Title: Timing Is Everything
Author: CSI_Nightowl
Pairing: David/Nick
Rating: PG
Warning: slash
Spoilers: none
Summary: Nick wants to ask David out but an argument with Ecklie brings David’s past back and leaves him suspicious of Nick’s true intentions.
Disclaimer: I don’t own CSI or its characters. If I did there’d be much more Nick, David and Greg screen time.
A/N: Please read and review. I love reviews! It’s almost embarassing how happy they make me.
Nick sat in his truck, staring at the diner. He knew he was in there; he’d overheard David and Jacqui talking. He sighed. Was he really going to do this? Don’t be a wuss, Stokes, just go in there. What’s the worst that can happen? He took a deep breath and stepped out of the truck, his heart racing faster and faster as he neared the entrance. He spotted the trace tech as soon as he opened the door.
“Hi David.” Nick said casually as he walked up to him.
David glanced up. “Nick”
Nick frowned. That wasn’t exactly the reception he was hoping for. What did he expect, David to jump up and kiss him passionately? That would be nice, of course, but not realistic.
“Can I help you with something, Stokes?” David sounded annoyed.
“Uh, I noticed you were alone and uh, I’m alone so maybe I could uh, join you.” Good god, how pathetic was that?
David shrugged. “Whatever.”
Nick planted himself in the chair across from the tech. “Long day, huh?”
“Getting longer.” David muttered. He’d had a horrible day and didn’t feel like trying to be social.
“You look awful.” Nick blurted out. Oh yeah, that’ll win him over.
“Look Stokes, normally I wouldn’t mind trading insults with you but I’m tired and hungry. I just want to eat then go home and crash.”
“I didn’t mean to insult you, I was just concerned.”
“Right.” David snorted. “Let me guess. You got elected to find out if I’ve been fired.”
“What? No. What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on. You don’t expect me to believe you haven’t heard about the shouting match with the boss.”
“Grissom?”
David shook his head. “Ecklie.”
“You had a shouting match with Ecklie?”
“Well, he did most of the shouting but yeah, I did my share towards the end.”
Nick couldn’t see David raising his voice to Ecklie, Warrick or Greg sure but Ecklie? It was beyond comprehension.
“You can go back and tell everyone I only got suspended. I’m sure they’ll be disappointed.”
“David, no one wants you to get fired or even suspended.”
David rolled his eyes. Was Nick really that naïve or was he just trying to be nice?
“Mind if I ask what you were arguing about?”
“Yes, I do.” David glared.
“Right, none of my business.”
“Exactly.” David motioned for the waitress.
“Would you like some more coffee, sir?” she asked.
“No, just the check.”
“Here you go, Mr. Hodges.” She smiled.
David stood up to leave. “Guess I’ll see you in a week, Stokes.”
Nick sighed. This wasn’t going like he planned at all. He cursed his timing. How could he ask him out when he just got suspended and he thought he was spying on him? “Yeah, see you.”
“Sir, have you decided what you want?” the waitress asked.
“Yes.” Nick answered as he watched David walk out the door. “But it’s not on the menu.”
David went straight home from the diner and crawled into his bed. He awoke with a start. He glanced at the clock. Damn, only a few hours till work. Then reality hit him. He didn’t have to go to work. He sighed. What was he going to do for a whole week? He made his way into the kitchen and started the coffee. He ran a hand over his face as he replayed his conversation with Ecklie in his mind. He had come close to punching his smug face but if he had he would have been fired on the spot, which was what Ecklie was angling for, he was almost certain. He shook his head. Why was this happening now? He had expected it when he first came to Vegas but after three years he had thought it was behind him. He picked up the phone and dialed the only number in L.A. that he still remembered.
“Hello?” came a small voice.
“Hey Sam.” David smiled.
“Uncle Dave! Guess what! Mommy’s going to take me to the zoo and guess what; we’re going to see the monkeys, elephants, bears, tigers, lions. Then we’re going to go to that new playland down the road. I’m taking my friend…”
David listened patiently as his nephew rambled on for five more minutes. He finally got to say something when Sam seemed to run out of things to say.
“Is your dad around?”
“Nah, he’s at a meeting. Oh, Uncle Dave, I almost forgot to tell you. Daddy got me a chemistry set.”
David rolled his eyes. Leave it to Andy to give a six year old a chem set.
“Mommy put it up. She said I could only use it with Daddy. She thinks we’re going to blow up the house.” Sam laughed.
“Mommy’s right, Sam. Promise me you’ll only play with it when your dad is there.”
“I promise.” Sam pouted.
“Don’t be sad. I just don’t want anything to happen to my favorite nephew.”
Sam giggled. “I’m your only nephew.”
“Semantics.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. Is your mom there?”
“Yipe.”
“Can I talk to her, please?”
“Mommy, Uncle Dave is on the phone!” Sam yelled into the telephone, making David jerk the phone from his ear.
“David is everything alright?” she asked.
“Can’t I call to talk without something being wrong?”
“Not when I know you should be working and don’t answer a question with a question.”
“Yes Mother.” David teased.
“Spill it, David Hodges.”
“I got suspended.”
“Why?”
“Basically L.A.” He could practically hear the wheels in her mind working.
“This was not supposed to happen. How did they find out?”
“I haven’t a clue but Ecklie knows.”
“You want me to come straighten him out?”
“No.” David groaned. “It will be okay.”
