Title: G-men
Author: Dee
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 18987
Pairings: Gil/Nick
Characters: Gil Grissom, Nick Stokes and the usual cast with a couple of OCs
Warnings: v.AU – not only SS bashing but CW, WB and GS too!
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: In my dreams they are like, totally mine!
Beta: jayceepat and podga for their invaluable help in the Americanisation of the fic and their insightful comments – which I may well have ignored! I thank high_striker for his wonderful icons. I am indebted to them all. Any errors are mine.
A/N: I have taken a completely different tack on this fic – what if the shift isn’t happy about learning that Gil and Nick are a couple? What would happen? Another angle about the relationship and what happens. If you are offended by my ‘gang bashing’ – then don’t read on…

Prologue

Neither man had ever given this a thought.

They’d thought the bosses would be awkward. They’d thought there’d be an official inquiry and feared the worst. The inquiry happened; the ‘worst’ never materialised.

They thought the cops would be a problem, but apart from a few remarks there was no problem there either.

After those hurdles had been successfully jumped they’d expected their lives would return to their ‘normal’. Gil, the supervisor of the ‘graveyard’ shift and Nick a member of the team, his team.

The consequences and fallout of their actions within that team had never even crossed their minds.

Up to date

Catherine walked purposefully into Gil’s office, intent on dropping two completed files into Gil’s in-tray. Neither Catherine nor Gil spoke but as she dropped the files into the tray, Gil glanced at Catherine and she glanced at the computer screen Gil had been studying moments before. She could clearly see the words ‘JOB APPLICATION SCREEN 3’ emblazoned across the top of the screen. She took a sharp intake of breath as Gil minimised the screen.

“May I help you, Catherine?”

“No. You’re applying for a job? You want to leave?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“No. But…if you’re leaving it’ll leave a position for a supervisor.”

“And you would expect to get the job? On my recommendation?”

“I…well…”

“No, you didn’t think about that did you?”

Catherine stood for a moment and then chose not to reply but turned and left Gil’s office. She was furious; her breathing was laboured, her face flushed and her hands balled so tightly into fists that her nails dug into her palms. She stormed into the briefing room where Warrick, Sara and Greg were awaiting their assignments. They‘d been talking about a case.

“Gil Grissom is leaving. I’ve seen the application form.” So it was an exaggeration; Gil hadn’t denied it, though.

“You’re kidding, right?” Warrick was almost ready to believe she was joking but her face and demeanour said otherwise.

“No, I’m not.”

“He can’t leave the lab; it’s his life, he wouldn’t give up all of this.” Sara was already in denial mode; she would not believe for one minute that Grissom would leave.

“It seems it’s not.”

“Where’s the job?” Greg asked

“I wasn’t able to see that; I just saw top of the screen before he minimised it.”

“So he was hiding it then?”

“Seems that way to me.”

Sara was still not able to believe that he would leave. “Is he leaving the lab or is he leaving Nick?”

Catherine raised her eyebrows. “I hadn’t thought of that; what if the love of his life has turned into a millstone?”

“They seemed pretty tight to me when I saw them at the Paris last week.” Warrick had seen them dining, in the tower overlooking the fountains of the Bellagio.

“I still think he may be trying to leave Nick, not the lab; he’s got himself backed into a corner and it may be the only way out. But it should be Nick who should leave, not him.” Sara liked her version of events better.

“Speak of the devil.” Catherine whispered between gritted teeth as she saw Nick approach the briefing room.

They all sat stony faced as Nick entered the room.

“Hey.” Nick always spoke and always received the same response…..nothing. But he figured he’d be damned to hell and back if he was going to stoop to their level.

He sat down in a free seat and checked the time. He liked to time his entrance so that he only had a minute at most before Gil came in to give out assignments. He had to prompt Gil to do this and always sent him a text as he left the locker room. He guessed the rest of them knew this but they wouldn’t call him on it; that would mean speaking to him, unnecessarily.

This was one time he was wrong.

“Is Gil leaving you? Has he had enough of his brown eyed boy?” Sara almost spit the questions out of her mouth at Nick.

Nick was looking down. Gil had sent him a text, not two minutes ago, ‘cw saw app fm thinx mine gx’

“No.” Nick had learned a hard lesson these past months. Don’t say two words when one would do.

“He wouldn’t tell us anyway - would you lover boy, wouldn’t want to lose face.”

“If Gil goes I guess you’ll be going too?” Catherine followed up on Sara’s theme.

Gil walked through the door. “Assignments.” Now, as insensitive as Gil normally was to atmospheres, even he could feel the icy blow as he entered the room.

“Warrick and Sara - fire out at Henderson - injuries, not yet fatal. Catherine - suspected B and E at the Wynn, the personnel department, apparently. Greg and Nick - a DB at the underground car lot at the Sam Boyd Stadium. I’ll come out to that but once I’ve assessed it I’ll probably come back here.”

“I think it would be more appropriate for me to head up a DB than a B and E.” It had been weeks since any one of them had questioned the assignments but Catherine was pissed so she couldn’t have cared less.

“Really? Well I think otherwise. Any more questions?” There was, predictably, no response.” He left the room.

It had been just over three months since Nick had worked a case with anyone other than himself, Greg or Gil, and Gil tried to keep his own accompanied assignments in strict order, to ensure there was no room for complaint. In fact, Gil and Nick rarely worked alone together, for the same reason.

While Greg was in the camp against Gil and Nick, he just couldn’t bear to be as overtly horrible to Nick’s face as the others were. He tried to be ‘normal’ when they were out together, at least when they were alone. When they had to work in a team he reverted to pack behaviour and kept any interaction with Nick to a bare minimum.

Nick and Greg drove to the scene in Nick’s truck. They’d hardly spoken but Greg was under orders to find out as much as he could.

“So, you're leaving the lab as well?”

“Why do you want to know, gotta report back?”

“No, just interested, is all.” But he’d blushed to the roots of his hair.

“Yeah, course you are.”

“Just interested; you’re being paranoid.” Okay, so it was the wrong choice of words, but even he jumped at Nick exclamation.

“WHAT? Man, I don’t know how you can sit there and say that, I really don’t.” Nick was chuckling to himself but it wasn’t in amusement.

Previously on CSI….

So, Gil and Nick had told the sheriff and he’d told the director and all the assistant directors and the under sheriff and anyone else he could think off. The lawyers had been unequivocal in their advice. No firing. Lawsuits for discrimination were big business nowadays.

The investigation had gone on behind the scenes but file after file had been examined and not one shred of evidence suggested any undue influence by either man. The under sheriff had actually concluded that Nick Stokes may well have been held back by Grissom. When Grissom had been confronted with that evidence he’d clearly been confounded by his behaviour. He could only explain it as him being ultra careful not to favour Nick and then the reverse had happened.

When Nick had been interviewed about the exact same matter, he’d laughed. Of course he knew, but he knew why Grissom had done it and he couldn’t fault his motives. All in all he didn’t think it’d had an adverse affect on his work. He‘d had all the pay raises he was due, unless, of course they thought otherwise and he wouldn’t turn it down if they thought he hadn’t received his due pay. That had earned him some embarrassed laughter from the two men interviewing him.

So, it had all gone satisfactorily. The main investigation had been undertaken during the day so no undue gossip had reached the graveyard shift. Before the matter became public knowledge Gil had asked for time to tell his staff.

They’d decided to tell the team after work when they’d shared a breakfast. All the other lab staff could then be told…although it would be unlikely they’d have to be, once the jungle drums had started beating out their message.

A successful shift and two cases solved had seen them all heading to the buffet at the Stratosphere. Once they’d laid into the food and were replete and comfortable Gil called order and said he had something to tell them.

Not one of them had the slightest inkling as to what he was about to tell them. He looked happy so it wasn’t bad news and Catherine remembered thinking in those moments beforehand, that Nick also looked very happy.

“I have an announcement of a personal nature to make. For well over a year now, Nick and I have been involved in a…relationship. I guess I should say that we’re opening the closet door and stepping out.”

“No.” Sara was incredulous. “There’s no way that’s true.”

“Sara? Of course it’s true, why would I lie to you…to you all?” They would often say that it was Gil’s choice of that word that had caused Catherine’s explosive retort.

“Lie? You can sit there grinning…both of you…and talk about lying? You’ve lied to us all for what, ’well over a year now’. What was it - a trust issue? Didn’t trust us to know the truth?”

“Catherine, please, it was nothing of the sort. We didn’t tell anyone…well…it’s not been easy for either of us, but….”

“Not easy? I can believe that, you don’t do easy do you? You don’t do trust…what I suppose you do…is Nick? Is that right Nick, you’re Gil’s boy now?”

“Catherine, that’s enough. How dare….”

“Don’t Gil…don’t bother, I’m off. You coming?” She asked this of the rest of the table.

“I…yes…I can’t believe you’d do this to me, Gris…I really can’t, and Nick…I thought you were my friend.”

Nick spoke for the first time. “Sara, this wasn’t some deliberate ploy to….”

“Don’t try and explain now…like Catherine said, it’s a year too late.”

The two women got up from the table and Catherine looked pointedly at Warrick. “You coming?”

“Yeah…I’ll see you in the lot.”

The two women left and didn’t look back. All four men left at the table looked at their retreating backs.

“I cannot believe Catherine’s reaction. Sara’s maybe.” Gil was genuinely perplexed.

“Gris, you gotta believe it man, this is a huge shock. I had…we had no idea you were gay…that Nick was…gay. You say you’ve been together over a year and yet you didn’t say a thing or even indicate what was going on…that’s not very…..” He couldn’t think of any words to describe what he thought it was. Greg supplied it.

“….conducive to team working…or morale…..”

“Yeah…that it’s…we’re a, we were, a tight team and you’ve just split us in two. You did lie to us and you didn’t trust us enough to tell us.”

“Don’t you think we agonised over this Warrick...this isn’t a case to discuss and dissect…this is our lives we’re talking about and we had to be sure. It’s not been easy, for either of us.”

“No, I don’t think for one minute it has. It‘s not going to get any easier is it…you’ll have to tell the suits.”

“They know.” Nick spoke up now, but he felt as if he was going lose his breakfast at any moment. “We told them a couple of months ago. All our work, Gil’s and mine, has been checked. They found nothing that…”

“So you told everyone else before us…I thought I was your friend bro…your best friend in Vegas…turns out I’ve been blindsided…eh?”

“No ‘Rick…but this hasn’t been easy for us…as Gil said….”

“Sorry, gotta go. You coming?” He addressed Greg.

Greg pondered for a few moments and then nodded but as he got up and Warrick had moved away he said. “It’ll die down; you’ll see…it’s just a huge shock

“Yeah.” Gil wasn’t so sure.

They sat in silence for a few moments and then Gil spoke. “Well, that went well.” He looked at Nick, whose face betrayed the anguish he felt. Gil put his hand over Nick’s and squeezed. “I never said it’d be easy…but I thought it would be the bosses and not our colleagues…friends, who’d throw us the curve ball.”

“I hate sports analogies.” Nick whispered this, it was a running joke between them, but he was about as far as he could be from feeling jovial.

“They’ll come ‘round, you’ll see.”

“I’m not so sure. You know what Catherine’s like when she’s got a crusade going…and she has you beaten to rights over the political agenda. They may not ‘come ‘round’ as you say. Sara’ll be with Catherine and Warrick doesn’t look as if he’s in a forgiving mood. That only leaves Greg.”

“I hope you’re wrong Nick.” The problem with Gil saying that was that he’d found, as their relationship had grown and flourished, that Nick was invariably right. He’d never given him the credit before, but he was intuitive and had a strong political background, instilled by zealous parents…he could read the lay of the land.

“You know we had ‘Plan B’ for the bosses….we might need to invoke it after all.” Nick was solemn as he said this; the enormity of the possible outcome weighing heavily on his shoulders.

