Disclaimer: The concept and the people in the story are fictional and the property of several production companies. I only borrow them and return them unharmed and unmarked. No money is made of the story and no infringement is meant.

 

This story contains spoilers for: Frame Up (NCIS), Run Silent, Run Deep and All Access

 

 

Random Acts of Love

 

By Valerie

 

 

*Chapter 1 – Just a normal Sunday*

 

+Las Vegas+

 

“Do any of you need anything from New York?”

 

Greg froze but managed to hide his shock at Warrick’s question. Instead he looked up and saw Warrick stare at him almost provocatively.  Green eyes glittered and Greg shook his head.

 

“I thought you had given up on that idea.”

 

Grissom’s calm voice came from the door and as if the entrance of their boss had broken a spell, Catherine and Sara spoke at once.

 

“You're going to see Nick?”

 

Warrick’s eyes locked with Greg’s as he answered the girls’ question. “Yeah, I’m going to see him and no, Gil, I had never given up on the idea. I just need to understand some things.”

 

That sounded even worse and not thinking about how it would look, Greg got up and pulled Warrick with him as he walked out of the break room and into the next meeting room. Just as he pushed the ‘occupied’ button, Warrick grabbed him and pushed him against the wall. His green eyes shone with anger and for a moment Greg was sure that Warrick would hit him, but instead he let him go and Greg almost fell towards one of the chairs.

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

 

The shout made Greg shake his head once more and angry too, he jumped up. “Shouldn’t I ask you that? I mean, what are you trying to do? Do you really want to fuck up Nick’s life once again?”

 

Warrick snarled at the accusation, but Greg didn’t stop now that he finally had the chance to say everything. “He’s happy, you know? He’s got a job, a home, a promotion... He’s got friends who care about him and he’s got Don.”

 

Whatever Warrick had wanted to say, it never made it past his lips. He stood in the middle of the meeting room, his shoulders slumped and his eyes haunted. Greg’s heart was heavy, and he got up and gently touched Warrick’s arm. “You realized what he means to you, didn’t you?”

 

Warrick nodded and then, as if in shock, he sat down and stared at his hands. “He was always my best friend... I never knew...”

 

The words trailed off and yet hung in the room; Greg sighed as he sat down and looked at Warrick. “He has been with Don for over a year now; they even live together...”

 

Shaking his head Warrick looked up and Greg could see the denial in the green eyes even as Warrick’s hands trembled. “Hodges said that he left because of me, you said he loved me.”

 

Greg nodded, but stopped Warrick before he could say anything else. “He did love you, but he has moved on. He loves Don. Please, Warrick, don’t screw this up, ok?”

 

Warrick’s face was pale, but his eyes were determined as he shook his head. “I can’t get just let this go, Greg. I have to know.”

 

Dread filling his body, Greg nevertheless asked. “What do you have to know?”

 

Warrick didn’t meet his eyes; instead looked through the glass walls and out onto the busy hallway. His voice was soft, tentative and yet determined. “Who he will choose, if given the choice.”

 

Warrick left then and Greg sank into a chair, groaning. He was tempted to call Nick, but a glance at his watch told him that it was too early to call his friend on a Saturday morning. A shiver ran through him as he thought of the implications and repercussions of Warrick’s visit.

 

“Greg, you alright?”

 

Eric’s voice made him look up and he waved at him. He liked their newest addition, even though new wasn’t the right word anymore. Eric had started over six months ago and over the six months they had become friends and gaming buddies. They had even been diving together, although Eric had grinned at first when they had showed up at the lake and made a comment about the real thing. Still, they had had fun together and with a smile, Greg realized that Eric really had filled the void left by Nick.

 

“Is Warrick bothering you?”

 

Instead of walking away, Eric had stepped into the room and for a second Greg was annoyed, then though he suddenly realized that Eric had a right to know. “Not me...”

 

A smile crossed Eric’s face as he shoved a cup of coffee over the table and sat down, too. “Nick.”

 

Surprised at both the comment and the coffee, Greg nodded. “He wants him back.”

 

---

 

“What?”

 

Gil and Catherine heard the shout and looked at each other. Conrad Ecklie stormed passed them into his office, then stopped as if he had run into a wall and looked at them.

 

“Gil, Catherine, in my office now.”

 

They followed and Catherine could see Gil mentally going through any possible case where they could have screwed up. Seeing him press his lips together, she smiled. Gil had come to the same result; they had worked well and there was nothing Ecklie could criticize.

 

“I was just informed from the sheriff that Kelly Gordon, who was released from prison three weeks ago, has left Nevada in violation with her probation.”

 

She froze at the name and saw how Gil went completely still next to her.

 

“Where is she now?”

 

Gil spoke with a deadly voice and suddenly Catherine knew before Ecklie even answered and dread made her feel sick.

 

“In New York."

 

---

 

Washington DC

 

Yes, he was a sap. Jethro Gibbs grinned lightly as his hand caressed the sleeping face of his lover. Six months since he had realized that in his desperate mission to make sure he wouldn’t hurt Tony, he had exactly done that. Six months since Mac Taylor had forced him to open his eyes and see what was right in front of him. Six months since he had kissed Tony in an empty corridor in the CSI lab of New York.

 

“Morning.” His voice still sleepy, Tony’s eyes were already fully alert. He always woke like that, and Gibbs smiled, knowing that he too woke in the same way from sleepy to alert in seconds.

 

“Morning.”

 

Tony looked at him and pushed himself up on one elbow, his eyes shining with happiness, and Gibbs felt like drowning in them.

 

“Why are you smiling, as if you know something I don’t?”

 

Jethro smiled even wider and with a swift move pulled Tony down and turned them around, so that he had his lover captive under his body. Tony’s eyes glittered and Jethro could feel the body against his begin to harden. Deliberately he moved his hips and smiled as Tony groaned. He loved seeing how the hazel eyes turned green when Tony was aroused. Softly he rocked his hips against his lover's and moved his hands down to get rid of their shorts.

 

“I smile because I do know something you don’t know.”

 

He groaned as they both were naked and their already slick cocks started rubbing against each other.

 

“And what’s that?”

 

Jethro leaned down to capture Tony’s lips. Yet before he kissed him, he smiled and finally answered. “I’ve already had my first coffee.”

 

His hands caught their cocks and rubbed hard while his lips devoured Tony’s. Tony moaned and cried out as his body shook with release, but his cry was swallowed by Jethro’s kiss and only seconds later, Jethro followed his lover over the edge.

 

Much later, their bodies were cooling down in the soft breeze from the open window, and Tony looked up. “When did you have coffee?”

 

Jethro brushed a stray hair from Tony’s forehead and smiled. “When I got up, I wanted to work on the boat, but then I realized I’d rather work on you.”

 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Now that’s a cheap pick-up line if I ever heard one.”

 

Jethro looked at the drying fluids on their bodies and shrugged. “It worked didn’t it?”

 

Tony’s laughter followed him as he went to the bathroom. He wet a cloth and wiped himself down as the door opened and two arms sneaked around him. Relaxing completely, he lay his head on Tony’s shoulder and smiled as he saw their image in the mirror. He looked happy. And yet their morning had not been something special, it was just a normal Sunday morning. But then maybe that was exactly the reason why he was this happy.

 

---

 

New York

 

“Oh shit!”

 

Mac looked up from where he sat reading the Sunday paper and laughed. Danny had somehow managed to get stuck in the door handle or more accurately his jacket had. Of course it didn’t help that his lover held a box with bagels in one hand and a tablet with two large coffees in the other.

 

“Stop laughing, and help me instead.” Danny’s growl was serious, but the laughter in his eyes showed Mac that Danny could clearly see the humor in the situation. Mac took the coffees from his hand and while Danny freed himself, Mac reached around his lover and pulled him towards him.

 

“Coffee and bagels, you really must love me.”

 

Danny melted against his body and Mac hardened as the immediate surrender woke images of last night and how wonderful Danny had looked all tied up, sweating, moaning and begging for release. A hand in front of his eyes brought him back and the grin in Danny’s face told him that he had been gone for a while.

 

“Nice dreams?”

 

Instead of an answer, Mac pulled Danny even closer and ground a leg against his lover’s body. Danny moaned and Mac felt him harden, too.

 

“Nice memories.”

 

With one hand, he took the bagels from Danny’s hand and put them on the cupboard next to the coffee, while his other hand opened their pants. Danny’s hand on his stopped him, and looking up he met clear blue grey eyes and a smile in Danny’s eyes.

 

“Let me.”

 

Mac’s breath caught as Danny slid gracefully onto his knees and swallowed his cock after locking his eyes with Mac’s once more. “Oh God!”

 

His hands balled to fists, opened again and closed as the incredible heat and sucking brought him to the edge. Mac saw stars but Danny hummed and grasped his hands to put them onto his head. It was an unspoken permission and it broke Mac’s last bit of control. He clutched at Danny’s head as he started to thrust in and out of Danny's mouth and as he looked down and saw his cock disappear again and again between the red lips, he screamed with release.

 

“Protein for breakfast.”

 

Danny licked his lips and Mac groaned at the erotic sight his partner gave. Sliding down along the wall, Mac reached for Danny, but to his surprise his lover blushed and then grinned.

 

“Sorry, you’ll have to do with coffee and bagels.”

 

He got up gracefully and walked over to the couch, throwing Mac a glance.

 

“You coming? Coffee’s getting cold...”

 

Laughing silently, Mac followed his lover to the couch, where they shared the bagels, the coffee and the paper. It was almost scary how normal everything was. How easy...

 

---

 

“Hey.”

 

Nick greeted the other two guys that he and Don were meeting for basketball. He knew one of them, Detective Stabler from SVU, but had not yet met the other. Elliot grinned at him and introduced his friend.

 

“Nick Stokes, Don Flack this is Fin Tutuola. He works with me.”

 

“And gets dragged to basketball on a Sunday morning.”

 

The dry statement from Fin made him Nick laugh and he exchanged a look with Don. They had met for a game of two with Stabler maybe once or twice since he had ran into them at a crime scene, and although he didn’t agree with some of the opinions Stabler had, Nick liked him. Don was a bit more ambivalent, but Nick guessed that a lot of Don’s doubts had to do with Elliot working for a special department within the NYPD.

 

“Well, let’s play.”

 

Nick and Don had by now almost perfected their game and he loved to play with his lover. They communicated without many words and pretty soon he had a nice advantage over the SVU guys.

 

“Nick! On your left!”

 

He dribbled once more, then faked a shot and passed the ball over to Don who jumped and almost flew towards the hoop.

 

“Yes!”

 

They shook hands when Stabler’s phone rang and taking a break, Nick watched as Stabler spoke intently. He saw the frustration, the anger and finally guilt that ran over Stabler’s face and noticed how he put down his phone and closed his eyes sadly. There was something tired and desperate in the way he pushed himself up, something that tore at Nick’s heart, but as he took a step towards Elliot, Fin held him back.

 

“Don’t, he wouldn’t appreciate it.”

 

Holding Fin’s eyes, Nick relaxed but lowered his voice as he still fixed him with his eyes. “Take care of him.”

 

A quick smile appeared in Fin’s eyes, but he nodded seriously. “I will.”

 

Later that day, Nick and Don were relaxing in their living, Nick with his head pillowed against Don’s legs reading something, while Don was watching a hockey game on TV.

 

“Shanny’s a god.”

 

Nick smiled but couldn’t help pouting a bit. He still couldn’t get used to Shanahan being a Ranger. “He belongs to Steve.”

 

Don stopped whatever he was doing and leaned over to Nick. His eyes glittered with joy and he shook his head. “You’re worse than any fangirl, you know that?”

 

Laughing, Nick raised his arms and pulled Don towards him. Their lips met and Nick reveled in the smell and tasted of his lover. “No fangirl; if anything, then I am a fanboy.”

 

Don kissed him again playfully and moved so that he covered Nick completely. Nick saw the love in the blue eyes and relaxed completely against the strong body.

 

“My fanboy.”

 

For a moment Nick only moaned as Don’s lips started to move over his jaw down to his neck, and then the words registered. “No, not your fanboy, I’m your lover. After all I want you and not some smelly jersey from you.”

 

Don growled, but it was all play even as he rolled away and literally sashayed to their bedroom. Right at the door, he turned around and winked. “You want me, you got to catch me.”

 

Grinning and full of love, Nick pursued his lover to the bed and soon they were a tangled mass of limbs and clothes. Struggling and laughing, they undressed each other and then finally naked, their bodies pressed together. Their breaths caught and Nick felt as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest. He felt so much, so much love, so much passion... He moved and heard Don moan above him and their eyes met, locked and held even as their movements got more and more frantic. Nick saw the moment when Don couldn’t hold back anymore and the hot liquid on his body triggered his own release.

 

“Love you.”

 

Don lifted his head and smiled, and then pulled Nick closer towards him. Snuggling against his lover, Nick rested and listened to the beating of Don’s heart. His eyes swept over their bedroom, and something in his heart warmed. This really was their home now, these two apartments connected by a door, the furniture and the pictures, but most of all the man next to him.

 

He was home and he loved the sound of it.

 

---

 

+Las Vegas+

 

Warrick had been staring at his phone for at least ten minutes, had dialed twice but not had the courage to really call. Now though he took a deep breath and called Nick’s number.

 

“Hello?”

 

Nick’s voice sent fire straight through Warrick and he only hoped that his voice really sounded as steady as he wished. “Nick, it’s Warrick.”

 

For a moment there was silence and then his friend spoke. “Warrick, great to hear from you. How are you doing?”

 

The friendly welcome made him relax, and feeling more confident he started to explain about his planned visit. There was a long silence after he had finished until Nick’s voice came through again. “Are you going to come this time or once more just announce yourself?”

 

The words felt like a blow, but he knew he deserved them. He had called Nick four times, had announced his visit and then called again to cancel it. It had always been his fault, twice he had had to work, but still he could hear the reproach in Nick’s voice.

 

“I already got the flight and I really want to see you. It’s been ages.”

 

Two years to be precise, two years since Nick had told him that he had accepted a job in New York.

 

“Cool, when are you landing?”

 

Checking his ticket, he wondered if Nick would pick him up, and as he heard the sigh he knew that Nick would not.

 

“Got a meeting with Mac and some lab honchos then; wait a second, can you hang on?”

 

Warrick didn’t understand what Nick said, but his blood heated as he realized that Nick wasn’t alone. Some one was with him, some one was there and it didn’t take a genius to know who. Don...

 

“Either I or someone is going to pick you up ok?”

 

They chatted for a short while, and then said good-bye and once again Warrick was staring at his phone. His mind was made up; he wanted Nick home, home where he belonged.

 

Home with him... Home in Vegas...

 

---

 

*Chapter 2 – Warrick’s visit*

 

+New York+

 

Don leaned against the wall while he watched the tourists from Las Vegas and other places walk through the glass door and get their first look of New York. He smiled at the excited scream from a girl.

 

“We’re in New York!”

 

She hugged her friend tightly and Don’s eyes followed them as they walked outside and squealed at the sight of the yellow cabs. They got into one and as they drove away, Don prayed silently that they would have a great time in the city. He had seen too many tourists for whom the trip to New York had ended badly and he didn’t want to see those two girls on a crime scene. Turning his head back, he smiled again as a tall, lean, dark-skinned man walked through the door. The guy stopped for a moment and Don knew he was looking for Nick. He saw the disappointment on the handsome face and steeled himself before he walked over. “You must be Warrick.”

 

The guy turned around and Don felt green eyes move over him. The eyes were assessing him and he smiled at his instinctive urge to stand straight. Their eyes met and Don saw many emotions in them, too many actually and he sighed lightly. “Nick’s still stuck in his meeting; he called me and asked if I could pick you up. I’m Don.”

 

Warrick smiled for the first time and extended his hand. “Warrick; it’s nice to meet you.”

 

Don wasn’t so sure whether or not Warrick found it nice or was just polite, but he let it slide and grabbed one of Warrick’s bags. “My car’s over there. It’s one of the perks of being with the NYPD; I get a parking space at JFK.”

 

Warrick laughed at that, but shivered as they walked outside. “You call this summer?”

