Don't own CSI.
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A little bit longer chapter, but a conversation with Greg and his parents about Jackson. Hope you all enjoy!
Greg stayed in Jackson's room and watched as his son fell asleep, holding on to his beloved teddy bear. He loved times like this; just being with his son. He never knew he could feel so much love for anyone as he did for the little boy sleeping in front of him.
While Daniel unpacked in the guest room, Marina stood in the doorway of Jackson's room and watched her son watching over his son. She knew Greg would be a great father. She smiled as she watched Greg just smile and watch his little boy sleep.
Greg turned when he heard soft knocking, and saw his mother smiling. "He's beautiful kjaereste," she whispered. "He looks just like you."
Greg smiled and sighed quietly. "Thank you." He stood up and walked with his mother out of Jackson's room and Greg quietly closed the door. He and Marina joined Daniel, who was in the kitchen getting a glass of water.
"My son's a dad," Daniel said with a smile. Greg smiled at his father. "He's wonderful, Greg. He is amazing."
"I told you!" Greg smiled as his father offered him a glass of water. Greg couldn't keep the smile off his face thinking about his son.
As the three gathered in the living room, Daniel patted his son's shoulder. "You know, I gotta admit...as surprising as it was to find out I'm a grandpa, I couldn't ask for a better grandson."
Greg laughed softly. "Yeah, he was a surprise. But he's not a mistake."
"No!" His mother quickly agreed. "Of course not."
Daniel looked directly at his son. "He is not a mistake. He's a surprise, meaning something unexpected and possibly wonderful." He sat back and smiled as his son rolled his eyes and smiled.
Marina rubbed her son's arm. "Hojem, we may be traditional, but we are happy for you. We are so proud of you." Greg looked at his mother and raised his eyebrows. "And, yes, we imagined you getting married and then having a family...but that little boy is a blessing. We love him and you very, very much."
Greg smiled, thankful and relieved that his parents loved Jackson so much. "Thanks, Mom."
Daniel cleared his throat. "Just...what about his mother?"
Greg sighed. "Did I ever tell you guys about Riley Adams?"
Both shook their heads. "The name sounds familiar," Daniel said.
"It was right after Warrick was killed."
"Oh, yes," Marina said. "I remember when we arrived back home after our last visit, you called and said your boss had hired a new CSI. Was that her?"
Greg nodded. "Yeah. She was a good CSI. Worked pretty well with Nick and I both. Um...you remember Nick Stokes, right?" Both nodded. "Anyway, Grissom was still...well, we were all still getting over Warrick's death when she was hired. About three months after Riley arrived, Grissom left. That's when we hired Ray Langston."
"I heard about him on the news," Daniel said. "That whole...what was it? Dick And Jane Killer?" Greg nodded. "So horrible."
Greg nodded. "Anyway, when Catherine...you remember her?" Again, both nodded. "When she took over and Ray came on board, I guess...I guess we all were still getting used to everything." Greg looked up and his father nodded for him to continue. "Nick and I worked well with Riley, but she butted heads with authority. When she left, she had some really harsh things to say about Catherine's leadership. She left, and Sara came back."
Marina smiled and nodded to her son. "Good. That girl is your sister, practically."
Greg smiled and continued. "Riley...was very stubborn. She thought she could handle everything herself and she's very headstrong." Greg glanced towards the bedroom where his son was peacefully sleeping. "One night, after we had closed a case, she called me. She was at a bar the team goes to now and then. I met her there, and she was complaining about how she was a babysitter to Langston and how she didn't feel like she was part of the team..." Greg looked down, thinking of how he thought he had cared about Riley. "I brought her back here, and I told her she was an important member of the team. One thing led to another..."
"Yeah, got the picture," Daniel said, sipping his water.
Greg smiled thoughtfully and looked back up at his parents. "That was the night Jackson was conceived." Marina and Daniel nodded. "The next day, she left. Gave her exit interview and took off. She didn't know she was pregnant when she left...she said she needed to make a clean break from Vegas and thought she could do everything on her own."
Marina sighed. "That is no excuse."
"Mom..."
"If she really loved him she would have told you from the beginning."
"I know, Mom. Anyway, she came back a few weeks ago, and that's when Jackson and I met for the first time. He knew I was his daddy...Riley said he knew all the kids at daycare had daddies and he thought he was the only one who didn't." Marina sighed sadly.
"He didn't want to let me go," Greg continued. "Riley and I talked, and he knew I was his daddy. He put his arms around me and hasn't let go since." Greg smiled thinking of the little boy who he loved dearly. "That night, Riley and I got him ready for bed and he wouldn't let me out of his sight. When I put him down for bed, he wouldn't let me go. So I crawled into bed with him and was planning to talk to Riley again as soon as he fell asleep. But I was more tired than I thought and fell asleep too. The next morning, I woke up and she was gone. And she left his birth certificate and custody papers with me."
Daniel nodded. "She abandoned him."
"Dad, please..."
"No, son. She did."
