Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI or Sid The Science Kid.
Season finale tonight! So excited for season 15!
Someone suggested I write another story with Morgan and Jackson, then I got an idea...in "Willows In The Wind," Catherine and Morgan were in the diner, and Morgan said she'd treat next time. So I thought it would be cool for Morgan, Jackson and Catherine to have lunch together. This does contain mild spoilers for the first part of season 14. And...enough rambling! Hope you enjoy, and please review!
Catherine Willows loved being back in Vegas, even if just briefly, after two years with the FBI. She'd invited Nick to train with the feds in Quantico, and he'd just come back after five weeks away. So she thought she'd surprise her family and friends in Vegas.
One person she loved seeing again was Jackson Sanders, Greg's four-year-old son. She was right when she told Nick he couldn't be too sad with him around. So when Jackson's adopted mother Morgan invited Catherine to lunch with her and Jackson, Catherine happily agreed. She really loved seeing Jackson again, and hadn't had much of a chance to see Morgan.
Jackson and Morgan looked over the menu at the restaurant while they waited. "Mama, do dey have chocolate milk?"
"Yeah," Morgan pointed to the beverage section. "See?"
Jackson smiled, then looked up to see Catherine come in. He jumped off the booth and rushed up to her. "Aunt Catrin!"
Catherine smiled when she saw the sweet little boy. "Hi, sweetie!" She smiled as Jackson hugged her. "How are you?"
"I good! An' dey got chocolate milk!"
"Oh, that's very good." Catherine smiled when she saw Morgan. "Hey! I didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?"
"No, not at all," Morgan said as she hugged her former colleague. "Great to see you!"
"You too!"
Jackson pulled Catherine to the table. "I wanna show you sumfin!"
"You do?" Catherine smiled and sat down as Jackson showed her his drawing.
"Dis for you! It a picture of you an' me, an' we play with Uncle Nicky's doggie!"
"Wow!" Catherine smiled as she looked at the drawing. "This is very good!"
"Thank you," Jackson said with a soft giggle. The waitress took their orders and Jackson happily chatted with his mama and Aunt Catherine.
"Aunt Catrin, did you know dat Uncle Doc has a kitty?"
"I did," Catherine said as she sipped her iced tea. "And your daddy says you like to play with her."
"Yeah! Her name is Cinder, an' she can jump high! An' one time, daddy an' me check on her when Uncle Doc an' Aunt Judy went to...um, mama, where dey go?"
"Parumph, to visit Judy's aunt."
"Oh, yeah. An' Cinder took a nap!"
"Well, she sounds like a cool cat," Catherine said with a warm smile.
"Oh, Jackson adores her," Morgan said. "And he helped take care of Nick's dog while he was away."
"Yeah!" Jackson said proudly. "Sam let me take him for a walk, an' a squirrel almost dropped a nut on his an' Hank's heads!"
Catherine couldn't help but laugh. "Well, it sounds like you have a lot of cool family and friends."
"Yeah! An' I love my preschool! I got lots of friends. Da udder day, me an' daddy went to my friend Ben's birthday party. I got to roller skate!"
"You did?"
"Greg did too," Morgan said with a soft laugh. "He came home and soaked in a hot bath afterwards."
"Yeah," Jackson said. "Me an' daddy fall down, but we get back up!"
"Well, that's very important," Catherine said with a warm smile.
As the waitress brought their food, Jackson looked up at Catherine. "Aunt Catrin, can I draw you a picture?"
Catherine smiled warmly. "That's so sweet. I'd love that, honey."
"Eat your lunch first, sweet pea," Morgan said.
They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. After a few moments, Catherine tentatively asked Morgan, "How are you?"
Morgan sighed quietly. "I'm better...really."
Catherine smiled sadly. "I sent Jim some flowers. I know he's always loved her and she's always...well..." She shook her head when she thought of her old friend and the daughter he never stopped trying to help.
Nodding, Morgan said, "He came over after I got out of the hospital. He said I shouldn't blame myself because he doesn't blame me."
"That's good," Catherine said with a deep sigh. "I used to wonder how someone could have so much hate and anger."
"Have you talked to Jim?"
Catherine nodded. "Yeah. He's healing. I know he'll always love Ellie, but..." She sighed sadly. "Jim once told me Ellie gave up on herself long before he ever did, but I think he always loved her."
Morgan nodded and looked away. "It helps knowing Jim doesn't blame me." She smiled softly at the little boy eating his lunch, unaware of the hell his mom went through because of Jim's daughter. Morgan nodded to Jackson. "He's helped more than anything."
