Title: Moby Dick!
Author: Dee
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 7452
Pairing: Gil/OFC Gil/Nick
Characters: Gil Grissom, Nick Stokes, and a few other familiar and unfamiliar faces along the way!
Warnings: V.AU and v.fluffy!
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: In my dreams they are like, totally mine!
Unbeta-ed: All mistakes will be mine
A/N 1: Yet another medical one! (Sick!Nick) As always I make it all up aided and abetted by Google and Wikipedia...so if you do need any specialist medical advice ask me...not!

***

Nick sat back in the chair, his feet on the rail of the deck.  He felt rough but then he'd drunk himself into a stupor two days ago and he wasn't as young as he used to be.  He missed Warrick.  His stag do would have been so much better if Warrick had organised it...okay, the guys were well intentioned but a themed eighties evening at a club where they were ten or fifteen years older than the rest of the crowd...it wasn't what he'd have chosen for himself.

His headache had been with him ever since and even Tylenol, which he'd been taking since the day before, wasn't touching it.  He didn't suffer headaches normally, even after a skinful and it just made him feel generally bad.

But what was worse?  A headache or a wedding?  He was beginning to think that the headache had nothing to do with alcohol and more to do with stress.  He was getting married in five days.  What the fuck was he getting married for?  Because he was getting near forty?  Because it was the right thing to do?  Because he was lonely?  Because he was a coward?

He thought that only one of those reasons really applied but then they all did in varying degrees.  He sighed; he'd completely forgotten; because he was in love?  He knew he wasn't in love, and yet it didn't even cross his mind as a reason not to be married next Saturday. 

Maybe he was marrying Annie because she was just about the nicest, sweetest, smartest girl he'd ever met.  He liked her a great deal, she was a great gal...but he definitely didn't love her. 

Yeah...his aching head was stress, he decided, and he would stop taking the tablets and maybe go to the gym and have a massage after a workout...that would help.  Yeah, that was his plan.

Five hours later and three hours into his shift he was feeling like shit.  His headache had spread to his neck and shoulders and they all hurt together.  He thought he might be running a temperature because he kept shivering and then he started to feel nauseous.  He thought he'd go and sit down in the break room for a while; he passed Mandy on his way and she stopped him.

"Nick, you okay?  You look...bad."  She did look concerned but Nick managed a smile.

"Just a bit of a headache, is all.  Going to get a tea, sit down."

"Okay."  She smiled.  "Don't want you coming down with anything this week."

"True.  I would be in the dog house."

She chuckled and went on her way but Nick stood there a moment longer.  He felt faint...he couldn't even remember the last time he'd fainted...if he ever had.  He screwed up his eyes to try and remember if he'd ever fainted and the pain in his head suddenly got worse, he leaned against the outer glass wall of the evidence room and in a split second he knew he was going to fall.  He didn't actually fall; he slid down the glass onto his backside and then started vomiting...   In the distance he thought he heard shouting.

The very next thing he remembered was bright lights and trying to stop them shining into, and hurting, his brain.  He was trying to put his arms up over his eyes and moaning at the pain of the light.

The next thing he remembered was his Mom sitting by his bed.  She was talking to him.

"Nicky, my baby, my sweet baby.  Nicky, come on, open your eyes...open your eyes...there you are that wasn't so bad was it?"

"Mom?"  He said it his mind but no word came out of his mouth, just a moan and his neck and throat hurt like hell and his mouth was full of something and he started gagging against whatever it was.

"Be careful, Nicky; be careful you have a respirator tube in your mouth helping you to breath.  Keep calm I'll get a nurse, keep still, baby, keep still."

Nick did want to keep still and he closed his eyes against the pain in his throat and neck...and the light.  Why was it so bright?  He seemed to have lots of memories like this with his Mom and his sisters and his Dad and other people...he didn't know who they were...or he couldn't quite reach in and find their names.  And Captain Ahab, Ishmael and...Moby Dick?  His next lucid memory was almost the same as with the one his Mom but it was a nurse standing over him and smiling.  He didn't know her but he knew she was a nurse.

"Hello, Nick.  Welcome back, honey.  Don't try to talk you have a machine helping you breath but I'm going to get a doctor to take it out and see if you can breathe on your own.  You up for that?"

Yeah, he was.  He nodded.  She pressed a button above his bed and a few moment s later another nurse came in and his nurse spoke to her.  "Will you page Doc Preston for me please?"

"Sure, is he with us?"

Nick nodded and they both laughed.

"It's good to have you back."  Nick tried to move his arms but they were leaden and he tried to speak even though he knew he couldn't but he wanted to know.  He wanted to know, what the fuck?

"You've been very sick."  She smiled at his eyebrows that he had obviously been able to move upwards in surprise.  "You've had meningitis.  You've been in a coma for five weeks."

