Chapter 4

Greg started to leave as Nick scrambled out of the Jacuzzi.

"Wait!" Nick yelled.

Greg had thought that was Nick's SUV as he'd pulled up, but he couldn't figure out why Nick would be at Bethany's parent's place. So he had grabbed his duffel and walked toward the sounds of muted conversation. When he'd seen Nick in the Jacuzzi so cozy with Bethany, he'd gone cold. How could Nick do this to him?

He started to leave but when Nick yelled, he turned. He was no child to turn tail and run.

"What!" he shouted back.

"Look Greg..." Nick started, trying to find the words. He hadn't known that Greg was into threesomes, and actually, it was kind of a complement that he was okay with having Nick there. "It's flattering..."

"Flattering!" Greg cut him off angrily. "You arrogant..."

"I am not arrogant!" Nick shouted back. "I'm just not into sharing!"

"I can see that! You self-centered..."

"Guys!" Bethany ran up with two glasses, shoving then into the guys' hands. "You guys are best friends," she cajoled them, placing a finger on two sets of lips. "Now stop. Have a drink. And we can talk this through. I refuse to be the cause of ruining such a close friendship."

The men glared at each other.

"Come on. Drink up." She pushed their glasses toward their lips. "To friendship!"

Neither man said a word but they finally both took a sip. "Come on. That's forty year old scotch! Don't be a wuss!" she said angrily. Both men looked at her then tossed the scotch back. Greg hissed and grimaced but Nick just sucked in air over his tongue, enjoying the after taste, then frowned. It was awfully bitter.

"That's better," Bethany said smugly as she grabbed each by an arm and pulled them over to a circle of pool chairs around a metal table with an umbrella stuck through the middle. "Now let's sit and talk this over, like adults."

"He doesn't think I'm an adult," Greg started and he practically fell into the chair. The warmth of the scotch was spreading quickly through his limbs. He knew he was a lightweight but he usually didn't get drunk from just one shot.

"That's bull and you know it!" Nick retorted hotly, his head swimming from the heat pouring off the concrete. Drinking in the Nevada noonday sun was not a bright idea. "But maybe you are, if you're going to act like this!"

"I have a right to be angry! You stole my girlfriend! I never thought you'd sink that low!" Greg sputtered.

"You're girlfriend! You only met her yesterday!"

"Hey, man! I did not! I've been dating Bethany for four days!"

"Well I've been dating her for four weeks!"

"Four weeks!" Greg paused as wave of lethargy coiled through him. "Four weeks?"

"Yeah! Four weeks!"

Greg grabbed his stomach, leaning forward, resting his head on the cool metal.

Nick paused. This was his best friend he was yelling at. Sure, he liked Bethany but…was she really worth losing Greg's friendship over. He looked over at her smug face and felt a chill. "Hey, you know what," Nick stood clutching the table for support. "If you want to go out with her, she's your's. I'll back off. This isn't worth it." He looked at his friend with concern. "Greg? You okay, man?"

"Yeah. I just haven't had anything to eat since breakfast. Bethany said to come hungry. That she'd have a huge lunch ready for me."

Nick looked over at Bethany who grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the pool. "Come on Nick. Let's go for a swim."

"Lunch? What lunch? Why did you tell him that?" He staggered after her. "No. I'm not feeling so good myself. Drinking with this heat wasn't the brightest idea."

"You're probably right, but the cool water will help if it's sunstroke and besides..." she untied the strings of her top. "I know you're still...up...for some fun." She smiled.

Nick shook his head trying to clear it. "No. No. I think I should sit back down." His hand went to his forehead. "And check on Greg."

"Yes, dear, dear Grego. You're best buddy. The one you tell things to, and brag to…" Bethany wrapped the stings of her bikini top around Nick's neck. "Just like the two guys that raped me. They beat me and did so much damage to my back muscles that I'll never compete again. No. I don't think so," she said pulling him toward the pool. "And I'll take care of Greg after our little swim."

