Chapter Forty One:

The Lamb Remains Loyal to The Shepherd

Brass helped Catherine with the packages.

She immediately came to the baby but Darius blocked her.

"Who are you?" he challenged.

"She's a friend of Sara's," stated Brass

"Her friends…were mean to her," snarled Darius.

"Not this one," grumbled Catherine as she took the baby.

"Sara just nursed him," stated Brass.

Catherine lifted the baby on her shoulder and began to pat his back.

He let out a loud burp and the men smiled in approval.

"How is Sara?" asked Catherine.

Brass shrugged his shoulders. "She's had a difficult delivery."

Catherine spent the next several minutes rocking the baby as she went through the items with the men.

"The bassinet will be fine for now…later a crib. He's so tiny," she cooed.

"He was born early," explained Brass.

"He's strong…like Sara," stated Darius as he kept an eye on Catherine with the baby.

She ignored his stare as she continued to coo over the baby. "I can only stay for a few hours. I left Warrick in charge. Ecklie is having a cow but I told him Grissom was out of town."

"Thanks Catherine," stated Brass.

Darius started for the bedroom but Brass blocked him.

"You should be careful who you block," warned Darius. "No one will keep me from sara."

Francis grew concerned, stepping toward Darius but Darius pointed his finger at him. "That includes you."

"Grissom is doing the blood ritual with Sara. Doc felt she was too weak," stated Brass.

Brass saw a glimmer of fear in Darius's eyes but he quickly moved away, snatching the baby from Catherine, holding him close to his chest, needing to feel close to Sara in some way. "This had better work," he warned.

"Yeah, we know…if anything happens…we're dead," griped Brass.

Darius patted the baby's bottom.

He had no idea what he would do if Sara died.

He glared at Brass and Francis but then his eyes grew soft as he lifted the baby and settled him on his chest while he rocked him.

Hours later Grissom stepped out of the room.

The men rose immediately.

"How is she?" asked Francis.

"We won't know for awhile," stated Grissom.

Grissom reached for the baby and the others held their breath to see if Darius was going to refuse to relinguish the baby but he didnn't.

He checked the diaper and noticed it was already wet.

They made a make shift changing area and Catherine showed the guys how to properly care for the baby.

Grissom took the baby back even though Francis and Darius reached for him.

The baby yawned and he held the baby tighter, needing to feel close to him.

Darius eyed the man briefly but then went to the kitchen to join the others.

He remembered in the vision how Grissom grieved for the other child, understanding Grissom's need to spend time with the infant.

"I can't imagine delivering a baby without drugs," whispered Catherine.

Grissom kissed the baby.

"He's beautiful, Griss."

He nodded.

Catherine leaned in close. "Gil…does he know that Sara…"

"The baby belongs to…both of us," stated Grissom.

Catherine looked confused.

"Sara and I conceived him…Darius blood…runs through him also."

"I…don't understand," she whispered.

"I'm not sure I understand myself."

"He's asleep," whispered Catherine. "You should put him in the bassinet."

Grissom started to protest but Catherine added, "You need some rest. Babies get up a lot. Brass told me what you did. How do you feel?"

"I'm not sure that it did any good."

The moment he placed the baby into the bassinet, Francis and Darius were there but Catherine threatened if either tried to pick up the baby.

Darius started to call Catherine a bitch but opted for the word, 'she-devil' as he glared at her.

"I'm the worst bitch you are going to tangle with if you don't let him sleep," she threatened.

"He sleeps while I hold him," grumbled Darius.

Catherine stood her ground.

He could very well shove her to the side but instead he softly pleaded, "Please."

Catherine glanced toward Grissom. "If he wakes, my high heel shoe will be up your ass," she warned, letting him pick up the baby.

"Why doesn't the Holy One zap you...with language like that," he grumbled.

Darius gently rocked the baby.

"You should have left him in the bassinet," she whispered. "He can get used to being held and expect it all of the time."

"What's wrong with that?" huffed Darius.

Francis wondered that himself as he watched Darius and the baby.

Francis was amazed at how gentle and protective Darius was with the baby.

He isn't fallen but he is?

Francis stared intently at Darius, noting his facial features along with his demeanor toward the baby.