“David”
“Actually, I was thinking I might come and spend a few days with the family.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”
“You could never intrude. Well, except that time you came into Andy’s room and caught us in the act.”
“He should have locked that damn door.”
She laughed. “You know he still says seeing me naked is what made you gay.”
“That’s a horrible thing to say. It wasn’t, by the way.”
“I know. I knew you were gay long before then.”
“That’s good… I think.”
“So when are you coming?”
“I thought I’d see about getting a flight out tomorrow.”
“Let me know what time and we’ll pick you up.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Of course we do. Sammy loves to watch the planes, don’t you, honey?”
“Yay! Going to see airplanes.”
“You play dirty, woman.”
“That’s what makes me such a great attorney.”
“Can’t argue with that.” David sighed, remembering how she had once saved his job. “I’ll let you know the time.”
“We’re looking forward to seeing you.”
“Me too.”
David spent the rest of the night making arrangements and packing. At times his mind would wander back to the diner. Was Nick being honest when he said he wasn’t there to see if he’d been fired? He had a hard time believing the Texan would lie but if he wasn’t there for that why was he there?
******
The argument was the talk of the lab but nobody seemed to know what it was about. There were rumors, of course, everything from David losing evidence, which Nick had a hard time believing, to a lover’s quarrel, which made Nick sick to think about. The one thing everyone agreed on was that Ecklie must have said something inappropriate for David to yell back at him the way he did. Nick chuckled as he watched yet another person glare at Ecklie as he walked by. He wished David could see the way his colleagues were silently voicing their disapproval of the boss. If looks could kill the lab would be their next crime scene and the entire graveyard shift would be suspects.
“Man, I really thought he was going to hit him.” Archie was telling Warrick as they came into the room.
“You were there?” Nick asked.
“I was in the AV lab but I could see David’s face. I’ve never seen him that angry.”
“Probably something to do with L.A. You know how touchy he is about that.” Warrick said.
Nick nodded. He had to stop thinking about it and get back to work. Maybe after shift he would stop by David’s apartment. He’d probably think he was trying to spy again but he needed to make sure the tech was okay.
*********
Nick had worked a double then went home and slept a few hours, now here he was knocking on David’s door.
“Young man.” an elderly woman said from across the hall.
“Yes ma'am." Nick replied.
“Are you looking for David?”
“Yes ma'am.”
“He’s not there. He’s gone to see his brother in L.A.”
“Oh.” Nick was a little stunned, for some reason he assumed David was an only child.
“I was getting ready to have some tea. Would you like to join me?”
Nick smiled. “Ma’am, it’s not a good idea to invite a stranger into your home.”
“Poppy cock. Any friend of David’s is alright in my book.”
Nick wondered if David really thought of him as a friend.
“Besides, I know you. You work with him.”
“That’s right but how…”
“He has a picture of a group from work on his mantle.
Nick knew what picture she was talking about. He had the same picture on his desk at home. It was taken last Christmas.
“Now come on in.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“The name’s Nita Cannon.”
“Nick Stokes.”
“You want some cookies?” she asked as he sat at the table.
“Yes, thank you.”
“You’re a very polite young man just like David.”
Nick almost choked on his cookie. David polite? He couldn’t picture it.
“David’s been a big help to me.” She smiled. “He’s always fixing things and picking up stuff at the store for me. I don’t get out much anymore, you see. He even painted the kitchen for me.”
Nick found himself grinning at the thought of snarky, sarcastic David Hodges helping this woman.
“Are you his boyfriend?”
Nick dropped the cookie he was getting ready to take a bite of. “No ma’am.”
“But you’d like to be, right?”
He blushed.
“You probably think I’m being an old nosey neighbor.”
“No ma’am, I’d never think that.”
“Please call me Nita. All this ma’am business is making me feel old.” she winked.
Nick grinned. “So David has a brother, huh?”
“And the cutest little nephew. David’s crazy about him. Sam looks just like him too.”
“You’ve met them?”
“Oh yes. They came and stayed with him for a few days last summer. See that shelf over there?” she gestured towards a bookcase. “David and Andy, that’s his brother, built it while he was here. Nice man, a college professor, I think.”
Nick stood and examined the bookcase. “They did a great job.”
She nodded. “Of course, to hear David talk you’d think it was going to fall apart any minute.”
“Really? It looks sturdy to me.”
“It is.” she sighed. “He doesn’t seem to have much confidence in himself. He doesn’t talk about it but somebody must have treated him badly.”
Nick was taken aback. David seemed to have a lot of confidence at work. He guessed he didn’t know the man as well as he thought he did.
“He’s a good man. He deserves someone special in his live, someone that won’t hurt him.” she said pointedly.
“Yes ma’am, I mean Nita.” Nick looked at his watch. “I’d better be going. Is there anything you need?”
“No, David made sure I had what I needed before he left.”
Nick handed her his card. “Well, if you think of anything just call me.”
“I’ll do that, dear.”
“Thank you for the tea and cookies.” Nick hugged her.
Nick strolled to his truck, shaking his head at the fact there was a whole other side to David then what he saw at the lab, a whole other side to love. Love? “Shit, you are in so much trouble, Stokes.”
David was making his way through the airport when he heard a familiar voice.
“Uncle Dave! Uncle Dave! Over here!”
David barely had time to turn in the direction of the voice before a small, brown hair, blue eyed boy ran up and hugged him, almost knocking him down in the process.
