Aliyah stood outside with Julia. Greg was standing off somewhere talking to Brass. The girls had already given him their statements as to what had happened. They were now presently watching as the paramedics loaded Nick up on a stretcher into the ambulance. Figuring it to be as good a time as any after everything that had just happened, Aliyah headed over to the ambulance with Julia following behind her.
"Hey." said Aliyah.
"Hey. Listen, I'm sorry 'bout what I said before." began Nick but he was cut off before he could say more.
"Nah, forget it. It's behind us, let's just leave it in the past. Besides, I'm not the one you really need to apologize to." said Aliyah, putting a hand on Julia's shoulder before walking away to find Greg. She spotted his as Brass was walking away and, smiling, she walked over to him. "Hey, there's my man." she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I don't feel like much of a man right now. I couldn't even protect you tonight." said Greg.
"Are you kidding? You did great tonight baby. You're my hero." said Aliyah as she pulled back.
"No, Brass is. He's the one who stopped Jeff before he could do any real damage." said Greg.
"Greg, it doesn't matter who shot him. You're a CSI, you know as well as I do what he could have done to me if you hadn't thrown him off when you did. And you're the one who held him off 'til help arrived. Nick got himself shot in the leg. Probably said something to piss Jeff off." said Aliyah.
"He did tell him to go to hell." said Greg, smiling a little.
"That'll do it." said Aliyah. She turned and saw Julia climb in the ambulance with Nick, holding onto his hand.
"You think they'll be okay?" asked Greg as the doors were closed and the ambulance drove off.
"They're having a baby. I think they'll be more than okay." said Aliyah. She then turned to look at him. "And so will we."
"Why? You pregnant too?" asked Greg, trying to make a joke even though the thought scared him.
"No." said Aliyah giving him a playful shove. "Why? You want me to be?"
"I don't know." said Greg, shrugging his shoulders.
"You ever given any thought to having kids?" asked Aliyah.
"No, not exactly." said Greg.
"Why not? I happen to think that you would be a great dad. I mean, you're a big kid yourself." said Leila.
"Thanks, I think." said Greg, not sure whether he should accept it as a compliment or an insult.
Aliyah couldn't help but laugh at him.
Right then, they heard a horn honk and looked over to see a Denali by the curb with Catherine behind the wheel, Ray in the front passenger seat and Riley in the back.
"Someone call for a lift?" asked Catherine.
Greg and Aliyah glanced at each other, smiling, before walking over and climbing in with their friends.
A few weeks had passed. Greg and Aliyah had stayed in a motel until their house was no longer considered a crime scene. They had slept in one of the spare rooms until they could get the carpet replaced, which Nick had told Greg that he would help him with it once his leg healed. Greg and Aliyah had picked the new carpet together and, after moving everything out of the room, had even ripped up the now blood-stained carpet. Once his leg had fully healed, Nick helped Greg put in the new carpet. Aliyah and Julia even rewarded them with their favorite snacks and drinks once they were finished, which they all sat outside to enjoy.
"You know, I've been thinking." began Aliyah.
"Uh oh. This could be bad." teased Nick.
"Oh shut up Nicky." said Aliyah, smacking him. "Anyway, I've been thinking that maybe we should repaint and maybe redecorate a couple of the rooms. I mean with you and Julia having a baby, you guys are gonna need the extra room." said Aliyah.
"Wait. Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" inquired Julia.
"If you mean am I suggesting that you and Nick move in than yes, I am. Greg and I talked about this the other day and we would like if you guys moved in with us. Besides, neither of your apartments are big enough for two plus a baby." said Aliyah.
Julia threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tight and affectionately.
"Oh thank you Aliyah, this means so much. Thank you." she said.
"You're welcome but you don't need to suffocate me to show your appreciation." said Aliyah, trying to bring free of Julia's iron grip.
"Oh, sorry." said Julia, releasing her friend.
A couple of days later, Greg and Aliyah came home only to be ambushed by Julia, who grabbed their wrists and started dragging them in the direction she wanted to them to go in.
"We need your guys' opinions on the baby's room." said Julia as she drug them to the bedroom that Aliyah had given them for the baby.
Nick was standing outside of the door waiting and opened the door when Julia stopped them in front of it.
"Well? What do you guys think?" asked Julia apprehensively.
"Oh Julia, this is great. You guys did a good job." said Aliyah as she stepped inside.
"Yeah, this is awesome. So, you guys gonna decorate for us when we have a baby?" asked Greg, hoping to catch Aliyah's attention.
It worked. Aliyah turned and looked at him, a bit surprised.
"What?" she asked, wanting to make sure she had heard him right.
"Ali, I've thought a lot about what you said a few weeks ago." said Greg as he walked over to stand in front of Aliyah. "I wanna have a baby with you."
"Really?" asked Aliyah, smiling.
"There's no doubt in my mind." said Greg.
Aliyah's smile widened as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight.
Greg hugged her back before remembering the other thing that he wanted to ask her.
"Ali." he said, pulling her arms from around his neck. "Before we have a baby, I wanna do this right." he said, taking her hands in his and getting down on one knee. "Aliyah JoAnn Collins, will you marry me?"
Aliyah almost couldn't believe it. Not only did Greg want to have a baby with her but he also wanted to marry her. She couldn't feel any happier.
"Yes, Gregory Hojem Sanders, I will marry you." she said, smiling bigger and brighter than she ever thought possible.
Greg returned the smile, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small engagement ring than slipping it on her finger.
"I know it's not much but it's the best I could do." he said.
"It's perfect." said Aliyah, pulling him up to his feet and kissing him.
Later that night, Greg and Aliyah lay together in their bed, laying on their sides facing each other. They had started talking about the ring, about what Greg had said early when he had proposed to her and how he was unhappy with the ring that he had gotten her.
"I don't know why you always feel like you have to doubt the things that you get me." said Aliyah.
"I just want to have the best, of everything." said Greg.
"I already have the best, right here." said Aliyah, placing her hand on the side of his face. "Everything I want is right here, and I'm perfectly happy with what I have. Nothing else matters. You are all I could ever want or need. So don't worry about anything else. It doesn't matter what you get me. If it's coming from you, I'm sure I'll love it." she said, stroking his cheek with her thumb gently as she stared in his eyes. "I love you so much."
"I love you too Ali." said Greg, staring back into her eyes.
Authors Note: Yeah I know, it's short but it's all I could come up with at the moment. Damn writers block. Like it? Hate it? Should I end it here or you want more? Review and let me know.