Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI or Rudolph or Frosty.
I will post a new chapter for "Jackson's Family Christmas" soon, but I couldn't resist this one! :)
Some spoilers for 14x11, "The Lost Reindeer." Sara and Henry weren't in this episode, but I thought Jackson would like to see them here. Also, I loved Terri Royce, the lab's new chemist in the episode "Under A Cloud," so I thought I'd include her here.
Well, this one just had to be written. Since Greg has Jackson, I wondered what he might tell him after the events in "The Lost Reindeer." I figured he'd want to shield his son from the details of the case, then I had an idea: what if D.B., Nick, and everyone helped Greg with a little Christmas surprise for Jackson? So here's what I came up with. Hope you all enjoy, pretty please review, and hope everyone has a great holiday season!
Jackson Sanders walked hand-in-hand with his father Greg through the lab, chatting happily about his day. No matter what Greg endured on the job, Jackson made everything worthwhile. Seeing Jackson so innocent and happy - especially after the case he and the team just closed - gave Greg a deep sense of gratitude.
"Daddy, did you know dat some places have snow for Christmas?" Jackson asked.
"I did. When I was about your age, we went to visit your great-uncle Pete in Minnesota, and I got to build a snowman."
"Whoa! Like Frosty?"
Greg laughed softly. "Kind of, only mine didn't come to life."
Terri Royce, the lab's new chemist who'd worked with Greg before, rounded the corner. "Hey, Greg! Is this Jackson?"
"Yeah, this is him. Jacks, this is Terri. She's the new chemist."
Jackson smiled at Terri. "Hi."
"Hi. You are so handsome, just like your daddy."
Jackson smiled and Greg blushed slightly. "Thank you," Jackson said. "You have a cool accent."
Terri smiled. "Well, thank you. I'm from New Orléans." She smiled at Greg. "I heard about your case."
"Yeah," Greg said with a sigh. "I wonder why Russell asked me to bring him after..." he looked at Jackson, who was curiously looking at his daddy. "I want to keep the psychological scarring to a minimum," Greg whispered to Terri.
Jackson wondered why Greg whispered to Terri. Just then, Nick rounded the corner and smiled when he saw Greg and Jackson.
"Hey," Nick said as Jackson rushed into his arms for a hug. Nick winked at Greg, then turned to Jackson. "Your Uncle D.B. has a surprise for you."
"A surprise for me?"
"Mm-hmm. Can you and your daddy come to the garage?"
Jackson nodded as Greg took his hand. Nick smiled at Jackson. "You been getting ready for Christmas?"
"Yeah! Daddy an' me, we saw Santa!"
Greg and Nick shared a grimace when they thought of their most recent case. As they approached the garage, D.B. smiled at the three. "Hey!"
"Hi, Uncle D.B.!"
"You know what? We had some special help with our case. And when I told him about you, he wanted to meet you."
"Who?" Jackson asked.
Sara smiled at her godson. "Russell, they're ready."
"Hi, Aunt Sara!" Jackson rushed to hug her. Sara hugged the innocent little boy. "Greg, you might want to hold him."
Greg lifted Jackson in his arms as Jackson wondered what Sara was talking about. Greg carried him into the garage and saw two animal handlers...and the "help" they had on their case.
Jackson gasped softly when he saw the reindeer in the lab's garage. "Oh!" he said softly.
"I asked the zoo to let us have him for a little while, before they keep him," D.B. softly told Greg.
Greg barely nodded. He was too happy watching Jackson look at the reindeer with wonder.
"Daddy, dat a real reindeer?"
"Yeah."
"Jackson, this is Dasher. He helped with our case," D.B. told Jackson. "And I thought you might want to see him before he goes back to the North Pole."
"Oh!" Jackson whispered. "He so big!"
Greg laughed softly. "Yeah." Holding Jackson, he walked closer to the reindeer.
"You can pet him if you want," the female zookeeper told him.
"Just be very gentle," Greg told Jackson.
Jackson petted the reindeer's head, and the animal happily relaxed. "Hi, reindeer," he whispered in wonder.
Greg rubbed the reindeer's head. "Hi, Dasher."
"Daddy, he came all da way from da North Pole just to see me?"
