Jackson and Finn are my original characters, but I don't own CSI.
As I've said before, I'm keeping Nick in Vegas.
I realized after I finished my story Finn that I hadn't included a very special member of Nick's CSI family. So hopefully this story makes up for it. Hope you enjoy...and pretty please review!
Nick had been home with his baby son Finn for almost a week, and he knew he'd never loved anyone more than the baby boy. Watching his son sleepily suck on his pacifier as he rocked him to sleep, Nick had never felt more love in his life. Seeing a little of Julie in his son made Nick sad, knowing Finn would never know his mother. But Nick also knew Julie protected their son before she died. Nick shook his head slightly, thinking of how scared Julie must have been knowing her killer would rob their son of knowing his mother. But Nick was forever grateful she did protect her and Nick's precious baby boy.
Finn opened his eyes and looked up at his father. Nick marveled at his son. No matter what might have happened between him and Julie, Nick loved his son with all his heart and would never abandon him.
"Hey," Nick whispered to Finn. The baby simply cooed at his father. Nick smiled at his son. "You're not sleepy at all, are you?" Finn responded with a soft yawn.
Nick was about to put Finn down for a nap when his doorbell rang. He knew his parents had gone to the grocery store to get food and diapers, but they had a key. "Who could that be?" Nick asked. Finn cooed quietly as Nick stood and walked to the door.
Nick looked through the peephole and smiled when he saw his friend, Detective Jim Brass. He opened the door and smiled at his old friend.
Jim couldn't help but smile when he saw the baby boy in Nick's arms. "Hey," he whispered.
"Hi, Brass." Nick smiled softly when he saw the toy dog in Jim's arms.
The detective chuckled and handed the toy to Nick. "I thought I should bring...something."
"Thanks," Nick said with a soft smile. He smiled at his son. "Finney...I want you to meet your Uncle Jim."
The detective smiled softly. "Finney, huh?"
Nick smiled softly and nodded. "Jim...this is my son. Finn Warrick Stokes."
Jim smiled softly. "I like it."
"Thanks." Nick smiled at Finn and Jim. "Well, can you come in?"
"Sure," Jim said. Nick stepped aside so Jim could come in.
Finn cooed softly in Nick's arms. Jim smiled at the baby boy. "I, uh...I hope you don't mind. Conrad called and told me about..."
Nick nodded as Jim trailed off. "Yeah," he said as he cleared his throat. He smiled softly at Finn. "She didn't know about this little guy until just before..." Nick sighed deeply as he looked at his innocent son's beautiful face. "She protected him, though. When she was in the hospital...I told her he'd never doubt she wanted him and loved him."
Jim smiled sadly as he heard Nick talk about Julie in past tense. He'd wondered if the two had a relationship. And he knew their baby son was innocent and deserved to grow up and be loved.
Finn cooed softly at his father. Nick smiled at his son. "I think that's Finney's way of saying he wants his Uncle Jim to hold him."
Jim chuckled. "Really?" Before he could say anything else, Nick gently placed Finn in the detective's arms. Jim smiled at the baby boy. "Well, we can't disappoint you, can we?" Finn gazed at the detective.
Nick had to smile at the sight of the gruff detective holding his baby son. He'd always respected Brass, and hated everything he'd gone through in the last year. And he knew Brass was a wonderful father figure to Warrick's son Eli.
Finn yawned softly and cooed at the detective. Jim couldn't help but smile at the baby boy. "Hi," he whispered. Jim laughed quietly. "Man, you sure look like your dad."
Nick smiled softly. "I see Julie in him, too."
"Yeah," Jim said softly. The detective smiled softly at the sleepy baby boy. "You're a very handsome guy, you know?" Finn responded with a yawn.
Both men laughed softly. "Jim..." Nick began. "Thanks. I know Julie thought very well of you."
Jim smiled sadly at Finn before looking up at Nick. "I'm sorry things didn't work out between you two."
"Thanks," Nick said. He smiled at his now sleeping son in the detective's arms. "But look what came out of it."
Jim looked at Finn and smiled. "Yeah." He looked up at Nick. "I heard about what happened. Conrad told me..." he looked back at Finn.
