I do not own CSI. I like to play with the characters and am happy to report that this is second to last chapter. One more and it is done. Enjoy.
"Oh, my God!" Sofia exclaimed, rushing over to one of the racks in Macy's "Sara, look at this!" She grabbed a tiny little pink dress covered in brown polka dots a little pink bow tied to the middle "That is so cute!"
Sara smiled, reaching out to feel the soft velvet fabric. "That is so small." She said
Catherine joined them, her arms laden with clothes "No, it isn't" She commented "The baby won't even fit into anything like that until Christmas"
Sara sighed; this was not helping her. They had gone shopping to help her pick out an outfit to wear that evening to the National Entomological Society's annual conference, which was being held for the very first time in Vegas; it was also the first time that Gil had been invited to be a guest speaker. Sara was nervous; she wanted to impress his colleagues and knew that her normal 'maternity' wardrobe would just not suffice
Catherine watched her as she shuffled through the racks of formal blouses, noting the way she would occasionally put a hand to her lower back "You okay, Sara?" She asked
"Yeah" She sighed "My back's a bit sore, but I guess it is just par for the course"
Catherine and Sofia traded glances "How long has it been sore?"
Sara shrugged "Since this morning" She replied, noticing the way they were looking at her "What?"
"You know, a lot of labor begins with lower back pain." Sofia said, glancing again at Catherine
"Well, I am not in labor" Sara replied. "I still have over a week before my due date"
"You could be early" Sofia chided "That is not uncommon"
Sara rolled her eyes at them "My back hurts because I am packing around this 20 pound bowling ball in front" She replied "I would know if I were in labor"
Catherine shook her head, eyebrows raise "My labor started with back pain" She said "Didn't even realize I was in labor until my water broke...had Lindsey 4 hours later"
Sara looked down "Well, I am pretty sure I am not having this baby right now" She replied, grabbing a sleeveless blouse "I can't have her right now; tonight's a huge night for Gil..."
"I bet it will be" Catherine laughed as she went with Sara to the changing room
She rushed out of the bathroom, trying to get the earring into her left ear. She was beginning to wonder if Catherine were right about the back pain; it had grown steadily worse throughout the day. But, she would know if she were in labor, right? Somehow, given her track record of even knowing she was pregnant in the first place, she almost doubted that
Gil had been sitting at the computer, busy going over his speech once again as she came out. He stood, gazing at her "Wow" He said "You look lovely"
She smiled, looking down at herself. She had bought a pair of nice black slacks with a gray sleeveless blouse, the rounded neckline accentuating her long neck. She had pulled her hair up into a bun, tiny wisps of curls fell around her face. "Thanks" She said. "I look fat"
"No," He shook his head, coming to take her hands as he kissed her softly "You, My Dear, are stunning"
She did not tell him about the back pain or what Catherine and Sofia had said. Tonight was a big night for him; he was nervous and worrying about a little bit of lower back pain in his very pregnant girlfriend would only make it worse.
They made it to the event and Sara felt somewhat like a large duck wandering around with Gil. Everyone there seemed so elegant, educated, slim; she stood next to him feeling as though she were an overfilled semi.
Gil, of course, was overly courteous to the other attendees. On several occasions he would squeeze Sara's hand as he introduced her to colleagues, happily answering their questions about the upcoming birth. She thought it somewhat curious that he never called her 'fiancé' or 'girlfriend'; avoiding both terms by calling her "My Sara".
At one point, he leaned close to her ear and murmured "I cannot express how proud I am to have you here with me" he kissed her cheek "Thank you"
They sat at a rather large table with two other couples, Sara feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She was not uncomfortable with the group any longer, but more uncomfortable with the physical sensations running through her body. Her back hurt; not just a low grade ache but more of a growing stab; she tried to ignore it, absorbing herself in conversation but it became almost impossible
As their food arrived, she stared at the plate trying to will herself to take just one bite. Gil would be speaking in 30 minutes and she wanted to just make it through his speech before vomiting all over the table; God, she wished Catherine were there.
Just as she went to pick up her fork, it hit her. Gasping, she stopped, her eyes wide as she felt a sharp pain radiate from between her legs up through her abdomen and across the sides.
Gil looked at her "Sara?" He asked, his voice filled with concern "Are you alright?"
