Chapter 5: Birthdays
Chapter Author: Julie (dreaming_of_dc@yahoo.com)
~*~*~
"Oh, Sara." Nick whispered in her ear as he pulled her close again.
Here they were again on the edge of where their relationship had derailed before. Only now they both knew that all they really wanted in this world was each other, and oh how they both wanted this baby.
Sara pulled away and looked into Nick's eyes, with tears streaming down her face. "We're having a baby."
Tears that had been forming in Nick's eyes began to fall freely and he pulled her close again. "Oh, Sara, I love you so much."
All that had happened before hit Nick full force and he realized what he'd almost lost because of his stupidity. Sobs consumed him and Sara both as they held onto each other for dear life. There was so much to say and yet neither of them could quite bring themselves to speak about the death of their son at a time like this. Finally, Nick led Sara over to the couch and held her close until their crying subsided.
"We're having a baby." Nick was smiling as he wiped the tears from Sara's eyes.
Sara nodded and leaned over to kiss Nick softly. She brushed his tears away with her fingertips as she pulled away.
Nick reached over and placed his hand on her abdomen looking into her eyes. "When?"
"Around the end of March," she grinned.
A flicker of worry crossed Nick's face.
"Hey." Sara searched his eyes.
Nick cupped her face with the palm of his hand. "I'm just worried. About you. About the baby."
Sara reached up and put her fingers on his lips to silence him. "Nick, we can't bring him back."
Nick nodded. "I know, Sara." His voice was thick with emotion. "I just, there's just, I'm so sorry I put you through hell. I made so many mistakes and I realize that I might have lost you forever."
Sara nodded. "I know. I messed up too, baby. But we don't have to make the same stupid choices. This baby is going to be fine"
Nick rested his forehead against hers. "I love you."
"I love you too." Sara smiled at him.
Nick leaned in and kissed her softly, smiling against her lips. As he broke the kiss he grinned. "Stay here, I've got something for you."
Sara looked at him quizzically as he disappeared into the room that once was meant to be their son's room. A few moments later he emerged and sat back on the couch with a small bag in his hand.
He looked into her eyes. "Sara, I was going to give this to you on your birthday next week, but I really want to give it to you now." He pulled a small wrapped box out of the bag and handed it to her.
She leaned over and kissed him. "That's sweet, Nick." She began to unwrap the box, and as she removed the lid, tears began to slip down her cheeks again. She glanced up at him and noticed that he was grinning.
He reached over and removed something from the box and slid off the couch to kneel in front of her.
Sara was laughing and crying all at the same time.
Nick held a black velvet box in front of her. "Sara, I realize that I've made so many mistakes and I can't do this alone. I don't want to be without you in my life. I love you so much and I should have asked you this a long time ago." He opened the box to reveal a diamond solitaire ring. "I certainly don't deserve you, Sara, and heaven knows we've done everything completely backwards, but I love you so much. Sara, will you marry me?"
Sara nodded and managed to whisper. "Yes, oh, yes." She let him slide the ring onto her finger and wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned in and kissed her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One week later on September 16th
"Do you, Nicholas Stokes, take Sara Sidle to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The justice of the peace at a modest wedding chapel on the Strip stood in front of Nick and Sara.
"I do." Nick gazed into Sara's eyes.
"And do you, Sara Sidle, take Nicholas Stokes to be your lawfully wedded husband?" He waited in anticipation of her answer, but from the expression on their faces, there was no doubt about her answer.
"I do." Tears mingled with the smile on her face.
"Then by the power vested in my by the State of Nevada and Clark County, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He smiled at Nick. "You may kiss your bride."
Nick didn't need to be asked twice. He leaned over and kissed Sara, pulling her close; thankful for a second chance to do things right, to have a second chance with Sara, and a second chance to be a father. If they had just had the courage before, the courage to face grief together, the courage to commit to each other, perhaps they could have avoided much of their pain. But this day was about celebrating and they were celebrating each other, knowing that every moment together was precious.
As they broke the kiss, Sara grinned. "That was one hell of a birthday present."
"Happy birthday, Sara." Nick grinned at her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 23rd
"You can do it, Sara." Nick encouraged his wife as she was in the midst of a contraction.
Sara had a death grip on Nick's hand. "Do you want to trade places here, Nick, because I'd really like to give you the opportunity right now." Another contraction hit her and she squeezed his hand even harder. "When the hell are those damn pain killers supposed to kick in?!"
The nurse just smiled knowingly. They had just given Sara an epidural to ease the pain. "You should be getting some relief very soon." The nurse quietly went about her duties as she watched Sara's face contort with pain.
Sara whimpered as the contraction subsided. "Nick, I love you, but this hurts like hell."
Nick wiped her brow and cooed to her. "You want me to get you some more ice chips, babe?"
"Don't leave me." She was sniffling.
Nick whispered into her ear. "I'm not going anywhere, Sara, you're stuck with me for life." He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"I love you, Nicky." Sara squeezed his hand.
Another contraction hit Sara as the doctor came in to check on her. "How are we doing here?"
