Title: The Wedding (Epilogue to 'Past, Present, Future')
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: G
Category: Romance
Spoilers: 'Past, Present, Future'
Summary: I think the title says it all.
Archived: Will be at my website at some point, also on Fanfiction.net. Other places, please ask first.
Disclaimer: If they appear on CSI, they belong to those companies, CBS, and the actors who make them come alive. The other characters, as well as the plot lines, are mine (or I'm theirs, never quite sure which). Done purely for enjoyment and not for profit.
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Grissom stood at the back of the room, watching as Warrick nervously adjusted the cuffs of his shirt. The others in the room were amused - their colleague was usually unruffled. But, Grissom had to admit today was a big day for him. Warrick was getting married.
The wedding was being held in a small church on the outskirts of Vegas. It was the church Warrick's grandmother had brought him to when he was growing up. She was in with the bride now, along with Warrick's Aunt Bertha, helping her get ready for the wedding. Grissom, Nick, and Greg were with Warrick, acting as his groomsmen. Nick, as the best man, was teasing Warrick about forgetting the ring. Warrick, staring out the window, didn't respond. Grissom finally glared Nick into silence.
Greg looked uncomfortable in the tuxedo with his hair combed into some semblance of normalcy. But when Warrick's grandmother had started in on Greg's hair earlier that day, he couldn't really say anything. Mrs. Brown was already worried that there were an odd number of bridesmaids to groomsmen. Sara had Catherine as her maid of honor, and Mandy as a bridesmaid. Lindsey was the flower girl. With Nick escorting Catherine and Greg escorting Mandy, that left Grissom to walk down the aisle alone. That fact distressed Warrick's grandmother. Grissom had gently reassured her that he didn't mind. He'd had the option of escorting Lindsey, but she had wanted to walk alone in front of Sara.
A knock on the door alerted them that it was just about time. The three groomsmen congratulated Warrick as they reached the antechamber to the sanctuary. Mrs. Brown, Catherine, Lindsey, and Mandy were there. Sara was still in the bride's dressing room, waiting until Warrick escorted his grandmother down the aisle. Sara's daughter Virginia was in the room as well, dressed to match the women of the wedding party in a pale green dress that was similar to Lindsey's. Her blue eyes were angry and upset. She wasn't crying, but she looked like she was about to.
Grissom went over and knelt next to his blood daughter. Ginny still didn't know that her "Uncle Gwissy" was her real father. She believed that Sara's ex-husband Michael was, while Warrick was about to become her stepfather.
"What's wrong, Ginny?" Grissom asked quietly.
She looked up at him with eyes so similar to his. "I don't wanna sit with Gramma Brown."
Grissom frowned. "I thought you liked her."
"I wanna be in mommy's wedding!" she said with all the despair a three year old can put into her voice. Grissom looked over the rest of the wedding party, noticing that Catherine was coming over. He shook his head at her, standing up and taking Ginny's hand. He walked over to the bride's room and knocked on the door.
"Is it time?" Sara called out.
"Not yet," Grissom said. "I need to talk to you first."
He could hear her sigh. "You have an impeccable sense of bad timing, Grissom."
"It's about Ginny."
The door opened a crack, and Ginny and Grissom slipped through. Grissom stared at Sara for a moment. She looked beautiful in her cream colored wedding gown. It was simple: long sleeves, a scoop neckline, and flared out gracefully from her waist to the floor. There were no roses or ruffles, or even a long train. That wasn't Sara. Even her veil was simple, held in her hair by a comb and trailing down her back to her waist. She had gone for the same simplicity with dresses for the other women in the wedding, even Lindsey.
"I wanna be in the wedding!" Ginny declared, her lower lip trembling.
Sara smiled down at Ginny. "Honey, don't you want to sit with Gramma Brown and Aunt Bertha?"
Ginny shook her head. "I wanna be near you!"
Sara looked at Grissom helplessly. It was ten minutes until the wedding was supposed to start, and she recognized the warning signs of a full-blown temper tantrum. When Ginny got going, nothing stopped her except a lack of energy. Which could be anywhere from ten minutes to two hours.
Grissom smiled at Sara. "Maybe we can solve two problems at once," he suggested. When Sara looked at him quizzically, he explained his plan. Both Sara and Ginny smiled.
