-- CHAPTER TWO: The Way We Were --
Disclaimers: Refer to Chapter One: Breathe
Author's Note: Truce! Waves white flag I received mixed feedback from the previous chapter. Yes, I know it's sad, but if there's a high, there's always a low. I know that some people might absolutely hate my guts right now for breaking this marriage apart, but please have faith; it is after all a N/S romance/drama fic. You just saw the drama part of the story in the previous chapter. Anyway, I hope that the next few chapters would gradually put your minds at ease. The going to change gears for this chapter, so please, read on. And thank you very much for your feedback.
Definition: 'Decree Nisi' is a legal term that basically runs along the lines of 'divorce'.
Also, some reference is made to Michelle's wedding, well; it was the main focus in 'Homecoming'. But the main point you really need to know is that Nick took Sara to Michelle's wedding in Texas and the rest, as they say, is history.
~*~
- Two Years Earlier -
"What do you mean the bouquets aren't going to be ready? They are suppose to be ready and at the ceremony by seven clock Saturday morning,"
"No, that's unacceptable, I have guests flying in for my wedding, and you can barely get some flowers together," Sara yelled. Her headache was intensifying as she attempted to attain her composure, she paused.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Just please try to be on time," Sara apologized, clenching her fist. She hung up the phone,
"Idiots, how hard can it be to put flowers together? Honestly," she screamed.
"It's an art," Nick deadpanned; as he sat at the couch, flipping through a magazine.
It was only a couple of days until their wedding, and Sara, like any frantic bride, was tense and eager to cross the finish line. She had been on the phone all morning, confirming various arrangements for the wedding. The florists weren't ready, however, everything else was set. The wedding was taking place in Las Vegas, a fair compromise in appeasing their parents and friends. The ceremony was a small affair, mostly family, Nick's family, Sara's family and of course, their family from the lab. It was going to be held at Grissom and Catherine's new home, with a spacious backyard, that was only fitting to be taken advantage of. It was Sara's concern to have the event go smoothly, knowing that with people flying in from various corners of the country, it had better be a wedding worth attending. It was just a little time after Nick had proposed to her, in this house, and here they were - getting married.
- FLASHBACK -
It happened on a day like any other, and Sara had just returned from her shift, tired and to wanting sleep. During the night, Nick had slipped a diamond ring on her finger and watched her sleep. The next day, she was surprised by the breakfast in bed.
"Breakfast? In bed? What did you do?" Sara wondered, a little surprised by the gesture.
"What? I can't do anything romantic for you anymore," Nick answered, pretending to feel hurt, and now snatched the tray back to the kitchen.
"Wait, Nick–" Sara waved; her left hand waving past the light of the window. She froze. Nick froze, and turned around.
"Oh my God," she gasped. Taking her hand and taking a closer look at the ring around her finger. She looked up at Nick in amazement; he had just placed the tray on the ground, and was now kneeling by the bed. He nodded.
"Are you–" Sara questioned, still struggling to wrap her mind around the idea. Nick smiled.
"Will you, Sara Sidle–" Nick began.
"Yes," Sara squealed. Diving forward and wrestling Nick to the ground. She was on top of him, and they stared into each other's eyes.
They had come so far in so little time, yet they weren't afraid, they weren't afraid to move forward. They were jaded by their single lives, and were now ready to move into a new phase in their lives – together.
"Will you, Sara Sidle, prefer eggs over-easy or scrambled," Nick smiled jokingly. Sara playfully punched his arm, smiling.
"Breakfast can wait," she suggested, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. Nick smiled mischievously.
- END FLASHBACK -
"Yeah, it's an art. The flowers might not be ready for the wedding," Sara stated. A soft sob escaped her throat. Nick looked up; he walked over to Sara,
"Hey, hey, calm down. Shh, it's okay," Nick reassured, guiding Sara towards the couch. He was sure that all this wedding planning had taken a toll on his fiancé.
"Sara, breathe. Listen, even if we have to pick flowers from the neighbor's lawn, there will be flowers," Nick joked. Sara half smiled.
"And remember, you're marrying a really fine guy tomorrow," Nick mentioned, with a serious face.
"And here I thought I was marrying you," Sara scoffed. Nick smiled at her comment, glad that he could bring a smile to her face.
"Your eyes are getting puffy," Nick jested, thus garnering a slap on the arm. Sara walked back into the kitchen in search of some food; all this wedding planning had really worn her out.
"When is the brood of Stokes arriving," Sara asked. Nick smiled,
"In a couple of hours, around four." He switched the television on.
"Your parents?" He asked in return.
"Knowing them, they'd probably get here an hour before the ceremony," Sara answered.
"Gotta hand it to them, they do enjoy being late," Nick commented, he just switched the television off.
"What? Nothing on the Discovery Channel?" Sara asked, she sat bet him and leaned her head against his chest.
"Nah, it's a rerun," he smiled, wrapping his arm around her small body, and kissing the top of her head.
~*~
"Nick wake up," Sara ordered, they had fallen asleep on the couch, and were now long overdue at the airport.
"Nick," Sara shook the snoring beast.
"Nick, for crying out loud-" Sara mumbled.
"Huh? What? " Nick awoke, disoriented.
"We're late," Sara replied, standing on her feet and scurrying towards the front door. She grabbed her cell phone and her keys, quickly glancing at her reflection in the mirror.
"What? What time is it," he asked, searching for a clock.
"Oh-" he cursed. He jumped off the couch at top speed; he grabbed his car keys and searched for his cell phone.
