Chapter Forty Nine: Body Image
"See these transsexuals slash prostitutes have the greatest operation. They're methods are flawless; they've never been caught out doing it until now. I'm thinking one of them went rogue and started doing his slash her own operation, where he slash she doesn't leave the client alive. He slash she makes his slash her plan..."
"Greg, please tell me you're getting to the point soon." Catherine snapped at him. "You've been at this for the last," Checking her watch, Catherine groaned angrily. "Damn it, I had to pick up Lindsey an hour ago."
"Hey, I wasn't finished." Greg shouted after her.
"Sorry Greggy, gotta go. Go find Sara." Catherine rushed off towards the locker room, grabbing her purse and car keys before Lindsey decided to hitchhike home again.
Greg slumped back into his chair, looking through all his notes and photos he had taken from his last crime scene. He had planned a whole speech leading up to his conclusion of who could have possibly committed the murder, but now he had no one to tell it to.
"Hey bud," Nick poked his head round the doorway. "Your moms planned the flowers and everythin'; she's sent you an email of the photos, we just need to pick a date before we can start plannin' everythin' else." Greg nodded up at him, resting his chin on his elbow. "What's up G?"
Greg absently shook his head, giving out a heavy sigh. "Nothing."
"Okay, I'll see you later." Nick went to walk away, but Greg's grumpy face made him stay. "G, what's up bud?"
"I suck."
"No you don't." Nick walked into the layout room, leaning on the opposite side of the table. "What are you workin' on?" Resting his palms on the edge of the table, Nick looked down at all the paperwork in front of Greg.
"Doesn't matter," Nick took a seat in front of him, resting on his elbow as he waited for him to speak. "I think an MTF did it."
Nick looked at him a moment then raised his eyebrows with confusion. "Huh?"
"A transsexual Nick. MTF – Male to female. These dead guys invite women slash men into their hotel rooms; they end up butchered and murdered, and raped with unknown semen inside them. But some of them are different from others. So my guess is that it's more than one rogue."
"Rogue?"
"Well they never used to butcher and murder their clients."
Nick looked over his evidence then raised his eyebrows to him again. "Transsexuals though G? How can you be sure?"
"I asked one of the victim's wife's. She told me her husband had a thing for... you know." Nick raised his eyebrows at him confused. "Some guys have the male fantasy of sleeping with... butch women. Not like us, he wasn't gay . . . he just liked his chicks . . . to have..."
"I get it." Nick nodded before he finished that sentence. "But how do you know that an... MTF killed your victim?"
"Because I found a bra with male epiphyllous inside, not the vic's, and there was semen inside the dead guy, also not the vic's. So there was another guy in the room." Greg explained.
"So... they knowingly sleep with these men slash women?" Nick questioned.
"Uh huh. You're catching on there Nicky." He teased him.
"Sorry, I'm not down with the lingo or what kind of fantasies other men have." Nick smirked, looking down at one of the crime scene pictures. "So they sleep with them then kill them?" Greg nodded. "How do you know its rape then? Maybe they like it rough."
"Doc Robbins told me. I suggested that, but he said even if they did like it rough, they wouldn't allow someone to cause them that much pain. Something about severe muscle tears and heavy bruising. If you like rough sex you still let your partner inside your body." Scratching his head in frustration, Greg reached for all of his case file evidence, shoving it into one folder.
"Where are you goin'?"
"Find Grissom . . . or Sara, she usually listens to me."
"I did listen." Nick objected.
"Do you wonna hear my idea then?" Greg walked round the other side, leaning against the table beside Nick.
"Okay. What's your idea?"
"All our DB's went to the same hotel, but the judge won't issue me a warrant because Catherine doesn't even believe my theory. And I got this from the last vic's wife."
"An ad?" Nick questioned, looking at it confused.
"Her husband answered it right before he turned up dead. This guy Bonnie, may very well be our killer." Pulling himself up onto the table, Greg looked at Nick curiously.
"What?" Nick asked as Greg was staring at him in a way that made him uncomfortable.
"You're exactly what I need."
"For what?" He nervously asked as Greg continued to stare. "For what?"
"I just have to run it by Brass." Greg sprang off the table, running off out the layout room, leaving a confused Nick behind.
"For what Greg?" He shouted after him but he wasn't listening anymore, he was already off on his mission to find Brass.
"No... no." Nick objected once Greg had finished explaining his idea to him with Brass and Grissom in the same room. "No way." He shook his head again. "I'm not doin' it."
"C'mon Nick, we already know yah like driving stick." Brass teased him, getting an evil scowl from Greg. "What? It's my nature. Leopard can't change his stripes."
