CSI - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Two Faces To Every Being ❯ Countdown: Day 1 - Clinic, Cure, Confrontation ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: The characters of CSI are the property of CBS Broadcasting Inc and Alliance-Atlantis Communications. No copyright infringement is intended.

Warning: Language, brief mentions of homosexuality.

Jodine16: You know, I thought I had this chapter up on this site. I guess I didn't, oh well, here it is!

 

Chapter Three - Countdown Day 1 - Clinic, Cure, Confrontation

Following a long shift, Sara and Catherine were heading out of one of the many local diners, after having a girl's day out, or as much as they could before exhaustion started rearing it's ugly head.

“I wish we could do this more often,” Sara said, as the walked together towards their vehicles.

“Vegas never sleeps, Sara, although I could definitely use some,” Catherine replied, unlocking her car.

“See you tonight,” Sara said, about to get into her car when someone caught her eye. “Hey, is that…is that Greg?”

Catherine peered over the hood of her car at the figure walking unsteadily across the parking lot towards them. “It is, he doesn't look very good. Greg! Over here!” Followed by Sara, Catherine hurried over to the lab rat, who was leaning against a mini-van for support. “Greg, hey, are you okay?”

Greg stared at them with dilated eyes for a moment before speaking. “Cat, Sara? Oh thank God. I….I need help, please,” he whispered.

“Greg, what happened? Where's your shirt?!” Sara asked, clearly alarmed at seeing the young man in such a state. Many thoughts were running through her head.

“Party I went to….Mark, he gave me….aspirin….not aspirin….ecstasy….I need help,” he explained, his breathing laboured.

Sara glanced at Catherine, who was on her cell phone. “C'mon Greg, let's go to my car and we can meet Catherine at the hospital.”

Greg nodded and followed her, though he didn't stop his rambling. “I don't do….this stuff….believe me….please….God I'm thirsty….Grissom's gonna be angry….”

Sara helped him into the passenger seat. “Grissom won't be angry at you, though, he'll want an explanation.”

“Mark wanted to….he gave it to me…..drugs…..go dancing….” The brunet mumbled, his teeth chattering, as she put his seat belt on for him.

Sara kept an eye on him, worriedly, while pulled out of the parking lot, Catherine not too far behind. Greg's ramblings died down to murmuring and Sara saw him curl up in his seat. When they got to the hospital, Sara turned her car off and gently shook Greg's arm. “Greg, Greggo, wake up, we're here,” she said.

“Hm.”Greg moaned softly, shifting so he was on his back. “Sara?”

“I'm right here, Greg,” she said, helping him get out of the car. “C'mon, we need to get you inside to see a doctor.”

“How is he?” Grissom asked when he got to the hospital.

“The doctors just finished pumping his stomach and getting a sample of his blood for drugs tests. They'll know soon enough,” Catherine said from beside him.

“Did he say anything before he was admitted in?”

“According to Sara, he kept babbling that this guy named Mark gave him ecstasy, which he was told was aspirin.”

“Where is she now?”

“I sent her home. She said she was going to come in and visit Greg before going to work.” Just then, a doctor came out of Greg room. “How is he, Doctor?”

“Are you family?” He asked.

“Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows, we're from the crime lab,” Grissom said showing the man his ID. “What can you tell us?”

“I gave him a light sedative to put him to sleep so we can help his body flush the drug out of his system,” he said. “I believe Mr. Sanders was a victim of abuse because I found scratches and deep cuts on his upper arms and bruising on his face, which was concealed by makeup, if that helps your investigation any.”

“Hopefully,” Grissom said, glancing at Catherine. “We'll need his clothing and I'll need to process him for evidence.”

“Alright, I'll get a nurse to help you,” the doctor said, going back into Greg's room.

“Quick thinking, but I'm too tired to work another case,” Catherine said.

“Greg's a victim, Catherine, and I want to catch whoever did this,” Grissom replied. “I'll need you to drop of Greg' clothes with the dayshift DNA lab tech, then you can go home.” The doctor came back with a bag and he handed it to Catherine who nodded at Grissom and left.

Grissom went to his car to retrieve his camera and came back to Greg's room. Grissom wasn't sure whether to half-smile or frown at the young man before him. Even in his sleep, Greg wasn't still. His jaw was moving slightly like his teeth were chattering and his right foot twitched every so often. While he took pictures of the brunet, he talked with him, telling him what he was doing and that he was going to find out who did this. Grissom frowned when he got a better look at Greg's mouth. Judging from the color, the bruise had had been there for over 24 hours. Grissom's mind started puzzling over the evidence presented to him.

When Greg awoke, he was startled to find himself in a hospital with a pounding headache. `What the hell happened…oh yeah.' he grimaced when he recalled the events from the night before and his eyes widened when he remembered talking with Sara and Catherine. `Oh god, I'm going to be in so much trouble,' he thought, frantically trying to get out of bed. He froze when the door opened and Brass and Grissom came in.