 

Don laughed and shook his head. “No, we call it a mild fall, but I guess compared to the desert, it’s cold. Are you ok or do you need anything?”

 

“No I’m fine.” Warrick shrugged and followed Don to his car. They threw the bags into the trunk and drove away in silence.

 

“Do you want the scenic or the fast route?”

 

Warrick shrugged again and Don felt the pressure of having to make small talk. He had promised Nick that he would try to get along with his friend; he knew how important Warrick was to Nick, and that was the reason why he made the effort. A smile crossed his face as he remembered how Warrick had been not only the reason for their first argument, but also their first declarations of love. That day was a long time ago though and he wasn’t as insecure in their relationship as he had been then. He knew Nick loved him, knew that they were...

 

“Doesn’t Nick live in Manhattan?” Warrick’s question made him frown and shake his head.

 

“He never has. The rent there is crazy. There are too many ex-pats in the city whose apartments get paid by their employers. No, normal people live in Queens or Brooklyn.”

 

Or the Bronx, but that was Aiden and he wasn’t sure if she counted as normal; well at least not when it came to her choice of apartments and areas to live in.

 

“Cheaper?”

 

He nodded. “Cheaper, quieter and more space for yourself...” He saw the look of disbelief on Warrick’s face and grinned. “You know, New York is crazy on a good day and if you live on the island, you have no real place to quiet down apart from Central Park and even that is crowded.”

 

He indicated left and parked the car in front of their house. Nick’s car wasn’t there yet, or he had used the underground parking. Don helped Warrick get his stuff out of the car and walked up the stairs. “This basically is your apartment for the duration of your stay. I’ll give you a key so you’re free to come and go as you like.”

 

Warrick stopped as if he had hit him. “I’m staying at your place?”

 

There was a lot of heat behind the words and Don tensed as he heard the jealousy in the smooth voice. Sighing, he closed his eyes and thought silently that he didn’t need that kind of attitude from Warrick. Warrick hadn’t wanted Nick and Nick had left. Now Nick was with him. As far as Don was concerned[,] that was the end of the story. “Technically yes, in reality no. Come in, I’ll show you what I mean.”

 

They stepped into the apartment and Don felt the tension fall from him. This was his and Nick’s home. They had bought it together, had put hard work and quite a few weekends into it, and now it was theirs. A smile crossed his face as he thought of the many hours they had spent building and then enjoying their place. He saw Warrick frown and opened the first door on the left. “Bathroom.”

 

Then he opened the next door on the right. “Kitchen, although I guess you won’t need it.”

 

Then the next room and Warrick nodded as he looked inside. “Bedroom.”

 

Finally they had reached the large two-windowed door and Don opened it with a smile. “This is what I meant.”

 

Warrick walked ahead of him and frowned as he saw the large living room. Unlike the rooms Don had showed him before, this one showed signs of life. There was a newspaper on the couch, an empty bottle of wine and two glasses on the table. DVD’s were stacked neatly on a shelf and a large TV screen dominated one of the walls. The other wall was decorated with photographs and Warrick walked over only to tense. Don followed him and smiled.

 

“Two apartments from the outside, one on the inside.”

 

Nodding lightly, Don reminded himself that Warrick was a CSI, so of course he was fast on picking things up. He grabbed the paper and put it aside, before he sank down onto the couch.

 

“Pretty much. It used to belong to a divorced couple. The guy wanted to be close to his kids and as he still got along with his wife, they had the door between the flats installed. It’s perfect for me and Nick.”

 

Warrick had sat down on the chair and Don saw that something was bothering him.

 

“You want a beer?”

 

At Warrick’s nod, Don got up and went to the kitchen while pressing the voice mail as he passed it. The first two messages were telemarketers and then Danny’s voice came through.

 

“Don, Nick? Just wanted to let you know that I got the tickets. You can thank me later. See you!”

 

Don smiled. Danny had promised them tickets for the Yankees and it seemed as if he had gotten some.

 

“Elliot here, are we on for a game on Sunday? I don’t have Don’s number, can you ask him, too?”

 

Making a note, Don brought the beer back when Nick’s voice suddenly resonated through the room. “And there I thought you’d be home by now... Well, I’ll talk to myself instead of calling you on your cell phone when you’re driving... I’ll be back soon, meeting’s finally over. Should I pick up some food? Oh and Danny told me he got the tickets and expects us to buy him some drinks. Ok, see you soon. Love you!”

 

Don noticed how Warrick had tensed more and more at each message and at Nick’s last words he felt Warrick look at him coldly. Shaking the bad feeling he handed him the beer and sat down again. “You have any plans while you’re here?”

 

He had the sinking feeling that most of Warrick’s plans involved Nick, but he didn’t say anything as Warrick shrugged.

 

“I’ve never been to New York, so I guess I’ll play tourist when Nick is working and spend time with him when he’s not.”

 

Ok, Don tensed slightly. The message had been clear and loud. Nick was the one Warrick wanted to spend time with and not Don. His hand tightened around his bottle, but he managed to calm down and smile understandingly. “Yeah, there’s much to see here.”

 

He suddenly remembered Elliot’s voice mail and shot a glance at Warrick. “You play basketball?”

 

Warrick nodded, but Don saw that he was confused.

 

“Nick and I play ball with some friends in the park on Sundays. We wanted to cancel this Sunday, but if you’re keen, you can join us.”

 

He wasn’t prepared for the growl from Warrick and as he looked up he was surprised to see a hard glare leveled at him.

 

“No, I’m not keen. Nick doesn’t belong here. This is not his home. He’s a stranger here, just as I am and he should come home with me. I’m here to take him home.”

 

For a second Don was speechless; he had feared that Warrick planned something, but he had never expected to be attacked like this. A shiver of fear ran through him, but he repressed it. Nick loved him and he would not leave, Don knew that. But he also knew how important Warrick was to Nick and he didn’t want his lover to hurt. Looking at Warrick, he shook his head and was just about to say something, when Nick’s voice from the door made him freeze.

 

“Actually, I am home. I am more at home here than I ever was in Las Vegas.”

 

Nick’s face was hard as he walked into the room. He came over and without looking at Warrick, he leaned down and brushed his lips over Don’s. Don saw the love and anger in the brown eyes and sighed lightly. Nick smiled and shook his head and only then turned towards Warrick. Warrick sat frozen and Don almost felt bad as he saw the anguish in Warrick’s eyes.

 

“This is my home Warrick.” Nick’s voice was friendlier and he hugged Warrick tight. Don watched them and felt a sting of jealousy and immediately called himself silly. Still, he relaxed as they separated.

 

“I am home, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t miss you.”

 

---

 

Nick saw the light that appeared immediately in Warrick’s eyes and he sighed. He knew why Warrick was here. Greg had called him and told him about Warrick’s intentions. He hadn’t told Don though; it was something he had to deal with alone and he didn’t want Don to worry. A wry grin crossed his face as he saw the tense shoulders of his lover; the plan had obviously not worked. Trust Warrick to blow his plans immediately.

 

“How did the meeting go?” Don spoke softly and Warrick leaned forward obviously making sure that he didn’t miss any of the conversation.

 

“It was ok. I still have to get used to it though. And so does Mac.”

 

“Greg said that you got promoted.”

 

Warrick smiled at him and Nick couldn’t help but smiling back.

 

“Yeah, two months ago. It’s a challenge, honestly, training two new CSIs, all the admin word and then the normal caseload on top of it. But it’s fun.”

 

He shrugged and saw Don glance at him with a fond smile.

 

“He’s doing great.” There was so much pride in Don’s voice that Nick blushed heavily. Don however only shrugged. “You are! Shel and Lindsay are efficient after only two months; your paperwork is done and done well. You’re not Mac, but hey, thank god for that! One Mac is enough for New York.”

 

It was a heartfelt comment, but before Nick could add anything, Don’s phone rang. He looked at it and groaned.

"Stella, what can I do for you?”

 

Nick watched as Don got up and started strapping on his gun, grabbed his badge and finally took his jacket. “Sorry, love, Stella has a new lead. I’ll be back soon, ok?”

 

Nick nodded and got up. They kissed briefly and like always when they parted their eyes met for a moment. “Come back.”

 

Don smiled but Nick saw that he understood. He nodded and his blue eyes were completely serious. “I will.”

 

Those were more than words. Nick had worked too many cases where a person had walked out of their house and never returned. And so they made the promise every time, knowing that it was not going to stop a bullet, but also knowing that the words had a certain power. Don smiled again and left, Nick however shook his head before he turned around and looked at Warrick. “You know it’s great to see you. I missed you.”

 

It was the truth, but as Warrick straightened Nick suddenly feared that his friend would misunderstand him.

 

“Are you happy here?”

 

Warrick had never been one to beat around the bush, but neither was Nick and he met the green eyes confidently.

“Yes.”

 

Their eyes were locked until Warrick turned his head away and shook his head. “I don’t understand it. Why did you leave? Why did you never call me, never send a letter? You were just gone... Shit Nick, I felt sometimes as if we’d only rescued you to lose you again.”

 

Nick wasn’t sure what shocked him more, the pain in Warrick’s voice or the words he spoke. Something Mac had told him a long time ago flashed through his mind.

 

“I realized one day that he hadn’t saved me because of me, but because of himself. He couldn’t bear being left alone so he risked his life and saved me.”

 

Nick knew that it was unfair to think of his rescue like this, but still he felt sad. The silence between him and Warrick was tense and so unlike any of the quiet moments they had shared before. In many ways the tension between them was more telling than a thousand words could be, but Nick caved first and looking up he met Warrick’s eyes. “I left because everything in Vegas reminded me of that night, because I had lost too much already. I left because I needed a new start.”

 

It was all true, but still it wasn’t the complete truth and he knew that Warrick could feel it, too.

 

“Why did you never call?”

 

He was close to pointing out that he had made phone calls, just not to Warrick, but with a start Nick realized that Warrick knew. It had probably hurt him the most. “Warrick, when I left Vegas, I wanted to get away from you. I knew I had fallen in love with you and you had just gotten married. I needed to forget you.”

 

Warrick’s face was a frozen, shocked mask. Nick had been deliberately blunt; he needed Warrick to really understand it. He saw how Warrick processed his words, visibly tried to make sense of them until he shook his head. “Why did you never tell me?”

 

It was a mixture of a snort and a laugh that escaped Nick as he shrugged. “What? That I wanted you? Warrick, I had seen you with too many beautiful girls to think you were gay or even bi. That I loved you? I never knew until I was in that box and by then it was already too late.”

 

Nick shivered as he thought of those agonizing hours, of the fear and the pain and the sadness that he had felt when he had been sure he was going to die. He rarely thought about it anymore, but whenever he did, he felt the horror of that night grip him anew and with another shiver he wrapped his arms around himself, silently wishing Don was here.

 

“And now?” Warrick’s tentative question tore him from his nightmare and he looked at his friend. He knew what Warrick meant, but he didn’t know how to answer without hurting him.

 

‘You can’t. No matter how gentle you are, you will hurt him.’ The voice in his head sounded a lot like Mac and Nick knew that it spoke the truth.

 

“I love Don.” There was no mistaking the love, but also the steel in his voice, but Warrick had never paid much attention at Nick’s silent warnings and today was no different.

 

“Even if I tell you that I love you? Even if you could choose?”

 

Nick swallowed hard. He hadn’t expected the rush of emotions that ran through him at those three words. He had wished for Warrick to love him for such a long time, and now he did. There was a part of him that wanted to go over to Warrick, kiss him and tell him that he loved him, too, but there was also another part, a much louder, much larger part in him. He thought of Don and how much he loved him, thought of Don’s voice telling him that he was safe, of their bodies entwined in passion. He looked around his home, and knew that this apartment was much more than his; it was their home.

 

He understood then, that he unconsciously had made the choice long ago. It had not been a decision of his mind; no, his heart and soul had chosen Don long before they had gotten together.

 

“Nick?” Warrick sat down next to him and Nick felt him put a hand on his shoulder. Part of him hurt at what he was going to say, but that part was silenced as he looked up and met Warrick’s eyes.

 

“I have chosen, Warrick; I did so long ago.”

 

Warrick jerked his hand back as if he had gotten burnt. “How can you? You never gave me a chance.”

 

Seeing the grim stubbornness in Warrick’s eyes, Nick sighed and contemplated what he should say. His eyes fell onto one of the few pictures that showed him and Don together and suddenly he knew. “You know when I was in the hospital or later at home; I used to wake up screaming. I don’t know how many nightmares I had, but I always fell asleep wishing you were there to hold me. I would imagine your arms around me, your voice singing to me...”

 

Warrick’s pained sigh made him stop talking and he looked intently at his friend.

 

“Don’t blame yourself; you didn’t know did you? Then I moved to New York and everything was so different. New people, new crimes, new methods... I felt damn alone in my first weeks, but then I realized that no matter how hard I tried to keep people at a distance, I just couldn’t do it.”

 

Nick had started to lose himself in his memories and he smiled as he thought of how he and Danny had become friends.

 

“I think my first friend here was Danny. You’ll meet him one night; he’s a great guy. The rest of the team, they are just as wonderful. There’s Mac. He’s nothing like Grissom; he’s much more present, more in your face, but he also cares deeply about us and the city. Stella’s just Stella. She’s a force of Nature, and believe me, you don’t want to cross her way in a bad manner. When I came here, they all just welcomed me into their team, just made room for me. And then there was Don Flack Jr.”

 

He grinned as he thought of their arguments and discussions. “Don Flack Jr., who didn’t want to work with the CSI that had replaced his friend Aiden, who laughed at my credentials and sometimes treated me like an idiot. I couldn’t stand him and yet was drawn to him. And then one morning I drove to work and realized that I hadn’t thought of your eyes watching over me after that night’s nightmare but of Don’s.”

 

Nick’s heart hurt at the sadness in Warrick’s eyes and tentatively he put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “New York has become my home. I’ve grown roots here. I never managed to do that in Las Vegas and I don’t even know why. Maybe the town itself isn’t a place to grow roots; maybe it just wasn’t time yet.”

 

Warrick looked at him closely. “And New York is the town for you?”

 

It sounded disbelieving and Nick couldn’t blame Warrick, but still it was the truth.

 

“Yes. Not Manhattan, although it has its own charm and I love the island. But home is here in Queens.”

 

Warrick swallowed hard and Nick saw the effort it took his friend to appear calm. “You still dream of it?”

 

He thought of the DVD that lay hidden in the safe in their office and thought of Don’s words as he had put it there. “You don’t have to watch it. Keep it locked somewhere, but don’t watch it unless you feel you need to. And if that ever happens, I will watch it with you.”

 

“Sometimes, maybe once every two months... It really is over for me. I know I made it out.”

 

Warrick’s face was like an open book and Nick squeezed his shoulder. “Let go of it too, Warrick. If you don’t, you’ll end up being the one suffocating.”

 

His friend looked up and swallowed hard. “I don’t think I can.”

 

Nick shivered at the depth of despair, but before he could answer, Warrick got up. “It’s ok Nick. I just need some time to think.”

 

He walked towards the connecting doors and Nick hated seeing him so defeated and tired.

 

“Warrick?”

 

Warrick turned around and looked at Nick.

 

“Are we going to be ok?”

 

He held his breath as Warrick remained silent. Finally though his friend shrugged and looked at him helplessly. “I can’t say.”

 

Nick nodded sadly. “Sleep well.”

 

---

 

Mac had watched Nick closely the last couple of days. Ever since he had told him about Warrick’s visit, Mac had been worried about him. He remembered one of the first talks he and Nick had had and remembered the sadness that had surrounded Nick like a cloak that night.

 

“In the beginning, I mourned for my love, I mourned for the one I loved and lost... Then after a while, I didn’t mourn for my lover anymore, I even fell in love again. But I will never stop missing my friend.”

 

He still wasn’t sure whether or not Nick had been talking about Warrick that night, but he knew that there was more to their friendship than met the eye. Danny had not said anything but he watched Nick just as closely, and it only confirmed to Mac that something was up. He was in a defensive mood when he walked into the bar to meet Don, Nick and Warrick. Nick was one of his and anyone who wanted hurt him had better watch out.

