On a prayer in a song

I hear your voice and it keeps me hanging on

Raining down against the wind

Reaching out til we reach the circles end

When you come back to me again

Nick blinked his eyes, all he could see was vast darkness where the lab used to be. Maybe he was dreaming, he had to be because he swore he saw Greg alive and well just a few minutes ago. He rubbed his temples, the arching of a headache beginning to form. What the hell was this place?

"It is limitless." Now that was freaky he could have sworn he heard a voice, he had to be dreaming there was no other explanation. "It is no dream Nicholas Stokes."

"Ok, ok where am I and what the fuck is going on?"

"I am the lady of fate, and this is the entity of the universe."

"Come again?"

"You asked for a second chance and here it is."

"A second chance?"

"For Greg."

"You mean he really is alive? He never died."

"Oh my child he did die, you have moved backwards in time, six months from the day he died."

"So if I can correct my mistakes will he still die?"

"So he could die still?"

"Nothing is ever easy Nicholas and do not assume Greg will fall willingly into your arms."

"But I am getting a second chance?"

"Yes, but be warned only you know the truth, now open your eyes Nick…."

"Nick…Nick…are you ok?" Nick slowly opened his eyes to find Greg's face mere inches away from his. It would be so easy to just close the distance between them, but probably was not the best of ideas. So he did the next best thing and pulled the younger man to him in a bone crushing hug. Greg looked perplexed, but hugged him back and Nick wanted to stay in his embrace forever just to breathe him in.

"I'm fine G."

"You had us scared there for a second."

"Nick maybe you better take a day."

"No Gris it's cool, I'm fine." He said looking straight at Greg. "Everything is perfect."

Nick found himself lingering in the break room after shift, wanting to see Greg, to remind himself this was really happening.

"Hey Nicky, feeling any better?"

"As always Cath, you seen Greg?"

"He just left, said he had plans."

"Oh." He did not want to sound disappointed, but he was. "I'll just see him tomorrow then."

"Everything alright?"

"Perfect." Only this time his smile was forced.

He found himself in a bar he and Warrick frequented, but had not been to in awhile. No shit it would not be easy, he thought as he stirred his drink with his straw, but why couldn't that damn lady just of wiped his memory too? If she had did that then he would not keep seeing images of Greg fading away into nothing. And she was never specific if Greg would still die and he would not let that happen even if he and Greg never did become anything more.

"Drowning your sorrows in Jack Stokes?"

"Something like that." Nick said not even looking up, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to.

"I heard about your little episode Nicky. What's going on man?" Warrick asked as he sat down.

"Everything man." Nick groaned. "You have no idea."

"Does it have anything to do with Greg?"

"What are you implying Rick?"

"Nick, how long have we known each other?"

"Way too long."

"Exactly, so I know when you are bull shitting me."

"So it would be pointless huh?"

"Extremely."

"I'm falling for him." There was a release of pressure off his chest, it was good to finally say it out loud even if it was not to the right person.

"That much I figured." Warrick laughed.

"You're not freaked?"

"Nick, you are my best friend and you will always have my support."

"Thanks man, that means a lot. I just wish I knew if he felt the same."

"It's Sanders man, he flirts with you."

"And Sara."

"He and Sara? Haven't you noticed they act more like brother and sister these days."

"Yeah I have noticed that actually."

"Then ease into Nick, put your foot in the door."

"Alright I will, and you should really make a move too."

"On who?"

"Catherine of course." Nick grinned.

"Meh, I do not have the hots for Cath."

"Rick…."

"Fine, fine she's absolutely stunning and I want her in my life."

"I'm glad we had this talk."

"Me too."

Nick rubbed his eyes as he went to answer the door, who could be bothering his precious sleep time? He stopped being irate when he opened the door to reveal a grinning Greg.

"You forgot didn't you?"

"Forgot what?"

"It's Thursday Nick, what have we done every Thursday for the past three months?"

"Oh shit that's right, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, good thing it was my turn to bring the movie."

"What did you bring?"

"Top Gun." He grinned.

"Nice."

