Criminal Minds 1. Chapter 1

**A/N: As I sorta work myself back into this writing thing, I knew I had to go home. To the story I love.**

**As always all rights to the CM characters belong to CBS, ABC Studios and Mark Gordon Productions. And again, this is a completely written FF. You'll get a chapter a day. Sorry, though, no Monday special. It's extremely short! At least by my standards. ;)**

**A/N2: I owe my loyal readers of this whole story an apology. I know I've bounced around between what high school Matt and Mike attend. I pride myself on knowing my story but failed on that one. However, I've got it straight now. It will be the same high school that Jack graduates from. Of course, I'll be writing that one in the nursing home. ;)**

Chapter 1

The autumn air was crisp and cool in northern Virginia. It was a typical football Friday night in late October. The football field, the "combatant zone" as Mike called it was bathed in the huge lights, high on the poles surrounding the field. And there was an air of electricity in the air at Laney Field at Woodbridge High School. But it wasn't from the lights; it was for _the_ game.

The Woodbridge Cardinals were taking on their arch rival in all high school sports. The Panthers of Dale City were a mere eight miles away. The rivalry was storied; both in girls' and boys' sports team that each played.

Yet, there was so much more on the line; each team had an undefeated record. Whoever won this game would certainly get the top seed in the Virginia 4A division playoffs. The teams were ranked one and two in the state standings for the division.

Cait and Aaron Hotchner had spent many Friday fall nights like this since they were married, first with Matt and now with Mike and they loved it.

-00CM00-

Earlier that Friday morning, the entire team gathered early in the Round Table room for their usual 10 am morning briefing. Aaron, sitting at his desk, noticed them all going in early and immediately knew something was up and had pretty much profiled what it was. He texted Cait; _You might what to double that batch of chili you're going to make. Team will be there. Sorry about late arrangements; know you can handle. Luvs ya_. He grabbed his files, iPad and headed in as well, with a small smile on his face.

_That's my team._

Aaron looked around at his team as he entered. It was not normal for him to enter in that early. He usually let the team have their bullshit, laugh, make fun of each other session before he walked in the door.

He noticed the looks from all of them when he walked in and gave them the Hotchner glare and then smiled deeply. "The chili feed starts at 5:30 before the game at our house. Those stands are going to get jam packed early. Cait and I are there a half hour early."

The team all looked at him. "Hotch," Morgan smiled. "Cait doesn't need to feed us."

Hotch smiled. "But you know she will."

Dave smiled, sitting down in a chair. "Myself, along with Jimmy, were sorta counting on dat." Hotch just shook his head, yet inwardly smiling. Dave was healing from his loss of Erin.

Emily raised her hand. "Then tell Cait I'm on cracker patrol. Keebler has put out a garlic flavored one that is the bomb." JJ pointed at her.

"James found that one last weekend when he was home," Alex beamed. "They are the best." Emily and JJ both pointed at her.

Morgan looked at Reid. "You and I kid are on beer patrol."

Aaron shook his head. "You all have got enough in our beer fridge; we'd appreciate you depleting it a bit," he said with a smile. "Except for you and James Alex. Cait and I drink Miller Lite. You want something different, bring it," he smiled. His cell pinged with a text message in his suit pants pocket. He pulled it out, read the message and smiled.

Dave, the ultimate Cheshire cat, leaned back in his chair. "Let me guess Aaron; Cait just said bring it on."

Hotch shook his head and looked at Dave. "Asshole." The rest roared and went heads down into their briefing.

###

**A/N: First off, yes I've let go of Erin Strauss in this story as well. I had to; otherwise I'd probably screw it up. However for a certain Dutch person, Emily remains.**

**Notes that are not in order: Keebler makes a club cracker, regular flavor that my dad and I love with the chili I make.**

**To all my international readers, the football is the American version, which I'm sure you figured out. Laney Field is homage to my alma mater's HS football field, named after former alum that died in a car accident. Doc Laney was the town doctor for years; it was his son that died. He paid for lights on the football field when the new HS was built, in honor of his son who was an outstanding running back for our HS team back in his day with our school.**

**And yes, I know, extremely short chapter by my standards. ;) I'm an FF writer sorta trying to suck you in while I try to get back in the groove. I hope it works.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: However, this one may not be so short. I've sorta found my groove again.**

Chapter 2

By five o'clock the entire cast of characters we're milling about the Hotchner's kitchen nook and the great room. Dave and Jimmy were sitting at the lunch counter enjoying a beer, with Hotch standing in the kitchen, drinking his own, waiting to see how he could assist Cait. JJ was helping Cait set up the buffet on the kitchen island as Will sat in the third chair with the "family elders", chatting with them both. Jack and Henry were downstairs, burning off their steam of sitting in class all day.

