Title: Reasons to be Thankful
Author: Jeanine (jeanine@iol.ie)
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sara/Warrick
Spoilers: No specifics that I can think of.
Feedback: Makes my day
Disclaimer: If it was in the show, it's not mine.
Archive: At my site Checkmate , Fanfiction.net; anywhere else, please ask.
Summary: It's Thanksgiving Day
Notes: For the LiveJournal CSReports Thanksgiving challenge.
***
It is Thanksgiving Day, and all across Vegas, there are people who are worried about the turkey, or the parade, or the football games on television, or betting on the same. Warrick knows this, because he used to be one of them.
But not today.
Today he worries about the woman beside him, the woman who's leaning heavily against him, as if his arm around her waist is the only thing holding her up. He's sure it is, tries not to notice that she feels far too thin, far too fragile leaning against him, and just concentrates on where they're going.
Once they get there, he settles her down in a chair, stands beside her, and once more she leans into him, her head resting against his stomach, the effort of walking that short distance having exhausted her. He doesn't even try to hold back his sigh, reaching up to run his fingers through her hair. Sara either feels the worry in his touch or hears it in his sigh, because she looks up at him and breathes three simple words, "I'm fine Warrick."
He hears the words, but as he looks down at her, at that too-pale face, those too-dark eyes, he doesn't believe them.
Then her eyes slide away from him, lock on the woman who's just come in, the woman clad, as they are, in hospital green, and she smiles at them, asks them if they're ready. Suddenly, Warrick can't speak, and he's pretty sure that Sara's similarly afflicted, and all they do is nod.
The nurse understands, because she nods herself, goes to the incubator and so gently, so carefully, takes out the tiny three-week-old scrap that's lying in there. Just as carefully, she carries her over to Sara, lays her in her arms, and Warrick looks down at them, a lump rising in his throat.
Since Sara told him she was pregnant, he's wanted this, had felt like all his dreams were coming true. The dream had quickly turned into a nightmare though; a hard pregnancy and an even harder delivery had meant that he'd almost lost them both. He'll never forget the terror that came when he was ushered out of the delivery room; pacing outside, not knowing what was happening.
He stands here today though, and it feels like another lifetime, especially when Sara looks up at him, still pale, yet radiant, tears streaming down her face. "She's beautiful," she gets out past the smile on her face, because it's the first time that she's seen her outside of pictures, the first chance that she's had to hold her.
Warrick's cheeks are likewise damp, his voice sounding nothing like his own. "Course she is," he tells her. "She looks just like you."
Sara's gaze returns to their daughter as Warrick sits down on the arm of the chair. She leans into him, and he smiles, because it is Thanksgiving, and he's got a lot to be thankful for.