Title: Hiding Evidence
Part of the Evidence Series (CSI)
Part of the Denuo AU (Mag 7) By: Macx


Pairings: Nick/Grissom, Ecklie/Franklin

Attention: I'm using some scenes from Formalities (actually all with Ecklie in them <g>) and putting them in context with the Denuo AU as it was developed by me and Lara Bee so far.

The ficlet was born out of my squeal when Ecklie was back for an episode. I was chuckling at the banquet scene and snickering at the locker room one. The braincell went a-hopping and tried to fit the canon with the AU and well, here we go :)

Everyone who hasn't read anything with Ecklie in it from our AU will be hellishly confused. The guy's not who he was in the show.

Right! Enough blabbering. Go and read.

Gil Grissom hated formal wear. He hated receptions, banquets and he hated making speeches. There was just something about those occasions that made him want to hide in a corner of his lab behind assorted petri dishes, beakers and evidence samples. Badly. Very, very badly.

The promotion of his dayshift counterpart to Assistant Director to the Crime Lab had launched two things inside him: dread and more dread. It wasn't so much the fact that Ecklie was now his superior. No, it was the banquet. That banquet from Hell...

Nick had grinned at him the whole time as he had rented a suit, had paced their shared home, and had tried to get together the amount of patience needed to last through speeches, more speeches and even more speeches.

He had been saved by the proverbial bell.

Grissom felt a little bad about leaving Catherine with his non-existent notes, having her step in front of Las Vegas's finest, and deliver the off-hand, stand-up and unrehearsed speech. Catherine had let him know in detail what she thought of his little stunt, even though there was nothing Grissom could have done. He had been the back-up and everyone had already been on a case. It wasn't like he had planned it...

... honestly!

Then again, it had been damned good timing.

Smiling slightly, he glanced at his mirror image, pleased with the simple dress style for tonight's celebration. No tux, no binder, no nothing. Just the way he usually dressed. Black pants, black shirt, casual jacket.

"Lookin' good," a Texan drawl reached his ear and Nick grinned over his shoulder.

Stokes was sharing the casual style, though he had gone for jeans and a gray, long-sleeved sweater that was just wide enough not to tempt longer looks. Then again, Grissom knew exactly what hid beneath the clothes and he liked the current wrapping of that package

"Ready?" his lover asked.

"Yes."

"Then let's get rolling."

*

They arrived at their destination half an hour later. Parking the SUV in front of the double garage in the quiet neighborhood, both men got out and went up to the front door. The lights were on in the town house and when Nick rang, the door was soon opened by a slender, tall blond man who gave them a welcoming smile.

"Hey, guys. Come on in."

"Something smells good," Nick commented as they walked into the large kitchen with its terracotta tiles and huge windows out to a garden into which the neighbors had no chance looking in. The strategic placement of the house at the end of the cul-de-sac and the surrounding trees took care of that.

"No tux, Gil?" a voice asked.

Grissom turned and met the mocking brown eyes of his former counterpart, a man who now represented his boss.

"Sorry, Conrad, it was time to return it. And the invitation didn't mention I had to look like a penguin again."

Ecklie chuckled. "I wanted to safe you the embarrassment."

"How kind of you." Gil smiled.

Nick watched the light banter and exchanged looks with the blond, a vampire by the name of Franklin. Franklin just shrugged good-naturedly. It wasn't like they didn't know their lovers and had an idea what really lay beneath the façade.

"So, how's the new job?" Nick asked.

"A bureaucratic nightmare," was Conrad's answer.

"He loves it," Franklin said in a stage-whisper.

Nick grinned. "Thought as much."

Conrad Ecklie had always been looking for a career ladder in his work and while his motivation had changed and he no longer played the political lapdog to the mayor and the sheriff, he hadn't been inclined to ignore the opening. Grissom knew Ecklie was AD material, that he would do a good job, and despite the outside appearance, the façade they had to uphold, he truly did respect the man.

A lot had changed within the last two years where their professional relationship was concerned. Franklin was just a piece of the evidence of what had gone on in the private life of Conrad Ecklie, a man who had been initiated into what lay behind the curtain the real world had draped over the world of magic. While no paranormal himself, Ecklie had, after a period of adjustment, slipped neatly into the role of an ally. Paranormals needed allies and while they already had Greg working the lab, having Ecklie had been to their advantage as well. Especially now that Greg was slowly but surely slipping from his role as a lab rat into one of a CSI.

With Ecklie's new position they had an ally in the highest levels, which would prove to be to their advantage.

