A/N: While this case is loosely, and I mean loosely based on S9E3 Final Shot (brilliantly written by Sharon Lee Watson), I'm going to play around with it. FF writer prerogative.
And yes I know. #1 Emily and Tara were not part of that case. #2 Neither was Cruz or Cait for that matter.
I'm solely using this case as a backdrop to a story I've always wanted to write. Aaron and Cait are my hero and heroine. But the real heroes are the family they leave behind. I'm using that case to explore more the ones back home, holding down the fort. The focus will be on those and how they deal with that.
I hate to do it. But I must. All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios. Scum sucking entities.
Thank you my Jedi Master for your words of advice. Your humble servant is touched. *Jedi Knight bow*
Chapter 1
Aaron and Rossi quickly sped through the BAU to their go room with their briefcases. "What's going on?" Reid asked grabbing his bag. The rest followed doing the same. It was the Tuesday before Easter.
"There's been a sniper attack in Dallas with multiple victims," Hotch answered as the rest of the team grabbed their briefcases, shoving in laptops.
"How many dead," Emily asked.
"Three confirmed at this time," Dave said as he and Hotch hurried through the Bullpen.
Section Chief Mateo Cruz knocked on Cait's door and went in. "The team has a major case in Dallas; you and me are going along." Cait quickly shut down her laptop, stuck it in her briefcase and grabbed it and her purse.
The two of them met the rest of the team as they were just stepping on the elevator. "That big of a priority," Emily asked from the back of the car.
"Yes," Cruz said. "You're stuck with us tagging along," he responded as the doors closed.
Aaron looked at Cait. She softly smiled at him. "We'll handle this together after we're in the air."
"Why I love you," Aaron softly smiled.
Morgan elbowed Rossi. "You might be sleeping in the hotel hallway tonight," he snickered.
"Guess again kid," Dave wickedly smile back. "We've been there; done that. All I have to worry about is Cait chewing my ass out about how bad I snore."
"And you know I will," Cait smiled.
Aaron just shook his head as Cruz smiled along with the rest of the team.
-00CM00—
Chuck and Angie had the Gulf Stream jet speeding towards Dallas. Cait hurriedly typed a text to Mike. Dad and I out on case together in Dallas; you've got Jack tonight. Please just make sure he gets homework done and then showered before he gets in bed. You know my rule. Mike smiled reading the text.
Yes mom, he texted back, us stinky boys don't stink up your clean sheets. Shower will happen.
Cait smiled. Aaron looked over her shoulder at the text and smiled as well. And hey Mike, Cait texted, Gma, Gpa and Uncle Jake fly in tomorrow. You'll have back up then. Talk to you later tonight.
"Thank you God for that," Aaron said. Cruz and Rossi looked at him across the four top they all were sharing. He looked at them. "Jarrod, Maggie and Jake are flying in tomorrow for Easter."
"Who's gonna pick them up at the airport," Dave asked. "I can get my car service if you two need it."
Aaron and Cait smiled at him. "Thanks Dave," Aaron said. "But our family is now four that have driver licenses and their own vehicle. Plus those four are in college or post graduate students. If they can't figure that out…"
"Dad and I flip a coin to who's ass we chew out," Cait smiled.
"God help them" Cruz smiled. "But I'm sure they all can work it out."
Aaron smiled. "So do we." Dave pointed at him with his smile. "Let's get started."
-00CM00-
They all had finished their discussion of the case as they felt the jet gently beginning its decent. Cait's cell pinged with a text. She looked at it and shook her head, putting it face down on the table between the four top. "Cait," Dave asked.
She shook her head again. "Twenty-one year old males and their hormones."
JJ looked at her, sitting on the couch along the windows at the front of the plane on the opposite side of the four top. "I thought raising boys was easier," she smiled. Morgan and Emily were leaning against the credenza directly across from the four top.
Cait smiled at her. "You still have to deal with one in town mom. And your time is coming quicker than you think."
"Don't remind me," JJ retorted as Aaron grabbed Cait's cell and read the text.
Emily shook her head. "I think mine is already starting." Morgan looked at her. Emily sadly smiled.
"Declan my man," Morgan smiled. Emily hammered her fist into his bicep.
