A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews. Haha, so as a thank you, here is the next chapter. Haha, I was at my Dad's today and the idea for it sorta just hit me... so I just wrote it all down and typed it up. Oh, and one more thing. An apology for any Ecklie fans out there... I just really don't like him...so he is portrayed...as... a cough "Nice" person. And don't mind the title of the chapter, it was just the result of the massive amount of chocolate that was in my system at the time. Haha, again, my apologies for anyone who might like him. Anywhoozle, I shall stop rambling so you can read the chapter! Review and be sure to tell me what you think!
Chapter 4 - Throwing Darts at Ecklie
Greg's routine became repetitive. Wake up, watch television, have a small lunch, talk on the phone, take a dose of medication, eat supper, more television, more medication and then sleep. The tuberculosis was affecting his appetite so he only ate small portions of food, and gave up breakfast all together.
He hated the taste that his medication left in his mouth, and he dreaded the two times a day that he had to take it. But he didn't dare skip a dose. He knew that if he missed a single one, then he risked having the tuberculosis bacteria continue spreading. He needed every single dose to kill it off... the bacteria dies very slowly.
"I hope that Greg is okay. I mean... tuberculosis... did you ever read those stories back from Edgar Allen Poe's time in high school? Do you know how many people were killed by that disease? I... I don't want Greg to become one of those statistics..." Nick trailed off.
"And he won't. Come on Nicky, that was a long time ago. Now they have medication for it. As long as he's taking it, he'll be back here in no time," Warrick explained, trying to stay optimistic.
"Yeah, I guess you're right..." Nick replied.
He started to walk away when Warrick questioned where he was going.
"I'm going to go ask Grissom if I can use the phone in his office to call Greg."
"What about your cell phone?" Warrick asked.
Nick laughed. "That thing has been dead for days. I can't find my charger."
With that, Nick walked off in the direction of Grissom's office when he heard Grissom talking to someone. It sounded like he was talking to Greg on the phone.
"Stop skipping meals. You need to keep your immune system strong."
Nick didn't want Grissom to know that he was standing just outside his office, he wanted to listen in to the conversation.
"Greg, get yourself a glass of water or something. It should help the cough if only a tiny bit."
A pause.
"That cough sounds worse, you're taking your medication right?"
Nick bit his lip.
"No, I'm not trying to sound like Catherine. I just noticed that your cough sounds worse."
Another pause.
"Greg... Greg! Come on that cough is getting worse and you know it... all right... bye."
After Grissom hung up the phone, he placed his face in his hands, just as Nick walked in. When Grissom heard someone enter, he quickly lifted his head back up.
"How's Greg?" Nick asked.
"He's fine," Grissom lied, "I was just talking to him."
Nick walked closer to Grissom's desk.
"I heard you... his cough is getting worse," Nick told him.
Grissom sighed. He couldn't lie, Nick had heard the conversation.
"His cough is getting worse. The whole time that he was on the phone he was coughing," Grissom explained.
"Oh," Nick said quietly.
"Sometimes that's just how illnesses work. They get worse before they get better. I'm sure that Greg will be fine. Just as long as he keeps taking his medication, and he told me that he's taking it and hasn't missed a dose," Grissom explained.
"Yeah, I know," Nick replied.
The two of them fell silent until Ecklie walked into the room.
"Hardly working here I see," he said.
"Come on, Conrad. We were just getting an update on Greg," Grissom told him.
"You'll do that on your own time. Right now, the only thing that is important is your work... not your friend," Ecklie snarled in a harsh tone.
"No," Nick stated boldly.
"Nick, don't," Grissom warned.
Nick paid no attention to Grissom's warning.
"Yeah, work should be a high priority, the top priority, but Greg is sick. He had tuberculosis, and that can kill a person! So I'm sorry for spending two damn seconds trying to find out how he's doing!" Nick exclaimed.
"I don't want to hear you talking in that tone..." Ecklie replied.
"Do you honestly think I give a damn about what you want? You told me that worrying about my friend is unimportant. And then you expect me to just kiss your ass and smile as I go back to work? No, I'm not going to do that. If you're going to get angry at me for caring about my friend... then I'm not going to give a damn about what you want," Nick continued.
"Nick, stop it," Grissom tried to intervene, but neither Nick or Ecklie were listening.
"Hmmm, taking a few attitude lessons from Sara I see?" Ecklie spat.
"What the hell does she have to do with this?" Nick questioned.
Grissom stood up and walked between the two arguing men.
"Would you to stop this? It's not going to accomplish anything!" he said, trying to get it to stop.
"You're right. It won't accomplish anything, but this will," Ecklie turned to Nick, "Nick, you're suspended for two weeks. No pay. Now leave."
"Fine!" Nick replied as he stomped off.
He walked angrily down the hall until Sara stopped him to ask why he was so angry.
"Why am I angry? Ecklie. That's why I'm angry. I'm suspended for two weeks because I refused to kiss his ass when he told me that the situation with Greg was unimportant. Excuse me for spending two seconds worrying about a friend. I think I have a reason to be worried and irritable... Greg's cough is getting worse," Nick was fuming with anger, and Sara had never seen him like this before.
"Nick... calm down. Just go home and do what everyone else in the lab does when Ecklie is on our case. Throw darts at his picture. Ecklie bugs everyone from time to time. Now, what's this about Greg's cough getting worse?" Sara questioned.
"I don't know. Grissom told me. He was on the phone with him. You can ask him because I'm going to go hometo give Greg a call," Nick said as he started to walk away, "plus, you know, the whole suspended thing."
After a few steps, he turned around to face Sara again.
"But I think on my way home I'm going to go buy some darts."