Catherine poked her head in the door. "Hey, Warrick is about to walk his grandmother down the aisle. Shouldn't Ginny be with his aunt?"
Grissom shook his head. "Ginny will be walking with me."
Catherine blinked, then smiled. "She'll be an adorable bridesmaid."
Ginny beamed at Catherine as the three left the room. Catherine explained the new arrangements to the others, who all smiled. The music started, and Warrick entered the sanctuary, his grandmother on his arm. At the end of the aisle, he kissed her on her cheek before she took her seat next to his aunt and he took his place in the front of the church.
Grissom and Ginny were next. Both Catherine and Mandy had quickly taken flowers from their bouquets and fashioned one for Ginny. Grissom held Ginny's hand as they walked down the aisle together. The members of the congregation smiled at the incongruous sight of Grissom with the little girl. Ginny was smiling broadly, happy to be in her mommy's wedding. Dr. Robbins, sitting next to his wife, was looking extremely amused. Warrick was grinning as well, and Ginny grinned back at him.
At the end of the aisle, as originally planned, Grissom turned and went to stand on one of the risers behind where Sara would be. Mandy and Greg would be opposite him behind Warrick, and Catherine and Nick would be right next to the bride and groom. Now, though, Grissom wouldn't be standing alone.
Greg and Mandy took their spot, and then Nick escorted Catherine down the aisle. Lindsey followed, rose petals fluttering in her wake. She took her seat next to Brass. The organist changed music to the traditional bridal march, and everyone stood. Sara came down the aisle alone, her eyes not looking at anyone but Warrick. He had the same fixed gaze. As far as they were concerned, no one else was in the room.
Warrick took her hand when she reached him, and they turned to the minister. As he started the familiar words of the marriage ceremony, Grissom couldn't help but think that it could have been him there with Sara, making a family with Ginny. But Sara had never looked at Grissom they way she was looking at Warrick now, and it was better for Ginny if her life was less complicated.
Grissom's attention was brought back to the wedding when the minister asked who was giving Sara's hand in marriage. Since Sara's parents were no longer living, they had asked the minister to leave that part out. Apparently he forgot. Sara's smile slipped, and everyone in the wedding party froze. Warrick turned to the minister, but Grissom had reacted faster, leaning down to whisper in Ginny's ear. She looked up at him, and when he nodded, she piped up.
"I do!"
A wave of gentle laughter went through the church. Everyone smiled at Ginny, and Sara and Warrick both gave Grissom smiles of gratitude before turning back to the minister, who had realized his error, and was blushing.
The rest of the wedding went perfectly, Sara and Warrick speaking their vows and exchanging rings, and the kiss to end the ceremony and mark the start of their married life together. After they walked down the aisle, arm in arm and smiling, the others followed - Catherine and Nick, Greg and Mandy, and then Grissom and Ginny.
Once out of the sanctuary, Ginny immediately ran to Warrick and demanded a kiss. He picked her up and gave her one, then Sara joined him, caressing her daughter's hair. The three of them approached Grissom.
"Thanks Gil," Warrick said. "That was awkward. I thought Reverend Johnson would remember..."
Grissom shrugged. "She only told the truth," he said with a smile. They smiled as well.
"Yeah, she did," Warrick said, hugging his new daughter. Sara laughed.
Grissom smiled as they turned to speak to the wedding attendees who were leaving the sanctuary, Warrick holding Ginny on his hip with one arm, the other around Sara. They were a family now, the three of them.
The rest of the day passed quickly, but a few moments would always stand out to the people at the wedding, like Greg Sanders getting tipsy on champagne at the reception and doing an Elvis impersonation, then joining the women in the line to catch the bouquet. Luckily for all present, Mandy caught the bouquet. The real fun came when Warrick went to throw the garter. Grissom had to be dragged into the line by Nick, protesting all the way. Then no guy went anywhere near the thing when it was thrown. It took three tries before the garter landed on Grissom's arm. He tried to shake it off, but no one would let him get away with it. They made him keep it, and then dance with Mandy. When Catherine told Grissom he was now the next guy in the room to get married, Nick groaned, saying he and Greg were destined to be bachelors for life then. Grissom just shook his head.
