Of Homemade Plates and Relationships Part 2

by CSI1983

Sara and Grissom are married and expeacting their first child. Will it be all they expected it to be? GSR

A/N – I don't know if it's as good as the first part, but I wanted it to be as mushy as possible. Having kids does that to people, makes them into giant puddles of mush. I hope this is as liked as the first one. Enjoy

Of Homemade Plates and Relationships – Part 2

In nine months, Grissom's life had changed so much that he could not see a trace of the old one there. He had once been a workaholic, spending his days and nights at the lab burying himself in homicide and rape cases, wallowing in the darker side of life. Now he couldn't get out of the office soon enough and often found himself cutting out early without a moment's hesitation. Since Sara had announced her pregnancy and agreed to marry him, he had turned the corner and was paying more attention to things around him. He now spent his nights balancing headphones over Sara's huge belly playing Mozart to the baby, talking to it and finding that he was falling more and more in love with the little unborn being that he had helped create. He was also taking great joy in dashing around fulfilling Sara's insane and odd cravings that this little human had her demanding. Burgers, avocado and marmalade on toast, Sushi and odder still olives. She went through jar after jar of olives. Grissom had heard that pregnant woman needed extra salt but this was a little extreme. He had also never thought of himself as the kind of man who liked the way pregnant woman looked but now when he looked at Sara he felt an almost animal urge towards her. She looked good with the extra weight and just knowing that she had his baby growing inside of her made him almost burst with pride. Sara was having his baby. Sara, his wife, was having his baby.

"Grissom, can you go any faster? I really need the bathroom."

Grissom clicked his attention back to the road and pressed his foot a little harder on the accelerator. They were making one last visit to the lab before Sara's due date next week and she had been looking forward to getting out of the house all week. Her ankles were swollen and sore and combined with her desire to go to the bathroom almost every five minutes, it made travelling more then a little impractical. It made it damn near impossible.

"Almost there Honey, just a couple more minutes."

And just like that they were in the lab parking lot and Sara was doing her best to get out of the truck. Grissom hurried to her side and they went inside and Sara moved as fast as she could into the closet toilet. He waited outside the door as she came out, a small smile on her face.

"Much better."

They held hands and made their way down the corridor, stopping every few minutes as people offered their congratulations and touched Sara's stomach. Grissom knew that Catherine had bitched and moaned about that when she was pregnant with Lindsey but he never really got how annoying it was until now. They finally got to the break room after another quick trip to the toilet and were greeted with excitement.

"Sara you've gotten so big!"

Catherine was first in the welcome line and kissed and hugged the pair. She handed Sara a bulging brown paper bag, whispering something in her ear. Sara gave her a warm smile as she nodded and allowed the others to hug her. Greg took the longest, his eyes glued to Sara's extended belly.

"A woman's body is an amazing thing the way it carried a baby. I mean Sara, you're a skinny thing and now you're carrying another human being. Hat's off to you!"

Then Greg leant down and laid a gentle kiss on her stomach and made the sign of the cross, before looking up at Grissom and Sara sheepishly.

"Blesses the baby, or so my grandmother says."

Sara smiled at him.

"Thank you Greg."

Sara took a seat next to Catherine with a sigh.

"I cannot wait until this baby gets out of here. I want to be able to pee normally and have normal ankles again"

Sara pulled a brown envelope out of her handbag handing them to Catherine.

"They were from the last scan."

Catherine took picture after picture, examining it, a small smile on her face before handing it around the small team.

"Do you guys know what you're having?"

Grissom shook his head at Nick.

"We wanted a surprise. As long as they are healthy with ten fingers and ten toes, we don't care."

Nick nodded.

"What about names? Thought of any yet?"

Grissom glanced at Sara who nodded.

"Charlotte Jane for a girl and Anderson James for a boy."

Catherine nodded.

"I like. So when are you due Sara?"

Sara rolled her eyes.

"Next week in theory but the way this baby's going, any minute now. It's been really unsettled over the last few days."

Warrick, Nick and Greg all exchanged worried glances, and Sara laughed.

"It's ok guys! I'll be in the hospital long before anything too exciting happens. I plan on drugs, lots of drugs."

Catherine laughed.

"Good idea. You'll need it believe me."

