CSI: Sanctuary: Chapter 4

A/N: I'm taking some liberties with the time line. I know Greg goes back to work the week after the explosion in the show, but here, it's been a lot longer. Just imagine all these scenes from the last few chapters to this one happening over the summer between seasons three and four when anything could have been going on without our knowledge. *wink* *wink*

Walking into the lab, Nick's stomach felt a little nauseous and full of nervous butterflies. His life seemed to be going to hell. He and Kristy hadn't talked to each other since their last fight and he hadn't returned to Greg's. Greg didn't need help with even the basic chores anymore, which was his excuse for not even bothering to call him. He wasn't sure what to say to him anyway. A bitter, salty taste filled his mouth every morning when he went to bed, reminding him of their escapades on the couch. And it wouldn't go away, no matter how many mints he chewed.

Now he walked the halls of the lab, knowing it was Greg's first night back in three months. It was inevitable they would see each other again and he knew that, though he had a feeling it would be awkward. People might start to realize things had been going on under their noses. Whatever it was they'd started had to stop.

Nick stepped around the man making a few, last-minute repairs to the ceiling outside the DNA lab, which looked like the explosion had never happened.

Every time he walked past without the loud blast of obnoxious music, he was reminded of that day. He'd been in the AV lab with Archie when Greg went flying through the glass window, his stomach lurching with a fear for the other man he'd never known. He wanted to run to him, but someone held him back so the paramedics could work on the injured DNA tech, get him on a gurney, and out to a waiting ambulance.

He'd gone emotionally numb for awhile, before he realized where he was, and that he needed to get back to work. He had a case to solve, a killer to bring to justice, and the paramedics had their own hands full without him getting in the way.

"Nick? You ok?"

Startled at the voice, Nick looked up to see Hodges giving him an odd look, perhaps wondering if he was insane. He'd been staring at the DNA lab. Nick shook his head.

"No, I'm fine." He turned and made his way to the breakroom to get his assignment, leaving Hodges to stare after him.

Upon walking in, however, he was met with the sight of Greg sitting alone at the table.

He had to do something. Greg was watching him with an expectant expression on his face. Someone had to speak first and Greg didn't appear to have anything to say. That left him.

"Didn't mean to leave so fast... that night," Nick mumbled, finally moving away from the door to sit across from him. He'd been running by the time he'd reached the parking lot, running away from an out of control situation.

"It wasn't like we had anything planned afterward or anything." Greg smiled his brilliant, crazy smile, and Nick knew he wasn't mad at him for running away. He wasn't stupid though. He knew what Nick had been doing. And he was ok with it.

Greg was so cool and calm about what they'd done that it helped lift the heavy load from Nick's shoulders. He slumped in his chair, relaxing for the first time in several days and let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Hey, I really need some coffee in me before shift, and you do make good coffee," Greg said, his left eyebrow raised. "How about you make me some. If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll share my secret stash with you."

The man had a glint in his eye that made Nick smile. "Sure, I'll gladly make some coffee."

How the hell did Greg do this to him? One minute he'd been claiming that whatever they had going on between them had to stop, and now he was caving to Greg's wishes and desires the moment they were alone together. He couldn't keep going back and forth. Either he was with Greg or he wasn't, but he couldn't be both.

"I think we really need to talk about what's going on." He didn't know what he was going to say, or how he was going to say it. Would Greg even understand? "I mean... it's just that..."

The breakroom door opened, interrupting him mid-sentence.

"Greg, how have you been doing?" his supervisor asked, letting the door fall closed behind him.

"Doing fine. Much better."

Nick had a deer in the headlights look, as if their boss had caught them in a very compromising situation.

"Good. That's good to hear." Grissom went to the coffee maker and poured himself a cup of the sludge that had been sitting there when Greg arrived half an hour earlier.

It was just like him not to take a close look at his employee, even if he had been out on medical leave for several months. If a cursory question with a simple answer was good enough for Grissom, it was good enough for Greg. At least this way he wouldn't be forced to tell the truth about how nervous he actually was, among other, more private, things. The less Grissom knew, the better.

Greg grabbed the newspaper sitting at the other end of the table and ripped off an edge. He scribbled a note on it.

"Well, it's been great chatting, but I need to find out what they did to my lab. I'll see you later?" With Grissom facing the sink for a moment, Greg handed Nick the slip of paper which read: 'Top shelf, behind outdated chips. Relax."

