A/N- this is a sequel to touch and Go you don't have to have read it just know that Grissom and Sara have just had a daughter called Rosalie.
I'm going to attempt to do each chapter as a week of Rosa's life, I will probably only update every fortnight so please don't think I have forgotten about it.
Week one- The NICU
Sara Sidle didn't believe that four pale green walls could ever cause such a reaction; the four pale green walls made up a room just off the NICU with two large sofas the only furniture in there sure gave her one. The fact that four walls and a sofa could send a cold shiver down her spine scared her but not as much as the room because that was where they took parents from the NICU to give them the worst news. Sara had never been in that room but she'd watched people go in and come out pale sobbing wrecks. Instead Sara sat next to a cream wall, the beeping and soft whirring sound of the machines around her a comfort rather than the distraction they had been the first two days.
It had been three days since she had given birth to Rosalie and in those three days she had only left the NICU to go as far as the canteen. Nick and Warrick had finally managed to drag Grissom home to take a shower just over an hour before and she knew once he came back they planned on doing the same to her. Maybe she could do with a shower; the hospital toilets weren't the best place to wash. A soft whimper diverted her from her thoughts. Lying in her incubator Rosa began to cry.
"Hey," smiled Sara looking down at the tear filled brown eyes gazing up at her, "What's the matter?" Sara asked getting nothing but a whining cry in return. Sara looked at her watch. The baby had been fed less than half-an-hour ago although not by Sara. Rosa had had some difficulty feeding at first so as well as being bottle-fed she was been fed through a gastric nasal tube to make sure she got enough nutrition. Today she had finished half a bottle and if all went well the rest of today and tomorrow they would take the tube out and leave her bottle-fed. She had yet to come off the tiny oxygen tube taped around her face next to her GN tube that was taped across her check with what Sara could only describe as a plug hanging on the end. Greg had suggested it looked liked a muzzle on the photo to which Catherine had apparently given him a quick slap. None of the night shift had seen Rosa since she was born because only family were allowed in the NICU. It was only after Nick and Warrick sat outside annoying the nurses Grissom had left, so they were constantly after updates and photos. According the lab staff Rosalie looked more like Sara. Personally the only thing she could see of either her or Grissom in Rosa was Sara's brown eyes. She didn't get the 'oh she's got your nose' thing. She couldn't even tell whose hair the baby had inherited because she only had the odd wisp of almost blonde. However according to Greg's book most babies are born with blonde hair that later darkens.
"I think it's your turn," Grissom voice startled Sara slightly. "She's doing great. I've been gone less than two hours and I spend more time in the bathroom than you," continued Grissom before Sara could speak.
"Okay," Sara knew she was defeated so instead she stroked the little pink hat covering Rosa's head that seemed tiny compared to everything including the teddy Greg had given them that was about twice the size of their little girl.
"That went well. I even brought Cath as extra support," smiled Grissom taking Sara's seat next to the incubator as she got up.
"Mom's going to go home and have a proper wash so she doesn't smell," said Grissom in a tone as if he was talking to another adult.
"I do not smell," replied Sara with a crooked smile.
"Why do you think we're in the corner?" said Grissom smiling at Tony the one man Sara had ever known Grissom to talk to outside of work of his own free will.
"I think they are trying to tell us something," smiled Tony who was rocking his son, Alex. They had been in the NICU before Sara and Grissom arrived. Alex had a birth defect with his heart and had surgery at just a week old. Now, at almost two months old he was doing well and his parents had a routine of spending time in the NICU.
"Well, since you're all ganging up on me," smiled Sara taking one last glance at Rosa.
"We might even get dad holding her by the time you get back," called Tony. Grissom had held Rosa once when she was born but not since. Not because he didn't want to but because he was afraid of hurting her. She was so small and with the wires going into her Sara had been the only one to hold her. Grissom however wasn't missing out on his bonding; he had fed Rose while Sara held her and liked to play peek-a-boo with the teddy when Sara was asleep. He was fairly certain he enjoyed it more than Rosa.
"Hey," smiled Catherine as Sara walked out of the NCIU to find the blonde CSI and Warrick waiting.
"Apparently I need a wash," said Sara in a sarcastic tone.
"We tried the subtle approach," grinned Catherine hugging her. "How is she?"
"Doing good." Sara nodded." The GN tube might even come out tomorrow."
"That's great," smiled Warrick. "How's dad doing?" Sara could tell Catherine had told Warrick to ask that so she didn't seem as nosey.
"Natural. Except he talks to her like he's talking to an adult. He's been reading parts from an entomology text book to her."
"Probably a good way to get her to sleep," Warrick commented.
"Why would that make you sleep?" asked Sara completely oblivious as to why Catherine and Warrick were laughing.
"Only two nights and the lack of sleep has got to her," grinned Warrick.
"Come on," Catherine breathed, throwing an arm around Sara's shoulders. "You're a natural insomniac you should be good this," she laughed as they got into the elevator.
"Thought we'd finally got rid of you," said Kate, Rosa's named nurse, as she saw Grissom trying to sooth Rosalie with bear by waving it around outside.
