A/N: I hope you guys are enjoying this story. Please know, there will be lighter chapters and heavier chapters, many of which will depend upon the episodes the chapters deal with. And, while I do have a rather extensive list of chapters, I also will take requests (though, I've already done 4 as separate one shots). Please see the first chapter for the disclaimer. I hope you enjoy this one, and please review. :)

Chapter 2: "I Need a Vacation"

Greg sighed after he kicked Warrick and Nick out of his lab. He didn't want to be rude, but he was just feeling really stressed out, and having them summarize their case in front of him while he still yearned for the field didn't really feel like a good thing. He knew he was in a bad mood, but couldn't place it.

So instead, he pulled out his cell phone.

What are you up to? he texted.

A moment later came the reply from Adam. Trying to sleep. What else would I be doing at 2:30 a.m.?

Greg sighed slightly. Three years, and he still sometimes forgot about the time difference. Not that he wanted to aggravate Adam or even keep him awake. But still… I'm sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up.

I said I was trying to sleep, not that I was sleeping. Slow night at work, or is something wrong?

Greg almost chuckled at his phone. Leave it to Adam to read between the lines of a text message. It's not an overly awful night at work.

So what's bothering you so badly that you're texting me?

Greg shrugged to himself, rubbing his chin slightly. I don't know. A weird feeling, I guess. I must need a vacation, I'm in a bad mood.

So who'd you snap at? Nick or Warrick?

Greg actually did laugh this time. Adam really did know him too well. Both.

I take it they're working together.

Greg nodded to himself. Yeah. I gave them their results. Didn't feel like listening to their theories.

That's fair, you know. You don't have to listen to them. It's your lab.

Greg snorted. Do you think that actually works around here?

Maybe with some. Although, I could see Nick and Warrick giving you a hard time…

Greg paused his texting as Grissom walked by, watching his boss duck into his office before pulling out his phone again.

He had another message from Adam waiting. Should you really be texting at work?

I'm good as long as Grissom doesn't see me.

Whatever you do, don't try to take me down with you.

Greg laughed. I won't. I thought you were gonna study tonight. He stood up, walking toward the printer as a new set of results spit out.

I was. I did. And I actually learned a few new things, like studying is not
A group activity. Especially when it's grad school, we're overworked, it's
Toward the end of the semester, we're tired of studying, we have alcohol
And creative minds.

Greg furrowed his brow at Adam's messages. What the hell does that mean?

He donned a new pair of gloves, and though he felt his phone vibrate several times in his pocket, he chose to ignore it and prep the next sample before putting it into the machine. He set the machine to run, and cleaned up from that sample's prep before checking his phone again.

We had a bottle of Jaeger, some Goldschlager, vodka, rum, and beer, as well
As a bunch of shot glasses and old exams. So we thought that it would be a good
Idea to mix them all together. Except the beer. And then do a shot when
We got a question wrong. And chase it with a beer. It's a good thing that I know
My shit. Otherwise, I'd have been way more drunk. Then after we got sick of stu
Dying, we decided to play night soccer in Central Park. Which lead to us taking
Carey to Queen of Mercy because he got tackled hard by Big Sal.

Greg smirked and shook his head, remembering that Sal had a good hundred pounds on Carey. Carey okay?

Another vibration told him he had another message, but Greg was prepping the next sample for the current case on his desk. He ignored it again for the moment before feeling a second vibration. When that sample was set in the machine to run next, he checked his phone.

He'll live.
Did you want me to leave you alone so you can work?

Greg thought for a moment. If you wanna get some sleep, that's fine.

I have late class tomorrow. I can always sleep late. You're the one who's
Busy.
I really hate character limits.

Greg chuckled. Me too. How bad was Carey hurt?

He cleaned up before prepping another sample as his phone vibrated once again. When that sample was ready, he looked to see what Adam had written.

Bruised up in his chest. As the really rude nurse put it, drunks don't break
They bend.

Greg shook his head. She wasn't the same one as that other time, was she?

His phone vibrated as one of the swing shift CSIs walked into his lab. He frowned slightly, unsure of why she was there, as she looked at him sympathetically.

"Andrew said he'd leave my results for me?" she said hopefully.

Greg smiled politely at her. "Folder by the door," he said.

"Oh, thank goodness. Hopefully, I can file this and go home."

Greg nodded, saying nothing as he kept working on the case before him.

"…or not," she sighed. "Thanks, Greg. Sorry to bother you."

"No problem, Amie," he replied. "Sorry it's not better news."

She chuckled slightly. "Nothing you can do about that."

He nodded with a slight smile, and she waved the folder at him as she left. Once she was gone, and no one else was around, he looked down at his phone.

No. He's not the same one. The one you're thinking of worked at Trinity.

Greg shrugged slightly to himself. I can't remember where we went every time we went to the hospital.

Three times to Trinity, five times to Queen of Mercy.

Greg rolled his eyes as the printer gave him another set of results. After tucking them into a folder, he replied, Of course you'd remember.

He quickly tucked his phone away as Grissom walked by again, going back to work on the case at hand. When Grissom had disappeared from sight, he went to check his messages.

Yeah, because every time you actually got hurt, I'd have to tell Nancy.

Greg snorted. I never told you to call her.

She always called you. And every time we were at the hospital, you would
Always make me answer for you.

Greg smirked. He did always make Adam explain to his mother what happened in New York. And, also, in college. But since Adam's parents hadn't been overbearing, Greg thought it was his duty to share the wealth. At least where Nancy was concerned… Greg sent to his friend, You didn't mind, though.

No, not really.

Greg smiled. I'm gonna get back to work.

Mood passed then? Or did your meds finally kick in?

Greg glared at the phone. Not funny.

Sorry.

It's cool. You get some sleep. We'll talk later.

Greg put his phone in his pocket, ignoring the last vibration until the end of his shift. Because he knew before he read it exactly what it was gonna say.

Alright.

A/N: Episode is High and Low (CSI).