He thought his eyebrows had moved up even further.

"You're going to be okay, Nick.  You got this far, you'll be okay."

Nick wanted to go to sleep again he was so very tired and the next thing he knew the nurse was calling his name again.

"Nick.  Nick.  Can you come back again?"

He could do that.  He opened his eyes and she smiled at him.  "The doctor can remove your tube, do you want that?"  He nodded.

He remembered that he'd been sick and in a coma...  Wow.  His mind was getting around the information he'd been given.  Headache.  He thought it was the drink...  Work and Mandy kept flashing behind his eyes and his Mom calling him 'Nicky, baby'.  He remembered those things and the lights, the lights that hurt...and Moby Dick.

"Here's the Doctor."

"Hello, Nick, welcome back.  I'm going to pull the tube out and I want you to cough it out as I pull...if you can't get your breath don't panic I can have another tube in your throat in seconds.  Understand?"

He nodded and in a blur of activity he was laid flat on the bed and the tube was whipped out at speed and he coughed and coughed...he didn't have to try to cough, he couldn't stop.  The bed was raised again and the nurse gave him a cup with a straw and he took some sips...it felt so good to have water in his mouth that tasted, he thought, like a decomp might taste.

"Thanks!"  He croaked out the word that was barely intelligible as 'thanks', but he knew and the doctor and nurse knew what he meant.

The doctor laughed.  "No problems at all breathing.  You don't need to have another breathing tube inserted."  Nick had forgotten to be concerned about whether he could breathe or not since he'd been coughing so much.  But shit, he was tired and wanted to sleep.  "Now your problems are really going to begin because you're going to have doctors coming out of every orifice to do tests and determine what course of treatment you need to get back to your former glory.  For a start, can you tell me your name?"

"Nick Stokes."  He was still croaking

"Good.  Date of birth?"

"August eighteenth nineteen seventy-one."

"Good.  Very good in fact."  Nick was amazed that the doctor had understood what he said because it didn't sound to his ears how he'd meant it to sound.  It didn't matter he needed to sleep again he was so tired so he closed his eyes.

"Go to sleep, Nick.  You've earned it."  That was the nurse.

***

He had no idea how long he slept but when he did wake up he remembered more and more.  He remembered that he was going to get married.  When his nurse came in to see him he asked her.

"Am I married?"  He croaked...he throat and neck really hurt.

"What do you think?"

"I think I should be but I don't think I am."

"And that is dead right.  You should have been married on the Saturday but you were taken ill in the early hours of the Tuesday.  Do you remember your fiancé?"

"Annie."  He remembered her and he also couldn't believe the relief he felt that he wasn't married....even in his stupor.

"Annie's been at your bedside every single day.  Your Mom and Dad have been flying in to see you and so have your sisters and a brother.  It was your Mom who first realised that you were regaining consciousness...that was well over a week ago."

"Yeah, I remember."

"Oh, Nick, you're so lucky, honey."  He smiled at her he liked being called honey...it reminded him.

"To have been sick?"  He asked; his voice sounded more like his but very weak.

"No...not that bit...but meningitis can easily kill and if it doesn't kill it can cause brain damage...and no end of complications.  You've come out the other side and you're going to be okay."

"I am?"  He tried grinning at her.

"Yeah."  It must have worked because she grinned back.  "I've been around the block a few times and I know.  But the doctors will do all their tests and then they'll come up with the same prognosis."

"I have another question.  Why do I keep thinking about Moby Dick...do you know?"  He was frowning at her.

She laughed.  "I do.  Every day, after you were brought here from the ICU, and when you were alone with no other visitors, a man came in to read to you...'Moby Dick'.  He said he used to work with you."

"Who?"  Nick couldn't think of anyone.

"Gil, he said his name was."  As she spoke she saw the shock on his face.  "What's wrong?  Didn't you want him to visit with you?"

"Yes, I did.  I just didn't expect him to come to be with me."  He was tired again.  "Got to sleep."

"Sure it's been a big day."

When he awoke again Annie was sitting by his bed holding his hand.  He looked at her and smiled.

"Hey.  Sorry."

"Oh, Nick..."   She promptly started crying and reached for a bunch of tissues from Nick's bedside cabinet.  "Sorry...sorry...I told myself not to cry but it's such a relief to hear your voice..."

"Is it really my voice?  Is sounds so strange to me."

"Yes.  It is.  Just weak."  She was more composed now and she was smiling and holding his hand in a death grip.  "I've missed you so much and I love you, just so you know."

"You do?"

"Of course I do...I've loved you since out first date you know that.  Do you remember..."  A frown clouded her face.

"Go-karts."

