Chapter Forty Two

Epilogue:

He knew he was in trouble the moment he tried to slide down the banister and now he felt her gaining distance. He flew to the tree house and climbed up the ladder pulling it up behind him. It had been Greg's idea to change the ladder from wooden to rope and now he was glad he had talked his dad into changing it. Matthew stood there now secure in the fact that she would not be able to follow.

"Mom, let's talk about this," he tried.

"Matthew, come down here now!" she yelled.

"You're upset. Let's wait awhile," he said.

"One," she yelled.

Greg chuckled. "Griss, she's counting."

Grissom got up from the table and looked out the back door. "What number is she on?"

"One," said Greg.

Grissom smiled. "It's still early."

He started to sit back down when Catherine glared at him.

"Get your ass out there and do something."

"This is between Sara and Matthew," he said.

"My money is on Sara," said Greg.

"I don't know. A pregnant woman versus a four year old….Matthew may win this round," said Nick.

"Griss, you should do something," said Warrick.

Grissom sighed and stepped outside.

"Stay out of this!" she yelled.

He froze.

"He's coming down now!" she yelled.

"Dad, she's mad. I'm scared," he said.

"Don't you give me that bull Matthew James Grissom! You better be scared!" she yelled.

Grissom smirked.

Matthew stood there with arms folded. Grissom glanced at Sara who stood with arms folded.

"This is enough!" he said to both of them.

"What did he do?" asked Grissom.

"He tried to slide down the banister," she said.

"Greg did it," said Matthew.

They glared at Greg.

Greg closed the back door.

"Come down now!" said Sara.

"No."

"Fine," she said.

Grissom glanced up at Matthew. "Matthew, she said fine. You better come down. She only says fine like that when she's really mad."

"No."

Sara walked over to the side of the house and picked up the water hose turning on the water. She returned with it in hand.

The others soon found themselves plastered to the window.

"I've changed my mind. My money is on Sara," laughed Warrick.

"Sara, what are you going to do?" asked Grissom.

"He's coming down now," she warned.

"Matthew, I would come down now," said Grissom.

"No."

She turned on the water and plastered the front of the treehouse sending the boy backwards onto the wooden floor. He screamed as he tried to fight off the water explosion.

"Had enough?" she asked.

"Stop! Please mom, stop," he begged.

"Down here now," she said.

He dropped the ladder and came down running to stand behind Grissom.

She glared at both of them.

"See this treehouse?" she asked.

They nodded.

"You're grounded. No playing in it until I say so."

"But…"

"I have an ax. I can cut it down."

They nodded.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"You're wet."

She glanced down at her feet and then back at Grissom.

"Looks like both of you need to change," said Grissom.

She nodded.

"Gil, have Greg take Matthew upstairs without touching the banister and change his clothes. Call Mrs. Donner to come and stay with Matthew."

He looked at her odd.

"My water broke."

His eyes grew wide and then he was scrambling around while she stood there and watched. She shook her head as she slowly made her way into the house as the others began heading to their vehicles. She calmly walked up into the house slipping off her shoes and then climbed the stairs. She stepped into the shower while she heard them trying to dress Matthew while fielding a hundred questions. She grinned followed by a smile followed by a soft chuckle.

It was happening.

After a few false alarms, she was finally going to deliver their other son and she felt ready. She had battled with Matthew throughout the pregnancy and she knew she was prepared for whatever this other son of Grissom's had to throw her way. She was ready. She stepped out and dressed ignoring the first twinge of the contraction. She knew there would be more and they would no doubt be intense but she didn't mind. She would soon be holding her new son and rocking him. There would be no waiting this time. The pregnancy had been different. It had been uneventful except for the antics of Matthew. He had kept her busy during these months.

