"What do you guys think they're doing in there?" Nick asked the room at large, trying to decide whether to be worried or just amused. "It's been" – he checked his watch – "twenty-five minutes. It doesn't take that long to put a baby in a crib."
"You never know man," Warrick said lightly, "they're both pretty new at this." He snitched a fingerful of icing off the top of Greg's cake, then looked guiltily at Catherine's disapproving expression. "What? I'm hungry."
Susan grinned at Warrick, then poked Nick in the side. "Oh come on, guys – I think we're all intelligent enough to deduce what is and isn't going on in there." She slapped Nick's hand away as he reached for the cake, then smirked. "That's for Sara. Behave yourself. Anyway, here's what's not going on in there: they're not getting it on."
Warrick, Nick, and Greg all gave her enquiring looks and Susan had to laugh. "Ask Catherine or Brass later. I'm sure you'll be, uh, fascinated." Holding up another finger to indicate that she was moving on to number two, she added, "And they're not fighting, because if they were we'd be hearing it."
"I heard raised voices, though," Greg protested. "Something about a beast, which doesn't sound too positive."
Catherine gave Greg a pat on the head. "You're so innocent . . . you don't have the experience in watching them fight that we all have. Trust me, if they were fighting there would be things flying across the room and lots of screaming. And less-polite words than 'beast,' too." Looking back to Susan, she winked. "Go on. What else is and isn't going on?"
"So these are my theories for what might be going on in that room: they could be staring at the baby, trying to process reality; they could be debating whether to bring her back out here; they could still be examining the room; the baby might be eating right now; or lastly – and my money's on this one – there's some momentous discussion going on right now. Maybe he's proposing again."
"Again?" Nick groaned. "That bombed last time. Let's just hope she doesn't spend the night at your house again, Sue."
"Wonder why you wish that, Nick," Susan said mischievously and slid her eyes toward him, giving him a coy look. Then, returning her gaze to the rest of the group, she answered Catherine. "Which brings us back to the fact that there is no screaming or crashing coming from where they are," she said. "Last time he asked, she blew her top right off the bat. If she hasn't now, then maybe she's actually listening to what he has to say."
"Sweet!" Nick and Greg chorused. "I wanna be the best man," Greg continued.
Nick snorted. "Yeah, right. Dude, no way is he picking you. Now myself, however . . . I'm in the running."
"Guys," Catherine said in a voice that sought to be stern, but didn't quite make it, "why don't you leave that argument until we find out what really is going on right now. Then we'll see which of us they like best."
"Spoilsport," Warrick complained, earning himself an elbow in the ribs.
"Speak of the devil," Brass interrupted, speaking for the first time in fifteen minutes, "I think I hear footsteps."
All eyes turned to the hallway, from where the pair in question was indeed approaching. Grissom didn't look bruised, and Sara was smiling subtly. "Everything ok, guys?" Catherine asked, braving the silence.
"Yeah, Catherine," Grissom said cheerfully, "everything's fine. Dandy, in fact."
Sara, the baby cradled in her arms, turned to gape at him. "Gil Grissom, did you just say the word 'dandy'? Ok, you're much weirder than even I thought . . ." Rolling her eyes at their audience, she shook her head to indicate just how nuts she thought he was. "So who wants Galya first?"
" 'Gal-ya?" Brass asked hesitantly with a raised eyebrow.
"Well we can't use her full name every time we refer to her, Jim," Grissom said with an amused look. "We'd run out of time and energy. And 'Galya' is the typical diminutive for the name 'Galina,' thus, Galina shall hereby be called Galya by those who know and love her. Now," he added, satisfied with the explanation, "like Sara said, who wants her first?"
A chorus of "Me!" rocked the room as everyone spoke at once. Galina's head rolled around on Sara's shoulder in an attempt to see where all the noise was coming from, and she whimpered. Within seconds of hearing this sound, the room had fallen quiet and Sara spoke. "Cath, why don't you take her, since you were the beginning of all this." The two women exchanged smiles, enjoying everyone else's confusion, and Catherine stood up to carefully take the baby.
"Oh, Sara, she's beautiful," she said. "And she's completely got your eyes, Gil. Hi honey," Catherine cooed as the baby's eyes flitted to her face. "Hello beautiful Galya!"
The baby's arms flailed in the general direction of Catherine's face and one tiny fist connected with her chin. Catherine groaned exaggeratedly and drew her head back as if it had been a punch. "Yep, Sara, she's your kid. Just as hot-tempered." She looked down at Galina, whose face was turning slightly red, and sighed in disappointment. "I think she wants Mom back."
As Sara reached out to take the child, something on her hand caught the light, drawing the other woman's attention. After taking a closer look, Catherine raised her eyebrows silently at Sara and Grissom, both of whom nodded slightly in response. A grin split Catherine's face and she tried to suppress it before she turned back toward the group.
Sitting back down next to Warrick, she slipped a hand behind his back and squeezed to get his attention. He turned to her, one eyebrow quirked, and she shifted her eyes toward Sara and attempted to be subtle. "*cough*ring*cough*" His eyes opened wide and his eyes flew to the area Catherine was staring at.
"Damn!" was out of his mouth before he could catch it, and he flushed under the attention that turned to him. "Your, uh . . ." He tilted his head toward Sara. "Your ring."
"Her WHAT?" Sara's mother cried, springing out of her chair and turning to give her daughter her most frightening tell-me-the-truth-young-lady look. "Sara Ann?"
"Ummmm . . ." Shrinking a little under her mother's scrutiny, Sara handed Galina to Grissom, who gave her a smirk, and walked to her mom, slipping off the ring and handing it to her.
She stood in embarrassed silence as Amy Sidle examined it, then handed it back to her and spoke. "This is an engagement ring." It wasn't a question.
Wishing she could sink through the floor, Sara said nothing. Why, oh why, did her romantic life always end up being revealed in public without her approval?
"Yes, Mrs. Sidle," Grissom spoke up, moving to stand next to Sara. "I finally convinced her." He offered a tentative smile. Mrs. Sidle's response to this was overridden by the cacophony coming from behind Sara, but at least Grissom could see her smile.
"She's what?"
"They're engaged?"
"No one told me that!"
"When's the wedding?"
"They're getting married?"
"Oh my god!"
"I am so going to beat you out for best man," Nick said loudly, giving Greg a superior look.
"Let me see it!" Susan said insistently, coming up behind Sara, who snatched the item in question back from her mother and handed it to her friend. Susan examined the ring closely. "Damn, Sara, he put thought into this!"
Recovering from her annoyance, Sara managed to grin. "I know . . . I have him so well-trained, don't I?" She laughed, then patted his cheek when Grissom shot her a fierce frown. "Oh, lighten up, bugman. You know there's no way I'll ever be able to 'train' you for real."
Catherine grabbed Susan's arm and pulled her closer. "Sue, we need to plan a wedding!"
"That is exactly what I said, Cath," Sara said, and slid her ring back onto her finger.