"Yes!  That's right.  The doctor already said he thought your memory was going to be okay.  Nick, you're so lucky.  Nine people from the club where you had your stag party were taken ill.  Two died and one has had to have her legs amputated...septicaemia."  The shock on Nick's face made her realise, instantly, that she should have kept the information to herself.  "I'm sorry, sweetie, I shouldn't have said.  It's okay.  It's not your fault."

Nick could hardly keep his eyes open now he was so exhausted.  He had killed two people? How had he managed to do that?  Was he a bad person?  He could hear Annie calling him but it was through a fog and he closed his eyes to escape the pain in his head.  Why was his head hurting again?

His nice nurse was there with him again.  "Come on Nick...open your eyes...come on you can do it.  You know you can.  There..."   She smiled at him when he opened his eyes.

"You had a nasty shock.  There was an outbreak of meningitis...a man was admitted to the hospital on the Sunday...he'd been at the same club as you the night before and we believe he was the source of the infection, he died on Monday before you were even taken sick."

Nick nodded and closed his eyes.  It wasn't his fault.  But the girl?  The others?  He looked at his nurse again.  "The girl who lost her legs?  The others?"

"Another young man admitted on the Monday died on the Wednesday after you were admitted.   And septicaemia is a very dangerous and common complication, unfortunately.  But the girl is on the mend and happy to be alive, Nick.  The others were all treated and are fine.  The two of you were the most serious.  Annie's outside, she's very upset, do you want to see her?"

Did he?  No.  He shook his head and looked at the nurse, he noticed, for the first time, that her name was 'Pamela'.

"That's okay, honey, you don't have to.  I'll tell her you need to sleep because you do don't you?"  He nodded and he was relieved when he noticed the pain in his head wasn't there any more.  It wasn't his fault.  So he slept.

When he woke again Pamela was checking his vital signs and his drips and...catheter.

"Hey, sleepy head."

"Hey."

"You hungry yet?"

"I am."

"Soup, that's all you can have...or oatmeal.  Spectacular choice."

"Can I brush my teeth?"

"Sure you can.  I'll get your stuff."  She poked around in his cabinet and came up with a wash bag and then found a toothbrush and tooth paste.  "I'll get you a glass of water.  I'll take your catheter out later and the drip."

A few minutes later his mouth felt better than it had since he's regained consciousness.  He didn't know why he hadn't asked to brush them before.   He thought of something else.

"When can I get out of bed?"

"When the Doctor and physio have assessed your status.  You had some basic physiotherapy while you in your coma but you will have significant muscle loss...have to build you up again, gradually.  They'll be in to see you."

"What time is it?"

"One thirty-five."

"In the afternoon?"

"Sorry, yes."  She laughed.  "You've got to establish a pattern again...all this sleeping."

"Will Annie be coming back to visit me?"

"Yes, after two she said.  She was distraught about what happened.  She just didn't think it would upset you."

"I thought it was my fault."

"No, it wasn't.   No one's fault really.  If the young man who died felt well enough to go out drinking and dancing at a club then you can't blame him either.  He didn't know...who would?"

"I get it.  The poor girl who lost her legs...is she really going to be okay?"

"Who knows?  She was discharged to a rehabilitation centre last week...she was in the next room to you.  She was very stoical and upbeat about the future but she could have still been in shock.  When reality bites...who knows...but her family was very, very, supportive and that means a great deal.  Like yours."

"Yeah, I got lots of 'em."

"And they've all been.  From all over the country, too."

"When Annie comes again.  I'm going to really upset her."

"I'm sure you won't."

"I'm sure I will."

Pamela looked at him and frowned.  He'd seemed adamant.

***

Nick didn't tell Pamela immediately why he was going to upset Annie because it was something he'd only just realised that he must do.  But he knew he'd got to do it quickly and get it over and done with.  There would be no wedding.

He'd known that the moment he'd felt such relief when Pamela had confirmed that he wasn't married.

He'd known it again when Pamela had told him that Gil had been here with him every day...reading Moby Dick.

"Nick?  Nick?"

"Sorry.  Lost in thought."

"About upsetting Annie?"

"Yeah.  I'm gay, Pamela, and it's about time I stood up to be counted.  You're the first person...non-gay person...I've ever told."

"Oh my.  She is going to be shocked.  Your Mom and Dad don't know then, either...no, they won't, you've just said."  She looked worried.  "Do you think you should make a decision like this when you're only just getting your head straight after being in a coma?"

"I'm sure.  I should have done it years ago and this has been a life changing experience.  It has, hasn't it?"

"I can't deny that."

"Then I've got to start as I mean to go on and...change.  The longer I leave it the worse it will be."

"There is that.  Tell you what, Nick.  I'll hang around when Annie comes in...she might need some support."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course I will.  Shhh...don't tell anyone, but you're my favourite patient."  She laughed.

