Mac was like a kid in his enthusiasm to rectify what he called the "ring situation". Despite her assurances that it didn't matter to her he'd insisted they select one that day and had waited impatiently for Brenna to ready herself for going out.

She'd fussed a bit over the glass case choosing the plainest rings to try on. Mac pointed at much more elaborate and consequently more expensive rings.

"I'm not a really big and blingy kind of girl Mac."

"You aren't a plain Jane, no bling kind of girl either Brenna," he cocked an eyebrow at her in challenge. "I know you're worried about spending too much. I am a single, workaholic with no real vices to waste my money on. I've saved very well for myself and for the woman I hoped I'd meet some day. You are that woman and I want to show the world that. Choose the ring you want or I'll choose the one I think you want but won't admit to."

Brenna smiled to herself. How could she really argue with him when he'd said it like that?

Shortly thereafter they settled on a white gold band with a 1/2 carat round cut diamond in the middle and 2 strands of tiny diamonds swirling in a spiral pattern around it. Brenna had to admit it was more extravagant than any piece of jewelry she had ever owned but it was also absolutely gorgeous. The matching bridal band was a simple white gold band with tiny diamonds inset that the jeweler had assured could be welded together after the wedding to make it one unit.

Mac had chosen a wide titanium band the he could wear at work without fear of harming it or injuring his hand during the rough calls. The two wedding rings were placed in boxes for the future. Brenna wore the engagement ring out into the sunlight of the day and gasped when the sun hit it.

Brenna sat in the passenger seat of the truck the whole way home staring at her two hands laid out flat on her thighs. The new ring adorned her left ring finger. A single gold band with its solitaire diamond she'd accepted with such joy years before from Greg still on her right.

She no longer felt the ball of guilt and shame in the center of her stomach. The dream had helped her find peace with her past and her future. She'd truly loved Greg with all of her heart but she now also loved Mac so very much.

If anyone had asked her only a few months ago if she thought there could be another person for her as perfect as Greg had been she would have said no but now she had to accept the thought that possibly God had provided her with a second soul mate.

Back at Brenna's they snuggled on her couch as they planned. Mac was impatient but Brenna wanted an outdoor wedding and winter wouldn't allow it so they'd have to wait for spring. He'd grudgingly agreed to a date at the end of April when it was fairly reasonable to assume there would be decent weather.

Brenna didn't feel as if she deserved a full traditional wedding since it wasn't her first but Mac pointed it out that it was his first and he wanted all the memories of her happiness. She'd giggled tensely as Mac had dialed Pete and Becca then put them on speaker phone so she could hear the call.

Pete had needed only a few reassurances to believe they were indeed earnest before heartily whooping with excitement. Becca had made a squeal that was almost in the range where only dogs could hear it and demanded a spot as a bridesmaid. She'd brooked no complaint when Brenna had expressed her desire for she and Tammy to be dual maids of honor since Brenna couldn't choose one over the other. Pete accepted Mac's request for him to attend the best man position.

The call to Derek and Tammi went similarly with Tammy whole heartedly accepting her partnership with Becca and Derek agreeing to groomsman status. The ladies agreed to meet for coffee the next day to start hammering out the details. Mac agreed entirely that Brenna should figure it out with her friends and simply instruct him in what he was required of for his part.

A short call to Mac's mother had left her gushing with joy. They'd scheduled a dinner later in the week for her to meet Brenna in person and match the woman she'd heard so much about with the actual person.

After all the calls had been made they sat comfortably wrapped up in each other on the sofa as the light faded from the day. Mac got up and started a fire in the fireplace and returned to his spot. He kissed the crown of her head affectionately as she settled back against his chest.

"Babe, I've been thinking.."

"Are you backing out already?" She asked with a laugh.

"Never. Til death do us part," he assured her with another kiss. "I just really want you to know that I understand this is a new start for you. As happy as I know you are it must also be difficult. I don't want you to ever feel you have to hide your feelings from me. I don't mind if you talk about Greg, share memories of him, whatever you need to do."

She snuggled in tighter to him. He was the sweetest guy ever. "Thank you."

"I love you Brenna."

"I love you MacKenzie Tullman."

**************

A Sunday afternoon of exciting wedding planning had left Brenna worn out. Monday work loomed ahead of her with the promise of at least a few hours of quiet in her office. That plan flew right out the window when she entered and saw Lana perched behind her desk and remembered she'd yet to impart the good news to the motherly administration assistant or to Brad.

"Good morning Lana. Got any plans for April 28th?" She leaned against her desk and watched as the confusion crossed the other woman's face. Lana quickly surmised something was up since Brenna wasn't the type to act so circumspect.

"No. Why?"

Brenna pulled her hand out from beneath her coat and placed it before the other woman's face. "I was wondering if you'd mind coming to my wedding?"

Lana made an almost painful sound of shock and joy and started flapping her hands beside her face as her eyes teared up. "Oh heavens! I'm so happy for you!"

Before Brenna knew it the other woman was up and moving around the desk intent on a hug. "Gracious! It's beautiful honey. That man did well. You did good accepting."

Lana was still embracing Brenna when Brad walked through the door with a cardboard drink holder full of coffee cups. "I've obviously missed something?"

"That wonderful young man asked Brenna to marry him and gave her the loveliest ring. Come and see." Lana gushed.

