Title: A Furtive Glimpse
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Sequel to "Which Path To Take."
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination,and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Danny Nagano, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Greg sighed softly as he made his way through the crowded street, carrying a bag and two coffees from Nick's favorite café as he hurried back to the house.

He was lucky that this place was so close to home.

It was a good thing that he'd already walked Sam this morning, he told himself, smiling as he thought of the little dog. It would have been hard to handle him and carry everything.

Nick hadn't come up with the idea of one of them running out to the café until after he'd gotten back from taking the dog for his morning walk, but he hadn't minded going out again.

He was doing more and more of that these days. When he'd first moved in with Nick, he hadn't wanted to walk Sam alone; he had always insisted that Nick go with him, and he'd used the excuse that he was still a new person to the dog and that Nick should be there.

But, of course, he hadn't wanted to go out alone because he'd been afraid that Shane could be following him, and that he could make some kind of a move.

Now, he was more confident about going out alone. After all, he couldn't let Shane dictate his life. Nick, as well as everyone else, had told him that, and he knew that it was true.

If he allowed that to happen, then Shane won. And he couldn't allow that.

He couldn't let Shane control his life, not now that he finally had something good with Nick. He had to move forward into the future; he couldn't keep looking back at the past.

The past wasn't something that he wanted to keep looking back at. It hadn't been pleasant, and he wanted to forget that it had ever existed.

Of course, he couldn't do that, and he knew it. Greg heaved a sigh as he turned the corner onto the street that led back to the house, his steps quickening. A scone and hot coffee would taste good, and then he and Nick could curl up in bed and get some sleep before their shift tonight.

He glanced around, his gaze taking in the shaded area where the picnic tables were in the park not far from the house. Maybe tomorrow they could take Sam for a walk there.

In the next moment, his eyes widened, a startled gasp coming from his throat. He clutched the bag with the scones in it more tightly, and managed not to drop their coffee.

Shane. He was absolutely positive that his ex was there, lurking in the shadows of the trees. The person looked like Shane, and he was almost sure that he could make a positive identification, even from this distance, with the morning sun nearly shining into his eyes.

The person even moved like Shane as he darted away, moving more deeply into the shadows under the trees, as though he knew that Greg had seen him.

Wasn't that proof that it was indeed Shane? Greg stood there, his gaze darting this way and that, searching for another glimpse of the mysterious man.

It was Shane. He couldn't let himself doubt that.

It had only been a furtive glimpse, but he knew that it was his ex. He was so close to the house; there was no reason for him to be here unless he was stalking Greg.

Greg clutched the bag more tightly, his breath coming in little gasps. With an effort of will, he forced himself to tear his gaze away from the park and move slowly down the street.

If that had been Shane, he couldn't let the other man know how much just a furtive glimpse of him had the ability to shake Greg up. He couldn't let on that Shane had any kind of power over him; if he did, then he would be right back where he'd started, and Shane would still win.

He had to break that control that fear could have over him. He had to stand up to Shane, to prove once and for all that his ex couldn't affect him in any way any longer.

It wouldn't be easy to do, but he would do it. He wouldn't let Shane control his life. He had moved on, and that fear had no place in his existence now.

But it would be so much easier to do if Shane was safely behind bars.

That wouldn't happen for a while, and he knew it. Shane was good at hiding himself, good at keeping out of sight until he deemed that it was the right time to appear.

Greg didn't doubt that he would do so, and probably just when he was least expected. That was why it was good that he'd caught that quick, furtive glimpse today; at least he was forewarned. He now knew that Shane hadn't left Vegas, nor was the bastard trying to hide.

No, he was here, and he was hanging out around their house. Which meant that he was planning something, and that whatever it was, he and Nick both had to be vigilant.

This was a warning. And they would both take it very seriously.

Greg continued on until he reached the house, sighing with relief as he pulled out his keys and fitted them in the lock. He'd talk to Nick about this, and they would discuss what to do.

They'd talk it over calmly, and come to some conclusion.

And they would both be on their guard until Shane was caught.

***