AN: Once again thanks for the reviews, and support. Here is the last chapter of the story.

Chapter 21: Wedding Day

Two weeks later

March 22, 2014

While the women, Sara, Carly, Courtney, Robin, Catherine, and the kids Cassandra and Elizabeth, were in the bride's room at the church, Brett was standing outside by the opened doors, greeting family/friends/Co-workers, which in his greetings included Nick and Diana (his girlfriend), and Greg, who were both thankful that Ecklie actually let them have some time off again.

Then came the biggest surprise of them all, as he was pulling back from hugging one of his many cousins, he hears. "Dad."

Knowing it wasn't BJ, since he was inside speaking to his grandparents, Brett gasped as he looked to the right to see his other son. "Martin."

The young man nodded with a smile. "Hi dad, I hope it's ok that..."

He gets cut off quickly as his dad's arms wrapped around him with emotion. "Of course it's ok." They held one another tightly before he pulls back, cupping his son's cheek and continuing. "Let me look at you, son."

Martin looked better than ever before. He his eyes didn't show that bitterness and anger anymore, it was almost like he was looking at a different person, and he loved it, and despite everything, he still loved him.

Martin started to have tears in his eyes as he said softly. "Dad, I'm so..."

He cuts him off. "I know, I know son."

He brings his son back in his arms just as they heard BJ's voice while he was rushing over to him after witnessing the scene. "Martin?"

Father and son pulled back before the brothers faced one another, the first time they were like this in a long time, without glass in front of them or security watching their every move, and after a brief hesitation, BJ moved first and wrapped his arms around his younger twin.

When they finally pulled back, BJ asked the question that was on Brett's mind too. "I thought you weren't getting out until June?"

Martin shook his head with a smile. "So did I, but I barley had time to wakeup this morning when they said I was free to go. I called mom, she picked me up, I got ready and she dropped me off here." Before Brett could speak, Martin continued. "And don't worry, she didn't even pull in the parking lot."

Brett just nodded before BJ spoke again. "Well, not that I'm not happy to see you this early, but who would..."

Brett smiled, already figured it out. "The woman who set the wedding date."

Both BJ and Martin looked at their father before Martin asked with a little shock. "Carly?"

Brett nodded again, his smile getting a little bigger. "She knew what it would mean to me to have both of my sons to see me get married."

When they were going through wedding dates the night they were engaged, after their own celebration that is, Brett was looking forward to getting married around summer or early fall, not because he wasn't ready to marry her, but he did want both of his boys there. But, she kept insisting they get married before the summer and told him to trust her that everything would work out in the end, which he did, and now he was happy that he did.

Brett than cleared his throat and said. "Now let's get you reacquainted with the family, you ready?"

Martin nodded. "Yeah, I am."

The guys headed towards the entrance of the church before being greeted by the Bolden family, the Hughes's family, which they were a little tense, but Martin understood, and some of the extended family that included Grissom, William, Warrick, Rick, Nick, Diana and Greg.

As Greg and Martin were finishing their handshake, Courtney's voice was heard. "Martin."

Martin turned his body to look at his sister, finally able to view her as one, once he got over the anger/bitterness then guilt for what he did/almost did to her.

He shook his head from those thoughts before he cleared his throat and said softly. "Courtney I uh, I'm so..."

He gets cut off again, this time by his sister when she had walked up to him and gave him a hug. "I forgive you, so you don't have to keep apologizing to me, ok? Today is about starting a new chapter, looking towards the future, and that's what I want to concentrate on, you can do that, right?"

With his arms still at his side, he nodded. "Yeah, yeah I can."

"Good, now give your younger sister a hug."

With tears in his eyes, he whispered again. "Gladly."

As brother and sister were hugging, Brett placed his hand on his oldest son, both happy to be seeing this beautiful scene.

A few moments later, brother and sister pulled back before Martin spoke softly. "Is it possible I can see your mom right now?"

Courtney nodded with a smile. "Sure, we got a few more minutes."

Martin nodded in return before the two of them headed for the bride's room as she asked how he was really doing, which he said besides being a little overwhelmed at meet/greeting everybody all at once, he's doing really well. He's been going to therapy and he's never felt better.

