A/N: Hey guys, thanks so much for the reviews! It's been a while but I just thought I'd post this whilst I work on the next chapter for 'Making It Through' which I hope to get out later today! So I got thinking about how a lot of my stories are about Nick protecting Greg and I thought it would be cool to change it around, So yes Greg is very OOC in this so sorry if you don't approve :P

Summary – Nick has always defended Greg no matter what, so when Nick is threatened Greg is surprised with what he's capable of to protect his friend.

Got Your Back

Nick and Greg were walking from a crime scene looking for a place to eat. Nick was feeling a little shaken. The husband of the dead woman had turned up and he'd been absolutely furious when Nick said he couldn't go and see her, even more so when the CSI explained the man was now a suspect. The man had said some things, threats, which had scared Nick a little. After everything that had been happening over the years, the Texans confidence was no what it used to be.

When he and Greg were walking Nick took a glance over his shoulder to see the man walking behind them with his head down. The CSI went wide eyed and grabbed Greg, pulling him down a side alley. He wasn't about to let his younger friend get hurt.

"What's going on?" Greg asked with a questionable look.

"Nothing, just keep walking" Nick said.

"Hey!" the man called stumbling behind them. Greg turned round to try and get a better look, but Nick just held his arm tighter and pulled him along. The Texan wasn't carrying his gun and there was no way in hell Greg would be so they just needed to get away, Nick was prepared to run if they had to.

"Hey…Stokes!" the man called and then Greg stopped.

"How does he know you?" Greg asked.

"I'll tell you later" Nick said looking to his friend with pleading eyes "Come, on Greg we have to…"

"Don't run from me Stokes!" the man said coming to a halt. He stopped with his arms poised and fists clenched.

Nick saw as Greg's eyes narrowed. It was quite terrifying really. There were only two other occasions he remembered Greg looking pissed. Firstly, was when the younger CSI found out the undersheriff blamed him for what happened in the alley that night…Nick didn't even want to think about it, and secondly, when they found out who'd kidnapped Sara that fateful day. And now that look had returned, and it did not look right on the usually mellow and cheerful man's face.

"What do you want?!" Greg yelled much to Nick's surprise.

"Greg, don't…" Nick begged taking hold of his arm again but Greg pulled away.

"What's this? Getting someone to fight your battles for you eh? Not tough CSI man anymore when you're not carrying your gun huh?" the man jeered.

"Look I don't know who you are or what you want, but just back off ok!" Greg yelled. There was venom in his voice that made even Nick shudder a little.

What had happened to their bouncy lab tech? Nick wondered. Vegas had happened. Death had happened. Becoming a CSI had opened Greg's eyes to a whole new world of pain and suffering, one that everyone at the crime lab struggled to cope with sometimes. This job had destroyed Greg, just as it had done everyone else in one way or another. Nick hadn't wanted that to happen, he'd wanted to protect Greg, keep him the in the dark, in the lab where it was safe… but the lab explosion hadn't exactly helped that theory.

"I just want him to pay!" the man said pointing at Nick.

"Oh yeah…" Greg said edging forward slightly and positioning himself in front of Nick. What the hell is going on?! Nick's head was screaming. Surely this should be going the other way round? He should be protecting Greg, his little brother… making up for how he'd failed to do so, so far. "Well then you'll have to go through me first" the younger CSI nearly growled.

"No!" Nick called suddenly, the remark snapping him to reality. "Greg what the hell!" The older CSI wouldn't let his friend get hurt because of him. If this didn't stop he would grab the former lab tech round his waist and carry him down the street.

Nick went to grab Greg once more, but a shadow emerged behind the Texan and clutched his arms in a vice like grip, Nick yelled in surprise and Greg whipped round. He watched in horror at Nick struggled with the angry man's even angrier helper.

"That can easily be arranged" the new mystery man said, referring to Greg's earlier comment.

"Let him go!" Greg commanded and silently cursing himself for not carrying a gun. He really should learn from experiences like this, but he never did, carrying a gun just wasn't who he was. He was a scientist, not a cop, knowledge was his weapon.

"Oh and why should we do that?" the man who was stood further down the alley dared.

Greg's scowl grew harder and he clenched his own fists as he started to walk toward the man. The guy just chuckled, he wasn't afraid of the scrawny kid.

