Title: Jealousy
By: postnotice
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Nick's not jealous. Never jealous. So why can't she keep her hands off him?

---

Nick's not jealous. Never jealous, especially not since it was his, and only his, decision that he'd never act upon his feelings. So, seeing Greg with the new girl, laughing and touching and...flirting, it doesn't bother him. Not one bit.

But why can't she just keep her fucking hands off of him?

"Nick?" He hears Warrick say his name, and barely comprehends his laughter. "Sanders' already got her bagged, man, move on."

I'm not going to move on because I'm not ready. Nick himself is surprised at the voice saying that in his head, but decides not to acknowledge it. "Yeah...move on...What's up?"

"We're supposed to grab Greg and head out to another scene, while Grissom wallows in the pain of losing Sara."

Nick shoots Warrick a surprised look. "Ouch, I felt that." Warrick shrugs, nodding towards the two still talking, managing to be oblivious to the hate coming off Nick in thick waves. "Yeah, I'll get him."

He feels the regret piling up when he approaches the two, smiling at the new girl even though he can barely tolerate her. According to Catherine, it's a bitch having to work with her - Nick hadn't yet gotten the opportunity "Sorry to break this up, but...Greg? Warrick and I need you, so...wrap things up?" Nick raises his eyebrows, not even bothering to glance at what's-her-face.

"Yeah, sure. I'll meet you in the parking lot," Greg smiles at him, and, for once since the case they worked on together last week, Nick feels...special again. He stands for a moment, remembering the bliss that was seeing him every day when he walked into the lab, greeted with a grin and a cup of coffee.

He returns the gesture and heads towards the exit, the not-jealousy flaring up again when he hears Greg say 'I'll call you,' to the girl. He knows it's probably more than rude that he's not being polite to the new girl, and she might actually be nice, but...That doesn't really matter when you take into account she's treading on his territory, trying to steal one of the many people the Texan really cares about, does it?

Warrick backs slightly away from him when Nick exits the lab, hands up in defense. "Seriously, man, let her go."

"Alright, who the hell do you keep talking about?"

"The new girl. Let her go. Sanders' already got her, remember? You saw 'em, you were watching,"

"'Rick, I wasn't watching the--." He's interrupted by the door closing, Greg standing in front of the two, eyebrow raised in question. "Ready?"

"Yeah, 'course."

---

He silently curses any god when they get back to the lab, watching Greg head off to talk to who-ever-the-hell-she-is again, and he can't help the not-jealousy again. She managed to stay away the entire time, keeping the heaven-sent moments free of any feminine problems of any kind.

He doesn't even have to look to see that he's back to flirting with her, and maybe he regrets his decision a little. Just like he's only a little jealous; just like he's only a little in love with Greg.

But, people get over attraction all the time, so getting over him shouldn't be too hard, right?

Right.

"Come on, man, if you don't stop zoning out, I'm going to send you home."

"You don't have the authority to do that."

"I have that authority as your best friend, so shut up." He feels Warrick take the evidence from his hand, and feels his free hand press into his back, pushing him towards the break room, where Greg and his new girl are flirting. Just his luck. "Go get coffee. I'll take care of this. Tell Sanders to help me."

Noting how Warrick seems a little cold towards Greg, Nick nods and walks towards the break room, wondering if he finally pieced things together. He opens the door, nods at the happy new couple, and feels himself stumbling towards the coffee.

"You don't look so good," assuming that Greg's talking to the girl, Nick pours his cup, pretending that he's not really listening.

"Warrick wanted you to help him out with the evidence, think you can handle that?" He winces at the cheap shot, and seeing the hurt look flash across Greg's face pains him even more. "Sorry."

"Yeah. Listen, I'll talk to you later?" Greg directs towards the girl, who nods with a smile. She winks at Nick, confusing him, and making him wonder if she knows too. "Are you okay? You're kind of pale and...what?"

He didn't even know he was staring until Greg was staring back at him, concern evident in his eyes, making him wonder if the youngest of the team really did care. "I'm fine," he says, gesturing to the room Warrick disappeared into. "Go help Warrick."

"Are you going to be okay?"

Nick nods, seeing the new girl walk past, seeing Greg's eyes light up, and notes that it's not anything close to jealousy this time; as much as he disliked the jealousy, at least it didn't hurt. He nods again, knowing that his voice isn't trustworthy.

Greg gives him another concerned look, nods, and leaves. Nick closes his eyes tightly, sinking into a chair with a sigh. Greg sticks his head back in and takes a long look at the Texan. "I don't have plans, you know, so...if you need me," he waves his cell at Nick and smiles, leaving again.

Not entirely sure when Greg started caring, Nick pretends it didn't happen, knowing fully well that he's being rude, but if it's the only thing keeping him away from feelings about Greg, who's obviously trying to get into a relationship, then it's what he has to do.