"Let's go! Move!" Sara bellowed, waving the phone in the air.
'This better not be a bad omen about this wedding,' she thought, pulling the door open and rushing out to her Tahoe.
~*~
Both Sara and Nick drove separately, they had to in order to accommodate Nick's parents and his sister's families. It started raining as they rushed through the streets; traffic was minimal, which was unusual for that time of day. As the airport towers loomed, both changed lanes and drove down the ramp towards the airport. Finally, after finding a parking spot, both hurried towards Terminal 1, glancing at the flight status board, they learned that the plan had landed almost 45 minutes prior.
"Paging Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle, your family is waiting at Don Alejandro's Texan Grill, located in Terminal One's Esplanade." Sara and Nick cringed at the sound of their names and took a step in opposite directions. They paused.
"Esplanade, this way," Nick insisted.
"Esplanade, second level. This way," Sara also insisted stubbornly. They paused.
"Map," Sara cited, sounding smugly. She was sure that it was on the second level. They both glanced at the brightly lit map.
"I was going to take a short-cut," Nick lied, he was wrong. Sara smiled widely. Both rushed up the escalators and searched for a crowd. Nick pointed towards his left, to a restaurant in the corner.
"Boy are you late, another 20 minutes and I thought Michelle was going to go into labor," Luke, Michelle's husband joked. He was the first to see Nick and Sara frantically walking up the escalator. The man referred to his frustrated and uncomfortable pregnant wife, Michelle.
"Hey sis, looking good. You're worthy to be the next MetLife blim-" Nick started. Luke glared at Nick, 'no' he mouthed. Michelle glared at her little brother.
"You look great! Glowing," Nick corrected, laughing sheepishly, Luke elbowed him.
"You better watch it, another wise crack from you and I swear, as a woman with erratic hormones, I can't be held responsible for any of my actions,"
"Hi Michelle," Sara interrupted; she shot Nick with an angry stare. She smiled at Michelle and hugged the woman's full figure, patting her stomach as well.
"And to think that you're marrying my little brother," Michelle snapped, she paused. Luke shrugged, his wife's pregnancy had caused her to be very cynical and sarcastic, but he could sympathize, she was the one walking about with a stomach the size of a genetically modified watermelon.
"Sara, how are you," Nick's mother greeted. The small, silver haired woman approached Sara.
"Mrs. Stokes, how are you," Sara greeted in return.
"Sara, I'm not that old. Besides, to us, you're already family" Evelyn, Nick's mother responded, sounding insulted, but her smile said otherwise. Nick's father was right behind her. His tall stature forced Sara to stand on her tiptoes as the man gave her a hug and a peck on the cheek.
"Nicky," Evelyn shrieked adoringly. She wrapped her arms around her youngest and held on tight.
"Mom, hi," Nick replied, searching for air.
"Uncle Nicky!" a little voice screamed, she took possession of Nick's leg.
"Emily," Nick gasped, she turned his head to search for his young niece.
'This could take a while,' he thought, still gasping for air.
Sure enough, it took the Stokes clan almost 20 minutes to exchange greetings. To think, this was only part of Nick's family, the rest were either arriving later in the evening or early the next morning. Here were Nick's parents, his expecting sister and her husband, and his other sister and her family. It was around 5:30 pm by the time they had exited the parking lot and were on their way to the hotel, the rain had subsided into a light drizzle as they drove. Cars were moving at a steady pace, the lights of Vegas shining in the background, they all sat in a comfortable silence. Finally, they pulled up at the hotel; all had booked a room at Bally's, knowing that they all couldn't fit in Nick's house. Tired from their trip, all decided to order room service and rest for the day; a deviation from the plans Sara and Nick made earlier. However, tuckered out themselves, they didn't protest and instead returned home.
~*~
She saw two shadows outside the front window, speaking in a low murmur. It was still dark outside, although slivers of orange began to inhabit the sky. She was just getting up to get a glass of water and perhaps to fetch the morning paper. She paused as the shadows faded; it looked as if they had backed away from the front upon seeing her. She paused as her heart quickened and with caution she walked closer to the front window and saw two figures lurking in a dark car parked across the street.
'Two men, parked in the middle of the street, in the early morning' she thought - this isn't right.
She waited for several minutes, waiting for them to drive off, but instead, they sat there, waiting, talking even. With heart pounding loudly, she turned and hastily began a brisk walk down the hall.
"Nick," she called out.
"Nick, get up" she shook the slumbering man. Mumble.
"Nick, I think someone's watching us," Sara whispered.
"Sara, we're not doing anything worth watching. Go back to sleep," Nick replied, turning on his side.
"Well, I thought you'd want to know that there are two men sitting in a car across the street, waiting," Sara replied sternly.
He half-opened one eye,
"What?" Nick replied.
'That got him up,' Sara thought, she motioned him towards the hallway, indicating the direction with her shaking head. Nick jumped up; slowly, the couple crept down the hallway, side by side, they observed their surroundings as they neared the front door. Nick paused and motioned Sara to stop, he slid a drawer open and pulled out his gun. They continued to creep and saw a shadow. Both Nick and Sara jumped - they stood still against the wall - Nick slowly looked out the window and saw a dark car parked across the street, but nobody in it.
"Sara, there's nobody there," he assured, lightening his grip on the gun. Sara slowly turned to look out the window, she too saw no one.