 

“Drop your gun.”

 

Stella’s voice in his ear made him turn around and growl at her, but as he watched how she looked at Warrick, he had to laugh. “Only if you do it first.”

 

She shrugged ruefully. “I just always want to protect him; I mean, I know he’s capable of doing it himself. But there’s just something about Nick...”

 

She trailed off and Mac nodded. Yes, there was something about Nick that made Mac want to protect him. Maybe it was the kindness Nick showed everyone around him; maybe it was his constant belief in the good. Mac didn’t know what it was, but he knew that the urge was there. He suppressed it and walked over to the table, and Nick jumped up with a smile as he introduced Mac and Stella to Warrick.

 

“Warrick, these are Mac and Stella. Mac, Stella, this is Warrick.”

 

It was weird, how different Warrick was from what Mac had imagined him to be like. He had expected someone like Don, older maybe, or someone like Elliot Stabler. Warrick Brown, however, was neither. He smiled at him and then at Stella, looked at Nick and then once more at Stella and grinned.

 

“He’s told me a lot about you.”

 

Stella lifted an eyebrow and Nick glared at Warrick.

 

“Only the best, Stella, you know that.”

 

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Who wants something?”

 

She left for the bar and Nick looked at Mac.

 

“Where’s Danny?”

 

Mac sighed. “Well you should know; you sent him out with the rookies.”

 

It was a mock complaint and both he and Nick knew it. Mac had been more than surprised when Nick had suggested three days ago that Danny should cover a double homicide in the Bronx together with Lindsay and Sheldon. He hadn’t been sure whether it was a good idea, but Nick had just looked at him.

 

“Danny’s more than capable of leading an investigation and training two rookies.”

 

It had shamed Mac, that Nick had more faith in Danny than he had, and so he had agreed. Nick had been right though and Danny’s lead had been flawless so far; even more, he had even asked for Mac’s help once. Mac knew that only a year ago, Danny would have never asked him for help. He would have refused to show weakness before Mac. Love and warmth flooded Mac at the thought of his lover.

 

“They’ll come later.”

 

Nick nodded and smiled.

 

“How are the new guys?” Warrick sounded genuinely interested and Mac watched him closely as Nick laughed.

 

“Sheldon is very easy to work with. We all know him and he’s got the look for the little things. He’s just not good with irony; last week I caught him making a phone call to his girlfriend and mock scolded him for it, and the next day he handed me some money to pay for the call...”

 

Mac laughed at the episode. He had experienced quite a few of his own and knew that Sheldon sometimes was too serious. Right now though he was more interested in Warrick’s reaction to Nick’s story; he seemed tired, almost sad and Mac saw how he kept a firm distance between himself and Nick. Worry nagged at him as he met Don’s eyes. Don shook his head and leaned over quickly. “All’s fine.”

 

Nick turned towards him and frowned. “What?”

 

Don grinned lazy. “I said, just give him time and he’ll adjust to you guys. Hey, I did.”

 

Stella had heard the last words and sitting down next to Mac she looked at Don and shook her head. “Yeah, you did, but what about us? We’re still traumatized.”

 

Warrick laughed too, but then got up and excused himself. Mac’s eyes followed him and making a quick decision, he followed. He could feel Nick’s eyes on his back and knew that Nick would not let this go easily, but he needed to make sure everything was ok.

 

Warrick was leaning against the stall as he walked into the bathroom. There was a dark smile on the handsome face and Mac realized that Warrick had expected him. “You’ve been watching me like a hawk ever since you walked into the bar.”

 

Mac smiled and remembered too late that Warrick, too, was one of Grissom’s CSIs. He was good, no question. “I just don’t want you to hurt Nick.”

 

Warrick shook his head and then fixed Mac again. “Why do you care? It’s none of your business.”

 

Mac growled lightly and Warrick stared at him. “Nick’s one of mine. I care about my people.”

 

For a long time Warrick kept looking at him and then suddenly he unfolded his body and walked over to wash his hands. Mac saw how he looked at him through the mirror and suddenly saw the deep sadness in Warrick’s eyes. “I came here to persuade him to come back.”

 

Mac tensed but Warrick hadn’t finished. “And I came prepared to fight for him. I met Don at the airport, saw their apartment, and finally saw Nick with Don... It hurt you know, but I still wanted to fight and then we talked and he told me how he knows that New York is his home. It’s hard to believe that; he’s from Texas for Christ’s sake... but then I started to notice things...”

 

Warrick broke off and turned around, his eyes now not meeting Mac’s, and suddenly Mac realized how much courage it took for Warrick to speak so honestly with someone who was pretty much a stranger to him. His respect for the guy grew and Warrick’s next words confirmed it. “He’s happy here. You know? I’ve never seen him like this in Vegas, not like tonight or like two days ago when I just got up and watched him and Don share a newspaper, chat about something, drink some wine... Of course he was happy in Vegas and we had a great time, but here’s he’s not only happy, he’s grounded...”

 

Yes, Mac thought, Warrick must be an exceptional CSI. But he was also human and Mac hurt for him as he saw the deep sadness in the green eyes. “I know now that I lost Nick before I even knew that I loved him.”

 

Warrick shook his head and rubbed his hands over his face. His eyes suddenly met Mac’s again and his smile surprised Mac. “I’m still glad I came, cause I lost a lover, but at least I didn’t lose a friend.”

 

Mac felt ashamed for doubting Warrick, but as if Warrick had read him, he laughed. “Hey, don’t feel bad about it, ok? Nick already warned me about you. Let me think, he’s called you a force of Nature or wait no... That was Stella.”

 

The good-humored teasing made Mac relax and they returned to the table together. Nick looked at them and shook his head. “Why does everybody think that they have to protect me?”

 

Mac and Warrick responded almost synchronically. “Cause you need it.”

 

Nick looked at them, then at Stella and finally at Don who grinned and after looking around for a moment, pulled Nick towards him. “Don’t sulk, love, they mean well.”

 

Nick glared at him. “That’s exactly what scares me.”

 

Mac saw how a flash of pain crossed Warrick’s eyes but he also saw friendship and something akin to gratitude shine in them as Warrick looked at Don. He relaxed then, because he knew that Nick and Warrick would be alright.

 

“God, what a nightmare. Do I get a beer?” Danny’s words made him turn around and look into the exhausted face of his lover. Sheldon and Lindsay stood behind Danny and looked just as tired. Mac shared a look with Nick and saw faint amusement in the dark eyes, before Nick got up and smiled at the newcomers.

 

“I’ll get you one. Sheldon, you too? Lindsay?”

 

Sheldon nodded, Lindsay declined. They all sat down around the table; Sheldon and Lindsay grabbed two additional chairs while Danny squeezed next to Mac. They started talking about some aspects of their case and soon a heated discussion about forensics had started. Mac leaned back for a moment and just watched his team. A hand on his shoulder drew him from his meditation and he looked around to meet Stella’s knowing eyes.

 

“Relax, Mac; all sheep are accounted for... You can relax now.”

 

Her eyes were teasing, but fond, and Mac felt Danny’s hand slip into his as if in response to Stella’s comment. He pressed it silently and smiled. “I know.”

 

---

 

Warrick was silent as they drove away from Nick and Don’s apartment. He turned once and looked back at the simple apartment building with the characteristic fire escapes. He was going home and he was going alone.

 

On the way from Las Vegas to New York, Warrick had been sure that he would return to Vegas together with Nick, had promised himself that he would not leave without his friend. He had told himself that Nick couldn’t be happy. He had wanted to bring him home.

 

He knew differently now, Warrick mused as he watched the New York skyline disappear from view. He knew that he couldn’t bring Nick home. Nick already was home.

 

They had spent the last three days together, Don had been laughing at them as they had told him about their plans and had called them tourists. He had looked at Nick and playfully told him that he should move to the Waldorf for the three days. Nick had only grinned and kissed Don and their plans had been agreed. Warrick and Nick had played tourists. He didn’t know whether he had been more fascinated by the grandness of the Empire State Building or disappointed at how small the Statue of Liberty really was. Nick had laughed and told him that it was fitting for Manhattan that the towers of the big business dwarfed the Statue of Liberty. They had done the three-hour Circle Line tour and had walked along the entire Fifth Avenue from its start in downtown up to the final block in Harlem. It had been three great and yet painful days, Warrick had spent more time with Nick than he had in the last three years and it had made him painfully aware of how much he had missed his friend.

 

His friend, yes, Warrick nodded silently, he couldn’t see Nick as anything else unless he wanted to lose him completely. Their talk on the first evening had felt like a slap in Warrick’s face, but he knew that it had been necessary. They had cleared the air and it had made it possible to enjoy their time together.

 

“Warrick?”

 

Nick’s voice brought him back to reality and he was surprised as he realized that they were already at the airport. Nick looked at him and Warrick saw so much in the dark eyes. So many emotions and it made him sad because despite a deep love and friendship, he also saw sadness and fear. It was an instinct to grab Nick’s hand and hold it tight.

 

“You remember what you asked me the first night?”

 

Nick bit his lips as he nodded, and for a moment Warrick wondered how he should say it, but in the end he shrugged and smiled. “We’re still best friends.”

 

Nick relaxed and a smile spread over his face. Warrick answered the smile and felt how a knot in his stomach opened and he could breathe again. “We’re better friends than lovers.”

 

He saw that Nick wanted to say something, but he prevented it by getting out of the car. Nick would have probably pointed out that they didn’t know that, but Warrick had to believe in it. It made it easier to let Nick go. Warrick glanced at Nick as they walked towards the check-in counter. It was the right thing to do; Nick was happy here. He was home.

 

And maybe if Warrick kept telling himself this, maybe one day it wouldn’t hurt so much. “Come to Vegas soon!”

 

Nick nodded; they had already looked at possible dates for him to fly over and visit, but as he looked at his friend, Warrick suddenly knew that he had to expand his invitation. “Bring Don.”

 

He and Nick’s lover had formed a very tentative friendship. They would never be best friends, not with Nick standing between them, but they had found a common ground that had made them get along. Warrick smiled at the irony that the same reason that prevented them from becoming friends also prevented them from becoming enemies. They both loved Nick.

 

“Greg and Grissom want to meet him and Sara and Cat want to make sure that he’s good enough for you.”

 

Nick groaned at Warrick’s comment, but he laughed. “I can’t introduce him to my family, so I might as well introduce him to you guys.”

 

Warrick swallowed hard and unexpectedly he felt himself tear up as he looked at Nick. “Are we still your second family?”

 

He saw how Nick looked at him and dimly heard the boarding call for his flight, still he didn’t move as he focused his eyes on Nick’s. Nick too swallowed hard and before Warrick could react Nick hugged him close. Warrick tensed for a second, before he gave in and rested his head on Nick’s shoulder for a moment.

 

“You are my family, Rick. You guys never judged me, just accepted who I was. You saved my life. You’ll always be my family.”

 

Once again Warrick swallowed hard against the bittersweet feeling of knowing that he and Nick were still best friends but would never be more. “Promise that you’ll call. Don’t disappear on us again.”

 

Nick drew back from his hug and nodded. “I promise.”

 

His flight was called again and he grabbed his carry-on as Nick held him back. “You’ve got a phone too.”

 

He smiled and Warrick smiled too. Nick was right; he hadn’t called often either. “See you.”

 

Warrick hugged Nick once more and smiled sadly as he saw that Nick’s eyes had become glassy. Some things never changed, he thought, but as he walked towards the plane and turned back once more to see Nick stand there and watch him, he could feel tears in his eyes, too.

 

He was going home alone. Nick already was home.

 

One day it would stop hurting.

 

It had to.

 

---

 

+Washington DC+

 

“Oh good, well, thank God for that!”

 

Gibbs frowned at the relieved exclamation. Tony was on the phone with Don, and Gibbs wondered what had happened in New York to make his lover react like this. He was about to call Mac when Tony snickered suddenly. “Yeah, I bet you did. Nothing like good old make up sex, is there?”

 

Gibbs grinned at the leer on Tony’s face. His lover knew what he was talking about and Gibbs smiled as he remembered some of their more spectacular fights and subsequent make-ups. Slowly he walked over to Tony and pulled him towards his body. He reacted instantly to the closeness and warmth of Tony’s body and his hands slowly began to move over Tony’s chest, opening a few buttons and he smiled as he heard how Tony’s voice quivered a bit. “I’m fine, don’t worry. It’s just... Gibbs!”

 

The last word came out as a strangled moan as Gibbs’ fingers skimmed over Tony’s nipple, and Gibbs could hear Don laugh through the phone. He didn’t understand what the New Yorker said, but Tony’s indignant growl told him enough. “You too, see you!”

 

As soon as Tony had put the phone down, Gibbs turned him around. Tony was flushed, his shirt open and the sight of the erect nipples peaking out from behind the white cotton made Gibbs tremble with desire. He held back though. “What’s up with Don?”

 

Tony shrugged and the movement revealed even more of his chest. Gibbs stared at the erotic sight, but forced himself to concentrate on Tony’s words instead of his body. “Nick’s old crush was visiting. It seems as if he planned on taking Nick home with him, but Nick set him straight. Don tried to sound casual, but he didn’t pull it off completely.”

 

Gibbs could understand Don only too well, and without much thought he pulled Tony close. They fit perfectly and as he felt Tony relax against him, he smiled. “Any old crushes from you that I have to be worried about?”

 

Tony shook his head and leaned a bit closer as he started to kiss Gibbs’ neck. Gibbs, however, couldn’t let it go, now that the topic had come up and he met Tony’s eyes. “Really no?”

 

He saw anger light up the hazel eyes before Tony tensed and pushed him away. Tony’s shoulders were tense; his eyes were half closed and full of anger as he glared at Gibbs. “No, Gibbs, no crushes out there, and if you don’t believe me it’s your problem. It’s not like I would have to ask you, is it? Your crush is our boss and she wants you back.”

 

He stormed off or would have, had Gibbs not reacted immediately and stopped him. He saw the fear in Tony’s eyes and cursed himself for not having seen Tony’s insecurity. Jen’s advances had become more and more open and Tony had reacted badly every time. Not that Gibbs blamed him for it, but he had thought that Tony’s confidence in their relationship had become stronger. He had been wrong apparently. “It doesn’t matter. I am with you and no one else.”

 

Tony locked his eyes with him, and Gibbs knew that his lover had seen the truth in his eyes as Tony relaxed again. “Sorry, Jethro, she’s just too much sometimes.”

 

She was. Gibbs agreed with Tony, but he knew that she was also their boss and they would have to play her game for now.

 

“I know, but if I don’t play along she starts asking questions.”

 

Tony sighed. “I know, but that doesn’t mean that I have to like it.”

 

Gibbs pulled Tony down onto the couch with him and moved them so that he was hovering over his lover. “I love you. No one else, do you understand? No others besides you, never, I promise you.”

 

He held his breath after making his promise until Tony smiled. It was the smile that he had reserved for Gibbs and with their eyes locked, Tony leaned closer and Gibbs moaned lightly in anticipation of the kiss.

 

“No other but you, I promise.”

 

Gibbs shivered at the solemnly spoken words. Tony had made them sound like so much more than a promise. He had made them sound like a commitment. Gibbs smiled as he pulled away, took Tony’s hand and walked over to the bedroom. Undressing quickly, they met on the bed and a shiver ran through Gibbs as their bodies touched. A commitment, he thought as their lips met, a commitment only between them and yet it felt so much more potent than any commitment he had ever made to his ex-wives.

 

---

 

Gibbs only notices important things.

 

Abby’s words still stung. But even worse was the fact that she had only stated the truth. Gibbs didn’t even know that he existed. It made him angry and hurt his pride, but Chip’s rational side was glad.

 

Unimportant things got easily overlooked.

 

---

 

“You look good.”

 

Don grinned as Nick glared at him. His lover had a court appearance and wore a dark suit with a white shirt and a silver-grey tie.

 

“Everything’s perfect, but the tie.”

