To all my amazing reviewers: I'm so sorry I've taken a leave of absence. I am in the process of moving from college in Michigan to my parents home in Maine. It's a long enough trip as is, but when I've got ten tons of shit to move, it makes it that much worse, so sorry for the delay, and I hope you continue to enjoy, it's almost over!

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"To succeed is nothing, it is an accident. But to feel no doubts about oneself is something very different, it is character."

Unknown

"Hey Griss.." Sara called Grissom's office figuring even at this early of an hour he'd be in working on something.

"Hello Sara, what can I do for you?"

"Well, we meet with DCFS today, and it's looking like Sadie will be able to stay with me. I was wondering if I could take some time off to get situated. I have to look for a new place to live, a babysitter and there is other things I have to deal with." Sara rambled on.

"Sara, I'm surprised, I had to force you to take the weekend off and now you're asking for more time after being back to work only one day?" Grissom replied. Sara was shocked, not catching the joke. "I think it's an amazing thing you are doing for this little girl. I am very proud of you, and you have more than enough vacation time saved up. Take the week, we've been slow lately, and if things get out of hand I'll pull someone from days. I'm sure they'll enjoy having a break from Ecklie."

"Thanks Griss… I really appreciate it." Sara was happy, realizing that Grissom had been joking earlier.

"Take today as a personal day, and I'll set up the rest of the paperwork. Believe it or not, you're allowed to take a maternity leave when adopting a child. I can bring the paperwork to you in the next few days, or you can pick it up." Grissom added.

"Well, would it be ok for you to send it with Greg?" Sara asked tentatively. "He's been helping me out with Sadie, and you'll probably see him before you see me. Thanks again."

"Yeah, no problem." Grissom stammered. Sara prepared for the onslaught of the negatives of office romance, but was shocked to hear Grissom joke again. "Sara, I have no problem with developments in the relationship between you and Greg, however, for everyone's sake, don't let him share his taste in music with Sadie." Sara was almost too shocked laugh. She told Greg what was going on, and he fended a hurt look, before joining in the laughter. After hanging up with Grissom, Sara contemplated whom to call next.

"Willows."

"Hey Cath, how's it going? Did I wake you up?" Sara said slyly.

"Surprisingly no, hey, weren't you meeting with the social worker today? How did it go? Is Sadie still with you? Did Greg go with you guys? Is he still there? What's going on between you and Greg?" The ambush of questions just came rattling out of Catherine.

"Yes, good, yes, yes, yes, no comment." Sara replied smugly.

"Really, hmmm" Catherine replied as she processed the new information. "Well I guess things went well with DCFS then?"

"Yeah, I have to take a fostering course, but they said she could stay with me. And I have to get some stuff done, so I'm going to take some time off. The caseworker said she'd help. She was…. Nice." Sara paused; she didn't know how much she wanted to tell Catherine. True, Catherine already knew about her past, but Sara wasn't sure if she wanted to get into the subject again. Catherine sensed that Sara was not sharing everything and asked.

"She was nice? Is there something else going on?"

"Umm… yeah… She was my caseworker. I don't remember her, but she remembers me." Sara laid all her cards on the table.

"Wow, that amazing." Catherine didn't want to upset Sara with drawing on details of past, but couldn't resist to joke with Sara. "If she was your caseworker from when you were a kid, she must be like 150 years old." Catherine added with a laugh.

"Har, har, very funny Catherine. You're older than me." Sara replied promptly shutting Catherine up. Sara continued, "So I have to find a bigger place to live, and a sitter, and get everything organized, and I've got to get Sadie more clothing, and a bed, and…" Sara rambled on. Catherine recognized the panic rising and Sara's voice and interrupted.

"Well, as for getting stuff for Sadie, clothing and furniture and all, I'm sure Lindsey wouldn't mind if we went on another shopping trip. Have you thought about what kind of place? Do you want another apartment or a house?"

"Well, I guess if we're making this permanent, I might as well start looking for a house." Sara replied.

