Title: Setting Things Right
Author: Jaxson K.
Pairing: Nick/Gil
Series: 1) There Ain't No Future In This, 2) Mistakes
Disclaimer: I own nothing.....

***

After Gil spoke with Nathan, he left the cafe and went home. Nathan would be by in a couple of hours, and Gil wanted to relax before Nathan got there. He tried his best not to think of Nick, but he couldn't seem to help himself. He knew that he needed to get things together and find a way to win Nick over. The mere thought of being without Nick made Gil crazy.


 

Meanwhile, Nick was driving around in the desert. He found that it helped him think. While he really wanted to be with Gil right now, he knew that it was best that they were apart. He knew Gil would never love him completely until he was finished with Nathan. Nick couldn't help it that he felt that way, that's just the way he was. He knew what he wanted, and wasn't going to settle for any thing less.


 

Gil was startled out of his reverie by the ringing of the doorbell. He checked the spy hole and saw Nathan. He opened the door and invited his guest inside.....

“Glad you could make it, Nathan...”

“Well, you did say that it was important.”

“So I did....Would you like a drink?”

“Nothing for me, thanks...”

“Have a seat....”

“Okay, Gil, what is on your mind?”

“Well, I met Nick for coffee today, and he won't have anything to do with me until I've “gotten you out of my system”.....”

“He said that?”

“His exact words.”

“Good for him. There's a man who knows what he wants.”

“He sure does! That's why I invited you over. Maybe I can get a better perspective if I hear from you, also.....”


 

The two men sat and talked about their time together, and Nathan was nothing, if not honest. They talked well into the night, and Gil learned a thing or two, though it hurt to do so. It was right before the conversation wound down that a realization came over Gil, and he nearly wept at the meaning.....

“Nathan, I think I've figured out what happened....”

“You have? If so, please enlighten me.....”

“You know when we were talking about doubts, and how they sometimes cloud my judgement?'

“Yeah....”

“I think I know now why I called Nick by your name.....”

“I'm listening...”

“ I love and want Nick so much, and I want the absolute best for him. Sometimes I'm afraid that I'm not it. I think I was giving Nick an out because my doubts and insecurities got in the way and I was too afraid and embarrassed to say anything.”

“Damn, Gil, you might be on to something there!”

“I don't know...What I do know is that I have to find a way to talk to Nick and get him to listen to me...”

“Well, good luck with that....By the way, that transfer I was waiting for came through with the airline. I'm leaving for Los Angeles next week.”

“Really? That's great....you think you'll like it there?”

“I hope so. Anyway, you need to worry about you and Nick. I want you to know that I wish you the best, and I hope everything works out.”

“I hope so, too.....”


 

Gil saw Nathan to the door and said goodbye. When Nathan left, Gil got ready for bed, but sleep was a long time coming. All he could think about was Nick and how he was willing to do anything to get him back.


 

While Gil was thinking about Nick, Nick was quietly contemplating what he should do. He finally decided to let things ride and see what happened. He got ready for bed and fell into a troubled sleep.


 

The next night, both Nick and Gil had to return to work. Both men knew it would be hard, but they were both confident they could handle it. When Gil handed out assignments, he paired Nick with Catherine while he worked a 419 with Greg on the Strip. Things were fine until Catherine and Nick both discovered evidence that brought their crime scene into Gil and Greg's. Gil questioned something that Nick had introduced and that set Nick off.


 

Nick asked Gil if they could speak privately, so Gil told him to meet him in his office. When Gil arrived, Nick was pacing back and forth in front of his desk. Gil shut the door, and Nick wheeled to face him.....

“Just what in the hell do you think you're doing, Grissom?”

“Nick, I think your evidence needs developing more is all...”

“So you think I don't know how to do my job, is that it?”

“No, Nick, it's not that.....”

“Wait a minute......I know what's going on. You're taking the fact that I won't fall back into bed with you and trying to use it against me through my work!”

“Damnit, Nick, that's not it at all.....”

“It damn sure looks that way to me!”

With that, Nick tore out of the office, nearly knocking Greg down on the way out.....


 

Things were tense between the two men for the rest of the night. Gil stayed in his office for the rest of the shift, and Nick did his best to get the rest of his work done so he could leave on time. Catherine had tried to talk to Nick about what happened, but Nick didn't have much to say about it, so Catherine left it alone. Things stayed about the same for the rest of the week, and just about everyone in the lab knew something was wrong.


