Author: Dallas
Disclaimer: I don't own… we know that by now.
Rating: PG… I think… maybe G
Summary: The sequel to Blood, Sweat and Tears. Catherine finds out the real reason she wasn't allowed to see her son.
Snuggling into her pillow, Catherine's hand rested on her stomach and she smiled to herself. There was no doubt she was well rested and could see her new son as soon as she opened her eyes. Yawning, she slowly opened her eyes. Blinking back sleep, she looked around the room. Gil sat asleep in an armchair with Catie on his lap. Lindsey and Joshua sat at the small table playing poker.
"What have I told you two about gambling?" Lindsey and Joshua both jumped slightly at the sudden sound of their mothers voice.
"You told us not to play for keeps because we're siblings and we shouldn't do that sort of thing. So we're not." Joshua explained, getting up from his chair and following Lindsey to Catherine's bed.
"Morning mom." Lindsey kissed Catherine's cheek and sat on the edge of the bed. "Dad told us to be quiet so you could have a good rest."
"Well I'm fine now sweetie." Catherine assured her. "And I'm aching to see your new baby brother." She smiled looking from Lindsey to Joshua.
"Cool, I'll take you." Joshua jumped up and down but was quickly told to be quiet. "Oops, I forgot Dad and Catie were sleeping."
"Plus we can't take you to see the baby." Lindsey added, catching Catherine attention.
"Why not?"
"Dad wanted to talk to you first."
"What's wrong?" Catherine began to get worried. Why was everyone against her seeing her own son?
"Nothing's wrong mom, it's just…"
"Lindsey Allison Willows!" Catherine whispered harshly, trying not to wake up her husband. Lindsey stuck her fingers in her ears and mimed the words 'I'm not listening'. "Josh, you'll be a good boy and take me won't you."
"Alright, but you made me do this against my will if anyone asks. Okay?"
"Okay." Catherine smiled as Joshua grabbed the wheelchair that was sitting in the corner. "What's that for?"
"It's for you silly. The doctor says you have to use it." Joshua shrugged, placing the wheelchair close to the bed and locking the brakes. Lindsey rolled her eyes but continued her 'I'm not listening' mantra.
"Okay, let's do this." Catherine stood up slowly, he feet touching the cold floor for only a moment before she sat down in the wheelchair. She watched as Joshua grabbed a blanket and lay it over her lap. "Thankyou."
"That's okay." He smiled, showing two gaps in his teeth. "Let's go see the baby." He whispered in his mothers' ear and began to push her out the door. Watching them leave, Lindsey sighed and slid off the bed.
"I tried dad." She whispered, kissing Gil's cheek before running after the escapees.
"Ooh, that way." Catherine pointed down a hallway and Joshua turned the wheelchair in it's direction.
"Wait up!" The sudden stop of the wheelchair almost made Catherine fall forward. She turned to see Lindsey running up behind them.
"I thought you weren't going to come with us."
"Well, I was bored." Lindsey began to calm her breathing. "Besides, someone's going to have to explain some stuff to you. I doubt freckle face is the right person for that." She motioned to Joshua and he stuck his tongue out at her.
"What needs to be explained?" Catherine lifted an eyebrow.
"Mom…" Lindsey kneeled down in front of her mother. "You've got to promise me not to overreact, okay?"
"You know I can't promise that Linds." Catherine laughed a little, but stopped as she realised how serious her sixteen-year old daughter was at that moment. "What's going on?"
"The baby…" Lindsey tried to think out what she was saying, but the more she thought about it the more she wanted to back out of telling her mother. Joshua stood by the side of the wheelchair, his hand slid into Catherine's and he squeezed it to let her know he was there. "He's got Down-Syndrome, mom." Lindsey blurted out.
"Oh." Catherine drew in a strong and steady breath. "But… um…" She was suddenly finding it hard to string a sentence together. "Um… he's still okay, isn't he?"
"He'll be fine. But you need to be prepared." Lindsey bit her lip. "Because he was born prematurely and he has Down-Syndrome, he's having a bit of trouble feeding so he's being fed through a tube. You should just be aware of the medical equipment that will be around him."
"Can I see him?" Catherine asked quietly, her eyes were becoming watery and Lindsey knew there was a good chance she'd cry.
"Yeah, let's go." Lindsey smiled and stood up, taking over the wheelchair pushing from her ten-year old brother. They continued down the hallway and turned left into the nursery, coming to a stop in front of the viewing window. "That's him."