"Leopards have spots." Greg corrected him.
"No they don't." Brass frowned as he tried to think. He looked towards Grissom for help, who was nodding to him, agreeing with Greg. "Who cares? I meant it as a joke. What's your excuse not to do it Nick?"
Nick folded his arms across his chest as the other three men looked at him expectantly, waiting for his reason, but he didn't have one. He just couldn't believe his boyfriend actually wanted him to go in undercover to find his transsexual rapist slash killer.
"Please Nicky; you won't have to do anything. We just need you to identify this Bonnie guy so we can bring him in for a DNA sample." Greg sweetly requested, flashing his puppy dog expression towards him.
"Well... why me?"
"You're the better looking half of the team." Brass smirked, watching Greg frowning at him again. "No offence Greg. You can do it if you want."
"No." Nick objected, not wanting his boyfriend put in harm's way. "Fine," He sighed in defeat as Greg continued to stare at him with his adorable puppy dog expression, pleading him to do it for him. "I'll do it."
"Good, I'll get some men together. Don't worry... it'll be easy." Brass assured him as he head off out of Grissom's office.
"Greg, I want you and Catherine in the surveillance room, keep an eye on things in case things go wrong. And Nick..."
"I know." Nick interrupted him. "No heroics. I won't. I promise." He assured him as he left the room with Greg.
"Do you really promise?" Greg asked him as they head off towards the AV lab.
"I promise. No heroics." He nodded. "I'll be fine G, don't worry." He winked, heading over to Archie to get a wire setup so he could talk to Catherine and Greg, without appearing suspicious to their suspect.
Catherine leant over Greg's shoulder, looking at all the computer monitors in front of him from the security office where they were sat. She smiled as she saw Nick appear on the monitors in a 007 styled tuxedo. "How did you get him to do it?" She queried, taking a seat beside him.
"P-lease, I can get him to do anything." Greg cheekily smiled round at her.
"I can hear you talkin'." Nick scolded him over their coms. "Don't think you're not payin' for this later G."
"Sorry." Greg sweetly apologised.
"Ooh, can I watch?" Catherine asked, giving Greg a cheeky smirk.
"No." Greg frowned at her. "Why would we ever let you watch?"
"Oh c'mon Greggy. Out of all the people in the lab, I'm the one who has the ultimate fantasy of being with two guys. You've gotta include me just once." She pleaded with a wide smile.
Greg frowned at her even more. "That's a little squicky."
"I second that." Nick added as he had heard the whole thing.
"Why's that squicky?"
"Because . . . you're like my mother," Greg teased her. "I mean you're not anything like my mother, but you're like a mom at work."
"Oh thanks." She groaned, leaning back in her seat. "That makes me feel better."
"My reason is I don't go for girls... or threesomes . . . anymore."
"Damn it, I'm always too late." She sighed softly. "Why are the hot ones always gay?"
Greg snickered softly, rolling his eyes at her. "When's the last time you got laid Cath?" Catherine answered him with an evil scowl. "I'm just asking."
"I dunno . . . like... 3 months." She muttered under her breath. "Maybe longer. I don't know why I'm telling you, you two probably have sex all the time." Greg shook his head, turning back towards the monitors. "You don't?" She asked surprised. "You're not one of those gay couples that never have sex are yah?"
"Can we not talk about this right now? May I remind you Nick and Brass can hear everything we say."
"No, no Greg. I don't mind, just no details." Brass smirked. Greg slumped back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest as his skin started to crawl. He liked him and Nick to be private; he started to wish they hadn't told everyone after all.
Leaning further forwards on the desk, Greg watched as a busty babe walked past his fiancé, eyeing him up. "Don't even think about it." He warned him.
"P-lease, she's not even my type G. She lacks certain... plumbing." He whispered, making his way off towards the bar to take a seat. "You see him... or her anywhere?"
"Nope, not yet." Greg shook his head, rechecking all of the monitors in front of him.
"Nicky, try not to mess up that suit." Catherine warned him.
"Why?"
"Because it'll be perfect for your wedding," She chuckled softly, getting a scowl from Greg. "What? He looks hot." She whispered away from the microphone.
"True," Greg agreed, eyeing up his delectable fiancé through the camera. "But you're not allowed to think that."
"I'm sorry." She smiled at him. "Just coz I'm not allowed to have a threesome with you two, doesn't mean I can't imagine it."
"No you can't." Greg cringed. "I don't want you in here if you're thinking about..."
"You can't stop me." She teased, watching him blushing bright red.
"Hey, could we keep the chatter down? I feel a little weird talkin' to myself." Greg and Catherine burst into giggles, watching Nick giving them a scowl through the security camera.
