Fic: When All is Said and Done - Chapter 26

[mneme2434]

February


Greg jerked around on his good foot and stared at Nick, mouth agape. It took him a few minutes, which were spent looking back and forth from Nick to the ring. Finally, he managed to find his voice and croaked out, "W-what did you just say?"

Nick framed Greg's face with his hands, holding it in place, "Will you marry me?"

"Nick..." Greg breathed, staring back into the intense brown eyes that seemed to be pinning him to the spot. A happy laugh made its way free from his throat and he threw his arms around Nick's neck, "Yes!"

Nick dropped his hands and wrapped them around Greg's back, returning the hug just as fiercely. Greg pulled back just enough to place a bruising kiss on Nick, forgetting all about Darrin in his happiness. Nick opened his mouth to the onslaught and reciprocated just as eagerly.

When they parted for air, Nick asked, "Ring?"

"Oh!" Greg dropped his arms down and held the box out to Nick.

Nick plucked the ring out of its cushion before tossing the box over to the deck. He looked at Greg and cocked an eyebrow. Greg made the aborted motion with his head and eyes that meant, 'what?' and Nick sighed, "Which hand Greg?"

Greg's eyebrows creased, "Isn't left the one that an engagement ring normally goes on?"

"Usually, but we can't technically marry remember? So I think this can go either way you like."

"Oh." After a few seconds of thinking, Greg's eyebrows uncreased and he said with a sense of finality, "Left."

Nick nodded and slipped the ring onto the finger he had had the ring sized for. It had been an after thought that Greg might want to wear it on his right hand, but he only had his ring size for the left hand and so he had decided to hold off on re-sizing until after he had asked. Once the ring was in place, Nick motioned to the deck, "Let's check out your ankle."

"Oh, we're not doing that again. It's fine, I swear." Greg said, moving away from Nick and raising his arms up as if to hold Nick back.

Nick rolled his eyes and grabbed Greg's hips. He urged his fiance backwards and lifted him up onto the ledge. Nick took a step back and lifted Greg's right leg to get a better view of the ankle. It was starting to swell again, but not as badly as it had been the week before. He looked over his shoulder at Darrin, "Do you have an ace bandage?"

Darrin nodded, "Of course." He swam to the edge and pulled himself out as Nick did the same. Nick then helped Greg up and over to one of the chairs. Darrin walked over and handed him the ace bandage, "By the way," He said, "Congratulations."

Both men lit up in happiness, even as Nick started wrapping the ankle, "Thanks." They chorused, before looking at each other and chuckling.

Greg managed to change without help after that and Nick led him back through the zoo and out into the casino after bidding goodbye to their new acquaintance. Instead of making their way towards the main doors leading outside, Nick steered a limping Greg towards the elevators. Greg glanced out over the casino floor and found himself doing a double take when he saw a flash of blond hair. He was really getting paranoid about Thad it seemed. There was no way Nick's ex could be in this exact casino.

"Nick? Where are we going?" Greg asked as the stepped inside the empty elevator and Nick hit the up button.

Nick smiled, "The other half of the surprise."

They rode up to the seventeenth floor in comfortable silence and with Greg leaning his weight on Nick for most of the way. When they reached their floor, Nick helped Greg hop down to room ten seventeen. He swiped a key card through the lock and pushed the door open before turning to Greg.

The mischievous look was back on Nick's face and before Greg even had a chance to say anything about it, Nick swept Greg up into his arms bridal style, "What are you doing? Put me down!" Greg said, laughing as he pounded Nick on the shoulder in a poor attempt to get released, "Come on, please...holy..." He trailed off as he took in the room.

It was technically a one bedroom suite with a large living area, dining area, and a wet bar. There was a balcony off the dining area where a table and two lounge chairs were set up.

Nick bypassed this area and went straight into the bedroom. He set Greg on the bed and stepped back. Greg stared up at him, "This is...huge. What do we need all the space for?"

"Beats me, but I'm not the one who reserved it." He started undressing Greg, "I have a confession to make."

"Grissom never called you, did he?" Greg asked as he shrugged out of his sweater.

"Well, he did, but I didn't have to work. I packed our stuff, checked us in and got other little things taken care off. I also talked to Eli. He's expecting a phone call later." Nick took Greg's clothes and dropped them by the door.

Greg yawned and watched with hooded eyes as Nick undressed himself, "I hope you're not expecting me to put out right now. I am way too tired."

"No, just sleep. I was expecting to get some while I was out but I never got the chance to." Nick climbed onto the king sized bed and laid back.

