A/N: Hello my dear readers! Wow, just 10 more stories until I reach my target, I can't believe it XD Thank you so much for the reviews, and I'm glad you're still enjoying 90 stories along! This story is for McGeeklover who asked Greg get hurt and Nick and Sara find him unconscious later on. I hope you enjoy!
Summary – Greg is attacked by a suspect and sustains a concussion. Will Nick and Sara find out in time to help him?
Concussion
Greg was breathing heavily as he worked to keep up with the suspect; the cop he'd been with was long gone, and the CSI was resilient in his mission of taking the criminal down. It was like Brass always said: Innocent people don't make a run for it.
Greg kept his eyes solely on the suspect; the only sound in the quiet neighbourhood was their feet pounding against the pavement. The suspect made a sudden turn down a side alley and Greg skidded around the corner to follow him. He was met with the sight of the man trying to clamber over a metal wired fence.
This is why you should have taken gym Greg berated himself as he leapt onto the fence and started to hoist himself up. Surprisingly, his upper body strength did not fail him, however the man Greg was chasing had already jumped down to the other side, and headed off into the darkness. By the time Greg hopped down too, the man was gone, and Greg cursed himself under his breath.
The CSI started walking down the alley, when he was suddenly leapt on from behind as the suspect jumped out from the shadows. Greg struggled with the man's grip, but the suspect was stronger and managed to slam the CSI against the wall. Greg hit his head, hard, and was stunned for a moment as a wave of dizziness ensued and a bout of double vision.
The suspect threw Greg to the floor, causing the CSI to moan in pain at the extra assault to his already damaged head. The suspect was stood above Greg, fist raised ready for the hit, when another figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere and tackled the guy to the ground. Greg immediately shot up, and saw it was the officer he'd previously been stationed with, and then Nick came jogging around the corner too.
"What the hell were you thinking!?" Nick asked incredulously as he slowed to a walk and approached Greg.
"Erm, catch the god damn killer!" Greg replied as if it was obvious; he wasn't going to stand through a lecture for this.
"Greg, it's not you responsibility to…" Nick started, but Greg cut him off.
"Don't you dare start that with me" the younger CSI said with warning in his tone "You always…"
"I have more experience than you, Greg" Nick retorted "You could have been hurt"
Greg scoffed "That's not what you care about! You care about that fact someone else might have got to make the arrest for a change, because you always have to be the hero, Nick!" Greg said angrily, and then walked past the older man, shoving Nick's shoulder as he did so.
"Greg!" Nick called after him " I don't give a shit about that! I'm asking if you're hurt!?"
"I'm fine!" Greg replied aggressively without even turning back and started heading to his car.
Nick sighed in exasperation and placed a hand on his forehead; What the hell is up with that kid?
Greg got back his apartment and studied his head in the mirror. He could just about see the patch of red blossoming on the right side of his head, and placing a delicate finger on the wound to assess the damage, he immediately pulled back with a hiss of pain. He'd also been feeling dizzy and a little nauseous since the fight; it was a miracle he'd even managed to drive himself home.
Probably shouldn't sleep, might be concussed… Greg concluded as he went to fetch some painkillers. After popping a few pills, he went to the sink and sighed, splashing some water onto his face. He knew he shouldn't have been so short fused with Nick; the guy was only trying to help him.
It was Greg's own stubbornness and pride which had got in the way; he had once again failed his team, the suspect took advantage of him, and he once again needed to be rescued. For once, just for once, Greg wished he could be like Nick, and get the job done without any further complication. Everyone respected Nick; everyone looked up to him, including Greg…what was so wrong with wanting to prove yourself? To be just as respected…he wasn't just some obsolete little lab tech anymore.
Greg stumbled back into his bedroom as his vision began to blur. Just go to bed… his dazed mind suggested, even though the CSIs head was still bleeding. You just need to lie down… and with that, the young man flopped down into the pillows with one last wave of nausea and one least spout of dizziness, the world faded to black.
Nick growled in frustration as he slammed his phone shut once more. Greg was supposed to be working a scene with him, but the younger CSI had so far failed to turn up to work.
"You don't think it's because of what happened yesterday, do you?" Sara asked as the pair headed through the lab. Nick had filled her in on his spat with Greg.
"Well if this is him avoiding me, then it's pathetic" Nick said a little coldly and Sara looked surprised.
"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"
Nick sighed and ran a tired hand down his face "Yeah, yeah. I'm going to go down to his apartment and drag his ass down here if I have to"
"Well then I'm coming with you" Sara said in a no nonsense manner "I'm not having you two rip each other's heads off, someone needs to keep the peace" she said with a smirk, and Nick just rolled his eyes.
Nick and Sara arrived outside Greg's apartment a matter of minutes later, and Nick started banging on the door loudly.
"G! C'mon, man, open up!" he called.
"Your bedside manner is just top notch" Sara said sarcastically, and then gave Nick a look to suggest he should step aside. The Texan did so with a huff; there was really no point arguing with Sara. The female CSI knocked on the door "Greg, please open the door, we understand if you're upset" she called. There was still no reply.
