Chapter 14
**Previously...**
Nick walked outside, in his back yard with her. "Sara... do you remember when you first stayed over-night? And the next day, it looked just like this... You said it looked like rain.. and I told you we would make the best of it?" Nick smiled at her, holding her hands in his, as he heard the faint sound of thunder in the background.
Sara smiled and looked at him, "Yes Nick I remember."
"Well... what i'm getting at... is that these last 9 - 10 months, no matter how dark things looked, how bad things got, we made the best of it... and we stayed strong, stayed together...." Nick smiled warmly at her, despite the light pecking of the rain.
Sara nodded and looked at him strangly. "I know."
"And... I want us to be the same in the future... Together..." Nick leaned his head in close to hers, resting his forehead against hers. "So... Sara..."
Sara looked at him and smiled.
"I love you.... and I always will. I don't think I can actually put into words what i feel for you... It's just so amazing and incredible...." Nick took a deep breath, as he felt the rain start to get harder. He reached into his pants' pocket, making a fist, before going down on the wet grass, one one knee. Taking his hand from his pocket, he revealed a simple gold ring, with a small diamond in the centre. "Sara Sidle... Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"
**************
Sara hugged Nick, knocking both of them to the wet grass. "Of course I will Nick!" She kissed him as the grass got muddy. "I love you, I love you so much."
Nick grinned, even as the water soaked into his shirt. "I love you too Sara...more than you'll ever know..." Nick kissed her back. After they pulled apart slightly, nIck held Sara with one arm and held the ring with the other, placing it on Sara's finger.
The thuder roared and there was a flash of lightening. This was followed by Andrew crying.
"Hunny thats our son." Sara said looking at the ring and smiling.
"Then that's out que..." Nick stood up and helped Sara up to her feet.
Sara grinned, "We're muddy..."
"That's ok... I don't think that'll matter for long..." He smiled slyly.
"You Mr... go see your son..."
Nick winked and kissed her before walking inside the house and heading up to Andrew's room.
Andrew cried out until Nick picked him up.
"Hey there Andy... what's wrong buddy? Scared of the storm?" Nick gently rocked his son in his arms. "Don't you worry ok? Daddy's gonna take care of you..."
Sara stood quietly at the doorway smiling. She couldn't believe it, she was going to be Sara Stokes. She watched Nick with Andrew until their little boy fell asleep.
~*~ The Next Morning ~*~
Sara yawned and snuggled into Nick. She could hear through the baby monitor Andrew sleeping. Nick sighed in his sleep, unconsciously pulling Sara even closer to him. She gazed at the ring on her finger. She quietly got up and walked into see her son sleeping soundly, Sara walked back to see Nick looking the double of his son. She climbed back into their bed and cuddled Nick. Nick feeling Sara leave and then return, opened an eye, and looked at her.
"Hey you..."
"Hey, did I wake you?" she wondered looking up at him.
"not really... well,. maybe..." Nick smiled sheepishly at her.
Sara smiled and kissed Nick, "You can't lie to me..."
"me? lie? never..." Nick grinned.
Sara grinned slyly, "Uh huh." She kissed him down his neck and then, the phone rang.
"you wanna get that? or me?"
"Do YOU want me to get that?" Sara asked kissing him, smiling.
"Nah... nevermind... I'll get it.." Nick smiled and climbed out of bed, lazily makinghis way to the nearest phone and answering it. "Hello?"
"Nick I was wondering if you're EVER coming back to work?" Grissom grunted.
Nick sighed. "Yes boss... I just wanted to spend time with Sara and the baby you know?" He rolle his eyes slightly.
"Tonight?"
"Sure thing... see-ya at 11..."
"Good." Grissom hung up.
Nick grunted and trudged back to the bed, flinging himself under the covers
"Aww Baby, whats up?" She asked kissing him.
"Grissom.... " Nick frowned. "I have to go to work tonight.."
"No!" Sara pouted.
"yes... sadly..."
"No! You're mine..." Sara said wraping her arms around Nick.
Nick chuckled. "I know that... But duty calls... "
"Duty to future wife and son."
"and a job that pays for food, clothes and bills..."
"True... Ohh I know." Sara got up and walked out of their room, "Stay!" She smirked and walked into the nusery. She picked up Andrew and brought him into the bedroom, "Now look at him and tell me you are going to work." Sara smiled. Who'd have thought Sara Sidle wouldn't want to go to work.
"Sara... c'mon... Stop! If i don't go, I'll get fired..." Nick chuckled.
"I guess." Sara held Andrew close to her and kissed his forehead. Andrew open his eyes and reached for Sara's ring.
Sara brought Andrew over to the bed. "This is mommy's ring. Look. It's pretty huh? Daddy give it to me..." She smiled as Andrew lay on the bed and reached for Nick.
