And here's the second holiday themed conversation I came up with. We're jumping in with an adult Matty, and getting a glimpse at Emily as a grandmother...which is certainly something I wasn't going to ignore!

Happy reading =)

"A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend." – Unknown

"Matt! You're gonna be late if you don't leave soon!" Megan calls from upstairs, where she's getting ready.

"I know, I know!" I call out as I try to break up the fight between Maddie and Jason. "Hey, cut it out you two," I say meaningfully as I pull them apart.

"But Dad! He took my bear!" Maddie whines.

"No!" Jason answers firmly before losing his balance and tumbling backward onto the floor, thanks to a push from his older sister. After the momentary shock wears off his eyes fill with tears and his lower lip begins to tremble. Crap.

I pick him up to try and stave off the (inevitable) bout of loud sobbing about to unfold. "Shhh. Hey, it's okay, little man. You're okay. I got you, I got you," I say soothingly, while shooting Maddie an unimpressed look.

Jason just tightens his hold on me and begins to cry loudly. Right in my ear. I turn my head away, but he follows suit and I let out a heavy sigh.

"Maddie," I say firmly, over Jason's cries. "You can't just push around your little brother."

"But he-"

"I don't care what he did or didn't do, you can't push him. That's not nice, and I think you need some time in timeout."

"But Grandma is coming!" she protests with wide eyes.

"That doesn't excuse your behaviour. Off you go," I say, no need to shout this time, as I've gotten Jason's cries down to a whimper. "No toys, no tv, and no music."

"Not fair!"

"You think pushing your little brother is fair?"

"It is when he took my bear," she fires back.

"Madeline," I warn.

"Matt! Seriously. Get going," Megan yells, apparently oblivious to the fact that I'm desperately trying to avoid World War III breaking out among our children.

I grind my teeth in frustration. "I'm trying. I could use your help down here."

She doesn't answer and I turn my attention back to Maddie, who is trying her best to get out of her punishment using her sad eyes. I shake my head at her efforts and fix her with a meaningful stare.

"Mooooooooom!" she calls out loudly once she realizes she isn't getting what she wants from me. "Jason took my bear!"

"Maddie!" I say in disbelief.

"What?" she says, digging her heels in.

Great. Just what I need before I have to go get my mother from the airport. A cranky toddler and a stubborn 5 year old.

"What did you say, Maddie?" Megan asks as she descends the last few stairs. Oh, thank god.

"I said: Jason took my bear," Maddie relays, a triumphant look on her face. Master manipulator, this one.

"Even if he did," I interject, before Megan says something that will ultimately grant a victory in any amount to our daughter, "that's no excuse to push him over."

Megan's eyes widen in recognition, and her expression falls. "Madeline, we've talked about this."

"But he took Bear-Bear!" she insists.

"It doesn't matter," Megan replies. "You need to be more responsible for your actions. You could have hurt him."

"Your mother's right, Maddie. And you can see that we both agree, you need a time out to cool off, and think about what you've done."

Maddie's eyes fill with tears and she throws herself at her mother dramatically, wrapping her arms around her legs tightly. "I don't wanna!"

"Maddie," Megan says firmly, prying our daughter's hands from her legs. "That's enough. Off you go. Time for a time out."

"No!" she yells forcefully, stomping her feet loudly.

I shift Jason in my arms and sneak a peek at my watch – I really need to leave. I look up and find Megan's eyes on me. She inhales deeply and holds her arms out for Jason. "I'll deal with these two, you go pick up your mom."

"Thank you," I say, infinitely grateful. I really don't want to leave my mother stranded at the airport. I transfer Jason over to his mother's arms, and then head quickly toward the front door, grabbing my jacket and slipping it on as I look for my shoes. I trip over a pile of dog toys- Shit. I left Remus outside. "Remus is outside!" I call out just before I close the door, realizing immediately I hadn't put any shoes on. I dash back inside, throw on some shoes and then make my way to my car.

"Matthew," Mom says as she smiles and opens up her arms for a hug. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Mom," I reply, meaning every word.

"It's been too long, Matty," she admonishes as we break apart.

"I know, I know," I say, hanging my head. It's been a little longer than I would've liked. Hell, I haven't seen her since I dropped in during one of my away games in D.C. in May. "I'm sorry."