"I second that." Brass added. "I don't wonna think about you and Sanders getting it on while I'm trying to work."
"Brass." Catherine tusked, shaking her head at him even though he couldn't see her. "When are yah gonna come out of that closet of yours and embrace the homosexual life?"
"I'm not gay." He almost shouted through the casino.
"May I remind everybody we're on a stake out." Greg pointed out to them. "No more chatter about gays, threesomes or . . . anything else."
Catherine sighed softly, leaning back in her seat. "I thought you're supposed to be hip and young Greg?"
"I am."
"You're not. You're such a party pooper." She continued to tease him. "Found him yet Nicky?"
"I don't even know who I'm lookin' for."
"Relax Nicky; all you have to do is identify the target. Brass and Vartann are nearby to bring him... her in." Catherine explained.
"Then why did I have to do it?"
"Because you're the better looking part of the team. No offence Greg." Greg rolled his eyes at her as she giggled. "I'm teasing, but he does look better in a tux. And we needed someone to bait him... her in."
"I know, I planned it." He reminded her. "You can just call him slash her Bonnie. That's what the ad says." Greg pointed out.
"You found him... her via an ad?"
"Nope, the wife found it in her husband's desk draw." Greg smiled round at her.
"Here I was thinking you were really that smart." She teased him again.
"I can hear you teasin' him Catherine." Nick warned her.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to offend the wifey."
Greg decided to ignore her along with Brass's laughter as he tried to concentrate on working. He leant forwards in his seat again as he watched a red head walked past his fiancé giving him a soft smile. Greg knew Nick had a weakness to red heads; male or female, he didn't care. Red head's were his biggest weakness. The only thing Greg would ever have to worry about for splitting them up after their wedding was a red head.
"Looks like you got some competition there Greggy."
"P-lease," Greg rolled his eyes at her again, immediately turning his head back towards the monitor as someone was approaching Nick. "That might be Bonnie."
"That's our MTF killer?"
"He's not an MTF killer. He's a male turned female, who happens to kill his clients." Greg corrected her, leaning on his elbow again.
"Sorry . . . so, when's the big day for you guys?" Greg shrugged. "You haven't picked one yet? How do you know when to start slimming down for your dress?"
"I knew it, I knew Sanders was the woman." Brass chortled to himself.
Greg gave her an evil scowl as she caused that. "You think you're a riot. I get enough of this crap from Hodges."
"Hodges doesn't love you like I do." She smiled, putting her arm over his shoulder. "Which you should be thankful for."
"Not really, he did save Nick . . . all of us actually." Greg reminded her. "He's not so bad; he just acts like a complete ass... pretty much all the time . . . when he's not kissing ass that is." Catherine smiled, turning her head towards the monitor as Nick finally started talking to someone who looked like a very butch female. "I think that's them."
"Brass, we think we got him... her. The guy. He's talking to Nick now." Catherine informed Brass.
"Roger that, moving in now." Brass confirmed for her, sending his team over to surround him so he could make the arrest.
Catherine and Greg watched on the monitors as the team swiftly made their way towards him, pulling his hands behind his back to slap some handcuffs over his wrists.
"You know most brides start to slim down before their wedding." Catherine told him as she climbed to her feet.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" He questioned her.
"No . . . I'm just saying it's the guys who bulk up." She smiled softly as she head towards the door. "Do you really wonna be the scrawny little husband in your wedding pictures?"
Greg raised his eyebrows at her as she walked out of the door. He looked at Nick on the monitor then down at his own body, feeling oddly self conscious. He started to realise why Warrick, Catherine and Hodges all referred to him as the wifey.
Greg stood clear of the interrogation room, keeping his distance from Catherine and Brass too. He couldn't be bothered to listen to anymore of their gay or wifey jokes about him. He knew they were joking... most of the time. But it was the constant joking that was really starting to annoy him, making him have his first second thoughts about marrying Nick.
"Hey Sanders," Warrick called from the locker room door. "Wendy told me to tell you your suspect's DNA matches one of the semen donors from one of your victims." Greg absently nodded without looking round at him. "What's up Greggo?"
"Nothing." He insisted, but there was clearly something wrong as his behaviour was completely unlike the Greg Warrick knew and was starting to miss.
"Scoot up." Warrick walked towards Greg, sliding onto the empty spot of the bench beside him. "You know we're still friends right Greggo. You dating... and marrying my best friend won't come between us. You can still talk to me." Greg turned his head to look round at him. "C'mon, I was there for you after your first day out in the field, there's no reason why that should change. Black, white, gay, straight... in the end we're all just people. So talk to me."
