Title: Destorted Reflection
Author: Sillie
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: CSI and all it's characters do not belong to me. Sadly. I only take them out to play, and return them safely, albeit a bit rumpled. :'3
Summary: He can only stare, wideeyed, unbelieving. It can't be...

***

Jeans

Sneakers

T-shirt with a band logo

Lean waist

Slim hips

Long limbs

Spiky dyed blond hair

Wide brown eyes

Blood

Soulless

Dead

He's frozen in place, mid-step, breath leaving him in one big whoosh. He can only stare, wide-eyed, unbelieving. It can't be…

"Stokes!"

He jerks his head to the right, startled. Brass is standing next to him, looking slightly worried in his own gruff way.

"You okay?"

Quick nod, and Brass lets it go. Pointing at the body he starts. "Matthew Simpson, 27 years old…"

He nods mechanically, his eyes back on the body, not really listening. He can see it now.

Nose not quite right, just a little crooked

Too dark skin

Hands too big

Thank god. Breathing a little easier, he tunes back in. "…nobody really knows what he was doing here. He was not supposed to be here."

Slight pause

"It's funny, but at first sight he looks a bit like Sanders."

Smirk

"Yeah, funny… Hey, I left something in my car. I'll be right back."

Not waiting for an answer, He moves away quickly, feeling Brass' eyes drilling holes into his back. Away from prying eyes, he slips into the driver's seat of his car. Leaning his forehead against the steering wheel, he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

Big, brown, familiar eyes stare back at him, lifeless.

Jerks back up, cursing his overactive brain. He runs his fingers across his eyes, and is surprised when they come back moist.

"Fuck."

He reaches for his phone, shaking fingers tapping in numbers he knows by heart.

"Nick?"

"Hey G…" He winches at the slight waver in his voice.

"Nick, is everything okay? Aren't you supposed to be at a crime-scene right now?"

Slight smile

"Yeah, yeah… I'm okay. And I am at a crime-scene, I just wanted to hear your voice."

Lame

Short silence

"See you after shift?"

"Yeah, of course. I didn't change plans. Did you?"

"No, no… just making sure."

"Right. Hey, as much as I love talking to you, I should go back to work. Grissom came in 5 minutes ago, demanding I analyze his stuff yesterday, and Catherine wanted to have her stuff done two days ago…"

"Say no more, I won't keep you any longer."

Pause

"Love you."

Startled silence

"Love you too."

He's at the door the second the bell rings, opening it and dragging him inside. Greg's pressed up against the door seconds later, covered in Nick. Greg's mouth opens in surprise, and Nick covers it immediately, delving deep and groaning at the familiar taste.

He pulls back after several seconds, panting.

Jeans

Sneakers

Shirt with a band logo

Lean waist

Slim hips

Long limbs

Spiky dyed blond hair

Wide brown eyes

Vibrant

Alive

Questioning

A hand on his cheek snaps him back to reality. Greg runs his thumb under his eye and he's surprised when it comes back moist. Brow creased in a frown, Greg looks up at him.

"Baby…"

Strong arms wrap around him, pulling him into a hug, gentle fingers running through his hair. He leans into Greg, breathing in his scent, tightening his own grip.

Whispers

"I can't lose you…"

"And you won't. I'm not going anywhere. By the way, I'm safely in the lab during the night. You're the one out in the field, I should be the one to worry, don't you think?"

Slight nod

"Yeah, I know. It's just…"

"Tough case?"

"Yeah."

Greg smiles up at him. "Well… allow me to distract you for a while."

Seductive look

Nick swallows convulsively, and answers with a somewhat hoarse voice, "Yeah."

Greg's bright laughter follows them into the bedroom, warding off the dark.

For now.