a/n: well! ive been so busy! no time to update, really. well, actually i did have time to PM TroddenBlack a few times about how i didn;t knwo what to by means of updating, but ya know :P. anyway, i kicked myself and got it done, thanks to TB's lovely guilt trip, which was something along the lines of "everyday without an update is a bottomless pit of despair" ... something like that. anyway, thank you for your encouragement :)...and conversations about the lovely Grissom. oh, and i guess you get props, sparklin-strawberries, for distracting me with thoughts of Grissom and Johnny Cash :P well, here it is!

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The day/night started off…fine, okay, maybe even well, you could say. Grissom guided the car though late night traffic (his only pet peeve about nightshift) his mind totally void of anything but the sounds of Johnny Cash filtering through his Audi's speakers. Yes, it was true, although Grissom was truly a classical kind of guy, he did enjoy some good old Cash once in a while.

"But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black…"

Grissom sang to himself in a deep tenor. He wasn't really thinking about anything at all, for once. For once he was just sitting back and not thinking, letting the cool Vegas breeze waft through the windows, ignoring the sounds of honking horns and impatient people and allowing himself to just be before he had to start the work day.

"I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side…"

Grissom sang to himself, tapping the steering wheel and nearing the lab. That was when he first caught sight of Nick's car. A wave of realization came over him as he remembered what had happened previously.

Do I confront him? Do I give him the Patented Grissom 'Death-Glare'? He thought to himself, unsure of what to do. The guy had walked in out of pure concern and here was Grissom, who was supposed to be the boss letting another co-worker man-handle him. Grissom felt a little shiver of arousal go through him as he remembered Sara's passion after their little spat. Clearing his head, he got out and started the shift.

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Nick stared at the stitching on the well worn in football he often liked to toy with when he had something on his mind. There it was, always in the break room like an old friend just waiting for him. Greg had his iPod, Warrick had his wedding ring, Grissom had his Rubix Cube…Nick's mind suddenly shifted to (he winced) the situstion at hand with Grissom.

What the hell am I gonna do? How awkward is this? He thought to himself, but he had no more time to think as Grissom walked into the break room, his steps almost faltering as he caught sight of Nick. His right eyebrow twitched and he dropped his briefcase on the table, turning his back to the younger CSI to 'get some coffee' -- a not so clever attempt to put some space into the quickly shrinking bubble of confrontation. Nick cleared his throat and opened his mouth, hoping that whatever was about to come out was gonna be good.

"Griss, listen. I--" He started. Grissom didn't turn, but held up a hand. He really didn't need Nick to see the crimson colour of his face right now. He was about to say something when Warrick walked in, immediately finding the pressure in there like a submarine 10,000 feet deep.

"Ughhh…Hey…" Was all Warrick could muster, wondering what was going on. Grissom, thankful of the interruption, took his coffee and briefcase and made of his office. Before he left, though, he stopped in the threshold of the doorway and said,

"It's too early for this kind of thing, Nicky."

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By some twisted form of fate, Nick was forced to work a case with Grissom that night. The awkwardness was still pretty strong, so Nick immediately offered to take the perimeter. They worked separately for a few hours, then meeting to go back to the lab. As Grissom started the car, Nick stared at the older man, suddenly reminded of his own awkward predicament.

"You told me you weren't dating her." Grissom had said, slightly disappointed in him. Nick had been with Kristy Hopkins the previous night, and then he'd gone to her house that morning to find it surrounded by cop cruisers. She'd been murdered.

"…and I can tell you what he's going to find. My fingerprints; my DNA."

And just like that, Grissom was right in his personal life, with no choice in the matter. Grissom knew what had gone on, and although slightly disappointed, he'd been understanding.

"I can't just sit here," Nick had said. Grissom had nodded calmly, then gotten that familiar creative-genius look in his eye.

"Okay. Go for a walk. Maybe you'll 'accidentally' bump into your guy, "Jack" ?"

And like that, Grissom had forgiven him, understood him, and helped him. When Nick had been in that box, he'd said on that tape that he'd disappointed Grissom. Maybe now was his chance to redeem himself and return the favor. Nick started thinking about what he was going to do. After all, he owed the man his life...and he had the feeling that if provoked with the right evidence, Grissom was completely able to take it away again...

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When they got back to the lab, they started unloading evidence onto the evidence table in silence, Grissom avoiding eye contact. He really didn't want to do this, but it had to be done…Maybe I'll just retire now…Sara and I can go live in San Fran, and I can teach there, forget about all of this…Grissom thought wistfully.

"Hey Griss?" Came Nick's voice, penetrating the walls of his thoughts. It's time. No avoiding it now. Grissom sighed, taking off his glasses with one hand, the other supporting him as he leaned against the table.

"Nick, I…I don't--" Grissom started.

"It's a cold case." Nick said loudly and firmly, like his words were stone.

"What?" Grissom said, staring straight at him. God, he wanted to get this over and done with. What the hell is he on about?

"I think that this is one of those cases…Cold cases. They're put away in a safe place until the right time. Until the boss says we need to take them out. And, uh…you're the boss, Grissom."

Grissom kept staring at him for a moment, as if trying to read him with his eyes. Then, after what seemed like forever, he seemed satisfied and Grissom's mouth twitched up and he blinked slowly. He nodded and let out a breath of relief.

"Good man, Nicky. Good man."

And that was all he said. But those words meant so much. Grissom knew that his secret was safe with his CSI. The two men had some sort of weird connection of understanding at that moment, and Nick finally knew that he'd gained his mentor's approval.

"Just returning the favor, boss."

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a/n: no idea where its going from here, but it'll come, it'll come! thanks for sticking with me! please review it!