Issues by SLynn

Summary: A year after being diagnosed with leukemia, on the road to remission, Greg's finally passed all his tests and is ready to be a fully trained CSI. However, his first case involves him more closely then he'd like considering he's a suspect.

Disclaimer: I own only the thoughts in my head and the characters you don't recognize.

Notes: Well, here goes the second story in a row for a show I'd never intended to write about. I hope you enjoy it. This is a follow-up to 'Happy Enough' which you may want to read first, but I'll try to play catch up in this first chapter.

Chapter 1: Better Days

Greg was having a very good week. He was finally, finally fully trained to do his job. It had taken a lot longer then normal, but considering the circumstances no one objected. In the year since he'd been promoted to CSI Level One, Greg had been diagnosed with leukemia, hospitalized twice, had two bone marrow transplants and one minor case of pneumonia. It had been a busy year.

He'd just gotten back from his doctor's appointment and Dr. Tracey had been pleased. She said he'd looked good and more importantly his last bone marrow test had come back clean. It was the second in a row. One more and he was officially in remission, but Greg tried not to get too excited. A month earlier he'd had a clean marrow reading, only to end up disappointed the next time round. The little voice in the back of his head kept insisting that this time was different, this time it hadn't just been one test, but he quelled it quickly. Sara however, was not so easy to quiet.

She was really excited. For once it had been her trying to talk him into calling in sick so that they could go out together. But he wouldn't do it. Not tonight. Tonight was his first official night not in training and he hadn't been in in two days. They both had Friday night off; they could celebrate in three days. Instead, she made lasagna. Tofu lasagna. Greg had thanked her, smiled and ate everything on his plate but passed on seconds. Sara and her vegetarianism was a minor hiccup in an otherwise good relationship. Since starting chemotherapy Greg hadn't been eating much meat to begin with, but he still liked it. Now the only chance he got to eat it was when they weren't on shift together.

Not that he was complaining. Sara was the best thing that had happened to him, despite how it came about. They did have problems and had fought on several occasions, but their fights never lasted more then a day. Most of them revolved around work, he'd learned early that just because they were sleeping together didn't mean she wouldn't call him out on his mistakes. He'd gotten over it quickly, knowing she only wanted him to do his best, but sometimes it still stung. They'd decided early on to keep their private lives just that. If people found out, so be it, but they weren't going to advertise. In little over seven months since they'd been together only two people had put two and two together, Nick and Amy.

Nick had figured it out when Greg caught pneumonia, not long after they'd started officially seeing each other. Greg had got pretty sick and had to be hospitalized, it was lucky Sara had been there as he'd ended up passing out in the shower. After calling 911 and the ride to the hospital, she'd phoned Nick. She'd been so discomposed that if she hadn't told him right then and there, he'd of guessed it anyways. Nick never gave them away, but did give them hell about it.

Amy finding out was a complete accident. Sara had become friendlier with her after finally realizing that there was never anything happening between Amy and Greg, but they were hardly best friends. Amy noticed the difference and accepted it without explanation. It all made sense to her after the fact. Normally Greg and Sara didn't show any affection to each other at work, but after a case that had been particularly bad they'd snuck up on the roof to regroup. Amy had seen them leave together, assumed only they were discussing the case, and having some good news about who the killer was had gone up to tell them. She'd been shocked to find them kissing, but only before embarrassment set in. She never talked about it openly with Sara, but was happy on Greg's account. That was three months ago.

Greg had told his parents, Maggie and Jeff, fairly early on about him and Sara. She'd been reluctant for him to do so but he had a hard time keeping things from them. They both respected their decision not to tell their co-workers by the large and in the times they'd visited had yet to betray them.

Sara however had not told her parents. Greg had thought it was odd that she never spoke about them, but knew not everyone had as strong of a relationship as he did with his own parents. He never pressured her to tell him things because gradually she would anyway, just like he would with her. They didn't have some great big heart-to-heart conversation about all the good and bad things that had happened in their lives. It was more like every day they found another piece to the puzzle.

Greg made it into work on time, but barely. There had been a fender-bender near his exit on the interstate causing a delay. He wasn't even down the hall before Nick ran up to him.

"And?" he asked knowing Greg knew exactly what he meant.

"Hello?" Greg responded, opting to play dumb.

"Come on man, what were the results? I called your place but you must have just left. It was clean wasn't it?"