 

Nick yelped as Don put his arms around him and covered the grey tie with one of his own. The red-orange pattern stood out like a fire against the white and black of shirt and suit. Don nodded satisfied, but Nick shook his head. “No.”

 

Grinning, Don looked at Nick and pouted a bit for the effect, but Nick slipped from his arms.

 

“Don, if I start wearing your ties, we might as well move to Chelsea and make out in the break room. Your ties are one of a kind; I wear one, everyone will notice.”

 

Don laughed and leaned quickly down to kiss Nick. “Ok, Mr. Distinguished Gentleman, I’m off. Good luck in court and see you.”

 

Nick smiled and their eyes met for a moment. “I’ll come back.”

 

Their usual promise and Nick smiled tenderly. Don walked out of the house with a smile on his face. He was happy, he had Nick and the sun was out.

 

Life was good.

 

---

 

*Chapter 3 - Foul play*

 

 

+New York+

 

Nick smiled as he looked around the new lab. It was the first time in his career that he had something like a private office. Of course, he was sharing it with Stella, but still he had a desk and a chair. He liked the new lab on the whole a lot better and not only because he had an office; it was brighter than the old one, had larger windows and let more daylight in. Mac hadn’t been so happy about the move and constantly grumbled something about living in a fishbowl. He was right to a certain degree. There were a lot of glass walls, but Nick liked the illusion of openness it created.

 

It was weird, he suddenly realized. Right after coming back to work in Vegas, the lab and its glass walls had made him feel uncomfortable. Now though, he didn’t associate his sunlit office with the terrible box he had been trapped in. It might have something to do with the sun and the fact that he was working days, or it had something to do with being on the twenty-something floor. He shrugged and turned back to his desk. He had three reports to finish.

 

“Nick, do you have a second?”

 

He looked up and smiled at Lindsay. She was the newest member of their team and he remembered only too well how frightening New York, the lab and Mac had seemed in the beginning. Lindsay was doing well so far; her work was good and her attitude okay. She had adapted amazingly easy to the fast paced live in New York and so he was surprised to see a frown on her face.

“Sure, come in.”

 

She came inside and closed the door behind her. Nick was surprised, but didn’t comment as she sat down. He didn’t usually close his door; for a moment she was silent, then she looked straight at him. “Nick, what’s going on with Danny? Why do you assign me so often with him?”

 

Her question surprised him. Danny and Lindsay had had some issues in the beginning, but he had thought that they had worked them out. Lindsay clearly adored Mac, maybe even had a crush on him, and Nick knew that a lot of the tension between her and Danny had come from Danny’s insecurity. Still he was confused, cause he was sure that Mac had spoken with Danny and that now everything was ok.

 

“Mac often works only partially in a case. He might participate in an interview but not be part of the first crime scene visit, or he’s there and doesn’t have time to lead an interview. You’re still too new on the team to lead an investigation.”

 

It was true and Nick saw that she understood. She almost seemed relieved as she nodded. “So it has nothing to do with the fact that Sheldon, Mac or Stella don’t want to work with him.”

 

Nick tensed and looked at her almost in shock. “Why would you think that? We all work together on different cases, it’s just coincidence that you’ve had several cases with Danny. Lindsay what is going on?”

 

She blushed, but if Nick had learned one thing from Grissom’s sometimes dismal management, it was that riddles and jokes never worked. In the end, the truth hurt and most of the time the blunt words were the best way.

 

“Lindsay do you have an issue with Danny?”

 

This time it was her who looked shocked and wide eyed she shook her head. “No, I actually enjoy working with him. It’s just...”

 

She trailed off and Nick saw that she suddenly trembled with anger, as she continued. “I had two cops talking to me yesterday, telling me that Danny was bad news and that I should request someone else as a partner. They told me that no one else wanted to work with him and that he’d gotten an officer killed once. I... I just don’t know what to believe anymore.”

 

Nick felt anger rise in him as he listened to her and as she fell silent he fixed her intently. “Danny never got anyone killed. But yes, he was under suspicion for accidentally killing someone during a shoot out.”

 

She remained silent, and he saw in her eyes the need to understand. She was a part of their team and yet she often had to feel like an outsider. Nick felt for her and silently apologizing to Danny he took a deep breath before he started to speak again. “Danny’s family has been linked to organized crime for a long time. His father was involved with the mob, his grandfather was and although there is no proof, it seems pretty clear that his brothers have now taken over the family business. Danny joining the NYPD is an anathema for his family and he pretty much got cast out.”

 

Nick took a deep breath and felt some of his tension relax when he saw the horror and understanding in Lindsay’s eyes.

 

“Guilty by association.”

 

He nodded and smiled as he saw how anger darkened her eyes, then though she looked at him again and fixed him just as intently as he had only minutes ago.

 

“They told you the same thing, didn’t they?”

 

Inwardly he cursed the prejudices that Danny still faced, but he met her eyes calmly as he confirmed her assumption. “They took me aside and told me that I should stay away from him, that someone with my background could only get tainted from too much contact with a Messer...

 

He trailed off as one look from Lindsay’s eyes reached him. The normally friendly and warm eyes had turned cold and hard. He saw how she pressed her lips together and shook his head. “Don’t go playing the knight in shining armor, Danny wouldn’t appreciate it.”

 

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she looked at him stubbornly. Nick held her eyes silently as he didn’t give an inch until she sat down. He kept standing though and looked at her with a smile. “Just stick with him and if it ever comes up in a conversation, tell him that you trust him.”

She nodded, and Nick sighed silently. He already knew that he would have to talk with Stella and Mac afterwards, these were the moments when Nick wanted to hit something. He didn’t understand how intelligent people could be blinded by a name and he shook his head. “And thanks for coming to me and not blindly believing what they told you.”

 

Lindsay nodded and walked out of his office without her usual bounce. Nick sighed. Lindsay’s integrity had averted a potentially nasty situation, but he knew that Danny’s reputation and the cop’s attitude would sooner or later come back to haunt them and Nick already dreaded the moment when that happened. Stella’s entrance made Nick look up and despite his worries he smiled at her. “You ok?”

 

Stella looked concerned as she sat on his desk. Her eyes were warm and held no teasing. Nick shrugged and shook his head. “No, Lindsay just came to me and told me about two cops badmouthing Danny again. Stella, how long is this going to haunt him? When will they finally accept that he’s a great CSI and a good person?”

 

Stella’s smile dimmed and she looked concerned too, still there was a clear command in her eyes as she met Nick’s. “You have to talk to Mac.”

 

He sighed. “I know, but that doesn’t mean that I want to.”

 

----

 

+Washington DC+

 

“Oh no... You know, I don’t get these guys. I mean kill and rape them, but why do they have to mutilate the victim? I mean what kind of animal was that?” Tony felt Gibbs’ eyes on him as he rambled on. He knew he wasn’t making much sense, but he needed to let off some steam and usually talking helped.

 

“A stupid one, cause we have a perfect dental print.”

 

The words and the voice were harsh, but they calmed him like nothing else could. Tony knew that it was pathetic, but he always felt as if Gibbs would be able to make anything right. He smiled at his boss before he turned away to search for the murder weapon or anything that could be related to the crime.

 

“It’s a good thing not every killer watches those crime shows.”

 

McGee’s comment made him smile, but there was more than a grain of truth in the words. Tony liked the forensic shows, but he was only too aware that some of them were like a manual on how to not behave at a crime scene. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the job as he saw something glinting a bit further away. Lifting it up, he held it against the light and frowned.

 

“What is it that you’ve got?”

 

Tony showed it Gibbs and shrugged. “A scalpel; well, at least it’s original. It’s bloody. Could be the murder weapon and there are some fibers, too.”

 

He had already bagged them when Gibbs told him to do so and he grinned. “Getting old and slow, boss?”

 

The comment earned him a snort and a grin, but Gibbs’ eyes told him that he would see tonight how old and slow Gibbs could be if he wanted. Tony shivered with anticipation, but suppressed any lustful thoughts as Ziva joined them. “No one has seen or heard anything. No one knew her, but then she has been dead for a while.”

 

Tony looked at the dead woman and sighed. It would be a long day.

 

“Ok, finish off here and bring her to Ducky and the trace we found goes to Abby. Maybe they can tell us who she is.”

 

---

 

+New York+

 

“Gil, great to hear from you. Just wait a second.”

 

Danny grinned as Nick tried to balance his lunch and his phone while talked to Gil Grissom. Don watched him for a moment, then shook his head and took the sandwich from Nick’s hand. Exchanging a look with Danny, Don grinned and rolled his eyes towards his lover. Nick smiled and mouthed a thank you towards them before he sat down on the bench.

 

“It’s quiet, actually. Although, now that I’ve said it I’ve probably jinxed us.”

 

Nick was right, Danny thought. It was quiet, but he wasn’t complaining. Quiet for them didn’t mean anything to do; it just meant no double or triple shifts. They enjoyed a nice fall and although it wasn’t as hot as it had been in summer, the sun was still strong enough at lunch to warm his skin. Danny sighed as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the warm rays on his face.

 

“You are? What are you doing there?”

 

Danny shared at look with Don at Nick’s sudden excitement, but the interest waned as Nick didn’t say anything for a long time.

 

“Well, I should give you Tony’s number; I’m sure he’d show you around.”

 

Question answered, Danny thought; Gil was in Washington. He frowned at Nick. He was not sure if Gibbs would like it if Nick gave out Tony’s number, but Nick laughed and shook his head. “I don’t know, but if he is then he’s certainly been already. Are you going to come to New York, too?”

 

Danny hoped so. He was insanely curious about the famous Gil Grissom. Nick often spoke of him and he always had a fond smile in his eyes. Now though, he nodded understandingly. “No, I understand. You never know when Hodges will blow up the lab or Sara will decide to run amok.”

 

He grinned again before he exchanged goodbyes and disconnected his phone. Don looked at him and Danny saw the interest in his blue eyes. “He’s in Washington?”

 

Nick nodded. “He’s got some bug conference and came up two days earlier. He wants to go to the Smithsonian.”

 

Danny laughed and shook his head. “You know, I’d love to meet this guy. He races cockroaches, goes to bug conferences, visits the Smithsonian and is Nick’s friend. He really must be a character.”

 

Nick smiled and nodded. His eyes held a warm glow and Danny saw the true affection for his former supervisor in Nick’s face. “He is; he really is.”

 

---

 

Mac saw Nick waiting in his office as he came back from lunch with Ralph Denton. He smiled as Mac entered, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Nick looked worried and that in turn worried Mac.

 

“Something wrong?” He groaned as he sat down; lunch with Ralph tended to be a heavy affair with loads of food and wine. Nick grinned and waggled his brows.

 

“Had a nice lunch?”

 

Mac groaned again and shook his head. “I’ll never understand how the French can do this everyday. Wine for lunch? It kills me.”

 

“Lindsay came to see me today.” Nick explained in short sentences and his typical way of summarizing everything to the point once more fascinated Mac. He wondered where he had learned it and guessed that it was Grissom’s influence. Soon though, Nick’s summarizing technique was forgotten and the longer he listened, the more his anger grew. Finally Nick was done and looked at him. “I don’t know what to do Mac, I mean, she came to me, but what if she hadn’t? What if she had believed those lies? Is there nothing we can do?”

 

The questions were very much like Nick. He was very protective of Danny and there had been a time when Mac had been jealous at their close bond. It was long ago though, and Mac was no longer insecure in his relationship with Danny. Danny loved him, but even more Danny had shown him his trust in the most basic of ways.

 

A shiver ran through Mac as memories of nights full of passion broke through the somber thoughts and he shook his head. Now wasn’t the time for fantasies. “Not unless we want to wake sleeping dogs.”

 

Nick sighed. “And those are better left alone, aren’t they?”

 

He seemed to think about something for a while, before he grinned a bit and looked at Mac. It seemed almost as if he had to suppress his laughter. “Stella said that you were complaining about Lindsay’s interest in Danny; is that true?”

 

Mac knew he was caught. He smiled somewhat sheepishly and shrugged. “She’s always around when he’s around. I don’t like that. He’s mine.”

 

Nick lost the fight against the laughter and chuckling he shook his head. “He knows that, believe me.”

 

Nick’s mirth made him laugh too as he understood his misunderstanding. It was forgivable, he thought; after all Danny was much more attractive than him, wasn’t he? He turned serious again as he thought about the cop’s accusations and how they would hurt Danny if he ever heard them. Mac hated the fact that Danny didn’t seem to be able to throw off his past, but he had learned to live with it, and he would stay at Danny’s side no matter what happened. Nick smiled as he told him so and Mac saw that Nick had never expected anything else. Their talk turned to more mundane things when Mac’s phone rang. Nick smiled and left the office. Mac grinned as he recognized the number. “Gibbs, it’s good to hear from you.”

 

---

 

+Washington DC+

 

“Have you seen Chip?”

 

Ducky shrugged and looked at Abby with an expression of ‘who?’ in his face and she sighed. Of course it was good that her assistant was such a non-descript person, but it annoyed the hell out of her when he pulled one of his disappearance acts and no one noticed him.

 

What good was an assistant if he wasn’t around to assist her?

 

Tony had brought her the evidence from their newest case and she had wanted to give some of the analysis to Chip. They still didn’t know who the victim was and whether or not it even was a case that fell under NCIS jurisdiction. She growled lightly and shook her head. Chip had been sent from Madame Director, so why had she even expected him to be any good? “Okay, let’s take a look at you.”

 

She had already swabbed the scalpel and started the DNA analysis; now she looked for prints. The superglue disappeared through the hose and she did a little dance around her table as she saw a clear print on the side of the knife. “You really caught a stupid one this time, first he gives us his dentals, then his prints... now all that’s missing is a lost passport and we can announce a new winner for the stupidest criminal in the world.”

 

The database beeped as it found a match and Abby shook her head. This guy really was an idiot. “One click and we’ve got you.”

 

Yet the picture that appeared on the screen made her pale and she shook her head as she started the search again. It had just been a freak mistake, it couldn’t be. But the image on the screen stayed the same, even as she performed the search for a third time. It wasn’t one of his best pictures, Tony had once said, but it was okay for the NCIS database. Abby had never imagined seeing it in connection with a crime. “Shit!”

 

Abby looked around the lab before she printed the result and shut down her terminal. Only five minutes ago, she had cursed Chip for being away, now she was glad. Her hand shook as she dialed Gibbs’ extension and her voice wasn’t steady. “We need to talk.”

 

Gibbs didn’t ask; in fact, he didn’t say anything. Abby knew that he had probably never heard her like that. Her urgency worked, and he was in her lab in less than a minute. “What’s wrong?”

 

She handed him the print out and saw how he shook his head. “This is a joke, is it?”

 

Abby shook her head and asked the one question that had kept her hope alive until now. “Was Tony not wearing gloves when he found it?”

 

Gibbs looked at her and her last hope died. Tony was a professional. Of course he wore gloves when he processed a crime scene.

 

“What else have you found?” His voice demanded an answer, but Abby, too, was a professional and as such she knew that from the moment she had found Tony’s print on the murder weapon, she couldn’t tell Gibbs anything. His eyes were on her and she saw that he understood, as they hardened. “No Abby, I am not going to hand him over to Fornell or one of the other teams. He was set up. He didn’t commit this murder and I’m going to prove it.”

 

She hated her part in this and once she had found the responsible for the charade, they would feel how much she hated it. But right now, she looked at Gibbs and shook her head. “Gibbs, if push comes to shove and Ducky can establish a time of death, you might have to testify for him. You can’t be his alibi and work his case.”

 

Gibbs shook his head as he pinned her with his look. “There is no case.”

 

Before Abby could say anything, Gibbs pulled her with him towards the elevator. She knew what he wanted and as soon as the cabin stopped she looked at him. “I can’t make it disappear, I can’t.”

 

Gibbs wasn’t looking at her as he replied, but the tension in his voice made her shiver and she suddenly understood that he was afraid. “If we give this case to Fornell, Tony gets arrested and we are off the case. I don’t want his life in the hands of someone I don’t trust...”

