Without You
Author Lolly4Holly / Beta NickandGregNumberOneSlashFan
Chapter Twenty-One: Incriminating
It's been a few months since Greg was beaten up again. He returned home shortly after the incident to Nick, who took care of him taking a week off from work to do so. Greg was only just starting to get over the first attack, now he had to start all over again without the use of alcohol this time around.
Greg woke up screaming during most nights, but this time he had Nick there to comfort him making him feel safer again. Greg's wounds began to heal on the outside, but deep inside they were still scratching at the surface of his mind, making him fear going anywhere dark and alone again.
Greg shook himself awake from another nightmare, feeling Nick's warm body pressed against his own made him feel instantly safer. Greg wrapped his arms around Nick holding him closer.
Nick awoke from the trembling body beneath him. He opened his eyes, looking up seeing Greg was awake and smiling at him.
"You dribbled on my chest again." Greg laughed.
"Sorry baby." Nick wiped the dribble from his mouth, looking up into Greg's eyes. "Why are you shaking?" Greg shrugged, running his fingers through Nick's hair. "Have another nightmare baby?"
"Yeah, but it was instantly forgotten when I woke up with you on top of me." He smiled sweetly. Nick smiled back kissing Greg on the forehead. "You think it will ever go away Nicky?"
"Well this is your first nightmare in two weeks. It's already startin' to get better." Nick wrapped his arms tighter around Greg, supporting his trembling body. "Just remember to wake me up whenever you need me." Nick closed his eyes resting his head on Greg's shoulder.
Greg softly kissed Nick on the forehead completely forgetting his nightmare as warm tingles of love spread throughout his body. "I love you Nicky." He whispered softly then closed his eyes again, falling back asleep.
Both men slowly awoke, several hours later in each other's arms. "Mornin' G."
"Morning Nicky." Greg smiled, looking up into his lovers eyes.
"You know G; we've been together four months exactly today."
"Really . . . that long. Feels like a lifetime with you Nicky." Greg smiled, initiating his first kiss of the day.
"Your mornin' breath still tastes like liquorish." Nick licked his lips, savouring the taste. "I love wakin' up to you G."
"I love waking up to you too Nicky." Greg cheekily grinned, slipping his hands under Nick's boxer's waistband.
Nick gasped from the brush of Greg's hand. "We have 10 minutes to get ready for your parents to arrive G..." Nick tried to explain, but Greg continued to massage Nick, consuming his mouth with a lusty kiss. "G I'm serious..." Nick laughed trying to push his horny lover away.
"It'll take less than five minutes Nicky, quick shower then we'll be ready." Greg compromised. Nick finally gave in, allowing his lover to strip him down and grind against him, while invading his mouth with a passionate kiss. Three minutes twenty seconds later they were in the shower cleaning off just in time for Jean and Dan's arrival.
"Feels like I'm meetin' the in laws again." Nick nervously confessed as the two of them walked for the door.
"Relax Nicky; you've already won them over." Greg assured him, giving him a kiss before he opened the door. "Hey mom, hey dad." Greg smiled widely.
"Hello sweetheart, hey Nicky." Jean threw her arms around her son hugging him tightly. She hadn't seen him in over four months since his second beating.
"Hi Nick." Dan shook Nick's hand giving him a warm smile, while his wife and son were fully embraced in a hug.
"Can't breathe." Greg panted with his mother's arms tightly wrapped around his neck.
"I'm sorry sweetheart." She took a step back kissing him on the cheek then looked up at Nick. "Thank you for taking care of my boy Nicky."
"My pleasure." Nick smiled at Greg.
Nick watched with green eyes of envy as Greg parents fussed over him with love and cuddles. Greg's parents loved him, whereas he hadn't seen his since the coffin incident and they rarely ever got in touch just to say hello to him.
Then Jean Sanders completely surprised him, throwing her arms around his neck to hug him tightly. Nick smiled leaning into the hug, since he fell in love with Greg he had been getting constant love and hugs, whereas back home they were big on the tough love and the conditional love approach. He rarely ever got hugs from his own mother and he never once hugged his own father.
Nick couldn't stop a tear of happiness from running down his cheek.
"Oh honey." Jean Sanders smiled wiping it away for him. "Don't you cry, you'll get me started." She smiled softly.