Greg sighed. "Nick took mine and Jackson's toothbrushes and the lab did a DNA test which proved I am Jackson's father." He smiled. "I knew he was mine when I first saw him...that's my son." Marina and Daniel smiled at their son. "At first he wouldn't let me out of his sight, but little by little, he came out of his shell. And he loves his adopted family at the lab." Greg smiled thinking of how much Jackson loved their extended family. "Jacks adores Nick and Sara. He loves spending time with them and everyone. And they're crazy about him."
Daniel and Marina smiled as their son talked about his child.
Greg looked toward's his son bedroom. "Jacks is so sweet and smart and beautiful...I can't imagine life without him. Even after knowing him for just a few hours, I couldn't picture life without him." He smiled as he looked back at his parents.
Both his parents smiled softly. Marina sighed. "What about Riley?"
Greg sighed. "A couple of days after Jackson came to live with me, we heard that she was suspected of killing an undercover cop in Chicago. That's where Jacks was born. She was at a scene near the house of a suspected drug dealer the cop was investigating. She saw him fleeing the scene...he couldn't ID himself, or he'd give away the operation...and she shot him."
Daniel winced. "I remember hearing something about that on the news." Marina nodded.
"Yeah," Greg continued. "She didn't tell me I had a son until she killed someone. She fled to Vegas, drew up custody papers and gave me my son."
"She never told you," Marina said as a statement more than a question.
Greg nodded. "When she was in custody here after the shooting, I asked her if she was ever going to tell me about him. She said she was but..." He glanced towards the bedroom where he pictured his son, sound asleep. "She said she thought she could handle everything herself, but Jacks was being raised by babysitters and daycare. She said she was never much of a mother."
Marina closed her eyes and shook her head. "My poor grandson."
Greg looked away, thinking of how he wished he'd been there for Jackson since the child was born. Jackson was his son, and he loved him more than he'd ever loved anyone. "I wish I was there when he was born...when he was a baby...all of that." Greg's voice was almost a whisper.
Marina took her son's hand. "He is with you now, where he belongs."
"She's right," Daniel said after a moment. "What matters is that you have him now. And he is cared for and loved so much." Greg looked at his parents and saw no anger in their faces, only love. "None of us may understand why she never told you about him," Daniel continued. "But he is your son. No one can take him away."
Greg smiled, feeling tears creep into his eyes. "The court awarded sole custody to me."
"Damn straight!" Daniel said. "You are a good father, and from what you've told me, the only parent who's ever really cared about him."
"No, dad..."
"Hojem, your father's right." Marina squeezed her son's hand. "That precious boy is your son, and he comes first with you. You both love each other very much."
"And you may not be a 'conventional' family', but you are a family," Daniel said, looking Greg in his eyes.
Greg smiled and sighed, grateful his parents loved Jackson so much. "Thank you."
Daniel smiled and Marina hugged Greg. When they pulled away, Daniel cleared his throat. "And Morgan?"
Greg smiled. "Jackson loves her so much...and so do I."
Marina smiled. "You told me you'd met the most beautiful girl." Greg blushed slightly. "You were right."
Greg smiled bashfully at his mother. "She loves both of us. When she first found out about him, she was surprised. We'd only been dating for a little while. But she very quickly grew to love Jacks."
Daniel chuckled. "We can tell. She wouldn't stop smiling at you and Jackson the whole way home."
Greg smiled. "When she came over the night after Jackson arrived, he was so attached to her." He thought of how Jackson cried when Morgan tried to leave. "He wrapped his arms around her neck and cried so loud and hard...broke my heart. I realized he didn't want to be abandoned again."
"Poor dear," Marina said.
"So she stayed-slept on the couch-and we haven't been able to let her go since." Greg smiled thoughtfully. "The next morning was when we heard on the news about the killing in Chicago." His parents nodded. "And Morgan...she's been more of a real mother to Jackson."
Both his parents smiled. "I'm glad," Daniel said. "You are a family."
Greg smiled. "I love Morgan and Jacks so much."
Marina gently cupped her son's cheek in her hand. "So do we."
Greg's eyes widened as he looked at his mother. "Really?"
Marina and Daniel both laughed softly. Marina looked into her son's eyes. "Yes. We may be traditional, but we know that you all are a loving family. You take care of one another, you take what comes and make the best of it, and you never give up on each other. You are a family. And you, my kjaere, are a great dad."
Greg felt happier than he'd ever been in his life knowing his parents loved Jackson and Morgan. "Thank you!"
Marina, Greg and Daniel stood and embraced in a loving hug. Greg had never felt more complete in his life.
When they pulled apart, Daniel and Marina were smiling proudly at their son. "Our baby has a baby," Marina said, smiling through happy tears.
"Mom..." Greg smiled, slightly embarrassed.
"Oh, honey...I love you."
"Love you too, Mom."
"And we are so proud of you," Daniel added as he patted Greg's shoulder.
"Thanks, Dad." Greg sighed happily.
"Well," Marina said with a happy sigh, "I don't know about you gentlemen, but I am ready to get some rest."
Greg smiled. "See you in the morning." He said goodnight to his parents and went to bed, feeling relieved and happy that his parents loved his family.
TBC...
