A/N: To those of you new to my Family series: Welcome. This is an on running series with the team and the family my OFC and Hotch have created. It, however, can be a standalone piece. It shouldn't take you long to figure out all the players of my family I've created.

Have I done this actual story before? Yes, but not to this detailed level. However, I loved it so much the first time, and having mentioned it in Family Relaxes, I knew I was going to do it again. And kids, relationships, and dynamics have changed and grown. That gives this FF writer the slender opening I need.

I wanted to start posting this story in honor of Thanksgiving Day here in the US. However, a new job got in the way. I know I have a bunch of peeps that follow my stories that are international folks. A day or two late, please understand that I did this on purpose. While you may not celebrate this holiday, in my world, it is a holiday of family getting together. That is the main center of this story. I hope you understand that undercurrent.

Like the rest of my FF stories, I don't post a story until it is completely written. That is why I'm a little late doing this. However, I stick to my promise always of a chapter a day, FF willing.

All rights to CM characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS, and ABC Studios. The other characters are all mine! You just got do some reading! ;)

As always, a shout out to my FF mentor and Jedi Master. *Knightly bow of head* And hugs! Hope this cures the Black Friday blues. Retail sucks!

Invitation

The team, having left the week before Thanksgiving for a gruesome case in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Monday morning, was looking at the clock. Hotch understood their timeline checking. Hell, he was doing it as well. The team wanted to get home to their families for the holiday.

Yet knowing the case was just beginning to show signs of breaking, he sent a quick text as Dave joined him for breakfast Tuesday morning. Dave smiled. "Back-up plan for turkey day?"

"You know Cait. She won't blink. Please, just tell me my gut feeling is right that we're getting close to this guy."

"Right behind you Aaron; as always," Dave smiled. Hotch smiled back at his partner.

But their hunches didn't play out the way they thought, which happened on occasion. As the team gathered to do the usual Continental breakfast thing in the hotel Thanksgiving morning, they were professional; part of the job. But Hotch could also read body language. They were hurting, thinking of missing out with family. They weren't the only ones as Hotch and Dave shared glances.

Just as they were all finishing, Hotch's cell rang. "My liege, hope you and the team finished your breakfast, but I've got a hot lead."

"Garcia?" he questioned, putting his cell on speaker.

"Sir, I turned and turned in my sleep last after what Rossi sent me…"

"Spit it out Baby Girl," Morgan said, gathering around Hotch with the rest of the team. She filled them in and within two minutes, all the BAU agents ran off to pack and check out of the hotel. Garcia, as usual, had hit on something. Twenty minutes later, they were on their way to the police precinct, Hotch giving the lead detective a heads up.

The Cincinnati PD officers were waiting for them. The team laid out the details of Garcia's findings. "Our unsub is Douglas Jackson." Hotch and the team explained their profile to group assembled.

Detective Joe O'Grady, the lead on the case walked into the squad room. "I've got the search warrant, signed and sealed." They all headed out to don their protective gear and moved to the unsub's home.

O'Grady looked at Hotchner. "What's the protocol?"

"You lead us to the residence. We'll take lead on approaching the house. We know how they think and can act when confronted. You're officers will back us." Hotch looked at his watch. "Given the time of day, this will be a silent approach." O'Grady nodded and they moved out.

As they were heading to Jackson's home, Hotch handed his cell to Rossi. Hotch, as always, was driving. "Call Chuck and Angie; give them a heads up and see how quickly they could possibly get us off the ground."

Dave hit the speed dial number, talked with Chuck for a minute and then handed the cell back to Aaron. "The jet is fueled. They just need to get there and file a flight plan. They'll be waiting on us," Dave slightly smiled, still knowing what they were about to walk into.

They all converged on the residence of Douglas Jackson and quietly assembled. As they made their plan, O'Grady looked at Hotch and Morgan. "I'm with you two. This is our case." Hotch and Morgan both nodded at him.

"Dave, you take JJ and Reid with you, along with two CPD officers and enter the back. Emily, you're with us." The team all nodded their heads.

