Love Is Your Color

Chapter 16: Dreaming In Color

This was just not the week for Roxie. Working this case had taken an emotional toll on her, but she was determined to fight on. She was determined to not just find justice for herself, but the other girls who had been victims. The main thing that kept her going to was Sophia. Everyday she was closer to meeting her baby girl and that took away all the pain and sadness in her world.

It was nice to have a night off. Both Roxie and Nick needed it. Roxie sat on the couch in Nick's arms with a book in her hand. She closed her book and looked up at him as he watched the TV. She smiled at him as he sat there starring off. She was sure he wasn't really even paying attention to the show, but thinking. He had this look in his eyes when he was thinking and that look was present.

"What are you thinking about?" Roxie asked. Nick then snapped out of his trance and looked down at his wife.

"Everything." He said with a sigh.

"Elaborate on everything…" Roxie said.

"The case, us, life, becoming parents… a bit of everything." He said as he ran his fingers through her short hair. "Just your case and things that happened in my life makes me scared for Sophia. What we see everyday on my job makes me scared for Sophia."

"What happened in your life?" Roxie then questioned. She sat up and looked at him. She was concerned.

Nick sighed. He'd only ever spoken about it twice in his life. I remembered telling his mom and that day long ago when he confided in Catherine. It was a pain like Roxie's that he would rather put in the back of his mind and forget. He looked into Roxie's eyes. He could see the pleading in her eyes and knew that he could tell her. He needed to confide in her.

"When I was 9…" he started. Roxie's eyes widened with fear. She grabbed his hand and held it to her heart. "My parents got a last minute baby-sitter. The baby-sitter…she did things to me that should not be done to a kid. I just remember sitting in my dark room waiting for my mom to come home."

"Sweetie." Roxie said as she at unmoving still holding his hand to her chest. "I don't know what to say."

"Neither do it." He said giving Roxie a weak smile. "I'm glad I could tell you."

"You can tell me anything." Roxie said as a single tear fell from her eye.

"I'm just afraid of something like that happening to Sophia…. Or something like what happened to you. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for allowing Sophia to go through that kind or torment." Nick said as he placed a hand on Roxie's large belly. He rubbed her belly. Roxie looked at him to see tears falling from his eyes as he sat in silence just rubbing her belly.

"I think about it too and the world Sophia will face as a girl and a woman, but I try and look in the positive. There is a lot of good in the world despite all the bad we see on a daily basis. I guess I see the world how it could be. It might not be wise, but I prefer dreaming in color." Roxie explained. Nick smiled at her. He understood her and he understood why she thought the say she did. It was too painful, stressful, and daunting to look at the future in a grim light when there could be and was so much good to come. He pulled Roxie closer and planted a kiss on her lips. Roxie smiled against his lips. She was so happy to have him.

"We should get going if we will be on time for dinner at Russell's." Nick then said.

"Yeah let me get my jacket and the bottle of wine I bought." Roxie said as she stood and walked to the closet to grab a jacket. Nick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on the cheek.

"You know I love you." He said.

"I do and I love you too." Roxie said as she turned to him and smiled. It was like they were exactly made for each other.

Walking up to the front door of the house Roxie allowed Nick to ring the doorbell. The door opened and they were greeted by a woman with long brown hair who gave them a kind smile.

"Roxie and Nick?" she questioned.

"Yes." Roxie said.

"Hi I'm Barbara." The woman said happily. "It is so nice to meet both of you."

"Likewise Mrs. Russell." Nick said.

"Just call be Barbara." She said as she moved so they could enter the house.

"They're here. My Dos Stokes." Russell said as he walked into the living room.

"I've got this for you guys." Roxie said as she handed Barbara the bottle of wine she had bought. "You should have seen the cashier's face when I bought it this afternoon. I am thinking she assumes I am a horrible parent."

"Come on in here you guys." Russell said as he led the way into a sitting room. Roxie sat on a couch and Nick sat next to her.

"I am so excited to meet you guys. DB is always talking about his Dos Stokes. You seem like such a sweet couple." Barbara said.

"They are the power couple of the lab." Russell said. Roxie laughed.

"And Roxie I swear you have become one of our children. He talks about you like you are one of them." Barbara said looking at Roxie.

"Aww thanks." Roxie said sweetly.

"She should have been." Russell said happily. Roxie felt so comfortable with them. It was like they were her family. She felt more confortable with them than she did Nick's family for sure.

"So a baby on the way?" questioned Barbara.

"Oh yeah. Getting very close." Nick said holding Roxie's hand.

"He's the nervous one." Russell noted looking at Nick.

"Out of my mind nervous." Nick said.

"That's normal, but you will fall right into your role once the baby arrives." Barbara said.

"I hope so." Roxie said.

"So have you guys figured out childcare and such once Roxie has to go back to work?" Barbara questioned.

"Not yet. That is the one thing that freaks me out. I don't know if I will be able to continue on the night shift. I mean we can't both work nights with a baby at home." Roxie said truthfully. That single thought hat been haunting her a lot lately.