Greg smiled round at him. "You've been watching too much 'I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry." He giggled softly.
"Are you kidding? I love that flick." He smirked, making Greg giggle louder. "So what's up? Your case? Or is it something to do with Nick?"
"Nope." Greg shook his head, placing his hands on his lap as he picked at the dirt under his fingernails.
"Then what? Is it Hodges still? I can bust his head in if the little kiss ass won't stop."
"That's very thoughtful," Greg smiled up at him. "But it's not just Hodges." He sighed softly. "Nothing will change . . . I'll always be the ass of everyone's jokes. No pun intended there." He smiled again.
"You having seconds thoughts . . . about your wedding? Because if you break Nick's heart, I'll bust your head in."
Greg shook his head, returning to staring down at his hands. "I thought you didn't want us to get married anyway?"
"Well," Warrick scooted back slightly on the bench, looking at the lockers in front of him. "I was a little hurt that Nick had been keeping this huge secret from me all these years. I know we're not as close as we used to be... but he's still like a brother to me. And to find out he's keeping this massive life changing secret from me, with you no less . . . I was a little hurt."
"I'm sorry. I never meant for you to find out the way you did." He apologised again.
"It's water under the bridge." He assured him with a friendly smile. "So, who's been saying what to my Greggo?"
Catherine closed the door of the interrogation room behind her, looking up surprised to see Warrick stood in front of her. "Hi, what's up?" She nervously asked as she saw his arms folded across his manly chest and an angry frown on his face.
"Threesomes?" He questioned her, watching the blood draining from her face.
"Oh, who told you that?" She asked shocked.
"Doesn't matter. How long have we been going out?"
"Not that..."
"And you never told me that you have a fantasy of being in a threesome with Nick and Greg?" He interrupted her before she could finish. "What am I not man enough far yah?"
"No, it's not that. C'mon Warrick, everyone has their own private little fantasies." She smiled softly, trying to turn his frown, upside-down.
"Not everyone tells their private little fantasies to Brass, Nick and Greg." He pointed out to her.
"Was it one of those three?" She looked back into the interrogation room at Nick and Brass, realising it couldn't have been them since they were with her the whole time. "It was Greg wasn't it? Did he seriously tell you that?"
"It doesn't matter who told me. You should have told me. Have I not told you that I hate people keeping secrets from me? I almost broke up my friendship with Nick because of some lousy secrets, I don't want us too either."
"We won't." She promised. "I just didn't think..." She stopped talking as an officer walked by the two of them. "I don't want my new boyfriend to know about my fantasies." She whispered softly so that no one would hear her.
Warrick looked at her surprised a moment, blinking his eyes open and shut a few times. "I'm a boyfriend?" Catherine shrugged, placing her hands on her hips. "Okay. One more thing."
"What?"
"Don't ever tease my Greggo again." He sternly warned her.
"We were just joking around with him."
"Did it ever occur to you that your jokes are a little hurtful to him? Nick may be able to shrug them off, but Greg takes them seriously. Don't you dare ruin this for them; they deserve some happiness after everything they've been through."
Catherine gulped hard, looking down at the floor in front of her. "Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"You should be apologising to Greg." He told her before he walked off, leaving her to hang her head in shame as she thought about what she had done.
Nick waved goodbye to Catherine and Brass at the end of his shift once they had finally wrapped up their case, heading off down the hall towards the locker room to find Greg. "Hey G, you ready to go home bud?" He asked, leaning through the door.
"Nope," Shaking his head, Greg climbed to his feet once his sneakers were tied, readjusting his hoody on his shoulders as he stood up straight.
"Why? Where are you goin'?" He asked surprised.
"The gym." He replied, grabbing his bag from his locker.
Nick raised his eyebrows surprised as Greg never went to the gym. "Why?"
"Because I wonna go to the gym. I don't complain when you go." He pointed out to him, still avoiding eye contact with him.
"Okay. Do you want me to go with you?" Greg shook his head, closing his locker as he pulled his bag over his shoulder. "Be careful."
"I don't need to be."
"Yes you do."
Greg shook his head at him. "It's been almost a year Nick. I know how to take care of myself."
"I don't care; you still have to be careful. Your body was badly beaten; it's not as strong as it used to be." Greg rolled his eyes as he stepped past him; somehow Nick had turned into his mother. "Hey I'm only sayin' it coz I care about you G." He shouted after him.
Nick watched him go then pulled his car keys from his pocket. He didn't know what he had done wrong, but Greg was acting very hostile towards him since they got back from their last case.