"You better be," she teases. "Now, how are you?"

"Much better now that you're here."

She just raises an eyebrow doubtfully as she shakes her head.

"Oh ye of little faith," I chide. "I really am happy to see you."

"You're such a charmer," she says with a light laugh. "Just like your father."

I smile sadly as I remember Dad throwing out the lines left, right, and centre when he ended up in Mom's bad books. He always managed to make her smile, no matter how corny the lines were. It's been a few years now since Dad's been gone, and I miss him every day. I can't imagine how much Mom misses him.

"Well, let's grab your bags and then get going. I know there are a couple kids who are very excited to spend some time with their Grandma."

"Sounds good to me," she says with a smile.

"I should warn you, Maddie has been misbehaving a bit today, so she may be serving some time by the time we get back."

"Misbehaving?" she questions, one eyebrow raised.

"Just a bit of jealousy and impatience between her and Jason."

"Ah, I don't miss those days. You and Tegan used to fight like crazy when you were Maddie's age."

"Thank goodness we grew out of that."

"Something like that," she says with a laugh. "Oh, that's mine," she says as she points out a large suitcase.

"How much did you bring with you?!" I say as I pull her suitcase up and feel just how heavy it is.

"No judgments from you, Matthew. I have two grandchildren to spoil rotten."

"They don't nee-"

She shoots me a look that tells me it's not worth arguing. "It's my prerogative as their grandmother to do so. Besides, who knows how much longer I've got with them, so let me spoil them now."

I blink in slight shock at her blunt statement.

"What? I'm 81. The numbers aren't on my side."

"Mom," I croak, my mind stuck on the idea of her not being around. "Come on. You're healthy as a horse."

"Right," she says with a roll of her eyes. "A horse on its last legs. But that's enough about me. Let's get going."

"Yes, ma'am," I answer, my mind still lingering on the idea of her not being around. It's definitely not something I'm keen to experience.

"Dad-da!" Jason says loudly as he walks on unsteady feet toward the front door where Mom and I have just entered.

"Oh my- He's walking now? And talking?" Mom says with wide eyes. Oops. Guess Megan and I forgot to update her on those milestones…

"Yeah, we can't seem to keep up with this munchkin," I say as I scoop him up in my arms, much to his delight.

"He looks so much like you."

"He takes after his Daddy, that's for sure," Megan says as she joins us from upstairs.

"Megan," Mom says with a smile as she opens up her arms. "So good to see you."

"And you," she returns after they've broken apart. "I'll take your coat. Matt take your Mom's bags to her room, would you?"

"Here's hoping I don't throw out my back doing so," I quip, ducking immediately to avoid a smack from Mom.

"Matt," Megan admonishes with a roll of her eyes and an exasperated sigh.

"You mind taking this little monster?" I ask Mom as I shift Jason in my arms.

She grins widely. "Of course not, let me see my grandson," she replies, holding out her arms immediately.

"This is your Grandma," I explain to Jason as I pass him over to Mom. "Do you remember Grandma?"

Jason studies her carefully, reaching an unsure hand toward her face. "Can you say Grandma?" I prompt.

His gaze locks with his grandmother's as they study each other carefully. "Ga!" Jason says finally, prompting a wide, proud grin to form on Mom's face.

"He's so smart! Aren't you a smart little man! And so handsome," she coos as she tickles him, eliciting a fit of giggles from him. "Yes, you are. The handsomest little boy! Oh, my little J.D., you look like your grandfather, I think…good job you're named after him – he would be quite delighted with that, yes he would." She tilts her head as she studies him further. "You even look like your great-grandfather a little too. Handsome little devil, you are. You do the Morgan name proud."

I shake my head and chuckle lightly before grabbing Mom's bags and heading toward her room upstairs. I drop her bags in the spare room and double check that I remembered to clean everything Megan asked me to. Finding I hadn't missed anything on her list, I head back downstairs.

"Daddy?" I hear Maddie's soft, sad voice call out from her room. I guess Megan managed to get her into her timeout after all.

I close my eyes, take a deep breath and exhale it. This is a key parenting moment, and I need to make sure I handle it right. Maddie hadn't been giving us much trouble, and then all of a sudden in the last few weeks her temperamental and stubborn side flared up.