“Greg, how are you feeling?” Grissom asked.

“Like crap.” Greg mentally smacked himself for opening his mouth like that without thinking. “Grissom, I didn't willingly take that drug, Mark told me—”

“Greg!” Greg's mouth snapped shut. “I don't think you did. Brass and I are here to take an official statement from you.”

Greg sighed in relief, relaxing. “Okay.”

Grissom pulled up a chair and sat next to him, while Bras stood behind the older man. “What happened last night?”

“I went directly home after shift, had an orange, and took a nap. Mark woke me up and convinced me to go clubbing with him even though I had a headache. Still do, actually. I told him that, but he just gave me what I assumed was aspirin and said to get ready.”

“Who's this Mark guy?” Brass asked, after scribbling some notes down.

“Mark Henderson, my soon-to-be ex-partner,” Greg said, giving the captain a pointed look.

Grissom's eyebrow rose, but he didn't say anything.

“Anyway, we went t the Cat House and that's when I started feeling the affects of the drug; sensitized skin, heavy sweating, and I thought the strobe light were the coolest thing in the world, next to the Mass Spec.” Grissom smiled. “About, I don't know, three hours later, I was sitting with Mark and our club buddies; drinking water like it was going to disappear the next day. I went to the lou and that's when I finally realized I was high when I looked in the mirror in the bathroom.

“At first, I thought someone had slipped it in my drink or something, but then I remember that I never left my drink unattended or uncapped. That's when I concluded it had to have been Mark who did it. So, I left and headed in what I had hoped was the general direction to the station. I saw Catherine and Sara coming out of a diner and knew they could help me. Sara took me to the hospital and that's all I remember.” Greg took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“That was very descriptive,” Brass said. “Do you know where we can find him?”

“Um, he might be at work or at the bar. I'll give his cell number, work number and work address.”

While Greg told Brass said information, Grissom regarded the young man carefully. “Greg how did you get that bruise on your face?”

Greg looked elsewhere. “He hit me,” he said uncomfortably.

Grissom looked at Brass, who took the hint and left, muttering something about getting a couple uniforms to go over to Mark's workplace. “It's not the first time, is it?”

“You know, no matter how many times I left or pressed charges, he always found a way to guilt-trip me into coming back and dropping them. It was because of Mark I even became a DNA tech.”

Grissom's eyebrow rose. “I'm assuming he used that a lot.”

“Yeah, and I came back every time,” Greg said, rubbing his face tiredly.

“Do you want me to leave? I can come back another time.”

Greg shook his head. “I'm just pissed and overwhelmed that mark would do something like this,” he said, giving his boss a crooked smile.

“Well, I have one more question then I'll ask the doctor when you'll be released,” Grissom said. “Has Mark ever done drugs before or been around them in the past?”

“We've been together since college. Yeah he was a hardcore party guy, but I've never seen him do drugs. Of course, that's not to that's not to say he doesn't do them when I'm not around or when he was in high school. He just doesn't seem like the type to get high. He drinks a lot, but not to the point where it becomes a drinking problem.”

Grissom nodded. “Alright, I'm going to go find the doctor treating you.”

“Okay.” Greg watched him leave before lying down on his side, sighing softly. A million different thoughts were racing through his head, most of them relating to whether he was going to lose his job or not. The rational side of his brain kept telling him that he was tricked into taking the pill, so he wasn't going to be in trouble, but that didn't stop him from feeling nervous.

When Grissom returned, he said, “The doctor said you can leave later today after he gives you a final look over. The tests aren't going to be done for a few more days, so I told him to fax me the results.”

`I could get those results in half the time,' he thought. He nodded. “Great. Um, Grissom, this isn't going to be a problem at work, will it?”

“Greg, you're a victim. No one at work will know what happened, unless you tell them. As for work, I'm signing you up for a week of medical leave. In that time, I want you to see a counselor—”

“Grissom, I'm fine!” Greg protested. “I don't need to blurt my feeling out —because I'm unstable— to some stranger, who answers everything with a damn question!”

“I don't think you're unstable,” Grissom said calmly. “I just want an evaluation done. You're the best DNA tech I've ever had the pleasure of hiring and the most competent. I don't want you coming to work, without seeing someone, and proving me wrong.”

Greg bowed his head in defeat. “Fine, I'll do it,” he said reluctantly, though Grissom could distinctly hear the joy in his voice about being called the best.

“Good, I better get going. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything,” Grissom said, heading for the door.

“Grissom?” The older man turned to see Greg shyly looking at him.

“Yes?”

“You-You really think I'm the best DNA tech you've ever hired?”

Grissom smiled. “Yes, but please don't tell anyone I said so.”

Greg smiled also. “Our little secret.”

Jodine16: Finally, an update. Reviews are welcomed and cherished. Flames are laughed at and criticized.