be trying to sober up, an older gentlemen who was very involved in his newspaper, and a couple who were in front of Greg in line. She started to plan out what she would say to him.
A pit grew in her stomach. Her pulse raced and her heart was beating like a drum. She was sick of loosing the guys who most liked before they really got to the third date. In Greg's case: the second date. She didn't want to add him to the "Guys Who Will Never Date Me Again" list.
She couldn't go though with it. She couldn't. She thought about making a run for it but found herself trapped like a rat as he stared walking over to her. She swallowed hard. 'Why me?' She asked herself. She prayed he'd understand as her sat down across from her.
He handed Norah her cup.
She gave a faint smile and took a sip.
Greg did the same like her mirror image. "So, what's up?"
She gnawed harder on her bottom lip, "Okay, well I don't know what you've heard about this but here's the real deal. I just hope you don't hate Warrick after," She watched his face twist-up in confusion and anticipation. She continued, "Since you have to work with him and all." She stopped herself from babbling and went on with the story. When they first met, the rendezvous in France, the abortion. Every detail. When she finished she concluded frankly, "It's okay if you don't want to see me any more, because I would want the same if I was in your place. It would be weird.and." She stopped not knowing what else to say.
He kind of sat there in shock. Now that he knew this he DID feel weird.
They sat in silence for what seemed like a lifetime. She stared at her reflection in the window, noting her puffy eyes and red streaked cheeks. Greg looked at the floor like he was observing a bug to see what it would do in its last minute of life.
"I-I don't know what to say," Greg said.
"I'm sorry. Nick told me that you should know before it got too far. And since your Warrick's friend and all.it seemed like you deserved to know." She swished her drink around in the cup.
"I guess it's good. But it's awkward now." Greg finally looked up.
Norah didn't. "I don't want to drive you away more, but although I regret the whole pregnancy thing I don't regret being with him. He became one of my best friends."
Greg nodded. She finally looked up only look at the ceiling. She couldn't face him.
"Well, I guess everyone makes mistakes," he said. He didn't want to lose her either. He had a feeling about her. It was one of those weird and corny feelings you get when you know this person will be true to you. They're your soul mate. And it wasn't like they didn't know each other at all. Three quarters of their date the night before was talking. Their families, high school years, and even a conversation about green Jell-O. "And living with them is hard enough," he stated after a moment's pause that he took to think. "And you shouldn't regret anything you do," he said matter-of- factly.
She half-smiled at him and then started to chew her lip again. "Let's not keep anymore secrets from each other, okay?" She looked him in the eyes to make him see she was sincere.
He gave a genuine smile and nodded. "It's a deal." Now HE started to bite his lip, "I have something to confess, too."
Norah's heart sank into her stomach.
"I wasn't really born in Norway-although I am Norwegian. You just seemed more traveled and I wanted to impress you."
Norah let out a small giggle.
Greg smiled.
Norah felt like she could actually move her shoulders. The burden was gone.
Suddenly she heard her name being called out. She turned to find Lydia coming toward her, a Coke in her hand. "Norah!" She smiled.
"Hi, Lydia." She smiled back and hoped her eyes looked a bit better. The last thing she needed was to be asked if she was all right.
"How are you?"
"Okay." She half-smiled.
"Good! What brings you to Starbucks tonight?" She said looking around the coffeehouse.
Norah looked at Greg. "We just came for some coffee. We came from a movie," She lied.
"Oh, I was wondering why your eyes were all red. Must have been a chick flick," Lydia nudged Greg who let out a laugh.
Norah wondered if Lydia was ever sad. Although she had only known her for a while she could tell she was one of those optimistic, happy-go-lucky, "give me a hug" kind of people.
"What's with the Coke? They have coffee...I'll buy you some if you want," she said reaching for her purse.
"Oh, yeah. Well I only come here on Sundays...their cookies are half price," she held up a fancy cookie you would only see at a coffee shop or maybe while eating British royalty. The foil of Chips Ahoy and Oreo.
