False Accusations (2/3)

Title: False Accusations

Chapter: 2/3

Fandom: CSI

Characters: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes

Word Count: 2024

Rating: PG

Warnings/Spoilers: mention of rape but not really… (you'll understand while reading)

Summary: "Evidence never lies," That's what Grissom always says. But what happen when it does? (Fic inspired by an SGA's one. Don't remember the title through, sorry.)

Thanks to rayrayfaulks for the wonderful beta-reading!

Chapter 2

They were all gathered into the DNA lab, waiting for the technician to tell them what he had found on Nick's rapist. None of them could believe what they had learnt but they knew the doctor could not have lied and, even if he could, why would he do it? No, someone had taken advantage of their friend, had hurt him, and now, they were waiting to know who.

"The result came back as an internal sample," the technician simply said, not knowing how to announce it to the team.

A general gasp was heard. One of them had done it? No wonder Nick didn't feel like telling(hadn't felt like he could tell anyone. How could he hope to be believed if he had denounced someone they knew or, at least, someone who worked in the same line of work as them?

"Who?" Warrick's angry question came. Cops or not, the person who did that to his friend was going to pay, he would make sure of that.

"You won't believe it," the technician whispered, unable to fully believe it himself. He may not know who the victim was, but seeing the sample he had received, he knew what the crime was and he could simply not believe it.

Not knowing how to tell it, he simply laid the sheet of paper on the table and left without a word, knowing that it would be best if the team found out alone. Catherine took the paper in her hand and looked at it, disbelief written all over her face.

"No," she whispered. "Tell me it's not true. That's not possible. Not…" she couldn't finish her sentence, not knowing what to say, what to think.

Her two co-workers looked as taken-aback as her, which was not all that surprising considering the circumstances.

"What do we do, now?" she asked almost fearfully.

"What we always do," Grissom answered in what sounded a detached voice, even as what they were going to do was killing him. "The evidence is clear. DNA doesn't lie, we have our rapist. Now, we are going to call Brass and make an arrest."

Grissom's words were concise, right to the point, as if he was talking about any other case. Catherine and Warrick were just unable to do the same, to be as professional as him; not when the victim was one of their closest friend and the rapist too.

Grissom seemed to notice that and took care of the matter before it became a problem.

"I want both of you to write the report for this case. Since the victim is a law enforcement officer-"

"The victim is Nick," Warrick said, cutting him off. He glared at Grissom for acting like that, like it was any other crime.

"Since the victim is a law enforcement officer," Grissom repeated diligently. "the DA will want the case to be taken care of as soon as possible. I suggest that you get everything ready. As for me, I'll go with Brass."

"Grissom, you can't take us out of this case!" Warrick exclaimed indignantly. "It's Nick we're talking about here, not a random officer."

"I'm not taking anyone out of the case, Warrick. And it's because it's Nicky that I don't want you to come along. Can you really tell me you would be able to control yourself?" When Warrick didn't answer, he turned his gaze to Catherine, who had been rather silent for the last few minutes. "The same goes for you Catherine," he said gently. "You're simply too involved to be able to contain yourself."

The woman simply nodded. She knew Gil was right and, anyway, she wasn't sure she could have handled it. "We'll take care of the report."

"I just can't believe this is happening," Brass whispered as him and Grissom were heading towards the flat door, followed by two police officers.

"Neither can I, Jim." Gil sighed, walking steadily, wanting to end this as soon as possible.

"I mean,…it's Greg we're talking about. Nick and him are like best friend. Are you sure there isn't some kind of mistake?"

"I wish there was, but the evidence is there and, as much as I'd rather it not being the case, we can only trust the evidence. Greg did it, there is no place for doubt."

"I know, Gil, but it's just so wrong."

Grissom didn't answer, there was no time; they were already at the door. The scientist sighed and rang the bell. The police officers behind the two men drew their guns, as they usually did when they were going to arrest a suspect but Grissom lifted his hand.

"I don't think that will be needed," he simply said. He knew he should follow the procedure but he didn't want to believe weapons to be necessary when they faced Greg.

At his side, Jim nodded and the police officers lowered their guns, at the exact same time Greg answered the door.

Greg was tossing and rolling in his bed. He just couldn't get to sleep. Not that he wasn't tired, he was more than exhausted, but the fact that Nick still wasn't here and hadn't even called was beginning to worry him. Of course, Nick had said he wasn't coming home immediately, but usually when he was out on the field for so long he would at least leave a message.

What if something had happened? Nobody at the office knew they were together so nobody would tell him, at least not before he came in for his next shift.

Greg let out a sigh. He should not think like that, he was most probably worrying too much, anyway. He turned and lay on his back, watching the ceiling. His eyes were beginning to close when the doorbell rang.

