Side Story: Missing Moments

~ March 24, 2034 ~

Jackson Fuller closed the door to his office and sighed heavily. He knew this day was coming, if he was truly honest with himself he was surprised that it had not happened sooner. Jackson Michael Fuller loved his fiance, loved her as he has never loved anyone else in his life. Ever since the day fate brought him back into Chloe Donovan's life he has not wanted to be with any other woman. He thought the girl that he had known in his teens was interesting and very fetching, the woman that she grew into was even more alluring to him. Jackson knew all those years ago when they first met that Chloe was attracted to him. Unfortunately, Jackson wasn't available at that time but maybe it was for the best. If he had a fling with her that week who knows if he would have been able to let her get on the plane with her family when she had to leave.

Regardless, it was now time to prove to Chloe the lengths of his love for her. He had no cards left to play save this one. Opening his top desk drawer Jackson pulls it all the way out until he can lift the things covering his concealed compartment. Lifting the flap, Jackson reaches in and pulls out a cellphone. This is not just any cellphone, it is a phone containing the SIM card with the phone number he used before joining the CIA. The irony of course is that the first phone call he makes using this new phone will be to the last phone number he called.

Jackson sits in his chair, putting his earpiece in so that he can hear every word and so he can keep his voice down. The phone rings four times before Jackson hears the connection click. "Hello?" The all too familiar voice answers. Even though he hasn't spoken to her in nine years, her voice has not changed one decibel.

"Hi, mom... it's me." Jackson says into the microphone of his Bluetooth headset.

"Jackson... oh my god... hello son, how are you?" Donna Jo Hale asks her son. She can feel the tears welling in her eyes just knowing that he is alive.

Jackson expected this, her leading with wanting to know where I am but trying to not alienate him at the same time. Jackson knows he has to alleviate her fears and keep the conversation civil as he is sure she will fly off the handle if he beats around the bush too much. "I'm fine mom. I've been all around the world during my time away... I know you have a lot of questions, let me start by saying that I know saying I'm sorry doesn't seem like enough to say for a nine-year absence..." I start. "I can't get into why I've been incommunicado for nine years, I will, but I have a work-related reason for not going into it right now."

"I'm just glad to know that you're alive. Are you well?" DJ asks.

"I could be better, which is the reason I called you," Jackson says. "I need your help mom..."

DJ is standing in her kitchen at this exact moment, alone and looking at her phone resting in the cradle that DJ keeps it in when it's not in use. Ever since Jackson disappeared she has placed her cellphone in this cradle and would sit near it and glance at it hoping that Jackson would either reach out and call or send her a text. Something to know he was still alive. While she is at work her receptionist has the phone in a similar cradle and the young woman has instructions to interrupt DJ (unless she's in surgery) if Jackson calls.

Normally DJ would be angry that Jackson would call her after a nine-year absence and have the gall to ask her for a favor (sure he didn't word it like that but that was basically what he was saying). The difference here is she has a good idea why Jackson is reaching out to her, she just doesn't know exactly what her son is about to say.

"What's wrong?" DJ asks.

"Well, it's your basic good news, bad news situation mom. The good news is that during my time away I happen to find and fall in love with an amazing woman and I'm engaged to be married." Jackson informs his mother.

DJ's heart swells that he is sharing the news, even though she already knew that much. Unbeknownst to Jackson but only a short time ago DJ was alerted to Jackson's status and whereabouts by his fiance. DJ answered the unknown call from Phoenix, Arizona on a whim and had a conversation with the young woman on the other line. She found out that Jackson has been living in Phoenix, Arizona for the last 3 years and that the young woman, Chloe Grace Donovan, has been her son's fiance for two and a half years. Chloe had called DJ because Jackson was out of town on business and was 3 weeks overdue from returning and his poor fiance was so worried that she called DJ's phone number to ask her if she had heard anything from her son.

DJ was forced to tell the young woman that she has not heard from Jackson in nine years. DJ could hear the young woman swearing on her end of the phone despite the fact the phone had been set down and the mic covered. Chloe then vented to DJ how Jackson was prone to these business trips and sometimes was several days late. Ten days was the most he had been late until this trip. She informed DJ that she was considering ending the engagement as they have already postponed the wedding twice. DJ was very sympathetic to Chloe's plight. She told her that while she didn't know her she sensed from the ways she spoke that Chloe was a good, kind, and understanding person. She also sensed that Chloe loved her son but that she was at her wit's end with the situation as it stood. She informs Chloe that she needed to confront Jackson with her feelings and if he couldn't compromise that she had to do whatever she felt was best for herself.

"So what's the bad news?" DJ asks her oldest son, knowing full well what was coming...

"Well due to circumstances of my own making, she is about to end our engagement. It's not worth getting into over the phone, it is all my fault. However and this is where I need your help. I know after all this time that I have no right to ask, but I'm hoping you will find it in your heart to help me save my relationship." Jackson states.

While most parents might think their child would have a lot of Gaul asking for a favor (which he has now requested), the fact that her oldest son is bearing his soul to her and requesting her help was all she has ever wanted. Plus, she wanted to help save the relationship between Jackson and Chloe.

"How can I help you?" DJ asks without hesitation.

