Title: While He Sleeps
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Ryan Wolfe
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas /CSI: Miami
Rating: PG-13
Table: 3, csi50
Prompt: 38, Sleep
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Ryan Wolfe, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Ryan awakened with a start, his heart pounding and his breath coming in gasps. He was glad that he hadn't uttered a sound and woken Greg up; he didn't want his boyfriend worrying about the nightmares that were coming more often lately.

The last thing he wanted to do was wake Greg from a sound sleep; he'd done that more than once lately, and he always felt guilty when his nightmares kept his boyfriend awake. He didn't want Greg to worry about him; he knew that his lover needed to get his rest.

This time, it hadn't been a nightmare that had pulled him out of slumber into wakefulness; it had been the feeling that there was some kind of danger near, hovering over Greg. He had no idea why he should feel that way, but he couldn't shake the premonition.

Taking a deep breath, Ryan rolled over onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at the man sleeping so peacefully by his side. Greg always looked so beautiful when he was asleep, Ryan thought fondly, reaching out to stroke his lover's cheek.

Of course, Greg always looked beautiful to him, no matter what he was doing. He could look just as sexy and desirable when he was putting silverware into the dishwasher as he could when they were making love and he was on the verge of coming.

Well, maybe he didn't look quite as sexy when he was doing dishes as he did when they were having sex, Ryan corrected himself, smiling at the thought. But still, he always found Greg beautiful; he knew that he always would.

He loved watching Greg sleep. It was times like this, when they were both completely relaxed, that all seemed right with the world, as though nothing could ever go wrong for them. These moments were some of the most precious he'd ever spent.

They would always be like this, he told himself firmly, pushing away the worries that were trying to crowd into the back of his mind. No matter what problems life might try to throw in their way, he and Greg would always have these quiet times when everything was at peace.

He should be getting more sleep himself, he thought wryly as he settled down on the pillow next to Greg. He hadn't been sleeping all that well lately, mainly because of the dreams that seemed to come on an almost nightly basis now.

Those dreams shouldn't be plaguing him as much as they were; now that all of the trouble with the Cuban mob was past, he should be able to rest easier. But for some reason, new nightmares had started to pop up, nightmares where Greg was in danger.

They disturbed his sleep, made him feel more helpless than he ever had before. There was a part of him that felt crushed by those dreams; after all, if he couldn't protect Greg even in his dreams, how could he keep his boyfriend safe in their waking hours?

That wasn't something that he should be worrying about, Ryan told himself firmly. Those dreams were only that -- dreams, a fantasy world that had no bearing on the life he shared with Greg. Dreams couldn't harm either of them; he had to remember that.

Sleep should be something that was welcomed, not something that he shied away from. Dreams should be pleasant fantasies to luxuriate in -- not terrible nightmares that foretold of some kind of danger and tragedy befalling the person he loved most in the world.

At least Greg was sleeping soundly and peacefully, Ryan thought, tracing a gentle fingertip down his boyfriend's cheek. He was glad that his own tossing and turning hadn't awakened his lover; it was bad enough that one of them wasn't getting much rest lately.

He could lie here and watch Greg sleep, even if he couldn't manage to get any rest himself, Ryan thought with a soft smile. It always made him feel peaceful to watch Greg sleeping; there was something about his boyfriend's face in repose that calmed his heart and soul.

Greg looked so young when he slept, Ryan thought wistfully. He looked younger than he was, anyway -- but when he was asleep, Ryan could clearly see the little boy he had been, the defenseless child who had thought that the world was a beautiful, wondrous place.

Maybe he still felt that way sometimes, Ryan thought as he stroked a hand over Greg's bare shoulder. But he saw so much ugliness in the world in his job as a CSI that it must have tainted his world view. It was hard to do their job and not let that distort how they saw the universe.

But somehow, Greg still retained an innocence and a love of life that not many people who had been doing his job for as long as he had been could still have. Greg was a loving, generous person at heart; he would always see the glass as being half-full.

Did he himself see life in that way? Ryan had to admit that, most of the time, he didn't. He'd long since let himself become jaded by his work -- but being with Greg had brought a lot of his childlike wonder back. His boyfriend was helping him to see life in a whole new light.

That was one of the things he loved most about Greg, Ryan thought with a soft smile. Not only that sweet innocence that seemed to cling to him, even after all he'd seen in his years as a CSI, but the fact that he could make the people close to him view life in the same way he did.

He hoped that Greg never lost that ability. Leaning forward, he brushed a kiss against the softness of Greg's cheek, hoping that he wouldn't wake his slumbering lover, but needing to kiss Greg, to touch him, to establish some kind of physical contact.

Greg stirred slightly in his sleep, murmuring Ryan's name and reaching out for him. But he didn't wake up, even though Ryan thought for just a fraction of a moment that he would. Instead, he snuggled closer as Ryan slid protective arms around him.

He wanted to hold Greg while he slept, to wake up with his boyfriend in his arms. He wanted to fall asleep beside Greg, holding his boyfriend close, feeling Greg's heartbeat in sync with his own, to know that the man he loved was near, and that they were both safe and happy.

Ryan closed his eyes, letting himself relax and start to drift off. He fell asleep with a smile curving his lips, Greg snuggled close against him and his arms wrapped around his boyfriend, into a world of dreams that, for once, welcomed him into their realm.

***