Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated in quite awhile. I've been really busy and haven't had enough time to write. Words in italics are thoughts.
Greg had to struggle to breathe. His lungs felt sore and he winced every time he took a breath. His head was throbbing and his body was in extreme pain. His arms and legs had cuts and bruises all over them. He knew he had least four broken ribs. Maybe that had something to do with his lungs hurting. He also had two black eyes and cuts over his face. Blood was all over the pavement beneath him. He knew he wouldn't survive another beating like that again.
Nigel had brought two men with him. He had known the minute he saw them that he was in trouble. They all had a look in their eyes of pure hatred. Nigel had instructed to do something and the next minute he was getting beaten.
Nigel stood back in the corner and watched the entire thing. Greg saw the repugnant smile on Nigel's face and Greg knew that Nigel was going to kill him and he was going to enjoy every moment of torture and pain until he was dead.
Greg saw Nigel's eyes lit up every time he screamed in pain. The pain that he was feeling was so intense and he silently wished he was dead just to escape this pain. He didn't care if the team found him. He didn't care about anything except for ending this pain and if he died then at least he would be better off than he is now.
When the men had stopped beating him, Greg couldn't move. He felt the blood on his skin and felt the cuts. His whole body was throbbing in pain. A part of him thought that maybe those men had killed him. When he opened his eyes and found he was alone, he knew that they would be back. This nightmare was far from over yet.
The last glimmer of hope that he had was crushed. The team wasn't going to get here fast enough. The next time they would see would be on a metal slab in the coroner's office.
Greg had kept hoping and wishing that Nick would come and rescue him but he didn't think that was going to happen.
He closed his eyes and tried to focus on his breathing. He ignored the pain in his chest and ignored the burning and intense pain on his back. He stayed alert and kept checking to make sure no one was coming back.
Nick's hands were shaking as he downed his third cup of coffee of the night. He was getting more and more frustrated as the night wore on. They were no closer in finding Greg and they had almost no evidence as to who kidnapped him.
Nick sat down on the couch and held his head in his hands. This isn't happening. He can't be gone. I don't know what I'll do if we don't find him.
Nick was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a sudden loud noise. He lifted his head up and looked around the break room. After seeing nothing, he turned around and looked out of the glass window surrounding the break room. He saw Sara rummaging through Greg's lab, knocking things over in the process.
He turned back and stared into his coffee cup. Thoughts of Greg flooded into his mind. Nick barely heard the blaring music being played throughout the lab. It sounded familiar to him but he couldn't remember where he had heard it before. His eyes widened in realization after listening to the song for a minute.
Marilyn Manson.
Greg's favorite CD.
Nick couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips. Even though he hated the music, he couldn't help but feel a sense of calm come over him from listening to 'The Beautiful People'. Greg would listen to Marilyn Manson everyday. At work, at home, even in the car. Maybe because it was Greg's favorite that it helped calm him down.
Sara walked into the break room and headed straight for the coffee. "Sara, how come you played that?" Nick questioned her.
Sara smiled sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders. "The lab was too quiet, it didn't feel right. I had to "Gregify" the lab." She let out a soft chuckle. Her face suddenly turned serious. "Nick, it's been almost a week and we still haven't found Greg. Do you really think we'll find him?"
Nick narrowed his eyes and stood up to leave the break room. Every time someone would mention the thought of Greg being dead it would make him angry. How could they want to give up so easily? Didn't they want to find Greg? He would never stop looking for Greg. He wasn't going to believe he was dead until he found his body.
Sara jumped in front of the door to stop him from leaving. "Nick, don't do this. Don't push us away. We just want you to realize want is really going on. You act like you're going to find a live person and in our job that generally isn't the case." She let out a sigh and placed a hand on his arm, only to have him push it away. "We're still searching for him; we're doing everything we can. You know that. I just don't want you to get hurt when you find he's dead."
Nick's stare was blank and his breathing started to hitch in his throat. "Sara, say it was Grissom that was kidnapped." Sara was about to protest but he stopped her. "Would you just give up and say 'Oh, he has to be dead now. No use it trying to find him.'? Or would you do everything in your power to bring him back safe and alive?"
Sara let out a deep sigh. "Ok, I see your point. But I'm just trying to be realistic here."
"I know but Sara, being realistic is what's making you want to give up. It's what's making you forget that it's Greg and you see him as another victim." Nick left the break room without another word.
Sara closed her eyes and sighed. Nick was right. It was GREG. They had to find; no matter what. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Grissom's number. "Gil, I'm going back to the crime scene," she said as soon as he answered.
"Why?"
"To see if we missed anything; if we can find more evidence," She replied into the phone.
"Sara, we've been over that place a thousand times. We haven't found anything substantial. What makes you think you'll find something new?"
"Because I'm not about to lose Greg." She shut her cell phone and went to retrieve her kit before leaving to Greg's house.