The invitation to the Ecklie-Franklin household had come a bit unexpected for Grissom. While he and Ecklie were now friends, he hadn't expected a dinner to 'make up', as Ecklie had put it, for the missed banquet.
 

Dinner was pleasant, with light conversation, laughter, teasing, and simple day-to-day talk. Grissom ran the latest case by his colleague and Ecklie listened, now and then asking a question that showed the way he was thinking along the same lines as Grissom had worked, and soon both men were hip-deep in forensics. Nick and Franklin got off into a discussion about football and sports in general.

It was after dessert and while Grissom was catching a breath of fresh air out in the dark garden that Ecklie caught him alone.

"You still owe me a copy of that speech, Gil," he teased lightly, leaning against the metal railing that separated the terrace from the desert landscape garden.

Grissom chuckled and reached into the pockets of his jacket, pulling out the slightly crumbled napkin Catherine had returned to him. He held it out to Ecklie. The other man looked at it as if it was a vital piece of evidence with organic transfer.

"Don't worry. It's never been used, Conrad," Grissom replied.

"I take your word for it." Ecklie took it gingerly and opened the folded white cloth.

Eyebrows climbed as he read the single sentence on it, sketched in a hurry with a pen. 'What can I say about Conrad Ecklie?'. Grissom gave him an apologetic look and shrugged.

A soft chuckle could be heard. "I think you can say a lot about me, but nothing that's for the ears of a banquet audience."

"True." Grissom took a sip from his wine. "Then again, I could have winged it, I suppose. I can think of a few past occasions where we worked amiably together."

Ecklie's smile was light. "Yes, there were those occasions. Once or twice. When you didn't throw coffee pots."

Grissom cocked one eyebrow. "You were obnoxious back then, Conrad."

"And not any more?"

"Either not any more or I have come to be a lot more tolerant."

Ecklie smirked. "Comes with being in a relationship?"

"Probably. You tell me."

There was a soft expression on the other man's face all of a sudden and he glanced toward where Franklin and Nick were still talking, both looking quite relaxed and like they were having fun.

"Probably," he echoed Grissom's sentiment. "Sometimes I think it was fate. So many things happened to lead me to this place, here and now, and I wonder when it all started. Us meeting? Nick joining your team? Me discovering your relationship?" A shrug. "I think it was back then because things did change slowly."

"Yes, they did," Grissom agreed softly. "For all of us. I think fate dealt both of us some very good cards and we won something special."

The two men glanced into the house again and Ecklie thoughtfully twirled his glass, making the last of the wine slosh.

"At least we now don't have to work on our act so much any more," he murmured.

Grissom knew what he meant. As supervisors, even on different shifts, they had had a lot of run-ins in the lab and while Grissom had been more friendly around him and his team had remarked on it, both had agreed not to broadcast the changes. It was safer, a lot safer. With Ecklie now joining the ranks of the bureaucrats, Grissom would see less of him at work. ADs usually didn't hang around the labs.

Off work it was another matter altogether.

Things had changed for them two years ago and neither man would ever be able to go back to who and what he had been before.

"Conrad?"

Dark eyes looked at him.

"Tell me why you went for the position," Grissom requested.

"You want the official version or the Franklin version?"

Grissom raised both eyebrows but kept his tongue.

"The official version was that I had always been looking out for number one and going up the career ladder. Hell, I did for a while. For most of my life, actually. After Tom, CSI became my life and I wanted to be somewhere among the top. I know the way I did it, the way I worked, I rubbed a lot of your guys the wrong way, but the higher ups had no trouble with it."

Conrad gave a soft snort and sipped from the wine.

"I had no trouble with it, Gil. I was going places. Then you happened to stumble over Tom's murder."

Grissom remained silent, just watching, and he saw faint lines of pain appear on Ecklie's face.

"That brought back a lot from my past, Gil. Too much. It brought back the Conrad I hadn't been for so many reasons for such a long time, and it hurt. It disrupted my perfectly laid out plan, my working plan... my career. It brought me in contact with a man I had buried for so long. So I took a sabbatical and suddenly my job no longer seemed so important."

He was quiet for a moment, then shrugged.

"But here I am again, and I have what I was looking for. I'm the Assistant Director to the Crime Lab. I need new cards," he added with a wry chuckle.

"I suspect you already have them on your desk, waiting there come Monday," Gil said quietly, a faint smile on his lips.

"Yes, most likely.

"So what's the Franklin version?" Grissom prodded gently.

