AN: Thank you for the support, here is the next chapter. Sorry for the delay.

Chapter 35: A birthday surprise?

2 months later

August 17, 2000

It was a few hours after midnight when Grissom was woken by a sound he hadn't heard in a very long time, Sara getting sick in the bathroom, so when his eyes opened, he moved the blankets from his body, showing he was in his sweatpants and t-shirt, before getting out of bed and rushing towards the cracked door to the bathroom. "Honey?"

She had time to say. "Yeah, come in." Before she got sick again, causing him to wince as he pushed the door opened, then his heart broke while seeing her on her knees in front of the toilet before he headed for the sink and grabbed a paper cup so he could fill it up with water. Once it was filled, he walked up to his wife, kneeled down and ran his hand up and down her back as she got sick some more.

When she felt she was done, she took the cup from her husband's hand with an appreciative look before rinsing her mouth out and spitting it in the toilet.
She took another moment before she flushed and moved towards the bathtub so she could place her back against the side of it.

He moves to sit down next to her and took her hand while she spoke softly. "I'm sorry to wake you."

Grissom shook his head with a small smile. "It's ok, do you know what caused this?"

Sara took a breath and shook her head. "No, I would say from last night's dinner, but you know I wasn't feeling well then either."

While Billy was over at one of his friend's birthday sleepover last night, they were going to treat it like a date night, but she didn't start to feel well, so they called it an early evening and cuddled in bed while watching movies.

After a moment of silence, Grissom's eyes started to get wide as he asked. "Sara, could you be..."

He trialed off and she gasped as second later, understanding what he was trying to ask. "Oh my god, I could be pregnant."

They looked at one another before he asked. "Yeah?"

"Hold on, let me think." As things started to add up in her head, she started to nod again with her smile getting brighter. "Yeah, it's very possible."

He started to smile. "Ok, before we get into celebration mode, we need to find out."

"Yes, but I don't have a test."

Even though it was really late or early, depending on ones perspective, Sara and Grissom knew they couldn't wait, so Grissom shook his head as he removed his hand from hers. "It's ok, I'll go out and see if there is an open store."

As he moved to stand up, Sara took his hand. "Be careful, I know this is exciting and you want to know as fast as you can, just make sure you stop at every red light and stop sign, and look both ways before you continue to drive."

He nodded with a smile. "I will." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before whispering against her skin. "I love you, so much."

"I love you too."

Once he pulls back, he stands up and rushes to the bedroom so he could change and leave the apartment. She took a breath as she heard him pulling clothes out of the drawers before placing her hand on her stomach, hoping this time wasn't another disappointment.

Even though it's only been two month since they've decided to try for another child, it was already feeling like an eternity to them, and while she knew they were no where near giving up this dream, every negative test was like a sharp pain in their hearts.

When Grissom came back to the apartment from the store with three pregnancy tests, which he shyly smiled when she gave him a raised eyebrow, she took all three and they said a positive each time, but before they figuratively popped out the champagne, they wanted to wait to get tested from a doctor just to be without a doubt sure, so while laying in bed, face to face, had barley slept, they had been waiting for the right time for the nearest clinic to open, so once they saw it would be that time, they got out of bed, got dressed before leaving the apartment, hoping if they arrived early enough they could get slipped in without an appointment.

They weren't lucky to get slipped in right a way, but since they had time to kill before they had to pick up their son, they decided to wait around close by just in case a cancellation happened and they could take that slot, which that's exactly what happened a few hours later, and they were promised they were to put a rush on the test, and hopefully they'll officially find out later that day.

Since there was still a little time after taking the test before they had to pick up their son, they went back home to see if they could get a little nap in. But they were too wound up for that, so they decided to distract themselves with today's crossword puzzle that was in their morning paper, an activity they've only started doing a few years ago, both loving that they could work together to solve a word puzzle.

Once it was time to pick up Billy, they did and brought him back to the apartment for some time before the three of them headed to the diner so they could have lunch with Stephanie, and Nick, who has officially been here for the last month and a half.

He was happy to be here, and with how Stephanie had looked since it became official, she was happy as well, the most happy that Sara and Grissom had seen on her face in years, pretty much the last double date they went on with Nick and Stephanie before things toke a disastrous turn in their Junior year of college.

