Deja Vu
Author's Note: After the season finale. Slash. Nick/Greg
Disclaimer: CSI, not mine
***
"Hey, Greggo!" Nick knocked cheerfully on the doorframe to the lab. "Ya ready to go?"
Greg looked up from his work. "What?"
"Big homicide case. Gris asked for you to come along, so let's go before the blood dries,"
Greg frowned and narrowed his eyes, but stood. "All right, hang on," He headed for the lockers, shedding his lab coat as he went. A minute later her returned with a jacket on. "Let's go," He said impatiently as he walked past Nick, who shook his and chuckled wryly before jogging after the retreating lab tech.
Nick and Greg both wrinkled their noses when they entered the house. The air was thick with the smell of blood. It was nauseating.
"Ya gonna be okay?" Nick asked Greg, knowing the younger man couldn't handle blood terribly well.
Greg flashed him a glare. "Let's just get this over with," He responded with a sigh, feeling out of place in the field.
Nick shrugged and led Greg through the crowd of cops and CSI's until they found Grissom. "Hey, where do ya want us?"
"Upstairs, end of the hall. You'll know it when you see it," He clapped his CSI and lab tech on their backs. "Have fun." He walked away, leaving the two more nervous than curious.
Grissom was right. The room he wanted them to process stood out a mile, mostly because of the blood. It was everywhere. The plush white carpet in the hallway became matted and blood red right at the doorway. Even the cheery flowered wallpaper was streaked crimson. Greg and Nick stared in from the hallway, jaws slack.
"Holy shit," Nick whispered. Greg could only nod. Finally, Nick composed himself and slapped Greg's back. "Well, have fun,"
Greg blinked and closed his mouth. "What?!" He turned on Nick. "Why me?"
"Well, you wanna be a CSI, so, here, practice," Nick turned and headed back toward the stairs.
"But-" Greg began, then sighed. With a grumbling of less-than- civilized language, he set to work.
Greg was almost done when the floor behind him squeaked. "Happy, Nick? I'm almost done," He stood and started to turn back toward the door. "Man, you're such a-" He didn't get to finish his sentence...and the person in the hallway wasn't Nick. Greg was tackled to the ground and pinned down. Before he could react he felt something press against his chest. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. 'Oh, god. A gun,'
Nick jumped when he heard a thump from upstairs. The crowd had left the house, leaving only him and Greg. Nick went over and stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Greg?" He called upstairs. There was no response. "Greg, are you okay?" He began to slowly ascend the stairs.
Greg's wide eyes flashed from the door to his assailant and back again. "Say anything and you die," The blood-soaked murderer hissed, pressing his gun down harder to emphasize his point. Greg's panicked gasps echoed in the room. He could hear Nick on the stairs.
"Greg?"
'Oh, god, no. Run, Nick, please!' Nick had reached the hallway. 'Run, dammit! Please!' Nick was probably just a step away from the door. "Nick, run- AAH!" The guy fired. Pain laced through Greg's body. Blood came immediately, soaking his shirt and making it stick to him. He didn't even notice when his shooter left.
Nick's gun was in his hand in a second when he heard the gunshot and Greg's scream. A man, probably the shooter, ran out of the room. When he noticed Nick he began to aim, but Nick was quicker. The bastard fell backwards, hit the wall, and slid to the ground, leaving a blood smear. His eyes remained wide on either side of the bullet hole. Nick walked toward him, but froze midstride in front of the door. He slowly turned, his own eyes wide. "Greg!" He whispered. He dropped his gun and scrambled over to Greg's side. He cradled Greg to his chest. "Greg, come on. Wake up, please," He said softly, smoothing back Greg's hair. "Come on," Tears burned his eyes. "Someone help me!" He scooped Greg up into his arms and was downstairs in a flash. Luckily, the front door had been left open. "Someone call 911!" He dropped to one knee and lowered Greg gently to the ground. Grissom kneeled beside them while Catherine stood behind him, pale at the sight before her. Nick could hear Warrick on his cell phone with the 911 operator. "Come on, Greg. Hang on. Please," Nick said quietly to his wounded friend, applying pressure to the wound with one hand while the other ran over Greg's hair, visibly trembling. Grissom and Catherine both saw the gentle way Nick handled Greg and exchanged knowing looks.
