C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 10 - Surprise announcement

Nick's POV
I fumble for my keys as I pull up to our place to see her car already parked in the garage so I park next to it. "Lauren!! I'm home!!" I yell as I drop my keys in the bowl on the little counter beside the front door. "Hay, in here!" She replies from the kitchen. "Hay babe..." I whisper as I cuddle her from behind, nuzzling her neck softly. "Hay...welcome home..." She smiles. "Dinner smells good." I comment as I sway to the music she's put on. "Curry, I hope you like it." She giggles. "I always like what you make." I chuckle. "How was work?" I ask. "Good we caught the guy." She nods. "How was training?" She asks. "It went good. I only have a few more left before I requalify." I nod. "That's great babe." She smiles up at me. "Hay...I love you, okay?" I whisper as I kiss her sweetly. "I love you too Nicky." She smiles against my lips. "Come on, dinner's almost ready." She giggles as she pulls away. We had a wonderfully peaceful dinner and I offered to wash the dishes after hearing about her very full day at work. I'm rinsing off the last few plates when I feel her arms wrap around me as she rests her head on my shoulder. "I'm almost done." I tell her. "Hmm..." She nods. Once I've rinsed the last one and put it in its place, I turn around my arms wrapping around her as I pull her closer. "Did I tell you I love you?" I smile as I kiss her softly. "Every second of everyday babe." She whispers in between kisses. She stops, pulling away with a cheeky smile on her face. Taking my hand, she pulls me up the stairs and to our bedroom. I crash my lips onto hers as we fall back onto the bed. "Have I told you, you have the most mesmerising beauty?" I whisper in her ear as I nuzzle her neck softly. "Every so often." She giggles softly. Her breathing hitches when I work my way down her body, planting soft kisses on the way. She practically rips off my shirt, tearing my pants as we throw them across the room. I slide her top over her head as she slips off her pants, my lips not leaving hers for a second. I kiss her softly as my arms wrap around her.

Lauren's POV
My breathing hitches when Nick begins to move down my body, leaving soft kisses. He reaches my face and I stare into his subtle grey eyes. Gosh, I love this man! I think to myself as he kisses me softly. His arms wrap around me, encasing me in a safe heaven. He stops, his hands cupping my face as he traces my features, like an intricate pattern. "Nicky...why did you marry me?" I suddenly ask. "Because I love you, I have since the moment you walked into the lab and I laid eyes on you." He smiles as he rests his forehead against mine. "You're the most beautiful, intelligent, smart, sassy, funny, quirky and all around amazing woman in the world and I love you to no end." He whispers sweetly. No matter how many times I hear him say it, no matter how he says and when he says it, I can't help but smile widely as he whispers those 3 words. "I love you too..." I whisper. I fell asleep that night, alongside my best friend and partner in crime, without a care in the world...

Mysterious POV
I watch from afar as they declare their love to each other, soft, heated and passionate kisses exchanged. My fist squeezes tighter with each kiss and each "I love you" exchanged, turning my knuckles pale. This isn't right, this isn't fair and it's not true!! SHE DOESN'T LOVE HIM!!! She loves me!! I can't help but yell in frustration, toppling the table, everything on it and any object in the room for that matter. I finally calm down enough to realise the mess I've made. It must be cleaned up. It doesn't take me long to fix everything, chucking into the trash any broken things; pieces of a lamp, a few ripped wires and what not. Sitting back in my spot, I continue to watch. I have to act soon or my plan will not work. Or I will not be noticed, just like back in London.

Nick's POV in the morning...
I woke up a little earlier the next day, Lauren still soundly asleep beside me. She always manages to look breathtaking, whether asleep or awake. Every time I look at her, I can't help but feel even more in love with this woman...I just lay there next to my wife. "Wife" it still, even after 10+ years of marriage, feels surreal to call her mine. I wrap my arms around her, careful not to wake her. Resting my forehead against hers, I smile softly when I see her lips in a sleepy smile. I hope I've made her happy. All of these years, through all of what we've dealt with and every day, I hope I've made her happy. "Morning babe..." She mutters sleepily after what must've been an hour of silence. "Morning beautiful..." I kiss her sweetly. "Nick...how do people say there's no perfect marriage?" She asks as she opens her eyes. "When they haven't found the right one." I shrug. "Frankly, I don't believe that...because I got my perfect other half right her, next to me and I couldn't and WOULDN'T ask for more." I encase her in my embrace as I state sincerely. "Neither do I Nicky." She nods in agreeance. "Do you want breakfast?" I ask. "Hmm..." She ponders. "I would love a Stokes famous scrambled eggs." She giggles as she cuddles me. "One plate of Stokes famous scrambled eggs coming up!" I declare. "When do you have to go in to work?" I ask as we get dressed. "Well we don't get called in unless there's a case and so far, it seems like a quiet day." She replies. I head downstairs once I've gotten ready to make breakfast while Lauren takes a shower. Once the eggs are ready, I add in the extra ingredients and before long, the steaming dish sits on the table. Lauren walks down the stairs in a pair of ripped jeans, a baby blue splashed light shirt and her hair in a ponytail. We eat our breakfast in a peaceful silence. Loving someone doesn't mean you always have to talk, sometimes silence is much better, just enjoying each other's company. She downs her cup of coffee before going to the sink to rinse her plate and cup. Her phone finally rings, breaking the silence. "Stokes." She answers. "Oh, hi Steve. Yeah, hmm. Sure, I'll meet you there." She replies to Steve. "Bye." She replies quickly before hanging up. "I gotta run, we caught a case up in North Shore." She declares as she gathers her stuff; placing her gun on her hip along with her badge and grabing her keys. "See you tonight?" She asks. "Sure babe." I nod as I finish rinsing my plate. "Be careful, okay?" I request as I wrap my arms around her. "Always am." She chuckles. "Love you." I kiss her. "Love you too." She drops a quick kiss on my lips before heading off.