A/N:
There goes out a huge thanks to Mel (aka UnspokenLoves) for first betaing this for me. But more important, for being there for me in hard times, helping me through and not judging me immediately like everybody's else has or would do. Mel: thank you so much, this really means a lot to me... Okay, I'm getting all emotional over here.
For the rest: thanks for the wonderful reviews and everybody for sticking with me. I hope you like this chapter, it's kinda short. I hope to have a longer one next, please Read and Review!


Chapter 3

As Hodges walked into the lab a few days later, he noticed how Greg was swinging in the evidence room. He walked inside and tapped Greg on the shoulder, but didn't get any reaction. Then he looked for the source of the sound and put the stereo off.

At this Greg swirled around. "Why did you do that?"

"Some people in this lab do work, you know?" It was a rhetorical question and Hodges started to leave the room, when he was stopped by Greg's hand on his shoulder. He turned around very slowly and looked at Greg's 'hurt' expression.

"What makes you so happy this day?"

Greg grinned. "I ran into somebody familiar this morning... in the grocery store. You remember Mel?"

Of course he remembered her, her beautiful brown eyes, her laugh, and her little comments. He remembered everything about her, the way she danced and the way she looked at him. She hadn't been out of his mind for one second.

"Hmmm..." He just hummed.

"Well, she recognized me and said 'hi', you know? And the way she looked at me, you should have seen it. She definitely wants me."

"Then I guess I should wish you good luck." Hodges said, with a faint smile gracing his features.

Greg looked at the stereo. "Man, you just put off the greatest music. This was, live in Oslo, Kurt Nilsen... That guy is from freaking Norway, Dave."

"That's supposed to ring a bell?" Hodges started to get annoyed; didn't he have something better to do than to listen to what noise was waving through the hallways of the crime lab? He rubbed his temple as he looked at Greg.

"World Idol... from Norway, my home country." Greg said, grinning broadly.

"Ah." Hodges said, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly. Then his expression changed. "But..."

Greg's grin faded. "Yeah, I was born in San Gabriel, California. But it's the same Norwegian blood streaming through my veins. I told you about Papa Olaf, didn't I?"

Hodges knew it was time to get away from there as soon as he could. If Greg would start talking about Papa Olaf it would mean he would get behind on his workload.

"I'm sorry Sanders, but I have loads of work to do, maybe another time." He said over his shoulder as he rushed out of the room.


Mel groaned and rolled over to her side, turning towards the ringing sound which came from her bedside table. 'Damn phone.' She looked at the small screen and saw an unfamiliar number. "Yeah?"

"Mel?"

"Who is this?" She asked lazily.

"David... Hodges. Did I wake you up?"

"Oh, that's fine." She yawned. "So... why are you calling?" She smiled, although she knew he couldn't see it.

"I uhm... wanted to ask if you... were free for breakfast tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, sure!" And she thought to herself: 'Breakfast? Hmmm... that can be nice.'

"I'll uhm... pick you up then."

"Yeah, that'd be nice..."

"Okay, uhm... bye."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone and stretched out on the bed. It was dark outside, the only light came from her cell phone. The small green light was blinking and she looked at it for a moment. She looked at her clock and noticed it was only 6AM.

But she got up anyway and headed for the kitchen. She got herself some orange juice and sat down at the dinner table. The room was still covered in total darkness and she found that somehow comforting. The silence was even more so...

'Breakfast, huh?' She thought, smiling to herself. Then she rushed up... 'What the hell am I going to wear?' She didn't even know where they were going, should she wear something classy or something casual? 'Dammit.'


She was anxious, sitting on the couch, keeping herself from biting her nails. She had put on the lights now; the darkness had started to bother her. After putting on various jeans and tops, she finally decided to wear her faded jeans with a blue top. She was wearing the stiletto's she had gotten from her dad for her birthday; they exactly matched the color of her top. But the high heels were uncomfortable and made the balls of her feet ache.

When she heard a knock on the front door, she stood up and broke her heel. 'No... not again.' She cursed out loud and kicked off the shoe, before picking it up from the floor. Then she hobbled towards the door and opened it.

When she did she looked right into the face of Hodges. "Hey, you're early. Come in."

He entered the room and sat down on her couch, feeling the warmth that still lingered there from her body. He looked around casually, letting his eyes wander over the art that was hanging on her walls. He couldn't make out what was painted, but he liked the composition.

Mel came back into the room with a few pair of shoes in her arms. She let them all fall to the floor and sat down next to Hodges. Her jeans clad thigh brushed against his and she placed a hand on his arm.

"Which pair should I wear David?"

Hodges looked at her. "Are you asking me to choose for you?"

When she nodded, he looked at the various shoes that covered the floor. She had all kind of colors, from purple to yellow and from orange to green. He slowly picked up some black ones, sandals. When Mel shook her head disapproving he put them down again.

He looked more closely and found some light blue ones; they looked like the pair she was wearing earlier.

"Those seem nice." He commented. "Bad for the feet though."

She chuckled. "I don't care, as long as you like it, its fine."

He blushed slightly and broke the gaze. He watched how she put them on, shoved the other pairs aside and picked up the broken once. He heard her mutter: "I'm never letting my dad buy me shoes ever again."

She went to get her coat and called out for Hodges. "You ready?"

"I'm ready when you are."

He slowly stood up from the couch to join her. His stomach made some flip-flops and he shook his head. 'Damn, I have it bad...' He put his hand on the small of her back and led them out of the door, pulling it in the lock behind him.