Privacy by SLynn

Disclaimer: It's all mine, because yeah, this is what I'd do with my free time if I actually owned these characters.

Thanks to: Em, Miss-Andromache, Duckie, Fan4fanfic, white rose01, Fwe, carolann, Tripp3235, GottaGetGreg, Jewelbaby, Jen, JoJoMobile, and veryevil. :)

Chapter 23: Helping Out

Greg and Sara went home that morning but neither could sleep. Despite Archie's assurances that there wasn't any surveillance equipment left in their house, it was hard to reconcile themselves to it after the events of yesterday. Instead they stayed up and discussed everything but what was bothering them the most.

Finally exhausted they had no choice but to try sleeping. Before changing Greg climbed up on the bed and rechecked the vent. He knew it was being paranoid but had to see for himself that nothing was there. Sara didn't stop him, didn't even object, just watched as he did it and only after he climbed back down did she change for bed herself.

Once in bed they both lay there soaking in the silence.

"Are we going to have to move again?" Greg asked sounding weary.

"No," Sara replied firmly, "We've just got to put this behind us. Forget it."

Greg nodded and looked at her. She had the covers pulled way up past her shoulders and it almost made him laugh.

"Come here," he said, gently pulling her into his arms.

She went easily and smiled as she laid her head on his chest. Greg absentmindedly stroked her hair, still staring at the ceiling. Knowing very well that he had two active cases, the Warner case and Mitchell case from the warehouse, which needed solving wasn't helping him to rest. But instead of focusing on them right now, his head was filled with the thought that someone he knew must be talking with Anderson.

It wasn't an easy thought. He thought about just approaching Anderson directly. Maybe if he just gave the stupid interview he'd stop printing all this stuff and Greg could get back to having a normal life. He didn't have to ask to know what Sara would say to that. It was a bad idea but what else could he do.

Looking down and seeing Sara sleeping was nice. He rubbed her back now and she pulled closer to him. Kissing the top of her head and smiling, he tried to relax himself but just couldn't do it. Settling in for a long day, he was glad that at least Sara was going to get some sleep. Greg had the feeling he wouldn't.

Greg had left early for work that afternoon to start on the Mitchell case. He met with Al and discussed the stab wounds to the body. They matched the knife found on the scene. In addition there were two blood types found on the knife, one the victims and the other an unknown male. Even better, there was one good usable print. All they needed now was a suspect and they even had a good guess as to who it was.

Ortega may not be his favorite detective to work with but she was thorough. She'd already tracked down a disgruntled employee of the warehouse and brought him in for questioning. Greg was just mad she hadn't bothered to tell him about it until after the fact. Because they'd had nothing to hold him on, and because he hadn't been there at the time of the interview, he had to go back out and compel a DNA swab from the guy almost as soon as he'd gotten in. Sounding as put out as she could, Ortega agreed to drive him out.

Trying to stay awake on the drive proved difficult, neither was exactly talkative. What's more, convincing Ortega to come to the door with him once they got there proved even more difficult.

"I've accompanied you to the house. You've got the paperwork," she said with a small smile, "Just go up there and get the sample. That's your job."

"First," Greg argued, "that's not protocol. You have to come to the door with me. Second, I'm not your errand boy. I know what my job is, I just wonder sometimes if you know yours."

"Do you think I like working with you?" she asked, her eyes full of menace. "I know all about you, it's all over the station. You shouldn't even be in that lab let alone out in the field."

"You shouldn't believe everything you read," Greg countered as calmly as he could. It had stung, but he didn't want her knowing that.

She threw him a disbelieving look before stepping out of the car. Greg followed behind, wishing he'd had a better response but it was too late for that. It was time to work.

Ortega rang the bell and their suspect, Sean Jamison, came to the door. She did most of the talking leaving Greg nothing to do but collect the sample and thank him for his time.

The drive back was unbearable. She continued to look smug, as if she'd put him in his place, and Greg couldn't help but feel she had.

Back at the lab by six that night, Greg's mood was not improving. Thompsen, the swing shift tech, had never liked him and liked him even less when he dropped off a fresh sample that he wanted rushed. His exact words were, "Do it yourself or wait for Chen." Greg hadn't said anymore, just signed it over and left for the break room.

"You're here early," he heard Nick say as he came inside the room.

"Your one to talk," Greg replied, smiling for the first time since he'd left Sara at the house. "Warner case?"

"You got it. I hope you don't mind, I was going over the tox results from Robert Eriksson."

"Valium?" Greg asked, grabbing a soda from the fridge and joining Nick at the table.

Nick nodded, flipping a page to Danielle Carson's results.

"Same amount as the nanny," Nick continued. "Thought we might check out who among our suspects has a prescription. It's not like you can just get that at the corner store."

Greg yawned uncontrollably and stretched as he nodded in agreement.

"Did you get any sleep today?" Nick asked looking him over.

"Nope," Greg admitted. There was no point in denial. "You try sleeping after some crazy puts your life on candid camera."

Greg said it and immediately recollected that of all people Nick probably did know what that was like.

"Sorry," Greg offered sincerely, "Really, I am. I didn't mean anything by that."

"Greg, forget it," Nick said, equally sincere.

"I'm just all punchy from the no sleeping and had to ride out with Ortega again…"

"How'd that go?" Nick interrupted eager to change the subject.

