Can't be helped

A/N: Alright, so here is the third installment. I have decided that I'm going to make this a bit longer then just three chapters. Not sure how many, though. So, I hope you all enjoy. Please, if you have the time, or if you like this, let me know. Leave some feedback. It would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks to Liljanie. Your review made my day. All mistakes are mine, do let me know if you spot any. Now that I'm done babbling, on with the story.


The crime scene was a complete mess; blood was everywhere throughout the house. It seemed that the killer had gone after the father first, stabbing him seven times while he slept. The force of the blows was probably what woke the mother up, as he certainly didn’t have time to scream. The first stab wound had killed him instantly. From what they could gather, the mother had run through the house trying to get away. But the killer had been very thoughtful. He’d cut the phone lines and barred all the doors with the furniture. She had no way to out run him.

Her body had been sliced open as she ran, like it was a game to the killer. She died on the other side of the house, trying to escape out the front door. Arterial spray and the slash on her neck made her C.O.D quite obvious. The woman’s liver temp had put her T.O.D. at about four hours before we’d arrived on the scene. The husband had died approximately around the same time.

The last victim seemed to be the intended target, though. The son, twenty-two years old was found in the garage. He was duct taped to a lawn chair at the wrists, abdomen and ankles. Whoever had done this obviously held some sort of grudge against him. His toes, fingertips, and ears had all been removed, and were nowhere on the scene. Both kneecaps and elbows broken, and his mouth was sewn shut. The cuts were not precise, but rather jagged and sloppy, so it was clear that the killer had no medical training. They hadn’t found anything. Not a fiber, or a hair out of place. The killer had definitely used gloves, as there were no fingerprints thus far. The murder weapon was missing as well. The only thing that we had to go on was a neighbor’s statement. It seemed that a red mustang had been parked out front mere hours before the crime, a car that she had never seen there before.

The elderly woman hadn’t gotten a license plate number, due to the fact that she had particularly horrible eyesight. Nor did she actually see anyone enter or exit the vehicle, but it was something at the very least. Despite the fact that there had been no clues, the categorization and identification of the blood spatter throughout the entire scene had taken most of the night. It was my job to take the crime scene photos while Nicky dusted for prints and checked for any possible shoe prints.

I don’t know exactly when it had started, but I do know that I was acutely aware of his presence in any room I happened to be working. Why, you ask? It wasn’t that I was watching him, or anything. I had done my very best to keep my focus on the job, but he certainly wasn’t helping matters.

A fleeting touch to the back of my neck while I bent to capture a spatter pattern on the floor nearly made me fall over in surprise. I glanced up to see him walking by with his kit, a small smile aimed in my direction. Arching an amused brow, I smiled back and returned to my work. And so it went. Whenever he would walk by, I’d feel warm fingers against my skin. My forearms where my sleeves had been rolled up, my fingertips, my elbows, and my hair… anywhere he could reach, really. It was driving me crazy. By the time we’d all made it back to the lab, I was so wound up I couldn’t think straight. Couldn’t stand not touching him too.

So when I saw him head towards the supply closet, I followed silently, hoping to catch him off guard. When we rounded the corner and reached our destination, I couldn’t believe my good luck. The hallway was quiet, and the supply closet deserted. While he bent to the floor to set his kit down and peered inside, I used the opportunity to shut the door behind us, waiting. It must have been the longest minute of my life, standing there waiting for him to rise up from the floor or even just notice my presence. His features defined by the soft light emanating from the ceiling as he looked through his supplies. God but the man really was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. He gently bit his bottom lip and I found myself stepping towards him. No more waiting.

I let my fingers dance across the back of his neck, taking pride in the soft gasp I got in response. Liquid brown pools blinked up at me as my thumb trailed over his cheekbone then traced his bottom lip. “Nicky…” It came out as a soft whine, but I couldn’t have cared less, because he was slowly standing now. Eyes never leaving mine. I shivered under that stare and gasped when his hand slid under my shirt, pressing against the small of my back. We didn’t have much time, and we both knew it, so we didn’t waste any more of what precious little we did have. He pulled me close and I pressed my parted lips against his. It was his turn to shiver when I gently sucked on that torturous bottom lip. Our tongues met soon after, twisting and rolling about. Not battling for any sort of dominance, but playfully dancing.

The moment was over far too quickly for my tastes, and by the way he grunted when we pulled apart, I knew he agreed. Panting heavily, I rested my forehead against his, and cupped the back of his head tenderly. “You are evil incarnate, I swear.” He chuckled, his arms circling my waist. “I can’t help it. I just… need to touch you.” I stole one last kiss, just a soft brush of our lips before I gently stepped out of and away from his warmth. A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I made my way to the door, turning back to face him once my fingers made contact with the doorknob. “Your place after shift, alright?” He nodded quickly and I grinned. “I’ll meet you there, then.” That said, I opened the door and stepped back out into the hall, a spring in my step and a wide grin still plastered to my face.

