Fic: Family and other Unavoidables, Chapter 3 (CSI, Nick Stokes / Greg Sanders)
Title: Family and other unavoidables, Chapter 3
Fandom: CSI
Pair: Nick Stokes / Greg Sanders
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
CSI Las Vegas Main List
Nick opened the door and blinked sleepily. He had been home for less than two
hours before the doorbell rang.
“Hey, I hope you don’t mind…” The redhead from the restaurant was standing
on the door carrying a paper bag. “I ran into your mom and she said you have
a day off, so I thought we could have a breakfast date.” She lifted the paper
bag and the smell of fresh pastries wafted to Nick’s nose. “I brought some
fresh buns.”
“I… well… Come in.” Nick moved to the side to let her in. “I really don’t know
how to say this, so I’m just going to be honest…. You seem like a very nice
girl, but…I’m already seeing someone.”
“You are?”
“Yeah, I haven’t told my mama, but it’s serious. I didn’t want to say anything
last night in the middle of the restaurant.”
“It’s fine.” She chuckled. “I think I made a fool of myself just now.”
“No, you didn’t. How bout this… I’ll go make us some coffee and we’ll have
a friendly breakfast?”
“Sounds good.”
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Greg rang the doorbell and started his babbling as soon as the door was
opened. “Sorry, I forgot my keys to my locker and then I had to go run some
errands and then I got called back and I forgot that I forgot-” He finally took
a closer look at the person who had opened the door. “You’re not Nicky.”
“No, I’m not. Janice.” She offered him her hand. “Nicky got a call from work,
he locked himself to the study.”
“Okay…” Greg paused. “I don’t know you, do I?”
“No, I met Nicky yesterday. He and his mom were at the restaurant I work in.”
“Oh, I think I’ve heard about you.” Greg forced a tight smile to his face. “I just
remembered I need to go back to the lab. It was nice to meet you.” Greg
turned around and bounced down the stairs.
“Was that the doorbell?” Nick came out of the study, and snapped his phone
shut.
“Yeah, but you just missed him.”
“Who was it?”
“Didn’t say. Thin guy, messy hair, brown eyes.”
Nick was beginning to panicky. “What did he say?”
“Nothing really, just that he had to go back to the lab, and then he leaped out.”
Nick grabbed his cell phone and dialled a number. The call went straight to
voice mail.
“Are you okay? You look kinda funny…”
“I think I just saw my life flashing before my eyes.”
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It took three hours to locate Greg. He was sitting in a booth in a half empty
diner, browsing a newspaper. He was absentmindedly biting the head of a pen.
“Babe?” Nick approached carefully.
“Nick?” Greg lifted his eyes from the paper. “Where did you leave your girlfriend?”
“Just listen to me. She showed up with a bag full of pastries. I made it clear I
was already seeing somebody.”
“She just showed up? She gave you her number yesterday, and now she just
happened to show up at your door? All that is happening around you and you
had nothing to do with any of it?”
“That’s not what I meant-”
“Don’t start that. I told you I wouldn’t put up with that act of yours for much longer.”
“Greggo-”
“Listen to me. If you want to pretend you’re something you’re not, then go ahead.
Join amateur dramatics, dress up as Winnie-the-frigging-Pooh, but don’t try to
make me go along with your yes-mama-wife and-kids-just-round-the-corner show.”
“You got to listen to me. I love you and-”
“Really? Because it definitely doesn’t feel like it. I gave you a lot of time to get
things right in your head, but I cant wait forever. Your time`s up.”
Nick stared at him. “Please, don’t do that…”
“Why wouldn’t I? If I stay with you, things will stay just like they are now. Maybe
that’s enough for you, but it’s not enough for me.”
“Greggo, I can make this right, give me a chance to-”
“How many chances have you had? Every time I bring it up, you try to sweep it
under the carpet. You remember when I told you that Norwegian saying? `You
can guide the herring to the stream, but if you want to cuddle it you’ll need good
rubber boots`. “
“What does that have to do with this?”
“My rubber boots are leaking, so I have no other options than to release you
back into your natural habitat.”
“You mean….”
“I’ll be staying at Gary’s place for now.” Greg swallowed the last of his coffee
and looked at the empty mug. “I gotta get going, I have stuff to do.” He got up
from the bench, but Nick grabbed his hand.
“G…”
“What?”
“This… this is just temporary, isn’t it?” Nick tried to control himself, but the tears
pushing their way down his face didn’t listen.
“I don’t know.” Greg pulled his away and left.
Nick pressed his palms against his face, and tried to calm down. His eyes became
fixed on the newspaper, that Greg had forgotten. Nick pulled it closer to see the
pencil markings on the page. Circles around adds. They were adds for rental
apartments.
TBC