Tara looked at Reid with a question, sharing the back two top. He smiled. "Cait's grandmother's law of nature." Lewis hiked an eyebrow at him as Cruz did the same to Cait. "When you're raising boys, you've only got to worry about one peter in town. If you have girls, you have to worry about all of them."
Tara laughed. "True enough."
Cruz looked at Cait. "As the father of two girls, thank you for that."
"Sorry boss," Cait smiled. "Grandma nailed it."
"Yes she did," Rossi said.
Hi Mike. This is your father. Andi can stay the night. But you know the rules and your younger brother is in the next bedroom. Keep it in your boxers. Cait looked over Aaron's shoulder as he sent the text.
"Thank you dad," she smiled.
"Put the hammer down dad," Dave asked with a smile.
"No, I just said keep something in his boxers with his younger brother in the next bedroom."
Morgan shook his head. "Damn dad."
"You'll change that tune player in about fifteen years," Cait wickedly smiled at him, waving an index finger around like Rossi.
"Damn," Dave smiled. "Who always says around here that paybacks are a bitch?"
"That's going to be a major one," Aaron smiled. Dave pointed at him with a grin.
Emily evilly smiled at Morgan. "Play on player." The rest laughed, enjoying the little levity before diving into the horror they would soon face.
"Hey folks; this is Angie from the cockpit. We're beginning our final decent into DFW. Please get everything stowed, take your seats and buckle up."
-00CM00-
"Shit," Mike mumbled, looking at the text. After his noon class had finished, Mike had worked in the Chem lab until two-thirty on his final semester project. While it had failed, again, he was closer to perfecting it and thought about the results as he drove to Dave's mansion from Georgetown.
He and Max were waiting at the bottom of the driveway in Mike's warm car by three-thirty for Jack's school bus. The Virginia weather, for the middle of April was cold and rainy. A few minutes later, Jack bounded off the bus and hopped into the front passenger seat. "Hi Mike," Jack smiled. "This weather sucks."
Mike smiled. "Tell me about it." Max, in the backseat, started a total lick Jack all over his face and neck barrage from the backseat.
Jack giggled, trying to ward off Max's attack. "Dad and Uncle Dave are out on a case," he asked, looking at Mike.
Mike nodded, going up the driveway. "Mom too; it's you and me tonight bro," he smiled at Jack.
Jack looked at him. "Why mom?"
Mike pushed the button to open the garage door and pulled in. "They're in Dallas; there's been a sniper attack and it might be terrorism. It's all hands on deck. Cruz even went with them."
"They gonna be OK," Jack softly asked.
Mike smiled at Jack as he shut his car off. "They'll be fine bro," Mike said, rubbing Jack's shoulder. "And they're the best team to get it solved. Let's get inside. I'm sure Bella needs to get out."
"She's not the only one that needs a whiz," Jack said, piling out of the car with his book bag. Mike shook his head with a smile, grabbing his book bag from the backseat, letting Max out of the car.
An hour later, the boys were sitting at the lunch top counter, both working on homework. The dogs were curled up next to the warmth Mike had going in the fireplace. Mike had helped Jack with his geography assignment, learning about Asian countries. Jack then easily powered through his math assignment while Mike put his earlier mental notes into his laptop. "Hey Mike," Jack asked.
"What's up bro?"
"What's for dinner?"
"What do you want?"
Jack gave him his sly Hotchner smile. "You've got a bank card from mom and dad don't you?"
"Yeah Jack; when I might need it. What you thinking?"
"I think you might need it for a run to the Golden Arches," Jack smiled.
Mike smiled at him. "Your homework done?"
"I've got a spelling test to study for. But you can help with that after we eat and get back home," Jack suggestively smiled.
"I'm in," Mike grinned. "You feed the dogs; I need to call Uncle Jake to work out things for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Hel-lo," Mike smiled, nudging Jack's head. "Grandma, grandpa and Uncle Jake are coming tomorrow."
"I forgot about that," Jack said. He looked at Mike. "It's a grandma home cooked meal tomorrow night," he grinned.
"I'm sure grandma will be all over that bro. Let's roll."
