Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:Miami in any shape or form – so I am not making any money from this. I will put them back gently after I am finished playing with the characters. As before any anything appearing in Italics means that the character is using American Sign Language.

FAMILY

Chapter 1 – A Special Dinner

Mari smiled, as she walked down the hallway towards the reception area, where Dean Allan was waiting for her.

"Hi, ready to go?" Dean asked, giving the petite red-head woman a hug and kiss in greeting.

"Just about, I have to get a few things from my locker," Mari went to the locker room, when she rejoined Dean, she found Horatio talking with Dean. "Hi Horatio, were you looking for me?"

"No, I was just about to leave when I spotted Dean, looking a little lost," Horatio teased gently.

"Horatio was just taking pity on me, he knew that I was missing someone," wise cracked Dean.

"Going out to dinner?" asked Horatio.

"We are going to Casa Tua, our favourite restaurant," replied Mari.

"Hmm, great food," agreed Horatio, a sad look in his eyes.

"Also it helps that Dean's parents own the restaurant," Mari smiled at Dean.

"I always take advantage of family perks." grinned Dean. "Do you have plans? You are more then welcome to join us."

"No, I have plans, but thank you," refused Horatio.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," said Mari, slipping her hand thru Dean's arm.

"Have fun," smiled Horatio.

At Casa Tua, Dean and Mari enjoyed their meal at their favourite table. And Dean's parents visited with their son and Mari during their breaks.

Dean and Mari were talking after they finished their dessert - the house special of Mojito Cake. "Mari, I have something to ask you," said Dean, reaching for Mari's hand.

"Yes?" Mari looking curious.

"I know that we have only known each other for a few short months, but I feel that we have a special bond. So I am asking if you would do me the honour of marrying me and being my wife, my soul mate," Dean retrieved a velvet covered ring box from the pocket of his suit jacket, opening it - revealing an old fashioned diamond ring.

"Oh Dean, it's beautiful," breathed Mari, gazing at the ring. "And I am so surprised."

Dean's face fell with disappointment as he anticipated Mari's refusal of his marriage proposal.

"Yes, I will marry you."

"I understand, it's too soon...," began Dean, stuttering to a halt as her answer finally registered. "What! Did you say yes?" Dean looking shocked.

"Yes, I will marry you," laughed Mari.

"She said yes!" Dean looked past Mari, and she looked over her shoulder to see Dean's parents standing there - smiling. Dean pulled Mari to her feet, hugging and kissing her before sliding the ring onto Mari's left hand. "It's was my grandmother's ring," explained Dean. "We can get the setting changed if you don't like the style."

"No, it's perfect. I love it," reassured Mari.

"I'm so happy," said Jessi Allan, Dean's mom, as she hugged Mari. "Welcome to the family." And Sam, Dean's dad also hugged Mari.

"And you must call us Mom and Dad," said Jessi.

"We have to celebrate," Sam proclaimed - getting a bottle of champagne from the bar.

Mari and Dean had a glass of champagne with Jessi and Sam before leaving - Dean driving Mari home.

At Mari's house, Mari invited Dean inside for some coffee, in the kitchen Mari started the coffee machine, then turned to Dean. "Dean, let's not wait too long to set the wedding date. Recent events have showed me that life is too short and that anything can happen."

"I agree. How about we talk to Father MacDonald and mom and dad after church next Sunday, and set a date."

"Yes, we have a lot of planning ahead of us."

"Mom will be happy to help with the planning."

"That's good, and I want to ask Horatio to be the one to walk me down the aisle, that is if that is okay with you?"

"Yes, of course - you and Horatio seem to have a special bond," Dean agreed. "I'll ask Glenn my law partner to be my best man."

"And I want Calleigh to be my maid of honour and Natalia to be my bridesmaid."

"Can we have my Uncle's twins to be the flower girl and ring bearer?"

"Yes, my parent's were both orphans. So I have no other family."

"It's getting late; we can continue making plans tomorrow after work."

"Alright, I'm going to talk to Horatio tomorrow and ask him about giving me away."

"Sure and don't forget to talk to Calleigh and Natalia," Dean gave Mari - a hug and a lingering good night kiss.

"Umm, good night Dean and drive safe," Mari walked with Dean to the front door - kissing him again, before he left. Mari locked the door behind Dean - setting the security alarm.

The next day Mari was working in the lab, when Horatio walked into the room. "You were looking for me?"

Mari looked up, smiling at her boss. "Yes, can you spare a few minutes?"

"I have nothing urgent on my plate at the moment. What's up," asked Horatio, looking curious.

Mari set the tools that she was using off to one side, before stripping off her latex gloves and held her left hand out, her engagement ring flashing in the overhead light.

"What's this?" Horatio gently took Mari's hand - taking a close look at the ring. "So Dean followed thru with his proposal."

"You knew!"

"Yes, Dean mentioned it to me last night," smiled Horatio. "I'm happy for you, Dean is a good man."

"Yes, he is. Obviously we haven't set a date yet. But I would like to ask you if you would give me away," Mari looked anxiously at Horatio, biting her lip.

Horatio looked surprised and pleased at the same time. "I would be honoured and congratulations on your engagement," Horatio gave Mari a huge hug.

"Thank you, we will let you know when the wedding will be. But we do know one thing; it's not going to be a long engagement."

Horatio's phone rang and he signed. "Excuse me," and left Mari's lab while talking on his cell phone.