Nick nodded and took the note. "Yeah sure."

"If you need anything, just let me know, alright?" Grissom called over his shoulder.

"Sure boss." Heading for the door, Greg put a light spring in his step for the benefit of said boss.

"You don't have to fake it, you know," Nick said a few minutes later, bumping the door open with his hip. He carried a coffee mug in both hands.

"What do you mean?" Greg took the mug offered to him, enjoying the feel of Nick's skin as their hands gently brushed together for a brief moment. "Thanks."

"When you left the breakroom. You made Grissom think everything was alright."

"Everything is alright. I'm better. I don't need to be babied and I want him to know that. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing but... this is your first night back. It won't be easy."

"How do you know?" Greg was on the defensive. He knew he shouldn't be. Knew he didn't have to be with Nick. After all, he'd seen him at his worst.

"Greg, you need me, you give me a call. Ok?"

"What, so you can give me a blow job and make everything better again?" That was low. Almost too low. What was wrong with him tonight?

Nick's face turned a bright shade of red before he made sure the door was closed and the hallway was empty. But, surprisingly, he didn't stay embarrassed for long as he stepped into Greg's personal space.

"Greg." His look was pointed. "I'm not leaving the lab tonight. Page me if you need me."

Nick turned without another word and walked back out the door.

"Hey Greggo!"

Greg blinked, moving his eyes from Nick's retreating broad shoulders to see Bobby Dawson entering his lab.

"Bobby, what's going on? Long time no see."

"I know. I was gonna go visit you, but Nick said you didn't want company over. You doing ok?"

"As long as ten million people don't ask me that tonight, yeah, I'm fine. And I did have Nick tell everyone not to come over. I don't need Catherine mothering me."

"But Nick gets that right?"

Greg blushed.

"He's married, Greg. What were you thinking?"

"I told him not to. But he wanted to."

"Well, I hope you didn't do anything stupid. I know you like him."

"I do not!" Greg struggled to get the image of Nick sucking him out of his head.

"A lot."

Greg shook his head. "Nothing happened. He helped me change bandages and cooked for me, did my laundry. That's it. I swear." He hated having to lie to a good friend.

"Alright then." But at least he'd bought the story.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't want visitors. It's just... it did stuff to me... I don't want people to see."

"Like what? Scars? That's a part of life, Greggo. Emotional or physical. You should know that. No one's going to think any less of you because you've got scars. You survived, and that's the important thing. That's what those scars show. You survived something that could have easily killed you."

Though Nick hadn't mentioned anything about him almost dying, their words were almost identical. Had they talked about him while he'd been laid up at home? Did Nick feel that way too? If their roles were reversed, he knew he would have been terrified of losing Nick in the explosion.

"You'll be fine. Oh, I've gotta run. Just saw someone enter my lab. I'll see you for lunch maybe?"

"Yeah, maybe."

God, he was exhausted. Everyone had stopped into the DNA lab to see how he was doing, regardless of whether he was processing anything for them or not. It got irritating after the fourth person. Nick returned, even when he didn't call for him, and brought him a second cup of comforting coffee. He was the only one who didn't ask any questions. Probably because he'd spent so much time at Greg's he didn't have to ask to know if anything was wrong anymore. Greg was thankful anyway, even if Nick was analyzing him to chew him out about something later.

Shift was now over. But Greg doubted his body would cooperate with him and carry him out the door. His forehead found the table and he rested there, his eyes closed for a few minutes, thinking how nice it would be to fall asleep for awhile.

"G, come on. I'll drive you home."

He raised his head to see Nick in the doorway, looking horribly sexy as he leaned against the frame. "No, no, I'm alright. You don't have to do that."

"Greg, get your coat." Nick wasn't giving him an option and in the end, he wasn't sure he wanted one. Why couldn't Nick be his boyfriend again?

He thought he fell asleep on the way home, but he wasn't sure. Nick guided his sleepy form into his apartment building, patted his pockets down for his keys at his front door, and headed him straight to bed.

Greg changed into the shirt and pants Nick handed him and crawled into bed, sighing, at the wonderful feeling of the soft pillow beneath his head. He blinked up at Nick. What he wouldn't give to have the Texan in bed beside him. But he wouldn't, couldn't, ask for that.

Nick then leaned down and placed a gentle kiss against his lips. "I'll pick you up for work tonight. Sleep well." And then he was gone.

If that wasn't a genuine sign of someone who cared, what was?