"Well I know you just met me and all, but I'm home alone all night since Russell is working and I wouldn't mind watching your little one. Maybe it is my empty nest syndrome getting to me, but I'd love to have a baby around." Barbara said sweetly.

"We can definitely discuss it." Roxie said happily. She turned to Nick. He looked unsure, but she felt like this was a great option and wasn't going to shut it down right away. Suddenly there was a beeping coming from another room. Nick wasn't sure about that offer. He didn't really know these people and after his conversation earlier in the night with Roxie he just wasn't sure about leaving Sophia with anyone else except one of them. He also knew that Roxie wanted to return to work and they would need someone to watch Sophia at some point if they were to both work.

"That's dinner. We can get going into the dining room." Barbara said.

Dinner had been amazing. Roxie was so happy they'd decided to have dinner with them that night. She enjoyed talking with Barbara and was pretty sure she would be their best childcare option when it was time to go back to work, but she had months before that decision needed to be made.

"Well we better get going. The baby shower is tomorrow." Nick said as he held onto Roxie's hand.

"Ugh I forgot about that." Roxie said. Catherine was throwing them a baby shower at her house and the whole lab was invited. Nick only agreed to come if he could have the game playing since it was a Sunday after all and that meant football all day long.

"Well we will be there." Barbara said.

"See you then." Nick said. Roxie could tell that the Russell family had grown on him over dinner. Maybe it was the amazing Peach Cobbler that Barbara had made.

Roxie sat in a chair wearing a stripped black and white dress with her belly sticking out proudly. The chair had been decorated in pink bows just for her to sit in. Catherine walked to her with a cup of punch. Roxie accepted with a kind smile. She hadn't planned on having a baby shower, but Catherine insisted on throwing one for her. It had been very nice of her to do so and Roxie appreciated it.

"So the men are all surrounding the TV." Roxie said with a laugh as she looked over to the other room.

"Well not all of them." Henry said as he sat down with a plate of food.

"You are always invited to hang with us ladies, Henry." Catherine said.

"Yeah sports aren't really my thing." Henry said with a cringe. Roxie giggled.

"Is this really every Sunday at your house?" Sara asked Roxie.

"Since football season started… yes." Roxie said. "While he watches the game I've been doing projects in Sophia's room."

"I am so excited for you to pop this baby out." Catherine said happily.

"I can't either. I am over being pregnant." Roxie said as she held her large belly.

Roxie waddled through the halls of the lab. Her back and feet were killing her and she just didn't have any patience tonight. Luckily the lab was relatively quiet. All the CSIs except her were out in cases. Roxie received a text message from Sara asking about some trace she'd sent to Hodges earlier in the evening. Roxie waddled down to the Trace lab. She spotted Hodges just being Hodges. She rolled her eyes and cleared her throat; he turned to her.

"Lady Stokes." Hodges said. The nickname had started to pick up around the entire lab. At least it wasn't Rainbow Brite. She was very glad for that one.

"Hey I'm here for Sara's results." Roxie said.

"Yeah they aren't up yet, but it should be a few more minutes." Hodges said.

Suddenly Roxie felt a cramp and heard what sounded like a pop. Hodges looked at her. It was obvious he had heard the popping noise also. At once Roxie felt wetness and fluid running down her legs. Her eyes widened as she stood there. She looked down and there was a puddle forming around her feet and liquid dripping from her.

"Good God what is that?" Hodges asked backing away.

"My water just broke." Roxie said calmly. She was doing her best to stay as calm as possible even though in the moment she wanted to scream. "Hodges listen to me. I need you to call Nick and tell him to get to the hospital. Then call for an ambulance to take me to Dessert Palm. Tell them I am 38 week and 4 days pregnant and my water has ruptured. I am having small contractions also. I've been timing them all day and at last check they were 7 minutes apart."

"What you came to work having contractions?" Hodges questioned.

"Stop asking me questions and follow my instructions. I'm going to my locker to get my things. I will then go to reception and wait for the ambulance." Roxie said sternly looking in his eyes. He simply nodded. Roxie then started to shuffle her way out of the room holding her dress to make sure not to spill much more amniotic fluid on the floor.

Nick's heart was beating fast. He couldn't believe that today was the day. He couldn't believe that he wasn't there when things started. He ran through the halls of the hospital. He reached Labor and Delivery and went straight to the receptionist's desk. He was out of breath when he reached her.

"Hi… my wife should be here… Roxanne Stokes." He said between breaths.

"Yes sir she is in room 3A." The receptionist said sweetly to him. He hurried down the hall and found her room. He walked in to find Mandy sitting in the room with Roxie who was bouncing on an exercise ball and breathing deeply.

"Rainbow." He said at once looking at his wife who just simply gave him a smile. "Thanks for staying with her Mandy."

"No problem." Mandy said as she stood and grabbed her things. "I can't wait to see the baby." Mandy gave both of them a smile before she left the room.

"So your water broke in the trace lab?" Nick questioned as he took off his coat and sat down on the chair closet to Roxie who continued to bounce on the ball.

