Love The Way You Lie (Nine)
Title: Love The Way You Lie (Nine)
Author: Nat
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 1,687
Pairing: Gil/Nick, Nick/Lady Heather (say what!?)
Characters: Gil Grissom, Nick Stokes and occasional cameos by other cast members.
Warnings: Adults only, please.
Spoilers: N/A
Disclaimer: You know the "I don't own these two" drill, so I won't bore you.
Unbeta-ed: I'm too busy to spell check. I do my best.
Summary: Gil and Nick have an unusual relationship, which takes an unfortunate toll on Nick, who finds an unexpected shoulder to lean on.
A/N 1: This is a little on-off I wrote a while ago, and I thought in light of the fact that I didn't have anything else to post I would post it. Currently in the process of fleshing it out!
A/N 2: For the sake of this story...and the confusion of jumping around in time so often...Sara never left the lab. She stuck around. Lucky us.
A/N 3: It get's a little rough in here...
I pulled my ear from the door as I heard Heather move. I was cursing silently that I couldn’t have made out more of what they had been saying to each other. There I stood - naked and dripping wet…the shower still running so they wouldn’t think I was eavesdropping. As if I should have felt bad about it. I should have just opened the door and asked them what the big deal was. They were clearly whispering to avoid me. And I had grown increasingly paranoid about what was going on between the two of them when I wasn’t there to be a part of it. So I finally shut the shower off and slung a towel around my waist quickly, still tucking it together as I opened the door and headed back into the bedroom.
Heather was gone.
Gil was sitting in the corner…which was so dark I could barely make out his face. I squinted slightly and moved a few steps closer to him. He sat forward in his chair and watched as I moved towards him.
“Where’s Lady Heather?”
“I asked her to leave.”
I nodded along as if I had any idea why he might have done that. I took a few more steps into the chair and finally knelt on the floor just feet away from Gil. For a second I thought maybe he asked her to leave so that he could be with me. But I knew better. He never touched me - why would this night be any different. But I wondered long enough to make a reach for him. I had every intention of just resting my hands on his knees.
“Nick.”
He stopped me. I sighed heavily and hung my head a little bit.
“Do you know how badly I want to touch you Nick?” Gil’s voice was husky and low. So soft I could barely hear him. I looked up at him slightly…I couldn’t believe he was actually even suggesting it.
“No, I don’t.” I felt my voice hitch in my throat as I answered. I scooted on the floor and let the towel fall from my waist. I moved into him and he stood suddenly, moving away from me altogether. There I was - naked and crawling on the floor. I couldn’t imagine a more vulnerable position to be in and I didn’t want to.
“I have to go, Nick.” His back was to me, he would hardly even turn his head to look at me. I scrambled to my feet as he made his way to the door.
“What? You’re leaving? Come on…don’t leave. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Just stay…”
“Nick, you don’t understand…”
“No, I don’t. Help me understand. Please? Look…what do you want me to do? I’ll do it.”
Gil turned and faced me.
“I want you to sleep, Nick. Just rest. Order some food. Charge it to the room. Just…enjoy it.”
“By myself? Please, Gil.”
“I’m sorry, Nick. I’m sorry.”
And he left.
I was accutely aware of my own nakedness when I stirred awake. I had no idea what time it was or how long I had been asleep, but I knew I was naked. And so was she. Not only was her warm body twisted together with mine as we lay tangled in the sheets, but her hair was spilling across my chest and her fingers were latched with mine on the hand that wasn’t propped behind my head. I turned my head slowly to try to get some idea of day or night but the drapes were drawn and the room was pitch black regardless. I thought about trying to slip out from under her but I knew I would wake her so I just layed still for awhile…replaying the activities of the night before.
“You’re awake.”
Her voice came floating up from her resting place on my chest, but she didn’t move.
“What, did I stop snoring?” I joked slightly with her, wondering how she had found me out when I thought I was being pretty stealth.
“No. Your breathing changed.”
She propped herself up a little bit and rested her head on her hand, still laying over me.
“How do you feel?”
“Tired.”
“Guilty?”
I hesitated for a moment. Clearly she had been awake a lot longer than I had. She had already begun to process things whereas I was still trying to wake up - not to mention to ignore the warmth between her legs that was pressed firmly into my hip.
