Chapter 3--The First

"Nick." Greg sounded like Greg again. A tired Greg, a sad Greg...but Greg. "I need to talk to you."

"G. You don't have to if you----"

"Nick, I NEED to talk to someone...but I WANT to talk with you." Greg's dark eyes met Nick's equally dark ones and held the gaze. "Please?"

Nick's heart felt like it was too small, or too large, or too...something. He felt his head nod and his voice whisper. "Of course, G...I'm all yours."

Nick's heart felt as if it might explode. He had spoken words that meant more than just "You can confide in me." At least, it seemed as if he had. His mind whirled with questions. Questions for Greg. Questions for himself. Right now, he wanted to listen to his friend. To be ears for him, to be a shoulder for him to lean on, to be whatever it was Greg needed.

"Obviously, Grissom told you I know Scott. Or...knew him..." His voice quieted for a moment as he slowly packed up his kit and organized his findings. Nick watched him and was proud at how far Greg had come as a CSI. He smiled inside recognizing little techniques both he and Warrick had passed on to their "newbie" friend.

Greg spoke quietly, and didn't look back to Nick as he continued. "He was my first."

(First? First...what?) Nick's mind was going a mile a minute.

"My first...boyfriend." Greg turned around now and slowly sank to the road. He sat, legs crossed and continued talking. Nick squatted in front of him, so that Greg wouldn't have to look up. He also wanted to place a hand on Greg's shoulder.

"Go on..." Nick quietly encouraged. Greg nodded and grinned, his eyes slowly brightening a bit.

"Scotty was my first kiss even. If you can believe that. My first...well, everything." Greg seemed to laugh at a memory. "The rumors are all true... I was a late bloomer!" Suddenly a tear slid down his cheek. Nick wanted to catch it, but Greg reached up and wiped it away with his still gloved hand. "Damned Gloves." He threw them off with a bit of disgust.

"We met in college. He was brilliant. Not as brilliant as I, mind you...but I guess I loved him as much as I loved his mind. Our friendship grew and then one day I realized he was more than just a friend and..." Greg inhaled deeply. He looked over to Nick and laughed out loud. "We even got matching tattoos. Bet you'd never guess that one. Bet Sara already figured that one out. Of course..."

"Yeah, she did, man...she already did." Nick nodded and grinned. Greg smiled even more when dimples appeard on Nick's face.

"He was my 'superman'...thus the logos. He called me his 'Super Greg.'"

"And he was 'Super Scott?'"

"Super Scotty." Greg corrected him with a laugh. His laugh suddenly turned into a shuddering cry.

"I've not seen him for a long time, Nick...and now...now he's gone forever. I don't know why this is bothering me so much." Greg tried to shake off the grief, but it clung to him.

Nick put his hand upon Greg's shoulder once more, this time near Greg's neck. He carressed Greg's neck with his thumb. "It's because you loved him. And it's okay to feel that loss."

Greg closed his eyes with the touch of Nick's thumb and he sighed. "I did." His eyes opened with a determined look in them. "So, let's go find out what happened to him."

Both men stood and as Greg reached for his kit, Nick dared one question.

"Sooo Greggo...where IS your tattoo?"

Greg just grinned...adorably.