I should have known that working with a team of CSI’s who were very good at their job would mean that someone would notice something was up. To my surprise, it was Warrick who approached me. Though I had no idea why, at first. “Hey, Greg. Can I talk to you for a minute, man?” I blinked but nodded just the same, and poured myself a cup of my divine coffee. “Sure, what can I do you for?” He shrugged and took a seat in the closest chair. The break room was empty, everyone else working their respective cases. I took the chair across from him and waited. He set his own coffee cup down and leaned forward a bit, green eyes staring me down for a moment before he finally spoke. “What did you say to Nick?” I swallowed the sip I had just taken and frowned. “What do you mean?” He shrugged again and stared down into his own cup. “That case really got to him… I know it did. But he was fine when he showed up today, smiling even.”

My eyes went wide, but thankfully he didn’t notice. He seemed a little put out, now that I thought about it. It was my shrug that caught his eye I guess, because he looked up at me again. “I had to go home. Tina was waiting, you know? I couldn’t hang out even though I knew he needed me. So thank you for staying with him, but I just wanted to know… What did you say?” I opened my mouth only to shut it again, realizing I had no idea what to say to that. I bought some time with another slow sip, but I couldn’t hold off from answering forever.

“Nothing special really. We played some video games and got trashed. If I said anything significant, I don’t know…” His shoulders, which I hadn’t realized were tense, relaxed and I blinked again. Warrick really was a good guy. “Oh, okay then. Well, I gotta get back to work.” He stood and patted my shoulder once before setting his cup in the sink. I smiled and downed the last of my own coffee. “Murder waits for no one. Not even rock stars like me.” He laughed and nodded before leaving the room.

The end of shift came quickly after that. We had to go to the victim’s college tomorrow and try to interview some of his friends, but for now, our work was done. While changing in the locker room, I almost tripped twice; so eager I was to leave. A feminine laugh that I knew all too well sounded, and I smiled when I finally pulled my shirt on fully. “Hot date, Greg?” I sat on the bench and proceeded to pull my converse sneakers on, if only to occupy my hands. So what if it happened to hide my blush, too? That was just a bonus. “Nah, just wanna get out of here already. Wasn’t planning on working tonight in the first place. The only date I have is with my PS2 and a cold beer.” Sara grinned like that was what she’d expected me to say and leaned against a locker, folding her arms casually over her chest.

“Well, Grissom, Warrick and I are going out to breakfast. Want to join us?” I finished tying my shoes and smiled up at her. “Not this time, but I’ll take a rain check?” She nodded easily. “Sure thing. I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?” I nodded, uncaring if she even saw it. I grabbed my jacket and kit, before heading to my car. I couldn’t help my frown when I saw Sara talking to Nick in the hallway on my way out. But really there was nothing to worry about. Even if he did end up going to breakfast, I needed some time to stop at my place. Besides, we had plans and I knew he wouldn’t break them. Not if the look he flashed me as I walked passed was any indication. So, whistling a small tune, I went directly to my car and headed for home.

Just as I pulled into my driveway, my cell rang. Frowning, I pulled it out of my pocket. Until I saw who it was, that is. I accepted the call as I climbed out of the car and grinned. “Joe’s famous pizza, pick up or delivery?” After a few seconds of silence, I burst out laughing. He really needed to learn how to take a joke. “G, not funny. Where are you? You left before I could talk to you.” I slipped the key into the lock and shrugged. “I told you. I’ll be by your place in a bit. If that’s still alright?” I could hear the smile in his voice. “Yeah, that’s more then alright. So, are you going to breakfast?” I laughed and tossed my keys on the table, kicking the door shut behind me, before heading directly for the bedroom. “Nah… I have much better things to do. What about you? Aren’t you going?”

A small chuckle met my words, and I loved the way it sounded. “Not at the top of my list, no. There’s this really great guy that I can’t wait to see… So I said I was busy.” The blush that lit up my cheekbones like a Christmas tree went ignored. After all, he couldn’t see it, anyway. “Is that a fact? What kind of guy? Do I know him?” Another light chuckle sounded, and I could swear that I felt his breath on my neck. His voice went all low and husky, practically dripping with sensual promise. “He’s amazing, really. Can’t get him out of my head. He’s got this smile that makes my stomach flip, and really soft skin. He’s really cute when he blushes, too. And… there are these birthmarks he has, I don’t know how many yet, but I can’t wait to find out. Want to trace every single one of ‘em with my tongue.”

