Title: Demolition Lovers (10/18)
Author: Emono
Rating: PG-16
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas – Miami – New York
Pairings: Grissom/Greg, Horatio/Speed, Mac/Danny, Warrick/Nick, Don/Eric
Disclaimer: Hello, my name is Emono, and I am part of the CSI cult. I do not own it, and I admit that...this is where you applaud me. Applaud me, damn it!
Summary: Greg gets blown up, Danny and Speed get the call.
Warnings: Cuteness for everyone, a tinge of angst with the G/G, but this is pretty much to fill in the hours of first-days-of-school-free-time
Beta: gil_follower
Word Count: 3,717

Author Note: I knew I had to make some more H/S and M/D, so I wrote this out. But I then I went back after I was done and through in some G/G, I couldn't resist. Since I just finished the episode where Greg's lab blew up and he got those horrible burns :( Poor boy...did anyone see Grissom's face while Greg was being wheeling out of the Crime Unit? *grin* Totally priceless...so, I'm AU-ing it, sorry. Greg's out in the field for some reason or another, and yet he still visits the lab enough to get blown up by Catherine.

"And I would drive on to the end with you
A liquor store or two
Keeps the gas-tank full
And I feel like there's nothing left to do
But to prove myself to you"
---"Demolition Lovers" by My Chemical Romance

Pure chaos.

Grissom spotted his lover amongst the debris, the boy lifted his head up briefly only to go limp on the floor. Everyone was swarming around him like frazzled bees, but he could only wait in one spot and stare at the only injured he cared about.

Before he knew it, Greg was being placed on a stretcher and taken away. Gil scrambled to catch up, then walked in rhythm with the medics. But his eyes were only on Greg, in shock and pain. They stopped briefly to open the door to the ambulance, and Greg seemed to catch sight of him in that moment. He reached out weakly, lips forming words that didn't quite make it to his tongue.

Pale and trying to stay calm, Gil eased the boy's hand back onto the stretcher and prayed Greg knew he meant that everything would be ok.

Before Grissom could get into the ambulance with him, a solid hand dropped on his shoulder and pulled him back. He turned, only to find Director Cavallo glaring at him.

"What did you do to my lab, Grissom?"

Gil cast him a nasty look, "I don't have time for this, I need to go with him."

"Listen here, Grissom" Cavallo crossed his arms like a child throwing a tantrum "I don't care if you fuck-toy did blow up, you've got a murder case you need to be on. Not to mention the lab-"

"Catherine will take my murder" Grissom was nearly half in the vehicle "Warrick and Nick will take the lab, Sara's got the case with Brass. I don't need to be here-"

"You go with him and this is going straight to the Sheriff" Cavallo threatened venomously "Don't think I can't get you fired, Grissom. You're lack of respect isn't surprising, but still-"

Gil gave him his special 'oh please' look, "Vegas isn't the only city in the world, Cavallo...so you can –respectfully– got to hell."

Grissom shut the door of the ambulance firmly, taking his seat beside Greg, not feeling nearly as satisfied as he thought he would feel.

~*~

Danny left the bathroom feeling clean, throwing one of Mac's oversized t-shirts over his head and a pair of sweat pants past his hips. He placed a towel over his dripping hair, bending over a bit and scrubbing at it roughly to try and get it damp at best.

A string of notes met his ears, "Damn, Danny, you always look so pretty when you just get out of the shower."

Danny looked up at the statement, smiling at his lover from beneath his terry cloth towel. Mac was on the bed, relaxed for once and even smiling. Those smiles were rare, when Mac's attention was focused solely on him. When he was looking at Danny, some joy possessed him enough to smile, and it surprised him every time. Those were the best moments...

Mac was clad in a thread-bare wife-beater that the blonde had fished out of the closet earlier this morning, something to show off the curve of his muscles in his arms to their fullest extent. The sight always proved to send a flutter down into his belly, he was just too used to seeing his lover in work suits. The older man had his guitar cradled in his lap, fingers dancing over the strings almost absentmindedly.

"There's not much to see here..." Danny gestured to himself, a little flushed (and not just from the shower) "Just me keepin' it simple."

"Simple is good..." Mac ducked his head to watch his fingers force out the notes "Simple is easy."

Danny smiled in understanding, approaching his lover from the side and easing onto the bed behind him. He hugged the older man's waist with his knees, slipping his hands down the strong arms in a smooth caress. Danny rested his forehead against the back of the man's neck, relishing the play of muscles against his lips and hands as Mac continued to play. It was a silken tune, it flowed nicely and seemed to kiss his ears. It was something he had never heard Mac play before, it might've been a ballad...