It had been her decision to leave her job. She did it knowing that she would want to devote every minute concentrating on the pregnancy as well as preparing Matthew for the new addition. He had taken the news quite well thinking it would be a distraction from him and he would be able to explore more, discover new things and try to figure out where his dad had hidden the Chem Lab 500 Uncle Greg had gotten for him. He was sure it was locked in that desk of his. Yes, even Matthew was ready for the new addition.

She went down stairs and stopped to listen. Matthew was now dressed as Greg and Grissom ushered him down the stairs. She stepped outside and sat down in the swing and smiled. She could hear him calling for her but it was peaceful out there on the front porch and she decided to give herself another moment of bliss before letting him know where she was and watch him slowly fall apart. She snickered.

She imagined it would be like this. He would be calm up until this moment and then all scientific logic would be thrown out the window as he fumbled about trying to make sense of the tiniest of things. He rushed outside now and frowned when he saw her sitting there.

"I've been calling for you!" he said now out of breath.

"Come sit down," she said as she patted the seat beside her.

He did so and then turned quickly.

"Was this just another false alarm? Some kind of joke?" he asked.

"No. I've already had two contractions," she said.

He was pulling her up now.

"Greg is going to stay until Mrs. Donner gets here," he said. "Let's go."

She refused to budge.

"Sara!"

"We have time. Let's enjoy this moment," she said.

He looked at her as if she had lost her mind but then he realized he was on the verge of losing his and he decided to join her.

She smiled when he sat back down and placed his arm around her.

"See, isn't this nice," she said.

He tried to smile.

She looked at him.

"Breathe….breathe in and out," she said softly.

"Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"You're going to have two boys soon. Matthew…"

"He's so much like you….and me."

"What about this one?" he asked.

"I hope he's just like Matthew," she said with a smile.

He arrived a few hours later. He refused to cry but instead looked curiously at the doctor and then at his parents. His lower lip quivered and Grissom chuckled.

"He looks like you," he whispered.

"He has your expressions…look how he furrows his eye brows…so serious…reminds me of Matthew when he was a baby."

"His name…we've never decided…"

"You pick this time," she said.

"Are you sure? I mean my family has a history of strange names…just look at mine, Gilbert," he said.

She grinned. "Just don't name him after yourself."

He grinned.

"What about William?" he asked. "After Shakespeare."

"That's nice."

"William…I have no clue for the middle name…why didn't we do this before now?" he asked.

"We've been busy with Matthew."

He frowned.

"What about Nicholas?" she asked.

"Should I be concerned that you want me to name my son after another man?"

She grinned.

"We could call him Nicky."

"Greg will be mad."

"Nick will be ecstatic," she said.

"Why Nicky?" he asked.

"Jealous?" she asked.

"Just curious," he smiled.

"Nick was the first man who told me he loved me."

His smiled faded.

"Should we be having this discussion on our son's birth?"

"He loves me in a sisterly way," she added, "but it's still love."

She stared at the baby.

"He kept telling me you would come around…be patient. I did. You did."

"I like the name. William Nicholas," said Grissom with a twinkle in his eye.

"We could also call him Billy….in case he turns out like Billy the kid," mused Grissom.

She frowned but it soon turned to a smile when she leaned over and kissed the baby.

"Greg will be mad but I'll make it up to him," she said.

"How are you going to do that?" he asked now holding the baby.

"I'll name the next one after him," she said.

Grissom gawked.

"Two is enough," he said. "Sara, if William is anything like Matthew we'll need therapy in a few years."

"They're your boys…besides it might be a girl next time."

He smiled. "Three is a good even number."

She smirked ignoring the fallacy of his statement.

The End.

Note from author:

Thanks to all of my loyal readers who take the time and leave a review with each chapter. I am always grateful. I will try to finish up the next story. Believe it or not, it will be humor/romance/angst. I know you will believe it when you read it, right? LOL I hope to have it posted in a week or so. I also plan to finish up the other story. It picks up the night Sara leaves in the taxi….much different version….than TV. Anyway, take care ! Penny