Derek, along with Spencer got a huge fire going in the fireplace. A line of showers had moved through the area in the morning, still leaving its dampness, followed by a high pressure system that was blowing in cold air from the northwest. Morgan looked at Reid. "You got enough clothes on kid?"

"Including a pair of wool socks, I hope so," he answered. "I don't do cold well."

"Kid, it isn't cold; it's football weather," he deeply smiled. The fond memories of his high school football playing days, Carl Buford be damned, flooded back. "I love it."

Emily, dressed just about like Reid, looked at Morgan. "You would," she said rolling her eyes. Alex nodded her head in agreement to Emily. The Chicago kid just shook his head at them with his large smile.

Alex looked at Emily. "Where's the Olympic medals," she whispered with a question.

Emily smiled. "In Cait and Hotch's study; I'll show you," she said, nodding her head. It was Alex Blake's first time in the house and she was a little nervous. Emily led her into the study and pointed to the wall with framed picture boxes of Cait hitting the swim pool wall in both Olympics and the medals around it.

"She doesn't mind you showing me these?"

Emily smiled, shaking her head. "Cait would never show them off." Alex looked again at the display. "OK, she'd never say 'hey go in our study and look at them'. But they are a part of her life and she's very proud of them."

Alex smiled with the small nod of her head that team had got to know. "She has every right to be proud of them."

"Hey Alex, I know you're still feeling your way around all of us. I get that." Emily rubbed her shoulder. "But you gotta relax; you're in. We trust you. And this home," Emily pointed around, yet still being able to privately talk to Alex, "is home; for all of us. We feel safe and loved here. The boys; the dogs; Cait; and Hotch so fully relaxed." Emily smiled, shaking her head. "And with what we deal with on a daily basis, we all need. Cait knows that and backs Hotch with that. She's more a part of this team than you know. Yet," Emily smiled.

Alex put her arm around Emily. "Thank you; I'm beginning to understand that."

"And Cait is our confidant; because of her knowledge of what we do, any of us can call or email her anytime and she's just there for us." Alex looked at Emily. Emily smiled and shook her head. "After the Doyle situation, the Bureau sent me to their shrink. SOP." Alex shook her head in acknowledgement. "The shrink did jack shit for me; Cait got me through that."

Alex looked at her. "May I ask how?"

"First off," Emily smiled, "she got me to a good shrink. And then she was just there to talk to me when I needed her. I know Jayje, now that she's profiling talks a lot to her. But that's more about juggling a career and a family," Emily smiled.

"I think when I'm teaching at Georgetown, I should have lunch with her," Alex smiled.

"Please do; and don't be afraid to talk to her. What all of us tell her, is between her and each of us," Emily said, putting her arm around Alex. "Hotch hears exactly none of it. And she's good. God knows all of us wish she could work on the cases with us."

Alex smiled. "I read the reports on the case in Chicago she consulted on. She's brilliant in her field."

Emily nodded her head. "Why do you think Rossi has her as a consultant on his books?"

Ales beamed. "'Cause she's the best; and David Rossi will only have the best." Emily pointed at her.

Emily smiled again. "Just let me warn you; between this home and Dave's cabin, the hangovers are legendary." Alex beamed at her as they walked out the study, arm in arm.

As they did, Hotch whistled at the team. "Dinner is on. Derek, can you get the boys please?"

"Got it Hotch," he pointed. He went to the top of basement steps, where he knew the boys were playing basketball and whistled just as loudly. "Hey guys! It's dinner time!" Derek smiled as two sets of young, yet rapidly growing feet flew up the steps, along with two dogs.

Derek gently swatted Henry on the butt. "Get in the kitchen. You and Jack have a job to do," he smiled at the boys.

Henry smiled at him. "Got it D-man!" They shared a high five. As the team gathered around, the boys literally blew into the kitchen. They were both sweating. Cait took a clean dish cloth from the drawer, ran some cold water from the faucet and then drenched the wash cloth, wringed out the rag and wiped both of their faces.

"That's feels good Cait," Henry smiled as she finished with him, sending him to the small bathroom off the kitchen to wash his hands.

Alex looked at Reid. "She's also our earth mother," he smiled. Alex immediately knew that Reid had figured out her conversation with Emily, and shook her head at the young genius.

