"Is there any way to borrow a baby carrier?" Sara asked as she and the
'Fort Knox' nurse continued down the corridors.
"Why?" the nurse demanded, completely bewildered.
"Like I said," Sara explained, "I didn't know I was going to be Madeline's guardian until an hour ago, and most of that time was spent trying to get permission to leave work, and talking to executors of estates. Lawyers don't talk concisely, you know."
"Do I ever! They seem to ramble on and on forever until the end of time!" the nurse responded, a little more open.
"I guess you deal with a lot of lawyers, huh?"
"Yeah, almost one a day, as of right now."
"Wow!"
"Okay, turn left," the nurse instructed. "There's our nursery. Aren't they cute?"
"Okay, you weren't kidding about the Fort Knox thing. I'm surprised you don't have armed guards!" Sara joked.
"Well, I did try for guards, but the administration said that it was overstepping the bounds of the First Amendment."
"Oh," was all that Sara could come up with.
"Actually," the nurse continued, "Little Madeline has been staying in her mother's room for most of her stay, but they moved her yesterday, because Mrs. Carmichael was getting worse."
"Yeah, I remember her always being in there," Sara replied.
"Oh, really? That's nice. Okay, you'll have to sit tight and stay here. I'm going to get her." Sara nodded her agreement.
'Aw, she is soo cute!' she thought as the nurse picked up a sleeping Madeline gently and walked her through the door.
"Here you go, Ms. Sidle. Now if you will come to my office, I can have the papers filled out and you're free to take her home." Ann slowly deposited the baby into Sara's waiting arms, and waited for a response. Madeline shifted a little, frowned a bit, and then settled in comfortably with a small sigh.
"Um, there could be a problem with that, Ann," Sara replied a bit uncertainly.
"Of course you can call me Ann!" she replied, sensing Sara's embarrassment. "But what do you mean there's a problem?"
"The baby carrier. And I refuse to take her anywhere in anything but a safe carrier."
"Oh, that could be a problem. You don't have any friends who could lend you one, just to take her home?"
"Um. . . Yes!" Sara cried, suddenly remembering Catherine. Madeline stirred, disturbed by the noise. "Oops, I forgot I was holding a baby."
Ann smiled. 'She's just like a new mother,' she thought. "That's quite all right, I think everyone who holds a baby for the first time does that."
Sara stood in the middle of the office, as though she were trying to decide what to do next. "Do you mind if I use your phone? I can't reach my cell."
"Be my guest."
"Thanks."
Catherine had just entered the CSI building a few minutes late when her phone rang. 'Great,' she thought, 'Grissom is going to be demanding to know where I am.' "Hello?" she asked irritably, "Sara? Aren't you working tonight? Wait, did Grissom tell you to call me? No? Sara, what are you calling me for, then?"
"Cath, if you find Grissom, I'll call him right now and ask him to meet up with you."
"Okay. Tell him I'll be moving in the direction of the break room if he isn't already there."
"Got it." Sara hung up.
"Hello?"
"Grissom?"
"Speaking. Who is this? Sara?" Grissom wondered as he looked at his watch. 'Wow, that was fast,' he thought.
"Yeah, um, Catherine is looking for you by the break room. I thought that since you know why I'm not there, you could let her go home again and pick up Lindsay's old baby carrier."
"Oh. You don't have a baby carrier?"
"No, Grissom, it's not like I was planning to have a baby anytime in the near future."
"Sorry. Okay, I see Catherine. Do you want to stay on the line?"
"Sure, just don't take too long."
Grissom decidedly walked up to Catherine. "Catherine," he began, "I'm guessing Sara called you?"
The blond nodded. "Yes, she did, but she didn't tell me anything in particular."
Grissom too nodded and launched into an abridged version of Sara's story regarding the baby. "So, she needs a baby carrier, and she hopes that you still have Lindsay's. Isn't that right, Sara?" he directed his question to the woman on the phone.
"Yeah," she replied.
"Hmmm. . . okay, I remember where I put Lindsay's old carrier. You can use it if you want for as long as you need, Sara. So you want me to pick you up from the hospital?" Catherine asked.
"No, that's okay, you can go straight to the admissions desk and leave it there and I'll get it. That way, you don't have to miss work."
"That sounds like the Sara I know," Catherine teased, "Always thinking about work. Okay, so the admissions desk? Got it. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."
Grissom gave her a puzzled look. "It takes you about five minutes to get home and about another five to get to the hospital. I don't think it's going to take you ten minutes to get that carrier out."
"Well, considering Sara has a new addition she wasn't expecting, I was also going to get the crib out from storage. That's going to take at least ten minutes," Catherine replied matter-of-factly.
Grissom was impressed. "See, Cath, I knew there was a reason why I loved you."
She blushed. "Get back to work," she replied.
***********************************
'Where was Catherine going?' Sara wondered, 'It only takes ten minutes to get from CSI to the hospital and about two seconds to pull a baby carrier out of the closet.'