When they made it to the room, Courtney knocked and opened the door slightly before speaking. "Mom, Martin is here and he wants to speak to you, if it's ok?"

The women looked at the bride, who was in her slim strapped, white dress that went down to her knees with her hair in a braid and a dash of make-up, and she nodded with a smile. "Sure, bring him in."

After the siblings came in the room, the women and kids started walking out to give them some privacy, so one by one, he got to meet/greet the rest of family, leaving Sara for last as he shook her hand. "I know I'm late to the 'party' but congratulations."

Sara smiled as she ran her hand over her stomach. "Thank you, and I'm glad you're feeling better and I get to see the real you again."

After one more nod by him, Sara headed for the door, which Courtney was going to follow her, but Martin asked. "Courtney, can you stay, please?"

Courtney just nodded before moving to the side, and after a paused moment, Carly spoke first as she walked up to her almost stepson, Martin standing tall, ready to receive whatever it was that she wanted to tell him. "What you did/tried to do to my daughter was unacceptable."

Courtney spoke before she could continue. "Mom..."

But Carly cuts her off as she held up her a finger. "And despite you being the son to the man that I love, I wasn't sure if I could ever forgive you, and while a small part of me may never will, I don't want to live with being angry at you all the time, it will get us nowhere, so I'm following in my daughter's, your father's and brother's footsteps and forgive you." As Martin was doing a sigh, Carly continued, her voice a little low. "But make no mistake, under no circumstances will I ever forget, and if you ever do something like that again..."

Martin cuts her off with his hands up in surrender. "I won't, I promise, your daughter is safe. I'll protect her like a brother should."

Really eyeing him, she finally nodded before Martin nodded back, then he turned around and started heading towards the door, but stopped when he got there and turned around to look at his almost stepmom again. "Ms. Hughes?" When she looked at him again, he continued in a genuine tone. "Thank you for making it so I can enjoy this day with my dad. I've never seen him happier, so I'm glad I get to see that."

She smiled, figuring Brett must have figured it out and told him. "I love your father, and I know how much he wanted you here, so I did everything I could...with a little help."

She turned her eyes towards her daughter, and Martin looked a little shocked at the revelation. "You too?"

Courtney nodded with a smile and tears in her eyes. "I thought it would be nice for dad if all of his kids were there to see him get married."

Martin just nodded with a smile before he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, and once it clicked shut, daughter walked over to her mother and gave her a hug. "Thank you, mom."

Carly sighed after kissing her daughter's temple. "It wasn't easy, because you mean everything to me, and if I had lost you just as we were beginning to have that real mother/daughter relation..."

Courtney cuts her off while squeezing her mom a little. "You didn't, I'm right here." They pull back and she finished with tears in her eyes. "And now I just want to concentrate on the future, a future where I finally get my biggest dream to come true, seeing my mom and dad happily married."

Carly nodded with a smile. "I want that too."

"Then what are we waiting for, it's time...Well after we fix our makeup, I don't think we want to scare the guests."

Carly chuckled, and as Courtney was walking past her mother, she took a hold of her wrist lightly to stop her, and she said one more thing. "I love you."

With bright blue eyes, her father's eyes, Courtney replied with a smile. "I love you too, mom."

When it was time, family and friends sat down as Brett stood at the alter, then he watched the wedding party walk down the aisle, followed by the ring bearer, which was William, who was wearing a tux, and the flower girl, Elizabeth.

A few moments later, the wedding march began, and everybody stood up and watched Carly being walked down the aisle by her father, Andrew, who had a slim build, above average height with brown eyes and graying hair that still had a little of his natural black color.

After father and daughter made it to the alter, Brett held out his hand, and after a small hesitation, which Carly looked at her father with a curious look, making him smile before he looked at the man that was taking his youngest daughter, the man who held her heart for so long, then he cleared his throat and spoke with emotion. "You take care of my little girl."

Brett nodded with a smile. "For the rest of my life, sir. You have my word."

Andrew nodded before he finally handed his daughter's hand off to the man she loved, kissed her cheek and whispered. "I love you, sweetheart."

She sniffled as she whispered. "I love you too, daddy."

