A/N-Okay here is my brand new Nick/Greg fiction. If you have read my fics before, you know I am totally an angst writer. So expect nothing less than that from this one. This one takes place about the end of last season, so you will see Ray and Riley mentioned in it. I'll try to post a chapter a week, if my work schedule allows me to. Hope you enjoy.

He paced nervously across the living room floor, chewing on his bottom lip, waiting for his phone to ring, to hear news that would possibly change his life. His cell phone finally rang and he stared at who was calling. He took in a nervous breath before answering it. "Hello, Greg Sanders speaking," he said with a nervous edge to his voice.

He listened carefully to the male voice on the other end of the phone. He mumbled every so often to let him know he understood what was being told to him. He started to feel sick and this time it was because of what he was being told. The nightmare was coming true. "Thank you. I guess I will be seeing you tomorrow then. Bye."

He disconnected the call and then slumped down on the sofa, burying his head in his hands. He could not believe this was happening to him. He thought about Nick. He could not make him go through this after all that had happened in the last couple of years. Nick was still mourning the loss of Warrick. Of course only Greg knew this since he only expressed it to him, at home. Then the addition of Grissom leaving and adjusting to new team members had been very stressful on Nick. He never showed it at work but at home he let it all out.

Greg wanted to save him from the worst possible thing that could happen. But how could he do that without hurting him in someway? He sat there for a good half hour going through his emotions and figuring out a way to get Nick out of his life, to make him hate him so that the pain might be less later on.

He was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of the key in the door. He quickly flipped on the TV so Nick did not wonder why he was sitting there in silence.

Nick came in and saw his partner watching TV. "Hey, how are you feeling today?" he asked right away.

Greg looked up at him with a forced smile. "I'm fine."

Nick looked at him, slightly suspicious. "So no queasiness or pains?"
Greg shook his head and lied, "No, I've been good. Just playing games and watching TV. How was work?" He was good at changing the topic lately.

Nick hung up his jacket on the coat rack. "It was a slow night. Worked a B&E with Ray. He still has a lot to learn. I hate having to train someone. He's not like Warrick."

Greg chewed on his bottom lip at hearing the frustration in Nick's voice. "Yeah, well give him time and he'll be fine. Remember how I was when I started out."

"Yeah but you hung around us so much and already worked in the lab, so it was different. He acts like he knows it all already but he still had a lot to learn. If Grissom was still around I bet he would not act like that," Nick said as he grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator.

Greg sighed. He had heard this many times before and was growing sick of it. He had an idea suddenly to get on Nick's bad side. He got up and came at Nick. "When are you going to stop griping about Grissom and Warrick being gone?" He knew he struck a chord with him when he glared at him and slammed his water bottle down on the counter.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You miss them too," Nick yelled.

"Yeah but I do not mention them almost everyday like you do. I'm sick of it. Grissom is gone, who knows if we'll ever see him again. And Warrick, well he is dead. At least he went quickly," Greg yelled back.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I should be happy that he died a quick death?' Nick yelled with fire.

Greg had not realized what he said until Nick mentioned it. He felt a lump in his throat. "That's not what I meant. I just…I just," he sighed. "Damn it, Nick! I can't do this right now." He was starting to feel nauseous. He did not want him to know. He picked up his keys off the table and grabbed his coat.

"Where are you going?" Nick asked angrily.

"I need a break from us, Nick. I'm going back to my place." Greg quickly ran out the door and closed it behind him.

Nick stared at the door that Greg just went out of, totally confused as to what just happened. Greg had been acting so weird lately and it all seemed to coincide with this flu he seemed to be suffering from. Nick started thinking maybe he was just getting cabin fever from being home sick for the last few days.

He could have gone after him but he was still too angry with what he had said to him about Warrick to bother. Yes, he missed him a lot, he was his best friend even before he fell in love with Greg. He had always supported their relationship even though he found them to be an odd couple. Sometimes Nick felt that Greg was jealous of the close friendship he had with Warrick. Greg had a few friends outside of work but none were as close as Warrick and Nick were.

Maybe it was time they took a break from each other. It was these little fights that kept Nick from asking Greg to completely move in. Nick was not ready to commit completely to their relationship if Greg still had these immature bouts.

Greg drove halfway down the street before he had to pull over to throw up outside his door. When he was done retching, the pain in his stomach was severe. Tears prickled at his eyes as the pain and fear overwhelmed him. How could he do this without Nick? Was he crazy for pushing him away? Maybe he was but he loved Nick too much to put him through what was bound to happen.

After a few minutes, when the pain subsided he managed to restart the car and finish his drive home. It was not his home so much anymore, more like a storage place but he would have to get it back in living shape again. He would be living their full time soon again, once he was able to destroy Nick's faith in him. He knew one thing he could do to make Nick never forgive him and throw him out for good. Then he would be free of worrying about how Nick was going to deal with all the changes that were bound to happen. Nick would be free of having to worry. Perhaps he would find someone new to love and forget about Greg completely.

Greg just wondered if he would be able to stay away from him. He knew his mother would help him every step of the way. He had to call her and tell her the news. Once she found out, he knew she would not let him out of her sight. Perhaps he would go back to California now.

So many things he had to do in little time. It was going to be a long week before an even longer unknown length of hell began.

***

Greg was driving into work still thinking about the conversation he had with his mother prior to leaving. As he suspected she was scared for him and vowed to stay with him if he needed help. He was not able to reach his dad to let him know. Ever since his parents divorced, he had a bad relationship with his Father, but he felt he had a right to know.

