Nobody knows It But Me
Still not mine. :P
Chapter 2
Gil looked up as Catherine knocked and walked into his office. She sat down in the chair and Gil waited. Cath squirmed a little then took a deep breath and got right to the point.
“There is a conference coming up next month and I think Nick needs to go.”
“Nick?” Gil had been thinking she was wanting time off for herself.
“Yes, Nick. He needs a break from… here. Especially after all that has happened.”
“If you think he can’t do his job…”
“No. It’s not that. It’s not even something specific,” Cath sat back and chewed her lower lip. “It’s just… a feeling. He… needs to get away.”
Gil studied her face a moment. Something wrong with Nick, not enough that he couldn’t do his job, but he needed a break. What with all he had been thru this past year Gil figured the Higher-Ups would be predisposed to allow him the time away, not to mention the classes would of course be a benefit. “Okay. I trust your judgments about the team’s emotional needs.” Gil opened the drawer and searched the files for a form.
Cath started to say something and then realized the argument that she had expected wasn’t coming.
“Thank you, Gil.” she almost whispered and got up to leave.
“I … care about him too. I just…”
“I know, Gil. We all know.”
Gil nodded and started on the forms as Cath left.
A week later, Hodges saw Gil walk by the Trace Lab. “Boss?” he called.
Gil stopped. He stepped into the doorway and waited.
“I .. Uh.. Listen…”
“Sometime this decade, Hodges,” Gil said waving a folder at him.
“Okay, the thing is… Greg…”
Gil sighed. He didn’t have time for petty tattle-telling.
“He uh.. He needs a break,” Hodges’ words rushed out seeing that Gil wasn’t in the mood to listen if he didn’t make it quick.
“Listen, if this is about your issues with him personally…”
“No. I, ah… actually don’t despise him…too much.. most days…” said Hodges uncomfortable at getting that close to saying he liked Greg.
“Then what is wrong?” said Gil stepping into the room and closing the door.
Greg looked at the memo. He didn’t know how he felt about being sent to a conference. He was just so tired and the thought of going to classes was a bit much, but on the other hand he needed a break from pretending things were okay. He would miss seeing Nick for a week, but maybe it would do him some good. It’s not like things would ever be the same between him and Nick anyway. Besides, Grissom said for him to go and it would help his career. And Grissom said for him to go.
“Nick, here. Grissom said give this to you.” said Warrick as he walked into the garage.
Nick wiped his hands and took the paper. “A conference?”
Warrick said “Huh?”
“Oh, Gil is sending me to a conference next week. For a week.”
“Where at?”
“Atlanta, Georgia.”
“Lucky you, Man. Now get down here and help me with this.”
Nick sighed and tossed the memo onto the table and went to help Warrick. He didn’t want to go anywhere, but maybe he did need a break from seeing Greg so close and yet so far.
*******
Greg slung his bag over his shoulder and walked toward the ticket gate. He handed over his ticket and went thru the security check. He was glad he wasn’t searched extra, that would have just been too much to do. He yawned and headed for the plane. Once he was in his seat, he buckled, put on his iPod and closed his eyes.
Nick stood with his arms out wide. The lady scanned him twice over. Figures he would be the unlucky number for an extra security search. Finally he was allowed to board the plane. He took his seat, buckled and pulled a book out of his bag.
After the plane was in the air Greg got up to go to the restroom. He glanced over and saw Nick. He almost passed out.
“Sir, are you okay?” asked a voice from behind him.
Nick glanced up to see what was going on. He was shocked to see Greg.
“Uh, yeah. I’m fine,” Greg said to her as he started walking again. Nick couldn’t believe Greg was on his plane. He pulled out his phone.
“Brown,” came the answer.
“Rick,” said Nick in a quick hush. “Did you know Greg was… on the plane with me?”
“Yeah, ain’t you two sitting together?” Warrick sounded distracted.
“No, man. I didn’t know he was going.”
“Oh, well, listen Man, I gotta run. Talk to you later, okay,” and Warrick hung up.
In the restroom Greg washed his face. He pulled out his cell.
The he put it back in his pocket. No reason to call anyone at the lab. Obviously he and Nick were going to the same conference. Oh brother.
“Suck it up, Sanders,” Greg told himself in the tiny mirror. He left the restroom and dropped down in the empty seat beside Nick. “Hey, Stranger,” he said as casually as possible.
“Uh, Hi,” said Nick.
“Well, Uh, Grissom is sending me to this conference…”
“In Atlanta.. Yeah me too.”
“Cool. Maybe we will … hang out or sit together or something.”
“Yeah.” Nick could tell Greg was just being polite.
“I’ll let you get back to your book,” said Greg as he stood up. He was quite happy he managed to sit next to Nick and just talk. He put the iPod back on and closed his eyes. He ignored the wetness that leaked down his cheek.