He nodded one more time before walking towards the front pew so he could sit next to his wife of 52 years, who had Elizabeth, their youngest granddaughter, in her lap.

Once the preacher started the ceremony, Sara and Grissom couldn't stop looking at one another as they remembered their wedding, and before they knew it, the I do's were said, and the preacher smiled with pride. "I now pronounce you husband and wife, Brett you may now..."

Brett was already kissing his bride before the preacher could even finish, making everybody chuckle, and when the bride and groom pulled back, he said. "I love you, Mrs. Bolden."

"And I love you, Mr. Bolden."

They kissed again, this time with a little more passion as everybody started cheering.

Once they finally got everybody out of the church, those who were going to the reception, headed for a country club/driving range that the Hughes's family owns, and after everybody was sitting in their assigned seats, even the kids got their own table, they ate with a little small talk.

Not long after that, the speeches started, but no matter what version it was, Sara and Grissom could tell it was said from the heart. Then came the speech from the father of the bride, he spoke with emotion on how proud he was of his daughter for fighting for her life and not giving up, when it probably could have been the easiest route, for standing up for what she wanted, especially when it came to her career. He also went on to say a few nice things towards Brett, thanked the Bolden family for accepting his daughter into their family, then came a moment that a lot of people weren't expecting.

Andrew took a breath before speaking again. "I know this is beginning to get long, but there is someone else I want to thank, or more like a family I want to thank, and that's you, Dr. Grissom, you and your family." The Grissom table that not only included Sara and Grissom, but Warrick, Catherine, Nick, Diana, and Greg, looked towards Mr. Hughes in shock as the older man continued. "To my family it's no secret that I didn't want my daughter to move to Vegas. I was afraid of what that city might to do her, especially in the state she was working herself out of, so everyday I was hoping the phone didn't ring with bad news, and while it may have taken longer than I wanted it to, I began to breath a little more easier when she came to visit the weekend after her first week working with your team. All she talked about was you guys, she told me she finally felt like she found her second home. What I'm trying to say is, thank you for looking out for her, for allowing her to be apart of your family, and from this moment on, I view you as my family and whatever you guys need or want, all you have to do is ask."

The group at the table smiled as Grissom lifted his glass up towards the older man and replied with a nod. "Thank you sir." He then looked at Carly, who was sitting at the bride/groom table with their parents, and finished. "There isn't anything we wouldn't do for you either."

Carly mouthed a 'thank you' as she wiped her tears off her cheek while Grissom nodded again, and as he was taking a sip, Carly stood up and shared a kiss and hug with her father.

When they pulled back, the speeches were finished before they went back to their food and small talk at their tables.

Eventually it was the Bride/Father dance, so while Sara and Grissom were watching, Sara smiled as she placed her hand on her stomach. "See that little girl, one day that will be you and daddy."

Grissom smiled as he placed his hand on her stomach and replied. "I really hope so."

Sara placed her other hand on top of his, running her thumb up and down his wedding band.

After that dance was concluded, the next one was for the other fathers/daughters, which Warrick got his daughter on the dance floor while Brett got his, and once the dance floor was open to anybody, Greg stood up from his spot, walked towards Sara and held out his hand with a smile "May I have this next dance?"

Sara smiled before she looked at Grissom, and he nodded with a smile. "Go ahead honey, just makes sure you save the last one for me."

Sara cupped her husband's cheek and whispered. "Always."

They share a loving look before Sara nodded at Greg and placed her hand in his. "I would be happy to, thanks for asking Greg."

Greg nodded with a smile as he helped her up before they headed for the dance floor, and as they started dancing the two of them couldn't help but chuckle when they saw Catherine practically dragging Grissom on the dance floor.

When that dance concluded, Sara's partner changed to Nick while she noticed Carly was now dancing with Grissom, then it became Carly and Nick while it was Sara and Brett, and as the new song started, Brett spoke as he was looking at his wife dancing with the other man, and the proximity between them told him that they were comfortable around one another, maybe a little too comfortable in his opinion. "Something happened between them, didn't it?"

Sara shook her head. "No." He tuned to look into Sara's eyes as she continued. "But it could have, and deep down I know you know why it didn't, why she wouldn't let it, and the third reason why she came back to Los Angeles."