He pulled into the parking garage of LVPD Crime Lab after being out sick for the last few days. He saw Nick's truck already there. He felt guilty about shutting him out of the ugly truth but it would be better this way, less suffering overall. He only hoped in the end Nick would understand and forgive him.

He walked into the lab and the first person he ran into was the one he was hoping to avoid, Nick Stokes.

"Greg, what's going on with you lately? What's going on with us?" He asked him after he ignored him as he walked past him in the locker room.

Greg opened his locker door and hid his face behind it. "I just think we need time apart. You need time to get use to the new crew and the loss of Warrick and Grissom. I'll be staying at my place for awhile."

Nick slammed his locker door shut. Greg jumped a bit and slowly closed his door. Nick was glaring at him. "This is ridiculous Greg. What's really going on?"
Greg sighed. He did not want to start this shift like this. "Look, let's not get into this now. We'll talk at the end of our shift."

"What don't you want to tell me, Greg?" Nick asked, starting to feel suspicious.

"Later," he said finally as he pushed past Nick to leave the locker room. Greg headed straight to the restroom where he proceeded to throw up. Thankfully Nick had not followed him so he would not know he was still sick. He went to the sink after and splashed water on his face. He glanced at himself in the mirror. He was surprised Nick had not said anything about his recent weight loss. Come to think of it, Nick would have never realized he had been sick if he had not gotten sick right in front of him. He had been so consumed with work lately and dealing with being 2nd in command next to Catherine that he hardly had time for Greg. Perhaps it would be easier to put his plans into effect with the recent strain on their relationship.

He sighed heavily. He knew he better get out of there before they searched for him. He walked out ready to start what was going to be a long shift.

***

Nick could not understand why Greg did not get what he was going through. It had been hard loosing Warrick to McKeen and then loosing his mentor Grissom just to burn out. Now he had to help Catherine run the graveyard shift. He was under a lot more pressure and Greg could not seem to see that. He was glad the shift was about over. Now he would finally find out what Greg's problem was.

Greg left a note in his locker telling him he would be waiting out in the parking garage for him.

Greg was glad he was in the shadows of the lights in the parking garage. He knew he looked unwell and he did not want Nick saying anything about it. He just needed to get through this. As far as he knew he had covered all his bases. Now he just hoped Nick reacted, as he wanted him to.

Nick came striding over to him. Greg was leaning against the side of his car, looking nervous. "So are you going to tell me what is going on with you?" He asked with his arms folded over his chest.

Greg was not so sure he could go through with this now but he knew it was the best thing at the moment for Nick. He wanted to save him from dealing with the additional stress that was bound to come if they stayed together.

"You've been so busy with work lately and going to conferences, I've felt lonely. I've been, uh, spending a lot more time at the clubs and doing stuff when you're away."

Nick was suddenly looking at him in disbelief. "What are you trying to tell me Greg? You've been cheating on me?" His dark eyes bore into Greg's.

"Well, depends on your definition of cheating," he said in an unsure voice.

"You know what I mean, Greg." He carefully watched his scared expression. His anger boiled over. "You did! You slept with some guy or maybe guys! How long has this been going on?"
Greg shifted on his feet. "About a month," he said quietly as he looked down at the ground.

Nick wanted to punch him but he refrained from the violent act. "Two and a half years and you are throwing it away just like that? Did you even think about what you were doing? How many has it been?"

Greg felt tears swim into his eyes. He hated what he was doing. If it were not for the pain he was in, he would have forgotten why he was doing it. "It's only been this one guy. He was there when I needed someone."

"So instead of talking to me about how you were feeling you just go to the next warmest body and fuck him?" Nick asked angrily.

Greg could not look at him anymore. He hung his head. "I'm sorry, Nick. I'll pack up my stuff right away and move out."

Nick was flabbergasted. "So this is it? We're over just like that? You rather be with this stranger then? You don't even want to try to fix this?"

Greg was not prepared for him to actually want to try to work out their issues. "I think we need time apart. I need time to figure out what I want."

"Well by the sound of it, it is not me anymore. I really thought you loved me? How could you do this to us?" The hurt was evident in his voice.

Greg shook his head, still not meeting his eyes. He didn't know what to say. He was not sure why he was ruining the best thing that ever happened to him.

"I'll give you two hours to get your crap out of my house without my presence there. And here at work, well, we are both professionals, but otherwise stay the hell out of my way," Nick told him.

His voice had anger but when Greg finally looked at him, he could see the hurt and betrayal. "I'm sorry, Nick. You deserve better," he told him as a tear slid down his pale cheek.

"You are right, I do." Nick turned his back on him and went to his truck.

Greg waited until he drove away before getting into his own vehicle and driving to the place he truly had called home for the last year.

As he packed up his things, he remembered the first time Nick asked him to stay with him at his place. He had been surprised because he did not think Nick would ever invite him to stay the night at first. But then it became day after day and he practically lived there. Nick had been leery of completely asking him to move in he thought because he did not want their relationship getting out. Greg kept his place up even when they did tell everyone they were together. He still liked having a space of his own to go to once in awhile to think and get away. He always had his own space since he was an only child. Now he was glad to still have his apartment since he would be living there full time again.

As he took the last box out of his stuff to his car, he looked back at Nick's house. He wondered if he would ever see it again, the chances were not too good. Someday Nick would know the truth behind all of this but more than likely not from him. He wanted it to be him more than anything but only time would tell if things would take a turn for the better.