Title: Shared Experience
By: Rapidfan
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Summary: Nick and Greg share a common bond.
A/N: Spoilers for 'Empty Eyes'.

Nick was concerned. He took in Greg's defeated posture as he exited Grissom's office. Bad news? He followed Greg as he made his way into the locker room.

With a tired sigh, Greg sat down in front of his locker. The tips of his shoes seemed very interesting to him. "Trouble?" Nick's gentle question was enough to make Greg jump. "Sorry," Nick soothed. "You okay?"

"The city settled." Greg shrugged. Was he okay? "2.5 mil." He looked up to where Nick was leaning against the wall. "Makes me look guilty." Was he? "They think I'm a killer." He had killed a man. How could he be okay?

"You didn't do anything wrong, G. It's politics. You know that." The pain on Greg's face was eating at Nick. How could he help?

"Yeah. Yeah, that's what Grissom said." He continued to stare at Nick, compelling him to say something…anything to ease Greg's pain. "At least it's over."

"Is it?" Greg went back to staring at his shoes. "It doesn't feel over."

Nick remembered his own sense of disconnect at the death of the last of the conspirators in his kidnapping. He remembered how he had been so very angry at Grissom's casual dismissal of the months of emotional hell he'd been through. "So, it's over," had been the best Grissom could come up with. Nick didn't feel capable of any better, but he knew, where maybe no one else fully understood, exactly how Greg was feeling.

"It will." Nick spoke with conviction, getting Greg to look at him again. "It will." Greg nodded slowly, like he might possibly believe Nick soon, but not just yet.

"Trust me, G." Greg nodded again. He could do that. He did trust Nick, and knew he'd never lie to him.

"Let's get you home."