Chapter Thirty Seven:

It wasn't what he expected but then he wasn't quite sure what to expect. He remembered the days of placing the food before her and wishing she would eat. Now, he had been given the task of monitoring her food and it was becoming a full time job. Once the morning sickness ended, Sara had been able resume her vegetarian lifestyle. Of course there had always been food lying around in the break room but now Grissom's memo ordered no food in the vicinity of the pregnant woman.

Most times they rarely got to eat dinner and there were times when they were lucky to get one meal in a twenty four hour time span. This changed with Sara's pregnancy. It started out harmless enough. Nick began putting fruits and snacks in his vehicle in case they were caught out in the field. Greg did the same adding left over pizza followed by Warrick's connection to a deli that delivered anywhere, anytime and they were not skiddish about blood.

"How come we never did this before?" asked Catherine.

"We never took the time to think. We just worked and hurried back to the lab grabbing something at the diner along the way," said Grissom.

"Well, the deli food is much better," said Catherine.

"I've heard they have mob connections," said Greg.

"Well if they do, we're doing our part to ensure they keep it legal," said Nick shelling out the money for the sandwiches when he saw the delivery guy drive up

"Anyone want to tell Sara the food is here?" asked Nick with a grin.

"Not unless you want a stampede," said Greg.

"I heard that Gregory," said Sara as she appeared in the doorway. Grissom stood outside on the porch trying to hide the grin.

He glanced at her feet.

"Your shoes are untied again," he said.

"Really? I didn't notice. It's not like I can see down there anymore," she said.

He kissed her on the forehead before kneeling to tie her shoes. Once the task was done, he helped her sit down on the porch steps.

"You're almost done for the night," he said.

She glanced at her watch. "Already?"

"Part time for you only," he said rubbing her abdomen and then chuckling when he received a kick.

"Don't get it started," she said with a yawn.

"I wish we knew if it was a boy or girl," he said.

"Well, three ultrasounds are the limit," she said. "We'll just have to be surprised."

Nick placed the sandwiches in Grissom's hand and glanced at Sara.

"No chips?" she asked.

Nick glanced at Grissom.

"Pickle…you can have a pickle," he said.

She sat there and sulked while she ate.

"I've been good today," she said.

"Yes…you have," he said. "Let's keep it that way."

"Could you rub my back?" she moaned.

"Still hurting?" he asked as he made circular motions.

"We need a new mattress," she complained.

"Add it to my "honey do" list," he said.

She finished her sandwich and started on the pickle glancing over at Greg's chips.

"Sara, stop it," said Grissom.

"I'm still hungry," she said.

"I have an apple in the vehicle. I'll get it for you," he said.

"You finish. I can wait," she said with a yawn.

"You didn't get much sleep yesterday," he said.

"It's up when I want to sleep," she said yawning again.

"Why don't you go on home," he said.

"Another hour and we can be done here," she said.

"One more hour and then you're off the clock," he warned.

She kissed him as she stood and returned to work.

They finished in an hour. They had begun to load the evidence when he noticed she was nowhere in sight. He looked outside and did not see her.

"Greg, have you seen Sara?" asked Grissom.

"She was in the back bedroom a minute ago," he called.

Grissom walked back into the house and stood in the bedroom.

"Sara?"

"Are we done here?" she called.

"Yes we are…where are you?" he asked.

"Bathroom," she said.

He walked in to find her standing in the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She stood there bracing herself. She turned and faced him.

"I think I just had a contraction," she said.

"Too soon," he said.

She doubled over as the contraction brought her to her knees. He grabbed her.

"Let's get you out of here," he said. He found himself calling for the others as they came running.

"What's wrong?" asked Nick.

"Sara's having contractions," said Grissom as he helped her walk.

"She's not due for a couple of three or four weeks," said Nick.

"Three weeks and five days but who's counting," said Grissom.

Warrick and Catherine came running up.

"What can we do?" asked Warrick.

"You and Catherine get the evidence to the lab. We'll get Sara to the hospital."

Nick helped Sara into the front seat as Grissom jumped into the Denali and headed to the hospital. She was taken back immediately as they monitored her contractions. They did not come. They stared at the monitor as the nurse checked her vitals.

"Looks like false labor," smiled the nurse. "I think we can release you to go home."

"I had two sharp contractions," said Sara.

"It happens with first pregnancies," said the nurse as she patted Sara's arm.

She pouted on the way home.

"This was good practice," said Grissom trying to cheer her up.

It didn't work.

