Beautiful Child, Broken Dream

Chapter 2: Overcome

Disclaimer: If I owned them, I wouldn't be swamped up to my ears with student loans!

A/N: This chapter has been somewhat difficult for me to write.

As Sara struggled to fight back her tears, Catherine sat stunned, by her bedside.

So many questions flooded Catherine's mind. Sara looked at her coworker, and smiled sadly.

"Catherine, I want to apologize, and not because Ecklie is forcing me to. I've been a raging bitch lately for no reason. I do treasure your friendship, and I'm sorry I said cruel things to you."

"Sara, there's no need to apologize, although it makes more sense now."

"What does?" Sara looked puzzled.

"When I was pregnant with Lindsay, my moods fluctuated so much that I could hardly keep up with them. I felt completely out of control. Hormones." Cath explained.

"Figures, right? I turn into a raging bitch and everyone just assumes that it has to do with the case or me being mad at someone…" Sara shook her head "and Ecklie, well he's just… I think he's annoyed that I'm not attracted to him or something."

"What?" Catherine snorted "Ecklie is such a tool."

"He asked me out once, and I turned him down, somewhat cruelly."

"Ah, so that's why he dislikes you so much, right Sar." Cath joked.

The mood in the room changed when a nurse came in to check on Sara. "How are you doing Ms. Sidle?" Nurse O'Shanahan asked.

"Better. When can I go home?" Sara was antsy to leave, and try to put the whole traumatizing experience behind her.

"I'm not sure. Doctor Mancula wants to check on you again before she releases you. She should be by in an hour or so." The nurse apologized, sensing Sara's disappointment "I'm sorry, we've been swamped today."

"It's okay, I understand." Sara said, sighing. When Nurse O'Shanahan left the room, Sara looked at Catherine.

"What am I going to do? Catherine, I've lost a part of myself."

"I know how you feel, hun. I've miscarried twice. It broke my heart. But I knew… and I can only imagine how much harder it is on you." Cath took Sara's hand in hers.

"You..? When?" Sara gestured for Cath to sit on the bed.

"The first time, when Lindsay was 2, and the second time was about 2 years before you came to Vegas. It doesn't get any easier."

"How… how do I tell him? I mean, we were careful… so this'll be out of the blue, for him too." Sara was getting nervous.

"Sit him down and tell him that despite the precautions you took, you had a miscarriage and that is how you discovered you had been pregnant."

"I don't know how Nick is gonna react…shit." Sara realized she'd let the cat out of the bag. Catherine simply smirked at her with a grin that said she'd known.

"I had a feeling you two were seeing each other. He'll be okay." Catherine consoled. Their conversation was cut short, because Dr. Mancula entered the room.

"Hello Sara, are you feeling better?" Dr. Mancula asked.

"Yeah, better." Sara responded.

"I'm going to put you on medication to prevent infection. Here is the prescription, and now you are free to go. A nurse will be up soon to escort you out."

"Thank you Dr. Mancula." Sara said, growing excited about her discharge.

Half an hour later, Catherine and Sara were on their way to the pharmacy to pick up Sara's prescription. Catherine's cell rang, and she answered it boredly. "Willows."

"Hi Nick… no, I've kidnapped her. She's with me. We're out running errands right now. Um… she forgot it. Would you like to talk to her?" Sara's heart raced as Catherine handed her the phone.

"Hi Nick."

"Hi Sara."

"Would you like to go out to lunch later?"

"Sure, but… why?"

"I have something to tell you."

"Okay Sara-bear… see you later. Is 1 okay?"

"1 is great… pick me up?"

"Of course hun... see you then!"

"Bye Nick."

"Bye Sara."

"You told him I left my cell phone at home?" Sara looked at Catherine like she'd grown another head or three.

"Yeah, why?" Catherine shrugged.

"I'm attached to the world by my electronic leash!" Sara exclaimed

"You can tell him later then." Cath rationalized, stopping at the pharmacy.

Sara's stomach flip flopped as the hours ticked by. Soon it was 12:45. Sara was shaking. She had attempted to cover up the dark circles beneath her eyes with makeup, and make herself look less pale, but to no avail.

She watched him pull into her driveway. Sara fought the sudden urge to hide, or vomit. She could hear him walking up the steps, and there he was knocking on the door.

"Hi Nick," Sara opened the door "Come in?"

"Hey, Sar, you feeling okay? You look a bit under the weather…" Nick was concerned by her paleness, and the circles beneath her eyes.

"Nicky, lets go get lunch, then we'll talk okay?" Sara took him gently by the arm, leading towards the outside.

After they arrived at La Cocina restaurant, Nick and Sara made their way to a secluded booth near the back of the restaurant. They were making small conversation when the waiter approached their table.

"Hey ya'll I'm Van, I'll be your waiter this afternoon, and what can I get ya?" The charismatic man asked.

"I'll take the Grilled Veggie Salad, with only grilled Onions and Peppers on top, also I'd like peppercorn parmesan dressing. And a diet coke." Sara ordered.

"I'll have a Grande Burger, with onions, peppers, jalapeños and lettuce please, and a coke. Thanks." Nick smiled as the man scampered off with their order.

"My, Nicky, it seems as if you are hungry or something." Sara joked, hoping that Nick wouldn't try to pressure into talking right away.

"I could probably eat a horse… but I prefer cow." Nick laughed.

The waiter returned quickly with their food, and Sara dug into her salad as if she'd not eaten in days. Nick ate with equally as much enthusiasm, and too soon for Sara's liking, their meal was over.