'KNOCK' 'KNOCK' 'KNOCK'
Their heart leapt. Nick, again, tightened his grip on the gun. Sara closed her eyes 'this is not happening' she thought. Slowly, Nick approached the door, gun still drawn. He motioned Sara to stay still.
"Who, who is it," Nick asked, he squinted to look through the peephole. He saw black - it was being covered.
"Old friends," a deep voice replied.
"I am armed, identify yourself," Nick ordered.
"I'm armed too," the voice called back. Nick gulped.
"Listen man open the door," another voice called. Nick recognized that voice. He took another glance through the peephole, this time, he saw two men. Nick shook his head in disappointment and withdrew his gun. Sara looked at him, puzzled, he smiled at her.
"What's the password," he asked with a smile.
"Open the damn door," a voice replied. Nick's smile widened and slowly unbolted the door.
"Jack! Matt!" he exclaimed, outstretching his arms. Sara was confused.
"Hey Nick, just who are you trying to impress," the man on the left greeted. Nick looked down at himself; he was only wearing a pair of shorts. He laughed,
"I'll be right back, come on in," he motioned, and quickly turned to go find himself a t-shirt.
"I'm guessing that you're not selling Girl Guide cookies," Sara smirked.
"Sara!" Both men exclaimed. She froze, 'do I know you'.
"It's us, Jack and Matt Veli," the shorter man answered. She was oblivious.
"Sara, you remember Jack and Matt," Nick introduced, pulling a Texas A&M shirt over his head. Sara smiled sheepishly.
"They were at Michelle's wedding," Nick reintroduced, both men smiled widely at Sara. Sara nodded as she struggled to remember.
"Oh, right. Your frat brothers," Sara answered at last. They were in fact Nick's old college buddies.
"Alpha Sigma Phi, that's us," Jack replied proudly, sticking his chest out. He was the smaller out of the two brothers; he wore jeans, a Texas Rangers t-shirt, and a dark tan.
"Wow, you guys look different. Good, different," Sara noted, they had looked a lot differently than they did the first time they met.
"Yeah, well when we got an invitation, we knew we couldn't let 'pretty boy' outdo us," Matt replied, he looked over at Nick. Sara smiled, 'Nick was devilishly handsome.
"I don't know, I'm sure you both can give him a good run for his money," Sara wittily replied. Both grown men blushed.
As it turned out, both men drove to Las Vegas in Matt's car, they had just arrived and were going to surprise them with breakfast. They were checking if somebody was home, knowing that both Nick and Sara were early risers, but left when they saw nobody. However, as they sat in the car, they saw someone walking in the house and figured that somebody was up. Naturally, they approached the door and knocked, and were actually joking about being armed.
"Unless you can call having pancakes with extra syrup being armed," Jack kidded, indicating at the package that he held in his hands.
"You scared us half to death," Nick smiled. Sara chuckled.
They had just sat down to breakfast when they received a call from Nick's mother; she was calling to confirm the day's plans. The women were getting together to go sightseeing, mainly on the Strip; while the men headed out to the golf course. Sara didn't organize anything in particular, for she didn't want to enforce a schedule on her guests, instead she preferred it if they planned the day. The round of golf was already a given, since all the guys wanted to try the new 18-hole course just outside Vegas. The only rule of the day was to attend the rehearsal dinner.
By nine o'clock, both Sara and Nick were ready; Jack and Matt were also excited about the events that were to occur in the next several days. As they headed out, both Sara and Nick checked to see if they had their cell phones, both were expecting phone calls from either the florist or tailors.
Although the wedding was ready, Sara was still awaiting the 'unexpected' pitfalls that she had managed to avoid, thus far. 'Who knew those 'how to' books on wedding planning were so effective?' she often thought. Plus, having enlisted Catherine as the matron of honor, and helpful assistant didn't hurt either. Nick was, in fact, amazed at how quickly the two women had worked to organize the wedding. Sure, it was small, but every aspect of the wedding was of great sentiment, it was going to be a wedding focused on fun, family and friends. It was early in the planning stages that they decided on a backyard wedding, upon Catherine and Grissom's offer to use their backyard as the setting. Catherine's help was fundamental in getting the pieces to fit, from booking the tent in case of rain, renting the tables and chairs, and finding 'the dress.' Ironically, the dress was the easiest part of the planning, Sara, wanted a simple dress to match the informal wedding. After a quick shopping trip, she chose a simple white, off the shoulder dress with an empire waist silhouette. Hair and makeup were things that Sara hadn't decided on however, since her hair behaved as it pleased anyway.
Details regarding the groom and groomsmen were Nick's responsibility, but Sara suspects that he too received much needed assistance from Catherine, or maybe even one of his sisters. The invitations, the food, the music, and the decorations were arranged without a hitch, with the exception of the flowers of course. The guest list was small; they had only invited 50 people, and amazingly, they all were happy to attend. Thus, lo and behold, the stage was now set for Nick and Sara's long awaited nuptials.
~*~
"Nice shot," Warrick whistled. He squinted as he tracked the small white golf ball in the air. Nick's father, who stood close by was also amazed at the ball traveling further and further.
"Have you been working on that shot, Nick," Nick's father asked.
"Nah," Nick laughed, he stepped aside as Grissom took his turn to take a shot. The whole shift was off today, in preparation for the wedding, a generous gift from Grissom.
"The key to reaching the green is the range of motion with regards to power," Grissom explained.
"Or, just Sara," Jack piped up. Nick smiled, 'yea, it was Sara.'
"Just hit the ball so we can move on," Nick commanded, laughing.