"Sorry." Nick wiped his eyes then smiled as Greg threw his arms around him, hugging him tightly.
"It's okay Nicky." Greg smiled, smoothing his palms down his back.
"Oh, we don't mean to upset you sweetheart." Jean held her husband's arm as tears pooled in her own eyes.
"No it wasn't you . . . I was just thinkin' about my family." Nick sniffed back his tears holding Greg tightly.
"Well what's wrong with your family sweetheart?" Jean asked pulling a tissue from her sleeve to dry her eyes.
"Mom I told you, Nicky's family isn't as tight as ours." Greg explained. "He hasn't seen them in almost a year now."
"That's awful sweetheart." Jean dried her eyes then made her way down the hall to the bathroom. Dan walked off to the kitchen seeing the boys needed a moment.
"You okay Nicky?" Greg whispered, holding Nick in his arms.
"I'm okay G." Nick sniffed, drying his eyes with his hands. "Can't believe I cried like that."
"You have been really strong the past couple of months Nicky . . . maybe your emotions finally hit yah."
Nick nodded, giving Greg a half smile. "Sorry I made your mom cry."
"She's very emotional too Nicky." Greg softly kissed Nick on the cheek looking into his eyes. "I told you it's not good to bottle up all the time Nicky, your emotions creep up on you when you least expect it then."
"I know G. I feel better now." He grinned. "Let's takes them out to breakfast now."
"You sure?" Nick nodded snatching a kiss. "Okay." Greg smiled walking off down the hall to check on his mother.
Dan Sanders smiled proudly at his son's boyfriend.
After listening to his wife in the car for four hours worrying that Nick wasn't taking care of their boy, his mind was finally at ease seeing that they both look after each other.
The perfect basis of a long lasting relationship. He sighed happily.
"Breakfast with your parents was fun." Nick smiled collapsing onto the sofa.
"But?" Greg asked pulling off his coat to hang it up.
"But . . . I wish we could spend some more time with some of my family." Nick confessed in a low toned voice. "I know it's kinda my own fault, movin' out here . . . I know half of them wouldn't accept me if they found out I was gay . . . but I just want..." Nick stopped talking looking up at Greg.
"It's natural for you to want your family to love you Nicky." Greg dropped onto the coffee table reaching for Nick's hands. "You know they might not take it as bad as you think they would . . . most of them at least, might support you . . . if you wanted to tell them."
"It would be nice." Nick smiled. "C'mere." Nick pulled Greg onto his lap, circling his arms around him to cuddle him tightly. "I want them to know how happy I am . . . that I can be happy without the wife and kids running round the house, like they all insisted I needed."
"Did you want to tell them?" Greg asked, circling his fingers around Nick's arm.
"I don't know . . . after all we've been though . . . do you think we can handle a confrontation with the family that practically invented tough love?" Nick softly planted a kiss on Greg' cheek.
Greg smiled leaning back against Nick's chest.
"I love you Nicky . . . you'll always have the love and support of my family. If this thing does turn into a big blow out you'll still have us . . . you really are missing your family aren't you?"
"Yeah I am G." Nick closed his eyes relaxing with Greg in his arms.
"Maybe we should go up there and break it to them gently." Greg suggested, resting his head on the crock of Nick's neck. "They might not all accept you at first, but they should come around . . . I mean look at my mother. She hated the fact I was gay and you were coming over . . . but she came round to you..."
"Yeah, but your mother said whatever my boy loves I love too. My parents would never be sayin' that kinda thing to you. They like to manipulate your choices and things. If I told them I was gay and in love with you, they'd throw me out the door, probably even try to kill me if I went back."
"That's awful Nicky . . . how do you know they'd do that?"
"They've expressed enough of their opinions on homosexuals over the years, my brother even used to beat kids up at school just because they looked gay. I doubt they'd be very friendly on the subject if they found out I was one of them."
Greg could feel tears pooling in his eyes. He had always had the love and support from both parents and his grandparents. He never would have known that Nick came from such a tough love group.
At the hospital after the coffin incident, he met a few of them and they did seem genuinely sad that Nick had been made a victim of such an awful act. He'd have never of guessed how cold they truly were.
