A New Addition

Pairing: Nick and Sara

Abigail starts teething and taking her very first steps

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.

Teething and Baby Steps

Nick was sleeping peacefully and enjoying a very pleasant dream. He wasn't aware that Sara wasn't at her side of the bed until he briefly woke up feeling a void on the bed. He was pretty sure that she had to feed or change Abigail. She was already nine months old and started standing in her crib. He was a little nervous that she'd climb out of the crib and hurt herself. He fell asleep again, but that didn't last long. He heard a woman's ear piercing scream and a baby's cry in the monitor. He immediately woke up and went to Abigail's room to investigate.

"Nick, I think we have a vampire baby!" Sara shrieked. "I nursed her and she bit me hard!"

He gently took the screaming infant from Sara's arms. He placed her on the bassinette, kept her little mouth open and gently prodded around her gums with his finger.

"She has two tooth buds," Nick said. "She's already teething. We should start putting those teething toys in the freezer. The cold numbs the pain."

"Abigail's only nine months old," Sara said. "She can't be teething already. I don't think I could handle another milestone after getting bitten in my nipple. Believe or not, she wanted to stand on the floor. I let her and she took what appeared to be her very first steps."

Nick froze and was speechless.

"She's walking?" Nick said. "Why didn't you wake me up for this?"

"You looked so peaceful sleeping like that," Sara said. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"I wanted to see our daughter taking her first steps," Nick whined.

"She'll take other steps," Sara said. "Nick, what are you looking at? Get your mind out of the gutter, boy!"

"I just wanted to see how much damage she inflicted," Nick shook his head. "It looks like a small superficial cut. Go to the bathroom and put a little bit of antibiotic cream on the wound. I'll stay with her and see if she'll take some steps for me. Also, go to the kitchen and get that cheap wine that we have in the fridge. Pour a small amount into a ramekin, bring it here and also get a clean swab. I'll explain later."

Sara took care of her little wound. She went to the kitchen, took out a small ramekin from a cabinet and a bottle of wine from the refrigerator. She poured a small amount into the ramekin and put the bottle back in the fridge. She brought to Nick and went to get two swabs from the bathroom.

"Princess Abby, I see that you're teething," Nick cooed. "Your mommy is a little upset with you for biting her. She loves you, but you shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you. I am going to give you something for the pain in your gums. I know it will sting, but I'll try to be extra gentle."

Nick placed Abigail on his lap. He dipped a swab in the ramekin and gently pried her mouth open. He gingerly applied the wine soaked swab on her gums. She was crying and screaming despite her father being gentle with her. When he was finished, he cradled her in his arms and kissed her in the forehead. He saw Sara and smiled at her.

"I forgive you, Sweetie," Sara said. "I love you very much! You know that!"

"Sara, let's get some rest," Nick yawned. "I think she needs it more than we do."

Abigail started to fuss a little and Nick looked at Sara for an answer as to why their daughter was being slightly difficult.

"I think she knows that you missed seeing her take her first steps," Sara smiled. "She just wants to show you."

"Daddy would love to see you in action," he said.

He put her down facing Sara and she held his pajama leg until she could steady herself. Abigail started to take several steps before falling and landing on her butt. Surprisingly, she didn't cry out pain or fright, she was very giggly. Sara picked her up and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Nick got up and kissed her on the cheek.

"I am so proud of you, my sweet little Munchkin," Nick said.

"So am I," Sara said. "Now, let's get some sleep."

Sara gingerly put Abigail in her crib and saw that the infant was fast asleep. Nick looked at the sleeping infant and smiled at her. He followed Sara to their bedroom. Once they were there, they went into bed. Sara took the remote and turned on the television. She did some channel surfing before she and Nick decided there was nothing worthwhile seeing at this time. Nick gently took the remote from her and turned it off.

"How's your nipple feeling?" Nick asked.

"It's better," Sara smiled. "It doesn't hurt now. It did when she bit me as I nursed her. Maybe she ready for the bottle. I know that she has been eating solid food for the past two months."

"I don't think she would like one unless it's one that almost functions like a breast," Nick pointed out. "She hates the pacifier. Do you remember when we tried to get her to keep it in her mouth?"

"We had just brought her home from the hospital after she was born," Sara chuckled. "She spit the pacifier out and it went flying across the room. It landed behind the sofa. We had to call poor Warrick and Greg to help us move it around so we could get it."

"The looks on their faces were priceless," Nick smiled. "I think Greg was more pissed off at us for calling him to help look for a wayward pacifier than Warrick was."

"Today, Abigail really amazed us," Sara said. "Her teeth are starting to come in. True, it took my getting bitten to see that, but I am happy for her at the same time. She took her very first steps and we saw her briefly walking at different times. I think we should call her pediatrician to see if this is normal."

"I'll save you the phone call," Nick beamed. "Some of our nieces and nephews took their first steps at the age of eight or nine months. Quite a few started teething at Abigail's age. That's the beauty about babies, they reach milestones at various ages."

"How old were you when you started teething and took your first steps?" Sara asked.

"According to my mom," Nick said. "I was ten months when my teeth was starting to come in and eleven months when I took my first steps. What about you?"

"I was nine and half months when I started teething," Sara said. "I didn't take my first step about I was about ten and a half months."

"Our little Princess Abby is one smart baby," Nick said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she runs a marathon when she two years old."

"Aren't you exaggerating, Cowboy?" Sara asked with a chuckle.

"Yes, I am," Nick proudly admitted.

Sara yawned and sunk deepen into to the covers. Nick soon followed and pulled her into his arms. They shared a brief, yet passionate kiss. Sleep was starting to claim them.

"I love you, Sara," Nick whispered.

"I love you, too, Nick," Sara whispered back.

A few minutes later, the extremely exhausted couple was fast asleep.

TBC