"Yup, just Sara," he continued. In truth, Nick was nervous, excited, but nervous; the round of golf was doing him good. Numerous times had he thought about his wedding, somewhat thinking that it was all a dream, a long and lovely dream. He looked forward to getting married, looking forward to marrying Sara; finally, he felt that his life was starting to come together. All the arrows were now pointing in the same direction, and he was happy.
~*~
Over at the Strip, Sara and her soon to be in-laws were shopping, an activity that Sara never took a liking to. She was just there to guide them through the chaotic streets, but, overall, she enjoyed being outside, it was calming. By the lunch hour, they had rounded out every shop on the Strip and had sampled various snacks. But to Sara's dismay, they still continued to plow through the crowds and into other attractions. She was tired. As much as her body ached, Sara also felt a sense of warmth as they moved from one location to the other. It was at this time that she fully realized the family that she was soon going to join; happy that they had already welcomed her with open arms. Nick's mother was supportive, calling Sara every now and then, just to check on the planning. Carrie and Michelle were supportive; they too called, but only to check if Nick was misbehaving. Sara smiled; Nick was just perfect through the whirlwind of planning. She was a very lucky girl, not only did she land a good man, but as part of the package, she also received a great family and support system.
'By this time tomorrow, I'll be married to Nick,' she thought, it made her smile wider.
'Only one more day,' she hummed to herself.
~*~
The rehearsal dinner was being held at a small restaurant, just minutes away from the bright neon lights of the Strip, which gave the roof a great view. They had reserved the rooftop for the evening; the decor was lively while maintaining a warm family atmosphere, perfect for the family oriented dinner that they wanted. Around the room were tiny lights, while tea light candles flickered through frosted glass containers.
Present were Nick's parents, sisters and their husbands, also, his other sisters and their families had just arrived. A plane delay had them arriving one hour before the dinner, when they were suppose to arrive at noon, nonetheless they were glad not to miss out on any other wedding festivities. The team was there as well, Grissom and his wife, Catherine, along with Lindsey looked picture perfect sitting by Warrick and his long-time girlfriend. Greg also sat at the same table, playing kissy face with his flavor of the month. The only ones who hadn't arrived were Nick's older brother and his family, as well as Sara's whole family. With the Las Vegas skylight surrounding them and the comforting smell of summer wafting in the night's breeze, the intimate family dinner was underway.
"Now, y'all didn't forget about us, did you," a voice called from the doorway. Everyone looked up; it was Kate, who stood confidently in front of her parents.
"Kate," the group called out. The once shy and distant Stokes had now blossomed into a confident and energetic young woman. Once again, and exchange of hugs, kisses and "you look greats" commenced.
"I'm sorry for being late, I had trouble surfing my way here," Kate teased. She was a Marine Biology major at UCLA, where she had taken up surfing, a hobby that she particularly enjoyed. As a student, she was in the process of preparing for an exchange program to Australia, a feat that her Uncle Nick was tremendously proud off.
"Sara! I'm glad you didn't pull a 'runaway bride' on my Uncle Nicky," she smiled, hugging Sara, but quickly elbowing Nick.
"Nice to see you," Sara greeted. She too was amazed at Kate, who Sara had first met at Michelle's wedding. Gone were the distant eyes of an angry teen, and the brewing dark attitude.
- FLASHBACK -
Finally, they reached a young girl, who leaned against the tree and was shaded from the sun. Unlike the rest of her family, her hair was a dirty blonde hue, while her eyes a piercing blue. Sara walked away from Nick, who at this point was exchanging jokes with and uncle, or someone.
"You must be Kate," Sara asked, she extended her hand. The girl was silent,
"Nick told me that you preferred to be called Kate," Sara explained. The girl scoffed and walked away. 'OK, bad move,' her mind observed.
- END FLASHBACK -
'And here she is - smiling,' Sara thought.
As the hoopla died down, all settled back into their seats and commenced on ordering dinner. The meals were wonderful, the menu held a meal that catered to varied tastes, ranging from peppered steaks to Sara's Florentine lasagna. Lighthearted conversations were passed around the room; and of course, advice flowed from many mouths. Sara and Nick were showered with words of wisdom, and the occasional quirky tips on married life.
The hours passed and soon the stars shimmered through the faded sky, the time had reached when all of them should return to their hotels. Lindsey had grown bored, since Greg was too focused on his other 'friend,' while Emily had quietly fallen asleep by her father's side. The adults themselves, however cheerful, were tired by the day's activities. Sara, although accustomed to long days was tired herself, occasionally resting her head on Nick's shoulder in attempts to stay half-awake.
The party finally ended, and everyone hailed cabs. Catherine took Sara's fatigued body to her home, while Nick drove to his home to gather Sara's packed bag. Tonight, Sara was spending the night at Catherine's, making the wedding preparations less difficult. Nick was spending the night at his home, alone, for the last time.
Twelve hours until the wedding.
*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
A/N - Don Alejandro's Texan Grill, which is located in the McCarran International Airport, Terminal 1 Esplanade is an actual restaurant. I don't own the brand, so no lawsuits necessary.
I'm not sure if there is a fraternity called Alpha Sigma Phi, but if there is, it is just a simple coincidence. Any of their beliefs, values and opinions do not reflect my opinion, nor do they reflect the opinions of the characters involved.
The word 'Veli' is Finnish for "brothers" - appropriate for the characters of Jack and Matt.