"All I'll say is at least I got the sample. You know she actually conducted the interview without even telling me about it. Said she'd send me a report."

"You need to talk to Grissom about that," Nick said, "She's not going away. This needs to get straight, now, before it gets really bad."

"Yeah, like she starts locking me in at crime scenes or something. No wait, she's already done that."

Despite the circumstances Nick laughed.

"She didn't even get a slap on the wrist for that you know," Greg continued. "It was my word against hers and since her word has never been on medication, guess who they believed?"

Nick was no longer laughing. It wasn't funny anymore.

"Enough of that," Greg said, shaking it off. He was getting dangerously close to self pity and loathing all at once, "let's get to work on the Warner case again."

Sara was at the lab a few hours later. She'd been awake when Greg had gone in but hadn't been happy about it. One look told her he hadn't slept and she was going to do her best to make him rest. Unfortunately once there she couldn't even find him.

Checking the boards she saw that Nick and Greg had checked out an SUV and were out on the Warner case. Pulling up another case she was working with Warrick, she settled into the break room. Not long after she'd gotten through the first few pages Amy showed up.

"How's the apartment hunting going?" Sara asked upon seeing her.

"Good," Amy said sitting down on the sofa, "I found one I like. It's kind of small but reasonably priced, not too far away. I signed all the paperwork today and I move in on Monday."

"Great. Let us know when to be there and we'll help you move."

"You don't have too," Amy argued, "I really don't have that much stuff."

"We owe you," Sara argued back, "You helped us after all."

"I didn't really do much just manned the blender."

Sara laughed.

"Well, I'll do that this time."

"Actually," Amy continued, "I do need some help finding furniture. Feel like shopping?"

"Sure," Sara nodded, "I know a few places we can try."

"Great because I don't and I need everything. A bed, a dresser, a couch, the works or it's going to be awfully bare. Just me and the boxes I'll keep my clothes in."

As they continued to talk about the best places to find deals Nick and Greg joined them. Greg squeezed in beside Sara and kissed her quick on the cheek by way of a greeting. Nick just sat at the table and briefly met Amy's eye. She half smiled at him, which he returned.

"Anyone want an early Christmas gift?" Catherine asked, grinning wide from the doorway.

They all looked up at her expectantly. Warrick was standing just behind her, smiling too.

"This has to be good," Sara commented.

"It is," Catherine came in, leaning against the table. "Brass got the warrant signed to release the names of the domain holders this morning and we just got our second warrant to go search the owner's house."

"Who is it?" Greg asked.

"Don't you want to guess?" she asked back.

Everyone just stared at her. Their shift hadn't even started and it was already a long one.

"Okay, okay," she relented, "its Mitch Anderson. You guys are no fun. He not only owns the site with the video links, he owns the other one Archie found as well with all the files from your home PC."

"That's great," Nick commented.

"Well, it's not all great," Warrick continued, "His prints don't match the ones found on the ceiling. He may own the site but it doesn't look like he planted the camera. We can't hold him until we find something at his place."

"Well, when do we leave," Nick asked.

"No," Catherine shook her head, "Not we. Warrick and I. You're staying here Nicky, sorry."

Nick didn't argue it, just got up and left really angry but not wanting to cause a scene.

"Guess I'm not going either huh?" Greg asked.

Catherine shook her head again and her and Warrick left. Sara, Amy and Greg sat in silence for a minute.

"I'll go talk to him," Greg offered, getting up and leaving the room heading towards the locker room where he knew he'd find Nick.

"You didn't break anything did you?" Greg asked, hoping it sounded like a joke.

Nick looked over from where he'd been sitting and gave him a weak smile.

"No," he said, "I'm just frustrated. There's this, the Warner case and everything with Amy. I may have to get suspended again to get any sleep."

Greg laughed and sat down with him, he knew the feeling.

"What happened with Amy?" Greg asked. It had been killing him and he thought now was as good of a time as any to ask. It might even help if Nick had someone else to talk too.

"I screwed up," Nick answered, putting his head into his hands, "She doesn't think that I think what she does is important, like she's some kind of lackey because I suggested she consider taking a job in California her parents lined up for her."

"Oh man," Greg said letting out a whistle, "you are screwed. You insult her profession and tried to get her out of the state, what were you thinking?"

"Not helping man."

"Sorry, but seriously, what were you thinking? What would have said to her if she told you to go back to being a cop in Texas?"

"Yeah, I know. I know. I wasn't thinking. I just don't know what to do now. It's not that I think what she does isn't important. I do. You never thought I felt that way did you?"

Greg really wished he'd sent Sara in here now.

"Greg?" Nick asked again.

"I don't know," Greg tried evading.

"You did, didn't you?"

"Sometimes," Greg admitted, "But it wasn't just you, it's everyone. It's not easy. There's a lot of pressure and very little pay off. In the lab you don't get to see the bad guy get arrested, you just get someone barking orders at you and expecting miracles. Then when you provide that miracle no one remembers you had anything to do with it."

"Then why…"

"Why do it?" Greg finished, "Because it is challenging. And you know the rush you get when you find the murder weapon or that one piece of evidence that ties it all together; it's the same in the lab. Just quieter. Well, with Amy it's quieter, with me it was still pretty loud."

Nick said nothing, just stared straight ahead at the lockers for a moment.

"I haven't helped have I?" Greg asked.

"No," Nick said, "you have. Believe me, you have."