"I don't know exactly what you're looking for, or if you even know, but there are a few houses down the street that just went up for sale. It's a good neighborhood and school system, plus I'm sure Lindsey might be able to baby-sit if you guys aren't that far away." Catherine persuaded.

"Wow, Cath, thank you. Thanks for everything. But I haven't even really talked to Sadie yet about what's going on. I need to do that first."

"Yes, you do, but you know we're all here for you if you need anything." Catherine added before saying good-bye and hanging up.

The rest of the ride to Sara's apartment was in comfortable silence. Sara was deep in thought about how to talk to Sadie, while Greg was deep in thought about Sara and Sadie and the possibility of a life with them. As they arrived at Sara's apartment, Sara stated.

"I think I've got to talk to Sadie about this." She said in hushed tones so that only Greg could hear.

"I think you should too. Just you and her." Greg said.

"Yeah but I don't want you to feel like I'm kicking you out." Sara said with a grin.

"Well how about this, you tell me what you're looking for in a house, and I'll check out the houses that Catherine was talking about. While I'm looking you could talk to Sadie." Greg stated.

"You wouldn't mind doing that for me?" Sara was surprised. Greg was a great guy, but being willing to go house hunting for her was a cut above.

"I'd be my pleasure." Greg smiled. Sara brought Sadie into the house while Greg got into his car and left for Catherine's neighborhood. Getting into the house, Sadie asked.

"Can I watch Nemo?"

"Not right now kiddo, I wanted to talk to you." Sara replied as she sat down on the couch. Sadie instantly climbed into Sara's lap. "You remember how you asked if you could stay with me 'forever'? Well that's why we went to go see Mrs. Donah. She said that you could stay with me. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Sara asked. Sadie nodded.

"I get to stay with you! Are you going to be my new mommy? Is Greg going to be my daddy?" Sadie replied with excitement. Sara was taken back by Sadie wanting Greg to be her new father.

"For now, I'm going to be your foster mother, and for right now Greg's going to be Greg, that's something else."

"But you kissed him, doesn't that mean you love him?" Sadie interrupted.

"When did you see that? You've been spending too much time with Lindsey!" Sara was in shock at the little girl's discovery. Thrown off track Sara was trying to compile herself when Sadie asked.

"So if I am going to stay with you, do I call you mommy? But I already have a mommy." Sara looked at the little girl. The look on Sadie's face broke her heart. She knew what it was like to live through the abuse but still hold a place for her mother and father.

"Your mommy and daddy with always be your mommy and daddy, how about instead of call me Sara we go online and find out another word for 'mom' that way you can have a mommy and a.. well a whatever."

"You want me to call you 'whatever'?" Sadie giggled.

"You are a handful!" Sara joined in the laughter.

"Can we find a name for Greg too?" Sadie asked. Sara though for a moment.

"You remember how his sister called him 'Greggy-pooh'? How about you call him 'pooh'?" Sara said with a smirk.

"I like that!" Sadie agreed. After searching the internet Sara and Sadie had come up with a list of alternatives for the word 'mom'. Sadie looked down the list, and then looked at Sara as if she was trying to see how each one fit. Finally she looked up and asked. "Can I call you memaw?" Sara thought it sounded funny, but some how it seemed to fit.

"Sure you can call me memaw. What can I call you?" Sara said with a smile.

"Sadie, duh," Sadie giggled. "Or kiddo, you always call me kiddo." Sara smiled.

"So miss kiddo, any other probing questions?" Sara tried to say with a straight face.

"The lady we meet today, how did you know her?" Sadie carefully asked. Sara was surprised by the little girl's perceptiveness and the sudden turn to seriousness.

"Remember how I told you I had nightmares like yours?" Sara carefully asked Sadie. The little girl nodded her head. "She was the one that came and got me out of there like Ms. Rene did at the hospital." Sadie studied Sara for a moment, before wrapping her arms around Sara and saying.

"I love you Memaw."

"I love you too, kiddo."