Grissom stood by the nurses station, giving Nick his space. The CSI was sitting in a chair, elbows on his knees, face buried in his hands.
"He looks terrible," Catherine walked up behind Grissom.
"Yeah," He responded absently, not taking his eyes off of Nick.
"You should talk to him,"
"I wouldn't know what to say,"
Catherine set a hand on his shoulder. "I think you do," She walked away, her heels clicking on the tile. Grissom glanced back over his shoulder, then, with a sigh, pushed away from the counter and walked toward Nick. He looked up as Grissom approached. He did look terrible. His eyes were bloodshot from crying, dark circles were forming beneath them as well, and his hair was sticking up in a style reminiscent of Greg's.
"It's my fault," Nick said, staring at the floor. "I shouldn't have left him alone,"
Grissom leaned against the wall across from him, hands in his pockets. "Nick, no one saw it coming. I mean, there were cops crawling all over that place. You'd think someone would've found him," Nick was silent. "Besides, do you think you could've protected him?"
"I could've done something," Nick looked up at him.
"Like what?"
"Damn, Gris, I don't know!" Nick jumped to his feet and began to pace. "I could've... I'd..." He subsided with a sigh and dropped back into his chair. Finally, after a moment, he spoke quietly. "I would've taken that bullet for him,"
Grissom studied him before responding. "I know," When Nick said nothing, he continued. "Nick, you love Greg,"
Nick blinked and looked up, trying to look shocked. Of course, he couldn't hide his blush. "What?! No way, okay? I'm straight,"
"It's not about being gay or straight, it's about loving someone; being there for them," Nick was staring at the ground again. "Nick, Greg needs you more than ever right now. Put aside all the macho bullshit you've been brainwashed with and tell him how you feel. It could save his life," Grissom pushed away from the wall and walked back the way he had come. Nick glanced at his boss' back, then stared at the floor again.
Nick stood in the doorway to Greg's hospital room, hands plunged deep into his pockets. The ventilator was almost deafening. Nick crossed the floor to Greg's side and pulled up a chair. He hesitated, then took Greg's hand in both of his, carefully avoiding the IV. "Greg," He didn't quite know what to say. "Greg, I..." He sighed. "Greg, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone," He finally said quietly, focusing on Greg's hand in his. "But you shouldn't have tried to warn me! That's why that asshole shot you! What were you thinking?!" He yelled this time, angry, but not really angry at Greg. Tears burned in his eyes and began to coarse down his face. He bowed his head, crying softly. "Greg, why did you risk yourself for me?" In the silence following, Nick found an answer. His eyes widened and he lifted his head. "Do you love me? Is that it?" His grip on Greg's hand tightened. "I love you, too, Greg," Nick gently kissed the back of Greg's hand. The once lifeless fingers twitched in his hands. Nick looked up. Greg's eyes opened to stare at the ceiling. "Greg?" He looked at Greg, who broke out in a big grin.
Nick knocked on the doorframe. Greg looked over, surprised, and smiled. "Hey, Nick,"
"What's up, G?" Nick smiled in return and entered the room. "Brought your cd player. Didn't really know what cd's to bring, so I brought a stack," He set the player and cd's next to a tray of untouched hospital food. "Not hungry?" Nick asked as he pulled up a chair.
Greg wrinkled his nose. "Not for this crap. It's like something I test everyday," They laughed. Greg broke the uncomfortable silence that followed. "I'm sorry,"
"For what?"
"For disappointing you. I... I didn't..." Greg sighed and bowed his head. "I didn't want him to hurt you," He finally said quietly.
"You heard me?"
"Yeah, Nick. I was unconscious, not in a coma," He chuckled weakly.
Another awkward silence followed as the two looked at anything but each other.
"Greg, I-"
"Nick, I-"
They blurted in unison. They laughed nervously, then Greg spoke first. "Nick, I... I love you," He stared at his hands while he spoke. Nick smiled fondly, then leaned over, setting a hand on Greg's, and gently kissed him. Greg returned the kiss, surprised. Nick broke the embrace a few moments later and pulled back, gazing into his companion's eyes.
