AN: CSI Nick/Greg shipping, m/m slash, don't like, don't read. Please review at the end of each chapter!

3 Chapters

Disclaimer: Not mine, blah blah (if they were, the CSI romance-plot lines would look quuuuite different... :-P)

Enjoy!

Time Stood Still

Time Stood Still – The Newest Team Member

Nick Stokes looked up from his latest obtained evidence when he heard excited voices in the hallway outside his office. He stuck his head around the door to find Grissom talking to a guy he'd never seen before. The man looked much younger than most of Nick's co-workers, but was wearing a forensics lab coat.

The first time that I saw you

Still so much we had to teach

To the newest team member

And you seemed so out of reach

"Ah, and this will be one of the persons you're going to see a lot of," Grissom said to the young man when he caught sight of Nick. "This is CSI Nick Stokes. One of our best."

Nick's face flashed into a modest smile and Grissom gestured at the youthful chap, "And this is Greg Sanders, our new lab technician."

Greg Sanders smiled shyly too and nodded as a greeting, before Grissom took his arm and pulled him towards the next room, "Now this is our break room, just to relax in between-"

Nick's stomach made a weird back flip while he watched Grissom and Sanders walk away further through the corridor, Sanders asking a question from time to time. Wow, Nick thought, he's cute. There was something sweet, almost vulnerable about this guy. Yet somehow he wasn't able to fully get a grip on him. He couldn't quite explain this feeling, but it was as though this guy was not really there. As though he was beyond his reach. Literally.

Nick got back into his office and sat down behind his desk, trying to focus on his work instead of Grissom's latest purchase. The rest of the day he was able to make some progress in the case he was working on and Greg Sanders didn't pop up in his head more than once or twice, these times causing Nick to smile happily.

All the guys were working 'round you

In the Las Vegas crime lab

One hour before his shift was over, Nick realized that he needed some evidence to be examined, which meant that he'd have to bring it to Sanders. He threw a semi-casual glance at the mirror on the closet, before getting up and taking his evidence to the lab.

When he entered, Sanders was busy investigating the microscope, muttering to himself and asking questions. He did not notice Nick coming in and kept murmuring things to the iron device.

Nick observed the man standing bowed low over the microscope and tried to take in every inch of him. He was so handsome it made Nick feel insecure, something that didn't happen to him a lot. The guy's hair was blond and spiky and Nick felt an urge to run his hand through it. He managed to take his eyes off the guy for a moment and tried to remember why he was there. Right, the evidence. He cleared his throat, but when he spoke his voice sounded hoarse.

"I don't think it's going to give you any useful response." Nick said and the young man jumped, in sudden awareness that someone was watching him.

Nick's stomach made the second toss of that day when his eyes met the ones of the other man.

I made a wish to know you

And touch your ruffled hair

You turned around and looked at me

And paradise was there

"Need any help?" Nick asked, knowing that he couldn't possibly be any more helpful than the microscope, but guessing right that Sanders would brush his help aside.

"No, thank you. I was just trying out a few things." he said and he grinned nervously.

Nick smiled encouragingly and decided that he definitely wanted to get to know this guy better. He walked up to Sanders and leaned against the desk.

"It's Sanders, right?" he inquired, although he knew both the first and family name of this guy and he was sure he wouldn't ever forget them.

Sanders nodded. "But please call me Greg."

"Okay, Greg, I will. Do you like it here?" he asked, "The lab, the people, the job?"

Greg nodded again, very enthusiastically this time and he seemed to relax a little bit. Nick could see the tension in his face make place for eagerness and a flicker of self confidence.

"Yes, I think I'm gonna love working here. I've waited so long to put my theoretical knowledge into practice. Plus all the people I've met so far seemed very kind and helpful."

"They are." Nick said and Greg gestured towards the evidence bag Nick was clutching in his hand.

"So, what can I do for you?" he asked, "Got something I need to take a look at?"

Nick nodded and handed the younger man the bag, shivering when the tip of Greg's fingers brushed lightly over his. Our first touch, he thought, but he shook off this unwise brain wave and managed to act normally during the next ten minutes that he and Greg examined his piece of evidence together, standing much closer to each other than Nick would've allowed with any other lab tech.

Baby I remember

The way you touched my hand