Part 2

Downstairs his smile got even wider when he saw Aaron sitting in the living room in front of the decorated Christmas tree, between his presents, but none of them had been opened. "Oh wow, Santa sent you a lot of presents. You must have been a very good boy this year, Aaron," he greeted his son.

Aaron nodded, still surveying the presents. "Yes, I was," he said without a doubt in his voice. "And look Daddy, he drank the milk and ate the cookies."

"Mhm, I can see that," Horatio smiled and murmured, "And I enjoyed both a lot, since I volunteered for this special task."

Calleigh just looked at him. "How sacrificially of you."

"Indeed," he nodded and was very pleased with himself.

Their little banter got interrupted when Aaron asked, "May I open the presents now? Please?"

Calleigh's heart swelled with pride, when she heard those words. "Still so young, but nevertheless the same manners like his father," she thought proudly and looked to her husband. "I guess it's time, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Horatio nodded, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and let go of her hand. Slowly he walked to Aaron and sat down next to his son. "So which one will you open first?" He asked him curiously.

Of course, his choice fell on one of the bigger presents. "This!" he said and pointed towards it.

Calleigh smiled, knowing that one came from his godfather Tim. "That's pretty big. I wonder what could be inside?" she said making Aaron only more excited.

The boy stood up in order to grab it and carry it to his Daddy, but decided to open it right where it was. Seconds later, without taking care of the wrapping paper, he opened the box and looked inside. "A fire truck!" he stated in amazement and began to smile. "Look Daddy! Look!"

"Wow, this is pretty cool, Buddy," Horatio grinned and moved to his son, to have a better look at the truck. "And I think it's the one you saw in the store, right? I think Santa has really read your letter."

Satisfied Aaron nodded. "It makes noises and there you can put the blue lights on!" he told his father as if Horatio was not aware of it. "See?" Then he looked up to his Mom. "It makes noises! I like that one."

Nothing was more beautiful than to see a happy child and right now Aaron was surely one of those. "That's great, Honey," she smiled, sitting on the couch to have a better look at her two men, one happier than the other.

"It really looks like the one we've seen a few weeks ago," Horatio confirmed his son's observation and was glad that Tim had found the right truck. Horatio had been surprised when they had been in the store and found more than one fire truck. More like 10 different ones, that nearly looked the same. Sometimes it was hard work to be Santa Claus. "Why don't you open this one?" he suggested and nodded towards a present from Calleigh's mother. Horatio knew what was inside and he so wanted to see Aaron's reaction to it.

"Okay." Within seconds the fire truck was forgotten and Aarons' attention went to the present Horatio mentioned. Then he stood, picked the present up and frowned, because he noticed that it was very light. Carefully he lifted it up a few times to measure its weight and shook it. He glanced to his Mum and Dad before he studied the gift in his hands once again, turning it upside down and back. Quickly he made an assumption. "It doesn't make a sound. Are there clothes inside? I don't need new clothes," he shook his head fully convinced by his statement.

Horatio ducked his head to hide his grin and turned around to his wife. He had told his mother-in-law that clothes wouldn't be approved by Aaron, but she had insisted on it. He tried very hard not to laugh out loud, but some noises escaped nevertheless. "I think we have a CSI among us," he grinned and scooted over to his wife, so he was resting with his back next to her legs against the couch. "Well you should still open it Aaron, it's a gift from Santa and the elves worked hard on it. We don't want them to be sad, now do we?" He tried to convince his son.

Calleigh also had to fight hard to not laugh out loud, but she lost that battle, just like her husband. Grinning she leaned forward to rest her hands on his shoulders. "Daddy's right. You should open it. Maybe you'll like what's inside. You'll never know."

Looking at his parents, Aaron shrugged and did as he was told. Quickly he opened the gift wrap and sighed when he saw what was inside.

"So what did you get?" Horatio asked and hummed softly while his wife started to massage his shoulders playfully.

"A pullover," the boy stated and lifted it up, so his parents could see it.

"Oh a green one with Santa on the front," Horatio said and smiled at his son. "It looks really nice."

Frowning, the boy had a better look at the piece of clothing and looked surprised. "And there's Rudolph, too!"

