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Chap 3.

Greg made his way up the isle with his groomsmen in tow. He shifted nervously next to the officiant. His stomach churned as the music started. He looked next to himself to Nick who gave him a reassuring look. At the other end of the isle he saw Lindsey start down the isle. She looked so much like her mother with her hair pulled back in a simple French twist. Puberty helped her fill out her satin fitted white halter top. A black satin a-line skirt flowed around her ankles. She carried a single white long stemmed rose with a red ribbon tied around it. Behind her Catherine appeared. Seeing her was like déjà vu. Greg hadn't realized how alike mother and daughter looked. Behind Catherine Sara started to walk. She was wearing the same as the two previous women except she was carrying six white long stemmed roses tied with a red ribbon. She smiled at Greg with tears in her eyes as she made her way up the isle. He watched her take her place at the end of the isle. The music changed and Greg looked up. At the end of the red runner Constance appeared in a white wedding dress with black embroidery. Greg had to smile, even in this context Constance had to pick something which deviated slightly from the stereotype. Her shoulders shone in the sun exposed form the strapless dress. Her black hair was accented by the tiny sparkling tiara and white veil. He knew it was a 'fingertip length' but only from overhearing the girls gush after she had chosen it. In her hands was a bouquet of eleven long stemmed red roses tied with a white ribbon. He knew it would be eleven and he looked at the chair in the front row where the final rose sat. Constance certainly had a way with subtle dramatic expression.

Sept 22nd 2005

Constance sat at her desk picking through the days work when Catherine stormed through the doors. Warrick followed behind looking somewhat subdued. She knew something was up but decided against asking these two. Not long after Nick sauntered through.

"Nick" she called.

"What can I do for you?" He asked

Constance flashed him a flirty look "Well save that for later cowboy, for now what's eating Cath? Is it the case? Problems with Lindsey again? She just fumed through here and I was…frankly…scared"

Nick laughed. He knew Constance had taken a bit of a big sister role with Lindsey lately and the teen seemed to be thriving under her wing.

"Nope…Warrick got married." He answered.

"WHAT?" She asked incredulously

"Yep. Secret ceremony, Vegas style."

"Wow, no wonder Caths pissed. Wait, he didn't even tell you?"

"Nope, but hey, if that's the way he wanted it who am I to interfere?" he said walking away, field kit in hand.

Constance shook her head as she absorbed the information. Warrick was off the market. A loss for single girls all over the city that's for sure.

The rest of her shift finished uneventfully. During her coffee break she had learned from the other secretaries that Warrick and Catherine had always shared some chemistry, another reason for Catherine to be upset. As Constance's shift ended she went in search for Catherine.

"Cath, you need a drink and I am going to take you. No ifs, ands or buts." Constance said wrapping her arm around the older womans shoulder.

"I do need a drink and I wasn't going to question you" Catherine responded in a defeated voice.

On their way out Constance spotted a familiar brunette. "Sara, I'm taking Cath out for a much needed drink. Care to join? Girls night out?" Constance asked.

"I think I'll pass." Sara said with an icy glare.

Constance rolled her eyes and sighed "I try and I try."

"It's not going to work. Once she has her mind made up…" Catherine said as she got into Constance's car.

Constance pulled into the club parking lot. She hadn't even noticed the other cars around but her skilled CSI counterpart did.

"That's Nicks car. And Gregs." Catherine said looking at the cars parked closer to the door.

"The guys were taking Warrick out on an impromptu bachelor party. I just assumed it would involve other people dancing." Constance explained "We can leave if you want. Hit another club."

"No" Catherine sighed "I'm going to have to deal with this eventually. Sooner is better than later."

The women entered the club and went straight for the bar. The club was pretty busy so Constance hoped the guys wouldn't notice them in the myriad of other people but no such luck. Just as Constance was thinking that a kiss landed on the back of her neck.

"I knew this place had gotten hotter." Greg said into her ear.

Constance swung around and pressed her lips to his.

"Cath needed a drink. I didn't know you guys would be here."

"This could be awkward" Greg said stepping back a little.

"Not if you distract her. Ask her to dance."