"Yeah," Greg said with a warm smile. "Isn't he cool?"
"Very cool! An' he work wif Santa!"
Everyone smiled as the little boy met the reindeer. After the case, seeing Jackson innocently chat with the reindeer about Christmas made everyone happy.
"Are you gunna fly to my house?" Jackson asked.
Greg smiled. "Maybe he will. We should leave him some extra carrots, huh?"
"Yeah! He an' da udder reindeer might need a break."
Some of the grown-ups softly laughed. The other zookeeper got a carrot. "Would you like to give him a carrot?"
Jackson nodded and took the carrot. The reindeer sniffed and ate the carrot right out of Jackson's hand. The little boy giggled. "Daddy, did you see dat?"
"I did," Greg said, happily watching his son watch the reindeer.
Jackson petted the reindeer. "You so pretty! I bet Santa takes good care of you an' all your friends."
"Yeah," Greg said softly. "And he just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas."
"Aw," Jackson said. He blew the reindeer a kiss. "I hope you have a Merry Christmas, too."
Greg loved seeing Jackson so happy and innocent. He never knew someone could make him so happy.
Morgan, Hodges, Henry, Finn, Brass, Doc Robbins and Super Dave all watched the little boy with the reindeer. Jackson gazed at the animal, so thrilled to see a real reindeer and so excited for Christmas.
"Dasher, don't forget to tell Santa dat I want a new football, so I can play wif my daddy an' Uncle Nicky." Jackson rubbed the reindeer's head and the reindeer happily relaxed.
Greg kissed Jackson's cheek, so thrilled to share the moment with his son. He knew Jackson would remember this all his life.
"Oh," Jackson said. "Don't forget, I gave Santa my list, but I fink my nana an' papa need some extra gas, cause dey gunna come visit me!"
"And you want them to get here safe, right?" Greg asked.
"Yeah, an' I want da reindeer to get back to Santa safe. So you be careful going back to Santa's house!" He gently patted the reindeer's head.
"Well, we've got to get him ready for his trip," the female zookeeper said.
Jackson smiled. "Be sure he has lots of carrots, cause he might get hungry an' it a long trip!"
"We will," the other keeper said with a small laugh.
"An' tell him to be nice to Rudolph, cause he has to lead all da other reindeer!"
The reindeer seemed to nod as the keepers lead him to their truck. Greg couldn't help but laugh softly. "I think he knows how important all the reindeer are."
"Yeah," Jackson said with a smile. "An' he gotta help lead Santa's sleigh! So he gotta get some rest!"
Greg smiled softly and rested his forehead on Jackson's. "Yeah. And you've got to be good, because Santa's watching, right?"
"Right!" Jackson smiled as the keepers led the reindeer to the truck. "An' dey better be careful!"
"We will, honey," the female keeper said. "And we've got some extra food for his trip."
Jackson smiled and waved as the reindeer boarded the truck. "Bye-bye, Dasher! Have a happy merry Christmas!"
"Bye-bye," Greg said with a warm smile. He loved seeing Jackson so innocent and happy.
Jackson smiled as he watched the reindeer leave. He didn't know anything about the case his father just worked - he just loved Christmas and loved seeing a real reindeer.
"Daddy, is he gunna tell Santa about me?"
Greg smiled warmly. "Sure. I think he's going to tell Santa he met the sweetest little boy ever, and Santa should be nice to you."
Jackson smiled. "How did Santa's reindeer get all da way here?"
Greg hesitated, and D.B. said, "I asked him that. He said he was investigating something here for Santa. And he thought we needed some help here, so he offered to help."
"Oh," Jackson said with a smile. "Dat's very nice of him."
"And I think Santa knows you're a great kid," Nick said.
Greg smiled at his son and extended family. "He wanted to wish you a merry Christmas, Jacks."
Jackson laughed softly. "Wow! An' Santa gunna come see me! Dis is gunna be da bestest Christmas ever!"
Greg and everyone smiled, and Jackson had the biggest smile of all. "Yeah," Greg said as he kissed Jackson's cheek. "Best one ever. I love you, Jacks."
"I love you, too. An' happy merry Christmas, daddy!"
The End.