**Later That Night**
Tim and Lauren were snuggled up on their simple clean lined medium gray five piece sectional sofa. Tim had his feet propped up on a black leather cube ottoman while Lauren sat next to him with her legs laying over his and her arms wrapped around his waist. Lauren was about to say something when they heard the door bell and then the front door open and close. "We're in here, dad!" Lauren shouted from the living room. She not only heard one pair of footsteps but two pair. Tim saw the confused look on her face and smiled.

"Hi sweetheart," Horatio said giving Lauren a kiss on the top of her forehead. "Hi Speed."

"Hi H," Tim smiled back.

"Hi daddy, how was work?" Lauren asked getting up to give her father a hug. At first she didn't see the person standing behind her father until she left go of him. Her eyes go wide with shock.

"Virginia?!" The woman she called by the name Virginia grinned and held her arms open telling Lauren to come give her a hug.

"Hi honey, come here I haven't seen you in a long time," Virginia said.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're here," Lauren said practically running to her. Virginia was like a mother to her. She had known Virginia since she could remember.

"Come on I'll show you around the house," Lauren said excitedly.

"Please save me from where the magic happens please," Virginia said jokingly. Lauren took her hand and started heading toward her and Tim's bedroom laughing.

"That's where we're going first Vee." Once finished with the tour of the house. The four all sat down to catch up with each other and talk about what everyone was up to now.

They moved into the dining room, and dinner was being served as they all heard the front door open and close.

"Laurie, Timmy, Horatio?" Margaret said coming in the door and taking off her shoes. Holding her targets from her day at the range with Calleigh, "Laur, everything smells good, what are we having?" She walks into the living room and stops; she noticed another body in the room, one she hasn't seen in a few years. "Vee?"

Virginia turned around and smiled, "Hi Maggie, long time, no see!"

"Yeah, didn't think you'd remember me. How long has it been? Since we bumped into each other in New York City a couple of years ago, right?" She said giving her a hug and Horatio a kiss on the cheek.

"Sounds about right, and how could I forget my favorite girl's best friend?"

Margaret sits down and looks at Horatio and smiles brightly.

"What?" He said looking down and smiling.

"It's good to see you and Vee together again!" She paused and realized both Horatio and Virginia shifted in their seats, she quickly changed the subject. "Also that ballistics expert of yours…"

"Thanks." Horatio blushed, Margaret and Lauren shot each other a wicked smile and look. "Hey, I tried to tell Calleigh she was going to have competition if she went to the range with you. I hope you didn't beat her too bad."

They all laughed, "Actually, I made her speechless."

"What?! That is impossible to do to Calleigh Duquesne! You must have pulled out all the stops on her." Tim said in disbelief.

"She said what you've always told me Horatio." Margaret and Horatio have had many talks about her shooting ever since Tim told him about her abilities.

"What is that Maggie?" Lauren asked and knew Tim and Vee were also wondering.

She answered as she looked directly at Horatio, "Your dad has always told me to-"

He interrupted her, "I've always told her we could have used her as a police officer, she's too good of a shot to waste that talent on TV."

Margaret nodded in thanks, "I couldn't do it, science is my life, and weather is my life." She paused for a bit and pushed her food around her plate with her fork. "Anyway, Lauren this meal is delicious."

"Thanks Maggie, I'm glad you decided to come back for dinner," Lauren said with a weak smile. Tim reached over and took her hand in his squeezing it for some encouragement.

Feeling the tension, "Lauren, have you found a wedding dress yet?" Virginia asked wanting all the details that have happened so far in the planning of Lauren and Tim's wedding.

Lauren smiled; "No not yet. I went yesterday but didn't find anything. Calleigh and I are gonna go again and this time dad is coming with me. It didn't feel right without him there. How long are you down her for?"

"Two weeks. Mac gave me the time off so I decided to come down and see all of you. I missed you guys," she said finishing the last drop of red wine in her glass.

They all finished up their dinner and a quick dessert of strawberry shortcakes and whipped cream. Virginia, Lauren, and Margaret went into the living room while the boys cleaned up. When they came out the front of their shirts were soaked. The three girls laugh. Tim sat down next to Lauren and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and Horatio sat down next to Virginia on the love seat; Margaret was sitting on the other side of Lauren.

Lauren took Tim's hand in hers and placed it on her lap. "The reason I invited you to dinner is to…" She took a deep breath. Tim replaced his one hand with his other and rubbed her back with his newly freed hand. "I invited you to dinner to discuss a condition I have."

"Condition? Lauren, what's going on?" Horatio said with growing anticipation.

