Title: Dreams of Yesterday
By: Jackie
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Summary: Dreams are haunting the boys.

"I had the dream again last night," Greg sighed as he dropped onto the well-worn vinyl cushion of the kitchen chair.

Nick turned around from his place in front of the stove, a mask of concern sliding across his features. "Was it worse?" Nick asked, laying the spatula on the counter and crossing the yellow-speckled linoleum toward the table. Gently, he settled the palms of his hands on Greg's shoulders.

Greg let his head fall back against Nick's bare torso, the warmth of the other man's touch calming him. "It wasn't any worse," Greg answered quietly, "but it wasn't any better either."

"I wish there was something I could do to make them stop," Nick said, exasperation evident in his voice.

"There is. You're doing it," Greg replied, tilting his head up to look into Nick's eyes. "Just you being here helps. Every day."

Nick could hear the sincerity and reassurance in Greg's words, yet his frustration still simmered just below the surface. "But there should be something more I can do."

"The therapist told me it would take a while. That the dreams were my body's way of working through the pain and horror of the explosion. But it's been a year, Nick. A fucking year. Why won't they go away?" Greg pleaded, a single tear slipping down his anger-mottled cheek.

Nick swiped the tear from Greg's face with his thumb before carefully pulling the young man's chair back, away from the table. He stepped around to the front of the chair and squatted down as he took Greg in his arms. Nick enclosed Greg's shaking body in the strong, safe circle of his embrace. He felt the other man's ragged breathing against his bare chest and involuntarily winced as another tear splattered against his collarbone. Nick closed his eyes, leaning his cheek against the softness of Greg's sleep-mussed hair.

"Greg, you're safe now," Nick whispered. "Protected. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you again."

Greg's voice hitched with a sob as he spoke. "Oh, Nick...I just want it to stop. I just want it to be over..."

Nick inhaled sharply, attempting to keep his building emotions in check, as he responded. "I know, I know. It's okay. You're safe now...safe now...safe now..." Nick repeated the phrase over and over, like a mantra.

-END-