AN: Thanks for the support, here is the next chapter. Warning; Implied/suggestive adult behavior & Mention death of minor character.

Chapter 41: A Special Birthday

Later September 2003

Los Angeles

The now 56 year old Maria Grissom-Evans was sitting in the family's minivan, along with some of her kids. She couldn't help but silently smirk at that thought because her 'kids' were no longer kids, at least the ones she was near at the moment.

She looked towards the current driver of the minivan, her oldest daughter, Stephanie, who was now 32, a successful restaurant manger, married to a wonderful man, with babies of her own, which made her heart skip a beat at the thought of her grandchildren.

Maria then smiled as she turned her head so she was looking towards the back, seeing her third daughter, Michelle, who was now 30, also a successful business owner, which was now located in Los Angeles, and while she might not be a mother yet, she was engaged.

Even though Maria couldn't see the other three 'children' that were in the van, she still had thoughts about them while she turned head forward again.

Becky, while her stepdaughter in terms of biology, but not any less loved by her than the others, was now 22, had graduated from Stanford University a few months ago, but will be going to Harvard at the start of the second semester so she could work towards her medical degree, something she was very passionate about and her parents very proud of.

Jacob Jr., her second son, now 17 and is in his final year of high school, a star, like his older brother on the baseball field. He also plays basketball as well. Then there was Hope, her fourth daughter, now 15, a sophomore in high school, and more like her mother than any of the kids, she liked anything that dealt with art (even though the others did have a little art talent.)

Before Maria's thoughts about her other kids that weren't with them, to distract her from other, pretty heavy/sad thoughts, she sighed when she saw where Stephanie was parking the van, which was a recreation building that actually used to be abounded until Tyreek bought it, renovated it for kids to have a safe place to go to play basketball, do batting cages, even has a quiet area to study, so most of the family members, especially Maria, volunteered.

Having just lost her mother a few months ago, she was still in a little funk and wasn't in the mood to volunteer at the moment, so she looked at her oldest and said. "Steph, I see what you are tying to do, but I'm not in the..."

Stephanie cuts her mother off with a small smile. "It's not why I brought you here, I promise."

Michelle then chimed in with a smile. "Yeah, it's actually closed for a special occasion, so please, go inside."

Not able to stop herself from being curious now, Maria nodded with a small smile. "Ok, let's go inside and see what you guys have gotten into."

Jacob smirked as they all got out of the vehicle. "And believe me, it was a group project."

The others nodded while they headed for the entrance, and after they let Maria walk in the lobby first, which the blinds were closed so she couldn't see what was going on in the main area, only deepened her curiosity.
But before she opened the door that would lead her into the main area, Stephanie placed her hands on her mother's shoulders and asked. "Close your eyes, mom."

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

Maria took a breath before whispering. "Yes, but I better not be involved in some prank/practical joke."

Not that she was all serious all the time, she just wasn't in the mood for that right now.

"It's not."

Once Michelle opened the door, Stephanie guided her mother into the middle of the room, and after Stephanie stepped back, removing her hands from her mother's shoulders and standing between her sister's Michelle and Becky, Stephanie said. "Open your eyes."

As she opened them, she heard a cheering of "Happy Birthday", but it wasn't cheering just from family members, it was from every 'kid', well the ones they could find and now most are young adults who was ever in, ranging from a few days to months, the Grissom/Evans household, including the obvious four (Sara, Tyreek, Mike & Jane), which there were over 50 of them.

Feeling overwhelmed, she looked back at her kids and shook her head. "How, did you..."

She trailed off and Stephanie smiled as she moved her head forward, seeing Sara, Tyreek, Mike and Jane walking their way. "It was Sara's idea."

Maria turned back around to see her other four 'kids' walking her way and she had tears in her eyes as she looked at Sara. "You really thought of this?"

Sara nodded with a smile as they shared a hug. "Yes, but I had a lot of help."

