Leggo My Greggo

“Coulda Been a Rockstar II”


Nick's back was to him when he walked through the locker room doors, but Warrick figured that Nick would know he was there anyway.

“Hey, Nick. You want a job, man?” Warrick heard Nick chuckle. He didn't turn as he responded, but Warrick could hear the grin in his voice.

“No, man, I won't guard Sara. Cause A: She sounds like she could kick my ass and B: You're so head- over- heels in love with her and I ain't takin' over your turf.” Warrick chuckled, Nick turned, and with two identical grins, they bumped fists in their usual greeting.

“Long time no see, Rick. It's been what? Three weeks, man?” Warrick nodded.

“Since I started guarding Sara.” Nick passed a scrutinizing look over him.

“You look good.” Warrick raised an eyebrow.

“Stop hitting on me, Stokes.” Nick sent him a wink.

“Oh, you'd know if I were hitting on you, Brown.” The two couldn't keep the straight faces for long before they burst out laughing. “Oh, it's been too long, Rick.” Warrick could only agree as Nick reached down to finish tying his shoe.

“So what's this job? Cause if I know you, I know that there's no way in hell you're letting another man near your girl.”

It sometimes worried Warrick how Nick could seemingly read his mind.

“Naw, it's for her best friend.” Nick didn't look up.

“Oh, you mean the singer?”

“Sure, if that's what you wanna call him,” Warrick muttered sarcastically. This time Nick did look up.

“I thought you mentioned that he sang.” Warrick could only shrug.

“Yeah, but he doesn't sing the stuff that you would count as music. He more or less screams it.” Nick's eyes widened to the point of bugging out.

“You want me to guard a rock star?!” Warrick swallowed hard.

“Yeah. Look, he was sorta forced into it by his manager. The insurance company was saying that covering someone who was being shot at was a liability without additional security.” Nick looked almost relieved.

“So he's not just wanting to look cool with someone tailing him around all the time?” Warrick shook his head.

“Like I said, he was forced into it. He actually asked me if I knew anyone who could be discrete about it. I said I did. And while you don't exactly blend in, Nick, it's because of your looks, not your gun. Plus, Greg needs someone that can look good beside him. Someone that can stand in the spotlight without wimping out on him.”

At Nick's questioning look, Warrick added, “He's as lonely as you are. The career he's got... it's as bad as ours when it comes to holding a relationship.”

“So he's...?” Nick trailed off, but Warrick got the whole question anyway and snorted.

“Greg says that 'Love is love. Damn the sex of the person.'” Nick grinned.

“Do I even have to guess whether my schedule is now empty or...?”

“Already done, man.”

With two more identical grins, they shook on it.

~~~

Greg crossed his arms over his chest.

“I can't believe you're making me get a bodyguard...” Sara rolled her eyes at Greg's rant. She'd heard it a million and a half times. She was about to cut him off yet again when she noticed Warrick walking in with another guy. Tall. Buff. Gorgeous. Sara knew this must be Nick

“...You know I can protect myself, so why do I need a bodyguard? He's not gonna do any good anyway. He'll be big, thick, indiscreet, and mentally inadequate...” Warrick stepped up beside Sara, giving her a small peck on the cheek which she returned with a small smile.

“He'll be fine, Greg.” Greg raised a finger and an eyebrow.

“Oh, but how do you know? Will he blend in?” At Warrick's uneasy look, Greg jumped on him.

“Warrick! I told you I don't want an all brawn and no brain guy...”

“---If I knew better, I'd be affronted...” Greg spun around and couldn't stop his jaw from dropping. Tan, short cropped brown hair, broad shoulders, gorgeous smile, sparkling eyes... Damn it!

~~~

Nick was falling hard. The quirky, slender brunette dancing around the living room in front him was everything Nick was looking for in a man and now because of it, he was in Warrick's position. Nick could trust no one to guard Greg but himself; not to mention the guys that would be snooping around the rock star if Nick didn't ward them off... Nope, Nick wasn't letting Greg out of his sight.

