Another one! Have fun! Greg's out of the woods, but what's going on with him? What's with all the lies? :)

Nick let his colleagues know about his worries for Greg. Russell agreed, he felt Greg was acting a little too happy. Sara agreed that Greg was probably not feeling as great as he claimed he did, but thought it would be for the better to give him some time to process the events the way he needed to. Russell and Nick thought she was right, but Nick couldn't quite keep his promise of not pushing Greg into talking to him. Him and Greg were on the way to the hospital. Greg wanted to see Neil Novak and Nick offered to accompany him. "So, why do you want to see him?"

"I think it will help me, you know? I'll only believe he's in a coma when I see it myself," Greg replied jokingly. He then went on to talk about trivial stuff, but Nick wouldn't let this subject go just now.

"Mhm... So... How's therapy going?"

"Good."

"Yeah? Because I talked to the shrink, he said you won't talk to him."

"You did what? Nick, how dare you? Therapy sessions are something private!"

"Relax. I only asked him if there was any need to worry about you and he told me you won't even talk to him, you just sit there, killing the time. He's worried about you."

"The reason I don't talk to him is that I don't need therapy. I'm feeling good. I already told him that."

"Therapy used to help you, didn't it?"

"Yeah but it's different this time. I processed what happened the moment it was over. It was horrible but helped catch Novak again. And two of his henchmen."

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe you. I just can't. You went through a lot lately and it seems like you feel better now than you did before you were kidnapped."

"Yeah. That's because I do." Nick looked quite surprised at Greg. "...The road, Nick. Watch it!" Greg sighed. "I'm sorry I don't feel like you expect me to, but... It's over. Why should I feel bad about it?"

"I don't want you to feel bad, but I expect you to. I think you might be blocking it out. That's not healthy."

"I don't even remember most of it, maybe that's what's helping me."

"So you're fine with this?"

"Yup."

"Well, then let me ask you a question... About the camera we found?"

Now it was Greg who looked surprised. "...Sure, what about it?"

"How come you always react all nervous when I mention it?"

"I-I do not..." he stuttered.

"Please, I know you long enough to notice these things."

"It's just embarrassing, you know? Knowing you all watched it..."

"Do you want to watch it?" They arrived at the hospital, but neither one of them got out of the car.

"...Why should I?"

"I don't know... I think I would want to."

"I already went through it once, no need to rewatch it, don't you think?"

"Sure..." Nick raised an eyebrow. "But you said you didn't remember most of it, huh?"

Greg nodded. He was getting more nervous and it was obvious.

"What's going on, Greg? You can talk to me, you know that. You really don't remember it all?"

Greg had a shocked look on his face. He feared Nick might blow his cover. "...It doesn't really matter what happened that day, okay? It's over, that's the important part."

"Is there something you don't tell us?"

Lying to his friends has been really hard on Greg and he didn't think he could do it any longer. He hoped the questions would stop, but Nick was obviously onto something and wouldn't let this go. "It's better for you not to know... okay? I'm feeling alright, that's the important part. Can we please keep this behind us?" Greg opened the door and wanted to get out of the car, but Nick kept him from doing so.

"Whatever it is, I'll understand. You know that, right?"

Greg nodded. He didn't think Nick would understand, though.

Greg was standing in the doorframe of Neil Novak's hospital room. Novak was intubated, hoses were sticking out of his body on all different kind of places. It was a weird, overwhelming scenery for Greg and he didn't know how to handle this. He stared at Novak for several minutes, eyeing him up and down. He didn't even hear the beeping noise the breathing machine made until he decided to leave the room. He walked back to the lobby, where Nick was sitting and waiting for his friend. Greg sat down next to Nick, nervously giggling. "He's... he..." His giggle quickly turned into crying. Nick put his hand on Greg's back, comforting him. They sat like that for almost half an hour.

The next day, Greg was really quiet. He didn't talk much and didn't look as happy as he did the previous days. Seeing Neil Novak was getting to him quite a bit. He also felt bad about lying to his friends and needed to talk to the DA today. Plus, there was another thing he had his mind on. He was sitting in the break room looking rather thoughtful when Nick and Russell walked in. They greeted him, but didn't talk to him. Sitting down, they started working on a case. Nick didn't really quite concentrate, he kept looking over to Greg. Russell noticed this pretty quickly and decided to act on it. "Alright. I'm gonna check this out now. Come by my office in five, alright?"

Nick nodded and watched Russell leave. "What are you looking at? ...Apartments?"

Greg was sitting in front of a laptop. He nodded. "I decided it's time to find a new place."

"...Really?" Nick asked a bit surprised. There's been a lot going on in Greg's home over the years, but neither one of these things made him move out.

"Yeah. I don't feel comfortable at home anymore. Besides, a change is good, right?"

Nick nodded. "Found anything yet?"

"There's a nice place near my old apartment I want to check out tomorrow. I still like the neighborhood, I just... Need to get out of this apartment, you know?"

Nick smiled. "I think it's a great idea."

Nick had decided to take Sara's advice and drop the subject, he didn't want to talk to Greg about the Novak case anymore, but the way he was acting now made him change his mind. Both of them were working in the evidence room on some evidence from Nick's case. Greg had finished his case faster than expected and had some time on his hands. "These shoes don't match the shoe impression from the scene," he said in a very calm, almost sad voice.

Nick put down the things he was working on. "Are you alright?"

"Hm? Sure." Greg wanted to go on about the case, but Nick stopped him.

"I thought about what you said. That it was better for me not to know something?"

"Not today, Nick, I..."

"I don't think it's fair of you to decide whether or not I should know something. I'm pretty sure I could handle it."

"Just drop it, Nick. Please."

"No. I can see you suffer. If I can help you I'll do it. Just tell me what's on your mind. Why are you feeling so sad?"

"I'm not sad, I... It was just though seeing Novak that way and..."

"And what?"

Greg shook his head.

"No, you can tell me. You know that."

He shook his head again. "I can't. I need to protect..."

"Greg, come on! You don't need to protect me from anything!"

"No, I do. I need to protect you and... myself."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing... I don't make any sense right now..." Greg rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Nick, I have to go talk to the DA in half an hour... I better get going now..." He rushed out of the room, leaving Nick confused.