Title: Kiss The Rain
Author: Khylara
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Couple: Gil Grissom/ Nick Stokes
Rating: PG 13 for suggstive talk. Also pure sap
Disclaimer: They're not mine. I promise to put them back when I'm done. Could be awhile though...
Series/Warnings: No
Feedback: Always appreciated melmast@hotmail.com
Archive: Yes to whoever wants it, but especially for Fingerprints and WWOMB
Summary: A phone call and a rainstorm....
Comments: Inspired by the chorus of Billy Myers song "Kiss The Rain" - the rest of the song doesn't really fit, but the chorus sure does!

// - indicates thought

************

The cell phone rang shrilly, cutting through the silence of Gil Grissom's office as he sorted through his neverending stacks of paperwork. Pushing it aside gratefully, he picked it up and flipped it open. "Grissom."

"I miss you."

A fond smile appeared on Gil's face as he heard the familiar, beloved voice on the otehr end of the line. "I miss you, too, Nicky," he said as he leaned back in his chair. "You okay? You sound a little frazzled."

Nick sighed. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just...God help me, I love my family. I really do." There was a pause. "But they're driving me crazy."

Gil fought back a chuckle; the last thing his lover needed was to be laughed at. "You've been away from them a long time," he said. "You've gotten used to your peace and quiet."

"That's definitely what I need right now," Nick said earnestly. "Some peace and quiet, a beer and you." He suddenly chuckled. "And not necessarily in that order."

A shiver ran down Gil's spine as he listened to his lover's sultry Texas drawl. "You keel talking like that and I'm libel to forget I'm at work."

"Really?" Nick sounded delighted. "You gettin' all hot and bothered, darlin'?"

Gil squirmed in his seat, his pants growing uncomfortably tighter by the moment. "Yes," he replied truthfully, feeling his cheeks grow hot. "So quit it. We can't do anything about it now."

"I know," Nick said reluctantly. "Wish we could, though. I wish I was there. Or you were here." His voice softened. "I wish we were together."

"I do, too," Gil said just as softly. "A few more days, Nicky. Then you'll be home." He paused. "Unless...you can't get away any earlier, can you? The wedding's what...Saturday?"

"Yeah, but there's no chance," Nick sounded disgusted. "Jesse and Billy aren't leaving for their honeymoon until Tuesday, which means Billy's folks aren't leaving until then, either. So Mom asked me to stay on and keep them occupied and away from her; she's not too fond of them and she's neck deep in wedding stuff." There was a pause. "So I'm doing what I can in between finding places to hide before I strangle somebody."

Gil smiled. "So where are you hiding now?"

"Garage. I gotta go back in soon, though. My entire family's invaded us. And I mean everybody - aunts, uncles, cousins I haven't seen in forever, all of my grandparents..." Nick let out another heavy sigh. "And all of them wondering when I'm gonna settle down."

This time Gil couldn't help chuckling a little. "Matchmaking?"

"Are they ever. And they can't understand why I keep saying no." There was a pause. "I AM settled. I just wish I could tell them that."

A warm feeling swept through Gil as he took in his lover's declaration. "You can, you know. If you really want to," he said quietly. "I'm okay with it."

"No," was the immediate reply. "Not now. I...well, I kinda want you with me when I do, so they can see it's for real, you know?" He paused again. "But maybe soon? If you're really okay with it?"

"Whenever you're ready," Gil promised. "I'll be with you. Okay?"

"Okay." The line was silent for a moment, then Nick said softly, "I really do miss you, darlin'. The nights are awful empty without you to hold onto."

"I know." An ache filled Gil's heart at the lonely note in the younger man's voice. "For me, too. Can't even keep my mind on work with you so far away. Thank God for once we're not busy."

"Hopefully for you it stays that way," Nick said. "And if it doesn't, you make sure someone's with you." his tone grew serious. "No goin' in on your own, you hear me?"

An indulgent smile crossed Gil's face even though his lover couldn't see it. "Loud and clear."

"I mean it, Gil," Nick replied seriously. "Promise me."

