My brain finally gets to win! While I was writing the Matt and Reid story, this one kept creeping in. And you, my dear readers get to catch up on a couple I know you've wanted to hear more about.

All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios. No more rant. I'm just looking forward to #ShadowWolvesTV.

That said; I've made all you loyal readers a promise. I will keep Aaron Hotchner alive in my stories.

I keep my promises.

*Knightly bow*

Chapter 1

The Friday before Ash Wednesday, Pete and Lisa Stanlovsky welcomed Zach and Caleigh into their home along with Lexie. Lex bounded in and immediately engaged a now crawling Amelia in a game of chase me if you can. The two couples laughed. "That's a load of pressure off," Lisa smiled. Zach and Caleigh looked at her as Pete headed to the garage. Lisa shook her head. "With her crawling, she's into everything. And I mean everything. I caught her an hour ago having a wonderful time with the toilet bowl water," she recounted, shaking her head.

Zach and Caleigh laughed. "I'm glad Lex is giving her the distraction," Zach smiled, taking the beer Pete offered.

Pete offered the next one to Caleigh, pulling the cap off the bottle. Caleigh smiled at him. "That's Lisa's."

"Cal?" Lisa asked, taking the beer from her husband.

Caleigh looked her cousin in the eye. "You've kept how many of my secrets. Please keep one more."

"You both know the damn pressure we've been getting from our families," Zach added.

Pete shook his head. "Just a little like what we went through with my Polish family?" He and Zach laughed together.

Lisa brightly smiled. "Really Cal?"

Caleigh nodded. "Really; I think this time is real," she smiled. Lisa looked at her. "I just feel different. And it's a good kind of different."

"Oooo you are PG," Lisa smiled, pulling Caleigh into a hug.

Pete slapped Zach's shoulder. "Congrats man," he smiled.

Zach shook his head. "Until she misses a second month and Dr. Navarro confirms it, I'm not completely celebrating." He looked at his two best friends. "Until then, you two gotta back us. We've got the big family sendoff tomorrow night at dad and Beth's with me heading to spring training. And like you two, they'll notice that Cal isn't drinking."

Caleigh looked at Lisa. "My story is I had too much here while enjoying the lasagna that smells absolutely amazing."

"We got you," Pete said. "You two know better. Just keep us in the loop."

"You know better," Zach smiled.

The couples enjoyed a wonderful evening talking over the new Georgia house and Zach and Caleigh's plans for the next few months. The hugs after Amelia got tucked in for the night were heartfelt. "We love you both," Lisa said as the Hotchners put on their coats.

"The feeling is mutual," Zach said. "And you know that as well." Lisa and Caleigh shared another hug.

"Yeah my friend, we do," Pete said, pulling Zach into a hug. "Good luck this season bro."

"Thanks man," Zach said, pulling Lisa into a hug as Pete did the same with Caleigh.

-00CM00-

The Hotchner and Graystone families had a wonderful afternoon together with Zach cooking ribs on the grill. Beth helped him "Q" them, as in adding the BBQ sauce and put them in the oven to finish them off.

Dave looked at Caleigh. "You're not drinking?"

Caleigh smiled. "Uncle Dave, Lisa and I had a girls' night, which I needed while the guys laughed at Amelia and Lex. Two bottles of wine got killed."

Dave held up his hand. "Say no more my luvs," he smiled, kissing her temple. "I have full buy in on girls' night."

"Since when," Aaron snarked, walking by him. Zach pointed at his dad with a smile, taking a drink of his beer.

Mike looked at his sister. "Why are you going down to Georgia now?"

"Because Mike, the builders are getting close to us making decisions. I want to be there," Caleigh smiled. "Someone has to."

"Decisions?" Mike asked.

"Paint colors for the walls. Color and scheme of back tile in the kitchen. Carpet colors; and in which room. Where do we want tile or wood flooring? What color and kind do we want all the cabinets the house needs?"

Zach shook his head. "Mike, our contractor's email to us had nearly forty questions. Someone needs to be there to answer them. It's the part of the build process that is a bit overwhelming that we didn't think about back then. Caleigh says she can do it."

Aaron looked at Zach. "And since you'll be in spring training….."

Zach shook his head again. "Dad, I have full buy-in on Cal's decisions. And you know we'll talk."

Aaron smiled. "I know that son."

"We've got a townhouse rented. Pedro and Josh have already got our new bed set up with them having a key to let the delivery guys in. We just have to put on the sheets that Cal bought to sleep in it Monday night after we get there. Pete came over this morning and helped me load up the truck with the stuff Cal has already bought from our insurance check."

