Title: To Make You Feel My Love
Author: RealmofRed
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Garth Brooks song fic-----takes place after "Grave Danger".

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'Everything happens for a reason', thought Greg, 'even the bad shit'. Shit like getting blown up in his own lab, CSI's getting shot their first day on the job, and Nick getting buried alive. After they finally located him and got him out and loaded into the ambulance, Greg lost it. He sat in his car, hands shaking worse than after the lab accident, and great heaving sobs wracked his body. Greg had had a crush on Nick ever since he walked through the door to his DNA lab, all beautiful smiles, soft velvety eyes and that sweet Texas drawl. Greg and Nick had become fast friends, but Greg had never broached the subject of his crush. He just figured that Nick wasn't interested in him for anything other than a friend, so he just kept his feelings to himself. But now that he had almost lost Nick, he decided that he just couldn't keep quiet any longer. He just wasn't sure how to approach him, especially now after his ordeal. Greg had spent a lot of time with Nick since then, staying over at his house when he was afraid to be there alone, listening to him when he felt like talking, and even holding him a time or two when Nick awoke screaming from his nightmares. He brought over video games for them to play, ordered pizza or whatever Nick actually felt like eating that day. But now his heart felt like it had been shattered by everything that had happened, and he knew that if he didn't say something soon he would never forgive himself if, God forbid, something else happened to Nick or even himself. 'Life's too short', he thought. 'I must do something now'.


Greg had burned a few cd's for Nick, stuff that he liked that he thought Nick might enjoy. Besides, Greg figured that Nick needed to listen to something more upbeat than the usual country music he listened to. Well, not all of Nick's music was depressing; heck, Greg had even listened to a couple of Nick's cd's and found them to be not so bad. But now all that music held another meaning for Greg----he found a song from Nick's collection that said exactly what he wanted to say to him. So he burned him a cd with a bunch of his own stuff, and at the end he stuck a special song just for Nick. Yeah, it might be the easy way out of telling him, but Greg figured if Nick listened to it alone then he could have time to think about what Greg was saying without Greg actually having to be there. Greg was willing to take the chance that Nick would tell him thanks, but no thanks, or maybe fuck off, or maybe................................


Greg had been hanging out with Nick that night, watching tv, playing a video game, and just relaxing. Greg was getting ready to leave, Nick saying that he felt okay to stay alone tonight. The cd that Greg had made was burning a hot spot in his pocket, and on the way out the door he casually handed it to Nick and told him listen to it and let him know what he thought. Greg could barely contain the shaking of his hands as he gave Nick the cd and walked out the door. 'It's now or never', he told himself.

After Greg left, Nick found himself still awake, so he popped in the cd Greg had made. Greg had some pretty bizarre tastes in music, but some of it wasn't so bad. A few alternative songs played, then some pop stuff from the 80's, then Nick sat up when he heard Garth Brooks. 'Since when did Greg listen to Garth', he thought to himself. He had heard the song before; it was called "To Make You Feel My Love." Good song, but why the heck had Greg put it on the cd, he thought. He paused the song and started it over again to listen to the words.



When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love.

Nick's breath hitched in his throat. Was Greg saying what he thought he was saying??


When evening shadows and stars appear
And there is no one to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love.

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
There's no doubt in my mind where you belong.


As the words sunk into Nick's brain, a tear slowly rolled down his cheek. He had no idea Greg felt this way about him, cared about him, loved him. And to Nick's surprise he felt warm inside, not weirded out about Greg's musical confession. Nick listened further.


I'd go hungry I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
There ain't nothing I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love.

The storms are raging on a rolling sea
And on the highway of regret.
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothin like me yet.

There ain't nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
Make you happy make your dreams come true
To make you feel my love.


Nick sat on the couch, tears streaming down his face. This was a side of Greg that he had never seen before, but it was one he wanted to see more of. He picked up the phone.

"Greg? Hey, its me. Um, can you come over----I really need to talk to you. Yeah, I'm fine. For the first time in a long time, I'm fine."




finis<

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