“You could be right, Nicky. Are you okay with that?”

“Will we be together?”

“Of course. I’ll never give you up…never.”

“Then I’m okay. If push comes to shove will you be able to leave Las Vegas? The lab.”

“It’s the work I love Nicky, you know that, we can do that anywhere there’s crime, a lab and a job going. What do you say to setting a time limit…see how it goes and then start the ball rolling on Plan B?”

“Yeah….three months?”

“Long enough for them to come around, if they’re going to…I love you Nick. You’re willing to go through all of this for me?”

“Hey, you’re going through it for me too…I think it’ll be a test for us but we’re strong enough - don’t you think?”

“I do. A test. I think you’re right. This’ll be a good time to test our communications out won’t it?” This was another light-hearted reference to the problems they’d had at the start of their relationship.

Both men had been unable to talk and share and assumptions had been made, misunderstandings had abounded and they’d split up several times. But each time they’d not managed twenty four hours apart before they’d fallen into each others arms again. In the end, Nick had booked a cabin in Zion National Park for two nights and had determinedly thrashed out the problems they had and then developed solutions for them…they were both scientists…this was methodology they understood.

They still slipped on the odd occasion but they understood each other now and a calmness had descended on their relationship; that suited them both.

“Treat us like that and they’ve left the check.” Nick even managed a chuckle.

“I’ll get it; you know, I think it may be appropriate to go home and have consolation sex.”

“Consolation sex? What’s that?”

“Same as all the other sex….just called ‘consolation’.”

“Right. I can do that.”

They made their way to Gil’s home. (Nick’s condo was up for sale, though he’d been renting it out for some months and living with Gil.) Until this day, he’d been happier than he’d ever been.

The consolation sex turned into slow passionate lovemaking. Neither man wanted any major exertion, but their tender loving made their morning end on a better note than it had begun. They were a couple and would remain together; they both knew this; no one and nothing would separate them.

But in truth both men were worried about their next shift; would tempers have dissipated or simmered and grown?

Gil fervently hoped that after thinking about it, Catherine would become the voice of reason. He’d known her for fifteen or sixteen years; she’d come around. If he could get her on their side they’d all be fine - even Sara.

On the other hand, Nick didn’t hold out much hope at all; Gil had known Catherine for fifteen or sixteen years and she felt betrayed. She had a temper and was not a forgiving woman - Nick wondered if Gil genuinely didn’t see that in her or chose to ignore it. He reckoned Gil didn’t see it, she was his friend so he would believe the best of her; unlike Nick - who was realistic and remembered her behaviour when Keppler had been brought in to help out.

Nick had never spoken to Gil about the specifics of the case; he knew Catherine had, but judging by the snippets he’d gleaned from Gil, he believed it was a rose coloured version of events.

In any event, Nick would be proved right (again).

They’d slept well after their lovemaking and when Gil awoke just moments before the alarm sounded - as was his habit - he remembered the breakfast. He turned to look at Nick and as he did the alarm sounded out and Nick groaned.

“It can’t be time to get up already?” Nick whined and snuggled down further into the blankets.

“Yeah it is…you stay put, I’ll go put the coffee on and bring you some juice and then you can have your shower first…you see how accommodating I am?” Gil grinned; he knew just what retort he’d get now.

“Why are you so damned cheerful, man, when you wake up?” Nick responded exactly as he should have done.

“Because I’m a happy, cheerful man, Nicky.” Gil could see the bedclothes shaking from Nick’s laughter.

“Oh yes, I forgot. You are good in bed though, so I’ll probably keep you.”

“Thank goodness I have my uses.”

“Talking of that - where’s my juice?”

“Demanding, aren’t you?” Gil pulled the bedclothes down and exposed the (fabulous) naked body of his lover. Nick immediately rolled into a foetal position.

“Hey…cold man.”

“I choose to think of it as bracing, Nick…to wake you up to face the world and all its foibles.”

“Foibles? You been reading the dictionary again, I thought I’d broken you out of that habit?”

“You know I like to learn a new word every so often….foibles is an old word…my latest is ‘odalisque’….”

“…oh, that’s a female slave in a harem!”

“How…how do you know that?”

“Hey, who are you calling stupid?”

“Oh no I’m not, Nick, but it’s not a word I would expect you…well…you know what I mean; come on, there’s something strange going on here.”

Nick tried really hard to keep up his indignant ‘why shouldn’t I know’ act, but Gil was so endearing while he tried to figure out how Nick had done this…trick…that Nick relented.

“You left the dictionary open at the page and I just memorised a few of the likeliest words…although when I’m likely to use such a word is beyond me.”

“Nicky! You just did…don’t you see…you used it.”

“Gil?”

“What?”

“Go get my juice.”

“Okay, lover boy.”

“Man, you are so cruising……”

“I love you.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I love ya’ right back….”

Nick’s words were cut off by Gil’s mouth taking his mouth in a kiss. An all consuming kiss that in moments had became passionate and hands and lips and bodies started that familiar journey. This time it would be a fast race to the finishing line.

Going to work that night neither knew what to expect; Nick’s expectations were low and Gil’s were high. Gil was an optimist, although that trait had come as a surprise to Nick, who’d never considered that the Gil Grissom out of work was so different to the man in work. Gay, of course, now that had been a huge surprise, possibly the happiest surprise of Nick’s life.

When they’d arrived at the lab, Nick had gone to the locker room and Gil to his office. In the locker room, the murmur of conversation Nick had heard outside the door stopped immediately when he walked in. Catherine, Sara and Warrick looked at him. Nick thought it was fair to say that Catherine and Sara looked contemptuously towards him and Warrick, as if he’d smelled something funny on his shoe.

Nick spoke up clearly. “Hey, you guys.”

He had no response at all, although Nick thought that Warrick looked embarrassed; the two women shared a look between them and turned around.

“Okay.” Nick had muttered this, under his breath, but was pretty certain they’d heard him. He busied himself getting ready to go to the briefing room and wondered how much his and Gil’s life was about to change.

In the briefing room, Nick had walked in and Greg was at the table with the other three.

“Greggo.”

“Nick.”

At least Greg had responded, but he’d then put his head down to preclude any further interaction.

Gil entered the room moments later.

“Guys. Warrick and Catherine, a DB at the mall off Industrial…all I have is lots of blood involved. Greg, you’re with me, we have B and E with a DB, they don’t think it’s suspicious, but they want us to check it out. Sara, you and Nick….”

“….I don’t want to go with Nick.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I would prefer not to accompany CSI Stokes tonight, if that’s alright with you.”

“No, it isn’t. What on earth has got into you?”

“I’ve just said I would prefer not to work with…Nick…for personal reasons.”

“Since when?”

“Since breakfast.”

“Because….?”

“I no longer trust him…I’ll have to watch everything I say because I know he’ll report it back to you…I can’t work under those conditions. Unless you order me to go with him.”

“No. Oh no, I would never order you to work with someone who you feel is spying on you. You go with Greg; I’ll take Nick with me.”

“Yeah…you do that.”

“I need to see you in my office before you go out Sara.”

“Why?”

“To speak to you in private.”

“You can say what you want in front of my friends.” Sara pointedly looked at Nick when she said ‘friends’.

“Well, if that’s okay with you; I was wondering when your next psych evaluation was due. Since you were picked up for DUI, Dr Kane needs to see you what, every six months? I would hate for your paranoia like symptoms to be missed.”

This was a major points win for Gil. She’d walked right into that and she knew it. She could also see the astonished look on Nick’s face. He didn’t know. Gil hadn’t told him. But, they all knew now. She had clearly underestimated Gil Grissom; it would seem they all had.

“Any more queries? Anyone feel Nick and I need an observer to be with us while we’re out in the field? Catherine?”

Catherine’s response was to leave the room. Sara followed.

“Warrick, Greg, anything you’d like to say before we get on the road?”

Warrick shook his head and wearily left the room.

Greg stayed sitting and said. “It’ll blow over, you just wait and see.” He then left, leaving Gil and Nick sitting in the room.

“It won’t blow over.”

“No, Nick, I’m inclined to agree with you, after all. Shall we get going?”

“Yeah. You okay with this?”

“Yes. Well not ‘okay’ with it, but I can manage. Please, don’t worry about me. You?”

“No sweat. I've been buried alive for twenty four hours Gil - this is a walk in the park. It’s sad though, I really thought they were my, our, friends.”

“Me too, Nick. Me too.”

And true to form that’s how it went. Gil was scrupulous in his dealings with all the staff. He always ensured he had another person present if he spoke to any of them. He called in favours from Jim Brass, Sofia Curtis and even Doc Robbins. They remained allies and were astounded at the reaction of the other team members. It was fair to say that they were split into two camps. The lab rats remained fairly neutral. Hodges even spent extra time sucking up to Gil.

Gil took, for him, the extraordinary step of telling Ecklie and the sheriff. Ecklie was smug. He liked that the once tightly knit team had been torn apart. The sheriff was worried about any legal implications. Both men hoped that it would be a chance to fire Sara Sidle, who’d been more trouble than all the other staff put together.

Ecklie wanted to split them up and change all the staff around. But Gil refused; he’d said that they should give it three months, and then look at it…give them all a chance to reflect on their behaviour. He didn’t mention that he and Nick were now seriously job hunting and that in all likelihood there would be major staffing changes coming his way anyway.

Gil and Nick had spent hours discussing what they would do; one thing was for certain, if they couldn’t work the ‘graveyard’ with their former ‘friends’ they wouldn’t work Vegas at all.

It suited Gil to maintain the status quo while he searched for jobs. He didn’t want to learn about new staff, to invest extra time and energy, only to leave shortly afterwards.

There were jobs out there for both men…the only problem was that there weren’t two jobs in the same place that would be suitable for both men. Gil would have easily adapted to a demotion. He’d never been enamoured of the supervisory role, he was a scientist, not a staff manager, but Nick wouldn’t hear of it. If they were leaving, and it now seemed inevitable, they would go to better things and give their former friends the finger as they left.

Gil was considering becoming a consultant…and Nick was encouraging him to do so…the only problem with that would be the travelling. Gil would have to go where the work was and that could be a lot of travelling and time apart from Nick…he wasn’t willing to do that. So Gil discounted that.

There was academia. Gil had often thought that a teaching post at a university somewhere would be where he’d like to end his days. But he didn’t quite feel he’d reached an age to do that. Sabbaticals were all right…but you could return to the real work, where he still got ‘the buzz’ from solving the puzzles. Beside which, the vacancies at the universities did not coincide with nearby work for Nick.

Now Nick had also considered other career options. He thought they’d enough savings to allow him time to retrain…he thought teaching. There was a national shortage of science teachers. Now Gil thought that Nick would be a wonderful teacher, but once again he didn’t think Nick would want to give up ’the buzz’ either. Not yet.

So they’d reached a slight impasse. The three months deadline that they’d given themselves for the position at the lab to sort itself out, was fast approaching with no resolution. They’d been looking for at least eight weeks when Nick had a brainwave.

He checked the web site and laughed when he saw just how many jobs were available and how many of them they could do…they would be able to take their pick he was sure. The pay was much better than both men were currently getting; it would probably mean a major relocation but they were both reconciled to that.

Nick told Gil about it and Gil had been shocked and then had started laughing and Nick joined in…they could both see the possibility. Joining the other side; the competition.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI.

In Quantico.

Moving…

Gil had acquaintances at the Quantico lab. He called a woman with whom he’d regularly corresponded over various forensic matters. He explained his specific needs to her and asked for her opinion. She seemed very positive - even about the gay lover - and she was sure they would be readily acceptable by their HR department

Dr Sarah Grundy said she would make enquiries and get back to Gil the next day.

Gil and Nick decided to go to the movies before work. Not something that was usual for them but Nick wanted a diversion and Gil generally did whatever Nick wanted, though he never said as much and most usually surprised himself by thoroughly enjoying whatever it was…he wasn’t quite sure whether it was the actual activity he enjoyed or just being with Nick…probably a little of both.

