Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Nick poked his head around, a bashful look on his face.
"Am I okay to come in?" He asked tentatively.
"Of course." Catherine encouraged, shuffling into a more seated position against the headboard. Sara snuffled at the movement as she nestled against Catherine's hip.
"How's she doing?" Nick asked with an affectionate twinge to his voice, creeping closer to the bed and reaching out an uncertain hand towards the sleeping figure.
"She's okay." Cath shrugged, running a lock of Sara's hair through her fingers. Nicky let his gaze track the shape of her delicate form curled up beneath the covers. With a heavy sigh, he dragged a well worn chair up to the bed and dropped tiredly into it, resting his elbows on the edge of the mattress. He looked like a man who hadn't slept in days.
"I didn't think you were coming." She confessed after a minute or two.
"I wasn't going to." He admitted quietly. "I didn't think I could stand to see her like this. Not now."
"So what changed your mind?"
"Warrick." Nick answered, pursing his lips. "He, uh he pretty much told me to get over myself and step up." He chuckled softly, his voice fading as he added: "To act like a father."
Catherine placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly in an act of comfort.
"I just can't believe it. My first son or daughter." He mumbled sadly, taking a deep shuddering breath. "And I'll never even get the chance to meet them."
"Son." Nick looked up, tears in his eyes.
"What?"
"Your son." Catherine repeated quietly, offering a sad smile that he somehow managed to match; letting his fingertips stroke Sara's stomach through the blanket.
"My boy." He murmured.
"Sara's decided to call him Charlie." Nick choked out a nervous laugh, wiping at his fresh tears.
"Charlie." He turned the word over his tongue gently. "I like that."
Cath nodded slowly. "She thought you would."
X x x
Warrick hung up the phone and re-joined the despondent men lurking in the booth.
"Nick's at the hospital." He explained, sliding into the seat beside Doc Robbins. The coroner nodded sadly.
"Best place for him." He surmised.
"Did Catherine say anything about Sara?" Greg piped up. "How is she?"
"Yeah, she's sleeping right now." Warrick answered, taking a long sip of his steaming black coffee. "She said it's probably best if we leave her be for now, not to overwhelm her."
"Yeah, that makes sense." Jim nodded, doodling absently on the table with his spoon. "Any word on when she'll be released?"
"Cath thinks they'll keep her in another night, just to make sure."
The team fell into a contemplative silence, pushing their food around their plates and drawing circles along the rim of their coffee cups. No one was in the mood to eat.
"We should do something for them." Greg said hoarsely at last, breaking the cloud of depression engulfing them. "Something for the baby."
"Like what?" Grissom asked tiredly, finally tearing his gaze from the chipped table.
"I don't know." Greg shrugged. "Just … something."
"It's a bit late for that though isn't it?" The boss brooded gruffly, running a hand over his worn out face. "Because there is no baby."
"Gil." Jim put a hand on the CSI's arm, but he shrugged it off.
"They should have told us." He snapped, pushing himself out of the booth and stomping to the door. Warrick moved to follow him but the older men stopped him, shaking their heads knowingly.
Through the murky glass they watched Gil stalk across the parking lot and lean against his car, taking slow deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself.
"I still think we should do something." Greg muttered.
"Charlie." Warrick said softly, earning him a series of confused looks. "It was a boy. Sara's named him Charlie."
The men let this information sink in for a moment before Doc Robbins raised his cracked mug.
"To Charlie." He declared softly. One by one they all lifted their drinks too; the dull clink echoing off the empty diner walls.
X x x
Sara blinked against the harsh light, turning her head away. Catherine heard her movements and turned away from the window, smiling at the sleepy brunette.
"Hey, welcome back." She greeted softly. Sara opened her mouth to speak but found herself distracted by a heavy weight against resting on her leg.
"How long's he been here?" She asked, her voice husky with sleep, as she eyed Nick's dozing figure cautiously.
"A while." Cath answered enigmatically, wandering back to the bed. She beamed down at Nicky sweetly. "He wanted to talk to you."
"Yeah, I bet." Sara sighed, dropping her head back into the pillows.
"Hey, it's okay." Catherine assured her gently, perching on the other side of the bed and taking her hand. "He just wants you to know that he's here for you."
"I should have told him." Sara breathed, tears stinging at her eyes. Catherine shrugged, not really sure how to answer that. Instead, she squeezed Sara hand and kissed her knuckles lovingly.
"Nicky's hurting too, honey; he needs you as much as you need him."
The mention of his name seemed to stir the Texan and he scrunched his eyes closed, stretching his stiff muscles as he pulled himself upright. Finally he opened his heavy eyes and did a double take at the two pairs staring back at him.
"Hey." He said, startled. "You're awake."
"Apparently." Sara mumbled, fidgeted with the blanket nervously. Catherine looked between the pair, making the executive decision to give them some space in the hopes that they would talk.
"I'm going to find a vending machine." She declared, pushing herself off the bed. "Do you need anything?" They both shook their heads, although Sara looked somewhat panicked at the thought of being left to deal with Nick alone.
Once the blonde left, they shared a moment of awkward quiet, both hoping the other would speak first. Eventually Sara bit the bullet.
"I'm sorry." She murmured. "I should have told you sooner."
"Yeah." He agreed honestly. "It would have been nice to know." There was no callousness in his voice, just pain and sorrow.
"I was trying to find the right time, but we kept getting interrupted." She explained. "And the longer I left it the harder it seemed to get."
"It's okay." He held up a hand to stop her anxious rambling. "It's all a moot point now anyway." He shrugged sadly.
"Yeah, I guess so."
They lapsed back into silence, each considering where to go from here. With a sigh, Nick reached out and conjoined their hands in the blankets.
"Cath tells me you named him Charlie." He spoke at last. A ghost of a smile danced on Sara's lips for just a second.
"Yeah, I … I hope you don't mind. I always liked it."
"No, I don't mind." He promised. "I like it too." He paused. "I like Dylan as well." Sara smiled.
"Charlie Dylan." She nodded slowly. "Charlie Dylan Sidle-Stokes." Nick grinned, tearing up at the name of the son he would never know.
"I love it." He agreed sincerely. "I think he would have loved it too."
Sara thought she was all cried out, but apparently not as a new wave of emotions raged through her system. Nick noticed her struggle and sat forward, dragging her into a warm embrace.
They didn't speak as they held each other, a mass of tears and heart wrenching sobs.
Catherine watched on from the doorway, unnoticed by the grieving parents. She felt almost like she was intruding on their private moment and slipped out, closing the door quietly behind her.
There were so many things she wanted to say to Sara; assurances that it will get easier. The promise of endless support and love. But that could all wait.
Right now, everything they needed to get through these first few days was in each other's arms.