"I bet you tell everyone that."  She laughed some more and Nick chuckled.

He was eating his chicken soup when Annie arrived.  She came in almost timidly and she wasn't really like that so she was upset.

"Hi."

"Hi, Annie.  Sorry about freaking out, it was a shock, is all."

"Don't be sorry...it was my fault; it was so thoughtless of me I could kick myself.  Please tell me you forgive me."  She was getting bolder and more like herself.  'Not for long', thought Nick.

"Pull up the chair...let me finish this soup...first food I've had...and it's not that bad...or I could just be desperate for food...any food."

She laughed and threw her hair back in such a familiar way that Nick's heart hurt and he wished he hadn't joked.

He finished, wiped his mouth on a napkin and pushed the table away.  Annie sprang up from her seat to help him.  When it was far enough away from Nick to make a space for her to sit down she sat on his bed and took his hands in hers.

"I'm so happy to see you, I've missed you so much and I love..."

"Don't..."  Nick whispered, urgently.  "Don't say that you love me.  Please don't."

"But..."  She was perplexed.  "...okay."

"It's not okay.  It won't be okay again.  Annie..."  Nick stalled and looked into her face, a picture of concern and puzzlement.

"What is..."  She started but Nick finished.

"...I don't want to get married."

"Oh.  Okayyy.  Way to go to shock me...but, sweetie, we can work around that..."

"No.  There is no workaround.  It's...over.   Us."

"Nick, you've been sick you need time to recover.  Get back into the swing of things.  It takes time."

"I didn't want to get married to you at all.  I like you...I think you're wonderful...but I don't love you.  I never have and I never will."  This time she was silent as his words hit home.

"I owe you an explanation."  She nodded but she was plainly shocked.  "I'm gay."

That bought a response.  "You're...but until you were sick you were going to marry me...that week!"  Her voice was steadily rising  but then a thought must have struck her and she stopped.  "Is this something to do with the guy who died?"

"The guy?  The meningitis guy?"

"He was gay and so was another of the men who was sick...they knew each other."

And just like that Nick remembered what had happened.  He lay back into his pillow and nodded.  It wasn't anything more than a kiss and a grope.

"I didn't remember but now I do.  Yeah...I made out with a guy in the restroom."              

"At your stag party you were making out with a guy a week before we were due to get married...  When did you know you were gay?"  She'd stopped shouting but her voice was icy and she was angry.

"When I was a teenager."

"A teenager?  A teenager...and you've been hiding it ever since.  Wanted a nice respectable girl to marry while you fucked men in restrooms behind her back?"

"I never..."

"Fuck you."

She was gone almost before Nick could register her leaving.  He certainly wasn't proud of himself but he'd never felt so fucking relieved in his life.  He was exhausted and lay back and closed his eyes but the door opened again.  It was Pamela.

"She didn't need comforting...she ran out.  Are you okay?"

"I feel bad but I've never felt more relieved than I do at this moment.  Relieved and tired."

"Go to sleep.  I'll wake you for dinner."

"More soup?"

"More soup."

The next time he woke up it was quite dark in his room and he shuffled to get comfortable and nearly jumped out of his skin when he noticed someone sitting in the easy chair in the corner of the room.

"Sorry, Nick.  I didn't mean to scare you.  I've only been here a few minutes and was going to leave but I was watching you sleep and...  Sorry.  Babbling."

"Why were you reading Moby Dick?"

"I didn't know what else to do.  They say comatose patients may be able to hear so I thought..."

"...you'd try and bore me to death.  Wasn't meningitis enough?"

Gil laughed because he knew, instinctively, that Nick was joking.  "I hadn't read it for years and thought if you were going to be comatose for a long time it would keep me going.  But you heard me?"

"I don't remember hearing you but when I woke up the title and names were swirling 'round my brain...as if I didn't have enough trouble remembering things.  Moby Dick!"  He chuckled.  "What brings you back to Vegas?  You weren't coming to the wedding."

"You.  If you'll still have me"

"Yeah...I'll still have you but isn't it...too late?"

"Is it?"

"You're married."  Nick's voice was giving up; he'd spoken today for longer than he had...for weeks.

"No, I'm...well I am, but we've separated and we're getting a divorce."

"Since when?"

"Since I came back to Vegas for you and told Sara exactly that.  It wasn't working anyway...it was a disaster."

"Why was that?"

"You know why.  But Sara and I both preferred to live separate lives anyway.  When we actually met up...we had nothing in common anymore.  Friends...but with no benefits."

"I'm not getting married anymore.  I told her I was gay...today."  He was whispering now.

"You did?"  Gil's voice registered shock but there was no escaping that he looked really happy at the news.  "How did she take it?"

