God Bless The Child

Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Grissom/Sara
Category: Angst/Romance
Spoilers: Set loosely in season 4.
Feedback: Love it, but no flames please I'm fragile!!
Archive: Grissom and Sara [dot] com and my site 'Something to talk about'
Disclaimer: CSI belongs to CBS and Alliance-Atlantis Productions. No infringement intended.

Summary: A tiny bundle discovered on Christmas Eve morning, turns Sara's life upside down.

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Chapter 3

"What just happened here?" Al Robbins asked, his expression lost somewhere between shock and pride. "Was that our Sara acting all maternal?"

"Yeah, hard to believe isn't it?" Brass nodded, hissing a sigh through his lips as he turned away from them.

"I think she's great." David smiled to himself. Looking up, he caught the angry glare from Grissom whose eyes seemed to boar into his own, and the smile instantly dropped from his face. "As a mother I mean," he muttered, "I mean if she ever had kids, I just meant..."

"I know what you meant," Grissom nodded, cutting off the stuttered sentences that tumbled from David's mouth. Turning to follow Brass out of the room, Grissom couldn't help feeling something deep starting to churn within him. Sara had shocked him again, this time with her gentleness and affection, and he wondered for the umpteenth time since he had refused her dinner invitation, how it would feel to be loved by her.

Stepping out into the corridor, Grissom stopped in stunned silence unable to comprehend what he was actually witnessing. Warrick, the usually tough CSI was playing peek-a-boo with the child who giggled in delight. Although he squealed with tiny chuckles, he kept his hold still firmly locked onto Sara, never leaving her closeness for a second.

"Hey Grissom," Warrick grinned, the smile falling away from his lips when he saw the seriousness in the older man's eyes. "Nothing obvious with the bassinette. I found some food, formula, diapers and a bottle, but nothing out of the ordinary. There were some prints on the bottle, I'm running them through CODIS as we speak."

"Okay," Grissom nodded, his eyes falling to Sara who held the little boy close to her chest. He cast another worried glance with Brass, shaking his head before the other man could voice his concern.

"The hospital's expecting us," Brass spoke, nudging Sara's arm to gain her attention.

"Yeah I heard you," she nodded. "Hadn't we better be going?"

"Uh, yeah," he nodded; embarrassed by his own surprised expression that was no doubt present in his eyes.

"It's cold outside," she told him, turning to look at him. "He needs a blanket."

"Oh, yeah I..." Brass's eyes searched the corridor as if one would magically appear before him.

"Never mind," she sighed, handing the baby to Warrick quickly before shrugging her arms out of her jacket.

Warrick smiled down at the baby, his wriggling body causing Warrick to hold him closer, "Hey little guy."

Everyone held their breath for the inevitable wail that would no doubt soon follow his and Sara's separation, and for a few seconds it seemed as if the child was quite happy with the situation. Until he realized the face staring down at him wasn't Sara's and his wide eyes began searching for her wildly.

"I'm here," she said quickly, stepping forward before he could start sobbing again. Holding out her arms, Warrick passed the boy back to her so she could carefully wrap her jacket around his small body. "There you go," she smiled softly.

"Look at you," Warrick grinned proudly as he nudged her arm gently.

"Oh cut it out Warrick," Sara sighed. "Everything will be back to normal around here in no time, so don't get used to seeing this."

"What, your softer side?" he grinned, reaching out to stroke the baby's face. "Pity Nick wasn't here."

"You tell him and I'll kill you," she growled, her eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement.

"I'll bring the car around," Brass told her, ignoring the banter, his eyes etched with more than a little worry.

"We'll be out in a second," Grissom nodded.

"What?" Sara asked suddenly, turning to look up into the eyes that had dominated her senses for so many years. "You don't have to come with us."

"I do," he told her, slipping a hand to her shoulder as he guided her away from Warrick. "You'll need a ride back."

"I'll be fine," she protested, her arms tightening around the wriggling baby. "He'll be fine too."

"I'm still coming with you."

"Okay... great," she muttered, lifting the baby so his little head was resting on her shoulder. "You're the boss."

"Sara, it's not about me being the boss." Grissom tightened his arm around her shoulder as he spoke, his eyes meeting tiny blue orbs which were watching him widely. Grissom couldn't help himself, this child was causing havoc to an already chaotic existence, but he found himself welcoming the oncoming feelings that accompanied them. Lifting his hand from Sara's shoulder, he stroked the tiny cheek that rested upon her and was rewarded with a little smile, and he felt his heart melt inside his chest.

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