Title: The Dragon
By: Tiffany F
Pairing: Gil/Nick
Rating: AO
Series: part of The Dragon Chronicles
Summary: This little plot bunny (yellow of all things) came hopping into work last night and bit me. He will NOT leave me alone so here is my first massive CSI AU story. Too much of a summary will give away the story but if you love dragons and love CSI, come in and see what's waiting for you. I don't own anything CSI related and am only playing.

The moment he walked into the room, he knew. He knew what the man sitting across from him was. There were times he was amazed he passed the interview process and was hired because he was so fascinated by the man who had just watched him. He'd read so much, studied and searched in vain, hoping to one day be able to find one and now he had. The only problem was the man didn't know what he was. And it wasn't his place to tell him.
**************************
The crime had been committed in an abandoned house out in the desert. Grissom took Nick along with him because he just had a feeling and it wasn't pleasant. Normally on busy nights like this one was shaping up to be Grissom ignored the partner rule and would have taken this case alone, saving Nick for something in the city.

"Who would want to come out here?" Nick asked, breaking the silence in the Tahoe.

"Someone who wanted to be alone," Grissom replied, looking out the window. That was the other advantage of having a partner along; he didn't have to drive and could admire the stars sparkling now that they were away from the harsh lights of the city.

"That must mean you have a place out here," Nick said, glancing over at his boss. Like everyone on the night shift, he knew how much the strange man next to him enjoyed being alone with his books and bugs.

Grissom smirked. "I've thought about it," he said. "But the commute would be prohibitive."

"Did you just make a joke, Gris?"

"I don't think so," Grissom replied, straight faced. "I was thinking about the stars."

Nick grinned, his eyes on the road. What would seem like a non sequitur to everyone else he knew to just be Grissom's nature? He'd been waiting over all the years they'd worked together for some sign; some small signal that Grissom knew that Nick knew and they could talk about it. But either the older man really didn't know the truth or he was just good at hiding it.

The lights from the police car illuminated the house only enough to make it appear haunted. Maybe it was, Nick considered; after all, knowing what he did, why not believe in ghosts? It'd sure make life easier in the long run. He pulled the Tahoe to a stop and followed Grissom to meet up with Detective Jim Brass by the front steps.

"Jim," Grissom said, "what brings you this far out?"

"Oh, I was in the neighborhood," Brass replied. "The vic is inside, back bedroom and it's not pretty. I actually do have to get back into town so I'll be leaving you in Officer Kettlethorne's capable hands."

"I'm heartbroken," Grissom said, trying not to roll his eyes at his friend. "Nick, do you want the inside or the outside?"

Nick looked around the dark landscape. "You probably have better eyes than I do, Gris, so why don't I take the inside?"

Grissom nodded and started off into the darkness, his dark clothes blending in quickly. The officer followed Nick into the house, being careful to step only where the CSI did, knowing that Grissom would rip into anyone who disturbed a crime scene more than was necessary.

"Any idea how this victim was found?" Nick asked, flashlight beam cutting across the dusty floor. "It looks like no ones been around here for a long time."

"Yeah, except the poor guy in the back," Kettlethorne replied. "The captain and I cleared the scene and it looks like a movie upstairs. There were dust sheets everywhere."

"I've seen a few of those movies," Nick smiled. "But they've never scared me."

The officer laughed and stopped in the door to the actual crime scene. "Maybe we see too much horror on the job to actually be scared by fiction any more."

Nick laughed, agreeing, and went to work.
*******************************

Grissom, outside, heard the laughter and shook his head. He was amazed at how easily people seemed to take to Nick, how even suspects seemed to get along with him. The man had such an easy going manner that went beyond anything Grissom could even begin to understand.

He did wonder about Nick's comment that the older man had better eyes for working in the dark. True, Grissom did wear glasses, but he was able to see clearly at night as long as the moon or stars were out and it did help at the crime scene. He'd never questioned it or mentioned it to anyone so how did Nick know.