"Oh, the Franklin version is that I'm a damn good criminalist, but I also happened to stumble into the world of the paranormal and want to add my share to it.
As a supervisor my power is limited, so I took what it needed to get me to where I am. I'm a highly placed ally, I can work for you where no one else can, and I can hide what shouldn't be seen." Ecklie smiled.

"And the Franklin version is what? Right? Wrong?"

"Evidence suggests it's more correct than the official one." Ecklie shrugged. "Yes, I wanted to be where I am now. I am a good criminalist, but I didn't want to spend the rest of my life crawling around a crime scene as you do." He shot Grissom an apologetic look. "Sorry, Gil, but I don't have your passion for the unknown and unsolved. Nor do I have this innate sense of being the victim's last voice. I am part politician and it comes out now and then."

"I never said you were a bad criminalist, Conrad. Just... sometimes distracted by the higher ups."

"Well, whatever." Another shrug. "I know I can do a lot of good for both worlds in the position I am now. It's satisfying."

"You'll miss the crawling around," Grissom prophesied with a faint grin.

"Oh no, I won't."

"You will. Mark my word."

Ecklie's eyes twinkled and the smile was completely open. "If I get the urge, I'll head over to one of yours and do an hour of evidence collection."

"You're always welcome."

Suddenly the light died a little in Ecklie's eyes and he visibly collected himself for the next words. "Gil... you know I can't play favoritism."

"I'm completely aware of that."

"And whatever happens, don't take it personally."

There was a moment of silence as blue eyes narrowed and understanding dawned on Grissom's face.

"Catherine," he only said.

Ecklie remained silent.

"You already made up your mind?"

"No. I made a decision based on facts and needs. She wants to work days to be with her daughter," Conrad said calmly. "I can give her that, but not dayshift."

Grissom understood. "Swing shift."

"Yes."

"It's something at least."

"Probably. Sorry."

A mild smile. "Don't apologize for doing your job, Conrad."

"I hate this as much as you do."

"I know."

Both men were silent again and Grissom realized that while Ecklie was now in a position to help them a lot more, it was also a position that would considerably come into play when it came to Grissom as a supervisor.

"You do what you have to do," Gil finally told him. "Don't hold back, don't treat me any differently than before, and don't start a guilt trip over it."

A mock sneer was his answer. "I never did guilt trips, Gil."

Grissom smiled. "Probably not."

Yes, things would be changing from now on, but sometimes change was good. Grissom smiled faintly remembering the recent changes in his own life. They had definitely been good for him.

With the wine empty and the temperatures too cool to be called pleasant, they headed back inside where Franklin and Nick were discussing casinos, one from the employer's point of view, the other from a criminalist's. Franklin looked up, briefly meeting Ecklie's eyes, and Grissom saw the silent question there. Nick just shot his lover a quizzical look himself, but Grissom silently told him that it was okay and they would talk later.

The rest of the evening passed without more shop talk and with four men just enjoying the company.

* * *

Franklin found his lover out in the garden, gazing into the black sky. He was leaning against a tree, just looking. There was little to see with all the clouds and barely any moon. Franklin approached almost silently, making just enough noise not to startle his human partner.

"Hey," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around Ecklie's waist and placed a kiss against his neck.

"Hey."

"I'm all done."

"Good." Ecklie turned his head and they kissed lightly.

"Deep thoughts or just star-gazing?" Franklin asked, resting his head on his life-partner's shoulder.

"There are no stars out tonight," Ecklie remarked.

A chuckle answered him. "So... deep thoughts?"

"No, not really. Just... thinking."

"But no deep thinking?"

"Rather shallow."

"Ah. Wanna share?"

There was a brief silence, then Ecklie leaned more fully against him. "Thinking that without so many changes within the last two years I wouldn't be here. Finding out about Nick and Gil, then about them being paranormals... and closing a chapter of my past."

"Tom," Franklin said quietly.

His lover nodded. "Tom. And then you happened. You changed me even more. Thank you."

Franklin hugged him tightly. "I have to return the thanks," he whispered, nuzzling the cool neck. "I owe you just as much, Conrad." He smiled against the soft skin. "And you don't call that deep thinking?"

Ecklie chuckled. "Actually, no." He turned in the vampire's arms and pulled him close, kissing him. "Let's get inside," he whispered.
 

He looked at the man moving slowly above him, took in the semi-closed eyes, slits of gray that started to glow a soft silver. He took in the sheen of sweat on the slender body, the muscles contracting and relaxing with each move, felt fingers entwine with his hands, holding on, giving hold. And he felt himself move inside the heat of his lover, the pleasure and need, and he gave up his control, moving along with the powerful moment of their climax.