"It should be like this" Mac stated softly, enjoying the touch of the slighter man.

Danny pulled himself out of his daze, "What should?"

"Us...life..." Mac's fingers nearly tripped on a chord, but he kept playing "We deserve to be like this...always..."

Danny's heart ached suddenly, "You know we can't."

The music stopped, "Why not?"

The blonde winced at his lover's harsh tone, but couldn't reply. Mac sat the guitar down, then turned in his arms. Their kiss was fierce, demanding digits coming up to tangle in dark gold locks to angle their lips just right. Danny nearly whimpered as his mouth was ravished, but let his lover have him. His hair was released to seize the ends of his baggy shirt, pulling it up and over his lover's head.

Danny let Mac pin him to the bed, crawl over and cover him. He didn't want to get away...this was his favorite place to be. Sharp nips trailed down his jaw, along the base of his throat, his collarbone...

"Why can't it always be like this?"

The question was nearly a whisper, breath wafting over his skin.

Danny couldn't lie, "Because...'cause something bad will happen. It always does, you-"

'If all our life is but a dream, fantastic posing greed
Then we should feed our jewelry to the sea,
For diamonds do appear to be
Just like broken glass to me.'

"Who's that?" Mac sighed, eyes closed in resignation.

Danny plucked up his cell phone and looked at it with surprise, "It's, uh...it's Grissom."

Mac narrowed his eyes up at his lover, "How'd you get Gil's number?"

"Diamond Dog rule 3: 'There are no secrets amongst dogs' " Danny smiled sheepishly as he flipped open the phone "Messer here."

Mac faded out of the conversation, trailing kisses down his lover's abdomen before laving at his navel.

"That's terrible" Danny sounded concerned "And he's alright?"

Mac cocked his head to the side at the long pause, hoping nothing was serious.

Danny gave a snort of bitter laughter "I wouldn't be surprised if he sleeps through the whole damn thing, Gil, he's got that good ol' Sanders Denial technique going on. Does he want me to come down?"

Mac made a face...oh joy, trying to get Danny more time off, his favorite pastime.

But the blonde frowned, "He knows I would, in a heartbeat, if he asked. He said what? ...not that serious? That's a load of bull, an' he knows it. Full-thickness burns are serious."

Mac's eyes widened at this, but Gil must have said something soothing.

"Ok, fine" Danny sighed, reaching up and running his fingers through Mac's dark hair "I won't come down...send him my love, ok? Bye."

Danny hung up, setting the phone back on the table.

Mac was almost afraid to ask, "...is Greg ok?"

"His lab blew up, and him along with it. Dumbass kept a burner on, and some other dumbass put something explosive next to it" Danny scowled, but the undertone of concern was underneath it "He's in the hospital...but he says it's not important enough to fly over. Gil's at his bedside...I suppose that's enough."

"He'll pull through" Mac ran his fingertips along the top of the blonde's sweatpants "Greg's strong."

Danny nodded, losing himself in Mac's touch.

~*~

Grissom hung up his cell phone, a heavy weight lifted off his shoulders. He was standing by the window in Greg's hospital room, hoping the brunette would wake-up soon. He knew his lover would have wanted him to call Danny and tell him what happened, but assure him he was ok. He would have to call Speed later...

Greg groaned on the hospital bed, on his side so as not to irritate the wound. He shifted, eyes clenched shut briefly before he managed to open them. Gil turned completely toward him, giving him a smile that was on special preserve for only him. Greg caught sight of him, smiling faintly.

His voice was hoarse, "What time is it?"

"Late" Grissom replied, taking in the appearance of his lover. The boy looked so innocent beneath the stark sheet, head against a powder blue pillow, and that ridiculous hospital gown that they forced on him.

Greg seemed a bit out of it, "How long have you been here?"

"A while" Grissom lied, but his lover opened those dark doe eyes and gave him a look that told him he was caught. The older man pulled up a chair, sitting in front of his boy and leaning in. "I rode with you on the bus and never left. I gave Catherine my case, let Warrick and Nick work on your lab, and gave Sara a solo case with Brass. The Director hates me more, and it's all your fault."

Greg looked confused for a moment, "I didn't mean..."

"He said that he didn't care if my toy did get blown up, I wasn't leaving the lab" Gil reached out, curling his fingers beneath the boy's chin and smiling down at him "So here I am."

Greg could just picture the scene in his head and it woke him up a little more, chuckling, "Figured out what happened in the lab, did you?"

"Yes" Grissom's smile faded a little "It seems Catherine brought in a substance and put it inside the fume tank, but the burner was on..."