Catherine smiled warmly at the little boy. "Greg said he's been helping take care of you."
Nodding, Morgan smiled softly. "Yeah. He made me some peanut butter sandwiches and read me stories. He's reading really well."
"Aunt Catrin," Jackson asked, "Did you know my mama got a owie?"
"I did," Catherine said. "But I'm glad she's all better."
Jackson smiled. "Yeah, she all better. My daddy an' me, we take good care of her!"
"You sure do," Morgan said with a warm smile.
Catherine smiled warmly. She'd watched Greg grow up, and knew he was in love with Morgan from the first time he saw her. And she'd known Morgan since the CSI was a little girl, and loved seeing the happy family she and Greg had with Jackson.
"You know what, Jackson?" Catherine asked. "I first met your mama when she was a little bit bigger than you."
"You did?" Jackson asked as he sipped his chocolate milk.
"Yeah. She would sometimes come by the lab, visit with her dad and some of the scientists..."
Morgan nodded. "And I always loved to learn about science, just like you."
Jackson smiled widely. "Cool! I went to da lab, an' I saw Papa Eckie. An' he show me a picture of mama when she was little. She lost a tooth, jus' like Katie did!"
"Oh, D.B.'s daughter and her family came to visit over Christmas," Morgan explained. "And Katie...you remember his granddaughter Kaitlyn?"
Catherine nodded. "Yeah, I met them at his birthday party last year."
"Katie my friend," Jackson said. "She showed me da hole in her mouth where her tooth was!"
"Wow!" Catherine said with a soft laugh.
"Yeah," Jackson said. "She couldn't come to my birthday party, cause she in Seattle. But she sent me a present an' a big hug!"
"Aw, that sounds like a very good friend."
"Yeah! An' did you know dat Uncle Super Dave an' Aunt Amy have a baby?"
"I did," Catherine said with a warm smile. "I got to meet little Joshua when I came to your birthday party."
"Jackson adores him," Morgan said. "He helped when Greg and I offered to babysit a while back, and he was a very good helper."
"Yeah," Jackson said. "An' Joshua took a nap an' play with my toy kitty, an' he poop!"
Catherine and Morgan couldn't help but laugh. "Wow!" Catherine said.
"And Greg and I are thinking about giving Jackson a sibling," Morgan said softly. "Greg's already an awesome dad." She smiled thinking of her husband and son.
Catherine smiled softly and took Morgan's hand. "Sounds like you're already an awesome mom," she said as she gestured to the little boy happily eating his lunch.
Morgan smiled as she looked at the sweet little boy. "I love him so much, and Greg too. They're both amazing."
Knowing Greg and Morgan had been through so much and grew up over the years made Catherine smile with love and pride. Seeing them as a loving family, Catherine knew they belonged together.
Jackson saw Catherine smile at Morgan. "Aunt Catrin, did you know Lindsey came over to see me?"
"Yeah, she said she had a day off from school."
"Lindsey is nice. She colors with me an' she likes Sid too!"
"Sid The Science Kid," Morgan said to Catherine. "It's one of his favorite shows."
Catherine smiled. "She said Jackson's a junior scientist."
Jackson smiled. "An' she an' Charlie play with me."
"Oh, yeah," Catherine said with a warm smile. Lindsey told her about seeing D.B.'s son when she stayed with Jackson.
Morgan couldn't help but smile, thinking of how Jackson brought together D.B.'s son and Catherine's daughter. "Yeah, they get along great. And Jackson's promised to invite them over to see planets sometime."
"Yeah!" Jackson happily said. "My nana an' papa gave me a play tent for my room. Mama hung some stars, an' Charlie say he gunna help me look for, um...mama, what dat planet called?"
"Venus?"
"Oh, yeah. An' Lindsey can come too. My daddy can make us all some hot chocolate wif extra marshmallows."
Catherine laughed softly and smiled, thinking of her family in Vegas and how Jackson loved everyone. "Well, it sounds like you have some great friends."
Jackson smiled. "I got great friends an' da bestest family! I love my mama an' daddy!"
"I love you, sweet pea," Morgan said softly.
"An' I glad you could come to my party, Aunt Catrin!"
"So am I," Catherine said honestly. Seeing the sweet little boy who just loved his family and friends gave Catherine a sense of joy. "I am so glad you guys invited me to lunch. I can't believe how big you've grown, Jackson."
"I tall!" Jackson said. "I tall, like my daddy. An' he say I still growing!"