Her cheeks were flushed, she knew they were. Not here She begged Oh, God...please not here "I, uh..." She looked around the table, feeling the heat in her cheeks as the pain subsided "Yeah...It's, uh...I'm fine"
He watched her cautiously, reaching for her hand. "Do we need to leave?" He asked knowingly
She shook her head, more aggressively than he would have liked "It's fine, Gil"
One of the other women at the table (Lois, Louise...Sara couldn't remember) spoke "You could be in labor" She said hopefully. "Dr. Grissom said you are due in a week..."
Sara looked at her, trying to smile "I think I'm fine" she replied in embarrassment
Just as she finished that statement, with Gil's eyes still focused on her, another sharp knife seared her and she gasped again despite herself, squeezing his hand hard involuntarily "I think we need to go" he said hurriedly, beginning to stand.
She stopped him, pulling on his hand "No" She whispered "Your speech, Gilbert...you worked so hard on it"
He glanced around the table quickly, one of the men speaking "He's having a baby...I think they'll forgive him a speech"
With that, Gil stood to grab her arm, gently helping her stand up. Sara had never been so embarrassed in her entire life, feeling tears in her eyes as she realized others were watching them. Just as she got to her feet, she was hit with another wave that nearly doubled her over and she grabbed his arm to steady herself; suddenly feeling very scared
"Honey?"
She nodded "I think we're having a baby..."
She heard someone call for their car as others either congratulated or wished them luck as the passed their tables. Sara busied herself with concentrating on walking, the searing pain between her legs becoming almost unbearable.
"I am so sorry" She began crying as he climbed in the driver's seat next to her "I have the worst timing..."
He did not say anything, his own nervous adrenaline making him unable to respond. Instead, he grabbed her hand as he sped into traffic, nearly colliding with another vehicle. She did not notice "I don't think this is something you can time"
She laughed "No...." Another wave hit her and she grabbed the arm rest, her body tensing
"Breathe, Sara..." He ordered having no idea what he was really doing. There was absolutely no possible way he was even remotely prepared for this; he was 50 years old, nearly 51 and his fiancé was having a baby.
His baby.
Right now.
He was having a daughter. Right now.
A little baby
A squirming, wiggling, breathing new human being that he would be responsible for
And he had absolutely, completely, unequivocally, no idea what the hell he was supposed to do
There would be diapers and bottles and...Oh, God...the birth...
Gil suddenly felt like he were going to vomit...or pass out...or both
He had no idea what he was doing, they never went to any birthing classes, didn't watch the videos...neither of them had even been remotely associated with anyone who had given birth aside from Catherine and he had been away at a seminar when she and Eddie had Lindsey. And Sara didn't even know Catherine then so she really had no idea what she was doing
And it was his job, his responsibility, to help her.
Shit, they were screwed
"Gil?" Sara's voice snapped him out of his own growing panic "You're going kind of fast..."
He looked at the speedometer, realizing he was going over three times the speed limit. Releasing the pressure on the accelerator, he squeezed her hand "Sorry"
"I need my bag" She told him, her newest contraction having stopped
"What?" He glanced at her
"My bag...the overnight bag" She insisted "You know, the one with the baby's clothes and my clothes? For the hospital?"
He was clueless; utterly, completely clueless "What?"
"You picked out her outfit" She smiled at his panic "It's at the apartment...the duffel bag?"
"We can't stop!" He insisted as though she were daft "You're having a baby!"
She smiled wider "You are terrified..." She said "Aren't you?"
"What?"
Before she could respond, another contraction hit her and she bent forward gasping "Oh, God...this is not good...this is definitely not good..."
"Sara?...Breathe, Honey...you have to breathe..."
She was crying again, her own panic rising as she felt another contraction hit her "...I don't want to do this, Gil...I don't want to do this..."
He had his phone out and she heard him telling Catherine to grab Sara's bag from their apartment and meet them at the hospital, hanging up before Catherine could respond. He reached for her hand again, holding it tight "It's alright" He said "We're almost there"
They pulled up to the hospital and he was out, rushing in to grab a wheelchair before running back out, opening her door and reaching in for her. He paused only long enough to kiss her forehead, murmuring "It'll be alright" Before helping her into the chair and whisking her off through the front doors.