AN: I was encouraged to write a sequel to Pain but his can be read alone or as a sequel
Warnings: Slash
Disclaimer: not mine
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(Warrick's P.O.V.)
I like to think of my self as a good CSI. I'm just not used to analyzing my best friend. But I can tell somethings wrong and anytime I ask he waves it off as a "tough case." I know better then that, I know he's been in the lab all day running here and there finalizing old evidence for a case going to court. So now I'm waiting n the locker room, just to see why he's acting so strange.
"Hey Man, I thought you left an hour ago." He says to me as he opens his locker.
"I know something's wrong Nicky, I just don't understand why you won't talk about it, I'm your best friend, whatever it is I'm not gonna judge you." I had to get that out in the open because I've had my suspicions of Nick's sexuality since the whole thing with Kristy years ago. Lately though I've wanted a straight answer, I find it odd that he and Greg are always out on the same days and Nick never seems to have his car at work. There have been a couple of days though out the last year where I figured I was wrong. At those times both Nick and Greg would be at work and it was as though they had never even met. He slammed his locker and straddled the bench facing me.
"Look, it's just problems with the girl friend; it'll work out always does."
Girlfriend? I don't think so.
"I thought you said it was the case getting to you." Now I have him.
He was silent just staring at the wall to my left. He sighed and looked up teary eyed, this must be bad. I know he's emotional but to tear up at almost nothing he really needs to vent.
"Come on," I say grabbing my jacket from where I'd left it on the bench, "I'll drive you home we can grab a beer and you can tell me."
He looked up, face red with embarrassment; this was getting weirder by the second.
"Actually, I'm stayin' in a hotel." He states looking down to the bench in front of him.
"Why?" Nothing makes sense anymore!
"Not here, I'll tell you in the car, I made a mistake." He gets up and heads out, I wait a minute just clearing my head, and follow. He's already waiting by my car.
"Which hotel are you in, I'll take you there."
He waits until were both seated within the confines of my car before answering.
"Can you take me to this address?"
He hands me a post it note with a street name and apartment number on it, I recognize it instantly.
"This is Greg's place?" It's a question but he doesn't answer, so I start the engine and pull out. About half way there he starts to tell me what happened. Apparently Greg's arm was grazed by a bullet in a minor shoot out last week and they had a fight, and Nick walked out and never went back.
My suspicions have been confirmed, He and Greg have been together about a year, and all those times they acted like they never met were fights.
This one must have gotten both of them good, Greg had the okay to work almost right away, The bullet didn't do much damage, yet now I realize I haven't seen Greg all week and can't figure Out why, I voice this thought and Nick looks at me, eyes vacant of emotion.
"I don't know, I'm starting to worry. Our last fight got really bad," he points towards his eye, it's bruised, but when I asked about it earlier in the week he said he got hit with the car door. He's a bad liar. "He punched me, after I shoved him, it was awful I just had to get out, but I couldn't make myself go back."
The rest of the ride is silent, I pull into a parking space for visitors, and we head up stairs. No words, there's no need. Nick pulls out a key and opens a door on the second floor. I stay by the door and nick takes off running toward the bedroom, soft sobs reach my ears and I understand my place is here, incase I'm needed, his is in there fixing whatever this is. I can only here muffled voices from the bed room, Nick speaks first.
"Baby, I'm sorry." a pause and the clinking of something glass. "What have you done?"
Next Greg speaks through subsiding sobs. "I couldn't take it; I thought I actually lost you this time.
"You'll never lose me, now how about we all go out to dinner and talk this over."
"All?" Greg sounds nervous.
Nick chuckles and answers simply, "Warrick drove me home."
That conversation will be with me the rest of my life, because never have I heard my best friend as happy as when he said the word Home.