“Hi Sam” David said as he picked his nephew up. “Ugh. You’ve grown so much I can hardly lift you anymore.”
“You say that every time.” Sam shook his head.
“Where’s your mom? Or did you come here by yourself?”
“I can’t drive, silly” Sam made a face. “She’s right behind you.”
“You’re right. Was she trying to sneak up on me?”
“Are you kidding? With him? Everybody in the airport knows Uncle Dave is here now.”
David hugged his sister-in-law. “It’s so good to see you, Shelly.”
“Uncle Dave! We saw airplanes flying.” Sam held his arms out and started making airplane noises. “I want to ride in a plane. How come you got to? When we come see you we always have to drive in Daddy’s boring old car.”
David chuckled. He started to tell him that the reason for that was his daddy was afraid to fly but a warning look from Shelly made him think better of it. “Well, when you get older maybe you can fly out and see me.”
Sam’s eyes widened. “By myself? That would be awesome.”
Shelly rolled her eyes. “Thanks Dave.”
“Just being a good uncle.” David smirked.
“That’s not the word I would use. You know he’ll bug us to death about it now.”
“I can’t wait to tell Daddy about the planes. Uncle Dave guess what! You get to go to the zoo with us tomorrow.” Sam’s blue eyes shined with excitement.
“I thought you went yesterday.”
“Nope. We were supposed to go today but we came to see the planes instead. Mommy said the zoo could wait and you would go with us.”
“Oh yippee.” David glared at his sister-in-law.
“I bet Uncle Dave’s ready to go.” she grinned.
“Okay. Come on, Uncle Dave I’ll show you where the car is.” Sam tugged on David’s sleeve.
Sam jabbered on about everything his little mind could think of as they drove to the house.
“Does he ever stop?” David whispered.
“Yeah, when he’s asleep.” Shelly grinned. “According to Andy, you were just like him at that age.”
“And you believe him?”
“Uncle Dave, aren’t you listening?” Sam whined.
“I’m listening.”
*********
“Daddy’s home.” Sam shouted and jumped out of the car.
Andy was standing on the porch and swooped Sam up as he ran to him. “I see you found your uncle.”
“Uh huh.” Sam started to launch into his airplane story when Shelly suggested they go in and get a snack.
“Did he talk your ear off?” Andy asked as the brothers hugged.
“I think it’s still there.” David smiled.
“So little brother, what’s going on?”
“Just a little vacation.”
“A forced vacation, you mean.
“If you knew why did you ask?” David huffed.
“I thought you might tell me why.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Sure you don’t, that’s why you’re here.” Shelly said as she came back out.
Choosing to ignore her, David asked Sam what he had.
“It’s a Gameboy.” Sam answered.
“You know those things will rot his brain.” David commented to his parents.
Andy rolled his eyes. “We spent hours at the arcade and it never rotted our brains.”
“We? You played and I watched. If I was lucky you’d give me a couple of quarters.”
“Well, there was only so much money.”
“Please. I remember how you’d run into the diner, begging Mama for change, telling her ‘I’ll even take Dave’. You’d finally wear her down till she gave you most of her tip money.”
Andy grinned. “I was good, wasn’t I?”
“Jerk.”
“Brat.”
“Okay boys, no name calling. There are impressionable ears around here.” Shelly scolded.
“Yes Mom.” They said in unison.
The next few hours were spent catching up and reminiscing. When it was Sam’s bedtime David went up and read him a story. He sat and watched the little boy sleep for awhile knowing once he went downstairs he’d be bombarded with questions about the suspension.
“There you are. I though maybe you snuck off to bed.” Shelly was sitting on the sofa beside her husband.
David mentally kicked himself. Why hadn’t he thought of that?
“You’d just be putting off the inevitable.” she said as if she could read his mind.
“You’re not going to interrogate me, are you?”
“Not if you tell us.”
David sighed and told them the whole story. He cringed when he saw the look on Shelly’s face.
“How dare he! No one gets away with treating you like that.”
“Shelly, please. I can handle it.” All he needed was her making a scene.
“If you change your mind I’m only a phone call away.” she frowned then added "If he says anything else I can't promise to stay out of it."
“I know. Thanks."
“So seeing anyone special?” she asked.
“No.”
“What about that guy you’re always talking about, Strokes, isn’t it?”
“Stokes!” David blushed. “And I do not talk about him all the time.”
Andy laughed. “Yeah, you kind of do, Dave.”
“Look even if he was gay, which he’s not, there’s no way.”
“Why?”
“You know damn well why.”
“David, sure most men are assholes but there are some great guys out there.”
“Like me.” Andy said.
David shook his head. “I am not getting involved with someone I work with.”
“Do you ever meet anybody besides people you work with?”
“That’s beside the point.”
“No, it’s not. Dave, when’s the last time you had a date?”
“A while ago. Now can we drop this?”
“We just don’t want you to be alone.”
“I appreciate that, Shelly, but I’m fine.” David feigned a yawn. “It’s been a long day. I’m going to bed.”
“Don’t forget we’re going to the zoo in the morning.”
“I think I’ll be feeling sick.”
“You wouldn’t want to disappoint Sam now would you?”
“Somehow, someday, I will pay you back for this.”
She grinned innocently. “What did I do?”