Sara and Warrick slipped quietly away from the reception, trying to leave without any pranks being pulled on them. Grissom noticed however, and caught up with them at their car. He handed them an envelope.
"Congratulations, Sara and Warrick."
Sara opened the envelope and then looked at Grissom. "Gris, this is too much," she started to say, but he shook his head.
"You both deserve it," he said with a smile. "I already arranged to cover your time off, and Catherine agreed to watch Ginny if your grandmother doesn't want too. All you have to do is have a good time."
They both thanked him as they got into the car. He knew they had postponed a honeymoon because the shift needed them. Grissom knew that the shift would always need them, so he had begged and borrowed people from the dayshift to cover and then made reservations for Warrick and Sara at a resort in Arizona. The plane tickets for the next morning were in the envelope he had given them.
Catherine, holding Ginny, came out to watch them drive off. Ginny immediately reached for Grissom, surprising him. He took her from Catherine, and Ginny leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes and falling asleep instantly.
"She was wondering where you were," Catherine said.
"I had to talk to Warrick and Sara before they left."
"Were they surprised?"
"Very," he said with a smile.
Catherine looked at him as he looked at the sleeping girl in his arms. "Why don't you take Ginny home with you tonight?"
Grissom looked at her, shocked. "I told Sara that she would be with you," he said carefully.
Catherine smiled gently. "I know, Grissom. I asked Sara, and she told me the truth. And I know that you're stepping aside, for Ginny's sake. But that doesn't mean that you have to be out of her life forever."
Grissom looked at Ginny again. She was sleeping soundly, secure in his arms. He envied her ability to trust people so easily.
"Go on," Catherine said. "I'll pick her up tomorrow. Spend one night with your daughter, Grissom. You deserve it."
Grissom finally nodded. He wanted this - one night as Ginny's father, though she wouldn't realize it. Catherine smiled and helped him get Ginny into his car. She watched Grissom drive away. She knew how much it had to hurt her friend to let go of his daughter to another man, even one he was as close to as he was with Warrick.
Catherine couldn't do much about that, but she could give Grissom this chance. She knew he wouldn't sleep, not wanting to miss a moment of the time he had with her. And no matter what happened in the future, Grissom would always have the memory of being Ginny's father, if only for one night.
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: G
Category: Romance
Spoilers: 'Past, Present, Future'
Summary: I think the title says it all.
Archived: Will be at my website at some point, also on Fanfiction.net. Other places, please ask first.
Disclaimer: If they appear on CSI, they belong to those companies, CBS, and the actors who make them come alive. The other characters, as well as the plot lines, are mine (or I'm theirs, never quite sure which). Done purely for enjoyment and not for profit.
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Grissom stood at the back of the room, watching as Warrick nervously adjusted the cuffs of his shirt. The others in the room were amused - their colleague was usually unruffled. But, Grissom had to admit today was a big day for him. Warrick was getting married.
The wedding was being held in a small church on the outskirts of Vegas. It was the church Warrick's grandmother had brought him to when he was growing up. She was in with the bride now, along with Warrick's Aunt Bertha, helping her get ready for the wedding. Grissom, Nick, and Greg were with Warrick, acting as his groomsmen. Nick, as the best man, was teasing Warrick about forgetting the ring. Warrick, staring out the window, didn't respond. Grissom finally glared Nick into silence.
Greg looked uncomfortable in the tuxedo with his hair combed into some semblance of normalcy. But when Warrick's grandmother had started in on Greg's hair earlier that day, he couldn't really say anything. Mrs. Brown was already worried that there were an odd number of bridesmaids to groomsmen. Sara had Catherine as her maid of honor, and Mandy as a bridesmaid. Lindsey was the flower girl. With Nick escorting Catherine and Greg escorting Mandy, that left Grissom to walk down the aisle alone. That fact distressed Warrick's grandmother. Grissom had gently reassured her that he didn't mind. He'd had the option of escorting Lindsey, but she had wanted to walk alone in front of Sara.
A knock on the door alerted them that it was just about time. The three groomsmen congratulated Warrick as they reached the antechamber to the sanctuary. Mrs. Brown, Catherine, Lindsey, and Mandy were there. Sara was still in the bride's dressing room, waiting until Warrick escorted his grandmother down the aisle. Sara's daughter Virginia was in the room as well, dressed to match the women of the wedding party in a pale green dress that was similar to Lindsey's. Her blue eyes were angry and upset. She wasn't crying, but she looked like she was about to.