What'd you think? Love it, loathe it, review it! - oceanwave
Disclaimers: Refer to Chapter One: Breathe
Author's Note: Truce! Waves white flag I received mixed feedback from the previous chapter. Yes, I know it's sad, but if there's a high, there's always a low. I know that some people might absolutely hate my guts right now for breaking this marriage apart, but please have faith; it is after all a N/S romance/drama fic. You just saw the drama part of the story in the previous chapter. Anyway, I hope that the next few chapters would gradually put your minds at ease. The going to change gears for this chapter, so please, read on. And thank you very much for your feedback.
Definition: 'Decree Nisi' is a legal term that basically runs along the lines of 'divorce'.
Also, some reference is made to Michelle's wedding, well; it was the main focus in 'Homecoming'. But the main point you really need to know is that Nick took Sara to Michelle's wedding in Texas and the rest, as they say, is history.
~*~
- Two Years Earlier -
"What do you mean the bouquets aren't going to be ready? They are suppose to be ready and at the ceremony by seven clock Saturday morning,"
"No, that's unacceptable, I have guests flying in for my wedding, and you can barely get some flowers together," Sara yelled. Her headache was intensifying as she attempted to attain her composure, she paused.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Just please try to be on time," Sara apologized, clenching her fist. She hung up the phone,
"Idiots, how hard can it be to put flowers together? Honestly," she screamed.
"It's an art," Nick deadpanned; as he sat at the couch, flipping through a magazine.
It was only a couple of days until their wedding, and Sara, like any frantic bride, was tense and eager to cross the finish line. She had been on the phone all morning, confirming various arrangements for the wedding. The florists weren't ready, however, everything else was set. The wedding was taking place in Las Vegas, a fair compromise in appeasing their parents and friends. The ceremony was a small affair, mostly family, Nick's family, Sara's family and of course, their family from the lab. It was going to be held at Grissom and Catherine's new home, with a spacious backyard, that was only fitting to be taken advantage of. It was Sara's concern to have the event go smoothly, knowing that with people flying in from various corners of the country, it had better be a wedding worth attending. It was just a little time after Nick had proposed to her, in this house, and here they were - getting married.
- FLASHBACK -
It happened on a day like any other, and Sara had just returned from her shift, tired and to wanting sleep. During the night, Nick had slipped a diamond ring on her finger and watched her sleep. The next day, she was surprised by the breakfast in bed.
"Breakfast? In bed? What did you do?" Sara wondered, a little surprised by the gesture.
"What? I can't do anything romantic for you anymore," Nick answered, pretending to feel hurt, and now snatched the tray back to the kitchen.
"Wait, Nick–" Sara waved; her left hand waving past the light of the window. She froze. Nick froze, and turned around.
"Oh my God," she gasped. Taking her hand and taking a closer look at the ring around her finger. She looked up at Nick in amazement; he had just placed the tray on the ground, and was now kneeling by the bed. He nodded.
"Are you–" Sara questioned, still struggling to wrap her mind around the idea. Nick smiled.
"Will you, Sara Sidle–" Nick began.
"Yes," Sara squealed. Diving forward and wrestling Nick to the ground. She was on top of him, and they stared into each other's eyes.
They had come so far in so little time, yet they weren't afraid, they weren't afraid to move forward. They were jaded by their single lives, and were now ready to move into a new phase in their lives – together.
"Will you, Sara Sidle, prefer eggs over-easy or scrambled," Nick smiled jokingly. Sara playfully punched his arm, smiling.
"Breakfast can wait," she suggested, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. Nick smiled mischievously.
- END FLASHBACK -
"Yeah, it's an art. The flowers might not be ready for the wedding," Sara stated. A soft sob escaped her throat. Nick looked up; he walked over to Sara,
"Hey, hey, calm down. Shh, it's okay," Nick reassured, guiding Sara towards the couch. He was sure that all this wedding planning had taken a toll on his fiancé.
"Sara, breathe. Listen, even if we have to pick flowers from the neighbor's lawn, there will be flowers," Nick joked. Sara half smiled.
"And remember, you're marrying a really fine guy tomorrow," Nick mentioned, with a serious face.
"And here I thought I was marrying you," Sara scoffed. Nick smiled at her comment, glad that he could bring a smile to her face.
"Your eyes are getting puffy," Nick jested, thus garnering a slap on the arm. Sara walked back into the kitchen in search of some food; all this wedding planning had really worn her out.
"When is the brood of Stokes arriving," Sara asked. Nick smiled,
"In a couple of hours, around four." He switched the television on.
"Your parents?" He asked in return.
"Knowing them, they'd probably get here an hour before the ceremony," Sara answered.
"Gotta hand it to them, they do enjoy being late," Nick commented, he just switched the television off.
"What? Nothing on the Discovery Channel?" Sara asked, she sat bet him and leaned her head against his chest.
"Nah, it's a rerun," he smiled, wrapping his arm around her small body, and kissing the top of her head.
~*~
"Nick wake up," Sara ordered, they had fallen asleep on the couch, and were now long overdue at the airport.
"Nick," Sara shook the snoring beast.
"Nick, for crying out loud-" Sara mumbled.
"Huh? What? " Nick awoke, disoriented.
"We're late," Sara replied, standing on her feet and scurrying towards the front door. She grabbed her cell phone and her keys, quickly glancing at her reflection in the mirror.
"What? What time is it," he asked, searching for a clock.
"Oh-" he cursed. He jumped off the couch at top speed; he grabbed his car keys and searched for his cell phone.