She waddled around the house picking up things and when he heard the vacuum cleaner, he knew she was in another cleaning spree. He and Hank decided a walk would be good as well as safe. He took the long way around to the park and let Hank run loose for awhile. He was not prepared to chase the dog down when he ran after a guy on a bike. Several blocks later, he caught him. By then they had neared a Starbuck's and he stepped inside and got a large coffee. It had been a nice sunny day and he took his time coming home. He stepped inside and no longer did he hear the vacuum cleaner or the dish washer.

He smiled. He took off the leash and sat down on the couch to enjoy his coffee when he heard the first scream.

The roaches are loose again.

He sighed.

It seemed Rocky was not only a good racer but also an escape artist and he often found him in the bathroom with Sara. He walked into the bedroom and began to panic the moment he found her in the bathroom floor.

"What happened?" he said.

"Contractions….five minutes apart," she said.

"Five minutes!"

"Where the hell have you been?" she yelled.

"I took the long way around the park and then I stopped…"

She glanced at the Starbuck's coffee.

"You stopped for coffee?" she yelled.

"Sara, I didn't know you were in labor."

He tried to help her up and she wouldn't budge.

"Call an ambulance," she said.

He did.

He returned and this time forced her to get to the bed. She grabbed his arm when the next contraction hit and gritted her teeth.

"Sara, you're going to have to wait…don't push," he said.

She grabbed him by the collar. "Don't tell me what to do!"

"Yes dear," he managed to get out.

She gritted again.

"Grissom….it's coming."

He felt his blood pressure soar through the roof.

"Sara, I've never delivered a baby."

"You're a geek…you can do anything…do it!"

He went in work mode rushing to the bathroom and returning with lots of towels. He then disappeared for a moment with scissors, medicine dropper and string.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Scissors to cut the cord, medicine dropper to clear the nose and string to tie off the cord."

"Good…I think," she said as she felt another contraction.

She glanced at him and suddenly became very frightened.

"What if there's a complication? What if there's something wrong with the baby?" she said as she began to cry.

"Sara, we're going to get through this…Okay?" he said.

She nodded.

He positioned her legs and was amazed that he could already see the head.

"I see the head!" he said excitedly.

She pushed with the contraction and gasped for air when it stopped.

"You can't stop Sara. You've got to push…"

She grabbed his hands for leverage this time as she pushed and then there was the slight swoosh and Grissom was grabbing the baby as it slipped onto the bed. He quickly wrapped it in a towel turning it over and patted it on the back. He worked to clear the airway and glanced at her when there was no sound. He quickly turned the baby over and stared at it.

"What's wrong?" she said.

He stared at the baby.

"Gil, what's wrong with the baby?" she said no longer caring that she was now in tears and reaching for the baby.

"Tell me why it's not crying?" she demanded with arms stretched out.

He looked at Sara and gulped down the lump in his throat.

"I was having a moment with my son," he said. He turned the small bundle around so that the baby now stared at her.

"He didn't cry," she said. "Is he okay?"

"Babies cry when their frightened or hungry or sad….he's just curious…see how he's staring at me."

He placed the baby in her arms.

Mother and son stared at one another.

"He's beautiful," she said. "He looks like you."

They heard the banging on the door but ignored it as Grissom sat down beside her and they stared at him.

"We had better come up with name," she said. "I'm tired of 'it'."

The banging persisted.

He sighed.

"I should get that," he said standing.

"Gil?"

He turned and looked at them.

"Thank you…for giving me a son," she said.

He smiled.

He opened the door and let in the paramedics. Brass stood there nervously.

"I heard your address on the scanner. Is she okay?" asked Brass.

"They're fine. It's a boy."

"A boy?" smiled Brass. "You delivered him?"

"Yes…I did."

"Didn't think you had it in you," said Brass as he shoved him aside and headed to the bedroom.

He waited a moment until the paramedics completed their initial check and then he came to stand near the bed.

"I have a grandson," he announced.

She smiled. She handed him to Brass and watched as he held him up close and talked with him.

"He didn't cry…just stared."

"He's going to be curious like his father….always looking at things," said Brass as he continued to smile at him.

Grissom walked in and took the baby from Brass.

She smiled as she watched him hold the baby.

She sighed.

"You know there's going to be a lot of paperwork to fill out at the hospital…admission forms, medical information, birth certificate….I'll do it," she said.

"I'll do it," he said with a smile.

Some paperwork was needed.

He would make sure this did not get lost.

Note from author:

That's it….I have no more. I started to write "The End" but then I thought I would let you decide….maybe a chapter every now and then when we need to see them happy and together…. I am getting geared up for a major trip coming up this month and so I have to focus on that for awhile. I am writing on two other stories and if I can find the time to finish one of them I will most assuredly post again…. In the meantime, keep happy thoughts of Sara and Grissom….have a wonderful May….I know I will. Take care! Penny