Nick opened his eyes and saw Greg with his head down, focused on his cell phone. He figured he was playing a game on it by his focus. He cleared his throat to get his attention. Greg lifted his head and smiled at seeing Nick awake. Nick noticed his eyes looked a little blood shot.
"Hey, how long have you been sitting here playing games?" Nick asked him.
Greg looked down at his phone for the time and shrugged. "I don't know, about 2 hours I guess." Nick frowned some. He knew he had to not have slept in a good 24 hours.
"You should really try to get some sleep. I'm going to be fine. You don't need to watch over me."
Greg sighed. "Look, I nearly lost you. I really can't sleep with that thought in my head. I feel better sitting here with you. Besides I don't want to go home alone."
Nick was curious by his response. "And why don't you want to be home alone?" Greg shrugged. "I'm more likely to be able to sleep here than being home alone while worrying about you here."
"I'm going to be okay. I'm just really tired and sore but I'll be okay. You don't have to worry," Nick reassured him.
"I want to stay here, okay. I'm off work anyway the next couple days. I'll sleep when you sleep. The chair is fine for me." Greg was really hoping he would drop the subject.
Nick could see he was getting irritated. He took pity knowing he probably had been a worried sick when he heard he was shot. He knew that Greg was very dependent on him these days to keep him from making mistakes. "Okay I'll let it go for now. My parents are going to be coming soon, I heard for a short visit."
Greg nodded. "Yeah, your mom called me earlier and told me they will be here later today. They probably will just stay a couple of days just to make sure you are okay."
"Excuse me," a voice said from the doorway. Nick smiled seeing his work partner, Jack. "Hey come on in," Nick said to him. Jack walked in and nodded a hello to Greg. Greg gave a small smile in return.
"I wanted to see how you were doing. I was pretty worried about you back there for a while but not nearly as worried as this guy," he motioned towards Greg. Greg bowed his head in slight embarrassment. He wished everyone would just stop picking on him.
Nick looked over at him and smiled. "Yes, I know he was and still is."
Greg finally stood up. "I'm going to grab something to eat in the cafeteria, that way you all can talk about me behind my back instead," he said grumpily as he started to walk out.
"Greg, we aren't going to talk about you. I have to talk to Nick about the case," Jack said to him, feeling a little bad for him. Greg just waved him off and walked out.
"What's gotten into him?" Jack asked Nick. Nick sighed. "He has not been sleeping so he is just moody. I keep trying to get him to go home but he will not. Hopefully I won't have to stay here too long and we can go home. Then maybe he can get some sleep."
"Well I hope for your sake he does." Jack sat down where Greg has been sitting and began to discuss the case they had been working on when Nick was shot.
Xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
A couple days later Nick was released from the hospital. Greg managed to get one of his co-workers to cover his shift that day but would have to work a double the next day to make up for it. He wanted to be home all day the first day Nick was.
Knowing Nick was going to be okay was helping Greg not be a nervous wreck, but now he worried about leaving him when he did have to work. The doctor had told Nick to take it easy and avoid as much stress or physical activity for at least two weeks. The bullet had been so close to his heart, he didn't want his taking any chances.
Nick worried some about Greg though. He had spent most of his time at the hospital and was hardly sleeping. On their drive home Greg had been very quiet and looked exhausted.
"Hey, once I am settled back at home, I want you to get some sleep," Nick said to him.
Greg stared straight ahead at the road. "Look, you are the one who was shot and needs rest, doctor's orders."
"You look like hell, Greg. Stop being a mule and admit you're tired. And all I've been doing is resting and sleeping the last few days," Nick told him. He earned an angry side glance from his boyfriend.
"Fine! Once you are resting, I will rest some too." Greg knew he probably should get some sleep but when he tried his mind would not let him. He just kept thinking about what would happen to him if he lost Nick. He had saved him from near death. He knew now that had Nick not found him when he did in that crappy motel room months ago, he would have eventually OD's from his drug use. He knew his frame of mind back then and how careless he was with his life. He hoped to never feel that way again.
