Watch out for the Lochness Monster

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

It was one of those days where Nick hadn't gotten much sleep. Cat naps on his desk didn't count. He climbed into bed unable to sleep. Eventually he drifted off to sleep. His face had bruised up, and even though he had thrown ice on it... it was swelling. All the woman had done was slapped him? Whatever. At some point he'd given up caring what people did to him while he was at work. That was just the years of service kicking in he guessed.

Catching sight of his cheek bone in the mirror, he just shook his head. Compared to Eddie's shiner though this probably wasn't even that bad. He felt for his partner. That Whitmore woman could hurt. Careful not to wake his boyfriend, Nick slipped into the kitchen and started coffee and got some ice out of the freezer. Victims and their families acted out in strange ways when they were grieving or upset. Eddie was right that woman was bad news.

The only problem is Nick knew he couldn't just go after the woman who ran the company that made their gear. What would the department think about that one? No he didn't want to think about that right now. He just wanted coffee and for now the newspaper. He was going to let Barba sleep as long as he wanted.

⎃ @rebgates

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[Deleted]

Barba awoke to the smell of coffee, as soon as the scent hit his nose he was awake, it was almost on reflex at this point. He was in Nick's bed, he barely remembered letting himself in the night before and crawling in with the detective. Yesterday had been a long day. At least it was the weekend and there wasn't nosy people from work wondering why he took a cab into the city instead of his standard Uber driver. Barba got out of Nick's bed and wandered into the kitchen.

Nick was standing there with ice in his hand, staring at the coffee pot. "¿Que hora es? ¿Para qué estás usando el hielo?" (What time is it? What are you using the ice for?) Barba shuffled to get a coffee cup from the cupboard. He was only in his boxers because he wasn't going to sleep in his shirt from the day before. Being bare chested would be worth not having to spend extra time having the shirt pressed. He set the cup down and turned to Nick. "¿Quién te golpeó?" (Who hit you?)


@nick

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

Nick turned hearing Barba yabbering away in Spanish as was the usual for the two. "Lo suficientemente pronto como para ser demasiado pronto; Pero no puedo volver a dormir. "¹ It took him a second to process what Barba was asking. What did Ice have to do with the time? It had just been a long night. "Por mi mejilla"² he could at least be honest. He'd always been brutally honest with Barba, even if things weren't always easy.

Nick was trying to keep his eyes to himself but that was not working. Yeah there was that, Barba had him momentarily distracted as he set his cup down on the counter next to Barba's and took a step closer. "El monstruo del lago Ness"³ He said it was a dead serious tone. No really that was the nickname they gave her at work. The Lochness Monster. Right he was going to have to explain this to Barba he could just sense the look he was going to get.

1 - Early enough to still be too early; but I can't go back to sleep.

2- For my cheek

3 - The Lochness Monster

⎃ @rebgates

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[Deleted]

Barba yawned, then nodded. "Bueno, he olido el cafe..." (Well I smelled coffee...) He was up now, he wasn't going to turn down a fresh cup of coffee for more sleep. "Oh?" He turned to really get a look at Nick's face. He blinked. "The Loch Ness monster? You were hit by a mythical beast that lives in a lake in Scotland?" Barba could match Nick's serious tone too.

Barba leaned on the counter, staring at the coffee maker. "Es demasiado pronto para esto," he muttered. (It's too early for this) He didn't exactly mean that to be harsh, but any talk of the Loch Ness monster at this hour required some coffee and a wired mind. Barba knew he could leave after this conversation, after they had their coffee, but he'd just be going back to his place to a small pile of cases he had taken home the week before. He knew he could ask Nick if he could stay, but then that'd be imposing on Nick's schedule, which probably consisted of taking care of his face.


@nick

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

Nick started laughing when Barba started explaining the Lochness monster mythos to him. "That's what we call HER at work. It's a long story. The short version is she's the girlfriend of one of our victims. She saw something she wasn't supposed to see and she punched my partner and then slapped me." He paused a moment. "She's also my outcry witness who called 911" he added. They were allowed to discuss work at home because Barba prosecuted the cases. "Es el fin de semana. ¿Olvidamos el trabajo por unos días?"¹

Nick came up behind Barba and wrapped his arms around his partner. He could think of a lot better things to do with their time then spend it talking about work all the time. Nick debated what he was going to say. "Pensé en un buen comentario de sol de la mañana, pero decidí que me gustaban mis extremidades"² he teased him just a bit as he saw the coffee pot finish up before tending to it and filling up both cups.