Nick smiled at Andrew and laid down next to him.
"I'm going for a shower." Sara smiled and walked into the bathroom.
Andrew rolled over and looked at Nick in wonder. He reached for Nick's nose, his lips, his chin. Andrew pulled his hand away when he felt Nick's jaw line and chin.
Nick smiled at him, "What's you don't like the way i look?" He chuckled. He brought his mouth to Andrew's tummy and blew a raspberry on it, making Andrew giggle.
Sara finished her shower and saw Nick and Andrew. "Two of a kind."
"you think?" Nick smiled, looking from Andrew to Sara.
"Hit the shower Stokes." Sara smiled as she lay beside Andrew.
Nick nodded and exited the room, "See-ya Andy"
Sara watched her son with a smile as he watched Nick leave and turn to her, "HE'll be back soon Andy..." She smiled then cuddle her son. Sara felt herself drift back to sleep and the Stokes baby followed her.
Nick came back to the room 10 minutes later, finding Sara and Andrew sound asleep on the bed. He walked to the closet and pulled out a small blanket, covering the two.
Andrew woke up and wrinkled his face about to cry.
Sara frowned, "Shhh Andrew... daddy'll be back soon."
Nick walked into the room. "Hey... you guys are awake..."
"Your son needs you." Sara yawned and smiled at the sight of Nick.
Nick smiled and walked up to Andrew. "I can see that me going back to work, and leaving you here, is going to be difficult..." Nick kissed his forehead, and held him against his chest. "Andy... c'mon. Now when i go to work, you can't keep crying for me ok? Your mum will be here..." Nick rocked Andrew in his arms, whispering in his ear. He could feel Andrew's breathing become softer and quieter, so Nick knew he'd be going back to sleep soon. He smiled to himself. *I still can't believe this... everything. I'm a father, and I'm engaged to the most wonderful woman in the world. It's all been worth it... every bad experience has been worth it as long as I'm with Sara and Andrew...*
~*~
Nick grabbed his bag and kissed Sara's cheek. "I'm going now... I'll be home around 7... I'll call if anything changes ok?"
"Wait I want to go..." Sara called to him. "So we can tell everyone... or should I come at the end of shift?"
"How about you come at the end of shift ok? Cuz if Andrew gets fussy, it's gonna be disturbing..."
"I guess, I'll see you then." Sara kissed Nick and felt like a little housewife, she didn't like it.
"ok... love you!" Nick called as he left the house and got in the tahoe.
Sara frowned and closed the door. *It won't always be like this...* she thought and walked to check on Andrew.
~*~
Sara pushed Andrews pram to the breakroom, she smiled hearing everyone talking.
"Sar!" Warrick grinned and hugged her.
Catherine looked over. "Sara!!" She walked over to her and hugged her. She looked down at Andrew and smiled. "And how are you cutie?"
"He's being a pain, hi Nick." Sara smiled and kissed Nick.
Grissom smiled at little Andrew. He looked at Sara and frowned, "Have you something to tell us?"
"hey love... " Nick smiled at Sara and reached down, picking up Andrew in his arms. "Go ahead Sara..." He mocked, grinning at her.
"We're getting married." She grinned.
"Aww... Cogratulations guys..." Catherine smiled at the couple. "I'm really happy for you..."
"Why Nick you dog! Haha, come here!" Warrick hugged Saa and patted Nicks back.
"Congratulations you two. You DID do it in the wrong order but Nick isn't really one for order..." Grissom said smiling.
Andrew started to cry at the noise Warrick made.
"Aww Andy..." Sara smiled and kissed the little cheek of her and Nick's son. "It's only uncle Warrick.."
Greg had been walking from the DNA lab, when he past the breakroom and spotted Sara. He walked inside. "Hey Sara! What's up?"
Sara held out her ring finger.
"You mean... you're leaving me?" Greg joked
"Yes I'm so sorry Greg! FORGIVE ME!" Sara smiled as she stood with Nick and Andrew.
Grissom smiled at the new sara. She was different and more relaxed. She had gotten something else out of work, she got a family.
"So Nick... have you decided who's gonna be godfather..." Warrick added.
"I thought we already decided on that...?" He looked over at Sara.
Sara looked over, "Huh? What? I was umm totally listening... honest...."
Warrick laughed, "Grissom?"
Nick nodded. "yep... Sorry guys"
"Ohh God father.... I knew that." She smiled. "Catherine will you be my maid of honor?" Sara asked.
"of course Sara.... i would love to..." Catherine smiled at her.
Andrew looked at his uncle Greg with a glove on his head.
"Greg." Grissom said in 'that' tone.
Greg gave him a sheepish smile and took off he glove, putting in on the shelf. "Sorry..."
.... Continued in 15 ....
