Thanks for the review and the Story Alert followers :) I know most of you wanted to see Julian behind bars ;) But life's not always fair! And who knows, maybe this makes for an interesting plot. We'll see... ;)

Enjoy!

"We're still waiting for the DNA results, but we think it's Shannon," Nick said to Mr. and Mrs. Craig in the lobby at the police station. Their daughter went missing five years ago, when she was only 16 years old. A young woman's remains were found today and the CSIs had reason to believe it was the daughter.

"Do you know how she died?" the father asked. Before they got the call today, the parents still had hopes that their daughter was alive. Now, they couldn't stop crying.

"Not yet. But we'll let you know when we get any new information."

"Thank you, Mr. Stokes."

Nick and Greg were working the case together five years ago when she went missing. They both thought she just ran away, there were signs suggesting it. It came as a surprise for everyone involved to find her dead, although they all considered this possibility.

Greg walked up to Nick in the hallway at the lab. "She was stabbed, but Doc Robbins can't tell if she was raped or not." He handed Nick the report.

"Didn't expect him to find evidence for that on bones. Are the DNA results back?"

"I'm on my way to the lab right now. You wanna come with?"

Since Julian was not available to work in the DNA lab, they were short-handed. The lab director didn't want to hire a new technician just yet, in hopes that Julian might return soon. They tried to solve the situation by having the other lab techs doing overtime. Greg had to work a few hours in the lab, too, but wasn't happy about this.

"Where's the lab tech?" Nick asked when he found the lab empty.

Greg walked over to the computer and sat down to print out the results. "I am the tech."

It was Nick's first day back in the lab since he was attacked and he didn't know Greg had to fill in for Julian. He was quite surprised by this. "But you've been in the field with me, just a few hours ago. You're doing both?"

Greg nodded as he took the printed results in his hands. "It's Shannon Craig's DNA."

Her parents were checking in every few weeks to get an update on her case and Nick got to know them a little. A few months after he was buried alive, she got missing. Greg was still a level one CSI and considered a rookie, he didn't have too much contact with the family. But it was a difficult time for Nick, dealing with the kidnapping. He got emotionally attached to the family and their story. He was sure he'd find her someday, although he knew as a CSI that, after such a long time, the chances of a crime were growing. He didn't want to believe it. He was standing in the DNA lab, staring at the results for over two minutes now, lost in his thoughts.

"Nick. Are you okay?" Greg asked a little worried. His cell phone rang.

"Huh? Yeah, sure."

Greg answered the phone. "Sanders. Really? Okay. Thanks."

Nick was staring at the results again.

"That was David. She died three years ago."

"What?" Nick said, looking up from the papers. "But she went missing five years ago. And you're sure that's her?"

"Of course. It's her DNA, I double-checked it."

"Do it again."

"It's her, I di..." He was interrupted.

"Do it again! You were out in the field all day and come back hours later, tired and exhausted, processing DNA samples. You probably screwed up! They expect you to do two jobs in one shift, it's only a matter of time you screw one of them up! Do it again!" He tossed the results at the table.

Greg was taken by surprise. What did Nick just say? "Nick, I..." Again, he was interrupted.

"I'm not going to tell that family that we found their dead daughter when I'm not 100% sure! Do it again!" Nick stormed out, leaving Greg with a shocked look on his face.

"I have the results from the DNA sample." Greg stood in the doorway. Nick was sitting at the light table, processing evidence from the case.

"And?"

"What, you actually thought I screwed up? It's her. And before you ask, I checked it three times. I took different samples both from the remains we found and from what her parents brought us. Toothbrush, hairbrush, that kind of thing. There's no doubt."

"Okay."

"Is that it?" Greg asked rather annoyed.

"What do you mean?"

"How about an apology? You know that I take my job serious. It kind of hurt hearing you questioning my results."

Nick sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just... I didn't want the results to be right."

"Me, neither." Greg smiled. "This was my first missing persons case we didn't solve right away. I always hoped we'd find her alive."

"Really?" Nick asked surprised.

"You don't remember? A few weeks after Shannon went missing, her mother came to the lab. She wanted to ask about the progress in the case. She came into the break room when I was there by myself and started asking me all these questions I had no answers to. I was kind of helpless and didn't know how to deal with her. Then you came and helped me out."

"Right. I remember." Nick smiled.

"It sucks that it's her, but it is. You want me to tell the parents?"

"No." Nick shook his head. "I feel like I owe it to them. I need to tell them."