"Hey Greggo." Warrick shouted, catching up to him in the elevator. "I talked to Catherine and Brass for yah."
"You didn't have to do that."
"Yes I did." Warrick nodded, leaning back against the elevator wall as the doors closed. "If anyone else gives you anymore trouble. Just tell me."
"I don't need you to protect me."
"It's okay, Brass doesn't know you talked to me about it. I said Catherine told me, and she's not gonna say anything. I'm your bud Greg, it's what friends do." He smiled at him then pulled his cell phone out as it started to ring. "Brown." He answered, staring up at the ceiling as whoever was on the other end was talking to him. "What? Yes I did . . . I paid that. Yes I did. I sent the freaking cheque myself . . . I know I paid it. Okay, yeah... well I can't go right now. Because Tina, I'm working . . . okay, I'll go round and see Eli. Yes I will . . . no I won't forget. Okay . . . bye." Warrick snapped his phone shut, looking back at Greg.
"Who's Eli?" Greg asked curiously as the elevator doors open to the garage.
"Um..." Warrick looked around the parking lot as he nervously scratched his forehead. "He's um... my lawyer. I gotta go, call me later Greggo. I'm serious." He sternly told him, taking a step out of the elevator. "Call me whenever you need me, we're still friends." He smiled at him then made his way off towards his car.
Greg watched him go then pulled his I-Pod buds out from under his hoody, raising them to his ears. He selected his Marilyn Manson playlist, deciding to jog over to the gym as it was early in the morning and he suspected no one would try to attack him between here and there.
Jade looked over at Greg, trying not to smile as he stumbled towards her completely exhausted. "Need a paramedic?" She asked him.
"Shut up. I'm just a little out of shape." He held his painful sides as he watched her eating two chocolate bars at once. "You hungry?"
"No, this freaking baby is making me crave chocolate. This morning it was apple juice. I peed like a freaking horse." Greg giggled softly, pulling his hooded sweatshirt down over his head again as he had taken it off in the gym to work out. "Why didn't you ask Nick to pick you up?" She asked him curiously. Greg shrugged, walking round to the passenger side of her car. "Are you two okay? You are okay right? The weddings still on?" She panicked.
"Yep." Greg climbed inside, cranking the air con up to full blast as he leant back in the seat, wincing from his still sore muscles.
"Then why didn't you ask him?"
"I think he's busy." Greg lied. "Besides, you were in the area."
"So," Jade tossed the chocolate bar wrappers into a nearby trashcan, climbing into the driver's seat of her car. "Why are you hitting the gym all of a sudden?"
"It's not all of a sudden. I used to go all the time . . . like twice a month . . . before the lab explosion." He corrected. "But I was never this out of shape."
"I'm not surprised you're exhausted. You're as skinny as a rail G." Jade started the car, driving Greg off back home. "So what's really with the workout?"
"What do you mean?"
"You only started dying your hair after someone made that ginger joke about you, so what's with the workout? Nick teasing yah about your weight?"
"No." He protested, folding his arms across his chest, staring out of the window at the other cars going by.
"So why'd yah call me and not Nick? What's up with you two?"
"Nothing. Everything's fine." He insisted, feeling pain in his ribs as Jades car rolled over a pot hole. "Do you really think I'm that skinny?"
"Well, you have lost a little weight since LA." She nodded. "Not a lot, but you weren't eating a whole lot then either if I remember correctly. You were drinking a lot. You're not still..."
"Nope." He interrupted her, shaking his head. "I'm clean for... dunno how many months now. But I haven't had a drink in ages."
"You still going to meetings?" Greg bit his lip as he nodded. "You're lying. Why aren't you going to the meetings?"
"I am." He protested. "And I'm not lying. How can you tell anyway?"
"I've known you a long time G, I can tell when yah lying." She explained, turning down their street. "Was it Nick who commented about your weight? Is that why you're killing yourself in the gym?"
"No." He persistently protested. "He didn't say anything. He just thinks I'm weak and pathetic."
"He actually said that to you?" She questioned, turning the car towards his house.
"Not in so many words." Greg reached for the door handle. "Thanks, I'll catch yah later."
"Yeah, anytime." She remarked, watching Greg walking up the drive, feeling as though she was his taxi service.
Greg pulled his keys from his pockets to unlock the front door. He quietly let himself inside, carefully setting the keys down on the side as he closed the door behind him. As he went to tip toe through the house he saw Nick stood in the hallway with his arms folded across his chest and a frown on his face.
"What?" Greg questioned, feeling as though he was in trouble or something.
"No hi Nick, how are you?" Nick asked him. "Where have you been?"
"The gym, like I told you."