She had been waiting by the admissions desk for about fifteen minutes. Sara was beginning to get uncomfortable with the attention the desk clerk was giving her. 'Like I'd stand around after I steal a baby,' she thought. She hated, more than anything else, to be scrutinized.
Finally an all-to-familiar Tahoe pulled into a space outside the door and put it's temporary blinkers on. Catherine came running out. "Sorry," she panted slightly, "but it took longer than I thought to get the crib out of storage." She said this all as she was entering the door and handed Sara the baby carrier.
"Crib?"
"Yeah, I figured you would need one."
"Cath, thanks!" Sara exclaimed as she hugged the other woman. Catherine was surprised, since Sara rarely showed affection, and was deeply touched.
"It's okay. I'll see you back at CSI?"
"Yeah, I don't want you to get towed for illegal parking," Sara replied.
"I know. Me neither."
As Catherine walked out the doors, Sara looked down at the little sleeping bundle in her arms and said, "I guess now all I have to do is figure out how to strap you into this thing." Madeline yawned in agreement.
*******************************************
What should have been a ten-minute drive for Sara turned into half an hour. Since she wasn't accustomed to having a back seat baby, every time Madeline got scared and subsequently cried, Sara would pull over and comfort her. It took less than ten seconds for Madeline to calm down again, but she was frightened of all the new, harsh city sounds as opposed to her tranquil nursery. And she became frightened every couple of blocks or so.
Finally Sara pushed open the doors of the CSI building. Looking down at the sleeping form in the baby carrier, she said, "This is where I work, Maddie. Let's go find Grissom and get that paper work. You be good, now. Promise?" She had to smile to herself. 'Since when do I practically start talking to myself?' she thought.
Sara heard voices coming from the break room and decided that Grissom must be there as well. She was greeted by a wall of sound. Loud sounds. "Sara!? What the heck!?" Nick cried out when he saw the baby.
"Oh my god! Sara's got a baby!" Warrick yelled at the same time.
"I never saw you pregnant!" Greg also exclaimed.
"You guys! Be quiet!" Catherine called urgently, knowing that the little girl would awaken soon.
She was right. Madeline wailed. "Maddie," Sara began as she picked the screaming girl up, "I'd like you to meet your new CSI family."
"What did I miss?" Grissom asked as he walked into the now noisy room.
*************************************
ta da! As you can all see, Sara is my favourite character and I thought it would be fun to put her in a position like that.
I'm trying to see if I can make this a no shippage piece, just so I can be a little different from the other people who have Sara get an instant family like the person who did "Independence Day" (it's a really good story, I think you should read it if you can find it.)
Please review!
"Why?" the nurse demanded, completely bewildered.
"Like I said," Sara explained, "I didn't know I was going to be Madeline's guardian until an hour ago, and most of that time was spent trying to get permission to leave work, and talking to executors of estates. Lawyers don't talk concisely, you know."
"Do I ever! They seem to ramble on and on forever until the end of time!" the nurse responded, a little more open.
"I guess you deal with a lot of lawyers, huh?"
"Yeah, almost one a day, as of right now."
"Wow!"
"Okay, turn left," the nurse instructed. "There's our nursery. Aren't they cute?"
"Okay, you weren't kidding about the Fort Knox thing. I'm surprised you don't have armed guards!" Sara joked.
"Well, I did try for guards, but the administration said that it was overstepping the bounds of the First Amendment."
"Oh," was all that Sara could come up with.
"Actually," the nurse continued, "Little Madeline has been staying in her mother's room for most of her stay, but they moved her yesterday, because Mrs. Carmichael was getting worse."
"Yeah, I remember her always being in there," Sara replied.
"Oh, really? That's nice. Okay, you'll have to sit tight and stay here. I'm going to get her." Sara nodded her agreement.
'Aw, she is soo cute!' she thought as the nurse picked up a sleeping Madeline gently and walked her through the door.
"Here you go, Ms. Sidle. Now if you will come to my office, I can have the papers filled out and you're free to take her home." Ann slowly deposited the baby into Sara's waiting arms, and waited for a response. Madeline shifted a little, frowned a bit, and then settled in comfortably with a small sigh.
"Um, there could be a problem with that, Ann," Sara replied a bit uncertainly.
"Of course you can call me Ann!" she replied, sensing Sara's embarrassment. "But what do you mean there's a problem?"
"The baby carrier. And I refuse to take her anywhere in anything but a safe carrier."
"Oh, that could be a problem. You don't have any friends who could lend you one, just to take her home?"
"Um. . . Yes!" Sara cried, suddenly remembering Catherine. Madeline stirred, disturbed by the noise. "Oops, I forgot I was holding a baby."
Ann smiled. 'She's just like a new mother,' she thought. "That's quite all right, I think everyone who holds a baby for the first time does that."
Sara stood in the middle of the office, as though she were trying to decide what to do next. "Do you mind if I use your phone? I can't reach my cell."
"Be my guest."
"Thanks."