David rolled his eyes and started upstairs to the guestroom. He wasn’t sleepy; he had only wanted to stop talking about his nonexistent love life. He’d never admit to them that he was lonely, that he craved to be loved. No, he’d never tell them. Shelly would make it her life’s mission to find him someone. He could actually see her going to Vegas and scoping out the men till she found one she thought was right for him. He groaned as he thought about the blind dates she had fixed him up with. Never again.
********
As the week wore on David found himself dreading going back to work. There would be questions and looks and Ecklie. God, he wasn’t going to let it go, he’d probably make life hell for him.
“Hey bro.” Andy handed him a beer. “What’s up?”
“Just thinking about going home.”
Andy studied his younger brother for a minute. “Do you really think of Vegas as your home?”
“I live there, don’t I?”
“
“And do what?” David scowled. “Go back to the LA Crime Lab? That’s not going to happen.”
“Actually, there’s a position opening up at the university.”
David laughed. “Can’t you just see me as a teacher?”
“Yes I can. We’re starting a new forensic program. You’d be great at it.”
“Have you met me? At best, I’m a rude, obnoxious, know it all that doesn’t tolerate fools especially young fools, at worst, I’m anti social.”
“It’s nice you have such a high opinion of yourself.”
“Thanks for the offer. But I need to go back to Vegas.”
“Because of this Strokes, right?”
“Stokes! Nick Stokes.”
“So you do like him?”
“Don’t be an idiot.” David’s eyes widened as Andy grinned and started singing.
David and Nick sitting in a tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g
First come love then comes marriage
Next comes David with a baby carriage.
David threw a pillow at the man. “Jerk.”
“Brat.”
Nick had been to the diner a few times that week. He had learned some interesting facts about the tech from the waitresses. Seems David frequents the diner almost every day and since he hadn’t been around they were worried.
The waitress that had waited on him and David that day finally approached him and asked if Mr. Hodges was alright. He smiled and assured her he was. The look of relief on the other waitresses’ faces surprised him and the CSI in him had to know why. That and the fact he wanted to know everything about David. So he turned on his
Nick shook his head. He’d never believed in split personalities but that couldn’t be the same man he worked with, could it?
David’s suspension was almost over but nobody, not even Jacqui, had heard from him. Nick was starting to worry that he wasn’t coming back. After all, he wouldn’t be the first person that quit due to Ecklie.
“Man, you’ve got it bad.” Greg chuckled as he changed shirts.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nick said.
“You’ve been moping around here ever since Hodges got suspended.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Maybe, but I know a lovesick puppy when I see one.”
“I am not a lovesick puppy.” Nick said defensively.
“Whatever.” Greg chuckled again. “So what’s he got that I ain’t got?”
“Sense.”
Greg stuck out his tongue.
“And maturity.”
“So basically you’re saying he’s dull and old.”
“No, he’s smart, sexy, has a unique sense of humor and can be really nice at times.” He didn’t just say that, did he?
From the grin on Greg’s face he had. “Told you I knew a lovesick puppy.”
“Say anything to anybody and I’ll kill you, Sanders.”
“Chill dude. I think it’s cool.”
“What’s cool?” Ecklie came into the locker room.
They both glared at him but Greg being Greg couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
“It’s cool that Hodges is coming back tomorrow. That temp you got really sucks.”
Ecklie grunted something then left.
“Greg, I can’t believe you said that.” Nick laughed.
Greg shrugged his shoulders. “I only speak the truth.”
*********
David opened the door to his apartment. He sighed at the silence that greeted him. Over the past week he’d gotten used to Sam’s constant chatter. He put his suitcase down and went to the kitchen for a beer. He knew drinking wasn’t the answer but right now he’d do anything to stop thinking about going back to work tomorrow. He was on his third beer when he decided to stop. Showing up at the lab with a hangover would only give Ecklie more ammunition. He was heading for bed when he realized he should probably tell Nita he was home.
“You’re back.” she grabbed him and hugged him tight.
“Yeah, I thought I’d tell you so you wouldn’t hear something and call the cops.” David hugged her back.
“Come in dear. I want to hear all about your trip.”
They talked for over an hour. David loved talking to her, she reminded him of his mother.
“I’d better go.” David said reluctantly. “I’ve got to get some rest before work.”
“Speaking of work.” She said. “One of your co-workers came by the day you left.”
“Really?”
“Uh huh, nice young man, Nick Stokes was his name.”
“Nick?”
“He’s sweet on you, you know?”
David stood with his mouth opened; trying to figure out what was going on. The more he thought about it the angrier he got.
“I- I gotta go.”
“Alright, goodnight dear.”
“Night Nita.”
David was still angry when he sat down at the diner the next day but he decided to let it go. After all, all he needed was to fight with Nick on his first day back. However, all that changed when he found out the CSI had been talking to the waitresses about him. He stood up to leave when Nick walked though the door.
“David, you’re back.” Nick smiled.
David didn’t see the smile. All he saw was red as he went up to the man and yanked on his arm. “Outside.”
“It’s good to see you, man.” said a slightly confused Nick as he followed David to the side of the building.
David grabbed him by the shirt and threw him up against the wall. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“W-what are you talking about? I haven’t done anything.” Nick tried to free himself but David was surprisingly strong.
“You’re stalking me.”
“Little paranoid there, aren’t you, buddy?”
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because the other man’s grip tightened. “You are not my buddy, pal or friend. We work together, that’s all. I’m warning you, stop asking people about me and stay away from Nita. She doesn’t need this bullshit.”
