Greg hissed in pain as he sat down in the chair in his lab, it's been a week and yet he wasn't feeling any better…one because his body hurt all over and two she hasn't talked to him at all. Ever since that night in the recovery room at CSI she's been avoiding him, even at Grissom's house where he's been staying she doesn't look at him, "I guess she likes Nick more."

"What about Nick?" Greg looked up to see Nick leaning on the door frame, "How you feeling G-man?"

Greg forced a smile, "Like Hell."

"No offense, but you look it too," Nick walked into the room and sat on the low table where the was a rare empty spot of nothing next to the computer, "Have you been sleeping alright?"

Greg looked at Nick and shook his head lightly, "No."

"Did you tell your Doctor?"

"Yeah, he gave me some pain medicine and sleeping pills…"

"It doesn't work?"

"Not at all," Greg rolled his neck trying to remove a kink with no luck, "My back hurts the most."

"Well you did fall on it," Nick chuckled.

Greg smiled, "Yeah that I did. Is there anything you need?"

Nick's smiled faded and he nodded, "Yeah, I do. Here," he pulled a bag out of his pocket that had what looked to be skin.

"Dead skin?" Greg took the bag and looked at it.

"Yeah, from underneath the victim's fingernails, it might help solve this thing," Nick stood up and walked to the door, but stopped and looked back at his friend, "You sure you feeling up to this?"

"Yeah," Greg nodded, "I have a question."

"Shoot," Nick said.

"It's kind of personal," Greg paused, "Are you and Katrina a thing?"

Nick's face hardened and he blushed, he looked away from Greg then folded his arms and smiled at him, "We used to be."

"What happen?"

He shrugged, "Like I know, but girls…I will never understand them."

"That's too bad Nicky," Catharine said coming up from behind him, "Because you'll be working with me till this case is done. Warrick had to take a different case with Grissom." Catharine looked at Greg and pity struck her face.

Greg laughed, "Don't look at me like that. I can handle myself. Now get out of my lab, I need to work."

Catharine and Nick both smiled faintly at Greg before leaving. Greg grabbed the cane that was leaning on the table next to him. He pulled himself out of the chair; he bit his tongue biting back the urge to scream. Everything hurt like hell, but there was nothing he could do, but bare it. The Doctor said that the cane was only minor and within a few more weeks it would be gone. He slowly made his way to the island with his lab equipment and rested the cane against it. He pulled some gloves on and reached for a vile, his arm screamed in objection making him flinch even though his brain yelled scream. He grabbed and put it down in front of him; he shifted his foot and there was a clatter. He looked down to see his cane on the ground, "Damn it." He began to crouch down, but stopped when it hurt too much. Then he tried to bend down, but that hurt too. Eventually he gave up and grabbed the wheelie chair close to him. He turned it and sat down. His body sighed with relief and his eyelids felt heavy, he looked back at his cane, but instead of trying to get it he let his head fall back. He put his hands over his face and groaned into them frustrated, Why can't I do anything right!

"You know when it hurts too much to move, I've heard the best way to get things is to ask for help," Greg removed his hands from his face and looked to see Katrina standing in front of him holding his cane, she was clad in dark jeans, black heels, a black blouse, and a lab coat. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun reveling her big blue eyes and soft features.

She held the cane out to him and he took it, "Thanks." There was an awkward wave that passed through the room as they stared at each other. Greg decided that staring at her wasn't going to accomplish anything so instead he went to stand up, but fell back into the chair, "Gah!" His good arm willed his hand to rub his shoulder as the muscle tensed and pulled in agonizing pain as his eyelids slammed shut trying to hold in the scream he's been wanting to release. He heard Katrina gasp in fear followed by the sound of her heels clicking against the floor. It fell silent, but suddenly two hands rested on his shoulders carefully massaging them. His heart quickened as he turned to look up at Katrina, "Don't move Greg."

Greg did as he was told and leaned back again waiting for her to speak after about five minutes she did so, "I wish you didn't come back."

