Disclaimer: see first chapter

Sara had never expressly intended on hiding her pregnancy from the rest of the crime lab. She merely told the people who needed to know, or who had suspicions already, and decided to let the rest figure it out on their own. Unfortunately Ecklie had to be let in on it, as Assistant Director, so that she could start the paperwork for maternity leave. She had been much happier to tell Brass, though he had been known to call her 'Little Momma,' at a crime scene every so often, causing Vartann and Vega to have their suspicions. Her lab coat and attire mostly hid the curve of her belly, but that seemed to end at the Christmas party that night. Maybe it was the way that Warrick, Greg, and Nick helped her out of her chair every time she got up, or how she had taken to resting her hand on the slight swell of her abdomen subconsciously during conversation, but while she was dancing with Warrick, they were stopped at least ten times by people wishing her congratulations and asking various questions. David was positively beaming as he wished her well, glancing at his new wife with a hopeful smile that neither Warrick nor Sara missed. Doc Robbins cut in on Warrick and offered tips on how to alleviate the swelling in her feet, and Bobby Dawson just grabbed Sara and wrapped her in a big bear hug before apologizing for 'crushin the youngin.' Archie and Jacqui both volunteered to baby-sit, but it wasn't until Hodges came over and snidely wished her well, immediately following with a rude inquiry as to the father, that Warrick and Sara had had enough. Warrick escorted her back to the table before gathering Nick up and heading over to chat with Greg and Archie about some football game.

"So I take it the secrets out?" Catherine inquired as she took a sip of her gin and tonic.

"I'd say so," Sara agreed. "Hey, one less thing to worry about, right? I heard Hodges whispering the other day that I seemed to be getting 'a bit tubby.' Can you believe he had the nerve to ask me who the father was, and whether he's still around?"

"Don't worry about it Sara."

Sara grinned at Catherine. "Oh, it doesn't bother me at all, I'm just amused by what an ass he's being. I know that this child…this little girl," she corrected herself, smiling softly, "is going to be so loved, and she's going to have so many male role models in her life."

Catherine bit her tongue on the subject of the father, and decided to keep the conversation going in a positive direction.

"Wow Sara, I'm really impressed. And you're right. Those boys are going to spoil her rotten. Not to mention Aunt Catherine," she replied chuckling. "You know, when I left today, Lindsey was running around; she couldn't wait to hear whether you were having a boy or a girl. I called her while you were dancing with Warrick, and she was just ecstatic. She's been telling everyone at school that she's going to have a new cousin, and now all the poor kids think my sister is having another baby! But really, she's so excited, all she can talk about is when Aunt Sara will let her baby-sit, or come over and play with the baby."

"So I'm Aunt Sara now, huh?" Sara couldn't wipe the grin off her face.

Catherine laughed again. "Oh yeah. All you had to do was provide her with a real live baby doll, and she'll love you forever…Plus you got me off the hook, she's been asking me for a little sister for years…"

Both women laughed, but Catherine noticed Sara's gaze wander over to where Nick was standing. As soon as she spotted him, an endearing smile crossed her face and Catherine noticed Sara's hand absentmindedly go to her abdomen. Yes, something was definitely going on there…Catherine just wasn't sure the extent of what they would admit to.

"So," Catherine began, trying to figure out the best way to milk information without appearing to do so, "I think that if anyone is more excited about this baby than Linds, or even you, it's got to be Nick."

Sara blushed lightly and giggled. Catherine stored that away mentally. "Yeah, he's been…amazing. He just swept in, making sure that everything goes smoothly, and he does it without making me feel like it's a chore to him. You know, he actually has me believing sometimes that he would rather spend a Friday night with me, eating dinner, giving me a foot rub, and watching TV, than going out to a club with his friends and meeting women."

Somehow, that revelation didn't startle Catherine as much as she thought it should.

"He really cares about you Sar, and I think he's in love with that little girl already," Catherine stated, testing Sara's reaction.