"Again, I know this is a lot to ask and Max will probably give you a lot of grief, maybe even Tommy, but... would you, Steve, Grandpa, Max, and Tommy please meet me tomorrow in Las Vegas? I have to make a grand gesture to help sway Chloe and you are long overdue to meet my fiance and her mother. I will pay for the hotel rooms, it's the least I can do for a start."

"Reserve two rooms for us. I will make sure that everyone is present." DJ tells Jackson. She knows Max, in particular, will be a hard sell but in the end, he will cave because she is the one asking, not Jackson.

"I'm making the reservations right now, I will E-mail you the information as soon as it's finalized," Jackson informs his mother. DJ can hear his fingers dance over the keyboard on the other end of the telephone call.

"I'm opening my computer right now," DJ says as she lifts the lid to her Macbook Pro. "Once I have the E-mail I'll print out the reservation and program the navigation into my SUV. Also, as soon as you hang up I will call your grandfather and let him know. I take it this is a weekend affair?" DJ inquires so she knows how many clothes to tell everyone to bring.

"Yes. And bring your formal clothes for dinner tomorrow night. I look forward to seeing you all... take care." Jackson says hanging up the phone.

DJ watches the call end and as she puts her hands together in front of her face, for the second time in a short amount of time she is thanking God that her son is not only alive but that he is well. Not only is he well, but he has found a woman that he wants to marry. She must be very special for him to end nine years of no contact. DJ sees the E-mail pop up and she opens it and prints out the reservation notice for the hotel. She immediately picks up he cellphone as she makes her way upstairs to pack and dial her father's number.

"Hi DJ." Daniel Tanner says picking up after two rings.

"He's alive dad..." DJ says into her phone as she reaches the top of the second-floor stairwell. "Jackson's alive and well. He just called me." DJ excitedly informs her father. Danny Tanner sits down in his favorite chair and listens intently. All the while he thanks God that his grandson is alive, well, and reaching out to his family.

~ September 15, 2034 ~

Jackson Fuller sat in the reception hall where he was the last person present. The day had been everything that Chloe could have hoped for and he was glad she finally got the wedding she always wanted. He knew every woman planned their dream wedding from the moment they first learned what a wedding was as a child. Like his mother, he considered their initial wedding the moment that they actually became man and wife but he would never take this day away from Chloe. His wife was on her way back to the hotel with her immediate family as Jackson said he had to take care of something and that he would get a ride back with his mother who went to the restroom.

"I'm ready whenever you are Jackson," DJ announces returning to the hall. She finds her son sitting at a table near the doors she just walked through. The large hall seems eerie with all of the people gone and no music echoing through it.

"Sit down for a moment mom, I wanted to ask you something," Jackson says.

DJ sits down beside her son and tries to read what is going on in his head. Only twenty minutes ago she and Jackson's new family discovered that the Fullers were expecting a new addition. Chloe went off her birth control pills a month earlier than she intended to make sure that the pills were completely out of her system before the wedding and as it turns out, fate wanted the Fullers to have that child as she discovered she was expecting two weeks before the wedding. She took three home pregnancy tests before going to her OB/GYN to make sure the readings were 100% accurate, and they were. DJ hasn't been this happy since she married her soul mate 14 years ago.

"How are you feeling... dad?" DJ asks her son.

"I'm good and very excited. The wedding was great, Chloe got everything that she always wanted and deserved. I shared this day with everyone that I love and hold dear... I'm going to be a father... it's everything that I have always wanted." Jackson tells his mother.

"So why do I sense something is bothering you?" DJ asks her oldest.

"It's not bothering me, just something that I haven't been able to let go of for the past six months." Jackson starts. "I realize that my job has caused me a lot of strife over the years, but it's important work. The one thing that it isn't more important than, and never has been is Chloe. But... I almost lost her because she was sick of being left in the dark, and I understand that." Jackson says pausing.

"Secrets can be hard to keep, and even harder to keep from someone you love," DJ says.

Jackson begins staring at his mother intently. She doesn't know why but it is making her very uncomfortable. "Chloe almost called off our engagement when I returned from Flusia, Iraq because she was sick of the secrets. Funny thing... when we had our keep Jackson honest wedding in March, Chloe thanked you for giving her the strength to go through with her demand..."

Now DJ knew where this was going. The intent gaze on her son's face was neutral, but were she in his place she would be furious. "I may have forgotten to mention when you called me that your then-fiance called me first." DJ meekly admits.

"So at what point were you planning to tell me that you almost ended my relationship with Chloe?" Jackson calmly asks.

"On my deathbed..." DJ playfully answers.

"It's only because everything worked out that I'm not mad mom. But I want you to think about this, think hard, because who knows what might have happened if I couldn't get Chloe to wait 24 hours so I could explain everything and keep my job. Actions have consequences, I know that better than anyone. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Jackson says.

"You're right. I can't count how many times my trying to help has backfired." DJ admits.

"I'd say close to seventy times during my adolescence," Jackson says throwing out the numerical guess. "I forgive you mom... just don't give my wife any more relationship advice. Parenting advice is fine, but not relationship advice."

"Ok, Jackson. Just no more disappearing for nine years."

"I promise mom."

To Be Continued