After a little more chatting, Sara could feel the start of exhaustion start, and Grissom politely excused them, and after hugs and promises to call them when everything happens, they were on their way home. The rest of the week as well as the following week would be nothing but a waiting game. One that Grissom would rather do without.

It was three in the morning when Grissom was kicked awake by Sara.

"Call the ambulance Grissom. It's started."

Grissom had done what he had been told, instantly awake now that he could clearly hear Sara's pants and painful moans. It seemed like forever before the ambulance came and picked them up and for the first time in a long time, Grissom was in above his head and he knew it. All the books he had read and all the information he had gathered off Catherine had not prepared him for the feeling of helplessness he felt when he heard the screaming of his wife, her hand clenched tightly around his. He tried to keep her calm and encouraged but all he felt was useless as she pushed with all of her body to try and get the baby out. He cleaned the sweat off her forehead, whispered in her ear how much he loved her as she lay exhausted in between each contraction, telling her how proud he was of her and how soon they would have their baby in their arms. And after hours of sweat blood and tears it happened. With a final push that seemed to come from her very core, Sara pushed the baby out into the world. The baby screamed its outrage and Grissom was just about to relax when a confused expression came over the doctor's face. He glanced up at Sara.

"You need to push one last time Sara."

Sara looked at Grissom, who could do nothing more then shrug, before giving a large grunt and one last push. It was then that they heard another sound that was surprising. It was another baby's loud lustful cry.

"Congratulations, you have twins. Boy and a girl"

Grissom looked at Sara, who looked as stunned as he did. The doctor had came to stand beside them, a wide smile on his face.

"That sometimes happens; the baby is often hidden by its larger twin. All that matters is that you have two healthy babies."

Sara nodded and smiled.

"Can I see them?"

The doctor moved aside as a nurse brought over the now cleaned pink and blue wrapped bundles and laid them gently on Sara's chest. They looked like old men, their foreheads creased and their eyes squeezed shut. But Grissom knew that he would never see anything as beautiful as these two little beings in front of him. He kissed Sara gently.

"You did it."

Sara shook her head.

"We did it. So how do you feel Dad?"

Grissom smiled, liking the sound of her words.

"Never better. What about you Mom?"

Sara kissed the crinkled foreheads of the two new members of their family.

"Prefect, wonderful and deliriously happy. You had better call Catherine and see if she and the boys can do a double up on supplies."

Grissom nodded.

"I will soon. Can I hold little Charlotte before I go?"

Sara nodded and Grissom gently extracted the little pink bundle form Sara's grasp. Charlotte's eyes were still tightly closed but Grissom didn't care. She was still the most beautiful little girl in the world. She already had a nice mop of hair the same shade as Sara's and the same cupid bow mouth. He placed her very carefully at the end of the bed and un-wrapped her, wanting to count her fingers and toes. All ten were present and counted for and he handed little Charlotte back and picked up little Anderson this time and did the same as with Charlotte. Only then did he think about making the phone call to Catherine. He gave Sara a small kiss and headed out the door to the pay phone he had seen up the hall.

Grissom and Sara were having a moments peace with the babies when Catherine, followed closely by Warrick, Nick and Greg entered the room. Their arms were loaded down with fruit, flowers and balloons all offering their congratulations. Catherine came and gave Sara a kiss on the cheek.

"I heard from Grissom how well you did. And what a surprise!"

Sara handed Charlotte to Catherine and watched the tough older woman melt into a puddle on the floor. Charlotte hadn't done anything yet but she already had the world wrapped around her little finger. Grissom urged a nervous looking Greg forward and placed baby Anderson in his arms.

"He covered up Charlotte's heart beat. Maybe he'll be as smart as his Uncle Greg."

Greg smiled widely at Grissom and took the closest seat, talking in a low voice to baby Anderson. He almost jumped up when the baby opened his eyes.

"Grissom look!"

Grissom was at Greg's side in a second and the biggest smile sprung over his face. Looking back at him were the same serious blue eyes that he knew he had.

"He has my eyes Sara."

Catherine smiled.

"And baby Charlotte has Sara's. Look."

And they all gathered around Charlotte as the baby looked at them with deep brown eyes. Grissom smiled at his wife, happy that little Charlotte would grow up to be as beautiful as her mother. A nurse came in at that moment and frowned when she saw them all there.

"Mrs Grissom, we can't allow this many people at one time into the room."