It had taken two weeks, but Greg's CSI friends had found some evidence to lead them to a suspect. Maybe then Nick could breathe a little easier knowing Greg was safe. But Nick truthfully, and very guiltily, hoped the infamous Gil Grissom didn't solve Greg's case. He just didn't think he could ever say goodbye.

“Nicky?” Nick startled himself out of his thoughts when Greg's soft, concerned voice broke in.

“Hmm?” Was the most literate word Nick could summon up in that moment. The light of the flat screen TV was the only light on in the otherwise dark house and it seemed to just make Greg glow. Greg cocked his head to the side and gave him a questioning look before plopping himself down on the opposite side of the couch, much to Nick's disappointment. But even that disappeared when Greg stretched out until his feet rested snugly in Nick's lap.

Nick looked toward Greg with an eyebrow raised. Dark brown eyes glinted with something that Nick couldn't distinguish before the younger man snorted and twisted until he was on his stomach with his arms wrapped around the throw pillow his cheek was pressed into.

“Figured you could do something useful while you're hoggin' up my couch.” Those dark eyes were focused on the TV so Nick knew that Greg didn't see his eye roll. Suddenly a wicked idea crossed Nick's mind. He lowered a hand until his fingers were about to ghost over the sensitive soles of Greg's feet. He was stopped though, when one of Greg's feet gave a warning kick.

“Don't even think about it, Nicky.” Nick just chuckled and rested his hands comfortably on the younger man's calves instead. With Greg's attention back on the plasma monster, Nick felt free to let his thoughts wander again.

What he realized was that he'd give anything to do this, just this; lazing on the couch watching old reruns of Starsky & Hutch in the dark with Greg every night for the rest of his life.

~~~

It was late, Nick knew that, but he couldn't find himself to move and risk waking Greg up. The rock star had shifted positions sometime during the movie and now had his head resting where his feet had previously been... in Nick's lap. The ex- DNA labtech had fallen asleep to Nick combing his fingers through the surprisingly soft, brown locks and neither of them had moved since. Nick hadn't been able to doze off himself, but that was hardly his fault. Greg was just too damn beautiful in his sleep.

Carefully, reaching over and muting the TV, Nick frowned when he heard faint footsteps. Shaking his head, he was about to chalk it up to tired ears and an overactive imagination when he heard something drop on the upstairs floor. Greg didn't have any pets and no one would be in the house at this time of night. The footsteps that Nick had heard earlier thumped again, almost right above their heads.

This time, Nick sprang into action. He gently shook Greg awake, immediately shushing
Greg's groggy, “Wha?... What's going on?” and made a point of staring at the ceiling. Greg's brow furrowed as he did the same, but when the footsteps echoed above their heads again his eyes widened as his mouth opened in a silent gasp. When the two of them heard the footsteps fade down the upstairs hall and sound on the stairs, they bolted up.

Nick gave Greg a slight push toward the kitchen and whispered a rushed, “Lock yourself in the pantry.” But Greg shook his head wildly, adamantly refusing.

“I'm not leaving you.” Nick pulled the young man toward him, wrapped his arms around the slender form as he breathed out next to his ear.

“Go. This is what I do, Greg, I protect you.” Greg tightened his arms around Nick's waist briefly before pulling back. Nick laid a loving kiss on the younger man's forehead before stepping back and nudging Greg toward the pantry.

“Go, Greg. Now.” With terrified eyes, Greg turned and fled into the kitchen. Assured the young singer was out of harm's way, Nick focused on the creaking floorboards in the dining room, all the while mentally thanking Greg for buying an older mansion. With his back flat against the wall next to the TV, Nick waited until the dark shape moved into range before springing. It didn't take long until Nick had the intruder face- planted on the floor unconscious, with his hands bound behind his back by Nick's tight grip.

“Greg! You can come out.” Nick called and a wide- eyed Greg appeared in the adjoining doorway, looking relieved. “Why don't you give Gris--- Greg!”

A knife was pointed to Greg's cheek... and both the knife and Greg were held in a white knuckled grip by a large bulk of a man that Nick vaguely remembered Greg introducing him as the back- up drummer in his band. Nick could see Greg's nostrils flare and his jaw clench as he fought back his adrenaline and tried to keep the arm around his neck from tightening.

“...Greg...” Nick began in a low, calm voice, but the drummer snarled.

“Shut up, Nick. Do you know how long I've waited to be the lead singer? Do you? Huh?! Too long. I had the voice, but not the face. No, Gregory's was perfect for the cover. Hmph, we'll see after we scar the pretty thing up.”

Greg's jaw tightened when the sharp blade nicked his cheek. Then the young rock star did something that Nick had only seen done in movies. Greg jerked back, successfully ramming the back of his head into the drummer's throat. Nick could see the drummer's grip loosen just before Greg used the guy's weight against him to flip him. The drummer landed with a loud groan before Greg was straddling the guy's back and twisting the guy's beefy arm up between his shoulder blades.

Nick was admittedly struck speechless and it wasn't until Greg looked up at Nick with scared eyes and a weak voice that Nick kicked himself. Greg was by far the least violent person Nick had ever met and right now Nick guessed that Greg was pretty disgusted with himself. Nick dragged his captive over to one of the many columns; (Truthfully, Nick had gotten some very R- rated fantasies involving him, Greg, no clothes, and up against one of those said columns...); in Greg's kitchen, cuffed the guy's wrists around the thick beam, and all but sprinted over to where Greg was barely restraining himself from bolting.

Once Nick had a hold of the drummer's wrists, Greg did bolt... right for the trashcan. Nick ignored the angry cursing and yelling as he secured Greg's attacker, took out his cell phone, and sped dialed Gil Grissom. After a fifteen second conversation, Nick dropped his phone to the counter- top and wrapped his arms the shaking rock star. With soothing murmurers and kisses to the soft hair, Greg slowly loosened the death grip that he had on Nick's shirt.

“Thank you, Nicky,” came Greg's muffled voice. Nick just kissed Greg's forehead and tightened his hold.