At lunchtime, Mari met Calleigh and Natalia in the breakroom as per their usual practice, if they were not in the field. Mari didn't say anything - waiting to see if the two CSIs would notice. The three of them were eating and practicing their signing.

Suddenly Calleigh reached out, grabbing Mari's hand. "Oh my Lord! Is this what I think it is?" signed Calleigh, turning Mari's hand from side to side.

"What?" Natalia peering at Mari's hand.

Mari just smiled in response to their questions.

"It is, you are engaged," Calleigh answered her own question.

"Dean proposed last night at his parent's restaurant," Mari signed happily. Calleigh and Natalia hugged Mari in delight, signing their congratulations.

"Calleigh, Dean and I want you to be my maid of honour. And Natalia, we want you to be my bridesmaid."

"Oh, I would be honoured," replied Calleigh and Natalia also signed her agreement to be a bridesmaid. The three women talked about wedding plans for the rest of their lunch break.

On Sunday, Dean and Mari went to church along with Dean's parents where their minister Father MacDonald announced their engagement to the church congregation, who clapped their congratulations. After the church service, a number of their fellow churchgoers stopped to speak with the happy couple and his parent's with their congratulations. Finally they were able to get together with Father MacDonald to discuss possible wedding dates. Between the five of them, they settled on a wedding date - six months in the future. Dean and Mari decided that they wanted to be married in October, the same month as their birthdays.

Days passed and Mari with Jessi's help was busy making wedding plans. And Dean was busy defending a man who was facing 1st degree murder charges, which meant that he was working last most evenings.

At work, Mari was working, but kept looking up every time someone passed by the lab. She was concentrating on placing markers on a skull, when Alexx walked into the room. "Hi Mari."

Mari jumped in surprise, dropping a handful of markers. "Dang it, I wish people would give me some warning."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Alexx apologized.

"Sorry, it's just me," said Mari with a sheepish look.

"What's wrong? Is there something bothering you?"

"It's nothing."

"Mari honey, you know me better than that. Come on tell me what's wrong?" Alexx looked at Mari with a very familiar look.

"Have you been taking lessons from Horatio?"

"He learned from me," Alexx chuckled. "Now tell me everything."

"I'm probably just spooked, but I feel that someone is been watching me, and no, I don't have any idea who it might be."

"Have you mentioned it to anybody? Dean or Horatio?"

"No, I don't have any evidence."

"Isn't Dean involved in a high profile case right now? Maybe it is related to the case."

"I don't know, but I do know that Dean has enough to worry about right now. I don't want to add to his worries."
"You need to tell someone, either Dean or Horatio. And if you won't, I will," insisted Alexx.

"Is there a problem ladies?" asked Horatio, stepping inside the room, frowning slightly at Alexx and Mari - who looked at each other with guilty looks.

"I need to get back to the morgue, Mari can explain the situation," Alexx left the room.

"Thanks alot," Mari muttered.

"Mari, what is going on?" Horatio - giving Mari that famous "Horatio look" with his hands on his hips.

"It's personal and I need to talk to Dean first."

"Mari," Horatio said in a warning tone.

"I promise that I won't let it interfere with work, and I really need to talk it over with Dean first," begged Mari.

"Soon Mari," Horatio looking at Mari before leaving the room.

That evening after a delicious dinner that Dean had prepared for Mari at his house, they relaxed on the couch while looking at photo albums.

"Who is this pretty girl?" asked Mari, seeing pictures of Dean hugging an attractive Latino girl.

"That's Cleo; I dated her for awhile when I was in law school."

"Yeah, was it serious?" Mari asked curiously.

"We were in an exclusive relationship in our senior year."

"What happened? Why did you break up?"

"Cleo wanted to get married after graduation and she me told that she was pregnant and that I was the father."

"What?"

"I was wild when I was younger before I committed myself to Jesus," Dean admitted.

"Was she pregnant?"

"No, she lied about the pregnancy, and when I found out the truth, I broke up with Cleo."

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know, she didn't finish law school."

"She quit law school?"

"Yeah, someone told me that she went home to New York."

"Wow."

"Yeah, wow."

"How is the case doing?"

"Not so good, the evidence is overwhelming."

"I will be glad when it will be finally over. You have been so busy lately."

"I know and I miss being with you."
"Me too," sighed Mari.

"You should go, it's getting late."

"Is that the time? I've got to get going, I'm such a slow starter in the morning," Mari kissed Dean before scrambling off the couch.

Dean walked Mari to her car, giving her a good night kiss and hug. "Drive safe."

"I will," Mari said, before driving out of Dean's driveway.

Mari was driving alongside one of the many canals in Miami, this one close by her street. There wasn't much traffic that time of night in her neighborhood. Mari was turning onto her street, when suddenly she was broadsided from the passenger side, slewing her car sideways into the canal. Mari hit her head on the side window, stunning her until she felt the cold water seeping into the car.

As the car slowly sank into the canal, Mari thought of her hearing aids, grabbing an empty plastic bag from the console of the car - putting the aids in the bag and knotting it shut. By this time the water was up to Mari's chest, Mari rolled her window open before the car sank completely - taking deep breaths before swimming out the open window, escaping from the sunken car, clutching the plastic bag - swam to the surface. Mari crawled up over the bank, collapsing on the shoulder -gasping for breath.