The Gift Part III

Catherine felt like a balloon ready to burst. She wasn't due for another three weeks, and she had been sulking around the house, complaining about her weight, and eating everything in sight. She and Warrick had completed the nursery for the baby. They were thankful that they got the essentials from her baby shower. Catherine smiled with pride at the finished product. The color on the walls was a light yellow, and a boarder of Winnie the Pooh to fit the theme. There was an oak crib in the center of the room, and everything else was placed around it.

"This is adorable," Catherine said admiringly.

"Yeah," Warrick said.

Later, Catherine was milling around the house, cleaning this or that.

"I can't get this house clean enough," she said as she began to vacuum.

Warrick smiled. "Oh yeah, I read about this," he said. "It's the nesting stage of pregnancy."

Catherine was not paying attention to him. She was vacuuming for the third time in a row. Warrick tried to help her in her vigorous efforts to sanitize the entire house, but she got angry and told him to go away because he didn't clean to her liking. He was worried about her because he didn't want her straining too much.

"Babe, why don't you take it easy for a while?" He suggested, little knowing that she was going to go off on him.

"Why don't you just shut up and leave me alone?" She yelled.

"Hey, don't yell at me," he said, now frustrated with her. "I'm just trying to help."

"Well you can help me by going away and leaving me alone," she said angrily.

Warrick sighed and walked out of the living room. Catherine began to cry and he immediately came to her aid.

"Babe, I'm sorry," he said. "I won't bother you anymore, okay?"

"It's not that," she wailed. "I'm a horrible person, I'm a bad mother."

"No sweetie, you're not a horrible person, and you're not a bad mother," Warrick said, embracing her. "You are a great person, and you are a perfect mother. I love you."

"I love you too," she said smiling and wiping her tears. "I'm so screwed up right now. My brain is completely gone. I'm going crazy! I have gained eighty pounds with this baby. Eighty pounds! I'm fat, I'm unattractive, and…" she sniffled. "I hate you because you did this to me! I hate you! This is all your fault!"

"You weren't exactly screaming bloody murder that night," he quipped. "In fact as I recall, you were the one that decided to take a chance anyway in the dry room."

"Warrick, bite me!" She yelled then she waddled to their bedroom.

That's how the past few months had gone: constant crying, cleaning, eating, and fighting. He was exhausted by the time he went to work. He was always being woken up by Catherine to go to the store to retrieve a certain food she had been craving. Either that, or she was up, walking around the room, fixing things noisily here and there, watching TV and leaving the lamps on (something that always bothered him: he believed that if you were not in a certain room, or not requiring any light, turn the lights off) and he couldn't sleep.

Warrick knew he would be sleeping on the couch until it was time to get up for work. In fact, she wouldn't let him in the room at all. He would have to use Lindsay's bathroom, which made him feel awkward because that was her personal space. He looked down the hall to see that Catherine had put some of his personal hygiene things outside the door.

Later on that night when Warrick walked into the break room, Nick, Sara, Grissom, and Greg began to giggle.

"Ah, she kicked you out of the bedroom again," Nick said smiling.

"I'm starting to like the whole 'thrift' look," Sara quipped while fixing her coffee.

He just rolled his eyes at their teasing. They knew that anytime he was wearing the same clothes from the night before that Catherine had kicked him out of the bedroom, leaving him to fend for himself.

"And you smell very nice," Greg said. "What is that? Tuti Fruti Smoothie?"

"Alright that's enough," Grissom said smiling.

Despite everything that he and Catherine were going through, Warrick still loved Catherine with all his heart and soul and he loved the baby that she was carrying. He was finally getting his life together. Everything made sense. Being with Catherine, their child, and Lindsay was where he was supposed to be. He had a feeling that he would have a daughter. He would be happy with a son too, but he always wanted a baby girl.

Warrick's pager went off. He checked it. 9-1-1. That was all he needed to know.

"Cath's in labor," he said rushing down the hallway.

