Title: Demons of the Present, part III

Summary: Nick’s in the hospital and Gil talks to Warrick

Warning: mentions rape of underage children and beatings

Warning part II: SLASH!!!!!

Pairing: Gil/Nick

Archive: http://angelfire.com/weird2/butterflywings

Series: Alterna ‘Verse

Rating: pg-13

 

Gil approached work as he always did, focused and sure, but in the back of his mind he was still thinking of Nick lying in that hospital bed, alone.  Gil had been true to his word and had called the number Nick had given him.  It had been an ....interesting conversation.  The phone number turned out to be Nick’s mom.  Once he had explained that he knew Nick she had guessed that he was Gil, it was pretty obvious that Nick was out to his family and they knew all about him and Gil, and had for some time.  For the first time in a long while Gil had felt decidedly ass-like.  To have accused Nick of not being interested in a long term relationship, of him being embarrassed of their relationship when it was clear now that Nick had planned all their activities so that Gil still had an out, it was times like this that Gil knew he wasn’t quite as smart as he thought he was.  Of course the story of him and the hooker was all over work and he had to have a long talk with Catherine which fortunately ended with Catherine on his, but for the most part he ignored it.  His shift was over now and he only had one thing left to do before he headed to the hospital to visit Nick.

 

“Warrick.”  Warrick Brown froze in the hall, he had been trying to sneak past Grissom.  He wasn’t sure what Grissom wanted with him, but he didn’t want to disobey Brass’s orders to not talk to Grissom about the case involving Nick.

 

“I just wanted to know what the latest is on the rape case.”  Warrick turned and saw the genuine concern and nothing else in Grissom’s eyes and caved.

 

“It’s not looking too good for Nick, we can’t find any evidence to substantiate Nick’s story.  That and the little girl is sticking to the father’s story and not budging.”  Warrick respected Grissom like no other.  If it hadn’t been for Grissom when his gambling addiction had come out, he probably would have been fired, but Grissom had pled his case and all but threatened to transfer if Brass didn’t find a better solution then firing him.  Brass knew *he’d* be out of a job if Grissom left because was the one that had increased the efficiency of the lab and workers and also increased their solve rate.  So Brass and Warrick worked something out and Warrick knew he had Grissom to thank for it.  He didn’t know if he had it in him to accuse Grissom’s point of happiness.  Even Holly had picked up on Grissom’s feeling for Nick, and she could be pretty unobservative for a CSI.  “Grissom,” Warrick asked in a soft voice, “have you considered the possibility that Nick’s guilty?”

 

Grissom looked stricken for a moment with his face slack and his eyes too bright from no sleep, “yes actually, but until you have concrete proof...look you’ve been trying to prove Nick’s story right?  Well the guy had time to clean up and get everyone’s story straight, why not go the other way?”

 

Warrick cocked his head to the side and squinted, “what do you mean?”

 

“Well Nick hasn’t been bathed at the hospital, I made sure for better or for worse that the evidence, or lack there of will be there.  Grissom looked at Warrick intently, “maybe you would like to accompany me to the hospital.”

Warrick could give Grissom that at least.  “Sure man, let’s go.”