Nick had to admit Thursdays were his favorite days of the week since about three months ago. It had started out accidentally, Greg had asked if he wanted to come back to his place to watch a movie and duh he jumped at the chance. The movie was House of Wax and Nick remembered the way Greg had laughed when Paris got that pole through her head. So now it was some sort of tradition and how could he have forgotten something that had come to mean so much to him. Greg was close to him at the moment and if he was not such a chicken shit he could have made a move by now.

"Do you think that works?"

"What works G?"

"Singing like that to get someone's attention."

"Well it is a bold move I gotta tell you."

"Have you ever done it?"

"Me? No way I'd scare the person off with my voice."

"I'm sure its not that bad Nick."

"Oh it is that bad, but I'm sure you could do it."

"Me? No way."

"Greg I have heard you sing, you are not that bad and what girl wouldn't fall for your charms?"

"That's true I am very charming."

"Very." Nick agreed, oh very charming indeed.

"Hey, you have this cd don't you?"

"Um…."

"This is too good." Greg grinned and jumped up before Nick could even protest. He knew exactly where this was going and he was not sure he could control himself. He heard the beginning of the song and then Greg slid in with an evil smirk on his face and Nick knew he was in way too deep.

"You never close your eyes any more When I kiss your lips And there's no tenderness like before In your fingertips." And Nick was right he could sing and the way he moved his hips, damn if he was not going to melt on the spot. "You're trying hard not to show it baby, but baby, baby I know it…" And Greg was so close now and Nick was finding it hard not to just reach out and touch him. "You've lost that loving feeling, oh that loving feeling, you've lost that loving feeling, now it's gone, gone, gone…" They were mere inches away now and Greg suddenly stopped singing and he found himself moving in closer and Nick could already feel Greg's lips on his, but it never came because Greg's cell phone went off.

"Hello? Yeah I'll be there."

"Sara?"

"Yeah, we got a lead on the Wiley case, I have to go."

"Hey, it's ok same time next time?"

"Uh yeah, next week, bye Nick."

"Bye Greg." He whispered and tried not to think too much on the fact they were so close to kissing, damn Sara Sidle anyhow.

Nick had trouble sleeping that night because every time he closed his eyes he saw Greg with that goofy grin on his face singing just for him. It was not making this any easier and Nick was sure he'd be getting no sleep that night. He wondered if Greg felt it too, the connection that had formed between them. He sat up rubbing his eyes, this was no use because there was no way he was sleeping with his thoughts drifting to Greg every time he even thought about sleeping.

"Damn why is this so hard?"

Nick didn't see Greg until later the next night at work he was sitting in the breakroom gripping his coffee like it was the elixir of life. He really did not know how to approach Greg after what almost happened the night before.

"Hey G."

"Oh hey Nick." He smiled softly and Nick instantly felt better. "Sorry about leaving the other day."

"Hey it's ok, you had a lead on a case did it pan out?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Killer was the brother like I suspected."

"The things people do." Nick sighed.

"It know it sucks, but I am getting used to it."

"That's good G, you'll be a level 3 in no time."

"You think?"

"I know we all give you a hard time Greggo, but we all believe in you."

"That means a lot Nick." He said sincerely. "Because I really want this."

"And there's no one better." He was being honest, Greg made a good CSI, he was not lying about that. "So since our movie night got busted do you want to go out after shift?"

"Uh, yeah sure."

"Great, I'll see you later."

"Later." As Nick walked away he wondered why Greg had been so hesitant.

They dined at the usual diner down the street from the lab, but Nick felt the tension between them that had never been there before.

"Greg are you ok?"

"What? I'm fine."

"You just seem really out of it."

"I'm fine really." He gave Nick that smile and it was instantly forgotten for the time being.

They found themselves back at Nick's apartment, settled on the couch watching some made for TV movie that Nick really didn't care about. Just being in Greg's presence made scene much better, maybe it was time, maybe this was a sign.

"Greg?"

"Yeah?"

"If I were to tell you something that could essentially change our friendship would you still want to hear it?"

"Nick you are my friend nothing you say can change that."

"This might." And he scooted closer wanting to feel it out, get a vibe.

"Just please tell me."

"I'm attracted to you." The silence hung in the air and maybe it was the wrong thing because Greg was not saying anything. "Greg please say something."

"Why now? Why are you just now saying this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know how long I've been wanting to hear you say something like this, dreaming about it…"

"And now?"

"I just…I'm seeing someone Nick."