Garcia piped up. "I'm just the fairy god-mother around here," she beamed, as Cait got Jack cooled down as well and shipped him off to wash his hands as well.

"That feels really good mom," he smiled. Alex smiled at Jack and Cait's relationship and looked at Emily. She just smiled back, nodding her head.

After the boys got their hands washed, they came back in the kitchen. Hotch looked specifically at Blake. "We respect all faiths, but around here, there's only two. If you want us to add a third, please tell us," he smiled.

Alex shook her head. "I'm good with them all."

As usual, Jack led off with the family Protestant prayer for the food they were about to receive. Henry added the Catholic prayer. "Well done boys; both of you," Father Jimmy smiled.

Jack, now eight, and a second grader, eyed him. "Father Jimmy, you rock."

Jimmy laughed. "And you roll Jack; it's all good. When it comes to heaven, we all will not be wearing labels that states 'I'm this or I'm that'."

Jack looked at his partner in crime with a smile. "He's good."

"Father Jimmy, being a hippie, is the bomb," Henry intoned. They shared another high five.

JJ was about to correct her son when Jimmy pulled him into a gentle hug. "Yup, kiddo, I am. Even for an old hippie."

Jack and Henry rollicked with laughter as they all dived in, with Cait and JJ getting the boys fed first. Of course, Cait had her Strawberry Jell-O salad mixed with strawberries and Cool Whip. She knew it was a Reid favorite as well. She had the time. She was off for her usual two days while the teacher's in the school district had their state convention. Alex just shook her head at the relaxed, wonderful atmosphere the Hotchner home provided. She got in line behind Reid for the chili that smelt absolutely wonderful with all the fixings: onions, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. Plus Cait had a side dish of raw veggies with a couple different dipping sauces and buttermilk biscuits.

When they finished, Cait pulled out her infamous chocolate cake and watched with a smile as Reid and Kevin made a beeline into the kitchen. Hotch pulled the tub of ice cream out of the freezer portion of the fridge. Will looked at Alex across the nook table. "It is the best," he drawled.

"And homemade," JJ added. "Cait doesn't believe in boxed cake mixes," she smiled.

Alex just shook her head.

The doorbell rang in the Hotchner home and Aaron moved to answer it. He looked through the peep hole in the door and smiled. Opening the door, he stuck out his hand. "You must be James; I'm Aaron; it's a pleasure to meet you. Come in and make yourself at home."

"Thanks Aaron; I appreciate the invitation. I wanted to surprise Alex."

Aaron smiled. "You can thank Garcia for that." He led him into the home and Alex flew into his arms. The smiles in the home were wonderful as Hotch wrapped his arm around Cait.

When they separated, Alex made the introductions. Cait got James into the kitchen and got him in on the chili feed as well. Alex came into the kitchen following her husband and looked at Cait. "I heard a rumor I need to try a piece of that cake," she smiled.

Cait smiled back. "You better do it soon; between the boys, Spencer and Kevin, they're might not be much left."

Cait handed a bowl of the chili to James she heated in the microwave. As he added some onions and sour cream, Hotch handed him a beer. Alex took a bite of her piece of cake and almost melted. "OMG; this is sinfully chocolate."

James smiled. "Save me a piece; I know my wife's penchant for chocolate. It must be great."

Aaron and Cait smiled at them. Alex looked at them with a huge smile. "Thank you for this; I now know why this means so much to the others."

Cait smiled at Aaron, then the couple. "That includes you and James now."

###

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews, plus following and favorite alerts. I appreciate all of you reading!**

**To my guest reviewers, thank you so much. Please know that you can get an account here at FanFiction without being a writer. I mention it because I can't respond to guest reviews. Leaving a review under an account name means I can! And I do to those that I don't follow on social media.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm a bit early tonight; AvngAngl can be impatient sometimes. ;)**

Chapter 3

Emily, JJ, Alex and Garcia, along with Aaron, Dave and Jimmy helped with the kitchen clean-up. The hard working crew made short work of it, especially with the fact that Cait went with paper and plastic for utensils and dishes. Derek and James got the garbage into the garage.

While the clean-up crew worked, Cait got her old storied, team coffee pot from the trips to the cabin filled and plugged it in. In other coffee pot, just about as old, she got ready to pour in a gallon of milk and took the cap off the Hersey's Chocolate syrup bottle. "I need a stirrer as I pour."

Reid at the cusp of the kitchen, walked up. "I'm your man," he smiled.

