Hya, my dear readers, and welcome back to my fic. A little comfort, a
confession, some stray smiles and oh, yeah, a small massage on the side.

Hanjeu: I agree with you that Wendy’s brush-off was a little ..abrupt,
but don’t worry, she’ll be back soon enough. We all now our favourite brunette;
as soon as her temper cools off, she’ll be allowed around David again. And
yeah, Maru’s just adorable. I picture him all black and somewhat small, despite
his Maine Coon descent.

Spacemonkey 101: Thank you very much for all your reviews; they sure
made my day. Actually, this story was originally hosted a FF.net, but since I
recountered serious formatting problems and editing troubles to the point where
I couldn’t add chapters anymore, I moved it here. So sorry for your troubles.

 

Anyways, on it goes, have fun, enjoy and remember to review, thanks!

 

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Every day by day by day

 

On closer
inspection, Nick’s house appeared much securer than the safehouse; what with
its state-of-the-art security system, neighbourhood patrol and private guard
force. Plus, it was easier for the police to keep under surveillance.

Obviously,
Nick’s Gordon ordeal had left the Texan more than a little cautious –not that
Hodges complained

His
appartment was still sort of a crime scene, though investigation was done. No
traps, no suspicous wirings, cameras, mics, charges or whatever. Yet, no one
thought it safe for Hodges to return back to his home.

And, as the
trace tech had stated, the safehouse would have him driving up the walls if
forced to spend more time than absolutely needed within.

That’s when
Nick had stepped forth and offered David to stay with him for as long as need
be.

Since Maru
was already there, Hodges had agreed, and Nick’s mind had done a happy dance at
that.

 

“So, ya
need anything from your flat, Greg‘ll go and get it.”

David nodded absent-mindedly, folding his shirts neatly into a pile, then placing the
stack into the wardrobe in Nick’s guestroom.

For the first time in weeks, David actually felt a strange sense of comfort encase him,
and one by one, his anxiety, weary and fear crumbled and fell off of him. Not
all of it, naturally, but enough to let a soothing, welcome tiredness wash over
him.

“Dave! Come
on, gimme your keys!”

The shout
had the trace tech flinch and stare at the origin of the offending noise.

Which just
oh so happened to be Greg’s mouth.

Nodding,
David handed the keyring over, muttering,

“No peeking
in the desk, under the bed or the towel closet. And the bar’s off limits.” Greg
wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Wy not the
closet? Got something- dirty in there? Something to satisfy your –needs?”

David gave
a candid grin.

“As a
matter of fact, yes, there is. I need you to get my dirty laundry
so I can have it washed and ironed to my satisfaction.”

Nick
chuckled, David smirked some more and Greg pouted.

“Hardy harr
harr. Just gimme the list, already.”

Hodges
handed the young CSI the list of things he required from his place.

Greg
stuffed it into his jacket pocket, patted the two older men on the shoulder and
declared,

“Well then,
guess I’ll be going. Behave, play nice and don’t do anything I wouldn’t –oh,
and do use protection.”

With a final mad cackle the blond sauntered out the door, leaving one slightly shocked
Hodges and one entirely embarassed Nick to stand and stare after him.

Incredulous, David shook his head and rasped,

“I still
can’t understand why Gil didn’t have him institutionalized, and be it only for
a suspect on rabies.”

Nick shrugged, as he closed and secured the door, then turned on the alarm system.

“Guess he
did, but Eckli probably refused. Why waste money on something so obvious?”

“True
enough. The only thing tighter than Ecklie’s ass is the grip he has on our
budget.”

David
turned and sat down on the bed, thus missing how Nick’s jaw dropped.

“Sorry,
could..you repeat that, please?”

Ice-blue
orbs looked up quizzically.

“What? It’s
true, Ecklie should have bought that mass spectrometer when I told him to, last
but one year. But no, he considers it’s working flawlessly, since it’s still
running on guarantee. Yeah, right. Dumbass.”