The exterior of the crime scene was most likely going to be next to useless for the investigation, the grass had died away and the desert was retaking the yard. The soft sand wouldn't hold an impression let alone cast well so any chance of tire or footprints was laughable but it still had to be checked.

The older man froze when a yell and two gunshots echoed through the still night. They had come from the house where Nick was still working. He started towards the front door, wanting to get to Nick to make sure the younger man was all right when things started going gray, then black as Grissom fell to the ground in a faint.

Grissom awoke to his shoulder being shaken frantically. He opened his eyes and looked around, puzzled. He was inside but he was sure he hadn't made it through the front door. Plus, as his vision cleared, Grissom was sure that he could see scorch marks on the walls and he didn't remember Jim saying anything about a fire.

"Gil," Nick's voice finally broke through the fog in his mind. "Gil, we have to leave now."

"The crime scene," Grissom said, his voice broken.

"It's gone, man," Nick said. "Can you stand up; we need to get out of here now."

"Nick, I'm perfectly," Grissom broke off as he sagged down, only Nick's arm around his waist keeping him on his feet, "fine."

"Right; I'm calling you in sick and taking you home," Nick said. "I'll explain everything once we're at your place but believe me when I say we have to go, now."

Now Grissom was really confused. He could recall being outside, thinking about how easily Nick bonded with people and how the sand wouldn't hold an impression to help the case and then... "Nick, who was shot?"

"The suspect and Officer Kettlethorne," Nick replied. "Gil, I'm not kidding, we really do have to get out of here."

The older CSI fell silent as he was literally bundled into the Tahoe and buckled in. Nick threw, *threw* their kits in the back, jumped in the seat and took off fast enough to leave tire rubber had they been on pavement. Grissom jumped as the building behind them erupted in flames, orange glowing against the night sky.

"Nick, I'm only going to ask once and I want an answer," Grissom said. "What happened in there?"

"Gil, I promise, as soon as we get to your place." Nick picked up the microphone for the Tahoe radio and called dispatch reporting that the suspect had returned to the scene, killed the officer before taking his own life. He also reported the suspect had started a fire and the building had collapsed and he was taking his supervisor to the nearest hospital for treatment.

"I thought you were taking me home," Grissom said, frowning.

"I hadn't noticed your hands," Nick said. "They're pretty burned, do they hurt?"

Grissom flinched and looked down at his hands; they were red and blistered. "No, they don't," he said, frowning. "I, I don't remember how this happened."

"I do," Nick sighed. "I'll tell you as soon as I can."

"Nick, you know I don't like mysteries," Grissom said in his best supervisor voice.

The younger man wasn't moved. "I know you do, Gil, but believe me, you'll want us to be alone when I tell you this."
********************

Grissom handed over his keys so Nick could unlock his front door and let them into the town house. His hands weren't badly burned but they had earned him a week away from the lab and it made him mad because he had no idea what had happened or why Nick was so frantic. He made his way to his brown leather sofa and sat down. "Tell me."

"Gil, you're not going to want to believe this," Nick said. He sat down next to his boss and turned so he was facing the man. "I knew what you were the instant I walked into the interview room and I could also tell that you had no idea, that you still have no idea."

"Nick, you are not making any sense," Grissom said. "What do you mean, 'what I am'?"

"I started studying dragons when I was nine," Nick said. "When I realized for the first time that they were still around, only not in the form that others were expecting to find them in. At some point, most likely around the mid-1700s the oldest dragons realized that to continue on this planet they would have to make some serious adaptations. The main one they did was to their DNA; they shifted it around so their offspring would be in human form."

The older man held up a hand. "Nick, I'm not interested in fairy stories," he said. "I want to know what happened at the scene tonight."

"I'm trying to tell you!" Nick yelled. He pinched the bridge of his nose and pulled out his digital camera. "I'm not making up stories, I swear to you. Gil, I'd never lie to you, I thought you'd know that by now."

"I know, Nick, I do know that but I don't see what dragons have to do with anything that happened tonight," Grissom said. He took the camera Nick was holding out to him. "What's this?"