Flashback

Late July

While in the kitchen in her apartment, Sara was having a four-way video chat with Stephanie, Michelle, Becky and Tyreek, and they were discussing how sad their mother has been since their grandmother had died and what they thought about doing for her birthday this year to try and make her feel better, then after a few moments, Stephanie smirked while looking at Sara. "Ok Sara, you have that look in your eyes, what did you come with?"

Sara chuckled before asking. "Do you think it's possible to find the kids that mother fostered through the years?"

They all looked surprised/impressed before Michelle spoke. "That is a tall order, but I don't think it's impossible."

Tyreek then smirked. "Especially when Sara is on the 'case.'

Sara gets an embarrassed look while Becky chimed in, a little excited about this. "But I think dad would be a good source of help too, he would have the most connections."

They all nodded in agreement as Sara continued. "Everybody who we think can help, let's get them involved too."

After they all nodded in agreement, Tyreek spoke again, this time in a more serious tone. "And if you need anything, whether it's transportation or money to get them to Los Angeles, I got you, all you have to do is ask."

Sara spoke with a shy, almost a guilty tone, realizing this project probably wouldn't be cheap. "Tyreek..."

But he cuts her off. "Sara, this is for mom, that beautiful woman saved my life. I mean I was literally one step away from joining a gang, but her and dad gave me a safe, loving home, encouraged me to go for my dreams, no matter how big it was or if other people told me I couldn't do it. I am doing what I love do to because of her, because of them, so there is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for them."

When his sisters started to sniffle, he started to smile while Stephanie spoke with a tease/smirk. "I think that's sweetest thing you ever said about our parents."

He chuckled while shaking his head. "Oh come on, it is not, and you know I meant every word."

They all chuckled while nodding with smile before Stephanie asked. "Are we letting the other siblings know what's going on?"

Sara nodded. "Might as well, especially Mike and Jane."

Then Michelle chimed in. "We'll just have to remind them not to tell mom."

After another round of nodding, they talked about other details before they said their goodbyes, and just as their screen's turned black, Grissom walked in the room to see Sara with a smile and sparkle in her eyes, so Grissom asked. "I take it, it was a good talk with them?"

Sara nodded as she stood up from the chair she had been sitting on, then told him what they had planned as she stopped in front of him.

Instead of looking shocked or surprised, he just looked at her as if he was in awe of her, which at this point, since the look wasn't new at all, it shouldn't have affected Sara as deeply as it still does.

She shook her head as she looked down. "Griss, stop giving me that..."

He cuts her off as he lifted her chin up before cupping her cheek and running his thumb up and down it as he whispered. "I can't help it, you amaze me, it feels like more each day." He then smirked. "So, you're just going to have to continue to get use to it."

She started to smile before they share a few pecks on the lips then hugged one another.

End of Flashback

When they were fully apart, Maria looked at her husband, Jacob, who also had a beaming smile, and she shook her head with a chuckle. "You were so in on this."

They all chuckled as Jacob replied, with no hint of embarrassment. "Absolutely."

She looked at all of her kids, saying thank you, before cupping her husband's cheek. "And thank you to you too."

"You're welcome sweetheart. Now let's catch up with our other 'kids'."

It didn't matter if they never adopted them, when they were in their house, they loved them like their children.

She nodded with tears in her eyes again. "I would really like that."

They peck each other on the lips before, he took her hand and walked them towards the other 'kids', who all had name tags, which not only did it have their names on it but the year and length of time they were in Maria and Jacob's care.

Later that afternoon

Eventually, after talking to some of the 'kids' who were there when she was around, Sara excused herself and went outside to get some air, which Grissom saw, so he excused himself from talking to his cousins before walking outside and speaking in concern. "Honey?"

Sara turned around and smiled "I should have known you would have been right behind me."

He smiled shyly as he walked up to her. "I just wanted to see if you're ok."

With a reassuring look, she nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. It just felt a little overwhelming in there, and I needed a breather."

Grissom nodded in understanding before he stopped in front of her, and after a short pause, he placed his hand on her stomach as he whispered. "So, this little one his fine?"

Now with a beaming smile, Sara placed her hand on top of his with another nod. "Yes, our little one is just fine."