"We'd happily leave," replied Grissom.
"Her breathing's improving, her feedings coming alone. Don't tell anyone I said this but you could be out here as soon as Saturday," she smiled as Rosa's crying intensified.
"Three days," said Grissom raising his voice over Rosa.
"She wants to be held," Kate told him. "You're not going to hurt her," she added having had a lot of experience with anxious fathers; too scared to hold their premature child for fear of hurting them.
"I'll get her out," said Kate and before Grissom could protest she had Rosa out and was placing her in his arms. She sorted the oxygen tube out so Grissom wasn't going to strangle himself on it and she gently instructed him on how to support the wailing infant.
"See?" Kate encouraged as Rosa's crying instantly turned down a notch. "Wanted her daddy."
Grissom gazed down into the brown eyes staring back at him, his heart beating ten times faster than normal, his palms sweating like mad. Apparently she had the same effect on him as her mother; she certainly had the eyes, those eyes that one could drown in because if you knew her you could see her soul gazing back at you.
"Have I missed much?" asked Sara after pretty much covering everything that had happened in the past few days.
"Not much. Just Catherine trying to hide the paperwork so Grissom does it when he gets back."
"Thanks," interrupted Catherine.
"Greg's got a crush on the new girl in ballistics," continued Warrick.
"So not much new then," smiled Sara as they pulled up outside her and Grissom's house.
"Oh and Greg broke a lamp when we sent him to get clothes. Grissom said you didn't like it anyway so we're safe to tell you," added Warrick getting out the car. The team had taken turns taking Grissom and Sara clean clothes to the hospital.
"You know Greg and Rosalie are fairly similar," said Catherine entering the house.
"How?" asked Sara thinking she meant Rosa looked like Greg.
"I mean they both need feeding every couple of hours and get whiney when bored," replied Catherine.
"I'm not doing diaper duty," said Sara with a smile.
"Oh, images," cried Warrick. "Yeah, it's going to be fun the first few nights you get her home. You thinking about taking more leave?" asked Warrick in an attempt to casually drop it into conversation.
"Well, we've both got three weeks, so I guess well see after that. We did talk about me coming back part time to begin with," said Sara disappearing into the bedroom.
"It's good working nights, you get to be there most of the day. Can't say Lindsey was ever that bothered about missing breakfast or the occasion bedtime with me. In fact, now she probably wouldn't notice if I missed the entire day. She spends most of it on her phone anyway."
"Cath you're ranting," shouted Sara from the bedroom. "And I want my red top back," she added.
"Damn," replied Catherine as Warrick gave her a smile.
"Told you she'd notice."
"Occasionally you have good taste in clothes," shouted Catherine. "It looked better on me," she added.
"Course it did. I would ask Warrick but he's biased," smiled Sara. "I'll just grab a shower," she said crossing the hallway with a pile of clothes in her arms.
"Biased," hissed Warrick looking at Catherine.
"Okay, why didn't we notice the years of flirting between them until after yet they picked up on us in a matter of months?" whispered Catherine her eyebrow wiggling dangerously on her forehead. Warrick just shrugged in response.
"Gil!" it was safe to say Sara was loosing her cool exterior now. Even after a full nights sleep in an actual bed. She and Grissom had finally been convinced they could spend the night away from the NICU without some cataclysmic event happening. However, now Grissom had misplaced the car keys and was frantically searching for them with Sara's voice reaching a tone he'd never heard before as the seconds ticked by.
"Got them," when Grissom found them hidden under a book he almost lost them again in his haste to pick them up, sending the pile of books sprawling across the floor.
"Good, lets go," said Sara already halfway out the door.
"Sara, you phoned. She was fine all night we'll be there before rounds. They're not going to take her GN tube out with out us there," reassured Grissom following her out. He wasn't quite sure when he had become the more emotionally aware person in their relationship but according to Catherine it had something to do with hormones and Sara would calm down soon. He was hoping.
The ride to the hospital was a blur and soon they were entering the NICU just as morning rounds begun.
"Hello," smiled Kate.
"Morning," replied Grissom politely as he followed Sara over to where Rosa lay now out of the incubator and in a crib.
"Hello sleepy," smiled Sara reaching down and picking Rosa up. The little girls eyes blinked groggily clearly just having woken up herself.
"Get some sleep?" asked Dr Rosario.
"Yes thanks," answered Sara straightening her daughter's hat that had slipped over her eyes.
"Well you'll be pleased to hear the GN tube can come out this morning and as I'm sure you've noticed she's no longer oxygen dependant." To be honest Sara hadn't noticed. She'd been so intent on holding her she hadn't realized when she lifted Rosalie up she wasn't getting tangled in the tube.
"Thank you," replied Grissom.
"If she takes three bottles today well look at discharging her tomorrow," finished Dr Rosario.
"Tomorrow," repeated Sara to Grissom as the bundle of doctors moved on to the next child. "We've still got boxes in the nursery," said Sara with a slight look of panic on her face.
TBC …………………. Please leave a review I enjoy reading them.