He gulped in air.

My God, Sara may be right...

For the first time in hours, Sara shifted in the bed without pain.

Her abdomen was still sore but her strength was better.

She felt a little woozy as she tried to become more fully awake.

She'd dreamed Grissom had been holding her.

His scent was in the bed and she lingered between sleep and wake.

She felt someone by the bed and opened her eyes.

"Baby?" she asked.

"He's letting everyone know who is boss," chuckled Brass.

"How long…have I been asleep?" she asked groggily.

"Long enough for you to get some color back into your cheeks," he said.

There were voices in the next room.

"I'll check on them…bring the baby in awhile. Okay?" he asked.

Brass stepped out into the room and smiled at Grissom.

He sighed out loud, realizing Sara had awakened.

Grissom stepped into the bedroom surprised that she was sitting up.

She held her hand as if she were in pain.

"Sara…"

He sat down abruptly when he saw that she was upset.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"The scar…is gone," she whispered.

He swallowed taking her hand in his. "I know."

"How? I mean…I don't understand…" she yanked her hand away. "What did you do?"

"I couldn't risk…it. So…I ordered Doc to give you something to make you sleep…while I rejoined with you...the blood ritual only."

"I slept through it?" she asked astonished.

"Except for a few visions…of what happened with you while you were…with him…I slept also."

"You shouldn't have done that! Gracen assured me that by…joining with Darius, your life wouldn't be tied to mine…anymore. You'd be free…to do what you want."

And if they killed me, you wouldn't die...

If I killed myself, you wouldn't die...

"You want me to be with someone else? Is that what you want?" he said letting his voice rise.

"I was giving you a choice, Grissom….a way out of this mess."

"There is no way out," he said without thinking.

He glanced at her and saw that it had hurt her.

"I don't want…out of this," he clarified.

Grissom plopped down on the bed. "You have no idea how painful it was to see you…with him."

"Do you know how much it hurt to see you with Sofia? To see her hands all over you…I could…I could…"

"You could what?" asked Grissom, needing to know that she still loved and wanted him.

"I could have scratched her eyes out!" spat Sara.

Her answer gave him hope.

It made me ill," he offered hoping it would make her feel better.

"I'm glad. It was sickening to see how much she wanted you."

"I didn't want her," he insisted.

"And yet there you were...letting her...touch you."

"Sara..."

"Is your scar gone as well?"

He held out his palm.

"What does it mean?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted.

"Maybe we're not…mated…anymore," she whispered.

"Do you believe that?"

She rolled onto her side, too exhausted to talk or think anymore.

He was disappointed that she drifted back to sleep so quickly, not sure if she still wanted to be bound to him.

Doc woke from the chair he'd been sleeping in.

He watched as Grissom took Sara's hand into his.

"Do you think she's better?" Grissom whispered.

"Her color is better. How do you feel?"

Grissom glanced in his direction but said nothing.

"I'm worried about…you too," urged Doc.

"I don't know. I…I feel disjointed…disconnected…from her. I don't feel as connected…like before."

"How do you feel about being a father?" he asked.

"Which part? The fact that I have a son but have to share it with the very person who took our son from us or the fact that the mother of my child seems closer to…Darius than…me."

"Sara risked a lot in order to…"

"She didn't have to do that….to give herself…to him…for us."

"Be careful you're turning green with jealousy."

"I see the way he looks at her. He loves her…he's fallen," declared Grissom.

"Here we go again," sighed Doc. "Newsflash if being part angel makes you fallen then you as well as Sara are fallen."

She stirred slightly as she rolled to her side.

Grissom continued to hold her hand.

He leaned over and adjusted the covers as Darius stepped into the room.

He said nothing as he walked over to the other side of the bed and pulled down the covers.

"What are you doing?" seethed Grissom.

"I'm going to bed," he griped. "I'm tired."

"Not with her!" glared Grissom.

"Why not?" Darius griped. "We've been sleeping together for months."

"She's my….we're mates…that excludes you!" barked Grissom.

Darius snorted.

"What's so funny?" seethed Grissom.

"It must eat at you that she has feelings for me," he replied.

It did.

