Title: Missing Socks
Author: Cosmorain
Pairing: Nick/David
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Redrum
A/N: I just had to write it. This episode had sooo many great scenes with Hodges.

~~~~~~

Nick had never felt so bad in all his life, excluding the time of his burial.

He strode through his door angrily, it had been a horrible night, he couldn't believe what Catherine and Keppler had tried to pull. He slammed his keys down on the table in the hall then tore off his jacket and threw it onto a nearby chair.

Let it go, he snorted heading for his bedroom. Sorry Warrick, he thought, I can't just let it go. He paid little attention to his surroundings. He just wanted to change and go to sleep. He'd deal with it in when he woke up. Nick stripped off his work clothes and changed into his soft pajamas. He was so focused on his inner turmoil he didn't notice the sound of his front door opening. In fact he was so entranced that he didn't notice anyone enter his room until strong arms wrapped around his waist.

Nick jerked a bit then calmed as he registered whose arms had him in a tight grip. He leaned back into the warmth and sighed. His partner chuckled a bit laying his head on Nicks shoulder. Nick snuggled in closer his arms coming up to grip the ones around his waist.

"Bad night?" Nick snorted.

"Define bad." He replied. Nick gave his cuddle buddy a squeeze and broke out of the embrace. He turned to stare into the beautiful blue eyes of David Hodges and smiled a tired smile before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"They went too far man." Nick rubbed a weary hand across his face. David shook his head and kneeled down in front of Nick, placing his palms onto Nick's thighs rubbing them soothingly.

"It was in very poor taste, I'll agree to that. I started to figure it out when I caught that Keppler freak in Bobby's lab." David cocked his head to the side. "They weren't fooling any of the lab rats, and they obviously couldn't fool you guys." Nick nodded.

"Its not that I didn't understand what they were trying to do." Nick started. "Its just… they should have let us know." David nodded then laughed.

"It certainly came back and bit them in the ass didn't it?" Nick smiled as David continued. "And when it was over, who saved the day?" David pretended to pause and look thoughtful. "Well I believe it was one Mr. Nicky Stokes." Nick laughed.

"Why thank ya, thank ya very much." He said in his best Elvis voice. David laughed and pushed at Nick until he was flat on the bed.

"You did good. You went with your gut and got to the bottom of things." He crawled on top of Nick and gently traced his cheeks with his thumbs. "Grissom would have been proud." He then leaned down and gently brushed his lips against Nicks. When David pulled back Nick had the beginnings of tears in his eyes.

"Thanks." David smiled sweetly.

"You're welcome." He climbed off of Nick. "Now you lay down while I change, then we will go to bed and work out how to handle work later." Nick nodded and yawned crawling under the covers. He lazy watched David as he changed and then shut off the light laying down next to Nick. "You know," David said, "I wasn't kidding about the socks thing. I think we need a new dryer." Nick laughed and felt the rest of the nights tension drain from him. He gathered David into his arms.

"I love you." David ran a hand through Nick's hair.

"I love you too."