"I've always wanted to know G, what's your natural hair colour?" Nick asked trying to change the subject as he ran his fingers through Greg's now brown hair with shades of mousy blonde throughout.
"Don't laugh." Greg warned, turning to face his boyfriend on the sofa.
"I'd never laugh at you baby." Nick smiled ever so innocently.
"Red."
"Seriously? You." Nick asked, slightly surprised as he's always had a secret fetish for red hair.
"You're not gonna dump me now are you?"
"No way baby, if anythin' I love you just that little bit more." Nick laughed slightly.
"You said you wouldn't laugh." Greg scowled, turning on Nick's lap to straddle his thighs. "If this is what your promises are worth..."
"I'm sorry baby, I love red hair . . . that's why I'm laughing." Nick assured him, still running his fingers through Greg's silky smooth hair.
"How can you love red hair? No one loves red hair. My mom used to say I had Gingeritus. She's the one that started dying my hair when I was just a kid."
"Baby, ginger hairs nothing to be ashamed off." Nick assured him running his fingers smoothly through Greg's hair. "Are we talking Rupert Grint or Bree Van De Kamp red?"
"Who's Rupert Grint?" Greg asked confused.
"C'mon G." Nick said rolling his eyes. "He's Harry's friend..."
"Harry who?"
"Harry Potter, c'mon you must have seen the movies. You're readin' the books all the time."
"Nope never seen the movies." Greg grinned then burst into a goofy laugh. "Hey you're finally a bigger geek then me at something." Greg smirked, kissing his Texan lover.
"Hey you never answered my question." Nick said pulling back from the kiss.
"Well since I don't know who this other guy is and I'm guessing by Bree Van De Kamp you mean Bree Hodge as she's now called." Greg grinned, getting playfully punched in the arm. "I'd say it was more Bree's colour when her hair got that really dark shade of red." Nick stared seductively into Greg's eyes trying to picture it. "You don't want me to revert back do you?"
"No baby, I love your hair however you have it." Nick smiled, running his fingers through Greg's hair once again as he initiated a kiss.
"On the subject of desperate housewives which one's your favourite?" Greg asked, curiously as they broke apart.
Nick looked at Greg trying to think. "Favourite in which way G? Coz I kinda like Mike..."
"Nooo Nicky." Greg laughed.
"He's got the chiselled jaw look." Nick grinned.
"Now I know why you watch Desperate Housewives." Greg laughed again. "No more Mike for you Nicky or I'm cutting you off in the bedroom."
"Oh G, that's not fair. I let you watch that Supernatural program with those two hot guys. I never cut you off from it."
"You'll have to pry the remote from my cold dead fingers." Greg warned him with a goofy giggle. "I'd never give up Jensen and Jared . . . or Gilmore girls." Greg added.
"Well you'll have to do the same for me. I'm not givin' up on desperate housewives." Nick licked Greg's lip pulling him in for another kiss. "Anyway G, which one's your favourite?"
"I reckon that Andrew could be my twinky." Greg giggled raising his eyebrows.
"No way G, now you've put that image in my head I'm gonna have to punish you." Nick ordered, rolling Greg off his lap onto the sofa beside him. Greg laughed excitedly as Nick whipped Greg's shirt off, tracing his abs with his tongue. "No one gets to touch you, but me Greg." Nick rasped, invading Greg's mouth with his tongue, while he stripped his younger lover of his clothing.
"You're a little over dressed aren't you cowboy?" Greg whispered, running his palms under Nick's shirt.
"I'm not the one in trouble G." Nick chuckled.
"So you don't think I have an image of you and Mike in bed together?" Greg asked with a devious grin spread across his face. "I think you deserve to be punished just as much Nicky." He teased.
"You first . . . then I'll do anythin' you want." Nick rasped in a sexy seductive voice making the hairs on the back of Greg's neck stand on end.
Nick softly kissed Greg's forehead, kissing his way down the side of his boyfriends face to his neck. Greg closed his eyes relaxing back on the sofa as Nick's tongue glided across chest, stopping at one of his nipples, softly sucking and marking it before he moved onto his other. Nick scoured his tongue down the centre of Greg's chest reaching his groin.
