Title: Never Gonna Give You Up
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Rating: PG-13
Table: Un-themed 6, mission_insane
Prompt: 9, Baggage
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Nick Stokes, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Greg raised his head from the pillow, frowning. He could hear Nick talking to someone in the living room; it sounded as though the voices were raised in an argument. He couldn't imagine what Nick would be arguing with anyone about, but he wanted to find out.

Throwing back the covers, he swung his long legs out of bed and got up, going to the bedroom door and opening it quietly before he thought better of what he was doing. Eavesdropping wasn't a good thing to do -- not even in his own home.

Whoever Nick was talking to, it was apparently someone he knew well enough to let into the house at an hour when they were both usually asleep, Greg reflected. Maybe he should get dressed and join them; he might be able to defuse what sounded like an argument.

But judging from the sound of the voices, which were rising with every sentence they hurled at each other, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to jump into that. Greg sighed, resting his head against the door, unable to close his ears to what he was hearing.

Nick and his visitor had obviously come out into the living room from the kitchen; because the room was at the end of the hallway from the bedroom door, it was easy for Greg to hear what was being said. And the conversation was about him.

"Nick, why is he living with you? I know he's your friend -- excuse me, your boyfriend -- but he's got some serious issues that you don't need to be dealing with right now. He's got too much baggage." The woman's voice sounded superior, disdainful.

His sister. That had to be who Nick was talking to; he'd told Greg that she would be in town this week, but he hadn't thought that they would get together because she'd be busy with work and so would he. But she had apparently gone out of her way to see Nick.

Judging from what she was saying, she didn't approve of their relationship, or of him living here with Nick. Greg could feel his cheeks redden at her words; she obviously knew about at least some of what he'd been through. Nick must have told her, for some reason.

"He's living with me because he needs protection," Nick was saying, his voice carrying an edge of anger. "And because I love him, Rosalie. Greg means more to me than anybody ever has. I'm not going to let him go just because you don't approve of him."

"I didn't say that I don't approve of him." The woman sighed, the sound carrying all the way down the hall. "It's great that you've found somebody you care so much about. But he's got a lot to deal with. You don't need to have that kind of pressure on you."

"If you tell me one more time that I shouldn't have Greg in my life, I'll kick your ass out that door and never speak to you again." This time, Nick's voice was a growl; the anger was unmistakably out in the open. "I'll never give him up. Don't even think about that for a second."

"Fine! Have him in your life!" Rosalie's voice had risen; it was shrill, grating on Greg's ears. "I didn't say that I don't want to you to have someone you can be happy with! But he shouldn't be living here! He can take care of himself, can't he?"

"Yeah, he can," Nick said slowly, his tone back to normal, the words coming out slowly, as though he was thinking about what he wanted to say. "But he shouldn't have to. Not after all he's been through. You don't know the half of it, Rosalie. You don't have a fucking clue."

"Then tell me," she answered, her voice less shrill, but still sharp. Greg held his breath, wondering if Nick would tell her everything that had happened in the past few weeks -- and also wondering just how much she already knew. It seemed as though she'd heard quite a lot.

"You don't need to know," Nick said, his tone firm and even. "It's enough that people know he was hurt in that lab explosion. But there's a lot more to it than that. And it's not your business. I'm not going to talk to anybody else about Greg's personal life."

Greg could almost see the woman shrugging as she got to her feet; after a few moments, he heard the front door open, then her voice again. "Fine, Nick. But don't say I didn't warn you. If he falls apart, nobody's going to help you deal with the fallout."

Greg heard the door slam abruptly; he leaned against the bedroom door frame, his knees feeling weak and rubbery. He'd never met Nick's sister, but from what he'd just heard, he didn't think he wanted to. She seemed to be completely against him being here with Nick.

It wasn't their relationship she'd seemed to have objections to, he thought, closing his eyes as he let his mind go back over the conversation he'd overheard. It was his presence in Nick's home, the obvious fact that they were living together, that had bothered her.

Why didn't she want him here? Did she have the attitude that it was perfectly okay for her brother to date a man as long as they kept their relationship secret and private? Greg's brow furrowed in a frown at the idea; somehow, he didn't think that was the problem.

Just because they lived in the same house, that didn't necessarily mean that they were lovers. They were, of course, but no one knew that other than Nick's family. He hadn't told his own parents yet; he didn't want his mother descending on the two of them.

Rosalie was right, he thought, turning away from the door and sinking back down onto the bed. He did have a lot of baggage -- more than he had any right to expect Nick to deal with. He shouldn't be here, making Nick take on his problems.

"Greg?" His head snapped up, his eyes widening; Nick was standing there in the doorway, regarding him with a frown on his face. "Baby, I'm sorry you had to hear that. I didn't ask her to come over. I didn't think she would. And I didn't think she'd say all those things."

"She's right," Greg whispered miserably, looking down at his hands clenched in his lap. "I've got too much baggage, Nicky. I don't have a right to expect you to take it on just because we're involved. I've got to learn to deal with my own problems by myself."

"Like hell you do," Nick replied, moving across the room to sit down beside Greg, pulling the younger man into his arms. "Nobody should have to deal with what you've been through all by themselves. She didn't have any right to say any of that. Don't pay any attention to her, baby."

"What if she's right?" Greg raised his head from Nick's shoulder, looking into his lover's eyes. "I don't want you to get fed up with having to deal with my problems, Nicky. I don't want anything to split us up. I'm scared all the baggage I'm dealing with will end up driving you away."

Nick shook his head, his arms tightening around Greg's waist, raising one hand to stroke his boyfriend's hair. "That's not going to happen, Greggo. No matter how much we have to deal with, you're worth all of it. I told her I was never going to let you go. I meant that."

"I'm sorry that I've put in the middle of all this," Greg murmured, resting his forehead on Nick's shoulder. "But I don't know what I'd do without you, Nicky. I hope you don't ever get tired of dealing with all my baggage. If you did, I wouldn't know where to turn."

"I'll never get tired of being with you, Greg. And I'll never stop loving you." Nick placed his hands on either side of Greg's face, looking into those deep brown eyes, his gaze never wavering. "I'm never going to give you up. Never. You can count on that."

Greg buried his face against Nick's shoulder, blinking back tears. He trusted Nick with all of his heart; this man would never betray him, never forsake him. Nick would never give him up, no matter what problems he might have to deal with in the future.

All of his baggage didn't matter. He was safe here, in Nick's arms, in Nick's heart. Nothing and no one would ever drive them apart; Nick wouldn't let it. He was where he belonged -- and this was where he intended to stay for the rest of his days.

***