(no subject)

[kieksterbanjo.livejournal.com]

Title: Fathers First
Rating: Chapter 24: PG13
Author: kieksterbanjo
Warnings: None
Summary: Fathers before anything else...Nick and Greg take on the challenge of raising children
Disclaimer: Would I like to own them? YES. But do I? Alas No. I would also like to make money from this and marry Benji Schwimmer from So You Think You Can Dance but one must live in the real world. *sigh*
A/N: Chapter 24 did not fit into one post....THIS IS PART 1

A/N: So are your arms tired? LOL. I apologize muchly for leaving you with a cliffhanger for so long. I hope I did the second part of this story line justice. Feedback would be much appreciated.

 

Chapter 24

 

            Nick discovered a long time ago that every single person has a tell for when their nervous. Normally it’s unconscious, people never know they do it. But they do. Sometimes it’s hard to pick out; sometimes it’s not. Greg’s was always easy to pick out. Greg’s hands would start to shake when he was nervous or stressed.

 

            As Nick’s eyes scanned the waiting room before him he could see these tells showing up in his coworkers. Warrick sat staring at the ground in front of his chair, slowly spinning his wedding ring around his finger. Catherine’s heel could be heard tapping against her metal chair leg. Sara was biting her fingernails and Grissom sat with his lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed, much like he would do looking at a particularly tricky piece of evidence.

 

            Nick had discovered his one-day and even though he was aware of it he couldn’t stop it. He wasn’t even sure why he did it and was almost certain it hadn’t been his before that night many years in the past. He looked down at his hands to find one scratching the back of the other. His nervous tell was scratching at bite marks that had long since disappeared.

 

            He sighed angrily at himself and separated his hands, running them roughly along his thighs to quell the urge to continue scratching. He looked up at the clock and sighed again. Should it be taking that long to do a C-section?

 

            As Nick contemplated that he felt a tug on his pant leg and turned to find Angelica looking up at him quizzically. She’d been changed out of her pajamas and was now wearing her jeans and proudly sporting her ‘First Time Big Sister’ t-shirt. It had been a tradition with each addition to the family. Aidan and Charlie each had a shirt with ‘First Time Big Brother’ written on the front. Greg and Nick felt it would help make them feel special and less like they were losing the title of baby of the family.

 

            Nick tried to smile down at his daughter but it came out more of a grimace and she looked up at him even more quizzically, “What’s up Jellie?” He asked softly.

 

            “Where Daddy?” She asked with a questioning shrug of her little shoulders.

 

            Nick sighed and pulled the little girl to sit on his knee, “Daddy’s helping bring your new siblings into the world Angelica.” He explained as basically as he could.

 

            “Are they here yet?” She asked.

 

            “Almost. One of them is here. You have a baby sister. Isn’t that exciting?” He smiled.

 

            Angelica was quiet for a moment, “Can I have juice?” She asked, seemingly uninterested in the news.

 

            Nick chuckled softly and kissed the top of her head softly, “Not right now baby girl. Maybe in a bit. We’ve got to wait for Daddy.”

 

            “Oday.” She sighed and slid off his knee to toddle back to the chair she was sharing with Charlie.

 

            Nick sighed again as he watched her go before once again looking up to check the clock. He heard movement in the hallway behind the closed waiting room door and turned sharply towards it, starting to get out of his seat. He saw out of the corner of his eye all his coworkers mirroring his actions.

 

            His anticipation depleted however when Bobby and Craig walked through the door and smiled at the group, “What did we miss?” Bobby asked before seeing the distraught looks on the faces before him.

 

            “What’s wrong?” Craig asked concerned.

 

-- -- --

 

            Greg walked down the hospital corridor almost like he was in a fog. The people around him seemed to be moving at normal speed but he felt like he was moving through sand. His eyes were downcast and the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other was a challenge.