Cait smiled back, handing him her long, old fashioned, wooden spoon. "Start stirring," she said as she poured in nearly a third of the bottle. They both looked in together. "Well done Dr. Reid."

"Thank you Dr. Barkley," he largely smiled back. "Well done by you as well," he smiled. Cait rubbed his back and plugged in the machine as well, turning it down to the lowest possible setting. When the game was over, the team would come back to hot chocolate and coffee. She knew that Dave and Jimmy had provided the "supplies" to give the drinks some extra "kick" for getting all of them warm after the game.

They all joined up in the great room of the Hotchner home, pulling on coats for the night air, while working over carpooling arrangements. Henry looked at his parents. "Can I ride with Cait and Hotch and Jack?"

Aaron smiled. "You bet Henry," he said, rubbing his head. JJ and Will smiled at the two of them.

"That's means me and Jayje can take three," Will drawled. Reid, Alex and James stuck up their hands.

Dave smiled. "Jimmy and I can take three." That left Morgan, Emily, Garcia and Kevin.

Cait smiled. "Kevin, you and Penelope can ride with Aaron and I. I've got a Chevy Traverse; there's a third seat. Em and Derek can ride with Dave and Jimmy."

"Works for us Cait," Kevin smiled.

Jimmy nodded his head. "I believe we have a plan," he smiled. They all got into the three cars and headed to the stadium.

They all got out together, bought their tickets, and headed into the high school stadium. The air was truly electric. The Woodbridge marching band, in their red uniforms, was playing "pep" band music to get the crowd going.

Shortly after the group got settled into their grandstand seats, the band piped up with the school fight song and the team rushed onto the field. Matt, Pete and Lisa blew in and joined them all with Matt giving his mother a huge hug. The team all smiled. Hotch made the introductions. Alex, after greeting Matt, sitting in front of Cait, turned and looked at her. "What number is Mike?"

Cait smiled. "He's number 52. Given his disability, the coaches feel they can only play him on defense. So that's how he's been schooled in the system from day one," Cait proudly smiled.

James looked at her. "His disability?" Alex joined in the look.

Aaron smiled softly at James and Alex. "You don't know?" They both shook their head. "Mike has an 80% hearing loss. While he has cochlear implants, he can't play with them in. So a team member has to give him a hand signal for the play calls. On offense, the other team could read them. That's why he only plays defense. They can get away with that."

James nodded his head in understanding, rubbing Alex's shoulder with a smile. "That was all over the top of my non-football loving wife." He kissed her, looking her in the eye. "That means they know how to play to Mike's strengths."

Alex smiled. "Thank you all."

It was tight and hard played game, with the score not growing rapidly. Each team's defense was ready for the other team. At the end of the third quarter of the rapidly played game, the score was 7-3 in favor of the Panthers. Mike made some wonderful plays, making three open field tackles and had registered a quarterback sack on a blitz scheme, to the delight of the boys who shared a high five sitting between Hotch and Will.

As the fourth quarter started the Panthers were driving when Mike sniffed out a screen pass to the halfback and pounced, knocking the halfback off his feet as he caught the ball. The football popped out of his hands and Mike snatched it out the air, still on his feet, and streaked down the sidelines. The quarterback knocked him out of bounds on the 16 yard line.

Yet a perfectly placed pass from the Cardinal's quarterback Alex Hounder to tight end Jesse Morales in the end zone, put the Cardinals up 9-7. The team celebrated in the stands with the rest of the Cardinal faithful. Jack and Henry shared a double high five. Mike Allen, the Cardinals' steady kicker added the extra point and Big Red led 10-7 with a little over six minutes left in the game.

After Mike Allen's kickoff that sailed out the end zone, the Panthers started on their own twenty yard line. Their first play was a run to Mike's side of the defense. As the runner tried to give him a stiff arm, Mike Hotchner hauled him down. The running back popped back up and tossed the ball to one of the referee's as Mike still lay on the ground, withering in pain.

Aaron and Cait both popped up out of their seats as the Cardinal trainers ran onto the field. Mike was holding his helmet, designed to keep his head safe. Alex looked at the two parents. "He's moving," she smoothed.

Dave, sitting next to Cait, also on his feet, said the same thing to the two concerned parents.

Aaron and Cait watched in the stands as the trainers bent over Mike. They gently took his helmet off and looked at him. Less than a minute later, they had him up on him feet, with Mike shaking his head a bit as they led him to the sidelines, walking on his own feet. Doc Scott, a local chiropractor that served as the team trainer, held his arm around Mike's waist. They two parents took a sigh of relief.