"Yep right there in front of Hodges. The look on his face was everything." Roxie said with a small laugh. She then grabbed her belly and started to breathe slowly in and out. She closed her eyes for a second waiting for the pain to end as it always did. "Sorry contraction."

"Tell me everything." Nick said as she scooted his chair to her and started to rub her back.

"When I got here I was 3 centimeters and my contractions about 7 minutes apart, but now we are at about 4 minutes apart and getting closer." She said looking at him. She smiled. They were so close to meeting their little girl. "You should call your parents."

"I should." He then said as he pulled out his cell phone. He dialed their number and put it on speakerphone. The phone rang a few times.

"Is the baby on the way?" suddenly came Jillian's voice.

"Umm no Hello… Good Morning son." Nick said with a laugh.

"It is 6am. You don't call us at 6am." Jillian said.

"True." Nick then said. "Yes she's in labor. Last check she was 3 centimeters and contractions at 4 minutes apart."

"Bill! Bill! Wake up. Roxie is in labor." Jillian said happily. "How is she?"

"I'm fine Jillian." Roxie said happily until a contraction hit her. She took a moment to breathe. She felt Nick's hand on her back rubbing it.

"You've got this Rox." He said to her.

"Just remember to breathe. Always breathe. The pain will end." Jillian said.

"Alright mom. I will keep you updated." Nick said.

"Alright dear. We love you both and can't wait for baby Sophia to be here." Jillian said.

"Talk to you later." Nick said before ending the call. As soon as he ended the call the door opened. It was Roxie's doctor.

"Alright Mrs. Stokes I'm going to check you." The doctor said. Roxie slowly stood from the ball slowly and made her way to the bed. She got onto the bed and put her knees up. The doctor reached up, which was extremely uncomfortable for Roxie. She closed her eyes to ignore the pain as best she could. "WOW you are already a 6." The doctor took off her glove and then looked at the machine that had been monitoring Roxie. "And contractions at 2 minutes apart. You will be having a baby soon."

Roxie felt something inside in that moment. She was really going to be a mother. She was going to be responsible for the life of a small person. This was all so real. Nick looked at Roxie; his heart was swelling. His wife was going to be giving birth to his child in just a matter of hours. He was going to be a father. He'd known for months, but at this point everything about it was real. He held Roxie's hand in his own.

The hours passed slowly, but in the moment it was like they had passed quickly. It was time. Any minute now their baby girl would be born. She was going to take her first breath right there in front of them. Nick needed air. Every emotion you could muster up was filling his body. He left the room and walked into the waiting room. Nearly the entire lab was there all waiting for Sophia to make her entrance.

"How are you hanging in there?" Catherine asked him.

"I have no idea." Nick then said looking at all of them. He loved seeing all their faces looking at him. He suddenly felt much better. All of them had given him strength. "Just needed a second, but I've got to get back in there." He said.

Roxie was standing at the wall leaning against it. Contractions were ripping through her body, but she was handling it so well. A nurse stood with her coaching her through her breathing. Nick could see tears coming from Roxie's eyes.

"I WANT DRUGS!" Roxie shouted.

"Roxanne, its too late for that." The nurse said calmly. Roxie opened her eyes. Her eyes met Nick's.

"Nick… please tell them to get my FUCKING DRUGS!" Roxie screamed out.

"Rainbow." Nick said as he walked to her. He put his arms around her and pulled her to him. "You cannot have the drugs. This baby is coming." Roxie just started to cry. The door opened and the doctor walked inside with a couple more nurses.

"I heard cursing so I know it's time." The doctor said with a smile on her face.

Roxie sat up on the bed with her legs up. The doctor was sitting at the end of the bed. Roxie gripped onto Nick's hand. Her eyes were shut tightly. She then opened them and looked into Nick's eyes. He gave her a weak smile. He only hoped her pain would end soon.

"Alright Roxie… you are going to push…now." The doctor said. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and breathe." The doctor said. Roxie took a breath. This was the most difficult thing she had ever done. "Alright we are going to push again go…" and the counting started. A strange burning sensation seemed to take over Roxie's body.

"Oh goodness." Roxie breathed as she gripped tightly onto Nick's hand and suddenly out of the blue the pain was gone and she heard a faint cry.

"Congrats. It is a girl!" the doctor said happily. Suddenly the baby was thrust into Roxie's arms. While Roxie held the baby she just looked at her tiny face, her tiny hands, and her tiny feet. She couldn't believe it. She turned to Nick who had tears in his eyes.

"She's perfect." He whispered through his tears. This small little thing was his daughter. He couldn't describe the sensation that took over his entire body. It was like all of the love in his heart was surrounding her. He suddenly felt the overwhelming need to protect her at all costs.

"Our Sophia." Roxie said.

Nick nearly sprinted into the waiting room. All eyes were on him. He didn't think he had grinned that that hard in his life. He was filled with so much love and joy he didn't know how to contain it.

"She's Here!" he said happily. "Sophia Gabrielle Stokes born at 10:34am weighing 7 pounds 14 ounces and 21 inches long. She is absolutely perfect... I'm a dad ya'll!"