I do not own CSI:NY, CSI or their characters. None, set after Snow Day and my fics: Bar Call, Sisterhood, and A Hand to Hold.
When in Vegas
It was supposed to be a treat for all involved. Mac had a feeling that they would all remember this trip for other reasons. The annual national forensic conference was being held in Vegas, and his team had been lucky enough to be selected to go. Unfortunately, Sheldon had a conflict, but Flack had been tapped to attend a few seminars on police/forensic team cooperation and relations. Things had been shaping up to be a very good weekend.
It had gone well at the start. The seminars were interesting, and Mac enjoyed meeting investigators from other labs. He had struck up a discussion of recipes for fingerprint powder with Gil Grissom, and Peyton had run into her old college roommate from Harvard and was catching up.
Then that catching up had turned into a ladies night out for the women of the Vegas and New York labs. And the next thing he knew, Mac was being called down to the police station to pick up his ladies. Thankfully, he had brought Danny and Flack along as back-up. The ladies had been fine. Slightly tipsy, but fine. It had been a minor altercation, and no one had been hurt, but the sight of Peyton attempting to sing one hit wonders from eighties with her former roommate did odd things to his heart.
So over breakfast he asked her.
"Marry me."
Peyton blinked. "Mac?"
"Marry me."
"Have you been drinking?"
He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, just thinking. I want to marry you."
"All right." She smiled back at him. "We can start planning when we get home."
Mac kissed her. "What's wrong with today?"
Peyton blinked again. "Who are you and what have you done with Mac Taylor?"
He just laughed and wrapped an arm around her. "It's been something I've been thinking about for a while. Besides, we're in Vegas. Stella and everyone are here, and it would be simple."
"All right." She bit her lip then smiled. "No Elvis impersonators."
Mac kissed her. Stella threw a napkin at them from the other end of the table.
"What are you two lovebirds up to now?"
Grinning, Mac tossed the napkin back. "Planning a wedding. Do you want to be a bridesmaid?"
Stella laughed. "It's about time. When's the wedding?"
"This afternoon."
Her jaw dropped. "You're joking. Mac, do you have a fever or something?"
"That's what I wanted to know," Peyton laughed. "Want to be my maid of honor?"
Stella grinned. "I'd love to. Let me grab Lindsay, and we'll find you a dress. And you," she pointed a finger at Mac, "had better round up the boys. You'll need rings as well. Or do you already have them?"
He smiled sheepishly.
"Rings, Mac. We'll take care of the venue. We'll call you once we've got a place and time."
Mac watched as his best friend dragged his fiancée out of the room. So rings and tuxedos, he could do that. Now he just had to find Danny and Flack.
Peyton bit her lip to keep from giggling. She stood in one of the bridal rooms at the Chapel of Flowers while Stella and Catherine, from the Las Vegas crime lab, fussed over her dress. Stella had taken over all the details with Catherine's help, and before she knew it, Peyton was dressed in a wedding gown and about to walk down the aisle. The chapel outside was filling up with various CSIs and police officers.
"Here." Stella unclasped her necklace, slipping it around Peyton's neck. "You need something borrowed."
The other woman kissed her forehead. "Take care of him, okay? You mean as much to him as Claire ever did. Don't doubt that you're a part of our family now."
She nodded. She wasn't sure she could answer Stella without bursting into tears.
Stella just grinned. "Besides, I want godchildren. Remember, we have this all figured out."
Sara handed her a bouquet of white roses and English ivy. "Remember, Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit. Peter Ustinov."
Catherine just laughed. "You've been spending too much time with Grissom. We're going to grab out seats."
Stella and Lindsay were acting as her bridesmaids. Stella winked at her as they took their places by the entrance of the chapel. The music started, and Peyton found her eyes drawn down the aisle to Mac who stood smiling at the alter. This wasn't what she had in mind when she had agreed to come to the conference. It had seemed like a good opportunity to relax with friends and trade stories with others in their field. But meeting Mac's smiling eyes, Peyton found that she didn't mind this sudden change in plans. With a smile, she slid her hand into his, and surrounded by their friends, they went through with the spur of the moment whim of Mac's.
After all, they were in Vegas.
