Title: In Times of Need
Author: discoxwithxme
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Fandom: CSI
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the words that tumble forth for you to digest.
A/N: This is a drabble written about the boys becoming canon on the show. (: So naturally, subtlety abounds. Also, we have a word limit over at Defining Moments of the Love, so I apologize for the size.
Summary: In which Greg has a bad case, Nick almost makes a move, and subtlety interrupts everything. (Defining Moments of the Love drabble.)

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He wonders, suddenly, if maybe this was all a bad idea. Wonders if this was a bad idea from the start. Knows that it’s too late, he can’t take these images back, but God does he want to. Wants to go home and crawl into bed. Wants to cry, but knows he can’t. Knows he has to be strong, for them.

“God,” murmurs Catherine, stepping gracefully in to the room. “Why would anyone do this? They’re just… kids. Can’t even safely send your children to daycare anymore.”

Greg wants to answer, but he can’t. Can’t form the words. So he processes the scene in silence alongside Riley and Catherine, now understanding just why Nick was denied working this case.

When he arrives back at the lab, everyone is sending him knowing looks and he wishes they would all go to hell, because they have no idea what it’s like. Nick walks past him, then, and he wants to reach out, wants to say something, anything, but his throat is too hoarse and too tight and his hands are full of evidence.

Nick seems to understand, though, because he reaches out and grips Greg’s forearm, squeezes it, and Greg is thankful. Greg looks at him, wearily, with hope that Nick understands what he’s feeling, that Nick knows how to make it go away. Nick knows how to make everything go away.

Nick rubs Greg’s arm, asks, “Bad case?”

“You could say that, yeah,” Greg replies, hoping his eyes are giving a clear window to his soul.

Nick gives him a half-smile, says, “Hang in there,” and squeezes his arm one more time before he leaves. When he moves away, Nick’s hand brushes Greg’s and he catches it, holding Greg’s hand in his own. They share a meaningful look, and Nick slowly leans forward a step, Greg following, his eyes traitorously closing. A particularly loud comment from Hodges to Wendy snaps them out of their haze and Nick jumps back, letting Greg’s hand fall from his own slowly. They both swallow painfully, and Nick opens his mouth to say something else when Greg shakes his head, so Nick takes his leave.

When Greg steps into Wendy’s lab moments later, handing over his evidence for her to process, there’s a smile on his face that he can’t suppress and a certain glow to his eyes that Wendy can’t help but smile at, either.

***