"Yes, yes it was."

"I knew it," Nick said loudly, causing one of the temporary techs to jump.

"Could you keep it down some? I'm trying to not get too excited. I've got one tap left and then the rest of my life to worry about it."

Greg had tried to sound skeptical, but had failed miserably.

"You shouldn't have come in tonight," Nick continued on with him towards the break room, "I wouldn't have. You and Sara could have gone out, she's off tonight right?"

"Yes she is and could you please keep it down?" This time the agitation in his voice had been real.

"I don't know why you two are being this way," Nick said seriously. "No one cares and it isn't that big of a deal."

"We care, so yes it is."

"Care about what?" Warrick asked. Nick and Greg had rounded the corner into the break room as they'd been speaking.

"You," Nick said trying to cover up what had been his mistake in the first place. "We care about you so it's important."

Warrick didn't look like he'd bought it but chalked it up to Nick and Greg being Nick and Greg.

"Are the results in yet?" Warrick asked Greg.

"Yes," he nodded, now unable to keep the smile off his face.

"Good news then?"

"One more to go."

"Excellent," Warrick answered, really happy to hear it. Greg had been working with Warrick for close to a year and they'd gotten to become better friends because of it. He use to have a hard time handling Greg's manic moods, he was just too hyper, but he found that he really wasn't as bad as he'd always assumed. He did get a little crazy with too much caffeine and not enough work to occupy his full attention, but that hardly ever happened now that he was working cases full time.

Catherine arrived with Gil and had no time to ask Greg the news. Instead she threw him an inquisitive glance to which he returned a thumbs up. Catherine smiled brilliantly back at him in response.

"Sorry I'm late," Grissom said getting straight to business. "I'm going to make this quick. I just got off the phone with Brass; there's been a murder in Summerlin. We're not sure what we've got exactly, we'll know more on scene. Nick and Greg, I'm making you two lead on this. Catherine and Warrick will second. I'm going with you to the scene for recovery. Questions?"

It was the shortest staff meeting they'd had in a long time. No one wasted any time getting to the SUVs.

"You're never going to let me drive, are you?" Greg asked as once more he was confined to the passengers' seat.

"I told you, if you'd get here first I'd let you drive."

"Well, I don't know what worm hole you go through that magically transports you from the locker room to the garage, but one day I'm going to find it."

Nick laughed. Greg had actually been getting pretty close to the truth with that statement. Of course, it wasn't a worm hole just a back door. He figured if Greg hadn't found it already, he never would and the look on Greg's face when he'd find Nick in the truck knowing he'd left he locker room first was always good for a laugh.

"Laugh all you want, but one day Sara's going to tell me. Someone's going to tell me how you do it."

"Sara won't tell you because then she'd have to let you drive too."

"I don't mind her driving; it's yours I have a problem with."

"That's not good Greggo. You are starting to sound like a kept man."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. If she wants to take charge…"

"Ground rules Sanders, remember the ground rules," Nick said loudly drowning him out. "I'm okay with you two as long as I don't have to know the details."

Greg just laughed. He'd discovered not to long ago that he could keep Nick off his back about Sara and him if he even hinted around the more intimate aspects of it.

"God, she's like a sister to me," Nick continued trying to shrug it off. "And you're like a brother, so you can imagine how incestuous the whole thing feels."

"Oh, now you've got to stop," Greg cut in. "It's not incest. I wouldn't say anything like that to you if you were dating someone from work."

"Okay, imagine me and Catherine."

Greg pulled a face that made Nick roll with laughter.

"Okay, Catherine's beautiful and I have nothing against her personally, but I've told you like a thousand times she reminds me of my mom. So instead of you and Catherine, my sick brain jumps straight to you and my mom and now you've ruined sex for me. That and I may have to kick your ass later."

Nick continued to laugh as they pulled up to the scene.

"Okay, time to be serious."

"Yeah," Greg said taking in the view. It was nice home, now completely surrounded with cop cars and crime scene tape.

"Ready for your first walk thru?" Nick asked him as they got their things together.

"Seriously, I'm going first?"

"Why not? You're fully qualified now. I'll be right behind you. Grissom will probably be watching your every move."

"Very reassuring."

"If nothing else, that's what I'm here for."

"Okay," Greg said taking a deep breath. "Let's get going then."