Jackson is my original character, but that's all I own.
Yesterday was my sister's birthday, today is Elisabeth Harnois' birthday...thought it might be cool to celebrate both with a new story :)
I started thinking about how much I really liked the friendship between Greg and Sofia. Since I mentioned in my story, "Memories And Ice Cream," that Greg, Jackson and Sofia agree to meet for lunch, I wondered what that lunch might have been like. So, of course, I had to write it! And...enough rambling! Hope you all enjoy...and please, pretty please review!
Jackson sat with his father Greg at their kitchen table as Morgan prepared some sandwiches for lunch. They'd invited their friend, Deputy Chief Sofia Curtis, to lunch. Jackson had met the former CSI and detective before, and liked her even more when he learned she'd known Morgan since she was a little girl.
"Daddy, is she gunna like my drawing?" Jackson asked as he and Greg drew pictures.
"I think she'll love it," Greg said, smiling as he watched his son color.
The doorbell rang and Morgan went to answer it...only to see Jackson jump out of his chair and run to the door.
"Who is it?" Jackson called.
"It's me," Sofia answered. Jackson smiled as Morgan helped him open the door. He smiled up at Sofia.
"Hi! I 'member you!" Jackson said.
"Yeah," Sofia said with a smile. She hugged Morgan as she came in. "Thank you for inviting me."
"Oh, it's our pleasure," Morgan said. She pulled away and Greg hugged his former colleague.
"Glad you could come," Greg said.
Jackson watched as his parents hugged and greeted Sofia. He'd only met her a few times, but he knew she was good friends with his father and mother.
Sofia smiled at Jackson. "Are we going to have chocolate ice cream?"
"Yeah!" Jackson said happily. "We gunna hab sammiches too!"
"We are? That sounds good."
"Yeah!" Jackson smiled. He rushed to the table. "I got sumfin' for you!"
Sofia raised her eyebrows as her friends grinned. "You do?"
"Uh-huh." Jackson happily showed her the drawing he'd been working on. "I drew dis! It got pretty flowers an' bugs!"
Sofia smiled and looked at the colorful drawing. It had flowers and clouds and several colors. "Oh, how pretty! Did you draw this yourself?"
"Yeah!" Jackson said proudly. "I like to draw wif my daddy, but I drew dat all by myself! An' lookit..." Jackson pointed to some spots of yellow, orange and black. "I drew you bumblebees, 'cause dey help da flowers, an' butterflies, 'cause I like dem!"
"Wow," Sofia said softly. "That's beautiful...and you're smart."
Jackson giggled and smiled up at Sofia. "Thank you!"
The friends enjoyed their lunch and enjoyed the company more. Jackson enjoyed talking to Sofia about his family at the lab, spending time with Nick's dog and Doc Robbins' cat, playing with his friends at preschool, and anything else he thought of.
Morgan and Greg enjoyed catching up with Sofia as well. Morgan knew her since she was little, and Greg grew as a CSI alongside her.
"So Morgan," Sofia began, "Vegas agrees with you."
Morgan smiled. "Yeah. I found a family here." She smiled warmly at Greg and Jackson. "And the team is great."
Sofia nodded. "Russell thinks very highly of you both, and of everyone on the team."
"What's dat mean?" Jackson asked.
"It means that your Uncle D.B. likes us very much," Greg said.
"Oh, dat's good," Jackson said. "He nice. I like him."
Sofia smiled at the sweet boy. "Has he found anymore bugs in his bathroom?" Sofia remembered Jackson telling her about when they found a bug and D.B. let it go in the backyard.
"Nope," Jackson said. "De udder day, when I was at Mrs. Barbara's we talked to Katie on da sky."
"Skype," Morgan whispered. "Yeah, Jackson's been good friends with Russell's granddaughter for quite a while."
"Yeah! Her name is Katie, an' we had high tea...dat's tea wif cookies!"
"Oh, my," Sofia said with a warm smile.
"Sofia, did you know someone try to hurt Katie?" Jackson asked.
Sofia nodded, remembering the turmoil the department went through when McKeen tried to stay in power from behind bars. "I heard someone tried to hurt her."
"An' dey hurt Papa Eckie, but he okay."
Morgan nodded, remembering how scared she was when her father was shot right in front of her. "Yeah, it was scary, wasn't it?"
Jackson nodded. "I was scared, but Katie okay, an' so is Papa Eckie!"
"Yeah," Greg agreed. "Jacks and I were worried about everyone, but they're all okay. And Katie and her mom even came back for Jackson's birthday."