1 - It's the weekend. It's the weekend. Let's forget about work for a few days?

2 - I thought about a good morning sunshine comment, but I decided i liked my limbs

⎃ @rebgates

template by Sammy @ Adox 2.0

[Deleted]

"Ah." Barba's eyes narrowed. "So she slapped you?" He shook his head. "I know, you're right." He grinned. "Yes, I'm sure the cases I have at home can wait."

Barba hummed as he felt Nick wrap his arms around him. He laughed at Nick's comment. "Buena idea. No quiero mutilarte tan temprano por la mañana." (Good idea. I would not want to mutilate you so early in the morning) Barba huffed as Nick moved away, even if it was to get the coffee. He took his cup as soon as Nick had finished pouring.


@nick

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

"That's one way of putting it" He saw Barba's eyes narrow at him. Nick didn't seem to have much luck in the women department when it came to getting them to cooperate, but he was better off then Eddie it seemed. The woman had put thought behind the punch to Nick's partner. Nick felt for the guy. That's why he sort of handled Vanessa, despite the fact he had already told Eddie that he would.

Barba's voice saying the cases could wait brought him out of his train of thought. "Stay in or see Chicago?" he offered as he moved back beside Barba leaning on the counter almost touching him but not quite. Keeping just enough distance so they could enjoy their coffee without bumping elbows.

There was a smirk on Nick's features "Explicas mutilar."¹ He replied a bit teasing manner as he looked over the rim of his cup. His eyes seemed to do all the talking right now. Okay so he was being a bit of a morning flirt but that was totally allowed right?

1 - Explain Mutilate

⎃ @rebgates

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[Deleted]

"Well as long as nothing's broken..." Barba took a long drink of coffee, almost moaning. The things that happened to Nick on the job could be much worse, Barba knew that. And that wasn't a thought he wanted to be having first thing on a weekend morning. He tilted his head, smirking back at Nick.

"Permanecer en el interior. La ciudad estará allí más tarde." (Stay inside. The city will be there later.) And what was there to see in Chicago that wouldn't be a tourist trap full of people anyway? "Bueno, me refería de una manera horrible, pero si vas a ser así ..." (Well I meant in an awful manner, but if you're going to be like this...) He set the coffee down and kissed Nick, turning to press closer to him.

"Sé lo difícil que es dejar una buena taza de café ..." (I know how hard it is to leave a good cup of coffee...) "Haré una nueva hornada más adelante si usted quiere." (I will make a new batch later if you want.) Barba muttered, "There's nothing sexy about mutilation, so I don't know why you were smirking about that. But I can think of things that are certainly sexy that we can do." He grinned, waiting for Nick to respond.


@nick

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

"Nada"¹ he replied from over his coffee cup. Well at least his boyfriend seemed to be enjoying the coffee. There was that. Okay so he wanted his attention, was that so wrong. But Zara was also in the house. He didn't hesitate to return the kiss to his partner. His hand rubbing the other man's arm. "Zara estará despierta pronto."² He reminded him.

"Ella está con su madre mañana. Podríamos ir al carnaval para el día. Las multitudes estarán fuera esta noche."³ Today was the last day for the carnival that was in town. "Le prometí que la tomaría."⁴ When it came to the his nine year old he tried to keep his promises. He had broken enough in his family. Nick leaned on Barba. "Entonces la noche puede ser nuestra."⁵


1 - Nothing.

2 - Zara will be awake soon.

3 - She's with her mother tomorrow. We could go to the carnival for the day. The crowds will be out tonight.

4 - I promised her that I would take her.

5 - Then the night can be ours

⎃ @rebgates

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[Deleted]

"Oh?" Barba wasn't going to push for anything else. He hummed. "Las alegrías de tener hijos ..." (The joys of having children...) Barba held no malice in his voice as he said that, he was happy that Nick had Zara. Though the thought of having children of his own still terrified him.

