Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, that would be CBS but the story and all mistakes are mine.

Chapter Nine

Hours turned into days and days turned into weeks until the doctors eventually decided Sara and the baby were out of immediate danger. She was still advised to remain in bed but five and a half months into her pregnancy Grissom wheeled her out of the hospital for what he hoped would be the last time.

This time when he suggested she came home with him he met no resistance. During her six weeks of enforced bed rest they had talked more openly than the entire four years previously. Sara had discovered to her surprise that Grissom was quite the romantic, showering her with gifts to keep her spirits up, but the biggest surprise did not come gift wrapped. His tenderness and devotion surpassed anything she had experienced before or imagined in her wildest dreams, for the first time in her life she truly felt loved, and boy was it a great feeling!

In the two weeks since she had returned from the hospital they had spent hours lounging in bed, Grissom had been only too happy to use up some of the eight weeks vacation time he had stored up on the books. During the hours spent sat in the uncomfortable hospital chair Grissom had reached a momentous decision, work was no longer the most important thing in his life. The revelation had taken him by surprise at first, work had always been his 'haven' the one constant in his life that had been structured and predictable, but Sara had shown him a new life that had infused him with a renewed sense of purpose, he was needed and desired and he found that more satisfying than anything he had encountered in the entire fifty years of his life.

Sara was more than happy, but although she was enjoying their new emotional bond she couldn't help but wonder why Grissom hadn't made a move to take their relationship to the next level. She had noticed his clever diversionary tactics when things got a little 'heated' between them. As they lay in his bed, him engrossed in the morning crossword while subconsciously stroking her stomach, she decided that the suspense was killing her; she had to know what was wrong.

"Gil"

"Mmm?"

"Do you find me unattractive?"

That got his attention in record time, "What do you mean? You're beautiful." Grissom was stunned. Where had this come from, I thought things were going well between us, he mentally tried to think back to see if he had done or said anything to prompt this strange outburst.

Sara struggled to turn onto her side and face him, her growing bump made it almost impossible to do anything without great effort. "Then why do you keep avoiding getting….intimate?" a slight pout formed on her face as she cast her eyes down to the newspaper he was still holding in his hands.

"Oh honey, its not you, don't think that." Placing a finger under her chin he forced her to look at him. "After everything you have been through….I guess, I wanted to make sure you were OK….I'm just glad you are here…" He struggled to articulate his feelings into the appropriate words.

Noting his discomfort she grasped his hand entwining her slender fingers into his, "I love you Gil, make love to me, I want to feel your love." Gently tugging him towards her leaving the crossword to fall forgotten to the floor.

Sara felt self conscious at first, although they had been sharing a bed this was the first time Grissom had seen her undressed, feeling his eyes roam her body she felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment but again he silenced her doubts with his tender caresses and whispered words of devotion. Carefully laying her back on the bed Grissom took a moment to look at the woman before him, "I love you Sara, you are my everything."

Tentatively they become one, hands firmly entwined. In complete contrast to their first encounter which had been urgent and almost primal, they moved slowly, savouring the intimate closeness until they collapsed into each others arms, shrouded in the sense of euphoria their union had created.

By the eight month of her pregnancy Sara was bored; she had read all the books that graced the shelves in Grissom's town house and if she watched another documentary on 'The interesting life of the Dung Beetle' she would scream, up until now all her attempts to break free into the outside world had met with Grissom's disapproval.

"Gil, you are killing me with kindness." Seeing his face morph into his hurt little boy look she decided to try another tactic and softened her tone before going on, "I'm more stressed stuck at home than I would be if I went out."

"I'm only thinking of you honey, I want to take care of you."

"Listen, if I came to the lab with you tonight I promise I will just sit and watch," Seeing his defences weaken she ceased the moment, "I could keep you company while you get some paperwork done…PLEASE." Giving her best Sara sidle smile to affirm her words.

Sighing deeply Grissom knew he was in trouble, if he said no then no doubt she would be out the door as soon as he left for work, at least if she was at the lab he could keep an eye on her.

"I guess I don't have a choice, I'll just grab a quick shower, and then we'll get going."

Sara felt very pleased, she mentally told herself to store this particular persuasive tactic for future reference. Although she had never had a serious long term relationship she was finding out the rules of the game at an alarming speed, and Grissom was an innocent victim, oblivious to his gentle manipulation.

Everybody was surprised to see Sara, but Grissom took great pleasure in informing them that she wouldn't be doing anything but count paperclips.

