Title: Holding Out for a Hero

Summary: Nina enlists Greg's help in finding Marie.

Notes: This is the first Episode in The Ghost of a Good Thing Series. Everything's Not Lost is a kind of prologue to this, but you don't have to read it to understand this. All you need to know is that Nick is now living with Greg and this occurred after the Stalker episode.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Anything italicized means he/she is speaking in Italian. Oh and Padre means father and Madre means mother.

Chapter Four: Rescuing a Princess

"When you come to the end of your rope tie a knot and hold on."

--F.D.R.

GREG:  I understand why all these cadets are here.  They have to be.  But what's up with all these off-duty cops?CATHERINE:  Chance to be a hero.  Girl's beautiful.  These guys don't get many chances.GREG:  For what?CATHERINE:  To rescue a princess.--Season Four Episode 408: After the Show

Crime Lab—Tuesday March 16—8:30 am

Everyone had returned back to the lab and was hard at work. Brass was checking alibis, Grissom was finishing paper work, Catherine and Sara were comparing the scuff marks to different shoes, Warrick and Nick were analyzing movies with Archie, and Greg sat alone in his lab trying his best to concentrate on the task at hand when his cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Greg," Nina whispered worriedly into the phone.

"Nina what's wrong?" he sat down the pen he had been absentmindedly twirling in his hand and sat up a little straighter.

"You've got to get to Shawn's house quick. He lives on Emerald Avenue. The number is 304."

"Whoa, Nina slow down. Tell me what happened." As he talked to her, Greg stood and removed his lab coat, alternating holding the phone with each shoulder, and walked quickly out of the lab.

"The phone was ringing when I got back from taking Cassie to school. Shawn had all ready left for work. He told me not to call Shawn, but he didn't say I couldn't call you." She had begun to pick up Cassandra's breakfast dishes.

"He who?" Greg asked.

"I don't know. We didn't exactly get into his whole life story, but next time I'll be sure to ask." Nina told him sarcastically as she threw a plastic plate into the sink.

"Sorry stupid question." He muttered as a reply. He rubbed his forehead trying desperately to concentrate. Everything was just happening too fast. He didn't have time to think anymore.

"Look just get your ass over here now." Nina told him harshly. Greg had to smile at this. Although Nina had always been the youngest she had always been in charge when things got tough. She had gotten him and Shawn out of too many 'awkward situations' to count.

"I'm getting in the car right now. I'll be there in five minutes. I promise."

"All right bye." She clipped out before hanging up. Greg jammed his cell phone into the pocket of his jeans as he started the car. He drove a good fifteen miles over the speed limit and arrived at Shawn's house in record timing.

Shawn's Town House—Tuesday March 16—8:45 am

Nina had been watching for Greg from the living room window. She ran outside as Greg was getting out of his vehicle.

"Get in my car," she told him as she unlocked her Toyota Celica.

"You still have this thing." Greg said in awe as he strapped on his seat belt. She shifted into reverse and sped out of the drive way.

"Yep, and I still drive like I was taught by Michael Andretti." She shot back.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Greg asked as they took a turn rather sharply and he grabbed onto the door to steady himself.
"When we get to my apartment and you call Shawn I'll tell you both what we're going to do."
"I thought you said," he paused to grab hold of the door again, "that you weren't allowed to call him." He braced himself with one hand on the dashboard as she pulled into her parking space in front of the apartment complex.
"I did, but I never said you couldn't call him." Nina exited the car and shut her door. "We don't have all day Sanders." she called back to him. Greg got out and followed her into the building. "Use the lobby telephone. I've got the number somewhere, "she said sifting through her pockets. She pulled out a small folded piece of paper and handed it to Greg. "Call him and then come up to the apartment. Tell him we'll be in the sound room. And hurry up." She yelled back to him as she ran for the stairs. She didn't have time for the elevator.

Greg sighed and headed over to the phone that sat on a small wooden table decorated with a vase of wildflowers. This was not going to be good.

Construction Site—Tuesday March 16—9:15 am

Shawn was having a hard time focusing on the blueprints in front him. His head was pounding and he was just about ready to head on home when his cell phone rang. He recognized the number immediately. Shawn answered the phone full of hope.

"Nina."

"No it's Greg." Shawn's demeanor changed at once. His features hardened and his grey eyes turned to an icy steel, "Nina wanted me to call you. She says he called and she wants you to come over to the apartment now. She said we'll be in the sound room." Shawn took a deep breath before answering. Now was not the time to dredge up the past. He could get past this and rise above it.

"I'll be over as soon as I can. Just let me tell the site manager." Shawn didn't wait for Greg's reply. He simply hung up. Rolling up the blue prints he secured them with a rubber band and headed out of the trailer.