Greg cleared his throat as a hint. As if to say, 'Introduce me already!'
"Oh yeah.this is Greg," she left it at that. She wasn't sure what they were and didn't want to say 'boyfriend' and have him blow up in her face saying this whole Warrick and her thing was too weird for him and they were officially not seeing each other. Plus they'd only had one real date. But she didn't want to say 'friend,' either, and offend him since they were more or less together up until they'd walked into Starbucks. "This is Lydia."
Lydia smiled. "I'm a waitress at Chips," she told him referring to the casino both worked at now.
Norah felt like Lydia was invading her space. She wanted to scream 'stop flirting with my man.' But kept her mouth shut instead, figuring Lydia was just one of those people that is just naturally nice and it only SEEMS like they're flirting. And that she herself was probably just one of those people who is jealous and territorial. She frowned to herself.
Lydia was listing off the reasons why she didn't drink coffee when Norah snapped out of her daze. Lydia was the only person Norah knew who could talk as much as she could.
Greg noticed that too. His brain took the next exit on the highway of Lydia's Anti-coffee Spree. He thought about who would win a talk-a-thon between Norah and Lydia. He smiled.
Lydia noticed the hazy look in his eyes but didn't stop talking.
Norah shook her head after looking at her watch. "I'll be back in a little while...I should call Nick," she told nobody in particular. Lydia was to busy explaining #64 of her list, which was something about how caffeine is bad for you. And Greg just was off in another world. Norah shrugged and headed outside.
She dialed his number and counted the rings. 'One.Two...Three.'
Nick answered on cue. "Hello?"
"I told him." She blinked, hoping he wasn't mad at her too much.
"I'm sorry I put this on you," he told her.
"You didn't. It was my mistake and I have to live with it. I can't exactly keep it from him."
"He did he take it?" Nick asked.
"Fine." She said simply. "I'll be home in a while."
"Okay. Bye, Nor."
"Bye." Norah said hanging up her cell phone and walking back inside.
"And my final reason-number 138-is because it just tastes gross," Lydia nodded.
Greg had basically fallen asleep with his eyes open. He just stared at the table, a faint buzz sounding like a snore coming from him. Norah could have sworn he was drooling. She laughed. "We have to go Lydia. I'm sorry."
"Oh, that's okay," she smiled. "See you at work," she said walking away.
Norah shook Greg. "Wake up," she giggled.
Greg rubbed his eyes, "What just happened here?"
She shook her head and laughed. "Ready to go?"
He nodded and started to walk out of Starbucks followed by Norah. "Man, can she talk...how is she a waitress? People want their drinks before they become room temperature, you know."
She hit Eric in the stomach gently. "You are so mean! She's so nice."
"You're just saying that because you didn't have to listen to her," referring to the time she left to call Nick.
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She wondered if it was legal to change emotions so quickly. She probably should have felt bad for Greg who had to hear the depressing story of hers, maybe mad at Nick for embarrassing her in front of everyone in Greg's apartment building, maybe even pissed at herself. But instead she was happy, joking around with a great guy who didn't resent her for things she screwed up in the past, a rarity in this world.
Norah felt like she needed to say sorry to Nick and decided to make him a real breakfast before she left to go find a job.
The table had enough food on it to feed an army-or the Stokes family. She figured he could save the extras for later or for the guys at the lab.
She wrote a note and stuck it on a visible place on the kitchen counter.
"Have a good day. Enjoy breakfast. Going job-hunting." She ended it with a smiley face and the simple closing of "Love, N." She turned to admire her work at the doorway of the kitchen one last time before slipping on a pair of shoes and leaving.
She had lined up a few interviews the day she came. She wondered of other careers she could pursue instead of acting while she walked to her first job interview. She also studied to be a chemist, but only for back up. She actually hated science.