"I love you, too,"
Author's Note: After the season finale. Slash. Nick/Greg
Disclaimer: CSI, not mine
***
"Hey, Greggo!" Nick knocked cheerfully on the doorframe to the lab. "Ya ready to go?"
Greg looked up from his work. "What?"
"Big homicide case. Gris asked for you to come along, so let's go before the blood dries,"
Greg frowned and narrowed his eyes, but stood. "All right, hang on," He headed for the lockers, shedding his lab coat as he went. A minute later her returned with a jacket on. "Let's go," He said impatiently as he walked past Nick, who shook his and chuckled wryly before jogging after the retreating lab tech.
Nick and Greg both wrinkled their noses when they entered the house. The air was thick with the smell of blood. It was nauseating.
"Ya gonna be okay?" Nick asked Greg, knowing the younger man couldn't handle blood terribly well.
Greg flashed him a glare. "Let's just get this over with," He responded with a sigh, feeling out of place in the field.
Nick shrugged and led Greg through the crowd of cops and CSI's until they found Grissom. "Hey, where do ya want us?"
"Upstairs, end of the hall. You'll know it when you see it," He clapped his CSI and lab tech on their backs. "Have fun." He walked away, leaving the two more nervous than curious.
Grissom was right. The room he wanted them to process stood out a mile, mostly because of the blood. It was everywhere. The plush white carpet in the hallway became matted and blood red right at the doorway. Even the cheery flowered wallpaper was streaked crimson. Greg and Nick stared in from the hallway, jaws slack.
"Holy shit," Nick whispered. Greg could only nod. Finally, Nick composed himself and slapped Greg's back. "Well, have fun,"
Greg blinked and closed his mouth. "What?!" He turned on Nick. "Why me?"
"Well, you wanna be a CSI, so, here, practice," Nick turned and headed back toward the stairs.
"But-" Greg began, then sighed. With a grumbling of less-than- civilized language, he set to work.
Greg was almost done when the floor behind him squeaked. "Happy, Nick? I'm almost done," He stood and started to turn back toward the door. "Man, you're such a-" He didn't get to finish his sentence...and the person in the hallway wasn't Nick. Greg was tackled to the ground and pinned down. Before he could react he felt something press against his chest. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. 'Oh, god. A gun,'
Nick jumped when he heard a thump from upstairs. The crowd had left the house, leaving only him and Greg. Nick went over and stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Greg?" He called upstairs. There was no response. "Greg, are you okay?" He began to slowly ascend the stairs.
Greg's wide eyes flashed from the door to his assailant and back again. "Say anything and you die," The blood-soaked murderer hissed, pressing his gun down harder to emphasize his point. Greg's panicked gasps echoed in the room. He could hear Nick on the stairs.
"Greg?"
'Oh, god, no. Run, Nick, please!' Nick had reached the hallway. 'Run, dammit! Please!' Nick was probably just a step away from the door. "Nick, run- AAH!" The guy fired. Pain laced through Greg's body. Blood came immediately, soaking his shirt and making it stick to him. He didn't even notice when his shooter left.
Nick's gun was in his hand in a second when he heard the gunshot and Greg's scream. A man, probably the shooter, ran out of the room. When he noticed Nick he began to aim, but Nick was quicker. The bastard fell backwards, hit the wall, and slid to the ground, leaving a blood smear. His eyes remained wide on either side of the bullet hole. Nick walked toward him, but froze midstride in front of the door. He slowly turned, his own eyes wide. "Greg!" He whispered. He dropped his gun and scrambled over to Greg's side. He cradled Greg to his chest. "Greg, come on. Wake up, please," He said softly, smoothing back Greg's hair. "Come on," Tears burned his eyes. "Someone help me!" He scooped Greg up into his arms and was downstairs in a flash. Luckily, the front door had been left open. "Someone call 911!" He dropped to one knee and lowered Greg gently to the ground. Grissom kneeled beside them while Catherine stood behind him, pale at the sight before her. Nick could hear Warrick on his cell phone with the 911 operator. "Come on, Greg. Hang on. Please," Nick said quietly to his wounded friend, applying pressure to the wound with one hand while the other ran over Greg's hair, visibly trembling. Grissom and Catherine both saw the gentle way Nick handled Greg and exchanged knowing looks.