But the film was good, a thriller, and even Gil was somewhat surprised by the plot twists. They ate dogs and popcorn and drank sodas; it wasn’t very often that Nick let Gil eat junk, so he always savoured it and mused at just how much Nick took care of him.

He was prepared to go anywhere to be with Nick - he really didn’t mind at all - a forensic puzzle was just that, wherever it was. But Nick had many restless nights wracked with guilt for putting Gil in the position of leaving Las Vegas. Gil had spent some equally restless nights convincing Nick that that he was more important than work. Sometimes they’d talk; sometimes they’d make love and sometimes they’d just fuck.

All three scenarios worked.

As they walked across the lot to the door of the lab, Nick sighed.

“Not much longer, Nick.”

“I know, it’s a mess though, ain’t that the truth.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement of facts.

“I would have to agree with you on that observation. You know what I think about our so called friends. I’m just so shocked at their reaction, I can hardly believe I called them, or even thought of them, as ’friends’.”

“Yeah. I know we’re going over old ground but ‘Rick, man, he was my best friend out here, you know…and I know we didn’t tell him, but I just can’t see how he thinks we did it deliberately. I didn’t choose to be gay and my whole life would have been better without it…except for you…idiot….” He’d seen Gil’s hurt look but knew he was teasing - this was another familiar subject. “…but he can’t see it…thinks I…we, should have been up front and easy about it; how did we misread the guys?”

“Beats me; into the fray Nicky, love you, take care.”

“Right back at y’man.”

They entered the lab. Gil went to his office and Nick to the locker room to prepare for their now familiar routine. Only tonight wasn’t so familiar. Ecklie was sitting at Gil’s desk. He got up as Gil walked through the door and stopped in his tracks.

“Conrad. An unexpected visit.”

“Gil; are you sure it’s not ‘unwelcome’?”

“No. I thought we’d called a truce.”

“We have. But you’ve appeared to have rattled one cage too many with your shift. Catherine Willows visited me this afternoon.”

“About the job?”

“You know she knows?”

“Of course, didn’t she say? She saw an application form open on my PC, wanted to know if I was leaving and if she could have my job…I hope I made it clear she wouldn’t be my choice.”

“You are up and leaving then?”

“Do you really think I want to work in this atmosphere and have Nick treated the way those bastards treat him? I don’t think so….”

“You’re both thinking of leaving?”

“Yes; seriously thinking.”

“Is there anything the PD can do to stop you? You’ve built up the reputation of this lab nearly single-handedly…and it hurts me to say that.”

“Thank you Conrad…I bet it did. I have built it up and I enjoyed it immensely but it’s established now and it can do without me.”

“What about a change of shift, a different role…and Nick?”

“I appreciate that offer - and if we’d thought that was the answer we would’ve been knocking on your door, believe me. No, Conrad, for the lab to function at its optimum again, it needs Nick and me to be out of here.”

“Where are you thinking of going?”

They had a truce, but he wasn’t stupid.

“Nowhere specific yet…we’re testing the water. In fact the form Catherine saw was not my application to anywhere, but a generic form for applications; it’s been so long since I filled one in I was just seeing what sort of information I ought to be collating for inclusion.”

“Right. Despite everything Gil, I just want to say that I will give you, and Nick, of course, the highest recommendations I can…you can go be a pain in someone else’s ass for a change.”

“Thanks Conrad. What about Catherine? You know after these last few months my eyes have been well and truly opened. I really don’t think that she’s the right person. Imagine how she’d have behaved towards Nick if she’d been his supervisor. You would benefit - the lab would benefit from a bit of new blood…give them a shake up, a shock.”

“Exactly what I thought myself after Catherine had been to see me. How long are you giving us then Gil?”

“Like I said there’s nothing planned but as soon as we know, I promise you’ll know.”

“I don’t think either of you will have any problems you know…once people know you’re on the job market they’ll take you as a package.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for Conrad. What did you tell Catherine, by the way?”

“I pretended I knew, well you know I had an idea you’d go when I heard what’d happened, so I strung her along. She won’t get a supervisor’s job, like you say, now she’s shown her true colours, she’ll be sidelined.”

“It’s a shame, a real shame. You’ll need to separate them and get a new graveyard. Divide and conquer.”

“Jesus, Gil…never thought you knew any political gambits.”

“You’d be surprised Conrad…very surprised.”

“I’m going, before the walls come crashing down.”

“See you, Conrad, and thanks again.”

“You’re welcome. Good luck.” And he was gone.

Of course, Gil chuckled as he thought about his ‘political acumen’; it was all from Nick…who’d spent his formative years embroiled in a family steeped in political know how and he was the one who gave Gil all the inside information and ideas. The power behind the throne - that’s what Nick had said, right before he’d fucked Gil into the mattress. ‘Behind the throne’ indeed.

By the time Nick got to his locker, he was beginning to regret eating so much junk at the cinema. He felt stuffed; he’d eaten too much and the soda was too gassy and he’d developed a sugar rush headache from all the popcorn - although it could just be all the tension that he could feel in the atmosphere.

For the first time since this debacle had happened, he didn’t greet his co-workers…he’d given up calling them friends or colleagues…he just opened his locker and got ready. Neither speaking nor looking at them. He then went to the briefing room and while alone texted Gil to say he’d arrived there early.

The others followed him in a few minutes later and he picked up on their confusion immediately. It was obviously fine by them for them to ignore him, but the one time he’d ignored them, they’d been thrown a curve ball. He could feel the added tension and it took an almighty effort for him not to smirk, at his own sports analogy and the thought that it served the bastards right.

There was absolute silence…not the usual chatter and studious ignoring of Nick. Gil walked through the doors as Nick thought this and to add to their confusion Gil was chuckling to himself.

“It’s only just struck me why the guy killed his girlfriend in the first place.”

Nick began chuckling himself. “That was the whole point, man, because of the brother.”

“I think I need a running commentary to keep up, I’m only a forensic investigator after all.” Gil was still chuckling. “Assignments. I think I’ll go out with you tonight, Nick. I’m in too good a mood to have it spoiled.”

This was a completely new tack by Gil and took all of them by surprise. Although Nick was still grinning after the film quip.

“We’ll take two DBs downtown, looks like a murder - suicide. Sara, who do you want to go out with tonight?”

“Errr, well I…whoever?”

“Catherine, Warrick, Greg…any preferences because I don’t give a…..”

Nick waited for the next word…a Rhett Butler ‘damn’ or a rounded ‘fuck’, or maybe ‘shit’? None; Gil just raised his eyebrows at the assembled company; as Nick watched there was confusion written over their faces. Whatever had possessed Gil to act like this it was a real good shock for them. Catherine recovered her wits about her first.

“I do feel you should direct us as a supervisor should, playing on our individual strengths, don’t you?” She laid a lot of emphasis on the word ’supervisor’.

“You’re right Catherine; so who wants a burglary or a burglary or even…yes, a burglary? One has an added assault, so two of you could attend that one…Sara was my original plan for that, but she apparently cannot decide with whom she wishes to share her shift. The only given that it’s neither CSI Stokes nor me.” Gil held up the assignments slips.

Both Gil and Nick felt that a major coup had been staged in gaining the upper hand and Gil had been the absolute winner.

Catherine snatched the slips and looked at them. Warrick said, “I’ll take the assault one, I’ll go with Greg.” He was handed the slip and Sara took the other and then the four of them left Gil and Nick sitting there.

“I really enjoyed that.”

“You’ve never been that brutal with them before. What gives?”

“Conrad Ecklie. Catherine went to see him this afternoon about the supervisor’s job she thinks is hers for the taking. She’s completely failed to impress Conrad…who’s said, incidentally, he’ll give us both the ‘highest recommendations’ he could, for our new jobs…though I said nothing about anything. Even with the truce holding, I still don’t trust the man. Shame really.” He grinned.

“God, Gil, you seem to have become some sort of evil master in the space of fifteen, twenty minutes…should I be worried?”

“Be afraid, Nicky, be very afraid.”

They both broke into laughter since this was yet another of their running jokes, following the very first time Nick had fucked Gil. A very successful fuck, if Nick remembered rightly and Gil guessed the thought.

“I know what you’re thinking, it was just beginner’s luck!”

“Yeah…yeah…course it was.” Nick had been so successful, that very first time, at targeting Gil’s prostate that Gil had come without any physical stimulation at all…and had been very surprised to say the least…when he’d learned to talk again.

“I love you Nick…and I also have some more news. Sarah Grundy has sent me an e-mail asking if we can arrange a visit, together, to Quantico - to speak to department heads and HR, and have physicals. She’s also attached application forms for our completion.

“A training post for me, based mainly in Quantico, and a special assignments role for you. Some travelling but generally bringing evidence back to Quantico and doing the analysis there. Seems they keep files on forensic people all over the States and have a ‘wish list’, and BOTH our names are on that list…somewhere near the top if Sarah is to be believed. What d’y’think?”

“Reckon that I’ll be travelling on an FBI jet?”

“Typical, reverting to boy behaviour.”

“Yeah…wow…not gonna get excited here…gotta see them, gotta get through an interview. Okay.”

“Okay…keep calm. DBs?”

“Yeah…you drive, okay?”

“Okay….”

Nick tried his very best to keep calm. He really did, but when he read Sarah’s e-mail to Gil it was worded in such a way to intimate that the visit to Quantico was just a formality.

‘…..they just want to meet you to discuss duties and salaries, but there doesn’t appear to be any obstacle at our end to you both joining the payroll here…….’ That’s what Sarah had written.

They had to wait eleven days until their days off coincided. Gil told Conrad that they’d need an extra day off to attend an interview, but he didn’t know how it would go so they may be back early. He didn’t, despite Conrad’s prying, divulge the whereabouts of their interviews. And, Conrad Ecklie, just because he could, covered Gil’s shift for him…without telling the shift first!

They had to change flights at O’Hare and then get a rental but arrived at Quantico right on time to meet the Department Heads. To Nick’s incredulous delight it did indeed appear to be a formality.

FBI Forensics staff tended to have quite narrow fields of expertise. Nick, with his multi skilled background would be an ‘Evidence Assessor’, attending scenes of major crimes and literally scoping out the scale of the evidence that needed to be collected and then supervising the examination of this evidence back at Quantico. This was a Team Leader post with far more responsibility than he’d had as a CSI. It was also a huge pay increase for him. When they’d asked if he was ready for the job, he replied. ‘Yes – I am’.

And that was all it took.

Gil was asked if he would be happy to take on a role in a teaching and advisory capacity, but in a laboratory, not a classroom, setting. He responded that it was merely an expansion of what he’d been doing for many years. His post, too, carried a substantial pay increase.

They had paperwork to complete and both men had rigorous physicals.

The following morning the only hurdle left for them to negotiate was HR. The HR people wanted to discuss the issue of their sexuality and the effect on the workplace, not of course, that it would influence the outcome; the jobs were theirs for the taking..

They were seen separately.

Gil explained that, as a couple, they’d lived together for two years without any of their colleagues realising that they were in a relationship. They didn’t want to hide it, but it would not affect their work in any way. That was an absolute. Gil also told them that he wished to actually enter into a civil partnership with Nick before they took up their new positions. Take a holiday somewhere to prepare for the hard work ahead. But that they shouldn’t mention it to Nick, as he hadn’t asked Nick yet.

The same staff had then spoken to Nick and it seemed to Nick it was a mere formality. So; thirty six hours and four flights later and they were back in Las Vegas. They would be able to manage a few hours sleep before their shift began. Gil called Conrad, before they turned in.

“Ecklie.”

“Conrad, its Gil.”

“So?”

“We have both been successful and will need to sort out leaving dates…..”

“…can you tell me where now?”

