Title: Lips of an Angel
Author: kieksterbanjo
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Would I like to own them? YES. But do I? Alas No. I would also like to make money from this and marry Benji Schwimmer from So You Think You Can Dance but one must live in the real world. *sigh*
A/N: I'm winding down to sleep and I just discovered this song today. I loved it and just like most songs I thought of how it could work in a N/G story. I really liked what popped into my head so I decided to share. It's angsty but it was too good a song to pass up. Hope you like it and feedback would be uber uber appreciated.
Song- "Lips Of An Angel" by Hinder

***

Nick laughs at the antics of Ben Stiller in the movie their watching, and pushes up from the couch. He kisses his companion on the forehead before picking up the ringing phone on the table, "Hello?" He asks cheerily.

"Nicky?" It's almost to low for Nick to hear but he does and his knees go weak. He blanches and almost fumbles the phone and the person on the couches looks up at him oddly.

Nick tries his best to smile, holds up one finger and then points to the bedroom. His companion just nods, uncertain, before going back to the movie and Nick makes a quick getaway into the bedroom. He sits heavily on the bed before he realizes that he hasn't said a word since his 'hello', "Why are you calling so late?" He asks in a whisper eyeing the closed door nervously.

"I just...had to talk to you." Is the whispered reply and Nick cringes, partly because the slurred speech indicates the person on the other end of the line is drunk and partly because that person is crying.

"What's wrong Greg? Why are you crying?" He asks in an even lower whisper.

He can hear Greg sniffle on the other end of the line, "Why are you whispering?" He asks avoiding the question.

It's not the first time Greg has called in the middle of the night, but it's the first time he's done it when Nick's girlfriend was there, "Monica's in the next room." He whispers and can hear Greg hiss over the end of the line.

"I shouldn't have called. I'm sorry. Go back to Monica." Greg says quickly.

"No don't!" Nick protests a little too loudly and waits to see if Monica heard him. When he's sure she hasn't he continues, "Don't go. I'm here for you. What's wrong?" He knows its wrong; to hide these conversations from Monica. He's talking to his ex-boyfriend of all people but what makes it worse is that Nick would rather talk to Greg then talk to Monica.

"Oh god." Greg whispers and the sadness in the words rips right through Nick's heart, "I need you Nicky." It's not said dirtily, but with a sweetness that makes Nick shake.

Nick closes his eyes and tries to control himself. He's ready to run out the door this very second and be by Greg's side and the thought scares him. Now he's not only talking to his ex-boyfriend he's actually considering leaving his girlfriend for him; all because of his voice over the phone.

It's in that moment that Nick realizes that all of his attempts to the contrary he's not over Greg. He can no longer remember why they broke up in the first place and it rocks him to the core that he'd rather die then hang up the phone right now.

"I dreamt about you last night." Greg slurs with a sniff.

"I dreamt about you too." Nick says truthfully and he can hear Greg sigh with relief. It suddenly occurs to Nick however that the last time he'd talked to Sara she'd mentioned Greg was seeing a guy from his gym, "Greg should we really be talking about this? Aren't you dating Marcus? Does he know you called me? I don't want to start a fight between you two." He asks.

"Hey I'm a big boy." Greg says with the defensive tone of a man who's had one to many, "I can talk to whoever I want and Marc is an adult. He should be able to handle me talking to whoever I want. Does Monica know you're talking to me?" He asks, accusatory tone in his voice.

"She doesn't have a clue." Nick sighs. They're both equally guilty. But is it something they have to feel guilty about? They're just talking. Nothing beyond that has happened since they broke up almost 6 months ago. It's just that...Nick's thought about it. Probably more then he should have. He supposes that's something to feel guilty about, "Look Greg I have to go. I...have to get back to Monica." He says softly even though it's killing him inside, it's the right thing to do.

"Okay, bye." Greg whispers quickly and then Nick hears a click followed by a dial tone.

Nick sits and listens to the beep of the phone for a minute or two, trying to collect the rattled pieces of his mind. He hits the 'off' button on the phone before straightening up and making his way back to the living room of his apartment, trying his hardest to act natural.

Monica has turned the movie off and is fiddling around on Nick's computer with all the comfort of someone who's been in a relationship with a guy for 4 months. She smiles at Nick as he puts the phone on the cradle and beckons him over.

He walks slowly over to the chair and leans on the back as Monica points at the screen, "You have to hear this song. I just thought of it while I was watching the movie and I had to download it. It's the best song going right now." She says excitedly, mouse clicking wildly as she pulls up the correct program.

Soft music hits Nick's ear and for a moment he drifts in the sounds, letting it bring him back to the present. He's with Monica and he's happy...he just has to leave what he had with Greg in the past. It's when the lyrics start however that Nick loses all colour from his face;

 

Honey why you calling me so late?
It's kinda hard to talk right now.
Honey why are you crying? Is everything okay?
I gotta whisper 'cause I can't be too loud

Well, my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

It's funny that you're calling me tonight
And, yes, I've dreamt of you too
And does he know you're talking to me
Will it start a fight
No I don't think she has a clue

Well my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

Honey why you calling me so late?

            Monica claps as it ends and turns to Nick excitedly telling him the artist of the song, but all Nick hears is white noise. He stumbles back until he hits the arm of the couch and his mouth hangs slack.

Monica adopts a concerned expression and pushes up from the chair, coming over to stand in front of Nick, "What's wrong baby?" She asks softly putting her hands on his chest and suddenly everything is wrong.

It shouldn't be her voice calling him 'baby' and it shouldn't be her smooth petite hands resting on his chest. Everything is wrong; everything isn't Greg and Nick can hardly breathe with the realization. He wants Monica to be Greg...

"Nick you're scaring me. What's wrong?" Monica asks when Nick doesn't reply.

Nick's eyes focus on her and he pauses a moment in silence, "I can't do this." He says matter-of-factly.

"Can't do what?" She asks softly, not understanding.

"I'm in love with someone else." He says more to himself then to Monica, "I...have to go." He says and slides past Monica and her shocked expression.

He grabs his keys and turns as he opens the door, "I'm sorry." He whispers before closing the door behind him.

All he can hope, as he steps into the elevator and hits 'lobby', is that he's not to late to get his 'angel' back.

~end~

***