Me and Greg returned to the apartment after we'd finished the drinks and Nick and Warrick headed back to the labs. We had the night off because of the trial and the dates when we were needed in court, so we decided to relax. I made popcorn and got the duvet from the bedroom whilst Greg picked out a movie to watch.
"It's a scream baby!" He laughed picking up the slightly worn DVD case to Scream.
"I love that movie! My all time favourite film!" I told him as I settled on the sofa, tucking the edges of the duvet under my legs.
"Aw, so you're not going to be scared then?" He asked, pouting a little as he popped the disc it into the player.
"Nope." I smirked, munching away on the toffee popcorn. “Besides, it’s Scream! Wes Craven is a genius when it comes to horror movies, but Scream is one of his less terrifying masterpieces that reinvented the horror genre.”
"Ooh, get you, you little Scream Queen." Greg complained sitting next to me and pulling duvet over the two of us.
“You know, that was actually my high school nickname?“ I smiled and then shifted position so that I was snuggled into Greg's chest, the two of us laying in an odd yet comfy way, our feet tangled at the bottom and the bowl of popcorn resting on my stomach as he draped his arm over my body.
The phone rang on the screen and Casey Becker's arm reached down to pick it up.
"Hello?"
"What's your favourite scary movie?" Greg said down my ear in his Scream impression.
I laughed and snuggled closer, realising just how much I could get used to this and just how easy it was to fall for this guy.
Guilty...
Guilty…
That one word was like music to my ears. I couldn't help but laugh and smile as Greg hugged me and my mom congratulated me. This meant that we were one step closer to solving my dad’s murder and now that Kyle Cavendish was going to prison we could focus more on the rest of the gang he was associated with.
"Oh darling! I'm so proud of you for going through all of this!" My mom told me as we left the court room.
I pulled off the white suit jacket and peeled off the red blouse to reveal a white and grey tank top. Greg undid his tie and shoved it in his pocket as we traipsed across the parking lot towards my small car. I was relieved to be out of the constricting outfit at long last.
"Okay, so when is my flight again?" Mom asked me as Greg cranked up the volume to my mixed CD.
"Tonight at 8pm. We're driving you there after dinner." I told her, driving up the small road towards Mikito's house.
"Dinner?"
"Yup, me and Greg are running wild in the kitchen." I laughed and grinned at her pale face.
"Don't worry, we can make a mean pasta meal." Greg reassured her.
"And chocolate cake for desert!" I added, almost letting go of the steering wheel in excitement.
"You just focus on driving, not the food Miks. I don't want a repeat of the ride that night we saw the Goo Goo Dolls." Greg said, holding my hands firmly on the wheel.
"My driving, that night, was fine. However, your ridiculously last minute directions were the cause of the sharp turns and fast brakes." I explained coolly to him, grinning as my mom chuckled and looked out of the window as we continued with our playful banter.
"Wahey!" I shouted as we popped open the bottle of expensive champagne back at the house, the contents spraying out like you only ever see it do on the television. I filled everyone's glasses, being careful not to spill any on Mikito's new Persian rug.
"Okay, okay! I would like to make a toast. Anthony! Put down those silly hedge trimmers and come and join in with the toast! Moon child, pour him a glass. Okay now, I would just like so say a few words. Alison and Moon Child, having you two in my life has been a gift that words can't explain. Alison, you have not only been my business partner for the last twenty years, but also my best friend and I never thought that when I took you in over two decades ago, I'd share the joy of watching little Miki grow up from a cute little baby, to a lovely child to a beautiful young woman who has so much confidence and love for everyone and who has also found a handsome young man to spend her time with. You two are like daughters to me and I love you both with all of my heart. So a toast, to Alison Romani and to Miki and Greg!" Miki raised her glass high and everyone followed suit.
"Okay, me and Greg are going to prepare dinner now. Do not disturb our masterpiece!" I said, draining the glass and dragging Greg towards the kitchen.
I danced around the kitchen waving my hand in the air after almost burning it when stirring the sauce. Greg was still chopping onions, wiping his eyes with his sleeves to try and stop the stinging tears. "That's enough." I told him when there was a mini onion mountain on the chopping board.
“Good, I was starting to worry that I’d end up chopping my hand up. I can’t see a damn thing.” He moved to wash his hands, blinking constantly. I slipped all the onions into the sauce, being extra careful not to lose my own hand to a severe burn. I stirred it all in and smirked when a pair of arms crept around my waist and a pair of lips brushed against my ear. I placed the wooden spoon down on the counter top and turned in Greg's hold to face him. "I have got to say that I am extremely proud of myself." He said, a lopsided smile on his face.
"And why is that?" I laughed.
"Because I have managed to go a full forty-eight hours without kissing you. This is surprising because I want to kiss you every minute of every day and so to be with you for forty-eight hours and not kiss you has taken a hell of a lot of self control on my half." He explained, his eyebrow raised and smile fixed in place.
"Can you make it to forty-nine hours?" I asked.
"I only have so much self control Miks." Greg whispered before crashing his lips against mine.
I smiled into the kiss and Greg took my bottom lip into his mouth, biting it softly before soothing it with the tip of his tongue. I sighed into the kiss, my fingers becoming tangled in his messy light hair and the kiss deepened. His hands roamed up my sides his fingers were drawing patterns through the thin cotton of my shirt. I backed into the kitchen unit and Greg followed, pulling himself closer to me, his fingers creeping slowly up the bottom of my top. The touch of his hands on my bare skin was enough to send shivers up my spine and I moved to deepened the kiss even more, a low guttural moan rising from the back of my throat. It spurred Greg on, the kiss becoming more desperate, his hands brushing over my ribcage as he pulled me even closer, my leg sliding between his.
