Title: CSI's and Lab Techs (9/9)
Author: Emono
Rating: PG-16
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas
Pairings: Grissom/Archie, Warrick/Greg, Hodges/Nick
Disclaimer: Not mine, sorry
Summary: Epilogue
Beta: gil_follower
Warnings: ending, tension, fluff, chicken, funny
Word Count: 1061

Hodges was attempting to bake chicken with one arm in a sling, and so far he was doing fine with Warrick's help. Nick and Hodges had been staying with the other couple ever since Nigel Crane had dropped from their ceiling, a month ago. Nick was terrified to go back to that apartment, and if David wanted to admit it -if only to himself- he was kind of shaken too. The thought of someone living in their home for months, watching them, taping them…

Thankfully Archie had personally reviewed all the tapes, and hadn't said a word about it.

David eased the chicken into the oven, sighing with satisfaction as he shut the door.

"And this is done" Greg turned off the mixer, revealing a bowl of mashed potatoes "I'll put some foil on them, they'll stay warm enough."

David opened his mouth to make a smart-ass reply about over-eager people, but then Nick entered the kitchen and all his attention was diverted, "Hey Nicky."

Greg smirked, "You practically glow when he enters the room, you know that don't you Dave?"

Hodges cast a side glare at the younger man when Nick chuckled, "Not a word, Sanders."

"You know you love it" Greg stuck out his tongue, but his grin didn't disappear.

Even though Nick was amused by the easy manner between the two men, he had something important to discuss with his lover, "David, can we talk in private…?"

"Sure" David gestured with his unhurt hand "Let's go to the spare room-"

"No, I'll go" Greg gave them a smile "I need to call Warrick anyways, he's actually at work today. I'll tell him I'm bringing in his lunch today, and to lay off that vender food."

Once Greg was gone, Nick's smile dropped form his face.

"How's your arm, babe?" Nick murmured, walking over close and running his hand down the firm sling that his arm was still in "It isn't hurtin' you much, is it?"

"No" the lab tech stated, eyeing his lover curiously "You know that it only aches, I told you when you asked me this morning. Are you…ok?"

"No, to be honest" Nick glanced towards the living room, where Greg was talking quietly with Warrick "Babe, don't you feel like we're mooching off our friends here?"

David took a step closer, keeping their eyes locked as he lowered his voice, "In all honesty? Yes."

"Babe, you know our leave ends next week. We'll be back to work, but I don't want to be here when we do" Nick took his uninjured hand, lacing their fingers "Let's get a new place."Hodges nodded logically, "Ok, we'll start looking tomorrow."

Nick looked taken aback, God-smacked, "Seriously?"

David's brow furrowed, "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"God, babe, you don't realize how worried I was" Nick sighed, a relieved curled his lips "I thought…I was worried enough the first time I asked you, and it was a new thing. But then you were stalked for months in our home…I thought maybe you'd…reconsider living with me?"

"What?" David nearly laughed at the absurdity of it "No, Nick, never. I love you…I love living with you, being with you. I'm not going to refuse to be with you, just because some bastard decided we were worth watching. You don't want that man to ruin what we had…do you? You don't…want me to move out?"

"No, no" Nick stated fiercely, noting the hurt in his lover's voice "I want you to live with me, Dave. I just wanted to make sure it was what you wanted, I didn't want to box you in or anything."

"So, it's agreed" David stated smugly "I'm living with you, your living with me. Be up before noon tomorrow, we're going to pick out our new apartment."

»*»

~Two Weeks Later~

"They finally decided on an apartment" Greg shouted from the top of the stairs, hanging up his cell "Davey just called, he's in love with the kitchen and bathroom. He's pretending he hated it, but he's being a total liar. Nick loves the room, and best of all: No attic."

"Good" Warrick snorted in amusement "It was gettin' crowded in here.""I think they're going to make it, 'Rick" Greg smiled to himself, taking the first steps down the stairs "I really do."

Greg's foot caught on a shoe on the stairs, he hadn't been paying much attention. He gasped loudly out of shock, wind milling his hands in the air in a ditch attempt at balance. He pitched forward, eyes clenched shut as he braced himself for contact. Strong arms wrapped around him, his hands scrabbling for purchase in a coarse work shirt.

"You gotta watch out, baby" Warrick purred, holding his relieved lover by his waist.

Greg glanced behind him, "It was your shoe!"

"Really?" Warrick made a face, looking down at the stair and finding that he had -indeed- left his shoes on the stairs again "Oh, I'm sorry…"

"You're always sorry" Greg stole a kiss, then skipped past his lover "I've got to call Gil!"

Warrick stared at his shoes thoughtfully, leaning against the railing. He swore he put those up earlier, since he had discarded them so hastily as a naughty-whispering Greg had led him up the stairs by his collar. Warrick picked one of the shoes up hesitantly, a look of genuine confusion on his face. A soft noise came above him…his eyes widened as he stared at the ceiling.

//There's no one up there// Warrick scolded himself //It's just your imagination playing tricks on you…all because Nick was stalked in his own attic, you-//

"AH!" Warrick screamed like a little girl when a loud thud echoed above him, followed by scratches. He raced down the stairs, missing the last one and falling to his knees on the floor. Ignoring the fire-laced pain that ran up his legs, he all but crawled/staggered to the front door and onto the street to grab his gun out of the car.

Greg peeked around the wall of the kitchen, the phone pressed to his ear.

"Oh man, Gil" Greg pouted "I think 'Rick found the puppy."

The End