I couldn’t have stopped the moan that escaped my lips if my life had depended on it. Standing in the doorway of my own bedroom, completely unable to move for the moment, I took a deep breath. My eyes had rolled up into the back of my head at just the thought, and that southern drawl. It got me every time. I knew he could hear my labored breathing, but he seemed to like it, because he kept going. “I really can’t wait for him to get here. It’s torture sitting here all alone… thinking of him… I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.” A tiny little breathless sigh had me trembling, imagining all the things he might be doing right now.

“What will you do if he takes too long?” I don’t know what made me ask, and truth be told, I was glad I did. Because he drew a deep breath and his tone became so soft, I had to strain to hear it. “I’ll just have to keep myself entertained, I guess. But when he does show up… I suppose he’ll have one hell of a surprise.” I leaned against the doorframe and let my eyes travel up to the ceiling. “A surprise, eh? What sort of surprise?” A small hitch in his breath and a little sigh had me thinking that he was letting his hands wander. Such an appealing thought, indeed.

“He wont even know what hits him... I’ve been waiting so very long, you know? It’s not fair that he’s keeping me waiting even longer, but I don’t really mind. He’s worth it… God, he’s worth it. I can’t wait until I can touch him again. I’m hard just thinking about it…” I licked my very dry lips and palmed myself over my now too tight jeans. Fuck, but the man had a way with words. “Damn it, Nicky… You're the one who isn’t being fair…” He laughed this time, breathing heavily into the phone. “Says the one who isn’t here, yet…” I smirked, “Give me ten minutes, and I will be.”

He let out another sigh, and I knew he was leaning back on his couch or a chair. “Ten minutes? I think I can handle that. Can you, Greggo?” I moaned yet again. “Not with you talking like that, I can’t. Jesus, Nick. I wont be able to drive if you keep this up.” A sharp intake of breath sounded, and I couldn’t help but smile at his next words. “Just get here. Please.” With that, he hung up. I didn’t even have time to respond, but that didn’t bother me. I never knew that he could be such a fucking tease… and I liked it. I scrambled for the few items I’d needed. Some sleepwear, a change of clothes and a toothbrush were all that I’d really wanted. We both had work tomorrow, and I didn’t want to have to make the trip later.

It might seem premature to some that I’m assuming like this, but really, I knew I wasn’t coming home again tonight. I closed my eyes to savor that thought for another moment. Nicky, waiting all alone, just for me… Who would have guessed? Certainly not me, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. After procuring the aforementioned items and tossing them into my messenger bag, I made my way back to the front door. The drive over really was short, but it might as well have been days to me. I just couldn’t get there fast enough. It was only the second time I could ever remember purposefully running red lights. The first time was because of Nicky, too. But that was an entirely different situation.

I wasn’t going to let myself think about that day. Not right now. It wouldn’t do to dwell on such horrible memories anyway. Not when I know that he is perfectly safe. I pulled into his driveway and put the car in park before grabbing my things and jogging up the front steps. I had barely knocked twice when the door opened. “You’re late.” I had to laugh, because really it was just too fucking cute for words. Glancing at my watch, I arched a brow and smiled at him. “By all of a minute. Patience is a virtue, you know.” He frowned. “I’m not trying to be virtuous.” I shook my head, so very amused. “Well, are you going to let me in, then? Or am I to stay out here as punishment?”

A wicked gleam flickered through his eyes and for a split second; I thought he might take me up on that offer. Thankfully, he didn’t shut the door in my face. No, instead, he reached out and tugged at the hem of my shirt, pulling me inside. “I can think of better ways to punish you, G.” I stepped inside and kicked the door shut, dropping my bag on the floor. And in the two seconds it took me to do that, he was on me. My back connected with the hard wood of the door, but the shock of his lips on mine blocked out any pain I might have felt. His hands were everywhere all at once, strong sure touches over my sides, up my back, grabbing at my ass, and pulling me closer. He wasn’t kidding, I guess. He really did need to touch me. I moaned and tangled my hands into his hair, delighting in the softness of it. He was letting it grow a bit longer, something that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The way he kissed me this time was different. No longer playful, but demanding and aggressive. He dominated my mouth and I trembled and tried not to get swept away. A moment later and he was pulling back. I’m not ashamed to say that I whimpered at the loss, but then he was tugging my shirt over my head. It was an idea that I wasn’t going to argue with. In fact, I decided that he had no business wearing a shirt either. The nerve of this evil garment, hiding his body from me… Well, we’ll just see about that, now wont we?

I don’t know how we made it to the bedroom, really. I think there were a few pictures littering the floor and I’m pretty sure we knocked over a table along the way, but we certainly didn’t care. Every few feet we’d managed to walk one of us was pressing the other into a wall or a door, hands and mouths exploring again in a sort of erotic frenzy. At one point, I had him against the wall in the hallway, and the way his frame shook when I licked a swirl around a dusky nipple was fucking beauteous. His eyes, half lidded, caught mine as he pulled me into another frantic kiss before guiding me the last few steps forward, into his room.