Greg looked forlorn, "I should have seen it-"

"Hush sweetness, don't even think it" Gil let his fingers cup the side of his boy's face, caressing his temple with his thumb "It's not your fault, it's no one's fault."

The brunette closed his eyes, "And the burns...? Are they bad?"

Gil would never lie, "Yes...but they'll heal."

Greg winced, seeming to withdraw on himself.

"I already called Danny, he sends his love" Grissom tried to lighten his lover's mood "He wanted to fly over, but I told him you wouldn't want that."

Doe eyes fluttered open to show gratitude, "Thanks."

Gil released the brunette's face, clasping his hand instead, "I'll call Tim later...right now, you need to rest. I'll be here, unless you want me to-"

"No, stay, please" Greg broke a little, clasping his lover's hands for all it was worth "I...I don't feel good at all, Gil..."

"Let the meds do their work" Gil placed a kiss across his knuckles "Sleep for me?"

Greg's eyes fluttered shut, and he was soon gone.

~*~

It was a quiet evening at the Caine-Speedle home, a fairly normal evening at least.

Speed was swaying softly in the hammock, reading from one of his favorite books by the light of the setting sun. His bullet wound was all but healed, he no longer had to take it easy or stay supine on the bed anymore. He was free to go back to work, though mostly lab work now, and he could wander freely back into his lovely kitchen.

Horatio was not far away, he never really was. He still had his work clothes on, though he was missing his coat and the first few buttons were undone. His bare feet were half-buried in the white sand of the shore by their house, far enough away for personal space but not enough for either to think they were alone. The waves were only lapping a dozen or so feet away from the red head, tempting him to just step in and be swept away.

Things had been difficult at work, a small child witnessing a drive-by in a boat. Personally, Horatio was just glad to have Speed back at work. Just catching glimpses of his husband amidst all the chaos of the day, touching his shoulder or his hair...it kept him going to the end. And when the end came, he was free to be himself in his own house. He wasn't Lieutenant Caine, all cold eyes and quick wit.

He was just Horatio...a soft-spoken, loving husband that enjoyed the sea and his hammock.

'I think I'm gonna stay home; Have myself a home life
Sitting in the slow-mo; And listening to the daylight
I am not a nomad; I am not a rocket man
I was born a housecat
By the sleight of my mother's hand.'

Speed sighed lightly, resting his back on his stomach and fishing his cell phone out of his baggy pajama pants. He peered at the number, the ring didn't belong to Danny or Greg. His brows shot up to his hairline in surprise, but he un-flipped it and put it to his ear.

"Grissom?"

Horatio recognized the tone of his husband's voice, one of surprise.

After a long pause, the surprise turned sickly.

"Is...is he alright? How's his pain?" Speed lowered his voice, listening intently "How could that happen?"

Horatio turned at the concerned here, a prickle of pain in his gut.

"Does he want me to...?" Speed trailed off, smiling bitterly "I see, I get shot and he flies across the country, but a few burns is nothing."

Speed bit his bottom lip, looking guilty.

"I'm sorry, Gil..." Speed's voice nearly broke "That was uncalled for...yes, of course you can."

Speed held up the phone to his husband forlornly, "Grissom needs to talk to you."

Horatio nodded, taking the phone from his lover with a slight smile before putting the receiver to his ear.

"Gil" Horatio tried to keep his voice warm "Tell me."

"Greg was...working in the lab. I put him there for the evening, since I couldn't get a chance to go out. I'm still training him, fine-tuning his skills" Gil sounded so drawn, so grim "Catherine sat some evidence next to a burner, and it combusted right there. It was a complete accident..."

"That's not what I meant" Horatio cocked his head "And you know that."

"I almost lost my boy today, Horatio" Gil admitted reluctantly "It scared me...he was just laying there on the floor, unmoving. I thought he was dead...and then to see him carried away on that stretcher dazed with pain. Damn it, H, he couldn't even cry out."

"But now he's safe?" Horatio inquired, reaching out to touch his lover's cheek. Speed leant into the touch, eyes locked on the brilliant blue of his lover's.

Gil sighed, "Yes...he's asleep here in front of me."

Horatio's brow drew, "How much damage did he take?"

"A slight burn on his cheek...partial to full degree thickness burns along his shoulder and back" Grissom replied slowly, and the red head traced his fingertips down his husband's neck and along the curve of his shoulder as if trying to imagine his love hurt in such a way "He's going to be scarred up, Horatio. He...he doesn't deserve this. It's my fault, I put him back in the lab-"

"Hush, Gil" Horatio soothed, letting his thumb press into the pulse of Speed's neck to assure himself that he was safe "It's nothing he can't handle, so there's no reason you shouldn't be able to. And even if you did put him back in the lab, it's not your fault. You did what you thought is best, and I know he doesn't blame you."

