A/n just something I thought of after looking at the episode recap of Overload. This story is based on spoilers from that episode. The quote where Nick tells Greg what happened was taken directly from http/www.crimelab.nl.
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Nick was walking down the hall past the interview rooms when he heard what he thought was a familiar voice he hoped to never hear again. Unsure if this was the same person who had destroyed his childhood at the tender age of nine Nick went into the observation room. Greg looked up as Nick came into the room.
"Hey whatcha doing here, Nicky?" Greg asked flashing his lover a smile.
"I'm done with my case, and Warrick said you guys had a tough case, so what is it?" Nick asked.
"A woman was accused of sexually molesting a nine-year-old but she's denying it, and the boy isn't talking," Greg explained.
"What's the suspect's name?" Nick wanted to know.
"Monica Albert and she has some prior charges that have all been dropped. The problem with this case is that some of the evidence isn't processed yet, so we probably don't have enough to hold her," Greg replied. Nick's face turned white and he leaned against the wall for support.
"Hey are you ok, Nicky?" Greg asked in concern. Nick nodded as he stumbled out of the observation room and ran smack into the one person he never wanted to see again.
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Monica Albert was standing their in the hallway without hand cuffs thereby supporting Greg's theory that they didn't have enough to hold her.
"Why if it isn't Little Nicky Stokes, how are you?" Nick didn't respond he just gave her a tight nod.
"What do you want?" Nick asked harshly.
"I just wanted to say hi to my favorite good little boy," Monica said as she placed a hand on Nick's shoulder as she spoke her voice dripping with sugary sweetness. The moment her hand touched his shoulder a flood of emotions spilled from Nick.
"Did you do the same thing to that little boy that you did to me, Monica?" Nick asked. As he was asking this he made sure to move back into the interview room and unobtrusively press play on the recorder.
"Yeah, and he was a very good boy, but he told someone. At least you didn't tell anyone you were my good little boy, weren't you Nicky?" Monica whispered as she placed her hand on Nick's shoulder again. Nick pushed away from her and ran out the door just as Brass came in. Greg had told him that Nick reacted badly when he heard the suspects name which concerned brass. He had slipped into the observation room telling Greg to get some coffee from the break room. Brass's heart broke at Nick's confession and anger boiled in his veins for the woman who did it. Brass walked quickly over to Monica and slapped cuffs on her.
"Monica Albert you're under arrest for the molestation and rape of Ryan Weeks," Brass snarled as he pushed her out the door. Nick was half way down the hall frozen in place when they walked by.
"You were always my good little boy, Nicky," Monica mouthed to him as she passed. That was the last straw Nick turned and fled. He found himself in the bathroom throwing up the contents of his stomach. Once their was nothing else to bring up Nick continued heaving for several minutes. Finally he collapsed to the stall floor and pulled his knees to his chest as the tears began to fall and sobs racked his body. All the memories that flooded his mind and body were too much and he found himself leaning back over the toilet throwing up whatever was left in his stomach, wishing this was just a nightmare and Greg would wake him up soon.
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Greg was concerned Nick had disappeared and he couldn't find him.
"Hey, Sanders?" Brass called out. Greg walked towards the captain wondering what he wanted. As he got closer Greg could tell that the homicide detective was angry beyond words.
"What is it, Brass?" Greg asked.
"I need you to check on Nicky. I shouldn't be the one to tell you what happened between him and our suspect, but he's in the bathroom, and he's about to have a complete breakdown," Brass explained. Greg nodded and rushed off to the bathroom to check on his lover. Greg's concern turned to full-out panic when he heard the sound of Nick retching as he sobbed. Greg pushed the stall door open and knelt down behind his distraught lover.
"It's ok, Nicky. Just breathe Nicky, just breathe. It's all going to be ok. I need you to try and calm down for me," Greg whispered as he grabbed some toilet paper and wiped Nick's face. Nick turned at the sound of Greg's voice and launched himself at the younger man. Greg opened his arms and caught Nick as he fell into them. Nick's body was shaking with the force of his sobs.
