AN: OK, For your information I don't own them… but sometimes I loan them and give them back not too damaged…

Now I am reliably informed by my beta (that's you Will!) that this is a cliff hanger, but I'm not much good at sequels. I'll see what I can do. This is a little angsty, I'm sorry! But that's just the way it happened… It was supposed to be a sequel to 'Pretend to be nice' but I think it is and it isn't, it could go either way…

So now there's just one more thing for me to say… REVIEW! REVIEW REVIEW! (unless you're gonna flame me about writing slash coz I won't pay any attention!)

I Promise…

His breath came shallow and fast. This couldn't be happening, it wasn't happening! This was all just a bad dream, a stupid nightmare he'd forget as soon as he woke up.

But as the knife went in and his own warm, red blood caressed his skin, he knew it wasn't a dream

The pain was all consuming, blinding him with its intensity and blocking almost every thought from his mind. Almost every thought because, as he lay there, the life seeping from him and his attacker destroying his body and soul, one thought still plagued him- he was late.

They had arranged to meet that night and he had already been late when he parked his car, but now he was going to be really late.

In his mind's eye he could see Nick sitting at the table and checking his watch, thinking he had been stood up, thinking that he didn't care. Greg felt a tear roll into his mouth, salty, unlike the blood already there.

It wasn't fair! This was their first date and some idiotic mugger had ruined it, and now Nick would hate him. How could he make this up to him?

Still worried about this, Greg Sanders, lab tech for the Las Vegas Crime Lab slipped into troubled unconsciousness.

*****

Nick was getting worried. Greg hadn't turned up yet and that wasn't a good sign. He leaned back in his seat, eyes searching the room for a familiar mop of brown hair and goofy grin, but none was there.

The events of the past few days tumbled through his mind- the kiss in the lab. The moment he'd realised his dreams weren't as stupid as he'd thought. The look of happiness on Greg's face as they'd drawn back, a subtle difference to the grin forever etched on his mind.

Could it be possible? Could he have misread the signs? Did Greg not like him after all?

No, he'd seen the look on his face, he was definitely attracted to him… what then?

Hesitant to go, and perhaps miss Greg, Nick decided to stay a few more minutes.

*****

In the dark recesses o the empty car park a shadowy figure grabbed a bloody knife and hurried away, leaving his victim to bleed to death.

*****

Greg drifted in and out of consciousness, feeling a cold hand close around his heart as he sensed the life ebbing from his body. With a detached thought he realised he was dying, but this didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was Nick, sitting alone in the restaurant and thinking that he didn't care.

With what he thought was his last breath, Greg wished he could see Nick, just once more. If only to apologise for standing him up.

*****

Nick wandered through the car park, idly swinging his car keys and sunk into a world of confusion. Had they been going too fast? Had Greg decided he could do better? Which, Nick thought to himself, was undeniably true. Or maybe he'd…

Nick caught sight of a foot sticking out from behind a car similar to Greg's. He broke into a run- that was Greg's car!

*****

As if from miles away Greg heard someone calling his name, a voice he recognised.

"Nick," he whispered, unable to raise his voice and blinking groggily as the face he knew so well swam into focus. A finger gently touched his lips.

"Don't talk…" he was urged by that amazing Texan drawl, "the ambulance is on its way and so are the police." Greg was confused. An ambulance? The police? What did you need an ambulance for when you were dead? And then he realised- the pain was still there; he was still alive.

"Nick," he croaked urgently, he had to say this; he had to apologise.

"Shh…" the young man responded, slipping an arm round him, but Greg refused to be placated. He had to get this out.

"I'm sorry," he managed to rasp. Nick's head came close in order to hear. Greg just wanted to reach up and kiss him, wipe those tears from his eyes. Tears? Nick was crying? Over him?

"For what?" Nick asked gently, tears running down his cheeks as Greg's blood soaked his trousers and shirt.

"For not turning up," Greg murmured, desperate to let Nick know that he had not meant to stand him up, but his voice getting quieter by the minute and all strength leaving him.

Nick blinked in surprise. Greg was sorry for not getting to the restaurant? Why? It was he who should be apologising, for not being there, for not coming sooner, for doubting him. Greg had nothing to be sorry for, nothing at all!

He closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the knife wounds, or Greg's blood, flooding the pavement. He silently vowed revenge on whoever had done this. There was no way that they were going to get away with hurting his Greg this way.

*****

The next few hours were blurred to Greg. He vaguely recalled brilliant blue lights, concerned faces and long white corridors, but his next clear memory was of waking up in a hospital ward with Nick, asleep in a chair, holding his hand in a death grip.

Turning over quietly, so as not to disturb him, Greg looked over and gazed at his face, memorising every tiny little detail.

Red tear tracks and marks round his eyes told him just how upset Nick had been, even if he looked peacefully asleep. Every now and then his face flickered and Greg heard him mumble words, once or twice he even caught his own name. Adjusting his position he tried to move his hand, but Nick's grip on it grew tighter, as if letting go would mean he would be lost forever.

He lay there, drinking in Nick's presence until the fatigue caught up with him and he fell asleep, reassured by his sleeping guardian.

*****

The next time he awoke Nick had gone and Greg began to panic. Questions tumbled round in his mind, tying themselves in knots. Frantically he looked round the ward, but could see no sign of him. He was just about to call a nurse and ask when a tired, dishevelled Nick wandered in with a coffee, still wearing the clothes from the night before. He was rubbing sleep from his eyes and looking, from Greg's biased point of view, damn good. As he watched his progress across the ward Greg caught sight of his eyes widening with relief and a million other emotions as he noticed Greg was awake again.

*****

"Hey," God it felt good to hear that voice again, thought Nick as he walked towards Greg across the room. For quite a while he had been afraid he would never hear it again, except for in his nightmares, where it screamed his name, but he never got there in time, only to see Greg's mangled body lying in a pool of his own scarlet blood. He was ecstatic that he would.

"Hey yourself," he said sitting down in the chair provided and trying to act normal. It wasn't much good, every time he thought just how close he had come to losing him his eyes became cloudy once more. "How you feeling this morning?" he asked, keeping a false smile on his face.

"Better than last night," Greg replied, but one glimpse of that grin, lighting up Greg's face was too much for him. He felt the pain of that night all over again.

"I'm sorry," he said, tears rolling down his cheeks once more, "I'm so sorry."

*****

Greg's smile faltered, Nick was crying, Nick was apologising.

"Why?" he asked, capturing one of Nick's hands with his, "what for?"

"For not being there, for not stopping him…" Nick replied, his eyes overflowing and pain clearly carved into every detail of his face.

*****

All the things that bastard had done to Greg whirred around in Nick's brain. All the things he should have stopped all the things he hadn't. He brought both of his hands to his face, Greg's still firmly clasped to one, and buried it in them.

After a few minutes he began to pull himself together and took his hands down, leaving Greg's behind, tracing the lines of his face.

"It's ok," Greg soothed, letting his fingers linger on Nick's cheek, creating warmth wherever they touched. "I'm ok, everything's gonna be okay, I promise," he whispered so that only Nick could hear him.

Anger swept over him again and he wondered what kind of person could do this to a bright, loving young man like Greg. He added his promise to Greg's, aloud this time.

"I'm gonna find who did this to you," he whispered fiercely, clutching Greg's hand between his again and kissing the knuckles, "I'm gonna find who did this, and when I do they'll regret it for the rest of their worthless life," he swore, meaning every single word through and through. "I promise, they'll pay!"