A/N: Hey guys! Wow! Quite the response to the last story, I'm glad you like it, and it seems we're all in the same boat for missing Catherine XD Anyway, by suggestion of Cirinde Palantir, I have written a third story in my crossover series about a friendship between Greg and Adam. I got the idea for this after watching the CSI: NY episode 'The Real McCoy', and felt Adam needed some love ;) So, here we are! It does contain spoilers.

Summary – Greg invites Adam to stay with him for a while after hearing about his friend's troubles with his father. Xover with CSI: NY, a smidgen of Morganders.

Friend in Need

Adam Ross was once again sat outside the NYPD building, watching the world go by. Across the street a boy walked past holding his father's hand, giggling joyfully as his smiling father helped him jump over some puddles. Adam smiled too. It was a somewhat sad smile however; he wished he could have had a relationship like that with his own father.

Moments later, and Adam turned to find Mac sitting down beside him.

"Hey, boss" Adam said with a small smile. It had been a week since their previous conversation on the steps, but the lab tech was determined to prove that he was okay.

"Listen, Adam…" Mac started in his usual firm yet caring way "we've noticed that you haven't been yourself lately and…well we want our happy lab rat back" he explained "So, I called in a favour for you"

Adam frowned in confusion "What? Mac, you didn't have to…"

He was interrupted by someone clearing their throat at the bottom of the steps. Adam looked down, and a smile immediately broke across his face at the sight of the familiar man.

"Surprise" Greg Sanders grinned, and Adam made his way down the steps to hug his friend from Las Vegas.

"Greg! I'm so happy to see you" the excited lab tech said as he pulled away.

"I'm glad to see you too buddy, it's been a while. Mac called and explained some things to me, sounded like you needed a friend" Greg said with a smile "Detective Taylor" he said, giving the older man a small salute.

"CSI Sanders" Mac said, returning the gesture "I'll leave you guys to catch up"

"Thanks, boss" Adam said, and Mac smiled, glad to see the first sign of happiness on the younger man's face in a long time. "You didn't have to come all this way, Greg" Adam said, turning back to his friend.

Greg just smiled "Yes, I did. It sounded like you could use a break, and we haven't talked in a while. I want to be here for you, Adam."

Adam returned the smile "Thanks, Greg. How long are you staying for?"

"Just the night" Greg replied.

Adam's face immediately saddened "Oh…" he said disappointedly.

"But don't worry, because you're coming back to Vegas with me. I've paid for your plane tickets and everything" Greg grinned.

Adam's face immediately lit up once more "Really?!"

"Yep, Mac's given you the week off, and I got the week off too so we can just hang" Greg explained "I figured it would do you good to get away from New York for a while"

"Wow, thank you Greg, this is so awesome" Adam said, and hugged his friend in appreciation.

"C'mon" Greg said once they broke apart "You need to start packing!"

The next evening, Greg and Adam had arrived back in Vegas. The New Yorker had visited Greg in the lively city once before, but it had been a while ago. As the taxi drove them to Greg's apartment, Adam couldn't help but become mesmerised by the buildings and the lights illuminating the sky; they seemed different from New York.

Greg said he would pay for Adam to stay in a hotel if he preferred, but Adam insisted staying in Greg's spare room would be just fine; he wanted to spend as much time with Greg as possible since they rarely saw each other.

"I hope you don't mind, but my girlfriend's coming over later" Greg explained as he showed Adam to his room.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend?" Adam queried.

"We only started dating a few weeks ago, Morgan" the CSI's face instantly lit up at the mention of the beautiful woman's name.

"Morgan!?" Adam laughed "Not the Morgan!?" he didn't remember having a conversation with Greg in which the CSI hadn't mentioned the woman's name at least once.

"Yep, I finally got her to go on a date with me" Greg said "So you won't have to listen to me wallow in self-pity anymore"

"Wow, congrats man!" Adam said with a smile "I can't wait to meet her"

After Adam had unpacked, Greg grabbed some bottles of beer and the pair sat in the living room watching a movie, whilst discussing what they had been up to of late. Adam knew the subject Greg really wanted to ask him about, but the CSI respected that it was up to Adam when he was ready to talk about that.

At about 9pm, there was a knock at the door, and Greg went to answer it eagerly. "Hey, baby!" Adam heard him say, and turned to see his friend kissing a gorgeous blonde woman he assumed must be Morgan.

"Hey, I hope pizza is okay" Morgan said, holding up two giant boxes as she entered the room. She smiled at the man sat on the couch; he had a kind face and wore a nervous smile. "Hi, you must be Adam" she said brightly.

"Yes" Adam said, getting up and sticking out his hand "You must be Morgan, it's nice to meet you."

"You too. Why so formal!?" she asked with a laugh, ignoring the offered hand and giving Adam a peck on the cheek instead. The New York tech blushed.

"Alright you two" Greg said "I didn't invite you over here just to steal my girlfriend, Adam" he teased.

"Hey, she kissed me, man" Adam said raising his hands defensively, and they laughed.

