Sorry that this has taken so long folks :( I have just found the time to crank out this last chapter! I'm going to post the story as finished, but if you would like, let me know and I will add the epilogue that I have written! Thanks so much for those of you that have stuck with this story from the beginning, it has meant a lot!! Thanks to everyone else who has taken to time to read it! I really hope you all have enjoyed the ride!


The stares that Julia received walking down the hallway were nothing new. Ever since she had begun showing her pregnancy at about her 5th month she just accepted the stares. No one asked her any questions, but everyone stared.

As she neared her locker Julia saw Derek leaning against it. They hadn't talked since she told him that she didn't need his money, so to say that she was surprised to find him there was an understatement.

"Hey Julia," Derek said shyly with his eyes downcast.

"Do you need something?" She asked roughly.

"How, um, how are you doing?"

Julia looked at him with a look that could only be regarded as disgust. "Seriously? How am I doing? How do you think I'm doing?" Julia said with her voice rising as each word flew from her mouth. "I'm eight and half months pregnant with a baby that I have to raise on my own. I have gained over 40lbs., I haven't seen my feet in months, I need someone to help me when I try to stand up, and to top it all off, I have to pee every 20 minutes."

As Julia continued to yell at Derek, a small crowd had started to gather around them.

"Whoa honey, settle down," he said trying to get her to calm down.

"HONEY? OH YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" She screamed, "I haven't been HONEY in 9 months don't give me that shit now."

Julia was furious and no one around them was sure what to do.

"Julia, look I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare..." Julia started, but stopped when she looked at the floor and saw the small puddle pooling around her feet, "oh no" she whispered.

"Shit!" Yelled Derek, "Someone call an ambulance!"

Derek wasn't sure what to do so he put one of Julia's arms over his shoulder and started to walk her toward the exit where the ambulance would come.

"Shhh, it's okay Jules, I've got you."

"Someone call my parents. NOW!" Julia screamed.

An ambulance was pulling up as Derek got Julia to the doorway. "She's right here, 8 ½ months pregnant, her water just broke," Derek said sounding much more confident than he really was.

"Are you the father son?"

Derek looked at Julia and waited for her reply, "Yeah, he is."

As the ambulance took them to the hospital, Sara and Grissom were notified and were on their way as well. They arrived half and hour later and ran to the desk, "Our daughter just came in, she was in labor."

The woman behind the desk obviously didn't register their nervousness because she just continued to take her time as she filed papers away. "Name?" She asked.

"Uh, Grissom, Julia Grissom."

"Oh yeah, she came in about fifteen minutes ago with the father," Sara and Grissom just turned and looked at one another, "Go ahead and go to the waiting room, someone will come out and update you in a little while. It's upstairs, 3rd floor, take a right out of the elevator and a left right before the end of hallway. Have a nice day."

Sara and Grissom took off for the elevators not even responding to the rude woman at the desk.

Once inside the elevator, Sara grasped Grissom's hand for support. "That woman was a peach huh?"

"Oh yes, very pleasant." Grissom sarcastically replied.

After finding the waiting room, Grissom and Sara found a couple of chairs and took a seat. Not sure what they were allowed to do, Sara just rest her head on Grissom's shoulder and thought back to when Julia was born.

"Gil? GIL?"

"Yeah honey? I'm in the bedroom."

"Get out here. NOW!"

Grissom came running down the hallway, "what, what is it? Is everything okay?"

"My um, I think my water just broke."

"What? Where? Are you sure?"

"What do you mean WHERE? And of course I'm sure, I don't go around peeing in my pants Gil! Come on, we have to go! Grab the hospital bag."

"Oh yeah, okay, I'll be right back."

Grissom ran to the hall closet and pulled out the hospital bag that Sara had packed the week before. Once he had the bag he ran back into the living room.

"Okay sweetheart, got the bag lets go," he said as he took off toward the door.

"Gil?"

"Yeah?"

"Grab the keys."

"Oh, right."

Grissom grabbed the keys from the table and led Sara out to the car.

"Mrs. Grissom? Is there a Mrs. Grissom out here?" A young nurse called getting Sara's attention.

"Over here," Grissom said standing up to greet the nurse.

"Hi, my name is Ali, I'm one of the nurses assisting with Julia, she has been asking for her mom. If you would like, I can take you both back to her room. The young man in there looks like he is about to be sick," she said smiling.