"What? Ask Catherine to dance?"

"Why not? She needs the distraction and then it will give me a chance to dance with the groom." Constance smiled

Greg mulled it over in his head and walked over to Catherine's seat. He leaned in, spoke and she got up.

"You're a genius you know." Nick stated in her ear.

"I know." Constance said smiling "Now come on and show me some of those moves cowboy." She continued grabbing Nick's hand.

Warrick laughed as he watched a stunned Nick being dragged up onto the dance floor by a girl who was no taller than 5'5" in her heels.

By the end of the night Constance and Catherine had danced with all three of the guys. Nick and Warrick were impressed that Greg had managed to land such a firecracker…or so they could only assume by the way she moved on the dance floor. Catherine watched Constance dance and could see their pasts shared at least one similarity but she had no intention of letting that spill.

At the end of the evening Nick and Greg helped Warrick into a cab and wondered back to the girls. The conversation was starting to wind down when Constance's cell phone rang. She stepped away from the group to take the call.

"CONSTANCE!" Nick called out as he watched her drop to her knees, her cell phone falling out of her hand. Greg picked up the cell phone and finished Connie's phone call as Catherine and Nick helped Constance stand. Her sobs made any attempt to talk indistinguishable. After, they sat her in the passengers seat with the door still open Greg told them what he had learned.

"Her father had a heart attack." He said solemnly "He managed to call 911 but he was DOA."

Catherine couldn't help but think of Lindsey who had also lost her father. The gagging sounds coming from the car snapped Catherine out of her thoughts. Constance was shivering and vomiting.

"I think she's in shock." Catherine said looking up at the guys "I'm in no shape to drive."

Greg was already searching through Constance's purse for her keys. Nick reached in the back for a blanket to wrap Connie in.

"We'll meet you there." Nick said as Greg started Constance's car.

The short drive from the club to the hospital was fraught with every red light. Greg swore as he stopped at one just blocks away from the hospital. Constance gagged again but she had vomited most of what was in her stomach already. 'This car is going to need a serious scrub' Greg thought as he pulled through the intersection.

The hospital waiting room nurse looked at the couple coming through the door and rolled her eyes. Between the blonde haired man and the ragged looking woman in his arms she started to assume it was the result of too much partying. She got a shock when the man pulled out an ID card "Greg Sanders Las Vegas Crime Lab, this woman is in shock."

Greg put Constance's insurance card on the counter and sat her down in a chair.

Nick and Catherine found Greg in the waiting room with Constance's wallet open. He was obviously trying to fill out as much of the information on the waiting room sheets as he could.

"Do you have any idea how much information you need just to receive medical attention?" He asked looking up at them with worried eyes.

Nick looked around "Where's Connie?"

"It's amazing how fast people will be treated if you flash your criminalist ID badge." Greg answered with a quick, false smile.

Catherine walked away in search of coffee for the three of them.

"Her father was all she had" Greg said looking up at Nick.

"That's what Cath said in the car on the way over but I think you are both wrong." Nick said sitting next to Greg "She has you."

Greg paused for a moment.

"Look at you man," Nick said motioning to all the paper in front of him "You are going nuts over this girl. I think you're falling in love with her."

Nick could see that Greg was mulling it over in his head "I think you're right." Greg finally said quietly.

"She's gonna need you now more than ever." Nick said as he saw Catherine walk back with three coffees in her hands "but don't overwhelm her. Keep it under wraps for now."

Catherine put the coffees down in front of the two men but knew better then to ask what they had been talking about. The three of them sat in almost silence with the exception of Catherine's cell phone going off once. After talking to her mother about what had gone on that night she remembered to shut it off.

After what felt like the longest hour of Gregs life a doctor came out.

"Greg Sanders" the doctor called out looking up at her board.

He was standing beside her when she looked back up.

"Um…yah…Constance suffered a mild case of shock. We're releasing her but she probably shouldn't be alone. Is there anyone who can stay with her?" the doctor said as Catherine and Nick walked up as well.

"I have room at my place." Catherine offered.

"No guys," Greg said "I got this one."

