Title: That Old Familiar Feeling
By: Clockstopper
Rating: PG ... no seriously. There's just cuddling
Summary: Not everyone can have what Nick and Greg have.
Warnings/Spoilers: Sort of a tag to Cockroaches so there's spoilers for that, but other than that, nothing.
Author's Notes: Probably too sweet. I'm actually not joking on this. Written for nunshavingfun who has reached 400 comments in my journal... 400! It's even over 400 now and that's just utter madness. This is her new shiny pairing so I wrote something for her.

This what Warrick had wanted.

Not this specifically, Nick knows that because Warrick usually throws his hands up and tells Nick he doesn't want the details of Nick's sex life. Not that Nick ever gives them to him or ever would because Nick's a private person, always has been and he knows Warrick's just messing with him, but he also knows that Warrick really doesn't want to hear it.

But still, that's beside the point.

Warrick had wanted this.

He watches Greg turn in his sleep, face slack and young looking. He's clutching Nick's pillow tightly, wearing Nick's shirt and a pair of ratty boxers. He's got all the covers bundled around him and he makes soft, sleepy noises that make Nick's heart clench and his stomach flip.

He strips down to his shirt and boxers and crawls in under the covers as much as he can, Greg warm and pliable feeling. Greg shifts a bit, eyes closed and he makes some more of those sleepy noises. Nick wraps an arm around Greg's waist and Greg seems to melt into him.

"Nick." Greg says.

He's not awake, not really and Nick just holds him closer, face buried in Greg's neck.

"Go back to sleep." Nick whispers.

"Why are you home so late?" Greg says.

He sounds kind of childish in his sleep hazed state and Nick doesn't want him to wake up, wants to keep him Greg asleep and unaware for a few more hours.

"Case ran late."

"But we were on the same case? Grissom told me to go home."

"I was on my way home when Grissom sent you home."

Greg's eyes open slightly, and Nick can tell that he's frowning without having to see his face.

"What happened between then and now?"

Nick frowns.

"I ran into Warrick."

"And what the two of you went out for breakfast or something."

"Not quite."

Greg shifts, turns in Nick's arms, leg thrown over Nick's legs and curled tightly. He curls his arm around Nick's shoulder and kisses Nick softly on his lips.

"What's wrong?"

Nick smiles sadly.

"It's Warrick."

"What's wrong with him?"

"I think… I think he's addicted to prescription meds."

Greg frowns, brow furrowed and Nick hadn't wanted to tell him, at least not right now, but Greg wasn't going to let it go and Nick knows it.

"Are you sure?"

"He's taking uppers and downers and he's saying he's taking them to help him stay awake and to help go to sleep and I just… he keeps popping them."

"Nick…"

"I tried to talk him down, talking to him about it. I tried to make a point, but I don't think he really heard me."

"Did you tell Grissom?"

"Greg…"

"Nick this could be serious. I mean this could turn into a serious problem. I know that everyone's still feeling… and I know Warrick's going through a lot with his divorce, but you can't just let this go."

"Warrick's a good guy."

"I never said he wasn't. You know I like Warrick. You know I consider him a friend, but… Nick if he needs help."

"He doesn't. It's just… it's a phase."

"A phase? Do you really believe that? Come on Nick, please don't be naïve because this is a friend we're talking about and not some criminal."

"Warrick's not a criminal."

"I know, but… if he's becoming addicted…"

"I know, okay. I know. I should tell Grissom. They'll make him get help."

"Exactly. The longer this goes untreated…"

"I know Greg."

He wants to chalk it up to Sara, to her leaving because it's throwing everyone off, making everyone question their jobs, even Grissom and Nick thought Grissom would be doing this until he died. Nick understands that feeling, knowing that you're not making as big a difference as you thought, knowing that people you cared about are getting hurt.

It's why it's good to have someone, something, anything, to take your mind off of it, to make you feel human again.

Catherine has Lindsay, has had Lindsay. Grissom's had his bugs and his love for the job and for awhile, Sara. Nick has Greg.

Nick has what Warrick wants.

Warrick's asked him about it, back when Greg got beat up and Warrick's marriage was already starting to go down the crapper.

"How do you do it man?"

"Do what?"

"With Greg."

"Which part?"

"The part where Greg's in a hospital bed because of the job."

"Did you see me out there with that guy? Wasn't exactly the picture of cool man?"

But he's had some time to cool down at that point. He's had some time to see Greg and make sure he's okay and listen to Greg fight to talk and cry and be there when Greg had told his parents about the whole field thing.

"Man you guys have been together so long…"

It's the truth. He's been with Greg for such a long time that the years just seem to melt together and he doesn't remember what it's like without Greg.

"It's easier. I mean… to be with someone that gets it. Me and Greg…"

"You don't find it that often?"

Nick remembers smiling at Warrick, because you don't find it that often and Nick knows that, had known it the moment he'd gone on his first real date with Greg and Greg had just smiled, but Nick had known.

"No, man, you don't."

He'd been hoping Warrick had found it with Tina because Warrick deserves happiness just like everyone else, but Nick gets it now that Tina hadn't been the one for Warrick.

"I just… it worried you enough to bring it up so it must be big. I don't want to see Warrick go out like that."

"I don't either."