Sara smiled.

"What are you talking about Rhonda? These people are all my family! I thought there was no limit on family members."

Rhonda looked at them doubtfully.

"Ten more minutes then I have to show the new Mom how to breast feed. Husbands are only allowed for that."

Nick pulled face as Rhonda left the room.

"Gross. Love you and all that Sara but gross."

Sara laughed and pushed back her hair.

"It gets worse Nicky just you wait till you and Amanda have a kid. You'll see things that will make you turn green."

Nick shuddered. And with that the good byes began and soon the couple were left alone with their two new kids.

"We're parents Gil."

Grissom took in the two little people that flanked either side off Sara's bed.

"Amazing isn't it?"

Sara nodded a sleepy smile on her face. Grissom stayed where he was, happy to watch his three favourite people in the whole world sleep.

It was a week before they were allowed to come home together and start the new chapter in their lives. Catherine, Warrick, Nick and Greg had indeed doubled up on supplies, making sure that the family lacked nothing. And so began the hardest six months of their lives. There were the sleepless nights, the never ending nappy changing, the constant feedings and the exhaustion. Catherine came over with Lindsey when she could to give the new parents a break but it never seemed often or long enough to truly make a difference. Sara and Grissom were just starting to fight with each other when the twins finally settled into their new routine and things in the Grissom household finally settled down. Sara and Grissom began to get more sleep and had started working out a routine of their own, taking turns to feed and change the babies during the night. It was only after that length of time that they could get their own personal lives back on track as well. Sex was not high on their list of things to do but they had gone back to kissing and cuddling, something that Grissom had missed more then he had realised. They now took joy in bathing the twins with them, thanks to the huge tub that Grissom had had installed a year or so ago. Now family time was meals as well as baths. It was fun and intimate time for all four of them. Grissom continued to play Mozart to the twins at night and talking to them from his bug books, convinced that one day it would be useful to them.

"Hey Gil"

Grissom went running into the twin's room at the sound of Sara's voice and walked in just in time to see Charlotte pull herself up in her cot. She grinned at Grissom from behind the wooden bars, clearly pleased with herself. She turned her face to her brother who was struggling to do that same, watching her with those serious eyes of his. She said something in baby gibberish and soon Anderson had pulled himself up, the same grin of pride on his face. Grissom felt an all too familiar wash of pride come over him. Everything new that the twins did evoked the feeling over and over again. It was almost too much for the man who had nothing just over a year ago. If he had known that this feeling was waiting for him, he would have had kids a lot sooner.

As much as he loved the twins, going back to work was somewhat of a welcome break. He learnt pretty quickly that having them had a very big down fall. All the cases that involved child abuse of any sort were too much for him. Instead of seeing the victims face he saw the twins and tears came to him eyes whenever he saw the parent's reactions. It was confusing after years of being able to stand back and letting the cases run off his back. He knew that Sara was having a hard time as well but it was more to do with leaving the twins with a nanny then anything else. She wanted to be a stay at home Mom, but with two new mouths to feed, it was almost impossible at the present moment in time. Grissom felt guilty when he dragged her out of the house every night after the twins were asleep but he had to do that. They needed to keep the money coming to pay for the expense that came with having children.

"Grissom you have two visitors to see you."

Grissom frowned at Catherine.

"Who is it?"

Catherine shrugged and headed back out of the office. Grissom sighed heavily and put the case file he had been studying down on his desk before following Catherine out of the office. Sitting in their double pram, Charlotte and Anderson started squealing when they saw Grissom.

"Da-Da!"

Grissom sat on the floor without a second thought, letting the twins out of their push chair and allowing them to jump on him, their lovely baby smell wrapping around him. They were a lot bigger now and nearing a year old, walking and talking in almost complete sentences. Charlotte looked more and more like Sara whenever he looked at her and when he looked at Anderson it was like staring into a mirror. It was amazing how their personality's had developed as well. Charlotte was very assertive and determined, never giving up even if she fell or failed, very much like her mother in that way. Anderson on the other hand was serious and took his time doing everything. He often followed Charlotte's lead but she was quick to listen if he had an idea. He didn't speak much but when he did it was after some thought.

The twins were each vying for his attention, Charlotte pulling and tugging at his clothes as she tried to get up on his shoulders for a ride while Anderson was talking to him, a serious expression on his face. Sara must have come down the hall because Anderson's face changed, and he lit up like a little Christmas tree.