“David, I…”
“Shut the fuck up!” David yelled.
They stood there a few seconds more before David’s anger turned to hurt. “You were the last person I expected to do Ecklie’s dirty work. You both must think I’m a complete idiot.”
“No one thinks that.”
David released him and headed for his car. “Just stay the fuck out of my life.”
Nick was too stunned to move. What the hell had just happened?
David was finally alone in his lab. He had been right about the looks and questions but so far no Ecklie. Now if Nick would only stay away. He started working, desperately trying to get his mind off the two men. Why were they doing this to him?
“David?” The sound of Nick’s voice made the tech jump.
“Got something for me?” David asked without looking up from the microscope.
“I want to talk.”
“I’ve said everything I want to say to you.”
“Look, I don’t know what you think I’ve done.” Nick sighed. “That day at the diner I came in there to ask you out but I didn’t think it was a good time with the suspension and all.”
“I bet.” David snorted.
Nick knew the smart thing to do would be to walk away, to give up but he couldn’t. David was drowning in pain and he had to be the one that pulled him out.
“Don’t you have work to do?” David asked.
“Would you go out with me?”
David finally looked up. “Not if you were the last fucking person on earth. Now unless you have evidence for me, get out of my lab.”
“David”
“Stokes, if you don’t leave me alone I will file a harassment complaint.”
“You’re not serious?”
“Try me.”
“Hey Hodges, glad you’re back.” Sara said as she entered the tension filled room. “Am I interrupting?”
“No, you got something for me?”
Sara handed him a bag and proceeded to tell him about the case.
Nick watched them for a minute before turning and leaving. What was he going to do? As he passed the print lab he saw Jacqui. Perfect. She was David’s best friend.
“Hey Jacqui.”
“Hi Nick. What’s up?”
He decided not to beat around the bush. “I asked David out and he threatened to file a harassment suit against me.”
“You’re joking.”
Nick wasn’t sure what part she thought he was joking about. “No. Do you know what’s going on? I mean if he’d just said no that would be one thing but he's downright hostile towards me.”
“Let me talk to him, okay. In the meantime you should try to steer clear of him cause I doubt he’s bluffing.”
“Me either.” Nick thanked her then went off searching for Grissom.
*********
David finally took a coffee break, knowing that all the CSIs were out in the field and Ecklie was at some meeting. He’d barely sat down in the break room when Jacqui threw open the door.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” she demanded.
“How much time you got?”
She softened her voice. “Why did you turn down a date with Nick?”
“You know I don’t date people from work.”
“Then why didn’t you tell him that instead of threatening a sexual harassment suit?”
“How do you know about that?”
“He told me.”
“I told him to stay away from my friends.”
“Whoa. I’m his friend too.”
David got up to leave.
“You could tell him, you know.”
“Tell him?” David exploded. “Tell him! Don’t you think he already knows? Can’t you see this is all about LA? He and Ecklie are trying to set me up.”
“Dave, first of all, Nick hates Ecklie and second, he’s a good person, he wouldn’t do that.”
“I’ve had ‘good people’ screw me before. It’s not happening again.”
Jacqui frowned as she watched him make his way back to trace. She wasn’t sure how but she was going to knock some sense into his stubborn head.
*********
“That idiot turned down a date with Nick.” Bobby exclaimed.
“Where’d you hear that?” Jacqui asked.
“David told me. He wouldn’t tell me why though.”
“The man has issues.” was all she said.
“Yeah but who in their right mind would turn down a date with Nick Stokes?”
“Uh, thanks country.” Nick couldn’t help but laugh as Bobby’s face reddened.
“Why are you CSIs always sneaking up on people?” Bobby mumbled.
“You learn the most interesting things that way.”
“Better get back to work. See ya’ll later.”
Nick waited till Bobby was out of ear shot. “Did you talk to him?”
“Yes, but he won’t budge.” Jacqui answered.
“Do you know what’s going on with him?”
“Some of it. You care a lot about him, don’t you?”
Nick sighed. “I do.”
“Okay” She gave him a stern look. “I’ll help you but I’m warning you, hurt him and you will answer to me.”
“Yes ma’am.”
**********
Nick wasn’t at all sure this was a good idea even though Jacqui seemed to think it was brilliant.
“If you wear a hole in my carpet you’re paying for it, mister.”
“Sorry.” Nick stopped pacing. “Maybe we should forget this.”
“Too late.” she chuckled as the door bell rang.
She opened the door and stood back to let David in. The slight smile on his face faded into anger when he spotted Nick.”
“What the hell is he doing here?”
“The two of you need to talk.”
David tried to leave but she was blocking the door. “Move woman.”
“Not to you agree to listen to him. David, I truly believe he cares about you.”
“Jacqui, get out of my way.”
“What have you got to lose?”
“Let’s see, my career, my dignity, the last shred of trust I have in humanity.”
“Your heart?”
David folded his arms across his chest and glared.
“Alright, if you don’t want too you should at least tell him why you’re acting like such a jackass. Even if you’re right and he knows about LA what would it hurt to tell him your side of things?”
David gave in; he knew she wouldn't stop till he talked to Nick. “I’ll listen to what he has to say but after that the subject is closed.”
“Fair enough as long as you really listen. Now, I’m going to leave you two alone to work this out. She picked up her purse and opened the door.
“You’re leaving?” Nick suddenly panicked at the thought of being alone with David.
