A/N – Thanks to everyone for sticking in. I know it's been awhile since I updated this story. Hopefully, now that things have (fingers crossed) calmed down in my house, I'll be updating much more frequently.

Disclaimer – CBS/Paramount own CSI. I don't. I just really really like the characters.

It took him two shifts before he got up the nerve to ask her to come to dinner. Part of the issue was the dark circles under her eyes, and the awkwardness they made him feel. The second part of the issue was during that time, he'd managed to offend her twice. The first time had been when he'd made a comment regarding her ability to walk fast in high heels. In retrospect, Hodges figured he deserved the withering glare she'd given him.

The second remark had been inadvertent, and simply not taken how he'd intended it. He'd remarked on her lack of progress in the double homicide they were both working, while pointing out how he'd identified not only the crystalline substance as a form of silica, but even managed to track down the region where the desert grains originated.

He'd meant it as a joke when he said, "I told you Trace was the most important lab in the building." Apparently she hadn't taken it that way, though. Instead, she'd turned on her heels and walked away, but not before he saw the hurt in her eyes.

Sitting in the break room, he stared glumly at his bag of chips, finding the usual comfort of them almost mocking. Nothing seemed to be taking the ache from his gut, and he sat back on a heavy, almost moaning sigh. Turning his head slightly, he watched the familiar brunette make her way down the hall, and fought for resolve. Determinedly, he left his lunch where it sat and followed, as Wendy walked into the DNA lab reading a folder.

For several seconds, he stood poised on the edge of speaking, but unable to find the right words to say. It wasn't until she turned and saw him that he remarked, "I was just joking around. I didn't mean to imply you are not good at your job. I'm sorry." He withheld patting himself on the back for actually saying something decent, as he waited for her to respond.

His frown deepened though, when she stood there with no quick reply. The smudges from lack of sleep still lay dark against her pale skin, and he stated, "You look tired."

"Gee, thanks Hodges. Need anything else," she quipped back, a snarling smile on her face.

"No," he quietly stated, and began to back away. He made it three steps before he stopped for a couple of heart beats, did a one-eighty, and made his way back to her lab.

"Actually, you could come to dinner," he grumbled, the frown appearing on his face as a more permanent fixture. When she said, "Fine," with her own face frowning in response, he found the muscles in his face and neck relaxing.

"Good," he more quietly replied. The quiet smile that play on his lips had her own lips turning up, as well. Before he could even think about heading back to his lab, she said, "David? I'm sorry if I've been cranky. I'm just really tired right now." When she crossed over to the doorway, he received a close-up view of the deep shadows in and under her eyes, hidden so carefully by well applied make-up. The pang of guilt must've shown on his face, because she discreetly reached out, and touched his arm.

"When would be a good time for you?" he asked, and watched her smile grow.

"Tonight?" she queried, and he smiled wider.

"Tonight would be good."

That's how he ended up trying to figure out how to make something edible for both children and adults. Maddie was easy. Baby food and formula. However, months ago, Davey had hit a stage where on any random night nothing tasted good… or those dreaded nights when he had his mind set on one particular thing and nothing else.

"We're having pork chops, Davey," he said, flipping the pork chops in one pan, while shuffling around the vegetables in another. Glancing over at the thunderous look on his nephew's face, he added, "I'm not making you pancakes and bacon for dinner. If you want something different, I'll make you a sandwich."

When the little boy's foot stomped hard and the young voice yelled, "PANCAKES! I WANT PANCAKES!" Hodges looked down, and gave Davey the look.

"If you're going to throw a tantrum, I advise you to do so in your room," David sternly warned. When Davey threw himself on the floor and began kicking, David figured all the bad karma in the world must have built against him – because the doorbell rang.

Quickly making his way to the door, he opened it and had to yell, "COME IN," to Wendy. Leaving her to make her through to the living room, he stalked over, picked up the flailing child, and walked down the hall. Putting the boy on his bed, he said, "When you're calm, you can join us. However, if you want to scream, your door needs to be shut. Understand?"

