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Dating Advice	By : RikuRocks Category: CSI > Slash - Male/Male Views: 5865 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to CSI, nor am I making any money from this work of fiction.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Author�s notes: Thanks again to rusty_the_train of Live Journal for helping me with some Norwegian translations. See the first chapter for further notes and the disclaimer.

Norwegian translation: Du lukter godt = You smell good.

�Nick, it�s time to get up.�
The Texan blinked his eyes open and yawned. He froze when he noticed Greg standing over him, smelling of shampoo, dressed in clean clothes, and smiling warmly. Nick sat up and looked around until his gaze settled on the clock, then he relaxed, seeing that it was actually earlier than he normally got up to get ready for work. He stretched and was pleasantly surprised to find that he felt great after spending the night on Greg�s sofa.
�Coffee?� The muddle-haired chemist offered Nick a mug -prepared the way he liked it- and then turned to start putting away his game and controllers; clearly, he had chosen to leave them in order to avoid waking Nick earlier than he needed to. �I tossed the clothes you left here yesterday in the wash. They should be dry by the time you get out of the shower. I set out some towels too.�
�Thanks, man.� The brawny man smiled drowsily and took a sip of coffee. He suddenly understood why Greg was willing to pay forty dollars a pound for his beans. �I could get used to this.� And I don�t just mean the coffee, he added mentally, but had the sense not to say it aloud�yet.
It was not until Nick had showered and was brushing his teeth that he had woken up enough to remember the bag he had packed and left in his truck. He decided to bring that up later and just wrapped a towel around his hips before he padded out to check the dryer, which he recalled was located in the linen closet. The scent of pancakes reached him as soon as he opened the bathroom door, and he smiled.
�Don�t tell me you�re making those from scratch too,� Nick called out teasingly as he pulled his clothes out of the dryer.
�Dude, don�t tell me you can�t make pancakes�it takes six ingredients and then you just pour and flip. The-� Greg turned to look at his friend over the bar that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment, and dropped his spatula when he caught sight of the brawny, towel-clad man.
�You okay?� Nick glanced at his friend and then turned back to his laundry to hide the smirk forming on his face as the willowy man flushed and murmured a response. The smirk grew as Nick sauntered back into the guestroom to dress and heard another small clatter from the kitchen.
Greg had recovered by the time Nick returned to the kitchen, fully dressed and grinning broadly. The Texan took a plate of pancakes from the younger man and then joined him at the counter bar. �Mm, these smell great. Thanks, G.� He noticed the slender man was limping slightly and indicated his leg with a forkful of pancake. �Is your knee okay?�
The muddle-haired youth nodded and swallowed his food before speaking. �Yeah, thanks. Sorry about falling asleep on you last night. You didn�t have to stay on the couch with me though. How�s your shoulder?�
Nick took a sip of his coffee and waved off his friend�s concern. �It�s fine; your sofa�s comfortable and you hardly weigh anything. I didn�t mind at all.� The burly man took a steadying breath and looked down at his breakfast. �And, to tell you the truth�I stayed because I liked it.�
The doe-eyed man looked at his friend before turning his gaze to the apartment�s tall windows and taking a deep breath. Then he put down his fork and faced the CSI again. �I�m sorry, Nick�I�ve been trying to act the same as when I thought I didn�t have a chance with you. I guess I didn�t realize it�d be as hard for you as it�s been for me. I-�
The Texan interrupted before he was even aware of doing so; �Wait�you thought you didn�t- How long have you felt this way? And why the hell are you still so set against this if you want it so badly too?�
�I told you I was interested and I explained why I think it�s a bad idea,� Greg�s voice was firm but his eyes were kind and regretful. �I�m glad you told your brothers and sisters and I�m really happy they�re being so supportive, but sooner or later, someone isn�t going to take it so well, and neither of us knows how you�re going to take that. I don�t want to be in that position again, and you�re going to need a friend who�s been there, not a boyfriend who�s taking your reaction personally. I just think this is best for both of us.�
�You mean safe for both of us,� the sable-eyed man stated tightly. He met the soulful eyes across the table confidently. �Love isn�t safe, Greggo; you know that.� A hint of a smile touched his lips as he continued; �Learning about each other through experience and figuring out how to make it all work is part of the fun. What happened to knowing what�s on the inside?� His brows suddenly furrowed as he narrowed his eyes at the younger man. �Speaking of that, you do know I would never treat you the way that closeted asshole did, right?�
�Of course.� The chemist sounded certain to begin with, but then grew slightly nervous as he added; ��But he didn�t start out that way either.� He sighed; the tension melted from his willowy form before he started babbling the way he always did when he became nervous. �The longer it lasted the more cautious he had to be to avoid suspicion and it just kept getting worse. I know you wouldn�t let it get as bad as he did, but that still leaves us with the probability of it ending on a sour note and then what happens? You�re one of the best friends I have. I don�t want to lose you.�
Nick looked at the slighter man in amazement before smiling and reaching beside him to squeeze Greg�s knee. �You think I don�t feel the same way about you? You�re one of the best friend�s I�ve ever had; I�m not gonna just let you go. That�s why I want us to try this.� His hand slid a little further up the slender thigh and he gave it another gentle squeeze as he leaned intimately closer to the doe-eyed man. He dropped his voice but not his smile as he added soberly; �I wouldn�t risk our friendship just because you�re cute�and if I was willing to come out because of a pretty face, don�t you think I would have done it a lot sooner?�
�See, it all sounds great when you say it like that,� Greg looked at the older man wistfully and smiled sadly. Nick�s own smile faded upon seeing the turmoil his friend was feeling. �But it doesn�t really negate what I said. You�ve just admitted to being bi to your brothers and sisters and gotten a great response, but telling the people you care about that your bi isn�t quite the same as telling them you have a boyfriend. What are you going to say to your parents or grandparents�your friends? You need to think this through, Nick; I don�t want you to do something you aren�t ready for because of me�and I�m sorry, but I can�t be with you if you aren�t ready.�
The Texan sighed and gave Greg�s leg another squeeze before patting it and nodding. He turned back to his breakfast and returned his hand to the counter. He really wanted to argue with the younger man, but unfortunately, he could see that Greg had a point. Nick wanted Greg, and was sure he was ready for the eccentric youth. However, he was not sure he wanted to face everything else he would have to in order to have the younger man.
Just the thought of bringing Greg back to the family ranch in Texas was ludicrous�introducing his grandparents to his boyfriend would be a disaster no matter who it was or what the rest of his family thought of it. He knew his parents loved him, but if they truly were disappointed or upset by the news, he could not say what he would do. He did not want to take any of the stress that would bring out on Greg, and he certainly did not want to hurt him over it.
�We need to get moving or we�ll be late for work.� Greg stood and brought his half eaten breakfast back into the kitchen. Nick nodded, finished the last few bites of his pancakes, and followed suit.
They left the apartment more quietly than they had ever been in each other�s company. Greg offered Nick another sad smile and a wave as they headed for their own vehicles, and the CSI returned both gestures distractedly. Once inside his truck, Nick saw the bag he had packed the previous day and hit the steering wheel. He honestly was not sure if he had gotten ahead of himself, or if Greg was just being overly cautious.
Either way, the day had not started the way he had hoped or expected.
Everyone at the lab was busy that evening. Catherine had threatened Grissom with something horrible enough to finally get him to do his paperwork; the redhead herself was working a solo case involving a male stripper who was mistaken for a magician and hired for the wrong sort of party; while Nick, Warrick, and Sara were assigned a case involving a group of college students found dead in a car.
Nick, Warrick, and Sara had evidence sent everywhere, some of which was being passed around by the lab rats so swiftly the CSIs were having a hard time keeping track of it all.
