Merry Christmas to all my Readers!
Jack had spent all night at Garcia's trying to think of a way to get that necklace for JJ. He had finally decided that if he and Henry did jobs for their Aunts and Uncles they could earn enough money before Christmas and they would be able to get JJ the necklace and maybe help her remember how much they loved her.
"Hey Henry?" Jack sat on the waiting room floor with his brother. Garcia had brought them to the hospital earlier to visit JJ and now they were waiting for Uncle Dave to pick them up. They were going to go spend the weekend at Little Creek with Dave and Garcia.
Henry didn't look up from his latest drawing for his mom, "Yeah?" He grunted concentrated on the paper in front of him.
"I need your help to get a special Christmas gift for JJ. But, it costs a lot of money" Jack told the smaller boy.
"A gift for Mommy?" The thought caught the young boy's attention. His mom always got him presents but he had never gotten her a gift that cost money, usually he drew her pictures or picked her flowers. "What kind of gift?"
Jack explained to his brother about the locket he had seen at the store the day before. "It's really neat Henry. It has birthstones on it and they stones are special because they are from the month where were born. And we can put a picture inside the locket." Jack told his brother about the birthstones like he was an expert on them.
Jack's enthusiasm only helped fuel Henry's excitement. "Mommy would love a special necklace like that! What kind of picture would we put in there?"
Jack thought for a moment, "The lady said it can fit two pictures. I bet we could get Aunt Pen to take a picture of each of us!"
"Yeah! Mommy would like that!" Henry responded excited, he couldn't wait for his mom to see the special present. "I have ten dollars Jack is that enough?"
Jack's small head shook, "No, but I have an idea of how we can make lots of money." Henry looked at him confused they didn't get a lot of money from their allowance, "How?"
"Uncle Dave is rich. He pays people to clean his house, I bet we could clean just as good as anyone and he could pay us instead!" Jack had given a lot of thought to how he was going to get the money, "And if we both clean we'll get money even faster."
Henry nodded his head in excitement, "I can make his bed! Mommy says I make my bed really good! We could pick up Uncle Dave's toys, we pick up our toys at home." Jack laughed, "Uncle Dave doesn't have toys silly."
"Henry. Jack. Come say goodbye to Mom." Aaron stood at the doorway with Rossi. Henry ran into the room first and carefully climbed up on the bed snuggling up next to his mother's still frame. Both boys had spent time with JJ earlier telling her about their day but Henry always like to have a minute alone with his Mom.
Aaron watched Henry's interaction with JJ. The small boy just laid next to her rubbing his hand along her arm. Henry whispered in JJ's ears secrets that only the mother and son would ever know. Moments later Jack took his turn in the room, he picked up JJ's hand in his own and kissed the top of her hand, "I love you JJ."
Henry and Jack hugged Aaron goodbye before they left with Dave. "We've got to very special boys there Jen." Aaron took his spot in the chair next to his wife, it had been five days since she had been shot and four days since she had slipped into the coma. It had been the five most excruciating days of his life and this nightmare wasn't even over. "Come on sweetie it's time to wake up. The boy's need you, I need you." Aaron watched as JJ's chest rose and fell in time with the machines, her eyes closed, if it hadn't been for all the machines she looked like she was in a deep sleep.
"It's alright baby, you sleep, and I'll be here when you wake up." Aaron promised as he picked up the book that he had put down when the boys showed up for their daily visit. Turning to the page he had left off at he began reading the book out loud to his wife.
Rossi drove the black Mercedes SUV through the streets of Virginia smiling as the two boys in his back seat sang along with every Christmas carol on the radio. Garcia had warned him that his two weekend visitors were obsessed with Christmas songs, especially with their upcoming Christmas Pageant.
"You're listening to WITH 99.5, the only station playing Christmas music twenty four hours a day from now until Santa passes out the last gift Christmas night. I'm DJ Tom and we'll be back to the music after a few short messages from our sponsors." With a break in the music Jack turned his attention to man behind the wheel.
"Uncle Dave?" Rossi looked at the ten year old from his rearview mirror, "Yeah buddy?"
Jack thought for a second just how to appropriately ask his question, he didn't want to make Dave upset. "Uncle Dave you have a lot of money right?"
Rossi laughed at the boys question, "Yes, Jack I've got a lot of money. I've been very blessed in this life that money is something I don't have to worry about. Why do you ask bud?"
"You pay people to help clean up your house right Uncle Dave?" Rossi could see the wheels turning in the little boys mind knowing he was up to something. "Yes, my house is quite large and we're gone so much on cases I don't want to have to worry about dusting all the. Why the sudden interest Jackster?"
"Well…" Jack started, "Henry and I wanta buy a special gift for JJ," Jack looked over to his little brother who was nodding his blonde head in agreement.
