If you're a Warrick Brown fan... read the alternate version This Ain't No Rebound Thang! w/OMC instead of Warrick. This is your warning.

Greg stood in the upper balcony of the club looking down at the dancers below. It had been a long shift and while he wasn't sure he was up for dancing he knew he wasn't tired enough to sleep. So, after saying bye to Nick and Warrick at the lab, he'd rushed home and changed into something suitable and headed to his favorite place. He'd been there a handful of times with Nick and Warrick to hang out, but Greg knew as rough as his night had been as CSI's theirs had to have been worse. Lifting his drink to his mouth, Greg scanned the crowd looking for something interesting to watch. He knew Nick always said it was strange, but he had as much fun people watching at the clubs as he did dancing. It never failed to amaze him what people would do in public.

Like tonight, there in the semi darkness just off the dance floor stood some couple sucking face like they were completely alone in the world. It was a man and a woman and the guy had his hands so far up her shirt that Greg wouldn't be surprised if one of her boobs didn't pop out soon. Grinning Greg shook his head watching thinking the guy looked a lot like Warrick, but Greg knew for a fact that he and Nick had a heavy thing going so he knew it must just be a look alike. The similarities though were almost freaky. The guy was at least as tall as his friend. He had the same hair and the same long bony fingers. His drink forgotten, Greg almost dropped it over the railing when the man lifted his head. As much as he wanted to believe it was a look alike, as much as he wanted to believe that Warrick would never do something like this to Nick, as much as he wanted to deny it he no longer could, because even with all the people and the darkness of the club surrounding him it was plainly obvious that it wasn't some stranger with Warrick's body. It was Warrick himself.

Greg's stomach balled up into a knot and his body became numb as he watched the couple dip their heads again still uncaring of their surroundings. "How could he?" Greg moaned to himself as he squeezed his eyes together tight hoping this was some really bad nightmare and when he opened his eyes he'd be safe at home in his bed leaving this whole thing as a funny story to tell the guys at work tomorrow. It was useless though he knew. He wasn't at home and this while this was a nightmare it wasn't the kind he could wake up from and make go away. "Fuck Rick how could you do this to Nicky?"

Greg's jaw clenched and his hands balled as the drink finally fell safely to the floor to splatter all over his pants and shoes, but Greg didn't notice. Not too long ago he'd pulled Warrick aside and grilled him on his relationship with Nick. He'd taken the attitude and the anger not caring what it did to his friendship with the pair only wanting to make sure that Nick wasn't being played.

Warrick had called him on it saying Greg was just jealous because Nick was his and being the geek he was he stood no chance of taking him from a stud like him. He'd been right on some level at least Greg admitted, but stubbornly he still hadn't given up until he'd gotten the assurances and promise he'd been looking for. Now Greg felt like a fool because he'd believed him mainly because he couldn't imagine anyone having Nick and wanting anything else.

Shaking his head Greg turned his head towards the front of the club as he fought with himself trying to decide what he was going to do when suddenly he found himself in some strange dreamlike moment. It was as if time had slowed down. Everything down below seemed to have almost stopped and dimmed even further except for one single figure standing not 6 foot from Warrick. Greg didn't even try to believe that it was a look alike this time. For some reason the odds were against him turning this night from bad to worse and from the expression on Nick's face they weren't going to get better any time soon. Without thinking about it twice Greg suddenly jumped into action knowing that Nick would reach Warrick before he did, but he hoped at least to get there before Nick did something crazy.

It seemed to take forever to get down there. The crowd was fighting him with almost every step he took. Every once and awhile he'd get a glimpse of Nick as he made his way toward the couple, but he didn't see the beginning of the confrontation as he was too busy fighting his way across the dance floor.

"How could you do this?" He heard Nick scream as he finally broke through the crowd, his heart breaking at the sight before him. Warrick had a snide grin curling his lips while Nick looked like his world was shattering.

"Oh look Nicky it's your other boyfriend," Warrick sneered as the woman curled her arms around his waist laughing with him.

Nick only gave Greg a passing glance however before taking another step forward. "Leave Greg out of this! I ain't fucking him behind your back. I've told you a million times. We're just friends! YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME!"

"And you believed me?" Warrick laughed shaking his head. "Damn Nicky you really are naive aren't you. I was trying to get some at the time. Yeah you're hot and all and I like a nice tight ass to pound every once and awhile, but how many times do I gotta tell you? This ain't no forever thing man. You want love look to your lab rat. Now if you don't mind I got somethin hard to show this fine thing and uhh… you're crowdin' me man."

Carefully Greg made his way to Nick's side wrapping his arms around the bigger man's waist. He knew there wasn't much he could do if Nick was really determined to throw the punch he was thinking about, but Greg would be damned if he didn't try at least. At first he was shoved away roughly and his feet tangled sending him to the floor as he watched Nick advance, but immediately he sprang up and jumped between the two men putting a hand on either side of Nick's face forcing him to look at him.

