Title: A Long Time Coming
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Rating: PG-13
Table: 1drabble
Prompt: 22, Recovery
Author's Note: Post-ep for the S11 CSI: Vegas episode "Cello and Goodbye," and a sequel to the Greg/Nick fic "Change Partners." Completely unrelated to the other Greg/Nick series that I write.
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 Nick Stokes, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

He was finally starting to recover from losing Jonah.

That thought had hit Greg when he had first gotten out of bed to come to work last night; he'd mused over it all through his shift, unable to get it out of his mind.

Now he was back at his apartment, sitting in his car in the parking lot, and he had plenty of time to think, as he had the next day off. It still seemed incredible to him that he could actually be getting over the death of the man he'd loved and had planned to marry.

But time did heal all wounds, he supposed. He had known that he wouldn't feel that first intensity of grief forever, that it would eventually fade.

And, of course, Nick had helped a lot in his recovery.

It had been a long time coming, and he'd had to give himself that time to grieve. If he hadn't, he'd have felt disloyal to Jonah's memory -- and to his own feelings.

He had loved Jonah. It hadn't been the same kind of intense love that had been at the core of his heart and soul that he felt for Nick, but it had been love. A part of him wished that he had been able to love Jonah in the same he loved Nick.

Even as the thought crossed his mind, Greg discounted it. Nick had been his first real love. No one else could ever have made him feel the same way.

His feelings for Jonah had been sincere, but they could never equal his feelings for Nick. Jonah had been wise enough to know that, and accept it.

Yet he had never acted as though he felt he was second best -- and Greg had never thought of him in that way. He'd never considered Jonah the love of his life, but he hadn't been a consolation prize, either. Their love had been strong and true -- and real.

But it was over and done now; Jonah was gone, and he was finally starting to put his grief aside and move on, into a second chance at a new life with Nick.

The love of his life had waited for him with open arms.

His recovery had been a long and painful one, and there were times when he wondered if he would ever be able to fully put his grief for Jonah behind him.

But even as difficult as it had been, Nick had stayed right there beside him the entire time, encouraging him every step of the way, holding his hand, there to catch him when he fell, or when he just needed to be held and comforted. Nick had always been there.

He owed Nick so much, Greg thought with a soft smile. Not just for helping him recover from his grief, but for giving him the time to do so.

It had been a long time coming, but his recovery was finally at hand.

***