"Let's go! Move!" Sara bellowed, waving the phone in the air.
'This better not be a bad omen about this wedding,' she thought, pulling the door open and rushing out to her Tahoe.
~*~
Both Sara and Nick drove separately, they had to in order to accommodate Nick's parents and his sister's families. It started raining as they rushed through the streets; traffic was minimal, which was unusual for that time of day. As the airport towers loomed, both changed lanes and drove down the ramp towards the airport. Finally, after finding a parking spot, both hurried towards Terminal 1, glancing at the flight status board, they learned that the plan had landed almost 45 minutes prior.
"Paging Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle, your family is waiting at Don Alejandro's Texan Grill, located in Terminal One's Esplanade." Sara and Nick cringed at the sound of their names and took a step in opposite directions. They paused.
"Esplanade, this way," Nick insisted.
"Esplanade, second level. This way," Sara also insisted stubbornly. They paused.
"Map," Sara cited, sounding smugly. She was sure that it was on the second level. They both glanced at the brightly lit map.
"I was going to take a short-cut," Nick lied, he was wrong. Sara smiled widely. Both rushed up the escalators and searched for a crowd. Nick pointed towards his left, to a restaurant in the corner.
"Boy are you late, another 20 minutes and I thought Michelle was going to go into labor," Luke, Michelle's husband joked. He was the first to see Nick and Sara frantically walking up the escalator. The man referred to his frustrated and uncomfortable pregnant wife, Michelle.
"Hey sis, looking good. You're worthy to be the next MetLife blim-" Nick started. Luke glared at Nick, 'no' he mouthed. Michelle glared at her little brother.
"You look great! Glowing," Nick corrected, laughing sheepishly, Luke elbowed him.
"You better watch it, another wise crack from you and I swear, as a woman with erratic hormones, I can't be held responsible for any of my actions,"
"Hi Michelle," Sara interrupted; she shot Nick with an angry stare. She smiled at Michelle and hugged the woman's full figure, patting her stomach as well.
"And to think that you're marrying my little brother," Michelle snapped, she paused. Luke shrugged, his wife's pregnancy had caused her to be very cynical and sarcastic, but he could sympathize, she was the one walking about with a stomach the size of a genetically modified watermelon.
"Sara, how are you," Nick's mother greeted. The small, silver haired woman approached Sara.
"Mrs. Stokes, how are you," Sara greeted in return.
"Sara, I'm not that old. Besides, to us, you're already family" Evelyn, Nick's mother responded, sounding insulted, but her smile said otherwise. Nick's father was right behind her. His tall stature forced Sara to stand on her tiptoes as the man gave her a hug and a peck on the cheek.
"Nicky," Evelyn shrieked adoringly. She wrapped her arms around her youngest and held on tight.
"Mom, hi," Nick replied, searching for air.
"Uncle Nicky!" a little voice screamed, she took possession of Nick's leg.
"Emily," Nick gasped, she turned his head to search for his young niece.
'This could take a while,' he thought, still gasping for air.
Sure enough, it took the Stokes clan almost 20 minutes to exchange greetings. To think, this was only part of Nick's family, the rest were either arriving later in the evening or early the next morning. Here were Nick's parents, his expecting sister and her husband, and his other sister and her family. It was around 5:30 pm by the time they had exited the parking lot and were on their way to the hotel, the rain had subsided into a light drizzle as they drove. Cars were moving at a steady pace, the lights of Vegas shining in the background, they all sat in a comfortable silence. Finally, they pulled up at the hotel; all had booked a room at Bally's, knowing that they all couldn't fit in Nick's house. Tired from their trip, all decided to order room service and rest for the day; a deviation from the plans Sara and Nick made earlier. However, tuckered out themselves, they didn't protest and instead returned home.
~*~
She saw two shadows outside the front window, speaking in a low murmur. It was still dark outside, although slivers of orange began to inhabit the sky. She was just getting up to get a glass of water and perhaps to fetch the morning paper. She paused as the shadows faded; it looked as if they had backed away from the front upon seeing her. She paused as her heart quickened and with caution she walked closer to the front window and saw two figures lurking in a dark car parked across the street.
'Two men, parked in the middle of the street, in the early morning' she thought - this isn't right.
She waited for several minutes, waiting for them to drive off, but instead, they sat there, waiting, talking even. With heart pounding loudly, she turned and hastily began a brisk walk down the hall.
"Nick," she called out.
"Nick, get up" she shook the slumbering man. Mumble.
"Nick, I think someone's watching us," Sara whispered.
"Sara, we're not doing anything worth watching. Go back to sleep," Nick replied, turning on his side.
"Well, I thought you'd want to know that there are two men sitting in a car across the street, waiting," Sara replied sternly.
He half-opened one eye,
"What?" Nick replied.
'That got him up,' Sara thought, she motioned him towards the hallway, indicating the direction with her shaking head. Nick jumped up; slowly, the couple crept down the hallway, side by side, they observed their surroundings as they neared the front door. Nick paused and motioned Sara to stop, he slid a drawer open and pulled out his gun. They continued to creep and saw a shadow. Both Nick and Sara jumped - they stood still against the wall - Nick slowly looked out the window and saw a dark car parked across the street, but nobody in it.
"Sara, there's nobody there," he assured, lightening his grip on the gun. Sara slowly turned to look out the window, she too saw no one.