Everyone else gathered their belongings and bolted down the hallway too.

"OH GOD! Where is he?" Catherine asked the phantom person in her hospital room. She was in a lot of pain and Warrick still wasn't at the hospital after she paged him an hour ago. "I'm gonna kill him when he gets here! So help me I'm gonna kill him!"

A nurse came in to check on her progress.

"How are we doing Ms. Willows?" She asked.

"How does it look like I'm doing?!" Catherine spat back. "I'm in pain and that idiot, the father of my baby, isn't here yet!" Catherine breathed through another contraction. "He BETTER NOT say it was traffic."

"Okay, you're progressing nicely, Ms. Willows," the nurse said.

"Give me something for the pain, please," Catherine begged.

Meanwhile, the nurse's station on Labor/Delivery floor was bombarded by a slew of people.

"Time out!" The receptionist called. "Who are you all looking for?"

"Catherine Willows," they all said in unison.

"Oh, you're all friends and family of Catherine Willows?"

"Yes!" They answered. The group of people consisted of Nick, Warrick, Sara, Grissom, Lindsay, Greg, Jackie, Teresa Willows, Catherine's sister, Gina Franklin, Catherine's mother, Harry Franklin, Catherine's step father, and Lisa Carter-Brown, Warrick's aunt.

"Follow the screams," the receptionist said pointing down the hall.

"AHHHHHH!" Catherine screamed.

Warrick ran down to the room. A doctor stopped him from going in.

"Excuse me sir, who are you?" He asked.

"I'm Warrick Brown, I'm the father," Warrick explained quickly.

The doctor looked at Catherine and then back at him. "Sir you must be mistaken," he said.

"Let him in, he's the father!" Catherine wailed.

Warrick glared at the young doctor, who was clearly embarrassed at his stereotyping. "I'm sorry," he said, stepping aside.

"Baby, I'm here," Warrick said. "The traffic was bad."

"WHAAAT!" Catherine yelled. "OOOOH I want to strangle you! You practiced three different SHORTER routes to the hospital, and you're telling me it's traffic! I am in a lot of pain and you're fiddling around in traffic! OH GOD!"

Catherine breathed through her contraction and grabbed the sheets. She breathed until the contraction subsided. Her hair was damp with sweat and her face was pale. Warrick took a washcloth and wiped the sweat from her face and neck.

Another doctor came in.

"Hi Ms. Willows, Mr. Brown," he said cordially. "Let's see how you're doing."

He checked Catherine. "Whoa, okay," he said quickly preparing. "The head has already come down and you're ready to push."

Warrick put on surgeon's garb to protect the mother and baby from cross-contamination as other nurses came in, prepared to handle the baby when it was birthed.

"Okay, Catherine I want you to take a deep breath and hold it and give a big push," the doctor instructed.

Catherine took hold of Warrick's hand, took in a very deep breath then pushed with all she had.

"Good, good," the doctor said. "Keep pushing, keep pushing. Good, relax."

Catherine collapsed back down on the bed, catching her breath. She knew she was crushing Warrick's hand. Another contraction hit.

"Okay take in another deep breath and bear down with this contraction," the doctor commanded.

Catherine pushed harder than the last time. The pain was unbearable and tears began to fall down her cheeks. It had been eight years since her last pregnancy. She had definitely forgotten how painful childbirth was. The burning, the tearing, the big stretch…

"I can't do this anymore," she wailed.

"Babe, yes you can," Warrick encouraged. "C'mon just a few more pushes."

She shook her head violently. "No! I can't, I'm too tired and it hurts!"

"Catherine, Catherine listen to me," the doctor commanded. "I know it hurts, but the baby's head is almost out. You're doing wonderfully. Keep up the good pushing and we'll have this baby out in no time. Now, another deep breath with this contraction…and push. Good girl, push, push, push."

Catherine had her eyes clenched shut because of the pain. She couldn't hold back the scream threatening to escape her mouth.