She walked into a casino and spoke to a young woman for a minute before the waitress offered to find the manager for Norah. The woman was about her age with blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Hi. I have a job interview and I was wondering where I could find the manager," Norah said after tapping the woman on the shoulder and excusing herself for interrupting the blonde's job.
"Oh, great! We need new girls," she gave a smile. She seemed pretty friendly.
Norah smiled back. "Well I really need the job."
"How long have you been in Las Vegas?"
"Three days," Norah laughed. "How about you?"
"My whole life," She stated. "It's a surprisingly nice place to live, despite the nicknames-like Sin City." She laughed.
"I grew up in Texas." Norah simply said. She didn't want to get into too many details but also offered, "Not the most fun place but decent I suppose."
"Oh, by the way, I'm Lydia." The blonde extended her hand.
Norah shook it, "Norah Stokes."
"Have any family or friends here?"
"My uncle, a little girl whose mom works with my uncle and my ex-boyfriend who also works with my uncle."
They laughed again.
"Jeez, where does he work?"
"The Vegas crime lab."
Lydia looked impressed. "I better get back to work-I'll go get the manager for you. Good luck!" She said as she started for a room that was behind the bar. Her peppiness made Norah cringe with flashbacks from high school. But she stopped herself when she thought about her prejudices.
The manager followed Lydia out of the back room. He was an ancient man with a stern yet saggy face with deep-set brown eyes and white hair. He intimidated Norah even though the old man was about half the size of Norah.
Norah smiled as she introduced herself handing him all the necessary papers. She was scared but could hide it well-one of the great effects a good acting coach has on a good acting student.
------- Nick walked into work, belly full and face smiling. Sara was working in the layout room, mumbling under her breath as Nick walked in. "Hey."
"Yeah, hi," a grumpy Sara replied.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing! I'm just frustrated with this."
"What?"
"I made a copy of all the shoes this baseball player had in his hotel room and none match." Sara said shifting again through the copies. "And that would make me think that he's innocent but-those feet!"
"None of these are cleats." Nick discovered.
"This is all I found-but I got his DNA too so I think I can place him at the crime scene but Greg's not here so he can't test it so it's going to take longer!" She shouted.
"How are you going to prove he was there?" He asked.
"The spot of saliva and tobacco, remember? If that matched his DNA we can place him at the scene and at least it's a lead." Sara shrugged. She wasn't usually this tense but the CSI was definitely under a lot of stress. "We need Greg-where the hell is he?" She tried to calm down but she was too pissed. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and searched for Greg's number in its built-in phone book.
"Hello?" Greg answered groggily.
"Where are you? It's 8 o' clock, you're late!" She said frantically.
"Nick was surprised at himself. He'd just gotten up 3 hours ago to eat Norah's freezing, 5-hour-old breakfast. He calculated mentally how long he had slept. 'Let's see, I went to bed at 4.' he recalled. He watched ESPN in his room from about 10 until then. '13 hours?' Normally Nick could barely sleep 9 hours straight but then he remembered the yelling and frustration that took place a mere 24 hours ago. He wondered if Norah was home. She left at 10 that morning and said she'd probably be out will about 7:30 looking for the essentials for living on your own: a home, a car, a job.
"What do you mean your not coming? What do you mean your sick? You weren't sick yesterday! Whatever. Turkey pox? Aren't you a little old to be inventing new diseases for excuses? Please? Five minutes? Come on! Thanks so much!" Sara smiled and sighed with satisfaction at her newfound compromising skills. She started out the door toward the evidence room with Nick close behind.
-------
Greg set up the test tubes while Nick and Sara watched him carefully.
"What?" He asked.
Sara and Nick looked and each other and then at Greg. "Nothing. Why are you so paranoid?" Nick asked.
"It's hard to work when you're being watched," Greg glared.
"What's wrong?" Sara asked Greg. "You're acting.weird."