When the plane landed Greg let Nick into the isle in front of him. Nick mumbled a “Thanks.” They walked beside each other to get their luggage. “I guess we are in the same hotel?” said Nick snagging his bag without looking at Greg.
“Yeah, I guess,” said Greg before naming the hotel. The same one the conference was in.
“Yep. That’s the one.” Lord, how was he gonna deal now?
“Might as well share a cab,” offered Nick.
“M’kay,” said Greg as he slung his bag over his shoulder not looking at Nick directly.
Greg noted there was more gay couples at the airport than he would have thought for a city in the South. It reminded him of California. He wished he could reach over and take Nick’s hand. Two problems with that. One, he had a bag in each hand and two, Nick didn’t want to hold Greg’s hand.
The ride was silent. Both pretending to enjoy the buildings outside the cab window. Nick insisted on paying the cabbie so Greg offered to buy him a drink at the hotel bar sometime during the trip. Nick made a non-committal noise.
They checked in and went to their rooms, which were across the hall from each other, without saying another word.
Greg flung his bag into a corner and dropped face down on the bed with a groan. Well, he had tonight free so he may as well get out and look around like he promised himself he would. Anything beat laying there thinking of Nick. He went to get dressed.
Bobby had told Nick about some clubs in Atlanta. Some he warned Nick were “Very Gay” and some “Not so much”. Nick didn’t comment. He figured Bobby was just giving him the ‘Heads Up’ about the clubs because Nick was a “Ladies Man” and would be looking at bars with women.
He felt an urgency to get out of the hotel so he dressed quickly. Even across the hall the temptation was too close. He wore tight black jeans and a black button-up shirt that had tiny shiny red threads in it. He wore his black boots. The kind made for dancing. He slipped his leather belt in the pants belt loops and check his reflection in the mirror. He didn’t think he was so hot, but he was okay. He grabbed his wallet and left.
Greg took his time getting ready. Hair spiked just so. Check. Glitter on the tips. Check. Black eyeliner. Check. Lip gloss. Check. Red mesh shirt. Check. Leather pants with a red leather strip woven from boot to belt on each side leaving much creamy skin exposed. Check. High heeled boots. Check. Wrist bands. Check. Belt? No, not a regular one. He slipped a red scarf thru the loops and tied it just to the left of his zipper. Wallet. Check.
The noise was just that. Loud noise. A pulsing throb that vibrated thru Nick and even though it wasn’t his usual kind of music, he needed it. He made his way to the bar and got a beer.
“Wanna dance, Cowboy?” a deep voice asked.
Nick glanced up from his beer. The guy was good looking so Nick said, “Sure, why not. Just left me finish this.”
He drank the rest of the beer and followed the man to the dance floor. The man put his hands on Nick’s hips and started to rub against him to the beat of the music. Nick closed his eyes and moved against the man.
Several beers and several dance partners later Nick was more fluid in his moves. He was more open with his touches. Kissing his dance partners and rubbing his hands over them.
Greg walked into the club and smiled at the music. Nice. He glanced at the crowd. Pretty people. Mostly men. He could like this place. Before he made it to the bar a woman stopped him. “How ‘bout a little dance, Darlin’?” she purred. Greg looked at her thru his lashes. He was pretty so he said “Why not,” and let himself be led to the dance floor.
“You dance great,” she said into his ear.
“Mmm, so do you.” said Greg as he kissed her neck.
“Name is Katie, by the way.”
“Greg,” he answered.
“Nice to meet ya,” she said grinding into him a little more. He was already half hard from her moves before and that made him groan.
“Wanna take this to your place?” she asked.
Greg tilted his head and thought a second. “Maybe later, ‘kay? I just need to dance for a while.”
“Sure thing, Hon,” she said and went back to dancing against Greg.
“Catch me before you go if you still wanna,” she said in his ear as she slipped away to be replaced with a man. He was tall and slender like Greg with several tats on his arm and he could see a hint of one of his neck at the edge of his t-shirt. Greg smiled at him as he stepped into his arms.
Nick turned from the man he was facing to rub his back against his slim chest and waist. He was now facing a woman. “Hi,” she laughed.
“Hi, Nick answered and pulled her closer.
“Dance with us?” he asked reaching back to hold the man behind him closer.
“Sure thing, Hon. Name’s Katie.”
“Mmm” Nick said and kissed her neck.
She reached around him to stroke the other man’s arm. “Dale,” Nick heard the guy say over his shoulder.
The beat pulsed and Nick caressed his body with Dale and kissed Katie. The song changed, but the beat was about the same. Dale leaned over Nick’s shoulder and said “Wanna take this to my room?”
Katie said “Sure!” Nick considered it a minute but said “Na, not tonight.”
Dale and Katie shrugged and headed for the door. Nick went back to the bar.
