"Her name's Kacey Langley, she's a chef at a restaurant here in Vegas, she's originally from Tennessee, and she's going to meet my parents when they come in this weekend. Is there anything else you'd like to know about my love life?" Nick asks his group of friends as they sit in the break room. They've been fishing for details since they found out that he was dating someone new, and he's gotten tired of dodging their questions just in case it didn't work out.

Of course, he wouldn't have said anything at all if he had noticed Greg walk through the door.

"Wow, two months and she's already meeting the parents. She must be something special," he says, and while Sara and Catherine notice the hint of bitterness, neither is sure why it's there.

Nick seems to know the cause though, because he glares at Greg for a moment before replying, "Yeah, she is."

"So, have you picked out a ring yet?" Greg asks casually, taking another sip of coffee.

Warrick looks at him like he's gone insane. "It's been two months, man. He'd be crazy to pop the question that fast." He turns back to Nick. "Trust me on that one."

"Yeah, Greg." Sara says, thoroughly confused. "What made you think he was jumping in that fast?"

"Nick told me once that he wouldn't bring anyone to meet Mommy and Daddy until he was planning on walking down the isle." He replies, looking directly at Nick.

The comment stings, and Nick forces the memories of that fight away before they can completely take over. "They decided to fly out to Vegas for a visit. They asked me to invite her to dinner," he shrugs.

Grissom walks into the break room, affectively breaking up the exchange. "I take it you've all finished your cases then?" he asks, and the five of them scramble out of the break room like guilty children who have been caught skimping on their chores.

"I think she may be the one," Bill Stokes informs his son as they sit at the kitchen table, each nursing a cup of coffee.

Nick smiles softly. "Yeah, her and Momma really hit it off," he says quietly. Kacey (who is now sitting on his couch sharing stories with his mother) has made quite an impression on his parents this evening, and he's grateful that they approve of her.

"She reminds me of your mother when she was younger. She was a wild one when we first met, you know." Nick begins to laugh. It's hard for him to imagine his mother—poised, elegant and professional—being anything like his girlfriend. Kacey, the girl who still sings into her hairbrush while getting ready for work. The girl whose insanity and carefree attitude could only rival Gr—

No.

Thinking about his ex-boyfriend while his father was sitting in front of him probably isn't the smartest decision. And even though he knows that the memories now replaying in his mind aren't going to change anything, he's still picturing himself at Lake Meade, Frank Sinatra's Day by Day belting out of the truck speakers with the headlights off as they dance. Greg's got his arms wrapped around him as he rests his head in the crook of Nick's neck. He had pictured himself spending the rest of his life with Greg that night as they swayed back and forth to the music, Greg's voice floating softly in the air as he sang along.

Nick shakes his head slightly to clear the memories from his head, thankful that his father hasn't noticed his slight lapse from reality. He mentally kicks himself for letting Greg take over again. Thinking about the man isn't going to do anything but get him in trouble. Memories are useless, after all. They don't do anything but remind him of a time when he had deluded himself into thinking that it would be okay for him to have a boyfriend.

His father begins to laugh and Nick joins in, though what he finds funny, he isn't sure. "What I'm trying to say Pancho, is that I'm glad you've found someone that's marriage material. Your mother's been so worried since…" he doesn't finish the sentence, but he doesn't have to, because they both know what he's talking about.

"It's not like I've turned into a hermit, Cisco" Nick explains. "I have friends."

"Friends and a wife are two very different things, son."

Nick knows what his father's hinting at. Subtlety was never a Stokes trait. "It's too soon to be thinking about rings. She just got out of a messy relationship. We're not going to rush it," he says, successfully squashing the conversation before it gets any more uncomfortable for him.

Kacey breezes into the room seconds later, saving both men from the awkward silence lingering between the two of them. "Well, as much as I'd like to stay, I've got to head home. It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Stokes," she smiles sweetly, and Bill stands to hug the younger woman.

Jillian agrees that it's getting late, and with one final hug to Kacey she announces that she's going to get ready for bed. Bill follows his wife into the guest bedroom and Nick is left standing in front of Kacey. He's about to thank her for coming—he knows how nervous she was about meeting his parents and the dinner that she had slaved over all afternoon had still turned out amazing—but he's silenced by an odd look in her eye.

"I think we need to talk, Nick. You mind if we step outside?" she doesn't sound angry, just serious, and although he's thoroughly confused he agrees to follow. They each take a seat on the patio chairs just outside his back door, and for a moment she just stares into his backyard.

"Is everything, okay," he asks after a moment. He can't recall doing anything that warrants a serious discussion, and she just met his parents for God's sake—surely if they were breaking up she would have done this before this evening.

