Around three in the afternoon, a doctor came out to the waiting room, and looked around at the small group of expectant faces. "For Sara Sidle?"
The group nodded in unison.
"I have good news. Looks like they're gonna pull through just fine."
"They?" Warrick asked looking to the others, seeing that the word choice had not escaped the other's notice. Doctor Robbins and Jim Brass looked at each other, each clearly puzzled.
"Yes." The doctor nodded, oblivious to their confusion as he checked a medical file he had carried in with him. "Ms. Sidle and her child."
"Child?" asked Catherine, a bit incredulous, and she glanced at Grissom who had been sitting slightly apart from the group with his head in his hands. At the mention of a child, Grissom raised his head, clearly stunned.
The doctor seemed to take notice of the collective befuddlement.
"From her medical file, Ms. Sidle recently found out that she was about eight weeks pregnant. She'll have to monitor her pregnancy more carefully for the next few weeks to decrease the risk of miscarriage, but by all indications, the child should continue to develop just fine."
The group sat in silence for a moment, taking in the news. A few of them glanced at each other, the same question in all of their eyes. Grissom remained silent and rested his head in his hands once again.
"Can we see her?" Greg asked, breaking the silence. Beside him, Nick nodded.
"I'm sorry. She's resting at the moment. I can only allow for family visitation at this time," said the doctor.
Grissom lifted his head out of his hands. "May I see her?"
"Mr. Grissom—"
"I heard you," he interrupted as he stood up. "Only family. I—I'm the baby's father."
Everyone in the room stopped, unable to move, and stared at Grissom. The doctor looked at all the stunned faces before nodding and moving to lead Grissom to Sara's room.
Grissom began to follow but stopped at the end of the waiting room and turned to Catherine, who stood with her mouth slightly open in shock.
"I'm going to be a dad," he spoke softly.
Catherine choked out tears and smiled happily for him, her eyes twinkling, and Grissom continued into the hall.
When he arrived at her room, Grissom first glanced in the room, almost afraid to enter. But when he saw Sara resting peacefully in the center of the room, he walked over to the side of the bed near the window and reached out to hold her hand. His face scrunched up in an effort to hold back his tears as his thumb gently stroked her hand.
As he bent to sit down he stopped halfway as something caught his attention across the room. Grissom looked to Sara before walking around the bed. He reached up, taking down an ultrasound photo the doctors had put up.
He stood there, just looking at the picture for, although it did not depict a whole lot at the moment, somehow was able to illustrate his whole future. Truth be told, as soon as he had entered the room, he had forgotten about the baby, his main concern at that moment being Sara. But seeing these photos, not only reminded him that he was going to be a father and completely responsible for another life, but it also served to remind him just how special his connection was to the woman resting beside him. And although he never once took that connection for granted, he was finding new perspective on his life and Sara's role in it.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sara's eyes begin to flutter and he turned his head toward her and went to her side, again reaching for her hand. As she opened her eyes fully, she turned her head slightly to regard her visitor.
A single tear streaked his face, and he held up the ultrasound picture for her to see.
"You wanted to tell me something," he said gently, a soft smile playing at his lips.
Sara gave him a small smile. "Promise."