Title: What Now?
Author: Jaxson K.
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Greg sat on the bench by the duck pond trying his best to keep from crying. His entire world had just been shattered into a million pieces, and he was watching the ducks, trying not to cry. He guessed he should have seen it coming, but when you are blinded by love and devoted to someone, it's kinda hard to see when something's wrong. When Nick started pulling away, Greg didn't think a whole lot of it. When Nick worked on really bad cases or cases that really bothered him, he tended to do that. When he didn't bounce back like he normally did, Greg was too wrapped up in his own bad case to notice.

When Nick started getting phone calls that he left the room to take was Greg's first clue something wasn't right. That, coupled with the fact that he and Nick hadn't been anywhere near intimate in nearly two months, told Greg that he needed to pay attention. When Greg brought up the intimacy issue, Nick just claimed that he was tired and that he wasn't feeling well. Greg took it in stride, but started watching Nick even more closely. When they were at home together, they started arguing and Greg soon moved into the guest room. At work, things were fine. Both men conducted themselves in a professional manner, and gave no one a clue that there were problems between them.

Greg decided that it would probably be best if he moved out. He started looking for a new place, and just to see if Nick would notice, he left the classified section open to rentals with some of the entries circled. This went on for a couple of weeks until one day Nick mentioned the classifieds. Greg explained that he was looking for a new place because of the way things had been going. Nick said that he thought that was a good idea because they both could use some space. Greg was shocked to say the least, but didn't argue. He figured it was easier to keep his mouth shut and watch than to continue arguing with Nick.

Greg found an apartment in his price range on Bradley St. near the lab. It was ironic in a way because there was a park on Bradley that Nick and Greg used to go to when they first got together. They would walk in the park and sometimes feed the duck at the duck pond. Some of their happiest moments from the beginning of their relationship had happened there. Greg went to the park after he moved to the neighborhood to try and figure out what had gone wrong, and how he was going to fix it. It never occurred to him that the park would be his downfall.

On Greg's next day off, he decided to go to the park. It was a beautiful day, and he felt good. All the shit with Nick wasn't bothering him too badly, and it was too pretty a day to waste inside. He walked some of the walking trails, and headed to the duck pond. Never in a million years was he prepared for the sight that greeted him when he came out of the woods. Nick was sitting on the bench by the pond with a good-looking guy with coal black hair. They looked as though they were deep in conversation, and then the unthinkable happened. Nick leaned over and kissed his new friend. Greg felt the air leave his lungs, and stood frozen in place. It was at that moment that Nick broke the kiss and looked right at Greg. Greg felt his face flush and he was suddenly moving forward. He and Nick met near the bench, and Nick's friend started up the trail after telling Nick that he would meet him at the truck.

Nick and Greg sat down on the bench. Greg asked Nick about the guy, and Nick told him that the guy's name was Tony. He went on to explain that Tony was moving in with him. Greg had so many questions, but kept them to himself. Greg did ask Nick if Tony was the reason they were finished. Nick replied honestly that he was. He went on to say it wasn't really anybody's fault, it just happened. Nick told Greg that he was glad they could be civil about this because he still thought of Greg as a friend.

Greg didn't say anything as Nick stood up and said that he had to go. He leaned down to give Greg a kiss, but Greg turned his head away. Nick walked away shaking his head. That's how Greg found himself sitting on the bench with his world shattered in a million pieces. The one thing that kept going through his mind as he sat there crying was “what now?”


END

Next story in series - Keep Your Change.