The that day Horatio and Natalia had waited for had finally arrived. It was their wedding day. A month had passed and now it was less than an hour left until Natalia and Horatio would stand in front of a priest named Michael to get married. Horatio was in the kitchen in his and Natalia's house. Since the whole wedding ceremony was taking place in their backyard, with the team there, some of the lab techs and Natalia's sisters. Horatio was nervous and pacing, he constantly looked at the big watch on the kitchen wall and took several deep breaths. Eric was sitting by the kitchen table, watching his boss and friend as he tried to remain calm. When Ryan appeared in the doorway he looked confused at Eric.
"Enjoy the free entertainment of this day. Tough boss becomes a nervous wreck." Eric smirked.
Horatio stopped pacing and looked at Eric.
"Nervous wreck?" He asked, "It's not that bad."
"You're getting there." Eric teased, "Seriously H, what are you worried about?"
"That she'll run or say no. Change her mind." Horatio sighed.
"She won't. Right now there's a bigger risk that you'll pass out." Ryan smiled, "Natalia is as calm as can be."
"She's calm?" Eric asked.
Ryan gave him a look and Eric nodded. Horatio was too busy pacing again to notice them. The truth was that Natalia was just as nervous as Horatio. She was in the bedroom, getting her dress on. Alexx and Calleigh were with her. Ryan was checking up on everyone and had already seen Natalia pace around in the bedroom.
"H, calm down. Take a deep breath and sit down." Ryan smiled and lead Horatio to a chair by the table.
"You boys should take the time to enjoy this, because I will never be like this again." Horatio said.
"Yeah, I just wish there was some popcorn here." Eric grinned, "I have a speech written by the way."
Horatio sighed and rested his head in his hands. He looked down at the table.
"You're going to embarrass me, aren't ya?" He asked.
"Just a tiny bit." Eric joked, "It's the best man rules. If you're the best man, you have to hold a speech and it has to be embarrassing."
"You just made that up now." Ryan snorted, "It was the worst rule ever!"
"Wolfie, my rules are not bad." Eric said.
Horatio watched as Eric and Ryan started debating about best man rules, making the rules up as time went by. When it seemed as if Eric was about to lose, Horatio started chuckling. Eric and Ryan stopped talking and just looked at their boss as if he had lost his mind, Horatio burst out laughing so hard that tears ran from his eyes.
"You guys are funny when you argue." He laughed, "Please keep on going."
Eric and Ryan chuckled and shook their heads.
In the bedroom, Natalia had just managed to get the dress on and she was now sitting on the bed, while Alexx fixed her hair.
"Girl, calm down. That man out there loves you way too much to run away." Alexx said, "Chill!"
"Alexx, I'm sure I will pass out in front of everyone. Or worse, throw up." Natalia sighed.
"How could throwing up be worse?" Calleigh asked.
"It smells and the clothes get ruined." Natalia said, "My mom did that when she married by dad. It's probably inheritable."
Alexx and Calleigh chuckled and shook their heads. Natalia giggled and sighed heavily. She was nervous, yet extremely happy. She was finally marrying the man of her dreams. She gently touched her belly. She wasn't showing yet, but she would soon.
"You have the ring?" Natalia asked for the forth time during the day.
"Yes, Natalia, I still have it." Alexx smiled, "I'm more worried about Eric losing the ring."
"Urgh, please don't say that." Natalia groaned.
"He actually misplace a lot of things in our home." Calleigh said, "Usually small things, such as a ring."
"Calleigh, could you please make sure that Eric still has the ring?" Natalia asked.
Calleigh chuckled and nodded. She left the room for less than a minute and came back with a smile.
"He still has it. Horatio is so nervous." Calleigh grinned, "I've never seen his nervous before."
"Oh good, so I'm not the only one." Natalia sighed in relief.
-I-
The priest was talking. Natalia and Horatio were smiling widely as they looked into each other's eyes. The fact that Natalia and Horatio would have only three months together didn't really matter. Nobody thought about it. Today was all about their wedding. What would come tomorrow and further in the future, remained to be seen.
"Natalia, it is time." Michael smiled.
Natalia grinned and turned around to Alexx. Alexx was crying of joy as she gave the ring to Natalia. She took Horatio's hand in hers and said the vow, that she and Horatio had agreed to use.
"Today, Horatio, I join my life to yours, not merely as your wife, but as your friend, your lover, and your confidant. Let me be the shoulder you lean on, the rock on which you rest, the companion of your life. With you I will walk my path from this day forward." Natalia smiled widely as she put the ring on Horatio's finger.
Alexx and Natalia's sister Anya, broke out it loud sobs and wiped their tears away.
"Sorry." Alexx mumbled.
Everyone giggled. Michael then nodded for Horatio, now it was his turn. He turned to Eric for the ring. And everyone got worried, as Eric searched through all of his pockets. Horatio glared at him.
"Eric." Horatio said.
"I got it H… somewhere." Eric sighed.
Eric grinned widely as he did a little magic trick and made the ring appear from behind Horatio's ear. Everyone chuckled and Horatio smiled and shook his head. Eric gave the ring to Horatio.
"Today, Natalia, I join my life to yours, not merely as your husband, but as your friend, your lover, and your confidant. Let me be the shoulder you lean on, the rock on which you rest, the companion of your life. With you I will walk my path from this day forward." Horatio smiled and put the ring on Natalia's finger.