There was a long pause, "...thank you, Horatio."

"Of course" Horatio watched as Speed relaxed back into he hammock, his hand still around the younger man's neck "Anything for you, Gil...you know that."

~*~

~Three Days Later~

The night at the Grissom/Sanders home was a normal one, except for they were both home on time for once. Greg was attempting to make something simple, baked chicken and a side salad. He figured that if Speed could cook Horatio gourmet meals, he could at least attempt to make his lover a decent dinner.

He was chopping up the carrot bits and turnips at the moment, staring intently down at his hands as he cut with the large knife. Speed's hands were covered in small, white scars from his years of cooking...Greg wasn't ready to have that yet. Hell, he was beat up enough. His freakin' lab had blown up on him, thanks to Catherine. The slight wound on his cheek still stung when he smiled too wildly, and his shoulder was messed up pretty bad. He knew the burns would scar, and they knew they'd be ugly.

Greg desperately hoped Grissom wouldn't care.

Gil approached his lover from behind, watching him work slowly on the salad. He smiled sympathetically, checking the chicken in the oven quickly before looking over at the brunette. He noted how his younger lover's hands shook almost violently, surprised at this fact.

He opened his mouth to comment, "Greg-"

A sudden, hard twitch knocked the knife clean from the brunette's hands. Greg's eyes widened at this, flexing his hands gingerly before balling them into fists at his sides. Gil watched the knife hit the floor and settle innocently, he knew he hadn't surprised his lover enough to knock a utensil from his hands. Grissom reached out sympathetically, but the young man only smiled grimly and pulled away.

"Greg, your hands are shaking" Grissom chased the brunette into the living room "How long have you been like that?"

"My hands aren't shaking" Greg protested pathetically, trying to smile it off and not wincing as a pang of pain went through his maimed cheek "Really, Gil, I'm fine..."

Gil reached out and seized his lover's wrist, holding it up to show how the digits shook in his grasp. Greg tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.

"Let go, Gil" Greg nearly glared, scrunching up his nose as his wrist throbbed once "Don't touch me unless you mean it."

The next thing he knew, he was staring up at the ceiling and had his lover straddling his hips. He took note that Gil didn't put pressure on his shoulder, or any of his minor wounds. Grissom raised his hand, pressing a chaste kiss to his palm. The digits shook against his lips, the younger man swallowed thickly.

"Ever since the accident..." Greg flexed his shaking fingers against his lover's cheek "I can't really make it stop."

Gil smiled faintly, "It'll stop, sweetness...I promise."

The brunette nodded, "I'm sorry...I've just been a little on edge lately. It hasn't affected my work, but I'll try to get it under control."

"I understand" Grissom's eyes held pain "Seeing you wheeled out of the building like that...it was all I could do to keep my cool. I was five seconds from just taking you into my arms the whole way, I couldn't stand that you had been hurt so close to me and I couldn't do anything. It's what I get, I suppose, trying to stick you back in the lab..."

"It was a one time thing, I won't be going back there for a long time" Greg pulled his lover down for a brief kiss, a sweet buss of lips "Gil...promise me that when I'm all healed up, you won't look at me differently?"

Gil understood instantly, he let his hand trail up the line of his lover's shirt. He reached the necklace he had made him, tracing it gently and letting his boy feel his touch there.

"I'll love your scars...just as I love the rest of you."

Greg smiled genuinely, leaning in for another kiss. They were quiet in the passing minutes, kissing heatedly and letting their hands roam freely over one another. Gil couldn't stand it much longer, he had to tell his secret. He pried himself off his lover, forcing a little self-control upon himself when the younger man tried to wrap back around him.

"Greg, there's something I have to do" Gil searched the boy's face for any sign of shock or doubt "Seeing you hurt made me realize how dangerous our job is. I don't want to miss a minute with you, I want to hear every word you say from now on. So I've decided...I'm going to get the surgery. I have an appointment scheduled for tomorrow..."

Greg only paused long enough to take in a breath, "...can I go with you?"

Grissom's face showed surprise, "You want to be there?"

"Of course I do" Greg framed his lover's face, caressing the silver-tinged hair lovingly as he sat up "If you'll let me, I want to stay there. I want to be there for you the moment you go in to the moment you come out, I don't want you out of my sights for a second. Can't have them slipping a GPS chip while they have you open-"

Grissom wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him close and burying his face into his good shoulder. He breathed in his scent, wondering how he ever got so lucky.

"...thank you."

TBC

R&R, I feed off it

--Emono