No One Said It Would Be Easy
Chapter 8 – As You Throw Your Dinner Out The Kitchen Door
Disclaimers in chapters 1 and 5
Spoilers: Anything through season four.
A/N: Finally and update!!! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I love seeing the reviews in my mail they make me giddy! RL has been intense lately sorry for the long wait for the update. Hopefully this will make up for it!!
Tuesday
Las Vegas
Sara walked slowly down the park path, Matthew held tightly to her hand as they walked. They were heading toward the zoo but were waiting for Catherine. It had been three days since she had talked to Nick and she hadn't heard from him since, making her a bit worried. He had left hurriedly after their conversation and that worried Sara as well. Sara sat on a bench while Matt played in the playground outside the zoo, she was watching him but looking every so often toward the parking lot trying to see Catherine. She just turned to Matt when someone sat next to her on the bench.
"Hello," she swung around and was surprised to see Nick.
"Nick! Hi, how are you? I didn't know you were coming too," Sara said, a smile playing on her face.
"Well not too. Catherine had to work a double so I said I would join you two. It sounded like fun."
"Well we're glad to have you." She turned toward the playground and waved Matthew over. "Come on Matty lets head inside." He took his mother's hand and looked cautiously at Nick.
"Mommy?"
"What's up buddy?" she asked crouching to his level.
"Who's that?" he asked pointing at Nick.
"Don't you remember Nick from the other night?" He shook his head no. "Well Matty this is my good friend Nick Stokes, he decided to come to the zoo with us today, is that ok?" He looked at Nick who had by this time crouched next to him as well.
"Do you like candy?"
"Yes," Nick drawled
"Will you buy me some?"
"We'll see what your mom says ok?"
"Ok." Matthew replied as Sara paid for their tickets.
"Ok boys, where too first?"
"Monkeys!!" yelled Matthew. His favorites were always the monkeys.
"Is that ok Nick? He loves the monkeys"
"Fine with me, hey Matt can you make the sound monkeys make?"
"Yeah! Ooo Oooh Oooh" Nick and Matt started making monkey sounds while Sara just shook her head and started toward the exhibit.
"You two should be in there with them." She said once they reached the monkey house. Nick laughed as Matt looked at him stricken.
"I think she was kidding buddy." Matt just smiled and took his mother's hand; they were off to see the big cats next.
"Mommy, can we have a tiger?"
"I don't think so Matty. They are a little too big to keep at Grandpa Grissom's"
"Oh, well when we get a house can we get one?"
"Baby, look how big they are. They are bigger then you!"
"Why do you want a Tiger Matt?" asked Nick.
"Granpa has a kitty on the beach, and he calls me Tiger. I want one."
"Well why don't we get you a regular kitty?"
"Really!" Matt yelled looking up at his surprised mother.
"Um well, we'll have to see Matt. I don't know if we'll be staying here and if we do where we'll be living."
"But I want a kitty," Matt replied tears forming in his eyes. Sara picked him up resting him on her hip.
"We'll see ok? We have to find out if it's ok with Grandpa Grissom."
"Ok," said Matt not looking convinced.
"Hey Matt lets go see the bears ok?" Nick said trying to cheer the boy up.
"Ok." Sara sat him back on the ground and took his hand again. Then she glared at Nick.
"Nick!" she hissed at him. "Why did you do that?"
"What he can't have a cat?"
"He's three! Plus I don't know if we're staying here yet. I still have a job in San Francisco you know."
"But I thought you came back because you like it here and you missed us!"
"I do, but I don't know if Las Vegas holds for me what I want it to."
"Oh, well I hope it does. I mean, I'd honestly really like you to stay. It's not that far from your parents either you know."
"I know. I'm still here for a week and a half, and I'll let you know when I decide ok?"
"Ok."
Las Vegas
Tuesday (evening)
Sara walked into Grissom's house an exhausted Matthew on her hip, she laid him on the couch then stalked over to Catherine who was in the kitchen with Gil.
"That was a dirty trick you played on me today."
"I know, but I bet you three had fun, didn't you?" Sara smiled.
"Yeah we did. By the end of the day Matt was letting Nick pick him up. I was shocked!"
"So what's this I hear about a cat?" asked Grissom.
"Ah so Nick called you huh?"
"Yeah, he said something about Matty getting a cat and wondering if I was ok with it?"
"Long story short, yeah Matt wants a kitten. Don't worry about it he'll forget eventually. So what's for dinner Iron Chef Las Vegas?"
"A wonderful blend of sauce and noodles, spaghetti!" Sara just laughed and shook her head.
"Can you watch Matty for me, he's asleep on the couch. I need to change."
"Sure," said Catherine.
"Don't change too much or we might not like you," said Gil winking at her.
"Ha ha, funny." Sara walked into her room and changed into sweats and a t-shirt, then she sat on her bed staring at her hands. She had a wonderful day with Nick and he was so good with Matthew. She just couldn't help but fall more in love with him, but what if he didn't love her? A knock came at her door and Catherine peeked her head in.
"Hey girl, so now that Gil's not around want to tell me how today went?"
"It was great. Nick is fantastic with Matthew, just like I thought he would be. We really had a great time."
"You don't seem very happy though."
"I can't help falling harder for him after a day like today. He is such a wonderful man and I feel so awful that I left the way I did. I want him in my life Cath."
"Honey you are going to have to fight for him you know that."
"I do know that but I just wish I hadn't left things the way I did."
"You should have told him what was going on."
"Yeah, but I was heartbroken. I thought he was going to reject me immediately."
"No, you thought he was going to reject Matthew."
"This is true."
"Have you told Nick what Matt's middle name is?"
"Um, no. I think it might weird him out."
"I think he would be honored."
"Maybe, but don't men want their own son's named after them?"
"Sara, Nicky loves you and he will grow to love Matt like a son. I can see it already."
"I sure hope so, Cath. I sure hope so."