"Sounds good to me." Greg slid up the bed and situated himself so he was draped over Nick, head on his chest and legs entwined. It didn't take either of them very long to fall asleep.

When Greg finally awoke, the room was dark save for a small glow emitting from the bathroom. Or, what he assumed was the bathroom that is. He climbed out of bed carefully, not wanting to wake Nick, and tested his weight on his foot. It was tender still, but he could handle it. He then limped to the bathroom to take care of his business.

Once back in the bedroom, he sat on the edge of the bed and watched Nick sleep. He still couldn't believe that he was actually engaged to Nick, well, as engaged as two men could get in Nevada. Nick had truly done good with the ring as well. The design was something he would happily wear and yet different enough that it couldn't be mistaken as an engagement ring. Nick had probably had a good chuckle over the thought of misleading him.

Greg knew he should probably be upset at Nick's little charade, as he had really wanted his lover there with him for the training thing, but he wasn't and staring at the man now, he couldn't find it in himself to become upset either.

With that in mind, he leaned forward and rested his weight on his hands, pushing himself up and onto the bed fully. He crawled over to Nick and straddled his waist, holding himself up on his hands and knees. He leaned down and started placing feather light kisses along Nick's face. When Greg felt Nick start to stir under his ministrations, he aimed for Nick's mouth and added more pressure. Nick responded to the kiss immediately and Greg threaded his fingers through Nick's hair to keep his head in place.

Greg pulled away for air and smiled at Nick's mixed look of dazed and drowsy. He began placing random kisses again, working his way down Nick's neck.

"Greg, your ankle...we shouldn't...shit..." Nick broke off with a gasp as Greg's teeth nipped at his collar bone.

Knowing that Nick was going to do his damnedest to talk Greg out of anything physical, he poured all his attention onto Nick's sensitive neckline. It didn't take long for Nick to be writhing and growling beneath him. Figuring he had the advantage, he knelt back to remove their underwear, only to let out a shocked grunt as Nick shot up and pushed him onto his back.

"If we're doing this, we're doing it right. Meaning that ankle gets no pressure." Nick said, before pressing his lips against Greg's with bruising force.

Nick took over from there, continuing Greg's work of removing the last of their clothing as well as stroking the flames of their arousal higher. Nick had Greg's right leg resting over his arm as he slid slowly into his lover. Greg, though, was having none of this slow business as it had been over a week since they had last done anything this physical, and so he wrapped his good leg around Nick's back and tugged hard.

Greg let out a gasp as Nick suddenly went full hilt. Nick stared down at him with wide eyes, "Shit...G, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Greg said with a breathless laugh, "That was intentional."

"Right." Nick slid his free arm under Greg's neck and shoulders, cocooning the younger man under him. He leaned in and joined his mouth to Greg's as hips started a familiar tempo. Neither did anything to move from this position, even as movements began to speed up. Nick pulled back from the kiss and Greg met his eyes as he panted for air.

"Love you Nick." He whispered, raising his hands from Nick's waist to wrap them around his neck and shoulders.

Nick's movements never stalled as he answered, "Love you too, G. So much." He bent in to start another kiss, growling in his throat as Greg sucked his tongue into his mouth. The growling increased and Greg knew Nick was getting close to the edge. He himself was hovering at the apex and it wouldn't take much to push him over.

As if reading his thoughts, Nick shifted and pressed his torso to Greg's. The result was intense as Greg slid across the toned stomach. His breath caught and he dug his nails into Nick's shoulders as his orgasm washed over him. Nick followed him soon after and buried his head at Greg's throat as his hips faltered.

Nick kissed his way up to Greg's mouth and leaned back slightly, smiling, "How's the ankle?"

Greg smiled back and raised himself up onto his elbows to give Nick a satisfied kiss. He pulled away after a moment and jiggled the leg Nick was still holding, "Ankle's fine," He clarified and then added, "Although my leg's going numb babe."

"Oh. Sorry." Nick said, sitting up as a slight flush dusted his face. He ignored Greg's moan as he fell free and he slid his arm towards his body carefully, running his fingers along Greg's thigh as he lowered the leg. He pressed a kiss to Greg's knee before settling it on the bed and climbing out to dispose of the condom.

He came back with a damp washcloth and wiped Greg down, tossing the cloth back in the general direction of the bathroom. Greg grabbed his arm and tugged him back onto the bed so he was half laying on top of the lab rat, "You know, you really had me worried."

Nick rested his head on the pillow so he was looking at Greg straight on, "Why?"