"Such as?" Tom asked.

Caleigh smiled at her dad. "First off, some of the clothes we had to replace. Towels for the bathrooms. Dad, you don't want to know the list. But with me down there, I can work on it every day. We are slowly putting a home back together."

Dave softly smiled. "Sounds like you got a plan."

"Cal does Uncle Dave," Zach said, shaking his head. "I'll be the soon absent husband in spring training. This is why I want to get down there a day or so early and help her."

Dave shook his head. "I've always said you're good kid," he smiled, rubbing Zach's shoulder.

Jack looked at Zach. "And by the time I get down there?"

Zach and Caleigh smiled. "We'll have a fully functioning new home bro," Zach smiled.

"When did the Braves give you time off for a full move-in weekend?" Rachel asked.

Zach smiled. "'Cause you all are going to be there?"

"God damn straight bro," Mike snarled.

Zach smiled more, putting his arm over Caleigh's shoulder. "First weekend in May. We play the Mets in New York Thursday afternoon. I'll be home by eight that night. Skip asked if I'd play Friday night against the Giants and then I could have Saturday and Sunday off. And Monday is an off day until five when we fly to Tampa." He looked at the group. "And you all really don't have to come. Josh and Pedro are more than willing to pitch in. Minnie too, depending on his pitching schedule. He's going to be there Monday to help with all the boxes."

"Honestly," Caleigh said, "filling bedrooms with beds and dressers is not a priority in my world right now. My priority list is getting settled into a livable home for us. Then I start taking care of the extras."

Mike smiled at Zach. "You're going to let her loose spending money?" Caleigh flipped him off. The group all laughed.

"I know she won't go rogue," Zach smiled.

"Zach, are you telling us you don't want us down there?" Aaron asked.

"Dad, we're telling you that while we appreciate all of you offering to help, we want you to know up front that while we have the room for you, we won't have the furniture to sleep in those rooms."

"Aaron, we'd appreciate more your help in June when all the extras start coming in," Caleigh said.

"That said," Zach added, pointing a Mike, "if you can swing the vacation time, we could use you."

Caleigh looked at Sarah. "And I could use you as well. Victoria will have a newborn by then."

Mike smiled at Sarah. "You ready for the flying nine hour freeway drive?"

"You're flying, but not on the freeway Mike. Delta is a corporate sponsor the Braves. I can work the two of you a deal."

"Damnit Zach, you're not paying for our tickets," Mike growled.

"Clean out your ears bro," Zach growled back. "I said I could work you a deal," he emphasized. "I know better than to offer to pay for your plane tickets." Sarah hammered her fist into Mike's bicep. He looked at the rest of the group, shaking his head at Mike. "My birthday is on a Monday in June; which is a day off for us. All be it flying back from an afternoon game with the Dodgers."

"Damn left coast," Dave said.

Zach pointed at him. "But after that, we've got a six game home stand that goes through Father's Day. And part of the next day off until we have to fly to Toronto. We'd appreciate the help more then, completing our home. And having you there to enjoy it."

"And we'd have Bub," Caleigh smiled.

"There's a bonus," Zach smiled, pulling her close with a wink.

"More help than Mike," Jack zinged. The group roared with laughter. Zach and Jack shared their homerun high five.

"Screw you both," Mike grumbled.

Dave looked at Aaron. "Perfect time for the team's semiannual AL."

Aaron looked at Zach. "You two sure?"

"It's up to you all," Caleigh smiled. "If you want to come in May, that's fine. But it's a hotel or sleeping on air mattresses."

"Send a memo to Cruz dad," Zach smiled. He put a finger into Jack's shoulder. "In between time, you and Beth get to a shoe store. I need a foot size for you for new spikes. The reps will be there the first day the whole team reports." Jack looked at him with a large smile. "Yup bro, you're working a bit this summer."

"Too cool," Jack smiled and then looked at Zach. "But what about Henry? You promised him."

"I didn't forget bro. That's an August project Jack," Zach smiled, rubbing Jack's shoulder. "That's when Will gets his leave." He looked at Beth. "But can you work on the same with JJ so I can get spikes for Henry too?"

Beth smiled. "You know better."

"To quote Penny," Jack smiled. "Most awesome."

Aaron smiled at his sons. "I'll make sure JJ has vacation time then."

"Thanks dad," Zach and Jack said together.

That melted a father's heart. Beth noticed, rubbing his chest with a smile.

###

A/N: In one of my previous stories, Zach, actually Hotch, promised Henry he could be a batboy for the Braves with Jack.