Believing In You (Blue Bloods Fanfiction)

↞ Chapter Seventeen ↠

Season Two, Episode Eight

"Right, so I've got the turkey, the potatoes, the other potatoes, the pie, the green beans," I lifted a container full of red jello type food, "and whatever this is. I hope I remembered everything you wanted?"

Linda smiled, accepting the bins as I passed them to her. "This is cranberry sauce." She said as she dumped it onto the plate.

When Henry woke up this morning, he was rather peeved at the idea of not being able to celebrate Thanksgiving how they usually did it, so Linda called me, which meant Jameson heard as well. I dropped him off at his shift, parade duty, but not before he gave me the list of what they usually had, and his key to the house. It was different, walking in and not having anyone to say hello to once I got inside. But I made quick work, grabbing all the dishes, happy that we had already made everything the day before.

"Cranberry sauce," I muttered, moving the cut turkey onto the platter that Henry was so proud of yesterday. It took a moment to set everything on the table, and just as we finished Henry and Frank's voice came echoing into the cafeteria.

"This isn't the first Thanksgiving Dinner you missed." Frank spoke first, and though neither of them had appeared yet, I could piratically see the smile on his face.

"I beg your pardon."

"You missed 'cause of Korea, you missed when Mom was sick. I missed twice in the Marines, Danny in Falluja. Jamie missed while at Harvard, Erin had pneumonia a few years ago, Jett hasn't been to one in like twenty-" The pair came around the corner, Henry in a wheelchair with Frank pushing it.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" We all shouted, I chimed in a moment after, wrapping an arm around Jameson's shoulder and kissing his cheek. I muttered it to him again, and his forehead pressed against my cheek as he whispered it back. I could hear Henry's laughter, but it was muted slightly, as I concentrated more on Jameson who leaned into me as the kids ran around. They embraced their grandfather, forgetting the shouts of careful from their mothers.

"Well," Frank said, pushing Henry to a stop at the head of the table. "It isn't the Reagan dining room, but under the circumstances..." He trailed off.

Linda pointed out the fact that the turkey platter had made its way to the hospital, and much to the joy of everyone at the table Henry smiled at it, touching it with a delicate hand. As if remembering every Thanksgiving in the past.

The table quieted down, and in a moment of rare emotion for Danny, he spoke earnestly. "Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without you Gramps." Everyone agreed, Erin brought up some past memory, and all I could do was smile and nod along.

Jameson was seated at my right, Henry at my left, the ridiculously large turkey sat directly in front of me, and I could just barely see the two youngest boys sitting on the other side of the table. Jameson's hand was in mine under the table, our conjoined hands resting on his thigh, I felt at home.

"If it's okay with you guys, I want to say grace." Henry spoke up, reaching his hands out to Sean across from me, and to me. I smiled as I accepted it, everyone at the table joining hands and bowing heads. "Heavenly Father, on this Thanksgiving Day, we give pause to say thanks to you for your many blessings. For Jett," his hand tightened on mine, and I opened my eyes just a bit, looking at Henry with another smile.

"For this food which we are about to receive from your bounty." Erin spoke next.

Jameson's hand tightened in mine, "For your love."

"To Dr. Durrell." Frank spoke, "And for all those less fortunate in this season of giving, and for those who opened their door to them, and for the loving family at this table. Amen."

Everyone chimed in with 'amen' after Frank spoke, and then there was a rush of movement. Everyone started passing dishes around, and as the dishes reached me, I helped Henry, scooping whatever he wanted on his plate, before standing and helping the two boys across from me. The three of them each got a little bit of everything, and once I finished helping them, I served myself.

As for my first Thanksgiving in however long, it was rather good, and rather enjoyable as well. I found myself treating it like it was more than the usual family dinner, but not any more stressful. We joked, shared about our weeks, Jameson told us the story of an escaped balloon, and a raging man dressed in a butter costume. It made all of us laugh, before everything turned just a bit softer.

Frank went first, sharing what he was thankful for in this time of year. Which of course, was rather cliche of him: family, and friendship, and good health. It took a minute for someone to go next, before Erin finally spoke.

"I'm thankful for my work, the good we do, and for all of-"

"Ah-ah-ah, no copying Erin." Danny interrupted, and she sighed, before rephrasing what she was saying.

"Then I'm thankful for Nicki." She said, before smiling brightly at her daughter. I felt like an onlooker, as everyone shared about their thankfulness of family, or for their work. I, of course, felt the same way, but this level of thankfulness that they felt, it was like something more. The boys went, Henry, Linda, Danny, Nicki, and then it was left to Jameson and I. I bumped his shoulder with mine, telling him to go first.

"I'm thankful for you, Jett," I turned to him as he said that, and I smiled, feeling strangely emotional. "For my family, for a job that I love."

And than it was my turn, and I wasn't sure really sure what to say. But I didn't need to think long before it came to me. "I'm thankful for New York, for the opportunity to come here. For the hospitality all of you have shown to me." I paused, squeezing Jameson hand a little bit tighter in my lap, "For opportunities I never thought I would have." I spoke directly to him as I said that, because it was true. I had a wonderful thing going here, and some part of me believed I wouldn't have it.

Jameson leaned towards me, kissing my lips lightly, the first sign of obvious affection we had done in front of the entire family during our time together over the past year. I smiled into the kiss, pulling back and turning to the family with a bashful smile.

The smiles from the family spurred my confidence in the movement. I lifted Jameson hand to my lips, kissing the back of it firmly.

"I love you." I just barely whispered the words to Jameson as everyone started to speak again.

"I love you too."