�Urgh,� Sara dropped herself into the chair beside Nick as he organized their crime scene photos in the layout room. �This is ridiculous! The only people who seem to know anything about any of those kids were the other kids in the car with them. None of their families, teachers, or other classmates has any clue why they were there or what they were doing. How is that possible?�
�It happens, Sara,� the Texan replied distractedly as he studied a couple particular photos. Something about one of the students was leaping out at him, but he could not put his finger on what struck him about the kid. �We�ll just have to let the evidence tell the story like we have hundreds of times before.�
Warrick came in languidly, looking over some printouts before dropping them on the table where Sara snatched them up immediately. �Well those dark clouds hangin� over DNA aren�t slowing Sanders down any. The blood evidence just makes all of this even more confusing�to me anyway. Greggo seems to think it all makes sense now.� The green-eyed man shook his head, looking like he was certain their DNA technician had finally lost his mind.
�How does this make any sense to him?� Sara asked with a frown. �Five kids in a car, all dead, and none of their blood was mixed�? It�s like they all just sat still while they were killed. Were there any drugs in their system to explain that?� Se continued to browse through the report as she spoke.
Nick pushed Sara�s comment away for later as he pondered over Warrick�s initial statement. �What do you mean �dark clouds over DNA�? There wasn�t another accident while we were out, was there?�
�Uh, no to both of you,� the green-eyed man answered as he began looking over their crime scene photos. �Sanders started talking about some Japanese horror film with some sort of college suicide club�?� The tall man made a face that indicated he did not want to get into details. �Apparently, this all makes perfect sense if they all killed themselves in a suicide pact.�
Warrick glanced at Nick, �And I meant that something has Sanders down today. His music is different.�
�It sounded the same to me when I dropped off our samples,� Sara commented, obviously irritated by the thought that she might be missing something. �I did find it kinda strange that he didn�t try to flirt or joke around though, but he seems even busier than we are today.�
�Yeah, the style of his music is the same,� Warrick concurred, �But the messages in the lyrics are different. He usually listens to songs about nonconformity, accepting yourself, not letting people break you down for being different; that sort of thing. Today, they�re all sad songs.� Green eyes shifted to Nick nonchalantly, but the Texan still felt the weight of observation upon him. ��Mostly about love and loneliness.�
�You can actually tell what the lyrics are saying in his music?� Sara asked offhandedly, it seemed that her focus was already returning to the case. Nick realized, with a small stab of guilt, that he never paid attention to what Greg listened to...he treated it like white noise that developed whenever the eccentric chemist was working hard.
�Did you ask him about it?� Nick asked nervously. He knew he would have to tell Warrick eventually; they were friends and often exchanged stories about dates and interests. However, he was not sure how he wanted to go about it yet. Realistically, he knew Greg would never out them, but he also suspected that the youth was unaware of how much Warrick actually cared about him. Greg would not expect him to be paying very close attention to a personal matter.
��Course, man, but he isn�t talking.� The green-eyed CSI shook his head again and shrugged, still watching his friend keenly but discreetly. �I guess he just wants to be left alone for now.�
�He�s testing the victims� blood for signs of carbon monoxide poisoning�? He has to be kidding with th- Wait; Greg�s working toxicology today too?� Sara suddenly asked as she continued reading the results Warrick had brought. Both of the other CSIs rolled their eyes at the woman�s obliviousness to their conversation.
