Title: Emotionally Trying

Fandom: CSI

Characters: Nick Stokes, Greg Sanders
Pairing: Nick/Greg

Prompt: Prompt # 95 Emotional

Word Count: 797

Rating: T

Summary: Greg's having a bad time dealing with a case he had. Nick comes home and comforts him.

Author's Notes:

There were just some days where Greg was more emotional than others. There were some days where he could process a scene and not even blink an eye. There were other days where cases just got to him. Everyone had certain types of cases that made them emotional. For Nick, it was children.

Today was one of those days where a case had made Greg emotional. He sighed again as he ran his hand through his hair and burrowed himself deeper into the couch on which he was currently curled up. He loved his job and didn't regret becoming a CSI, but sometimes he wondered if the job was worth the emotional pain they all went through from time to time.

"Hey," a voice said, startling the young CSI out of his thoughts.

"Hey," Greg replied, looking up at his boyfriend. "Didn't hear you come in. How long have you been here?" he asked, scooting over so the other man could sit down.

"A couple of seconds," the older man replied. He glanced at his boyfriend, allowing a worried look to cross his face. "Want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," Greg replied, taking the invitation of Nick's open arm to snuggle up against him. "Just hold me, please?" Greg whispered, glancing up at Nick, who simply smiled and hugged the younger man closer. He knew from firsthand experience how cases could get to someone. It didn't matter how careful you were, or what you did.

"It'll be alright Greg, it will be alright," Nick whispered, trying to comfort the now crying man in his arms.

"I thought I could handle it. I thought the case wouldn't affect me. Nicky, I'm still not over it," Greg said, pulling back slightly to look his lover in the face.

"Over what?" Nick asked, slightly confused as to what Greg was talking about.

"The accident," Greg replied, burying his head into Nick's neck. The Texan's mouth formed the shape of an O, quickly clueing in to what this was all about. Grissom must have sent Greg on a case that involved a burned body. Nick instantly felt the anger bubbling up in his chest. How could Grissom be so insensitive? he thought. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. It would do neither of them any good to get mad. Right now Greg needed Nick to be there for him, to be levelheaded, cool, calm and collected.

"I'm not mad at Grissom," Greg said, soothing his boyfriend. "He wouldn't have given me the case if he didn't think I was ready. Heck, I thought I was ready. Everyone thought I was over the lab explosion. It's just the smell and the look of the body… it reminds me so much of what happened to me. What if the explosion had been bigger? I could have ended up like that. What if…"

"Greg," Nick said, cutting the younger man off. "No more what ifs. They're not going to do you any good. You're alive, you survived the accident and that's all that matters. You're ok and you're alive. I know that the lab accident was a terrible thing and no one should have to go through something like that, but you did and you came out stronger for it." The older man paused, letting his words sink in.

"We're always going to have cases that will affect us, but Greg, you can't think of the "what ifs". It'll destroy you if you do." Nick said quietly, pulling Greg up slightly so he could look in his eyes.

"Thank you," Greg said, leaning forward and pressing his lips against the other man's lips. "I needed to hear that." He smiled shyly before getting up and extending his hand to the other man.

"Read to go to bed? I know both of us could use the sleep." He smiled slightly as he looked down at his boyfriend. What he would ever do without the man, he didn't know. I doubt I would have made it this far without him, he thought as he felt Nick take his hand and rise to his feet.

"I think that's the best idea you've had all day," he smiled before leaning down and pressing a small kiss on the side of Greg's neck. He pulled back slowly, placing small kisses along the neck to the jaw line, finally kissing the other man full on the lips.

Greg moaned into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. This feels so right, he thought as he felt hands gently caressing his sides.

"Bedroom," Nick gasped as he ripped his mouth reluctantly away from his lover's. Greg barely had the chance to nod before he was being pulled behind his very enthusiastic lover.