"Shh, it's ok it'll be ok, Nicky. You wanna talk about it?" Greg asked.
"Yes, but, not here. Take me home, please?" Nick begged.
"Of course I will, Nicky," Greg said as he stood up and helped Nick to his feet. The two of them walked out of the bathroom and nearly collided with Brass and Grissom.
"Your taking Nicky home, I hope?" Grissom asked. Greg nodded in affirmation.
"Good, see you tomorrow," Grissom said as he and Brass moved down the hall. Greg gave Grissom a small smile. He wasn't sure what caused Nick to breakdown like that, but, he knew that Nick wouldn't be in any condition to work tonight. Greg pulled Nick close and guided him to the parking lot and helped him get settled in the passenger seat of Greg's Tahoe. Once Nick was in the Tahoe Greg climbed in and pulled out of the lot. The drive was a silent one, both men in their own worlds until the car came to the house they shared and Greg climbed out of the car and headed for the door knowing that Nick would follow.
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They were sitting side-by-side on the couch holding cups of coffee. Nick took a deep breath and stared down at his coffee cup as he started to speak. "Okay. There are some people you're supposed to
be able to trust, you know? I was nine. And she was a last-minute baby-sitter.
All I can remember doing afterwards is sitting in my
room in the dark, staring at the door waiting for my mom to get home. But I've never told anyone before."
"You never told anyone?" Greg asked incredulously.
"No, not until I told Catherine a couple of years ago," Nick softly admitted.
"Why did you tell Catherine?" Greg asked puzzled.
"You remember that case where the mother was trying to make her relationship with her son better by trying the re-birthing process?" Nick asked.
"Yeah vaguely," Greg replied.
"Well my first assumption was that he had been sexually abused and I kinda ran with the case and cut Catherine out. She called me on it, and, I was forced to tell her the story."
"Wait a minute I'm still confused why did you react that way to our suspect? Was it because of the memories that surfaced from what happened to you?" Greg asked.
"Because your suspect was my last-minute baby-sitter," Nick answered barely above a whisper.
"Fuck! Nicky I'm sorry," Greg said as he pulled the Texan into a strong and loving embrace.
"She called me her good little boy and told me never to tell. When she was gone I got into the shower and took the hottest shower I could. When I saw her today I asked her if she did the same thing to that little boy that she did to me and she said yes. Then she said he was her good little boy as well, but he had told and I hadn't. She said that I was always her good little boy. I felt so dirty and damaged. I scrubbed my skin until it was red trying to get the feeling of her off of me," Nick explained as he pulled away from Greg and walked over to the recliner and curled up in it. It was as far as Nick could get away from Greg but still be in the same room.
"Nicky? Why did you move across the room? What's wrong? Did I do something?" Greg wondered.
"No, but, I'm damaged and dirty and you couldn't possibly want me anymore. I should have been stronger I should have done more. It's my fault I deserved this," Nick said softly. Greg was across the room and his right hand had connected with Nick's cheek before he could register what he was doing. Nick recoiled at the slap and curled into an even tighter ball.
"Oh god, Nicky I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that. It's just that you made me so angry saying that it was your fault and that you deserved it.
"But I did, surely I had to of," Nick argued.
"No you didn't I promise, babe. She did something without your consent and whether you're nine or forty-nine it's still wrong. As for being dirty and damaged and me not wanting you anymore are you crazy? I love you, and I'm never going to leave you. We all have skeletons in our closets, but that doesn't mean I love you any less," Greg argued as he pulled Nick into his arms. Nick's face was pressed against Greg's chest and Nick winced in pain as his right cheek brushed against Greg's shirt. Greg pulled back when he felt Nick tense in pain. It took a second, but, once he realized it was because of the pain he inflicted Greg placed a butterfly kiss to the bruise then traced it with his fingers as tears began sliding down his face.
"Hey what's the matter, G?" Nick asked as he used his thumbs to wipe away Greg's tears.
"I hit you and caused you pain. I'm so sorry, Nicky," Greg sobbed.
