A New Addition

Pairing: Nick and Sara

Sara is starting to look pregnant and Nick is thrilled about getting his t-shirts back. There is a special email or two from Dallas.

Disclaimer: I don't own Nick, Sara or any other CSI character. I do own Nick and Sara's families and any other non-CSI character.

Pregnant Signs and News From Dallas

Sara was lying on the examining table waiting for her doctor to show up. She was looking at her slightly swollen belly. The morning sickness subsided considerably and she was feeling great. She was gaining baby weight steadily and recently started wearing the maternity clothes she had bought when Catherine took her shopping. Nick was happy to get back his t-shirts.

Nick was pacing in the examining until he got tired and sat on the chair. That got on Sara's nerves.

"Nick, Dr. Blake is going to come as soon as she can," Sara said. "I should be the nervous one. I am the one getting a blood test today and you aren't. Are you having a sympathy pregnancy?"

"What makes you say that?" Nick asked holding her hand.

"You are putting on some weight," she said. "Not as much as I am, but you are. I want you to lay off the extra food and get back into that gym. I will not let my husband get fat because I am pregnant! Is that understood, Stokes?"

"Sara, I love you so much," Nick said. "If you want me to lose the weight, I shall do that. I hope Tadpole will understand."

"Nick, I am now almost four and a half months along," Sara said. "Our baby no longer looks like a tadpole."

"I am sorry," Nick said almost embarrassed by his unfortunate faux pas. "I meant Mini-Baby."

"I understand," Sara said with a slight chuckle. "I sometimes call it Tadpole. Please don't feel guilty about it! I think we got too used to calling it Tadpole"

Nick got up from the chair and gave Sara a kiss on the cheek. She pulled him into an embrace and they were kissing each other with great passion. Dr. Blake entered the room and saw the couple locking lips. She loudly cleared her throat to get their attention.

"We are sorry, Dr. Blake," Nick said. "Sara and I got caught up in the moment."

"I don't even want to know," Dr. Blake chuckled. "Sara, I am going to examine you and the baby. I am going to draw some blood first."

Dr. Blake felt around Sara's arms for a perfect vein to take a sample of her blood from. Once she found one, she tied the area with a rubber ribbon and started collecting some of Sara's blood. Nick held her other hand and stroked her hair to calm her down since she dreaded having blood tests done. To her, theywere a necessary evil.

"Sara, it's done," Dr. Blake said as Sara breathed a sigh of relief. "Nick, you can sit down while I examine your wife."

Dr. Blake continued to examine Sara. She placed a stethoscope on Sara's belly to listen for the baby's heartbeat.

"Are you listening for its heartbeat?" Sara asked.

"Yes, and I am pleased to say that I heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time," Dr. Blake smiled. "I want you and Nick to listen to it. First, I am going to put a little bit of that gel on the bottom of your belly and I will bring that apparatus with me."

Although Sara was getting accustomed to having that cold gel on her belly, she still winced as it was applied to her warm skin. Dr. Blake took the apparatus and placed part of it on Sara's tummy. There was a repetitive swishing sound that piqued Nick's curiosity.

"What is that sound?" he asked.

"That is the baby's heartbeat," Dr. Blake said. "It really doesn't sound like that when the baby is born, but it is a heartbeat nevertheless."

"Oh my God, we finally heard Mini-Baby's heartbeat for the first time!" Sara smiled.

"That is an awesome sound," Nick said while a tear slid down his face.

"You know something else," Sara said. "I have felt the baby swimming around in my womb for the past few weeks."

"Sara, you didn't tell me this before," Nick said with slight disappointment in his voice.

"I wasn't sure what it was," Sara said. "I had spoken to Catherine and your sisters about it and they said it's normal. I am sorry for not telling you about before."

"Sara, it's okay," Nick said. "At least you asked our support system about it."

"I am going to examine the baby with the ultrasound," Dr. Blake interrupted the moment. "Do you want to know the sex of the baby yet?"

"Nick and I want to wait another month," Sara said.

"That's fine," Dr. Blake said. "If you also want to wait until she or he is born, it's your choice."

"We have a special request, though," Nick said. "Instead of saying that we are having a girl or a boy, we would like you to say 'look at your little princess or prince'."

"Also, we are planning to decorate the baby's room accordingly," Sara said. "For a girl, we are thinking light purple with a motif of an English garden and butterflies. For a boy, it will be a light olive color with turtles and trees."

"You two are so cute," Dr. Blake said. "Okay, I will honor that request."