“Yes. Stay as long as you need.” she grinned. “But there are three rules you must follow. One, no throwing or breaking anything, two, no fighting and three, and most important, no sex on my couch.”
Jacqui!” David’s blue eyes widened.
“I’m just saying.” She winked as she left the house.
David stood, arms folded across his chest, glaring at Nick. “Say what you got to say.”
Nick, who had resumed pacing, frowned. “You said you’d listen but you’ve already made up your mind that everything I say is a lie.”
David shrugged.
“God, you’re not making this easy.”
“Easy? Hello. You are the one that is stalking me. Now I agreed to listen so start talking or I’m out of here.”
“I am not…” Nick sighed. “Why are you so mad at me? All I’ve done is ask you out. If I didn’t know better I’d think you were homophobic.”
“Maybe I am.”
“Right, that’s why you’re such good friends with Bobby.”
Damn he had a point. “Stokes, read my lips, I do not want to go out with you. Is your ego that huge that you think any man would fall at your feet if you look his way?”
“This isn’t about going out anymore; I want to know why you think I’m trying to hurt you.”
“Why the hell is this so important to you?”
“Why? Because you’re important to me, David. I would never intentionally hurt you. What can I do to prove that to you?”
David felt his anger starting to fade. “I can’t… it can’t happen… you don’t understand.”
“Help me understand, David.”
“Will you answer some questions honestly for me?”
“Anything you want to know.” Nick was hoping this meant the man was starting to believe him.
“Do you know what happened in LA?”
“No.”
“Do you know what Ecklie and I were arguing about?”
“No”
“Did Ecklie send you to the diner that day?”
“No. Wait! That’s what you meant about me doing his dirty work. God, David, I’d never do anything like that for Ecklie. I hate his guts.”
“Maybe he has something on you and is holding it over your head.”
“No.” Nick’s eyes widened. “Is he blackmailing you? That son of a bitch.”
“No, he’s not blackmailing me. It’s just he knows something that if he decides to use it I can probably kiss my career goodbye.”
“You don’t have go through this alone.” Nick wanted to gather him in his arms and assure him he’d never had to be alone again. “I’m here and I want to help if you’ll let me, David.”
“I want to believe you but…”
“You’re scared? I swear on my mother that I don’t want to hurt you.” Nick reached for his hand but he pulled away.
“Do I have your word that you won’t tell anyone else?”
“Yes, I promise.”
“You were right, I’m not homophobic. Actually, I’m gay but I prefer to keep it a secret.”
“Because of what happened in LA?”
“Well that’s a big part of it.”
“Who hurt you?”
David stared at Nick. Should he really trust him? Jacqui was right, if he already knew at least he could hear his side and if he didn’t know, maybe just maybe he was being sincere.
“Working in LA was different than working here. The lab had no policies regarding tolerance. I learned early on that it was best to keep my sexuality to myself. I didn’t socially interact with anyone from the lab so it wasn’t that difficult to keep it secret.”
“But someone found out?”
David laughed bitterly. “You could say that.”
“What happened, David?”
“There was this detective, Will Bradley, nice guy, everyone liked him, you remind me of him in that way.”
“Something tells me that’s not a good thing.” Nick mumbled.
“Will was a notorious ladies man. So you can imagine my surprise when he asked me out. We agreed to keep it quite because neither of us wanted anyone to know.” David sighed. “We went to a movie and dinner. Afterwards we… we went back to his place. I… I spent the night. I was such an idiot. I thought it was the beginning of something.”
“And it was only a one time thing to him.” Nick guessed.
“If only that was it.” David shook his head. “The next day at work people were staring and whispering. I heard snippets… pathetic, desperate, fag, bastard, pervert.”
“Someone saw you and Will?”
“No. At first I tried to ignore it but the looks and snide remarks started getting to me so I cornered the DNA tech and asked her what the hell was going on.” David ran a hand over his face as he remembered the shock he felt when she answered.
“David?”
“He lied, Nick. Turns out he bet one of the CSIs that I was gay. He told everyone that he only led me to believe it was a date to win the bet. He… he made it sound like I practically attacked him, that he had to fight me off. I swear, Nick, I would never…”
“I know, David, I know.”
“It was such a shock. Unfortunately, he happened to be in the lab so I confronted him, right there in front of everybody. I was so angry it never occurred to me that it wasn’t a good idea. I tried to make him tell the truth. He stuck to his story though. God, he was so convincing.”
“So nobody believed you?”
“Who would you believe?”
“I believe you, David.”
David snorted. “That’s only because you’ve never met Will.”
“If I ever do, I’m going knock him on his ass.”
“Stop that.”
“What did I do now?”
“I don’t need you feeling sorry for me or defending me.”
“I am not feeling sorry for you and I have no doubt you can protect yourself. That wasn’t why I said that.” Nick threw his arms up. “Jesus, I just can’t win with you, can I?”
“No, you can’t so why don’t you run along home?”
For one brief minute David thought he was going but instead Nick took his hand, holding it tight enough he couldn’t pull away but not tight enough to hurt him.
“I’m not giving up.” Nick said. “What happened next?”
“We were both given a stern warning about unprofessional behavior.” David rolled his eyes. “After that I just tried to ignore the looks and gossip. It worked for about three weeks then all hell broke loose.” He looked down at the floor and whispered “I--- I was accused of tampering with evidence.”
“That’s bull shit! You’d never do anything like that.”