"I know. Sometimes, when he thinks I'm sleeping, he'll start talking to her. I really thought I would hate it, you know, people talking to my stomach, and all that stuff, but I actually think it's cute when he does it. I almost feel bad that I'm listening in; like it's something just between the two of them. But I'm sure there are times he does it when I really am asleep."

Catherine grinned. "That is pretty cute. Okay Sara, spill. What is going on between you two?"

If only Catherine would have had a camera to capture the deer in headlights look that crossed Sara's face. It was a priceless look, but disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Catherine, what are you talking about?"

"Oh cut the crap Sara. I've seen the way he looks at you, we all have. And let me tell you, you look the same way back at him. You two are inseparable most of the time. All he can talk about is Sara and the baby…now I don't know whether or not either of you have admitted it, but there is something there."

"No Cath, you're wrong. He's my friend. My best friend. He's just helping me out. Like you said, he's already in love with this little one, not me." Catherine couldn't help but notice the brief look of disappointment that flickered across Sara's face.

"If you really believe that Sara, than you're not half as smart as people give you credit for." Sara tried to cut her off, but Catherine just plowed ahead, knowing she probably wouldn't get another chance. "Yes, he loves that baby of yours, but that's not all. His face lights up whenever he says your name. He's completely in sync with you, at work and outside of it. He lets you drag him from store to store, picking out baby stuff, and not once have any of us heard him complain. In fact, he actually seems happy to do it. Now, I couldn't even get Eddie to help me like that. Hell, half the time you finish each other's sentences."

Sara sat in silence, unsure of how to counter Catherine's arguments. Part of her didn't even want to try.

"Cath…I…I can't. If I let myself think about that, I see us…as a family, and it's not fair to him. I won't burden him with this."

Catherine argued with her gently. "Sara, that would only work as an argument if he saw 'this' as a burden. You want to know what I think? I think in his mind, he already sees you guys as a family."

"I don't know Cath…"

"I'm just going to say one more thing, then I'll leave the subject alone." Sara rolled her eyes, doubting that would be the case, but let Catherine continue. "Nick is a good man, no doubt about that, but if he just cared about you as a friend, best friend or not, he wouldn't give up his entire life for you. And that's what he's done Sara, whether you realize it or not. You and this baby are his entire life."

The conversation suddenly ended when Warrick and Nick returned to the table. Neither seemed to notice the tension between the two women.

"Cath, you've been sitting at this table all night. Even Grissom has gotten up. Come on, you owe me a dance," Warrick announced, pulling her out of the chair. Catherine shot Sara a pointed look before following him to the dance floor.

"So do you want me to have a chat with dear old Hodges?" Nick asked, sitting back and resting his arm on the back of Sara's chair.

"Huh? Uh, no, it's okay," Sara answered distractedly. She was spending most of her energy trying to force her less than friendly feelings back into the compartment they were usually stored in

Nick looked at her, concerned, and moved his arm to her shoulder. "You feeling okay, Sar?"

She flashed him the best smile she could manufacture. "Yeah, I'm just a little tired…busy day."

"Too tired for one last dance?"

Sara was about to protest and play the "pregnant" card, but when she saw the hopeful look on his face, she smiled back, this time genuinely, and offered him her hand.

Nick led her out to the dance floor as a slow song began to play. Sara allowed him to wrap an arm around her growing waist and she laid her head on his shoulder. As confused as she was about her own feelings, she felt safe and secure in his arms. He was good to her. It wasn't until Nick began tracing light circles over the small of her back and she felt his heart begin to beat faster, that Sara raised her head to look him in the eyes. The look she saw in his eyes startled her, and she suddenly found herself contemplating exactly how much truth could be contained in Catherine's argument.

Both sensed at that moment that something had changed between them, but neither dared to speak until the song had ended.

"Are we okay?" Sara finally whispered, the childlike quality of her voice not lost on Nick. He tightened his grip around her, pulling her into a hug.

"Always."

Sara leaned into the hug, suddenly feeling very tired and confused. "Home?" she requested simply. He nodded and went to gather their things from the table while she found Warrick and Catherine to tell them good night.

Let me know what you think by reviewing!