Chapter 5

Sara watched Molly as she rolled onto her front and reached for a soft building block. It was nearly 6pm and dinner was almost ready. Grissom knocked and walked in. "Only me." He spotted Molly attempting to eat the soft block and chuckled. "Eating already Moll's?" He walked into the kitchen and put the wine in the fridge. "Hey." He said as Sara turned from the cooker.

"Dinner will be 5 minutes." She informed.

Grissom smiled and looked down at Molly. Catherine was standing, watching the little baby. She crouched down and stroked her hair. "She's gorgeous Sara."

"Thanks. She's hopefully tiring herself out. Molly sleeps ok, but with Grissom here she never seems to get that far." Sara teased.

He grinned, as Catherine looked at him surprised. He shrugged. "What can I say. I'm irresistible to the Sidle gene." He blushed as the words accidentally tumbled from his mouth and cleared his throat as Sara giggled. Catherine smirked and was more surprised when Grissom lifted Molly up without hesitation and held her close. "Now you." Molly giggled. "Time to try that new diet."

"New diet?" Catherine asked.

"Yes. We decided to change her foods. Try and get her off the bottle." Grissom placed Molly in her chair and put her bib on.

Sara had already laid the table out. She placed three plates on the breakfast bar for Grissom. He put them on the tablemats and waited for Sara as she sat next to Molly with her bowl of food. "Right missy. Mashed potato with grated cheese and broccoli." Sara laughed. "Might as well sneak vegetables into her food so she eats it. I can imagine when she's two and saying no to every green she sees."

Catherine smiled. "You're feeding her a vegetarian diet?"

"Yeah. I don't think I could handle feeding her meat if I can't even cook it for myself." Sara grimaced at the thought. She scooped some mash and cheese onto the small spoon and watched as Molly ate it. "One down."

Grissom and Catherine ate their food as Sara alternated from feeding Molly and herself. After Grissom finished he noticed Sara's dinner still only half eaten. Catherine watched as he took the spoon and bowl from Sara and started to feed Molly. "You eat. I'll finish feeding her." Sara smiled and began eating.

After dinner and talking about work over a second glass of wine. Molly was starting to doze after her mashed dried fruit. Grissom grabbed a wet cloth and wiped her mouth before lifting her and taking her to the bathroom to change her. Sara kept talking to Catherine's surprise.

"I never figured you both to be good at this." Catherine expressed with a laugh.

Sara smiled. "He's still very cautious, same as me. I read and so does he. It was scary for both of us yesterday. Sorry to pull him away like that, but I didn't know what to do."

"What happened?"

"Molly doesn't normally cry. She's quiet and very happy, but she wouldn't stop crying. I took her to the hospital and rang Griss. The doctor told us Molly had a middle ear infection. She's getting better, but it's clearing slowly." Sara collected the plates up and filled the sink.

Catherine helped as she looked around the apartment. "It's very nice here Sara. Very child proof too."

"She still gets the books on the bottom shelves when she's exploring." Sara started washing up and Catherine dried.

"I wanted to apologise Sara."

"No need." Sara handed her a plate. "I did try my best. I'm sorry I couldn't have done more."

Catherine didn't say anything for a while and soon they were finished. Sara put the items away while Catherine went in search of Grissom. He was putting Molly into her baby grow. She watched as he spoke to her and pushed the poppers to close the outfit around her small body. "You trying to escape Moll's?" He grinned as Molly tried to roll. "Getting sleepy I bet. Come on." He lifted her and raised an eyebrow at Catherine as he spotted her in the doorway. "You want to put her in her crib Cath?"

"I'd like that." Catherine held Molly as she took her into her room.

Grissom walked back into the kitchen to see Sara looking in the freezer. "Not still hungry are you?" He chuckled as he past her. His hand running over her lower back on his way to the coffee maker.

Sara smiled at the small gesture. "Looking for the cream."

"Back second shelf." He said pulling out three cups.

"Aha. You want some fruit?" Sara asked pulling the cream out and placing it on the counter.