Nick sighed deeply. "Yeah. She didn't..." Nick rubbed his eyes. "She didn't know she was pregnant until it was almost too late. They found..." Jim looked at Nick as the CSI as Nick's lower lip trembled. "She had bruises on her hands and arms," Nick continued. "But none on her stomach." He smiled thoughtfully at his son in the detective's arms. "She kept him safe."
Jim smiled back at baby Finn. "Yeah. And I know your dad's glad she did."
"Yeah," Nick said softly. He cleared his throat. "So...how are things with you?"
"Oh," Jim said with a sigh as he looked at the sleepy baby. "I'm...surviving. Ellie's still in maximum security."
Nick frowned when he thought of Jim's wayward daughter. He remembered seeing Jim just after Ellie's arrest, when he was still trying to come to grips with what his daughter had done. Nick and everyone knew Ellie did everything in her power to hurt Jim...even if she hurt herself far more than she ever hurt her father.
Jim sighed sadly. "I try...I try to go see her when I can. She probably thinks it's to make up for all those years Nancy kept her away from me in Jersey."
"You are not to blame for anything," Nick told his friend.
Jim sighed heavily. "I know that. I do. But..."
Nick pursed his lips. "Jim...you never gave up on Ellie. She may have given up on herself, but you're not to blame for anything she did."
Jim smiled sadly and knew Nick was right. Looking at Nick's innocent baby son sleeping in his arms, Jim was surprised to feel at peace. With everything that he'd endured over the years, his CSI family was always there for him. Taking care of Eli, spending time with Jackson and now seeing baby Finn, Jim felt blessed to have his CSI family.
Finn peacefully snoozed as Jim smiled. "You know..." he said to Nick. "It took me at least twenty years to realize that Ellie was not all my fault. I'll always wish I could've been there when she was growing up. But now...I don't know. I think you're right."
Nick smiled sadly. "I'll always wish Julie was here and we..." his voice caught when he thought of how Finn would never know his mother.
Jim looked from Finn's sleeping face to his father. "Finn's lucky to have you, Nick. Really."
"Thanks," Nick said with a sad smile.
Smiling at the sleeping baby boy, Jim said, "You know something, Finn? You may not know it, but we're both pretty lucky. Even though so much has happened. Your daddy and your CSI family are here for you. They've always been here for me."
"And we always will," Nick said with a soft smile.
Jim smiled warmly. "Yeah."
Finn stretched out his hand and curled his fingers around Jim's finger. The detective couldn't help but smile at the baby boy. "Finn...welcome to our little CSI family."
Nick smiled as he watched Jim softly talk to baby Finn. He knew Jim had come through so much, and he always respected the detective.
"So..." Nick quietly began. "What are you going to do?"
Jim sighed softly. "I think...maybe Ellie knows she hurt herself more than she ever hurt me or her mother." He chuckled sadly. "That's progress, huh?" Jim sadly smiled at the innocent baby boy sleeping in his arms. "I'll be okay." He looked at Nick and took a deep breath. "You know, Eli's been great through this whole thing."
"Yeah?" Nick loved that Brass was helping take care of Warrick's son.
"Yeah. We get together most every day. We talk, sometimes we go fishing, hang out...I'll tell you, Nick...that young man's done more for me than any therapist."
Nick smiled warmly. "That's great. He loves his dad's CSI family."
"Yeah, he said he and his mom came by to see Finn."
"They did," Nick said with a warm smile. "They hit it off right away. I think Eli and Jackson...they're going to look out for Finney."
Jim couldn't help but smile warmly. "Yeah." Finn stirred slightly and Jim gently rocked him. "It's okay," Jim whispered to the baby.
Nick smiled at his son. "I think we've got a pretty good family, here."
"Yeah, Conrad said you were staying in Vegas," Jim said. "Congrats on finally getting Grissom's job, by the way," he added with a grin.
"Thanks." Nick smiled at the detective. "Think you might come back?"
Jim sighed. "Honestly...I miss it." He looked at Finn. "What do you think? Should I come back and work with your dad?"
Finn responded with a tiny hand stretch.
Nick and Jim both laughed softly. "I'll think about it," Jim said. "Eli thinks I should. As long as I can spend some extra time with him..."
"Yeah," Nick said softly. "And Jim?" The detective looked up at Nick. "We've missed you."
Jim smiled sadly. "I've missed everyone, too." He smiled at baby Finn. "We've got a pretty good family, kid."
Nick smiled at his son with Jim. "Yes, we do."
The End