"Yeah, an' dey gave me a basketball!"
"Wow!" Sofia said with a smile. "I heard Russell's son plays college ball."
"Yeah," Jackson said. "An' he play wif me, too!"
"Jacks loves to play basketball with Charlie," Greg said, smiling as his son chatted away.
"Yeah, an' I like to play ball wif my daddy!"
"I'll bet," Sofia said with a warm smile. She wasn't part of Grissom's team long, but she did form strong friendships with Greg and everyone. And she relished seeing Greg and Morgan with Jackson.
"Sofia, do you still work wif Uncle Jim?" Jackson asked.
"Yeah, I sure do."
"I like him, he nice!" Jackson said with a smile.
Sofia smiled. She knew Jim was closer to the team than he'd ever been with his family, and she imagined Jim would love being a doting uncle. "Do you like to visit your Uncle Jim?"
"Uh-huh. He alway hab chocolate milk when I come over."
"And Nick and Sara are starting to keep some in their fridges, too," Greg added.
"Yeah! Uncle Nicky an' me play fetch wif Sam an' we all drink chocolate milk. But Sam doesn't, 'cause it gib him a tummyache."
Sofia nodded. Being Deputy Chief meant she didn't spend as much time with her old friends at the crime lab, so she enjoyed visiting with Greg, Morgan and Jackson. "It sounds like you've got a lot of people who love you, Jackson."
Jackson smiled and nodded. "Yeah! I got a good family."
"I've got a great son," Greg said. He smiled as Jackson clambered into his lap and gave him a big hug.
Morgan got up and got the chocolate ice cream she promised she'd get Jackson. The little boy smiled as Morgan served up the treat.
"Mama, you 'membered!" Jackson said.
"I did," Morgan said. "It helps that I like it too, huh?"
Jackson giggled as Morgan scooped the ice cream. "An' gib some to Sofia! She our guest, Mama!"
Everyone smiled. "My, what good manners you have," Sofia told Jackson.
"Thank you." Jackson smiled as Morgan gave Sofia the dish of ice cream, immediately giving Jackson his own dish. "Thank you, Mama!"
"You're welcome, sweet pea!"
Everyone enjoyed their ice cream, and Jackson got most of it on his face. Greg had to smile when he saw his son, happily chatting and enjoying his favorite ice cream and not concerned about having it on his face.
Sofia had to smile at the sweet little boy. She was always fond of Greg, and was proud of the CSI and family man he was.
"Daddy, can Sofia come for lunch ebry day?" Jackson asked as he and Greg enjoyed their ice cream.
"Not every day," Greg said. "She's very busy, and we have to work sometimes. Besides, who would help Mrs. Barbara make zucchini bread?"
"Oh," Jackson said with a nod. "I like to help her make zucky bread."
Sofia smiled at the father and son. "But that's sweet of you to ask. I've really enjoyed having lunch with you and your family."
"I enjoy it too," Jackson says.
Morgan gave Jackson a napkin. "Clean your face, honey." She had to smile as Jackson quickly ran the napkin across his mouth, not getting any ice cream off.
"This has really been a wonderful lunch," Sofia said. "I've got to get back to the office, but I am really glad we were able to work this out."
"So am I," Morgan said. "I haven't been able to see you much since I came to Vegas, and it's great catching up."
"You going?" Jackson asked.
Sofia smiled. "Yeah, I have to go back to work, but I am so glad I got to come over and see you and your family."
"I glad too," Jackson said. "Can you come ober again?"
"I'll sure try."
Greg stood and hugged Sofia. "Thanks again for coming."
"Oh, thank you for inviting me."
Jackson smiled as he watched his family. "My daddy gived da bestest hugs, right Mama?"
"Almost as good as yours," Morgan said, smiling warmly at her son.
Sofia smiled. "You have a very good daddy and mama."
"I hab da bestest!" Jackson insisted. "An' we hug all da time, like dis!" Jackson climbed off his chair and wrapped his arms tightly around Sofia.
"Wow," Sofia said with a soft laugh. "That is a big hug!"
Jackson smiled up at Sofia. "My daddy an' mama gib da bestest, biggest hugs!"
"We call those his power hugs," Morgan said with a smile.
Sofia knelt in front of Jackson. "I am so glad I got to come see you. Can we do this again sometime?"
"Yeah!" Jackson looked up at his father. "Can we?"
"Sure," Greg agreed. "We'll get together and maybe have lunch again soon, how about that?"
"Wif ice cream!" Jackson insisted.
Sofia laughed softly. "With ice cream, of course!"
The End.