A/N: Some of you requested a look into the relationship between Jack and Henry from the Epi of the Spencer/Aaron story. I couldn't let it go, so here it is. It starts at the Epi. I hope you'll embrace it. I love these guys! I don't own Criminal Minds. I just borrow the characters. This is a work of fiction. The plot is my own, along with any original characters.
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Chapter 1.
"You two act like I'm dyin'," Jack complained as they loaded Aaron's old SUV for him to take to UVA. He was off to college, and neither of his dads was taking it well.
"Yes, well, you're leaving the nest, Jack, and it's going to be quiet around here without you," his Poppa Spencer said. It wasn't anything Jack didn't know, but he couldn't feel anything but excitement at the prospect.
"Aw…I'm sure you two can find something to do while I'm gone," Jack teased, remembering more than once during his formative years when he arrived home unannounced and found his fathers doing things he didn't want to think about at the time. They always apologized, but it did leave an impression on him when, at fifteen, he found his Pop blowing his Dad in the kitchen one day when he got home early from soccer practice. He still shuddered at the thought of it.
After his father made reference to 'Naked Saturdays', Jack was ready to get the hell outta dodge. His dad had become a lot less of a tight ass over the years, and Jack knew his poppa was the reason. If it wasn't for him, Jack feared how bitter his dad might have become over time. He was grateful for both of his parents, and even his birth mother, who he didn't remember.
Spencer had encouraged Aaron to share stories about Haley over the years, and those were the only memories Jack really had of her. His aunt, Jessica, was his mother's sister, but Jack always got the impression the sisters didn't get along based on comments he'd overheard between his dad and aunt. He was grateful, however, that Jessica pitched in to help his dad when Jack was young and Aaron worked long hours before he and Spencer became involved.
"God, you two are so gross. Anyway, I have to get on the road to pick up Anna. Aunt Jess is going to insist she repack the truck, and I wanna get to Charlottesville before five. Maybe do me a favor and call her? Ask her to not hold us up. I talked to a teammate at training camp, and he said parking sucks," Jack told his fathers. He had another stop to make, and he was eager to get on the road before he had to go to the District to pick up his cousin.
"I still don't know why you won't allow us to go down and help you set up your stuff," Aaron complained. It had been an argument Jack had with his dad, but his pop stepped in and sided with him, not for the first time in his life. The two of them won the argument, and finally, Aaron relented and agreed it was time to let Little Jack Hotchner grow up, as much as they might hate it.
After Uncle Dave and Elise stopped by to tell him good-bye, he finally hit the road with some of his favorite cookies from his Aunt Pen's recipe. Between her, Aunt Emily, and Aunt JJ, he'd had plenty of female influences in his life over the years. His senior prom was the one time it was actually welcomed.
"What the hell am I gonna do about Prom? I sure don't want to go with any of the girls in my class," Jack complained to his best friend, Henry LaMontagne.
Henry's Cajun-fueled giggle always caught Jack off-guard since Henry grew up in Northern Virginia not too many miles from where Jack and his fathers lived. Jack knew Uncle Will made a point to take Henry back to Louisiana a few times a year so he could visit his extended family, all of who were nearly polar opposites from the Jareau family of Pennsylvania. Jack always wondered if Henry picked up the accent because he knew what it did to Jack.
"Well, my friend, you could always take me," Henry teased.
Jack chuckled without humor. "Oh, you gonna dress up like a girl and put those pretty blonde curls up in a bun, Henry? Shake that cute ass around my teammates?" he snapped.
Henry LaMontagne was never one to be shaken. "Aw, you think I got a cute ass? That's special, Jackie. Anyway, if you don't wanna go with me, then you could ask your cousin, Anna. Unless there's a pretty lil gal in your life you ain't tellin' Ol' Henry 'bout."
Jack laughed at him. "You're a great big ol' jackass. You got any friends I could ask? If I take you to Prom, the two of us are gonna get our asses kicked. Don't you have some friends who you trust? The stupid thing is at the Ritz in Tyson's, and I can duck out after two hours, I think," Jack offered.
The next Monday at school, Henry introduced Jack to a shy girl named Lilly Porter. She was new to the school, and Henry being Henry, he'd basically taken her under his wing. The little bastard was damn charismatic and had talked Jack into taking her to Prom because she didn't really know anyone.
With the help of Jack's aunts, they got the girl dressed to the nine's, and Jack showed her a good time because Henry told him it was a personal favor. It was only a month later that the girl passed away because she had leukemia. Henry hadn't told Jack because the girl didn't want anyone to know, but at the funeral, her foster parents told Jack she'd said it was the best night of her life.
Jack hugged all of them and finally got into the SUV, getting on the road an hour later than he wanted. On his way to pick up his cousin, Anna, he made one last stop to see his best friend. Jack knew the younger boy was upset, and he intended to make sure Henry knew Jack wasn't going to leave him behind.
