Discalimer; see prevoius chapters

CSICSICSI

Nick hung up and met Warrick's gaze they had been in the layout room going over the new evidence when Aris had called, along with every other nightshift CSI. Gris looked at him expectantly.

"Everything's fine, she's just worked herself into a state," he said rejoining the group. Gil nodded then continued.

"Okay, the evidence is looking like the regular guitarist orchestrated this and we know he was also responsible for the attempt on Greg's life. He's also missing and our only suspect. Okay, Catherine, Sara we're going to search his apartment. Warrick you're on the DVD and security if he's in there find him and anyone he talked to. Nick, I want you to help Rick but chase trace and DNA first. Let's go," with the meeting over Nick waited for the others to leave.

"Rick can I have a word with you?" he asked in what he hoped was a casual voice. Rick's eye narrowed as he securitised him, before nodding.

"Sure, man," Nick closed the door in an effort to give them some semblance of privacy. Rick frowned wondering what could be so important and so bad that Nick looked like he was going to his own execution.

"What's up?" he asked finally. Nick sighed and fell into the chair next to him.

"Okay, first of all, if I wasn't in a complete hole I wouldn't bring this up. Secondly I've known for a while and it's not a problem and I'm not trying to use this against either of you,"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down Nick, I have no idea what you're talking about," he cut in, Nick eyed him cautiously.

"You and Gris. Look, man, I saw you with him at the Blue Lounge – you were always on at me to come and see you and the night I did Gris was there and after your set I went to say hi but Gris got to you first and…"

"Oh…" was all Warrick could think of to say.

"Yeah, as I said, I wouldn't have bought it up but I need your advice – help if you're willing," he finished quickly. Warrick nodded thinking.

"I haven't played at the Blue Lounge for over three months. You've known all this time and you haven't let on?" he verified, Nick nodded; Warrick looked at his best friend with new respect.

"After that how can I refuse? What do you need man?" he asked, Nick let out a sigh of relief.

"It's Greg, Aris says that he can't relax with them there, but she doesn't want him alone…"

"You want me to talk Gris into staying with him?" Warrick interpreted. Nick nodded and waited while Rick thought it out.

"I probably can't convince him to stay with Greg, but I think I can convince him to let Greg stay with us though,"

"If you can, I owe you one big time," Nick said, he let out a chuff of air. "I so thought you were going to hit me," he confessed.

Warrick smiled.

"I'll see what I can do, and Nick, you're my best friend and you continue to amaze me- why would I want to hit you for covering my back!" he asked knocking Nick's arm with his.

"Come on, we need to get to the A/V lab," Rick said getting up. Nick followed after saying a prayer to which ever God got him through that conversation without losing a friend.

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"God, did this guy ever clean?" Catherine exclaimed glancing around the apartment. There were dirty clothes and plates all over the place, enough beer cans to build an SUV and the entire place smelt like the gym bag Lindsey left in her locker over a summer break where the school's air conditioning had been off. Sara wrinkled her nose.

"Doesn't look like it. Well if nothing else we'll get a DNA sample,"

"Let's see what else we can find," Gil said snapping on a pair of gloves. Brass smirked.

"Rather you then me," he joked earning him scowls from the ladies.

"Hey, Brass, I heard you upset Greg – you talked to him yet?" Sara said still throwing visual daggers.

"Yeah, I went round there. The kid's a mess and I don't think he appreciated the mother-hen routine that the Queen of the Damned is doing," he informed them

"Yeah, well that's what relatives do, and don't let Nick hear you call her that!" Catherine warned whilst dusting the table.

"You're kidding; Texas has hooked up with Dracula's Bride?"

"Yup, so play nice," Catherine grinned at him. Brass shook his head; he couldn't quite see what Nick saw in Aris, but each to their own.

"Hey, guys, look at this," Sara came out the bedroom clutching a small black book.

"What's that?" Gil asked walking over.

"It's an address book; it was down the back of the mattress. I'm guessing it fell out of sight and he forgot it. It's got the band members listed and three other names; a Neil Balson, Tom Locum and Carlos Matinez…"

"Who are they?" Catherine asked.

Sara shrugged.

"I guess that's what we are going to find out," she said bagging the book. Gil nodded and went back to the living room. Brass took note of the names.

"I'm going to get those three run see if anything pops up," he said digging out a radio.

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It was almost the end of the shift before they made it back to the lab. Warrick glanced up in time to see his lover heading into DNA; he looked over at Nick who nodded at him. Warrick sighed and walked out the A/V lab. Gil was coming out of DNA when Rick caught up with him

"Hey Gris, can I have a word?" he asked realising that he sounded like Nick had earlier.

"Sure, did you find something relevant to the case?"

"Sort of. Can we talk in your office?" he prompted causing Gil to raise an eyebrow he nodded and led Warrick to the office. Once they were both inside Gil closed the door. Noticing how the CSI had collapsed into a chair Gil braced himself for bad news. He sat down behind the desk.

"What's on your mind, Rick?"

"Nick knows," a simple statement that could mean the end of their careers.

"How did he react?"

"That's the thing, he's known for months,"

"Why did it come up now?"

"He wanted some advice…"

"Advice? About what?"

"How to convince you to look after Greg," Warrick said and then held his breath.

"I'm not sure I follow…" Gil stated carefully.

"Greg isn't coping well with his sister but he can't be on his own and you're the only person outside his family that can understand him and that he trusts," Warrick explained. Gil nodded.

"I see and I suppose you told Nick that I would be difficult to convince?"

"Yeah and I also told him we'd have to take Greg to our place,"

"Home turf advantage…" Gil agreed amicably.

Warrick smiled.

"Of course, I may have failed to mention that we were planning on bringing Greg home when he was better. So how about it? Want to start operation 'court Greg' early?" Warrick smirked.

"No," Gil said firmly confusing his younger lover

"No?"

"No. Of course we'll take Greg in because leaving him without any easy way of communicating seems incomprehensibly cruel but we don't push him. He was sexually assaulted, Rick, we don't want to scare him," Gil chastised; Warrick flushed, embarrassed that in his excitement he had forgotten the trauma the young man had been through.

"Damn, Gil, I forgot. I haven't even seen him since this all started," Warrick admitted.

"I wouldn't dwell on that, Rick; we'll go after shift and see if we can convince him to come with us,"

"Sure, Gil, I'll go tell Nick," Warrick said still upset with himself for forgetting what happened. He left feeling ambiguous; he didn't want to lie to his friends but he couldn't tell him the truth, which was their hope that after they move him in, Greg would never want to leave. He took a deep breath and entered the A/V lab. As luck would have it, Archie was out of the room. Nick looked up hopefully.

"It's okay, we'll go get him at that end of shift," he said.

"Thanks, man, I owe you,"

"No, you don't. No offence Nick, but we're doing this for him not you," Warrick said gently. Nick nodded and went back to the surveillance tape as Archie reappeared.

By the end of the shift they had identified the DNA off Greg's shirt as a match to one of the bottles taken from Lloyds' apartment. So now they had their primary suspect and motive, all that was left to do was find him. Brass had officers out hunting high and low. So far they hadn't found anything. The team left feeling drained and worried for their young friend from this point there wasn't much more they could do for him…

CSICSICSI

AN: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! you guys rock!

Leeann; don't worry too much about hte nickname that's all it is for this story; i was plannign a sequeal to explain such things but I'm probably not goign to any more

Booboo, Fi, HonestyLie: Thanks

Missing Fairy; as alway thanks for beta-ing this and for you're reviews!