Title: Heartache Just Walked In
Author: Jaxson K.
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Summary: AU, A year after the break-up, Nick sees Greg for the first time and the old heartache comes back.

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Nick wasn't sure what made him decide to stop for a beer after work, but that's exactly what he did. When it was all said and done, he wished he hadn't. He was sitting in a dimly lit booth toward the back of the bad when he heard a very familiar voice. He looked up and his stomach did a flip-flop. Standing at the bar not 45 feet away was none other than Greg Sanders!

Nick was stunned. He hadn't seen Greg since Greg had walked out on him after a really nasty argument over a year ago. Greg had immediately quit his job at the lab and nobody had seen him since. He even waited until Nick was at work one night to come and collect his clothes and things from Nick's place. Nick had tried to find Greg several times, but had no success.

Now, seeing Greg brought back all the hurt and pain he'd felt when and after Greg left. It brought back all the sleepless nights (days) Nick spent regretting that last argument, and wondering if Greg would come back. Just remembering all that made Nick feel shit. Part of him wanted to go over and ask Greg why he disappeared while the rest of him desperately wanted to wanted the floor to open up and swallow him.

The decision was made for him when Greg walked over to Nick's table and sat down.....

"Hello, Nick....."

"Greg....."

"How's it going?"

"Fine, I guess.....how are things with you?"

"Things are pretty good actually. My book got published, and there's talk of a movie being made."

"Wow, Greg, that's great....."

"I've been all over the country on this book tour, and Vegas is the last stop before I go home. I can't wait to get back to San Francisco......"

"So you moved back to San Francisco, huh?"

"Yeah.....it seemed like the thing to do at the time."

"I wondered where you went.....I mean, one minute you were here, then I find out you resigned from the lab and nobody knew where you had gone."

"I just had to get away from all of this, you know?"

"Away from the job, or away from me?"

"All of it, Nick. You and I were on the fast track to breaking up, being a CSI wasn't what I wanted anymore, nothing I seemed to do was right so I just got rid of everything and started over."

Nick didn't know what to say to Greg's last statement. He did know that the man sitting before him was not the same man he'd loved. Realizing that hurt Nick deeply, but he refused to let it show.....

"So how long will you be here in town?"

"We leave tomorrow morning. I'll send you an autographed copy of the book, okay?"

"Sure....."

"Well, Nick, I need to go. I've got a million things to do before my book signing this afternoon....."

"Take care, Greg....."

"You too, Nick....."

With that, Greg got up and left the bar. Nick sat there for a while longer and thought about Greg. Seeing him hurt more than Nick thought it would, but he knew it was just one in a long line of heartaches he'd get over eventually.

END

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