---

Maybe he was being obvious, just a little, when he would take time to see Greg in the lab. Just a little obvious when he would gladly take Greg out on the field (except for the one time Archie went with him, which, in his defense, didn't really count because he couldn't find Greg). Warrick had called him on it a few times, nothing big of course, just something about how he barely saw him at work anymore because he had been spending a lot of his free time with Greg. And Catherine was the first to even notice the attraction, though then Nick was convincing her, and himself, it was just a crush.

He's at home, sitting on his couch, doing absolutely nothing. He feels pretty dizzy, and he's thinking about going to the clinic (possibly because he's thrown up twice since he got off shift), but he doesn't want to go alone and he doesn't want to bother Greg.

But, he did tell him to call if he needed someone, didn't he? Nick needed someone, and it's not as though he'd be making something up, because he really was sick...and definitely needed to get this checked out.

With shaking hands, he picks up his cell phone, trying to decide if he really wanted bother him with something. He could just as easily grab a cab, anyway, and...Would Greg have made plans, thinking ahead and rationalizing that Nick wouldn't call him?

He'd just have to grab a cab. He takes his jacket from the hook on the wall and puts his shoes back on, opening the door.

It's not that he didn't really expect it (especially since it's so clichéd in these situations), but the lighting outside of his house isn't flattering at all, and the black blob moving outside isn't helping his dizziness, or the growing fear in his stomach.

Reaching for his gun, realizing with shock that it's not there, he leaves his door unlocked for a moment and holds his breath, biting his tongue to keep himself from speaking out.

"Oh, you're heading out?" he hears, and then squints his eyes to see that it's Greg.

Of course it's Greg!

"I was going to get a cab...head to the clinic, I'm..."

"No. No way, you're not getting a cab," Greg steps forward to help Nick down from his steps, making the Texan feel strangely old. "I'll take you. And didn't I tell you to call me if you needed anything?"

"I thought maybe you'd have plans..."

"You know better than anyone that I don't have plans," Greg brings him to his car, unlocking the door and watching as Nick climbed in.

"I don't know. Maybe with the new girl..."

Greg laughs, walking around to the driver's side of the car. "I know her from high school, and she's a lesbian."

Lesbian? "Really?" Happy that Greg had came to his rescue, his stomach settles a little, and if he wasn't so damn worried about it being something, he'd call the entire thing off.

His only answer is a smile, and the road to the clinic is silent.

---

"If it was just a stupid viral infection thing, why'd I even bother going in?" Nick says, throwing his keys on the counter and sighing as he flopped into a chair, completely exhausted from the blood they had to draw.

"Better than not knowing, isn't it?" Greg's question goes unanswered as he sits on the couch next to his coworker quietly, releasing a sigh after he did. Resting his head on the chair, Nick tries not to think of going into his bedroom, taking Greg with him. He tries not to think of confessing his love. "Are you okay?"

The question kind of scares him, and he jumps; his neck cracking. "Dandy," he hisses through gritted teeth, closing his eyes as he attempts to will away the pain. He hears Greg stand as he brings a hand to massage his injured spine.

He feels Greg's hand on his arm, and opens his eyes. Nick's surprised to see so many emotions built up; surprised that the man he's worked with for seven plus years looks as though he's deeply concerned about a neck ache.

"Let me get that," it's small, but it's probably what got 'em - hook, line, and sinker. What reeled Nick in. Well, that along with the backrub in general.

Greg doesn't even bother to go behind him, and settles his knees on either side of Nick's on the chair. He feels sparks shoot through his body at the slight friction of denim on denim, heart rate increasing as he glances up, staring into his eyes. He watches Greg's eyes as his hands wander up to massage his shoulders, rubbing and pressing and...god.

Nick might have let out a moan, but he's not too trustworthy, so he's not making promises. But one thing he can promise is that he's not sure he can stay off of him if this backrub continues, or if the way Greg does it doesn't stop.

The words jumbling in his head, Nick forgets that it's just the two of them as he stares at Greg again, the younger male not even ruining the moment with a grin. He doesn't notice that the hands have stopped working at the knots in his shoulders, and that the denim on denim friction is something he never wants to feel again; he wants to feel skin on skin, body against body and goddamn this situation isn't working.

"I can't breathe," Greg whispers, as Nick thinks it, milliseconds before the Texan leans forward, pressing lips to lips.

It's all he can ask for at the moment. Illness means no skin on skin or body against body. All being sick gets him is the first kiss, a back rub, and denim on denim.

He silently makes a vow to start taking Vitamin C, especially since he realizes that there'll be no swapping spit while he's sick.

Greg pulls away, breathing heavily when he rests his head on Nick's shoulder. "Thanks. I needed that. I was starting to get worried."

Nick grins, noticing that his neck feels fine, as does his stomach.

"Anytime."