Greg went to get some plates whilst Adam and Morgan became better acquainted, each finding the other exactly how Greg had described them. Adam really enjoyed spending his time with Greg and Morgan, who he now hoped he could class as a new friend. They were great at taking his mind off things, and for the first time in a while, Adam felt at ease.

Morgan left around midnight, and Adam was left feeling embarrassed as he watched her and Greg share their goodbye kiss, but he was also pleased for his friend at the same time, knowing Greg had been pining after Morgan for a long time. Adam thought of his own girlfriend back home, he missed her, but he felt the Vegas air was doing him good.

Shortly after Morgan left, Greg and Adam decided to get some sleep. Greg told the lab tech to help himself to anything he wanted during the night, and Adam thanked him, really appreciating his friend's efforts to make him feel welcome.

At first, Adam found it hard to fall asleep in the unfamiliar place. But, when sleep did finally come to him, he almost wished it didn't, because that's when the nightmares began…

"Adam!" a worried voice entered the lab tech's hate filled dreams.

His father was backing into a corner again, his fists clenched, and the same stoic expression he always had when it was time to give his son another beating. Adam shied away and placed his arms over his face in some form of protection, but he knew it wouldn't help, he knew the pain would come…

"Adam! C'mon, please wake up!" the voice returned again, and then someone started to shake Adam's shoulder. The lab tech shot up in the bed, breathing heavily. "Hey, buddy it's just me" he recognised Greg's outline the dark.

"Greg…" Adam breathed "W-what?"

"I heard you scream" Greg explained "I came to see what was up and you were thrashing around all over the place. You have nightmare?"

Adam nodded his head wearily "I-It was my dad…" he stuttered "H-he trapped me again, I-I couldn't fight h-him off…" tears began to well in the scared lab tech's eyes.

"Hey, it's alright now" Greg tried to reassure his friend, as he pulled Adam into a one armed hug "he can't hurt you like that anymore"

"I just want him to remember, Greg" Adam said with a broken voice "I want him to remember and be sorry, but he can't, and he's not sorry" with that, the poor lab tech began to cry, and Greg tried to comfort him, rubbing Adam's back soothingly and telling him he didn't have to feel that alone anymore.

"Adam, I can't even begin to imagine how you felt in those situations" Greg said seriously "But I know from other past experiences I've had after something bad happens, the best way to prove the person who hurt you wrong is to carry on and live a fulfilling life. You proved your father wrong, he didn't break you, you are the strong one, because you went on to have a successful career and friends who really care about you."

Adam sniffed and wiped his eyes as he managed to get his emotions under control "Thanks, Greg" he said with a small smile "I'm sorry I broke down on you like that…"

"Hey, after all the times I moaned to you about Morgan, I think I owed you this" Greg said with a smile. "Now, try getting some more sleep, you got a long day of sight-seeing a head of you tomorrow"

Adam smiled "Okay, thanks again for everything, Greg"

Greg returned the smile "Don't mention it, man" he said and left the room.

Adam soon got back to sleep and slumbered well for the rest of the night.

Adam had spent 3 days in Vegas with Greg, and he'd had a really great time. Greg had taken him to all the best spots in the city, and the lab tech hadn't had another nightmare since Greg talked to him, so he felt well rested for the first time in a while.

On the forth night, Greg received a phone call from Russell asking if he could come into work; they were swamped with cases and could really use an extra set of hands.

"Sorry, dude" Greg said regrettably to Adam as he explained the situation.

"It's okay, why don't I come with you and help?" Adam suggested "I've got plenty of field experience"

"Okay, if you're sure you don't mind?"

"No, it's totally fine" Adam said with an eager smile.

Half an hour later, and the pair arrived at the crime scene after picking up a spare kit for Adam. Adam couldn't help but feel proud when Greg introduced him to the officer at the scene as CSI Ross, and he was looking forward to working with Greg again.

The victim was a dead boy around 8, who appeared to have been smothered to death with his pillow. There were clear signs of physical abuse from months ago too.

"Adam, you don't have to be here, remember" Greg said concernedly, as he saw the look on his friend's face.

"No, I'm okay" Adam insisted "I couldn't get justice for my own abuse, I can at least help find it for his" he said firmly, and Greg gave him a reassuring smile.

The friends worked together all night, and managed to collect enough evidence to convict the child's clearly mentally unstable mother for the crime.

"You did a good job, Adam" Greg said as they left the lab for the night "I'll be sure to put the good word in with Mac for you"

"Thanks" Adam smiled "I'm having a great time, Greg. Seeing you and being in Vegas, it's really helped me with a lot of things, I'm glad we did this"

Greg smiled and patted his friend on the back "Good, me too. If it ever gets too much again and you just want to escape, you can come over and stay with me whenever, for however long you like" he said sincerely.

"Thanks dude, I'll keep that in mind" Adam smiled back.

The lab tech felt lucky to have found a friend like Greg, and even though they lived far apart, he knew he could always count on Greg to be there when Adam needed him most.

I really like writing about Greg and Adam, I think they would have great dynamic together, I hope you liked it :)

To all by British readers, I hope you have a lovely Bonfire Night, chaps!

I love your prompts, so do keep them coming!

Please Review :) xx