She brushes off his question and takes a deep breath. "You know how much I like puzzles don't you, Nick?" He nods his head, not at all sure what this has to do with anything. "I like all kinds of puzzles, but my favorite ones are the brain teasers. The ones like that board game Clue, y'know. I think that's what attracted me to you. You were one big puzzle that I couldn't figure out. But I think I finally cracked the case today. And since you're a CSI, I figured I'd run the evidence by you—see if you come to the same conclusions I did." She pauses and glances at him.

"What are you talking about, Kace?" he asks tiredly, resting his elbows on his knees and bring his head down to rub his temples tiredly. She's not making any sense at all.

"Now it's all circumstantial, mind you, but I think I've got a pretty strong case regardless." She continues as if he hadn't said anything. "Your friend Greg came by today."

Nick's head shot up quickly. "What?"

"While you were at the store. The door was locked, and I was cooking, and then all of the sudden, I hear it opening. So I go to see who's there, and this guy's just walking through the front door like he's done it a million times. He scared the hell outa me, but I scared him pretty bad too—I almost bashed his head in with a frying pan, but he pulled out his badge and said he was a friend of yours. Showed me the key you gave him and everything.

"He told me that he had a few things he needed to pick up—some CDs and text books he had left here a while ago—but he didn't think anyone was here. He seemed like a nice guy. He was smiling while he explained it—we were a little embarrassed about the whole thing.

"But then I went to introduce myself, and the weirdest thing happened. He cut me off and said "You're Kacey. I know." He almost sounded jealous."

Nick cut in before she could speak again. "What exactly are you trying to say?" he asks her, his voice dropping almost to a growl and his eyes narrowing. She notices that he's getting angry, but she continues any way.

"And as he started to pick up what he came to get, I thought it was kinda strange," she continues, once again pretending like hadn't spoken at all. "He sure had a lot of his stuff at your place, especially for you to never mention him. You've told me all about Catherine and Warrick and Sara and Grissom, but I'm pretty sure I would remember you telling me about a Greg.

"You know who else you never mention, Nicky? Your ex. I've told you all about Chris—you acted like you wanted to know—but when I ask about "her" you just get this far off look in your eye. You know what's even weirder though? When I finally do weasel information out of you, you never say "her." You say "this person" or "they," but never "her.""

Nick begins to interrupt her, but she cuts him off. "It's Greg isn't it? He's the one you think about whenever you zone out." Nick stands up furiously.

"I don't date men!" he hisses, walking further out into the yard.

"I didn't understand why it would be such a big deal. It's not that big of a deal any more. It's accepted more now—especially in cities like Vegas. But then while your mom and I were in the living room, a commercial for Queer Eye came on and…well, let's just say that I understand why you would hide something like that," she said, following him.

"I'm not gay damn it!" he says, sweeping around to look her in the eye. His face is bright red and his hands are clenching and unclenching. He looks like he's about to explode, and from the knowing look in her eyes he knows that all he's done is confirm her suspicions.

"It must have been hard, growing up hearing that all homosexuals were going to hell," she says quietly, and he's not sure why it's that particular statement that makes him lose it, but suddenly he's on his knees and tears are falling from his eyes.

"I'm not," he repeats. "He was just there after…after what happened to me, and I needed the contact. He was just convenient."

"Well, I think it was a little more than "convenience" for him. The guy looked like he was about to cry when he left." She says, sinking down next to him. She begins to rub soothing circles up and down his back and when he calms slightly, she speaks again. "And I don't think you'd be having such a hard time getting over him if that was all he was to you."

"I can't tell them, y'know," he says after a while. "You heard Momma. It's a sin for men to date other men. It says so in the bible." He whispers hoarsely and Kacey's heart breaks for him.

"Yeah, well it also says that you're not supposed to lie, cheat, or steal either. Hell you're not supposed to use the Lord's name in vain but people do those every day Nicky. I think the bible can be interpreted in about a million different ways. You're an amazing guy Nicky. You're sweet, and you go out of your way to help everybody—I don't think I could've gotten over Chris without you y'know—so I figure as long as you believe in God, you've got your ticket in," she says softly. He nods softly and his tears subside after a few moments.

"I'm sorry," he says quietly, and at her confused look he adds "for using you. I'll understand if you hate me."

She begins to laugh. "I don't hate you. Like I said, you've helped me through a lot. Of course, it kinda sucks that the best sex I ever had was with a gay guy." Nick offers her a weak laugh and she smiles brightly.

"I'm still sorry."