As Nick, Warrick and Catherine sat in the break room waiting for Grissom to handout the assignments Sara entered the room, although the rest of her body still looked the same it always had there was no disguising the fact that she was VERY pregnant.

"Jesus Sara, you look ready to burst," Warrick chuckled

"Thanks Warrick and here's me think I'd lost a few pounds" she said sarcastically

"Sit yourself down Sara; you look shattered, is Grissom keeping you awake again!" Catherine giggled but she was genuinely concerned for her friend, she looked like hell.

"Unfortunately it is the other man in my life keeping me up," and they all laughed. They had found out that Sara was having a boy at her last scan.

As Sara lowered herself into the chair in between Catherine and Nick; Grissom breezed into the room, after taking one look at Sara he said, "Are you alright, Why don't you go home you look at bit pale." Before he could say any more she shot him a look that stopped the words dead, "Ok, I take the hint. Change of plan guys, looks like it's going to be a busy night, Nick, Warrick you have a missing persons, Catherine, you and I have a body dump, I'll meet you out front."

"What about me boss? What do you have for me? Greg's enthusiasm was palpable as he bounced up and down in his chair.

"Greg for you I have a special case."

"Oh goodie, what is it, a body dump? Homicide? Trick roll? His face was lit up like a five year old as he imagined all the possibilities.

"I need you to stay here and look after Sara." The rest of the team broke into loud laughter, Nick and Warrick made snide comments about Greg being a glorified baby sitter, the irony of their words only made them laugh harder. Two people in the room did not share in the amusement, Greg and Sara looked at Grissom with a mixture of disbelief and distain.

"You've got to be kidding me?" They both chorused.

"Grissom, I don't need looking after, I don't believe you.."

"Sara, sweetheart, you either do as I ask or you will have to go home." That only caused another round of hysterical giggling from Nick and Warrick which came to an abrupt end as Sara fixed them with a death stare causing them to exit the room in double quick time.

"Ok, but why don't I make myself useful while I am here and help clear some of the backlog in trace, Greg can help too."

Grissom rolled his eyes, catching sight of the clock on the wall in the process, "Look I really need to get going, just be careful OK, I have my cell with me for emergencies." Grissom managed to catch the younger mans eye and indicated for him to follow him into the corridor while Sara made her way to the trace lab, a few moment later Greg joined her looking a little bit uneasy.

"Right I'm going to meet Catherine." Grissom announced as he poked his head through the door, "Remember what I told you Greg." And after giving Sara a grin he was gone.

"What did Grissom tell you?" Sara asked.

Looking sheepishly at the floor Greg tried in vain to change the subject.

"Tell me Greg or I will tell the whole department about your collection of porn magazine you keep in the bottom draw of your desk." Sara continued to glare at him.

"How do you..?" Frowning Greg began to turn a bright shade to red. How was he going to get out to this one, talking about the lesser of two evils, what a choice either Grissom was going to kill him when he got back or Sara was going to kill him right away.

"Never mind how I know, just spill."

Greg could see that resistance was futile so he confessed that Grissom had told him to keep an eye on Sara and make sure she did not over do things, "He threatened to kill me and feed the pieces to his tarantula if anything happened to you, He's going to kill me anyway for telling you, my life is so over." Greg whined

"Not before I kill him first, how dare he treat me like a child, I am only pregnant, it isn't life threatening." She could fell the anger building up in her chest.

"He loves you Sara, he's just worried like any expectant daddy would be." Greg's words seemed to do the trick and she simply smiled.

"Let's get some work done then."

Some time later Greg and Sara sat in the break room having lunch, if that is what you can call it at 3 in the morning, when all of a sudden she let out a gasp. "Ouch"

"Are you alright?" Greg shot up backing towards the door.

"I think…" but before she could say any more a sharp pain ripped across her belly and she felt a trickle of liquid down her leg, "GREG, I think you should call Grissom."

Greg noticed the pool of liquid at Sara's feet, oh my god she was going into Labour, Grissom was going to kill him. Then reality kicked in and he rushed over and helped Sara to the couch in the corner of the break room , she quickly grabbed his hand, "You need to call 911 and Grissom now" but she didn't release his hand, Greg struggled to flip open his phone and dial with his free hand, he'd call the ambulance first .

………….

Grissom was staring at the body of a young man no older than twenty at the most when Catherine's voice distracted him, "Things seem good between you and Sara, I'm glad you managed to work things out."

Considering what his friend had just said Grissom finally asked, "Did I ever thank you for what you did?"

