Jackson's my original character, but I don't own CSI.

This story came about because I was fascinated by sign language when I was little, and I thought it might be interesting to see how Jackson would react to meeting Sara's mother-in-law, who's deaf. So, here's what I came up with. Hope you all enjoy...and review!

Jackson Sanders wasn't too happy about having to dress up, but he was happy about seeing Sara and spending time with her. She was invited to a small open-house party given by her mother-in-law, Betty Grissom. Sara asked if she could bring Greg and Jackson, and Betty agreed, happy to meet the little boy who Sara had bragged so much about.

Walking between Sara and Greg, Jackson looked all around at the grown-ups who were using their hands to talk. "Aunt Sara, what are dey doing with dere hands?"

"That's called sign language," Sara explained. "That's how they talk."

"Why don't they just use their voices?" Jackson asked.

"Because they're deaf," Greg explained to his son. "They can't hear, so they use their hands to talk to each other."

At that moment, Sara saw Betty and smiled. Betty hugged Sara and thanked her for coming. She signed to Greg, who smiled at the mother of his mentor.

"She says, 'good to see you again'," Sara interpreted.

"Thank you," Greg said as he signed the phrase.

Betty looked down and smiled at the curious little red-haired boy watching her. She signed 'hello' to him.

Sara watched as Betty signed. "You must be Jackson," she said as Betty signed. "You're a very handsome boy."

Jackson smiled, and repeated the sign for 'thank you' that he saw his father give to Betty. She smiled, and signed to Sara.

"I think he knows a little sign language from TV," Sara explained and signed.

Jackson tugged on Betty's pant leg. "Do you use your hands to talk, too?"

Sara interpreted to Betty. She smiled, and signed while Sara interpreted. "Yes. I can't hear like you can. So I use my hands to talk to everyone."

"Oh," Jackson said. "I sorry you can't hear."

Betty smiled and signed 'thank you' to the sweet boy. She continued to sign and Sara interpreted for her. "You are a very thoughtful young man."

"Thank you," Jackson said and signed. "But you can do some things I can't do, right?"

"Yes," Betty signed. "And you can hear and play and run better than I can, right?"

Jackson giggled. "Yep!"

Betty introduced Greg, Jackson and Sara to her friends who were at the party, and Jackson loved being the center of attention. Julia Holden, whom Sara met two years ago as an ex-girlfriend of her husband and dear friend of Betty, enjoyed talking to Jackson and showing him the signs for words he wanted to know like 'butterfly' and 'baseball'.

Greg was talking to Julia and her interpreter while Jackson and Sara chatted with Betty. Julia smiled as she saw Greg's son learning signs with her good friend. Tapping Greg on the shoulder, she said, "He's adorable."

"Thank you," Greg signed with a smile. Watching his son practice sign language with Sara, Greg turned to Julia and said, "I love how he is so curious about everything. He's amazing."

Julia was about to respond when Jackson ran up and climbed in his father's arms. "Daddy, look!" He said excitedly. "Look what Mrs. Grissom showed me!" He signed the word 'father'. "See, that means 'daddy'!"

"Yeah, that's cool!" Greg said, smiling at his proud son. "Good job, Jacks!"

"An' dis," he signed the phrase, "means 'I love you'!"

Greg smiled warmly at his son. "Aw! I love you too!"

Julia gestured to a nearby chair so Greg and Jackson could sit down. "You are a very smart little man," she signed to him as her interpreter spoke.

Jackson signed 'thank you' to her, and she smiled and thanked him. She signed to Greg, and her interpreter said, "You have a very smart little boy."

"Thank you," Greg said as he hugged Jackson close.

Jackson enjoyed practicing sign language with Greg and Sara, and loved when Betty complimented him on his good signing.

"Daddy, I can sign!" Jackson said proudly.

Greg and Sara smiled. "Yeah, you can," Greg said.

Betty signed and Sara interpreted, "I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you!" Jackson signed and said with a smile.

The End.