 

It was a no win situation, she thought. He couldn’t work the case, but he didn’t trust anyone else to do it either. Seeing how tense he had become, she put a hand on his shoulder in a futile effort to relax him. “Is there anyone you trust with Tony’s life?”

 

Gibbs was silent for a moment, but as he looked at her again, she was surprised to see a faint smile on his face. “I need you to give me five hours. Hold the print back for five hours, work on identifying the woman and put everything else on hold. Can you give me that?”

 

She wanted to, but she needed more than his cryptic words. “Why?”

 

He smiled for a second, before he looked at her and Abby froze. She had seen such fear in Gibbs’ eyes once before, and it had been when Tony had been infected with the plague. “I’m going to call Mac. I need his help, but it will take them about five hours to get to Washington.”

 

It went against her beliefs, but then the evidence that she had just found did, too, and Abby nodded. “Five hours, but after that I’ll compare Tony’s dental records with the imprints and check the fibers. And if they match...”

 

Gibbs didn’t let her finish, he stopped her without saying anything, but his eyes were cold enough to stop her. “Five hours.”

 

Abby watched as he reached for the phone as soon as he was out of the elevator and silently she prayed that the guys from New York were as good as their reputation. Someone had set Tony up and whoever it had been; they had known what they did.

 

---

 

Sheldon was nervous as he got out of the plane in Washington. He hadn’t expected to be the one chosen to go with Stella and had tried to point out, that Danny or Nick would be better qualified but Mac had been firm.

 

Danny and Nick are friends with Tony and, I am a friend of Gibbs. We can’t work this, but you and Stella can.

 

Looking at Stella now, Sheldon realized that she was tense and immediately he tensed to. She smiled at him and shook her head. “Don’t worry. Mac knows what he is doing.”

 

He wasn’t so sure. Of course he understood Mac’s reasoning about Nick and Danny, but why hadn’t he sent Lindsay? She was as new as he was, but at least she had more forensic experience. “Gibbs would not accept Lindsay. You know him, and he sees you as part of our team. He trusts you.”

 

Stella squeezed his arm and smiled once more warmly. “And so does Mac.”

 

Sheldon nodded and silently hoped that Stella was right.

 

---

 

As Gibbs stepped out of the elevator, Tony knew immediately that something was very wrong. Gibbs was tense and his eyes were ice cold. He flinched as he gaze landed on him and saw how Gibbs seemed to tense even more. “DiNozzo!”

 

Oh yes, something was wrong. He grinned at McGee’s fearful look and followed Gibbs to the elevator. He couldn’t think of any mistakes he had made, so he guessed that Gibbs wanted to blow off some steam by ranting about the director or maybe his lover even wanted to try a different way of blowing off some steam. Tony smiled as he felt his face heat up at the thought. Having sex with Gibbs in the elevator was a secret fantasy of him, but so far he hadn’t been able to tempt Jethro. Well maybe today, he thought, but as he looked at Gibbs’ face every naughty thought vanished. The cold in Gibbs’ eyes had disappeared and had been replaced by fear.

 

“Jethro, what’s wrong?”

 

He reached instinctively for his lover, but Jethro’s reaction only worried him more as he was pulled against his body and held close. Tony felt the tremors that ran through Gibbs and his worry grew.

 

“Please, tell me, what’s wrong?” He spoke softly now, and his hands ran soothingly over Jethro’s back while he leaned down and pressed a kiss to Jethro’s temple. A shudder went through his lover before Gibbs straightened and looked at him.

 

“Abby got a print of the knife you found at the scene. She ran it and got a match.”

 

Tony waited; he knew that there was more. A normal match would never freak out Gibbs like this and so he looked at his lover waiting for the other shoe to drop. “Whose is it?”

 

Jethro looked away for a moment and as he faced Tony again, his eyes were shuttered. “Yours.”

 

Tony wanted to laugh and tell Gibbs that it had been a good joke, but one look into the blue eyes told him that it hadn’t been a joke. His legs felt weak and he stumbled back needing the support of the elevator walls. “It can’t be, I always wore gloves when I processed the scene.”

 

Gibbs didn’t answer and slowly Tony understood. “You think that I am the killer?”

 

He didn’t manage to speak loud, his voice seemed to have died and his hands clutched at the wall almost desperately. “Jethro, you can’t honestly think that I would do something like that?”

 

It was a plea because Tony knew that if Gibbs believed him, everything would be okay. But what if he didn’t believe him? Tony pressed his eyes together; he refused to consider the possibility that his lover thought him capable of murder.

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

Gibbs stood close to him and Tony felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was as if Gibbs transferred some of his energy and strength over to him, Tony thought as he opened his eyes and looked at his lover. Gibbs was looking at him and right now he didn’t hide the love he felt. Tony’s hand trembled as he reached out for Gibbs to hold him. He needed the connection right now, needed to be close to his lover. “What now?”

 

Gibbs was quiet for a minute before he met Tony’s eyes. “Abby gave me five hours. I called Mac and he promised to send Stella and Sheldon up. Once they are here, I can call Fornell.”

 

Tony understood what Gibbs wasn’t saying. He had been in law enforcement long enough to know how the game was played and he nodded slowly. “You want me to turn myself in.”

 

Gibbs’ reaction to his comment was unexpected and Tony jumped as his lover hit the wall with his hand, before he turned around and glared at Tony. “No, I don’t want you to turn yourself in. I want you with me. I want you safe... But I can’t...” He had almost screamed the first words, but his voice had gotten lower and lower until he whispered the last phrase.

 

Tony could feel the erratic beat of Jethro’s heart and although he was shocked and scared at being framed for murder, he realized with a shock, that this was much harder on Gibbs. He forced a smile on his face as he looked at Gibbs again. “It’s alright Jethro, I’ll turn myself in and you’ll get me out. I trust you.”

 

Tony meant every word he said. He trusted Gibbs with his life and he knew that his lover would do anything to get him out of jail. Gibbs, though, didn’t even react to his comment, and his eyes were hollow as he looked at Tony. “I can’t protect you in there.”

 

For a moment Tony was confused, but as he understood, he tensed and looking once more into Jethro’s eyes, he froze. There was knowledge there that shouldn’t be there and it broke his heart as he really understood. He masked his shock though and shrugged. “I guess Fornell will keep me at a holding cell at first. I am sure that you'll get him to extend the twenty-four hours to forty eight.  That should be enough, shouldn’t it?” He refused to voice his own fear and as Gibbs looked at him. He tried to tell him with his eyes how much he loved and needed him. Gibbs opened his arms and Tony stepped into them with a sigh, reveling in the closeness, and yet he shivered at the almost desperate way Gibbs was holding onto him.

 

“Fornell owes you much; he’ll get you the extension.”

 

Gibbs still held onto him and Tony felt himself relax until he almost melted against his lover. He looked down and met blue eyes. There was still fear lurking in them, but it had lessened considerably and was replaced by a cold determination. Tony leaned down and put his head onto Gibbs’ shoulder. “Thanks for trusting me.”

 

Gibbs’ lips brushed his neck and Tony felt his warm breath caress his skin. “I know you.”

 

---

 

Grissom stood in the queue to get into the museum when his phone rang. For a moment he cursed himself for taking it with him, but the curse turned into a smile as he saw the caller ID. “Nick, you again?”

 

As soon as the words were out, he cringed. It sounded as if he didn’t want to talk with Nick, but the chuckle he got from New York proved that his friend had understood him. There were some moments when Grissom wished that he could communicate with Sara the way he could with Nick; maybe then she would get that he meant no when he said it.

 

“Grissom, I need your help.”

 

Nick’s voice was tight and drawn and it alerted Grissom like nothing else could. “What’s wrong?”

 

There was some noise in the background, but before Grissom could identify it, Nick spoke again. “Tony is being framed for murder.”

 

He knew of course who Tony was, but what made Grissom frown was the shock in Nick’s voice and the choice of his words. “How do you know that he was framed?”

 

Nick groaned, but as he spoke his voice was sharper and colder. “Because I know him, because I know that he couldn’t rape and kill someone. Because he is my friend.”

 

His voice trailed off and Grissom knew that Nick remembered all his lectures about never believing in anything but the evidence.

 

People lie, evidence doesn’t.

 

How many times had he told Nick that? Grissom smiled as he remembered a case long, long ago. It had been one of Nick’s first murder cases and their suspect had sworn that he had broken into the house but not killed the woman. Grissom had not believed him, he had looked at the evidence and it had told him that the guy was guilty. Nick however had believed the other man and had gone back to the crime scene. He had searched for about a day, but when he had come back he had had the proof that their suspect wasn’t the killer.

 

Grissom remembered how he had scolded Nick despite the fact that he had been right and he grinned lightly as Nick’s answer came back to him.

 

You know Gris, people lie, but sometimes they tell the truth.

 

“Gris?”

 

Nick’s voice drew him back from his musings and he made his decision as he stepped out of the queue. “What do you need from me?”

 

He knew already what Nick probably wanted him to do, but he could be wrong and it was his habit to always ask. “Help Tony.”

 

Nick’s voice was calm, but Grissom heard the plea underneath it and it got more pronounced as he continued to speak. “Mac sent Stella and Hawkes and they’re great, but I thought that you are in the area and Tony needs all help he can get...”

 

This time Grissom was surprised. Not so much about the fact that Mac Taylor had sent two of his people to support Gibbs, but that Nick thought it wasn’t enough. “You don’t trust Stella?”

 

He meant it teasingly, but Nick reacted as if he had meant it seriously. “I trust them Gris, I do, but you’re... you’re the one who found me. You and not Stella, not Mac and not Sara, you found me. You saved me... It’s a different level of trust.”

 

The soft words floored him. He had known that Nick trusted him, but had never understood to what level that trust went. He swallowed the lump in his throat and walked towards the street where he waved at a cab. “Give me the address.”

 

But even as he sat in the car, he heard Nick’s voice again.

 

It’s a different level of trust.

 

And he had broken it.

 

---

 

*Chapter 4 – Fair play*

 

+New York+

 

As bad as it sounded, Don hated nothing as much than days without new cases. He should have been glad that no one had gotten killed or raped or kidnapped in New York, but for him it meant going back to the cold cases and they were just frustrating. He yawned and rubbed his neck as he studied the case files his Captain had assigned to him.

 

Three dead men in Chinatown seven years ago. Don shook his head. It wasn’t impossible, but he knew that cold cases mostly were cold for a reason and they weren’t as easy to solve as Lilly Rush and her team made it seem on TV. The men in question had been found dead in a house that didn’t even exist anymore and Don was tempted to just brush the dust off the file and put it back. He didn’t though; still he wasn’t too angry as his phone rang.

 

“Detective Flack?” The caller had a friendly voice that somehow sounded familiar, but Don couldn’t place him and so he just answered affirmative and waited for the caller to identify himself.

 

“I’m Gil Grissom with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I was Nick’s supervisor.”

 

Now he knew why the voice sounded so familiar, but at the same time, he wondered why Nick’s boss would call him. “Nice to hear from you, but if you wanted to speak with Nick, you got the wrong number.”

 

Grissom knew about Nick and him. Nick had told him in one of his letters and Don didn’t have an issue with it. Still he found it weird that Grissom would call him. “I wanted to speak with you.”

 

Okay, Don grinned. Grissom reminded him of Mac when he wanted to drive him nuts. It always worked, he thought, as he waited. “Something happened and I didn’t want Nicky to know. My supervisor will also inform Detective Taylor but knowing about your relationship with Nick, I felt that you need to know, too.”

 

During the longwinded explanation, Don had felt dread settle in his stomach and his voice was tight as he spoke again. “What happened?”

 

Grissom was silent and then sighed audibly. “Kelly Gordon was released about two months ago. None of us were notified until a couple of weeks ago, when it came to our attention that she has left the state in violation with her parole.”

 

It took only a second for Don to understand who Kelly Gordon was, but as he did, he paled. Grissom paused and Don already knew what he was going to say next. “She’s here, isn’t she?”

 

He spoke low, but still two of his colleagues looked over concerned. He waved them off, but he could see that they weren’t completely pacified.

 

“We know that she flew to New York last week.”

 

How the fuck could this happen? Don was tense with a combination of fear and anger. But Grissom wasn’t done yet. “There’s more. Nick’s abduction was not planned by Walter Gordon alone. There was a second person involved.”

 

Don shook his head as his nice boring day took more and more the form of a nightmare. A second person? Why had Nick never mentioned anything?

 

“I never told Nick. I didn’t think he could handle it.”

 

He didn’t care about the curious looks as he jumped up and walked over to the meeting room. He still had coverage there but most of all it was semi-private. “You can’t be serious. You knew that another person was involved and you never told Nick? Did it ever occur to you that your silence put him in danger? What if Gordon wasn’t the mastermind? What if Nick wasn’t a random target?”

 

Screaming at one of the worlds most renowned forensic investigators might not have been the best idea, but Don simply wanted to punch something or someone, someone whose name was Gil Grissom preferably. How could he have done this?

 

“I thought it was the best for Nick.”

 

Good intentions pave the road to hell. It was something that Don’s mom used to say and right now he understood her only too well. “Listen, we’ll need everything you have on this Kelly Gordon and a copy of the voice recordings. Send it to Detective Mac Taylor; we’ll need it to protect Nick.”

 

He heard someone writing something down and then Grissom spoke again. He sounded tired and sorry, but right now Don was too angry to feel bad for someone he barely knew. “We’ll send you copies of everything. I am sorry, Detective Flack, I am incredibly sorry.”

 

Once more it sounded honest, but Don only said goodbye and put his phone down. His mind was spinning and his heart told him to call Nick and make sure that he was safe. But another part of him told him that Nick had finally gotten over what happened, and that his lover finally called the abduction an event from the past. Should he really open the wounds again? “You’re no better than Grissom.”

 

Don smiled bitterly. He had judged the Vegas supervisor too fast. Grissom had done what almost every fiber of Don’s being told him to do. He had protected Nick from knowing the truth. Don’s heart told him to do the same, but his mind told him to speak with Nick and tell him the truth.

 

He shivered and reached for the phone with a pained sigh. “Mac, I need to talk to you.”

 

---

 

Mac knew what Don wanted to talk about. When he had gotten Don’s call, he had just gotten off the phone with Assistant Director Conrad Ecklie from Las Vegas. The news he had given Mac made Mac’s hands tremble and he could imagine only too well how Don felt.

 

It’s like Groundhog’s Day: I’m stuck in a nightmare and every time I try to get out, something pops up again.

 

Danny had told him that once after another allegation about Tanglewood had come up. Mac had understood his lover only too well and he knew that both Nick and Don probably felt the same.

 

“Did you get a call from Vegas?”

 

Don was pale, but his blue eyes were agitated and Mac nodded. “About Kelly Gordon, yes, but Don it doesn’t...”

 

He trailed off as Don shook his head. “There’s more, Mac. Gil Grissom, Nick’s supervisor called me. He told me about Kelly Gordon and then mentioned that Walter Gordon had an accomplice. He wasn’t alone when he planned the abduction, there was someone else involved.”

 

Don had started to pace the office, but Mac was too shocked to say anything. He processed the information and frowned. Why had Nick never mentioned anything? Don’s harsh snort made him look up and he saw Don looking at him. “My first thought Mac, and yours, too... Why had Nick never said anything? You know why? Cause Grissom never told Nick; he said he wanted to protect Nick.”

 

Don stopped pacing and almost fell into one of the visitor’s chairs. He shook his head and covered his face with his hand. As he looked up again, Mac saw the conflicting emotion’s in his eyes. Mac sighed silently. He knew what was going through Don’s mind and he understood the conflict in him only too well. He remained silent and waited for Don to find the words to express what he felt.

 

“You know what the worst is? I understand why he did it. There’s a part in me that wants to keep silent. Nick has recovered so well; he’s over it and I don’t want to open the old wounds again. And I know that it is wrong, you know. I know that I have to tell him. I just don’t want to hurt him.”

 

Mac hurt for Don, but he also envied him for the courage. Don would tell Nick, because he knew that his lover was strong enough to weather another storm. Mac wasn’t so sure what he would have done. He remembered the night so many months ago, when Sassone’s lawyer had threatened him.

