Title: Walking in My Shoes
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Don Flack
Fandom: CSI: Vegas/CSI: NY
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Set pre-CSI: Vegas when Greg is still living in NYC.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Don Flack, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Greg glanced towards the window of his apartment, unable to repress a shiver as he did so. He didn't want to go back outside now that he was safe at home; even going to work was starting to feel like he was trying to navigate a minefield at this point.

He hadn't noticed anyone following him over the last few days, but he had seen those flashes of light again, and now tha the knew they came from a camera, he felt even more unsettled by them. Why would anyone want to take pictures of him?

The only time he felt completely safe was either when he was working in the lab, or when Don was here with him. Having his boyfriend near, knowing that Don was a cop, made him feel secure in a way that nothing else possibly could.

But it was still more than a little disconcerting to feel that he was being watched all the time. Greg was sure that he could feel eyes on him wherever he went, whether he was in the grocery store surrounded by people, or getting out of a cab to go into his apartment.

He sank down onto the couch, curling his long legs under him and looking at his watch. Don should be here in less than ten minutes; he'd called just a few minutes ago to tell Greg that he was leaving work and was on his way over for the evening.

Don had been keeping a closer eye on him lately; his boyfriend had given him lifts to work, and had come by to pick him up when he hadn't been busy. Greg felt safer now, but he still couldn't help being nervous and strained most of the time.

Greg rested his head against the back of the couch, closing his eyes and trying to relax. Don was on his way; he wouldn't be sitting here alone for much longer. Everything would seem brighter and less menacing once his boyfriend was here; he only had to wait ten minutes.

He gasped when he heard a knock on the door, feeling his muscles tense involuntarily. He shouldn't be so jumpy, Greg admonished himself as he stood up and went to the door; he'd known that Don was coming over, he was just here earlier than expected.

He'd never seen such a welcome sight as Don standing there when he removed the deadbolt and the chain lock, opening the door and standing back to let his boyfriend enter the apartment. Greg carefully replaced the chain and the bolt, making sure that the door was locked.

"Don't you think you're going a little overboard there, babe?" Don asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's not like you live in a rough part of town, after all. Nobody's going to break in here, Greg. Especially not with patrols going by every hour or so. You're safe, okay?"

"Do you really believe that?" Greg asked, turning to face Don with a frown furrowing his brow. "I know that I'm still being followed. I can see those flashes of light out of the corner of my eye whenever I'm outside. It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing. I know they're there."

"I know this is hard to deal with," Don told him with a sigh, shrugging out of his coat and sitting down on the couch. He held out his arms to Greg; the younger man crossed the room and sat down beside him, closing his eyes as Don pulled him close.

"It's not just that," Greg murmured, his voice choked. "It's scary, Don. I don't know why anybody would be stalking me, or taking pictures of me. It's not like I'm some kind of celebrity. And if it's somebody who wants to get information about the lab, there are other people who know more than me."

Don nodded, frowning as he considered the possibilities. "Once we get our hands on the people who're doing this, then we'll know what they're up to," he said softly, stroking Greg's hair. "Don't worry about it, baby. The worst thing you can do is let them know they're getting to you."

Greg nodded, sliding his arms around Don's waist and trying to let himself relax. There was nothing to be afraid of, not with Don here. And maybe he was right. Nobody had tried to break into his apartment, or to stop him on the street. Maybe they just wanted pictures of him.

"Maybe it's just somebody who likes how I look," he said, hoping that might be the case. "But if that's all they're taking pictures for, then why don't they just talk to me?" As much as he wanted to believe that the apparent stalker was harmless, his gut told him otherwise.

"I'd like to think that's all it is," Don answered, laughing softly. "If that's it, then I take it as a compliment. Hey, that just proves that I've got excellent taste in guys, doesn't it?" He leaned forward when Greg raised his head to brush a gentle kiss across the younger man's lips.

"I wish that was all it was -- but I think there's more to it than that," Greg said, hoping that he didn't sound overly paranoid. "This is scary, Don. I know it might not seem so bad to you -- but try walking in my shoes and see how you'd feel if you were in my place."

"I know it's scary, babe," Don murmured, his tone soothing. "I don't doubt that for a second. I know what it's like to face scary things in your life. I've done it too many times to count -- and that scary feeling never goes away. It's always there, hiding and waiting to jump out."

Greg nodded, closing his eyes again as he rested his head against Don's shoulder. "Yeah, that's how I feel. Like there's something just around the corner -- and it can either stay hidden or jump out at me and scare me to death. And I don't know which one it'll do."

Don pulled him closer, placing one finger under Greg's chin to tilt his face upwards. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Greg," he whispered, his gaze locking with Greg's. "Believe that. Nobody's going to get to you. Not while I'm around."

Greg's only reaction was to bury his face against Don's chest, holding onto him tightly. He could feel the warmth of Don's body against his own, the strength of the arms that closed around him to hold him near. They made him feel safer, more secure.

But nothing could stop the trembling that seized him; nothing could chase away the thought that stayed in the back of his mind all the time now. What could the person who was apparently stalking him want with him? Why was he being targeted?

Don's arms tightened around him, drawing him closer. Greg wanted to crawl into his boyfriend's embrace and stay there forever -- or at least until this seeming threat was over. Don't arms were a safe refuge, the one place where he felt completely protected.

He didn't doubt that Don had faced a lot of things in his career as a police officer that were more scary than this -- but he himself hadn't. If Don could walk in his shoes for one day and deal with this, would he think it was frightening? Or would he be able to brush it aside?

A cop probably wouldn't find being stalked anything out of the ordinary. After all, Don was used to facing criminals who were a lot scarier than an unknown person with a camera. Greg took a deep breath, opening his eyes and sitting up.

He should try to be less needy, to face this situation more calmly than he had been. "I'm sorry," he told Don, not looking at the other man. "I don't mean to act like a scared kid. I've just never been in the middle of anything like this before."

Don smiled, reaching out to stroke a hand through Greg's hair again. "Baby, I understand. This is hard for you to wrap your head around. It is for me, too. I don't know why anybody would be following you around and taking pictures of you. And it makes me uneasy."

"Me too," Greg sighed, wishing that he didn't feel so unsettled and nervous. Maybe having a night with Don would calm his nerves; his boyfriend hadn't been here for the last two nights, and he'd been getting more and more jumpy with every hour they were apart.

"Hey, I'm here tonight, babe," Don told him, his gaze not wavering, still focused on Greg's face. "I've been walking in your shoes before, in a different way. I know how crazy something like this can make you feel. Just try to forget about it and be with me tonight."

"I will," Greg said, managing to smile at the other man. "As long as you're here, I feel a lot safer." He didn't mention that even with Don here, he couldn't help but wonder if he was still being watched -- and if this could put Don in some kind of danger.

All he could do was hope that wasn't the case, Greg told himself as they both got to their feet and made their way towards the bedroom. Nobody would be able to get pictures of the two of them in bed, Greg told himself, glancing back at the window. At least, he hoped not.

***