"Greg, stop!" Nick pleaded as he struggled harder in the big man's arms; he made Nick feel like a rag doll. His urge to protect his little brother was kicking into overdrive.

Greg ignored Nick's call, he knew the older man was only worried about him and he didn't mean to scare Nick, but the former lab tech thought it was about time he did something in return. He stopped when he was about 2 foot away from the man.

"Because otherwise your head will meet this floor and I'll arrest you" Greg threatened. He was scaring himself, he didn't like what these scumbags had made him become, and he didn't want to be this way. But Nick had always stuck up for Greg, and now he was returning the favour.

The man laughed, laughed in Greg's face, a genuine humour filled laugh. "I'd like to see you try boy" he said once he'd finally calmed down. He smiled "you ain't got the guts."

Greg sighed, looked the man up and down and turned away.

"See, I knew you didn't…"

But the man never finished his sentence as Greg's right fist made contact with his face. Nick had stopped struggling as he went wide eyed in shock and his jaw dropped a little. No way had that just happened. No way had Greg Sanders just punched someone… but the man had fallen to the floor, clutching his nose and moaning.

"Don't threaten my friends!" Greg said jabbing a finger towards the guy before turning to the one holding onto Nick.

"Hey man, I didn't wanna hurt nobody, he just said he wanted to talk to Stokes!" the man said nervously, he threw Nick forward and then started to run down the street.

"You ok?" Greg asked concernedly as Nick staggered forward. "Did I grow another head or something?" he asked at the sheer look of disbelief on the Texans face.

The man had scrambled up off the floor and ran down the opposite end of the street clutching his nose, Greg wanted to go after him but he knew Nick needed him more right now and no doubt they'd catch the guy later. The youngest CSI would make sure of it.

"Nick?" Greg said waving a hand in front of his friends face, he was starting to worry the Texan had gone into shock.

"You…you punched him" Nick finally stuttered.

"Yeah, I guess I did" Greg said a little sadly, he actually looked really ashamed of himself, and he felt it. He couldn't believe he'd lost control like that….but that guy had threatened Nick, his big brother, and that had made him angry. "Just…don't let me ever do it again" he said placing a hand on Nick's shoulder with a wary smile "violence ain't my style."

"Then…why did you do it?" Nick asked looking into Greg's deep brown eyes. The usual mischievous glint was not there, no matter how much he searched, it had been replaced by worry and sadness.

"Well…the same reason you did" Greg said and Nick looked a little confused. "Warrick told me; after I got beat up…you punched that guy in the gut…."

"Yeah…yeah I did do that" Nick said thinking back.

He remembered how the anger had blinded him to everything else, how nothing else mattered as he balled his fist and landed it in the man's stomach. He wasn't going to lie, it had felt good, and he probably would have kept going if Warrick had not been there to warn him off.

"Threaten me all you want, but you threaten my friends, my family, then there'll be hell to pay" Greg explained.

"G, you could have got hurt because of me" Nick replied "I don't want you to do anything for me if it means putting yourself in danger."

"Nick… you're my brother and you've always had my back. And now you should know that I've always got yours. If it came down to it I'd kill for you, sure I'd probably hate myself after but you'd be ok."

"Thanks Greg, really it means a lot. But please don't change too much; don't let jerks like them make you someone you're not." Nick pleaded.

"Look I know I've changed over the years, after the beating especially… but we've all changed. I'm still Greggo, ok? I'll still make you laugh and I'll still make you cringe at my music" he said with a smile. "I have no intention of becoming the overly violent type. I just went into defence mode for a moment that's all; the badass attitude really doesn't suit me. I'll leave that to you."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it" Nick said with a small smile "Come on, let's get back to the lab" he said slinging an arm round Greg's shoulders "I'll explain everything."

"Nick?"

"Yeah"

"I punched a guy in the face"

Nick chuckled "yeah, yeah you did, and you did for me."

"Does that make me Batman?"

"Not quite Greggo, not quite."

Ending was a bit crappy but I think I got the main point across :P Apologies for Greg's OCCness cos I know some people don't like that but I was just playing around with an Idea.

So a few people have been saying I should write about Greg and Morgan's first date after 'What If' so I think I'll give that a go next :)

Reviews and prompts are welcome!