"You."

Grissom looked down at the small screen on the back of the camera. A large black scaled face stared back at him. He opened his mouth to tell Nick not to abuse company equipment by downloading pictures from the internet when something caught his attention. The creature's eyes were a piercing blue and very familiar. They stared back at him from the mirror every morning.

"Dragons didn't evolve into humans," Nick continued his explanation softly, knowing what a shock it had to be to his boss. "They just appear in human form until the one they love, the one person on the planet they truly love is in danger and then they are able to shift."

"How?" was all Grissom was able to manage, not able to stop looking at the camera.

"I was next," Nick said simply. "You knew that when you heard the shots and came running. I hadn't planned on telling you all this, I didn't think I was the one. I was just watching you, to make sure that everything was all right, that you didn't need anything special. Sometimes as dragons age their dietary needs change and I wanted to make sure you weren't getting sick."

"Why didn't I know?" Grissom asked, finally able to shift his eyes to his, love? He was so confused, he didn't know what was going on and he hadn't even realized he felt anything other than a deep fatherly pride in Nick.

Nick sighed and took the camera. "I'll have to delete the picture," he said softly. "The eyes are the give-away and anyone would know it's you by those alone. But you're so beautiful."

"Then keep it and Photoshop the eyes," Grissom said. "You seem to know all about me, fill in a few details for me."

"It's likely your father didn't find his mate," Nick replied. He put the camera on the table reluctantly. "So he never shifted or, if he did, he never did so around you or your mother. These genes are paternal. Sometimes it can go for generations before the dragon manifests itself and it is always a shock."

"You said you knew the first time you saw me; how?"

"Would you believe by the way you tilted your head the first time you heard me talk?" Nick asked.

"No."

"That was it; that and your eyes," Nick said. "I wasn't surprised when you were black because you're always in these dark colors. It just makes your eyes shine out more." His gaze drifted to the camera again. "You reacted to protect me tonight and, in the process, burned down our crime scene."

Grissom groaned and leaned back into the sofa cushions. "So let me see if I understand this correctly," he said, closing his eyes. "While we were at the crime scene, the scene that had been cleared for us by the police, you were in mortal danger so I turned into a dragon and what, breathed flame to kill the person threatening you?"

"Pretty much," Nick said. "Look, I know you don't want to believe any of this but you will shift again, Gil. They'll get easier and you'll be able to remember what happens from now on."

"So I can't work any more?" Grissom demanded.

"Of course you can," Nick said, puzzled. "Why shouldn't you?"

"Because it seems that if this is going to happen any time you're in danger..."

"Oh, we can teach you to control it," Nick assured the man. "But there is something else you need to do to balance yourself out."

"What?"

Nick shifted forward and pressed his lips gently against Gil's. "You need to claim your mate," he whispered, breath caressing against the older man's lips.

Grissom was shocked; he'd never had anyone come on to him before, let alone another man. Nick seemed to sense his hesitation because he pressed forward and kissed Gil again, teasing the older man's lips with his tongue. Gil groaned and opened his mouth, welcoming the intrusion. He leaned back, taking Nick with him, relishing the weight on him.

"Bedroom," Nick asked before gently sucking on Grissom's left ear.

"What?" Grissom's mind was spinning, it all felt so good. He pulled Nick down against him, fighting against a sudden urge to bite and claim.

"Your bedroom," Nick said, amused. "It'll be more comfortable and I know you'll fall asleep because your system will be trying to find its new balance. I'm here for you, Gil. Forever." He pulled back, ignoring the sounds of protest from Grissom and pulled his lover up. "Come on, let's go to bed."

"I've never done this before," Grissom said.

"Neither have I," Nick replied, stroking Gil's cheek gently. "But you'll figure it out. You need to claim me as yours."

And that had to be one of the single hottest things Grissom had ever heard. Growling he pulled Nick to him, kissing his lover firmly, thrusting his tongue past Nick's lips. Somewhere he found the co-ordination to start walking them towards his bed. The urge to claim the man in his arms grew stronger with every step they took.