"Are we allowed to go in?" Catherine asked slowly. She'd always been the one in the hospital bed with the baby being brought to her. Never before had she been to the nursery. This was a whole new experience for her.
"Yeah let's go in." Joshua bounced up and down as if he had ants in his pants. Which had happened to him once before but wasn't the case at this precise moment.
"Daddy." Catie Grissom had woken to find herself alone in the hospital room, apart from her father, and she carefully set to work trying to wake him. "Daddy, wake up time." She poked his shoulder a few times before slapping her little hands against his cheeks.
"Catie, I'm awake."
"No, no. Daddy's eyes still closed." She giggled. Gil opened his eyes as best he could and smiled.
"Happy now?"
"Yeah." Catie sighed, leaning against Gil and giving him a big hug.
"Hey, where is everyone?" Gil looked around the room, realising they were alone.
"Mommy gone." Catie pulled out of her hug and put her hands up to say she had no idea.
"I have a good idea where she would be." Gil sighed. Holding onto Catie he stood up. "Let's go find Mommy."
"Yay mommy!" Catie squealed.
"He's so beautiful." Catherine sighed as she ran her fingers lightly down the newborns stomach. He was so small that the tape going across his top lip, holding his feeding tube in place, almost took over his whole face.
"You can hold him if you want?" A young nurse crouched down beside Catherine's chair.
"But what about the tubes?"
"It's fine, we can move them so you're both comfortable."
"Okay." Catherine smiled, watching as the nurse gently lifted the tiny baby and placed him in her arms. The nurse left them alone. Lindsey and Joshua watched as Catherine just stared in amazement at the tiny bundle in her arms. She ran her hand down his soft chubby cheeks and kissed him lightly on the head. "You're such a beautiful baby." She whispered against his skin. "You'll grow up and you'll do the most amazing things. Because you were born into a family that loves you and we'll be by your side for every step you take."
Gil watched through the glass as Catherine held their son in her arms. A soft smile played at his lips. As always she was so natural with children. Catie stared through the glass wide-eyed. She was more interested by all the other babies in the room.
"Let's go see mommy." Gil said, grabbing his daughters' attention again.
"Mommy!" Catie clapped her hands but quickly quietened down as they entered the nursery.
As they walked in Catherine was the only one who didn't acknowledge their presence. Lindsey and Joshua took Catie from their father and left their parents alone with the new baby. As Gil knelt down next to Catherine he noticed the tears in her eyes and lifted her chin so she would look at him."Can we call him Daniel?" She whispered, the tears finally breaking free and sliding down her cheeks.
"Yes, we can call him Daniel." He smiles and wipes away her freefalling tears. "What made you think of that?"
"He looks like a Daniel to me." She sniffed and focused her attention on her son again. "I think his hair is going to be brown like yours."
"How can you tell?" Gil asked, knowing that if she didn't want to talk about what was making her upset then it was better not to push. "All the hair he has at the moment is blonde."
"I just know these things." Catherine sighed, stroking Daniel's cheek softly as she spoke. Her crying became stronger with each stroke, until Gil carefully took Daniel from her and placed him back in the hospital crib. "What did I do?" He turned to find Catherine distraught. Her hands covered her face and she tried as best she could to curl up into a ball.
"You didn't do anything Catherine." Gil moved back to her quickly. He slipped his arm under her torso and pulled her into a hug. "This has nothing to do with anything you may, or may not, have done."
"Why then? Why has this happened?"
"Catherine, look at me." Gil pulled back and forced her to look at him. "Daniel's disability is not a punishment to either of us. It's a gift." Catherine frowned a little and sniffed, calming down from her outburst. "You're a wonderful mother, Catherine. So now you have this beautiful baby boy, because God knows you can look after him."
"Only with your help." She whispered, pulling him back into a hug.
"Of course with my help." He responded, kissing her shoulder as he held her close. Again Catherine pulled away and leant forward to reach for baby Daniel.
"Welcome to the family Daniel…" She looked at Gil, it was his job to take care of middle names. Placing an arm around his wife, Gil smiled.
"Welcome to the family Daniel Thomas Grissom."
A/N: For now this is the end of this series. I tend to write it only when I get into a fight with someone about my brother who does have Down Syndrome. I may write more soon... you never know with me.
dallas