Nick was satisfied with his answer. He would make sure Greg got some sleep somehow. When they got home, Greg helped Nick into the house. He was overly cautious of his condition. "Look, I'm not some fragile piece of glass. I can walk on my own," Nick finally scolded him once inside.
Greg backed off a little. "Okay. I just want to make sure you're okay," he frowned. If Nick only knew how bad his fears were, he thought to himself.
Nick sat down on the sofa and pulled Greg down next to him. He faced him to talk to him. "Hey, I love that you are so concerned for me but I am home now. I am going to be okay. I will take it easy and let you do all the hard work, like cleaning," he smirked.
His boyfriend sighed. "Okay, I get it. You're going to make a full recovery but you still need time. I just know you and you like to get back to work sooner than you should. Remember I was around when you were buried alive," he reminded him.
Nick slowly nodded his head, knowing what Greg was saying to him. "Yes, I did go back to work too soon after that and I tried to act like nothing happened. Then later I had the slight breakdown. This is not exactly the same. I am not traumatized from this shooting as I was from being buried alive and almost eaten alive by ants. That is the difference. But I promise you I will not go back this time until the doctor gives me his okay, if it makes you feel better."
Greg smiled. "It does. Thanks!" He stood up. "So before we try to get some sleep, how about some chow?" He walked into the kitchen and opened the freezer and pulled out some lasagna to heat up.
After they finished eating, Nick got into bed. Greg said he wanted to take a shower first and then he would go to bed. Nick was asleep by the time Greg got out of the shower. Greg slid into bed quietly beside him. He looked at him sleeping soundly and was satisfied.
He turned onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. He was tired and felt like he could actually sleep this time since he knew Nick was safe and sound next to him. He knew he needed to get some rest since he was going to have to work a double the next day since his co-worker was pulling one for him today.
He did just wonder if life would ever be simple again. The last time he felt like he was living a normal life was when he was with Matthew before he had gotten full blown AIDS.
Thinking about Matthew always made him melancholy. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the good days he had with Matthew. He opened his eyes again and looked over at Nick sleeping next to him. Most of his time back with Nick had its ups and downs. His being shot was definitely a down but at least he was going to have a full recovery.
He remembered the first time he walked into the Las Vegas Crime Lab and saw Nick Stokes. God, he was gorgeous with his smile and muscle toned body, he thought to himself. He wanted to get to know him more. He knew he sort of pestered him in the beginning more than anything but he knew he was growing on the Texan. They both talked of girlfriends and yet were hardly ever seen with one. Greg knew he was lying but he did wonder about Nick when he was almost arrested for killing Kristie. She had been a prostitute.
He shook his head. He only now realized that he was no better than her. In fact, he had been worse than her since he had also been so heavily into drugs. He glared at Nick. "How could you have been so stupid to want me back when you saw me like that?" he said quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping man.
He sighed heavily and rubbed his hands over his face. He scolded himself for letting the dark thoughts into his mind. Nick would not be happy if he knew he had been having so many of them again lately. Perhaps it was time he scheduled an appointment with his psychiatrist again, Nick would definitely say and he would be right.
He finally shook his head and turned on his side away from Nick. It was time he tried to get some sleep and turn off his overthinking brain. He fell asleep within a few minutes from pure exhaustion.
Nick opened his eyes several hours later. He saw Greg's back to him. He was happy to know he was still in bed, hopefully getting some much needed sleep. He knew that in a few hours he would have to go to work and work for 16 hours. He hoped he would not overdo it. He knew he would worry about him all through his shift, but Nick knew he would be okay. He was going to take it easy. In all honesty, his getting shot scared him too. He had spent more than half of the last year worrying about Greg and never about himself really. He almost forgot what a dangerous job he did work in. He also realized more how much Greg relied on him. He remembered telling him months again to let him be his drug; well it seems he took that to heart.
