Providence

Disclaimer - I still don't own CSI. However, I do own Nick and Sara's fabulous children that I made up. If only the writers' had been on the same wavelength as the rest of us, there wouldn't be any need for making up their children, Nick and Sara would have done that themselves…

A/N: Hey, me again. I'm back, hold the applause ;). But I'm not back with any old story, oh no, I'm back with a sequel to Deception. I can only apologise that it has taken me over 9 months to come up with a decent idea and run with it. It's set roughly 2 and a half years after Deception, slightly less but you get the idea, and still from Sara's POV. Enjoy.

Always In Sync

"Happy birthday dear, Olivia. Happy birthday to you," we all sang happily as we celebrated Olivia's second birthday, all with smiles on our faces.

"Blow out the candles, sweetie," Nick insisted softly, the camera in his hands poised and ready to take a picture of the crucial moment.

And Olivia tried her best, bless her, but at the tiny age of two it was a little bit of a struggle. But thankfully Isla was right behind her and gave her sister a hand. The room erupted into cheers followed by three rounds of 'Hip hip? Hooray!'. What a little family we had turned out to be.

But families are hardly ever simple, that would be far too easily. So sadly our family was the same. And while we had had problems, we had worked through them. It wasn't easy or happened automatically overnight; it took time and effort and more importantly trust. But it had happened, we had done it. We had worked it all out. Kind of. Perhaps for the sake of baby number five...

Almost a sense of déjà vu, being pregnant again for the fourth time was enjoyable but I felt so incredibly guilty. I thought I could have done something terrible to my baby inadvertently. From all the stress I was under during my little 'hiccup' with Nick, I hadn't even considered the fact that I could have been pregnant again. I wasn't eating right or sleeping right or even considering myself for a second during those rough two months.

However, once that was all sorted out, and I put my insecurities back in their box, we could finally move on and get somewhere. And while at first I did consider that I had only forgiven Nick and let things go back to how they were after discovering I was accidentally pregnant, again, I soon knew the real reason. I loved him. He loved me. And there was nothing we could do about that. There was no way we could change our feelings for each other. Some people fall out of love, but not us, not after everything we'd been through; I wasn't gonna let that happen.

So five months and two weeks after Nick and I renewed our wedding vows, Olivia Katherine Stokes entered the world. She was beautiful, and a week late, which didn't go down well with me at all. There is only so much pregnancy I could take. I instantly fell in love with her. It was all in the eyes. In what has now been over twelve years I had been pregnant four times. And it was staying at four times if I had my way.

"We make pretty damn amazing kids, don't you think?" Nick whispered as he watched Ava take over and start to cut Olivia's birthday cake into appropriately sized pieces.

I chuckled lightly. "Funny, I was just think the same thing."

"See, always in sync," he grinned.

I just nodded, mindlessly watching our children interact with each other.

"So, Warrick said he'll be round later, gotta finish off a case. Greg will be over in a little while as well, has to help in the lab. And Catherine said she will drag Grissom over here in a few hours if she has too," Nick explained, handing out plates for the birthday cake. "How's that sound?"

"Fine by me," I shrugged.

"Can we go out for lunch? With them? Can they come with us?" Maddie asked.

"I don't know, what does Liv think?" Nick smiled as he looked down at his youngest daughter.

Olivia shyly smiled back, mumbling something no one really understood. She was talking, she knew how to, but sometimes she made absolutely no sense at all. Catherine said it was because we were babying her more than the others, with her being our last child and all, to which Nick responded with 'Who said she'd gonna be our last?' Naturally, I slapped him.

"So where do you fancy?" I asked, open to any suggestions.

"Ooh, can we go to that new Chinese place?" Ava asked. "It's suppose to be amazing."

"But I don't like Chinese," Isla whined.

"Okay, so not Chinese," Nick stated. "What about Indian?"

"Yeah, because Olivia's favourite food is a hot chicken tikka masala," I rolled my eyes. "This has to be about her too. It's her birthday, remember?"

"Well, it happens to be one of my favourite foods," Maddie grinned.

"No," I shook my head.

"What about Italian?" Dylan joined in. "Everyone loves pizza, right?"

"Yah," Olivia nodded excitedly. "Pizza."

"Well done, buddy," Nick praised. "Nice compromise."

"Everyone okay with that?" I asked to be sure.

After a few grumbled responses, I assumed we were all in agreement. For once.

"Well then, it's settled. Pizza it is," Nick announced.

"I'm having the giant pepperoni one," Maddie insisted, shoving a spoonful of cake into her mouth. "And I'll eat all of it."

"Well, we'll see about that," I smiled. "You might not have any room left after all that cake."

"Oh, mum, I'll always have room."

I rolled my eyes at Maddie's persistence. And huge appetite. I often had to remind her of the saying 'eyes bigger than your belly' but she always refused to listen. She was her daddy's daughter alright.

"Anyway," I sighed lightly and brought the conversation back on track. "Let's just hope they get here in time, and actually want to go with us."

Nick nodded in agreement and we all fell into a comfortable silence as we hurried to eat our slices of cake.

"P'ease may I leave the table?" Olivia asked politely as she finished.

"Of course you can, sweetie. If you're sure you're finished?" Nick smiled.