Nick grabbed Bethany's wrists, fear beginning to finally fight its way through the fog in his brain. She tightened the strings, limiting his air. His vision grayed and he fell heavily to his knees, digging his fingers under the flexible strings.

"We wouldn't have hurt you, Bethany," Greg called, lifting his too heavy head off the table.

"That's what Stan said. 'I'll ask my best friend over, Bethany. It'll be fun, Bethany.' They lied!" she shrieked. Nick's face was starting to turn purple.

Greg staggered over, shoving at her and finally kicking her behind one knee. She went down briefly, releasing Nick, who sucked in air and immediately began trying to get to his feet. Then she jumped up and punched Greg in the face. She still had plenty of muscle and the punch sent him reeling. Greg collapsed onto the concrete but Bethany wasn't done with him. She picked up a pool chair but Nick managed to grab hold of it before she could bring it down on Greg's prone body.

Bethany screamed in frustration, kneeing Nick in the groin. He gasped and turned his shoulder just as she brought the chair down on him. He went to his knees again. Bethany grabbed the swimsuit again but Nick managed to get his hands up to protect his windpipe. Bethany yanked on the cords, but to no avail. Nick wasn't able to get back to his feet this time, even though he now could breath. His muscles just wouldn't respond to his commands. Bethany then grabbed Nick under the arms and began manhandling him toward the side of the pool, but he was too heavy for her. When that didn't work she grabbed the wooden cart that she'd placed in the shadow of the house.

As she tried to drag him onto the cart, Nick grabbed her ankles and pulled with all his strength, which was quickly waning. She went down and began pounding him in the head with her fists in frustration.

Greg rolled over and tried to focus on what was going on. He didn't know what drug she had used but he knew he and Nick didn't have long before they ended up on their respective front lawns. He grabbed his cell phone and hit 911. Then he tossed it under the leg of the table. Through sheer adrenaline he shoved himself to his hands and knees, then awkwardly launched himself at Bethany.

He managed to wrap his hands into her thick blond hair and pull. She screamed again as Greg wrapped his legs around her, a position that he'd been wishing to get into until just moments ago.

Nick quickly joined the dog pile. Bethany screamed and tried to squirm out from under them.

"Greg! Let go of her head!" Nick yelled. Greg threw his hands up. Nick dug deep down inside himself; into his anger at being conned, into his fear for his own life, but more than that, into his fear for his best friend. He reared back and threw everything he had into a punch. Her head snapped back, hit the concrete, and was still.

Nick collapsed on top of her.

"Nick!" Greg called as he too fell back onto the concrete, his muscles requiring too much effort to move. "Nick! That sedative…that she slipped us. We gotta…stay awake! Help…is on it's way. My cell phones on…under the table. 911. Nick!"

Epilogue

Catherine opened the door to Grissom's office. He was sitting solemnly at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen.

"You ready to go?" she asked quietly.

He looked up as if surprised to see her. "Already?"

"Yeah."

Suddenly, something hit the window near Catherine's head. She leapt backwards and Grissom jumped, startled.

"Greg! Nick!" Catherine shouted as Greg came running down the hall chasing Nick with a Nerf rocket launcher strapped to his forearm.

Nick stopped long enough to grab the offending dart before he sped off, calling behind him, "It's research, Catherine! I swear it!"

"We're testing the accuracy of shooting at a running target," Greg panted as he raced after Nick.

Mouth open, Catherine looked to Grissom.

"Obviously our guys are back on their feet again, none the worse for wear. Bethany Henderson's in jail." He shrugged. "Ecklie's on vacation. Hey, at least they're staying away from women for a while," Grissom offered.

"Yeah, right. Like that's going to last," she scoffed.

"I didn't say it was going to last." Grissom stood. "Let's get going. I don't want to be late for court."

Catherine turned just in time to get a Nerf dart in the left breast.

"NICK!"

"Oops…Sorry, Cath!"

END