One of Us 2/?
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"Greg...." finally emerged from Catherine's throat, despite how it was trying to lock down and choke her. She made a motion as if to run to his side, but stopped herself at the last minute, choosing instead to back away temporarily. She needed time to reclaim control of her emotions and she also knew the others were waiting for her to return. Pivoting on one heel, she stumbled back to where Nick and Brass waited at the desk. Neither man needed her forced words to comprehend the truth; her expression told them everything, but they held her up and let her speak them anyway.
"It... it is him. It's Greg... God, Nicky.... he's.... he looks so lost.... his eyes...."
"Damn...." Nick murmured over her shoulder as he supported her. "Brass... can you stay with her for a minute? I told Grissom I'd call...."
"Yeah, of course."
"Tell the doc we'll get him everything he needs.... medical records, all that.... it may take a couple hours, but..."
"I understand. Go on.... let Gil know what's up. Unless I get a major 911, I'll be here as long as I'm needed."
"Thanks...." Nick responded numbly, walking away and pulling out his cell. The first two tries at calling work failed as the digits wouldn't order themselves in his mind, but after a break to force himself to focus the third attempt succeeded.
"Las Vegas Crime Lab. Gil Grissom speaking."
"Boss.... it's me."
"That's not relief I hear in your voice, is it?"
"I wish it was. The vic in the club... it was Greg."
"How is he?"
"On the outside, he's not hurt real bad, mostly bruises. Inside.... they really messed him up."
"He was assaulted, then."
"Yeah.... more than once. He's gonna need surgery, but they've got him on anti-biotics and the doctor says he's not.... he says he'll be okay in a week or two."
"In body, not in spirit."
"Yeah, well, let's get him through the first part. The rest can wait. You'll let Warrick and Sara know?"
"Immediately. You want to stay, I assume."
"If it's do-able. Even if they won't let me be in there with him, I'd feel like an ass if I had to leave the hospital completely."
"I don't understand. If you haven't seen him how do you know...."
"Catherine ID'd him. He can't stand to have men around him right now.... the doc said he goes crazy. It's the only time he knows the world is still there, I guess."
"Catatonic.... of course. He has every right to pull away from the world. Look what it did to him. Stay as long as you want. I'll see that you both get your full hours for tonight. I'm sure the others will be over after shift so you and Cath can get some food and sleep."
"Like I said, they won't let Warrick in. Might as well let him go home."
"Even if he can't be there for Greg he'll want to be there for you. So will I."
"Thanks... look, I gotta go. Catherine..."
"I understand. We'll be there in a few hours. Try to hang on, alright? And Nick...."
"Yeah?"
"When you're feeling stronger, secure the rape kit. It could be the only way we'll get the bastards."
Nick's eyebrows drifted up at Grissom's extremely rare use of a curse-word.
"I don't even know if they've been able to do one yet, but I hear you loud and clear, boss."
"Good. See you in a while."
"Okay, Bye."
As he disconnected the call, Nick spotted Catherine emerging from the ladies room wiping her mouth on a paper towel. He strode to meet her and drew her into an easy embrace.
"You called Gris?"
"Yeah. He's gonna fill in Sara and Warrick. They'll all be here after shift."
"How did he react?"
"He said a bad word."
This revelation pulled a brief laugh from Catherine. The good humor didn't last long, but it helped to lighten her heart a little.
"He never swears. What was it? I can't imagine him going much beyond damn."
"Nah, you shoulda heard it. He actually said bastards." Nick chuckled.
"He did not! In what context?"
Her comforter instantly sobered again.
"He was reminding me about chain of evidence."
"The rape kit."
"Yeah. Might be our best and only evidence if Greg stays the way he is."
Catherine buried her head in his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Shit." she remarked softly, but vehemently.
"Don't you start. Grissom violating his language principles is bad enough."
"Start? You wait until I get my hands on the depraved pieces of filth that did this. Then you'll hear some real swearing, I promise you that..."
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Grissom didn't have to search very hard to find his other two field agents. They were both in the break room just pouring cups of coffee when he entered. The look on his face got them both to abandon their mugs and turn their full attention on him.
"What is it? You look like somebody ran over the cast of Disney on Ice with a zamboni." Sara commented. The tall, slender black man next to her cast a harsh glare in her direction. "What?"
"You've both probably noticed Greg isn't here tonight."
"Yeah. Is he okay? Nothing happened, right?" Warrick asked, suddenly worried.
"Unfortunately, it did. He was found a few hours ago in the men's room of a club on the strip. Nick just called from the hospital. Greg's been sexually assaulted.... multiple times according to the doctor that's overseeing his care."
