Title: Teach Me

Summary: A little talk, a little thought. Nick seeks Greg's advice about handling the haunting demons. Things between a lab explosion and a premature burial. Post Grave Danger.

A/N: Since TPTB won't drag up Greg's events of Season 3 again, and I believe that Nick's locked-in-the-coffin story is just as emotionally scarring as being blown out of your lab, here's a short fic of trying to ease my own frustration. The original idea was to have it only a Nick and Greg exchange, but the other CSI characters didn't let me do that. Now they've somehow managed to squirm their way into a chapter.

Thanks to Fraying for being my beta-reader.

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI and all its characters, whoever owns them, owns them. But it's not me- though I wish.

CHAPTER 3

-----

"My back. It itches." His voice reached Sara's ears loud and clear

She pressed herself closer to the wall and reluctantly tried to pry her tired body away, not wanting to eavesdrop. But it was too late; Sara had been there the moment Nick had called out to Greg. If she had wanted to leave, she would have done so long ago. She couldn't hide the obvious that she was sticking to the outside wall of the locker room just to overhear the entire exchange.

"Most of the scars faded and the doctors told me it's pretty much healed completely. I know it's been two years, but every time I think about the fire, the smell of the plastic, the shattering glass… I can feel the burns."

Her mind raced back to the time in the decontamination shower. She was staring at his scars and she wondered if they were from the explosion a year ago. Now she knew.

"Good thing it's on my back and I can't see it."

There was a pause, which Sara took to close her eyes and shook her head. It was so typical of Greg to shoot off a lame remark like that, but it's what kept things sane sometimes.

"I may not be able to teach you, Nick, but I can help you learn from what I did."

"What?"

Leave now, Sara.

Go.

She was trying to keep herself from learning too much, but it was too late. She cared too deeply for her partner and she was determined to find out what he had been through since the lab accident. It was as if some invisible force had planted her feet on the ground.

"The truth is, I ran from my fears. Instead of staying in the lab and continuing my job, I fought to find a way to escape. I could've faced it and probably conquered it, but now I'll never know. It's another one of those situations; 'what if'. Sometimes I feel like I've lost more than just my sanity in that explosion. Still don't know what it was, but it's changed."

It dawned upon her that she knew exactly what Greg meant by those words. There was barely any loud music from his lab the entire year, the funny and often terrible T-shirts were sparse, jokes were few and far between, and the mood had been more subtle. The one moment in which Sara had noticed the old Greg was gone was when Grissom finally said he could go out on the field. She now knew why it meant the world to him for being able to leave the lab.

Recalling, Sara had nightmares for a week after the blast and that was when she was on the outside. She couldn't imagine how it must've been to be in the middle of it.

"Hey, girl."

She stopped dead in her tracks, worried that Greg or Nick had noticed her outside. It wasn't until she had looked up and open her eyes did she realise she had walked away from the room and left the private conversation to be more… private.

"Sara, you OK?"

"Err… yeah." She stammered and flashed a small smile at Warrick.

"You seem a bit distant. You sure? You're-."

"I'm fine." She replied firmly. "Just a little tired."

"Go home."

"I am. Just need to drop by Hodges to pick up something and then I'm off to sleep-land this morning."

Warrick nodded and pushed his manila file into his other free hand. "Nick's back."

"Oh, he is?" She had no idea why she needed to lie, but she did.

"Yeah. He was pretty damned sure he wanted back. Anyway, have you seen Greg or has he gone home?"

Pursing her lips and stuffing her hands into her jeans' pockets, Sara shrugged, "Now that you mentioned it, I think Greg's talking with Nick in the locker room. Thought it was him, but wasn't sure until you told me he came back. You wanted to see Greg about something?"

He did a half snort and laughed, "Nah, just wanted to tell him-." He waved it off, "It's not important, I'll go see Catherine first."

"She's with Grissom."

"Thanks." He warmly smiled at her, "Now, go home and sleep."

"Yeah, I will."

Sara turned behind and made her way to Hodges. This time, if he cracked another disparaging remark about Greg, she was going to pulverise him.

-----

TBC…

Thanks to SunShower and Goblz for the reviews. You both rock.

Thanks for reading.
-Cheers
Jo