She rolls her eyes. "Well, I'm sure you're gonna hate me by the end of this week, so I wouldn't start apologizing yet."

His eyes narrow in suspicion. "Why am I going to hate you exactly?"

She takes a deep breath, steeling herself for his reaction and blurts out "I think you should tell your parents."

"No!" He says angrily. "I haven't even said the words to you! I'm not gonna get disowned from my family for some guy."

"Is that why y'all aren't together? Because you wouldn't come out?"

Nick nods. "He tried to pressure me into something I wasn't ready to do. His parents have known since he was 15. He thinks I'm over-reacting when I say that I'll be disowned. I said some pretty shitty things to him. I'm surprised he didn't hit me."

"Do you love him?" She asks bluntly. He's hesitant, but eventually he answers.

"More than I should after this long."

"Well if he's worth it—and he sounds like he is—then you should come out. And then you should grovel. Because if someone was as big of an ass as you're making yourself out to be to me, I'd be expecting a little humility before I took them back."

"And would you? Take them back I mean."

"If it was you? Yeah, I would." He smiles slightly and picks himself up off the ground. Offering her a hand, he pulls her up also and then walks her around the house to her car.

"So are you gonna do it?" she asks excitedly.

"I'm not sure, yet." She looks a little upset with the answer but she doesn't comment on it. It's not her life after all, and she can't force him to do anything.

"I'm here if you need me," she says, squeezing his arm gently, she turns and gets into her car.

After Kacey leaves, Nick ventures back into the house, and begins to get ready for bed. Is Greg worth his parent's hatred? There wasn't even any guarantee that Greg would take him back.

But he might.

He had been genuinely happy when he was with Greg. He can't remember ever feeling that way before and he can't imagine feeling that way with any other person again.

The guy looked like he was about to cry when he left. Maybe there's a chance.

It doesn't matter though.

He growls in frustration. He's known Greg for seven years—and they weren't all that close for the first year or two—but his parents had raised him. He had spent over half of his life in Dallas, he can't just throw that all away for some guy.

Then again, a few months ago Greg had been more to him than some guy. Nick laughs sardonically. All of his thoughts—and there were certainly a lot of them—on his relationship with Greg seem to lead back to one question:

Am I worth it, Nicky? Am I? Nick's stomach twists sharply at the memory and he's pretty sure that he's going to go crazy before he ever figures any of this out. He hadn't known what to say then, but he knows he needs to figure it out now.

Because if I am, I'll drop it. We'll pretend this never happened and I'll wait, but you've got to give me a reason, Nick. Greg had been close to crying and Nick's heart broke at the raw emotion that was in his voice, but he didn't know. He didn't know if he was willing to give up his family for Greg, so he hadn't said anything. He had just sat there on his couch, looking at the floor.

Okay. Greg's voice had cracked as he stood up quietly. Nick hadn't wanted to answer the question—he'd wanted Greg and his family, and he didn't know which one to pick. Greg made the decision for him.

You know if they really loved you, they wouldn't care if you were with a guy or a girl. And if they did care, I'd be there to remind you that Idon't. Nick feels a tear roll down his cheek. Maybe that's what he's scared of—that his parents don't love him enough to accept him the way he is. Is that worse though? If his parents didn't accept him because he had a boyfriend, did they really accept him at all?

I don't think you realize how amazing you really are, Greg had said one night as they lay in his bed. Nick remembers blushing and denying that he's anything special, but Greg had been persistent. You are, Nicky. I don't know why they don't see that.

The conversation had started when they were talking about things they had accomplished earlier in life. Nick had told Greg about how hard he had tried to impress his parents—to make them proud—and about how hard it had been to do anything his six older siblings hadn't done before him.

So is Greg worth it? He'd been there for everything that had happened to Nick. He helped find him when he was in that box and he had been there afterward. He was in it for the long haul.

Nick lays back into his pillow. He's been an ass, and Greg's not one to hand out seventh chances, but he has to try. Because Greg's worth it. And even if his family turns his back on him and Greg doesn't take him back, Greg deserves to know that Nick thinks he's worth it.

He deserves to know that Nick realizes what he's done and that he's at least trying to fix everything he's broken. Nick closes his eyes and forces himself into slumber. There's always a chance that his parents won't care, after all. It can all turn out okay in the end. May he can have Greg and his family.

Maybe, just maybe, he can finally be happy.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this up, I hope it's worth the wait. I'd like to thank TearCat for being my beta and reading over this chapter. I appreciate it. I'd also like to thank TearCat, AngelKougaeri, anomonys, SarcasmIsMe, and kkuni00 for reviewing!