Sara glared at the doctor. "I'm in labor, what do you think?"
The doctor chuckled softly. "Mrs. Stokes, I'm just going to check and see how far you're dilated and then we'll know a little bit more about when your baby is going to making a debut."
Sara looked over at Nick as the contraction subsided. "Does he realize that he's not funny?"
Nick had to bite his lip to not laugh. Not that the situation was funny particularly, but because he was sure that the doctor and the nurses had seen the very same scene play out in many different ways. "I'm sure he's not trying to, honey."
The doctor examined Sara, looking up at her with a smile. "Well it looks like you're going to be parents in a couple of hours."
Sara looked at him incredulously. "Hours?" There was a squeak to her voice.
He stood up and nodded. "You're only dilated to about eight centimeters right now."
Nick leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You can do it, Sara."
The epidural finally took effect and Sara began to relax. She looked over at Nick, wrinkling her brow in the process. "I'm sorry I've been so bitchy, Nick."
Nick chuckled. "Sara, you're in labor, you're allowed to be as bitchy as you want."
She laughed in spite of herself, reaching up to caress Nick's cheek.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Several hours later, Olivia Faith Stokes came into the world, making herself known by testing her lungs out with a loud cry.
Nick and Sara grinned at her and each other as they looked down at their daughter. Their perfect, healthy daughter.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~ Three Years Later ~
"Olivia, stay with mommy." Sara reached for her daughter's hand.
"We going now?" Olivia tilted her head, her curly brown hair framing her face and setting off her chocolate brown eyes.
Sara knelt down in front of her and grinned, adjusting the little girl's jacket. "We're just waiting for daddy, baby."
Olivia started to giggle. "Let's go get daddy."
Sara chuckled. "Ok, we'll go get daddy." She took Olivia's hand and they strolled across the grass to where Nick knelt in front of the grave of their son.
He glanced up and smiled as he saw his two favorite ladies approaching. "Sorry, I lost track of time."
Sara smiled softly at him. "You never need to apologize, Nicky. I understand. I wish he was here too."
Olivia looked from Sara to Nick and back again. "Brother's in heaven." She smiled and bent down to pick a dandelion, giggling as she walked over to try and find 'butter' under Nick's chin.
Nick grinned at Sara as he scooped Olivia up with one arm. "She's right you know. He's in heaven." His voice was thick with emotion.
Sara nodded as tears formed in the corners of her eyes; she didn't trust her voice, instead she leaned over and softly kissed Nick before he took her hand in his leading the Stokes family home together.
Chapter Author: Julie (dreaming_of_dc@yahoo.com)
~*~*~
"Oh, Sara." Nick whispered in her ear as he pulled her close again.
Here they were again on the edge of where their relationship had derailed before. Only now they both knew that all they really wanted in this world was each other, and oh how they both wanted this baby.
Sara pulled away and looked into Nick's eyes, with tears streaming down her face. "We're having a baby."
Tears that had been forming in Nick's eyes began to fall freely and he pulled her close again. "Oh, Sara, I love you so much."
All that had happened before hit Nick full force and he realized what he'd almost lost because of his stupidity. Sobs consumed him and Sara both as they held onto each other for dear life. There was so much to say and yet neither of them could quite bring themselves to speak about the death of their son at a time like this. Finally, Nick led Sara over to the couch and held her close until their crying subsided.
"We're having a baby." Nick was smiling as he wiped the tears from Sara's eyes.
Sara nodded and leaned over to kiss Nick softly. She brushed his tears away with her fingertips as she pulled away.
Nick reached over and placed his hand on her abdomen looking into her eyes. "When?"
"Around the end of March," she grinned.
A flicker of worry crossed Nick's face.
"Hey." Sara searched his eyes.
Nick cupped her face with the palm of his hand. "I'm just worried. About you. About the baby."
Sara reached up and put her fingers on his lips to silence him. "Nick, we can't bring him back."
Nick nodded. "I know, Sara." His voice was thick with emotion. "I just, there's just, I'm so sorry I put you through hell. I made so many mistakes and I realize that I might have lost you forever."
Sara nodded. "I know. I messed up too, baby. But we don't have to make the same stupid choices. This baby is going to be fine"
Nick rested his forehead against hers. "I love you."
"I love you too." Sara smiled at him.
Nick leaned in and kissed her softly, smiling against her lips. As he broke the kiss he grinned. "Stay here, I've got something for you."
Sara looked at him quizzically as he disappeared into the room that once was meant to be their son's room. A few moments later he emerged and sat back on the couch with a small bag in his hand.
He looked into her eyes. "Sara, I was going to give this to you on your birthday next week, but I really want to give it to you now." He pulled a small wrapped box out of the bag and handed it to her.
She leaned over and kissed him. "That's sweet, Nick." She began to unwrap the box, and as she removed the lid, tears began to slip down her cheeks again. She glanced up at him and noticed that he was grinning.
He reached over and removed something from the box and slid off the couch to kneel in front of her.
Sara was laughing and crying all at the same time.