Grissom went over and knelt next to his blood daughter. Ginny still didn't know that her "Uncle Gwissy" was her real father. She believed that Sara's ex-husband Michael was, while Warrick was about to become her stepfather.
"What's wrong, Ginny?" Grissom asked quietly.
She looked up at him with eyes so similar to his. "I don't wanna sit with Gramma Brown."
Grissom frowned. "I thought you liked her."
"I wanna be in mommy's wedding!" she said with all the despair a three year old can put into her voice. Grissom looked over the rest of the wedding party, noticing that Catherine was coming over. He shook his head at her, standing up and taking Ginny's hand. He walked over to the bride's room and knocked on the door.
"Is it time?" Sara called out.
"Not yet," Grissom said. "I need to talk to you first."
He could hear her sigh. "You have an impeccable sense of bad timing, Grissom."
"It's about Ginny."
The door opened a crack, and Ginny and Grissom slipped through. Grissom stared at Sara for a moment. She looked beautiful in her cream colored wedding gown. It was simple: long sleeves, a scoop neckline, and flared out gracefully from her waist to the floor. There were no roses or ruffles, or even a long train. That wasn't Sara. Even her veil was simple, held in her hair by a comb and trailing down her back to her waist. She had gone for the same simplicity with dresses for the other women in the wedding, even Lindsey.
"I wanna be in the wedding!" Ginny declared, her lower lip trembling.
Sara smiled down at Ginny. "Honey, don't you want to sit with Gramma Brown and Aunt Bertha?"
Ginny shook her head. "I wanna be near you!"
Sara looked at Grissom helplessly. It was ten minutes until the wedding was supposed to start, and she recognized the warning signs of a full-blown temper tantrum. When Ginny got going, nothing stopped her except a lack of energy. Which could be anywhere from ten minutes to two hours.
Grissom smiled at Sara. "Maybe we can solve two problems at once," he suggested. When Sara looked at him quizzically, he explained his plan. Both Sara and Ginny smiled.
Catherine poked her head in the door. "Hey, Warrick is about to walk his grandmother down the aisle. Shouldn't Ginny be with his aunt?"
Grissom shook his head. "Ginny will be walking with me."
Catherine blinked, then smiled. "She'll be an adorable bridesmaid."
Ginny beamed at Catherine as the three left the room. Catherine explained the new arrangements to the others, who all smiled. The music started, and Warrick entered the sanctuary, his grandmother on his arm. At the end of the aisle, he kissed her on her cheek before she took her seat next to his aunt and he took his place in the front of the church.
Grissom and Ginny were next. Both Catherine and Mandy had quickly taken flowers from their bouquets and fashioned one for Ginny. Grissom held Ginny's hand as they walked down the aisle together. The members of the congregation smiled at the incongruous sight of Grissom with the little girl. Ginny was smiling broadly, happy to be in her mommy's wedding. Dr. Robbins, sitting next to his wife, was looking extremely amused. Warrick was grinning as well, and Ginny grinned back at him.
At the end of the aisle, as originally planned, Grissom turned and went to stand on one of the risers behind where Sara would be. Mandy and Greg would be opposite him behind Warrick, and Catherine and Nick would be right next to the bride and groom. Now, though, Grissom wouldn't be standing alone.
Greg and Mandy took their spot, and then Nick escorted Catherine down the aisle. Lindsey followed, rose petals fluttering in her wake. She took her seat next to Brass. The organist changed music to the traditional bridal march, and everyone stood. Sara came down the aisle alone, her eyes not looking at anyone but Warrick. He had the same fixed gaze. As far as they were concerned, no one else was in the room.
Warrick took her hand when she reached him, and they turned to the minister. As he started the familiar words of the marriage ceremony, Grissom couldn't help but think that it could have been him there with Sara, making a family with Ginny. But Sara had never looked at Grissom they way she was looking at Warrick now, and it was better for Ginny if her life was less complicated.
Grissom's attention was brought back to the wedding when the minister asked who was giving Sara's hand in marriage. Since Sara's parents were no longer living, they had asked the minister to leave that part out. Apparently he forgot. Sara's smile slipped, and everyone in the wedding party froze. Warrick turned to the minister, but Grissom had reacted faster, leaning down to whisper in Ginny's ear. She looked up at him, and when he nodded, she piped up.