The three adults on the couch looked at the two older adults on the love seat as if they were in trouble. A lump grew bigger in Laurens throat. "I have PCOS, I… I umm…" Tears began to fall, she looked at Tim who, was looking at the ceiling most likely fighting off tears in his own eyes. She looked at Maggie, her last hope for strength, she was looking at something on the other side of the room, no tears in her eyes but she looked like she was far away in another world. Lauren looked at her Dad and Virginia. "I can't have children! I'm so sorry Daddy!" She cried, tears streaming down her face. Before anyone could move, Margaret was up and running to her room.

Horatio moved to comfort his baby girl. They all cried for a long time, until Lauren calmed down enough to tell Horatio and Virginia all the details.

"Sweetheart, it's ok. As long as you are healthy, there is always adoption. There are so many ways to have a baby. I'm not worried about the department of grandbabies."

Virginia came over and sat on the arm of the sofa next to Horatio and rubbed his back while reaching over and grabbing Lauren's hand. "There is a small window, they said possible infertility. Stay focused on that."

More encouraging words were shared and some more tears were shed. Time went by and soon it was time for Horatio and Virginia to leave. They said their goodbyes to Tim and Lauren and told the two to say goodbye to Margaret. Lauren and Tim cleaned and tidied up the living room and dining room and finally went off to find Margaret.

Margaret was in her room, under the covers with photo albums and tissues all over her bed. She was staring at a page in one album she had perched on her knees. Her eyes were empty, red and puffy much like Laurens. Lauren sat down on the bed. "I really needed you out there."

Margaret blinked and turned to her; she took a deep breath in and exhaled. "I know, I'm sorry, I just couldn't take hearing it again."

"Couldn't take hearing it again? Couldn't take hearing it again?" Lauren repeated as she stood up off the bed and started to get angry. Tim ran to her side to comfort her. "I have to live with it! I can't have children and you can, how do you think that makes me feel?"

Tears building in Margaret's eyes, "Like shit. I know. But what you don't know is that since the day I got the two of you together I've wanted a baby from you. Knowing it would be the most beautiful baby. I don't have siblings and have always, always thought of you as my family. Tim and I were always close and he is like a brother to me. I've always wanted to be an aunt and a mother. I had such high hopes for you. That day that you called me…" Tears pouring down her face now as Lauren sat back down on her bed. "That day you called me, I just didn't know what to do. I love you so much that my body ached for you. I wanted this to just go away." The photo album slid off her knees and down by her feet. Tim looked at it and looked at his cousin and his fiancée. He turned back to the picture for something caught his eye. "It's not fair for you, you don't deserve this. And you won't listen to me about other options and the fact that there is a…"

"I know it's not, and Vee made me see that there is a small window, so I am hoping for that. Maybe we can have a baby."

They girls hugged and said they loved each other. Tim would just never understand how women made up so fast. "Hey Maggie, what's this? And what's with the name?" He pointed to one of the pictures on the page.

Margaret looked at it, touched her heart and smiled she told him to sit down and took both of their hands. "Lauren, Tim, this was my last sonogram picture before…" Lauren quickly hugged her friend. "We were going to ask you, before the baby was born, if we could name him after you? One of the strongest men I know." This brought a tear to Tim's already reddened eyes.

"Thanks, Maggs. One day you…" He looked at his girlfriend too. "One day the two of you will have your babies."

Two mornings later, Margaret was in the kitchen making coffee. Lauren came into the kitchen and said thanks for making coffee. Margaret looked at the coffee maker and two mugs. "Oh, umm did you want some?" Lauren looked at her friends curiously.

"Yeah, we always have coffee together in the morning. Are you ready to go dress shopping today? Why are you dressed like that?" Lauren said just noticing her friend's unusual choice of pajamas. Actually it was more like really naughty lingerie.

"Umm…" Margaret said looking in the direction of her room. "I haven't done laundry in a while."

"Bull, you did laundry the other day." Lauren followed Margaret's eyes to her bedroom door. Lauren smiled and looked at Margaret and started to walk towards her bedroom. Margaret quickly followed her as it became a race to the door. Margaret got there first and plastered herself to the door. "You had your date last night with John, is he in there? Oh my god, he is you bad girl!"

"No he's not, no ones in there."

"Lies!" All of a sudden Tim walked by the two women.

"Hmm, you know, I really don't want to know why my cousin is dressed like that, or what's going on. So good morning ladies, continue on." He said as he walked by.

"I can't believe you slept with John Baldwin of 'Good Morning Miami'."

"I didn't… fine, ok I did, but it was bad, really bad sex. The guy may have sex appeal but no idea how to have sex." Both women laughed.

"Tim and I had a little fun last night too," Lauren adds with a big grin on her face. "Let's just say I'm unable to work out today."

Both women laughed again, "I know what you mean." Margaret said raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, you just said it was bad. Well, who cares, can we meet him? I mean you are in my house."