I also want to postpone Warrick and Lindsey's reaction to the news, Nick thought. Either way, somebody has to pay the other twenty bucks.

Dr. Blake put some more gel on Sara's belly. Sara slightly winced, but she was slightly calmer. Dr. Blake proceeded with the ultrasound.

"Sara, the baby is developing nicely," she said. "It appears to be very healthy with a steady heartbeat. It has ten fingers and ten toes. Everything looks good."

"Can we have some copies of the ultrasound picture?" Nick asked. "Our families, friends and colleagues want to know how our baby is doing. We want about 20 copies."

"Sure, I'll go make those copies," Dr. Blake said. "Before I do that, do either of you have any questions or concerns?"

"Later next month, my in-laws, Nick's parents will celebrate their 50th anniversary," Sara said. "There is a good chance Nick and I are going to Dallas, Texas for the occasion. We are going by plane. Is it safe for me to fly?"

"That is a good question," Dr. Blake said. "Sara, yes, you can still fly. You will already be a little over five months along by then. Nick, wow, your parents have been married that long. I am impressed."

"Thank you," Nick beamed.

"Are there any more questions and/or concerns?" she asked.

Both Nick and Sara shook their heads. Dr. Blake gave them an envelop containing the copies of the ultrasound photo. She cleaned the gel off Sara's tummy and helped her put back her clothing.

"Well, I will see you next month," Dr. Blake said shaking Sara and Nick's hand.

Nick and Sara left the examining room and stopped by reception so Sara could make her next appointment. When that was finished, they left the office and went into their Tahoe. They were smiling as they rode in silence, but they were smiling about Mini-Baby's development. They had less than five months until they finally meet the person they created that was growing inside of Sara. The excitement was growing by the day.

An hour later, they were already at home relaxing. Sara decided to check on their email. She turned on the computer and logged on to their internet account. Nick brought a folding chair and sat down next to her. There was the usual stuff, some of Nick's fraternity brothers sending them stuff ranging from jokes to important matters, Sara's college roommate asking if they are going to Homecoming in the fall, friends and relatives. There was one email that really got their attention.

"It is one of those e-card websites," Sara read. "Sabrina Stokes-O'Brien sent you an e-card."

"Open it," Nick said. "I want to know what my sister sent."

Sara clicked the link to open the email and there was another link.

"Do you want me to click on this link?" Sara asked.

"Yes, please do," Nick said.

Sara clicked on the link and waited. A few seconds later, an e-card emerged from a different window. The back ground was pastel purple with animation of two doves holding a pink ribbon flying together and landing on a tree branch. The music played was 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' by Mozart.

"This is so gorgeous," Sara said. "Let me read what it says."

"Sure," Nick said.

"You are cordially invited to a dinner party celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Cynthia and Thomas Stokes, Sr.," Sara read. "The date and time is July 25 at 7:30 pm. It will be held at Lucci's Italian Bistro in Dallas, Texas."

"That place is still around?" Nick asked. "I hadn't eaten there since my friends from the Dallas Crime Lab took me out for a farewell dinner before I left for Vegas."

"How's the food?" Sara asked.

"It's delicious," Nick said. "I am not sure how it is now. If Sabrina arranged the dinner party at Lucci's, I am assuming that it is still good."

There was another email that was about Nick's parent's upcoming anniversary, but it was from a Heather Stokes-Maffeo. Sara immediately opened it and Nick decided to read it.

"Hey everyone, I just want to tell you guys about the other surprise for mom and dad's anniversary," Nick read. "You already received the invitation from Sabrina, that is the first surprise. The second one is we are giving them a trip to Italy. Why Italy you ask? That's where they went for their honeymoon almost 50 years earlier. I am asking you to chip in for this present. You can give me any amount between 200 to 300 dollars. If you want to contribute more, that's fine. I need it by the first week of next month so I can visit the travel agent and make the reservations for flight, hotel and car. Don't tell mom and dad about this and the dinner or I will be mad. Love, Heather."

"How much do you want to give?" Sara asked.

"I'll give her about 350 dollars," Nick said. "I would like my parents to experience a second honeymoon in Italy."

"Just like their first," Sara said. "I wonder if our kids will send us to Paris for our 25th or 50th anniversary."

"I am sure they will do that," Nick smiled. "I love you, Sara. Daddy loves you, Mini-Baby."

"We love you, too, Nick," Sara said.

When Sara logged off the account and turned of the computer, Nick put away the folding chair. He came back and pulled Sara into a gentle embrace. They kissed with great passion until Nick bent down and kissed Sara's slightly swollen tummy.

TBC