Every time he looked at Darius, he was reminded of the child they'd lost.

Sara stirred the moment she heard the baby cry.

Both men jumped to get the baby but the door opened and Brass appeared with the infant.

"I checked him. He's not wet or anything. Maybe he's hungry again," Brass stated as he gawked at Darius who sat on the other side of the bed.

"Jim, bring him here," Sara stated.

She managed to hold the baby in her arms.

The baby yawned and she smiled as she hummed softly watching the baby drift back to sleep.

"We'll have to come up with a name," whispered Grissom.

"Sara and I came up with a few names," announced Darius.

Grissom's face fell.

Darius chuckled as the baby kicked his feet.

"He used to kick Sara quite a bit. I'd rub her back trying to ease the pain."

The baby yawned again and Sara smiled as did Darius.

Sara caught Grissom's pained expression just as he turned around and stalked out of the room.

Her smile faded, her concern for Grissom apparent.

"Doc…is Grissom alright?"

Doc snarled at her. "No, he's not. He's spent the last several months mourning the death of his son!"

She didn't know how to respond to the comment but he did not stay to hear a response as he took out of the room.

Brass followed him.

Francis stood in the kitchen near the window. "He's in his study. He doesn't like to be disturbed when the door is shut."

Doc ignored the comment and stepped inside.

Grissom remained sitting on the couch.

The room was dimly lit by a small lamp.

"Gil, you should eat something," stated Doc softly.

"I'm not hungry," he said quietly.

"You should try to get some sleep," stated Brass.

Grissom nodded.

"I know you haven't been sleeping well. Do you want me to give you anything?" asked Doc.

He shook his head.

"Why don't I bring the bassinet in here?" offered Brass.

"Sara probably wants it in there…with her…and him," he gritted.

"Griss…it's your son," stated Brass.

Grissom stretched out on the couch. "Is he?" he asked bitterly. "She's shared him with...Darius...not me. I'd like to sleep now."

Doc closed the door.

"He's not dealing with this very well," whispered Brass.

"Can you blame him? We both know how hard it was for Grissom these past few months. Now...I think he doubts who is the father," admitted Doc.

"How can he doubt it? Sara was already pregnant!"

"Yeah, well this angel stuff changes the rules a bit."

Doc returned the bedroom and fumbled around inside his medical bag.

"Doc….where's Gil?" asked Sara, neding to know that he was alright.

Doc turned and jabbed a needle into Darius getting a sample of his blood.

"Ouch! That hurt!" snarled Darius.

"Get over it," barked Doc.

He then took a sample of Sara's.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Doc eyed her as he gently pricked the baby.

The baby whimpered slightly.

Sara swallowed. "He doesn't believe the baby is his."

"Both of you have had months to bond with this child while Grissom has been mourning the loss of his son….your first child, Sara."

"And you think I didn't?" she stiffened in disbelief.

Doc turned but then halted patting her leg. "I know you did. The difference is that Grissom hasn't stopped….while you've had this baby to ease the loss. He doesn't doubt it Sara. He just needs a little assurance. He needs to feel...like he's the father."

Doc glared at Darius but left without another word.

Grissom grumbled when the door reopened and Doc stepped back inside.

Grissom became alarmed when he felt the needle.

"Blood work," stated Doc. "You don't look well, Gil."

"I'm just tired," he managed to get out.

Doc shut the door once more.

"Why didn't you tell him what you're doing?" asked Brass.

"Because I'm not sure how Grissom is going to react if….the damn ritual…if that baby really indeed belongs to Darius."

Brass huffed, "That baby is Grissom's. Sara would never try to pull..." he stopped realizing Sara had indeed tried to pull such a thing.

"Darius is different," Brass finally said.

"I need to go to the lab to run these tests. If anything happens, give me a call," stated Doc.

Sara clutched the baby to her breast, watching the sleeping baby.

Darius sat on the edge of the bed as he watched the baby. "He's sleeping. I'll put him back in his bassinet."

He reached for the baby but she protested.

Darius yawned. "It's late, Sara. You need to rest."

"He's the only thing that kept me going. The pain of the miscarriage didn't hurt as much the moment I saw the positive pregnancy test."

