ALL RIGHT! I know some of you are confused on my wordings and stuff… like, the symbols.

YOU MUST READ THIOS TO UNDERSTAND THE STORY:

Here's what the symbols mean:

Thirteen 8's [88888888888 means next paragraph, or skipping from my speech into the story or vice-versa.

Three dashes [--- means at the same instant, or at the same point of what is happening at the story at the time. (By the way, it comes in pairs. So, later on, further down on this page, the part where is says "---Greg's heart pumped" and ---"You scared the poor kid" are HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME!)

I will probably add more symbols later on, and a reference to these symbols and the new ones will be at the bottom of each story/chapter from here on out. Thank you!

8888888888888

"Nicky!" Greg shouted, careful not to be too loud about calling his name. Nick sighed, his head pounding with thoughts of Greg everywhere, and Nick wanted nothing but to be away from Greg right now. He wasn't in… the best of moods.

"Leave me be, Greggo," Nick mumbled to himself, one hand and finger raised to rub his temples. But, Greg was already by his side, with a highly concerned look on his face.

"You alright?" Greg asked, now walking in-step with Nick.

"Fine, you worry too much, Greggo," Nick answered, and at the sound of one of his nicknames, Greg almost giggled to himself. "Just a headache or something," he said, and Greg flinched at his words, they sounded harsh somehow.

"You should go home, get some rest, maybe?" Greg asked, giving him the still concerned look.

"No," Nick said, annoyance somehow ringing out in his voice. As soon as Nick caught the tone, he finished with a "thank you for the offer, though, Greg." But, when he looked, Greg was already gone from his side.

---Greg's heart pumped in his hand, as he clung to the door, regret somehow overflowing him. Now, he knew why he regretted it. What if he made Nick hate him? What if Nick did hate him? What if- Greg cut himself short, pressing his hands in on the sides of his head. He felt like he might explode if Nick, of all people, hated him.

He clenched a fist over his chest, above his heart. He frowned; blinking back what tears might come. He sighed silently, and looked around the dark room. The Dark calmed him somehow… he opened the door back up, and watched as Warrick walked up to Nick.

He didn't want to think about what had just happened, and continued on, and crossed the hall silently, following after Nick and Warrick unnoticed.

---"You scared the poor kid," someone laughed, and Nick turned to see Warrick laughing it off in his face. "Why are you so mad at him all the time?" Warrick asked, stepping into walk with Nick.

"I'm not mad at him," Nick replied, looking down and away with shame that he knew he really was and did. "I just need some space from him right now," Nick sighed, restlessness filling him somehow. He wanted to apologize to Greg somehow…

"You sound like you're dating him!" Warrick chuckled, and nick didn't laugh, he just gave an annoyed and sad face, frowning.

"Shut up," Nick said, vexed.

"So you aren't denying it?" Warrick teased, and Nick grimaced.

"I said shut up, Warrick! I am denying it!" Nick roared, though somehow he wished he didn't have to deny it.

"Geez, Nick…" Warrick grumbled, cheer and teases escaping him. "Cheer up, hit the joke." Nick didn't respond, and Warrick stopped walking, shaking his head as he watched Nick pace the hall, knowing Nick was bothered by his teases, knowing Nick would usually laugh it off. Warrick turned into the break room, and as he opened, the door, was almost trampled over by Sarah, Catherine and Grissom.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Warrick asked, taking a step back, as the three clattered to the floor in front of him. Catherine and Grissom shot back up, and acted like nothing had happened, as Warrick's hands shot up into the air like a cop had just asked him to put them in the air. Sarah came up more slowly, and gave Warrick a sort-of furious, awkward moment smile. "Were you eavesdropping?" Warrick almost growled.

"Ah, Warrick," Grissom said, trying to make it seem like nothing had happened. "I need you to-"

"You were eavesdropping, weren't you?" Warrick cut him off.

"Well, we saw Greg and Nick walking down the hallway and since we're all a little suspicious of-" Sarah began.

"Suspicious of what, exactly?" Warrick questioned, and Sarah pursed her lips in silence. "What or not Nick loves-"

"Shush up, you idiot." Hodges intervened, flipping the page in his newspaper/magazine. Hodges pointed out the window, not even turning to look. The four followed the point of his finger, and it led straight to where Nick was standing. Nick was watching them with a questionable look on his face. Though, Nick was being talked to by Greg and one of the other lab rats, Nick looked right at them as Greg blabbered on about something.

Nick looked away as their four gazes caught his, and he looked back to Greg, who stopped talking. Nick laughed, and Nick started talking.

The four looked away from Greg and Nick, and back to each other. They heard the door click shut, and glanced over to see Hodges shutting the break room door. He looked back to Grissom, Sarah, Catherine and Warrick, with a devious smile, and waved. He turned back to Nick and Greg and opened the door to the room that they were in.

Greg and Nick turned to Hodges, and watched him as Hodges started talking. As Hodges talked, he pointed back to the four in the break room, and kept talking. Greg and Nick both looked over curiously to the break room, with awkward looks on their faces. They looked back to Hodges, and as Hodges stopped talking, the two nodded and said something.

Hodges started talking again, the two got up. Greg stood far away from Nick, and Nick stood near the chairs by Hodges. Hodges was talking, and Greg and Nick watched him silently. Nick and Greg nodded, and Hodges talked again.

Nick pretended like he was opening a door, and walked over to Greg. Greg seemed surprised as Nick walked up to him, and Nick held him like a newly wed man would hold his newly wed wife. Hodges kept talking, and Nick and Greg never looked back to him, and Nick bent his head down to Greg's.

The four looked away right after what looked like Nick and Greg kissing, and all stared wide-eyed at each other. Had Hodges ratted them out? They began thinking. Was Hodges instructing them to do that, or was he just blabbering on like he usually does, and let Greg and Nick do that?

"Did you see that?" Warrick asked.

"Or was it just me?" Grissom finished.

"It was real," Catherine added.

"It was all of us," Sarah said.

They stared wide-eyed at each other, too paralyzed by the kiss they must have shared, Greg and Nick, to look back.

"Should we… do something? Get them too… admit it?" Sarah asked, stuttering now that just watched two boys kiss each other.

They fell silent and still, not daring to look back or speak.

What were they to do now?