"The secrets? You were kinda antsy about everything, like you were doing something behind my back." Greg replied, eyes glazed as he tried to put his feelings into words.

"Greg? I was doing something behind your back." Nick twisted the ring on Greg's finger in emphasis.

"That's not what I meant. I didn't honestly think you were going to propose, so I was getting well, worried. I knew you weren't cheating on me, 'cause I know how you feel about that, but..."

Nick leaned in and pressed a kiss to Greg's mouth, effectively silencing him before pulling away, "I can't say I would feel the same way if i had been in your position, but G, you've got other worries going on and they all kind of compounded together. I'm not surprised or upset that you felt that way about all this and me." Nick's forehead creased as he stared at Greg's face, "You do know that this has nothing to do with Eli right?"

Greg raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"Shit that came out wrong. What I mean is with the timing of all this. My asking you wasn't prompted by Elijah and the custody battle."

"That hadn't even crossed my mind, actually, so I'm kind of surprised that you thought of it." Greg said.

Nick shrugged and turned over onto his back, "Well, it really sort of hit me last night while you were sleeping that the timing was bad. I thought about putting this off, but I figured what the hell. We love each other and I was not going to let that woman and her family dictate every aspect of our life."

"Well said."

"...Thanks."

Greg made an 'mm' sound at the back of his throat and wormed his way closer to Nick, snuggling into his hold contentedly. They laid there for some time before Greg's stomach let them know it was time to eat. Greg laughed and pushed Nick's arms off of him so he could sit up, "I haven't eaten since noon. I need food."

Nick held up a finger and reached across Greg for the phone. He hit the extension for the front desk and waited for the receptionist to answer, "Yes, this is room ten seventeen. We're ready for our food to be sent up. Thanks." He hung up and sat back with a smirk.

"You've got everything thought out don't you." Greg snuggled into Nick when the Texan opened his arms, "What did you get?"

Nick smiled, "This and that. You'll like it."

"Sure, okay."

~~

Greg walked into the break room Sunday night and was instantly bombarded by Jacqui and Bobby. Hodges, who was still rather new to the lab, was hovering behind them, trying rather hopelessly to look uninterested. None of them worked Saturday, but had overheard Grissom and Catherine talking about Nick's proposal Friday morning. This was their first time seeing their friend since the week before.

"So? What happened? Let us see!" Jacqui exclaimed, trying to push Bobby out of the way so she could see Greg's hand.

"Hang on a minute." Greg said, "I really need some coffee."

Bobby held up a steaming mug, Greg's mug as it were, with a grin, "Already taken care of."

With a look of pure amusement on his face, he purposely raised his left hand to take the mug from his best friend. Both of them gasped when they saw the ring and Jacqui intercepted the hand just as his fingers grazed the mug and pulled it closer to inspect the ring, "This is incredible." She frowned and squinted at the embedded diamonds, "Greg, why is one smaller then the other?"

"This is actually really sweet of Nick, but the two bigger ones represent us and the smaller one Elijah." Greg replied, a proud smile on his face. He hadn't even known there was a significance to the diamonds until Nick had explained it to him. He also explained why he had had the ring made with the smaller diamond sitting inwards on Greg's finger. The thought that it represented both of them protecting their small son still made him feel like crying.

Jacqui dropped his hand and wrapped her arms around Greg, "I am so happy for you and Nick. You'll have to invite me to the wedding."

Before Greg could correct her, a disgusted voice echoed around them, "Wedding? I didn't realize that was allowed between...your kind."

Jacqui felt Greg stiffen in his arms and pulled back to give the newcomer a piece of her mind. Bobby, however, beat her to it, "Who the hell do you think you are, Blythe?" Bobby hissed, recognizing the woman from Greg's description of her, "You have no right to force any of your opinions on us when you weren't invited into the conversation in the first place."

"Please," The owner of the voice scoffed, "Spare me your tirade. I have come to speak to Gregory...alone if you could."

Greg turned and looked at Blythe, "What are you doing here?" He saw Judy, the receptionist who had led Blythe to them, step back in shock at the cold hostility in his voice.

Blythe crossed her arms, "Have you people not heard of the word alone?"

"We're his friends. We're not leaving him." Bobby said, draping an arm across Greg's shoulder.

"Very well." Blythe sniffed and focused her attention on Greg, ignoring the three lab techs surrounding him. Despite Hodges demeanor, he felt that he could somewhat consider Sanders a friend and so stuck around, "I have come to ask you to stop this foolish nonsense. Why you bother to waste your meager funds fighting my parents and me for custody is beyond me."

