A/N: A big thanks to everyone who reviewed. :) I wasn't planning on having a chapter written, but since the concert... to my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE BAND EVER (Hedley!) is tomorrow, I couldn't help being superly-hyperly-excited. Therefore, I wrote up a chapter out of that superly-hyperly-excitedness! Annyways, I hope you like this, and let me know what you think if you'd like (man I must say that like EVERY time I write a chapter!) Haha, anyways, here's the chapter!

Chapter 9 - Long Road Ahead

Once they finally convinced Greg to come out of the cage, the paramedics that Brass had called arrived. Greg had to stay in the hospital for a while because he suffered from malnutrition and slight dehydration. Also, the injuries all over him didn't make things any better.

Nick didn't understand why Greg seemed so afraid of him. He wouldn't come out of the cage until Nick had stepped back. Nick knew exactly how it felt to be in the position that Greg was in. When he'd been buried alive, he was left there, with the small air supply to keep him alive for a period of time. Just like Greg was left in the cage with nothing but a glass of water.

Doesn't he know I understand what he went through? Nick thought to himself as he waited for his turn to see Greg.

Nick wasn't the only curious one. Catherine too wondered why Greg seemed to be afraid of Nick. She didn't want to directly come out and ask him, so she decided to take a more subtle approach to the question.

"So, we're all really glad that you're okay. We were really worried about you... especially Nick. I mean, he did go through something similar to you," Catherine told Greg.

"Yeah."

Greg didn't want to say anything. Just being reminded that Nick went through something similar made him fear that Nick would turn out like Danniels did.

"So, I'm sure you'll have to see a shrink before you can return to work."

Greg nodded. "Yeah, not really looking forward to that..."

"Well, you could talk to Nick about that, I mean... he had to see one when he..." Catherine didn't even get a chance to finish her sentence before she was cut off.

"Did you visit me just to talk about Nick?" Greg questioned with a bit of unwanted bitterness. He wanted her to stop talking about him. It was bad enough that soon he was going to have to talk with him.

"No but..." Catherine didn't even bother to finish her train of thought. She knew Greg wasn't going to talk about it, "No. I'm not. So, how are you feeling?"

Soon after, Nick came in to see Greg. Greg knew that he was going to come and see him, and he knew that he'd have to try and hide his fear. He didn't want Nick to question him about it. He felt stupid that he thought this way about his friend, but he couldn't make himself stop thinking it.

"How's it going Greggo? Are you feeling okay? You didn't look so good when we found you," Nick said in a cheery voice, hoping that Greg's uneasiness had subsided.

"I'm okay. Better than I was in there," Greg replied, trying to push all of the negative thoughts about Nick out of his mind.

"So are they feeding you that gross stuff from the cafeteria? I remember when I was here, I would do anything to get out of eating hospital food. I even got Warrick to smuggle me in a burger and some fries," Nick laughed.

Greg forced a smile. "Yeah. But it's better than nothing. I mean I haven't eaten in the pastcouple ofdays," Greg explained, trying to hide the shakiness in his voice.

Everytime he looked at Nick he kept having flashes like he did in his dream. He would see the face of Ray Danniels instead of Nick's face. Each time it happened, it scared him immensely, but he didn't want to tell Nick--or anyone-- about it.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. So... are they making you see a shrink before you can come back to work?" Nick asked, not really thinking much about what he'd said.

Greg nodded. "Yeah. I really don't want to, but I don't have much of a choice."

Nick smiled and sat down in the chair next to his friend. "I know exactly how that feels. Not that keen on the idea of having a complete stranger poke at you with questions about your personal thoughts?"

"Yeah... I wish I could just go back and not have to talk to some stranger."

"Well, since I've been through it. I'll give you some advice to make the time go by faster. Never disagree with the shrink... yeah, they really don't like that one," Nick told him, and it was obvious that he was speaking from experience.

Greg smiled, but Nick wasn't sure if it was genuine or just a fake.

"Oh! And their couches are much more comfortable then you think! Just... don't zone out and fall asleep on them or anything," Nick added.

"You fell asleep?" Greg asked.

"No, but they are so comfortable someone could fall asleep on them," Nick laughed, but was slightly disapointed when Greg didn't laugh as well.

A silence then fell upon both of them until finally Sara came in.

"Well you two are definitely having quite the conversation in here," she said with a sarcastic laugh once she saw that Nick and Greg weren't talking.

"Yeah..." Greg trailed off.

Nick could definitely sense that Greg was still uneasy around him, so he decided to leave and talk to him some other time.

"I should be heading out now. I'll drop by again and see you. Get better soon," Nick smiled and then left the room.

Once Nick left the room, he couldn't help but ask himself why Greg would be acting this way.