Cait and Aaron kept a sharp eye on Mike on the sidelines as did Dave. When Micah Gonzalez, replacing Mike made a great play, Mike raised his fist in the air. So did Matt and Pete. His play made the Panthers have to punt, giving up the ball.

Johnny Knowles fielded the punt and advanced the ball to nearly the Panther forty yard line on a great punt return for the Cardinals. Dave and Jimmy shared a high five.

The first play for the Cardinals on offense, a Panther defensive lineman put a helmet on the football popping it loose from the running back. The Panthers recovered, leaving them a short field to tie or win the game with four minutes left.

Mike pulled on his helmet. Doc Scott looked at him and signed. "You OK?"

Mike nodded, signing back. "My team needs me; I'll worry about this later." He buckled the chin strap of the helmet and headed out onto the field.

Jack pointed to Aaron and Cait. "Mike's coming back out," he shouted with a smile.

Yet the Panthers started a drive towards their end zone. Abdul Mohammad, a giant of defensive lineman broke throw the line of the Panther's offensive line to sack the Panthers quarterback to set up a fourth down with long yards.

Mike let the tight end go knowing that one of his other defensive players would pick him up and made a speed run towards the Panther quarterback on a late blitz while he was looking left for his favorite receiver. Mike buried him into a tackle.

The BAU team all celebrated in the stands. Alex Hounder ran out the clock and the Cardinals were victorious.

With the Cardinals gathered in the middle of field, they accepted the conference championship trophy. Lisa had sped down to the field level to get pictures for the families. Matt and Pete shared a high five with Aaron, Cait, Dave and Jimmy. The smiles from the BAU team were huge.

The game over, Cait and Aaron were about to provide the perfect catharsis after a huge load of cases. They all made their ways to their cars. Alex looked at Cait. "You're not checking on Mike?"

She and Aaron both shook their heads "Doc Scott would have texted us if he thought Mike needed it," Hotch explained.

Dave and Jimmy, with Emily and Morgan were the first to reach the house, getting out of the after game traffic before the rest. Derek and Father Jimmy got the fireplace roaring again as Dave let the dogs out. Emily warmed herself in front of the fireplace, along with Jimmy.

He looked at her, with a smile, rubbing her shoulder. Emily occasionally showed up in his services. "You OK?"

Emily smiled, as she toasted the other side of her body. "I am now."

The rest of the gang filtered in less than ten minutes later, with Matt shortly after, raiding the fridge digging for anything he could find to eat. Alex, drinking her coffee, laced with Bailey's, standing in Cait's kitchen talking with her, just shook her head.

Cait, enjoying a mug of hot chocolate, laced with some scotch smiled at her. "Welcome to my world." JJ had the two boys in the shower in her and Aaron's bathroom, getting them warm. Garcia was her back-up that could hardly wait to wrap the boys in Cait's soft towels.

Matt warmed up a huge, heaping bowl of chili, already adding some onions. When he pulled it out of the microwave, he added copious amounts of cheddar cheese and sour cream and dived in, pouring himself a large glass of milk.

Cait smiled at Alex, shaking her head. "That's round one." Matt just nodded as he shoveled in the homemade food.

Alex smiled. "Emily did say you were Earth Mother."

Cait nodded her head. "I just love to take care of my family."

Alex looked at her, shaking her head. "That includes all of us, doesn't it?"

Matt gave her the Hotchner glare. "Some profiler you are; you're just figuring that out now," he added with the nearly patented Barkley grin, shoveling in another mouth full of his mother's chili.

Alex grinned as Matt pulled her to his side, putting his strong left arm around her shoulder, drawing her close to him. "Welcome home Alex," he smiled.

###

**A/N: Like baseball, I could try and explain all this football stuff to you, but I really can't. If you have specific questions, please PM me. I'm a happy responder!**

**The "pep" band is the high school band that plays music that all would recognize. When I was in high school (a million years ago ;) ) it was Chicago songs and **_**Rock Around the Clock**_**. Oh; we always played the teams, being football or winter sports onto their home "court" to the strains of **_**Jesus Christ Superstar**_**. The joys of being a graduate of the PHS Bicentennial Class of 1976.**

**Serious stuff for a second; sorry. Doc Scott is a shout out to Dr. Scott Williams that served my hometown for over 25 years as a chiropractor and yes, as the football team head trainer. Doc Scott got blindsided by cancer four years and lost his life in four short months. My younger sister worked in his office when she was in high school.**

**This chapter is dedicated to that wonderful man that gave back to his community.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry this is so late. I got so involved in all the online chat about Route 66 that I forgot to post this.**

Chapter 4

Will LaMontagne could be devious in his own right. And he knew this group. _Hell I love them_ he thought. _Who showed up at our wedding? And I know Cait; I'm love her; I can play hardball_. "Anyone want to shoot some pool?"