"How do you think?  Told me the truth...said I wanted a nice girl to marry so I could fuck men behind her back...it would have probably turned out like that.  God knows I've met enough men in that position."

"So what do you want now?"

"You...and sleep."

Gil smiled.  "You can have me and you should go to sleep.  I'll stay here if you want."

"No. It's okay; I'm no company and Moby Dick?  Man."  He was barely audible now but he managed a chuckle.  "Got to tell Mom.  Why did you really come back?"

"For you.  Really.  Sara texted me and told me how sick you were and I came straight back.  I had the conversation with her that I had come back for you, and only you...she had guessed, you know.  I think that's why she texted me.  Seems okay about it, I wasn't turning out like she expected...whatever that was."  A thought then struck Gil.  "If you don't want to be alone with your Mom I can be here.  Support."

"Mom...probably a good idea.  If Dad comes...well I definitely will chicken out.  Gil?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?  You've got nothing to be sorry about."

"I've got a lot to be sorry about.  You and then Annie.  Saying no.  Sending you away."

"I'm here now."

"Yeah."  Nick was barely audible and fading fast.

"Go to sleep."  But Nick was asleep and Gil smiled at him and leaned over and kissed his forehead.  Then sat down and stayed with him.

***

When Nick awoke Gil was asleep in the chair.  Nick looked over at him and smiled.  What a fucking fool he'd been, telling him it was over and making him leave.  He'd even told him to marry Sara because she wanted him just as much as he did...but then it was perfectly acceptable for a woman to want him.  Because in Nick's old world it was wrong for him to openly want Gil...another man.

What had changed?  He'd been sick and he was getting better and quite suddenly nothing mattered that much.  Seeing Gil sitting in the chair earlier...however long ago that was...and hearing what he had to say, it was so easy.  He wanted Gil and Gil had come back for him.  That's what he'd wanted more than anything in his whole life and now it was within his reach.

He'd told Annie and in the end even that wasn't difficult.  He wasn't really bothered about his Mom and Dad.  They could say what they wanted but he wasn't going to change...not now.  His life was going to get a whole lot better, he was absolutely certain of that and he watched Gil's chest rise and fall rhythmically for a few minutes before he fell asleep again.

The next thing he knew he could smell food and he woke up; he was hungry.  Gil was already awake.

"Minestrone soup.  How about that?"  Pamela asked.

"Anything, I'm starving."

"Gil, how are you?"

"Fine, thank you, Pamela, and you?  Robert?"

"He's good.   Still waiting to see if he's passed the entrance exam."

"Who's Robert?"  Nick wanted to know.

"My son.  Wants to join the PD.  Gil and I were talking about it one night when you were still well out of it."

"Not that well out of it...I remembered Moby Dick."  They all laughed and Pamela left Nick with his soup.  He devoured it with relish.  Gil smiled.

Between mouthfuls Nick spoke.  "Where are you staying then?"

"With my mother.  I'm homeless."

Nick stopped eating.  "I guess I am too...I've been staying in the new house we bought. Guess we'll be selling it.  Have to rent."

"We can rent together.  If you want.  You want us to be together?"  Gil was suddenly worried.

"I want that.  Haven't you noticed?  Man, it's like we've never been apart?"

"I noticed."

"Find somewhere for us then...don't know how long I'm going to be in here...but it can't be long.  I'll just need physio and I need to get back to work and start earning again.  I had some accumulated sick leave but not that much!"

"Catherine's told me that Ecklie's fixed it so you can be paid...because it was a 'kind of' epidemic."

"That's great...a load off..."

"Finish your soup before it goes cold and..."  Gil looked at it distastefully.  "...congeals."

Nick did indeed lap it all up.  When he pushed the tray away Gil sat on the bed as Annie had done earlier that day but this time Nick took his hands.

"It's going to be okay isn't it?"

"It's going to be great, Nick, as it should have been two years ago.  We've both learned lessons the hard way.  When I thought you might die without me ever apologising to you I was distraught...disgusted with myself"

"It wasn't your fault, I sent you away."

"But I went didn't I...without an argument, without a backward glance.  Stupid man."

Just then they heard a commotion outside Nick's room with voices raised.  Gil went to get up but Nick pulled him back, a worried look on his face.  After a few minutes the indistinct voices faded away.  And moments later Pamela came into the room looking flustered.

"What was that?"  Nick wanted to know.

"Nothing, honey...nothing."

"Yes, it was.  Someone wanted to come in here didn't they?"

She nodded.  "Annie's brother.   Security took him away."

"I'm sorry for causing all the trouble.  I'd better go and stop anything else happening."

"You can't leave yet."  Pamela was aghast.