“FBI, Quantico.”

Conrad whistled down the cell and Gil grinned. He’d bet that Conrad had never considered that.

“Figured as much. When do you start?”

“It’s negotiable, and I know we need only give two weeks but would three weeks be okay…for both of us? I've got some things I’ve got to do; some plans, a holiday before we move, maybe, but before we get down to the hard work and we’ve got to sell my place. We can actually ‘live in’ at Quantico until we find somewhere we like.”

“Three weeks is better than I thought. We advertised today for two supervisors and four CSI’s of various levels.”

“Good move, the labs do need more staff. I was thinking about someone to fill in, Conrad. What about Sofia? She could easily do a very good job for you…if she wants it, that is?”

“Already onto that. What’s your new job anyway? A pay rise?”

“Training role actually, in the labs there and yes, quite a hefty rise but then there’s more taxes to pay outside of Nevada.”

“What about Nick?”

“Team leader role. It appears they’ve had their eye on him for sometime, pretty impressed with him after…you know…Walter Gordon. His recovery and work ethic.”

“He is impressive Gil. I had him down as supervisor material in the not too distant future; and that’s gone to hell in a hand basket. What about the gay issue?”

“No problem…of course I can’t fuck him in the labs there…but we’ll be okay.” It was obviously taking a few moments for Conrad to process that information.

“No, of course……Jesus, Gil…you haven’t? Dear God. Have you?”

“Well Conrad that’s for me to know and you to find out. We’ll get our letters of resignation in tonight and, as a favour, please don’t let the shift know, I want to see their smug little faces…especially if you can wrangle Sofia away from the PD.”

“Please tell me you didn’t Gil. I’ll never sleep again unless I know….”

“Conrad, have you heard that we did…even the slightest bit of gossip about us?”

“No.” Conrad breathed a sigh of relief…but it was short lived.

“Then we covered our tracks well!”

“Fuck you, Grissom.”

“No, thank you; I’m taken.” Gil was laughing.

“If I ever think for one minute that I’m going to miss you Gilbert, shoot me.”

“I promise; goodnight Conrad, sleep well.”

“What’s he say?” A damp Nick emerged from the bathroom, having taken a shower.

“That he wants to fuck me.”

“Rea…you’re joking?”

“Yes, I am, don’t go all cave man on me.”

“Then don’t joke about serious matters like someone else fucking you; come to bed…I need a little relaxation before I go to sleep and you’re my designated relaxation machine.”

“Some sort of sex machine, should I feel flattered, or used?”

“Both…come on…my ass is itchy and needs a scratching.”

“So eloquent - you Texans.”

“Quit the backchat; come and give me a scratch!”

“Right. You do know you’re not a Team Leader yet, don’t you?”

“Yep…just practising my assertiveness…now come on.”

“Right…on my way.”

“’Bout time.”

That evening at work neither man could contain their happiness. They’d both thought that when push came to shove leaving would be a nightmare…and granted they hadn’t walked out the door for the last time, yet…but their so called friends had ruined their working life in Vegas.

They’d spent hours discussing the events that led to the impasse. Was it their fault? Should they have told their friends sooner? The answer was always the same. They did what they believed was the best for themselves; they’d had some rocky times and needed to work through this new relationship stuff in private. Neither man had encountered anything like it before and it was private; however friendly they were with their colleagues they couldn’t have shared much sooner than they did….maybe a couple of months at the most. It seemed to them that two months would have made no difference.

A humming Nick - predictably ‘The Yellow Rose of Texas’ - took what he needed from his locker; and detoured on his way to the briefing room to collect Gil. Nick felt like upsetting the apple cart some more and decided that they would go into the briefing room together - they hadn’t done that before. They’d already decided over breakfast that they wouldn’t tell them they were leaving; they were CSIs, let them figure it out for themselves.

Gil was writing an e-mail. “Just letting Ecklie know that we’re not telling the shift directly…leaving them to find out for themselves.”

“I feel a bit mean, you know, because not telling them about us caused all this in the first place.”

“No. It didn’t. Don’t let me hear you say that Nicky, they’ve chosen to behave like schoolyard bullies because we kept a private matter, private; they forfeited their right to know anything about us with their bad manners and bad mouthing.”

“Okay, okay, man…keep calm…don’t want you stroking out here; come on, send the mail and lets get in an’ at ‘em.”

“There. There’s not much happening at the moment. I think we can all stay in and clear up some of the old cases.”

“That’s actually relevant to me, I need to make sure all of mine are up to date and manageable. Who’ll I pass them on to?”

“Well, if I get my way we’ll pass them on to Sofia as the temporary supervisor, and let her decide who carries them forward.”

“Right. Sofia. D’y’think she’ll come back for Ecklie...there’s no love lost.”

“No idea. We’ll have to wait and see how persuasive Conrad can be.”

“He doesn’t strike me as the persuasive type.”

“Now that you mention it; come on let’s go surprise them…what shall we do.”

“Just be happy and smiling, it drives Catherine and Sara wild, man.”

“You’ve got an evil streak after all.”

“Hey, I’m a ‘G man’, now!”

Gil burst out laughing and was still laughing as he entered the briefing room with a very serious looking Nick behind him.

As Nick got to his seat he sat down and said to Gil, in the most dramatic voice he could muster.

“Hey, I mean business, okay?”

This just sent Gil off into paroxysms of laughter.

“Right.” He managed. “Assignments. As of now there’s nothing new in the system….” He stopped to laugh some more. “Play catch up with your outstanding cases. Nick, I need to see you in my office, now.” Gil got up and was still chuckling as he arrived back in his office with Nick in tow.

“It wasn’t that funny.”

“It was their faces as I went in…and you looking so serious. Hey, close the door, we’ve got some work to do.”

“Resignations?”

“We can type and print them off and despatch them to the sheriff, for his morning post, and just copy Conrad into the word docs.”

“Well write one and then just change your name to mine and I’ll sign. I’ll go and start cataloguing the Burnham case.”

“I see you’re still practising giving out orders.”

“Yep, and getting to like it too.”

“Go do your work; report back if you get any…’feedback’.”

“Will do, Agent Grissom.”

Gil sat back in his chair, once more laughing at the antics of his departing partner. And that reminded him…he had to propose to him sometime soon - he needed to plan that.

Nick went to the evidence room, but Sara and Greg were there. He could do another case, the Clark murder. He went to trace; Warrick was there. He looked for Catherine, who was in DNA, so Nick went to fingerprints and started sifting through the results for the Murphy extortion.

He was evaluating the results when Greg came into the room.

“You got everyone riled.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“That was your intention wasn’t it? After missing a shift and getting Ecklie to cover and the laughing…well they’re all riled.”

“I took a personal day and I have no power over who covers Grissom, and when did laughing become a crime?”

“You know what I mean…it was all deliberate.”

“It was? Really? You under orders again - a fact finding mission?”

“And if I am?”

“What is it you want to know? You could just ask.”

“I could?”

“Sure.”

“Well, where did you go then? What’s going on?”

“Ah. Well I said you could ask, I didn’t say I’d tell you anything, now did I?”

“God, Nick…you’ve become impossible.”

“I have, have I? Now why do you suppose that is? Eh?”

“Oh, come on Nick, you could have apologised, it would’ve all blown over.”

“I could have…for what, being gay? For keeping my private life, private? Sleeping with the boss…why, did you want to Greg?”

“No, I didn’t, don’t, it’s not that…it’s…”

“What, Greg, tell me what it is?”

”Well you kept it a secret. For over a year.”

“Yeah and what bit about ‘private’ don’t you understand?”

“You’re our friend, Nick.”

“FRIEND! Well all I can say it’s a fucking good thing I’m not your enemy then.”

“No, you got it wrong.”

“How’s that?”

“You could have told us, we wouldn’t have minded about you and Grissom…it was just keeping it from us.”

“I do see, Greg, I really do…but it’s my ‘private life’ and Gil’s ‘private life’; do you think I could just skip in here and say, ’hey, you guys, guess what, I’m gay and taking it up the ass from Grissom….’ It wasn’t like that Greg; it was months and months of talking and understanding and not talking and misunderstanding and all the time coming into work every day and pretending nothing was happening when I’d fallen in love with a man…Greg…a man.

“You think I could’ve had Warrick saying, ‘no, man…just come and watch some sports, man…you’ll be okay’, or Catherine, asking me to tell her all about it and flashing her eyes at me and flirting with me to turn me back to straight and Sara…Jesus, Sara pretending Gil was the love of her life when I knew, Greg, I knew, he was the love of mine…no, don’t come in here and say I should’ve shared, because you know nothing, Greg, nothing…so fuck off and go back and report in and don’t bother coming back…I’ve had enough.”

“You okay, Nick?” Gil’s quiet voice from behind him surprised Nick.

“I’m fine thank you…Greg here was just leaving to report back to his puppet masters.”

“Yeah, fuck off, Greg.”

Greg was opened mouthed at Grissom’s profanity…he’d never heard him swear.

“What Greg, you think I care after all you’ve put Nick through, and don’t say you were hurt…in case it had escaped your notice you’re all ‘growed’ up now - well the body has, the mind just stayed in the school yard. Go back to the bullies...they’ll look after you, unless, of course, you upset them and then…it could be your turn.”

Greg looked stunned and left.

“Jesus Gil, what’s got into you?”

“I feel that we should get some payback before we leave and that was the start. Are you okay…you were very articulate when you told him about us, but it hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah…but not as much as it did. When I said that about Catherine flirting, you know, I could see her doing it, trying to turn me…you know I think she’s aged in these last couple of months, she’s younger than you isn’t she?”

“Yeah, about five years I think…but I think you didn’t see the imperfections before…not until you stood back and really looked.”

“Know what you mean….we’re gay an’ all, but d’you think Sara’s sort of mannish - you know like a….?”

“Not what would be termed a ‘lipstick lesbian’ if that’s what you mean…I’ve never seen her in a skirt or a dress…I don’t think...and Catherine is always feminine.”

“Weird. She does have her crush on you though.”

“Could be bi, Nick…we’ve both been with women.”

“I suppose. You’ve done the letters?”

“I have; come and sign on the dotted line.”

“Wonder what Greg’s telling the others?”

“Probably nothing…I would guess he’s now sufficiently worried about his position to keep a lower profile.”

“You could be right”

“Nicky, what have I told you? I’m always right.”

“Yeah, in your dreams.”

“So, who do I target next….I’m going to enjoy this.”

“You’re the one with the evil streak here…any of them, I don’t really care.”

“You know that’s a shame after all these years.”

“Yeah, but that’s the way it is. No use crying….”

“Here’s your letter, check it through.” They’d arrived in Gil’s office and Gil gave him the letter.

Nick looked at it - he’d thought that if this day ever came he’d be very sad, but all he felt now was excitement. A new job, a new state and a new life. They’d be an established couple and would make new friends. True, they would always encounter some prejudice, but at least this way they were together from the start…no secrets.

He signed his letter and tucked it into an envelope that Gil had given him.

“I’ll put them in the sheriff’s in tray before we leave tomorrow. I’ll e-mail both our letters to Conrad and send you a copy too…that cover everything?”

“Yeah; it’s done.”

“It’s done.”

Their few moments of reflection looking at the letters on Gil’s desk were shattered by Gil’s cell.

“Grissom?” He listened and smiled.

“I've got the perfect couple for you. See you, Jim.

“A lingerie shop in The Forum at Caesar’s has been raided and it doesn’t appear anything has been taken…more a case of deposits being made.”

Gil left his office and Nick followed. Nick returned to fingerprints and Gil carried on to trace where Catherine was now working.

“Catherine, a job at Victoria’s Secrets in The Forum…take Sara.”

“What sort of job?”

“The type where CSIs are requested by the cops to attend a scene to catalogue and collect evidence.”