 

            He absently adjusted the scrub top he wore by tugging at the hem but gave up after one tug because he couldn’t be bothered to pay much attention to it. Trusting his feet to take him where he needed to go without even being aware, he wasn’t even sure they were taking him in the right direction.

 

            As he looked up at the door his feet had stopped in front of he thought momentarily about giving his feet a medal. They’d never made that particular trek before but as if by magic they made it with almost no help from Greg himself.

 

            He drew in a big breath and prepared himself for what would meet him on the other side of that door, before pushing it open. As he stepped into the waiting room he took a moment to wonder where all the other families and friends were. Surely his weren’t the only ones waiting to hear news, but as he scanned the faces of the large number of people before him, they were all familiar. They were all his family.

 

            “Greg!” Greg jumped slightly at the call and turned to find himself enveloped in a hug by his mother and while it may not have been the hug he was looking for, he took it anyway and took comfort in his mother’s arms.

 

            Greg pulled back slightly after a minute or two and his mother let go of him reluctantly, but kept one of his hands in hers as he turned to the rest of the group, “How’d it go son?” His father asked placing a hand on his shoulder.

 

            Greg nodded slightly as he furrowed his eyebrows, “Well the C-section was…a success. He’s alive.” He announced.

 

            “Another boy to be just like you Greg?” Warrick cracked from somewhere in the group and while everyone gave a relieved chuckled, Greg’s eyebrows just furrowed more and he shook his head.

 

            “What’s wrong?” Catherine asked.

 

            “He’s alive…but,” Greg paused and looked like he almost didn’t know how to vocalize what he needed to say, “he’s underdeveloped. His lungs…and his heart. I don’t really know much right now, I have to go talk to Dr. Paul.”

           

            The room quieted to the point where you could hear a pin drop and it unnerved Greg, “Uhhh Greg I hate to interrupt but how’s Leighanne?”

 

            Greg turned to find Nate peeking out through the crowd looking extremely apologetic, “Oh no sorry.” Greg apologized, “She’s doing great. She’s in recovery. She’s been asking for you. Room 212.” Greg supplied.

 

            “Thanks. I…hope everything works out.” Nate said with a nod to the group before slipping out of the waiting room.

 

            “Do you have to talk to Dr. Paul right now Greg? You should eat something.” His mother offered running a hand down Greg’s arm.

 

            Greg shook his head and scanned the faces in the room for probably the eighteenth time, “I’m not hungry. Where’s Nick?” He asked confused about why he couldn’t see his husband’s face in the crowd.

 

            “He took the kids down the exam room to see their sister. I think he was getting a little anxious and the kids were getting restless.” His mother answered.

 

            Greg nodded, “I’m going to go find him and then go talk to Dr. Paul.” He paused and looked out at the crowd, “Thanks a lot for coming you guys I really appreciate it. I’m sure you all have stuff to do though so don’t feel obligated to stay, I’m sure it won’t be overly exciting from here on out.”

 

            The collective group nodded and some started to grab their coats, “Call us when you know something?” Catherine asked hugging Greg to her.

 

            “Of course.” Greg said with a nod and turned to his mother, “I’m sure you and Dad have other things to do. You don’t have to stay.”

 

            His father scoffed, “Do you think you could actually get your mother to leave right now?”

 

            Greg chuckled softly, “I guess you’re right.”

 

            His mother swatted her husband’s arm lightly, “Of course he is. Plus you’ll need someone to look after the kids while you and Nick handle what’s going on. Come on let’s go down to the exam room.”

 

-- -- --

 

            “She’s so little.”

 

            “You were that little when you were born too Charlie.”

 

            “No I wasn’t!” That and the sounds of giggles were what met Greg’s ears as he rounded the corner by the exam room.

 

            Charlie was in Nick’s arms, peering through the glass with a look of awed speculation while Angelica sat awkwardly yet securely on Aidan’s hip. It was a perfect picture and Greg hated to disrupt it.