Greg shrugged. "I don't exactly want to be here."
"This is your job," Nick reminded him.
"I kind of had company," Greg said glancing up at Nick, who had no clue who it was. He looked down again at the samples.
Sara had a feeling she knew who it might have been. "God, what is up with the Norah thing? Why does everyone love her?" She practically screamed.
"Norah was at your house?" Nick's eyes full of fury. "She's supposed to be looking for a job."
"She got a job and she's also got an apartment and a car picked out so don't get all pissy." Greg said setting the samples in some machine with a name that is unpronounceable to most any layman.
"Norah's been spending too much time with you-your attitude's rubbing off on her."
Greg glared.
Nick was hurt she told Greg before him. "Wait. An apartment? Where?" Nick asked suspiciously.
"A place in my complex," Greg said without looking up.
"I have to go talk to Norah. I have to go home," Nick said, so many emotions running through his veins. He headed to the door.
Greg cleared his throat. "You won't find her there."
"Okay then. Scratch that-I have to go to Greg's apartment." Nick walked out of the lab and back in. "You better call her and tell her to be decent," he told Greg before leaving once more.
Greg smirked. He took the results from the machine and handed it to Sara. She was standing there frowning.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. Thanks." She said taking the results.
"What do you have against Norah?"
"What makes you think I have something against her? Because I don't." Sara said walking out of the lab. "It's just what she's doing to Nick that I don't like. He's not sticking to his job."
"Jealousy is against the Bible," he shouted after her.
"So is premarital sex," she said sticking her head into the doorway. "And I'm almost positive your little girlfriend wouldn't like the fact that you're giving all the details to Archie. Nick either, for that matter. Oh by the way, I think that counts as lust, which is one of the Seven Deadly Sins." She smiled and chanted, "You're going to hell. You're going to hell."
Greg shrugged. "I like the heat."
Sara rolled her eyes and left.
Greg ducked out of the building before anyone else could ask-or beg-for his services. He thought about how he had called in sick and how Grissom didn't approve but Greg pulled enough fake coughs that his throat truly did start to hurt. Grissom finally gave up after 20 minutes.
He heard three familiar voices he really didn't want to hear at that moment. "Shit." He saw Grissom, Warrick and Catherine getting out of the car and arguing about something. Most likely having to do with their case. Greg hesitated. He was afraid Grissom would make him stay the rest of the day if he saw him. 'Act like a tree and they won't notice.' He told himself, smiling at the idea.
He raised his arms in the air and swayed back and forth and started to make a noise that was supposed to resemble the wind whipping through tree branches.
The sane trio stopped and stared at him.
Catherine was the first to speak, "Time to call the mental institution." Glancing for a second at Grissom but then turning back to Greg. "He's officially fallen off his rocker."
Warrick rolled his eyes and shook his head at Greg as he walked back into the building.
Greg dropped to his knees. "Please don't make me stay! I have someone over my house-my mom! And she's.sick. I have to go!"
"Why are you here?" Grissom eyed him.
"Sara made me do it!" Greg answered still kneeling. "She said she needed me to test something."
"Isn't Vincent here?" Catherine asked more to Grissom than Greg.
Greg shook his head. "I didn't see him."
Grissom's eyes narrowed. He mumbled about responsibility and how hard it is to find good help these days as he followed Warrick's lead and went inside.
Catherine scrunched up her face. "Your mom's not actually at your house, is she?"
"Maybe she is, maybe she isn't," Greg smiled to let Catherine know the truth.
Catherine shook her head with a trace of a smile on her face, but she tried not to show it. Instead she acted concerned for his safety, "Nick's going to kill you if you mess around with Norah too much. You know he will." Inside she reminisced of her own romances of when she was younger.
"I have to get home," Greg selfishly said hurrying off to his car. Catherine just shook her head and walked into the building.
-------
Nick knocked on Greg's apartment door. "Open up, Norah!"