"Hey you," I say as I open up the door and find her curled up in her bed, hugging her teddy bear tightly. I let out sigh when I notice the sad look on her face and the fresh tear tracks on her cheeks. I can't stand it when my baby girl is sad.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," she whispers. "I didn't mean to hurt Jason, I just wanted him to be careful with Bear-Bear because I don't want to tear him and have to throw him out," she finishes with a sniffle.

I sit down next to her and wipe a few tears from her cheeks. "You have to be careful with your brother, princess. You're a lot bigger than him, and you could hurt him."

"I didn't mean it," she says quickly, her lip quivering.

"I know, but you need to stop reacting like that every time he takes Bear-Bear. He's still young, so he doesn't know that he needs to be careful. He just thinks Bear-Bear looks like something great to play with."

"Oh," she says softly as that fact sinks in. "Can I come out of timeout now? I wanna say sorry to Jason."

"I think that's a very good idea," I say with a nod, figuring the timeout had accomplished what it was supposed to.

"Are you angry at me?" she asks as she sits up, still clutching Bear-Bear tightly to her chest.

"No, I'm not, Maddie," I say, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "I'm disappointed in your actions, but am glad that you've realized why your Mom and I aren't happy with how you've been acting lately with your brother."

"So you're not mad?" she asks.

I let out a heavy breath. "No, Maddie. I'm not mad."

"Good. I don't like when you're mad at me."

"Well I don't like it either, so how about we make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Okay! I'll be good, I promise."

"Sounds good, now let's go apologize to Jason, and I think there's someone here to see you after."

Her eyes widen. "Is it Grandma?! Is Grandma here?!"

"Yes," I answer, "but you have to apologize to your brother first."

"Let's go," she says, unable to completely hold in her excitement.

"Grandma!" Maddie calls out as she jumps off the stairs, skipping the last few steps.

"Maddie," I warn.

She drops her head and makes her way over to Jason, who's seated on the couch next to Mom with a pile of toys in front of him.

"I'm sorry, Jason. I promise I won't push you again."

Jason studies his sister for a moment before reaching toward her face and yelling "Mad-Mad", his interpretation of her name. I think that's as close to an accepted apology as we're going to get from a toddler, so I nod when Maddie looks to me for approval.

She turns back quickly to face her grandmother. "Grandma! I missed you! It's been forever!"

Mom chuckles as she scoops Maddie into her lap and hugs her tightly. "Yes, Maddie, it feels like it's been forever, doesn't it? But I'm here now."

"Come on, I wanna show you my room, and my toys, and my colouring book, and my alarm clock, and my-"

"Maybe after dinner, Maddie," I suggest. "Grandma's a bit tired from traveling."

Mom shoots me an unimpressed look, no doubt a response to my thinly veiled reference to her age. While I'd joked that she was as healthy as a horse earlier, the more I looked at her, the more I realized she was right. She was old. And that scares the hell out of me.

"After dinner," Mom promises, squeezing Maddie tightly, "you can show me everything. And don't you dare leave anything out."

"I won't!"

"Are you staying for Christmas?"

"I am," Mom says happily, "and I might have brought a few presents for a certain little girl and a certain little boy."

"Really?!" Maddie says as her eyes grow wide in excitement and anticipation.

"Really really," Mom says with a laugh.

"Cool!"

"Now how about you tell me all about school?"

"Okay!" Maddie says excitedly, happy to have someone willing to listen to her ramble on about her friends and what letter they learned about. Not that Megan and I don't love to listen to her…I just think she's started to clue in to when we sort of shut off our brains and respond with "mmhmm" and "oh, really?".

I smile as I lean against the wall in the entrance to the room, watching my mother chat with my daughter, and play with my son. I feel Megan's arms snake around my stomach and her head rest on my shoulder.

"She's great with them."

"Yeah," I agree. "She really is."

"We ought to have her out here more often," Megan suggests softly.

I nod and breathe a quiet "Yeah" as I recall Mom's allusions to her not being around much longer. I had such a great relationship with my grandmothers growing up, and I want that for my children – so Mom's words had shaken me to my core. I'd grown so used to having her around, and her just constantly being there, I hadn't stopped to consider what the passing time was doing to the time we had left with each other.