Catherine had just entered the CSI building a few minutes late when her phone rang. 'Great,' she thought, 'Grissom is going to be demanding to know where I am.' "Hello?" she asked irritably, "Sara? Aren't you working tonight? Wait, did Grissom tell you to call me? No? Sara, what are you calling me for, then?"
"Cath, if you find Grissom, I'll call him right now and ask him to meet up with you."
"Okay. Tell him I'll be moving in the direction of the break room if he isn't already there."
"Got it." Sara hung up.
"Hello?"
"Grissom?"
"Speaking. Who is this? Sara?" Grissom wondered as he looked at his watch. 'Wow, that was fast,' he thought.
"Yeah, um, Catherine is looking for you by the break room. I thought that since you know why I'm not there, you could let her go home again and pick up Lindsay's old baby carrier."
"Oh. You don't have a baby carrier?"
"No, Grissom, it's not like I was planning to have a baby anytime in the near future."
"Sorry. Okay, I see Catherine. Do you want to stay on the line?"
"Sure, just don't take too long."
Grissom decidedly walked up to Catherine. "Catherine," he began, "I'm guessing Sara called you?"
The blond nodded. "Yes, she did, but she didn't tell me anything in particular."
Grissom too nodded and launched into an abridged version of Sara's story regarding the baby. "So, she needs a baby carrier, and she hopes that you still have Lindsay's. Isn't that right, Sara?" he directed his question to the woman on the phone.
"Yeah," she replied.
"Hmmm. . . okay, I remember where I put Lindsay's old carrier. You can use it if you want for as long as you need, Sara. So you want me to pick you up from the hospital?" Catherine asked.
"No, that's okay, you can go straight to the admissions desk and leave it there and I'll get it. That way, you don't have to miss work."
"That sounds like the Sara I know," Catherine teased, "Always thinking about work. Okay, so the admissions desk? Got it. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."
Grissom gave her a puzzled look. "It takes you about five minutes to get home and about another five to get to the hospital. I don't think it's going to take you ten minutes to get that carrier out."
"Well, considering Sara has a new addition she wasn't expecting, I was also going to get the crib out from storage. That's going to take at least ten minutes," Catherine replied matter-of-factly.
Grissom was impressed. "See, Cath, I knew there was a reason why I loved you."
She blushed. "Get back to work," she replied.
***********************************
'Where was Catherine going?' Sara wondered, 'It only takes ten minutes to get from CSI to the hospital and about two seconds to pull a baby carrier out of the closet.'
She had been waiting by the admissions desk for about fifteen minutes. Sara was beginning to get uncomfortable with the attention the desk clerk was giving her. 'Like I'd stand around after I steal a baby,' she thought. She hated, more than anything else, to be scrutinized.
Finally an all-to-familiar Tahoe pulled into a space outside the door and put it's temporary blinkers on. Catherine came running out. "Sorry," she panted slightly, "but it took longer than I thought to get the crib out of storage." She said this all as she was entering the door and handed Sara the baby carrier.
"Crib?"
"Yeah, I figured you would need one."
"Cath, thanks!" Sara exclaimed as she hugged the other woman. Catherine was surprised, since Sara rarely showed affection, and was deeply touched.
"It's okay. I'll see you back at CSI?"
"Yeah, I don't want you to get towed for illegal parking," Sara replied.
"I know. Me neither."
As Catherine walked out the doors, Sara looked down at the little sleeping bundle in her arms and said, "I guess now all I have to do is figure out how to strap you into this thing." Madeline yawned in agreement.
*******************************************
What should have been a ten-minute drive for Sara turned into half an hour. Since she wasn't accustomed to having a back seat baby, every time Madeline got scared and subsequently cried, Sara would pull over and comfort her. It took less than ten seconds for Madeline to calm down again, but she was frightened of all the new, harsh city sounds as opposed to her tranquil nursery. And she became frightened every couple of blocks or so.
Finally Sara pushed open the doors of the CSI building. Looking down at the sleeping form in the baby carrier, she said, "This is where I work, Maddie. Let's go find Grissom and get that paper work. You be good, now. Promise?" She had to smile to herself. 'Since when do I practically start talking to myself?' she thought.
Sara heard voices coming from the break room and decided that Grissom must be there as well. She was greeted by a wall of sound. Loud sounds. "Sara!? What the heck!?" Nick cried out when he saw the baby.
"Oh my god! Sara's got a baby!" Warrick yelled at the same time.
"I never saw you pregnant!" Greg also exclaimed.
"You guys! Be quiet!" Catherine called urgently, knowing that the little girl would awaken soon.
She was right. Madeline wailed. "Maddie," Sara began as she picked the screaming girl up, "I'd like you to meet your new CSI family."
"What did I miss?" Grissom asked as he walked into the now noisy room.
*************************************
ta da! As you can all see, Sara is my favourite character and I thought it would be fun to put her in a position like that.
I'm trying to see if I can make this a no shippage piece, just so I can be a little different from the other people who have Sara get an instant family like the person who did "Independence Day" (it's a really good story, I think you should read it if you can find it.)
Please review!