 

“The night when Sonny’s lawyer threatened me, Nick was there. He heard everything. I asked him what I should do and he told me that I had to tell Danny, that it was his life.”

 

Don nodded, but he was still tense. “I know; it’s just so damn hard to know that this will hurt him.”

 

Mac smiled sadly. He and Don didn’t have much in common, but the urge to protect their lovers was strong in both of them. The difference was that Don trusted Nick to be okay, while Mac had had to learn a hard lesson before he understood that Danny was strong enough. He had learned something else too though. “It will hurt Nick, but he has you to help him through.”

 

Don smiled and it was an odd mixture of sadness and happiness that made his eyes shine. Mac watched as he walked to the window and looked outside. “Why is it so hard to protect those we love?”

 

Don’s words hit Mac like a blow and he shivered as he stood next to Don and followed his gaze. It was another lesson he had learned and it too had been a painful one. “Because deep down we know that we can’t.”

 

A violent shiver wracked Don’s body but his face was serious as he turned back to Mac. “Thanks, Mac.”

 

He left the room and Mac watched him leave. He remembered something Gibbs had told him and as he thought of Tony and what he was going through right now, he felt another fist squeeze his heart together.

 

It’s the hardest lesson in love, to know that I can’t protect him against everything without losing him.

 

---

 

+Washington DC+

 

“I know he’s innocent and all I find is evidence that he’s done it.”

 

Stella felt pity for Abby. It had to be a nightmare to be the one to find every single piece of evidence that pointed towards her friend. The feeling of being useless nagged at Stella. They had been able to process the fibers and Abby had matched the bite imprints, but instead of proving Tony’s innocence, the evidence had only gotten worse.

 

The fibers matched the carpet in Tony’s car, and the bite was a perfect match to the dental records they had on Tony’s file. Abby looked tired and dejected, and Stella understood her only too well. She remembered the shooting where everything had pointed at Danny, and she knew how the younger lab tech felt.

 

Sheldon was with Ducky. They still hadn’t been able to determine who she was and when she had died. It was a hard blow for Gibbs, she knew. Without a clear time of death, he was unable to provide Tony with an alibi and as she once more looked at what little evidence they had found, she sighed.

 

Her eyes fell onto the man on the other side of the lab. Gil Grissom had walked into the NCIS office about fifteen hours ago and had calmly told them that Nick had asked him to help Tony. He had spoken with Ducky, then with Gibbs, and just like that had taken over the investigation. Stella had been surprised by the intensity around the other man. She had heard of his reputation, had seen the respect in Nick’s eyes when he spoke about him, but as he had stood in the middle of the lab, she had wondered whether he would be able to live up to his reputation. She still wasn’t sure now, ten hours later; he had a quick grasp of every thing, had understood the problem of the evidence immediately, but like her and Sheldon he hadn’t been able to produce a miracle.

 

He was even more reclusive than Mac though, and she could easily see how he and Nick had clashed not because of a lack of respect from the younger man, but simply because it was hard to find two people more different than Gil Grissom and Nick Stokes. Right now, he was bent over some crime scene photos and shook his head while he frowned. Looking up he met Stella’s eyes and smiled lightly. “Is Dr. Hawkes in the morgue?”

 

Grissom didn’t wait for Stella’s answer; instead, he hurried out of the room and Stella exchanged a look with the lab tech shrugging slightly. They followed Grissom and found him at the morgue with Sheldon. Ducky was there too and threw her a smile while Gibbs didn’t even seem to notice them. He stared at the dead woman as if she could tell him who the real killer was.

 

“Dr. Hawkes, how long ago was she killed did you say?”

 

He was the only one who consequently used everyone’s titles and as he now looked at Gibbs, Stella could see that he wasn’t happy about his presence. The fact that he didn’t say anything proved, that despite Nick claiming otherwise, Gil Grissom had a sense of self-preservation.

 

“We can’t determine a clear time of death, but she has been dead for about a month.”

 

Stella watched as Grissom processed the information and then turned towards Gibbs. “Is there a meeting room, we can talk?”

 

Surprised at the question, Gibbs looked at Grissom and his eyes were both cold and hopeful. Ducky, however pointed towards the stairs. “First floor.”

 

Grissom followed Ducky without saying anything, and after exchanging a look with Sheldon and Gibbs, Stella followed them. No one spoke anything until they were in the meeting room and the door was closed behind them. Gibbs leaned against the door almost as if he wanted to prevent anyone from leaving before he said they could. His eyes were once again fixed on Grissom and his voice was impatient as he addressed him. “Why are we here?”

 

The CSI looked up and gave him a pacifying smile before he got up and put the crime scene photos onto the table. “To summarize and decide on how to go on further.”

 

For a moment, Gibbs wanted to oppose, but his and Grissom’s eyes met and he nodded slowly.

 

“You and your team were called after a female body was found dead in the storage room of a Navy training camp. You collected the evidence right at the scene, which consisted of a scalpel, two latex gloves and some fibers. Furthermore, you had bite marks on the woman’s legs.

 

Ms. Sciuto processed the evidence and found a fingerprint on the scalpel. The print matched the prints of Agent DiNozzo. Later tests proved that the fibers found at the body were consistent with the carpet from Agent DiNozzo’s car and Doctor Hawkes was able to match the teeth imprints to Agent DiNozzo’s dental records. So far we have no certain time of death and no identity of the woman. Have I forgotten anything?”

 

Listening to the calm listing of evidence against Tony made Stella shiver and she saw how Gibbs had paled. His eyes were shuttered, but she knew the expression from Mac and would have bet a lot of money on the fact that in his soul, Jethro Gibbs was crying out for help.

 

“So far the evidence, if we look at it out of context, is damning to Agent DiNozzo, but as I said it’s out of context and as such misleading.”

 

Sheldon and Stella exchanged a look and she shrugged at the confusion in his eyes.

 

“First take a look at the victim. We couldn’t find her in any databases; she’s neither in the state’s missing person’s database nor in the national database. Dr. Mallard found signs of malnutrition and other typical symptoms of a woman living on the street, yet look at her nails.”

 

She saw it immediately and as she looked at Grissom, shocked, he smiled tightly.

 

“She has manicured nails; her hair has recently been dyed and cut. She used self-tanning lotion, she wears make up. Neither of that works with the evidence we get from the autopsy. If I live on the street, I don’t care about my nails or my hair. Whoever she was, she recently got off the street and found a way back to live. So why is no one missing her?”

 

An idea made her stomach twist and she shivered. “Unless someone helped her get back onto her feet only to kill her later.”

 

Grissom’s eyes held a smile and absurdly Stella felt proud that she had been able to match his line of thoughts.

 

“She was no random target; she was targeted because she was someone who would not be missed and that brings us to my second point. She was killed about a month ago, but her body is pristine. She was stored somewhere, somewhere cold and completely sterile. I looked at the samples from her body, and all I found was first grade infestation from insects. From the evidence based on the  insects activity, she had been killed less than a day ago, and not a month back. She was raped, killed and frozen for a month and then dropped in the storage room for you to find.”

 

Gibbs had come closer and his voice was tinged with respect as he looked at the photos and spoke silently, intently. “How does that help Tony?”

 

Grissom looked up and smiled tightly. “I don’t know, but it tells us that she was placed so that you would find her. It tells us that whoever killed her knew exactly that apart from NCIS, no one has access to the personal data from NCIS personnel.”

 

Abby gasped and shook her head.

 

“If the FBI had found the print, it would have come back with no match, because the FBI cannot search the NCIS database. They probably would have gotten a warrant for it, but why should they?”

 

Stella had watched Abby closely and had seen the hope and confusion in her eyes and so she wasn’t surprised when the lab tech spoke harshly. “It doesn’t change anything. I mean, okay, you can fake fingerprints, but it does take a lot of skill and half of the time it doesn’t work. But even if you get that right, you can’t fake teeth imprints.”

 

Gibbs tensed again and Stella wondered how much longer he would be able to hide his fear from the rest of the team.

 

“Actually you can. It’s not easy, but you can fake them. All you need is access to the real data...” He trailed off and Stella could almost see how a light lit up in his eyes. He turned towards Gibbs and fixed the other man.

 

“Special Agent Gibbs, about three months ago, I received a phone call from Nick Stokes. We talked about several things, among which he mentioned his friend Tony. He told me that Tony was recovering from a concussion due to a fight with a suspect. Is that information correct?”

 

Gibbs nodded, but it was obvious that he had no idea why the answer mattered to Grissom, whose attention had already turned to Ducky.

 

“Dr. Mallard, did you examine Agent DiNozzo after the incident?”

 

Ducky was looking at Grissom with narrowed eyes, but Stella could see understanding dawn in his eyes. She glanced at Sheldon and was surprised at the small grin in her friend’s face. “I checked him out, but I didn’t look at his teeth.”

 

Grissom nodded and for the first time since Stella had seen him walk into the NCIS office, he seemed to relax a bit.

 

“Ms. Sciuto, you compared the imprint found on our victim’s leg with Agent DiNozzo’s records on file, is that correct?”

 

Stella looked around the room and saw how Gibbs focused completely onto Grissom. He was still tense and she knew that he was counting the hours they had left, but she could also see hope in the blue eyes as he now looked at Grissom.

 

“You did this because the fingerprint found at the scene came back to Agent DiNozzo. Still correct?”

 

Abby looked at Grissom with wide eyes, but she nodded in agreement. Stella smiled at the awe she saw in Sheldon’s face as he looked at Grissom.

 

“I need to see Agent DiNozzo and get a new dental imprint from his teeth.”

 

Gibbs stared at Grissom, but before he could say anything, Ducky walked into the room. He looked at Grissom and smiled. “Agent Fornell from the FBI is waiting for you; he said he looks forward to chat with you.”

 

The grimace on Grissom’s face was almost comical, but he masked his discomfort immediately and addressed Sheldon with a friendly smile. “Dr. Hawkes, can you join me? Detective Bonasera, can you find out who has access to Agent DiNozzo’s dental and medical records and if there is a log, can you check who accessed them?”

 

She nodded mutely and felt the tension in the meeting room as everyone understood what Grissom wasn’t saying. They remained silent though, as he looked at Ducky. “Lock the body and the morgue and you Ms. Sciuto close away the evidence and any electronic findings. Agent DiNozzo was set up, and the real killer is much closer than we would like.”

 

He left without a goodbye and Sheldon almost ran to catch up with him. Stella saw how Gibbs was torn between his need to protect Tony and putting his trust into Grissom as he took a step towards the door as if he wanted to follow them. He stopped himself and stood tense at the door while he looked at Ducky. “Explain.”

 

Ducky’s long-winded stories had amused Stella, but this time his explanations were short and to the point. “Tony got a concussion when the perp banged his head against the stairs. The impact was on the side and strong enough to get a concussion. There is a high probability that his teeth were impacted too. I never checked because the impact is rarely enough to cause pain or warrant reconstruction, but it might have changed his imprints.”

 

Understanding dawned in Gibbs’ eyes at the same time as Stella understood, too. Grissom’s comment about the real killer being close flashed through her and she shivered.

 

“Whoever set him up made a model of his teeth and used the dental records from the lab. They didn’t know about the possible effect of the attack.” The sudden hope in Gibbs’ voice hurt, especially because the CSI in her couldn’t forget about the print and the fibers. But Grissom’s comments about how easy it was to fake a print made her remain silent as she walked back with Abby. The lab tech showed her how to get the data information and soon enough, Stella was engrossed in checking the access rights.

 

“He’s a genius.”

 

Abby’s comment came out of the blue, but Stella didn’t have to ask who she was talking about. “Yes, he is.”

 

About an hour ago, she had wondered whether or not Grissom’s reputation was exaggerated. Now she had found out that it wasn’t. He might be slightly asocial, but behind the cover of a middle-aged nerd, Grissom hid a mind that was sharper than Mac and Gibbs’ combined.

 

---

 

Tony was lying on the cot in the holding cell, his hands doubling as a cushion, and he had his eyes closed. He knew that at least at the surface he looked as if he didn’t have a care in the world and he smirked as the thought entered his mind.

 

It was as far from the truth as it got.

 

He was terrified.

 

Fornell had come to him and told him about the new evidence against him. It felt to Tony as if he were stuck in a nightmare; they had his prints, his teeth marks and his car’s carpet fibers. Tony swallowed the bile that threatened to make him choke. He wasn’t going to break down, not here, not in front of all those FBI agents. A shiver ran through him and he pulled his jacket closer together. He was freezing, although it wasn’t cold in the room, and he knew enough about the human body to recognize his reaction as a light shock. He had been set up expertly. Tony knew that he had made enemies every single time he had arrested someone or helped to get a killer convicted, but he had always dismissed the angry looks and the threats as something that just came with the job.

 

He had never expected that those threats would come back to haunt him like this. Tony jumped up and started to pace in the tiny cell. He hated the feeling of being constricted in his movements and once again he fought the tremors and concentrated on the man he placed all his hope in.

 

Jethro would find a way to get him out and prove his innocence. His lover believed in him and Tony knew that he would do anything to make sure that Tony was safe. The thought made him freeze as the scene in the elevator was suddenly in his mind again.

 

“I can’t protect you in there.”

 

Jethro’s fear had been tangible in that moment and even now as he thought about it, Tony felt terror form in his belly. His lover had not talked about what he feared, but Tony had seen it in his eyes. Jethro feared for Tony’s safety around his inmates. Rationally that didn’t make sense, as a federal agent he would not be sent to the same prison blocks as the rest of the prisoners, at least not until he was tried and convicted.

 

He could easily get sentenced to death.

 

Tony shivered and pushed the thought away. He couldn’t think about that now. Tony knew that he would break down if he concentrated on the ‘what if’ too much. He couldn’t risk that, couldn’t risk collapsing, not without Jethro there to hold and catch him.

 

Why was Jethro so scared?

 

His lover had never been in prison. But even as Tony shook his head, he felt coldness spread through his body until he trembled and slid down onto the floor. A comment from Gibbs ran through his mind, some carelessly spoken words during a case. Tony had dismissed it then, but now thinking back, he tensed.

 

They have no idea how nice this is compared to some other places in the world.

 

Their team had been investigating allegations of abuse of prisoners by other prisoners and guards. Tony had never thought much about the comment, had just assumed that Gibbs was making a joke. Now though the words suddenly held a deeper meaning and Tony pressed his eyes together in despair.

 

Had Jethro been a prisoner in another country once? Had his lover experienced first hand what could happen to a man in prison?

 

Tony forgot about his own predicament, as his overactive imagination supplied him with pictures of Gibbs being beaten, of his lover bloodied and bruised lying on the floor with other men standing around him. Tony pressed his hands against his eyes. He didn’t want to think of Jethro like that, couldn’t stand even the idea of someone hurting his lover. As he took a deep breath, he realized that for the first time since Fornell had walked into the NCIS office, he was on the brink of tears.

 

He needed to see Jethro, needed to make sure that his partner was alright.

 

“Agent DiNozzo.”

 

Fornell’s voice made him tense, but he got himself under control immediately and stretched his legs in a casual pose. He didn’t want to look as if he had huddled on the floor in despair, and with a casual grin, he looked up. “Something I can help you with?”

 

Fornell didn’t believe his casualness, but Tony knew that Tobias Fornell would not use it against him. He wasn’t wearing his mask for the FBI agent, but for the rest of the people in the building. “You’ve got two visitors.”

 

Not Jethro then, cause Fornell would have announced his lover differently. Gibbs had called Mac for help, so maybe it was him and Danny visiting him.

 

“Send them over.”

 

As if he would or could refuse, Tony rolled his eyes at the formality and got up slowly when he saw two men approach his cell. He recognized the dark skinned guy immediately and grinned. “Sheldon, now there’s a relief. They sent the ME for me...”

 

He knew of course that Sheldon wasn’t working as an ME anymore, still he was sure that Ducky had gotten a mighty kick out of working with the former medical prodigy. Sheldon grinned and shook his head while Tony’s attention turned to the second visitor.