"You have now." Catherine smiled and she was reassured that she had made the right decision intervening in her friends life, it had been a gamble but thankfully it had paid off, eventually.

Grissom's phone broke the moment.

"Grissom"

"Grissom, it's Greg, I mean its Sara, Er I mean its Greg calling about Sara."

"Will you get a grip Greg and tell me what is wrong, is she alright? At that moment he could hear Sara half moaning and half screaming in the background and is mind went into overdrive.

"You've got to get back here quick; she's having the baby, hold on a minute Grissom."

Grissom could hear Greg talking to Sara, trying to get her to release his hand, "Just let go a little bit Sara I can't feel my fingers any more."

"Greg, I'm on my way, have you called an ambulance?"

"That was the first call I made, what should I do Grissom, she keeps screaming and swearing; I don't know how to help her?" The panic in Greg's voice was obvious.

"Just stay with her Greg, I will be with you in 5" And with that he shut is phone and broke the connection, running to his Tahoe he shouted to Catherine who had been listening to the conversation with interest, "It's Sara, I have to go."

Grissom's car screeched to a halt in front of the building noticing an ambulance pulling up behind him, damn, what had taken them so long?

Racing down the corridor to the break room he burst in just in time to find Greg trying to get Sara's jeans down, "What the hell are you doing Greg?"

Startled at being caught in such a compromising position by his boss Greg said, "She wanted them off and asked me to help." His voice barely a squeak, "I was trying to make her more comfortable." All the time backing away from Grissom.

"Ok, you can go now that I'm here." Said Grissom as he knelt down next to Sara. And Greg nearly ran out the door, glad to escape.

"Are you Ok Sweetheart?" Grissom said taking hold of her hand.

"It hurts." She whimpered

"I know, the ambulance is here, everything will be fine now, I promise." Just then Sara jolted as another wave of pain travelled across her body, she closed her hand on his with such strength that he gasped in pain, but one look at her face told him not to complain.

The door burst open and two paramedics entered and after they checked Sara over they concluded that it was too late to try and make it to the hospital, the baby was coming now.

After no longer than ten minutes one of the paramedics told Sara that with the next contraction she could push and after two pushes and what Grissom thought might be several broken bones in his right hand, a small cry was heard, "It's a boy Sara, you did it." Grissom kisses Sara on the forehead as she lay back on the settee trying to catch her breath.

"Is he alright? Can I see him?" Panic in her voice, she would not be satisfied until she held the baby in her arms.

The paramedic wrapped the infant in a blanket and handed him to Grissom.

"He's perfect Sara" he breathed; placing the bundle in her outstretched arms. She looked at the tiny infant wriggling in the blanket and smiled at Grissom, "Yes he is isn't he"

The moment was broken when one of the paramedics said that Sara and the baby needed to go to the hospital to be checked out, just as a precaution.

When Grissom opened the door from the break room he was surprised to find a small huddle of people waiting patiently outside, Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Greg and even Brass looked up as Grissom left the room carrying a small bundle wrapped in a white blanket, "It's a boy." He gasped and watched as the group began to cheer and hug each other, he noticed that Greg was holding back and trying to avoid his gaze. "Greg." Grissom could see the young man nearly leap out of his skin as he heard Grissom say his name.

"Er yes Grissom," He thought he was going to cry or something until he saw Grissom smiling at him.

"Thank you" Then he stepped to one side as the paramedics wheeled Sara out in a chair.

Catherine bent down and chuckled, "I leave you alone for a minute and you go and have the baby without me." She said with mock hurt in her voice.

"It's not like I had any choice in the matter, Catherine." Sara gave the older woman a tired smile.

After being checked over at the hospital both mother and baby were given a clean bill of health and allowed to go home, later that evening Grissom and Sara sat on the settee staring at the new addition to their family, "He definitely has your eyes" Sara said glancing over and seeing that Grissom was preoccupied, "What's the matter, are you having second thoughts?" Sara asked holding her breath in anticipation of his answer.

"Actually I was trying to figure out the best way to ask you to marry me."

His words took the air out of her lungs and she gasped, regaining her composure after a few seconds she said, "I have always favoured the direct approach." And with that she leaned over and whispered in his ear, "But the answer is yes."

END

That's all folks! Many thanks to all the kind people who took the time to read and review this story, especially:

ODEEPBLUE

INSPIRON

EVIDESMEDT

FANOFGRISSOM

A final word for El Gringo Loco, if you are reading this, I'm sorry! I know you wanted me to give you a bad ending but I just couldn't do it to them. Forgive me?