Title: Wash Away part twelve
Note: Thank you so much for all of the nice reviews.
Side note: I've struggled with the idea of would Grissom have enough clues to know that Sara is pregnant, and I really can't see that I've given him enough to put two and two together. Sara moved, but that wouldn't automatically give him cause to think she moved because she was expecting. The talk of children also doesn't really give him enough fuel for that thought. I'm open to opinions on this, if anyone feels that there has been reasonably enough information for Grissom to jump to that conclusion?
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Early September, 06
Vegas
Warrick, Nick, and Greg sat around the table in the breakroom. Warrick pulled a bland peanut butter sandwich out of a bag, inspected it with a loud sigh, and then replaced it with distaste. Tina still had him on a health food kick and his stomach was protesting with a vengeance. Greg gripped his mug of specially brewed coffee as he read one of the latest hollywood magazines, citing different oddities out loud to the other men's amusement.
"Why do you want to read that stuff, Greg? It warps your mind." Nick took a bite of his roast beef sandwich and shot a smirk over towards Warrick before handing him half of it.
Warrick took it with delight. "Thanks, man."
"Listen to this," Greg read from one of the articles with glee. "Brayden Tolsen found out that he has a ten year old son that he never knew about. His ex-girlfriend never told him that she was pregnant. Can you believe that shit?"
Catherine and Grissom walked, unnoticed, into the breakroom as Greg was reciting the article.
"Maybe she had a good reason." Warrick replied, and then added. "Maybe Brayden Tolsen did not want children and she was trying to spare him from the obligation of parenthood."
"That's just it. She is obligated to tell him." Greg said. He added with emphasis. "I would want to know if my girlfriend was carrying my child."
"What girlfriend, Greg?" Nick asked with a chuckle.
"Seriously," Greg insisted. "Wouldn't you guys want to know if some woman were carrying your child?"
"Of course." Nick responded with a shrug. "But, then, I would know if I got a lady pregnant."
Rolling his eyes, Warrick caught sight of Grissom and Catherine who were both lingering just inside the doorway. Clearing his throat, he greeted them both and hoped that it would be enough for Greg to drop this topic of conversation. It could lead nowhere, good and fast.
Greg was of a different mindset. Spying new opinions and seeking to confirm his own viewpoint he held the magazine up for inspection. "What about you Catherine? If you were pregnant with some man's baby, wouldn't you tell him?"
"It depends on the situation, Greg. Who is the man? Does he want children?" Catherine shrugged. Moving over to the coffee pot, she smelled the rich aroma. "Ah, the good stuff. Thanks Greg."
"What about you Grissom?" Greg persisted, ignoring the warning looks he was receiving from Warrick.
"I can't get pregnant, Greg, to my knowledge." Grissom kept his retort lighthearted but his mind was screaming. He did not want to talk about children or pregnancy at this time. Not after his latest conversation with Sara.
Everyone laughed, except Warrick, who was rubbing the back of his neck and looking like he wanted to flee. Drop it, Greg. He thought furiously as the younger CSI kept pushing for an answer.
"Wouldn't you be pissed if you found out that you were a dad and the girl never bothered to tell you?" Greg asked, his eyes fastened on Grissom's face.
Grissom leafed through the newspaper that he had carried into the breakroom. He found the crossword puzzle, folded it over, and moved towards the sofa before speaking.
"It would depend on the situation, Greg. I would hope that I wouldn't be in the position of not knowing if I got a woman pregnant." He looked over the newspaper with a stern expression. "Apparently, you should be more careful if this is an issue that concerns you."
"You want to play a game of chess, Nicky?" Warrick asked with a sudden enthusiasm that brought four pairs of eyes to swing towards him in speculation.
Catherine placed her mug of coffee on the table as she slid into the chair between Nick and Warrick. "Why the change of subject, Warrick? Is Tina pregnant?" She almost spit out the words, but kept her gaze from flickering away from his stoic face.
"No. She's not pregnant and seriously I'm just tired of the subject. Greg is talking about some hollywood guy who discovers he has a ten year old son. I'm sure Tolsen will take all of the publicity he can get from this revelation."
"I agree with Warrick. Let's move on." Grissom said from his position on the couch. He folded one ankle over his knee and pulled a pen from his pocket, his eyes focused back on the crossword puzzle. He pushed the troubling thoughts that were tryng to sneak into his consciousness to the back of his mind.
Catherine turned her attention to Grissom. This was the first time in months that he had settled in the breakroom with them unless he was giving them assignments or they were discussing a case. His office had become a refuge for him with its locked door and closed blinds. Nobody, not even Ecklie, had tried to thwart his actions. She glanced back over to Warrick, who was looking suspiciously edgy. What was going on here?
"So, Warrick? Where are you going next week on your vacation?" Catherine asked him and found her interest spike even more when Warrick unconsciously glanced towards Grissom before looking down at the table.