She suddenly looked up and both men attempted to look innocent, which earned them a scowl. �Why are we the only shift they let go without a tox or trace tech from time to time? Please tell me we at least have someone else on trace tonight?�
�We do,� Warrick answered. �Unfortunately, it�s Hodges again. I think they�re lookin� to make him permanent on graveyard.�
�Great,� Nick grumbled as Sara scoffed and shook her head. Then the Texan glanced at the brunette before returning his gaze to the photos spread out before them. �I think they let us go without because we�re the only shift that can. Do you actually think the day or swing DNA techs would run tox or trace likes Greg does?�
�I don�t think they can,� answered the brown-eyed woman distractedly. �It�s still chemistry, yeah, but it�s a totally different skill set. They�d probably screw it up if they tried and that would be worse than going without.�
�Considering that they can barely handle all their DNA samples during their shift, I wouldn�t want to see them try anyway,� Warrick added. �So aside from Greggo�s suggestion, where are we?�
�Well, we�re well organized,� Sara commented before offering Nick a gap-toothed grin.
The Texan nodded absently and then tapped one of the photos that had been bothering him. �You know there�s something about-� He was interrupted by his cell phone. A text message informed him that Jacqui wanted him ASAP. �Well, it looks like Jacqui has something for us. I doubt she�s gotten through all the prints yet�maybe something important popped up.�
�Let�s hope so,� Warrick replied. �We�ll stay here and try to make sense of the DNA. Check with Sanders when you�re done with Franco; he�s plate�s pretty full, but maybe he�ll have gotten somewhere with tox.�
Nick nodded and headed to the fingerprint division, although his gaze turned to the chem lab the entire way. Greg looked incredibly busy, which might have accounted for the lack of his usual smile, but the sable-eyed man doubted that was all that was troubling his friend. As he neared one of DNA�s entrances, he slowed his pace slightly and focused on the words of the song drifting into the hallway. Warrick had been right; if Nick hadn�t stopped to pay attention to the sorrowful lyrics, it would have sounded like Greg�s usual fare.
The sable-eyed man entered the fingerprint division with a heavy heart. He did not even bother with a smile as he addressed the busy technician. �Hey, Jacqui. What do you have for me?�
The petite woman spared a quick, neutral glance at him, but then took a double take and frowned. Her eyes shifted to look at something past him, and Nick did not have to follow her gaze to know she was watching Greg. Jacqui returned her attention to him with a scathing look. �Aside from a few questions of my own and a good reaming�? A set of fingerprints that don�t belong to any of your victims.�
The Texan sighed and decided to ignore the comments that weren�t connected to his case for now. �Do you know whose prints they are?�
�No,� Jacqui answered flatly as she returned to her computer and began highlighting marks on an enlarged fingerprint that covered half the monitor. �But I�m still working on it. What did you do to Greg? He looks miserable�and why is he limping?�
�He bashed his knee helping a neighbor move some furniture.� Nick glanced at the subject of their discussion and saw that he was filing results in four different folders and had several samples running at the same time. The CSI turned back to the fingerprint tech. �I don�t know what�s wrong, exactly. I might have come on too strong�or he might just be more damaged than any of us realized.�
�He�s dated other guys since the closeted asshole, without fear,� Jacqui stated levelly as she fixed the Texan with a warning look. �Therefore, I�m inclined to think it�s you. So I repeat, what did you do?�
�I pushed, okay?� The CSI answered testily. �But I didn�t do anything wrong. He�s just worried because�� Nick threw up a hand in uncertainty but thought back to their conversation that morning and the answer hit him.
His irritation ebbed as he thought aloud; �Because I�m a stubborn ass and he knows it, so he thinks he�s gonna lose me anyway if he keeps shooting me down since I�m not giving him any time to see that it�s alright not to; that I�m not a closeted asshole, just an idiot.� His focus returned to the angry technician; �Greg thinks he�s caught between a rock and a hard place.�
The petite woman smiled tightly, �And what are you doing about that?�
�Not enough;� Nick answered before grinning lightly at the tech and nodding toward the DNA lab. �I�m gonna check on our tox results. Page me if you find something�.� Jacqui assured the Texan that she would, but he was already crossing the hall, which earned him a smile that he never saw.
