As Jack McCoy turned from the bar, he scanned the room, looking for any sign of his daughter. When his eyes fell on La Salle and Kibre sharing intimate smiles, along with champagne, McCoy's curiosity aroused.

"Just the man I wanted to see," Arthur Branch said as he reached for his drink order."Jack, I've been meanin' to call you and tell what great job you've been doin' fillin' my shoes."

"That's not what you want to talk about right now, is it Arthur? Before you start, Brooke broke it off, not me. She threw me out and I have no intention of discussing specifics about it with you or anybody else, today."

Branch sighed heavily, before motioning for McCoy to follow him out of the way of the thirsty crowd behind them.

"Now Jack. You know I was less than thrilled to hear you were standing the way of Brooke and Sam reconciling when he came back from Tulsa. But obviously Sam's dealt with it, so who am I to..."

"Arthur, just say what you're going to say, so I can find my daughter and get out of here," McCoy said gruffly. "I think I've just about had my fill of celebrating. Although if you're set on lecturing the man in Brooke's life, you should really address your remarks to Mike LaSalle. After all, he brought her to the wedding."

"You're not serious," Branch responded as he scanned the room for confirmation. "On his best day,Mike LaSalle makes you look like a monk. What would possess Brooke to involve herself with a man like that?"

"Ice and a plastic bag," McCoy heard his daughter say to the bartender.

When McCoy turned around he found his daughter and Malinowski several steps behind him; one of his daughters cheeks glowing.

Before he could move to where the women stood, the room thundered as the bride and groom made their entrance and the band began to play the traditional music for the Hora. McCoy turned towards the sound of cheering and swore silently; knowing any plan for escape would be futile until the crowd had cleared from the center of the room.

When he turned back to where he'd seen his daughter, McCoy found both women had disappeared. Arthur Branch was moving towards the newlyweds, as well. With a sigh, McCoy finished his drink and began making his way through the crowd.

"I hope someone is getting this on tape," Mike La Salle said to the attractive states attorney who stood beside him."People in your office would pay top dollar to see Sam Prescott held up in a chair off the ground like this."

Abbie Carmichael nodded and grinned as she watched the crowd raise the bride and groom upwards as the crowd began to dance to the music.

"As much grief as that woman gave me when I was in the DA's office, I have to admit she brings something out in Sam I've never seen before," Carmichael commented as she watched Prescott hold on to his end of the handkerchief as if he'd lose his bride forever if he let go.

"So Abbie? Any chance I could interest you in a walk in the moonlight when the crowd clears?"

Carmichael gave the well known attorney an amused sneer. Not only was she well aware of Mike LaSalle's reputation, she had seen him come to the wedding with Brooke Malinowski.

"I think your date might have a problem with that, Mike," she said drily. "Where is Brooke, anyway?"

As La Salle began to explain his situation, the dance came to its natural end and the crowd fell silent as the best man made the first toast of the evening.

By the time Cohen had finished a surprisingly serious and equally touching, tribute to the couple, McCoy had joined the two attorneys' on the dance floor.

"Excuse me Abbie, but have either of you seen my daughter?"

Upon getting a negative response from both LaSalle and Carmichael, McCoy turned to continue his search, surprised to feel Carmichael tugging his sleeve.

"Abbie," McCoy responded as he allowed her to take his and guide him towards the French doors that led to the garden. "Is something on your mind?"

"Do you realize I've been trying to reach you for almost a month," the slender brunette demanded. "Gee Jack, are you too busy to check your messages now that you're DA?"

"I'm sorry Abbie," McCoy said apologetically as the pair stopped underneath a large oak tree, far enough from the reception to not have to raise their voices to be heard. "I got your messages and assumed it was business. Didn't Mike Cutter take care of whatever you needed?"

"It wasn't business," the Texan said uncomfortably. "Listen, I did have a matter I needed to discuss with you...a business matter... the night of the Trial Lawyers banquet. I tried to…I waited for you to finish with Vanessa Galiano and… well when you were done it was obvious it wasn't the time to try to talk to you about anything."

McCoy sighed as he cursed the fact that night ever happened.

"Abbie, too much has been made of that night, in more ways than you can image. Please don't..."

"It's part of why you and Brooke are on the out's, isn't it Jack?"

"Abbie, this has been a trying enough day without..."

"Jack, I know it's none of my business," Carmichael said bluntly. "But I worked with you when you and Vanessa were involved. I remember the highs and lows you went through with that woman. Maybe you've forgotten them, but I haven't. As a friend, I have to tell you...you need to know... she's just playing with your emotions, Jack."

"Damn it Abbie," McCoy snapped, stuffing his hands in the pants pockets of his suit. "If I have to tell one more person I didn't sleep with that woman I'm going to hit something! As for the inner workings of Vanessa Galiano's mind, I doubt seriously you would have any insight..."

"I've been dating Charlie Graham, Jack."

Carmichael could have knocked her former supervisor over with a feather when her words registered with him. As it was, McCoy instinctively reached for the tree truck help support himself ,as he gaped at her incredulously.

"Yeah. I know, Charlie isn't the type of man I usually go for but..."

"I thought you were here with the guy from frauds?"

"Kevin? We broke up after the banquet. I started seeing Charlie right after. He was supposed be here today, he took the job with Vanessa's firm and she sent him to Boston on a case this week. He was supposed to be back in town for the wedding, but…anyway…the point is Charlie told me about the night at Gino's. The night Brooke lost it with Vanessa. He told me she made a bet with him that night after Brooke threw that drink at her. She said could get you to call off the wedding if she set her mind to it.Charlie told her she was crazy but..."

McCoy's head was spinning; spinning from too much drink with too little food, the idea of Abbie and Charlie Graham, as well as her revelation.

"I thought Vanessa and Charlie..."

"Charlie was considering an offer from her firm. They're personal relationship ended over a year ago. Jack, I'm sorry. I really did try to talk to you, I even went to Danielle and Sam. But, Danielle couldn't get you to shut up long enough to listen to her and Sam... Sam called you a horses ass and refused to interfere, period."

"Why….why would…?"

Carmichael shook her head, amused and amazed a man who could so easily charm women, had so little insight into how some of them thought.

"Come on Jack, think about it. You were with her almost a year, during one of the most vulnerable points in your life…that time right after your second divorce…and you never asked her to marry you. For a bi...for a woman like Vanessa, it's inconceivable that you could pass her up for another woman. Charlie told her to leave it alone, that the two of you had been through enough …but Vanessa saw herself as a woman scorned," Carmichael shrugged her shoulders. "She seemed to think she could play the guilt card …if she got it into your head you were marrying Brooke out of some misplaced sense of guilt ...well, I just thought you should know what she had said."

"Oh God, she played me… When she left me it was because I wouldn't marry her. She played me to even the score" McCoy muttered under his breath, as he gazed down at the grass feeling weary, defeated, and foolish…very, very foolish…