A New Addition
Pairing: Nick and Sara
Nick and Sara adjust to life as new parents.
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.
Transitions
Nick and Sara's Bedroom
Sara and Nick were sleeping peacefully in each other's arm and in their own bed, room and place. Neither of them knew how long it would last with a baby monitor telling them Abigail wanted or needed something. It had been ten days since they brought their daughter home from the hospital. The transition into parenthood was a challenge, but with Cynthia staying with them to help them, it was slightly easier.
Sara was still on maternity leave and planned not to return to work until Abigail was two or three months of age. When that time came, she and Nick planned to enroll their daughter in department day care or find a sitter Nick could fully trust. Unlike when she was still pregnant and before Cynthia stayed with her, there was someone else there so she didn't feel so lonely. Nick had recently requested a month off, but Grissom gave him two weeks.
Their sleep was disrupted by Abigail's loud cries. Sara slowly sat up and was about to get off the bed, but Nick had already sprinted out bed.
"Sara, I'll take care of her," Nick said. "Just get some rest."
"What if she's hungry?" Sara asked.
"I'll let you know," Nick smirked.
She nodded as Nick went to their daughter's room.
Abigail's Room
Nick entered Abigail's room and turned on the light. He walked towards the crib and saw the infant crying. He gingerly picked her up and sat on the rocking chair one of his aunts gave them for the baby's room.
"Princess Abby, what's the matter?" Nick softly asked. "Are you hungry? Do you need to be changed? Are you scared or alone?"
She continued to cry and Nick thought of something.
"I am going to sing you a lullaby that your Grandma Stokes sang to me when I was your age," Nick said. "She also sang it to your aunts and uncle, my sisters and brother."
He softly sang the lullaby to Abigail, but that didn't help much. He thought that she needed her diaper changed. He slowly got up from the chair and brought her to the bassinet. He removed her purple floral print sleeper and took off the diaper. He took a cleansing wipes and cleaned her up. He threw away the soiled diaper and put a fresh one on Abigail. He took some antibacterial gel and rubbed his hands with it. He replaced her sleeper.
"Are you feeling better, Princess Abby?" Nick softly asked since Abigail stopped crying. "Let me try that lullaby again."
He gently picked her up from the bassinet, cradled her in his arms and sat back down on the rocking chair. He sang the lullaby again and she slowly fell asleep. When it was over, he gingerly kissed her on the forehead, slowly got up from the chair and walked toward the crib.
"I love you, Abigail," Nick whispered. "Mommy loves you, too."
Nick gently put her back in the crib and covered her. He made sure that he didn't wake her. He went towards the light switch and turn off the light. He was exhausted and wanted to go back to sleep.
Nick and Sara's Room
Nick returned the bedroom to find Sara still laying in bed, but not sleeping. Part of him was relieved, but the other part was upset.
"What's the matter with her?" Sara asked.
"She just needed to be changed," Nick smiled as he went to bed. "I sang her a lullaby and she finally fell asleep. I have a feeling she will be hungry in a while."
"Then I'll go feed her," Sara said. "Nick, you look like someone put you through a grinder. You should get some sleep. I know it hasn't been easy with a new baby demanding our constant attention, but we have to manage."
"I know," Nick smiled and cupped her chin with his hand. "You should sleep, too."
Sara smiled and fell asleep almost immediately. Nick soon followed, but not before he put his arm around her waist. Their sleep was disrupted several more times by Abigail needing to be held, fed or changed.
Cynthia woke up and went to the kitchen. She expected to see her son and daughter-in-law up already, but she realized that with a new baby, neither Nick nor Sara could get a full night's slumber. She decided to make breakfast and wake them up with the smell of her cooking. Today, she was making scrambled eggs with sausage for Nick and mushrooms for Sara. There was also crème brulee flavored coffee and warmed chocolate croissants. She smiled at the thought of her meat eating son being married to a vegetarian and wondered if Abigail would be raised a meat eater or vegetarian.
A few minutes later, Nick and Sara groggily emerged from their room. They both looked very haggard. Nick looked as if he hadn't shaved in three days.
"Good morning," Cynthia said. "I take it you are adjusting to parenthood nicely."
"If you could consider waking up at least a dozen times during the night adjusting nicely," Nick mumbled. "Then we are doing fine."
"Nick, it'll get easier," Cynthia smiled. "I know from experience having seven kids. Don't forget that Abigail is your first child. Also, you had plenty of practice with your nieces and nephews."