The Texan entered the chem lab and nearly winced as he unconsciously took in the words of the song currently playing. How the artist could sing about reaching his breaking point without sounding too melancholy was beyond him. He noticed that Greg had yet to look up from the microscope he was using and decided to wonder about the younger man�s music later. Right now, he had to try to fix the mood that was causing Greg to play it.
�Hey, Greggo�� Nick smiled gently when the chemist started before twisting and looking behind him to see the CSI. �Sorry; I didn�t mean to�well, to do a lot, but just now I wasn�t trying to startle you.�
Greg stared at the sable-eyed man blankly before his eyes shifted about to check their surroundings. Nick wondered at that, before he caught the pointed look the muddle-haired youth was giving him and understood that Greg was actually reminding him where they were. The CSI was thankful for that; while he was trying to live more openly, he knew he would regret it if he started some heartfelt speech in the middle of the lab and was overheard by his coworkers. He smiled appreciatively -and a little apologetically- as he nodded to the younger man.
�I�m also sorry about this morning,� Nick stated quietly. Although in truth, he could not say if he had pushed too far or not far enough. In either case, he had not meant to make Greg feel worse. �I know now�s not a good time, but I just want to let you know that I�m here -as a friend- if you ever want to talk�about anything.� He looked at the younger man pointedly; �I won�t hold it against you; you understand?�
Brown eyes studied sable for a brief moment before relief filled them. Greg smiled in gratitude. �Yeah, I understand. I�m sorry too.�
The Texan nodded with a warm smile and clapped the younger man�s shoulder. �Great, now that that�s settled. How about I treat you to breakfast after shift? You�ve cooked for me so many times over the past couple of days that I�m starting to feel like a freeloader.�
The muddle-haired chemist laughed quietly; �You shouldn�t, but if you want to cover breakfast, that sounds good to me. I prob- Oh, here�s one of yours��
Before Nick could ask what the willowy youth was talking about, the chemist turned and caught a printout just as it was released from one of the several machines he had working. The CSI grinned and shook his head in wonder; �Man, how do you do that?�
�It�s a skill,� Greg answered offhandedly as he read the results. �Huh, each of your victims was poisoned.�
Nick frowned and slid his arm around the slender man�s shoulders as he leaned forward to scan the report himself. �Was it some sort of rat poisoning? There was blood all over that car��
�No; atropa belladonna. Wait a minute�� The doe-eyed man twisted and reached for a binder on one of the tables. Nick couldn�t help but gulp as the movement turned a friendly arm around the shoulder into something that felt more like a loose embrace. �Du lukter godt,� Greg murmured under his breath; he seemed to forget their proximity as he compared some information on the charts he was reading. �Okay, that makes more sense now��
He looked up to meet the CSI�s confused stare. �These levels aren�t high enough to kill them, just make them really relaxed.�
The Texan drew his brows and looked at the younger man thoughtfully. �Enough for someone to kill them without a struggle?�
�Eh, not really; they could still resist and yell�and considering there were five of them?� Greg shook his head slowly and looked pensive. �They could have put up a decent struggle�enough for you to find proof of it anyway.�
�Assuming they wanted to fight back.� Nick commented thoughtfully and then smiled grimly; �You�re suicide club theory just gained some ground, G.�
�Warrick told you about that, huh?� The muddle-haired man looked down and bit his lip. Then, he looked up again and met Nick�s gaze with a contemplative expression. �It doesn�t explain the blood.�
The CSI nodded. �Even if they drugged themselves enough for someone to overpower them, or to go through with a suicide pact, the drug isn�t what killed them� You�re sure?�
Greg replied with a rebuffed expression; �Positive. But that�s not what I meant. I meant it doesn�t explain why your victims� blood had been frozen.�
The Texan looked at the younger man with calm disbelief; �Frozen.� Greg nodded once; Nick did not feel the need to ask if he was sure this time. �Which victims?�
�All of them;� The DNA technician indicated the microscope he had been looking into when the CSI entered his lab, beside it was a file labeled with their case number. Nick moved to pick up the file, but the results presented were too complex for his knowledge level of biochemistry. He knew enough to recognize that it was abnormal and that there did not seem to be any foreign toxins present, but the rest was beyond him. �Didn�t you guys read the report I gave Warrick?�
The Texan closed the file and turned his attention back to the muddle-haired chemist. �Honestly, no. He only told us what you said about the samples being uncontaminated and the gist of your suicide club theory. He and Sara were reading the report when I got paged by Jacqui. I came here right after, so I haven�t heard anything other than what you�re telling me. Why didn�t you give him a full presentation?�
�He said he was in a hurry and I was busy�besides, Warrick generally doesn�t play along like you.� Greg answered as he returned to the same microscope from earlier. Nick had to force his gaze not to linger anywhere inappropriate when the chemist bent down and leaned forward to check his sample. The task became even more difficult when Greg looked back at Nick over his shoulder without straightening. �Along with the lack of belladonna, there are signs of methemoglobinemia, the electrophoretic pattern has changed accordingly, hemolysis has occurred in each sample�trust me; everything fits. The blood was frozen�and each sample was clean at the time it was drawn.�
Much to the Texan�s relief, the willowy youth stood, but then he moved to gather some supplies, which placed them in close proximity again. The CSI did not think to move and the chemist continued working, seemingly unruffled by their propinquity. �Have you gotten the preliminary autopsy results yet? Maybe they have puncture wounds somewhere you couldn�t see.�
Regaining his composure, Nick frowned and shook his head in bafflement. �Could be; Doc�s supposed to page Rick when he gets something. No preliminary COD was announced at the scene. I guess we just have to wait for the doc to finish. Five bodies plus whatever he already had on his slab�could take a while.�
�Well in the meantime, I have a few more tests to run on your samples before I work on my other cases.� The willowy chemist stepped away from the Texan as he moved to mix some more solvents. �Between me, Jacqui, Hodges, and Dr Robbins, you sill have a lot of results coming�maybe something will be more useful.�
�You�ve already been useful,� the CSI corrected unreservedly. He quickly turned pensive as he finally gave the case his full attention. �A locked car in a remote location, reported by an unknown caller; five students covered in their own defrosted blood, but none of each others�; belladonna poisoning that wasn�t fatal or enough to guarantee an easy kill; and fingerprints on the car that don�t belong to any of the victims��
�And they each took the same amount of belladonna,� Greg added without looking up from his work. �If you know anything about poisons or sedatives, you give the bigger ones more to accommodate for their higher mass.� His eyes alone moved to meet Nick�s briefly. �Even if you�re just looking to take the edge off.�
�So someone had access, but not the education to go with it;� Nick nodded slowly, deep in thought, but never looking away from the DNA technician. Finally, he released a deep breath and glanced at the results he�d been given thus far. �I still have no idea what�s going on, but thanks for the help.�
�That�s what I�m here for,� Greg replied with a sweet smile. Then his gaze turned to something outside his lab. �I think Jacqui found something; this is the first time she�s kept her attention on her computer for more than half a minute without checking on us since you came in. I�ll page you when I get the rest of your results.�
The Texan glanced across the hall and saw the fingerprint technician studying her computer monitor closely. While he was watching, she glanced at the two men, started when she noticed the CSI watching her, and then motioned him over. Nick glanced at Greg with a grin. For the first time since he heard the chemist wanted to become a CSI, Nick knew he would make it. �You�re going to be great when you move into the field, Greggo.�
The muddle-haired youth looked up in surprise, and rewarded the older man with a beatific smile when he saw the comment was genuine. Without another word, Nick turned and headed for the fingerprint lab with a matching smile on his own face.
Nick and Jacqui exchanged grins when the Texan entered her lab just as the music wafting from DNA was switched to Greg�s favorite Marilyn Manson CD.
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