"Oh, Rudi the rednosed reindeer," Calleigh smirked, still busy with her task. "It's a nice one what do you think?"

"Yeah, it's okay," Aaron answered halfheartedly and stuffed the pullover back in the box. "Can I open the next one?"

"Of course you can," Horatio nodded. "I see a very big one underneath the tree, just waiting for you." "And for me too." This was his favourite present. He hoped that Aaron would like it.

Quietly Calleigh exchanged a glance with Horatio, smiling gently. "Apparently he doesn't have his father's good taste concerning clothes. Maybe you should be a role model for him and wear a Santa pullover, too. I'm sure Mom is more than willingly to knit one for you." Getting a horrified glance, she giggled and ruffled her husbands' hair. "She would be pleased, I'm sure."

"She....yes, me...no", Horatio said and made a note to himself to talk about that later again. He knew his wife's humor all too well.

"Daddy, can you help me?? I can't lift the box," Aaron interrupted them.

"Such a heavy present? Now I'm really curious," Horatio said and crawled to his son. "Okay, let me get it," he told him and lifted it. "Why don't you unpack it here?" He suggested, "So mommy can see what you got there, too."

Being faster than his father, Aaron already waited in a fever of excitement at the couch, clapping his small hands. "Put it on top! Put it on top!" he said and pointed at the seat of the couch still tapping with his feet.

"Easy, hot spot," Cal reminded him, brushing softly over his cheek. "Don't be so impatient. One thing at a time, alright?"

"Hmpf," the child growled, but stayed silent, watching his father as he put the present down.

"Okay here you go, Buddy. But be careful, okay? We don't want to break something," Horatio said and kneeled down in front of his wife, so he could watch his son.

Smiling, Calleigh ran her hand through Horatio's short neck hair and felt the tension in his muscles. She knew that Horatio was as excited as Aaron, maybe even more. "Do you need help, Sweetie?"

Fiercely Aaron shook his head, his blonde hair shaking wildly. "No, I can do it!" As careless as before he got rid of the wrapping paper, stopping short when he saw the colored cardboard-box with the picture of a train. His eyes got wide and he smiled from one ear to the other. "A train? Is it a train?" he asked even if it was quite obvious what was in that box. "Can you lift the top?" The cover of the box sat tightly on it and Aaron couldn't manage to remove it.

"I think we need something sharp then," Calleigh said and was about to get up from the couch, when Horatio stopped her.

"No, let me get it," he told her and stood up. Stealing a kiss from her, he made his way to the kitchen where he grabbed the scissors. "I turned on the tea kettle and the coffee machine," he told Cal, when he came back and carefully opened the box, so Aaron wouldn't hurt himself. After finishing his task, he sat down next to his wife and wrapped both arms around her waist.

Cal snuggled close to Horatio and rested her head on his chest, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and the sight of her jubilant son and her content husband. For her, everything was perfect the way it was.

"It's a train!" Aaron explained and jumped up in the air. "Just like the one I wanted!" Carefully he took the train out of the box and studied it closely. His head was tilted to one side. "It's so cool!" he grinned and held it up for his parents to see. "There are also tracks in the box. We can build something, yes? Can we Daddy? Can we? Can we?"

"To quote Bob The Builder, yes we can," Horatio chuckled. "But first of all we need some breakfast to be strong enough to lay the rail track."

"But Daddy...we are strong enough," Aaron replied quickly and showed him his arm muscles. "Feel."

Laughing, Horatio tested the muscles and nodded impressed. "Wow.. "

"What about this. I'm gonna prepare breakfast and you two strong men, can start with the rail track," Cal suggested and lay a hand on her husband's knee.

"Are you sure? I can help you," Horatio said, because he didn't want her to slave in the kitchen just for them.

"Positive, Handsome. I'm preparing breakfast...you two...build...something," she giggled, because she could already see both of them lying down on their bellies, playing all day long. But as long as they were satisfied, she wouldn't mind. "Deal?"

"Okay, deal. Thank you," Horatio smiled at her and let her go. "So let's see what we have here," he focused on his son and helped him to get the tracks out of the box. It was a good thing that they had quite a big living-room and there was enough space for the train.