Grissom stood by the nurses station, giving Nick his space. The CSI was sitting in a chair, elbows on his knees, face buried in his hands.
"He looks terrible," Catherine walked up behind Grissom.
"Yeah," He responded absently, not taking his eyes off of Nick.
"You should talk to him,"
"I wouldn't know what to say,"
Catherine set a hand on his shoulder. "I think you do," She walked away, her heels clicking on the tile. Grissom glanced back over his shoulder, then, with a sigh, pushed away from the counter and walked toward Nick. He looked up as Grissom approached. He did look terrible. His eyes were bloodshot from crying, dark circles were forming beneath them as well, and his hair was sticking up in a style reminiscent of Greg's.
"It's my fault," Nick said, staring at the floor. "I shouldn't have left him alone,"
Grissom leaned against the wall across from him, hands in his pockets. "Nick, no one saw it coming. I mean, there were cops crawling all over that place. You'd think someone would've found him," Nick was silent. "Besides, do you think you could've protected him?"
"I could've done something," Nick looked up at him.
"Like what?"
"Damn, Gris, I don't know!" Nick jumped to his feet and began to pace. "I could've... I'd..." He subsided with a sigh and dropped back into his chair. Finally, after a moment, he spoke quietly. "I would've taken that bullet for him,"
Grissom studied him before responding. "I know," When Nick said nothing, he continued. "Nick, you love Greg,"
Nick blinked and looked up, trying to look shocked. Of course, he couldn't hide his blush. "What?! No way, okay? I'm straight,"
"It's not about being gay or straight, it's about loving someone; being there for them," Nick was staring at the ground again. "Nick, Greg needs you more than ever right now. Put aside all the macho bullshit you've been brainwashed with and tell him how you feel. It could save his life," Grissom pushed away from the wall and walked back the way he had come. Nick glanced at his boss' back, then stared at the floor again.
Nick stood in the doorway to Greg's hospital room, hands plunged deep into his pockets. The ventilator was almost deafening. Nick crossed the floor to Greg's side and pulled up a chair. He hesitated, then took Greg's hand in both of his, carefully avoiding the IV. "Greg," He didn't quite know what to say. "Greg, I..." He sighed. "Greg, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone," He finally said quietly, focusing on Greg's hand in his. "But you shouldn't have tried to warn me! That's why that asshole shot you! What were you thinking?!" He yelled this time, angry, but not really angry at Greg. Tears burned in his eyes and began to coarse down his face. He bowed his head, crying softly. "Greg, why did you risk yourself for me?" In the silence following, Nick found an answer. His eyes widened and he lifted his head. "Do you love me? Is that it?" His grip on Greg's hand tightened. "I love you, too, Greg," Nick gently kissed the back of Greg's hand. The once lifeless fingers twitched in his hands. Nick looked up. Greg's eyes opened to stare at the ceiling. "Greg?" He looked at Greg, who broke out in a big grin.
Nick knocked on the doorframe. Greg looked over, surprised, and smiled. "Hey, Nick,"
"What's up, G?" Nick smiled in return and entered the room. "Brought your cd player. Didn't really know what cd's to bring, so I brought a stack," He set the player and cd's next to a tray of untouched hospital food. "Not hungry?" Nick asked as he pulled up a chair.
Greg wrinkled his nose. "Not for this crap. It's like something I test everyday," They laughed. Greg broke the uncomfortable silence that followed. "I'm sorry,"
"For what?"
"For disappointing you. I... I didn't..." Greg sighed and bowed his head. "I didn't want him to hurt you," He finally said quietly.
"You heard me?"
"Yeah, Nick. I was unconscious, not in a coma," He chuckled weakly.
Another awkward silence followed as the two looked at anything but each other.
"Greg, I-"
"Nick, I-"
They blurted in unison. They laughed nervously, then Greg spoke first. "Nick, I... I love you," He stared at his hands while he spoke. Nick smiled fondly, then leaned over, setting a hand on Greg's, and gently kissed him. Greg returned the kiss, surprised. Nick broke the embrace a few moments later and pulled back, gazing into his companion's eyes.
"I love you, too,"