 

The man was older, maybe around fifty. He was about as tall as Sheldon and had grey hair and bow shaped legs. He looked slender, but had the typical middle age spread around his midsection. Tony wondered who he was, but the confusion and the questions were forgotten when their eyes met.

 

Holy cow! Tony almost gasped, he had always thought that Gibbs was intense, had always felt as if Gibbs could see right at the bottom of his soul with one look, but this guy was on another level. He wasn’t just intense, he was deep, intelligent and suspicious. Tony smiled almost at the clear look of caution in the blue eyes, but he kept his face neutral while he held the look.

 

Nick had never spoken about yet another team member and Tony was sure that either Danny or Nick would have mentioned if this guy had joined their team.

 

“Agent DiNozzo, I’m Gil Grissom. I am consulting with Detective Bonasera and NCIS in your case.”

 

Gil Grissom? Gil... oh god...

 

Tony had heard plenty about the CSI and entomologist who had been Nick’s boss. He had read his papers and even used some of the knowledge he had gained from them on cases, but he had never expected to meet him. How the hell did the supervisor from the Las Vegas graveyard shift get involved in a case in Washington DC? “Don’t take this wrong, Dr. Grissom, but how did you get into this? I know Gibbs called Mac, but you?”

 

Grissom mustered him for a long time, before he smiled a bit. “I am here for a convention next week and Nick called me. He asked me to help you.”

 

The rush of gratitude that Tony felt made him almost dizzy and he made a mental note to get Nick a really nice present. Gil Grissom was working with Gibbs to get him out. At any other time, the thought of the two working together would have made him grin, now though he locked his eyes with the older man. “Thanks.”

 

Grissom smiled curtly and waved at Fornell, who opened the cell and led Tony towards an interrogation room. “We need to get a cast from your teeth.”

 

Sheldon gave him the mold and Tony followed his instructions as he bit onto the soft substance and gave the mold back. “Why do you need this? I thought Abby had already matched the imprints found.”

 

He saw how Grissom was torn about whether or not to tell him the truth, but after a moment he smiled lightly. “I suspect that someone made a cast according to the records stored in the database. Nick told me about the incident with a criminal that resulted in a concussion. It is possible that the position of your teeth changed due to the impact.

 

Tony felt a thrill of hope going through him, when he felt Grissom’s eyes on him again. The blue orbs were clear and intent and once again Tony met the stare without flinching.

 

“Did you kill her, Agent DiNozzo?”

 

It was the first time someone asked him and Tony blinked, surprised. “No, I didn’t.”

 

Once again Grissom held his eyes before he nodded at the guard. Tony however reached out and stopped the older man. “How’s Gibbs?”

 

He spoke quieter than usual and Grissom answered in the same low voice. “Tense, demanding, stubborn and convinced that you’re innocent.”

 

A smile stole over Tony’s face at the words and the almost perfect description of his lover, but the expression faded as Grissom looked at him once again. “He’s also scared to death of losing you.”

 

Tony stared after the CSI and only shook himself back to reality when the door of his cell closed behind him. Nick had never told Grissom about him and Gibbs, and Tony swallowed hard.

 

This man really was good.

 

---

 

Fornell had waited for Gil Grissom and his assistant to come back from Tony’s cell. He approached them as soon as he saw them and stopped them before they could leave. “Dr. Grissom, do you have a second?”

 

He watched as they stopped and talked and then waited as Grissom walked back towards him. Sheldon Hawkes left the office and Fornell saw that Grissom was frowning as he came closer. “How can I help you?”

 

It was obvious that he didn’t want to help him at all, Fornell thought with a smile. He didn’t give in though and pointed at the visitor’s chair while he sat down behind his desk. “I was wondering how you got involved in this?”

 

Grissom narrowed his eyes for a moment, but just as Fornell wanted to ask again, the other man answered. “A friend asked me to support NCIS with my expertise.”

 

There was more to that story, and folding his hands, Fornell studied Gil Grissom. He had heard and read a lot about the famous and infamous entomologist and most of what he had read and heard clashed with him being here now.

 

“Okay, let me ask differently then. How come a man like you, a man whose reputation is one to never listen to anything but the evidence comes here and disregards all the evidence found?”

 

The words hit right on target; Fornell saw how Grissom sat straighter for a moment before he smiled coldly. “Probably for the same reason why you allowed CSI personnel from New York to work this case instead of handing it over to your lab.”

 

Touché, Fornell acknowledged the answer with a nod and a smile. “Gibbs asked and I owed him a favor.”

 

Grissom smiled lightly and suddenly Fornell found his eyes caught in the other man’s stare. “Nick Stokes used to work for me. He is a friend of Tony and when he heard about what happened, he called and asked me for help.”

 

Once again, he knew that he was only told part of a story, but then he hadn’t told Grissom the complete truth either. It didn’t seem to matter though as Grissom leaned a bit forward in his chair and still held his eyes. “And apart from that, we both know exactly that he didn’t kill her.”

 

Surprised at the conviction in Grissom’s voice, Fornell shrugged. “Evidence points to him.”

 

Their eyes met again and Fornell smiled at the intelligence and intensity he saw in the blue depth. “Agent DiNozzo is too smart to leave so much evidence behind.”

 

---

 

Sheldon was already scanning the new teeth model that they had gotten from Tony when Grissom walked into the lab. The New Yorker was chatting with Abby while he worked and for a moment Grissom stood in the door and watched the two interact.

 

Abby, he had already decided, was someone he would love to have in his lab, even though he wasn’t sure whether the lab would survive Greg and Abby together. She had a brilliant mind and a broad knowledge that impressed him; her analysis and her technique made him nod in appreciation. He had read one or two of her papers but he had never expected her to be so exuberant, so vibrant.

 

Sheldon on the other hand confused Grissom. He didn’t doubt that the former ME was on his way to become a top CSI, but there was something odd about him. Grissom couldn’t put his finger on it, but sometimes it felt as if he should know Sheldon from somewhere. It was weird, but so many of Sheldon’s movements seemed almost too familiar to him.

 

“You okay?”

 

Detective Bonasera stood next to him and he smiled at her. He had liked her at sight and smiled as he remembered Nick’s description of her.

 

“She’s like a cross between Greg and Warrick, scary as that sounds.”

 

He had to admit that it was a fairly accurate description, only he would have added that she also had a lot of Catherine’s mother hen in her, and she was a great CSI. She smiled as her eyes followed his gaze and landed on Sheldon. “Does he remind you of someone?”

 

The surprise he felt, gave way to an understanding smile as he looked at her. “Nick is training him, isn’t he?”

 

It made sense now, the odd familiarity that he couldn’t place. Sheldon had, without noticing it, started to copy some traits from Nick and Grissom grinned a bit. “Well, if he starts calling you ‘y’all’, then you have to get worried.”

 

Stella chuckled fondly. “We’ve got bets placed on Don slipping and saying it, but of course he knows and is especially careful around us.”

 

Grissom wanted to answer when he noted a man walking into the lab. “Excuse me sir, but you can’t walk in here.”

 

The stranger wore a white lab coat and frowned at Grissom in response. “I work here.”

 

Noting the lack of a nametag on the coat, Grissom fixed the bald man coldly. “Not long as I assume from the lack of a name on your coat.”

 

Abby had turned around during the conversation and walked over with blazing eyes. “Where the hell have you been? I’m flat out with analysis and you just disappeared.”

 

Then she turned towards Grissom and Stella with a smile while she nodded towards the newcomer. “Chip, my assistant.”

 

Grissom noted how Stella tensed almost imperceptive and he glanced at her. She studied Chip with intent eyes, before she turned around. “I’ll be at Tony’s desk checking some leads.”

 

Chip had followed Abby and Grissom watched him closely. There was something about the other man that made him suspicious.

 

“Look Chip, I can’t have you work on this, but McGee and Ziva are following up on the dead girl’s identity. They have various things to be analyzed, can you check with them?”

 

Chip nodded, but Grissom saw how he tensed as he saw Sheldon bent over a microscope. “Who are you?”

 

Sheldon looked up from the model he was studying and gave Chip a friendly smile. “Sheldon Hawkes, CSI from New York.”

 

Chip obviously wanted to say something when Abby turned around with a glare. “Can you make a move? We are working here.”

 

Chip left the lab and Grissom finally stepped inside and walked over to Abby and Sheldon. “Abby, I had a thought about this print and remembered something. Can I take a look at the knife again?”

 

She handed it over to him and Grissom started to dust it in order to make the print visible once more. On the cab ride between the FBI and the NCIS offices, he had thought about Paul Milander and his various masks. The second time they had run into the serial killer, he had left a fingerprint behind. It had been Grissom’s print, but unlike in Tony’s case it had not been planted to implicate him, but to leave a message.

 

The technique they had used back then to prove that it wasn’t Grissom’s print was useless here, but Grissom remembered Eric talking about a car in Miami. He stopped dusting for a moment and dialed Eric’s number.

 

“Eric, you told me about this case where the killer planted someone’s prints at the crime scene. Do you remember the details?”

 

Eric was silent for a moment, and then he apologized. He hadn’t worked the case himself, and while he remembered what it was about, he didn’t remember all the specific details. “So you can’t remember how it was planted?”

 

Eric didn’t, but he knew who did. Grissom put the phone down when he felt someone watching him. He turned slightly and a shiver ran through him as he saw Chip’s eyes shooting daggers at him. He wanted to ask Abby about her assistant, when his phone rang. “Grissom.”

 

The voice on the other end was familiar and he smiled at Horatio Caine’s curt introduction. The Miami CSI came immediately to the point. “Eric told me that you’re interested in how a print can be planted?”

 

Without giving Horatio any details or names, Grissom gave him a short overview of the case. Horatio didn’t comment on it, instead started to explain how their case had worked out. “The DA was an idiot; he’d sent that guy to the chair knowing that he was innocent.”

 

Even years after it had happened, Grissom could still hear the outrage in Horatio’s voice. He smiled at it, but quickly thanked the Lieutenant and disconnected the phone. Horatio’s story had confirmed what he had thought and he put the print under the microphone. The relief he felt was almost comical, after all he always proclaimed that he didn’t care about guilt or innocence. “The print is a fake.”

 

He said it calmly, but Abby and Sheldon tensed as if he had exploded a bomb in their midst. They both stared at the print on the large screen. “Do you see this? It’s inverted.”

 

Abby frowned but Grissom saw how Sheldon made the connection. “Someone took a cast from Tony’s prints and planted the print from it on the knife.”

 

Nick had certainly taught this one well. Grissom smiled as he nodded and then looked around for Gibbs. “Where’s Agent Gibbs?”

 

Abby shrugged. “With Tony, where else?”

 

---

 

---

 

*Chapter 5 – Nothing’s ever finished*

 

+Washington DC+

 

Jethro watched as Tony slid down along the bars until he sat on the floor. His hand reached out and Jethro immediately caught it and pressed it tight. He was aware of the cameras in the hallway and he hated the fact that he couldn’t do more, hated the fact that even something as small as holding Tony’s hand would look odd. He released it and some part of his soul cried out.

 

“I’m not getting out of this, am I?”

 

Tony’s voice was hoarse as if he had only now understood how grave his situation was. Jethro shivered mentally at the thought of Tony in a prison and he shook his head. “You didn’t do anything. We’ll get you out.”

 

Hazel eyes full of defeat stared at him and Jethro wanted nothing more than to see them full of joy again. He wanted to break something, wanted to jump up and do something, but he was unable to help Tony and it drove him nearly out of his mind.

 

“I’m the perfect guy for this, aren’t I? Playboy reputation and all... What if Grissom can’t find anything?”

 

Fixing Tony with his eyes, Jethro reached through the bar and head-slapped his lover. It wasn’t a hard slap, but Tony straightened immediately and Jethro watched with relief as his eyes cleared and narrowed. “We’ll get you out.”

 

It was a promise and as if Tony had suddenly understood, his eyes widened in shock. He wanted to shake his head, but Jethro glared at him and he swallowed hard.

 

“We’ll get you out.” He wanted to say more, when his phone rang and he picked it up with a frown. “Talk to me.”

 

Abby’s voice was excited, and he could almost see her bouncing up and down in his mind as she told him about Grissom’s findings. For a moment the words didn’t register in Jethro’s mind, but when they did, he didn’t dare to believe them and he tensed momentarily. “You’re sure?”

 

The hope in his voice was audible and Tony immediately looked up, and Jethro’s heart broke at the hope in the hazel eyes. He couldn’t let Tony down now, and thanking Abby, he rested his head against the bars for a moment and met Tony’s eyes slowly. “They proved that the fingerprints and the teeth imprints were faked.”

 

Tony shivered violently as he understood and Jethro wanted to hold him, but instead he forced himself to walk away from Tony’s cell and look for Fornell. He was sure the FBI would let Tony go now. Fornell was already walking towards them as Jethro met him, and the FBI agent smiled and looked at Tony.

 

“Agent DiNozzo, I just got word from Dr. Grissom. You are free to go.”

 

He walked closer and opened the door to the cell, and it was all Jethro could do to not hug Tony then. Fornell looked at Jethro, and Jethro saw the open smile.

 

“Make sure he doesn’t leave town, okay?” Fornell shook his head with a grin and pointed towards the camera. “It’s in repair.”

 

Jethro nodded and almost afraid that he was dreaming, he watched as the other man walked away without turning back once. Looking at the camera, he smiled at Tony and pulled him close. The moment his lover was in his arms, all his fears and all the tension in his muscles disappeared. Jethro felt as if Tony was melting against him and he shivered with relief at the closeness.

 

“I love you.”

 

Tony trembled at the whispered words and as he looked up, Jethro saw the love in his eyes. “And I you.”

 

---

 

“What have you found?”

 

Stella looked up when she saw McGee stand next to her. She gave him a friendly smile ; she felt for the younger man, but she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Agent McGee, but I can’t answer your question.”

 

His face fell, but before he could say anything, Ziva spoke. Stella tensed automatically because she remembered only too well how Ziva had attacked Nick only a couple of months ago. “McGee, if Detective Bonasera tells you, her findings might not get accepted by Fornell and I’ve got a lead on the woman. Come on, let’s go.”

 

The reasonable voice and comment from the other woman surprised Stella, and as she glanced at Ziva and their eyes met, she saw concern and honesty in the dark eyes. For a moment, Ziva smiled, before she turned and walked towards the elevator. Stella’s eyes followed her surprised and for a moment she wondered whether she should try to talk to Ziva again.

 

“Detective Bonasera?” Grissom’s voice pulled her from his thoughts and she turned around with a jerk. He smiled at her and she saw that the smile reached his eyes.

 

“I just talked to Agent Fornell and told him about our results. He agreed to release Tony on the condition that he doesn’t leave Washington.”

 

Stella sighed deeply and murmured a silent thank you, before she reached for the phone to call Nick, but Grissom’s hand on hers stopped her.

 

“What have you found? Is it someone from the lab?”

 

Shocked at his insight, she nodded slowly. “Tony’s file has only been accessed twice in the last three months. Once it was the director’s secretary and she only added a recommendation, but the second time it was Chip. He accessed every single file, including Tony’s dental records.”

 

Grissom nodded and she saw that he wasn’t surprised, but she wasn’t done yet. “I did some background checks on him. He worked for the CSI lab in Peoria; he manipulated evidence and Tony found out. Chip lost his job and got convicted for manipulation of evidence.”

 

She had managed to surprise him and Stella was surprised at the thrill that she felt when Grissom’s blue eyes looked at her with clear approval. It felt good, she thought, and suddenly remembered something Nick had told her.

 

He rarely praised anyone, but when he told me that I’d done a great job, it felt really good.

 

Stella had always thought that he had exaggerated and she smiled lightly. Nick had been right; it felt great.

 

“He had access to Tony’s files, to his car and to the materials needed to fake both a fingerprints and teeth imprints. He had ability, access and a motive. He’s been around for exactly long enough to know that Tony has a reputation as a lady-killer. Anyone would believe that he had a one night stand with a girl and not remember her name or face.”

 

His mind was a sharp as a knife and Stella nodded slowly as the entire picture started to unfold. She could see it in her mind could almost see how Chip had sat in the lab at night and worked on the false prints and the teeth imprints. A shiver went through her and she shook her head. “Why did he pass the background check?”