"How come I just saw Jades car out front?"
"Not this again." Greg groaned, kicking his trainers off as he made his way towards the kitchen to get himself something to drink. "She was in the area, and I needed a lift home."
"Why didn't you call me? I've been sat home for hours worryin' about you."
"Jeez you sound like my mother." Greg grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge door, taking a soothing sip. "I told you I was going to the gym and I thought you'd be asleep, so I called Jade."
"You said she was in the area."
"She was, when I called her." Greg corrected. "I am allowed to call my friends Nick. I'm not bound to you yet."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing." Greg sat himself down on one of the stools, taking another sip.
"Have I done somethin' wrong?" Nick asked, taking a few steps closer to him. "You're never this angry at me."
"Why's everything always about you? Can't I do anything myself?" Greg pushed Nick aside as he climbed to his feet, wincing from his muscle cramps as he made his way off up the stairs.
Nick watched him go, feeling completely confused.
Nick knocked on the door again, leaning against the frame as he waited for an answer. A few seconds later the door finally opened. He looked at the items in her hands, giving her a slight frown. "Don't judge me, I'm pregnant." Jade explained, setting the peanut butter and tuna containers down on the side table. "What's up?" She asked, licking the peanut from the spoon in her hands.
"What's wrong with Greg?"
Jade shrugged, sensing some anger in the Texan's tone. "I don't know, how should I know?"
"Because he talks to you more than me, and I saw you droppin' him off. So, what did you talk about?" Jade gave him another shrug. "C'mon Jade. Just tell me what's wrong with him."
"I don't know Nick, I swear. I picked him up from the gym and drove him home; we didn't really talk about anything."
"What did you talk about?" He asked, trying to control his temper.
"What is this an interrogation?"
"I can't help him if I don't know what's wrong with him."
"Well maybe you should ask him." She suggested. "It's not my fault your fiancé won't talk to you so don't take it out on me." She snapped at him.
Nick looked down at his feet, inhaling a deep breath. "Just tell me what you did talk about then." He pleaded her, looking back up into her eyes.
Jade rolled her eyes as she sighed heavily. "Apparently, you think he's weak and pathetic."
"Didn't talk about much huh?" He remarked. "Did he actually say that?"
"Yes." She nodded. "There, I told you everything I know. Am I free to go now?" Nick rolled his eyes at her, starting to walk off down the drive before she called out to him again. "That and he's concerned about his weight."
"He thinks he's fat?" Nick asked confused.
"No, the opposite. He thinks he's too thin." She corrected, reaching for her peanut butter again. "You know most brides go through the same thing before their weddings."
"He's not a bride."
"I know that. But maybe you make him feel like a bride." She insightfully told him.
"Me? What did I do wrong?"
"Hey don't shoot the messenger man, I'm just saying." She defensively stated. "Greg may be a man, but he was raised by Jean." She reminded him. "He's very sensitive." Nick rolled his eyes at her as he already knew that, heading off back towards his house to confront Greg. "Don't say thanks or nothing!" She shouted after him.
"Greg, c'mon out!" Nick shouted as he knocked on the bathroom door again. "I just wonna talk to you. I don't think your weak or pathetic Greg."
"She told you?" Greg asked from his position in front of the mirror. "I'm gonna kill her."
"I made her tell me G."
"You went over to see her? Do you still think I'm gonna cheat on you with her?"
"No, I went over to talk to her. I had to because you won't." Nick slumped back onto the bed, looking at the closed door in front of him. "Do I make you feel weak and pathetic G?"
"No."
"Is that no spelled y – e – s?" He queried, waiting to hear his answer.
Nick looked up as the door opened, seeing Greg stood in his shorts and t-shirt. "No." He repeated, making his way over to him.
"Are you afraid you're gonna become another victim?"
Greg shrugged as he stood in front of him, looking into his boyfriend's deep soulful eyes. "Maybe. In ten days it's been exactly a year."
"I know." Nick reached for Greg's hands, pulling him towards him. "No one's gonna hurt you again Greg."
"But if I was more like you, it never would have happened."
"We've been over this before. You were beaten up by a whole gang of people. Even Rocky would have gotten taken down." Greg shook his head. "Yes he would, he's an old man now G." He smiled softly, pulling Greg onto his lap. "You can't change the past Greg, no matter how badly you want to."
"I know." Greg rested his head on Nick's shoulder, wrapping his arms around him. "But I can stop it from happening again."
"You already took self defence classes."
"Shit load of good that did. I was attacked again." Greg reminded him, burying his face into his warm neck as Nick wrapped his arms securely around his still sore body, but he didn't care. "Do you think I'm too skinny?"