Brett frowned a little as he shook his head slightly. "You have to know I never asked her to wait for me."

Sara smirked. "Yeah, well, us strong headed women don't know the meaning of giving up, especially when it comes to wanting the man they love."

He chuckled and replied. "I never asked, but you and Gil weren't the meet, greet then get together in one day type, were you?"

Sara chuckled this time. "Uh, no. It never got as complicated as you two, but there was definitely waiting involved."

A part of him could understand where Grissom was coming from, so he replied with a smirk. "Yeah, well, us men just wanted to make sure the woman they love were happy, even if it wasn't with them."

Sara smiled. "And we became that the day the men that we love accepted they were the ones that made us happy." Brett chuckled again as Sara finished with a more serious tone. "And don't ever forget that she is, she could have gone down a different path, but she didn't. Despite everything she had to go through to get to this moment, she choose you, so don't screw it up."

Brett nodded and replied in a serious tone. "Yes ma'am. I'm glad she has a friend like you."

"And I'm glad I'm her friend.

Over where Carly and Nick were dancing, Carly replied with a smile. "Your girlfriend seems wonderful, I'm glad you two met."

Nick smiled with a nod. "Me too, and she is."

Carly then smirked. "Now it seems there is one more person to go in our group to finally find the love bug."

Nick chuckle. "You're right, but I think he already has."

Carly raised an eyebrow. "Really, who?"

"Actually, she moved from here, she started working at the lab about two weeks after you left, Morgan Brody, ring any bells?"

Carly shook her head. "No, she wasn't on my shift."

"Hmm, well she's Ecklie's daughter."

"Wow, I didn't know he had a daughter."

"Apparently so."

She then smirked. "I can see why he's hesitating then."

Nick chuckled a little before replying in more serious tone. "I think he's just a little shy."

"Maybe you should talk to him, help get his confidence up a little more because I would hate for him to miss out on an opportunity that could change his life forever because he was too scared to act on it. He deserves to be happy like the rest of us."

Nick nodded in agreement. "I want that for him too."

She smiled as she looked into his carrying eyes. "You are a good friend, I'm glad you're one of my best ones."

Nick smiled in return. "And I'm glad you're one of my best too."

"Thank you for being here."

"Nothing would have stopped me."

They stopped their feet before sharing a friendly hug, happy for one another.

After another hour, which most of it was filled with the bride dancing with a few other people, the newlyweds said goodbye to their 'kids', family/friends before heading towards Brett's vehicle in the parking lot, and once they got there, he opened the door, but before Carly got in, he cupped his cheek and whispered. "Thank you for what you did for me, I know it couldn't have been easy."

She cupped his cheek as she replied softly. "I know it wasn't easy on you either, probably even harder." She then sighed before finishing. "But now, our daughter's right, today is about the future and moving forward, and that what's I want to do."

He nodded with a bright smile. "Me too. I love you so much, Mrs. Bolden."

Already love being called that, she whispered. "Not as much as I love you, Mr. Bolden." He was about to open his mouth to speak but she brought her lips to his and kissed him, which he responded back instantly, and when they pulled back breathlessly, she took a moment before replying suggestively. "Now, I believe we have a long overdo celebration to get to."

He smiled, kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear. "Then I guess I shouldn't keep my bride waiting any longer."

He pulled back a second later, love, desire and passion filled their eyes, and after one more sweet kiss, he helped her in the vehicle before he rushed to the driver's side, both ready to start their married lives.

Back at the reception

Courtney, BJ, and Martin were sitting at the table, and Courtney grabbed her glass of apple cider and lifted it up. "To our parents, may they have a happy, loving life together."

The guys nodded with smiles as they clinked their glasses against one another, and after taking a sip, Courtney spoke again. "So, summer is coming up soon, what do you guys have planned?"

BJ finished his sip before replying after clearing his throat. "Well, our mom wanted a new start and she found a job in Texas, so we are going with her to help her get settled in."

As Martin nodded, Courtney smirked. "Oh, I see how it is, my first summer with my big brothers and they are bailing on me."

BJ then asked with a smirk of his own. "You can always come with us?"

There was a pause before the three of them chuckled as Courtney shook her head. "Nah, I'll take a hard pass on that one."