Greg gasped as slow tender kisses were placed down his manhood, until Nick's mouth reached the end taking him whole. Greg whimpered with pleasure feeling Nick's mouth completely enveloping him, while he entwined his fingers in his hair as he gave out soft desperate moans.
Nick knew exactly how to push Greg's buttons, to make him squirm in the most pleasurable ways. Greg lasted a mere matter of seconds before he exploded. Electrical charges running deep through his body as he shook with pleasure.
Nick kissed his way back up to Greg's mouth, kissing him deeply then rested gently on top of him watching his young lover panting.
"God I love you Nicky." Greg reopened his eyes, joining his lips with Nick's. "You know as far as punishments go . . . that's the best I ever had." Greg grinned.
"Just to let you know your mine." Nick smiled back, resting his hand on Greg's chest as he softly breathed in and out. "I love you Greg. I have to confess somethin' to yah." Nick sat up on Greg's hips looking down into his lover's eyes.
"Oh god, you're really a woman aren't you?" Greg teased.
"No smart ass." Nick laughed, shaking his head. "Am I built like a woman?"
"Definitely not." Greg grinned, smoothing his hands around Nick's very masculine figure. "So what is it Nicky?"
"Before I kissed you Greg . . . I was too afraid to love anythin', I thought what's the point, if what I love is just going to die, but that all changed, after I got scared I was gonna lose you forever. When I finally kissed you . . . but I'm still worried I'm gonna lose you. I'm not afraid to love you, but I'm afraid..."
"Nicky, I'm not planning on going anywhere." Greg tried to reassure him, pulling Nick back into a tight embrace against his bare chest. "You're not gonna lose me Nicky, I plan on living at least another 40 years."
"40 years?" Nick asked in shock. "That's not long enough G."
"Nicky, I'll be in my seventies by then..."
"Don't you wonna grow old together though G? I don't wonna be the 75 year old bachelor with a dead boyfriend..."
"Nicky you won't be. I meant 40 years minimum. Maximum goes way up to about 100 years." Greg grinned, trying to make his cowboy feel better.
"How did we get from my parents not lovin' me to your hair, to sex then to when we're gonna die?" Nick asked confused.
"Well Nicky, when two people are in a relationship diagnosed with ADD and ADHD things tend to be a bit random." Greg giggled.
"Hey I was never diagnosed with ADD, that was just your professional opinion." Nick corrected sarcastically.
"But you are a control freak." Greg teased.
"Do you want me to punish you properly Sanders?" Nick asked, looking into his boyfriends cheeky eyes.
"Hey it's my turn." Greg protested.
"I'm sorry, how may I serve you Master G?"
"Master G?" Greg laughed, shaking his head. "I'm hungry."
"What can I make for you baby?"
"Scrambled eggs please."
"You had scrambled eggs yesterday." Nick remarked.
"Are you backing out of your punishment?" Greg asked, running his fingers softly across Nick's jaw line. Nick quickly shook his head kissing Greg passionately on the lips then dashed off to the kitchen to make him some food.
"Hey G." Greg glanced up looking at Nick stood against the kitchen door frame. "I love you." He winked.
"Love you too Nicky."
"Thanks for the family pep talk . . . I think we should tell them, but I think we should tell the guys at work first."
"Me too." Greg agreed.
Nick smiled then continued to the fridge to make Greg some food.
"Nicky, where's my boxers?" Greg asked looking around the room. Greg found his t-shirt pulling it down over his head.
"I tossed them over the sofa." He called back.
"Where? I can't find them." Greg shouted, crawling around on his hands and knees trying to look for them. Nick rolled his eyes, grabbing them from the lamp shade handing them back to his half naked partner. "What would I do without you?" Greg grinned, pulling them on.
"I'd hate to think." Nick chuckled, pointing to Greg's inside out t-shirt.
"Oops." Greg laughed, pulling it off his head to turn it around.
"Greg it's inside out, you have to flip it." Nick rolled his eyes, laughing as he pulled the shirt off Greg turning it round the right way for him. "I swear you'd lose your head if I wasn't around." He chuckled, kissing Greg again then quickly rushing back to the kitchen to finish making his boyfriend some lunch.
Nick jumped hearing a knock at his front door. He looked at Greg slowly walking towards the door to see who it was through the spy hole. "Damn it, its Warrick." Greg whispered. "When I said yeah, I meant much later. We can't tell him now."