"Why not?  I need physiotherapy...my mind's okay.  Just need to rest and recuperate I can do that at home."

"You haven't even been assessed yet."

"Nick you cannot leave yet, you haven't even been out of bed for over a month.  I won't let you."

"I'm tired but I'm okay.  I'm not on any drugs am I?"  Pamela shook her head.  "And you said you were going to take the catheter out today and when this bag is finished..."  He swung his arm around so that the fluid bag swayed on its stand.  "...you said I didn't need any more."

"All of that might be true, Nick."  Gil was being stern.  "But you must stay in the hospital at least until you've been walking around a bit and you've peed and...it's too risky to leave yet."

"It is, Nick.  I can get a security detail for your room."

"And I can stay with you."  That bought a smile to Nick's face.

"Can you fight?"

"I don't know, I can try."

"Man!  You've never had a fist fight?"

"Errr...no.  Never."  For some reason both Pamela and Nick burst out laughing.  Gil looked bemused but shrugged his shoulders.  "So you'll stay in the hospital?"

"Okay...but I want to go asap.  Pamela.  Asap." 

"Alright.  And Gil.  He's the man you've dumped Annie for?"   Pamela's face was neutral as she looked at both men but addressed her question to Nick.

"Yeah.  In fact I left Gil for Annie...kind of..."

"Nick.  What a mess."

"I know.  Sorry."

"I know you are."  When she left Gil sat back down on the bed.

"We need to make some plans for when you are discharged.  You have no clothes here have you?"

"I don't know."  Nick was fading fast; the conversations had exhausted him.

"You need to sleep.  I'll go to the mall and just get you some basics.  I'll text Mom and see if you can stay there with me.   Until we get something else sorted.

"Okay.  Don't buy too much on your own...I don't trust you.  I love you but do you still love me?"  They hadn't mentioned their love for each other since Gil's return but now he looked at Nick and ran his fingers down his thin face.

"I never stopped, not even for one moment."

"No, nor me.  We're a couple of idiots."

"I guess."  Nick's eyes were drooping.  "Got to sleep."  Gil bent over and just brushed Nick's lips with his own but Nick was still awake and moved, just a little, into the brief kiss.  Gil waited for a minute or two sure that he was asleep and then left.  When he got to his truck before he drove off to do his shopping he texted his Mom about Nick staying with him at her apartment.

An hour and a half later he was back and Pamela pounced on him.  "Gil, Mrs Stokes has been on the 'phone wanting to speak to Nick.  She seemed very angry and I wouldn't let her speak to him, said he was asleep, he was anyway.  I'm sure she'll call back.  I bet...Annie."

"Yes."  Gil was annoyed with himself for not thinking about that.   "If she does call back I'll speak to her."

"Are you sure?  You never came near when she was here with Nick."

"Yes, I'm sure.  I do know her.  Has Nick had his assessment?"

"Yes.  Good news.  He'll get a printout of the recommended exercises...apparently he's been working out for years so he knows what to do."

"Yes, he has.  I'd completely forgotten."  Gil looked bemused at his forgetfulness.

"He needs to come back here to start off and then it's a matter of building himself up again.  He'll get a diet sheet, too."

"That's great and did they say when he could home?"

"The day after tomorrow.  He's been out of bed.  He is very weak but he managed a few steps without help.  It'll be a long haul."

"I know.  I'll take care of him."

"Do you know?   I liked Annie, I did...but she didn't feel right.  You do.  Weird, don't you think?"

"Not necessarily.  You've been nursing for years and must be a good judge of human nature...the human condition."

"Probably.  Pity I couldn't pick myself a suitable husband."

"There's one waiting for you out there, you just haven't found him yet.  Thanks for all your help, Pamela."

"You're welcome.  Nick's asleep."

"I guessed he would be, it's been a big day.  I've got some clothes for him."  He held up several bags for her inspection.  Macy's.  "Just basics; I'll store them and then wait until the end of visiting time.  I can sleep in the waiting room."

"There's a relatives' room, you can use a cot in there."

"Is there?  That would be good.  Thanks, again, for being so understanding."

She smiled and nodded and Gil went into the room.  He stood looking at Nick for a few minutes.  He'd lost a great deal of weight and was pale.  But all things considered...he didn't look too bad after his brush with death.  Gil's mother had texted back that she would be very happy to have Nick stay.  Though Gil would have to sleep on the sofa.  There was only a single bed in the spare room.  He hadn't told his mother about Nick and himself...but she knew he was gay and had thrown a fit when she'd discovered he'd married Sara...behind her back.

Gil unpacked the clothes.  A pack of three tee shirts, boxer briefs and socks and some outer clothes and two pairs of pyjamas.  He'd also bought a pair of slippers.  It was enough to get Nick through the first couple of days and then he could get Gil to either retrieve his clothes from the house or buy some more.   He'd just sat down when Pamela came to the door and beckoned him to come out.

