Title: You Could Take My Heart Away
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Steve McGarrett
Fandom: CSI: Vegas/Hawaii Five-0
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Steve McGarrett, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Steve leaned back on the couch, pulling Greg closer against his chest and sighing contentedly. This had been the most romantic Valentine's Day he could ever remember spending; he'd spent the holiday with other lovers in the past, of course, but those were only vague memories.

His relationship with Greg was stronger and more vivid than any other he'd ever had. Maybe it was because Greg was the man he'd always been meant to be with, Steve told himself, nuzzling his cheek against his boyfriend's hair. They were perfect for each other.

He couldn't imagine loving anyone else the way he loved Greg. Ever since that first meeting, this man had captured his heart, and he had been more than happy to have it taken away. It was still hard for him to believe that he had fallen so hard and fast.

But he had, and there were no regrets. How could there be? Steve asked himself. He'd never been happier in his life than he had in the few short weeks that he had been with Greg. He was fulfilled in every way; emotionally, sexually, and every other way that he could think of.

It still seemed incredible to him that they were living together, and that they'd fit into each other's lives so seamlessly. It was as though Greg had always been here; there was no ripple in Steve's everyday life at home with him here, at least not any that he noticed.

Of course, Greg was a part of his everyday life now, and that had taken a little getting used to. He hadn't known how much he was missing with having someone in his life on a daily basis until Greg had moved in; he hadn't really thought about it before.

He woke up next to Greg every morning, and fell asleep every night with his boyfriend in his arms. He had never slept so well, and never felt so contented. Even the nightmares about his father that had plagued him for the last few months had started to dissipate.

Steve closed his eyes as he pushed that thought away, locking it down in the back of his mind. He didn't want to ruin this day by thinking about those horrible dreams. There was time enough to deal with them later. But today wasn't the time to bring them up. Not now.

This was Valentine's Day, and he wanted to make that day perfect for his boyfriend. They'd been out to dinner at a nice restaurant, and he'd given Greg a single white rose. They'd both laughed when Greg had, in turn, handed Steve a single red rose.

It had been a wonderful day for both of them; they hadn't been called in on a case, and they'd been able to spend the day at home together before going out to dinner that evening. It had taken Steve's breath away to see how Greg looked in a tux -- he hadn't been able to drag his gaze away.

And now, they were back at home, relaxing in each other's arms. Steve couldn't recall when he'd felt happier or more satisfied, and he was sure that it showed. The rest of the team had already commented on how much happier and more relaxed he seemed lately.

Ever since Greg had come into his life, he'd discovered what had always been missing, what he'd craved without quite realizing it. He needed someone to love, someone to lean on, someone to be there for him when he was feeling frustrated and alone.

He had searched for that with other people, but had never found it. With Greg, it was as though this young man had simply slipped into that niche without needing to be told that he fit there; he had simply somehow known where Steve needed him to be.

Steve had never really believed in destiny; it had always seemed like a lot of mystical hocus-pocus to him. But he couldn't help feeling that Greg had come into his life for a reason, and that fate had somehow smiled on him and realized that he needed someone special in his heart.

Greg had taken his heart away from the moment they'd first met -- and he didn't want it back. He was perfectly happy having his heart held in the palm of this man's hand; he knew that Greg would cherish that heart, hold it and keep it safe.

None of his other lovers had done that, even if they'd had the best intentions to do so. He'd never been in love before; he was sure of that. And if he had, it hadn't been a lasting love. Every emotion he'd ever had in the past paled in comparison to what he felt for Greg.

"What are you thinking right now?" Greg murmured, raising his face to Steve's. The look of love in those deep brown eyes melted Steve's heart; for a few moments, he was tongue-tied, unable to summon any words to answer his lover's question.

"I'm thinking about you," he finally answered, his voice soft and husky with emotion. "About how much I love you, and about how perfectly you fit into my life. You could take my heart away, Greg, and I wouldn't even notice that it was missing, because it's always belonged to you."

Greg shifted his position slightly, until he was lying in the crook of Steve's arm, nestled close against his side. He buried his face against Steve's shoulder, sliding thin arms around his waist; Steve held him closer, wishing that they never had to move from where they were at this moment.

He could lie here forever, holding Greg in his arms, feeling his boyfriend's warm breath on his skin, still and quiet. He could almost feel their hearts beating in unison, feel their love for each other enveloping them until they were safe an secure in their own little world.

"You've already taken my heart away," Greg whispered, his voice very quiet. "You saved me, Steve. If I'd never come here and met you, I would have spent the rest of my life in a relationship where I would never have been first with the other person. I would have faded away."

"I'm glad I could save you from that," Steve told him, raising a hand to stroke Greg's hair. "You don't deserve that, Greg. No one does. Everybody should be able to feel that the person they love puts them first, ahead of everything else in their lives."

"I never did. Not with Nick." Greg shook his head, sighing. "But with you, it's completely different. He was the first man I ever really fell in love with. But you .... you're the last. And you're the only person I want to be with. Now, or ever. You've got my heart, Steve. For always."

"You've got mine, too." Steve could feel his throat tighten; he didn't really know what to say, how to put all of the emotions that swirled within him into words. All he could do was tightening his arms around Greg, hold him closer, and hope that his boyfriend understood how he felt.

"I knew that you could take my heart away from the first second I saw you," Greg said, leaning his head back on Steve's shoulder to gaze up into his face. "I tried to tell myself that I should be careful, and not fall in love with my boss. But I couldn't stop it from happening."

"I think I fell in love with you at first sight, too -- even though I didn't want to admit it," Steve told him with a smile. "I couldn't stop how I felt about you, Greg. I knew that I should, but I didn't want to. And now, I'm glad I didn't. I think we both did the right thing."

"So do I," Greg whispered, giving Steve a smile that made his heart melt and his knees go weak. It was a good thing that he was sitting down, he thought, his own smile curving his lips upwards. If he hadn't been, he would probably be on his knees by now.

"I think we should finish our little Valentine's Day celebration by going to bed," he whispered, his voice soft and husky, a palpable undercurrent of desire in the words. "I want to strip you naked and make love to you all night. And then fall asleep next to you."

"That sounds like a perfect way to spend the rest of Valentine's Day," Greg said, gently disentangling himself from their embrace and getting to his feet. Steve was right behind him, sliding an arm around his boyfriend's waist as they headed for the stairs.

This had indeed been the best Valentine's Day that he'd ever had, he told himself with a smile as they started to climb the stairs to their bedroom. And with any luck, each one ahead of them, years into the future, would only keep getting better.

***