-00CM00-
"Morgan, we need you and JJ to interview the General," Hotch said as the two of them left Archer Plaza.
"Us? Again Hotch? Like Montana?"
"You both have wedding rings; and play it up," Cait said with Aaron's phone on speaker. "The two of you should be able to smoke him out pretty quickly."
And hour later, Morgan phoned in to Hotch. "Damn man, you two were right. He's a bigoted SOB; but he isn't our unsub. He didn't know a thing about the shootings."
-00CM00-
The team was gathered in the conference room of the Dallas field office, going over their findings from the first and second sniper shootings. An agent escorted a delivery woman into the room with the team's ordered Chinese takeout. "Thank god," Dave mumbled as Cruz paid the bill.
The team dived into their dinner, welcoming the break as Cait hit a speed dial number. "Hi mom," Mike smiled into his phone, pushing the garage door button open for Andi to put her car in. There was a chance of snow in the overnight forecast.
Cait heard him kiss her. "Ummmmmm Michael. Did you not get your father's text?"
"Did I not text you back about what Andi got this afternoon," Mike said as they entered the home together.
"Sorry loves; we've sorta been busy."
"I heard about the second shooting mom."
Jack was sitting at the lunch counter again with his spelling assignment. "I think mommy used to call that Auntie Flo," he smiled.
Mike and Andi shook their heads. "Wonderful job mom getting the munchkin knowledgeable in all things sexual."
"Michael, dad or me? Or his teacher and a damn CD?"
"Understood mom."
"What about tomorrow Mike?'
"I talked to Uncle Jake. Their flight gets in at two. Jake is going to get them to the Huntington Metro stop. I'm picking them up there."
"Thank you son," Cait smiled. "Can I talk to Jack?"
"I'll put you on speaker," Mike smiled.
"I'm doing the same," Cait said. "We're all taking down time, eating our dinner. Here's dad."
"Hi guys," Aaron said, taking a bite of his lo mein. "How are you?"
"I'm studying for my spelling test tomorrow," Jack reported. "Then it's no school for the rest of the week," he smiled.
"I'm sure grandpa and Uncle Jake will keep you busy," Aaron smiled.
"It's gonna be good to have them here with you guys gone," Jack said. "Grandma can cook for us."
"What did you have for dinner tonight," Cait inquired.
"We did a McDonald's run," Mike said. "Jack suggested it and I was in."
"That's fine Mike," Cait smiled.
"It sounds like you're eating dinner."
"We are," Aaron said. "We got Chinese delivery."
"Yuck," Jack commented. Cait and Aaron just shook their heads with a smile.
"I've had worse," Dave commented.
"Hi Uncle Dave," Jack smiled.
"Hey champino."
"How's it going dad," Mike asked.
"We're still in the information gathering phase Mike. But we're making progress. But we gotta keep at it."
"Mike, leave your phone with Jack tonight before you go to bed. We'll call in the morning to make sure you two are up for school. I know Andi doesn't have to be to class until ten."
"I'll set mine anyway Cait to get Mike up," Andi said.
"Thanks sweetheart," Cait said. The team all smiled.
"And mom, I've got my alarm clock you and dad gave me for Christmas," Jack said. "I always set it every night and wake up on school mornings."
"Yes buddy, you're getting very responsible with that. Mom and I are proud of you. This is just a back-up plan. OK?"
"OK dad."
"Don't forget a shower tonight."
"I got it mom," Jack slightly snarled. "I'm going in about ten minutes."
"He's got two more words to knock out for his spelling test review," Andi said.
"Thank you Andi," Cait smiled.
"Don't forget prayers tonight guys. We gotta run. Something came up."
"Take care of it dad," Mike said. "We've got this end. Love you both. Stay safe everyone."
"Good night; we love you," Cait said.
"Good night," the boys said together.
"Love ya," Jack said. "You too Uncle Dave." Cait ended the call.
-00CM00-
Dave put the key into their hotel room just before ten that night, Dallas time with Cait and Aaron standing behind him saying their good nights to the team as they dispersed down the hall. Cait's cell pinged with a text.
Jack is sound asleep; so are dogs. About to put phone in Jack's room. All secure. Nite! Luv ya both.
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