***

"It's Mrs Stokes."

"Thanks."  He took the phone she'd indicated off the desk.  "Mrs Stokes.  Hello, it's Gil Grissom.  Nick is asleep."

"I really wanted to speak to him.  How are you?  I thought you'd left and were in some jungle somewhere?"

"Costa Rica.  Yes.  But I'm back to stay.  Can I help you with anything?  Nick is really getting a lot better."

"Is he?  Is he really?  I was worried about him.  I've had Annie, his ex-fiancée on the phone to me...mostly hysterical...and I thought she was such a nice young woman."  Ouch, though Gil; obviously Mrs Stokes wasn't given to hysteria for whatever reason.

"There has been upset here, too.  Annie's brother had to be removed from the hospital."

"Has he really.  She never mentioned that.  Is Nick okay...he wasn't hurt or harassed?"

"No, he didn't reach his room."

"Thank goodness.  Mr Grissom, do you know what's happened?"

"Yes.  Nick ended the engagement."  He was testing the water.

"I know that.  But do you know the reason why?  Has Nick told you?"

"Yes."

"That's he's..."  She stopped speaking.

Gil smiled.  She was checking.  "That's he's gay.  Yes."

"Ah.  Well, what I'm really annoyed about is that he didn't tell me, his own mother.  Silly boy, what did he think I'd do?  Disown him?"

"Yes.  Exactly that."

She groaned.  "I know we've run a tight ship over the years...right and wrong was drilled into them as soon as they were able to understand...but homosexuality isn't wrong.  I mean it was a shock but I'm over it already.  His father is stunned.  By Annie more than anything for being so vindictive and hysterical...Nicky's had a close shave if you ask me.  But you know we suspected when he was teenager but he never said so we thought he was just...what do they say nowadays...they didn't say it way back then but it's appropriate?  Metrosexual?"

"Yes."  Gil spoke when she'd finished her little homily.  But there was vital piece of information she was missing and he had to make the decision there and then.  To tell.  Or, not to tell.  He decided.  "There is more, Mrs Stokes, and I don't know if this is the right time to tell you or not.  I'm not about to wake up Nick to discuss the pros and cons of telling you..."

"...go on..."  She sounded to Gil as if she was suspicious of something.

"Nick was in a relationship with a man before Annie...a long term relationship that he chose to end because he thought he couldn't live openly with a man..."

"...it's you, isn't it?  And it started after he was abducted?"

"Yes."    

"I knew it...there was something that I just couldn't put my finger on.  He changed and it wasn't the abduction; he was softer in some way and I guessed he was in love.  I was right.  I'm not a DA for nothing.  And the poor boy thought he couldn't come out or even tell us?"

"No."  This was not going the way Gil had expected for one moment.  She'd made no condemnation of Nick being gay and now she knew they were together although...   "You do realise that we are together again?  I'm not letting go this time."

"I should think not.  Leaving him like that.  Didn't you get married?"

"Yes, I did."

"Shame on you.  This is the twenty-first century you know.  What did you think would happen?"

"I don't know.  I regret it all now...but we're going to move forward from this, together."

"I should think so.  I might as well tell you that Little Miss Vindictive is trying to lay it on thick.  Law suits were mentioned.  Goodness knows what for. Tell Nick not to have anything to do with her...we'll sort it all out.  Susan...that's his oldest sister...she will act on his behalf, she does family law.  I'm flying up tomorrow, Bill can't come he's off to Washington for some meeting or other.  But we're family and we stick together.  You're part of that now.  I hope you're going to marry him when you're divorced."

Gil chuckled.  "If he'll have you."

"Of course he will.  Don't be ingenuous, it doesn't suit you and you're too old."  That told him and he smirked.

"Thank you, Mrs..."

 "Jillian."

"Thank you Jillian...and the Judge.  I cannot tell you how happy this call is going to make Nick..."

"...oh, don't think I'm going to let him off the hook for not telling us.  I'll have some strong words for him when I see him.  Tell him he's lucky he's been sick or it would have been much worse."

"It would have been much worse; he would have married her."  Gil got that in because he wanted her to be madder at Annie than at Nick.  It worked.

"To think I was ready to welcome her into the family.  It's been good to speak to you and get this all cleared up and at least I know Nick will be in a safe pair of hands.  Tell Nick I love him but prepare him for my visit."

"I will.  Bye Jillian."

"Bye, Gil.  Is that short for Gilbert?"

"It is."

"Bye, Gil."

"Bye, Jillian." 

Pamela was standing on the other side of the desk and she looked up.  "That went better than I thought, she was so angry earlier."