Morgan just groaned, as JJ was coming out of Cait and Aaron's bathroom with the boys, Garcia following. She shot her husband dagger looks. Garcia did the same. Dave, sitting in his usual place, with Jimmy at his right, roared with laughter. Cait and Aaron laughed with him. The boys climbed into their laps and JJ and Cait got them their desserts. Dave and Father Jimmy smiled at each other as the boys dived in.

Jimmy looked at Dave, as Alex looked at Cait, along with a smile from James. Dave shook his head at all of them. "We got handed the Sandy Hook profile earlier this year. And after dat," his accent showing again, "we had three cases in a row involving kids. Guess who provided the venue to unwind and how dat went?"

Jimmy and Alex both smiled. Jimmy smiled. "Davey, I may not be a profiler, but I would say the two ladies that Will sorta called out with their groans over imbibed."

Dave smiled. "Just a wee bit," he winked. JJ and Garcia groaned again. Jimmy laughed.

Alex smiled at Cait and Hotch. "Let me guess the Morgan part." Cait and Aaron both just smiled.

"GD you Will; don't you mention the downstairs to me again," Morgan growled. Cait pointed to them all.

"Boom," she smiled.

Jimmy smiled. "And knowing you and Aaron Cait, they all got home safely."

Aaron smiled. "Or stayed the night," he winked. Alex looked at him. "This is your haven; our haven, with my wife's cooking. And yes, if we have to let people sleep here to enjoy this haven, we will."

Matt shoveling in his second bowl of Cait's chili looked at Alex. "Thank God I didn't get bunked up with Uncle Dave; enough of them had sober cabs to get them home." Alex and James roared with laughter. Dave flipped off Matt under handily as Jimmy shook his head. "Mom and dad got him tucked into their study," Matt smiled at the couple.

"I got my own butt into dat bed," Dave growled.

Matt smiled. "Did you pull it out and make it up for you to do _dat_," Matt questioned, mimicking Dave's accent.

Jimmy roared. "Give it up Davey; you're not going to win this." Alex and James laughed harder with Cait and Aaron joining them. Aaron and his oldest son shared a high five.

JJ smiled. "I think this is where Penelope and I take the boys upstairs to get their teeth brushed." It had been made out from the morning that Henry was sleeping over with Jack. The desserts finished, they chased them up the steps.

Dave growled at Aaron. "You would rub it in."

Aaron smiled. "Why do you drink so much scotch here?"

Dave smiled at him and then Alex. "Because you, and that beautiful wife that you do not deserve because I didn't set you up, have gave all of us a haven. And we take advantage of it." Jimmy rubbed Dave's shoulder, smiling at Alex.

Alex looked at Cait wide eyed. "Dave didn't set you two up?"

Aaron and Cait both smiled. "In a way, he did," Aaron said, explaining to her how he happened to lecture in Cait's class.

Derek slid into the third lunch counter chair, rubbed Jimmy's shoulder and looked at him with a broad smile. "Ask what happened after that," he beamed.

Jimmy looked at Cait and Aaron. "I'll bite."

Matt just shook his head. "Old news of Uncle Dave getting toasted," he said, giving Dave a wicked smile. He rinsed his chili bowl and put it in the dishwasher. "I'm out all to do some gaming." He said his good-byes to all of the team as well as Father Jimmy. He nodded at him. "Egg them on; the story is good."

Alex looked at Cait. "Please, you've got to tell us the rest." Dave growled at Matt after sharing a hug with him. "Now, I've really got to know," Alex smiled.

Jimmy smiled. "Me too; especially the part about you Davey," he smiled at his friend, rubbing his shoulder. The entire group was gathered around for the conversation, including JJ and Garcia. They filled in the other parents that the boys were still goofing around in Jack's room.

Cait gave them all a belly laugh. "We talked a lot on the phone and then we met for a drink just before Christmas," she said and looked at Aaron, with a smile. "I knew by then it was God guiding my life." Jimmy smiled and nodded his head. "The rest of you would probably chalk it up to karma; either way, I knew," she smiled.

Aaron picked up on the story of Cait giving him some get Christmas gift ideas for his then three year old son and the coming over to wrap them. The team all smiled.