"When we did the ritual, I saw…how much you grieved for the baby."

"Grissom grieved also," she cried. "He wanted the baby too."

"Are you trying to tell me to be a big boy and share?"

"This baby belongs to Grissom...and you."

Darius sighed. "You're trying to tell me...more him than me. He got to..." he stopped in time so that he would not get zapped.

He eyed her closely. "You're not sure…if you're bound to him anymore."

"I'm not sure about alot of things," she said quietly.

His fingers wiped at a few tears while he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

"Love is too complicated," he grumbled. "Carnal pleasure…that was the life. You just…." He bent over when the pain hit him.

"Darius!"

"Oh just great! I can't even talk about having a piece of…" he groaned once again.

"Maybe you shouldn't think of such things," she grinned.

"I'd had hundreds of years of…." He groaned once again.

"You should think about other things," she offered.

"Really? Like what?"

She held his hand. "Getting to know Frances. Learning how to be a watcher…an angel rather than a horny demon."

He burst out into laughter. "Sara Sidle…said something funny."

"I was trying to be serious," she protested lightly swiping her eyes.

"Not when you're trying to describe me," he chuckled.

He stretched out on the bed beside Sara.

"Darius, you can't sleep here," stated Sara softly.

"Ah, I was afraid you were going to say that. I like sleeping with you," he protested.

"This is Grissom's room," she said.

"So it's your bed…and his," he griped.

"His. I'm only borrowing it," she said sadly.

He sat up and looked at her. "We have to stay together until we know that it is safe."

"I know. I'm not going to do anything stupid."

"After this is over, do you intend to stay with Grissom?"

"i have an apartment. I only began staying here after...I miscarried," she said softly.

She rubbed her palm, not liking that the scar was gone. "My scar is gone."

Darius looked at his and sighed. "The Holy One still has me marked."

"I don't know...if we are bound anymore. There's no proof."

"You liked being bound to him," stated Darius.

"It's all I ever wanted."

"But Sara he did rejoin with you…granted you were sleeping but…say, did he have sex with you also or just the blood…"

She punched him and he flinched pretending it hurt but then grinned.

"Sara, he rejoined with you. So…why are you so glum?"

"He rejoined with me…but I don't feel any different. I don't feel connected to him," she wept.

"Oh, so since both of you are not jumping each other's bones you think you're not connected to him? Sara, you just had a small bowling ball come out your…" He doubled over when she hit him hard this time.

"Okay! There has got to be some rule here that if I can't harm or kill you then it should be the same for me. That hurt!" he griped.

"Sorry," she lamented.

"Even the Holy One didn't zap me for that comment," he added but then looked at her. "Say, it didn't hurt…not like before…maybe…" he stopped, reaching over to grab her swollen and engorged breast.

This time she let out a yelp, smacking his hand away as he groaned from the fire within his gut. "Just testing. You can't blame a fallen angel for trying," he groaned.

"Darius, for the last time you are not fallen and you can't grab women like that," she seethed.

"I don't…just you," he teased.

She huffed but he leaned over and gently kissed her on the cheek. "I'm sorry if that hurt."

"You're going to have to learn how to act around others," she stated matter of fact.

"Right," he muttered. "I don't belong around fallen angels or demons or humans."

"You belong…with us," said Sara.

"Oh it's getting too sappy in here," he said as he pretended to want to barf.

"Does this place have another bed?" he griped.

"Yes…but you'll have to share it with Francis," she stated.

"No way," he griped. "The old man can have the couch."

"Jim has the couch...Jim snores."

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek once more letting his forehead lay on hers. "I'm such a eunuch," he muttered.

She pulled him down, holding him briefly before releasing him.

He tried to hide his blush as he started to stand but she reached out and grabbed his hand. "I feel safe with you here."

He smiled slightly. "Glad to know I'm good for something."

"Could you bring the bassinet in here?"

Brass watched as the bassinet disappeared into the bedroom.

He scowled until Darius stepped out, looking rather grumpy.

"Where's the other bedroom?" he grumbled.

Brass pointed and he stepped inside.

He chuckled when he heard Francis and Darius fighting over the bed.

Note from author:

Moving on...about 3 or 4 chapters left.