"AHHHHH!" She screamed. "I can't push anymore!"

"Okay relax, the baby's head is out," the doctor said. "It has lots of dark hair."

"The baby has dark hair," Warrick repeated.

"I'm in labor, I'm not deaf Warrick," Catherine said through clenched teeth.

Meanwhile, in the waiting room, Catherine's parents and Warrick's aunt were going at over what the baby's true nationality should be.

"Well, the baby would be Irish and Catholic," Gina started.

"Well then where does Warrick fit into the equation?" Lisa Carter-Brown objected. "The baby will be black you know. The baby will have a little of both."

"I think the baby's nationality should be Irish," Harry said. "Gina's parents are full blooded Irish. Straight from Dublin."

"And I'm saying the baby's nationality should be African-American, and a fraction of Irish," Lisa suggested.

The conversation was very hard to put an end to. Catherine was only half Irish, so the baby would only get a smaller fraction of that.

"Okay Catherine, give just one last hard push and you'll get to see your baby," the doctor instructed.

Catherine took a deep breath then gave her last push her all.

"Good, good," the doctor coached on.

"You're doing great Cath," Warrick said. "The baby is almost out. You can do it."

Catherine stifled a scream and pushed harder. Finally, she heard an infant cry and the pain dulled.

"It's a girl! Congratulations!" The doctor said, giving Catherine her child.

Catherine cried with joy. "Hello my darling. It's nice to see you."

Warrick kissed Catherine then he kissed his baby girl.

"Dad would you like to cut the cord?" A nurse asked.

Warrick took the scissors and separated mother and daughter into two separate bodies.

"Oh my God Warrick," Catherine cried. "She's beautiful."

"Just like her mother," he said.

There were no words to describe the happiness he felt about being a father for the first time with the woman he loved. His baby girl was precious. She had fair skin, blue-gray eyes, like Warrick, dark hair like his, naturally wavy like Catherine's hair.

"She's got your eyes," Catherine said smiling. "Hey you better go tell everybody."

Warrick kissed his daughter one more time before going to the waiting room.

Everyone stood up, anxious to hear the sex of the baby.

"We have a healthy baby girl," he said smiling proudly.

Everyone shouted in excitement.

"What did you name her?" Sara asked.

"We haven't decided on a name yet," Warrick said, realizing that he and Catherine never discussed names at all. "I'll be back."

Catherine was holding her baby close. The bond between mother and child was a strong one. Catherine watched as the infant girl suckled hungrily.

"Slow down, darling," Catherine said. "Mommy's not going anywhere fast. What should we name you?"

"Good question," Warrick quipped as he sauntered in.

They both sat in thought.

"How about Marianne?" Catherine proposed.

"Naah," Warrick said shaking his head. "Now Marianna, sounds fitting."

They both smiled. "Marianna Jean Brown," they said in unison.

Warrick got to hold his daughter for the first time.

"Hi sweetie," he whispered. "I'm your daddy, and you're my little princess."

The nurse had to take Marianna to the nursery. Warrick reluctantly unhanded his child and let the nurse take her.

"She is precious," the nurse said smiling.

Everyone gathered outside the nursery to see Marianna. The baby was extraordinarily beautiful.

"What did you name her?" Nick asked.

"Marianna Jean," Warrick answered.

"Aw man, that's beautiful," Nick said smiling. "She's gorgeous man. We've got to stand guard against the scum of the earth."

"Yeah," Warrick agreed. "That's a long way off, though. I'd like to keep her my little girl for a while."

"Yeah, those are the best years of your life," a familiar voice said from behind Warrick. Both he and Nick turned to see Brass. "Congratulations, Warrick. You'll be a great dad."

"Thanks Brass," Warrick said gratefully.

Warrick went back to see Catherine. She was dozing off.

"The baby weighed nine pounds seven ounces," Warrick announced.

"Wow," Catherine said. "I love you."

:I love you too," Warrick said.