Margaret rolled her eyes, thankful she didn't press the issue any further and agreed, she and Lauren did have plans today. So she goes into her room and wakes up John the best way she knew how. She straddled him and rocked her hips teasingly slow. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Oh, you're ready to go again? I thought we almost broke your bed after our mini marathon last night." She grinned and rolled her eyes, she bent down to him kiss him but spoke instead.

"We did almost break my bed, and no I'm not ready to go again. I have to go dress shopping with my cousin's fiancée. But they want to meet you." She gets off him and he said that he heard what she said through the door. She smiled and went over and kissed him. "I had to lie; I don't want my family to know that I just had the most amazing sex of my life. Then I would have to answer questions and right now, I'm not ready to say anything about us." They linked fingers and he turned her ring. She looked at him and tried to read him.

"What kind of ring is this?" He asked as she became suddenly very uncomfortable.

"Can we talk about this tonight? Come on get dressed. My cousins want to meet you." Margaret said trying to divert the conversation. John only nodded.

"Lauren? Tim?" She found them at the kitchen table; John was walking behind Margaret and had his arm wrapped around her stomach. "This is John, John this is my best friend Lauren and my cousin Tim."

"John, it's nice to meet you," Lauren said grinning as she got up from Tim's lap to shake his hand. Lauren made a mental note to ask Margaret about the 'bad sex' later. Tim followed and shook John's hand, but with a little more strength. He was eyeing him like a brother would with his sister's new boyfriend. Then he stared him in the eye as if saying 'I got my eye on you'.

"It's uh, it's nice to meet you two…" John said a little nervously. Tim sat back down on the kitchen chair and Lauren went back to sitting on his lap. She gave Margaret a look saying, 'bad sex huh'.

Margaret blushed a little. "Hey John, I'll walk you to your car." They walk outside towards his car and John leans against his car. "I had a great time last night."

"Yeah, I had a very good time." He said stroking her arm. Lauren ran to the kitchen window to watch, Tim, getting all 'big brother' did too.

Lauren and Tim watched as Margaret flirted with John. "If he kisses her in my driveway, I might have to break his pretty TV face." Lauren grabbed his arm as John leaned in to kiss her, Lauren felt Tim getting ready to move. They watched as John kissed Margaret and moved her back flush against his car. "This is ridiculous." Tim said, "I'm going out there."

"No you don't come here..." Lauren said grabbing him by the arm and kissing him fully on the lips. "Let's not... go out there... and say we did," Lauren said in between kisses.

She starts pushing him toward their bedroom. "Mmmm I see. Let's see my sexy fiancée or pretty boy." Tim leans down and kisses Lauren. "Pretty boy.... Mmm, sexy fiancée."

Margaret walks in the door, and closes it leaning against it. She bites her lip and looks at the two attacking each other. "Oh, uhh sorry!" She shields her eyes, "Lauren, your Dad just pulled up."

"Hey wait a minute I though..." Tim said trailing off.

"Later tonight baby, I promise and if you're a really good boy I might get that sexy biker chick outfit out," Lauren said her voice full of lust for him. A huge grin played on Tim's face when she said the biker chick outfit.

There was a knock on the door, Horatio walked in followed by Virginia. "Ladies..."

"Hi daddy," Lauren said with excitement. "Hi Vee."

"Hi Horatio, hi Vee." Margaret said.

"Hi guys! Are you ready to dress shop?" Virginia asked with a smile.

"What am I invisible?" Tim asked jokingly.

"No baby, you're not invisible," Lauren said hugging him and stealing a few quick kisses

"Come you guys lets go get Lauren her perfect dress," Margaret said with some pep in her voice.

Horatio looked at her and asked "Was that John Baldwin pulling out of the driveway?"

Margaret stayed cool; she knew he was trying to pry. Just as he'd always done, acting like a father figure since she lost her parents in her late teens. "Yeah, he came by to tell me about work on Monday, who to eat lunch with and what not."

He nodded, not knowing if he believed her, put on his sunglasses and said, "Let's go shopping."

Lauren, Virginia, Margaret, and Horatio piled out of the car and met Calleigh and her father inside the dress shop. Lauren and Calleigh couldn't wait to try on more dresses.

The girls met with their consultants and started looking for dresses. Lauren and Calleigh came out at the same time. They both didn't like the way the dresses looked on them; they were mermaid style. They turned right around and put on the next dress. They both came out almost at the same time and looked at each other with disbelief. Their consultants had picked the same dress for them. They all let out simultaneous laughs.

"Definitely not," both Calleigh and Lauren said at the same time.

Calleigh, Lauren, Margaret and Virginia looked for new dresses themselves. Looking through dresses Lauren casually said, "So someone here had sex last night and she lied about how good it was."

Margaret felt her face getting warmer but never looked up. "Who?" Calleigh said, and then it hit her, "Oh. My. God. Maggie, you had your date with John didn't you?"

