Hidden Depths part 5

 

Gil was wholly unsurprised to find himself two hours later on Nick’s bed holding him as he cried out in his sleep.  He was surprised when Nick shot up and smacked his head up against Gil’s.  Which hurt like the dickens, it also stunned him enough to let go of Nick, which apparently was a good thing as he shot forward and ran to the bathroom, puking up the contents of his stomach.  Gil just rubbed his back waiting for the dry heaves to stop.  When they did Gil handed Nick a glass of water to help wash away the bile.  “Feeling better?”

 

“Yeah,” Nick ran a shaky hand over a pallid brow, “yeah I’m fine now.  Just a psychosomatic reaction to my dream, that’s all.”

 

“Nick, you don’t have to hide behind the terminology with me.”

 

Nick looked at him a bit perplexed, “I just didn’t want you to think that my concussion was getting worse, one of the symptoms of that is nausea.”

 

“Oh.”  Grissom looked a bit sheepish, “I hadn’t even thought of that.”  The two of them just sat on the floor in silence, each considering the same idea, one that neither had voiced.  Hesitantly Gil started to speak, “if it would help I could stay with you?  Try and keep the bad dreams away.”

 

Nick looked Gil in the eyes, wanting to say yes but not push, “are you sure?  I don’t – don’t want to push you into anything.”

 

Gil shook his head no, “no it’s okay, I think we’ll both sleep better this way.”  And he was right, while they both had nightmares, a few soothing words and physical comfort and they were both drifting off again.  So Nick was slightly surprised to find Grissom dressed and shaking him awake.

 

“Huh?  Whazzz?”  Nick half mumbled still asleep.  Gil held out his hands one with Nick’s pills and the other with a glass of water. 

 

While Nick was drinking Grissom explained, “you were sleeping so soundly I didn’t want to wake you, but I also didn’t want you to wake up with me not here.  I have to go into work now, but I’ll call later in the evening, to make sure everything is okay.”  Nick’s eyes were already sliding shut and Gil leaned down, planting a light kiss on Nick’s forehead.  Gil whispered as he walked out the bedroom door, “sleep well.”

 

Work had been pretty light lately, Grissom just prayed that it stayed that way for awhile.  His mind just wasn’t focusing on work as well as it used to be.  Most of the evening was spent catching up on paper work and processing old evidence for trial.  Grissom spend much of is time thinking over Nick’s idea.  ~Me in a relationship?  It just seems so odd.  But they did work well as friends and if the kiss was anything to go by….~  “What are you smiling about?”  Grissom straightened, hurriedly getting his mind out of the gutter, but unfortunately Catherine had already picked up on most of what was going on in his mind, just not who he was thinking about.  Seeing that Grissom wasn’t going to answer Catherine continued, “How’s Nick doing?”

 

Now in a safe topic of conversation, Nick’s health, not Nick himself, Grissom relaxed a bit, “He was sleeping when I left and fine when I called to check on him.  It’s so weird.  I mean so much has happened in the last 48 hours it feels like it’s been months.  I learned more about Nick in the last 2 days than in the last 2 years.  Oh that reminds me, Catherine what’s your favorite breakfast cereal?”

 

“Oh I guess it would be Special K.”

 

“Huh, well has Nick ever asked about your favorite cereal?”

 

“No,” Catherine shook her head, “not that I can remember.”

 

“Huh.”  Grissom turned back to his paperwork, when it was evident that Catherine wasn’t going to leave he looked up, “was there something else?”

 

“No, just, I don’t think I’ll ever figure you out.”

 

“If it makes you feel any better, I have yet to figure myself out.”

 

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When Gil arrived at Nick’s home T.S. was waiting at the door to him.  Nick himself was drowsing on the couch watching the morning news.  “Work was light huh?”  Gil raised an eyebrow at him, as eloquent as any question spoken.  Nick waved leisurely at the TV, “nothing on the news, therefore no crime scenes to investigate.”

 

Gil came in sat next to Nick on the couch handing him a cup of coffee and sipping from his own.  “I did a lot of thinking about things during work.  About you, about me, about us.  I decided,” Nick rapidly in drew a breath, Gil moved forward rapidly not wanting to prolong it, “I think we should go for it.”  All that in held air Nick had went out in a rush and a brilliant grin formed on his face.  “I decided that what ever happens I didn’t want to look back on this and regret not trying.  I want us to always be friends though.  Okay?”

 

Nick felt that if he smiled any harder his jaw would break, “Gil its way more than okay.”

 

The End