A/n: I know that I spelled Kathryn's name wrong. I figured that out about one or two chapters into the story, but I figure this way we know it's a fictional drama so they can't try and say I stole that character… LOL. Besides I like the way it looks with a K.

Chapter 15

Krisalyn was pouting as she rode in the car with Kathryn and Sara. They were both determined to continue this charade with JJ at work. Krisalyn had already been to three different dress shops and she had refused to even look at a wedding dress in the last one. She didn't see a purpose in this stupid expedition considering she and Nick were not actually getting married. She could think of better things to spend her money on then a wedding dress she was not going to use.

"You know you could at least attempt to look happy about your pending nuptials." Sara said with a giggle.

"I am not getting married." Krisalyn said forcefully.

"Actually we think you are." Kathryn said with a sigh. "Look Krisalyn, we know we can't force you to walk down the aisle with a man you don't love but something tells us you are only pretending not to want to marry him. You really do love him and you want to be with him."

"What makes you so sure?" Krisalyn asked after a moment of silence.

"Oh just the fact that your face lights up every time he enters the room, your eyes narrow into slits when ever you see JJ and you act like you want to kill her." Sara said sarcastically. "Look, seriously, we think that you two are meant to be together, it's the only reason we are backing this crazy scheme."

"So this was planned?" Krisalyn asked softly.

"Nick and Warrick thought it up. Why do you think you got an engagement ring so quickly? It's because Nick already bought it, long before that crime scene and long before we announced our little idea to JJ." Kathryn said softly.

"Why is it that everyone seems to think they know what's best for me, better than I do?" Krisalyn asked annoyed. "I think that I should just transfer out of the lab and go somewhere else. I mean if I move to a city close to Las Vegas I could visit Ella's grave occasionally."

"But as her mother you couldn't bear to do something like that." Kathryn said knowingly. "I'm a mother myself and I know for a fact that if something had happened to my daughter, I couldn't bear to live away from where I could visit her and be with her. It's a maternal pull that you have with her."

"I miss her every single day. I keep thinking that Nick has got to hate me for the fact that he never got to meet her and the fact that I didn't keep her safe, I didn't protect her the way I should have." Krisalyn said as tears fell from her eyes.

"It's always going to hurt, but you have to let go of the guilt. It wasn't your fault that some monster did what he did. You were her mother and no matter what Ella knew how much you loved her and how much you would have sacrificed to save her. You did what you could to keep your daughter safe, you have to trust in that." Kathryn said softly.

"Is that why you push Nick away?" Sara asked softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you pretend to hate him and not want to be around him because you are afraid he hates you or that you don't deserve him?" Sara elaborated.

"I guess so. I never really thought about why I do the things I do. I only know that he drives me insane sometimes and I don't want to be around him." Krisalyn shrugged her shoulders, wiping away her tears.

Nick was laughing as he, Warrick, Greg and Grissom ate lunch at the diner. They were out buying new suits, at Kathryn's request, for a special party she was planning to throw in honor of the impending nuptials of Nick and Krisalyn. Nick knew that Krisalyn thought everyone was just playing along with a joke, trying to get JJ off his back, but that wasn't the case. They were really planning a wedding for the couple because Nick was serious about finally getting married. After talking to his family back in Texas he was starting to realize he wasn't getting any younger and he wanted a family.

"You know I was just thinking about the look on Krisalyn's face when we all started playing along with this engagement scheme." Greg said with a laugh. "She wanted it to be real but she couldn't let on. She is so totally in love with you man."

"You think so?" Nick asked with a surprised look.

"Please, everyone can see it when they look at the two of you that there is something there. You two are meant to be together." Warrick said putting his two sense in.

"Honestly Nick, you have got to be completely blind not to see that she is in love with you, almost as blind as you were by JJ a while ago." Grissom added evenly.

JJ was fuming as she stomped around her apartment. She couldn't believe that Krisalyn had won over the one man she had wanted. She threw a vase against the wall and walked over to the pictures she had set on the coffee table. It had taken her a long time to figure out what she wanted in a husband and Nick had met her criteria to perfection. She had known that the kids they would have together would have been beautiful but no he had to chose that slut. JJ could feel her blood boiling but she wasn't sure how she was going to change anything about the situation right now. She set the pictures aside and tried to formulate a plan.