"Come on," Megan whispers. "Give me a hand with dinner?"

"In a minute," I reply, wanting to soak in the moment a little more. I pull out my phone and discreetly take a picture, capturing the moment. Mom's eyes are wide as she listens to Maddie's stories with rapt attention, and her smile is warm and comforting. Even Jason is enjoying the moment, sucking on the toy Mom is still holding, thanks to his hand clutching hers tightly. It truly is a beautiful sight.

"So what's this I hear you were in a bit of trouble before I came?" Mom asks Maddie gently.

Maddie drops her gaze to her hands immediately, and begins twisting them.

"Maddie," she prompts.

"I pushed Jason 'cause he took Bear-Bear and was gonna hurt him." Mom's eyes widen at this. "But I didn't mean it! I didn't wanna hurt him! I just wanted Bear-Bear," she finishes, tears forming again in her eyes.

I watch as Mom wraps her free arm around Maddie tightly. "Shh, Maddie, it's okay. I know you didn't mean to hurt your brother."

"I'm sorry," she whimpers.

"It's okay, Maddie. But we need to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"That's what Daddy said."

Mom smiles at her words. "Have you tried showing Jason how to be careful with Bear-Bear?"

"No."

"Well maybe tonight after dinner you can try to teach him how to be careful. I think that's a very important lesson that he should learn from his big sister."

I smile as Maddie agrees readily. My mother really is something sometimes.

"Don't stay up too late, you two," Megan says as she presses a quick kiss to my lips. "Tomorrow morning will no doubt come early."

"See you in the morning," Mom says with a smile before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"So, Mom," I say once Megan has disappeared up the stairs. "How are things on the east coast?"

"Oh, you know. Cold. Snowy. Same old, same old," she says dismissively.

"How's Tee?"

"She's good."

"Keeping busy with work no doubt?"

"Oh yes, moving up the ranks quite nicely."

"She'll be a profiler in no time," I say with a grin. "Following in the footsteps of her parents."

"Oh god, I hope not," Mom says with a shake of her head. "I don't think I could handle that."

I chuckle. "You said the same thing about me turning pro."

"It's a mother's prerogative. The two of you just had to choose dangerous careers."

"Dangerous? My career is hardly dangerous," I say with a shake of my head.

"Did you, or did you not injure yourself repeatedly in your career?" she presses.

"Well, yes, but it's not like I'm chasing after criminals. Tegan's career is infinitely more dangerous than mine."

"Not infinitely," she corrects with a smirk, "but I take your meaning. Still, you should be more careful."

"Mom, I haven't been injured in over a year."

"You've been injured quite enough over the course of your life, so I'd be appreciative if you didn't continue to wreck the body I nurtured and brought into this world."

"I'll do my best," I say with a laugh.

"Good. Now how are things with you? Maddie been giving you much trouble?"

I let out a heavy sigh. "Just recently, yeah. She's temperamental, but I can hardly stay mad at her when I find her curled up in a ball, crying in her room."

Mom nods in understanding. "I remember those days. It's hard for sure. But she'll grow out of it eventually."

"God, I hope so. I swear I'm at my wit's end sometimes."

"You wouldn't be a real parent if you weren't," she teases.

"Maddie asks after you, you know," I say, recalling the countless times my daughter had asked when we could see Grandma. Mom smiles in reply. "You don't have to spoil her so much. She loves you without all the stuff you buy her."

"Can't help it," she says with a shrug. "I love her and little J.D. dearly, and I don't have any babies to fuss over anymore."

"Oh, please. You never fussed over me or Tegan," I say with a wave of my hand. "You were always calm, cool, and collected." She frowns at my description and I realize I've shoved my foot into my mouth. "I don't mean that you never- Oh god, I-" I exhale heavily in frustration. "I just meant you were never all…you know…ooey gooey over us."

"How would you know what I was like in your first few years of life?"

"I…um…well…"

"Exactly. For all you know I was a complete pile of goo those first few years."

"Were you?" I ask, my curiosity piqued. She'd always been a comforting and strong source of support while Tegan and I were growing up, but she'd always exuded this calmness. She never seemed to get flustered, or be overcome with emotion, save for extenuating circumstances – like that time our car was hit by that drunk driver. God, both she and Dad were a mess then. Understandably. I don't know what I'd do if that happened to Maddie or Jason.