As their eyes connected, their minds went back to when she told him she was pregnant.

Flashback

September 16, 2003

The family had left after celebrating Sara's 32nd birthday/promotion to Assistant supervisor, even their kids went with Stephanie for the night to give the parents some alone time, and while Grissom was locking up and turning out the lights, Sara was changing, then after Grissom walked into the bedroom, he stripped down to his boxers and headed for the bed before he sat up.

A moment later, Sara walked out of the bathroom, in her panties and a shirt, causing him to smile, but when he saw her holding a wrapped present, he raised an eyebrow. "Did you forget a present?"

She shook her head, then handed him the gift when she was near the bed before she moved so she was straddling his waist while she spoke. "No, this is your present."

He shook his head softly. "Honey, today is about you, not me."

She smiled. "Believe me, this is about us. Please open the gift."

While her comment did make him hesitate slightly, he didn't say anything as he unwrapped the box before opening it, then he gasped as he pulled out the baby oneself that had the Chicago Cubs design on it with words in blue that read 'Daddy's little cub.'

When they moved to Chicago, Grissom's loyalty in a baseball team took a turn, because while he'll always have a soft spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers, mostly because of his father's love for that team, the Chicago Cubs team, really perked his interest, even though they hadn't won the big game in decades. There was just something about them that he couldn't help but root for them, even when they aren't having the best of seasons, hoping one day their luck will change.

The words on the item of clothing went right to his heart as he looked at his wife with tears in his eyes. "Sara?"

She nodded with a smile and tears of her own as she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "Yes, it's happening again, you're going to be father."

He picked up the box and onesie and set them on his night stand before surprising her by rolling them over, so her back was against the mattress, then while he had one arm under her shoulders, he moved his other hand to stomach, slipping it under her shirt as he spoke with emotion. "Sara, I would have..."

Knowing what he was going to say, she smiled as she cupped his cheek. "I know you would have been there every step of the way, but I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to see that special look on your face when I told you, you were going to be a daddy again without anybody else in the room. Right now, I only want to share this moment just between us."

He nodded in understanding as he sniffled a few times. "But it's a 100% true."

She nodded one more time with a bigger smile. "It is, I got doctor confirmation, I'm pregnant."

His smile got bright as he slipped his arm out from under her so he could move his body down so it was more eye-level to her stomach, then after lifting the shirt up, he whispered a sweet poem before leaning down and giving her stomach a couple of soft kiss, causing her to close her eyes as her feelings were getting heightened, which only heightened even more when she felt him move up her body and his lips ended up on her neck while one of his hands went down her body.

Eventually his lips went to ear as he whispered. "So, how are we celebrating? What version do you have in mind?"

Instead of using her words, she used action, she lifted her leg to his hip before rolling them back to their original position, catching him off guard as he looked up at her in surprise at first, which she had a smirk as she lowered her lips down to his. "Any and all the versions you see fit."

After a round of passionate kissing, she whispered against his lips. "You think you can handle that, Dr. Grissom?"

He was still trying to catch his breath as she started kissing his neck, then shoulder, the place over his heart, the middle of his chest, but before she moved any further, he lightly tugs her back up so he could cup her cheek, both seeing the passion and desire in their eyes as he whispered. "Believe me, with the way I am feeling right now, I'm seeing a lot..."

He trailed off, but she could see it in his eyes, they were in it for a long night, so she smirked. "Then bring it on, Dr. Grissom."

He smirked before rolling them over again so she was once again on the bottom before lowering his lips while whispering. "Don't mind if I do, Mrs. Grissom."

Once his lips touched hers, their actions once again spoke louder than words.

End of Flashback

They slowly came back to the present, their eyes filled with passion as he whispered while cupping her cheek with his free hand. "What a night that was."

She nodded while trying to calm her racing heart from those memories, then smiled brightly. "Has to be in our 5 top."

He chuckled before shaking his head. "You know we have a lot of ties in our top five."

Her eyes seemed to have gotten darker as she placed her hand on top of his that was on her cheek as she whispered with passion. "What can I say other than we are just that good, and still getting better."

