Title: Change Partners
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Rating: PG-13
Table: 1drabble
Prompt: 12, Dance
Author's Note: Post-ep for the S11 CSI: Vegas episode "Cello and Goodbye," and a sequel to the Greg/Nick fic "The Ache of Loss." 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.

***

"This feels so familiar," Greg sighed as he burrowed into Nick's arms.

The two of them were dancing, slowly swaying to soft jazz in Nick's living room. Greg's head was on his shoulder, and all felt right with the world.

"How so, baby?" Nick asked, his voice very soft. He and Greg had slow danced together before, but he had the definite feeling that Greg wasn't referring to that. "Did you and Jonah dance like this?" He hated to ask, but felt that he had to do so.

Greg was slowly but surely recovering from that loss; he smiled more now, and he didn't go to Jonah's grave every day. He was finally getting past the grief.

But Nick knew that it would still be there for a long time.

He didn't begrudge Greg that grief. In fact, he himself felt sadness to know that a good man was gone, a man who, in different circumstances, he might have been friendly with.

He might not have been good friends with Greg's ex, but he respected the man. And what was more, with the one conversation they'd had, Jonah had given Greg back to him. He'd been right in all that he had said, and Nick knew it couldn't have been easy to do.

He couldn't look at them as being rivals. Rather, they had both been men who loved Greg Sanders, and in that, they were .... well, almost brothers.

As they continued to sway in the dance, Greg finally spoke, his voice very soft. "Jonah and I danced like this. I can't help remembering that."

"It's okay, baby," Nick murmured, holding Greg closer. "I don't hold it against you that you loved him. Or that you danced with him. Life is just a dance, y'know. And sometimes you can end up having to change partners, even when you don't expect to."

Greg nodded, his slender body moving closer to Nick's. His arms tightened around Nick's waist, and the older man was sure that he could feel tension seep out of his body.

He hoped so. He wanted Greg to relax and enjoy himself.

"I never expected to have to change partners the way I did," Greg finally whispered. "But even though I did love him, I think the partner I have now is the right one."

Nick was sure that he could feel his heart expand at those words; he held Greg more tightly against his body, closing his eyes as they kept swaying. He never wanted this music to end -- and fortunately, he'd put the cd player on repeat.

He wanted to dance like this with Greg all night, and then take the man he loved to bed. He wanted to be with Greg when the sun came up, this morning and every morning.

And he never wanted them to ever change partners again.

***

Next story in series - A Long Time Coming.