"She was angry.  Not at Nick but at Annie."  Gil smirked some more since he felt he needed to since this was all turning out far better than he could ever have hoped; Pamela smirked back.  "I'm going to wake him up.  I think it's important enough don't you think?"

"I do."  She smiled.

Gil went back into Nick's room and looked at him sleeping very peacefully but he was sure he'd want to hear the news.

"Nick.  Nick.  Wake up, honey."  It had been a long time since Gil had called him honey.  It started off as a joke but then kind of stuck and Nick loved being Gil's honey.

"Mmmm.  You okay."

"More than.  Your Mom phoned to speak to you but I spoke to her instead."

Nick was instantly awake.  "You didn't tell her?"  He groaned.

"I didn't have to, she knew."  Nick's eyes opened as wide as he could make them

"What did she say...how did she know?"

"She was annoyed you didn't tell her but she suspected when you were a teenager.  And it was Annie."

"Annie?  No, I don't believe it, she wouldn't do something like that."

"Believe it.  It's true.  Your Mom is flying up tomorrow and expect to get your balls chewed...but not too bad because she said you've been sick.  But she's fine and so is your Dad.  I also told her about us, and I'm to call her Jillian."

"Really!  And she suspected I was gay."

"Yes.  When you were a teenager but she didn't elaborate.  And apparently Annie has made some threats about lawsuits but your Mom, Jillian..."  Gil emphasised her name and smirked again.  "...has said to have nothing to do with her and that Susan will be dealing with it all."

"Wow.  Susan?  She's very big in Family Law."

"So Jillian said."

"Annie, though, she's such a nice...person."

"You dumped her, Nick...for a man.  Revenge, but it backfired.  Your Mom is keen on family, I gather, so you all pull together in the face of adversity."

"Yeah.  And Dad's okay?"

"Angry..."

"...I thought he would be..."

"...at Annie, not you.  I think your Mom is very keen on the stiff upper lip approach?"

"And how.  She would never allow any of us to wallow.  Get on with it...I think those are the first words I ever remember her saying to me."

"You're okay...we're okay.  Except she is going to chew you out tomorrow."

"I can cope.  I can cry.  She's a sucker for my tears."

"And you wonder why she thought you could be gay?"  One of Gil's eyebrows lifted as he asked the sarcastic question.

"I guess it was obvious before I manned up for college.  Hell, Gil, I feel so much better.  Do you think Annie will sue for breaking off the engagement."

"That's no longer law.   But if she's had additional expense that hasn't been shared I guess it would be reasonable for her to want to be reimbursed."

"My parents gave us ten grand.  We set up a joint account and both of us paid money into it...she's got the payment book.  Her Mom was going to pay something...I don't know what, but she's on her own...not much money." 

"It sounds like you might be okay...she could even owe you some money...I don't know.  Do as your Mom says and leave it to Susan, she's the expert."

"I don't think I could take any money off of her.  Not after this.  But...we both put money into the house...I put most of my savings into it and the money I made from the sale of my old place.  I'd have to have some of that back to get a new place."

"Forget about the legal wrangling.  Susan will deal with it."

"I wish you could stay here with me all night...you know just be here."

"I am staying. There's a cot in a relatives' room Pamela said I can use.  She a good nurse and ally...she likes you."  Gil smirked...most people did like Nick but they'd have to exclude Annie and her family from now on.

"She seems to work twenty-four hours a day."

"That's because you've been asleep when she's not here."

"Oh, yeah."  He grinned.  "Mom knows.  Dad knows.  You and me together.  It couldn't get much better could it?

"No, it couldn't.  You can stay at my Mom's too, I've got to take the sofa as there's only a single bed to spare."

"That'll be great until I'm a bit better.  Hey, I walked on my own for four steps.  The doc was impressed.  I don't need any treatment...only physio.  I don't need any drugs, just exercise and a good diet."

"That's it."

"Did you get me some clothes?"

"Some.  I got you a windcheater, black polo shirt and some black pants."

"Nooo...tell me you're joking."

"I'm joking.  I got you a navy blue hoodie and sweat pants and the same in grey.  Tees, underwear and socks and a pair of slip-on slippers."

"A windcheater."  He chuckled.  "I love you, Gil.  This is going to work out isn't it...this time 'round?"

"It is.  This time around.  I love you."

"Will you do me a favour?"

"Anything I can."

"Will you read to me?"

"Moby Dick?"

"Moby Dick.  From the beginning...

The End   

A/N 2: Thank you all very much for reading this little 'feel good' fic and more especially to those of you who commented.  I'm going away for Christmas and will be v.busy so probably won't post again for about a week.  The next fic is another one started in 2009 and finished this year!  Here's a little spoiler for you...

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