A/N: Thank you for all the positive feedback so far, I really appreciate it =). Please continue reviewing so I know what you think.
Also, this chapter might seem a little weird compared to the traditional format of chapters, so… just bare with me.
The thing about it, Nick thought, was that it all happened so fast.
"What the hell? Who the fuck is that?"
Crime scenes, old and new, were always fast. But what had happened, that had been lightening speed.
"Shit man, get back."
It was just so fast, so fast he was confused. He didn't really know what happened, he just knew it did.
"We've got a code 30, I repeat a code 30. 1092. 1092."
He looked down at his hands and stared at them numbly. They were red, dripping with red in fact, onto the floor.
"Get out. Get out now. Get out of our god damn way."
The floor was a different colour, or at least it used to be. It had been white, a brilliant white in the neon glow of the store. And now it was a dark brown, maroon colour.
"Calm down, we're leaving. No weapons, nothing."
He focused on the floor, trying to understand how it had gone from white to maroon and why his hands were red.
"Look out!" "We've got an officer down, I repeat officer down."
"Nick!" Catherine was running towards him, he knew. But he didn't know what happened, it— "Nick, are you okay?"
"Three men down, two civilians. 5 casualties, two delta bravo's. 1015, store 23b on thirteen and west."
"Miss, he's in a severe state of shock."
"Help him!"
No he wasn't… he just… didn't really know what was going on.
"In pursuit of suspects."
"Sir. I need you to stand up. Can you stand up?"
"Someone help me."
"Nicky, sweetheart, can you hear us?"
"Oh god, oh god…"
"Mam, I'm going to have to ask you to stand back."
"The ambulance is here."
It is? Nick thought. Good…
"Just let me help him."
"Mam, you have to let us do our job."
"Can't you see he's scared?"
"He's in shock miss, just let us work."
"Is he injured?"
"Grissom."
"Sir, you can't be here. Both of you please leave before I have to call the police officers over."
"We are the police."
Stop it. Nick thought to himself. He was trying to concentrate and they were putting him off.
"Sir, please step back."
"Can you stand up at all sir?"
Stop it.
"Is he okay?"
"Come on Catherine."
Stop it.
"Miss—"
"Grissom!"
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. "Stop it."
"Sir can you hear me?"
"Stop it."
"Nicky! He's awake."
"That's it. Can I get a cop in here?"
"Catherine come on."
"Grissom get off me. Look at him."
"Stop it."
"Let me help him."
"Stop. It."
"He's gone Larry. Long gone. We need him at a hospital."
"Gone, what do you mean he's gone?"
"Catherine."
"Catherine, Grissom, I'm going to have to ask you both to leave the scene."
"Vega, come on, just let us help him."
"You have to let the paramedics work."
Stop it.
"Catherine, let's go."
"Grissom—"
"Both of you. Now."
"We're going. Thank you Vega."
"We're not going Grissom."
"Stop it."
"Why aren't you at the hospital anyway?"
Thank you. He thought at the sudden silence. "Can you turn the light off?"
The two paramedics looked at him, before one of them turned to face the same direction he was facing. "Photosensitivity? Epilepsy?"
"Blow to the head maybe?"
"Why the hospital?" Catherine's voice was suddenly weak, Nick realised. He didn't know why though. He also didn't know why they couldn't turn those lights off.
"Your other CSI."
"Other CSI?"
"The young guy… training."
Training? Greg. Greg had been here. Training. Greg had been here training with him. Greg had been here at the liquor store training with him, Nick, and…
"What happened?"
"Greg?"
"Get Johnny to turn the ambulance lights off for a second, or move the damn thing, the lights are sending this guy further away."
"Okay, pupils are dilated, check for a head wound."
"The suspect was still here when they arrived."
Code 30. Officer's need back up. Greg had been here training with Nick and they needed back up.
"Brass called for back up, when they started to get edgy."
"Sir, I'm just going to check to see if you have any external injuries or open wounds around the head area."
"What happened Vega?"
Greg had been training with Nick at the liquor store but they needed back up and so Brass called for it and…
"He was shot… I'm sorry. He's on the way to…"
Vega faded out and everything was silent, realisation and understanding dawning. Nick had taken Greg to a simple crime scene – liquor store robbery – to help with his training. Brass had tagged along. When they arrived, the suspects were still there, or had come back. They saw the badge and the uniform vests and the guns and used their own. Brass called for back up. They fired their guns some more. Greg had been shot.
Nick turned to look at the man next to him slowly.
"Woah, hello sir, can you hear me?" He suddenly began to ask, firing questions at him quickly. "Are you okay? Can you tell me what happened?" He could hear Catherine, Grissom and Vega in the background. "Sir, sir are you alright?"
"I…" He began. "He's… oh… god… I meant to… I didn't mean to… I… Catherine I… I did try… I swear… I…sorry."
"Nick!"
"What's happening?"
"Matthew. Get back here! He's out, he's out! Shock seizure just progressed to level three physical. Matthew?! Now!"
"He's having a seizure!"
"Nick!"