Greg has always reminded him of fire. Passion and energy that draws you near and keeps you there, light in the darkness and warmth that is comfort.

Light filters down through the dust and smoke and catches on the glass littered around him, deceptively beautiful. This is a picture that will be seared into his memory forever, one he will never have trouble recalling. Greg is bathed in the faint red glow of fire, sprawled on the floor with his head raised slightly, looking for an explanation.

The high pitched wail of the alarms fades into the back of his mind and the only sound in the lab is that of silence, and he realizes that everyone is just watching, waiting to be told what to do.

Greg rests his cheek on the floor and his eyes slide shut.

Time seems to move in slow motion. Greg draws a shuddering breath, some glass falls from his hair and suddenly this is too personal for him just to watch, so he’s moving out of the safety of the AV Lab and lays down next to Greg without a second thought.

He slides a hand through Greg’s hair gently and the rest of the glass falls to the floor softly and when Greg breathes again he thinks it’s the most soothing sound he’s ever heard. He lets his hand fall from Greg’s shaggy hair to his cheek, cut from being thrown through a window, and touches it gently.

Greg reaches blindly for his other hand and his eyes flutter open, helpless and seeking comfort and Nick thinks he is beautiful.

Greg reminds him of fire, and he burns.