Chapter 2
Gil looked up as Catherine knocked and walked into his office. She sat down in the chair and Gil waited. Cath squirmed a little then took a deep breath and got right to the point.
“There is a conference coming up next month and I think Nick needs to go.”
“Nick?” Gil had been thinking she was wanting time off for herself.
“Yes, Nick. He needs a break from… here. Especially after all that has happened.”
“If you think he can’t do his job…”
“No. It’s not that. It’s not even something specific,” Cath sat back and chewed her lower lip. “It’s just… a feeling. He… needs to get away.”
Gil studied her face a moment. Something wrong with Nick, not enough that he couldn’t do his job, but he needed a break. What with all he had been thru this past year Gil figured the Higher-Ups would be predisposed to allow him the time away, not to mention the classes would of course be a benefit. “Okay. I trust your judgments about the team’s emotional needs.” Gil opened the drawer and searched the files for a form.
Cath started to say something and then realized the argument that she had expected wasn’t coming.
“Thank you, Gil.” she almost whispered and got up to leave.
“I … care about him too. I just…”
“I know, Gil. We all know.”
Gil nodded and started on the forms as Cath left.
A week later, Hodges saw Gil walk by the Trace Lab. “Boss?” he called.
Gil stopped. He stepped into the doorway and waited.
“I .. Uh.. Listen…”
“Sometime this decade, Hodges,” Gil said waving a folder at him.
“Okay, the thing is… Greg…”
Gil sighed. He didn’t have time for petty tattle-telling.
“He uh.. He needs a break,” Hodges’ words rushed out seeing that Gil wasn’t in the mood to listen if he didn’t make it quick.
“Listen, if this is about your issues with him personally…”
“No. I, ah… actually don’t despise him…too much.. most days…” said Hodges uncomfortable at getting that close to saying he liked Greg.
“Then what is wrong?” said Gil stepping into the room and closing the door.
Greg looked at the memo. He didn’t know how he felt about being sent to a conference. He was just so tired and the thought of going to classes was a bit much, but on the other hand he needed a break from pretending things were okay. He would miss seeing Nick for a week, but maybe it would do him some good. It’s not like things would ever be the same between him and Nick anyway. Besides, Grissom said for him to go and it would help his career. And Grissom said for him to go.
“Nick, here. Grissom said give this to you.” said Warrick as he walked into the garage.
Nick wiped his hands and took the paper. “A conference?”
Warrick said “Huh?”
“Oh, Gil is sending me to a conference next week. For a week.”
“Where at?”
“Atlanta, Georgia.”
“Lucky you, Man. Now get down here and help me with this.”
Nick sighed and tossed the memo onto the table and went to help Warrick. He didn’t want to go anywhere, but maybe he did need a break from seeing Greg so close and yet so far.
*******
Greg slung his bag over his shoulder and walked toward the ticket gate. He handed over his ticket and went thru the security check. He was glad he wasn’t searched extra, that would have just been too much to do. He yawned and headed for the plane. Once he was in his seat, he buckled, put on his iPod and closed his eyes.
Nick stood with his arms out wide. The lady scanned him twice over. Figures he would be the unlucky number for an extra security search. Finally he was allowed to board the plane. He took his seat, buckled and pulled a book out of his bag.
After the plane was in the air Greg got up to go to the restroom. He glanced over and saw Nick. He almost passed out.
“Sir, are you okay?” asked a voice from behind him.
Nick glanced up to see what was going on. He was shocked to see Greg.
“Uh, yeah. I’m fine,” Greg said to her as he started walking again. Nick couldn’t believe Greg was on his plane. He pulled out his phone.
“Brown,” came the answer.
“Rick,” said Nick in a quick hush. “Did you know Greg was… on the plane with me?”
“Yeah, ain’t you two sitting together?” Warrick sounded distracted.
“No, man. I didn’t know he was going.”
“Oh, well, listen Man, I gotta run. Talk to you later, okay,” and Warrick hung up.
In the restroom Greg washed his face. He pulled out his cell.
The he put it back in his pocket. No reason to call anyone at the lab. Obviously he and Nick were going to the same conference. Oh brother.
“Suck it up, Sanders,” Greg told himself in the tiny mirror. He left the restroom and dropped down in the empty seat beside Nick. “Hey, Stranger,” he said as casually as possible.
“Uh, Hi,” said Nick.
“Well, Uh, Grissom is sending me to this conference…”
“In Atlanta.. Yeah me too.”
“Cool. Maybe we will … hang out or sit together or something.”
“Yeah.” Nick could tell Greg was just being polite.
“I’ll let you get back to your book,” said Greg as he stood up. He was quite happy he managed to sit next to Nick and just talk. He put the iPod back on and closed his eyes. He ignored the wetness that leaked down his cheek.