David was oddly pleased at how incensed he was by the idea. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I was working on trace from a double homicide.” David continued. “One of the CSIs came in and gave me an evidence bag with a scarf in it. I told him it would be an hour or so till I could get to it. He left and I went back to what I’d been working on. After a while, forty five minutes maybe, I decided I needed a coffee break.” He shook his head. “When I got back I noticed the bag lying out on the table, definitely not where I had left it. The seal had been tampered with and the scarf was soaking wet. Of course, I went to my supervisor immediately and reported it. They investigated but could never prove who did it but everyone was sure it was me because the detective on the case was Will.”
“Did the case get tossed?”
“No. They had other evidence and the guy eventually copped to it.”
“Who do you think tampered with it?”
“Maybe Will.” David shrugged.
“Bastard.”
“Life was almost unbearable at the lab after that. No one wanted to leave their evidence with me. They’d stand around and watch me till I was finished with it.”
“You hate having people watch you work.” Nick winced. “Are they all still breathing?”
David raised his eyebrow. “Do you really think this is an appropriate time to be joking?
“Sorry.”
“Anyway, you can imagine how much time they were wasting. This went on for five or six days. Then the director, Thomas, called me to his office. He said he couldn’t have his CSIs watching me all the time, they had other things they should be doing. I agreed and suggested he talk to them.”
“You didn’t?”
“Hey, I was doing my job. They should have been in trouble not me. But he didn’t see it that way. He told me he was going to have to let me go. I asked if he would transfer me to another lab.” David frowned. “He said he couldn’t in good conscience do that.”
“Because of the tampering?”
David nodded. “Despite everything I loved my job. I couldn’t believe I’d never work in a crime lab again.
“So how did you get the transfer here?”
I drove around for hours and finally ended up at my brother’s house. My sister-in-law, Shelly, hit the roof when she found out.”
“Oh no, this isn’t going to happen.”
“It already has, Shelly.”
“Well, you leave everything to me. We’ll fix this.”
“Shelly, it’s over. I’m tired of the whole thing.”
She put her hands on her hips. “David Hodges, you’ve never been a quitter and you’re not starting now.”
“I can’t work there anymore.”
“And I don’t expect you too but they will give you a transfer.”
David shot a “oh god” look to Andy, who just laughed.
“Dave, it’s going to be okay.” She reassured him. “We’ll go to the lab first thing in the morning and have a little chat with your Mr. Thomas.”
David groaned. “That’s not necessary.”
“You can stay here tonight.” she smiled, ignoring him.
Andy laughed again. “Don’t want him to escape huh?”
“If he leaves he’ll probably go to some bar and show up tomorrow with a hangover. He needs to be presentable when we go to the lab.”
Too tired and depressed to argue he sank back in his chair and watched his nephew playing on the floor.
“Wanna sneak a beer?” Andy whispered when his wife went into another room.
“I heard that, Andrew.” She poked her head in the doorway. “Do not give him any alcohol.”
“Come on, Shell, one beer’s not going to hurt.
“As if the two of you ever stop at one.”
“Alright.” Andy agreed begrudgingly.
David snickered. “She’s got you whipped.”
“Did you say something, David?” she glared.
“No ma’am.”
“How could she fix it?” Nick asked.
“She’s an attorney.”
“I hope she gave them hell.”
“They didn’t know what hit them.” David smiled.
“We’re here to see Mr. Thomas.” Shelly told the young blonde behind the desk.
“Do you have an appointment?” she asked, eyeing David the whole time.
“No, tell him Mr. Hodges and his attorney are here and it’s in his best interest to see us.” Shelly replied in a tone that left no room for argument.
“Yes ma’am. If you’ll have a seat I’ll see if he’s available.”
David didn’t want to sit down, hell he didn’t even want to be there but if there was a chance he could get a transfer he’d suffer through it. So he sat down next to Shelly and tried to ignore the stares from his former colleagues.
“Everything’s going to be fine, Dave.”
“I wish I was as confident as you.”
“Remember you haven’t done anything wrong. They have no right to deny you a transfer.”
“Mr. Thomas will see you now. If you’ll wait just a second, I’ll get someone to show you to his office.” the blonde said still staring at David.
“I’m sure Mr. Hodges remembers the way.” Shelly said dismissively.
“Oh, of course.” She tried to hide her irritation.
David resisted the urge to laugh and stick his tongue out at her. Instead he turned and led the way to the director’s office.
“What can I do for you today, David?” Thomas asked.
Before David could reply Shelly spoke up.
“For what reason was my client fired?”
Thomas looked from her to David. “We settled all this yesterday.”
“No Mr. Thomas nothing has been settled. It is my understand that my client was dismissed because other people were not doing their jobs.”
“Well … that’s not exactly why…”
“Really? Then please sir tell us why.”
“He was recently suspected of tampering with a key piece of evidence.”
Shelly leaned against the desk. “Why then sir, was he not fired on the spot?”
“Well... um, we investigated but couldn’t prove he did it. But the situation has made it difficult for him to do his job effectively.
“Let me see if I understand you. There’s no evidence to prove Mr. Hodges did anything inappropriate but he was fired anyway?”
“As I said it made it difficult…”
“It’s my understanding that the CSIs were wasting time watching my client process evidence. Were any of them dismissed or even reprimanded?”
“No but…”
“Isn’t it true that Mr. Hodges has been harassed for the past few weeks by his colleagues and you did nothing about it?”
