Title: What? How? Why? Take 3
Author: Dee
Rating: PG-13
Series: 1) What? How? Why?, 2) What? How? Why? Take 2
Word Count: 1500
Characters: Gil and Nick
Warnings: None
Spoilers: AU
Disclaimer: Not mine. Nobody could own House and Wilson.
Unbeta-ed: All mistakes will be mine.

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Nick called.
 
Gil answered.
 
But it was different.
 
"Hi.  Are you free tomorrow evening?"
 
"Yes.  Providing nothing comes up at work."
 
"Well, yes, same here."
 
There was a pause.
 
"Where do you want me to meet you?"  Gil asked.
 
Another silence.
 
"I thought we could go to a bar first and have a drink."
 
"If that's what you want."
 
"You're okay with that?"
 
"Perfectly."
 
"Okay.  Good."
 
More silence.
 
"Where shall we meet?"
 
"Oh.  What about Dino's?"
 
"Good choice."
 
"I thought that."
 
"What time?"
 
"Eight."
 
"I'll be there."
 
"Yeah, good.  Yeah.  See you then."
 
"Yes."
 
"Bye."
 
Before Gil had the chance to respond Nick had gone.  Gil held the phone for a few minutes; he stared at it and frowned.  That was a very different call to the one he normally had from Nick.  Nick just told him what he needed to tell him and didn't expect any interaction.  For a start he'd said -hello' and -goodbye' and he'd never used any form of greeting before.  And they were going for a drink beforehand and they'd never done that before.
 
Before he could stop himself a cold icy hand grabbed and twisted his stomach.  It was over.  Nick was going to put an end to it...  Although...  If he was ending it why would he call anyway?  All he really had to do to end it was never call again.  He replaced the phone in its cradle and went back to his book.  He held it and looked at it as if he was reading it but he wasn't, he was thinking about Nick and why he wanted to go for a drink.
 
Nick was shaking.  Actually shaking when he ended the call.  His cell was clammy from the sweat on his hand.  He sat back on his couch and took a few deep breaths.  The plan was underway.  But if he was this bad with a just a call how would he be when he was at a bar with Grissom?  He felt sick to his stomach.  He couldn't fucking do it...   He couldn't.  But he'd made the date...the arrangement anyway and he couldn't break it that would be rude.
 
Hell, he'd been fucking the man for over a year and not turning up at an arranged time and place would be rude.  He laughed in spite of himself.
 
In the event circumstances conspired against Nick's plan.  There was a double murder out at a deserted homestead and the only two free CSI's were Grissom and Nick.  So with Nick driving his truck and Grissom riding shotgun they set off...it would take a couple of hours to get there, then they'd have to process the scene and then get back.  There was no way either man would be fit enough to make their...arrangement.
 
Whenever the two men worked together it had been kept on a very professional basis.  Their private lives were never mentioned and they spoke as little as possible.  Nick thought that that was about the same as normal.  No change, in fact.   Gil thought it was definitely strained and was nothing like they were before it had all started.
 
There were silent in the truck for about an hour and it was hard going.  There was a heavy rainstorm that slowed them down and more traffic than was usual.
 
It was Gil that broke the silence and Nick nearly jumped out of his skin.
 
"It's unlikely we'll be able to make our...appointment...later."  He sounded unsure of himself to Nick's ears.  He sounded like a nervous wreck to his own.  It had taken him most, if not all of the journey, to bring up the subject.
 
"I thought that."  Nick tried to keep his voice steadier than he was actually feeling.
 
"Do you want to re-schedule?"  Gil was trying to keep the conversation light, but it was the first time since this arrangement had begun that he'd actually taken the initiative.
 
Nick realised that immediately and was both shocked and...relieved.  Making the arrangements had been taken out of his hands and it was an instant relief.
 
"Yeah, that would be good.  But until we know what's happening with this case it'll be difficult to know when we'll be free and sufficiently awake to go out."  His voice was softer and he was more relaxed as he spoke.  He even thought it was a little joke about them being awake.  When they were very busy, like now, all they did was sleep and work and everything else took a back seat.
 
"That's true enough."  Gil responded; he had immediately noticed Nick's light tone.  He felt as if he'd suddenly become ultra-sensitive to every nuance in Nick's voice and demeanour.
 