“You are just so funny, you crack me up”

“Really…that must be quite hard through all the layers of make up.” He was gay, he could bitch with the best, given the right circumstances.

Catherine was unable to respond; Gil Grissom had never spoken to her in that manner before. In moments she’d thought that she would complain and then realised that there were no witnesses and based on her own behaviour in the last three months it would only be construed as malicious.

She’d also known that something had happened with Greg earlier. Greg had been noncommittal and said that Nick no longer told him anything, because he knew full well that all Greg did was repeat it back to her. Greg was right and both of them knew it.

Sara was in the evidence room, on her own; Gil could not resist it, he stopped and said to her. “Sara, there’s job at Victoria’s Secrets in The Forum. It’s a girlie sort of job so I thought it would be ideal for you and Catherine.” He hardly paused before moving on towards his office.

“Grissom…what do you mean by that?”

“By what, Sara?”

“By saying I should do a job for girls.”

“I've no idea what you’re talking about. Catherine has the details of a job and I want you both to go…are you refusing an assignment?”

Sara didn’t reply, but had exactly the same moments thinking as Catherine had done, and came to exactly the same conclusion. Though Sara followed it through with an extra thought. ‘He's leaving and he doesn’t care…we’re all in for payback.’

A couple of hours later Gil and Nick were in the break room with sandwiches and salad. It had been Nick’s turn to make their lunch and Gil was always pleased with the results. They weren’t talking, just watching a news station on the TV. Warrick came in with a food bag. He sat at the table and started his meal.

“Nick you know when…Walter Gordon…abducted you? Did you ever think it was anyone’s fault that it was you he took?”

Nick was shocked by Gil’s question but knew why he’d asked this particular question. They’d been discussing it the day before on the flight home…about how guilty Warrick had been and how much time Nick himself had spent easing Warrick’s guilt. Assuring him that it was just the luck of the draw.

Warrick’s sandwich stopped in mid air between the table and his mouth.

“Well, of course, I wish it hadn’t been me, but you know someone else probably wouldn’t have been as strong as me and would probably have eaten the gun straight away.”

“Yeah, strength of character, that’s what it was, Nick. Why you survived and others wouldn’t have.”

It hit home. Warrick had had this conversation when Nick had recovered and he’d told Nick that he wouldn’t have withstood twenty four hours incarcerated…he would have pulled the trigger.

Warrick put down his sandwich and looked at Gil and then Nick. If ever either man had seen such an expression of guilt, they couldn’t remember. No one spoke, but Warrick got up and left the room…and his lunch.

“I’m sorry to have dropped that one on you Nicky, but you coped, unlike Mr Brown, whom, it would appear, is still consumed with guilt, and well he might.”

“Yeah…you know he was more fucking upset than me and look what he’s turned ‘round and done. We said we didn’t want to stoop to their level, but it feels mighty nice to turn the tables. Thank you…and…” Nick looked around to see if there was anyone close by the room. “I love you and I think you should do a little bit of ass licking when we get home, babe.”

“Oh Jesus, Nick, we’ve got over three hours to go….”

“…you love it man.”

“I do…and you.”

They went back to their respective work and the three other CSIs kept their distance. Three more minor jobs cropped up and Gil sent Warrick, and then Greg and then Warrick again. Neither man spoke to Gil when directed to the jobs…but there was a quietness about the labs that Gil couldn’t remember ever experiencing before.

Gil and Nick had a lot of preparatory work to do and made an appointment for a realtor to come and view the house. Nick’s condo was now sold.

They ordered packing cases and googled storage facilities in the Quantico area.

Their shift and none of the lab rats had mentioned the imminent demise of their supervisor and CSI. They’d told Brass and the Doc, who would keep their secret. A call from Sofia surprised Gil. She asked if she could come and see him as his next shift began.

When she’d arrived she’d asked if she could see them both. The others had been despatched to scenes.

“I don’t want you to answer me now, but I have a favour to ask…if you don’t want to I’ll understand completely but….”

“Come on Sofe, cut the dramatics.” Nick laughed, but he could see that Sofia was nervous about something.

“I’m getting there. Your house Gil, I wondered if you’d give me first refusal on it…I've been looking for a new house for ages, and I've always loved yours.”

“Sofia, I don’t have to refuse, it yours for the taking and we can come up with a good price, I’m sure.”

“I don’t want any favours I’ll pay what it’s worth Gil.”

“But if you do want it, it’ll save us advertising, realtor fees and all the rest, so I think it’s a reasonable assumption that you can have a discount. What d’y’think Nick?”

“I think it’s good that someone we know will be in it looking after it…I love the yard. Also, when we come back and visit we’ve got somewhere to stay.”

“You’ll come back, after all that’s happened?”

“Sure we will, we’ve got some good friends here Sofe…and you’re at the top of that list.”

“You’re lovely, you know that Nick…but my heart really belongs to Gil.”

“Not Jim then?”

“Nick.”

“Chase him and catch him Sofe…he’s just a little slow on the uptake.”

“We’ll see…hey, what about me taking over the shift?”

“You are? That’s great news. Temporarily or permanently?”

“Well, it is a job I wanted before and it’s more money….”

“….and Jim works nights too!”

“Nick, you’ve been warned.”

“I’m afraid...I’m very…” That’s all he said having caught Gil’s raised eyebrows.

“What’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing.” Their simultaneous response assuring Sofia that there was indeed ‘something going on’.

“Mmmm. Ecklie said I could join you the night after next for a handover of the job. Have you said anything at all to the others yet?”

“No, they must know, but I think they know that bridges have been burned and won’t be rebuilt. What about an announcement? Do you want to be there?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Your first night then; I’ll just drop the bomb and watch the fallout.”

“Thursday then. What about the house?”

“We’ve got a realtor coming in to give us a price. I’ll tell my lawyer and you let me know who yours is and we’ll leave it to them.”

“Great. If you want to leave anything there while you look for a place in Virginia that’s fine; I haven’t enough furniture to fill it up, so they’ll be plenty of space.”

“Sofia that would be great, save us storage fees…I think you just negotiated another discount.”

“No…don’t…oh, alright then. Look I’ve got to go, I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you again…you’ll love the house…it’s a happy home.”

“I know - that’s what I liked about it.”

Thursday came around quickly, since they’d been busy at work and at home. Sofia’s ‘deal’ was underway. Sorting through all their stuff had started…with an argument.

“It’s not stuff Nick, it’s my life.”

“Oh. I thought I was your life…not all this…..” Nick gestured around the living room with his arm. The room was full of bookcases, and they in turn were full of books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, Videos, trinkets, bits and pieces, Nick had no intention of allowing quite a lot of this ‘stuff’ to be transported into ‘their’ new home. This was still Gil’s place but when they moved it would be into ‘their’ place.

“Don’t twist my words around. You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t. This is all accumulated stuff and some of it is of no further use to man or beast…it would be pointless moving it across the country when I won’t allow it to clutter up our new home.”

“Allow it? Getting ahead of yourself aren’t you? This ‘stuff’ is my life…a collection of memorabilia that catalogues all I've done.”

“Things Gil, just things.”

“How much of your stuff have you thrown out.” Gil could have kicked himself the moment he said it; why was it he was able to hold his own in any argument with anyone except Nick. He should’ve known better.

“Ah ha! You will recall that I dumped at least fifty percent of my ‘stuff’ when I moved in and you just moved yours aside to accommodate mine, you didn’t get rid of any of it.”

“Get rid of? Is that what you call throwing away my life?”

“Things don’t matter Gil, they really don’t. You and me matter.”

For a moment Gil thought that he would weep at Nick’s words. His Nick, whose life had hung in the balance, knew more than anyone else how precarious and precious life was and here he was trying to hang onto old magazines.

“Nicky, I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m sorry; throw it away, whatever you want.”

“Now don’t be stupid Gil…don’t go from one extreme to the other. We can go through all of it, we’ve got time. We need to see what we should keep and maybe store and what we can legitimately lose. Okay?”

“I love you.” Gil pulled Nick into a hug and kissed his nearest ear. “Will you marry me? Oh damn.”

“What?”

“I didn’t mean that to come out.”

“You don’t want to marry me?”

“No…yes of course I want to marry you, but I wanted to propose properly, somewhere romantic.”

“In case you’ve forgotten Gil, you don’t do ‘romantic’.”

“I do…I took you to that place…in Salt Lake.”

“It was a Forensics convention.”

“But you said you loved it.”

“I did, but it was hardly romantic.”

“It was a surprise.”

“Yes. Me taking you out to Zion…that was romantic.”

“Yes it was.”

“Me taking you to see ‘Ka’ was romantic.”

“Yes.”

“Anyway, I’ll still marry you - ’cause I can do romantic and you can do the cooking.”

“You will? In Vancouver, a week on Saturday and then take a honeymoon cruise up the Alaskan coast to whale watch?”

“I…you…that’s romantic, oh God, Gil, that’s romantic.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

“Smug bastard.”

“Mmmm. I am.”

“Did you do it yourself?”

“Suspicious bastard.”

“CSI training.”

“I did have the idea but a planner did it for me at the ‘Vacation Shop’”

“Your idea though?”

“Yeah.”

“I love you.”

“Good. Let’s leave this…stuff…and go to bed.”

“Good idea. Hey, do you want to……”

“Oh yes.”

“Thought so…d’you think we’ll see any whales?”

“Probably not.”

And then it was Thursday night! Gil and Nick and then Sofia arrived early for work. Gil to start to clear his office and pack away what was his and throw away or pass on the remaining detritus from years of hoarding at work (as he did at home). Nick took the opportunity to tidy out his locker - away from the prying eyes of the rest of the shift. Then he started on his files. He’d made quite a lot of headway and barring disaster he would have everything in order to pass to Sofia several days before he left.

Sofia came in to get the feel of the place again. Ecklie had promised her the shift, all she had to so was apply, but having been bitten on the ass by him once before, she was not inclined to believe any of his promises. Time would tell; she had another few days before the deadline for the applications was up. A ‘mole’ had told her that they’d had sixteen applications for the supervisory posts and thirty seven for the CSI posts. Las Vegas was a sought after location.

Catherine Willows and Sara Sidle were both applicants for the supervisors’ job. Sofia would bet good money that Catherine had no idea that Sara had applied. But there wasn’t a worker in the building from the sheriff to the janitor who thought Sara would get the job. If Ecklie was to be believed then neither would Catherine - Ecklie himself had told her that.

At the allotted time the trio made their way to the briefing room and were talking animatedly about a TV programme they’d seen. Nick sat at the end seat of the table and Gil and Sofia went to Gil’s usual place at the head of the table.

“Move down to the end of the table Greg, I want Sofia to sit there. Please.” The ‘please’ was added as an afterthought.

When they were all seated he could practically see the steam coming off Catherine and the hatred on Sara’s face. Warrick and Greg looked resigned or even ’defeated’, Gil thought.

“Nick and I leave after shift next Wednesday. Ms Curtis will be taking over the shift from me. Assignments; there’s…..”

“Oh no, don’t think you’re getting off that easy.” Catherine was furious.

“I never thought for a moment that I would.”

“What the f….what is going on?”

“You can’t just waltz in here and say…she’s taking over.” Sara wanted in on the act.

“I can, and I just did.”

“What is going on?”

“I’m leaving and Ms Curtis is taking over.”

“They’ve advertised for the post and I've applied, so it would be logical for me to take over.”

“Or me.” Even Catherine stared at Sara.

“I’ve also applied for the post. AD Ecklie asked me to cover until the selection and interviewing is over. Since he’s asked me and not either of you, he’s obviously decided an outsider would be better in the interim period. Now we have work to do. There’s a DB out at Henderson, Sara and Greg you take that; and a suspected suicide at the Mandalay Bay – Catherine, and Warrick, a car fire at the airport. Nick needs to stay in to clear his case load, unless really needed and obviously he won’t take the lead at any scenes. I’ll start coming out with you all, in turn, starting Saturday, until then I’ll be catching up with Gil’s cases. Any questions?”

