Title: Visits
Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Characters:
Nick Stokes, Sara Sidle, Greg Sanders
Prompt: #37.
Loud
Word Count: 808
Rating: PG
Summary:
He wasn't exactly a rock person, after all.
Author's
Notes: Nick's Story. Just didn't ever see Nick having a part in
the explosion at all... Wanted to see his part. Kind of. XP Might not
make sense... Which I apologize for completely.
If Nick had been told weeks ago that he'd miss hearing Greg's loud rock music playing through the place, he'd have laughed in their face. He wasn't exactly a rock person, after all. And yet, here he was, missing Greg Sander's usual blaring rock music. It had been a short time since the explosion and he couldn't believe that Greg had been pretty much caught dead center in it.
He guessed he should be happy that his close friend hadn't been worse off than he ended up being. He also thought he should count his own blessings that the rest of the lab was so lucky as well. Still... it didn't stop him from missing someone.
Sure, Nick hadn't been as close to Greg as he used to be. But, time does change some things and the bond between the two just slowly started to grow longer. He didn't know when it started exactly, but it had still escalated.
Nick paced the break room, wondering what he should do next. He had been the only one of the night shift to not visit Greg. A notion that he found everyone knew. But what they didn't know was that he felt guilt. Stupid, right? He had no reason to feel any guilt. He hadn't been the one to cause the explosion or had any part in it. Yet still the feeling persisted.
Maybe, he thought, it was all due to the fact that he hadn't been there to help. Or that he hadn't been around to point out little things, such as the hot plate being on, something he had always pointed out when he visited the quirky tech. Maybe because Nick frequently pointed it out, Greg himself had phased out the hot plate in his mind. But then Nick's visits lessened.
Actually, Nick couldn't remember the last time he had visited Greg, just for fun. To check out what the guy was doing that day/night. He couldn't remember joking with him about weird cases or talking about the latest games. When had they gotten to serious? When had they grown apart?
A voice stopped him in his tracks. "You're going to make a hole in the floor if you keep pacing that way."
Nick spun around to see Sara, looking as weary as he did, leaning against the doorframe. He sighed before slumping onto the nearest chair.
She smiled briefly at him before taking a cup of the coffee that sat there. Taking a sip, she immediately spat it out into the sink nearby, "Ugh," she moaned, before dumping the entire cup into the sink. "I wish Greg would get back already. If only for his coffee."
Nick's eyes narrowed, "If that's the only reason you'd like him back, then maybe you weren't as close to him as you thought."
Quickly, Sara reared her head to look at him, "You must be joking, Nick." She glared at him from her spot, as she poured the entire coffee pot out. "You know that's not the reason I'd like him back. I was just trying to cheer you up. You looked down, but apparently all you'd like is a fight," she snapped.
He leaned back on his chair, staring up at the ceiling, and sighed, "Sorry, Sara."
"Apology taken."
Nick noticed the voice was coming from a spot closer than before and sat up to see Sara sitting in front of him.
She looked at him strangely before asking, "Why haven't you visited him?"
He stiffened at the question, "I don't see why it matters."
"It matters to Greg," she paused slightly before continuing, "He's asked about you, you know. He thought that maybe you were under some difficult case and it took your attention."
Nick frowned, "He's asked about me?"
Rolling her eyes, Sara said, "Of course he has. He thinks of you as his best friend. And for you not to visit at least once since he landed in the hospital hurts him. He does his best to push it off but... The boy is horrible at lying."
He sighed before getting up, "It has nothing to do with him. It's all me."
Laughing slightly, Sara commented, "You sound like you're breaking up with him. All I'm asking is that you visit him." She got up as well, and left the room without a backward glance.
Nick groaned and mumbled to himself, "Does she have to have the last word?"
Soon the male found himself in front of Greg's room which had strains of his music drifting out the door. Smiling to himself, he opened the door, "Hey, Greg. Sorry I haven't visited."