“Not yet.” I answered honestly.
“Good.” Heather slithered slightly up my body, not creating any space…just moving closer in a way I didn’t think was possible. I was hard - I had been waking up with morning wood since I was thirteen - but I hoped she would ignore it. “I invited Grissom over for lunch this afternoon.”
I frowned at her…wondering more than a couple things.
“You what?” I moved to roll away from her and attempt to move from the bed, but she moved a thigh in between mine and pressed - pinning me there. I growled a little bit at the idea of it.
“When did you do that?” Heather shifted up again, still pinning me as I asked her under my breath.
“I woke up earlier, and I was thinking. I would have run it by you but I didn’t want to wake you.”
“It couldn’t have waited?”
“You were whispering his name in your sleep. I didn’t think I had to.”
I turned away from her, moderately embarassed. And trying…trying really hard…to not be angry.
“You’re angry.” She continued. Stop reading my mind.
“I’m…confused. And yeah, maybe I’m a little angry. You’re not my therapist.”
“Aren’t I? Nick, I just thought I might be able to help you out. I think if the two of you were able to talk. Maybe sit down for a session…”
“A session!? Which profession are we talking about here?” I rolled out from under her and she let me move. I grabbed the boxer shorts that I had evidently thrown onto the floor and slipped into them as Heather sat up in bed and pulled the sheets around her. She cleared her throat.
“Both, Nick.”
I turned to face her and shook my head slightly. I managed to pull my jeans up which was never easy with a still aching knee. I got myself half dressed and then stood to face her as she sat, watching me.
“Look. This doesn’t have to involve you anymore.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Why do you answer everything with a question?”
“Why are you so unwilling to let me help you!?”
“God damnit!” I screamed at her and then turned away. I heard her feet hit the floor and she spun me to look at her, still half wrapped in the sheet she had pulled from the bed with her.
“There. See? Look at what he does to you. Look at how angry, how confused, how vulnerable he can make you. This isn’t you, Nick. Is it?”
I watched her for a moment. I closed my eyes slowly.
“Why are you so hell bent on sticking yourself in the middle of this mess. Look what it did to me. What’s it gonna do to you?”
Heather smiled slightly and brushed my cheek.
“Because if I can save you, maybe there is hope for me, too.” I met her smile and tried to let go of my aggression. “You love each other. You can either let it destroy you…or you can try to figure out what it is about it that makes it so dangerous. And I can help you. Both of you.”
She was still holding my cheek as she talked. I thought for a moment and then nodded slightly.
“Can I ask you a question?” I uttered softly, feeling confident that I would go along with her plan if she could just explain a few things for me first
“Of course.” She answered. And it wasn’t a question. We were getting somewhere.
“That night at the Palms. When you left. I heard you tell Gil you couldn’t do it anymore. What changed? Why did you come looking for me?”
Heather watched me as I spoke, trying to take it in, I guess. She hesitated for a moment, still touching my face.
“What else did you hear?” She asked. I arched an eyebrow, not sure what she was referring to…but now I definitely wanted to know.
“Nothing?” I answered her…but it was a question and not a statement. She backed away from me slightly and tucked the sheet under her arm, almost making a dress as she managed to walk from the bed with the bedding trailing behind her.
“I saw something in your eyes that night. I wasn’t sure at the time what it was. In fact, I wasn’t sure until the night Gil came here when he couldn’t find you.” She continued to walk away from me, keeping her back to me. “When I left you in the bathroom, I returned to the bedroom and found Gil. Sobbing. Sitting in the corner alone and crying. And I realized it wasn’t just you he was hurting. He didn’t know what he was doing to himself anymore than he knew what he was doing to you. And I was as guilty as anyone. Of the three of us I should have seen it coming and I didn’t. I should have stopped it sooner and I didn’t.”
“Why didn’t you?” I called after her, and she finally turned to face me.
“Because I loved it as much as you did. Loved it…”
“…and hated it.” I nodded slowly as I finished her sentence. We did understand each other after all.
“I told Gil he was killing you. I didn’t realize just how quickly until he showed up here that night looking for you. Somehow, I knew you were in trouble. And I thought maybe I had one last chance to make up for not helping you sooner.”
“You’re not the one who has making up to do.”