Pacific Harbors at Sunrise—Tuesday March 16—9:16 am

Greg hung up the phone. He stared at it briefly before turning and heading for the stairs himself. He took them two at a time and jogged lightly down the hallway. Nina had left the door unlocked and Greg walked in.

"Nina." He called out. There was no response. He noticed the balcony door was open. Cautiously he made his way to the French doors. Peering around he noticed the storage room door. "Nina," he called out once again.

"I'm in here." Her voice came from within the storage room. Greg walked out confidently and entered the room. He whistled as he looked around.

"So you two actually did it." He whispered.

"Well we really haven't done anything. All we've made is a demo and we haven't given it to anybody. But that's not the point." Nina was rambling and they both knew it, but neither cared. It was soothing and the stress level seemed to go down a fraction of an inch.

Nina sat at the computer and was busy doing something. Greg had never been all that good with sound so he just watched from over her shoulder.

"Stop it," Nina said suddenly, "you're making me nervous. I can't concentrate if you're staring down my back." Greg held his hands up in mock surrender even though she couldn't see him.

"Getting in trouble again Sanders?" Shawn asked from behind him in a mocking tone.  Greg turned around and nodded in acknowledgement. "What are you up to Nina?" he asked after his brief greeting with Greg.

"That guy, what's his name, Luke or something like that. He called."

"I thought you said you didn't know his name."

"I did because I didn't want to jump to any conclusions, but it's pretty obvious it's him isn't it? I mean it's not like we're dealing with a criminal mastermind here."

"Who's this Luke guy?" Greg asked looking over at Shawn who stood next to him.

"He worked for me, but I caught him cutting corners. I won't stand for that kind of behavior. I had to fire him. I had my suspicions when that detective came by the house."

"Look guys," Nina interrupted, "it doesn't take a genius to figure out who took her. It does however take a genius to figure out where she is." Nina smirked and pushed a key on the keyboard. "Now listen closely." The tape she had inserted began to play and both men watched the sound waves on the computer screen as they listened to the static. In the background a car backfiring could faintly be heard along with the laughter of children and the shrill barking of a few dogs. A more prominent sound began. It was a soft clicking noise. Perhaps even tapping. "Do you hear that? I think its Morse code. Remember she had that whole SOS kick after Titanic came out. I never learned it though. Do either one of you know it?" Nina asked hopefully.

"No, but that's why they call it the internet." Greg looked around the small room and found a blank sheet of music and a pencil. He had Nina rewind the tape and he wrote down the series of dashes. One short, a long, two shorts, two shorts, a long, another long, a short, a long, and one short. Then silence for a few seconds and the tapping started again. Four shorts, three longs, two more longs, and one short. Then the series repeated it self before it was abruptly cut off. "Do you have internet connection on this computer?" Greg asked, putting down the pencil.

"Yes," Nina answered. She clicked out of the program she had been using and logged onto the internet. Immediately she went to goggle and typed in 'Morse Code'. Clicking on the first link the standard international alphabet for Morse code popped up. Greg began working and they all waited in a tense silence while the message was decoded.

"LUKE HOME." Greg read aloud when he was finished. Nina smiled slightly.

"This will be easier than I thought." Nina turned to face Shawn and Greg a smile playing at her mouth. "I've got an idea."

Crime Lab—Tuesday March 16—10:03 am

Catherine and Sara had finished matching the scuff marks to a heel. She knocked lightly on Grissom's office door and walked in without waiting for an answer.

"We matched the shoe. It's a Lally Two Band Slide."

"Good" Grissom muttered without looking up.

"Have you seen Greg around?" Sara asked from the doorway. Grissom looked up and Catherine turned to look at her.

"No," Grissom responded, "Why?"

"Well no one in the lab as seen him in for over half an hour. I thought you might want to know." Sara left as quickly as she came. She'd let Grissom figure this one out for himself. Meanwhile she was going to go spy in on a little of Greg's past with the others in the video lab.

"Don't worry Grissom," Catherine told him pulling out her cell phone, "I'll find him." She turned walked out of the office as she dialed. Greg answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Where are you Greg?" Catherine asked.

"Out." He stated simply.

"Doing what?"

"Rescuing a princess." He told her before hanging up. Catherine stared at her cell phone.

"Uhoh." She mumbled under her breath. She quickly walked back to Grissom's office. "We have a slight problem." She informed him. Grissom's phone rang interrupting her speech.

"Grissom." He answered.

"Someone's alibi doesn't check out. I'll give you two guesses who." Brass told him from the other end.

"Luke Haslett." Grissom said.

"Exactly. I'm heading over now."

"We'll meet you there." Grissom hung up and looked at Catherine, "You were saying."