“I am not happy about this and will see Ecklie in the morning.”

“Right; Sara?”

She said nothing and got up and left the room. Warrick stayed where he was.

“Where’re you guys going?”

“About as far from this place as we can.” Nick spoke quietly and all the more coldly for doing so.

“Never thought it would come to this.”

“No? Then why behave like you did?”

“D’y’know, man, I don’t know.” He got up and left, but he looked tired and sad.

“It all got out of hand, you know?”

“Yeah, it did Greg…and who was it who started this little fiasco…and if you say Nick and me, you’d be wrong Greg.”

“All Catherine and Sara ever wanted was an apology from you.”

“An apology for what?”

“Well, for not telling them you were together.”

“We did.”

“But not soon enough.”

“Tell me Greg, when did you last sleep with a man?”

“Never.”

“Okay, when did you last sleep with a woman? Did you tell us? Did you discuss it with us? Did you ask for our blessing? Did you share your feelings? Did you do any of that?”

“No, but….”

“But….?” Gil persisted.

“He doesn’t seem to know what to say…I wonder if it’s because he’s not gay and didn’t need to justify anything?”

“No, Nick, it isn’t that.”

“So?”

“It isn’t important what I do…but….”

“So, you’re saying it’s important to the team to know with whom I’m sleeping and I should tell them whether it’s a man or a woman?”

“It was Nick and he was on the team.”

“Before we told you did you have any idea, did any of you?”

“No.”

“Then it’s fair to say we did nothing to arouse any suspicions, did nothing out of the ordinary and life carried on as normal. However, the moment we told you it all changed, because we hadn’t told you before. If Nick and I had split up you’d have never have known about us anyway.”

“No.”

“Double standards Greg. Catherine was annoyed because she knew she should have noticed. Sara was in love with me - God knows what I was supposed to do with her, Hodges is sexier. Warrick just couldn’t accept he was friends with a gay man and you Greg, what was it with you? Oh, I know; you couldn’t decide which side of the fence was the safest side, so you straddled it and your balls got squashed. You’re all pathetic and I’m embarrassed that I ever thought of any of you as friends…get on with your assignment, Sara’ll be waiting, and you don’t want to upset her, do you?”

Greg looked totally defeated. He knew every word, spoken quietly and confidently, was right. He was pathetic and he’d dug his own grave. Ironic, but he’d be looking for a new job now. If only…….

The three friends sat in silence as Greg left the room. Sofia broke it first.

“You know everything you said was true, Gil. But, I still can’t believe the four of them have behaved like they have.”

“Nor me, Sofe. You know Gil always sees the good side in everyone and I…well we both expected trouble from Sara. but the others? Jeez…Catherine and Gil go way back and Warrick? He was my best…my best friend.”

“I know Nick. But a new adventure lies ahead…and wouldn’t it be great if you were called back to Vegas on a case. FBI jurisdiction takes precedence over local PDs. You could order us all around!”

“As a matter of fact Sofia, he’s practising bossing me around.”

“I don’t need to know about this, do I?”

“Probably not. Come on; let’s get on with the job.”

“Don’t worry Sofe; he’s just trying to gain the upper hand, aren’t you, sweetie?”

“If you know what’s good for you CSI Stokes, you’ll leave now.”

“Meet you later in the evidence store?”

“You haven’t, have you?”

“Conrad wanted to know the self same thing. I didn’t tell him, either.”

“Spoilsport.”

“Not what Nicky says.”

“You know, I’m seeing a totally different side of you, Gil Grissom.”

“Keep your hands off him Sofe, he’s mine, go catch your own fish - Captain Brass - he’s about ready to be thrown a line”

“Stop it. I’ll do it in my own good time.”

“Well if you don’t do it soon I’ll do it for both of you…this gayness brings with it special powers….”

“See what I said about the bossy?”

“Work…now; I could get used to this happy gossiping. I’m gonna miss you guys.”

“I’m going to miss you, and a number of my friends here, Sofia, but I can’t pretend that it won’t be a relief to leave after these last months.”

“That’s it exactly; a relief. When I signed my resignation it was a relief.”

They all sobered up at Nick’s mention of resignation. However flippant they were being it was still a huge event in all of their lives - for whatever reason.

The shift progressed slowly for them. Gil handing over work and Sofia asking questions and making notes. Nick clearing his files. He was a methodical man and had documented all his work thoroughly, it would be no hardship for whoever would be taking over his outstanding caseload.

He didn’t know that Gil and Sofia were discussing that very issue and Sofia had decided that it would be sensible for all of Nick’s caseload to be distributed to staff on other shifts. She would not trust the remaining members of ‘graveyard’ - it wasn’t beyond the realms of her imagination to think they could sabotage his work.

Gil had been truly saddened at her proposal and yet recognised the truth of it…how could he trust any one of them any more? He couldn’t; it was as simple as that.

Near the end of their shifts all members of the team were in the lab, doing some work with cases and Sofia - unable to resist a challenge - spoke to all of them about their shift’s work. Only in general terms but she was determined to get and maintain the upper hand.

Gil stayed in his office reflecting on the hours he’d just spent with Sofia. She was a beautiful young woman and her straightforward manner and tenacity reminded him of Nick. If he’d ever been asked who, of all the people in the lab or PD, could have survived the incarceration that Nick had endured, he’d only ever come up with one definite candidate; Sofia Curtis.

He also wondered if Nick would carry out his humorous threat and fix her and Jim up together; that would be…interesting. Jim came with a lot of baggage; Nick didn’t know the half of it, but Sofia would cope….she would cope with graveyard. Jim would be a walk in the park after dealing with them.

News of the departure of Gil Grissom and Nick Stokes had spread like wildfire and despite the antipathy of their shift, the rest of the lab and many of the cops were astounded at the joint departures. Unbeknown to Gil and Nick there was a party planned and a substantial collection awaiting their last morning.

Sofia and Jim were charged with ensuring Gil and Nick were steered in the right direction - a conference room in the police building, since it would have been too obvious in the lab. It was going to be no mean feat…they were CSIs…so suspicious by nature. But Jim managed to concoct a plausible tale that had a ring of the truth about it.

Gil and Nick had to go over to the building to hand in their guns, and Jim had said the sheriff had asked to see them both…again. They were both suspicious because the sheriff had been to see them on their shift; then again if he wanted to see them again they could hardly say ‘no’ on the premise that it may be a ‘set up’. So they went along.

They were completely unprepared for the staff that had stayed after their shift, come in or stopped by to say their goodbyes. Close to a hundred staff accumulated over the couple of hours of the ‘party’. There was basic buffet food and a few beers, but mostly sodas, and lots of good wishes. The sheriff made a speech and so did Conrad Ecklie…even managing to be amusing and almost sad.

When it came to Gil and Nick, Nick pushed Gil forward to say a few words. In truth neither man was comfortable with this, but Gil knew he’d have to say a few words; he could be relied on to do that.

“Thank you all for this…send off. It was completely unexpected and I’m completely unprepared for making a speech, but as Conrad has said, I can always be depended on to give a lecture. So here goes.

“I have loved working here in Las Vegas, the work has been challenging, exhilarating and, of course, a lot of the time, terribly sad, dealing with crimes that should never have been committed…but they were and we had to deal. But, when you work well as a team, it all falls into place and that’s how it’s been…well until just recently, anyway.

“Every single one of you here this morning has contributed to that team spirit and I thank you all for making it easier to work, and for making it a good place to be.

“I know I've just said I loved working here in Vegas, and I have, but something unexpected happened…I fell in love with someone…something other than work, and it turned my world upside down in more ways than I ever thought. There can’t be any one of you here, now, who doesn’t know that I’m gay and living with Nick. I love him. Unfortunately, some people have been unable to accept our relationship and we decided that we should leave.

“However, if you don’t already know, we’re joining the opposition, the FBI, in their labs in Quantico. And, it must be said, with promotions and a lot more money! So perhaps in the end it is a good thing, for all of us, a fresh start. We’ll see.

“Before I send you all to sleep, I just want to tell you something else. Previously accused of being reclusive and private…I would like to tell you that Nick and I fly off to Vancouver tomorrow morning and will enter into a Civil Partnership…on Saturday…

“We start our new jobs four weeks on Monday and that gives us time to pack up and transport stuff…well, as much as Nick will let me take…across the country.

“Thank you once again for you generosity of time and spirit and…good luck to all of you.”

The speech had been greeted with good humour and laughter and definitely a few tears among the audience and broke into a spontaneous round of applause. Quite a few of the people in the room had known Gil for many years. Never anyone’s close friend, he was, nevertheless, a constant in their lives, and he would be missed.

Nick stood forward and smiled at the crowd - and even knowing that they stood no chance - several women still went weak kneed at the spectacle.

“Guys. This is a sad day and a great day. Gil has told you that we’re going up in the world, joining the ‘dark side’...” That remark brought a lot of laughter from his audience. “…and that’s great but leaving y’all behind is going to be a wrench and I can’t help but feel real sad about that. Gil told you a bit about why we’re going and I’d just like to reinforce that…although we are going on to better things, as it were, we would not have been going at all if things had been different with….. I cannot find words to tell you how sad this has made me…both of us…you think you know someone, and then find you don’t know them at all.

“That’s why it makes me proud to be here now standing in front of you saying my goodbyes knowing that you do not judge me or Gil, on our choices. I will miss you all; thank you for this send off and I guess we’ll be back visiting in the not too distant future, so y’all take care.”

The crowd started to applaud, but Nick held up his hand to stop them.

“Now, I just want to do something I've been itching to do for nearly two years and I’m gonna seize this chance, I don’t reckon it’ll come around again…and contrary to what Gil might have implied to Assistant Director Ecklie we never did do ‘anything’ in any cupboard or storage room…ever!”

Nick stopped talking and turned sideways to face Gil and a very surprised Gil had a moment’s notice of what was about to happen; Nick put his hands on Gil’s waist and moved in close and kissed Gil full on the lips…and while it wasn’t an open mouthed, tongue lashing affair, it was an intense and meaningful kiss. Gil’s hands naturally gravitated to Nick’s upper arms and held him.

There was a moment of absolute silence in the room and then the start of applause...that grew into a huge wave of sound around the room. Even a few cheers were heard. Nick pulled away and smiled at Gil and received a smile back…very few people in that room had ever seen Gil Grissom smile, really smile; it was as if there was no one else in the room, except Nick, and that didn’t go unnoticed. Gil was incredulous, he’d never considered kissing Nick in front of an audience, in front of anyone, not once, not ever. But it did feel good and…liberating. That was the right word. ‘Private’, he might be and he might never kiss Nick in public again, but now he had and nothing bad had happened.

They said individual goodbyes and Conrad Ecklie was giving a fair impression of being really cut up about their departure. He’d actually realised that while he’d had a lot of run ins with Gil Grissom he’d still miss him...he’d spent a lot of years being jealous of Gil’s prowess as a forensic scientist but in fact the lab and everyone in it owed a debt of gratitude to him for building it up and forging their reputation…they would all have to take care of his legacy.

And, Nick Stokes, he was a model employee - well, he was if you discounted the dead prostitute - but he had more than atoned for that sin and his kidnapping had been the stuff of horror movies. How he’d survived, no one knew exactly. Strength of character was what Ecklie surmised, and he knew that Gil shared that view.

The loss of Gil Grissom and Nick Stokes was a bad day for the lab.

Later than they’d expected, the men arrived home. They’d managed a fair amount of sorting and boxing, so the place already resembled a home only half lived in…they intended to do as much box packing as they could today and then pack suitcases for tomorrow…before trying to sleep, actually during the night. Though they both guessed it would be an early night, since they were nearly exhausted before they started.