He nodded and watched as she poured the fruit into the bowls and coated them with cream. Catherine stood in the hallway and noticed Grissom staring at Sara as she prepared desert. She smiled when Grissom approached Sara and placed his hand on her shoulder and took two bowls. 'Getting close by the looks of it.'

Grissom sat down on the couch after getting the coffees. Catherine sat in an armchair as she ate her desert. Sara sat at the other end of the couch and drank her coffee after finishing her desert. "I was wondering if I could come back into work tomorrow night." Sara looked at Grissom then Catherine.

"What about Molly?" Grissom asked.

"I can find a sitter for a few hours. Cath, do you know anyone?"

Catherine nodded. "I do. She's looking after Lindsey tomorrow and I'm sure neither would mind a little one around."

Sara smiled. "Thank you. I'm starting to get a little board. I've been to the park and store, but not being able to go into work is slowly driving me crazy."

"Too late."

Catherine snickered at Grissom's mumbled voice and Sara playfully punched his arm. "Nice coming from someone who tried to show Molly a butterfly."

"Hey, she didn't eat did she?" He protested.

"Not when I had to take the butterfly away from nearing her mouth." She chuckled. "Trying to show a 7 ½ month old what a butterfly is."

Grissom grinned and looked at Catherine who was looking at the two with great amusement. "I was only teaching her that they come in all kinds of colours." He shrugged. "Did no harm until she slobbered over it." He began to laugh.

Catherine joined in with the laughter and watched as Sara leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes. Grissom noticed her tiredness and smiled at Catherine. They finished their coffees and Grissom walked Catherine to the door. He handed her his keys. "I'll stay. You drive safe."

"I will." Catherine waved and walked down the path towards the car. She looked over her shoulder as Grissom closed the door.

"Ok you, time for bed." Grissom picked Sara up and smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "This is becoming a habit Sidle." He murmured into her hair before kissing it. Gently laying her on the bed, he pulled the blankets over her. He turned the lights out after clearing the cups and bowls away. Sara was still sleeping when he checked on her. As he turned the nightstand light out, Sara's hand found his and he quietly kicked his shoes off and let her snuggle against him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 6

The morning soon arrived and the sounds of a content Molly could be heard over the baby monitor. Sara was watching as the lights flickered with each sound. Grissom turned onto his side and automatically put his arm around her waist. Sara didn't mind 'His arm makes me feel very safe.' Anyway, she was too mesmerised by the cooing, giggling and soft movements as Molly moved around her crib. Grissom mumbled something in his sleep as his head pushed gently against her shoulder blades. He found her hand and both entwined them. Sara's smile spread further on her face as Molly giggled loudly.

"What are you thinking about?" Came Grissom's sleepy voice.

Sara sighed and pursed her lips. "Molly." She stated quietly.

Grissom realised his arm was around her waist as she spoke and his fingers were intertwined with hers over her stomach. He smiled at the way things have turned out since he apologised and allowed himself to get close to both Sara and Molly. Listening to the monitor, they heard Molly cough and gurgle as she sucked on her fists. "What about Molly?" He asked finally.

"Just that she's made me more confident. I think that I could have a child now and at least know what to do. I think that was part of Chris's plan." She snuggled back against his shirt-clad chest and closed her eyes.

"When is he coming to get her?" Sara noticed the sadness in his question. Grissom moved his head to smell her hair before brushing his cheek over the silkiness.

She sighed. "I'm not sure. He rang a few days ago to see how things were. I told him about you helping, he didn't mind. I also rang the other day to tell him about the hospital, but he didn't mention when he was coming for her." Sara sniffled. "I don't think I want her to go."

Grissom pulled her tighter to his body as she softly cried at the thought of Molly going back to live with her father, leaving her behind. "I feel the same way Sara." He whispered into her neck.

"I know you do." She whispered back. Grissom surprised both of them by brushing Sara's hair away from her neck and placed a light kiss on her skin. She shivered and felt the rush of all her nerves igniting at once. She turned in his arms until they faced each other. Sara's hand tentatively brushed back his curls over his ear to rest on the back of his neck. Blue eyes gazed into brown as they gravitated closer. Just as their eyes closed and their lips brushed ever so lightly, Molly burst out crying. Sara harrumphed. "Kids."