Franklin gasped softly as he sank forward, spent and limp and trembling, hot and shivering, slick and satisfied. Ecklie wrapped his arms around the most precious thing in his life, the person who meant more to him than his job, his career... everything. The man who was his life.

The vampire sighed softly, their bodies still joined, and neither man was inclined to move, despite the soon apparent need to do so. But for now, they remained like this, frozen in time, and Conrad Ecklie couldn't think of a better place to be than here, in Franklin's arms.

* * *

Grissom stretched as he came home, feeling pleasantly full from dinner and rather relaxed. If anyone was told that the words 'Ecklie' and 'relaxed' could be related, he would claim it was a lie. But Grissom's relationship to the former dayshift supervisor had changed a long time ago and he could truly relax in Ecklie's presence. The evening had been nice and he had had a good time talking to the man.

Strong arms wrapped around his waist and Nick kissed him behind the ear. "Ready to go to bed?" he murmured seductively.

"Very ready," Grissom replied.

Nick smiled widely and walked past him, showing Grissom the handsome sight of his lover in just his shorts and a very tight, clinging t-shirt. A very southern part of Grissom agreed that this was very enticing and he better get a move on.

He did.

*

"So... now he's the boss," Nick remarked lazily.

Grissom glanced at his lover as he lay safely ensconced in Nick's arms, and gave him a brief smile. Nick looked downright... well... like a lazy, very satisfied cat that had just stolen the cream from the fridge. He was completely in the nude, on display, the skin still warm from their hot encounter, and his cheeks were lightly flushed. Gil had to hold onto himself not to continue where they had left off. Nick looked just... edible.

"Yes, he is, Nick. Will you have a problem with it?"

"Nope."

Gentle hands stroked lazily over Gil's arms and shoulders and he relaxed even more than he thought was possible. Nothing could compare to these moment when it was just the two of them, alone, no guards, no masks, no hiding.

"Good."

"You?" Nick wanted to know, playing with a strand of hair.

"No. Actually, it makes a lot of things easier."

"Like hiding that you actually like the guy?" his lover teased.

Grissom raised one eyebrow.

"Well, everyone thinks you hate him," Nick elaborated.

"I never hated him. I just... didn't get along most of the time."

"You extremely disliked him."

A shrug.

Nick grinned more. "You did, Gil. You never agreed on anything, he always got on your bad side, you just loved to go over his own cases and find the mistakes..." he started to tick off points on his fingers.

Grissom sighed a little. "Yes, fine, I extremely disliked him. And Conrad never made mistakes. He simply overlooked evidence or refused to go the extra step."

Nick ran his fingernails lightly down Grissom's spine and the older man closed his eyes, savoring the goosebumps.

"Hard to act around him like the old times when we've been through so much," Nick said quietly.

Grissom looked at him and met serious, dark eyes. He pushed himself up and met the liquid gaze.

"I know," he answered just as quietly. "He has the same problem and he's more in the spotlight than us. He's an AD now and he's in a relationship with Franklin. I don't envy him the juggling."

Nick nodded. "Yeah. You know, sometimes I hate the hiding game."

Grissom pushed himself up and tilted his head in a quizzical way. "Which one?" he asked seriously.

"All, I guess. Us hiding our relationship. Hiding who and what we are. Hiding from the real world because we're paranormal. Hiding our friendship with Ecklie. Just about everything. It's so frustrating sometimes, but then I think about it and I know it's for the best. I mean, outing ourselves might not be too bad, but it will have consequences and I'm not yet ready to leave and move to Salt Lake because we get harassed or something. Just not yet... As for being different, I guess that's just going to be with us for the rest of our lives."

Grissom met the almost black eyes and smiled sadly. The rest of their lives would be very, very long.

"And Ecklie... I guess it's as hard for him as it is for us. He's our friend, goddamnit, and I've to treat him like I think he's the greatest asshole in the world."

Gil cupped his lover's cheek and caressed a thumb over the stubbled cheek. "I empathize with your feelings, Nicky. I hate it, too. But for now, to survive, to function and to work, we have to continue like this."

"I know."

"Some people know about parts of us. Catherine and Warrick and Greg share the knowledge about our relationship. Greg's our ally in the lab. He knows who and what we are. As do a few assorted other people, among them Franklin and Ecklie. Conrad himself... he knows we are his friends and will be there should he need an ear. I think the invitation tonight showed that."

"Yeah." Nick leaned forward and kissed him. "It did."

They lay together again for a while and Nick finally dozed off, but Grissom was awake for a while longer. Just thinking. About their past, about their secrets, about their friends and allies.