"Yes, of course we'll go back," Sara replied. "Sorry, I'm Sara, this is my husband Gil."

"Nice to meet you both," Ali said shaking their hands, "just follow me and I will take you back to where Julia is."

Walking down the long hallway Sara wondered how her little girl was doing. She must be so scared, Sara thought.

"Here we are," Ali said, "Go ahead and go in, I'm just going to grab a few things and I will be right back."

Grissom and Sara walked into the room and noticed Derek in the far corner. He looked nervous and scared and acted like he wasn't sure what to do. "Hi Mr. and Mrs. Grissom," he said softly.

"Hi," they both replied before going to Julia's bedside. Sara grabbed Julia's hand and Grissom bent to kiss her on the forehead.

Unnoticed by any of the Grissom's Derek slipped out of the room, feeling he was not needed anymore.

"Mom, I'm so scared, I don't think I can do this."

"Of course you can sweetie, you'll be okay."

A few moments later Julia got hit with another contraction and squeezed Sara's hand so hard that she yelped. Grissom motioned for Sara to walk to the other side of the bed and he gave Julia two of his fingers to hold on to.

When Sara looked at him, Grissom just smiled, "I learned the hard way when I had to do this with you."

"AAAAAHHHHHH! Shit this hurts," Sara screamed.

"Its okay sweetheart, just squeeze my hand when it hurts."

"Thanks."

Grissom put his hand in Sara's and waited for the next contraction. She had been in labor for close to seven hours and the doctors kept saying any minute now.

Just as Grissom was about to ask Sara a question she squeezed his hand and let out another scream of pain. Grissom held his scream in, but he was pretty sure that Sara had just broken a few bones in his right hand.

After another half an hour, and all the feeling gone from his hand, Grissom finally got to hold his little girl. "She is beautiful Sara. You did so good honey."

"Excuse me, Mr. Grissom?" A doctor asked.

"Yes?"

"How about you give your little girl to your wife there while I take a look at that hand."

Grissom blushed and handed Julia over to Sara who was oblivious to his injured hand.

Sara sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed Julia's sweaty hair off her forehead. "I know it hurts sweetheart, but it will be worth it in the end."

"Okay folks, let's look and see where we are at," said the doctor as he entered the room, with Ali following closely behind him.

"Well Julia are you ready to push?"

"What?" Everyone asked in surprise.

"You're 10 centimeters Julia, this baby is coming now whether you're ready or not."

"But," Julia started, "It hasn't been that long."
"Then you're one of the lucky ones! Sometimes first time mothers like yourself have a very fast, limited complication birth. You should be glad you are one of them. Now, are you ready to push on the next contraction?"

"Yeah."

After another 10 minutes a small wail erupted throughout the room. Sara and Julia were both in tears, and Grissom kissed Julia on the forehead and told her how proud he was of her.

"Would you like to meet your son?"

"Son," Julia sobbed softly.

"Yes, a healthy baby boy."

Ali set the baby in Julia's arms and let the two connect. Sara and Grissom stood by and watched as their little girl met her little boy for the first time.

A few hours later Julia was feeding her son (who was yet to be named) when a small knock came at the door. "I'll get it," said Grissom.

"Hi," Ali said peeking her head in the room. "I've got a gift for Julia, I'll just set it over here."

"Thanks," Julia replied.

"Aren't you going to look who there from?" Sara asked when she saw the flowers.

"Later," Julia said, "I'm trying to think of what to name him."

Julia finished feeding the baby and the nurse took him back so they could both rest. Grissom had gone home to grab Julia's hospital bag and to let their friends know that Julie and the baby were doing well. And Sara was sitting the chair in the corner of Julia's room taking a small nap.

Julia reached for the card in the flowers and opened it. Inside it read:

Julia,

I know I have not always

been there, and for that I'm

sorry. But please know that

if you ever need anything, don't

be afraid to ask. I want to help

you Julia. If you'll let me.

Sorry again for the pain I have

caused you.

Derek

Julia closed the card and wiped at her eyes. She lay back in her bed and thought about a few things before falling asleep. When she woke up, Sara was holding her little boy and singing softly to him. "Hey mom," Julia said sleepily.

"Hey sweetheart. You've got a cute little boy here, have you thought of any names yet?"

"Yeah, I have," she smiled, "I'm going to name him Michael Derek Grissom."


I really hope you enjoyed this story! Please let me know if you would like the epilogue added! Thanks again for reading along