"Uh huh," she nodded happily.

"Well, all right then," he mocked an exasperated sigh. "But I'd be quick if I were you; Ava's the toy snatcher."

"Hey!" Ava scowled. "That's not fair."

Nick shrugged as Olivia gasped in shock and dashed off into the living room like the Road Runner, in search of her newly opened presents.

"Me too, please?" Isla asked.

"Yeah, off you go," I nodded. "All of you."

"Yay, I'm gonna go snatch some toys," Ava smirked at her dad as she got up and walked past.

"Well, you're not having any of mine," Isla insisted as she and her twin brother followed suit and stood up.

Nick chuckled.

"Play nice, girls," I warned gently.

"Don't we always?" Maddie asked innocently.

And she too bounded off into the living room, leaving Nick and I to tidy up the mess in the kitchen. As always.

"I'm gonna get ya," Ava announced playfully from inside the living room.

"No, Ava, no," Olivia shrieked.

Nick was about to say something when his phone began to ring. He knew what that meant, and frowned when he answered it.

"Stokes."

"Hey, Nick. It's me," Warrick stated.

"I noticed."

"You know I hate to do this to you, man, but two bodies have just been found in connection with my seemingly never-ending case," he explained.

"I thought your case was a simple breaking and entering?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, it was. But it just got a lot more interesting," Warrick sighed. "Greg is on his way but I need your help too. I'm really sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about it, these things happen," Nick shrugged. "It's not like you planned it."

"Trust me, I didn't," Warrick insisted.

"So where am I headed?" Nick asked.

"Go to the lab and get a lift with Greg, I think he's still there," Warrick suggested.

"I think I can do that."

"I'll see you in a little while then," Warrick nodded.

"Yep, I'll be there," Nick agreed.

"Oh, and say 'happy birthday' to Olivia for me," he said before putting the phone down.

"So?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Warrick needs help," Nick stated simply. "My help."

"And why not Greg's?" I asked, not at all happy.

"He's going too," he answered. "You know it can't be helped. I'm sorry."

I let out a deep sigh. "I know. But you have to be the one who tells Liv."

"I will," he nodded and walked through to the living room, coming to a stop at the doorway.

"Daddy," Olivia smiled. "Come and play."

"I really wish I could, darlin', but I gotta go to work for a little bit. I shouldn't be too long and when I get back you can show me all of your new toys, okay? How does that sound?" Nick tried to explain to his two year old.

"Oh, o'ay," she sulked.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," he sighed.

"It's o'ay, Daddy," Olivia smiled a toothy smile, ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, more like his legs, and hugged him.

"Oh, and Uncle Warrick says happy birthday," Nick smiled down at her.

Olivia giggled and went back to the toy doll she had been playing with.

"Bye then, Dad," Ava huffed.

"I'm sorry," he shrugged. "But have fun without me."

"Yeah, we always do," Maddie added.

Nick walked back out the room and nearly crashed into me as I stood behind him. Not that I minded.

"Right then, I'll see you later," Nick stated as he made a move for the door.

"Hey, come here," I smiled, pulling him towards me and planting a kiss on his lips. "See you later."

"Always."

About an hour later:

"Hey, ssshh!" I hissed in hopes of silence as I reached for the ringing phone. "Hello."

"Is it Daddy?" Isla asked.

"Shh and I'll find out," I insisted before speaking into the phone again. "Nick?"

"No, it's Catherine," she said, almost sorrowful.

"Oh," I said, nearly matching her tone of voice. "Are you alright?"

"Um… well, it's uh, it's not me you should be worrying about," Catherine stuttered.

"What are you talking about? Cath, you're starting to scare me now," I chuckled nervously.

"Um… there really is no easy way to say this, at all, so I'm just gonna get it over with," she gulped. "Nick has been involved in a car accident on the way to the lab. A drink driver, I think. He's been taken to hospital but it doesn't look good."

"No! No, please tell me this is some kind of a joke," I begged.

"I really, really wish it was, Sara. I'm so sorry," Catherine sniffled.

I was silent, lost for words, with tears welling up in my eyes. This could not be happening. Not today. Not any day, for that matter.

"Do you want me to come and pick you and the kids up?" Catherine asked.

"Please, I can't drive right now," I sniffled.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Catherine stated. "He'll be alright, Sara. He's a fighter, remember? He always has been and he always will be. He's got something to fight for. He's got you, and the little family you've created. He won't give up."

I nodded, forgetting I was on the phone but then instantly hung up the moment the line went dead.

"Mum, what is it?" Ava asked, seeing the lack of colour in my face.

"It's um… it's your Dad. He was in a car accident," I started blankly.

"He's alright though, right?" Maddie immediately asked.

I couldn't reply, I physically couldn't make the words form. I couldn't find the words to tell them what could happen next. No parent should ever have to. I felt sick to my stomach. This could not be happening.

"Mum, he's alright, right?" Maddie asked again. "Dad's okay?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "But he's been taken to hospital."

Thank you for reading. Well, what a first chapter. Would it be all that surprising if I said I cried as I wrote this? It's nervous being back, continuing with a story I sort of wanted to have ended with Deception. But here I am anyway. And I would really appreciate it if you could let me know what you thought of this. Review please.