While Davey continued to cry and scream, David made his way to the living room, quietly shutting the door in the process, so faint little boy cries and screams could be hear muffled through the walls.

"Having fun tonight?" Wendy asked, smiling at him.

"Yeah," he replied. "I knew this was coming, but I hadn't realized the set of lungs he's got on him." Glancing back at the kids' bedroom, he shook his head slightly and shyly grinned. "My sister told me on more than one occasion that he could scream. The last two nights, he's started throwing tantrums like this."

"I think it's the age and that he's getting comfortable in the new environment," Wendy replied, removing her black leather jacket to reveal a white tank top with burned orange low cut top layered over it. "He'll grow out of it."

As Davey's screams reached an all time high, Hodges winced and muttered, "God, I hope so."

Stepping closer to her, he reached out and swiped a thumb under her eyes, noting the dark smudges of fatigue had lessened. When she leaned into his hand, it felt natural to tilt his head and capture her lips in a brief, but satisfying kiss.

Closing his eyes he said, "I really am sorry about what I said."

Smiling in response she explained, "It wasn't you. It was all me." Stepping away, she took a seat on the couch next to where Maddie lay playing with on a mat with some mobile-type toys. Patting the space next to her, she waited for him to seat before she continued, "Remember how you called me a general? Well, when I need to deal with something, that's how I tend to be. Afterward, though…" Taking a breath, she reached for his hand, trapped his eyes with hers, and said, "I panic. Afterwards, I panic, and all the fear wells up in me."

With his free hand, he stroked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and stated, "I don't know if I could have done it without you. You've simply been here when I needed you and I didn't have a clue what to do." He placed his hand on her neck, letting his thumb rub her jaw when he very quietly and soberly added, "Next time let me help you. When you feel the panic, let me help you through it – no matter when or where. Okay?"

Leaning into him, she felt something that had been clenched in her chest release as he placed his arms around her shoulders and held her close. For a couple of minutes, they simply held. Eventually, David murmured, "It's been quiet for a few minutes."

Releasing her, she realized the comforting heat brought her more peace of mind than the last days, and missed it the instant it was gone. It was then she smelled it… smoke. David and his nephew were just exiting the kids' bedroom when the alarm went off.

"Oh no," David moaned, rushing to the kitchen. The meat was charred, and the vegetables had withered to a mass of blackened chunks. Flipping off the burners, he stared hard at the burned out pans on his stove. He gave him a mental kick, feeling particularly stupid at the moment, and turned to give Wendy a rueful grin.

The grin gave way to a wobbly, shy smile when he asked, "Does pizza sound good?"

Laughing, she looked down at Davey, whose eyes seemed to glaze over at the word 'pizza', and ruffled the boy's hair. "Pizza sounds just fine," she stated, feeling really relaxed for the first time in quite a few days. Grabbing her purse off the side table where she laid it, she produced a coupon and handed it to David, saying, "I love pizza. I always seem to have at least one good coupon with me at all times."

By the time the pizza arrived, Davey was bouncing up and down, chanting, "Pizza, pizza, pizza. I like pizza," while Wendy laughed. Deciding on a picnic of sorts, David laid out a table cloth in the living room and they ate while playing Chutes and Ladders with an ecstatic little boy.

At one point, Davey looked at Wendy, his face smeared with sauce and part of a black olive stuck to his cheek. "Will you come to my birthday?" he asked, grinning wide.

Questioningly she looked to David, who smiled and answered the look with, "He's going to be five in a few days. I was going to tell you about it tonight." Feeling a bit shy at the open desire to have her there, he added, "We're going out for a family dinner. We'd love for you to come."

"That sounds great," she laughed.