"Mommy!"

Anderson struggled to his feet and made a mad waddle over to where Sara was standing, a little surprised by the unexpected visit. Sara pulled him into a hug, burying her face in his mop of soft curls.

"Hey Andy Bear, you been a good boy?"

Anderson buried his face in his mother's neck, his fat little arms wrapped tightly around her neck and shoulders. She came to sit beside Grissom and Charlotte, who had now found a place on her Dad's shoulders.

"Looks like she got on her favourite toy again, huh CJ?"

Charlotte just waved and giggled at her mother as she rocked back and forth on Grissom's shoulders. It was then that the rest of the team decided to join in the fun and Sara and Grissom saw something that had only happened with them. Anderson peeked out from behind Sara's hair and spotted Greg and began to wriggle out of Sara's embrace and made his way over to Greg. Sara and Grissom exchanged a surprised look as they watched Greg and Anderson talk to each other like a pair of old friends.

"Well done Greg. You've made friends with our little Mr serious. How did you do that?"

Greg shrugged as he put Anderson on his hip.

"No idea."

And so for the next hour, everybody's attention was wrapped up in the twins and Anderson was glued to Greg. But all too soon the twins had to get going home for dinner and sleep, and Sara and Grissom regretfully kissed them on their heads and watched the nanny walk them back out the door. Sara sighed and clasped Grissom's hand.

"I miss them all the time Gil. I really want to be home with them don't you?" Grissom pulled his wife into a hug.

"You know I do. It's just not practical right now. The only way we could afford it would be if I came back to work full time but then you would never see me."

Sara nodded against Grissom's chest, her eyes still on the door when the twins had exited.

"I don't want that. I just wish there was a way that we could be a family."

Grissom started to move Sara away from the door, worried that the tears would begin again.

"What about if we take all that holiday time we've gathered over the last few months and go on a nice long holiday with the twins?"

Sara nodded again, kissing Grissom.

"I would like that. Do you think Ecklie would ok it? I mean he'll be two CSI's short."

Grissom smiled tightly.

"He will don't worry. And if he doesn't you can go in and do that scary mother thing you do so well"

Sara laughed and Grissom smiled. He departed back into his office to fill out all the paperwork that came with taking holiday time. He needed to be with his family.

Grissom sat in the beach chair as he watched Sara, Charlotte and Anderson build a sandcastle, all so absorbed in their task that they didn't see him pull out the video camera and begin filming them. Charlotte noticed first and ran up to the camera, waving into it enthusiastically before moving back to her mother's side. Anderson just looked at it warily and Sara tried to cover up the lens.

"Gil Grissom, stop that now! I hate how I look in a bikini! Please put it away"

Grissom continued to film as he began to narrate.

"And this is my beautiful wife who thinks she look horrible in a bikini. I have to disagree. I love how her butt looks in that little red number"

Charlotte started laughing.

"Daddy said butt! Mommy, Daddy said butt!"

Sara flushed scarlet.

"Gil!"

Sara's voice was threatening but Grissom ignored her and focused the camera on Anderson, who had turned his attention back on the sandcastle.

"And this is the very handsome and smart Anderson. What kind of sandcastle are you building son?"

Anderson held his arms up as high as they would go.

"A big one. It's going to reach the moon. Then we can climb it and live with the aliens."

Grissom laughed.

"Do you plan to stop for lunch?"

Anderson nodded seriously.

"Yes. Mommy made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and she said we could have an ice cream."

Grissom nodded. Anderson loved PB and J sandwiches. He turned the camera to Charlotte.

"And this is the beautiful and irrepressible Charlotte. Do you want to say something CJ?"

Charlotte nodded and approached the camera and kissed the lens.

"Love you Daddy. Why is Mommy so angry?"

Grissom turned to Sara and took in her red face and hard stare. He smiled at Charlotte.

"She's mad. Looks like she needs to be in a sandwich? Should we go and get her?"

Charlotte and Anderson both nodded and Grissom put the camera down, laughing with the twins as they pulled Sara into a big hug. And it was then that Grissom realised the answer to the question that had dogged him for years. This is what life was about. All the love and happiness being in a family can bring and all the joy that came with watching your children grow.