“I assure you we don’t tolerate harassment here.”
“Like hell you don’t.” David sneered. “You knew exactly what was going on.”
Thomas glared at him. “What is it you want?”
“A transfer.”
“I explained this yesterday…”
“Let me explain something to you, sir. You don’t have any evidence that he tampered with that scarf therefore you had no grounds to fire him. Now, we’re willing to overlook that if you will recommend him for a transfer.”
Thomas shook his head. “I can’t do that. This lab has a reputation…”
“Then we will see you in court.” Shelly turned towards the door.
“Court?” Thomas paled some. “Surely you’re not serious?”
“I’m very serious. I’m curious Mr. Thomas, what do you think evidence tampering will do to your lab’s reputation if it gets out? I can see defense attorneys lining up to reopen their clients’ cases now.”
Thomas sank down in his chair and frowned. “Fine, he’ll get his transfer.”
“And Mr. Thomas, do not try to send him to some backwater town. His transfer will be to an established crime lab, equal to or better than this one.”
“Anything else?” Thomas hissed.
“I want a copy of his file and also a copy of the transfer papers.”
“You’ll have them by the end of business tomorrow.” he sighed. “Now if that’s all I have work to do.”
Shelly nodded as David opened the door. “One more thing. If even a hint of the incident, as you call it, somehow reaches Mr. Hodges’ new place of employment, we will sue for slander.”
David would have enjoyed the look on Thomas’ face had he not glanced out the door. There were several people standing around watching what was going on in the director’s office and one of those people was Will Bradley.
“You alright?” Shelly whispered.
David nodded and started out the door. He prayed they made it out of there without her finding out the man who started all this was standing a few feet away. He had no idea what she’d do but he was sure it wouldn’t be good.
“Do these people ever work?” she glared as they made there way down the hall.
David, head held high, avoided looking at his former co workers so he didn’t notice Will moving into his path till it was too late.
“Hey Hodges, watch where you’re going.” Will smirked as David bumped into him.
“Get out of the way.”
“Aren’t you even going to say goodbye?” Will grinned and leaned in and whispered “Thanks for the good time. Call me sometime, we can do it again.”
David shoved him away and continued toward the door, wondering if Shelly had heard him. He didn’t have to wonder long.
“What did you say?” Shelly’s tone was ice cold.
“I was just saying goodbye.” Will shrugged.
“One of these days Detective Bradley, your lies and manipulations are going to catch up with you and when they do I hope you lose everything.” She glanced around “I also hope that when he does, you all will be ashamed of yourselves for the way you treated David.”
“So that’s how you got transferred.”
“It never hurts to have an attorney on your side.” David nodded.
“How the hell did Ecklie find out about all this?”
“I have no idea.” David sighed. “Needless to say, Shelly’s ready to sue the whole damn department.”
“It would serve them right.”
David shook his head. “She’s right about one thing; every case the lab handled would be scrutinized. If one person went free because of my stupidity…”
“It’s not your fault and you’re not stupid, you’re one of the smartest people I know. God knows you’ve told me enough times.” Nick held up his hands. “I know, not a good time for jokes.”
David ran his hand through his hair. “You see now why there can never be anything between us.”
“No, I understand why it’s hard for you to trust me. But I’d never hurt you. I may remind you of him but I’m nothing like that bastard. Admittedly my timing in asking you out couldn’t have been worse but I swear I didn’t know about any of this.”
“But Ecklie....”
“Fuck Ecklie!”
David shuttered. “Oh thanks, now I’m going to have nightmares.”
“Hey, if I can’t joke neither can you.” Nick chuckled.
“Why me, Nick?” David almost whispered.
“Because I care about you.” Nick moved to stand in front of him, suddenly dead serious. “I don’t know why I’m so drawn to you, why I think about you so much, why I get this weird feeling every time I see you, why I want to know everything about you. I can’t stop this even if I wanted too and to be honest, I don’t really want too.”
David realized he didn’t want him to either.
“Give me a chance, David.” Nick leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “A chance, that’s all I’m asking.”
David just stood there staring as the Texan smiled, then turned and left the apartment. As soon as the door closed he lifted his hand up to the spot where Nick’s lips had been. It may have only been a kiss on the check but there was more feeling in it than he had ever felt before.
“You’re an idiot if you let him go.” David mumbled. He raced out the door, making sure to lock up, he had enough trouble without facing Jacqui’s wrath, hoping Nick wasn’t gone yet.
“Nick, wait!” David yelled as he spotted the man getting into his truck.
Nick grinned as he saw him coming towards him.
“I um, I…” David stammered. He hadn’t thought about what he was going to say. “I want too… give you a chance… but there’s still some stuff we have to discuss.”
Nick was so thrilled he almost picked him up and spun him around but he didn’t want to freak the poor guy out so instead he slapped the hood of his truck and smiled so big David wondered if his face would break.
“This isn’t going to be easy.”
“Nothing worth having ever is.”
David blushed.
“So you want to go back in and talk?”
“Um, we can’t. I locked the door.” David frowned. “Why don’t you follow me back to my place and we can talk there?”
“Follow you?” Nick smirked. “I don’t want to be accused of stalking you again.”
“Funny. Now are you going to or not?”
“David, I’d follow you anywhere.”
“Good to know.” David said dryly, as if the words had no effect on him but the smile on his face told Nick otherwise.
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