Greg felt his face turn red as his blood pressure rose, "Is that all you ever think about? That child is my son and I'm all he's known! I love him and if I wind up piss poor broke trying to keep him away from you, then so be it. He deserves to be raised by loving parents, not in some boarding school."

"Why are you fighting this? He will be given everything he needs! He will want for nothing!" Blythe exclaimed.

"I'm fighting because I love him, damn it! I can damn well provide everything you can. I don't because that's not the way for children to grow up. You are a fucking prime example of that."

Blythe's hand fluttered to the base of her throat at Greg's words, "Excuse me? There is nothing wrong with the way I grew up."

Greg stared at her for a moment, "Do you even want him?" His voice was quiet, but the question was easily heard.

"What kind of question is that?"

"Answer him."

Blythe turned to face Hodges, a flicker of shock crossing her face, "Excuse me?"

Hodges crossed his own arms and leaned against the table, "Answer him. Do you want this kid? Because from what I've just witnessed, you're still a child yourself."

"For your information, I am twenty-five. Hardly young enough to be called a child." Blythe said, "And this is none of your business."

Hodges snorted, ignoring the surprised looks he was getting from his fellow lab techs, "You made it all of our business by bringing this into our place of employment. As for you being a child, I meant it in no relation to your age. You are acting like a child, throwing a tantrum like a little kid who got her toy taken away."

Much to the others amazement, Blythe visibly wilted under Hodges bland stare, "You are right, of course. I let this get away from me." She smiled at him with a wink before turning and walking out of the lab.

Greg turned to Hodges, his mouth hanging open, "You...you just stuck up for me."

"Don't let it go to your head, Sanders. She was embarrassing herself. It was the only way to get her to stop." Hodges pushed away from the table, "Do me a favor?"

"Depends?" Greg said, drawing the word out into an uneasy question.

"Keep custody of that brat of yours. She doesn't want him." Hodges strolled out of the break room and down the hall.

It was a silent group of lab techs that Nick and Grissom walked in on a few minutes later. Nick took in the scene, his eyes lingering on Greg's face, "Is something wrong?" He asked, concerned.

Greg didn't seem able to answer, which didn't ease Nick's concern in the slightest. Bobby and Jacqui exchanged a look before turning to the men standing across the room from them, "The weirdest thing just happened...Blythe showed up..."

"Blythe was here?" Nick interrupted, Greg's attitude suddenly becoming much more clear to him.

"Yeah. She wanted to have it out with Greg and apparently she's more than willing to do it on his turf. That woman has gall, I'll give her that." Bobby frowned, "That's not the weird thing though. Hodges stood up for Greg and Blythe actually listened to him and if i didn't know better..."

Jacqui nodded her agreement when Bobby looked at her, "I saw it too! It was almost as if Blythe liked Hodges!"

~~

Two days after Blythe's impromptu visit to the lab happened to be President's day and Greg was determined to take advantage of it, or more accurately, the sales that accompanied such holidays. So, once he and Nick had climbed out of bed Tuesday afternoon, they set to work on Elijah's room before picking him up at four o'clock and heading to the mall after one quick stop.

Nick was staring at the tag that was dangling off a t-shirt in shock, "Greg, these are three T and they're still too big on him!"

Greg nodded and dropped the shirt he was holding into the cart, "I know." he held up a pair of jeans to a complacent Elijah before dropping them into the cart as well, "At least he's growing."

He was too. That morning, it had taken them nearly an hour to find an outfit that still fit the toddler. He had his clothes from Christmas, but most of them had been in the size of his previous clothing and so were too small as well, "Why don't we just get four T and let him grow into them? Then maybe we won't end up donating another full wardrobe to Good Will in five or six months." Nick suggested, his tone indicating he was actually amused by all of this.

"Sure, 'cause that'll go over real well." Greg snorted as he pulled three more pairs of jeans off the rack in the same size, "He'll walk around for months tugging his pants up."

Nick shook his head and rested his forearms on the bar of the cart, "That's what belts are for, G."

"Whatever. If we get him belts, you can wrangle him into them. I want no part in it." Greg muttered as he walked to another rack of boy's clothes. He had tried belts previously with Elijah before he had started dating Nick. The toddler had not enjoyed staying still long enough for Greg to loop them through the belt loops and had made his distress known. Loudly. Greg stared at the rack in front of him in shock, "I can't believe they have summer clothes out already."