 

            He cleared his throat and the group next to the window turned at once at the noise, “Greg.” Nick said in a breathy sigh of relief and was next to Greg in a second pulling the younger man into a hug, which Greg returned fiercely, simultaneously hugging Charlie between them, “How’d it go?” Nick asked once they pulled apart.

 

            “He’s alive.” Greg whispered softly and watched Nick’s face light up.

 

            “He’s a he? A boy?” He asked and Greg nodded slowly, “Oh my gosh that’s fantastic!” Nick exclaimed and Greg just cringed causing Nick to furrow his eyebrows, “Why aren’t you more happy about this?”

 

            “We’ve got to talk.” Was all Greg said.

 

            “About what?” Nick asked alarmed.

 

            “Uhhh before you do that we’re just going to take the kids for a snack.” Nick was startled by the voice and turned to find Christine Sanders walking slowly towards the group; Stephen Sanders, Greg’s father, behind her.

 

            Nick looked wide eyed at Greg, who stared back wordlessly, as Christine took Angelica from Aidan’s arms, “Come on Angelica we’ll grab a snack. Are you coming Charlie? Do you want a cookie?” She asked holding her hand out to the little boy who wiggled out of Nick’s arms and grabbed his grandmother’s hand excitedly.

 

            “Come on Aidan I’ll get you a root beer.” Stephen smiled gesturing for Aidan to follow them.

 

            Aidan stood quietly looking back and forth between his fathers and his grandpa, “I want to stay.” He said after a moment.

 

            “Aidan I think this is a conversation for just your Dad’s.” Stephen said, gesturing down the hall.

 

            “I want to know what’s going on with my brother!” Aidan said indignantly but softly enough to indicate he was trying not to be disrespectful.

 

            “Aidan I said let’s…”

 

            “Dad, he can stay.” Greg cut his father off with the quiet command, looking over his shoulder but not quiet making eye contact.

 

            He could see out of the corner of his eye his father nod and then turn to follow his mother down the hallway.

 

            “What’s going on Greg?” Nick asked as Greg walked to the window of the exam room and leaned against the edge.

 

            “Why is she only Baby Girl Sanders?” He asked softly.

 

            “Our lawyer is stuck in Pamona and can’t get the adoption papers finalized, but Leighanne’s did. So she’s Sanders for the time being. You’re the only one who’s legally responsible for her at the moment. Greg, tell me what’s going on.” Nick said laying a hand on Greg’s lower back.

 

            Greg sighed and shook his head, “It wasn’t the cord wrapped around his neck that was putting him into distress. He’s underdeveloped and wasn’t strong enough for the stress of labour.”

 

            “Underdeveloped how?” Nick asked.

 

            “They say it’s his lungs…and maybe his heart. I don’t know much we have to go talk to Dr. Paul. He’s in the NICU right now.” Greg explained.

 

            “Is he going to be okay?” Nick and Greg turned surprised at Aidan’s voice, almost forgetting he was still there.

 

            “We’ll know more after we talk to the doctor pal.” Nick said running a hand through Aidan’s hair. Aidan nodded and rested his arms on the window sill to look in on the babies in the exam room, “Come on. We should go talk to Dr. Paul and Aidan you should go to the cafeteria and get that root beer Papa promised you.” Nick suggested tilting his head down the hallway.

 

            Aidan and Greg stepped away from the window and the three started to walk down the hall, but Aidan stopped after a few steps and turned back to the window, “What’s wrong buddy?” Nick asked softly.

 

            Aidan hesitated before answering, “Will she be okay in there by herself?” He seemed both embarrassed by the question and by the fact that he so badly wanted to know the answer.

 

            Greg sighed and put his hands on Aidan’s shoulder, “She’s going to be fine. She’s not alone and we’ll see her really soon.”

 

            Aidan nodded and touched the glass lightly, “See you soon, Isabelle.” He said softly before following his fathers down the hallway.

 

TBC (Chapter too big for one post)