Norah tried to block out the noise. "Go away," she moaned. She pulled the fluffy comforter of Greg's bed over her head as if it would shield her from Nick's wrath.
Nick was now banging and not just knocking. "Get up Norah Elizabeth."
Norah cringed. She hated when people used her full name. "I'm tired."
"Then go home."
Norah growled as she lifted the sheets off of her and got half way through the apartment before she realized she only had her undergarments on. She frowned and shouted at Nick to stop knocking and that she'd be there in a second. She went back into the bedroom and quickly put her clothes on and ran through the living room, which was more like a corner of the kitchen, only big enough to hold Greg's couch and television set. She went to the door and hoped Nick didn't suspect anything, even though she was sure he did.
She opened the door and looked at Nick, "What?" She asked trying to make her hair a bit less unruly.
Nick pressed his lips together. He glared at Norah, "Do you want to be living with your uncle for the rest of your life?"
"What?"
"You were supposed to be doing something today. Other than screwing Greg, that is." Nick said tightening his jaw.
"I got a job."
"Doing what?"
"I'm a cocktail waitress in a casino," Norah smiled with pride but Nick held his expression. "It's a temp until I can get a better one, okay?"
"No, it's not okay, what about everything else you were supposed to do?" Nick counted on his figures, "Find a car, an apartment."
"I did!" Norah shouted, her eyes growing bigger. "You can't expect me to buy them now, I mean it's not like I have that much money. When movies don't do good in the box-office the people in those movies don't get paid as much," Norah said as if she were explaining an easy math problem to a slow student.
"What's going on with you? Ever since you met Greg-which, by the way, was three days ago-you've been acting so different." Nick shouted at her.
Her eyes became bloodshot as she tried to resist crying. Had she really changed that much? "Whatever. You're so over-reacting." She shook her head.
"You've barely been home! You're always with Greg. Three days and your already having sex with the guy? Are you some prostitute who goes after my friends and colleagues for revenge? I thought I knew you better, we used to be best friends." Nick didn't care what the people of Greg's apartment thought, obviously. He was standing in the hall just screaming at Norah.
"How do you know I had sex with him?" Norah countered.
"I know you Norah and I know Greg. Plus, look at Warrick and you. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see a pattern," Nick shouted. By now some people had opened their doors a crack to peek out at the two of them.
Norah glared in their direction and pulled Nick inside the door and slammed it shut. "Can't you act like a rational adult?" She scowled at him.
"No. No! I can't. Okay Norah?" Nick shouted even louder. "You came here and I've barely seen you at all-"
Norah cut him off, "What about your work? That's interfering with it too, it's not just me you know!"
"Remember how you were talking about not hurting Greg? Well have you told him yours and Warrick's little secret yet because I think he deserves to know." Nick said.
"Why don't you tell him--you've told everyone else in this apartment building!" She said grabbing her black purse off the table and walking out the front door and past all the nosy on-lookers outside. She started walking through the parking lot as a car pulled in. The horn honked at her as they slammed on the breaks to avoid hitting her. She threw them a very specific obscene gesture and started walking around the car. Her tears streaked her cheeks.
"Norah?" Greg got out of the car and hurried over to her. She was currently on the sidewalk and walking faster as he approached. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay? I'm really sorry, I didn't know it was going to take that long. Please don't leave."
She turned around. "This can't happen. I have a secret, I guess. Something that I can't tell you but I have to if this is going to happen and it will probably will ruin it anyway," Norah spoke fast.
So fast that Greg just stood there dumbfounded, not understanding any of it. "This isn't one of those incest-type things, is it?"
Norah tilted her head. "Huh?"
"You, Nick, you know."
Norah had to laugh. "No!" She became serious again, "I think we should go somewhere and talk." She took a deep breath. She had to admit Nick was right. Greg did deserve to know and probably would find out eventually and then it might be worse.
