Title: Inside My Coffin

Disclaimer: Slash. Suicide. Angst. Language.

POV: Nick

Chapter Nine: Feeling the Heat

Greg sits on the couch beside me. The night has lost its battle with the day as the sun shines upon the world. A world full of evil. Even the sun can't stop people from committing crimes. If they'll commit them at night, they'll commit them during the day. I wish the sun away. Clouds would fit my mood better. Rain would be even better. There's never enough rain in the desert. Wishing for rain is like wishing on falling stars.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Greg asks.

I turn my head to look at him. "Talk about what?" I ask playing dumb.

"What happened," he replies.

"A lot has happened, Greg"

"Than let's talk about it all."

I return my attention to the movie on the television. Greg is unhappy being ignored and gets up to turn the TV off. He plops back down on the couch. Without much of a fight from me he takes the remote away. The place is quiet except for our breathing. Greg fiddles with the buttons on his shirt.

"So," he says breaking the silence. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Not what you want to talk about," I reply.

"Don't be an ass, Nicky," he retorts.

"You really want to talk? Alright, let's talk, we'll talk about us."

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "What about us?"

I ignore his discomfort. "Are we friends with benefits or more than that?"

"Does it matter?"

"Why do you have to answer my question with a question?"

He smiles. "Does it bother you?"

"Stop it, Greg." I get up to go to the kitchen for a soda. And to get away from Greg with his childish ways. He can be so childish at times but I love that about him. He refuses to be the business-minded man everyone else wants him to be.

I pull the soda from the coolness of the fridge. The door swinging closed makes me shiver. It reminds me of the incident in the garage at work. Who would want to push me into something like that? Everyone at the lab knows what happened to me. Could it be that someone has it in for me? I close my eyes and let the memory come back in full force. The person who pushes me is close to my height.

That instantly rules out Warrick and Grissom; both are taller than me. Catherine is shorter. Ecklie and Greg are only about two inches taller than me. That leaves me with Sara and Brass. I sip my soda. Sara isn't that kind of person. She wouldn't push me. It's not that I don't think she can, because she can do just about anything; she just doesn't seem like the type. Brass is rarely ever that far into the lab. The only person on my list that can be that cruel is Ecklie. I swear he hates everyone. Especially Grissom. What better way to get to Grissom than to have me suffering? He could order Griss to fire me.

"You get lost or something?" Greg asks walking into the kitchen.

I jump at the sound of his voice. He's standing in the entrance studying me. "No, is there something you wanted?"

He looks at the floor. "Well, um, I got lonely without you."

"I'm sorry, Greggo," I sigh. I put my soda on the counter.

He walks up to me. "You left the room like a bat out of hell. Something bothering you?"

"Just the fact that you keep avoiding the issue at hand."

He sticks his hands in the back pockets of my jeans. "Why talk about it? Talking isn't much fun."

He kisses me. As much as I want to talk I want him more. We let our tongues explore each others mouths. Our lips part long enough for shirts to be removed. I enjoy Greg's touch as he explores. He lightly traces a finger from my bellybutton to the waist of my jeans.

"The bedroom would be more comfortable," I whisper.

I grab the insistently ringing phone. "Stokes."

"Nick? You sound out of breath, are you okay?" Grissom asks.

I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. I am so tired of those damn words. "Fine, Grissom. Was just working out." Well, it's not like it's lie.

"Nick, get back here," Greg yells from the bedroom. I pray that Grissom doesn't hear him.

"Was that Greg?"

Damn. "Uh, yes."

"Good. Look, Ecklie has called an early meeting for the night shift. You need to be in early, and since Greg is there I'd be happy if you'd save me a call and pass the message on," he explains.

"Sure, we'll be there shortly."

"Don't be late, Nick. I don't have a good feeling about this meeting."

He hangs up before I can ask him about his ominous warning. I gently place the phone back in its cradle. Greg is moving around and bumps into something. I hear him swear. He stumbles out of the bedroom rubbing his elbow. His eyes fall on me.

He smiles. "Wow, the view from here is amazing."

I shake my head. "We need to go to work early, Greggo."

"Aw, and we were having so much fun," he pouts. I walk pass him without saying anything about his remark. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Uh, duh, to shower. I don't feel like going to work covered in sweat. I hate the way my skin feels when it's covered in dried sweat."

I leave him standing naked in the bedroom. The mirror over the sink catches my eye. Good thing I've decided to take a shower, I look like someone who has spent the day in bed; which I have. The cut on my arm is healing nicely. My knuckles are still a bit sore from the accident. Turning away I turn the water on in the shower. In a few minutes it's the perfect temperature. I step under the water to let it wash the day away. I close my eyes, place my hands on the wall, and lean forward letting the water cascade down.

Greg wraps his arms around my waist and lays his head on my back. "Mm, that water feels so nice."

I spin around to face him. He slips and almost loses his balance. I take his arm to help steady him. "Greg-"

He shrugs. "We both need to shower. This just works out better. At least I think it does." He leers at me.

"Don't make us late. Ecklie will have our hides," I comment, turning my back on him again.

I hear him fumbling with something. "He can't have yours; I'm not done with it yet."

He turns me around. The water has completely ruined his wacky hairdo; which I actually like. It makes him sexier. He runs his hands over my chest in a messaging manner. I feel myself getting aroused as he begins to lather-up every part of my body. This is not the kind of shower I had been planning to take. The fire in my body roars back to life. If being late for Ecklie's stupid meeting meant more time with Greg's skilled hands, than late I am willing to be. I want to enjoy life's little pleasures. Or, in this case, the pleasures of Greg.