'KNOCK' 'KNOCK' 'KNOCK'
Their heart leapt. Nick, again, tightened his grip on the gun. Sara closed her eyes 'this is not happening' she thought. Slowly, Nick approached the door, gun still drawn. He motioned Sara to stay still.
"Who, who is it," Nick asked, he squinted to look through the peephole. He saw black - it was being covered.
"Old friends," a deep voice replied.
"I am armed, identify yourself," Nick ordered.
"I'm armed too," the voice called back. Nick gulped.
"Listen man open the door," another voice called. Nick recognized that voice. He took another glance through the peephole, this time, he saw two men. Nick shook his head in disappointment and withdrew his gun. Sara looked at him, puzzled, he smiled at her.
"What's the password," he asked with a smile.
"Open the damn door," a voice replied. Nick's smile widened and slowly unbolted the door.
"Jack! Matt!" he exclaimed, outstretching his arms. Sara was confused.
"Hey Nick, just who are you trying to impress," the man on the left greeted. Nick looked down at himself; he was only wearing a pair of shorts. He laughed,
"I'll be right back, come on in," he motioned, and quickly turned to go find himself a t-shirt.
"I'm guessing that you're not selling Girl Guide cookies," Sara smirked.
"Sara!" Both men exclaimed. She froze, 'do I know you'.
"It's us, Jack and Matt Veli," the shorter man answered. She was oblivious.
"Sara, you remember Jack and Matt," Nick introduced, pulling a Texas A&M shirt over his head. Sara smiled sheepishly.
"They were at Michelle's wedding," Nick reintroduced, both men smiled widely at Sara. Sara nodded as she struggled to remember.
"Oh, right. Your frat brothers," Sara answered at last. They were in fact Nick's old college buddies.
"Alpha Sigma Phi, that's us," Jack replied proudly, sticking his chest out. He was the smaller out of the two brothers; he wore jeans, a Texas Rangers t-shirt, and a dark tan.
"Wow, you guys look different. Good, different," Sara noted, they had looked a lot differently than they did the first time they met.
"Yeah, well when we got an invitation, we knew we couldn't let 'pretty boy' outdo us," Matt replied, he looked over at Nick. Sara smiled, 'Nick was devilishly handsome.
"I don't know, I'm sure you both can give him a good run for his money," Sara wittily replied. Both grown men blushed.
As it turned out, both men drove to Las Vegas in Matt's car, they had just arrived and were going to surprise them with breakfast. They were checking if somebody was home, knowing that both Nick and Sara were early risers, but left when they saw nobody. However, as they sat in the car, they saw someone walking in the house and figured that somebody was up. Naturally, they approached the door and knocked, and were actually joking about being armed.
"Unless you can call having pancakes with extra syrup being armed," Jack kidded, indicating at the package that he held in his hands.
"You scared us half to death," Nick smiled. Sara chuckled.
They had just sat down to breakfast when they received a call from Nick's mother; she was calling to confirm the day's plans. The women were getting together to go sightseeing, mainly on the Strip; while the men headed out to the golf course. Sara didn't organize anything in particular, for she didn't want to enforce a schedule on her guests, instead she preferred it if they planned the day. The round of golf was already a given, since all the guys wanted to try the new 18-hole course just outside Vegas. The only rule of the day was to attend the rehearsal dinner.
By nine o'clock, both Sara and Nick were ready; Jack and Matt were also excited about the events that were to occur in the next several days. As they headed out, both Sara and Nick checked to see if they had their cell phones, both were expecting phone calls from either the florist or tailors.
Although the wedding was ready, Sara was still awaiting the 'unexpected' pitfalls that she had managed to avoid, thus far. 'Who knew those 'how to' books on wedding planning were so effective?' she often thought. Plus, having enlisted Catherine as the matron of honor, and helpful assistant didn't hurt either. Nick was, in fact, amazed at how quickly the two women had worked to organize the wedding. Sure, it was small, but every aspect of the wedding was of great sentiment, it was going to be a wedding focused on fun, family and friends. It was early in the planning stages that they decided on a backyard wedding, upon Catherine and Grissom's offer to use their backyard as the setting. Catherine's help was fundamental in getting the pieces to fit, from booking the tent in case of rain, renting the tables and chairs, and finding 'the dress.' Ironically, the dress was the easiest part of the planning, Sara, wanted a simple dress to match the informal wedding. After a quick shopping trip, she chose a simple white, off the shoulder dress with an empire waist silhouette. Hair and makeup were things that Sara hadn't decided on however, since her hair behaved as it pleased anyway.
Details regarding the groom and groomsmen were Nick's responsibility, but Sara suspects that he too received much needed assistance from Catherine, or maybe even one of his sisters. The invitations, the food, the music, and the decorations were arranged without a hitch, with the exception of the flowers of course. The guest list was small; they had only invited 50 people, and amazingly, they all were happy to attend. Thus, lo and behold, the stage was now set for Nick and Sara's long awaited nuptials.
~*~
"Nice shot," Warrick whistled. He squinted as he tracked the small white golf ball in the air. Nick's father, who stood close by was also amazed at the ball traveling further and further.
"Have you been working on that shot, Nick," Nick's father asked.
"Nah," Nick laughed, he stepped aside as Grissom took his turn to take a shot. The whole shift was off today, in preparation for the wedding, a generous gift from Grissom.
"The key to reaching the green is the range of motion with regards to power," Grissom explained.
"Or, just Sara," Jack piped up. Nick smiled, 'yea, it was Sara.'
"Just hit the ball so we can move on," Nick commanded, laughing.