The guys nodded in understanding before Martin spoke. "Don't worry, we won't be gone all summer, we'll still have time to hangout."

"Well good, because I think it's time we really get to know one another as siblings."

As the guys nodded again with smiles, Sara and Grissom had been watching them from a few tables down, and Sara smiled as she looked at her husband. "That's how it should be between them."

Grissom nodded with a smile as there was an announcement that this was the last song of the night, so he cleared his throat, stood up, turned to his wife and held out his hand. "May I have this dance?"

With bright brown eyes, Sara smiled as she placed her hand in his before he helped her up. "You may, my sweet, wonderful husband." As they stopped in the middle of the dance floor, not aware that it was just them, she wrapped her arms around his neck, while he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her as close to him as he could, and as they started dancing, she whispered. "And this is how it should always be with us."

He smirked. "What, wrapped up in each other's arms and dancing?"

She chuckled. "Maybe not so much all the dancing, but the arms part, definitely."

He whispered. "We wouldn't get anything done if that was the case."

She smirked back. "You see me complaining about that one?" He chuckled slightly as she removed on of her arms from his neck and cupped his bearded cheek while looking into his eyes. "You know I feel happy and alive when I'm in your arms." He nodded with a smile before she asked. "Are you still happy?'

He raised an eyebrow as he asked. "You doubting that?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, something feels off with you, like you're distracted about something, so what is it?"

He took a breath and asked. "You want to talk about it right now, here?"

"Please?"

Admittedly he did have a few things on his mind, so maybe getting one off his chest would do him some good, so he replied after clearing his throat. "Ok, the professor who is holding the head of the department position is stepping down at the end of the school year, and I heard some of the other professors talking that I was on top of the dean's list to be appointed to that position."

Sara's eyes lit up with happiness for her husband. "That's amazing, how come you didn't tell me?"

"Like I said, it was just talk."

"Yeah, but still, having your name attached to something like that is till note worthy."

He sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess."

Sara shook her head a second later and removed her hand from his cheek as she asked. "Why do you do that?"

"Do What?"

"At times you have a tendency to think that you don't deserve what you get, like you feel what you have done in your professional life wasn't good or significant enough to be in the position you are in or could be." Grissom was about to reply, but Sara continued before he could. "Take a look behind you and see the group of people that you had a hand in helping get them into the positions they are in now. Catherine, becoming a director of a CSI lab. Warrick, one of the best assistant supervisor's around. Nick, a supervisor in the same lab you taught him in, and Greg, who just got promoted to assistant supervisor. Not to mention the countless families you've helped through the years to have closure, and don't even get me started what you've done in the classroom, there is a reason why your classes are the first ones to turn students away because the size is at its max every year." She took a breath and finished. "And lastly what you've done for me, which we don't have to keep rehashing that one."

Grissom then smirked. "Well, technically Nick did most of the teaching when it came to Greg."

She smirked back. "Which again, he learned from you." She paused for a second before finishing again. "I'm not going to sit back and let you minimize all the things you've accomplished, or people/students that you've helped."

He chuckled before he replied sincerely and love in his eyes. "Thank you for that."

"I'm just setting the record straight about my husband, and I'll tell that to anybody that I have to, including himself."

He cupped her cheek and whispered. "I don't know what I would do with you."

She shook her head with a smile. "Then it's a good thing you won't be finding that out anytime soon."

"I love you, and I'm beyond happy with you and the life we have."

"That's what I like to hear and I love you too."

They kiss softly before they got back to moving their feet, but Sara spoke softly again. "Uh babe, the music has stopped."

"Has it? I haven't noticed."

She just smiled and followed his lead, just like she was willing to do for whatever comes next in their lives, no matter what.

AN: There it is, I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I felt this was the only way to end this story since a lot of it dealt with Carly and Brett. And once again I want to thank all of those who continued to read/review and show support of the story/series, if not I may have stopped awhile ago, so I really do appreciate it.

The first chapter in the next installment of the series should be out soon, so be on the lookout. But in the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy my older stories/series, I still look forward to seeing Reviews/Favorites, even if they are many years old, so keep it up.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, and always remember, GSR4ever!