"No, I think you're perfect." Nick rolled their bodies back onto the bed so Greg was underneath him. "I love everythin' about you; I wouldn't want to change a thing."
"Are you just saying that because you don't want to hurt my feelings?"
"No, I'm sayin' it because it's true." Nick smoothed his hands down his slim chest towards his hip. "I love your body, I love your mind, I love everythin' about you. There's not a single thing I would ever want to change." Propping himself up on his elbow beside Greg's head, he looked down into the younger mans innocent eyes. "But if you wonna bulk up or take self defence trainin' again, I'm not gonna stop you. If you think it'll help you."
"It's better than firearms training. People who have guns get shot with them."
"You will need to take that test eventually though G, if you ever want to advance to a CSI level 3."
"I had a dream that I had a gun that night." Greg confessed. "It didn't help, I couldn't shoot it, they used it on me . . . and they had knives this other time. Every time I dream about it they have different weapons."
"I've had that. I had dream that the coffin was fillin' up with water once, this other time I was the coffin and I could hear the dirt bein' thrown on the top. You and the whole night shift crew were standin' above me as the surface was bein' covered with dirt. The worst one was where the coffin was full of ants, spiders, snakes and scorpions." Resting his head against Greg's, he circled his arms around him, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "It's just a dream though G, it's never gonna happen to you again."
"I believe you said that after the first time too."
"Well it's definitely not goin' to happen again this time. I promise you." Pressing a tender kiss to his fiancés lips, he carefully lifted the key from beneath his shirt to hold in his hand. "I not only hold the key to your heart, I protect your heart too G."
"Careful, you don't wonna say something that will out do your wedding vows." Greg smirked.
"I still got some romance up my sleeve for that." He chuckled. "See, you can talk to me G. We can help each other; I'm just as crazy as you." He smiled softly, watching a small smile finally spreading across Greg's lips.
"You know," Greg gently trailed his fingertips across Nick's broad chest, looking deep into his lover's eyes. "With peck implants and a little weight lifting," Nick looked at him confused. "I could look just like you."
"You want plastic surgery?" Nick cringed at the thought of his beautiful Greg going under the knife. "Greg, you don't need plastic surgery. I love your slim chest. And peck implants won't help you."
"Are you afraid I'll out do you?"
"No, I don't want you to go under the knife. I love your body, every inch of you. I wouldn't change a thing about you. I've told you that. If you get peck implants it will look like you have giant boobs on your slim chest. There's nothin' wrong with your figure."
"Not if I bulk up." Greg corrected. "And I may not need it now. But when we're older... you'll be the good looking hot stud, with your scrawny little husband."
"No, you'll be the cute, young hot stud . . . and I'll be the old wrinkly husband. You'll always be younger than me G. You'll never get a beer belly; I've already got wrinkles comin' through and your cuteness will never fade." Nick smiled at him, gently trailing his fingertips across Greg's chin. "When you're in your nineties, and I'm in my hundreds, we'll see who's the better lookin' one." He smirked.
"Do you have an answer to everything?"
"Yeah, good practice for our kids huh?" He smiled widely at him. "I don't wonna change anythin' about you Greg. And you definitely don't need surgery. If you want to bulk up you might wonna consider a personal trainer, before you ever consider the plastic surgeon. Peck implants aren't gonna make you stronger. You're better off with the gym than surgery. I mean if you get plastic surgery, how are we supposed to stop our daughter from gettin' a nose job or even breast implants when she's older?"
"We have a daughter?"
"Hopefully one day we will. I've always wanted a daughter." Leaning on his elbow beside Greg's head again, he stared deep into his beautiful eyes as he smiled softly. "I love you Greg."
"You know I've had plastic surgery before."
"That was necessary surgery to fix what those little assholes did to you. You don't need peck implants baby." He assured him again.
"But I..." Greg looked down at his hands on his chest before he finished his sentence.
"Who told you your skinny G?"
"How do you know someone else said it to me?"
"Because, you're Greggo, a free spirit. You don't care what you wear, the way you style your hair or what you look like unless someone comments on it. So, who said it to you?"
"What are you going to do to them?"
"Ah ha, so someone did say somethin' to you. Who was it?" Nick demanded to know who could say something like that to his adorable, loveable Greg. "C'mon Greg, who was it?"
"Catherine . . . but she didn't say that exactly."
"What did she say?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Yes it does."
"Nick, I don't need you to fight my battles. This is how you make me feel weak. You always have to be this big hero."
"Do not."
"Do too. I can deal with Catherine myself. Well actually . . . I kinda already had another hot stud do it for me." Greg cheekily grinned up at him, knowing it would make Nick jealous.