"Shh baby, it's ok. I know you didn't hit me on purpose. It's ok I'm all right I promise, babe."
"You're sure?" Greg asked. Nick nodded as he leaned down and gave the younger man a tender kiss. The kiss quickly turned passionate and Greg pulled back not wanting to push Nick to far too fast.
"Why did you pull back?" Nick asked.
"Because I don't want to push you into something your not ready to cope with," Greg explained.
"No I need you to make love to me, please. I need to remember how it feels when you make love to me," Nick pleaded.
"Ok if that's what you want, that's what you'll get," Greg said with a smirk as he gently pulled Nick to his feet and after wrapping an arm around the older man Greg guided him into the bedroom ready to remind Nicky what it felt like to be made love to by someone he could always trust.
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A few hours had passed and both Nick and Greg were sound asleep. Greg was awakened by Nick thrashing around and calling out no don't touch me Monica. Don't touch me, please. Greg grabbed Nick's arms and shook him gently.
"Nicky wake up it's just me. C'mon wake up it was just a dream," Greg pleaded. Nick's eyes fluttered open and he looked around in panic before his eyes landed on Greg and recognition of his surroundings came back. Greg held out his arms and Nick crawled into them. He cuddled into Greg and held on to him tightly as if he were to let go Greg would disappear. Nick began to sob because of the stress his nightmare had put him under.
"Shh it's ok. Its ok it's just a nightmare. She can't hurt you anymore, Nicky," Greg murmured.
"She can't hurt me ever again?" Nick asked timidly.
"No, not ever again," Greg promised. "You're safe, I'll always do whatever I can to keep you safe," Greg said.
"I'm safe?" Nick asked hopefully.
"Yes, your safe, babe." As if to prove his point Greg pulled Nick tighter against him as he fought to keep the anger coursing through him invisible to Nick. He didn't need to deal with Greg's anger towards Monica.
"Good night I love you, G," Nick mumbled as he began to drift back off to sleep calmed by Greg's presence and his arms around him.
"Good night I love you too, Nicky," Greg replied. Greg remained with Nick until he was sure that the Texan was sound asleep. Once Greg was sure that Nick wouldn't wake up he carefully eased out of bed and headed for the living room, grabbing his cell phone as he walked out of the bedroom. He made sure to close the door behind him so he wouldn't wake Nick. Greg got settled on the couch and dialed a familiar number.
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Catherine was about to climb into bed when her cell phone rang. She let out a resigned sigh determined to give who ever was on the other end of the line a piece of her mind.
"Willows," she answered.
"Hey Catherine its Greg."
"Hey Greg is everything ok?" Catherine asked.
"No it isn't I need to talk to someone, but I can't leave the house."
"What do you need to talk about, and why me?" Catherine asked puzzled. She had been out on a case, and all she was told when she returned was that Greg had taken Nick home early and nothing else.
"It's about Nicky," Greg explained.
"What about him is he ok?" Catherine asked.
"No not exactly," Greg said quietly.
"What do you mean, not exactly, Greg?" Catherine asked in confusion.
"Well it's the reason I can't leave the house. I need to be here in case he has nightmares triggered because of memories of his past," Greg explained.
"Is their any event in particular you're worried about?" Catherine asked.
"Yes, when he was nine," Greg replied. Catherine gasped in surprise she didn't think anyone else knew about that other than her.
"Greg! What happened?" Catherine asked in alarm.
"I can't talk about it on the phone, just come over, please?" Greg begged as his emotions began to get the better of him and his voice cracked. Catherine was really worried now. Greg was usually so happy and goofy that this mixture of anger and sadness scared her.
"Shh it's ok, sweetie. I'll be their as soon as I can," Catherine reassured.
"Thanks," Greg replied.
"No problem see you soon," Catherine replied.
"Ok, bye," Greg said as he hung up and leaned back against the couch waiting for Catherine to arrive.
TBC?
A/n I decided to make this a story where Nick and Greg each have to face and deal with something from their past. Since we don't now much about Greg's past I'm going to make something up.