She tugs on his jacket with her free hand as she moved them backwards so her back was against the wall, causing him to smile as they leaned toward one another and started kissing.

A few minutes later, they were interrupted from Stephanie's smirk. "Jeeze guys, why don't you two get a room already." They place their foreheads together in embarrassment before Stephanie continued after a chuckle. "I swear you guys haven't been together for 18 years with the way you act sometimes. And it seems you two are getting a little bolder out in public."

Before any more jokes were made, Grissom finally spoke with a smile, although he still felt a little embarrassed about how they acted. "Ok, we get it, did you really need something?"

Stephanie nodded with another smile. "Yes, we are starting to have some cake and Michelle has something to announce."

After they nodded, Stephanie shook her head with another chuckle and smile as she turned back around so she could go back inside.

Once it was just them again, they chuckled before placing their foreheads together, letting their bodies calm down before he whispered. "I'm sorry."

She chuckled as she ran a comforting hand up and down his back. "I believe I'm the one that started it." When they pulled back, Sara saw his look become more ashamed then embarrassment, so Sara cupped his cheek this time to reassure him. "Griss, really, I'm fine."

"I know, but you deserve only the best, not some heated moment against..."

She cuts him off with a smirk. "It's not like we haven't been adventurous before."

While their preferred location was their bedroom, knowing how special and sacred it was between them, there were a couple of times when the feeling was just too powerful to wait, so there have been some interesting places for them.

When Grissom's embarrassment crept back up, he replied. "Yeah, but not this open before, where anybody could see us just by walking/driving by on the street."

Sara chuckled. "Yeah, that would have definitely been a first for us." When all he did was take a breath before checking to make sure he was decent, she took his hand. "Oh come on, it's a little funny." She then squeezed his hand. "Besides, I don't think it would have gotten that far, we would have come to our senses."

He finally smirked as they started walking towards the door. "Are you sure about that? With the way we were going?" After Sara chuckled again, likening that he finally saw a little humor in it, then he stopped them before they walked through the doors, and spoke softly while the passion was coming back into his eyes. "Start were we left off, later?"

She smiled as she cupped his cheek. "You don't have to ask me twice."

They kiss softly on the lips before finally walking back inside, ready to enjoy some more family time, but also looking forward to later.

Later that night

Afterwards, while they were enjoying their alone time in the family beach house as their kids were with his mother, they were now sitting up in bed, eating some cake from the party early, then after Sara, who was in her shirt and panties, swallowed a bite of cake, asked. "You think Maria really enjoyed today?"

Grissom, who was just in his boxers, nodded with a smile before he spoke after swallowing a bite. "Absolutely, not only from seeing all those kids/young adults that she took care of, but with Michelle's news of being pregnant, I don't think her day could have gone any better." He then paused before looking down at Sara's stomach. "Well, maybe there was another announcement she could have heard that probably would have made it even better.'

Sara nodded as she placed her hand on her stomach after placing her fork down on her plate. "I know, but I'm not ready to share yet, I need more time."

Grissom nodded in agreement. "I know honey, and it won't be revealed until you're ready, I promise. But, I do think we should at least tell Billy sooner rather later."

"Yeah, I think you're right." She took a breath before continuing. "I just hope he takes the news well."

After placing his now empty plate on the night stand, he moved so he was laying on his side while placing a hand to her stomach, he replied. "He took the first one pretty well, so I can only see him doing the same for this one."

She finished her last bites with a nod, then once she had placed her plate on the night stand on her side, she laid down on her side so she was facing him while he placed his hand back on her stomach before running his thumb up and down it. She smiled just watching him, then he looked into her eyes as he spoke softly, lovingly. "I love you."

She moved her hand to cup his cheek. "And I love you."

He moves down to lightly kiss her stomach and whisper goodnight before he moves up so they could share a goodnight kiss.

Once they were settled in each other's arms, sleep finally took a hold of them, where they dreamed of their future with the newest addition to their family.

AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. Stay safe.