While they were waiting for the couple to show up, Grissom looked at his son, who was coloring, and smile. "Hey buddy, what would you like to do today?"

Billy stopped his coloring, looked at his father and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, today is your day. So don't you get to pick?"

Today of course was Grissom's 30th birthday.

He nodded with another smile. "True, but since it's my day, I have a right to pick, if I want to, someone else to decide what we do, so I'm letting you choose."

There wasn't much thinking after that, and really they shouldn't have been that surprised on his choice.

"The Zoo?"

They chuckled, and after Grissom looked at Sara, which she nodded her acceptance with a smile, he looked at his son again with a nod and smile. "You got it."

Billy nodded with a smile. "Thank you."

After another nod, Billy went back to coloring, but stopped again shortly after when the group heard Stephanie's voice as she and Nick walked closer to the table. "Hi everybody."

Billy gets an excited look on his face as he held out his arms for a hug from Stephanie. "Guess what, Aunt Stephanie!"

As they shared a hug, Stephanie asked with a smile. "What?"

"We are going to the zoo, you guys want to come?"

After they pulled back, Stephanie shook her head and replied with a smirk towards Sara and Grissom, teasing them. "Sorry sweetie, but some of us have to go back to work after lunch."

While Sara and Grissom loved what they did, and was as dedicated as they could be with an eight year old son to take care of, they also loved it when they could take time out of the lab, take a break from the horrors they have to deal with, so on special occasions, mostly birthdays, they were not ashamed that they took the day off. Of course they were on call just in case, but really they've been lucky so far on not being called in during these times.

So with Stephanie's comment, they just smiled in return, and while the newly arrived couple was sitting down, Billy nodded sadly, having not spent much time with her in the last few weeks. "Oh, ok."

Hearing that, Stephanie asked. "But I'll tell you what, if it's ok with your parents, you can come over later tonight and the spend night, so we can make Nick a big breakfast for his birthday tomorrow morning."

Billy looked at his parents with excitement in his eyes, not only because he'll be spending time with Stephanie and Nick, but he would never turn down a cooking opportunity.

His parent nodded with smiles, so Billy nodded with a smile at Stephanie. "I would really like that, thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

Once their lunch was done, they all left the diner, and while Stephanie and Nick headed back to work at their respective jobs, the Grissom family headed for the zoo, where they were there for about three hours before the family of three headed for the airport, and not just any part of the airport though, a private section.

They stayed in the vehicle for about 30 minutes until they see the plane land, so the Grissom family gets out of the vehicle, Grissom taking Sara's hand while they were walking towards the plane. Then as they got closer, the passengers, or in other words, their family started to walk out of it, and even though Billy saw his whole family as special, there were two women, outside of his mother and Stephanie, that held a very special place in his heart, his grandmas, so when he saw them, he took off running as he shouted and signed. "Grandma!"

When they were closer to them so they could be greeted, Grissom had a special moment with his mother before he looked at Tyreek and held out his hand. "Thank you, Ty, for doing this, for bringing the family here."

Tyreek shook his head with a smile as he shook the other man's hand. "You don't have to thank me, man, I'm happy to do this."

As they release hands, Sara walked up to her brother with a smile as she brings him in her arms. "It's nice you haven't forgotten the small people as you rake in the millions."

Tyreek chuckled as he hugs his sister before speaking in a serious tone. "And I will never would forget you guys, everything I am today was made possible because of your love and support." Then he turned his attention to Maria, his adoptive mom. "My life could have turned out completely different if it wasn't for you, I'm forever grateful, so anything I can do for you, just ask."

Maria walked up to her son and cupped his cheek. "My sweet boy, I'm so proud of you and what you are accomplishing, I love you so much."

"I love you too, mom." Mother and son kissed each other's cheek, and after he kissed Sara's head, brother and sister pull back before the group headed for the parking lot, where there was now a limo parked next to their vehicle.

When they were closer, Billy was excited and he wanted to ride in the limo, so they allowed it, and since Grissom could see that Sara wanted be with their son and to catch up with the family, they kissed each other softly before she joined them while Betty choose to ride with her son.

While the Limo started driving away, Grissom guided his mother, who had her arm around her son's, to his vehicle, and when they got there, he opened the door for her, but before she got in, she just looked at him for a few seconds, like she was examining him, before signing 'There is a certain glow to you right now.'