"Who?" Nick questioned him with a pouting lip.
"You don't really need to know. It's taken care of."
"Is he hotter than me?"
"No way." Greg shook his head, sliding his hand down Nick's side as he pulled his body closer towards him. "No one would ever be hotter than you."
"So, who is he?"
"Just some tall dark and handsome guy." Greg grinned, loving the tortured look on Nick's face even more. "You don't need to worry about him; he'll never come between us because he wants us to be together."
"Greg, who is he?"
"Nobody." Greg giggled as Nick pouted even more. "I love you Nick. Only you." Pulling Nick down into his arms, he hugged him tightly, feeling their heartbeats pounding together. He loved being this close to Nick, it made all his troubles disappear. They all seemed so far away and insignificant when Nick was in his arms.
Greg awoke on the middle of the bed a few hours later, rubbing his sleepy eyes open. He looked round at the clock, noticing a blanket was thrown over him as he lifted his other arm. He kicked the blanket off him, crawling towards the edge of the bed to go and find Nick downstairs. "Hey there sleepy head." Nick smiled up at him from his position on the sofa. Greg dropped down beside him, resting his head on his shoulder. "Sleep well?" Greg nodded as he wrapped his arms around Nick. "What's up bud?"
"Nothing. I just missed you. What are you watching?"
"Penguins." Greg climbed across Nick's lap, resting against the arm rest the other side of him with his legs splayed across his lap. "You still tired bud?"
"Nope, I'm bored." Nick looked at him surprised. "What?"
"Nothin', I just never thought you could get bored G." Nick clicked the volume off on the TV, turning to face Greg. "What are you gonna do then?"
"I don't know, that's why I came to find you. I'm bored."
"Go work on your book."
"I'm bored of it."
"Watch TV with me then." Greg rolled his eyes. "I don't know what I can do for yah then G, I'm watchin' this." Nick clicked the volume back on, watching the rest of his discovery channel program.
"I can't believe you chose penguins over me."
"I would never choose anythin' over you." Nick assured him, placing his hands on the younger mans knees. "Penguins are cute, besides they're on the TV right now, and I can see you whenever I like." He smiled round at him. Greg rolled his eyes in frustration again. "Don't fidget G."
"I'm bored. I fidget when I'm bored." He complained.
"Well go and find somethin' to do." Greg reluctantly climbed off the couch, giving Nick an evil scowl as he made his way out the room. "You love me really." Nick shouted after him.
"Too much." Greg mumbled as he made his way off towards the kitchen.
On the counter he found Nick's sketch book, deciding to take a peek at some of his drawings. The first one was of him, the picture Nick drew when he was asleep on the sofa when he first started drawing. The second was one he had never seen before of him asleep on the bed with the covers barely covering his naked body.
Greg could see his scars how Nick saw them, beautiful.
Greg flipped over the next page that was a close up of the side of his face, admiring how Nick's pencil strokes made him look so much more handsome than he ever believed he was. "You're not supposed to be lookin' at that." Nick startled him, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind him as he rested his chin on his shoulder.
"I thought you were watching TV?"
"Commercials." Nick watched as Greg flipped over another page, revealing Greg comfily nestled in a mound of pillows on their bed. "What are you lookin' at G?"
"Do you really see me like this?" Greg brushed his fingers over the pencil stroke scars on his back that made him look unique, rather than a monster as he saw himself.
"You're so much more beautiful than I could ever draw you." Nick admitted, pressing a moist kiss to his neck.
"You're just saying that."
"Am not. You're gorgeous Greg."
"How come you only ever draw me?" Greg asked him curiously.
"Coz I love yah." Nick hugged him tighter, pressing a warm kiss to his cheek. "My therapist told me to draw somethin' I thought was beautiful. So I did."
"You're an artist Nicky."
"I'm not an artist. I just have a beautiful subject to work with." He smiled softly, pressing a warm kiss to his neck again. "Come sit with me G."
"But I'm bored." Greg grumbled, following him off towards the front room.
"You won't be bored with me." Nick tugged him off towards the sofa, dropping down onto the soft cushions with Greg on top of him. Greg took a gasp for breath before Nick covered his mouth with his own, kissing him passionately. Greg started to whimper against his parted lips as his warm strong hands started to explore his sensitive skin beneath his clothing.
Sorry for the long wait. I'm finally off on two weeks hol's as of now so I should be able to update a few more chapters of my stories a little quicker. I've got another three more for this almost ready, i just need to make some changes before i send them off to me beta then i'll get them to you asap :D
I hope you enjoyed this chapter
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