Grissom smiled and kissed her quickly as he threw the covers off and got out of bed. "I'll go."

When Grissom came out of Molly's room, Sara was in the kitchen making breakfast. Molly was rubbing her ear the whole time Grissom held her. Sara picked up the heat pad she'd got ready and covered Molly's ear as Grissom covered Sara's hand to hold onto the pad. She smiled and turned back to the coffee maker and pulled out cups and Molly's breakfast. Sara sat on the couch with Grissom and watched as he covered Molly's ear with the heat pad as she drank her milk. Her eyes were closed as the heat helped ease the tightness and discomfort within her ear. Grissom drank his coffee as Molly held her bottle. Sara shook her head at the display and reached up to ruffle his hair. He looked at her with a sweet smile that made her heart melt.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Catherine's baby sitter was happy enough looking after both Lindsey and Molly for the night. Sara arrived at work a little late, but so did Catherine. They chatted all the way to the break room and were broken from their conversation by the deafening silence within the room. Nick and Warrick were staring at them like something was wrong. The female CSI's raised their eyebrows at them and then continued talking.

"Well anyway." Catherine continued. "I may have some of Lindsey's clothes boxed up somewhere if you want them."

Sara nodded and poured herself a cup of coffee. "I'd like that. Molly's growing out of her outfits rapidly."

"Who's Molly?" Asked Warrick.

Grissom walked in hurriedly and headed straight for the coffee, when he saw no coffee was left, he cheekily snatched Sara's and took a long gulp. He replaced the cup back into her hand and looked down at the assignments in his hands. "Molly's Sara's niece Warrick. She's staying for a while and Sara's looking after her." He informed as he handed him a case slip. "DB in the Monico kitchens. Nick, you go with him and Catherine is in charge guys, so no rushing off without her please." His tone was firm and the two young men nodded.

Sara drank her coffee and looked over his shoulder as he checked his watch and looked down at the case slip. "High school on western. You want to drive?" He nodded and turned to her. He smiled and took her cup again as she took the case slip. He finished the coffee and placed the cup on the draining board. "Let's get going then." She said waiting for him by the door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nick sat forward. "Niece." He repeated Catherine's words as she explained. "I didn't know Sara had other family. She's never mentioned them."

Catherine looked at him in the mirror and raised her eyebrows. "She doesn't mention a lot of things."

"Yeah, like her and Grissom." Warrick added with a grin.

"They're not together, but I think it's getting that way. Last night I went to Sara's for dinner and Grissom knew where everything was, knew how to change a nappy and get Molly ready for bed. He was even very close to Sara while in the kitchen and I was in the hallway. Getting quite cozy those two." Catherine laughed as Warrick and Nick stared at her in disbelief. "I know. He changed a nappy. Grissom! Weird I know."

Warrick nodded. "I'm going to have to see this new side to Grissom."

"Saw some of it already." Nick smiled. "Stealing Sara's coffee without hesitation and no nervousness between either of them. Did you see how close Sara got to him when we left and how Grissom didn't even move away? This is so cool."

Catherine eyed him warily. "I thought you needed to talk to Greg before we left, not spy on Grissom and Sara."

Nick tilted his head slightly and sighed. "I was curious alright?" Everyone nodded and continued to talk about Grissom and Sara mingled with the crime scene they were heading to.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sara was sleeping on the way back from the crime scene. 'She's restless.' Grissom thought as he watched Sara move again for the sixth time in under a minute. 'I bet she's worried about Molly'

"Sara." He lightly squeezed her upper arm, but she continued to fidget. His hand ran down her arm to her hand. "Hey." He called quietly as she turned her head towards him.

"This is driving me nuts." Sara groaned. "I stay with her for weeks and not work, I go to work for one night and I miss her. I'm even worried about her."

Grissom smiled and linked their fingers. "Why don't we drop by Catherine's and see how she is?" Sara leaned against his shoulder and sighed. "We'll only be a minute and the evidence can wait."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*