He smiled 'Maybe because I'm seeing my mom for the first time in months.'

Betty shook her head with a smile. 'While I would love to take credit for this glow, this is very different, like...' She paused for a second before getting wide-eyed as she 'asks' with a smile and bright/exciting eyes. 'Is Sara pregnant again?'

He knew he should wait to tell people until they knew 100%, but this wasn't just anybody, this was his mother and he knew how much she wanted another grandchild, not that she didn't love Billy with her whole heart, she just knew how special it would be if he had a sibling, something she always wished she could have given to her son, but it just wasn't in the cards.

He took a moment before sighing as he signed. 'We took pregnancy tests, and it was all positive, but we wanted confirmation from a doctor before we say it's official.'

Betty nodded with a smile. 'Then it's true, and congratulations.'

He chuckled with a nod, no point in 'arguing' his mother's word, because just like Sara, she was hardly wrong. 'Thanks, mom.'

'You're welcome, honey.' She cupped her son's cheek for a few seconds before singing again. 'I'm so proud of you, your father would be too.'

Feeling emotional, which happened a lot when his father was mentioned, he nodded while clearing his throat. 'I hope so. I'm just trying to be the type of man I remember him being. I still miss him, mom.'

Betty nodded with tears in her eyes. 'I know you do, baby. I do too.'

He nodded again before 'asking' with a concerned look. 'But you're ok? You don't feel too lonely?'

'I'm ok, and while I miss you guys, I still have a fulfilling life.'

She still manages her art gallery, most of her friends are still around, whom she plays cards with every Friday, and she's there for Maria when she needs help with the younger kids.

Seeing the truth in her eyes, he smiled. 'Ok, just making sure. I worry about you sometimes.'

She just cups his cheek with a smile of appreciation, ran her thumb up and down before she signed 'I love you' and brings him in her arms for a hug.

He hugs her back for a moment before pulling back and helping her in the vehicle, then walking over to the driver's side so he could get in and take her to the hotel, where the rest of the family would be staying while they were here, before they went to the restaurant Stephanie manages.

45 minutes later

After they made it to and inside the restaurant, the Maître d' took them to one of the rooms that was usually reserved for special occasions, and they had just gotten to the table, when Stephanie walked in the room. "Hi everybody."

She was embraced immediately from family members, and when it was her mother's turn, Maria gasped at how happy her daughter looked, which had been a long time since she's seen her look this happy, while cupping her cheek. "Look at my beautiful daughter, so happy."

Before Stephanie could say anything, Michelle smirked. "I think he's the biggest reason for it."

Right as she said that, the family hears his voice in the doorway. "Hi everybody."

19 year old Becky gets up from her chair and rushed towards him. "Nick!"

Nick chuckles as he embraces her immediately.

After he released her, he walked over towards Stephanie and Maria, and Maria with tears in her eyes, as if she was seeing a child of hers for the first time in years, cupped his cheek. "Oh Nick, it is so nice to see you again."

Nick, feeling emotional about this reunion, even though he unfortunately never got that close to Stephanie's mom (Mostly because of the distance), he cleared his throat with a nod. "It's nice to see you again too, Mrs. Evens."

Maria shook her head. "It's Maria."

After another nod, they get into a hug.

By the time he got out of it, the rest of family, who knew him that is, was already near by giving him hugs and handshakes while Stephanie watched with her heart bursting, happy to see him being welcomed back into the family, not that she was really that worried because they were just as heartbroken as she was when she told him they had broken up.

When the last greeting/meeting happened, they finally settled down at the table and started catching up on what's been going on in every one's life, then sometime after ordering their food, Sara's phone vibrates in her pocket.

She pulls it out to see it's from the clinic, so she scoots her chair back as she stands up, saying. "Excuse me." Before turning her back so she could walk out of the room. Grissom, who had been sitting across from her, wasted little time on standing up too, saying 'excuse him' before he followed his wife out of the room. The rest of the family was wondering what that was about, as Betty tried to hide her smile, knowing without a doubt, her son will be blessed with another child while she'll be blessed with a another grandchild, something she was very happy about.

AN: Thanks for reading, please review. Stay safe! Officially baby #2? Find out next chapter.