"HE ISN'T WORTH THIS NICK!" Greg shouted desperately feeling rewarded when Nick's eyes finally fell on him. "He isn't worth everything. He's nothing more than some wanna be player who thinks he's better than us because he grew up here. He's nothing man he's crap. Let's just go Nicky. Come on please?" He knew he was begging by the time he got to the end, but he couldn't help it. He was a step away from panic. If this turned into a fight Nick would be in serious trouble possibly with the cops and work. "Come on Nicky. He ain't nothin', nothin at all."

Using all his strength Greg used his body to shove Nick backwards until finally the older man gave in and took a step. By the time they'd gotten through the crowd and out of the club, Greg was panting and out of breath, Nick had fought him almost the entire way although just enough to give some resistance but not stop Greg all together as if he wanted to leave but didn't want to admit it. When finally they reached the outside of the club Greg squinted at the bright sunlight and reached for his shades with his free hand. Some time while heading through the door he'd grabbed Nick's hand and was tugging him along behind. He didn't know if Nick drove there, but wasn't going to ask. There was no way in hell Nick was getting behind the wheel.

When finally they reached his car Greg hurriedly unlocked the passenger's door and shoved Nick inside before the older man could resume his fight. The light seemed to have quieted him some although Greg wasn't sure it was a good quiet, but at that moment he wasn't going to argue. After getting Nick settled, Greg rushed around to the other side unlocking the door and getting in. "How was I that stupid?" He heard Nick whisper his voice sounding like it had been dragged through a pile of broken glass.

"You weren't stupid, Nicky," Greg argued not willing to look at the other man. "You love him. He made promises and you believed him because you had no reason not to."

"That isn't true," Nick said laughing hollowly. "I caught him cheating two months ago and he swore it was a one time thing. Hell I think it was even the same bitch." Nick shook his head looking out the window. "And if you want to know the truth I don't even know if I did love him or if I just... wanted someone to love me back so bad that I was willing to settle."

"Everyone wants to be loved Nicky," Greg said softly feeling his heart break over and over wishing he could be the kind of man who would attract someone like Nick, but knew it could never happen. "Everyone gets lonely and sad. Everyone wants someone there to hold or be held by. You're a gorgeous man Nick. You're smart, you're funny, and you've got a lot of things going for you. I'm sure some other guy even more gorgeous than Warrick will come along and sweep you off your feet. Pretty soon you won't even remember why you gave that jackass a second thought."

At some time during Greg's speech Nick had turned his attention from the parking lot outside to his friend's face as he thought about Warrick's words. For weeks he'd been given shit about Greg by Warrick who hadn't waited half an hour after Greg cornered him making him swear he was serious about what was going on between them. Nick remembered the little thrill that had gone through him at the time at the through that someone like Greg who was smaller and weaker than Warrick would take the risk of getting his ass kicked to make sure he wouldn't be hurt. "Maybe I don't want another guy like Warrick," he broke in interrupting Greg before he could continue. "Maybe I don't want some smooth talker who doesn't want to commit. Maybe I don't want some cover boy looking stud. Maybe I want someone who loves me. Maybe I want someone who cares enough about me to put himself in danger for me. Maybe… maybe all this time what I needed was… maybe it was you."

Stunned Greg's head whipped around not sure what to say to this revelation. Part of him was jumping up and down cheering for joy as the other more negative part whispered that this was just Nick's pain talking. Once he slept on it, once he realized he didn't need Warrick he wouldn't be singing Greg's praises. "Wha… what do you have in mind Nicky? 'Cause no offence, but it's hard enough watching you moon all over guys who aren't worth your air let alone deal with loosing you once you realize a stud like you deserves better than a dud like me. I mean, yeah I don't do half bad on my own, but people like you don't look twice at people like me Nick and I just…"

Greg was forced to stop speaking when he found Nick's hand over his mouth. His brown eyes were big and suspiciously shiny and the fingers over his lips were trembling slightly. "I ain't saying that I know where this will go, G. But I swear on my mamma that this ain't no rebound thang. Please man, I know the timing sucks, but I just need a chance. God you… you don't know what it's been like. Wishing, craving, hoping for something I knew I would never get from him and now to find out I had a chance at it the whole time if I'd just looked past my dick to someone that has been my friend since the day he walked in here. Please G I'll beg I'll make any promise you need, I'll do anything you ask just please don't discard this before I have a chance to prove myself. God all I want is a chance."

Puckering his lips Greg placed a careful kiss on Nick's fingers before smiling softly. There was no way he could ever turn this down and he knew it. Nick was everything he wanted and to finally get his shot well.. hell… maybe tomorrow he'd thank Warrick instead of hit him. After all Warrick's loss was his gain.

The End!