Title: The Art of Protection
By: cameragirl
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating:
Summary: In which Nick & Greg are a budding couple, Nick tries to commit murder but not really, and Greg isn't really oblivious.

***

"He's a faggot. That's all there is to it. I don't care if he's the top in the nation. We don't need them in any department."

Nick Stokes automatically stilled, letting his flashlight slip out of his hand. Since he had left Dallas, he hadn't heard many outright insults to homosexuals. A few fleeting rumors and comments here and there, but there had never been any this bad, or at work, while at a crime scene.

He peered around the corner and saw two armed cops, keeping watch and having idle conversation. But it wasn't just idle conversation, Nick realized. They were making threats and tossing insults out towards someone in the lab.

Wait a minute...Not just any someone. The top in the country? He had heard that term before, Grissom used it to describe Greg when he had first hired the Californian. Greg was currently the top DNA laboratory technician in the country.

"No one cares how good he is at his job. Cocksuckers like Sanders aren't welcome." The other cop agreed with the first statement.

They were talking about Greg. Nick paused in picking up his flashlight, his hand clenched into a fist.

Greg and Nick had only been dating for three months. The greatest three months of Nick's life but they were still a little cautious about being out to anyone other than their close friends at the lab. Greg didn't need to know what these guys were saying about him.

For once, Nick did something after he thought it through. He didn't go and beat up the two cops.

Sure...he had started after them after he had processed the crime scene.

And sure, Brass had seen the murderous glare in his eyes and pulled him aside to his squad car.

It had taken a threat of suspension to get what had happened out of Nick. And by the time Brass had convinced him to talk, all the cops had left. Nick didn't know their names, badge numbers, or anything about them.

"Stokes, it's not the first time this has happened," Brass said sternly, "In fact, I'll give you a recorder once we get back to the lab. A few other people have them after giving the same story as you just told me. Next time you hear something, use it. It's as simple as that. I'll let Grissom know as well so I can file a report."

Nick didn't care if he was given a chance to catch those bastards in the near future. He wanted to kill them now. That's all that Nick could think about on his way to the lab.

"Hey! I got your results right here," Greg smiled at Nick as the Texan walked into his lab. "Just regular cotton fibers with two different DNA threads."

"Two?" Nick looked up from the sheet that Greg handed him. "But there was only one victim."

"Well, then, I guess that means you have a suspect." Greg mused, shaking his head at his bemused boyfriend.

"Yea, yea you're right." Nick grinned again and focused on how cute Greg looked in his polka dot, button down shirt and lab coat.

"Nick? Hellooo..." Greg waved his hand in front of Nick's face. "You might want to quit dozing, there are only a few hours left on shift. You could even get some work done." He grinned cheekily as Nick batted his hand away and reluctantly got up.

"So...I'll pick you up after shift?" Nick asked hopefully.

"Definitely." Greg grinned happily, his eyes shining as Nick smiled back and left the room.

"Nick, you have to tell him." Warrick insisted and stopped the CSI from hitting his head against the table. "What if he hears these guys for himself?"

"I can't tell him," Nick sat back in his chair, defeated, "We're barely getting by right now. It's hard enough with you guys knowing. He's going to think I might freak if he hears about these guys being douches. I...I..." Nick ran his fingers through his short hair and took a deep breath.

"Nick..." Warrick prompted him.

"I just can't lose him.," Nick shrugged. "It's been a great three months and I just want this whole thing to be over."

"Do you even know what these cops look like?" Warrick took the recorder from Nick, turning the small, black piece of machinery in his hands.

"No, it was a bit too dark but I did recognize their voices. I mean, they're regulars. They'll have to show up sooner or later." Nick pressed a few buttons on the recorder, testing it out.

"Well, good luck. Let me know if you need me to stop you from committing murder."

It wasn't working, the fucking recorder wasn't working. Damn it. Nick had his chance but all he could do was furiously fight with the tiny piece of plastic.

These cops were right outside of the DNA lab. They were definitely the same two cops. Even if Nick had even doubts about their physical aspects, they were talking again. This time it was worse and Nick couldn't even get the damn recorder to turn on. He tried blocking out what they were saying. A loud thud sounded as his head hit the wall.

"All squads to ward 1-3. There is a situation. All squads report." The officers' radios crackled to life. And before Nick could even take a step forward, both cops were gone. He started down the hall, after them but-

"Nick!" Grissom appeared from out of nowhere and put a hand on the CSIs shoulder. "You have a bigger issue right now. He heard them" He nodded towards the DNA Lab where Nick could clearly see Greg's hands shaking. Grissom was right. Nick could kill the cops later, right now he needed to go to Greg.

"Greg?" Nick said softly.

Greg turned around and Nick eyes widened at the sight of a small black recorder cradled in his hands. Greg had one of the other recorders.

"You heard?" Nick asked and Greg nodded in confirmation, still while staring at the recorder. Nick pulled Greg towards him and wrapped him in a comforting hug. "You got them though, babe. It was all you. You got the evidence that we needed." Nick pulled the broken recorder out of his pockets.

"You knew..." Greg whispered.

"I was just trying to protect you." Nick told him, sighing.

"I was trying to protect you," Greg admitted, Nick rubbed up and down his arms, anything to try to get Greg's hands to stop shaking. "I didn't want them to scare you off or..." Greg just let his sentence trail once he realized what he had said.

Nick leaned in, tightening his arms around Greg's waist, "Nothing could ever scare me away from you."

END