"Yup, just Sara," he continued. In truth, Nick was nervous, excited, but nervous; the round of golf was doing him good. Numerous times had he thought about his wedding, somewhat thinking that it was all a dream, a long and lovely dream. He looked forward to getting married, looking forward to marrying Sara; finally, he felt that his life was starting to come together. All the arrows were now pointing in the same direction, and he was happy.
~*~
Over at the Strip, Sara and her soon to be in-laws were shopping, an activity that Sara never took a liking to. She was just there to guide them through the chaotic streets, but, overall, she enjoyed being outside, it was calming. By the lunch hour, they had rounded out every shop on the Strip and had sampled various snacks. But to Sara's dismay, they still continued to plow through the crowds and into other attractions. She was tired. As much as her body ached, Sara also felt a sense of warmth as they moved from one location to the other. It was at this time that she fully realized the family that she was soon going to join; happy that they had already welcomed her with open arms. Nick's mother was supportive, calling Sara every now and then, just to check on the planning. Carrie and Michelle were supportive; they too called, but only to check if Nick was misbehaving. Sara smiled; Nick was just perfect through the whirlwind of planning. She was a very lucky girl, not only did she land a good man, but as part of the package, she also received a great family and support system.
'By this time tomorrow, I'll be married to Nick,' she thought, it made her smile wider.
'Only one more day,' she hummed to herself.
~*~
The rehearsal dinner was being held at a small restaurant, just minutes away from the bright neon lights of the Strip, which gave the roof a great view. They had reserved the rooftop for the evening; the decor was lively while maintaining a warm family atmosphere, perfect for the family oriented dinner that they wanted. Around the room were tiny lights, while tea light candles flickered through frosted glass containers.
Present were Nick's parents, sisters and their husbands, also, his other sisters and their families had just arrived. A plane delay had them arriving one hour before the dinner, when they were suppose to arrive at noon, nonetheless they were glad not to miss out on any other wedding festivities. The team was there as well, Grissom and his wife, Catherine, along with Lindsey looked picture perfect sitting by Warrick and his long-time girlfriend. Greg also sat at the same table, playing kissy face with his flavor of the month. The only ones who hadn't arrived were Nick's older brother and his family, as well as Sara's whole family. With the Las Vegas skylight surrounding them and the comforting smell of summer wafting in the night's breeze, the intimate family dinner was underway.
"Now, y'all didn't forget about us, did you," a voice called from the doorway. Everyone looked up; it was Kate, who stood confidently in front of her parents.
"Kate," the group called out. The once shy and distant Stokes had now blossomed into a confident and energetic young woman. Once again, and exchange of hugs, kisses and "you look greats" commenced.
"I'm sorry for being late, I had trouble surfing my way here," Kate teased. She was a Marine Biology major at UCLA, where she had taken up surfing, a hobby that she particularly enjoyed. As a student, she was in the process of preparing for an exchange program to Australia, a feat that her Uncle Nick was tremendously proud off.
"Sara! I'm glad you didn't pull a 'runaway bride' on my Uncle Nicky," she smiled, hugging Sara, but quickly elbowing Nick.
"Nice to see you," Sara greeted. She too was amazed at Kate, who Sara had first met at Michelle's wedding. Gone were the distant eyes of an angry teen, and the brewing dark attitude.
- FLASHBACK -
Finally, they reached a young girl, who leaned against the tree and was shaded from the sun. Unlike the rest of her family, her hair was a dirty blonde hue, while her eyes a piercing blue. Sara walked away from Nick, who at this point was exchanging jokes with and uncle, or someone.
"You must be Kate," Sara asked, she extended her hand. The girl was silent,
"Nick told me that you preferred to be called Kate," Sara explained. The girl scoffed and walked away. 'OK, bad move,' her mind observed.
- END FLASHBACK -
'And here she is - smiling,' Sara thought.
As the hoopla died down, all settled back into their seats and commenced on ordering dinner. The meals were wonderful, the menu held a meal that catered to varied tastes, ranging from peppered steaks to Sara's Florentine lasagna. Lighthearted conversations were passed around the room; and of course, advice flowed from many mouths. Sara and Nick were showered with words of wisdom, and the occasional quirky tips on married life.
The hours passed and soon the stars shimmered through the faded sky, the time had reached when all of them should return to their hotels. Lindsey had grown bored, since Greg was too focused on his other 'friend,' while Emily had quietly fallen asleep by her father's side. The adults themselves, however cheerful, were tired by the day's activities. Sara, although accustomed to long days was tired herself, occasionally resting her head on Nick's shoulder in attempts to stay half-awake.
The party finally ended, and everyone hailed cabs. Catherine took Sara's fatigued body to her home, while Nick drove to his home to gather Sara's packed bag. Tonight, Sara was spending the night at Catherine's, making the wedding preparations less difficult. Nick was spending the night at his home, alone, for the last time.
Twelve hours until the wedding.
*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
A/N - Don Alejandro's Texan Grill, which is located in the McCarran International Airport, Terminal 1 Esplanade is an actual restaurant. I don't own the brand, so no lawsuits necessary.
I'm not sure if there is a fraternity called Alpha Sigma Phi, but if there is, it is just a simple coincidence. Any of their beliefs, values and opinions do not reflect my opinion, nor do they reflect the opinions of the characters involved.
The word 'Veli' is Finnish for "brothers" - appropriate for the characters of Jack and Matt.
What'd you think? Love it, loathe it, review it! - oceanwave