Gil thought that it was an emotional response to the upheaval in their lives. Though they were both excited about their new jobs and looking forward to the challenge. Nick was especially happy about the prospect of finding and buying a....‘their’ new place. But, they were leaving behind a sizeable chunk of their life and despite their send off that morning - it was without the people with whom they’d originally forged such strong bonds.

They were sitting on their deck, having coffee before starting some more packing and both were quiet…reflecting on their past, their present and their future.

Gil suddenly put his hand across the patio table and grasped Nick’s hand as it lay on the table.

“I love you.”

“That so?”

“It is.”

“I love you right back then.”

“What was ‘that’ kiss all about?”

“Don’t know really; it’s just that I wanted people to know…really know, that we love each other, y’know, it’s not just a stunt.”

“I think I know what you mean. You know it’s terrible the way they’ve behaved, how they behaved towards us, I still have some difficulty coming to terms with it…especially Catherine. And yet, Nicky, my love, this is a big adventure and I am really excited by it…but if you don’t…want it…I…”

“I want it, don’t say that. In fact, I think it’s going to be one of the best things we’ve ever done. I don’t think we would have done it at all if they hadn’t made us and yet now, like you say, we’re on the verge of a big adventure, an ‘awfully big adventure’, is that a book or a film I've seen?”

“No idea. We are…together…who'd've believed it a couple of years ago?”

“I know…two years ago Gil, I was sure I was going to kill myself; I wouldn’t have coped for much longer if you hadn’t noticed and knocked on my door that day.”

“Fortuitous of me…and incredibly out of character.” Gil chuckled as he remembered his unease as he’d sat in his truck willing himself to go knock on Nick’s door. He’d thought he’d seen odd signs in Nick and wondered if perhaps he wasn’t as ‘fine’ as he’d said.

“I was so shocked to see you there, man. And, you looked so uncomfortable, like being up in front of the principal.”

“I’ll have you know I was never up in front of the principal.”

“I know, I know…but thank God you did knock. Do you remember what you said?”

This conversation was like an old worn and comfortable shoe, they often reminisced about ‘that moment’.

“Of course I do.”

“Yeah…go on then.”

“I said, ‘Nick…err…Nick…err…Nicky.’”

“Yeah, that’s exactly right. I’d thought you’d have at least practised a speech.”

“I did but I couldn’t remember what it was…you were in those tight sweatpants, bare-chested and glistening with sweat…what’s a gay guy gonna do?”

“Oh, I don’t know, stare at my crotch and lick your lips and gulp down air…if I remember correctly.”

“You do. It was, and let me say, still is, a glorious sight.”

“I can never get over the fact that you, with all your fancy CSI credentials, didn’t even suspect that I was gay.”

“Only in my dreams…but remember you didn’t know about me…and the famous remnants of ‘graveyard’ never figured it out either….”

They both contemplated that thought for a little while.

“Oh, damn.”

“What’s the matter?”

“We forgot the dry cleaning and I need those grey pants for the ‘honeymoon’.” Gil emphasised the word with a smile and an extra squeeze of Nick’s hand.

“I’ll go get ‘em.”

“No, my fault…and you’re sooo much better at packing and throwing stuff away, than me.”

“Ain’t that the truth? Hey, drop by the deli and get something tasty for dinner; we’ve got nothing fresh left”

“Yes, dear.”

“Watch it…else I’ll have a headache for the next week.”

“Yeah, like that’s going to happen.” Gil stood up and then moved to straddle Nick’s legs and put his hands on the arms of Nick’s seat. He leaned down and kissed him gently and pushed his tongue into the willing mouth. They just lazily exchanged the kiss…not an erotic, arousing kiss, but a loving and kind kiss.

“No, it isn’t.” Nick smiled up into Gil’s face and he ran his fingers over his lover’s cheek and onto his lips, Gil kissed the fingers. “I love you so very much, babe…go get dinner...”

“...and when I get back?”

“Packing.”

“I don’t suppose that’s a euphemism for hot sex?”

“Nope.”

“Thought not…slave driver.” Although both he and Nick knew very well that before they packed and before dinner…there could well be some (very) ‘hot sex’.

Gil had been gone about five minutes when the door bell rang. Nick’d just started looking through a pile of Gil’s journals. He got up from his cross-legged position on the floor in one smooth movement…Gil would have been very disappointed to have missed the manoeuvre. When he checked the security spy hole, he jumped back almost as if he’d been shocked, and then looked again.

It was Warrick Brown.

In person, on his doorstep. Nick opened the door wide and stood there, neither man spoke for a few moments - just eyed each other up. Warrick saw suspicion and contempt. He deserved that. Nick saw shame and…regret. Too late.

“Nick.”

“Warrick.”

Nick was not going to invite him into the house just yet.

“You’re leaving and I know it’s my fault.

“Not yours entirely…but you could have made a big difference.”

“I know…and I didn’t. I’m……………sorry.”

“Yeah. Too late now. Come in.” Nick moved aside and Warrick, hesitantly, entered the home of Gil and Nick for the first time.

Warrick could see that packing was well under way though there was no sign of Gil and his truck wasn’t parked outside.

“What made you come here today?”

“Shame. Regret.” Exactly what Nick had seen in his face.

“What I want to know, Warrick, is why…why’d you do it, man?”

Warrick stood in the middle of the living room surrounded by packing boxes. He looked around him and shrugged.

“I have no idea. No fucking idea.”

“Then why are you here? To clear your conscience?”

“No; really, I’m not. I’m just sorry Nick, really sorry. I was just…I don’t know…annoyed, whatever, I don’t know, that you never told me…we were best friends and you never told me.”

“I didn’t tell anyone, Warrick. I hardly acknowledged it myself; I wasn’t going to go shouting my mouth off to my heterosexual best buddy was I? ‘Oh, and by the way Warrick, I’m gay…I like men…you okay with that’? Because plainly. You. Were. Not.”

“That’s not true….”

“You have a funny way of showing it.”

“Man. It was the shock…I never suspected or guessed; I mean you don’t act…..”

“Gay? Limp wristed, do you mean, paint my nails and wear pink?”

“No, you know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t, actually. How was I supposed to act? No one knew about me and Gil until we told them and, as Gil told Greg last night, if we’d split up you would’ve been none the wiser. What did you expect Warrick…a big confession…tears, the whole nine yards?”

Nick wasn’t shouting but he was angry. Warrick had come here and was acting like a pathetic excuse for the Warrick Brown he used to know…the Warrick Brown who was his friend.

“I just thought you had deliberately excluded me…when I thought we were close…”

“Let me tell you something Warrick. When I was fourteen…fifteen…I realised that there was something wrong with me…and I mean ‘wrong’…it wasn’t the ‘done’ Texan thing to like to look at boys. When they were all looking at the girlie magazines I was looking at their crotches…and that wasn’t the done thing. So, I dated girls and even had a rep as a nice boy…respectful an’ all…I wasn’t after what I could get; my Daddy wouldn’t be paying for any abortions.

“But it was hard, Warrick…so hard. When I went to college I was the sports jock, a guy’s guy, made the Stokes’ proud. I had my first kiss there…a proper kiss with another boy…we fumbled in each other’s pants and, you know, later I was sick…physically sick because of what I’d…we’d done, not because it was horrible…oh, no…it was because it was wonderful…for the first time in my short life I really knew that I was, an outcast, a disgrace to the family, illegal even, in Texas…you have no idea…Warrick…no idea….

“I couldn’t settle in a job for long, I couldn’t stay with any girl for long…I wanted something I couldn’t have…apart from that once in college there was no one, not one, man or woman, just me and my hand…so being the big disappointment to my parents I came looking for freedom in Vegas and what happened? Nothing…fucking nothing, Warrick. Because I was just as frightened here as I was there…you remember Kristy…she tried to help me…she was going to set me up on a blind date with a gay friend of hers, and then she was killed…my fault; punishment for trying to break out.

“So…what did I do? Worshipped the ground Gil Grissom walked on because he was what I wanted…he was my ideal…for six years that’s all I did….played video games with you and Greg, bit of sports, working out and I worked. I went out with loads of girls as you were always pointing out, but did you ask if I ever got to…even…second base with them. No, you never did and no, I never did.

“After the abduction I spent a lot of time with you, Warrick, helping you get over the guilt you felt…I never felt bad about having to help you…but did you help me? No; you got married.

“I was very near the breaking point, the day Gil knocked on my door and stayed with me while I cried and sobbed for hours, and do you know what happened…I told him, Gil Grissom, that I was gay…the first ‘real’ person I'd ever told, and only then because I thought I was just a short step away from blowing out my brains.

“Gil kissed me that day…and saved my life. But it was hard, Warrick, both of us with no experience of relationships; me dealing with being buried alive…with disappointed parents, over achieving siblings…you name it…and in the fucking middle of all this YOU and your fucking friends wanted to be told that Gil and I were lovers…well, you know what, I am sorry…sorry I ever called you 'my friend'. You should go.”

Warrick had stood still and listened to Nick’s increasingly impassioned version of events. He had never, not once, considered any of that. Not for a moment. What a pathetic excuse for a friend he was…he’d blamed Nick and all along it was his own inadequacies. The others…how could it all have happened?

“I have no words, Nick....to tell you how ashamed I am of my behaviour….”

Gil chose that moment to open the door. “Warrick, what are you doing here? You okay, Nicky?”

“I’m fine, babe, Warrick’s apologising…...”

“Gil. I’m sorry. I never even considered what Nick had to contend with…you know…..”

Gil’s raised his eyebrows in a question to Nick, but Warrick continued.

“….he just hid it, hid it all, because he couldn’t speak about himself…couldn’t be free, man. I’m disgusted and ashamed about everything. I’ll go now, Nick, Gil…I’m sorry; I don’t know what else to say. I’ll miss you both.”

He went to walk out, but Nick stopped him…held his arm. “Hey, ‘Rick…thanks man, for coming ‘round at least we leave on speaking terms, eh?” Nick spoke softly and he was close to tears.

Warrick stopped and looked at Nick and then pulled him into a hug. “Sorry Nick, oh man, I’m so sorry.” Warrick had tears rolling down his cheek; Nick’s forgiveness was even more shaming.

Gil stood and watched the scene. He was disgusted with Warrick, apology, tears, the lot. Nick’s heart was tender and forgiving and here was Warrick taking advantage again…Warrick was getting his sins absolved and he’d be left picking up the pieces of Nick that Warrick had just shattered, again.

“It was good of you to come over Warrick. Upset Nick. Get your own absolution and back to the status quo tonight. Very neat.”

Warrick pulled away from Nick and stepped back. “Gil, I can see you thinking that way…I didn’t mean to harm Nick…I’m truly sorry…it’ll never be the same here. I’m handing in my resignation tonight and Greg too, I think. It doesn’t change anything, I know, I can’t undo what we…I did.

“No, you can’t undo it.”

“Gil, it’s okay…let it go. It’s over now.”

“I suppose you did at least have the balls, finally, to come over and apologise.”

Nick moved to Gil’s side and Gil put his arm around his shoulders, pulling him against him, as Nick slid an arm around his waist. Warrick watched and felt a rush of pure jealousy seeing them as a couple, probably for the first time. They were exuding love and togetherness; he could almost see it, touch it, feel it, it was so obvious. He’d never had that with anyone, even his wife; especially his wife.

“Good luck.” With that Warrick left and closed the front door behind him.

“Are you okay, my love?” Gil thought it was very serious; he only ever used that endearment when things were bad.

“I really am okay; I know you think he only came here because he’d get, what, absolution, did you say, but Gil…he came, okay, he didn’t need to, but he did. We’ll never be friends again…I don’t think I could ever trust him again…but it’s over.”

“You’re right.”

“Aren’t I always?”

“You might be - I can’t commit myself with a definitive answer.”

“Packing?”

“Packing”

“Where’s the dry cleaning and our dinner?”