"Tina and I are heading out to the West Coast." said Warrick as his eyes flickered back over towards the sofa where Grissom was now staring blankly at the newspaper.
Nick sat up straight and spoke before thinking about who was in the room. "Isn't Sara on the West Coast?"
'Thanks, Nicky.' Warrick said silently as he sent him a look to shut up.
Grissom's chin shot up and he was staring holes into Warrick. "I knew that Sara was on the West Coast. Area codes." Grissom may not have been functioning on his normal level of intelligence for the past few months, but he did know a few things, and he had attempted to track Sara's number.
Warrick nodded and did not break eye contact with Grissom when he spoke. "We are going to visit Sara. She wants to meet Tina and I thought it would be a good time to check on her in person and see how she is."
Grissom nodded. "That would be nice. I'm sure that Sara will appreciate your visit."
He did not know how he managed to keep his voice calm and even. Avoiding his teams eyes, he stood up and made an excuse to retire to his office. As Grissom left, the room erupted with questions for Warrick, concerning Sara.
"Will you try to talk her into coming home, Warrick?" Greg pleaded.
"I'm going to visit, Sara, not talk her into doing something that she doesn't want to do." Warrick said as his mind drifted to the secret Sara was carrying. He wondered if he had lost an opportunity to quizz Grissom on how he would react if someone did have his child and did not tell him. The information would have been useful to take out to the West Coast to Sara.
Feeling the weight of this secret, he again challenged Nick to a game of chess. This time Nick agreed and Warrick was out of the chair in seconds to retrieve the chessboard. Of all the nights to not have any cases to investigate, Warrick thought with an inward grumble.
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Early September, 06
Nothing would fit. Sara stared at the maternity clothes in dismay. She had not gone on eating binges. She had followed the diet that Iris had given her to the letter. Exercise had been out of the question in the past month, but that still should not have accounted for the jump in weight she was experiencing. She sank onto the edge of her bed with a frown. She would have to order new maternity clothes, that was all there was to it. She would order them online. Meanwhile she needed something that would fit.
With an awkard motion, she managed to push herself off the bed and move over to her dresser where she opened the second drawer. The light blue t-shirt, that she kept folded neatly on top of a similar one in dark blue and another in faded yellow, screamed out at her with images of their owner. With shaky hands she pulled the shirt out of the drawer and held it up to her nose. She wanted it to smell of Grissom. He had left the shirts at her apartment and she found them as she pulled clothes out of the dryer as she packed to move.
The odor of fabric softener filled her senses and she clutched the shirt as a tear slipped from the corner of her eye. Taking a deep breath she finally braced her emotions and berated herself for being so sensitive. As she pulled the shirt over her head and felt the fabric stretch over her expanding abdomen, she felt somehow closer to Grissom and simultaneously felt like she was fifteen years old. She had to get a grip on her emotions and soon, if the feel of these two lives pushing around inside of her were any indication of the responsibility she would soon be facing.
Waddling. Sara had to admit she was actually waddling as she maneuvered her way to the kitchen for an orange. She stood in her small kitchen and stared at the empty fruit bowl. Opening the refrigerator she found a similar situation. How had she let this happen? Touching her belly, she frowned at her lack of foresight.
Style was not something she was too concerned with these days, which was a good thing as Sara tugged on the tight fitting maternity pants and allowed Grissom's t-shirt to hang over her protruding belly. She would order some more sundresses when she returned from the store, if only for the comfort of the loose garments.
With one hand she grabbed her keys and with the other, her pocket book. It had been a week since she had left her cottage and that was only to drive to her weekly appointments with Iris. Each week she had an ultrasound so that they could check the position of the babies. On the second ultrasound with Iris, she had proof positive that she would have two boys. Baby B had tried to stay elusive as Iris had poked and prodded with the transducer. His legs stayed locked at the knees until Sara shifted over onto her right side and he shifted with her movement, revealing his sex.
Now, she tried scooting behind the wheel of her car and found herself grunting with dismay. She could not fit behind the steering wheel of her Denali. Slapping the steering wheel she let out a frustrated cry and reached below the seat to pull the lever that would allow the seat to move back. It would not budge as she knew it would not as her long legs had years ago compelled her to push the seat as far back as it would allow.
Climbing out of her car she stared at it with agitation. It could not be safe to drive with her belly pressed into the steering wheel, and she would never endanger her babies. Reaching back into the car she adjusted the steering wheel, bringing it as far up as it would go before sliding back into the seat. This time she just fit behind the wheel.
The grocery store was less than a block away and she drove slowly, unable to move or shift, as the discomfort of the boys actions pressed on her bladder. Once in the store, she decided to overstock her home with necessary items as she sensed that in another week she would not be making the trip so easily.
TBC