He laughed as he studied the information he now held in his hands. No one knew the true identity of the killer and no one knew the true identity of one of their own. They all thought they could trust each other in that stupid crime lab but now he knew the truth and he had the proof. If he wanted to he could make the entire world hate this person but he wasn't ready to do that just yet. He laughed his evil laugh as he placed the packets of information aside and glanced outside his office door. Everyone out there was blind to his evil side, they all just thought he was shy because he had just been transferred here not to long ago, the fools. He looked at the receptionist who was filing her nails as she yapped away on a personal phone call during business hours. So they all thought that he was to strict when it came to work, just wait until they find out what the punishment is for lacking.

Nick was laughing as he opened the front door and walked in. He took one look around his house and knew that something had happened while he was away. He slowly walked in and debated about drawing his weapon but decided against it. There was no reason for him to think the change had been completely bad and he was just curious as to what could have happened while he was away. He walked all the way inside and set his stuff down, looking around for any sign of Krisalyn.

"Kris?"

"Hey you're home. I kind of thought you would be out later with the guys, thinking up a new scheme of some sort or another." Krisalyn said sarcastically.

"Hey, this is not just my idea. Besides I happen to think it's more than a scheme, it's a desperate attempt to make sure that we stay together." Nick said shrugging his shoulders.

"More like pathetic. Nick why are you forcing a marriage?" Krisalyn asked. "If I don't sign the marriage license or even look willing to tie the knot it won't happen so you'll be wasting your money and everyone's time."

"Except you hate a big conflict and to embarrass someone. So if I have a bunch of people who know me around you won't dare say no because you would feel to bad. I'm counting on that sweet and nice girl that I met." Nick said evenly.

"Well maybe she doesn't exist anymore." Krisalyn said starting to get angry.

"I happen to know that she does. At every crime scene we have been to I have seen the hurt and pain in your eyes. It's almost like you knew every victim but you didn't. Any death or heartache causes you pain and suffereing no matter who it's to." Nick said crossing his arms in front of him.

"Why are you doing this?" Krisalyn said simply.

"Because Ella would have wanted both of her parents to be together and you know it. Ella would have deserved two parents and I refuse to think that you don't believe that." Nick said starting to get angry. "I didn't meet her but I know that the only thing I have ever wanted is to be a dad and I think a deserve a chance at that."

JJ was laughing as she finished the final plans for her revenge. She realized that she seemed crazy or even mean to the others but they never bothered to get to know her, or to even attempt to be her friend. The one person who had any attempt at all decided to ditch her and get married to someone who hated her, although JJ had to admit that she hated her back. She set aside her final plans and got up from her seat at her desk. She knew it was only a matter of time before they figured everything out and transferred her away from here, but it would be to late to stop her plan that would already be set in motion.

She was scared, probably more scared than she had ever been. They promised her that she would be all right but she had a feeling they were lying. Her mom had always told her about the angry evil people in the world but she had never believed they were that bad, until now that is. She wanted nothing more than to find a way to get away and go see her mother but even she knew that was never going to happen. She had been in deep trouble since the beginning and now she was in worst trouble than ever. The men around her looked angry and ready to take all their frustrations out on her. She huddled back into the corner of the room and hoped the shadows would protect her, even for a little while.

Krisalyn stared at the papers that were sitting in front of her. Although she had been looking at them for the past three hours she still had no clue what the ballistics report had said. She had returned to work that morning, but only on light duty which meant she was in charge of running most of the ballistics and stuff. She sighed and pushed it aside and finally admitted defeat.

"Why can't I concentrate?" She muttered to herself as she jumped out of her chair. All day she had been day dreaming about something or someone. Her thoughts always seemed to drift immediately to Nick. She smacked her palm against her forehead to try to stop her thoughts from straying again but could already tell it was no use. Her mind immediately wondered straight back to him and she sighed with displeasure.

"The report not say what you want it to?" Kathryn asked walking into the room.

Krisalyn jumped and turned around quickly. "You scared me." She said simply, her palm flying to her chest.

"Admit it, you have to the hots for him and you want to marry him." Kathryn said softly.

"I can't…" Krisalyn said with tears in her eyes.

"Why not?"