~~~

“Blow out the candles, Lindsey!”

With a deep breath, the little girl blew out all seven candles in one go. The room went dark before someone flicked the lights on. Five other little girls rushed to get in line for birthday cake. Sara went wild with the video camera while Warrick tried to get her to sit down and not break said camera. Grissom was standing, involved in an avid conversation with Nick about the criminal justice course the Texan had just completed. Lindsey was sitting like a princess on top of Greg's lap. Greg smiled and whispered into the seven- year- old's ear while she giggled at their secret. Greg reclined back after whispering another little secret and smiled when Nick's fingers would brush protectively over his shoulder from where they were resting on the back of the his chair.

Catherine just stood back and observed all this with a happy smile on her face. Her family was together, but there was just on thing missing. She heard Sara giggle as Warrick wrapped both of his arms around her waist and sweetly kissed her neck.

“Hey Lindsey? What did you wish for?” The little girl shook her head at the dark man.

“If I tell, it won't come true.” Greg leaned forward again and whispered something, his eyes looking directly to where Grissom had come up beside Catherine and put an arm around her shoulders. Catherine just laid her head on Gil's shoulder and gazed right back to where her daughter had turned to look up at Greg with a such an awe- struck expression that it made Catherine glad that she had asked Greg to be Lindsey's godfather seven years ago.

Greg whispered something again and the little girl just giggled out a, “That's not what I wished for, silly.” In response, Greg just smiled and leaned back, this time letting his elbow prop up on the armrest and allowing his fingers to trail up to caress Nick's from where they were resting on his shoulder. Catherine felt the low rumbles as Gil spoke up next to her.

“You know, Lindsey, I'm sure your wish will still come true if you tell everyone what it is.” Lindsey cocked her head to the side, seemingly scrutinizing the entomologist before giving him a sharp nod.

“Okay. I wish Uncle Greggo and Nicky would kiss. Everyone else does.” The little girl peered up at Nick, “You love Uncle Greggo, right?”

Catherine saw Nick melt like a big pile of Texan goo when he looked into the angelic blue eyes.

“Yeah Linds, I do.” And with that, Nick leaned down while Greg tilted his chin up. Their lips touched in a simple kiss that spoke of nothing but the love they had come to find in each other. And Catherine knew that that love would last forever.

A/N: I would love to know what everyone thinks, so review please!