Margaret nodded but didn't make eye contact. Virginia took the dresses Lauren had in her hand and walked away, not wanting to know details. "Yes she did and she told me she had really bad sex."

"Maggie, bad sex with John, yeah right, he looks like he would be very good."

"Cal, don't you have a fiancée?" Maggie said with the best come back she could think of.

"Yeah, but my Cuban and I have a look, don't touch policy. It doesn't mean I can't talk about my friends sexual partners."

Margaret really blushed at her words.

"Just tell us, because I didn't hear you last night." Lauren said.

Margaret turned to her friends and smiled as an eyebrow went up, "That's because it didn't happen in your house." Both women looked at each other with wide eyes and their mouths dropped. Margaret smiled widely and laughed. "This wasn't the first time I've done this with a man, Steve and I did something like this, but after drinks we went to his car and got a blanket, we walked the boardwalk and down to the beach, we went to a secluded part of the beach, by the water and, well… you know. We came back to your house, and…"

"Oh my God! I still didn't hear you, not that I was really listening but…"

"That's what they call being quiet and respectful of others sleep." She smiled and winked.

"Wow, on the beach! That's pretty romantic; Eric and I have had sex in the po-"

"Eww."

"I hope you cleaned it!"

"Of course we did! I'm sorry, but Eric and I have a very satisfying physical, mental and emotional relationship."

"No one's saying anything different, we swim in that pool! But Tim and I have had outdoor escapades as well, similar to yours Maggie. We were visiting in New York, up at the old camp you guys used to go to as kids; we set out a blanket and made love under the stars." Margaret and Calleigh laughed. "What?"

In a mocking tone Margaret said, "We made hot passionate love under the stars as the wild animals watched in awe." Calleigh couldn't stop laughing at Margaret's parody.

"Shut up, my fiancée is very romantic and after all these years still knows how to surprise me!"

Margaret laughed harder, "You are a big mush when it comes to my cousin, I'm telling you that's the best matchmaking I've ever done. Come on girls, let's find wedding dresses for you."

They picked out more dresses and Calleigh and Lauren went into their dressing rooms.

Calleigh came out first, the dress looked really good on her, but Duke, her father, didn't think it was the right one.

Lauren was taking a long time. Virginia went and knocked on the door. Lauren spoke up and everyone could tell something was off. When Lauren finally composed herself enough to come out she had tears in her eyes and streaming down her face. Margaret stood up and took a deep breath in, tears started to come to her eyes too. "That's it, that's your dress! What you're feeling, that glow, that's the feeling Alexx and I were talking about."

Lauren's dress was a sheath silhouette style with a sweetheart neckline. A spotless white, there were some rhinestones under the bust which just accented her top curves. The dress that had a dropped waist that slightly gathered at the hip. It hugged her curves just right and when she turned around the back revealed a corset type of backing. It was very elegant and amazingly perfect for her.

Lauren looked at herself in the mirror, "Daddy, what… what do you think?" Horatio stood there, not saying anything. He couldn't, his baby girl looked so beautiful. Tears came to his eyes as Virginia came up behind him and rubbed his back with her other hand on his shoulder.

"You look beautiful baby girl, just like your mother." He smiled and Lauren and her dad hugged both crying. Virginia hugged her after Horatio let go, she had told her that she was so beautiful, just like when she was a baby.

Lauren pulled Margaret aside, "Hey I have to ask you something."

"Sure, anything."

"Please don't be mad, but I'm going to ask Vee to be my Maid of Honor."

Margaret exhaled a deep breath, "I'm not mad, she's like a mother to you and you never got to have one. This is going to be your day; it's all about you, what you choose."

"Are you sure you're not mad?"

"Yeah Laur, I'm fine. It's your decision, and I support it, just like I've always supported you. You look beautiful; Timmy won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

"When I first put the dress on I felt this… I don't know this sparkle all through my body."

"That's how you know things are perfect." The two hugged and smiled with tears rolling down their face. Lauren went to take off the dress in the dressing room. Margaret's smile faded, of course she was hurt, but she shouldn't be selfish at a time like this. Virginia was a mother to Lauren; Margaret at least got to know her mother for the short years that she was alive. Margaret dried her eyes and smiled, she thought 'Yeah, Virginia is the much better choice than me. A daughter needs her mother.' She went out to where the others were and sat down and waited for Calleigh.

Calleigh had also found her dress that day, she and her father both cried and Lauren and Margaret shed a few tears too. It was beautiful solid white strapless dress with a lacey top, with a chapel train, and the style was a split A-line dress that was gathered as the front waist line. Where the dress spilt in the front there was an underlying part and on the bottom there was a beaded detail. It was so beautifully Calleigh.