Greg got back into his car and unlocked the passenger door for Norah. She got in and looked out the window at Nick who was walking out to his car. Greg backed out into the street.
She noticed the radio station was on the one she had picked out the night before on their date. She smiled, knowing Greg hated the pop and R&B music she preferred-one of the many things she learned about him the night before.
They pulled into a coffeehouse. Greg parked the car and they got out. He followed her inside. "What would you like?"
Norah bit her lip, a nervous habit she had. "Um.a cappuccino would be great." She wondered if this was the best place to talk. She had already been around enough guys who had made scenes already that day. She sat at a well-lit table in the corner of the Starbucks. It was far away from the only other people there. A pair of women who were about 21-years-old and seemed to be trying to sober up, an older gentlemen who was very involved in his newspaper, and a couple who were in front of Greg in line. She started to plan out what she would say to him.
A pit grew in her stomach. Her pulse raced and her heart was beating like a drum. She was sick of loosing the guys who most liked before they really got to the third date. In Greg's case: the second date. She didn't want to add him to the "Guys Who Will Never Date Me Again" list.
She couldn't go though with it. She couldn't. She thought about making a run for it but found herself trapped like a rat as he stared walking over to her. She swallowed hard. 'Why me?' She asked herself. She prayed he'd understand as her sat down across from her.
He handed Norah her cup.
She gave a faint smile and took a sip.
Greg did the same like her mirror image. "So, what's up?"
She gnawed harder on her bottom lip, "Okay, well I don't know what you've heard about this but here's the real deal. I just hope you don't hate Warrick after," She watched his face twist-up in confusion and anticipation. She continued, "Since you have to work with him and all." She stopped herself from babbling and went on with the story. When they first met, the rendezvous in France, the abortion. Every detail. When she finished she concluded frankly, "It's okay if you don't want to see me any more, because I would want the same if I was in your place. It would be weird.and." She stopped not knowing what else to say.
He kind of sat there in shock. Now that he knew this he DID feel weird.
They sat in silence for what seemed like a lifetime. She stared at her reflection in the window, noting her puffy eyes and red streaked cheeks. Greg looked at the floor like he was observing a bug to see what it would do in its last minute of life.
"I-I don't know what to say," Greg said.
"I'm sorry. Nick told me that you should know before it got too far. And since your Warrick's friend and all.it seemed like you deserved to know." She swished her drink around in the cup.
"I guess it's good. But it's awkward now." Greg finally looked up.
Norah didn't. "I don't want to drive you away more, but although I regret the whole pregnancy thing I don't regret being with him. He became one of my best friends."
Greg nodded. She finally looked up only look at the ceiling. She couldn't face him.
"Well, I guess everyone makes mistakes," he said. He didn't want to lose her either. He had a feeling about her. It was one of those weird and corny feelings you get when you know this person will be true to you. They're your soul mate. And it wasn't like they didn't know each other at all. Three quarters of their date the night before was talking. Their families, high school years, and even a conversation about green Jell-O. "And living with them is hard enough," he stated after a moment's pause that he took to think. "And you shouldn't regret anything you do," he said matter-of- factly.
She half-smiled at him and then started to chew her lip again. "Let's not keep anymore secrets from each other, okay?" She looked him in the eyes to make him see she was sincere.
He gave a genuine smile and nodded. "It's a deal." Now HE started to bite his lip, "I have something to confess, too."
Norah's heart sank into her stomach.
"I wasn't really born in Norway-although I am Norwegian. You just seemed more traveled and I wanted to impress you."
Norah let out a small giggle.
Greg smiled.
Norah felt like she could actually move her shoulders. The burden was gone.
Suddenly she heard her name being called out. She turned to find Lydia coming toward her, a Coke in her hand. "Norah!" She smiled.
"Hi, Lydia." She smiled back and hoped her eyes looked a bit better. The last thing she needed was to be asked if she was all right.
"How are you?"