The sound startled him and, in less than a minute, he was at the door, wondering who the hell could come to see at this time? He opened the door, only to be faced with Grissom, Brass, and two others inspectors.

"Griss'? Brass, what are you doing here? Did something happen?" He couldn't help being worried. What the hell were they doing there and, better, why did they look so formal? "Oh God! Something really happened. Is anyone hurt?"

"Yes, someone is hurt," Grissom confirmed. "But I'm sure you already know that, don't you?"

Greg blinked, not understanding what Grissom was talking about. How was he supposed to know about anything that happened? He hadn't even been working, and Grissom most certainly knew that.

"Duh… Grissom, what are you talking about? Wait a minute!" he exclaimed after finally registering the fact that the two officers, whose names he didn't know, were looking as tense as if they were on duty. "Why are you here?"

Brass sighed. There was no easy way to do this so he should just get done with it. He stepped into Greg's flat, relieved that the young man was at least decently clothed even when he should have been sleeping, and took his unmoving arm.

"Greg Sanders, you're under arrest," he stated painfully before going on with the usual procedure. Greg didn't hear it though; his mind focused on the fact that he was being arrested and handcuffed.

"What? What the hell are you playing at? Because if this is some kind of joke, let me tell you it's not funny!"

"No, you're right Greg, it's not," Grissom responded. "Rape is never funny."

"What! Rape? Grissom, what are you talking about? You can't be serious! You can't think I could do something like this. Who the hell told you that I did?"

"Evidence did," Gil said. "Nick didn't say anything, but the doctor's saw what happened when he was brought to the hospital."

"Hospital!" An intense fear clutched his guts. Nick had been to the hospital. That meant that something had happened to him.

"Nick is in the hospital?" Greg asked, not caring about the rape charge for the moment. If Nick's life was in danger, he wanted to know about that first. It was more important. "Is it serious? I mean he's going to be okay, isn't he?"

Both older men when startled by the desperation there was in Greg's eyes. He seemed to be really worried for Nick.

The two officers began to pull him, to bring him to the car. "Hey, no, wait a minute! I didn't do anything, I swear! Grissom…"

Greg looked at him with pleading eyes, simply unable to believe his boss would think he could have done something so terrible. And to Nick!

"So explain to me, Greg, how your DNA got onto Nick."

Greg swallowed. He knew how it happened but… they weren't out yet. And Nick wasn't ready to tell everyone so he couldn't say it. He didn't want to risk their relationship by betraying his lover's trust. Beside, would Grissom and Brass even believe him if he said he and Nick where together. After all, if they had found what they assumed was evidence of a rape, he must have hurt Nick pretty badly.

"I don't know," Greg whispered. Tears were running on his cheeks as he was lead out of his flat. He turned one last time and, doing everything he could to prevent the quiet tears from becoming sobs, he just asked one more time. "Just, tell me if he's going to be okay, please."

Looking into the young man's eyes, Grissom just nodded. "Yes, he is."

Archie jumped when he heard Warrick's angry voice. Apparently the black man was talking with Catherine or, most accurately, yelling.

"Well, they are lucky the lab is almost empty," he thought idly. Really, he knew he was on shift and that he should be working, not listening to the CSI's conversation, but he had absolutely nothing else to do at the moment so, what harm could it do if he just eavesdropped a bit?

And that's how the technician learnt the shocking new. But he simply didn't believe his ears. Because there was absolutely no way he heard right, since he heard that Greg was going to jail. It was not possible, was it?

But, apparently, he heard right. As they continued to discuss, he gathered all the information he needed to put things into place and realize what the CSI were thinking had happened between Greg and Nick. And it was not good, not good at all. Knowing Greg like he did, Archie knew the young man would never admit Nick and him were lovers, not if Nick hadn't given his okay before; and if Nick didn't wake up soon… well, Greg would not escape jail.

Without being seen, Archie left the lab and ran to Jacqui.

"Jaq!" he called her, making her face him. "Don't have time to explain but I need you to cover for me. I have something to do that can't wait!"

He didn't give her time to answer and, letting her be puzzled, he just ran away, deciding to drive to the hospital and hoping Nick was going to wake up soon.

Greg was sitting down on the floor of the cell he was in. He knew it wasn't really a prison; he was only at the place where the police kept suspects in custody. He was hiding his head in his knees, his breath fortunately getting less laboured than it had been before. The tears had stopped falling a while ago and he simply stayed there, eyes closed, unable to move, to do anything else than think about Nick.

A noise made him jump and he turned his head to see two officers heading towards him. He frowned a bit but remained where he was, curled on himself, watching them.

The frown deepened when he saw them opening the cell door. Greg was certain he wasn't being released so what were they doing? He watched them closely and what he saw on their faces only made him worried. Fears took over him, fears for himself this time. He remembered. When you attack a cop, you attack all of them… And Nick had been a cop once.