"What do you want to buy her guys?" Rossi was intrigued and proud of the two boys.
Jack thought for a moment not sure if Rossi would think the necklace was a good gift since it was so expensive, but if he didn't tell Rossi then maybe Dave wouldn't pay them to clean his house. "It's a special Necklace Uncle Dave, but it's very 'spensive and Henry and I don't have enough money."
Dave smiled at the boys, "Well why didn't you just ask I'd be happy to give you guys the money to buy JJ a special Christmas present."
Without a thought Jack and Henry both quickly shook their heads, "No Uncle Dave! If you give us money than the present isn't from Jack and me." Henry answered back like it should have been obvious that they had to work for the money themselves.
Jack quickly agreed with his brother, "Yeah Uncle Dave we want to buy the Necklace for JJ 'rsevlves."
"So you boys were hoping I could find a few jobs around the house for you?" From the rearview mirror he watched as the brothers nodded their heads. "I think I can help you boys out with that. How much money does the necklace cost?"
Jack got a nervous look in his eyes, "Well Henry has ten dollars from his birthday in his piggy bank and I have thirty dollars so we have forty dollars already." Jack was hoping Dave wouldn't discourage them from buying the necklace so he wanted to let his Dad's friend know they already had some money saved, "The lady at Macy's said the necklace is on sale….it's only tworpfigfy dollars."
Dave had to laugh at the boy's reluctance, "Jack its ok you can tell me how much it costs."
"Two hundred and fifty dollars." Jack whispered just loud enough for Rossi to hear him. "I know it's a lot of money Uncle Dave but, it's a very special necklace. Its real gold and it will have mine and Henry's birthday stones on them. It will help JJ remember that Henry and I love her when we're not at the hospital with her….maybe it will help her wake up." Jack rambled on and on hoping to convince there surrogate Uncle to help them.
Rossi stopped the boy, "Hey hey hey Jack slow down big guy. That sounds like a very special gift for JJ, and I think you're right she will love it, and I'm happy to help you any way I can. When we get to Little Creek I have no doubt I can find some jobs for you boys to do to earn some money."
Jack let out a sigh of relief, "Thanks Uncle Dave." Not wanting to be left out Henry clapped his hands excitedly, "Yeah thanks Uncle Dave."
Hours later the ring of the doorbell alerted Rossi to the guests at his door. Penelope was the only team member who had originally planned on coming up to Little Creek but, now he had the whole team coming up there for dinner. The older profile had every intention on bringing the entire team in on the plan to help the boys buy JJ the necklace.
Penelope was the first to arrive with Morgan close behind, "Where are my Junior G-men Agent Rossi!" It had been less than twelve hours since Penny had seen the boys but already missed them and wanted their hugs. "Henry! Jack! You're favorite Aunt is here!" Penelope's voice carried through the house.
A dark haired woman walked up to the door just in time to hear Penelope's proclamation, "Who say's you're their favorite Aunt?" Emily smiled at her friend, "I give pretty awesome gifts to, you know."
"Yes you do my dark haired maven but only I, Penelope Garcia, am the Fairy Godmother and a half to those two guys, which makes me their favorite." Garcia proudly declared making sure there was no argument she gave her friend a look that made both women giggle happily.
"Can I get in on all the fun?" the last guest to Rossi's dinner took Emily's spot in the door way.
"UNCLE 'PENCE!" Henry ran down the stairs jumping into his Godfather's open arms. "HENRY!" Spencer spun the six year old around. For a moment the team, and the boys, were able to forget about the horrific week they were still stuck in.
Garcia had an arm around Jack's shoulders and noticed both boys clothes were covered in dust, "What have you boys been getting into? Is Uncle Dave making you two work this weekend?" Garcia gave Rossi a dirty look and stuck her tongue out at the older man.
Henry opened his mouth to explain to his Fairy God Mother about the necklace when he was interrupted by Dave. "Boys why don't you two run up stairs and get cleaned up, dinner will be ready soon and after you guys can go sledding out back."
"Alright!" the boys exclaimed running back up the stairs to get out of their 'work' clothes.
The team turned their attention back to Rossi. "Alright Dave Rossi, Super-Agent, why are you making those two clean your house?" Penelope made no effort to hide her annoyance.
Rossi motioned for the team to follow him to the kitchen where his famous lasagna was almost done, the smell of pasta and garlic bread caused everyone's mouths to water. As the team helped Rossi set the table and finish dinner he explained to them how JJ's son's wanted to buy her a very special necklace and how they refused to just take any money. By the time the table was set and the boys were running down the stairs the team had come up with a plan to help those little boys get their friend the perfect Christmas present.