"Julian." Nick went into the lab. "I need the results quick." He tossed the evidence bag to Julian.
"I'm on it..." he replied while reading in a magazine.
"...Now would be a good time to start processing it," Nick said impatient.
"Mhm."
This kind of behavior was typical for Julian and usually, Nick would leave annoyed and wait for Julian to finally start doing his job. But this time wasn't usual. In Nick's mind, Julian molested Greg and now acted as if nothing happened. And there was nothing he could do about it right now. He promised Greg not to say anything. As much as he wanted to, he didn't.
"Just try to get it ready someday..." he said irritated and left.
"What kind of glass?"
"From a car window," Hodges answered to Greg.
"How did glass from a car window end up in our suicide victim's hair?" Greg asked while looking at the glass through a microscope.
"Does she have any injuries that suggest she's been in a car accident?"
"I didn't see any injuries despite the ones she inflicted on herself," Nick said while walking towards his two colleagues.
"Well there are not too many possibilities how the glass ended up there, right?" Hodges sat down.
"Maybe David can help us with that. Come on, Greg." Nick walked out, followed by Greg.
On their way to the morgue, Greg decided to ask Nick about Julian. "So... How's he doing?"
"Hm? Who? You mean Julian?"
He nodded.
"Why are you asking? How should he be doing? He acts like nothing happened."He murmured to himself, "Ignorant bastard..."
"Good..."
"Good? How's that good?"
Greg shrugged. "It's just... I reacted badly when, you know... And I kind of feel guilty for it."
"YOU feel guilty? For what? You didn't do anything wrong."
Greg sighed. "I kind of left something out when I told you..."
"...I have to kill him, right?"
"It's something I did, Nick."
They both sat down on a bench a few feet away from the morgue.
"I told him we're not friends and I think it hit him really hard."
"So?" Nick looked at Greg confused. "You're not friends, why is it bad that you told him?"
"When he needed comfort, I was really harsh. He might be annoying at times, but he doesn't deserve that."
"Well that's understandable, given the circumstances. What did he expect?"
"Probably not to be treated like that." Greg gave Nick an insecure smile.
"Greg, it's not..."
"No," he interrupted Nick, "Don't try to sugarcoat it. I was the jerk. Julian was just looking for a shoulder to cry on and I kicked him out."
"But..."
"I know what you're trying to say. It's normal to act like that in my position, but that doesn't make it right, does it?" Greg stood up. "Let's get this over with, I want to apologize to Julian afterwards."
"Hey Doc." They entered the morgue. Doc Robbins was already waiting for them.
"There you are." He picked up the report. "I just finished. Official COD is suicide. She took sleeping pills, cut her wrists open and bleed out."
"Any signs of a recent car accident?" Nick asked while looking at the body.
"No, none at all. Why?"
"We found car glass in her hair and can't explain it yet. Anything else?"
"The husband said he found her at midnight, right? She died a few hours before that. There was sexual activity a few hours before her death and it was consensual. I sent a sample to DNA."
"I think I heard the husband say he didn't see her the whole day..." Nick said.
"Technically this case is closed, though."
"Yeah but something about this case just doesn't sit right with me, I want to find out what really happened..."
"You're sure you want to do this now?" Nick was walking towards the DNA lab with Greg.
"Nicky, you're totally overreacting. Thinking back at it, there was no need to blow this up like I did. I need to apologize to him and hope everything will get back to normal again."
"Alright... I'll wait outside if you need me."
"No you won't," Greg said with a smile on his face, "It'll only take a minute. You can wait in the car for me."
While Greg appreciated Nick taking care of him like a big brother, he could be too overprotective at times. This was one of those times. Mentally Greg had already processed what happened between him and Julian, but emotionally he didn't, despite what he just told Nick. He just didn't want him to worry too much. But he knew he was overreacting and blowing this all out of proportion. He felt bad about what he said to Julian and figured apologizing would make him feel better.
"Hey Julian." Greg went into the lab really nervous.
"I got your results ready. Here they are..." He handed him his reports.
"Thanks, but that's actually not why I'm here..."
Julian looked up, looking both surprised and concerned. "...Did you tell Catherine?"
"What? No! It's okay. I mean, I... I wanted to apologize... for... how I reacted."
"I don't know what you're talking about..." Julian said while processing some DNA samples.
"I didn't mean it when I said we weren't friends and all... I was just agitated and confused and... surprised, you know? It's not your fault and I'm really sorry for the way I reacted." It wasn't easy for Greg to say this, but it felt good that he did.
Julian put the samples he was working on down and stood up. "Thank you, Greg. That really means a lot to me." He smiled and gently touched Greg's arm. "So... We ARE friends?"
Greg wasn't sure how to answer. He actually didn't consider them to be friends but wanted Julian to feel better. And wanted to feel better himself, so he just lied. "Yeah, of course..."
Julian hugged Greg. "That's great!"
The hug didn't feel comfortable at all, it actually scared Greg a bit, but he wanted to repress these kind of feelings and thought he'd be okay in the lab, Julian wouldn't try anything ever again, anyway, but surely not in the lab.
Julian let go of Greg and smiled at him again.
Greg had an uncomfortable smile on his face and went out.
"Just a few seconds longer and I would've gone in there!" Nick said with a grin on his face. He was standing near the DNA lab the whole time, watching Greg and Julian.
"Why are you not in the car? God, you're so nosy!" Greg said jokingly, walking to the exit door.
"I'm just looking out for you, you should appreciate it!" When Greg gave Nick a look, he continued, "Okay, I'm also nosy. But it's mostly the looking out thing that got me waiting in front of the DNA lab!"
"You know... I really do appreciate it," Greg said with a smile on his face.
Nick smiled back and patted him on the bag. When he remembered that Greg probably didn't want that, he apologized for it. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting..."
"No, it's okay." He didn't mind Nick touching him. For the first time in weeks – probably months – he didn't feel unease when one of his male friends came physically close to him.