"I think all parents are to some degree," she answers vaguely, but I see right through it.

"Mmhmm. You were a pile of goo, weren't you?"

"I cannot confirm that accusation."

"Ha! You totally were."

She shakes her head and laughs at my antics. I shoot her a cheesy grin and we share another laugh before we lapse into silence as we each sip at our hot chocolates.

"I miss having you around," I say softly, breaking the reverie we'd both drifted into.

She frowns ever so slightly. "I miss spending time with you."

"You should come visit more often."

"You should come visit more often," she replies quickly.

"I've got two young kids," I counter.

"I know," she says reluctantly, letting out a sigh. "I just wish I could see you more. Make the most of…" she trails off, but I know exactly how she was going to finish that sentence. What's with her all of a sudden considering her time left on this planet? Does she know something I don't?

"Is there something I should know?" I ask quickly, a tinge of panic in my tone. I'm not ready to lose my mother.

"No," she assures me, reaching over giving my hand a squeeze. "I just want to make sure I get it all in is all."

"Mom. You're scaring me. What's going on?" I ask, not believing her for a second.

"Honestly, Matty," she says softly. "I'm fine."

I eye her carefully, searching for any indication of what she's not telling me. "You'd tell me if you weren't, right?"

She smiles sadly. "I'm fine, so it's not an issue."

"Mom…"

"Matthew, drop it," she says firmly. "I'm fine."

I narrow my eyes at her sudden firm tone. Apparently I'd hit a nerve…and that scares me. I let out a sigh and fall back on my wide grin to get me out of trouble, just as I'd done for years.

"So are you going to give me another grandchild soon?" she asks with a grin, knowing exactly how I'm going to respond.

I groan and glance at my watch. "Oh, looks like it's time for bed…"

"Of course it is," she says with a shake of her head. "Sleep well, Matty."

"You too, Mom."

It's a mere couple hours after Maddie wakes us all up with her excited cries that we find ourselves stretching out on the couches and basking in the glow of Christmas morning.

"I have one more present for you, Maddie," Mom says, reaching beside her and handing Maddie a small box.

"What is it?" Maddie asks with a frown of concentration as she looks over the gift carefully.

"Open it up," Mom prompts.

Maddie looks at the small box for a moment before she finds the latch and opens it up. Her eyes widen immediately, along with mine. "But Grandma, this is yours!"

"Well I want you to have it," Mom says with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Maddie asks, looking to me and Megan for approval, knowing just how important the item is to Mom.

"Yes, sweetie, I'm sure. I need someone who's going to take care of it, and treasure it, and I think you're the best person for the job."

Maddie looks up at her grandmother with big eyes before throwing her arms around her tightly. "I'll protect it and take care of it, I promise Grandma."

"I know you will."

I lock eyes with Mom and give her a smile. I know that no matter how touching and sweet a gesture it is to give it to Maddie, that it must be hard. Dad had given her that necklace before Tegan and I were born, and she hadn't taken it off since.

"Can I wear it now?"

"Sure you can," Mom says with a smile.

"Daddy! Can you put it on me?"

"Of course, my little princess. Come here."

I carefully place it around her small neck and fix the clasps together. As soon as I'm done, she races off to the bathroom to admire her new piece of jewelry. She comes racing back and climbs onto her grandmother's lap. "Thank you, Grandma!"

"You're very welcome, Maddie. Now how about we read a little from your new book?"

"Yeah!" she replies happily and jumps down to fetch the book. She returns moments later and crawls back onto Mom's lap, snuggling in and holding the necklace's small pendant gently in her hand.

I watch as Mom quietly begins to read to her, putting the same amount of enthusiasm into her voice as when she read stories to me and Tegan. I can only hope moments like these aren't in short supply, because having my mother around can only be a good thing for Maddie, and for me.

So...how adorable is Emily with her grandchildren? Did you chuckle at poor Matty's terrible morning? "Awww" at Emily giving her necklace from Derek to her granddaughter? Enjoy the banter between Emily and her son? Let me know...

And a happy holidays to you all!