Bless the Broken Road, a csi fanfic

Title: Bless the Broken Road
Author: DarkDreamer56
Archive: If you want it, ask please!
Rating: T
Pairing: N/S
Disclaimer: If they were mine, oh the fun I could have….I don't own the song "Bless the Broken Road" either...

A/N: This is just a little piece that has been floating around in my head for awhile. It's a songfic, in the sense that it's base around a song, but the plot isn't. If it were any fluffier, it would probably just float away….enjoy!

Nick gathered Sara in his arms, pulling her close as the music started. One hand wrapped around her slender waist, the other held their entwined fingers together as they began to sway to the music.

I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you

"Have I told you how beautiful you look today?" he whispered, grinning down at her.

"You've mentioned once or twice," she replied with a smile of her own, blushing under the scrutiny of his appreciative gaze. "And I have to say, you clean up pretty good. We'll have to get you dressed up again sometime soon."

"I don't know about you sweetheart, but I don't plan on getting dressed up like this again. Ever." The double meaning of the statement wasn't lost on Sara, and she felt her eyes well up with tears.

Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

"No…never again. Besides, I don't know if I want to try to get into a dress like this again," she joked, trying to control the happy tears that were trying to escape her eyes.

Nick's eyes twinkled. "I think we're going to have fun getting you out of that dress though. I know I'm going to enjoy it later on tonight."

Sara couldn't help but giggle as she felt Nick's hand caress her back as he not so subtly began to finger the buttons holding her into her dress. "Emphasis on later, Cowboy. We still have to get through the rest of tonight."

"So, all of those etiquette books you read…did they have anything about how soon is socially acceptable to leave your own wedding reception?" There was that twinkle again, the one that made Sara weak in the knees.

She squeezed his hand firmly. "Well, certainly not right after the first dance. We've still got a couple more hours, okay baby?"

Sara was surprised at how easily the term of endearment rolled off of her tongue, and Nick grinned back at her; Sara was hardly an overly affectionate person, and the strongest endearment he usually got from her was 'Cowboy.' He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, trying to keep it as chaste as possible; he didn't want to give his grandmother or Greg for that matter, a heart attack.

I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

"I still think we can get away with leaving early…"

"Nick, these people are all here to help us celebrate. That's not exactly going to work if we're not here…a lot of them flew into Vegas, mostly your family," Sara protested mildly; Nick could tell that she wouldn't mind too much if he swept her away right then.

"I'd just explain it to them," he replied, tightening his grasp around her waist again. Sara quirked an eyebrow at him, urging him to explain it to her first. "See," he whispered conspiratorially, "I know what's underneath that dress…if anyone else knew, they would definitely understand. I'd have to kill them of course, but they'd understand."

Sara's face took on a pinkish hue again as she contemplated throwing etiquette to the wind and beginning the honeymoon a little early. She knew just as well, what was underneath his tux, and she couldn't help but grin in anticipation.

"Don't think I don't see that Sara Sidle, you want to go now too…"

Sara bit her lip gently, forcing back another grin. "That's Sara Stokes to you now, Cowboy."

"We could've just eloped," Nick mused, absentmindedly rubbing the small of her back with his thumb, "It would have been romantic."

"Baby, we live in Vegas. It wouldn't have been romantic, it would have been lazy. And I think your mother would have killed us. Catherine too."

"I suppose…but then we wouldn't be surrounded by two hundred of my parents' closest friends and business associates. Who came more for the casinos than for the son of their dear friends. And Ecklie. It would have just been you and me…that's all I need." Nick felt her toy with the hair at the nape of his neck and briefly lean against him as they swayed together. Sara felt her knees go weak for just a second, and realized with a smile that she had just married the only man capable of eliciting that particular response.

"Just a few more hours Nick…then I'm all yours." Sara whispered, her voice a mixture of seductiveness and shyness that nearly drove Nick over the edge.

"Darlin, use that voice again, and I'm gonna have to drag you out of here right now." Nick's voice was husky, but Sara knew Nick would never follow through; at least she didn't think so. She squeezed his hand gently, reminding him that they were currently the center of attention in front of his extremely large family, their friends, and colleagues, along with about two hundred other people that Sara had never met before, and would probably never see again.

"I like the song you picked," she whispered, laying her head against his shoulder. She was exhausted; they both were, and she hoped that sometime between now and their arrival at the honeymoon suite of the Stratosphere, they would find their second wind.

"Not bad for a country song, huh?" he teased lightly, "And you probably haven't heard more than a lyric or two of the entire song."

"That's not true…I listened to it yesterday before the rehearsal dinner. And country or not, it fits us." She sighed against his chest, relishing the warmth emanating from his body.

Nick rubbed her back, knowing what a long day it had been, especially for her. He loved how perfectly she fit in his arms, how the scent of her perfume lingered in the air around them, and he realized that he would be waking up with Sara curled up in his arms, smelling faintly of roses for the rest of his life.

"So now that we've established how beautiful you are, and how much I want to get you out of that dress, there's something else…"

"And what would that be Mr. Stokes?"

Nick swallowed once, suddenly finding his voice hard to locate. It liked to run off when the tears in his eyes made an appearance. "Have I told you how incredibly in love I am with you Mrs. Stokes?"

Sara sniffled once and lifted her head to gaze into his eyes. Just seeing the few tears trying to escape from his eyes caused the ones she had been trying so hard to control to trickle down her cheek.

"I love you so much," she murmured, brushing her lips against his.

Now I'm just rollin' home into my lover's arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you

The song ended, and Sara and Nick both heard faint clapping before they realized that they were still engaged in a rather involved kiss in front of everyone. Sara pulled away, blushing, but Nick pulled her back and planted one more kiss on her lips before he let her go, earning him a few hoots and hollers from Greg, Archie, and several of his brothers-in-law.

"Can I steal your lovely bride away for one dance?" Brass interrupted, tapping Nick on the shoulder. "I promise I'll give her back afterwards."

Nick turned to Jim and smiled. "You already gave her to me once today…I think I can give her back for a little while."

Sara beamed as Jim whisked her away, but not before Sara reached out and grazed Nick's hand with her fingertips. Nick watched the two of them dance together, Sara laughing at something Jim had said to her. He felt another tap on his shoulder, and turning, he found his mother, her face lit up with a smile as big as his home state.

"Not too old to dance with your Mama, are ya?" she whispered softly.

Nick reached out. "No ma'am, you raised me right."

It didn't take too long for the two sets of dancers to drift next to each other on the dance floor. About thirty seconds passed by before Jim began to chuckle and kissed Sara on the cheek.

"Congratulations sweetheart…but I think there's someone who would like his wife back." He then turned to Nick and Jillian Stokes. "Jillian, what do ya say?" Jillian nodded, hugging her son one last time before turning and giving her new daughter-in-law a warm hug. Sara, only slowly becoming used to the extent of physical expressions of love in the Stokes family, was surprised by the ease in which Jillian Stokes enveloped her. Before she had time to contemplate this, however, she was back in Nick's arms, and everything else was forgotten.

FIN.