"We have a slight problem. There's a lab tech that's one step ahead of us and taking care of things on his own terms."

"Well we better hurry then."

Luke Haslett's House—Tuesday March 16—10:10 am

Nina had explained the plan on the way over to Luke's house. There had been a mild protest from Greg on how they should call the proper authorities and let them handle it. Nina had glared at him. He had ended the suggestion abruptly. Shawn then tried to reason with her and explain that maybe knocking on the front door wasn't such a good idea. To that she had replied "hey I'm the certified genius here I think we'll go with my plan first" Shawn and Greg had rolled their eyes at the old statement, but had shut-up nonetheless. Nina had dropped them off five houses from Luke's. She then proceeded to park in his drive way and walk up to the front door. She rang the doorbell and waited patiently a warm, but fake smile plastered on her face. She could do this. All she had to do was think of getting Marie out of there. He didn't really want to hurt after all. He was confused. But a confused and armed man was a very dangerous man if angered said a small voice in the back of her head. She pushed it aside as the door opened.

Shawn and Greg had snuck around the back of the house they were dropped off at. As stealthily as they could in the middle of the day they passed through each backyard. Once they reached Luke's back yard they positioned themselves on either side of the backyard. Shawn had an advantage that the police might not have. He knew the layout of the house. He had designed the entire neighborhood.

"Nina," Luke said in surprise, "what are you doing here?"

"Well I didn't know if you had heard yet, but Marie has gone missing and I'm terribly worried about her. I came by to see if you had seen her at all." Nina asked trying to sound worried, but nice all at the same time.

"No, I haven't seen her lately. I'm very sorry to hear that she's disappeared." Nina let tears start to form in her eyes and she bowed her head slightly.

"Well thank you for your help anyway, Luke. I guess I'll just be going then." Luke looked around nervously not sure of what to do.

"Are you okay? Would you like to come in and have a drink and maybe calm down a little?"

"Oh, no I couldn't. I don't want to impose." She told him. Luke had been nice enough the couple of times she had seen him. Why would he go and kidnap Marie? It couldn't have been a very well thought out plan. Maybe he didn't quite know what he wanted. He was probably just upset over getting fired. People get fired everyday it doesn't mean they all go out and kidnap their boss's girlfriend, Nina scolded herself for even beginning to sympathize with the man.

"No, I insist." Against her better judgment Nina took a step forward.

"No I really shouldn't." she told him smiling and took a small step back.

It all happened so fast Nina didn't even remember how she had ended up in the house. She had heard the sirens and the look on Luke's face had registered in her mind, but she didn't have any time to react before he grabbed her and through her too the floor. Her knees scraped against the carpet and she could feel the bruises beginning to form. Luke shut and locked the door before turning to face Nina.

"You set me up." He practically yelled at her as he advanced.

"No." she told him steadily as she backed up, "no I didn't now the police were coming. I swear I didn't." At the worst possible moment Shawn and Greg broke in through the back door and they weren't exactly quiet about it. From the foyer Luke and Nina couldn't see them, but Nina closed her eyes and grimaced as Luke yanked her roughly to her feet using her as a human shield. Silence ensued for a few tense moments before Luke yelled.

"Who's there?" Greg motioned for Shawn to remain silent and to stay where he was. Greg slowly rose to his feet and walked through the kitchen and into the living room. "Stay right there." Luke growled as he put an arm around Nina's neck and applied pressure. Nina closed her eyes tightly. Not the neck, she thought, I could take a gun, a knife, anything, but just get his hands away from neck. Greg knew of her fear and prayed silently she would try and stay calm. There was a sharp knock at the door and all three jumped.

"Luke Haslett this is the Las Vegas police open up."

"I'd go away if I were you." Luke yelled obviously terrified by what was happening. "I've got two hostages. Nina Moretti and." He quit yelling and looked at Greg, "What's your name?" he whispered.

"Greg. Greg Sanders."

"And. And Greg Sanders." Luke finished yelling.

Outside Nick slammed his fist on the hood of a police car, Grissom bowed his head, Warrick cursed, and Catherine and Sara showed no sign of emotion.

Extra Notes: Yeah, I worked long and hard on this all week. The next chapter should be out in two days at the latest. It's almost complete, but I decided I wanted to leave a cliffhanger because I'm so mean. I'd like to give a special thanks to all those who have reviewed especially Kathryn Mason-Sykes for the longest reviews I have ever received. Thank you so much it keeps me going. There are only about two or three chapters left in the story and everything will be resolved. You will learn a little more about Greg's past. I haven't decided if you'll learn all of it or just the reason he supposedly 'ran away'. And all of you who have read and haven't reviewed please do. Thanks!