"I know that," Nick said. "I just can't wait until she's three years old and only demands a bedtime story."
Nick winced as he felt a swat in the arm from Sara.
"Nick, did we agree not talk about that?" Sara hissed. "She is almost two weeks old. Let her enjoy her babyhood now because on October 31, 2023, her 18th birthday, we will wonder where all those years went."
"Look who's talking," Nick whined.
"Okay children, sit down and eat your breakfast," Cynthia said. "Don't argue over something so silly."
"Mom, aren't you going sit and eat with us?" Nick asked.
"I will, but later," she smirked. "I am going to make some oatmeal, something very simple. You just sit, eat and enjoy! I'll spend some time with Abigail."
They couldn't argue with Cynthia. The smell of the food and coffee was enough to make their mouths water. Also, they were both very hungry.
"Mom still knows how to make scramble eggs the way I like them," Nick smiled.
"This one she made for me with mushrooms is awesome," Sara said. "I am happy to finally eat a chocolate croissant again."
"Sara, you could have enjoyed at least one during your pregnancy," Nick said. "Why didn't you eat one?"
"I bought a dozen of them two months ago and you took them to the crime lab," Sara said. "Were you trying to prevent me from discovering another weird craving?"
"How long will it be until you finally let me live that down?" Nick asked with a chuckle. "I had to do it since I wasn't sure what you would do with them. I don't think I could take hearing about you eating chocolate croissants with canned artichokes."
"Nick, it's doesn't matter now," Sara cooed. "Abigail is here and I'm totally over the wacky cravings."
He chuckled and finished with his breakfast and drank his coffee.
"I don't know where you mom got this coffee," Sara beamed. "It is delicious! We should ask her where she bought it and get some for the lab."
"Poor Greggo wouldn't like that at all," Nick laughed. "He'd think that we no longer enjoy his Blue Hawaiian coffee."
"I don't think anyone else would enjoy a shift without his special coffee," Sara said. "Even I miss his coffee."
"Do you want me to call him to ask him to come make his coffee for you?" he asked.
"I don't think so," she smirked. "However, I was thinking about taking Abigail on a visit to the crime lab and swipe a cup of that wonderful hot beverage."
"If he knew of such a visit," Nick said. "He'd make more coffee than usual and hide it from Hodges."
After Sara finished with her breakfast, she helped Nick do the dishes. He washed and she dried and put them away. When they finished, they went to the living room and watched the Crocodile Hunter. They were too tired to pay attention to what Steve Irwin was saying. Sara turned off the TV, got up from the couch and went to the bedroom. Nick soon followed. When their heads hit the pillows, they were already asleep.
A few hours later, Abigail's cries woke them up again. However, they were more refreshed and they both went to her room. It turned out she was hungry and wanted to be held by her parents. Sara took her, sat on the rocking and started nursing her. Nick just stood in awe of his baby girl. When Sara was finished, she gently kissed her daughter's forehead and handed her to Nick. He cradled her in his arms and gingerly kissed the little girl's forehead. When Abigail became fussy, he walked over to the crib, gently put her in there and put the blanket up to her chest. Nick and Sara each told her they love her and left the room. Cynthia was just outside her granddaughter's room when she nearly bumped into her son and daughter-in-law.
"I am sorry, mom," Nick apologized. "We didn't see you there."
"Nick, I didn't see you or Sara," Cynthia smiled. "Don't worry about it!"
The three of them stood awkwardly doing nothing for a few minutes.
"I was thinking about something," Cynthia said. "Why don't the two of you shower, get dressed and go out for dinner tonight. Nick, you need to shave also. Let me look after Abby tonight."
Nick and Sara looked at her as if she came from Mars. They opened their mouths to protest.
"Don't argue with me!" Cynthia insisted. "The last time you went out to dinner was two days before Sara went into labor. You both need to get out of the house!"
Nick wanted to say something about him going to buy groceries, but he knew his mom would tell him to shut up and hit the shower.
An hour later, Nick and Sara emerged from their room clean, dressed up and ready to go out for dinner. They decided to go for pizza at their favorite pizzeria. Sara was relieved to finally be out of the apartment and looking forward to having dinner out with her husband. Nick felt the same way and wanted to be out with his wife. They got in to the Tahoe and were on their way to the pizza place.
TBC