"That's it, I'm kicking it" Nick said in all seriousness. Sara was starting to wonder if this supposed annoyance was actually a cover up for underlying worry.
"Don't bother, hardhead" Sara teased with a smirk "Brain before brawn, ya know?" she said pulling out a spare key Greg had given to her.
"When'd you get that?" Nick asked with a frown.
"After the lab explosion" Sara replied as she unlocked the door. Nick wanted to ask more about this, but Sara was already walking into the disturbingly quiet apartment. "Greg!" she called.
Nick headed straight for the bedroom "I swear if he's sleeping…" the older man mumbled as he opened the door; but then, he froze.
Sure, at first it did appear Greg was asleep, sprawled out on top if his sheets, but upon closer inspection, Nick saw the pool of blood which had formed, tarnishing the white pillow below his friend's head.
"Sara!" The Texan called in panic and then rushed over the bed. Sara came running at Nick's freaked tone, and she too froze for a moment.
"Shit" she breathed "I'll call an ambulance, try to get him awake!" she instructed before heading into the hallway.
"Greg, Greg c'mon man, please" Nick said as he desperately shook the younger man's shoulder, trying not to move Greg's head. "Please wake up, please…" he was almost whispering at the end, so scared by the stillness of his usually lively friend.
"Any luck?" Sara asked hopefully as she returned to the room, but her optimism fell when she saw Greg still with his eyes closed.
"No, but there's a lot of blood" Nick informed her solemnly, "I think he has a really bad concussion. His pulse is…okay, I guess. Dammit I knew that guy hurt him, I should have made him go to the hospital!"
"It's not your fault, Nick, you know how stubborn Greg is" Sara responded "He wouldn't want us to worry"
"Yeah well, he's doing a great job of that" Nick said sarcastically, and then sadly looked down at his friend. "Wake up, Greggo" he said quietly, lightly brushing his fingers against Greg's cold ones. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, I was just worried…"
"You're both as bad as each other, you know that?" Sara smirked as she shook Greg's shoulder again, but still, nothing.
Eventually the medics arrived, and Nick and Sara were pushed to the side as the medics prepared to take Greg away. Nick wasn't really listening when Sara said she'd drive them to the hospital, he was focused on Greg's too limp body. If the last thing they'd done was fought…Please be alright, Greg.
Greg indeed had a very bad concussion from when the suspect had slammed him against the wall, and it had only grown worse due to not being seen to straight away. Now, Greg had been asleep for at least two days. No one wanted to say it, but Nick knew. His best friend was in a coma.
The Texan refused to leave Greg's room, only when Sara came and ordered him to get some food. Again, there was no arguing with Sara. After returning to the room on the third day, Nick found the female CSI sat running a hand through the tuft of Greg's hair which stuck through the bandage around his head. She was whispering something to him but Nick couldn't hear; he edged a little closer.
"I hate when you guys fight" Sara said "I am the middle sibling, you know, and I hate being caught in the middle sometimes. You just need to wake up, okay? Nick's really sorry, and I know you are too. God, you're both just so stubborn!" she teased.
"You're one to talk" Nick smirked as he made his presence known, and went to sit on the opposite side of Greg's bed. "Stubborn is your middle name"
"Oh really, and what's yours? Hardhead" she repeated her previous jibe with a grin.
"Hey, I resent that..!"
"Guys..." another voice suddenly croaked; both Nick and Sara looked to the bed "Some of us are trying to sleep down here…" Greg moaned.
"No, you've done enough sleeping" Nick lightly scolded him "You've had us all worried sick, man"
"Really? I didn't think you cared…" Greg mumbled.
"Of course I do, G" Nick said sincerely "I'm sorry I snapped at you when you went after the suspect; you did what you thought was best, and it was brave of you…"
"Stupid, but brave" Sara chimed in, and Greg rolled his eyes at her.
"I was just really worried that you would get hurt" Nick continued. "You're like my little brother, Greg, and…yeah, I worry"
Greg gave him a small smile "Thanks, I'm sorry too. Part of the reason I went after that guy was because I wanted to prove I could be like you, that I could catch the bad guy like you always do…but now I've just let you down" he said sadly looking at the sheets.
"I don't always get the bad guy" Nick told him "And that sucks, but it's part of the job, G. As for trying to be me, don't. You're Greg, okay, and you're awesome"
"And don't ever think you could let us down" Sara added "We're all so proud of how far you've come"
Greg smiled softly "Thanks you guys, I'm sorry I made you worry"
"Just don't do it again" Nick mumbled.
"What was that, hardhead?" Greg asked with a lopsided smile and Sara laughed.
"Oh no, don't you start" Nick warned him. "People normally show respect to their older brothers, ya know?"
Well it's a good thing we're a close enough family to not have to worry about that" Sara teased and Greg laughed.
Nick rolled his eyes. I love them to bits, but sometimes they're so dang annoying…but what are younger siblings for, I guess?
I really love writing about these three characters, such good relationships! And as much as I love the Nick and Greg Bromance (Which is a lot) I actually enjoyed writing Nick and Sara's interactions in this one XD
Anyway, please let me know what you think :) xx