They made their forceful entrance into the Jackson home. Douglas Jackson came out of his bedroom, in a T-shirt and white briefs, brandishing a gun. Before Hotch or Morgan could fire, O'Grady dropped him.

He looked at the two FBI agents, as Emily calmly said, "All clear," in her comm.

O'Grady looked at the team as they converged. "Your profile said he would die by suicide by cop. It's Thanksgiving. I do the paperwork, not you folks," he smiled. "Get home to your families. We've got this. And deeply appreciate all that you've done for us. Agent Hotchner, what paperwork I need you and your team to do, I'll overnight Friday. Get it back to me by Tuesday."

"It's not quite that simple Detective, but we appreciate, deeply, you thinking of us. How about you?"

"I'm divorced and it's the kids' holiday with their mother. I've got the time." The team spent the next three hours, helping process the scene, gathering the evidence that proved that Douglas Jackson was truly the unsub.

Yet, the team was on the jet by 12:30 pm and it rolled into position for takeoff less than 20 minutes later. After they were airborne, Angie came over the intercom. "We should have you all home by 2:30." It took less than five minutes later to have everyone conked out for a nap.

They all woke to Angie over the intercom. "Hey gang, wake up. We're about to be on final. Get those seatbacks forward and buckle those seat belts. Our ETA into Quantico is 2:10. We pushed it a bit." She smiled at Chuck.

The jet landed, and Agent Brian Anderson was waiting for them, as usual. His other Agent to help him surprised the team. It was Gina LaSalle, the team's CSU tech. Morgan looked at Brian as he helped unload the jet. "What gives," he said, nodding at Gina.

Gina smiled, "My family is in Kansas. That's why I always take my AL over Christmas," she smiled, putting another of the team's bags into the back of the SUV.

"And mine is in Oregon," Brian smiled. "I take the same AL." The team loaded up and headed back to the BAU.

Walking into their staging area, Hotch's cell rang. He took one look at who the caller was and smiled. "Hey Doc, we're home."

"I know," she smiled, which Aaron could hear through the phone. "I love you. Please put me on speaker phone."

"Cait?"

"Aaron, please just do it." Hotch put his cell on speaker.

"Hey all of you listen up; come straight to the house. Derek, Penelope and Kevin are on their way here. They've already picked up your mom and your sisters." Derek flashed the group his pearly white grin. Hotch matched it. "JJ, Will, Henry and your mom are already here. Just get here; all of you. Gina, Brian? Did you get the directions I texted you?" The team looked around to see Dave smiling brightly, along with Brian and Gina. He burrowed an eye into Hotch.

"You didn't think she'd be all over this?" he slightly laughed with a whisper, then saying out loud. "Cait, they can follow me or Aaron. I know Mudg is there."

"No Dave, Mudg is at your home, peeing and pooping all over you expensive carpets." Dave shook his head. "Where the," he heard Cait pause, knowing she was looking around to see where Jack and Henry were, "hell do you think he is?" Dave laughed.

"We're on our way Cait," he smiled. "Expect the troops shortly."

"Thanks Doc," Aaron simply said to his wife. He looked at his team, including Gina and Brian to see smiles all around.

Aaron looked at Dave and shook his head.

"Why are you shaking your head Aaron? You got blessed to find a woman that you really do not deserve. Take that and run with it."

Reid smiled at Hotch. "Amen to that."

Hotch looked at Reid, with Derek pointing at him.

"And who the hell played matchmaker?" he smiled, not backing down to Dave.

"I did," Rossi validated, "but if I remember correctly, you two didn't let me in for a while."

Derek and Emily exchanged a high five. Emily smiled at Rossi. "That's the best part." Jayje added her huge smile, as did Reid.

"Screw you all," Dave snarled.

Hotch winked at the rest of his team. "And we rather enjoyed that," Hotch smiled mischievously.

The whole group was out of the building less than ten minutes later, all heading to the Deer Valley Road address.

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