 

Grissom shrugged and looked as confused as he did. “I have no idea.”

 

The elevator doors opened and Stella turned around and couldn’t help the huge smile on her face when she saw Gibbs and Tony stepping out of it. Gibbs looked drawn, but Tony looked as easy going and carefree as he had looked in New York; still, as Stella looked closer, she saw the tension in his shoulders and the shadows under his eyes.

 

“Tony.”

 

She got up and reacted instinctively as she walked over and hugged Tony tightly. “Welcome back, Tony.”

 

He held onto her and she felt how he trembled in her arms. She exchanged a look with Gibbs and saw that he was as pale as Tony was. He too had shadows under his eyes, but his eyes were full of gratitude as he looked at Stella and Grissom. “Thank you.”

 

Stella saw that Grissom nodded and turned away for a moment. Stella saw that he was tense, but as he turned back from the window, he looked calm. “We know who set Tony up.”

 

----

 

Jethro tensed at Grissom’s words. The older man had spoken slowly almost hesitantly and he knew immediately why. Jethro was not a part of the investigative team and he understood that Grissom would not tell him anything else; he still asked though. “Who is it?”

 

Grissom smiled and shook his head. “You know that I can’t tell you.”

 

A part of Jethro admired Grissom for not giving an inch and meeting his stare with cold blue eyes. For a moment their eyes held, and finally Jethro nodded slowly as he accepted the fact that he had met his match. “Call Fornell.”

 

Grissom nodded quietly, but before he could reach for his phone, Stella’s cell phone rang. She frowned at something and Jethro watched as she picked up and paled. “What’s wrong?”

 

She shook her head and pressed a button on the phone. Chip’s voice came over the loudspeaker and Jethro saw how Grissom tensed. “This is all your fault. How could you tell Gibbs? He got the new guys in and now they have blown my plan. Couldn’t you just follow protocol and call the director after detecting DiNozzo’s print?”

 

Jethro exchanged a look with Tony and wanted to run down into the lab and kill the bastard who had set his lover up. He was frozen though as he listened to Chip’s ranting about Tony and how it was all Abby’s fault that his plan hadn’t worked.

 

“Calm down and put the knife down, Chip. You can’t take both of us, not without alerting someone. Listen, why don’t you let Abby go and we'll talk about everything?” Sheldon Hawkes calm voice resonated through the room and Jethro’s respect for the younger CSI rose as he realized that Hawkes had called them and now gave them all the information they needed to take Chip down.

 

“Why would I want to talk to you? You’re like Tony... you’d rat me out in an instant. No, you’ll both…”

 

They had all listened almost in trance, but at the scream of pain that sounded through the phone, the trance was broken and Jethro was already reaching for his gun while he sprinted towards the stairs. He wouldn’t take the elevator, it took too much time and then there was the risk that Chip might notice.

 

“I’ve got your six.” Soft words were murmured in his ear as he stopped at the door that led towards the lab and he quickly looked back and exchanged a glance with Tony. He hadn’t expected anything else from his lover and counting to three he opened the door. The scene that he was greeted with made him freeze and fear for the worst.

 

Abby was bent over Sheldon and murmurs made Jethro shiver. He glanced around and saw the open door on the left side. “Abby, where’s Chip?”

 

She pointed towards the door that led towards the morgue and the hallway, while her other hand pressed onto Sheldon’s wound. Jethro saw how pale Sheldon had become, and he felt torn between wanting to go after Chip and staying to help Sheldon. For a moment he hesitated, but Stella waved him on. “Go after him, I’ll make sure Sheldon’s ok.”

 

Thankful that she had given him free reign, he drew his gun and ran into the direction Chip had fled. He dreaded what he would find in the morgue, but apart from a chair, which had been toppled over, there were no signs of a struggle. Ducky must have been away when Chip had made his run, and Jethro was relieved. He didn’t want his oldest friend harmed. The corridor behind the morgue was empty too, but at the end there was an open door and as Jethro walked into the next room, he saw Chip struggling with the locked door that led to the underground parking. Jethro lifted his weapon and called Chip’s name. He felt deep satisfaction at the way the other man froze, and as Chip turned around Jethro smiled as he watched the fear grow stronger and stronger with each step he took towards the killer. Finally, he was standing right in front of Chip and held his weapon trained at the other man’s head. “Give me a reason, just a simple twitch, and I’ll shoot you.”

 

He wasn’t sure whether or not he wished for Chip to move; there was a large part in him that wanted to kill the man who had threatened his lover, but the smarter part of his brain told him that he needed Chip’s confession. Tony would only be cleared completely if they had a signed confession of the real killer. Still, he held Chip at gunpoint until he heard footsteps behind him and felt strong, but tender hands on his shoulders. “We got him, Boss.”

 

Grissom and Stella had followed Tony, and Jethro watched as Stella cuffed Chip while Tony read him his rights. Fornell walked in right as they were finished and nodded at Grissom. “Great job.”

 

Chip glared at both the CSI and the FBI agent, but before he could say anything, Tony stepped in front of him. Jethro wanted to hold his lover back, but he knew that it would look odd to those who didn’t know the truth. He sighed silently as Tony looked at Chip with contempt in his hazel eyes. “Who was she?”

 

Chip seemed surprised and frowned. “Who was who?”

 

Jethro saw how Tony tensed, but his lover held himself back and simply explained with cold hard eyes. “The woman you killed to get me convicted.”

 

Chip shrugged carelessly. “No one that matters.”

 

Tony lunged for him, but having expected the reaction Jethro grabbed him in time and held him back. “Stop it, DiNozzo.”

 

Tony fought his grip for a moment, but soon gave in and slumped back into his arms. Their eyes met and Jethro saw the terror and despair that lurked in Tony’s eyes, and once again he cursed the need for secrecy and silently promised Tony that he would be there for him later.

 

“Sorry, Boss.” The low words told Jethro that his lover had understood and he released him with a heavy heart.

 

“How is Sheldon?” He hadn’t really thought about the other man; he had been too focused on capturing Chip than to think about what had happened to Sheldon. Now though he remembered Abby’s frantic murmurs and the hand she had pressed onto a bleeding wound. He looked around concerned, but Grissom calmed his fears immediately. “He’s alright; Chip hit his arm and the wound was bleeding heavily, but it was only superficial. Ducky is checking him out right now.”

 

Fornell looked surprised between Grissom and Chip and questioned Grissom immediately. “What wound?”

 

Jethro listened to Grissom’s explanation and frowned. Sheldon had stepped in between Chip and Abby when the killer had tried to stab her. Realizing that once again a New Yorker had saved a member of his team, he made a mental note to thank not only Sheldon but also Mac.

 

Fornell nodded at the explanation and Jethro watched as he led Chip away. His eyes caught Tony’s and he saw the relief in them.

 

It was over.

 

---

 

Mac was studying the files that the Vegas PD had sent over and the more he read about Nick’s case, the sicker he felt. It was one thing to have Nick tell him the story, but it was something completely different to see the evidence of what had happened. He glanced at the box they had dug up, the one where they had found nothing but a dead dog in it and a shudder went through him. He wasn’t sure whether or not he would have survived in Nick’s place.

 

“Mac, are you alright?” Danny’s voice pulled him from his morbid thoughts and he looked up to see his lover lean in the door. Danny looked content, he thought, his body relaxed and his green-grey eyes unguarded. Mac smiled and waved him in. Danny had a right to know what had been going on in the last hours. “What’s wrong?”

 

The joy had disappeared from Danny’s eyes and Mac regretted the disappearance. He smiled a bit and decided to give his lover the good news first. “Tony has been cleared. They found the real killer and he confessed to setting Tony up.”

 

Mac saw the relief in Danny’s eyes. His partner had known better than most what Tony had been going through. Mac remembered the relief and gratefulness in Gibbs’ voice and he had understood the other Marine only too well.

 

“Great! So Stella and Sheldon are on their way back then?”

 

Mac nodded, but before he could say anything else, he saw the naughty grin on Danny’s face and it made him anticipate Danny’s next words. “I bet he and Gibbs have a lot to celebrate tonight.”

 

Although he didn’t want to think about Gibbs and Tony in that way, he couldn’t help the image that appeared in front of his eyes. He shook his head and smiled fondly at Danny. “I guess they will, yes.”

 

Danny grinned again, but he turned serious almost immediately. ”So if you got such good news, why the long face before?”

 

Trust his lover to go straight to the point. Mac pointed at the files on his desk and sighed. “Nick’s case...”

 

For a moment Danny frowned in confusion, but as soon as he understood, he paled. “Why do you have them?”

 

Sighing again, Mac told Danny about Grissom’s phone call to Don and the call that Mac had received from Las Vegas. He saw the changing emotions in Danny’s eyes, saw the confusion change into disbelief and then finally into fear and anger. He understood the combination only too well, but he also saw the underlying and yet overpowering emotion that drove Danny. It wasn’t fear or anger, it was concern and it was the reason for Danny’s next question. “Does Nick know?”

 

Checking his watch, Mac shook his head and looked at Danny. “Don is telling him tonight.”

 

---

 

Danny’s mind was reeling as Mac had finished his tale about Kelly Gordon. He didn’t know whether he was angry at Grissom or at Gordon, or if he was afraid that something might happen to Nick. The only thing he did know was that the revelation of Grissom’s silence was going to hurt Nick. “I’m glad that Don’s smarter than Grissom.”

 

He hadn’t meant to speak as harshly, and he winced mentally as Mac flinched. Danny wanted to apologize, but before he could say anything Mac stopped him. “Don came to me for advice, and I told him that I almost lost you because I wanted to keep you safe and didn’t want to hurt you...”

 

Danny heard the unspoken apology in the softly spoken words and he pushed his concerns about Nick aside and focused on his lover. Mac looked tired and drawn and Danny wanted to comfort him, wanted to make him relax and forget about the real world. A thought crossed his mind and he grinned a bit. “I watched you today.”

 

For a moment Mac frowned, but the husky quality of Danny’s voice didn’t go unnoticed and Danny smiled at the shiver that ran through Mac’s body. Mac’s eyes fixed his and Danny felt himself harden under the dominant look. “When?”

 

He held the gaze for a moment longer, before he dropped his eyes in submission and Danny could almost feel Mac’s eyes on him as he answered. “When you worked out this morning.”

 

He knew that he had Mac’s full attention and he continued with a soft voice. “You were drenched in sweat, your shirt clinging to your body. I wanted to run my hands all over your body, and I wanted to touch myself while I watched you.”

 

Mac was out of his chair and standing close to Danny within seconds, and Danny felt a thrill go through him when Mac’s hands forced his head up. “Did you touch yourself?”

 

Danny had to force himself to meet Mac’s eyes and not drop onto his knees. Mac had used the voice he only used when they played, and Danny had developed an almost Pavlovian reaction to it. A shudder went through him as he fought with himself to shake his head and not react in any other way. Mac’s answer though made him gasp as his lover grasped his hard cock and caressed it through his pants. “I should make you wear a cock ring during the day.”

 

The whispered words made Danny tense but his cock obviously liked the idea and Mac smiled and squeezed him once more, before he stepped back and released Danny. “Go home and prepare yourself.”

 

Danny shivered at the promise in the few words and nodded while he dropped his eyes to the floor. “I will.”

 

---

 

“We need to talk.”

 

Nick hated it when Don looked like he did now. Whenever his lover’s eyes were this serious, his lips thin lines and his body tense, Nick knew that the ensuing conversation wasn’t going to be a pleasant one. He sighed and sat down onto the couch while Don remained standing. He could feel that Don was unsure as to what to tell him and partly concerned, partly confused he looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

 

Don startled as if the question had woken him from sleep and Nick frowned. His lover’s behavior started to worry him. “I got a call from Gil Grissom today.”

 

Whatever Nick had expected, it certainly hadn’t been that. Don sighed and sat down next to him, took his hand into his and met his eyes. Nick wanted to ask what Grissom’s call had to do with Don’s mood, but his lover had already started to speak again. “He wanted to warn me, tell me that Kelly Gordon has left Nevada and flown to New York.”

 

For a moment Nick didn’t understand, why had Grissom called Don and not himself? Even more, why had he not mentioned anything when they had spoken only hours ago? Grissom had called him to tell him that Tony was safe and had been cleared; why had he not mentioned Kelly Gordon? The questions only lasted for a minute, then his rational thinking kicked in and wit it came the feeling of betrayal. “He asked you not to tell me, didn’t he?”

 

Don shook his head, but his eyes told Nick the truth, and yet they also held something deeper and Nick pressed the hand that Don still held as he half demanded, half pleaded his lover to give him an answer. “There’s more, isn’t there? Please Don, what is it?”

 

Don looked tired, sad, but Nick realized with surprise that he also looked angry. “Walter Gordon didn’t plan your abduction alone. There was a second person involved.”

 

Don’s words felt like daggers thrown at his soul and Nick shivered even as he shook his head in denial. “It’s not possible, he’s dead. How do you know?”

 

But even as he asked, he understood that Grissom had told Don. Hurt and betrayal made him tense up and he wanted to scream at Don even though he knew that his lover was innocent. “When did Grissom know?”

 

Don met his eyes and the understanding and love Nick read in the blue eyes made him calm down a bit. Don’s hands pulled him towards his lover and he smiled as he felt the strong body and heard the regular beat of Don’s heart. He felt safe. “They knew for a while, but Grissom didn’t want to upset you.”

 

Lifting his head to once again meet Don’s eyes, Nick didn’t comment on Don’s words. Instead he smiled bitterly. “He told you that? I bet he told you also to keep silent. Why did you tell me?”

 

Don’s eyes widened for a moment, and he lifted his hand to caress Nick’s face as he shrugged. “You have a right to know.”

 

Nick felt love swamp him at the words and he realized that Don also hadn’t wanted to tell him, but loved him enough to still do it. “Thanks.”

 

Don cradled him against his body and Nick felt the concern and fear that had gripped him only minutes ago, give way to a feeling of security and love. Kelly Gordon was in New York, but he wasn’t afraid. She couldn’t terrify him anymore; the memory of what her father had done didn’t have the power to destroy him anymore. Nick was surprised to realize that he didn’t feel threatened by her presence, instead he felt safe, safe in Don’s arms and safe in the knowledge that he had survived. “Who else knows?”

 

He knew Grissom, knew that his former supervisor would never notify only one person and Don’s smile confirmed his thinking. “Mac and I guess he will tell Danny.”

 

Don’s eyes were still concerned, and as if he wanted to comfort Nick or maybe explain Grissom’s behavior, he started to speak again. “I talked to him after Grissom’s phone call. I didn’t want to tell you, you know? I was afraid I would hurt you. But Mac told me that I couldn’t protect you from life...”

 

Nick smiled; he could see Mac say that and he knew that Mac had learned the truth the hard way. “So you told me, because he told you to?”

 

Don tensed and shook his head. “No, I always knew that I had to tell you. I didn’t want to, but I knew that I had no choice. Mac only pointed out to me that you weren’t alone, that I couldn’t protect you from hurting, but that I could be there for you when it happened.”

 

Nick smiled silently and once more felt the safety Don’s arms and his love gave him. He nodded silently and lifted his head to kiss Don. “I know, Don, I know. I’m not alone, you’re with me.”

 

The soft words made Don shiver and Nick snuggled closer. He didn’t want to think about Grissom’s betrayal right now or about Kelly Gordon being in New York. He didn’t want to focus on the fact that someone else had been involved in his kidnapping, someone who was still out there maybe waiting for another chance. Right now, he wanted to be close to the man he loved. “I love you.”

 

The shiver that ran through Don’s body as a response to his words told Nick everything about Don’s fears and concerns. He kissed the soft skin at Don’s neck and smiled at the moan that escaped Don. “Thanks for telling me.”

 

Don’s eyes met his and Nick shivered at the love and fierce protectiveness he saw in them. “Thanks for being there.”

 

Don’s lips found his and the kiss they shared was tender and loving, once more their eyes met and Don promised solemnly. “I’ll be there forever.”

 

---