**Previously...**
Nick walked outside, in his back yard with her. "Sara... do you remember when you first stayed over-night? And the next day, it looked just like this... You said it looked like rain.. and I told you we would make the best of it?" Nick smiled at her, holding her hands in his, as he heard the faint sound of thunder in the background.
Sara smiled and looked at him, "Yes Nick I remember."
"Well... what i'm getting at... is that these last 9 - 10 months, no matter how dark things looked, how bad things got, we made the best of it... and we stayed strong, stayed together...." Nick smiled warmly at her, despite the light pecking of the rain.
Sara nodded and looked at him strangly. "I know."
"And... I want us to be the same in the future... Together..." Nick leaned his head in close to hers, resting his forehead against hers. "So... Sara..."
Sara looked at him and smiled.
"I love you.... and I always will. I don't think I can actually put into words what i feel for you... It's just so amazing and incredible...." Nick took a deep breath, as he felt the rain start to get harder. He reached into his pants' pocket, making a fist, before going down on the wet grass, one one knee. Taking his hand from his pocket, he revealed a simple gold ring, with a small diamond in the centre. "Sara Sidle... Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"
**************
Sara hugged Nick, knocking both of them to the wet grass. "Of course I will Nick!" She kissed him as the grass got muddy. "I love you, I love you so much."
Nick grinned, even as the water soaked into his shirt. "I love you too Sara...more than you'll ever know..." Nick kissed her back. After they pulled apart slightly, nIck held Sara with one arm and held the ring with the other, placing it on Sara's finger.
The thuder roared and there was a flash of lightening. This was followed by Andrew crying.
"Hunny thats our son." Sara said looking at the ring and smiling.
"Then that's out que..." Nick stood up and helped Sara up to her feet.
Sara grinned, "We're muddy..."
"That's ok... I don't think that'll matter for long..." He smiled slyly.
"You Mr... go see your son..."
Nick winked and kissed her before walking inside the house and heading up to Andrew's room.
Andrew cried out until Nick picked him up.
"Hey there Andy... what's wrong buddy? Scared of the storm?" Nick gently rocked his son in his arms. "Don't you worry ok? Daddy's gonna take care of you..."
Sara stood quietly at the doorway smiling. She couldn't believe it, she was going to be Sara Stokes. She watched Nick with Andrew until their little boy fell asleep.
~*~ The Next Morning ~*~
Sara yawned and snuggled into Nick. She could hear through the baby monitor Andrew sleeping. Nick sighed in his sleep, unconsciously pulling Sara even closer to him. She gazed at the ring on her finger. She quietly got up and walked into see her son sleeping soundly, Sara walked back to see Nick looking the double of his son. She climbed back into their bed and cuddled Nick. Nick feeling Sara leave and then return, opened an eye, and looked at her.
"Hey you..."
"Hey, did I wake you?" she wondered looking up at him.
"not really... well,. maybe..." Nick smiled sheepishly at her.
Sara smiled and kissed Nick, "You can't lie to me..."
"me? lie? never..." Nick grinned.
Sara grinned slyly, "Uh huh." She kissed him down his neck and then, the phone rang.
"you wanna get that? or me?"
"Do YOU want me to get that?" Sara asked kissing him, smiling.
"Nah... nevermind... I'll get it.." Nick smiled and climbed out of bed, lazily makinghis way to the nearest phone and answering it. "Hello?"
"Nick I was wondering if you're EVER coming back to work?" Grissom grunted.
Nick sighed. "Yes boss... I just wanted to spend time with Sara and the baby you know?" He rolle his eyes slightly.
"Tonight?"
"Sure thing... see-ya at 11..."
"Good." Grissom hung up.
Nick grunted and trudged back to the bed, flinging himself under the covers
"Aww Baby, whats up?" She asked kissing him.
"Grissom.... " Nick frowned. "I have to go to work tonight.."
"No!" Sara pouted.
"yes... sadly..."
"No! You're mine..." Sara said wraping her arms around Nick.
Nick chuckled. "I know that... But duty calls... "
"Duty to future wife and son."
"and a job that pays for food, clothes and bills..."
"True... Ohh I know." Sara got up and walked out of their room, "Stay!" She smirked and walked into the nusery. She picked up Andrew and brought him into the bedroom, "Now look at him and tell me you are going to work." Sara smiled. Who'd have thought Sara Sidle wouldn't want to go to work.
"Sara... c'mon... Stop! If i don't go, I'll get fired..." Nick chuckled.
"I guess." Sara held Andrew close to her and kissed his forehead. Andrew open his eyes and reached for Sara's ring.
Sara brought Andrew over to the bed. "This is mommy's ring. Look. It's pretty huh? Daddy give it to me..." She smiled as Andrew lay on the bed and reached for Nick.