Sara blanched and fumbled for the sofa behind her, finally managing to sink down onto it.
"No.... No way. I don't believe it....'
Clearing his throat, Warrick found his voice at last.
"He isn't.... I mean, he's gonna be alright."
"He needs some surgery to repair the damage that was done, but other than that and a few bruises, the doctor seems to think he'll be alright."
"That's his body. What about his head?" Sara asked.
"He's totally unresponsive to women, terrified of men. Makes sense considering what he's been through. I told Nick and Catherine we'd relieve them after the shift is over so they can eat and get some sleep."
"Yeah.... yeah, of course I'll be there."
"Me too. No question. Greg.... damn. He's the last person on earth who deserves to get jumped like that. He's just a kid...." Warrick mumbled half to himself and half to the room in general as he dropped down beside Sara.
"Lucky for you I anticipated your needing something to take your minds off this. Landlord found the body of one of his tenants lying on the lawn. It's our job to find out how he ended up there." Grissom informed them, handing them both thin folders before he turned and exited the room.
"How can he be that way? How can anybody be so cold about someone they know getting raped?"
Warrick tossed his colleague a repeat of the disapproving glower and rose from his seat.
"How can you be so holier-than-thou and judgmental? He feels it as much as any of us do, Sara. He just can't afford to let it show, 'cause right now he has to keep it together and keep this place running. You obviously don't get that. That's why you'll never be the boss." Warrick responded curtly, stalking out and leaving Sara with her jaw on the floor and his angry words ringing in her ears.
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"Cath, you don't have to go back in."
"Yeah, I do. Maybe if I keep telling him he's safe and he isn't alone.... he'll realize it's okay to come back to us."
"You sure? The way you reacted before...." Brass asked, squeezing her shoulder lightly.
"The first look at what they did to him was a shock, that's all. He needs me."
"We'll be right out here in the waiting room.... when you need us."
"I know. Thanks."
Turning, Catherine slowly made her way back to the exam area, slipped inside the curtain and pulled up a chair close to the bed where Greg lay, his position unchanged since the last time she'd seen him. Lifting his chilly hands into hers, she began to caress them gently, hoping to warm them, and by extension, revive the rest of him.
"Greg? It's me, Catherine. You're okay, now, I swear you are. You're in the hospital and you're safe. Look at me, Greg. You don't have to talk if it's too hard. Please, just look at me...."
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TBC....
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"Greg...." finally emerged from Catherine's throat, despite how it was trying to lock down and choke her. She made a motion as if to run to his side, but stopped herself at the last minute, choosing instead to back away temporarily. She needed time to reclaim control of her emotions and she also knew the others were waiting for her to return. Pivoting on one heel, she stumbled back to where Nick and Brass waited at the desk. Neither man needed her forced words to comprehend the truth; her expression told them everything, but they held her up and let her speak them anyway.
"It... it is him. It's Greg... God, Nicky.... he's.... he looks so lost.... his eyes...."
"Damn...." Nick murmured over her shoulder as he supported her. "Brass... can you stay with her for a minute? I told Grissom I'd call...."
"Yeah, of course."
"Tell the doc we'll get him everything he needs.... medical records, all that.... it may take a couple hours, but..."
"I understand. Go on.... let Gil know what's up. Unless I get a major 911, I'll be here as long as I'm needed."
"Thanks...." Nick responded numbly, walking away and pulling out his cell. The first two tries at calling work failed as the digits wouldn't order themselves in his mind, but after a break to force himself to focus the third attempt succeeded.
"Las Vegas Crime Lab. Gil Grissom speaking."
"Boss.... it's me."
"That's not relief I hear in your voice, is it?"
"I wish it was. The vic in the club... it was Greg."
"How is he?"
"On the outside, he's not hurt real bad, mostly bruises. Inside.... they really messed him up."
"He was assaulted, then."
"Yeah.... more than once. He's gonna need surgery, but they've got him on anti-biotics and the doctor says he's not.... he says he'll be okay in a week or two."
"In body, not in spirit."
"Yeah, well, let's get him through the first part. The rest can wait. You'll let Warrick and Sara know?"
"Immediately. You want to stay, I assume."
"If it's do-able. Even if they won't let me be in there with him, I'd feel like an ass if I had to leave the hospital completely."
"I don't understand. If you haven't seen him how do you know...."
"Catherine ID'd him. He can't stand to have men around him right now.... the doc said he goes crazy. It's the only time he knows the world is still there, I guess."
"Catatonic.... of course. He has every right to pull away from the world. Look what it did to him. Stay as long as you want. I'll see that you both get your full hours for tonight. I'm sure the others will be over after shift so you and Cath can get some food and sleep."