When the plane landed Greg let Nick into the isle in front of him. Nick mumbled a “Thanks.” They walked beside each other to get their luggage. “I guess we are in the same hotel?” said Nick snagging his bag without looking at Greg.
“Yeah, I guess,” said Greg before naming the hotel. The same one the conference was in.
“Yep. That’s the one.” Lord, how was he gonna deal now?
“Might as well share a cab,” offered Nick.
“M’kay,” said Greg as he slung his bag over his shoulder not looking at Nick directly.
Greg noted there was more gay couples at the airport than he would have thought for a city in the South. It reminded him of California. He wished he could reach over and take Nick’s hand. Two problems with that. One, he had a bag in each hand and two, Nick didn’t want to hold Greg’s hand.
The ride was silent. Both pretending to enjoy the buildings outside the cab window. Nick insisted on paying the cabbie so Greg offered to buy him a drink at the hotel bar sometime during the trip. Nick made a non-committal noise.
They checked in and went to their rooms, which were across the hall from each other, without saying another word.
Greg flung his bag into a corner and dropped face down on the bed with a groan. Well, he had tonight free so he may as well get out and look around like he promised himself he would. Anything beat laying there thinking of Nick. He went to get dressed.
Bobby had told Nick about some clubs in Atlanta. Some he warned Nick were “Very Gay” and some “Not so much”. Nick didn’t comment. He figured Bobby was just giving him the ‘Heads Up’ about the clubs because Nick was a “Ladies Man” and would be looking at bars with women.
He felt an urgency to get out of the hotel so he dressed quickly. Even across the hall the temptation was too close. He wore tight black jeans and a black button-up shirt that had tiny shiny red threads in it. He wore his black boots. The kind made for dancing. He slipped his leather belt in the pants belt loops and check his reflection in the mirror. He didn’t think he was so hot, but he was okay. He grabbed his wallet and left.
Greg took his time getting ready. Hair spiked just so. Check. Glitter on the tips. Check. Black eyeliner. Check. Lip gloss. Check. Red mesh shirt. Check. Leather pants with a red leather strip woven from boot to belt on each side leaving much creamy skin exposed. Check. High heeled boots. Check. Wrist bands. Check. Belt? No, not a regular one. He slipped a red scarf thru the loops and tied it just to the left of his zipper. Wallet. Check.
The noise was just that. Loud noise. A pulsing throb that vibrated thru Nick and even though it wasn’t his usual kind of music, he needed it. He made his way to the bar and got a beer.
“Wanna dance, Cowboy?” a deep voice asked.
Nick glanced up from his beer. The guy was good looking so Nick said, “Sure, why not. Just left me finish this.”
He drank the rest of the beer and followed the man to the dance floor. The man put his hands on Nick’s hips and started to rub against him to the beat of the music. Nick closed his eyes and moved against the man.
Several beers and several dance partners later Nick was more fluid in his moves. He was more open with his touches. Kissing his dance partners and rubbing his hands over them.
Greg walked into the club and smiled at the music. Nice. He glanced at the crowd. Pretty people. Mostly men. He could like this place. Before he made it to the bar a woman stopped him. “How ‘bout a little dance, Darlin’?” she purred. Greg looked at her thru his lashes. He was pretty so he said “Why not,” and let himself be led to the dance floor.
“You dance great,” she said into his ear.
“Mmm, so do you.” said Greg as he kissed her neck.
“Name is Katie, by the way.”
“Greg,” he answered.
“Nice to meet ya,” she said grinding into him a little more. He was already half hard from her moves before and that made him groan.
“Wanna take this to your place?” she asked.
Greg tilted his head and thought a second. “Maybe later, ‘kay? I just need to dance for a while.”
“Sure thing, Hon,” she said and went back to dancing against Greg.
“Catch me before you go if you still wanna,” she said in his ear as she slipped away to be replaced with a man. He was tall and slender like Greg with several tats on his arm and he could see a hint of one of his neck at the edge of his t-shirt. Greg smiled at him as he stepped into his arms.
Nick turned from the man he was facing to rub his back against his slim chest and waist. He was now facing a woman. “Hi,” she laughed.
“Hi, Nick answered and pulled her closer.
“Dance with us?” he asked reaching back to hold the man behind him closer.
“Sure thing, Hon. Name’s Katie.”
“Mmm” Nick said and kissed her neck.
She reached around him to stroke the other man’s arm. “Dale,” Nick heard the guy say over his shoulder.
The beat pulsed and Nick caressed his body with Dale and kissed Katie. The song changed, but the beat was about the same. Dale leaned over Nick’s shoulder and said “Wanna take this to my room?”
Katie said “Sure!” Nick considered it a minute but said “Na, not tonight.”
Dale and Katie shrugged and headed for the door. Nick went back to the bar.