After the last time Nick had been in his apartment, Greg doubted anything even remotely romantic, or erotic, would pass between them. Nick had runaway so fast. And he already had a life with Kristy. What was Greg expecting? Certainly not a goodnight kiss.

Now he would never fall asleep.

The following morning Nick drove him home again.

"I should probably get home." Nick's eyes roamed over the livingroom where he'd slept for so long, taking care of Greg. He fidgeted with the keys in his hands, stalling for time. When he did turn back to the door, he didn't look at Greg. Not even to say goodbye.

Greg's hand shot out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "No. Stay. We don't have to do anything... like... you know... but... we could watch a movie. Maybe?" Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Nick had to go home. Why would he want to stay?

"Movie?" Nick was skeptical. But he hadn't said no.

"Yeah, I just picked up Pirates of the Carribean."

"Is that the one with Johnny Depp?" He still hadn't said no yet. Greg was smiling on the inside, a big, wide, cheesy grin.

"Yeah, but I was really thinking about Orlando Bloom."

They stared at each other for a moment before Greg let the grin burst across his face. Within moments they were both laughing and Nick was moving toward the couch, taking his jacket off as he went.

The credits rolled on the movie and Nick debated how best to wake Greg up and get him into bed. The younger man had fallen asleep, his head resting on Nick's shoulder. While he debated, he couldn't help but ask the simple question: Why couldn't this be his home life with his wife and daughter? Between the two of them the only one who would come within ten feet of him was Cara.

Greg certainly had a personality that drew him like a moth to a flame, the exact opposite of his wife's. His heart beat faster at the recognition of such a fact. If they kept this up Greg would be the death of him for sure.

With a heavy sigh, Nick dropped a tender kiss on Greg's forehead to wake him up.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you stay," Greg mumbled. "I guess I just got a little lonely."

"It's ok."

Nick got to his feet and offered his hand to Greg.

"You don't have to help me. I'm all better now."

"Sure you are." Nick let a grin slip out. "You're so tired it's like you're drunk. Come on, take my hand."

Greg stared at it for a long moment before slapping his own down on his palm, and pulling himself up.

Sure Greg might have been a little over tired, but he could still take care of himself. Nick didn't have to walk him to his bedroom and help him into bed, much less tuck him in. But he did. Even as he questioned his own actions, Nick made sure Greg was warm and comfortable. As he went to leave, their eyes locked and he felt himself being drawn down, toward Greg's sleepy smile. He knew it was wrong. He'd been thinking it ever since... But he wanted it... needed it so bad his entire body ached.

The kiss was gentle at first, soft, consuming. Never had anyone made him feel so alive before. He didn't want to let go. Greg's hands came out from under the covers, wrapped around his head, brought him closer. He fell on top of Greg, his brain starting to malfunction with every move of Greg's lips and tongue.

Skin glided against skin, tingles raced throughout his body, and it wasn't until then he realized he was completely naked and hard. Everything happened so fast, Nick was hardly aware of Greg's cock rubbing against his, or the hand coming between them, holding them together as he rubbed faster and faster, his breath catching as he moaned.

"Fuck, Nick. Oh! Please..."

Pleasure filled him to the breaking point. Damn Greg was good. Everything went fuzzy and his eyes closed, as his orgasm rolled over him in wave after wave. When he could no longer hold himself up, his whole body trembling after the exertion, he collapsed next to Greg, breathing heavily, exhausted.

Covers were pulled up over him and a warm body pressed itself into his side. It had been a long time since he'd been this close to anyone, and it felt good. It felt nice. Light snoring caught his attention and slowly drew him into a deep sleep.

His eyes flickered open and he stared up at the ceiling. It was white. Not peach. Nick blinked and looked around him, startled to find another warm body so close to him it had almost melded into his. Short spiked hair tickled his arm. Trying to slide out from the other side of the bed, Greg only burrowed closer, as if he was afraid of losing the warmth, even in his state of deep sleep. Seeing Greg trying to keep him there hurt. He wanted to stay. His heart told him he should, that Greg would want him to. But his rational mind, now that the sexual haze had departed, knew differently. He would only hurt Greg if he stayed. His life was ruined as it was. There was no need to bring Greg down with him.

Quickly and quietly, Nick got out of bed, ignoring Greg's struggles to stay warm, and grabbed his clothes. Dressing in the livingroom, he left before Greg had time to wake up.