Nick was
more than stunned; sitting down next to his crush, he babbled,

“It’s
just..I’ve never heard you say something –bad about Ecklie! I mean, the way you
used to, well, y’ know, I figured the two of you were like..so.”

Oops.

There was the patented Why-are-you-allowed-to-run-free-look, courtesy of one David
Hodges.

Who huffed, slung one arm around the Texan’s neck(who instantly felt the heat searing
through his body) and said in a conspirational tone,

“Let me
tell you something, Nick. People like Ecklie are career-driven,
self-sufficient, ignorant control freaks. By making them believe that you’re
their obedient little lapdog that comes ratting out everyone and anything that
goes on around them, leads them to think they control you. Which keeps them out
of your hair, since they don’t feel the necessity to breath down your neck.
And, since I made it so blatantly obvious, he knew that the other lab workers
would keep their mouths shut and don’t give me reason to blow the whistle on
‘em. He thought, he was controlling them through me, when in real it granted
them freedom from his antics.”

Nick was
baffled.

He opened
and closed his mouth several times, giving an astute impression of a beached
carp.

“Dave,
that’s..that’s…”

David
smirked.

“Misleading?
True. Devious? Perhaps. Brilliant? Absolutely.”

Had he not
already fallen in love with him, Nick would have given his heart to David right
then and there.

For an
endless moment he lost himself in those startling silverblue eyes, the sharp,
angular lines of his face…

David
sighed, then plopped backwards on the bed, eyes closed.

Nick
swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath and cursing his suddenly too tight
jeans.

Carefully
laying down on his side next to David, he watched the trace tech’s expression
soften, then let his gaze roam over the slender body before him.

He was
still somewhat tightly strung; Nick could see the strained muscles in the
prominent jawline work.

“Roll
over.” The words were out of his mouth before he even knew it.

“Hnn?”
David blinked lazily.

“I thought, this was the guest bed? Or did y’ decide to switch rooms for some odd reason?”

Nick rolled his eyes.

“Very
funny. You’re so tense, your back looks ready to pop. C’me on, scoot.”

Groaning,
David obeyed, resting his head on his right arm. Nick tugged at his ellbow.

“No, both
arms down to your side. It works better that way.”

“What works better wha—aah-oohhh…” The blue-eyed man immediately turned into mush, as
strong, gentle hands began to carefully work the knots and tightness out of his
back and shoulders.

Nick took
his sweet time massaging his object of desire; eventually he straddled David’s
hips –God, was it even legal to have hips like these?- and firmly
stroked the entire length of David’s spine.

David moaned and arched his back in delight, and Nick knew, he had to retreat save he
did something he would regret.

“All done!”
he rasped, as he scrambled off the lithe figure beneath him and sat at the edge
of the bed, not daring to look at David.

Who stretched and shifted languidly -what caused goose bumps all over Nick’s skin-
then sighed contentedly.

“Thanks.
That was neccesary.”

He regarded the brunet, who sat there, fiddling his fingers and staring at a spot in the
grey-brown carpet.

“Nick?”

The Texan looked up and into calm, blue eyes.

“Why are
you doing this?”

A puzzled frown on strong, masculine features.

”Doing what?” he asked back. David, who lay propped up on his right elbow,
wasn’t fooled.

“This.
Taking care of me. Keeping me out of harm’s way and Debbie’s sight.”

Nick
shrugged nonchalantly.

“Hey, what
are friends there for, right? I told ya, you can count on us to-“

“Bullshit.
I could have just aswell stayed at Greg’s or Archie’s or even –Henry’s place,
but you insisted on me coming here. Care to tell me why?”

Nick looked
at him, then a shy, apologetic smile crossed his features.

David scowled,
narrowed his eyes, pursed his lips, opened his mouth, searched Nick’s eyes once
more…

“Oh come
on! You can’t be serious!”

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Oh, but I am. Dead serious. Meanest cliffie in
FF-history. You’re welcome. Next up; David’s past and present. Stay tuned and
well!^^