Nick smiled at Andrew and laid down next to him.
"I'm going for a shower." Sara smiled and walked into the bathroom.
Andrew rolled over and looked at Nick in wonder. He reached for Nick's nose, his lips, his chin. Andrew pulled his hand away when he felt Nick's jaw line and chin.
Nick smiled at him, "What's you don't like the way i look?" He chuckled. He brought his mouth to Andrew's tummy and blew a raspberry on it, making Andrew giggle.
Sara finished her shower and saw Nick and Andrew. "Two of a kind."
"you think?" Nick smiled, looking from Andrew to Sara.
"Hit the shower Stokes." Sara smiled as she lay beside Andrew.
Nick nodded and exited the room, "See-ya Andy"
Sara watched her son with a smile as he watched Nick leave and turn to her, "HE'll be back soon Andy..." She smiled then cuddle her son. Sara felt herself drift back to sleep and the Stokes baby followed her.
Nick came back to the room 10 minutes later, finding Sara and Andrew sound asleep on the bed. He walked to the closet and pulled out a small blanket, covering the two.
Andrew woke up and wrinkled his face about to cry.
Sara frowned, "Shhh Andrew... daddy'll be back soon."
Nick walked into the room. "Hey... you guys are awake..."
"Your son needs you." Sara yawned and smiled at the sight of Nick.
Nick smiled and walked up to Andrew. "I can see that me going back to work, and leaving you here, is going to be difficult..." Nick kissed his forehead, and held him against his chest. "Andy... c'mon. Now when i go to work, you can't keep crying for me ok? Your mum will be here..." Nick rocked Andrew in his arms, whispering in his ear. He could feel Andrew's breathing become softer and quieter, so Nick knew he'd be going back to sleep soon. He smiled to himself. *I still can't believe this... everything. I'm a father, and I'm engaged to the most wonderful woman in the world. It's all been worth it... every bad experience has been worth it as long as I'm with Sara and Andrew...*
~*~
Nick grabbed his bag and kissed Sara's cheek. "I'm going now... I'll be home around 7... I'll call if anything changes ok?"
"Wait I want to go..." Sara called to him. "So we can tell everyone... or should I come at the end of shift?"
"How about you come at the end of shift ok? Cuz if Andrew gets fussy, it's gonna be disturbing..."
"I guess, I'll see you then." Sara kissed Nick and felt like a little housewife, she didn't like it.
"ok... love you!" Nick called as he left the house and got in the tahoe.
Sara frowned and closed the door. *It won't always be like this...* she thought and walked to check on Andrew.
~*~
Sara pushed Andrews pram to the breakroom, she smiled hearing everyone talking.
"Sar!" Warrick grinned and hugged her.
Catherine looked over. "Sara!!" She walked over to her and hugged her. She looked down at Andrew and smiled. "And how are you cutie?"
"He's being a pain, hi Nick." Sara smiled and kissed Nick.
Grissom smiled at little Andrew. He looked at Sara and frowned, "Have you something to tell us?"
"hey love... " Nick smiled at Sara and reached down, picking up Andrew in his arms. "Go ahead Sara..." He mocked, grinning at her.
"We're getting married." She grinned.
"Aww... Cogratulations guys..." Catherine smiled at the couple. "I'm really happy for you..."
"Why Nick you dog! Haha, come here!" Warrick hugged Saa and patted Nicks back.
"Congratulations you two. You DID do it in the wrong order but Nick isn't really one for order..." Grissom said smiling.
Andrew started to cry at the noise Warrick made.
"Aww Andy..." Sara smiled and kissed the little cheek of her and Nick's son. "It's only uncle Warrick.."
Greg had been walking from the DNA lab, when he past the breakroom and spotted Sara. He walked inside. "Hey Sara! What's up?"
Sara held out her ring finger.
"You mean... you're leaving me?" Greg joked
"Yes I'm so sorry Greg! FORGIVE ME!" Sara smiled as she stood with Nick and Andrew.
Grissom smiled at the new sara. She was different and more relaxed. She had gotten something else out of work, she got a family.
"So Nick... have you decided who's gonna be godfather..." Warrick added.
"I thought we already decided on that...?" He looked over at Sara.
Sara looked over, "Huh? What? I was umm totally listening... honest...."
Warrick laughed, "Grissom?"
Nick nodded. "yep... Sorry guys"
"Ohh God father.... I knew that." She smiled. "Catherine will you be my maid of honor?" Sara asked.
"of course Sara.... i would love to..." Catherine smiled at her.
Andrew looked at his uncle Greg with a glove on his head.
"Greg." Grissom said in 'that' tone.
Greg gave him a sheepish smile and took off he glove, putting in on the shelf. "Sorry..."
.... Continued in 15 ....