They were both silent again for some time when Gil couldn't bear it any longer.
 
"Is there something you need to discuss, Nick?"
 
The truck swerved slightly as Nick glanced over at Grissom for a little longer than he should have done considering he was driving.
 
"Sorry.  Err...yeah.  Yeah.  There is."  What a moron, he thought of himself.
 
Gil thought he was showing a very unusual display of nerves given his dominant behaviour for the past year or so.
"I thought so."
 
"There's a truck stop just up here...want to stop for a quick coffee?"
 
"Yes.  I could do with a piss."
 
"Okay."
 
Nick pulled into the stop and they went inside.
 
"Just coffee?"  Nick enquired of Gil as he reeled off to go to the bathroom.
 
"The usual." He nodded.
 
Nick ordered two coffees at the counter and then sat in a booth.  As he waited for his coffee and for Grissom to return he wished he hadn't suggested it and stopped here.  There was harsh fluorescent lighting and it was unforgiving.  It seemed far too bright to be discussing the dark secret they held between them.
 
Grissom came back and slid into the booth.  Neither man spoke as they waited for their coffee.  The waitress came over and gave them their coffees and glasses of water.  She smiled at them and then left.
 
The silence was deafening.  For several minutes they just sat there and Nick stirred his coffee endlessly and Gil sipped at it a couple of times.  In the end Gil couldn't bear it any longer.
 
"You wanted to stop.  You don't want to talk now?"
 
"I do.  I want to talk...it's just where to begin, I guess."
 
"The beginning is usually good place."
 
"Yeah."  But there was more silence.
 
Eventually, after sipping his coffee Nick spoke again.  "I'm sorry."
 
"Sorry?  For what?"
 
"All this.  This...shit."
 
"Ah."  Was all Gil was prepared to say until he heard more.
 
"That first time it just went all wrong."  Nick couldn't look at Grissom and Grissom didn't speak.  This was like going to the dentist and having all his teeth pulled.
 
"I wanted you and I thought...I thought you wanted me...the signals, you know?"
 
To Nick's amazement Grissom took off his baseball cap, dropped it on the table between them and ran his hand through his hair and laughed, quite heartily.
 
"Signals?  I was giving off signals?  I was pretty drunk, and I think you were too..."
 
"Yeah.  But when we went out...you know...you knew exactly what to do...I was so thrown off balance...that's why I fled."
 
"I'd never had a man...or felated a man before."  He stopped at Nick's shocked look.
 
"You're joking me?"
 
"It's not a joking matter."
 
"Then why?"
 
"I have absolutely no idea."
 
It was Nick's turn to laugh, though it was more ironic than Grissom's outburst.  "Nor me.   That first time I phoned...it was to apologise but the conversation just went haywire...and then it all went to hell in a handbasket. It wasn't what I wanted...but obviously it was what you wanted..."
 
"...no, it wasn't."
 
"It wasn't?"  Nick was totally confused.
 
"No.  I thought it was what you wanted."
 
"Man!  I just don't get this."
 
"It would seem, Nick, that we have both been labouring under a misunderstanding.  A massive misunderstanding."
 
"But you let me...I mean...well...you've been submissive."  He leaned over the table and whispered the word.
 
"I have.  I thought it was what you wanted.  That you were dominant."
 
"No!"  Nick almost shouted, then looked around him and leaned over the table again.  "No, I'm not...I just..."  He stalled.
 
"Just what?"
 
"Wanted...you."
 
"Ah.  And you got more than you bargained for?"
 
"Yeah.  Way more."
 
"So what do you want?  Exactly?"
 
"I don't know.  Well, I do...  To date.  Just..."
 
"...date."
 
"Yeah.  What about you?"  Nick picked up his coffee and finished it because he was suddenly very nervous about what Grissom's reply would be.
 
"It would certainly be less stressful if we did just...date."
 
"Yeah.  And..."
 
"And?"
 
"To call you Gil, instead of Grissom."
 
Grissom laughed.  "Okay.  Come on we have a crime scene to go to.  And a date to arrange.  You paying?"
 
"Yeah, okay."
 
Back in the truck they sat in silence again but both were thinking exactly the same thing.
 
-That went better than I thought it would...'
 
The End

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