"Okay G." Greg grabbed some of his things then ran down the hall to the spare bedroom closing the door behind him.
Nick cleared his throat then opened the door for Warrick. "Hey man, what's up?"
"Hey Nick, you busy?" Warrick asked, holding up some beers in his hands. Nick desperately wanted to say 'yes' but Warrick looked so down and he was supposed to be his best friend.
"No course not, Greg's . . . in his room, I was makin' him some lunch...he made me some the other day...we take turns." Nick nervously rambled. A trait he also picked up from his boyfriend.
Warrick nodded giving Nick a funny look then walked over to the sofa.
Nick quickly inspected the house making sure they hadn't left anything incriminating out. After a quick satisfied inspection he returned to the kitchen dishing out Greg's lunch. "I'll be right back." Nick said to Warrick.
Nick ran down the hall knocking on the spare bedroom door then walked in presenting his boyfriend with his lunch. "I'm sorry G, he looks really down. I couldn't turn him away."
"That's okay Nicky, thank you." Greg smiled, taking the knife and fork in his hands. Nick could tell Greg was upset though by his expression.
"G, I'll try and get rid of him as soon as I can." Nick kissed Greg, while some scrambled egg coated in ketchup just passed his lips. Nick could taste it inside his boyfriend's mouth. "I love you G."
"I love you." Greg whispered, watching Nick walk back out.
Greg hated this spare room. The walls weren't painted and it was hard wood floors that always hurt his feet. Not to mention the fact it didn't smell like Nick and the bed was so uncomfortable.
Nick returned to the sofa taking a beer as it was offered to him. "So what's up man?"
"Nick, you got ketchup on your mouth." Warrick pointed. Nick quickly wiped it away, realising he must have got it when he kissed Greg. "You okay man?"
"I'm fine." Nick nervously nodded, trying not to blush because it would be a dead give away. "So what's up with you?"
"Tina and I had a big fight."
"Oh really . . . again." Nick nodded, trying to feel sympathy, but it was what the ninth fight in less than a month. "Maybe it's for the best man."
"What kind of best friend advice is that?" Warrick snapped at him.
"I'm sorry, but 'rick you gotta admit . . . you two don't exactly seem right for each other. You're always fightin'..."
"So you're saying what? I should just give up?"
"Givin' up would be a good start. Think about it man is your relationship really worth salvagin'?"
"You can talk; you've never been in a romantic relationship, until now with some mystery girl, but how do I even know she exists? You won't tell me her name or let me meet her." Nick wanted to retort to that, but he couldn't risk outing himself to Warrick with his insecure lover in the next room. "Face it Nick you're the worst kinda guy to be giving out advice." Hearing his best friend say that cut deep inside him. "I'm sorry man." Warrick said seeing the look on his friends face.
"No its okay man . . . you're right. What do I know?"
"I think I should go..."
"I'll walk you to your car." Nick helped Warrick off the sofa seeing how tipsy he was already. "On second thoughts, I'll drive you home." Nick pulled Warrick's arm over his shoulder, supporting his weight as they head out the door. "Good afternoon, Mrs Chase." Nick smiled to his neighbour. She gave him a funny look heading back inside with her mail.
"That was cold." Warrick remarked. "Maybe Greg's been playing his music too loud."
"Yeah." Nick laughed, helping Warrick into the passenger seat. Nick pulled Warrick's keys out of his pocket walking round to the other side of the car.
"Another one? How many guys are you doing?" A voice shouted across the street, startling Nick. He slowly turned round seeing an old woman in her night gown and slippers, looking as though she just rolled out of bed.
"Excuse me?" He asked her.
"I said how many guys yah doing you friggin' queer, there's kids on this street. We don't need your homo activity around them." Nick looked at her shocked. He had never kissed or touched Greg outside of the house, let alone announced to anyone that he's gay.
"I don't understand what you mean."
"Course you don't homo." She spat at him, waddling back up her garden path into her house.
Nick rolled his eyes then climbed into the driver's seat driving Warrick off home. Luckily when he married Tina, he kept his old apartment and they never moved in together, so Warrick still had a place to crash whenever they argued.
Which was a great portion of the time.
Please Review. I hope your enjoying the story :D