Greg sleeping started to become a little restless. Nick could hear him moaning in his sleep. He seemed more agitated. He had not had a nightmare in a while. He started to wonder if this was not due to the shooting and the reason behind him hardly sleeping.
Greg suddenly woke up and groaned. He turned on his back. As he turned, he caught Nick looking at him. "How long have you been awake?" He asked Nick. Nick gave him a serious look. "How long have you been having nightmares again? Since I was shot?"
Greg sighed and looked away from him. He was hoping Nick had not noticed but of course, being the detective he was he did. "Yes, only since you were shot. I'm sure they will stop soon now that you are home and recovering."
"I wish you would talk to me about this stuff. You know Dr. Fry said not to hide things from me," he scolded his younger boyfriend.
"You were just shot! My little nightmares are nothing to worry about considering your condition. Damn it Nick, I'll be fine." Greg huffed and swung his legs out from under the sheets and sat up. He ran his hands through his hair and stood up to leave the room.
Nick sat up quickly and immediately regretted it as he groaned in pain. Greg turned around and scolded him. "See you are the one that needs to be worried about! Now just lay back down. I am fine but hungry so I am grabbing something to eat. Do you want anything?"
The Texan lay back down and shook his head. "I'll stay put as long as you just let me know if your nightmares get worse." Greg waved him off. "Fine!" He said loudly before storming out of the bedroom.
Nick knew he probably should not get on his case so much, but he was so worried he about how unhappy he seemed lately. He remembered Greg telling him shortly after his stay in the emotional health hospital that he would be okay as things stayed good in his life. He told him he couldn't guarantee how he would be in bad times but he would try to stay clean. He knew that right now he was really stressing out and he could only hope that he stayed away from any drug temptations.
As Greg made an omelet for himself, he tried to cool his temper and nerves. Cooking had become something of a soothing act for him in the recent months. He had been home so much since he could not find a job; he would sit in front of the TV watching cooking shows. He started to cook for Nick when he got home and had managed to impress his boyfriend. Prior he was not that great of a cook but that had changed.
He was just sitting down at the table to eat his meal when Nick slowly came out of the bedroom. Greg watched him take his time going to the sofa to sit down. "You sure you don't want an omelet or something?" The younger man asked him.
"No, I'm really not hungry. It's probably the medication making me not have much of an appetite." Greg lowered his head and played with his omelet. "Yeah I know how that can be."
Nick looked at him cautiously. He had been prescribed Oxycodone and knew that was what got Greg hooked in the first place on drugs. He tried to get the doctor to give him something else but his doctor told him this would be best. This was the other reason he was worried about Greg, having the drug in the house. Nick kept it in his pocket or on his bedside when he slept. He didn't want a temptation is his face.
Nick decided to change the subject instead. "When are you leaving for work?"
Greg took a piece of his meal before answering. "I have to leave in about two hours. I know Jack said he would stop in and check on you when I was at work today since I will be gone so long."
"I'll be fine. I mostly am going to be sleeping probably anyway. That or sitting here watching TV."
Greg shrugged. "As long as you take it easy, that is all I care about. No more almost giving me a heart attack. I can't deal with another scare like that right now."
Nick raised his hand like he was in court. "I promise to take it easy and not do anything to make you worry, I swear." Greg rolled his eyes at him. "Funny," he grunted before he finished off his omelet.
"If you don't mind, I am going to at least get dressed for work so I can leave when it is time. But I'll be back out here to watch some TV or play games or whatever you want to do before I leave."
Nick cracked a wicked smile and raised his eyebrow. Greg narrowed his eyes at him. "No, you are not well enough for any play time with me. No physical exertion your doctor said and that would require a lot of that from you, old man!"
Nick grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. "Hey now! I'm not that old yet," he pouted. Greg caught the pillow and just smirked knowing he got a little fun rise out of his boyfriend. He lightly tossed the pillow back to Nick. "Nice try, hot shot!" He turned his back to Nick and walked into the bedroom to get dressed.
Nick still was pouting a little but overall he was happy the fun side of Greg came out briefly for a visit.
