My eyes slowly opened as I took in the light escaping from the window. I moaned as I stretched, but my foot hit an unfamiliar target – a table, one of which, wasn't by my bedside. I sat up straight in a fright as I realized I wasn't in my bed at my apartment, but somewhere else. My eyes grew wider as I remembered my last memory was plopping down on Nick's couch.

The dark cotton blanket that was pulled over my body fell off as I stood up. The silence that filled the house let me know that Nick wasn't here, and when I glanced at the time that radiated off the clock, it only confirmed my thought. Our shift started in two hours and he probably got called in early yet again.

My cell phone vibrated obnoxiously in my bag and extended my arm over the coffee table to dig in and grab it. The front screen read that I had a new text message and it flashed sporadicly. I flipped open my phone and viewed it fully.

It read, You should probably wake up baby, and the sender was none other than Nick.

I smiled and my heart melt. Not only was he considerate enough to make sure I woke up on time, he called me baby. Baby. It was only a four letter word yet it was enormous enough to allow a surge of satisfaction and happiness flow throughout my body. I was fully awake now, and for once, I wanted time to advance so I could go to work.

I had been at work for three hours and hadn't seen Nick yet, but that was no surprise, as I sometimes didn't even see him at all because he was so busy. Every time the door opened to the trace lab, my head shot up and I hopefully thought it would be him.

When my door opened for the umpteenth time, I hesitantly looked up (due to so many disappointments, I still tried) and almost groaned aloud when I saw it was Hodges striding in.

I didn't mind Hodges that much in the beginning, but ever since Nick and I started to date he always made it obvious about how he felt about it, which was, unsatisfactory. He did have an egotistical attitude but I've been around people with the same character so I was used to it. I could handle Hodges in small doses and sometimes I even liked it when we chatted at points because, I had to admit, he was intelligent and very gifted. But one small negative or uncharismatic comment usually reminded me why I would never hold more than a conversation with him.

"Hello Mae," he said, flashing me a smile that I knew had something behind it. "How are you this fine night?"

"Up to my head in work that needs to be done," I said, hoping that he'd get the message and for once, leave me alone. However, even I knew that that was unlikely.

"Just another regular night I see," he said and he looked over my work table to see what I was doing. I ignored his stares and continued to document something I was working on.

"Yep," I said nonchalantly.

"Anyway," he said and I knew he was getting to his point, "us lab rats have to stick together, you know. We're all pretty close. Sometimes we even all go out."

"Mhm," I said. He was telling me news that I had already known. Archie had invited me to go out one time when all the other lab technicians were playing on going out to get a bite to eat. I couldn't go though, it was my one of my few days that Nick didn't have to work overtime and I spent the day with him instead.

"We're going out later tonight. You should come," he said and he almost sounded, dear I say this, desperate.

"Well I might be able to, but I don't quite know yet," I said, still not looking up at him. And that was a honest answer, because if Nick wasn't free tonight, then I suppose I was. It all really depended on what he was doing.

Hodges slowly nodded and then regained his usual narcissistic confidence. "I hope that you do--"

The door opened and when Hodges shut up immediately, I almost smiled with glee. I knew it was Nick even before I looked up. Only Nick could make Hodges shut up when he was around me, possibly another trait that I liked from him.

Nick looked oddly at Hodge's uncomfortable face then glanced at my amused one. Hodges opened his mouth to say something, closed it, rethought about it, threw out a "See you later," and quickly escaped from my lab.

Nick's gaze followed his exit then he turned back towards me. "What," he asked, "was that about?"

I gave a small chuckle and tried to finish up what I was working on. "Just Hodges being Hodges," I said, rolling my eyes.

He smiled then grabbed the papers related to his case that were fresh from the printer. While he was examining them, I sent a page to Greg that I had finished his DNA trace and put together all the things he needed hurriedly.

"You sleep good?"

I slowly looked up and saw that that smile was still plastered on his face.

"I did actually, thank you for asking," I said.

He laughed and was obviously pleased with himself.

"You should have woke me up," I told him and placed my chin in the cup of my palm.

"Nah," he said and stopped looking at his papers. "You were completely exhausted. Did you know you moan in your sleep?"

My jaw fell and my eyes widen in fear. But when Nick burst out into laughter, all I could do was stare at him in disbelief. "I'm kidding!" he said in between laughs.

I put my hand to my chest and let out a big breath of air. That would have been so embarrassing. Thank God he was kidding. I glared at him as he continued to laugh at my expense.

"I'll get you back later," I mumbled and the wave of embarrassment faded from my cheeks.

His laughter died down and he walked over in front of my work table, taking a folder and putting his contents in it on the way. He looked down at it but I saw the smirk tugging at his lips.

"You mean after work tonight?" he asked.

I knew why he wasn't looking at me, so I pretended to be busy with my work too, but I still could not hide my own smile from forming. We couldn't act romantic or flirty at work and if you looked at us now, we probably seemed as if we were discussing the case or recent findings.

"Hmm, you know I think I might be busy tonight," I said in a jokingly manner.

"Oh really?"

"I got invited to go hang out with Hodges."

"I'm going to hope you're joking," he said and I noticed some slight irritation in his voice that always seems to appear when Hodges is ever mention, but it disappeared when he continued. "And besides, I got reservations to a good place tonight."

I raised my eyebrow at his last statement. "I think I might be able to make it then."