Greg tensed again and his muscles screamed in protest, "Why not?"

"You're in too much pain to be working," Katrina said, "Besides you aren't putting your all into it."

"How can I when you won't talk to me?" Greg muttered.

She froze, but then continued again, "I'm sorry."

"Why won't you talk to me?" Greg asked.

Katrina didn't answer; she just moved her hands slowly down his back until he winced. She stopped and walked around to face him, "Come with me."

"Why?"

"Because, I have to explain why I wasn't speaking to you," She waited until he was standing before she made her way down the hall. He followed a few feet behind and watched as she darted into the locker room, he walked in and stared at her. She walked around him and locked the door, she flicked then light on…and for the first time this week Greg got a good look at her, her eyes were a shade of fading red and puffy showing she'd been crying. She had bags under her eyes and her lips looked frail and pale. She walked towards him and grabbed his cane. She put it against a locker and walked around behind him. She reached up and grabbed the collar of his coat, slowly she pulled it off of him, but not without him groaning and wincing. She tossed it on the ground; without saying a word she walked around to his front and from the top of his neck began to unbutton the brown long sleeved shirt.

Greg kept quiet watching as she worked each button, one by one, they came undone and one by one did it cause his heart to race faster. Finally she had it completely unbuttoned; he didn't need her to tell him to remove his shirt. He removed it carefully and gracefully trying not to hurt himself, when it was off and on the ground Katrina gasped.

Katrina kept her eyes on the ground as she made her way around Greg to look at his back; she bit her lip holding back tears. His back was black and blue from his neck to his waist. It looked wrong and painful. She reached to touch his back, but he turned around and she stared at Greg's smooth chest in complete horror, the skin looked sick from being bruised. The green spots mixed with black and blue spots to show how bad the bruises were; his arms looked just like his chest. Her hands come up to touch his chest, he winced and she quickly removed them, but Greg grabbed her hands and held them there, slowly he let one go and moved the other above his heart. He held her hand there and waited to speak, "You're the only girl that makes my heart do this."

Katrina slipped her hand from his and looked up at him, "Please don't."

"Why?" Greg whispered.

"Because I hurt you so badly, I can't afford to hurt you anymore."

"This," Greg lifted his arms carefully; "this is nothing."

Katrina shook her head, "Greg look at you."

"I have," Greg lowered his arm, "and I'm happy to look this way."

"Why?" Katrina looked away.

"Because if I didn't," Greg put a hand on her cheek turning her face to look at him, "you wouldn't be here right now. Do you not remember anything I said?"

Katrina looked at him, "I was hoping it wasn't real."

Greg looked hurt, "Why?"

"You wouldn't be in so much pain then."

"Kat, the pain I feel right now is not from the wounds inflicted on the outside, but from the wounds that you are trying to form on the inside."

Katrina turned her head into his palm, "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Then promise me…you'll be with me," Greg said.

Katrina looked at him.

"I'll always be able to catch you, that's what you told me."

Katrina didn't respond.

"I won't let you fall ever again," Greg whispered, "But what you're doing to me now…is causing me to fall, don't let me fall, Kat."

Katrina's eyes softened, "I-I'm afraid."

"I know," Greg stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"I want nothing more than to be with you."

"Then say you'll be with me."

Katrina stared at him and her lips formed around the word yes, but she didn't speak it. She didn't need to for him to know that she would be, her eyes looked at his chest and guilt filled her eyes. Greg's hand moved to cup her chin and lift her head up to look him in the eyes, "Stop that."

"What?"

"Stop looking at me, like, I'm crippled all because of you."

"But you are—."

He cut her off by covering her mouth with his, he pulled away, "I'm this way because of the decision I made…"

Katrina's eyes were closed, but they fluttered open and she stared at him, "Please…"

"Please what, stop trying to cover for you?"

She shook her head and smiled at him, "Please…just kiss me."

A smile crept onto his face as he went into kiss her, their lips moving as one and their hearts pounding.