Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI.
Spoilers for Immortality!
While I LOVE that Sara and Grissom ended up together, I wondered what Sara might say to her godson about why she's leaving. Of course, since she loves Jackson and all her CSI family, I imagine she wouldn't want to stay away for long. Also, you don't have to read my story Where We Should Be, but I got the inspiration for part of this from that. Anyway, here's what I came up with. Hope you all enjoy...and pretty please review.
Sara loved visiting with her godson Jackson Sanders. No matter what she went through, professionally or personally, Jackson always seemed to know what to say to make her feel better. So before she joined Gil as he sailed to California, she had to tell Jackson. So the two were sitting in Jackson's room, looking at the stars Morgan hung on the ceiling for him.
"Aunt Sara," Jackson said. "Are you gonna come back?"
Sara smiled softly. "Of course I am. Your Uncle Nicky said he needs me to help run things at the lab. And your Uncle Gil has been talking to WLVU about teaching about bugs."
"Oh, cool!" Jackson said. Sara smiled at the little boy's comment, knowing he liked bugs almost as much as her husband.
Jackson thought for a moment. "You really gonna come back?"
Sara smiled softly at the little boy she adored. "Absolutely! Sweetie, I promise I'll come back."
Jackson looked at his favorite aunt. "Uncle D.B. got another job far away, an' now Mrs. Barbara stays more in Seattle. An' Auntie Finn not here."
"I know," Sara said as she took Jackson's hand. She knew he had far more upheaval in his life at age six than most had in many years. "But...I have to come back. You know why?" Jackson shook his head. "Because your daddy and Uncle Nicky need the help." She smiled softly as Jackson nodded. "And just think...your Aunt Catherine is here, and your grandpa appointed her as lab director. How bout that?"
"That is a very important job," Jackson said.
"Yeah, she's in charge of everybody at the lab. And she's got Maria and Elena. You meet them?"
Jackson nodded. "They're nice! They came over an' we played with Scruffy!"
Sara smiled. "That sounds like fun."
"Yeah!"
"And you know what else?" Sara asked. "Your Uncle Nicky has promised to watch Hank. So I know he's going to need some help. Think you and Scruffy can do that?"
Jackson smiled. "Yeah! Scruffy likes playing with Hank an' Sam!"
Sara laughed softly. "And Hank loves playing with them."
Jackson looked at his aunt. "You really going to come back?"
Sara sighed quietly as she looked in the sweet little boy's eyes. "I am. Because I love all my family here...and I really love you."
"I really love you, Aunt Sara." Jackson hugged her, and Sara cradled the sweet little boy and kissed his forehead.
When they pulled away, Sara smiled softly. "You know what? I'm going to send you lots of e-mails and cards, so we'll be in touch. That okay?"
"Yeah!" Jackson happily said. "An' I take good care of Hank with Uncle Nicky!"
"I know you will, honey. And when I get back, you and your daddy might even go on a bug hunt with Uncle Gil."
Jackson smiled softly. He really was going to miss Sara, but liked that she said she'd come back.
The next day, Greg, Morgan, Jackson and Scruffy were at Nick's house. They loved watching the dogs play in the backyard.
When the dogs took a break to drink some water, Jackson sat on the patio. Hank sat down next to Jackson and the little boy petted the dog. "Don't worry, Hank. Aunt Sara said she's gonna go away with Uncle Gil, but it just for a while."
Greg smiled softly. "She'll come back, Jacks."
"Yeah," Jackson said softly. "My Nana an' Papa an' Great Greta come visit an' go 'way, but they always come back."
"Just like they said, right?" Morgan asked.
"Yeah!"
Just then, Nick's cell phone chimed. He put the phone up to his ear. "Stokes." He smiled softly. "He's right here. Jackson?"
"For me?" Jackson asked. Nick nodded as he handed him the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey!" A familiar voice said.
Jackson's eyes lit up and he smiled. "Aunt Sara!"
Sara's soft laugh carried through the phone. "Hi, sweetie! How are you?"
"Good! We're here with Hank! He misses you. Say hi!" Jackson showed the phone to the dog, who sniffed it. Jackson and everyone smiled.
"You're taking good care of him, right?" Sara asked.
"Oh, yeah!" Jackson said as he put the phone back on his ear. "Hank an' Scruffy an' Sam played together, an' we had fun!"
"Aw, that's great," Sara said. "Tell them I miss them."
"I will! An' guess what! My teacher said I have good handwriting! An' I got a good grade on my math worksheet, too!"
"Oh, wonderful!" Sara said with a smile. As happy as she was in her second chance with Grissom, she missed everyone in Vegas...especially Jackson.
"Aunt Sara, when you come back, can we go to the park again?" Jackson asked.
"Sure," Sara said with a smile. "And maybe you and your daddy can help your Uncle Gil look for bugs."
"Yeah!" Jackson said excitedly.
"Well, tell your daddy and mama and Uncle Nicky I miss them, okay?"
"I will! She says she misses you!" Jackson told them.
"And I miss you most of all," Sara said honestly.
Jackson smiled happily. "I miss you more! I drew you a picture of a bird we saw the other day that was so pretty! I gonna give it to you when you come back!"
"Okay! And we'll draw some more pictures together, okay?"
"Yeah!" Jackson blew Sara a kiss.
"Whoa!" Sara said. "I caught that! And I feel your big hug!"
Jackson's eyes widened and he smiled. "You do?! I just sent you a big one, cause I miss you! An' tell Uncle Gil I gonna send him one, too!"
"Okay! I gotta go, but I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay! I miss you!"
Sara smiled. "I miss you, too. And I'll see you in a few weeks, okay?"
Jackson smiled widely. "Okay! I love you!"
"Aw, I love you, sweetie."
They said goodbye and Jackson handed the phone to Nick. "She's gonna call back! An' she got my hug!"
Greg lifted his happy son into a hug. "She did?"
"Yeah! She's gonna come back soon! An' daddy, she said we can take Uncle Gil on a bug hunt!"
Greg and everyone laughed softly. "Well, that's a good idea."
Jackson smiled and hugged his father. He really missed his Aunt Sara, but knew she'd come back.
The End.