 

Gil was hoping things would settle down at the beginning of the new work week. He was hoping to extend an olive branch to Nick and see if maybe Nick would settle down. Of course, Gil was still trying to find a way to try and talk to Nick about their problem, but he had to get work under control first. As he made his way to his office, he met Catherine coming down the hall.....

“Gil, can you come to my office?”

“Sure Cath, what's up?”

When they got to Catherine's office, Catherine shut the door and reached for a letter on her desk. When she turned around to hand it to Gil, he saw tears in her eyes.....

“Catherine, what's going on?”

“It's Nick...He's going back to Texas...”

Gil felt fear seize his heart. Nick couldn't leave! Gil knew that this was his fault, and he knew that he had to fix this....

“Gil, read the letter.....”


 

Catherine,

I'm writing this letter to tender my resignation immediately. I can't keep working with someone who seems to want to question me at nearly every turn. I'm going home to Texas and see if I can't get something going there. Please know that I've really enjoyed working with you, and I will miss you.

Nick


 

Gil read the letter through once more, and handed it back to Catherine.....

“Gil, you have to fix this...”

“I know.....”

“Gil, please go find Nicky. Don't let him leave.....”

“I won't....you're in charge here, but don't show that letter to anyone just yet. I gotta go!”


 

Gil ran down the hall to the break room looking for Greg. He pulled Greg into the hall and told him to try Nick's phone and see if Nick would tell Greg where he was. When Greg got the information, he was to call Gil's cell and let him know.

Gil ran to the parking lot and got into his car. He headed for Nick's condo and saw no lights on, and Nick's truck was gone. About that time Gil's cell rang, and Greg told him that Nick was at Dewey's Truck Stop on Highway 93 about 30 minutes from the Nevada border. Gil thanked Greg and headed for the freeway. He knew exactly where the truck stop was and knew something of a short cut to get there.


 

Gil drove his car like a bat out of hell and pushed the auto hard. He made excellent time, even with the rain, and was relieved to see that Nick's truck was still there when he pulled in.

When he got out of the car, the door to the truck stop opened and several people came out. Nick was one of them, and Gil saw him head for his truck.....

“Nick! Nick, wait!”

Nick turned toward the voice, and when he realized who it was, he stopped.....

“Awww, man! What the hell are you doing here?”

“Nick, I need to talk to you....”

“What makes you think I wanna hear anything you gotta say?”

“I think you'll want to hear this, Nick.....”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“So talk.....”

“Well, I know that you're confused, and hurt, and I think maybe I can clear up some of the confusion, and maybe take away some of the hurt......”

“I doubt that.....”

“Nick, please, let me try...”

“So talk, Gil...”

“Well, first of all, let me say that I'm sorry about work. I should have treated you a little better. That was inexcusable, and I'm sorry.”

“Okay.....”

“Now, for the most important thing....I know why I did what I did that night.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I do...Nick, I love you so much, and I want the absolute best for you. Sometimes I feel like I'm not it. I have these doubts and insecurities, and sometimes they come back and bite me in the ass. I feel like one day you are going to wake up and realize that I'm not right for you, or I'm too old for you, or whatever, and then you'll want to leave me. When I said what I did that night, I think I was trying to give you a way out so I wouldn't get me heart broken somewhere down the line.....”

“Damn, Gil....I understand about doubts and insecurities because I have them myself. Sometimes I think some of the same things about myself when it comes to you.....”

“You do?”

“Hell, yes! Sometimes I feel like I'm not good enough, or smart enough, and that you'll tire of me and push me away.....”

“No, Nick, never.....”

“Gil, I've loved you for a long time, and I was thrilled beyond words when you came my way. I can't deny that I STILL love you.....

“Oh, Nicky...I love you, too. Will you come back to Vegas with me?”

“Do I still have a job?”

“What? Of course you do. I wouldn't let Catherine turn in your resignation. We all want you back.”

“You have to promise me one thing, Gil.”

“What's that?”

“Promise me that you and I will talk about anything and everything that tries to get in the way, and that we will not keep secrets like this ever again?”

“I give you my word!”


 

Nick stepped toward Gil and tenderly kissed him. Gil deepened the kiss and wrapped Nick tightly in his arms. After Nick moved his truck, he got in the car with Gil and they headed home. Gil called Catherine and told her to shred Nick's letter and that they would see her at the lab in a couple of days.....


 

THE END