“I know.
“So…what time is lunch?”
Author: Nat
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 1,687
Pairing: Gil/Nick, Nick/Lady Heather (say what!?)
Characters: Gil Grissom, Nick Stokes and occasional cameos by other cast members.
Warnings: Adults only, please.
Spoilers: N/A
Disclaimer: You know the "I don't own these two" drill, so I won't bore you.
Unbeta-ed: I'm too busy to spell check. I do my best.
Summary: Gil and Nick have an unusual relationship, which takes an unfortunate toll on Nick, who finds an unexpected shoulder to lean on.
A/N 1: This is a little on-off I wrote a while ago, and I thought in light of the fact that I didn't have anything else to post I would post it. Currently in the process of fleshing it out!
A/N 2: For the sake of this story...and the confusion of jumping around in time so often...Sara never left the lab. She stuck around. Lucky us.
A/N 3: It get's a little rough in here...
I pulled my ear from the door as I heard Heather move. I was cursing silently that I couldn’t have made out more of what they had been saying to each other. There I stood - naked and dripping wet…the shower still running so they wouldn’t think I was eavesdropping. As if I should have felt bad about it. I should have just opened the door and asked them what the big deal was. They were clearly whispering to avoid me. And I had grown increasingly paranoid about what was going on between the two of them when I wasn’t there to be a part of it. So I finally shut the shower off and slung a towel around my waist quickly, still tucking it together as I opened the door and headed back into the bedroom.
Heather was gone.
Gil was sitting in the corner…which was so dark I could barely make out his face. I squinted slightly and moved a few steps closer to him. He sat forward in his chair and watched as I moved towards him.
“Where’s Lady Heather?”
“I asked her to leave.”
I nodded along as if I had any idea why he might have done that. I took a few more steps into the chair and finally knelt on the floor just feet away from Gil. For a second I thought maybe he asked her to leave so that he could be with me. But I knew better. He never touched me - why would this night be any different. But I wondered long enough to make a reach for him. I had every intention of just resting my hands on his knees.
“Nick.”
He stopped me. I sighed heavily and hung my head a little bit.
“Do you know how badly I want to touch you Nick?” Gil’s voice was husky and low. So soft I could barely hear him. I looked up at him slightly…I couldn’t believe he was actually even suggesting it.
“No, I don’t.” I felt my voice hitch in my throat as I answered. I scooted on the floor and let the towel fall from my waist. I moved into him and he stood suddenly, moving away from me altogether. There I was - naked and crawling on the floor. I couldn’t imagine a more vulnerable position to be in and I didn’t want to.
“I have to go, Nick.” His back was to me, he would hardly even turn his head to look at me. I scrambled to my feet as he made his way to the door.
“What? You’re leaving? Come on…don’t leave. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Just stay…”
“Nick, you don’t understand…”
“No, I don’t. Help me understand. Please? Look…what do you want me to do? I’ll do it.”
Gil turned and faced me.
“I want you to sleep, Nick. Just rest. Order some food. Charge it to the room. Just…enjoy it.”
“By myself? Please, Gil.”
“I’m sorry, Nick. I’m sorry.”
And he left.
I was accutely aware of my own nakedness when I stirred awake. I had no idea what time it was or how long I had been asleep, but I knew I was naked. And so was she. Not only was her warm body twisted together with mine as we lay tangled in the sheets, but her hair was spilling across my chest and her fingers were latched with mine on the hand that wasn’t propped behind my head. I turned my head slowly to try to get some idea of day or night but the drapes were drawn and the room was pitch black regardless. I thought about trying to slip out from under her but I knew I would wake her so I just layed still for awhile…replaying the activities of the night before.
“You’re awake.”
Her voice came floating up from her resting place on my chest, but she didn’t move.
“What, did I stop snoring?” I joked slightly with her, wondering how she had found me out when I thought I was being pretty stealth.
“No. Your breathing changed.”
She propped herself up a little bit and rested her head on her hand, still laying over me.
“How do you feel?”
“Tired.”
“Guilty?”
I hesitated for a moment. Clearly she had been awake a lot longer than I had. She had already begun to process things whereas I was still trying to wake up - not to mention to ignore the warmth between her legs that was pressed firmly into my hip.
“Not yet.” I answered honestly.
