Title: Touch
By: cameragirl
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Summary: After recovering from his abduction, Nick reflects on everything that Greg's done for him. Nick/Greg fluff.

***

Nick is thankful when they finally get home at the end of a shift. He loves his job but hates the affect it has on his mind. Everything and anything makes him jumpy, especially when he's out in the field. Closed spaces, elevators, basements, and anywhere with broken electricity. Grissom had tried to avoid it but he had reluctantly paired Nick and Greg on assignments. On the tough cases and dark situations, only Greg knew how to calm Nick down. Grissom has to hand it to the young CSI; he did it fast and professionally even though he was worried about his boyfriend.

It's not to say Nick wasn't getting better. Because he definitely had come a long way over the past few months. One of the main reasons for his progress is Greg.

Greg knows when Nick needs time alone and when he needs extra blankets. It's almost like having a mind reader in bed next to him. An adorable mind reader.

Nick never thought he'd crave Greg's skinny arms with such desperation. They had always loved touching and holding each other but Nick now needs the comfort and smell of Greg around him.

After they had found Nick, Grissom had given them both time off, knowing Nick would need Greg. Nick hated how helpless they both felt when Grissom called and told Greg it was time to go back to work. Now, their time was up.

Knowing it was inevitable, Nick had even tried to wear some of Greg's clothes when he wasn't looking. The clothes smelt wonderfully of Greg but were definitely too small.

Greg's first grueling shift back had turned into a double. Nick was waiting on the couch, he hadn't slept the entire time Greg was gone. Greg walked into their apartment and took off his jacket. Underneath the jacket, Greg was wearing an oversized Stanford sweatshirt. Giving Nick a kiss and a tired smile he said:

"It's for you. I wore it all shift so it would smell like me."

Nick was speechless. He hadn't said anything but couldn't think about it further as Greg continued.

"I know that...after the explosion, all I wanted was the smell of you all around me and you there with me. And I saw you trying to wear my Stanford jacket." Greg gave Nick another tired but still brilliant smile. Nick smiled back, his first real smile since the abduction.

He got up off the couch and wrapped his arms around Greg, burying his head in Greg's neck, taking in the aroma.

"Smells like you." He murmured.

"That's because you're smelling the actual me."

Greg took a step back from Nick, just enough space to slip the sweatshirt off his torso.

"Lift your arms." He said quietly.

Nick smiled again, sat down, and lifted his arms.

"I'm not that short." Greg gave the proper response to Nick's movements with a small smirk. He slipped the shirt over Nick's body and leaned into him, just savoring the moment.

Greg even knows about the touching rules. It's either firm grasp or not at all. Light feathery touches anywhere makes Nick jumpy and he can feel the ghosts on him for hours on end. Greg knows when to hug Nick firmly around the waist and when to just hand him a blanket. That's because Greg understands, Greg's been through this. It was like some secret club Nick had never known to exist until his abduction.

Nick is ashamed, knowing that during Greg's recovery from the explosion he didn't know. They had been dating for five months when the explosion happened. Nick had been worried sick and tried to do everything he could to help Greg.

He never knew why Greg flinched away from a hand near his shoulder. Greg had never told him. He had just grabbed onto Nick's hands to stop them from moving.

Greg had probably wanted to talk to Nick, but, well, it was Greg. He can barely defend his coffee stash, let alone himself.

Nick finally caught on during one of Greg's nightmares when his cold touches touched a sensitive spot of skin.

"Touch. Can feel. Don't. Please." Greg gasped. Nick quickly pulled away and wrapped a warm blanket around Greg's body to comfort him without direct contact.

Now Nick understands everything and looks in wonder at his tired boyfriend who had just walked in from his shift. He was wearing a suit jacket due to the shift meeting. Even though he had a conservative jacket on, the bright dress shirt underneath was dazzlingly striped.

"What is it?" Greg looks around and then down at himself, suddenly self-conscious. "Nick? Are you ok?" Greg gives him an unsure smile.

"Yea...it's just..." Nick gave Greg a huge, brilliant smile. "Thanks." He told Greg firmly, looking him in the eyes. "Thanks for knowing." He said quietly. Greg smiled knowingly and ducked his head. "Why didn't you tell me?" Nick whispered. He got up and put his hands on Greg's hips, pulling his boyfriend towards him.

"You didn't know and I didn't tell you, it's your fault as it is mine." Greg tried to explain.

"But it's not yours." Nick argued.

"Then it's not yours either." Greg said softly. He wrapped his arms around Nick's neck and gave him a kiss on the nose.

Nick grabbed the lapels of Greg's jacket, pulled him onto the bed & practically on top of him. They kissed slowly before Nick broke away to spoon Greg and wrap his arms around him. He heard Greg starting to speak and he put his finger over his boyfriend's lips.

"Shhh Greg. Please, just lie here with me. You're amazing and you've been great these months, just let me hold you while we fall asleep. Please." Nick whispered, ending in almost a plea.

Greg complied and snuggled into Nick, allowing his boyfriend to hold him tighter. After a few minutes of Nick running his fingers through Greg's spiked hair, he spoke. "Night Nicky." He said softly before Nick could stop him. "I love you."

"Shhh I love you too honey. Good night." He hushed Greg once more and covered them both with a heavy comforter.