After a moment, Gil nodded. "I promise. No going into crime scenes without backkup." He paused. "You don't play fair, you know?" Both men knew that Gil rarely made promises, because he always kept them. Always.

"When it comes to you being safe, damn right I don't," Nick countered. "Love you too much to lose you to something stupid, okay?"

"Okay." Gil paused for a moment, basking in his lover's persistant, stubborn concern. It had been a long, long time since someone had cared about him so much. "And you try not to strangle any of your family. They're only driving you crazy because they love you."

Nick laughed, a warm, rich sound that curled Gil's toes. "I'll try and remember that when my Aunt Jeannie triesto set me up with the daughter of one of her garden club menbers."

"And if it gets too bad, go outside and look up at the stars," Gil continued quietly. "And remember we're under the same sky."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, then Nick said, "That helps. And knowing you're waiting for me...that helps, too." Just then Gil heard someone off in the distance call Nick's name. "I'll be right there!" he yelled before turning his attention back to the phone. "I gotta go."

"I heard," Gil commented. "If you need me, call again."

"I'll probably be taking you up on that," Nick warned. "If not, I'll see you Wednesday morning at the airport."

Gil nodded. "I'll be there."

"Can't wait." There was a pause. "Love you, Gil, darlin'."

"Love you, too, Nicky." He waited for the click at the other end of the line before he folded the phone back up and slippedit into his shirt pocket. Then, heaving a sigh, he returned to his dreaded paperwork.

It wasn't long after when Gil pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He had read the same memo three times and it still wasn't making sense, which was only serving to frustrate more him every time he read it. And he had the sinking feeling that even if it did mae sense, it wouldn't help.

/It'll be dawn soon,/ he mused, glancing at his watch. /Dayshift will be in soon and Catherine's here. I can leave if I want to./ Suddenly staying at his desk a second longer seemed like the worst thing he could do. He was tired, he missed Nick far too much and he couldn't bear to stare at his reports any longer.

Catherine caught him as he was pulling on his jacket. "Leaving?" she asked, her eyebrows going up in surprise.

"Yeah. Are you going to be okay finishing up?" he asked as he zipped up his briefcase.

"Fine. It's been a quiet night for once," she answered with a shrug.

"Let's hope it stays that way," he said as he ushered her out of his office and shut off the light. "But if it doesn't...."

"I'll call. No problem." She patted his shoulder before making a shooing motion with her hand. "Go on. Go home and get some sleep. You look worn out."

Gil's eyes widened in surprise; it had to be bad for Catherine to notice. But then she was a mother, used to seeing what wasn't obvious. "See you tomorrow, then." She nodded and headed off in the other direction as he made his own way to the glass doors leading to the parking lot.

He was just about to go outside when he noticed it was raining. /I wonder when it started,/ he mused as he contemplated going back for his umbrella. Finally he shook his head; it wasn't coming down hard and he was only going home. A little water wouldn't hurt. Zipping up his jacket, he went outside.

He took his time heading for his truck, simply enjoying the cool spring shower. They were rare in Vegas and this was more than welcome after the dry desert heat of the day. It also brought back the fond memory of making love to Nick in his shower; he could still see his head thrown back, water glistening off his tanned skin as his ecstatic cried echoed off the tiled walls.

/Beautiful,/ Gil couldn't help thinking as he unlocked his truck and threw his briefcase in, a shiver sweeping through him that had nothign to do with the rain. A part of him still had trouble believing that Nick cared about him, loved him. But then he remembered Nick's phone call - a phone call made just because they were apart and Nick missed him.

Leaning against his driver side door, Gil tilted his head back, letting the gentle rain hit his face. /Nick kisses me like this,/ he thought as he closed his eyes. He could almost feel his lover's lean. lithe body in his arms, large hands cupping his face, scattering featherlight kisses wherever he could reach, every brush of his lips a caress not unlike the raindrops that were falling on him now.

Gil stood like that until the dawn came and the rain stopped, leaving him soaked to the skin but comforted all the same.

***

Hundreds of miles away in Texas, as a similar shower poured, Nick Stokes found the same comfort, the same solace as he stood outisde unser the same sky his lover did and was kissed by the rain.

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