He pulled into the driveway, seeing Henry kicking the soccer ball against the net Will and JJ had for him in the side yard. Jack hopped out and walked over, diving in front of the goal to deflect the ball before Henry knew he was there. He felt a scrape on his side and saw he'd ripped his shirt on a sprinkler. "Fuck," he moaned as Henry ran up.
"What the hell were ya doin'?" Henry asked. He was five-ten, white-blond haired and blue eyes. In Jack's mind, he'd never seen anyone more beautiful.
"I stopped by to say good-bye. I wanted to see you before I picked up Anna. Nothing changes between us, H. You're still my best friend," Jack told him as Henry helped him up from the grass.
"Let's go inside and bandage it. Momma and Daddy are shoppin'," Henry explained.
The two went into the house where Henry directed Jack to sit at the island counter in the kitchen. "Where's Claire?" Jack asked as Henry went to the hall closet to retrieve the first-aid kit.
"Down the street with Maddy Vance. Shirt off, Hotchner," the younger ordered.
Jack did as he was told. When he felt a cold sting at his side, he hissed. "You're fine. You've had worse, Hotch. So, are you gonna e-mail me, or do you just put me away like all of your other childhood toys?" Henry asked.
"Fuck, that hurts," Jack snapped.
"Not as much as my heart hurts," Henry snapped back.
"Jesus! I told you, this doesn't change anything. We're waiting. You're fifteen, and I'm not ready for jail, Henry. You know how I feel about you, and I know how you feel about me. Why the hell do you think I'm gonna get a place with my cousin? I don't want to live in the dorms, and thankfully, my dad was able to make it happen for me. When you start down there, I'll make Anna move out, and we'll live together. Keep your damn grades up," Jack told him as he touched the boy's face before their lips brushed. Jack didn't deepen it because they didn't want to get carried away, what with not knowing when JJ and Will or even Claire, Henry's little sister, might return. Besides, they'd have plenty of time for all of it in the future.
They'd both excelled in school, thanks to Spencer Reid. Jack was entering college at seventeen. Henry was a junior at fifteen. They had feelings for each other, but they'd never fully acted on them aside from a hug, hand holding, or soft kiss. They were waiting for the rest of it.
Henry looked at Jack with worry on his face. "What are we gonna do if my momma and daddy get pissed 'bout this, chére? You're dads will be cool about it, but Will LaMontagne? I ain't sure he's gonna be fine with havin' a son who's a fag," Henry explained.
Jacked touched his face and brushed his lips over Henry's again, hoping to comfort him. "Let's worry about one thing at a time. We're not ready to come out yet, so chill. When the time comes, we'll go to my dads first. They'll help us explain it to Aunt Jayje and Uncle Will. At the end of the day, Henry, we belong together. If anyone objects…too bad," Jack said as the two embraced.
Jack gave Henry his senior ring on a chain and he accepted a money clip that had been Henry's grandfather's, Will LaMontagne, Sr. It was so they could have a piece of each other to get them through the lonely times.
After another kiss good-bye, which involved tongue for the first time, the two pulled apart and Henry walked Jack out to the old Tahoe. "WAIT!" they both heard from down the block. It was Claire, Henry's little sister, who was the spitting image of Jack's aunt JJ.
"Now, you can't leave without tellin' me good-bye, Jackie," she demanded. Jack picked up the ten-year old and hugged her.
"You keep an eye on Ol' Henry, here, will ya? Without me to keep him outta trouble, I gotta count on you, chére," he teased, mocking Henry's accent.
"Aw, you're teasin'. Be careful. Momma said we'll come down for a game one weekend with Uncle Spence and Uncle Aaron. I guess Henry will come if he's not busy with Wesley Brewster," she taunted.
Jack kissed her cheek and released her. "Git!" he ordered. She giggled and ran into the house, leaving Henry and him staring at each other.
"I'm not even gonna ask who Wesley Brewster is. I'm not gonna make some stupid demand that you don't see anyone else beside me because you've got a lot of life to live before you finish school," he began.
Jack reached down and took Henry's hand, moving in front of him so no one could see them. "I just want you to know, I love you, Henry. You do what you gotta do, and when you're done, I'll be waitin' for ya. Take care, ya heah?" Jack teased with the accent as he drew the younger man's hand to his lips and kissed it. He then got into the Tahoe and drove away without looking back.
He didn't look back to see the tears rolling down Henry's face or to hear the whispered, "Wesley Brewster is the name I use when I'm talkin' 'bout you, chére." There would be time for truths in the future. One just had to wait out the clock.
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E/N: So, here we go... It won't run a timeline because it's going to jump ahead into the future, but I'll give you ideas about where they are in their relationship. I hope there's interest. If you're reading, thank you! ML