“Oh, right, still in the truck; I saw Warrick’s truck, so came straight in…I’ll go get it…are you really okay?”

“As a matter of fact, I am, you know, you speaking to Greg last night and now Warrick coming here…it has some closure, doesn’t it? Catherine and Sara are still…well, they’re not going to change now, are they? But I feel better. I really do.”

“Yes, good for you Nicky, it is closure; perhaps I don’t feel as benevolent as you, they hurt you badly…and me; they somehow destroyed my faith in my own ability to judge people, they were my friends and they did this to me; to us. How did I read them so wrong?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. They were acting as a pack, perhaps each became afraid of breaking away, of being stuck in no man’s land…although Warrick must always have known I would forgive him, he knows I don’t do grudges.”

“Exactly…Catherine would know that too; do you know this is a puzzle that may never be solved and we have too much to do and so much to look forward to than to stop and try to analyse the past. I’ll go get the shopping out of the truck, and then I’ll sort through my old stuff and promise faithfully to be ruthless with it.”

“Splendid, old chap!”

“Good Lord…..”

“What?”

“Have you been watching BBC America again?”

“Might’ve.”

“Let me guess….’Jeeves and Wooster’?”

“So?”

“Next time I want to watch ‘Candleford’, don’t you dare complain.”

“Mmmm”

“Mmmm, to you too.”

They were very successful with packing; they finished the living room area completely but were hungry, tired and dusty. They decided on dinner; Gil had bought smoked salmon and salad and two pieces of cheesecake as a treat…Nick did not, normally, allow him such indulgences. But he relented, since they were getting ‘married’ on Saturday.

Nick referred to it as their ‘marriage’ although he knew full well that even in Canada, where it was legal, it was only a ‘Civil Partnership’…but he was as excited as he could be at the prospect. That Gil had proposed after he’d booked it all up was of particular delight and had given him a lot of points in the ‘romantic’ department.

They’d bought new suits and had them altered and re-fitted…all in five days. They’d found matching rings; Gil wasn’t keen on wearing a ring, but Nick’s quivering chin had soon put a stop to that. They had plain gold bands - very slim and flat with a matt finish, ‘traditionally modern’, the young man had said…aiming to please both men. (And succeeding, though they would vehemently deny it, if challenged.)

They had plain white dress shirts and Gil had chosen a striped red and grey tie and Nick, a blue tie…with a patterned weave that changed colour depending on which way you looked at it…all that stuff was new. For ‘old’, Gil would carry a fob watch owned by his grandfather and Nick, cufflinks from a great uncle; they’d borrowed handkerchiefs off Jim.

Nick’s tie was blue and for Gil’s blue, Nick had bought him a pair of royal blue silk boxers; Nick made him promise to keep them on when they went to bed as a married couple and he would straddle him and they would make love with them on…Gil, of course, said he would need to practise to make he sure he got it right on the night. Since Nick thought this was reasonable request he bought another pair in blood red…and they practised.

They showered and made out a little in the shower, but after their long day they flopped into bed, damp and exhausted, and cuddled up and went straight to sleep, both men much too tired for 'hot sex'. The alarm woke them from their good night’s sleep. Nick stretched and then cuddled up some more.

“Hey! Did’y’know I’ve snagged me a doctor and am getting married the day after next?”

“That so? I can beat that easy…got me a young Texan, brown eyed and bushy tailed.”

“Are you implying that I should trim my pubic hair?”

Gil let out a belly laugh at Nick’s serious question. “I’m implying nothing of the sort. Just an expression…do you remember when you went to try out waxing…on your underarms….with a view to having yourself waxed for me?”

“That wasn’t funny, man, it hurt.”

“You only had one underarm done…it was very funny.”

“I think you’re being mean to me, you should go put the coffee pot on and bring me a juice to make nice with me.”

“That so?”

“Yep…I can get ‘skittish’ you know.”

“Not going there, no way.”

They’d had a huge argument…over a year ago…after Gil had accused Nick of ‘being skittish’ about wanting to do something that Gil didn’t. It was their worst argument and they’d split up for nearly a day until Nick had come back. Nick teased Gil with it when the need arose…but Gil had learned a valuable lesson…‘to keep his mouth shut’!

“Love you though.”

“I am a doctor after all.”

“You know when the dust settles, I might do a PhD.”

“Nick, that would great…you’d get it easily…what subject…or a specialty…we’ll have to see about study….”

“Hold on a cotton pickin’ moment! It’s just a thought…we got a lotta new stuff coming up and we need to get settled first.”

“Yeah, well true…but it’s important that you do something for yourself Nicky…it would be good…I can take care of things.”

“You would? For me?”

“Of course I would, Nicky, I love you…I love you so much.”

“Know you do. Hey, pinch me.”

“What? Why?”

“Make sure I ain’t dreaming…despite everything…everything Gil, we have each other and that’s never going to change.”

“Never.”

They kissed. Gently and then more intensely; with their tongues entwined and their teeth nibbling and chewing at each other. Their hands started roaming around…Gil hands stroking down Nick’s back and sides and then onto his ass, kneading one of his ass cheeks, feeling the hard muscle, covered by the smooth skin. He gently scratched the skin with his nails and Nick bucked his hips into Gil His other hand and arm trapped beneath Nick’s neck , but he’d still wrapped it around Nick‘s shoulders to pull him closer. Their newly arrived erections making contact for the first time.

Nick reached down between then and grasped their hard cocks together, holding them both and gently moving them together backwards and forwards, up and down. The dry skin making him go slow, gently, but he could feel them hardening more.

“Hey, babe, reach for the lube, I want to do this.” Nick whispered to Gil.

Gil pushed Nick onto his back and leaned over him, neither man losing contact and Nick not losing his hold on their cocks. Gil retrieved the lube from the bedside table. He flipped the top off and moved back onto his side; he had enough room to reach down and he squirted a generous amount on to the heads of their cocks. They both flinched at the coldness and then chuckled and kissed again.

Nick smoothed the lube over their cocks with his hand and then tightened his grip and moved his hand up and down experimentally. It was a success judging by the groan Gil emitted and then the gasp and Nick continued his ministrations. He quickly found a steady rhythm and both of them rocked their hips back and forwards in time with the strokes.

Gil’s one arm was still holding Nick around his shoulders, but his hand had moved to one of Nick’s nipples and gently rubbed it between his fingers and then not so gently pulled it and pinched it. Nick responded by pulling away from Gil and latching his mouth on Gil’s nearest nipple; he teased it with his teeth and licked and then sucked and with each sensation Gil gave a little gasp.

Gil’s errant hand then returned to Nick’s ass and he pushed his middle finger against Nick’s opening, just teasing the sensitive area. Nick pulled back and sought out Gil’s lips and their kiss consumed them both for a few moments, but Gil pulled away.

“Nicky, faster…I’m on the edge…please let me come…gotta….Nicky…oh god yes….that’s it…..that’s it….”

They were looking into each other’s eyes now and Gil’s mouth was gasping out breaths, as he rapidly approached his orgasm. He just glimpsed the tip of Nick’s tongue peeping out between his teeth and that very sight was the moment he passed the point of no return. He thrust up into Nick’s hand and the hot semen spurted up, he grunted as each spurt splattered first Nick’s and then his own stomach.

The feel of the heat of Gil’s ejaculation caused Nick to reach the edge of his own precipice and his hand stilled as his fluid joined Gil’s on their skin. His ass cheeks squeezed tight almost trapping Gil’s fingers, in their warm crack. Nick murmured through his orgasm…almost unintelligibly but enough for Gil to follow the flow.

“Gi….I….lo…mus….co….ah…ho….you…..”

Gil smiled at he interpreted the stream. ‘Gil, I love, must come, ah, hot, you.” That about summed it all up; he hugged a relaxed Nicky to him, and peered at the clock over Nick’s shoulder.

“We have fifty one minutes before Jim picks us up.”

“Aww, man, I need at least two minutes rest…please just let me have two minutes.”

“Okay, just two minutes…I’m such a sucker for a hard luck story.”

“Mmmm…you are a sucker….”

“Practise, I believe, makes perfect.”

“Mmmm…”

“Hey, sweetheart, don’t fall asleep.” Gil spoke gently to Nick, but Nick opened his eyes and looked directly in the darkened eyes of his lover; then closed them again.

“Won’t.”

“Come on…we’re going to Canada!”

“Mmmm.” Post orgasmic Nick wasn’t the greatest conversationalist in the world. But he did rouse himself and start to move to get up.

“Come on, shower together Nicky…no monkey business and we’ll be ready in plenty of time.”

“Do you seriously think I could do anything else just now....I'm getting on in years, y'know."

"I know you are...you know the other day I thought, I need to get me a new, younger, sleeker model.

Nick opened one eye and gave Gil what he hoped was an evil look. "Over my dead body Dr Grissom."

"Did y'know I'm an ace forensics man...dead bodies...my specialty."

"Should I be worried?"

"Yes; you've had three minutes and we now only have forty-eight minutes...no forty-seven minutes left and he'll be early you know."

"Come on then man, what you hanging around for?"

"Nicky!" Gil's exasperated call as Nick bounded out of bed and dashed for the bathroom.

"Just demonstrating there's still life in this old dog...huh...younger, sleeker model...my ass."

"It's a lovely ass Nick...I'm not going to swap it...don't worry."

"Shower's on, come on sleepy head." Nick shouted only to find Gil directly behind him.

"I'm here babe...." Gil shook his flaccid penis so that it gently slapped Nick’s ass.

"Hey, man, no 'monkey business'...we're on a dead line here."

That earned him a slapped ass. But both men showered quickly and efficiently together. Gil got out and started his shave while Nick dried off. While Gil finished off, Nick went off to make two coffees...instant would have to do...he put toast in the toaster and then went back to have his shave. Gil had nearly finished dressing

"Toast's in."

"Okay."

This was synchronised preparation. In thirty-eight minutes they'd had their coffee, toast, the bed was made, they were dressed and the suitcases open for the last minute check. The doorbell rang.

"He's nine minutes early." Gil laughed at Nick's pronouncement; he went to answer the door. He got a surprise. Alongside Jim was Sofia...all smiles and happiness.

"I couldn't shake her off Gil...she wanted to see the happy couple off." Jim laughed.

Gil thought that this was quite an unusual occurrence, since he always thought Jim a taciturn sort of guy...with a droll sense of humour. Perhaps Sofia had made a move after all; Nick would be ecstatic.

"We're nearly ready...can't offer you coffee though...all tidied away. You know what Nick's like."

"Would that be a matchmaker?" Jim enquired.

"I have no idea what you mean." Gil feigned innocence.

"I had to ask him out Gil...because I thought if I didn't Nick would have said something this morning, and I'd've looked an idiot."

"More than I did when I stood there with my mouth open like a fish taking in air?"

"It was good look on you, Jim." Sofia smiled at him.

"I think you may just have ruined Nick's entire wedding and honeymoon...he was really looking forward to clueing up Jim."

"Hey, Gil? Come on...need to finish up packing." Nick sounded stressed, his voice carrying into the living room from the bedroom.

"Coming, dear." Gil rolled his eyes at his guests and departed to soothe Nick's fevered brow.

"I have some really bad news for you, Nick."

"Oh God. What's up? What's happened?"

"Well it seems you've been usurped. Your duties as Cupid will not be required. Sofia has asked Jim out."

"No! You're joking."

"Not."

"Good for her...he did say 'yes' though, didn't he?"

"I think so...they're both here."

"Great...they can send us on our way. That's real good news."

"I thought you'd be upset at not getting to tell Jim."

"Nah...I'm just glad she's done the deed. They make a pair y'know?"

"Like us?"

"Like us."

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"Then let's get this show on the road....next time we're here we'll be married."

"I can't wait."

"I love you Nicky Stokes."

"I love you Gil Grissom...hey, we’re gonna be g-men, but you're my own G-man!"

The End

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