"Yes, you are. And I know he loves every single moment he gets to spend with you."
"Yeah! I love my daddy!"
Morgan smiled warmly. Knowing how much Greg wished he could have been there when Jackson was born, but relished having custody and not taking anything for granted, she loved her family with Greg.
Catherine smiled softly as she saw Morgan watching Jackson. Clearing her throat, she said softly, "You are his mother, you know."
Morgan smiled warmly and nodded. "I know. And I love him."
Tentatively taking Morgan's hand, Catherine said, "I, uh...I saw Riley a few months ago."
Morgan's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yeah," Catherine said. Looking at the beautiful child, she said, "She's okay. She seemed...at peace, I guess. And she knows Jackson's fine and she did the right thing for him."
A warm smile crossed Morgan's face as she watched the sweet little boy, eating his lunch and chatting with his mama and aunt. Knowing what a wonderful person Greg is and how loving Jackson is, Morgan couldn't understand why Riley kept them apart. But she knew Greg couldn't hate Riley...she did give birth to and give Greg full custody of his son. "I can't understand why she didn't..." She smiled when Jackson looked up and smiled at her.
Catherine smiled warmly. "He's where he should be...with his dad and mom."
Morgan smiled warmly at Jackson and nodded, knowing Catherine was right. Jackson practically adopted her the moment they met, and he and Greg were each other's world. Jackson looked up and smiled at Morgan, and her heart filled with joy. Knowing Riley understood that Jackson was where he belonged and he and Greg adored each other, Morgan knew everyone was where they should be.
Catherine smiled, thinking of her Vegas family and how far they'd come. "You know what, Jackson? We've got a pretty cool family."
Jackson's smile widened. "Yeah! We have da bestest!"
"And you know what?" Morgan asked Jackson. "We love Aunt Catherine too."
"Yeah!"
"I love you all too," Catherine said. She smiled as Jackson climbed off his chair and into her lap. "And I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you, Aunt Catrin! An' I love mama an' daddy, an' Uncle Nicky an' Aunt Sara, an' everybody in my family!"
"Well, they are very lucky to have you, Jackson." Catherine hugged the happy child and smiled when she saw Morgan watching them and smiling warmly. "You have a great family."
"Dad said I figured out this is a family my first day here," Morgan said. "And he's right."
"Aunt Catrin, did you know Papa Eckie gave me a book about butterflies?" Jackson asked.
"He did?" Catherine smiled as Jackson nodded.
"Yeah! An' da udder day, we saw one in da park. I fink it was a monarch, cause it was orange, like da ones Uncle Nicky an' Uncle Gil show me."
"Wow!" Catherine said with a warm smile. "Speaking of...I haven't gotten much of a chance to talk to Sara since..."
Morgan nodded. "She's okay. Still hope they can get back together...we'll see."
The waitress brought the ticket and Morgan quickly grabbed it. "I've got it this time, remember?"
Catherine smiled. "I do." Smiling at the sweet little boy in her lap, Catherine said, "When I left Vegas to work in Washington DC, your mama and I had dinner."
"And your Aunt Catrin paid," Morgan said with a nod.
"She did? Dat's very nice, mama," Jackson said.
"Yeah," Morgan said. "So I think it's only fair if you and I treat her this time."
Jackson smiled at Catherine. "Do you like your lunch treat, Aunt Catrin?"
Catherine smiled warmly at the sweet little boy. "I do...but I love you more."
"I love you!" Jackson said as he hugged Catherine.
"Aw, I love you, honey," Catherine said.
Morgan watched Jackson and Catherine, feeling blessed that she really was okay. Morgan and Catherine agreed to meet with Greg before Catherine had to return to Virginia.
"Aunt Catrin, I glad you could come to my party," Jackson said with a wide smile.
Catherine smiled at the sweet little boy. "So am I, honey. And I'm glad your mama's okay." Smiling at Morgan, she said, "I really am."
"Thank you," Morgan said honestly. Smiling at Jackson, she said, "I think we need to treat Aunt Catherine more often."
"Yeah!" Jackson happily agreed.
Catherine smiled as she watched Morgan and Jackson. Seeing the young woman with her and Greg's son filled her with joy and pride. She really loved her job with the FBI, but she missed and loved her family in Vegas. Knowing how much Greg, Morgan and Jackson adored each other, Catherine knew they were in a good place.
Jackson smiled at Catherine. "I glad you could come. My daddy loves seeing you."
"So do I," Morgan said with a smile.
Catherine smiled warmly. "So am I."
The End.