"Best time to get them though. It'll be warm enough for shorts in less then a month and everything's on sale 'cause it's technically winter yet." Nick straightened up and pulled a long sleeved, gray shirt from the rack next to him that he had been looking over, "This is cute."

Greg looked over and laughed. The shirt had a clock on it with the phrase, 'It's ten pm. Do you know where my parents are?' "Oh, that's great. Do they have it in his size?"

Nick fingered through the hanging shirts, "Yeah, one left." He added it to the cart.

Elijah, who was taking part in all of this with the sort of detached manner that most toddlers went through shopping with when no food was involved and no other kids were present, suddenly started hopping in place, "daddy, poppy, i gots ta go potty." He whined, a hand working its way steadily south to grasp at his jeans.

Nick winced, "I'll take him." He hoisted Elijah up into his arms and quickly made his way to the front of the store where the nearest bathrooms were located.

During this, Greg grabbed a few more slacks in Elijah's new size as well as a few shorts, just in case. He made quick work of the pajama's and some new underwear before finally following Nick's trek. As he was coming up along side of the food court, the sight that met him had his breath leaving him in an upset whoosh.

Thad was there, whether by luck or by some other means that Greg did not want to dwell on too long, and was talking to Nick much like he had back at the ranch all those months ago. He walked slowly forward and took in Nick's facial expression and body posture, noting that the Texan was well on his way to being truly angry. Because of this, he felt the almost subconscious fear that had been plaguing him since Thad's arrival to Vegas leave him. Nick was no where near happy to see his ex.

"poppy? gots ta pee real bad." Elijah whispered. It may have been soft, but Thad was close enough into Nick's personal space to hear the muttered complaint.

"Poppy? Don't tell me, Nicky. That brat that followed you to Texas managed to snag you completely huh? The bitch is probably out slamming some poor slob while your takin' care of his kid." Thad said, his eyes locked on Elijah in detached bemusement.

Greg, now pissed beyond anything he had felt before, was about to go up to the jerk and punch him, public place be damned, for what he was insinuating, but Nick beat him to it, "That brat you're referring to is my fiance." He hissed, "If this wasn't such a public place and I didn't have my son in my arms, I would happily land you the blow you deserve, not the one you want." He straightened up to his full height and said almost calmly, "As it is, I'm going to have charges brought up against you, including a restraining order." While he was still going to go with a restraining order, the charges was mentioned in hopes to scare the man into leaving them alone.

Thad laughed, "Charges for what? I was just minding my own business until you suddenly showed up and started harassing me. No cop is going to believe a fag."

"That might be more believable if you weren't so obvious about your inclinations. Besides, I know plenty of cops that know of my home life who would be happy to help me out." Nick's eyes narrowed as he stepped away from Thad and closer to the bathrooms, "You're on my turf now, Thad."

As Nick took the now quietly complaining boy to the bathrooms, Thad turned and spotted Greg for the first time since he had shown up in the area, "Bastard. You took him from me." He walked quickly up to Greg and grabbed his arm, "I don't know what the hell you did, but it won't work forever."

Greg winced as Thad's grip tightened around his bicep, "Weren't you listening? We're engaged. That sort of implies forever to me, so I think you're shit out of luck."

"Men can't get married to each other." Thad said, his teeth clenched, "If we could, I would have had Nicky in my grasp long before we left school."

"Maybe not, but there is this thing called a civil union and in Vermont? That is the same damned thing as marriage."

Thad laughed mockingly, "You're in the wrong state boy. This here is Nevada. Ain't gunna do you much good now is it."

Greg glared at Thad and wrenched his arm away. He hadn't even brought this up to Nick yet, but it would hopefully put the bastard into his place, "You don't need residency in Vermont to civil unionize there. Some of us do do our homework. Now if you'll excuse me, my family is waiting for me."

He pushed the cart around Thad and walked over to the bathrooms, where Nick was coming out of, his face still holding traces of anger that was now mixed with worry, "Everything okay?" He asked, watching over Greg's shoulder as Thad strolled out the doors and into the mall.

Greg grabbed Elijah out of Nick's arms, as the toddler was leaning towards him, "Everything is fine." He smiled at Nick as he brushed his lips along Elijah's cheek, "Better than, actually."

"Good." Nick said, returning Greg's smile with ease. He looked over towards the mall again and his eyes narrowed, "That just seemed too easy. I hope he got the message."

Greg nodded in agreement, "Me too."

TBC...

Okay, so when I wrote this? Gay marriage wasn't really legal anywhere in the U.S...otherwise I would have sent them to Iowa.