It was only when I smelt something burning did I pull away and rush over to the oven, my hair messy, my cheeks flushed and my lips slightly swollen. The pasta was burning and the sauce had bubbled over. I turned everything off and then looked over at Greg. He was controlling his breathing and his face was flushed, his hair sticking up in all directions. The two of us started laughing and sorted ourselves out.
"Take out?" I asked Greg, wincing as I showed him the remains of our masterpiece.
"I think that's probably one of the best ideas you've ever had." He commented with a grin.
"Why, exactly is that?" I felt confused but dialled the number for the best take out I knew this side of Vegas.
"Because, it means you and me have more time to spend together." He whispered before trailing his kisses down my jaw.
"Only twenty minutes." I mumbled before turning away to place the order from the menu.
"Oh, the things we could get up to in twenty minutes." Greg said, his voice husky, his arms slinking around my waist, hands trailing up my shirt as he tried to get passed my hair to my exposed neck.
“Down boy.” I laughed, forcing myself to push him away before leaving the kitchen, discarding the contents of our cooking attempt and consciously swaying my hips as I went.
I laughed at Anthony told us about some silly night out with his sister and Greg brought us another bottle of champagne - I was drinking soda though, I had to drive my mom to the airport in two hours and I didn't exactly want to crash the car on the way.
"Dinner is served!" I called as my phone buzzed in my pocket and I ran towards the house like a carefree teenager. I raced back and quickly put all the take out onto plates and carried it out into the garden, the smell tantalising me on the way.
"I thought you were cooking pasta?" My mom asked when I placed the Chinese meal in front of her.
"Erm...well..." Me and Greg started laughing and a blush crept up to my cheeks.
"We got a little distracted." Greg said, digging into his food without another word, feigning innocence. My mom, Mikito and Anthony started laughing as the two of us blushed some more.
"So I take it the relationship is going well?" Anthony said when he calmed down.
I looked at Greg who smiled at me, his dark eyes twinkling, captivating me and making my heart race. "It couldn't be going better." Greg mumbled, not breaking eye contact with me.
My eyes darted to his lips and I couldn't help myself. I kissed him sweetle, catching him off guard, almost causing him to fall off of his chair. My mom laughed and I remembered where I was, pulled away quickly and buried my head as I stuffed my mouth with noodles.
"Well, I think you'll all agree that Greg has brought out a side to Miki that we've never seen before." My mom laughed softly. “It's good to see her so happy."
When I glanced back across at the smiling DNA specialist, I started to wonder if I need to steal some of Greg's self control.
"Last call for flight 115 to New York."
"That's for me guys." My mom said, taking a deep breath.
"I really wish you didn't have to go now mom." I confessed to her, hugging her close.
"I know sweetie, but hey, you signed me up for this and besides, I'll be back before you know it and you two will have helped to diminish Vegas' death rate." She joked.
My cell began to buzz and I looked at the screen. It was currently flashing Nick.
"Answer it." My mom told me.
"But--"
"It might be important. Answer it." She said.
"I'll be right back then. Don't leave yet." I said, flipping my cell open and answering his call.
*Greg*
I watched as Miks slowly walked over towards the huge windows of the airport.
"You really like her don't you?" Alison asked me, her eyes tearful but her smile soft.
"I'm afraid so, and even though it's going to get us into a whole lot of trouble...I wouldn't change it. She's a great girl and an even greater CSI." I said quietly, my eyes fixed on Miks' small figure.
"Promise me something Greg?" I turned around to see Alison with tears in her eyes.
"What?"
"Promise me that you'll be there for her. I know things could get dangerous for her now and I know that she‘s risking her life by staying in Vegas, but I know that she‘s a smart girl who knows what she‘s doing. Please, just promise me you‘ll look after her and be there for her when she needs someone and I‘m not around."
"I promise you much more than that Alison. I promise that I'll be there for her no matter what happens. Your daughter means so much to me." I told her truthfully.
"I'm glad. I'm glad that Miki met you and that you make her happier than I've ever seen her. I trust you Greg and I hope that you and Miki are happy together for a long time. That‘s all I‘ve ever wanted for my daughter; love and happiness." Alison pulled me into a hug and I didn't hesitate in hugging her back.
This woman had just welcomed me into her life, no questions asked. She trusted me with her only daughter and believed that the two of us could make this work…
I couldn't have asked for more from her.
*Miki*
"Anything important?" Greg asked me when I returned to his side, shoving my cell phone back into my pocket.
"They have a lead on the twin case." I said in hushed tones, so as not to catch any attention from passers by.
“Do they need us back at the lab?”
“No, he was just filling me in.” I shook my head and felt slightly relieved that I didn’t need to go and chase a serial killer with a twisted mind just yet.
"I'd better go before I miss my flight." Mom said, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. I hugged her again and she kissed my cheek.
"I'm going to miss you mom."
"I'm going to miss you too darling, but hey, you've got Greg! You better take care of this one Miki. He‘s a good guy." She whispered to me.
"I know mom, trust me, I know." I smiled to her before she picked up her bag and walked off.
Greg wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his chest, planting a kiss on the top of my head.
"Everything is going to work out for the best, and I have a feeling you'll see her sooner than you think Miks." He smiled down at me.
I smiled and he wiped away my tears with his thumb before kissing me softly, taking my hand and guiding me home to a movie and a nice big tub of chocolate ice cream.