Title: Evenings with Bunbun
Author: amazonqueenkate
Pairing: Nick Stokes/Bobby Dawson
Fandom: CSI
Theme: #24 good night
Warnings: baby!fic (sort of); unbridled cuteness; a wild bunny hunt; very tired men.
Disclaimer: Only in my dreams do I own CSI. (Or participate in the cases, depending on the dream.)
Author's Notes: Originally written for hawkeyecat, who wanted baby!fic about a month ago, and got to pre-read this long before I posted it. It's cute. It's incredibly cute. Because dude, it's baby!fic, and it can't not be cute.

"This really is like that Kenny Chesney song," Nick muttered under his breath, completely not intending to until after it'd escaped his lips and landed heavy on the air of the blissfully silent family room.

Across said room, Bobby peered over the coffee table at him – Bobby was on his knees between the coffee table and couch, and not in any sort of interesting way – and cocked an eyebrow. "I doubt anyone thinks your tractor is sexy," he replied conversationally. A quick hand-sweep under the table came up empty, and he frowned. "Especially since you don't have one."

Nick frowned back and went back to his task of checking under the bookshelf. Three building blocks, an old TV Guide, and the case to an X-Box game. He pulled the last of the items out and tossed it into the middle of the carpeting. "Not that one. The one about the man who gives up his life to be a father." A check under the entertainment center recovered a sip-cup. He pulled it out, looked at it, and then frowned. "Chocolate milk."

Bobby climbed to his feet and brushed off his knees. "What?"

"There used to be chocolate milk in this." Bobby barely caught the offending cup. He sniffed the lid and then scowled. "It's been under there for at least a month."

"That's disgusting."

"Preachin' to the choir." Nick stood, too, and stretched. "I have no idea where she put it," he stressed, peering around the family room. It was a mess, sure, but an organized mess; almost all the toys were shoved into the Rubbermaid bin that served as a toy box, every video was at least on the appropriate shelf on the entertainment center, and only three cardboard-backed books were still strewn across the coffee table. "Why can't we just give her something else?"

"She's obsessed with that stupid rabbit, Nicky. She won't sleep without it." Bobby pulled up a couch cushion, peered under it, and then sighed again. "Did you check the cars?"

"Twice." Nick ran a hand through his hair and cast one last, forlorn look at the room before sinking into the armchair. "Face it, Bobby," he said after a moment's pause, watching Bobby appreciatively as he bent to check the other two couch cushions, "the rabbit is – "

"Daddy!" cheered a voice and, before he could respond, a ball of messy curls and fuzzy pink pajamas landed hard in his lap. He coughed as the little girl clambered fully into the chair with him and immediately snuggled into his t-shirt. "Daddy, did you find Bunbun?"

Bobby hid his amusement by sighing at the two of them. "I thought we told you to go to bed, Sammie," he warned her. She burrowed her face further into Nick's shirt and looked very unassuming, all big blue eyes and shy smile. "Samantha," he stressed, hands settling onto his hips, "I meant it."

"But I need Bunbun!" she whined, sending Bobby a pathetic look. Bobby's sternness faded slightly at the tone of her voice, and he frowned. At least, until Nick mimicked her sad, pouty-lipped face; then, Bobby scowled at him. "I can't sleep without Bunbun, Dada! I can't."

"We know, sweetie." Nick turned his head and landed a kiss in her hair before scooping her up. "I'll go tuck you in, and Dada can keep looking for your bunny."

"Dada doesn't want to look for the rabbit," Bobby informed him, narrowing his eyes. "Dada wants to go to bed so he can work tomorrow."

Sammie pouted at him, and he rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine," he gave in, crossing to the toy box. "I'll look again." She beamed and Nick sent him a grateful smile before plodding off in the direction of the bedroom, his little girl lulled against his shoulder and whispering something nonsensical into his ear.

Nick returned about five minutes later to find Bobby lounging on the couch with his eyes mostly-hooded, his chin propped up on a fist. He smiled slightly and moved to sit next to him. Bobby's head jerked up suddenly and he blinked wearily. "Hey there," Nick smiled, ribbing him slightly. He frowned and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "We weren't gone that long."

"I just realized how tired I am," he admitted. He shifted his position and leaned his head against Nick's shoulder. "Work all day and come home to pure energy? I'm too old for this."

"No more than me," Nick chuckled, smiling slightly. Bobby shot him a withering look. "Hey, I'm only speakin' the truth."

Bobby frowned. "Yeah, I know. It's just – " He paused and shifted his weight, moving around the throw pillow that was propped up beside him on the couch, and then his brow crinkled. A moment later, he produced a tawny-colored stuffed rabbit.

Nick smiled and then laughed aloud, snatching it away. "Knew we'd find it."

"I knew we'd find it." Bobby sounded irked and amused at the same time. "You were ready to declare him a prisoner of war."

"I was not."

"You were." Bobby sighed and took the rabbit back from him, turning it around in his hands. "We should take this to her. Tuck her back in." He looked at it a moment longer before shaking his head. "You're right, you know," he commented offhandedly.

Nick glanced sideways at him. "About?"

"The song." He smiled slightly and pressed his cheek into Nick's shoulder. "The kid's our life."

Nick chuckled and turned his head, laying a short kiss on Bobby's lips. "You're the one who wanted to adopt," he reminded him before nudging the offending head away and standing slowly. Bobby sent him a playfully annoyed look that was heavily masked by his drowsiness. "C'mon. Let's give her Bunbun. Make it a good night."

He offered a hand and Bobby accepted it, coming to stand close beside him. "Yeah," he agreed, his fingers settling into the small of Nick's back. "Let's."