Disclaimer: They're not mine

Rating: T or PG-13 for language and violence

Summary: It's 2am. The doorbell rings. A baby is crying. What are you going to do? W/S with GCR moments and a major case

Well, this is the last real chapter, guys! The next chapter will only be "Rosa Avery's Letter" – remember her? And I'm not making any promises on a sequel. That all depends on how many of you'd be willing to read it and if I get the right idea/more time. I'd like to thank you huge amounts to all you folks who've stuck with this fic and to those who found it and trekked their way through all of these chapters – it's always good to know that other people enjoy reading some of this stuff!

So here we go – I won't be sticking thank-yous in next chapter as it doesn't really count – so consider this a big THANKS to everyone. Especially to the reviewers of Chapter 24, Joyce3, icklebitodd, Krys33, Megara1, charmed1818, Nikita1506, Review1234, Megan-16-16, Crimsonhearted, Jenuine, MissyJane, Bizy, Lizzysidle, Kris, atruwriter, sye04, dark-girl-faith-sidle and sheel. I'm sorry the update took so long. And I hope you don't feel let down – I don't like writing proposals or weddings, by the way. I fear I'd overload of fluff and suffocate. I came close with this chapter! (You've been warned, Sara – cheese/fluff ahead!)

One last thing – check out "The Underdog" which is another WarrickSara (with some GilCath) fic that I've been writing with Joyce3 and Megara1. That's all from me for now – thanks again. Enjoy! Love LJ xXx

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Wake The Hope. Chapter Twenty-Five. Speak Up

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"...Hope is the dream of a waking man."

ARISTOTLE

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Catherine looks at her watch and then at Sara, sitting in the break room with Nate on her lap and chatting to Warrick and Greg.

"Aren't you only on later tonight, Sara?" Catherine asks.

Sara looks up with a grin. "Not pleased to see me, Cath?" she kids. "I'm just off actually – I came in to see if there'd been any new findings on the case but I guess Greg thinks that challenging Archie to potato-chip-eating competitions is far more important than getting case results to the lab." She rolls her eyes and speaks pointedly.

"At least I won!" Greg mumbles huffily.

"Well done, Greg," Catherine replies sardonically. "You want a medal?"

"No," Greg counters but adds in a quieter voice, "Maybe just a certificate."

Sara arches an eyebrow. "Saying what?" she says. "Greg Sanders: human trash can?"

It is at that point that Nate, perhaps feeling a little ignored in Sara's arms, chooses to break the silence that follows with the gleeful shout of: "Egg!"

Immediately, all four of them are upon him.

"What did you say?" Sara stares excitedly at baby Nate.

"He said 'Greg'!" Greg yells in the background. Sara kneels and sits Nate on the sofa.

"Sounded more like 'Egg'," Catherine comments.

"Yeah, I heard 'Egg'." Warrick agrees.

"Nate? Baby Nate? Can you say 'Mommy'?" Sara asks Nate with wide and eager eyes. He made a noise that certainly began with the letter 'M' although became ambiguous after that but to Sara and Warrick, who at that time could've heard anything as a word, he couldn't have possibly been more eloquent. Gleeful, Sara spins Nate around and hugs him to her.

"Say it again, Nate! Say it again!" Greg bounds up and down outside the tight circle of Sara, baby Nate and Warrick. But the sudden burst of loud noises and too much attention in such a small amount of time comes as quite a shock to the little eighteen-month old. His faces screws up and he begins to wail, turning his face into Sara's neck for comfort.

"Oh dear – time for a nap, I guess," Sara murmurs, stroking his head lightly. "Have a fun day – fill me in on everything later." She speaks mainly to Warrick and holds Nate out to his Daddy for a kiss; though baby Nate is still crying, both Sara and Warrick are beaming away.

"I'll see you later, baby," Warrick fondly brushes the hair away from her face. "Don't wait up for me." And, though she nods, she will anyway – they wait up for each other everytime they work separate shifts – that's just how it's become.

"He said my name first," Greg grumbles slightly.

"Sure, whatever you say, Egg," Catherine quips before clapping her hands together. "Right, everyone – these cases aren't solving themselves."

Sara nods and grabs her bag, kissing Warrick as he heads out of the room followed by Greg.

"I'll catch you later, Sara," Catherine smiles as she turns to go and then pauses, adding with a smirk: "Nice rock."

Catherine's eyes glint impishly as Sara grins. She knew Catherine'd be the first one to notice and she glances down again at her hand that cradles Nate to admire the white-gold and diamond engagement ring that, as of last night, decorates her finger.

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