Title: Scars
Author: gothikmaus
Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Category: hurt/comfort, ficlet
Summary: Nick visits Greg at the hospital after the lab explosion.
A/N: Written for Hey, Sweetheart 2023
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and all related characters are property of CBS. I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.
Greg let out a soft moan, bed sheets rustling as he stretched his legs.
"Hey, sweetheart."
The voice was low, barely above a whisper, but Greg would have recognized it anywhere.
"Nick?" he mumbled, blinking his eyes open.
Nick smiled. He was sitting next to the hospital bed, leaning forward with his forearms resting on top of his thighs.
"Hi. How you feeling?"
"Tired. Sore."
Greg closed his eyes again and groaned.
"Do you want me to leave so you can rest some more?"
Greg shook his head minutely.
"Okay."
A few minutes passed in silence, and Nick started to think Greg might have fallen asleep again.
"Did you find out what happened in the lab?" Greg asked after a while, slowly opening his eyes again and looking up at Nick.
"Not yet. We're working on it."
Greg nodded.
"The doctor said I was lucky: my injuries could've been much worse."
Nick knew that: an explosion in a lab full of chemicals, with glass containers scattered all over the place and glass walls. He had ran through all the worst-case scenarios multiple times in his head: what if Greg had been standing somewhere else? What if he had landed on something sharp? What if he had been processing something volatile or toxic? What if, what if, what if. The mere thought was making him sick.
"Yeah, you've been pretty damn lucky."
Another pause.
"My wounds... They'll leave scars, won't they?"
Nick hesitated before answering.
"It's still too early to be sure."
Greg gave him an unconvinced smile.
Nick reached out and gently caressed his cheek.
"Hey. The important thing is that you're still here with us. With me. When I heard about the explosion and that you'd been taken to the hospital, I..." He stopped, the sudden lump in his throat making it impossible to speak, and glanced away.
Greg slowly reached up and covered Nick's hand with his own.
"You're not getting rid of me so easily."
Nick turned back to him, eyes shiny.
"You better get well soon: the lab just isn't the same without you blasting your awful music through the corridors."
Greg smiled again, and this time it reached his eyes.
"Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can. Greg Sanders is gonna be back soon, tougher and louder."
Nick threw a glance over his shoulder and leaned forward, kissing him softly.
"I'm counting on it."
-----
February 2023