"¿El carnaval?" (the carnival?) Barba hadn't even been aware it was in town. Then again, anything out of his normal day of work usually skipped his attention. And if there had been the off chance that he wanted to go, it would have been strange to go alone, now there was an excuse to go. "Eres un buen padre." (You are a good father) Barba grinned. "You certainly make a tempting offer. Let's make your little girl happy, I'll need all the stored energy I can get anyway."


@nick

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

Hearing Barba hum, Nick ran his thumb over his partners cheek. He was adorable when he did that. "Ella es un puñado" (She is a handful) he agreed a little as he locked eyes with the Rafael.

"Si, El carnaval" confirmed Nick as she put a hand on Barba's shoulder. That was about the time that Zara came running in and wrapped her arms around both of them before she tugged on Nick to be picked up. Nick reached down and picked her up setting her on her hip before snaking his other arm around Barba's back. "Buenas Dias!" she greeted a good morning to Barba rather excitedly. Wiggling on her dad's hip.

⎃ @rebgates

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[Deleted]

Barba chuckled. "You're the one raising her." He moved back as Zara came running in to jump into Nick's arms. "Buenos días a ti también Zara." (Good morning to you too Zara) He grabbed hold of his coffee, determined to finish it at least halfway before they had to leave for the carnival. After he finished, he moved to put the cup in the microwave, at least to keep it warm if he had to leave it. "¿Estás emocionado por el carnaval?" (Are you excited for the carnival?)

Barba would go figure out what he wanted to wear after some kind of breakfast, he knew Nick wouldn't let anyone leave without eating first. "What's the weather going to be like?" He didn't have his tablet with him to check. "It'd be a shame if it were to rain during the carnival." Of course there was always the option to bring umbrellas or wear raincoats, but he was teasing Zara a little. He hoped his humor went over on her.


@nick

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

Leave it to his boyfriend to be the most sarcastic one in the morning. Zara waved rapidly at Barba and then climbed down to go back herself breakfast. She was all proud of herself lately because Nick let her make her own cereal now. Zara was busy with the milk until she heard Barba again. She looked over watching her dad put an arm around Barba's waist. "Si Senor. Gracia por pregunatar" (Yes sir, thanks for asking) she busied herself back with her cereal.

Nick put his lips to Barba's ear. "It's supposed to be nice." He smirked, he knew exactly what Barba was up to but Zara was engrossed into the back of the cereal box and the maze drawn on it. "Why don't you eat something hermoso?" Nick stood on his tiptoes and pulled bagels down. Showing them to barba in a manner that suggested he was asking him if he wanted any.

⎃ @rebgates

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[Deleted]

Barba smiled as he watched Zara. "She's very quick." Children and their energy. It was slightly terrifying even if he was around Zara quite a bit. He was sure she'd wear him out easily at the carnival. He'd need more coffee before then. "De nada Zara."

Barba hummed and took the bagel from Nick's left hand. "As long as she has fun, I'll endure anything for her and you. But those are the exceptions." No one else was able to weasel anything from him that he didn't want to do. "I'll accept bribes of coffee." He took a bite of bagel and smiled at Nick.


@nick

[Deleted]

I wanna see you run Anywhere you want Never let the darkness hold you back No fear of getting lost I wanna see you fly Way beyond the sun Anything you're ever gonna dream I pray that it will come But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom And you can't get back where you started Any place anytime. You gotta know for you I'll fight

Nick

Nick chuckled, “Are you sure you aren’t an investigator?” He liked to tease Barba whenever he could get a jab in and that had simply made it too easy for him. He watched Zara with a close eye, it was easy to tell there was a natural state of protectiveness over her. Nick’s hot head usually had very distinct thought patterns to them.

“You will enjoy yourself too. You just haven’t admitted it yet. And yes all the coffee you want.” He replied as she turned around and placed his hips against the counter. Leaning backward on his heels and plopping his bagel in the toaster he waited to see if Barba wanted his toasted as well.

⎃ @rebgates

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