Brad stepped forward to appreciate the new piece of jewelry adorning his partner's hand. "Very pretty. The fact you are wearing it means you said yes, right?"

"Yes, I said yes." Brenna rolled her eyes.

"Strong work." He kissed her forehead and patted her head before strolling down the hallway toward the entrance of their office.

"Men!" Lana announced exasperatedly. "What are the colors? I have to find a dress."

"Plum purple, but you have months!" Brenna told the woman who was bustling back to her desk.

"It could take that long to find the perfect dress and of course I'll have to shop for Brad as well. Lord knows he'd think it was just fine to wear jeans and a polo shirt!" She flapped her hand in the direction of Brenna and Brad's office.

"I plan on asking him to give me away actually."

"Oh sweetie!" Lana stopped and started to cry again looking at Brenna standing there before her. "He will be honored and I'm sure he will say yes."

He did say yes; with the additional volunteered promise to dress appropriately and receive a haircut prior to the event.

Brenna was almost certain Lana must have sent out a department wide email as her day was subsequently peppered with chiefs and duty personnel stopping her to wish her well and congratulate her.

Pete stopped by for a hug and brought her her favorite chocolate donut. "It's an engagement gift from Becca and me." He brought the box out from behind him.

"It's perfect!" Brenna exclaimed and opened the box, removed the donut and took a huge bite of it. "It's exactly what I wanted!"

"I'm glad and I'll pass on your joy to Becca." He laughed. "But seriously, I'm really happy for you guys. He needed a good woman, and you needed a good man."

"Thanks Pete." She rose and gave the man she regarded as a brother a hug.

"Ok, no making the macho cop sniffle!" He gave a brief pat to her back and stepped away. "I gotta get back to work but we'll see you next week for dinner."

"See ya. Be Safe!" She yelled to his retreating form.

She'd just settled in to enjoy the rest of her gift when Mark came walking in stiffly. She frowned and put her donut down knowing this was likely to be far from pleasant.

"Hello Detective Brewster. Any new developments?" She tried her best to smile convincingly.

"Really Brenna? You are going to marry this guy after only a few of months? You think that is wise?"

Brenna blew out an explosive breath and tamped down her initial response.

"Yes Mark, I've decided to accept the marriage proposal of the man I love. I do feel it is a good idea and I'm happy with my decision. That is all I'm going to say on the matter."

"That's it huh? All you are going to say on the matter? Simply moved on without a care in the world huh?"

Brenna broke.

"Without a care in the world? Are you truly going to stand there and act indignant and make accusations you know absolutely nothing about because your pride is hurt? Not that it is any of your business but there was quite a lot of thought, and heartache in moving on from Greg and making the decision to be happy again. Mac makes me happy. All of the people I count as friends in this world understand and respect that. Only you, with your hurt ego have anything negative to say."

Mark looked taken aback; he hadn't seen such a vehement response coming. "I just think it's too fast."

"I don't care what you think! I have made myself absolutely, transparently clear that I am not interested in any kind of romantic relationship with you and it is about time you accept that."

Mark stood for a moment more in a stare down with Brenna before pivoting and marching back out. Brenna let out another explosive breath and laid her head on her desk. She hated having to be so blunt but all of her kind attempts to make him understand had failed and she was tired of his pushing.

The silence that followed his exit was suddenly broken by the loud beeping of her pager. She pulled it from her belt and read the message on the tiny screen. She picked up her phone and dialed the number to dispatch for the details.

A crew across town was on a rural residential fire that had been called in by a paperboy this morning. They were in overhaul but the incident commander had asked them to page her.

He had hit again. She knew it in the pit of her stomach and felt even more convinced when a quick perusal of her map showed her the location fit his MO completely. Brenna grabbed her turnout bag and a portable radio from the bank by the door before heading out to her the expedition.

It took her twenty minutes to get there and by then the crew was rolling up the hose and replacing equipment on the trucks.

It was still very hot so she donned her turnouts before making her way into the structure. She found the incident commander a few feet inside with a thermal imaging camera checking the walls.

"Hey Brenna, thanks for coming." She shook his hand and waited for him to tell her what was going on.

"It was burning super hot when we got here. I'd bet my foot there was some sort of accelerant used. We made entry through the daylight basement and worked our way up to he seat of the fire. We got it out pretty quickly, before a lot of damage could be done to the lower levels."

She followed him out the front door and around to the back of the house where the daylight basement doors were. She followed him through and down a narrow hall. "We found this at the base of the stairs."

He pointed toward a large yellow plastic bottle with two road flares butted up against it. One was completely burnt up and the trail of black burnt destruction continued up the burned stairs to the ruined upper floors.

The other flare was only partially burnt. A trail of oily liquid leading away from it down the hall remained stained in the carpet. The walls were smoke stained and water damaged but otherwise undamaged.

"Looks like the flare malfunctioned this time." Brenna nodded and started taking pictures.

"The stairs are toast and the floor isn't sound so you shouldn't go up there." Brenna acknowledged his warning and continued her travels of the 2 rooms of the basement. After several more pictures and collecting and bagging the evidence Brenna loaded her things up in the Expedition and headed to the police station to update them and get the evidence sent to the lab. She hoped it would yield the same kind of results as last time.

Herrick already had a warrant out for him more prints could really seal the deal if things made it to court. They'd link him directly to the pattern. She just hoped she wouldn't end up running into Mark again on her way to the evidence department.