"Don't fight it, Gil," Nick panted, unbuttoning Gil's black shirt and pushing it off his shoulders. "Just let go."

"I could hurt you."

Nick maneuvered them onto the bed and pushed himself up on one elbow. "From what I've read that, even if it's the first time for the human partner, it won't hurt. There's some kind of magic that will activate and protect us both."

"That's not very scientific," Grissom said, tugging at Nick's t-shirt. "Take this off?"

"Turning into a dragon isn't scientific, Gil," Nick smiled, pulling off his shirt and moving onto his pants. "Nothing about your situation is but I'll pick up all my books tomorrow and you can read while you're on sick leave."

Gil's blue eyes darkened as he gazed at Nick. "I had no idea I felt like this," he said. "I didn't know I love you."

Nick straddled Gil's hips and leaned down to kiss him. "I knew," he said. "But I didn't know I would be your partner. I was so happy when I saw you come through the door; your black scales were so beautiful."

"I can't do it again," Grissom said. He ran his hands carefully up and down Nick's bare back. "There's too much risk."

"Lots of people are dragons, Gil," Nick replied. "You'll see when you read more but right now you've got more important things to be doing." He ground his hips down against Gil's erection. "Like claiming me for yours."

Grissom growled, sounding like the black dragon that had burst into the room not long ago and flipped them so Nick was lying on his back, staring up into the blue eyes of his lover. They just stared at the other for a moment, feeling something building between them that demanded completion. Finally, after what seemed like an age for Nick, Gil bent down and started sucking demandingly on his left nipple. Nick moaned at the sudden assault and arched his back, trying for more of the sensation. His hands lifted from the sheets to tangle in Gil's graying curls. Part of his mind told him that now that Grissom had changed he'd start looking younger as dragons lived for a long time. They'd have to figure out something to tell their coworkers so no one would suspect because Nick was sure he wasn't the only one who'd read so much about dragons.

"Oh, Gil, yes!" Nick cried as Gil's mouth surrounded his erection, sucking gently. He could feel the force growing around them and knew that soon he'd feel what he'd dreamed about his whole life. As the bonded mate to the dragon Nick would live a long time too, dying at the same time Grissom did. His heart started beating faster; he could feel his climax approaching and cried out again as Gil pulled back.

"Please, Gil, now," Nick gasped, pulling at the older man's black slacks. "I want you so badly."

He noticed that Gil's eyes were almost glowing as the dragon took over, stripping off the pants and boxers in one smooth move. Nick was relieved when Grissom paused long enough to grab some hand lotion from the bathroom before rejoining his lover on the bed. He knew he couldn't be hurt but the lubrication would help things go smoothly. Nick gasped as two fingers entered him, his body responding to the intrusion by opening and welcoming. The younger man gasped, he'd never felt anything like this before, it was almost as if his body wasn't his any more, it knew that Gil belonged in him and was going to do everything to get that final part of it back.

"Gil, please," Nick panted, "the magic is working. You can't hurt me."

"Are you sure?" Gil asked. "I thought the receiving partner had to be stretched first."

"They usually do," Nick said, pushing back against Gil's hand that was still tormenting him. "But I don't know it's like my body knows you belong. I don't think we could hurt each other in here if we tried to."

"I'd rather not," Gil said. He slowly pulled his fingers out and slicked some lotion over his erection. "Nicky, are you sure about this?"

"Oh gods yes!" Nick said, pulling Gil to him, relishing the stretch he felt as Gil's cock slowly entered him. "Gil!"

"Nicky, it's been too long," Grissom panted, pulling back and thrusting forward again. "I'm not going to last."

"Me neither," Nick replied, pulling Gil down for a kiss. "Can you feel it, Gil?"

"Yes," Gil gasped, thrusting forward again before stilling. "Nicky!"

Nick groaned as his lover came, following him as he would follow him forever.