"I do!"
A wave of gentle laughter went through the church. Everyone smiled at Ginny, and Sara and Warrick both gave Grissom smiles of gratitude before turning back to the minister, who had realized his error, and was blushing.
The rest of the wedding went perfectly, Sara and Warrick speaking their vows and exchanging rings, and the kiss to end the ceremony and mark the start of their married life together. After they walked down the aisle, arm in arm and smiling, the others followed - Catherine and Nick, Greg and Mandy, and then Grissom and Ginny.
Once out of the sanctuary, Ginny immediately ran to Warrick and demanded a kiss. He picked her up and gave her one, then Sara joined him, caressing her daughter's hair. The three of them approached Grissom.
"Thanks Gil," Warrick said. "That was awkward. I thought Reverend Johnson would remember..."
Grissom shrugged. "She only told the truth," he said with a smile. They smiled as well.
"Yeah, she did," Warrick said, hugging his new daughter. Sara laughed.
Grissom smiled as they turned to speak to the wedding attendees who were leaving the sanctuary, Warrick holding Ginny on his hip with one arm, the other around Sara. They were a family now, the three of them.
The rest of the day passed quickly, but a few moments would always stand out to the people at the wedding, like Greg Sanders getting tipsy on champagne at the reception and doing an Elvis impersonation, then joining the women in the line to catch the bouquet. Luckily for all present, Mandy caught the bouquet. The real fun came when Warrick went to throw the garter. Grissom had to be dragged into the line by Nick, protesting all the way. Then no guy went anywhere near the thing when it was thrown. It took three tries before the garter landed on Grissom's arm. He tried to shake it off, but no one would let him get away with it. They made him keep it, and then dance with Mandy. When Catherine told Grissom he was now the next guy in the room to get married, Nick groaned, saying he and Greg were destined to be bachelors for life then. Grissom just shook his head.
Sara and Warrick slipped quietly away from the reception, trying to leave without any pranks being pulled on them. Grissom noticed however, and caught up with them at their car. He handed them an envelope.
"Congratulations, Sara and Warrick."
Sara opened the envelope and then looked at Grissom. "Gris, this is too much," she started to say, but he shook his head.
"You both deserve it," he said with a smile. "I already arranged to cover your time off, and Catherine agreed to watch Ginny if your grandmother doesn't want too. All you have to do is have a good time."
They both thanked him as they got into the car. He knew they had postponed a honeymoon because the shift needed them. Grissom knew that the shift would always need them, so he had begged and borrowed people from the dayshift to cover and then made reservations for Warrick and Sara at a resort in Arizona. The plane tickets for the next morning were in the envelope he had given them.
Catherine, holding Ginny, came out to watch them drive off. Ginny immediately reached for Grissom, surprising him. He took her from Catherine, and Ginny leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes and falling asleep instantly.
"She was wondering where you were," Catherine said.
"I had to talk to Warrick and Sara before they left."
"Were they surprised?"
"Very," he said with a smile.
Catherine looked at him as he looked at the sleeping girl in his arms. "Why don't you take Ginny home with you tonight?"
Grissom looked at her, shocked. "I told Sara that she would be with you," he said carefully.
Catherine smiled gently. "I know, Grissom. I asked Sara, and she told me the truth. And I know that you're stepping aside, for Ginny's sake. But that doesn't mean that you have to be out of her life forever."
Grissom looked at Ginny again. She was sleeping soundly, secure in his arms. He envied her ability to trust people so easily.
"Go on," Catherine said. "I'll pick her up tomorrow. Spend one night with your daughter, Grissom. You deserve it."
Grissom finally nodded. He wanted this - one night as Ginny's father, though she wouldn't realize it. Catherine smiled and helped him get Ginny into his car. She watched Grissom drive away. She knew how much it had to hurt her friend to let go of his daughter to another man, even one he was as close to as he was with Warrick.
Catherine couldn't do much about that, but she could give Grissom this chance. She knew he wouldn't sleep, not wanting to miss a moment of the time he had with her. And no matter what happened in the future, Grissom would always have the memory of being Ginny's father, if only for one night.