And about the future.

* * *

It was on Sunday, late in the evening, that Ecklie was surprised by the front door's bell ringing. He put down the book he had been reading, cast a look at Franklin, who only shrugged, then went to get the door. His lover wasn't far behind.

He opened it to the sight of two very well-known men. Two men he hadn't expected, nor had they announced themselves.

"Ezra?" he asked, perplexed. "Chris?"

The two Salt Lake vampires smiled at him in a greeting.

"Hello, Conrad. Can we come in?"

"Uh, sure." He opened the door wide, trying to work through his confusion. "Something happen?"

"Not exactly," Ezra answered as he walked into the living room, smiling a greeting at Franklin as he passed. "Hello, Franklin."

The blond returned the greeting, looking just as confused as his lover.

Suddenly Ecklie noticed the small carrier box Chris had in one hand and when the Salt Lake criminalist discovered his quizzical look, he just smiled.

"We heard about your promotion. Congratulations," he said cheerfully.

"Uh, thanks."

It wasn't really a reason to fly into Vegas, though. A phone call would have done.

"And since we thought flowers are a bit outdated," Larabee went on, "here's our little gift to you."

He held up the carrier.

Ecklie stared at it.

It stared back.

And meowed.

"What the...!" he blurted and took the case.

"She's been bugging the hell out of us ever since your last visit," Chris explained, still grinning. "So since now's the time we packed her up and flew her here. Congratulations, Conrad. To your new job and your new companion."

Ecklie opened the front door of the carrier and out fell a small, cream colored tabby cat. Huge green eyes stared at him out of a still adolescent face. She hadn't fully grown yet, probably about three to four months old, but it was definitely a cat. A cat he knew.

"That's from Cassie's litter?" he asked, confused.

"Yep. The little one you were entertaining when you and Franklin visited. Like I said, she's been a pest ever since. I think she adopted you."

"But... I'm not a cat person!"

Ezra shrugged. "You are now," he just said and there was a glint in his green eyes.

"But..."

"Conrad, just accept it. You won't get rid of her that easily. You're hers now."

Dark eyes met hazel ones. "Isn't that the other way around."

Two vampires exchanged theatrical sighs. "Oh, you'll learn in time where cats and people are concerned," was the answer.

Franklin perched onto the arm of the couch his lover sat on and examined the little addition to their home. The cat met his eyes without fear, then meowed. Franklin smiled and reached out, letting her sniff his fingers, then was allowed to pet her.

"Does she have a name?" he asked.

"Nope. Your choice."

Ecklie still held the cream-colored tabby who looked curiously at him, then started to wriggle out of his hold and climbed all over him until she settled comfortably in a hold on his shoulder. Ecklie had no other choice than to support her, lest she's slide down, and she purred with satisfaction. He automatically started stroking her.

Ezra grinned. "Welcome to the family, Conrad."

"Uh, thanks, I think."

A loud, rumbling purr agreed with him.

* * *

"She's a familiar, right?"

Ezra looked at the other vampire, Conrad's life partner, and nodded slowly.

"She is."

"And it's no coincidence that she chose Conrad."

Another nod.

"All the others from the litter are normal?" Franklin wanted to know, though he probably already knew the answer.

"Yes."

Franklin sighed deeply and leaned against the wall, hands shoved into his pockets. "That means something's going to happen."

"Yes, but we don't know what."

"I'm not going to change him," the older vampire whispered, fierce determination in his voice.

"I never said you would."

"We talked about it, Ezra, and we dropped the topic. Conrad's not ready to become one of us and I won't ever force him."

"I know." Ezra shot him a compassionate look.

Franklin and his human lover had been together close to a year now and Standish knew that Franklin wouldn't ever touch the other man like this.

"But the cats know. They knew about Chris. Cassie knows about Conrad."

"We can't ask them and I doubt we'd get a straight answer even if we could. Familiars feel the future changes, but I don't think they know exactly where it'll take the person in question. It could be anything."

"He's no latent paranormal."

"No, he isn't. We have to wait, Franklin. Don't treat him any differently because you know."

Gray eyes met his and Ezra saw a soul-deep pain in there. "I don't want to lose him already!"

"You won't. Something will change, but he has a familiar, which means it won't be fatal."

Franklin blew out a breath and rubbed a hand over his face. Finally he straightened, schooling his features, and nodded at the other vampire.

"Let's get back inside. I want to get to know the new addition to the family."

Ezra smiled and followed him. He knew it was hard on Franklin and would get even harder as time passed.

Something would happen.

Soon.