Nick held a black velvet box in front of her. "Sara, I realize that I've made so many mistakes and I can't do this alone. I don't want to be without you in my life. I love you so much and I should have asked you this a long time ago." He opened the box to reveal a diamond solitaire ring. "I certainly don't deserve you, Sara, and heaven knows we've done everything completely backwards, but I love you so much. Sara, will you marry me?"
Sara nodded and managed to whisper. "Yes, oh, yes." She let him slide the ring onto her finger and wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned in and kissed her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One week later on September 16th
"Do you, Nicholas Stokes, take Sara Sidle to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The justice of the peace at a modest wedding chapel on the Strip stood in front of Nick and Sara.
"I do." Nick gazed into Sara's eyes.
"And do you, Sara Sidle, take Nicholas Stokes to be your lawfully wedded husband?" He waited in anticipation of her answer, but from the expression on their faces, there was no doubt about her answer.
"I do." Tears mingled with the smile on her face.
"Then by the power vested in my by the State of Nevada and Clark County, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He smiled at Nick. "You may kiss your bride."
Nick didn't need to be asked twice. He leaned over and kissed Sara, pulling her close; thankful for a second chance to do things right, to have a second chance with Sara, and a second chance to be a father. If they had just had the courage before, the courage to face grief together, the courage to commit to each other, perhaps they could have avoided much of their pain. But this day was about celebrating and they were celebrating each other, knowing that every moment together was precious.
As they broke the kiss, Sara grinned. "That was one hell of a birthday present."
"Happy birthday, Sara." Nick grinned at her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 23rd
"You can do it, Sara." Nick encouraged his wife as she was in the midst of a contraction.
Sara had a death grip on Nick's hand. "Do you want to trade places here, Nick, because I'd really like to give you the opportunity right now." Another contraction hit her and she squeezed his hand even harder. "When the hell are those damn pain killers supposed to kick in?!"
The nurse just smiled knowingly. They had just given Sara an epidural to ease the pain. "You should be getting some relief very soon." The nurse quietly went about her duties as she watched Sara's face contort with pain.
Sara whimpered as the contraction subsided. "Nick, I love you, but this hurts like hell."
Nick wiped her brow and cooed to her. "You want me to get you some more ice chips, babe?"
"Don't leave me." She was sniffling.
Nick whispered into her ear. "I'm not going anywhere, Sara, you're stuck with me for life." He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"I love you, Nicky." Sara squeezed his hand.
Another contraction hit Sara as the doctor came in to check on her. "How are we doing here?"
Sara glared at the doctor. "I'm in labor, what do you think?"
The doctor chuckled softly. "Mrs. Stokes, I'm just going to check and see how far you're dilated and then we'll know a little bit more about when your baby is going to making a debut."
Sara looked over at Nick as the contraction subsided. "Does he realize that he's not funny?"
Nick had to bite his lip to not laugh. Not that the situation was funny particularly, but because he was sure that the doctor and the nurses had seen the very same scene play out in many different ways. "I'm sure he's not trying to, honey."
The doctor examined Sara, looking up at her with a smile. "Well it looks like you're going to be parents in a couple of hours."
Sara looked at him incredulously. "Hours?" There was a squeak to her voice.
He stood up and nodded. "You're only dilated to about eight centimeters right now."
Nick leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You can do it, Sara."
The epidural finally took effect and Sara began to relax. She looked over at Nick, wrinkling her brow in the process. "I'm sorry I've been so bitchy, Nick."
Nick chuckled. "Sara, you're in labor, you're allowed to be as bitchy as you want."
She laughed in spite of herself, reaching up to caress Nick's cheek.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Several hours later, Olivia Faith Stokes came into the world, making herself known by testing her lungs out with a loud cry.
Nick and Sara grinned at her and each other as they looked down at their daughter. Their perfect, healthy daughter.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~ Three Years Later ~
"Olivia, stay with mommy." Sara reached for her daughter's hand.
"We going now?" Olivia tilted her head, her curly brown hair framing her face and setting off her chocolate brown eyes.
Sara knelt down in front of her and grinned, adjusting the little girl's jacket. "We're just waiting for daddy, baby."
Olivia started to giggle. "Let's go get daddy."
Sara chuckled. "Ok, we'll go get daddy." She took Olivia's hand and they strolled across the grass to where Nick knelt in front of the grave of their son.
He glanced up and smiled as he saw his two favorite ladies approaching. "Sorry, I lost track of time."
Sara smiled softly at him. "You never need to apologize, Nicky. I understand. I wish he was here too."
Olivia looked from Sara to Nick and back again. "Brother's in heaven." She smiled and bent down to pick a dandelion, giggling as she walked over to try and find 'butter' under Nick's chin.
Nick grinned at Sara as he scooped Olivia up with one arm. "She's right you know. He's in heaven." His voice was thick with emotion.
Sara nodded as tears formed in the corners of her eyes; she didn't trust her voice, instead she leaned over and softly kissed Nick before he took her hand in his leading the Stokes family home together.