"Like I said, they won't let Warrick in. Might as well let him go home."
"Even if he can't be there for Greg he'll want to be there for you. So will I."
"Thanks... look, I gotta go. Catherine..."
"I understand. We'll be there in a few hours. Try to hang on, alright? And Nick...."
"Yeah?"
"When you're feeling stronger, secure the rape kit. It could be the only way we'll get the bastards."
Nick's eyebrows drifted up at Grissom's extremely rare use of a curse-word.
"I don't even know if they've been able to do one yet, but I hear you loud and clear, boss."
"Good. See you in a while."
"Okay, Bye."
As he disconnected the call, Nick spotted Catherine emerging from the ladies room wiping her mouth on a paper towel. He strode to meet her and drew her into an easy embrace.
"You called Gris?"
"Yeah. He's gonna fill in Sara and Warrick. They'll all be here after shift."
"How did he react?"
"He said a bad word."
This revelation pulled a brief laugh from Catherine. The good humor didn't last long, but it helped to lighten her heart a little.
"He never swears. What was it? I can't imagine him going much beyond damn."
"Nah, you shoulda heard it. He actually said bastards." Nick chuckled.
"He did not! In what context?"
Her comforter instantly sobered again.
"He was reminding me about chain of evidence."
"The rape kit."
"Yeah. Might be our best and only evidence if Greg stays the way he is."
Catherine buried her head in his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Shit." she remarked softly, but vehemently.
"Don't you start. Grissom violating his language principles is bad enough."
"Start? You wait until I get my hands on the depraved pieces of filth that did this. Then you'll hear some real swearing, I promise you that..."
------------------------------------
Grissom didn't have to search very hard to find his other two field agents. They were both in the break room just pouring cups of coffee when he entered. The look on his face got them both to abandon their mugs and turn their full attention on him.
"What is it? You look like somebody ran over the cast of Disney on Ice with a zamboni." Sara commented. The tall, slender black man next to her cast a harsh glare in her direction. "What?"
"You've both probably noticed Greg isn't here tonight."
"Yeah. Is he okay? Nothing happened, right?" Warrick asked, suddenly worried.
"Unfortunately, it did. He was found a few hours ago in the men's room of a club on the strip. Nick just called from the hospital. Greg's been sexually assaulted.... multiple times according to the doctor that's overseeing his care."
Sara blanched and fumbled for the sofa behind her, finally managing to sink down onto it.
"No.... No way. I don't believe it....'
Clearing his throat, Warrick found his voice at last.
"He isn't.... I mean, he's gonna be alright."
"He needs some surgery to repair the damage that was done, but other than that and a few bruises, the doctor seems to think he'll be alright."
"That's his body. What about his head?" Sara asked.
"He's totally unresponsive to women, terrified of men. Makes sense considering what he's been through. I told Nick and Catherine we'd relieve them after the shift is over so they can eat and get some sleep."
"Yeah.... yeah, of course I'll be there."
"Me too. No question. Greg.... damn. He's the last person on earth who deserves to get jumped like that. He's just a kid...." Warrick mumbled half to himself and half to the room in general as he dropped down beside Sara.
"Lucky for you I anticipated your needing something to take your minds off this. Landlord found the body of one of his tenants lying on the lawn. It's our job to find out how he ended up there." Grissom informed them, handing them both thin folders before he turned and exited the room.
"How can he be that way? How can anybody be so cold about someone they know getting raped?"
Warrick tossed his colleague a repeat of the disapproving glower and rose from his seat.
"How can you be so holier-than-thou and judgmental? He feels it as much as any of us do, Sara. He just can't afford to let it show, 'cause right now he has to keep it together and keep this place running. You obviously don't get that. That's why you'll never be the boss." Warrick responded curtly, stalking out and leaving Sara with her jaw on the floor and his angry words ringing in her ears.
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"Cath, you don't have to go back in."
"Yeah, I do. Maybe if I keep telling him he's safe and he isn't alone.... he'll realize it's okay to come back to us."
"You sure? The way you reacted before...." Brass asked, squeezing her shoulder lightly.
"The first look at what they did to him was a shock, that's all. He needs me."
"We'll be right out here in the waiting room.... when you need us."
"I know. Thanks."
Turning, Catherine slowly made her way back to the exam area, slipped inside the curtain and pulled up a chair close to the bed where Greg lay, his position unchanged since the last time she'd seen him. Lifting his chilly hands into hers, she began to caress them gently, hoping to warm them, and by extension, revive the rest of him.
"Greg? It's me, Catherine. You're okay, now, I swear you are. You're in the hospital and you're safe. Look at me, Greg. You don't have to talk if it's too hard. Please, just look at me...."
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TBC....