Then he pulled her in to his arms for a deep kiss and everyone applauded.
"Well, I guess I don't have to say it." Michael chuckled, "I now pronounce you husband and wife, and you can kiss her as many times as you like now."
Horatio and Natalia parted and looked out at the guests. They were finally married.
Thirty minutes later, it was time to cut the cake. Horatio stood next to Natalia and they held the knife together.
"First one who drops their piece of cake has to go and swim in the ocean… naked." Eric smirked.
"Well, start getting ready for that then Eric." Horatio joked.
Everyone laughed. Horatio and Natalia then cut the cake and gave themselves as large piece of cake. They shared another kiss and when everyone had some cake, they sat down to eat and talk. Eric finished his piece of cake quickly and stood up to make a speech.
"Oh god." Natalia chuckled, "Eric be nice."
"I am always nice." Eric smiled, "You all know why were are here today. To witness one of the most romantic and love-filled weddings ever. Natalia and Horatio, have waited a long time to tell each other how they feel. But they finally did, and here they are. As husband and wife."
The guests nodded in agreement.
"Horatio, Natalia, you show us what true love is all about. It shows in your eyes and your smiles when you see each other, I don't know if you have any other ways to show each other and I'm not planning on finding out either." Eric chuckled, "Before I finish my speech, I just want to wish you both many happy days to come and especially now that you're going on your honeymoon. But you skipped the honeymoon baby part though. Not that it's a bad thing."
Everyone were laughing as Eric continued joking and as Horatio and Natalia's faces just kept getting redder and redder.
"Okay, enough with the jokes. I'm glad to be here today to see you two getting married, and I know that you will spend many happy days together." Eric smiled.
Everyone applauded and Horatio and Natalia gave Eric a hug.
-I-
Natalia woke up and groaned as she heard someone knocking on the front door. She reached out a hand and came in to contact with Horatio's cheek. He was still asleep. She gently shook him and then climbed out of bed. She put on a robe as she walked towards the front door.
"What do you want?" She asked when she opened the door.
"Good morning sunshine." Eric grinned, "Have you guys forgot about your flight to Athens, it leaves in exactly one hour and thirty minutes."
Natalia gasped and ran back to the bedroom. Eric walked in and closed the door. He waited for Horatio and Natalia in the kitchen, and soon both of them came running out of the bedroom and towards bathroom to fresh up and then get dressed in more casual clothes.
"You guys must have had too much fun last night ang forgot to set the alarm." Eric said and looked at the time, "It's 11:30 you know."
"We're finished!" Natalia said as she and Horatio grabbed their bags and walked out the door.
"When did you have time to pack?" Eric asked.
"Two nights ago." Horatio shrugged, "Did you bring coffee?"
Eric grinned and gave both Natalia and Horatio a coffee cup. He drove them to the airport. After they had gotten their tickets it was time to say goodbye.
"Thanks for everything Eric." Natalia said and hugged him.
"No problem." Eric grinned, "Take a lot of pictures. I want to see what Athens looks like when you guys get home."
"We promise." Horatio smiled and hugged Eric goodbye.
Only one hour later, Horatio and Natalia sat on the plane as it was about to lift.
"I love you Mrs. Caine." Horatio whispered in Natalia's ear.
"I love you too Mr. Caine." Natalia grinned and gave him a soft kiss.
-I-
Eric had been called in to work and when he left the crime scene several hours later, he exited the elevator at the lab and tripped on the wet floor and landed on his butt. Everybody winced as Eric groaned in pain when he tried to stand up.
"I might have broken something." Eric sighed, "Alright, who did this?"
Eric looked around the CSIs and lab techs, but everyone avoided eye contact. Eric then looked down at the floor, and the pool of water he had tripped in was so small that it was barely noticeable. As Ryan approached him, Eric glared at him.
"This is not how you treat your boss, ya know." Eric said as he and Ryan walked towards the break room.
"Well, you're only temporary boss. Calleigh is the real boss." Ryan smirked.
"She's on maternity leave." Eric said, "And as supervisor I get to do all the good stuff. And force you to do stuff that I don't want to do."
Ryan opened the break room door and Eric gaped at the scene in front of him. There were probably forty people in the break room, waiting to be interviewed by the supervisor of the lab, for a job at the lab that had opened up as Horatio had left and the team had become on less person.
"You are also given the curse of interviewing people for a job." Ryan smirked, "Have fun!"
Ryan quickly left and Eric groaned. Spending hours in the office, just talking to person after person was incredibly boring. Eric sighed and told everyone to form a line and he would start interviewing them, one after the other.
-I-
In Athens, Horatio and Natalia had just arrived to their hotel. It was a good hotel by the ocean. Horatio unlocked the door to the room and walked inside. Natalia gasped and what she saw. There was a large bed, a large TV. As she walked around the room, she saw a huge bathtub and two chairs that could give you massage. The fridge was packed with good stuff and everything just looked beautiful.
"What should we do first?" Horatio asked.
He and Natalia had two weeks to explore Athens. Natalia grinned and laid down on the bed.
"Well, we could always try out this bed." She smiled.
Horatio chuckled and soon, they were in bed, making love. They wouldn't get to see much of Athens during their honeymoon.
TBC…
AN: please review!