Looking at the doctor he continued "I'll take her back to her place where she'll be more comfortable. You can release her into my care."

"Alright." The doctor said signing something on her clipboard "Come with me."

Greg followed the doctor to the examining room where Constance had been treated. He found her sitting in a wheelchair, her eyes and cheeks red from crying. She was stairing straight ahead. Greg had never seen her look so small. Sure her physical size was small but her personality seemed to make up for that and so much more. Greg had never felt such an overwhelming desire to protect someone in his life. Instead he took the handles of the wheelchair and started the walk to the car.

Greg managed to get Constance home and into bed with little difficulty. She seemed very compliant. Then he got on the phone to the airlines to book two tickets to the small town in Canada where Constance grew up. Greg leaned back into the sofa where he was sitting and rubbed his eyes. The evening had gone from celebration to mourning to concern so quickly his body hadn't adjusted. It was then that he realized that over the months that he had been dating Constance she had shared lots about her childhood but almost nothing about herself in the ten years between leaving Canada and now. He knew she had lived somewhere in New York city cause she still wrote her old roommate on occasion but that was about it. Now was not the time to question though, he thought as he lie on the sofa, now was a time to sleep.

Greg woke up to Constance whispering on the phone.

"So all the arrangements have been made? Thank you." She hung up the phone and sat down in the chair across from Greg.

"Thank you." She said simply as she looked over at him.

Confused he asked "For what?"

"For looking after me last night. I knew my father had a bad heart but I never…" her voice cracked as she spoke the last words.

"Constance…" Greg said sitting up.

"I…um…I have to call the airlines. And the lab…I'm going to have to take some time off." She said quickly. Greg could tell she was starting to panic again.

"I already made us plane reservations. We take off at six tonight." He said quietly.

"Us?" She asked looking up quickly.

Now it was Greg's turn to panic. Had he overstepped his boundaries?

"Um…yah. I didn't think you wanted to be alone. I can cancel my plane ticket if you want though." He stammered.

Constance launched herself into Greg's arms. "No!" She said between sobs "I want you to come. Thank You." She pressed her tear salted lips to his. Before he knew what was happening he was carrying her to the bedroom. Something about grief made people want to be closer. She pulled him in closer as they made love.

"I love you Gregory Sanders." She whispered.

He pushed Nick's words out of his mind.

"I love you too Constance Taylor." He whispered back as he looked deep into her eyes.

Ecklie called Constance before she could call him to tell her he had heard the news and to take as much time as she needed. That was not the case when he heard Greg was going with her.

"Ecklie, do I have to remind you how many doubles I've pulled in the last month alone?" Greg asked in a tone which left little room for argument.

"Fine. Today's Wednesday…I want to see you back in the lab on Monday Sanders." Ecklie said before hanging up abruptly.

Greg shook his head as if to suggest he was shaking off the conversation.

"I'm going to go home and pick up a few things. I'll have the cab swing by on the way to the airport and pick you up." He said as he put on his shoes.

"O.K." Constance said quietly.

She kissed Greg as he left and ran to the bathroom to throw up as soon as he closed the door.

The horn outside Constance's apartment signaled it was time for her to go. She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her suitcase. She was surprised to see Nicks car when she got outside.

"Cabs are way too expensive and besides," Nick said taking her suitcase from her "I had to give this to you." He handed her a card.

The tears started to flow as she read it. It was a sympathy card signed by almost everybody in the lab, even Sara. There was also a business card from a florists shop indicating they had sent a bouquet.

Constance hugged Nick and whispered "Thank you." before climbing into the back with Greg. Constance hadn't felt this at home with anybody in the last ten years let alone a group of people.

Constance spent the rest of the weekend saying very little. She cried till she didn't have any tears left. Greg wished there was more he could do but he also knew that just by being there he was doing enough.

On the plane home Greg wished he had been able to meet the man responsible for this wonderful woman in his life. So many people had gotten up to speak at the funeral it was amazing. Stories that made people laugh and stories that brought on tears. Greg stroked Connie's hair as she slept slumped against him and pledged that he would do everything he could to fill the void this had left in Constance's life.