11:30 p.m

By now the two had forgotten about the awkward moments between them... they were drunk... very drunk.

Until now, Greg could never have imagined seeing his boss like this.

Nevertheless, it was happening.

They were chatting.

Granted the topics were a bit strange... consisting of murders, blood, and the occasional bug rant that Grissom got caught up in from time to time...

Even so...they were still "talking".

"He seems so much more... human, when drunk." Greg smiled at this thought.

Maybe it wasn't so hard to get through to him after all.

Greg stopped listening to the topic at hand and placed his head softly on Gil's shoulder.

Grissom paused in mid sentence. Greg's gesture shocked him a bit, and he stared at the young lab tech beside him.

"Could he really be...interested?"

Greg glanced up at Gil shyly, curious as to whether or not he just royally screwed up.

The two stared at each other, just as they had before.

Feeling gutsy and rather inebriated, Greg slowly wrapped his arms around the older man and pulled him close...

"You won't get away this time..." he whispered just before his lips finally met those of the man he'd wanted for so long.

"But what if he doesn't want this?" Greg suddenly pulled away from Gil and let his eyes fall to the floor...

"I'm not even thinking about what he wants..."

"He'd never want me really..." These thoughts brought Greg to the verge of tears.

Without a word Grissom cupped Greg's chin and turned his head to face him...

The boy was shaking...

His eyes, begged for acceptance.

Greg was pleading...

He wanted nothing more than Gil's affection... if not only... just for alittle while.

Grissom stared hard at him... trying to discern if what Greg's eyes were telling him was real.

"Please..."

Greg could barely get the word out.

He was asking...

No... begging Gil to love him.

Unable to stop himself, Grissom leaned in and gently kissed the boy's lips.

Shockwaves shot through Greg's body. He'd dreamed of this moment for so, so long!

Greg pushed himself as close to Gil as he possibly could, as if he were trying to squeeze out even the air between them.

He felt Gil's arms wrap tightly around him. The emotion was overwhelming. He could hardly stand it!

His entire body began to shake with all the intensity of his feeling, and he started praying that it would never end.