Greg watched from the DNA lab as his lovers came in, Nick pale and obviously shaken; Gil angry but with that strange calm he always seemed to radiate whenever strong emotions overtook him. The younger man knew something had to have happened at dinner. With a sigh he looked down at the work he had waiting for him and made a decision that it all could wait ten minutes while he made sure Nick was all right.
"Gris?" Greg asked a moment later, tapping on the door.
"Come in, Greg," Grissom said. He waited until the door was shut and locked behind his younger lover. "Nick's parents are definitely stalking him and we need to do something about it."
Greg's eyes shifted over to the shape curled up on the sofa. "Nicky?" he asked softly.
"I'm okay, Greg, just shaken," came the muffled reply.
"I'm going to talk to Jim," Gil said. "And Nick, I'd really like you to stay in the labs tonight and work the case from here. It's not that I don't trust you out in the field but I saw the look on your father's face. I do think they might try something if you're out."
"All right," Nick said, not looking up. "Can I stay here a while, Gil? I feel safe."
Grissom pulled out a blanket and covered his younger lover with it. "Stay as long as you want," he said. "We'll put out the word that you'll not feeling well and are not to be disturbed. Do you want me to lock you in?"
"Do you have to leave?" Nick asked.
"For a bit," Gil replied. "I need to see what Al's come up with on the case."
Greg blinked a couple of times. "Can it wait half an hour?" he asked.
"Probably," Grissom said. "Why?"
"Because that's how much work I have," Greg said. "If you can stay here for that time, talk with Brass and do paperwork so Nick has some company then I'll come back and take over so you can go to the morgue. No one's gonna mind; I'll tell Cath that Nick had a massive panic attack and needs us to be with him. You know she and the others will stay with him too."
Gil ran his fingers through Nick's soft hair. "Does that sound all right with you, Nicky?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"All right, then that's what we'll do. If I have to leave for any reason I'll lock you in and you can sleep. You are safe here," Grissom said. "Greg, go back to work. I'll fill you in later but it wasn't good."
"Cool." Greg leaned down and kissed Nick softly before leaving, locking the door behind him. He was heartbroken seeing Nick like that again, so pale and afraid of everything. Greg hoped that his lover's parents didn't show up at the lab because he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep quiet.
Grissom sat on the sofa and moved Nick around until the younger man's head was in his lap and pulled out his cell phone. He needed help and there was only one person he felt he could rely on.
"Brass."
"It's me," Gil said. "Are you in a place you can talk?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"It's Nick..."
"What did his parents do to him?" Brass demanded. "I swear I'll arrest them, important judge be damned if they hurt Nick in any way."
Gil smiled; it was nice to know they had friends. "They caused a massive panic attack," he said. "I arranged to be at the restaurant and was able to get him away quickly but I'm concerned they'll try something before they leave to go back home. Can you do me a couple of favors?"
"Anything."
"Can you see about getting Nick and me at least one of those new Denalis the department has been buying?" Gil asked. "And help us do a swap when we get off work? I especially don't want anyone to know where Nick and I live and, if we can pick up the new SUV in a remote location, we have a better chance of hiding."
"You got it," Brass said. "And the offer stands on picking them up for harassment. I'm not worried about my job."
"I think we'll hold off on that one," Gil said, trying not to laugh. "Thanks, Jim."
"Why?" Nick asked softly, running his left hand along Gil's leg.
Grissom put his phone away. "They want to control you, Nick," he said just as softly. "They don't realize that you're a separate human being with desires and dreams of your own. All they see is someone they can possess and control. It's not fair to you and it's not fair to your siblings."
"I don't think they do this with the girls," Nick said. "Only me. I realized it at supper tonight, they've always done this. That's one reason I came here was to get out from under dad's shadow but I guess I lied to myself the whole time. I really just wanted to get away from their influence."
"Then you recognized, at some level, that it was unhealthy for you to be where you were," Grissom said. He leaned down and kissed Nick gently. "I don't know how much I can do, but I will keep you safe."
"I know," Nick whispered."
"Hey Catherine, got a minute?" Greg asked, skidding to a stop in front of the blond CSI. "I've got a message for you from Grissom."
"What's wrong?" she asked in reply, closing the folder in her hand. "I got his message that he'd be in late and asking me to hand out assignments. Is it something to do with Nick?"
Greg looked around. "Let's go in here," he said, pulling her into the drying room. "Nick had dinner with his parents tonight and they caused a massive panic attack, and I mean massive. He's curled up on Grissom's sofa right now and Grissom wants him to stay in the lab tonight. We're not sure what's going on, but I thought we could take turns sitting with Nick through the night; just to be sure he's not alone. That way we can all still get our work done and he knows he's safe."
"What'd they do?" she asked, furious that anyone would dare to hurt Nick.
"I don't know, Grissom didn't tell me," Greg said seriously. "But I've got to go and finish what little work I have to do and then I'm going to go and sit with Nick for a while. Will you spread the word to just page me if I'm needed, please? I really want to make sure Nick's all right tonight."
"Absolutely; I know he relaxes the best if you're the one with him," Catherine said. "And it's looking to be another quiet night so I don't think we'll need you for much. Thanks, Greg."
"Hey, Nick's my friend," Greg said, shrugging. He smiled. "Besides, I know he'd do the same for me."
