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Title: Smack
By: it-glitters
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Rating: PG-13
Series: 1) Bewilderment, 2) Take Me Home, 3) Cynics, 4) Blood Spatters, 5) Hello Mr. Sanders, 6) Hitting The Wall, 7) Capable Of Murder, 8) The Good Boy, 9) Crying Shame, 10) As I Lay Me Down, 11) Stoic, 12) You Tell Me, 13) Mother, Mother, 14) A Simple Smile, 15) Good Enough
Summary: Nick comes home.

***

Nick tapped timidly on the door of Anna Mills. He heard a voice calling him in. Anna Mills was sitting at her desk – she was about 50 years old, but her years had passed with poise and grace.

"Hi, I'm..."

"Nick Stokes. I know. I've been waiting to talk to you. Please, take a seat."

Nick sat down in front of her desk.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Nick shook his head. "So, what brings you in today?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No. It could be any number of things – your ordeal, Greg's ordeal, coming out to your friends, job related stress... it could be a number of different issues. Your choice."

"You know the details of Greg's case and my relationship with him, then?"

"I know what's in the case file and I know what your coworkers have told me. But I don't have your perspective on it. And that's the most important part."

"So, you saw them then... the..."

"Yes. That must have been extremely difficult for you to see such images of someone you love."

Difficult would not be the word he would have used - catastrophic, gut wrenching, death-like. Those were better. "I didn't come to talk about that today."

"Alright then. What did you come in to talk about?"

"So, I've been taking care of Greg, right?" She nodded. "And it's been fine. Well, not fine. He has these panic attacks sometimes, and nightmares, and he makes these comments that are so un...Greg."

"Has he talked about what happened?"

"Not really. But it was... Today we were hanging out and laughing and then... click – it was gone and he was back to being this quiet half person..." Anna said nothing, so Nick continued. "And I had to get out of there. It had been going so well – we had even kissed. And then, I just had to leave. I couldn't be around him anymore!" Anna still said nothing. "I'm a dick," Nick sighed.

"You're overwhelmed. Greg may have been the one to experience the trauma, but you had to sit and watch. Where you are right now is like standing outside of a house with all the windows closed. You know the lights are on, you can hear certain things – but you can't get in. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Greg's the closed house. But that doesn't tell me how to get in."

"Greg has to let you in. It all depends on how long you're willing to wait outside."

"So you think that he'll open the door one day?"

"Yes, but in the time you've been outside he may have rearranged the whole house. But, I've never meet Greg with the exception of passing in the hallway – he always seemed so..."

"Vibrant."

"Exactly." She watched as Nick tried to take in the new information she had give him.

"I think you and Greg should talk to a therapist together – but not until you both have been to sessions alone. You can't help him if your own head isn't right. Did you go to counseling after your brush with the Gordon's?"

"The mandatory amount."

"Not here, though?"

"No – they gave me the option of using the on-site services or going out."

"Would your old doctor be someone you would feel comfortable going back to?"

"No. I just went because it was mandatory at the time."

She pulled out a card from her desk and handed it to Nick. "This is Marcus Sealy's card – his specialty is rape trauma and couples counseling. He'd be good for you both to see alone and then together."

"And he'd be alright with me and Greg – as a couple?"

"Of course – he deals with all types of couples. Unfortunately, rape trauma is a booming practice."

"Will he be able to see us soon?"

"Just tell him who you are; he'll be waiting for your call."

Nick stood up and thanked her. He got back into his truck and drove back to Greg's – he was ready to wait.

....

Nick unlocked the door and noticed that the alarm hadn't been set. He set it and walked into the living room where his mom and Greg were sleeping together on the couch. Nick let them sleep and went to the bathroom to take a shower. He took off his shirt and turned around to find his mother.

Nick hadn't been hit often as a child – only when he was really bad – so he wasn't expecting it when his mother slapped him in the face.

"You asshole." Her voice was tight and low, as not to wake Greg.

"Mama, let me explain."

"You already lied to me once today! I come in and he's not just watching a movie – he looks like he's on the verge of a seizure. I don't care what happened, Nicholas, you don't just leave someone like that!"

"Mama, please. I didn't know it was that bad – we had an alright time today – I thought he would be ok until you got here." His voice cracked and broke. He laid his head down on his mother's shoulder. "I snapped – it was wrong – I went to see the doctor at work."

She stroked his head. "I'm sorry sweetie, it'll be alright. I'll make it right, I promise." She pushed him away gently and wiped her face with the back of her hand. "Enough of this. You go take your shower and I'll make something to eat."

"Mama..."

"Don't Mama me, do as I say."

"Greg said he wanted grilled cheese and tomato soup."

Jillian smiled and patted him on the cheek. "Sorry I smacked you."

He kissed her hand, "Sometimes you need a little smack to bring you back to reality."

....

By the time Nick had come out of the shower Greg was sitting at the table, happily dipping his sandwich in his soup. Nick couldn't resist kissing the back of his head. He smiled as Greg didn't flinch, but turned to offer Nick a bite of his sandwich, which he took. "Mmmm."

"Nicholas! You have your own on the way, don't go stealing from Greg!" She yelled at him as she peeked into the room from the kitchen – but her voice was laced with a playful love. It was obvious that she had adopted Greg into the family – and that he was quickly usurping Nick's place as the favored son. The two men snickered as she disappeared back into the kitchen.

"How you doing, G?"

"Alright. Your mom is great."

"See, I knew there wouldn't be any problems."

Greg shoved Nick's shoulder and smiled. It was going to take time, but maybe the old Greggo would come back after all.

***

Next story in series - Let Me Be The One.