"Okay." She half-smiled.
"Good! What brings you to Starbucks tonight?" She said looking around the coffeehouse.
Norah looked at Greg. "We just came for some coffee. We came from a movie," She lied.
"Oh, I was wondering why your eyes were all red. Must have been a chick flick," Lydia nudged Greg who let out a laugh.
Norah wondered if Lydia was ever sad. Although she had only known her for a while she could tell she was one of those optimistic, happy-go-lucky, "give me a hug" kind of people.
"What's with the Coke? They have coffee...I'll buy you some if you want," she said reaching for her purse.
"Oh, yeah. Well I only come here on Sundays...their cookies are half price," she held up a fancy cookie you would only see at a coffee shop or maybe while eating British royalty. The foil of Chips Ahoy and Oreo.
Greg cleared his throat as a hint. As if to say, 'Introduce me already!'
"Oh yeah.this is Greg," she left it at that. She wasn't sure what they were and didn't want to say 'boyfriend' and have him blow up in her face saying this whole Warrick and her thing was too weird for him and they were officially not seeing each other. Plus they'd only had one real date. But she didn't want to say 'friend,' either, and offend him since they were more or less together up until they'd walked into Starbucks. "This is Lydia."
Lydia smiled. "I'm a waitress at Chips," she told him referring to the casino both worked at now.
Norah felt like Lydia was invading her space. She wanted to scream 'stop flirting with my man.' But kept her mouth shut instead, figuring Lydia was just one of those people that is just naturally nice and it only SEEMS like they're flirting. And that she herself was probably just one of those people who is jealous and territorial. She frowned to herself.
Lydia was listing off the reasons why she didn't drink coffee when Norah snapped out of her daze. Lydia was the only person Norah knew who could talk as much as she could.
Greg noticed that too. His brain took the next exit on the highway of Lydia's Anti-coffee Spree. He thought about who would win a talk-a-thon between Norah and Lydia. He smiled.
Lydia noticed the hazy look in his eyes but didn't stop talking.
Norah shook her head after looking at her watch. "I'll be back in a little while...I should call Nick," she told nobody in particular. Lydia was to busy explaining #64 of her list, which was something about how caffeine is bad for you. And Greg just was off in another world. Norah shrugged and headed outside.
She dialed his number and counted the rings. 'One.Two...Three.'
Nick answered on cue. "Hello?"
"I told him." She blinked, hoping he wasn't mad at her too much.
"I'm sorry I put this on you," he told her.
"You didn't. It was my mistake and I have to live with it. I can't exactly keep it from him."
"He did he take it?" Nick asked.
"Fine." She said simply. "I'll be home in a while."
"Okay. Bye, Nor."
"Bye." Norah said hanging up her cell phone and walking back inside.
"And my final reason-number 138-is because it just tastes gross," Lydia nodded.
Greg had basically fallen asleep with his eyes open. He just stared at the table, a faint buzz sounding like a snore coming from him. Norah could have sworn he was drooling. She laughed. "We have to go Lydia. I'm sorry."
"Oh, that's okay," she smiled. "See you at work," she said walking away.
Norah shook Greg. "Wake up," she giggled.
Greg rubbed his eyes, "What just happened here?"
She shook her head and laughed. "Ready to go?"
He nodded and started to walk out of Starbucks followed by Norah. "Man, can she talk...how is she a waitress? People want their drinks before they become room temperature, you know."
She hit Eric in the stomach gently. "You are so mean! She's so nice."
"You're just saying that because you didn't have to listen to her," referring to the time she left to call Nick.
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She wondered if it was legal to change emotions so quickly. She probably should have felt bad for Greg who had to hear the depressing story of hers, maybe mad at Nick for embarrassing her in front of everyone in Greg's apartment building, maybe even pissed at herself. But instead she was happy, joking around with a great guy who didn't resent her for things she screwed up in the past, a rarity in this world.