I Do's and Don'ts
Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

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Tough Love

About a month later… DB walked inside the lab after being in the field all day jumping from crime scene to crime scene. It had been a particular dreadful shift, one DB was happy to have end. However when he entered the lab he saw Hodges sitting in a chair outside of the break room eating, which seemed weird… too weird for Hodges sake. The closer DB got he could hear angry voices leaving the break room but the blinds were down so he couldn't see who.

"What are you doing, Hodges?" DB asked rubbing his face.

"I'm eating…" Hodges said as if saying duh.

"Why aren't you eating in the break room?" DB asked putting his hands on his hips.

"LVPD's favorite couple is going round for round inside right now." Hodges said throwing away his food wrapper.

"They're fighting? About what?" DB said concerned, Hodges nodded then shrugged.

"I don't know. I definitely didn't want to get caught eavesdropping, Stokes is mad, so in turn Mandy is mad. About what? I don't know, they were already arguing when I got here." Hodges said making a discreet exit. DB made a face an opened the door a little but was unnoticed.

"I don't understand why you would do that?!" Nick asked angrily for what felt like the hundredth time. Mandy shook her hands at him as her anger too was beginning to get the best of her.

"You wouldn't! Why do you care, who walks me down the aisle?! It was just a thought!" Mandy asks just as angry as Nick.

"Why didn't you talk to me about it? I had to hear it from Chelsea and your mother? What the hell?!"

"Is everything alright in here?" DB asked but his voice was muffled by the arguing.

Mandy and Liam had been just about in-separable. They had been spending a lot of time together, he had started helping with the wedding. Mandy had decided to let Liam walk her down the aisle instead of Frank which had just enraged Nick… that and the fact that Mandy had neglected to tell him.

"Don't be like that! I was going to talk to you about it tonight; I wanted to wait because I knew you would get like this." Mandy said poking him in the chest. Nick bites his tongue.

"I think you're lying." Nick said making a face.

"Oh screw you, Nick. You don't know what's it like, you had a father!" Mandy argued.

"So did you!" Nick yelled flabbergasted. Mandy pushes him back and storms off, angrily pushing past DB.

Nick looks shocked and confused, and very angry. They didn't need this right now. With everything that had been going on and the wedding, this was just an irrelevant stress factor, he thought. Mandy had trusted Liam pretty quickly while everything about the man seemed to rub Nick the wrong way. Nick had only spent a little time with the man, and the kids had yet to meet him. Nick sighs as he goes to follow Mandy but DB stops him.

"Are you alright?" DB said seeing that Nick was still angry. He knew that the stubborn couple would have trouble compromising with each other.

"DB, you need to let me go." Nick said sternly. DB took a step back, and Nick walked past him just as he saw Mandy walk into the locker room. Nick sighs and enters slowly as he saw Mandy turn away as she rubbed her eyes. He tried to rub her shoulder and console her but she pulled away.

"Why can't you just support me?" Mandy asked wiping her eyes again as she turned to face him.

"It's hard because I think you are making the wrong decision." Nick said honestly and Mandy looked a little offended.

"Why can't you give him a chance? And trust me… and my decisions?" Mandy cried out and her raw emotion punched Nick right in the heart, but he couldn't change how he felt.

"I do trust you. It's him… I don't trust him. I… I don't want to see you hurt." Nick said softly.

"I trust him." Mandy said.

"Babe, he's only been back in the picture for a month. You haven't talked to your mom about what he has told you. I feel like you're in denial or naïve…" Nick said and Mandy sighed.

"I'll talk to her." Mandy said releasing another sigh. Nick hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to fight with you. I love you." Nick said holding her tight. Mandy hugged him back.

"I'm sorry, too. I love you so much." Mandy said. "I'm sorry I pushed you."

"I thought you were going hit me." Nick chuckled. "I want to support but, I'm just having trouble."

"You just need to spend more time with him. He's a nice guy." Mandy said touching Nick's chest. Nick made a face.

"You talk to your mom… and Frank and I'll spend more time with daddy dearest." Nick said, Mandy poked Nick in the stomach.

"Fine…" Mandy said sticking her pinky out. "Pinky promise?" Nick sighed and pinky promise. They smiled at each other and started laughing. Mandy tried to pull her hand away but Nick just picked her up.

"Nick, put me down. I have to go to work." Mandy said trying to be serious but was laughing.

"You're not mad at me?" Nick said giving her a nervous cheesy smile.

"I'm not mad." Mandy said smiling giving Nick a quick kiss.

"Is everything alright in here?" Greg asked. "I thought for sure I'd find a crime scene." He only halfheartedly joked.

"We are alright, Greg." Mandy said smiling.

"Ready to go, Nick?" Greg asked.

"Yeah."

"Where you guys going?" Mandy asked touching Nick's arm.

"Just to go get some drinks. Its fine, babe." Nick said seeing her face change.

"Just don't drink too much, please." Mandy said looking in his eyes.

"I know." Nick said kissing her forehead leaving.

At the bar, Nick and Greg were unwinding after a tough shift and overwhelming day period. There was certain emptiness in both men that only alcohol could fix. They sat in silence as they drank there crappy beer at the bar side.

Anytime Nick had to be honest with his feelings whether it was with Mandy or anyone. It always left Nick feeling strained. This was something Nick had actively working on since before the twins were born but it was still just as hard.

"I got that file together you wanted." Greg said handing Nick a small manila folder.

"Anything crazy?" Nick asked not opening the folder.

"I didn't see anything, but I didn't look too thoroughly. Last thing I want is for Mandy to kill us both." Greg chuckled as he finished his beer. "I realize you're still having trouble with Mandy's dad, but is this the way you want to handle it. You can't run background checks on everyone." Greg said and Nick made a face as he drank his face as if saying why not? Nick shook his head.

"It's not for me." Nick said making a face.

"You want to give it to Mandy? You do realize that you are supposed to get married in a few months right?"

"Of course." Nick said confused.

"That can't happen if she kills you. Why are you pushing this so hard?" Greg asked, Nick just shrugged and turned his gaze to his beer. "So you acting like this has nothing to do with your father's passing?" Greg said waving the bartender off, signaling he didn't want a refill.

"My father would've… no, we were arguing because of her. She wants me to be honest and talk about how I'm feeling and all that BS but she doesn't tell me that… c'mon." Nick said defensive, as he slowly shut down.

"You're the only person who believes that, you know?" Greg said paying his tab and tapping Nick on the shoulder to get him to come. "Come on." Nick made a face and followed Greg.

As they were leaving Nick got a text from an old college buddy turned Vegas PI. The same PI that Liam had hired to find her. However after Greg's enlightenment Nick now felt like he was in a predicament. Nick said he would trust Mandy but he was having trouble, even though he trusted her it was Liam he didn't. Nick knew that Mandy wouldn't react well when she found out that he ran a background search on Liam or found the PI. But something in Nick's instinct said he had too.

What do you think? Stressed! Please Review!