Lover's Eyes
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI.
Please Review! Sorry, I thought I updated last week. I have had a very hectic week.

Ch10: The Principles

At the rehearsal dinner Nick felt like a love struck school boy. After asking for Mandy's parents' blessing, Nick felt like he was hosting a surprise party for her and it was getting close to the party date. He finally understood why Tucker looked at Melanie the way he did, Nick had liked to think that he looked at Mandy that way but he now he knew he was. He couldn't shed this goofy smile, and he didn't want to.

The diner that they had been eating at had been playing music in the background as the family sat and ate. The Stokes family had taken up the majority of the diner, and due to the gruff appearance of Matt and Nick it wasn't exactly a welcoming place. Nick sat back in his chair after finishing his steak and potatoes; he looked over at Lily who only ate her French fries neglecting her poor chicken tenders.

"Daddy, I want to get down…" she whined, Nick released the little beast.

"You seem in a good mood?" Mandy teased touching Nick's leg. She too was a skimpy eater only eating her potatoes and a small piece of her steak. Nick just turned and smiled at her. "So, I take it you rested today."

"Yeah, I just watched some TV made some phone calls." Nick said smiling putting his arm on the back of her chair. Mandy smiled at him and raised her eyebrows a little at her with a sexy smirk.

"Easy there you two." Mama Stokes said causing the loving couple to blush terribly. Mandy smiled keeping her hand on his thigh.

Nick had made other calls besides for the difficult call to Mandy's parents, however it was a pleasant difficult. He also called Catherine, for some female insight. Nick wanted his proposal to be perfect and wanted to know what to do and when to do it. Catherine told him that Nick would know when, and the only advice she had was to make it special that he knows Mandy and knows what Mandy would like. However she did tell him to at least wait until they got home, and not to do it during the wedding that it may come off a little tacky.

The following morning was the big day it wasn't their big day, but it was the reason of their whole trip. Mandy laid out her and Lily's clothes as Nick slowly got dressed. Nick wore his slick black suit with a black tie. Mandy had decided to hog the bathroom to get ready as Nick helped Lily get ready.

"Lily, grab your pretty shoes." Nick said pulling his tie off his shoulder. "Hey babe, you almost ready? We gotta get going darling…"

"Daddy, isn't my dress petty?" Lily said spinning but falling on her bottom. She looked at her dad with sad eyes.

"You're alright." Nick told her but she cried and stood rubbing her sore bottom as she went to her dad looking for comfort. Nick hugged her chuckling a little.

"You can't be spinning like that alright? Are you okay?" Nick asked picking up Lily as she rested her head on his shoulder for a brief moment.

"I hurt my butt… you want to kiss it?" Lily laughed wiping her eyes. Nick chuckled.

"No, baby girl." Nick said as Lily played with his tie. Mandy opened up the bathroom and stood in the doorway posing for a moment. Nick's eyes went wide and he dropped his jaw almost like he was start struck by Mandy's appearance because she looked amazing and knew it.

"Close your mouth, Stokes." Mandy teased grabbing her clutch.

"You look great… well; you always look great but…" Nick said biting his lip taking her hand. "Give me a twirl." Nick said practically growling.

"Easy there…" Mandy teased. "We gotta get going, remember?"

"Well, suddenly the wedding is the last thing on my mind." Nick said low, earning a yank on his tie from Lily.

"But daddy, we gotta go!" the three year old whined.

Once they got to the wedding Nick and Mandy found there seat as Lily was with Mama Stokes. Mandy was slightly surprised that Nick wasn't a groomsmen but then she remembered how they did interact and thought it was for the better. Nick and Mandy made silly small talk as they waited anxiously for their little girl to walk down, tossing the flower pedals.

"There's our little girl." Mandy whispered excited as Lily waved to them. Lily looked at everyone looking at her and got nervous. Mandy waved for her to come on, and Lily did slowly but surely. Lily tossed some pedals out.

Mandy took a quick scan of the room. There were a lot of cops here, she could tell that they were in there dress uniform as well as Matt. She remembered Nick mentioning he was a police officer. Mandy almost felt like she was at the annual policeman's ball back in Vegas.

"Uh oh…" Lily said realizing that her basket was empty. Lily started to pick up some of the pedals putting them back in her basket.

"Come on, baby." Mandy said waving Lily to continue on. Nick tried to wave her too as he took pictures with his phone. Lily continued to toss her pedals running into her grandmother's arms. Everyone chuckled and laughed a little at the sweet three year old.

"She is so stinkin' cute." Nick's aunt said, as she was in the aisle in front of them.

"Oh look, there she is." Mandy said touching Nick's chest. Matthew's future wife and father-in-law started their way down the aisle. "Oh wow, her dress is pretty." She whispered looking at Nick, as Nick looked at her not as convinced as her.

"Yours will be better." Nick whispers smiling at her. There was a loving stare the couple shared, and Mandy moved closer to him hugging him.

"I love you," Mandy whispered.

"I love you, too, babe." Nick said as they sat down. Nick put his arm around Mandy as Mandy held his other hand. Even though Nick thought his brother was a bit of a jerk and thought this whole thing was borderline silly.

"Hypothetically speaking… when will ours we?" Mandy asked earning a grin from Nick.

"Well, babe, I'm a southern gent…" Nick whispered taking his attention away from the ceremony to give his attention to Mandy. "That means there has to be a certain way I have to do things." Nick whispered kissing her forehead.

Please Review! I am thinking about doing a third piece that would focus around the wedding... that is if Nick asks or if you guys' would like to read it. Let me know!