Derek looked at them, rubbing Father Jimmy's shoulder. "I'm sorry Jimmy; but I think the dirty deed is about to enter into this story and it involves," he said, nodding at Rossi, "Uncle Dave. I've got to hear this."

Father Jimmy looked at him. "I'll say seven Hail Mary's tomorrow and six Our Fathers," he smiled. "So do I."

Cait beamed and Aaron smiled. The team all was rapt with attention. Cait winked at Aaron. Aaron said, "I think this is where we two parents get two young sons into bed." He smiled at Father Jimmy. "And Dave makes his own confession to Jimmy," he winked. "About how my beautiful wife pulled the absolute wool over his eyes."

Cait and Aaron made a beeline for the steps with JJ and Will following them.

Jimmy looked at Dave. "'Fes up my son," he smiled. The rest of the team smiled, shaking their heads.

Dave just shook his. "I get a phone call from Cait. 'Dave, I need a huge favor. I'm in the city, having drinks with a friend. The boys are both gone for the night and I'm having a good time. Can you run over and let Beans out please. I don't want to drive; I'll get a room for the night. Jamaal and Lisa are gone for the weekend or I'd call them'."

Alex looked at Dave, with an eyebrow raised. Dave nodded to the east. "The next door neighbors; they're close." Alex nodded her head. "And the phone call had traffic noise in the background. I bought in and God knows I owed Cait and the boys for all the times they've took care of Mudg."

"But," Emily egged on.

Upstairs, Aaron and Will got the boys chased into bed, with Cait and JJ tucking them in. They both yawned deeply as the said their prayers. The parents said their goodnights, with JJ and Will giving Henry a hug. "We'll see you tomorrow buddy," JJ said rubbing Henry's hair. Henry, with the weather, the warm shower, the dessert and the extra play time with Jack was nearly conked. He sleepily smiled and nestled in. Aaron and Cait had the same with their youngest.

Aaron switched off the light on Jack's nightstand and the two sets of parents left the room. JJ and Will gathered Hotch and Cait into the little den the boys had. They smiled at each other. "We've got to hear the rest of this story," Will drawled.

Aaron smiled. "It was our time to finally get together; both the boys were gone."

Cait smiled as well. "Which was rare in my world back then."

"Anyway," Aaron smiled. "Since Cait had the time, I wanted her to stay the night. But she had to think about Beans."

Cait devilishly smiled at the couple as they made their way down the steps. "Jamaal and Lisa were gone for the weekend, which I knew. The only person that could take of Beans was Dave." She looked at the couple as they got to the foyer landing of the steps. JJ looked at Hotch. He was beaming. "I bullshitted his socks off," Cait wickedly smiled.

JJ and Will both roared with laughter as the group in the kitchen did the same. Will looked at Cait, as the four of them got to the landing in the foyer.

Will looked at Cait and drawled a question. "What did you say to him?"

Cait smiled. "Dave you owe me; can you be a dear." Dave said the same words to rest of the group in the kitchen in almost unison to Cait and Aaron's telling of the story to the other parents.

Jimmy looked at Dave. "And you bought that?"

Cait walked past Jimmy, rubbing his shoulder. "I sold it pretty well," she winked at him.

"Making the call out on the street was strategic," Reid smiled with a deep appreciation. Cait beamed at him and rubbed his shoulder.

"Thank you Doctor," she smiled.

Alex looked around. "When did you put it all together Dave?"

He sadly shook his head. "_The _weekend."

Cait burrowed a look into Dave. "That Saturday was not a loss in my world; and Haley knew it in the end. She told us."

Dave pointed at her, nodding his head. "As usual Cait, you're right." Questions abounded across the faces of Morgan, Alex and James, and Father Jimmy.

Morgan looked at Emily, his partner and JJ. He then looked at Garcia, who was also softly smiling. "You girls know the answer to this?"

Emily smiled at her partner. "Girls talk; Cait at Dave's cabin told us what happened."

Reid looked at Cait as Father Jimmy looked at Dave. The questions in the air was rampant. "Cait?"

Morgan looked at Cait. "Mother Goose?"

Cait smiled. She filled them all in on the Saturday when her and Aaron's relationship got exposed to Dave, with Haley being there as well, bringing Jack down so she could enjoy a night out with friends.

Aaron shook his head. "You all heard that convo." Father Jimmy looked at him. Aaron sadly smiled. "I was on a cell phone with Haley when Foyet killed her." He looked at his entire team, including Blake and then back at Jimmy. "She made me promise that I would show Jack love. She was talking about Cait and me; what Jack had here that she learned that day, without tipping off Foyet about this home."