When she looked at the little boy and asked, "What would you like for your birthday?" David suddenly launched to his feet, gave an irritated glance at the ceiling, and muttered, "Hodges, you're an idiot." Making his way to the kitchen, he opened the fridge and pulled out the bouquet of wildflowers. Holding them behind his back, he couldn't help the slight heat that flushed up his neck, or the awkwardness he felt. He made his way to the living room, knelt down again to be at the same level as the rest of his family, and held them out to Wendy.

He ruefully said, "These are for you… to thank you for everything you've done for me. For us."

Her eyes misting at the gesture, she inhaled the scent of the flowers, but couldn't help the tears that slipped over. "Thank you," she sniffed, and mockingly laughed at herself. "God, I don't know why I'm crying. I don't cry." With her free arm, she wiped her cheeks and whispered, "They're beautiful."

Shuffling over to her, David wrapped and arm around her and felt Wendy settle into him a little. Davey, having gotten first confused over her tears, then bored when the two adults together took his turn and moved his token. He glanced at his sister who dozed after being fed and "burpled" as his mama used to call it. Finally, seeing that they weren't paying attention, he loudly announced, "Your turn Aunt Wendy!"

Wendy and David looked at each other, their eyes going wide over the little boy's use of "Aunt Wendy". She shyly grinned at the man in front of her, turned from him, and laughingly said, "Bring it on, Davey." When she took her turn, ended up sliding down a ladder way down the board, Hodges laughed and began his spin. The playful spirit continued, until Sandra arrived awhile later.

After tucking Davey into bed and giving him a good night kiss, David turned to find Wendy holding a barely awake baby in her arms. His mouth which seemed to always run when he least expected it to quietly said, "You look good with a baby in your arms." Meanwhile his mind ranted, Idiot. Moron. Talk about a stupid thing to say.

Smiling back at him, she replied, "I like to hold her. She's so curious. I may not be able to tell what she's saying, but she talks to me." Looking down at the nearly six month old child, she whispered, "Don't you sweetie?" and was rewarded with some babbling. Placing her down in the crib, Wendy stepped back and gestured for David to say good night, as she made her way to Davey.

David went through the routine of rubbing Maddie's tummy and checking her forehead for any kind of abnormal heat. He smiled wider when he heard Davey's squeals from being tickled by the brunette. They met at the door. When David reached out to turn off the light, he grinned lightly at Wendy when she clasped his hand in hers.

Sandra was waiting in the living room, and the adults talked for a few minutes.

"Davey's doing a lot better," she said. "He has really talked to me over the last couple of nights – he is learning to say things like 'I'm scared' and 'I'm sad'. It's a good step, and he has been sleeping through the night. When Maddie got sick, he was terrified, but he can say the words now and it's helped. He didn't withdraw as much as I expected."

David had known the good progress his nephew was making, but was grateful Wendy was hearing it as well. He knew she'd been concerned that Davey had gone so quiet while Maddie was in the hospital. When she let out a soft sigh, he took it as one of relief, and gripped her hand more tightly.

When the couple made their way over to the door, Sandra excused herself to give them some privacy.

"It sounds like Davey may not need the therapeutic babysitter much longer," she stated. "He's making great steps forward."

After first glancing back at the bedroom, David replied, "Yes. He's starting to say little things to me, although he has a ways to go still."

David grabbed the small bouquet of flowers and laid them on the side table next to her purse, and then picked up her coat and held it open for her. With her back to him, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she slipped into the garment. Leaning his cheek down against hers, he whispered, "Thank you so much for… everything."

When she turned around and kissed him it felt so much different than their 'date' alone. There was no awkwardness or hesitation. To each it felt the most natural thing to simply let lips touch, yield, and open up a world of possibilities. When they finally pulled back, he grinned into her lips, "I could get used to this," and felt her chuckle.

She stepped out of his house still chuckling, and made her way to her car. As David held the driver's side door open for her, she leaned in and lightly kissed his cheek before responding.

"So could I."