"He's going to be fine, Nick. I mean he… maybe it's just that time for a few burnouts, but Warrick's beat one addiction before. He's strong. And he has friends like you."

"I don't know if he's gonna want me around."

He's never told Greg about Warrick's questions. Never told Greg about how when Warrick's marriage was definitely falling apart, beyond saving, that Warrick would look at them when they were doing something that couldn't even really be considered overly cutesy, but he'd look at them like they were.

It hadn't been jealousy, not really anyway, but it had been something close. Warrick doesn't want Greg or anything, that much Nick knows, but he wants that relationship. He wants to have that person that he's going to spend the rest of his life with, no questions asked.

For Nick, Greg's that person.

"He may resent it at first, but he's going to need his friends Nick. He's going to need someone around who's going to be there for him no matter what. He doesn't really have many people like that."

"Yeah, I know. I just… I wish he didn't have to go through it."

"Warrick made his decisions. He doesn't need you to be there to tell him he made mistakes. It's too judgmental."

"I wasn't gonna do that."

Greg smiles and kisses his lips, soft and chaste and then Greg's cuddling closer, burrowing into Nick and Nick's holding him as close as possible.

"It's gonna be fine, okay, Nick." Greg mumbles against Nick's neck.

"Yeah, yeah okay."

~*~

"You really love him."

Nick looks up from his coffee.

"What?" He asks.

Warrick smiles.

"How many years the two of you been together and you still look at him like that? Leave the honeymooning stage to actual honeymooners man."

"I'm not looking at him anyway."

But Nick can feel the smile on his face, can feel his eyes on Greg and he sees Greg explaining something to Wendy, expressive and enthusiastic and Greg catches him looking and he smiles back, sly and coy.

"Yeah, Nick, sure. Just wondering if all couples gotta act like that."

"We're not acting anyway. We're at work, man."

"Maybe I'm just hyper aware of people in relationships right now. Just never noticed it before."

Nick looks back over at Greg over his coffee mug and smiles.

"I did."

~*~

He answers his phone after the first ring.

He doesn't want to wake up Greg. He's tired and Nick thinks it might actually be his day off so he's hyper aware. He answers it and its Grissom.

"I need you here at the scene. It's Warrick."

It takes him a few seconds to disentangle himself from Greg's grip. He moves his pillow there and Greg grips it like he's cuddling Nick.

"What's wrong?"

"I just need you to get to the crime scene. I'll tell you everything when you get here. Leave Greg at home."

"It's his day off."

"I know, that's why I'm telling you to keep him home."

"I wasn't going to take him. Not that I can make him do anything he doesn't want to do in the first place."

"Nick, now isn't the time to start making a point. Just get to the crime scene."

Nick nods and listens as Grissom rattles off the address and he knows he should write it down, but it's not like he's never seen the place before. It's considered a bit of a landmark to some people.

"Case?"

Nick looks down and sees Greg wide awake and he leans down and kisses him, long and wet and he wishes they had more time, but he likes how comfortable this is too.

"Yeah, go back to sleep. Grissom doesn't need you on this one."

"Right. I actually get a day off."

"Yeah, don't waste it. Sleep."

"Yes, dear."

"Greg…"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll sleep. Although you keep telling me to get sleep and I'm beginning to wonder if my stunning good looks are being dampened by my long hours."

Nick smiles.

"Babe, you're still the hottest thing around."

"Yeah, to you."

"Does anyone else matter?"

"No, but I like making others wish."

"They all want you Greg."

"Hmmm and you're the only one that gets to have me. Aren't you lucky?"

Nick's face gets serious and he thinks about it. Thinks about the five years and counting that he and Greg have been together, thinks about how he doesn't want anyone else, will never want anyone else and it's as close to perfection as he can get.

"Yeah, yeah I am lucky."

Greg's face gets serious for a moment before he breaks out into a big smile, all white perfect teeth and pulls Nick close and kisses him again, sweet, but with as much passion as he can muster, as much passion that's between them.

"You're such a sap, Nicky."

"It's your fault."

"Right I make you sappy."

"You do."

"Because you love me so much because I'm everything you've been looking for and you can't imagine life without me."

"Yeah."

Greg bites his bottom lip, eyes narrowing a bit and he runs a hand through Nick's hair.

"Hmm… yes, you are a sap with good reason. People say that we should be passed the honeymoon stage."

"People are stupid."

"Oh of course."

"I love you."

Greg sighs.

"Yeah, I love you too, but you better get to work before Grissom starts calling here every five minutes."

Nick shakes his head.

"One of these days we have to remind Grissom to give us the same day off."

"Right so he can be down more people than he already is. Don't think so, though it's a great story."

"Yeah, yeah, get some sleep."

"Sure thing sweetie."

Nick flinches.

"And don't call me sweetie."

"Fine sure thing Nicky."

"Better."

"Yeah, yeah. Leave so I can sleep."

Nick laughs.

"I'm leaving."

Greg watches him as he gets dressed, old jeans and whatever t-shirt is on hand and by the time Nick's dressed, Greg's already dozing, a sight that makes Nick smile.

He loves Greg, there's no question that he'll spend the rest of his life with Greg and he know he's lucky for finding this, for finding the one person he's supposed to be happy with for the rest of his life and he's sad that people like Warrick, good people, are still out there looking.

But he wouldn't trade places with them ever.

FIN