“Good.” Heather slithered slightly up my body, not creating any space…just moving closer in a way I didn’t think was possible. I was hard - I had been waking up with morning wood since I was thirteen - but I hoped she would ignore it. “I invited Grissom over for lunch this afternoon.”
I frowned at her…wondering more than a couple things.
“You what?” I moved to roll away from her and attempt to move from the bed, but she moved a thigh in between mine and pressed - pinning me there. I growled a little bit at the idea of it.
“When did you do that?” Heather shifted up again, still pinning me as I asked her under my breath.
“I woke up earlier, and I was thinking. I would have run it by you but I didn’t want to wake you.”
“It couldn’t have waited?”
“You were whispering his name in your sleep. I didn’t think I had to.”
I turned away from her, moderately embarassed. And trying…trying really hard…to not be angry.
“You’re angry.” She continued. Stop reading my mind.
“I’m…confused. And yeah, maybe I’m a little angry. You’re not my therapist.”
“Aren’t I? Nick, I just thought I might be able to help you out. I think if the two of you were able to talk. Maybe sit down for a session…”
“A session!? Which profession are we talking about here?” I rolled out from under her and she let me move. I grabbed the boxer shorts that I had evidently thrown onto the floor and slipped into them as Heather sat up in bed and pulled the sheets around her. She cleared her throat.
“Both, Nick.”
I turned to face her and shook my head slightly. I managed to pull my jeans up which was never easy with a still aching knee. I got myself half dressed and then stood to face her as she sat, watching me.
“Look. This doesn’t have to involve you anymore.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Why do you answer everything with a question?”
“Why are you so unwilling to let me help you!?”
“God damnit!” I screamed at her and then turned away. I heard her feet hit the floor and she spun me to look at her, still half wrapped in the sheet she had pulled from the bed with her.
“There. See? Look at what he does to you. Look at how angry, how confused, how vulnerable he can make you. This isn’t you, Nick. Is it?”
I watched her for a moment. I closed my eyes slowly.
“Why are you so hell bent on sticking yourself in the middle of this mess. Look what it did to me. What’s it gonna do to you?”
Heather smiled slightly and brushed my cheek.
“Because if I can save you, maybe there is hope for me, too.” I met her smile and tried to let go of my aggression. “You love each other. You can either let it destroy you…or you can try to figure out what it is about it that makes it so dangerous. And I can help you. Both of you.”
She was still holding my cheek as she talked. I thought for a moment and then nodded slightly.
“Can I ask you a question?” I uttered softly, feeling confident that I would go along with her plan if she could just explain a few things for me first
“Of course.” She answered. And it wasn’t a question. We were getting somewhere.
“That night at the Palms. When you left. I heard you tell Gil you couldn’t do it anymore. What changed? Why did you come looking for me?”
Heather watched me as I spoke, trying to take it in, I guess. She hesitated for a moment, still touching my face.
“What else did you hear?” She asked. I arched an eyebrow, not sure what she was referring to…but now I definitely wanted to know.
“Nothing?” I answered her…but it was a question and not a statement. She backed away from me slightly and tucked the sheet under her arm, almost making a dress as she managed to walk from the bed with the bedding trailing behind her.
“I saw something in your eyes that night. I wasn’t sure at the time what it was. In fact, I wasn’t sure until the night Gil came here when he couldn’t find you.” She continued to walk away from me, keeping her back to me. “When I left you in the bathroom, I returned to the bedroom and found Gil. Sobbing. Sitting in the corner alone and crying. And I realized it wasn’t just you he was hurting. He didn’t know what he was doing to himself anymore than he knew what he was doing to you. And I was as guilty as anyone. Of the three of us I should have seen it coming and I didn’t. I should have stopped it sooner and I didn’t.”
“Why didn’t you?” I called after her, and she finally turned to face me.
“Because I loved it as much as you did. Loved it…”
“…and hated it.” I nodded slowly as I finished her sentence. We did understand each other after all.
“I told Gil he was killing you. I didn’t realize just how quickly until he showed up here that night looking for you. Somehow, I knew you were in trouble. And I thought maybe I had one last chance to make up for not helping you sooner.”
“You’re not the one who has making up to do.”
“I know.
“So…what time is lunch?”