"Oh my God," Morgan said. "It all now fits." Reid wiped his own tear, nodding at Morgan.

Father Jimmy just shook his head, looking at Aaron, with his arms wrapped around Cait. Alex looked at the two of them. "After losing Strauss, and Derek telling us that was a restricted case, I listened to the tape of that conversation. I had no idea." James held her close.

Derek looked at Dave. "You knew, didn't you?"

Dave sadly shook his head, with Jimmy looking at him. "Derek, I knew exactly what that brave woman was talking about." He softly smiled. "Once my shock was over, we did have a good afternoon that Saturday." Cait and Aaron both smiled. "Except of course for the part of me getting called out."

Cait and Aaron smiled at him. Cait burrowed at look into his eye. "You didn't tell us all of you secrets now did you?"

Dave smiled like only he could. "I owed you."

Just them Michael came in the door and walked into the kitchen holding an ice bag on his right eye. Cait took one look and walked to him. "What happened?"

"I got a finger in my eye." He pulled the ice bag down to let his mother look. Alex standing near him just shook her head as she looked. The eye was painfully red, and a bruise was starting under the eye and in the corner of his eyelid as well.

"Bare finger or glove," Cait asked as Aaron checked him over as well.

"The guy was wearing a glove."

Cait rolled her eyes, gently pushing Michael's hand with the ice bag back up to the area. "Oh goody; we'll be dealing with a rampant eye infection two days from now."

Alex looked at Reid. "The MD is before the Ph.D."

Mike looked around the kitchen at everyone, saying hello to them. Aaron introduced him to Alex and James. Cait rubbed his back. "You hungry? I've got some chili left."

Mike shook his head. "We all stopped at McDonald's." He looked at her. "Mom it really hurts."

Cait softly smiled. "I know Michael; it's going to for a day or two. Come into dad's and my bathroom with me." Mike nodded and followed her in.

Dave gave him a high five as he passed the counter. "Great game Mike; let me see the eye." Mike pulled down the ice bag and both Dave and Jimmy winced. Dave rubbed his shoulder. "Go with your mom; she'll help you out," he softly smiled, rubbing his shoulder.

Cait got him in the bathroom and pulled down the toilet cover for him to sit on. She was now dealing with her third six footer. Mike sat down as Cait pulled the Visine bottle out of her and Aaron's medicine cabinet.

Mike pulled the ice bag down and Cait gently spread the eye open, dropping in a few drops of the solution. She put the cap back on and handed it to him. "Can you get more in yourself in the middle of the night?"

Mike nodded. "It feels better already."

Cait smiled. "That's because it has an analgesic in the solution." Mike looked at her with a question. "Liquid aspirin; just don't overdo it. If you wake up and it's hurting, put a couple small drops in; just don't do it every fifteen minutes. And take three Advil when you get upstairs."

Mike got off the toilet and smiled at her. "Thanks mom," he said, pulling her into a hug. Cait hugged him tightly. Even with Jack in her life, Mike would always be her "baby". The youngest child she gave birth to. Maternal feelings ran deep. Cait loved Jack to the depths of her heart but that was the one bond they didn't share. And why Cait worked so hard to keep Haley alive in his heart. Cait owed that to her fellow mother that had entrusted her only son into her care.

Cait rubbed Mike's back as they walked into the bedroom. "Please stop in the kitchen before you go up and thank everyone for coming to your game. They didn't have to do that."

Mike smiled at her. "I know that mom." He smiled his big one. "And I could still pound down some chocolate cake." Cait just shook her head as they crossed the great room.

Morgan looked at them. "Got him covered Mother Goose?" Dave and Jimmy were working on getting the fire stoked again in the fireplace.

Mike smiled. "She's good and I'm good; but I'm a quart low on my chocolate quota for the day," he smiled.

JJ reached for a paper plate as Penelope grabbed the cake pan. Emily reached into the freezer and grabbed the ice cream bucket. Cait looked at Aaron. "They've taken over our home."

Reid smiled at her. "You two offered." Morgan pointed at him as Alex and James shared a smile and a nod. It was a haven.

###

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews and the alerts. You have humbled me. Again.**

**My usual story shout outs: the gang at CM Rev; all my loyal and wonderful Twitter tweeters on the OK teach. Love y'all!**

***Knightly bow***


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Criminal Minds, Family, Humor