A/N: This is the next story that was in my writing queue. I hinted at it, although very slightly in Family Scares. But I've also mentioned a couple times before about the Hotchner family going to the Barkley ranch each June. Plus, it ties up some loose ends from Family Anniversary. I've rolled it all into one story.

Usual disclaimer: all rights to Criminal Minds and the characters belong to CBS, ABC Studios, and Mark Gordon Productions. As I've said before, I take great pride in the OC's being solely mine.

Enjoy!

*Knightly Jedi bow*

Chapter 1

Section Chief Erin Strauss looked across her desk at Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner and smiled. "I think that covers just about everything Aaron, except for one."

"Erin?"

"You're AL request, along with vacation time. It's a bit long," she questioned with soft eyes. Since her return from rehab, they had enjoyed a much better working relationship. Aaron never questioned it, just simply backing her. Yet, he knew she appreciated that fact and worked just as hard as she did to mend their relationship.

"Erin, I know it's longer than usual." He explained the reasons to her. "However, Ma'am, I have complete confidence in Agent's Rossi and Morgan taking the team out into the field in my absence."

Strauss smiled. "So do I Aaron. And I knew there was a reason. I just wanted to know what's up. I was worried it was follow-up issues with Cait and her surgery."

"Thank you Erin," he smiled. "Cait is 100%, thank God."'

She smiled. "I'll sign off on it and get it sent to JEdgar this afternoon."

-00CM00-

It was their usual hectic Thursday morning, getting ready to fly west. Cait, packing one of the three large suitcases the family would check as luggage with Jack's clothes began to take a few of items the other boys couldn't fit in their just about jam-packed bag. Matt's held all families' shoes on the bottom, then some of his clothes. Cait added the clothes from Matt and Mike on the top and zipped it shut. They had it down to a science. "Yes mom," Matt said, when she first came up the stairs, "we know the drill. Grandma's washer works." Team Hotchner knew how to pack accordingly for the northern California June weather, and yet pretty light.

Aaron was in their bedroom packing his clothes into the bag as well. Cait pulled the three boys out into their little lounge area and reviewed with all of them what they had in their backpacks to carry on to the plane. As usual, they all forgot something. Matt went to get his cell phone charger and sunglasses, Mike his laptop power cord and Jack his latest Laura Ingalls Wilder book he read with his parents and his power cord for his DS.

Satisfied, she looked at her sons. Matt put her arm around her shoulder. "Mom relax, it's all good. And like you've told us how many times, we're not going to Outer Mongolia. There are stores for stuff we've missed." He kissed her cheek.

Cait flew down the steps to help Aaron finish as the boys rattled down the steps with the luggage and their backpacks. As they walked into the kitchen to set the two bags and their backpacks by the door, Pete ambled in with his own bag. He would housesit for the Hotchner's, taking care of the home and Beans while the family was gone. And if the team went out, he would take care of Dave's Mudgie as well. He also drove the family to the airport, using Cait's vehicle.

The family of five winged their way westward. Jack shared the three seats with his parents in the first row of the coach section, giving him a chance to move a bit. The other boys were across the aisle. They had made the trip for so many years now they didn't need to look out the plane window. Yet they anticipated the journey as much as their brother.

As usual, they switched planes in Denver, with enough time between flights for the boys to roam around and stretch their legs. Cait and Aaron didn't mind the break in the nearly five hour flight as well. Matt, armed with a $20 bill he had got from Grandpa Brooks, took his brothers to the airport's arcade room while Cait and Aaron grabbed a beer in a lounge close by, passing the two hour lay-over.

They boarded the flight to Sacramento and settled in. With the craziness of the home that morning, trying to get everyone packed, the family had been up early. And they knew the time change. It was going to be a long day for them.

Matt and Mike sprawled out as much as their now too long legs allowed, Cait thought, shaking her head and conked out in their seats. Jack curled up into her lap for a nap. Sitting by the window, Cait put her legs on top of Aaron's who had fanned his long legs out from the aisle seat, pushing up the arm rests that separated the three seats and rested them on a notch in the bulkhead in front of them separating first class from coach. They five of them slept until a flight attendant gently shook Aaron's shoulder.

As he woke, she smiled at him. "Sir, we're about to begin our descent into SMF." Aaron lazily smiled at her and reached across the aisle to shake Matt awake. He lovingly rubbed Cait's legs to get her awake. Within five minutes, Team Hotchner was awake and getting prepared for landing as Mike pulled out his hearing aids. The descent with them in always made his ears hurt.

After landing, they got their luggage and headed to spot for the shuttle to get them to their rental car. Less than forty-five minutes later, they were on the road to Stockton, about an hour drive. It cost Aaron and Cait over $700 more to fly the family to Sacramento rather than San Francisco, but the cost of having three boys penned up for an additional three hours was more than worth it.

Aaron, now in his third year of going to that haven, seamlessly drove to Jarrod and Maggie's home. They pulled into the driveway with two people waiting for them with loving arms. Their hugs were warmly matched.

The boys quickly got settled into their usual rooms and emerged less than 15 minutes later in their swimsuits. The four adults were still talking in Maggie's kitchen, enjoying a beer. The boys looked at them. "Go," Jarrod said to his grandson's. "That's what it's there for." Mike set his hearing aids on the counter and the three of them made a beeline to the in-ground pool, happy to finally not be in the cramped quarters of a commercial jet. Cait and Aaron quickly joined them. They had a wonderful family evening, with Jarrod and Aaron cooking chicken on the grill.

As they were cleaning up from dinner, Maggie and Jarrod got a phone call from Jake. The Green Bay Packers had very unexpectedly moved up in the NFL Football draft to get Jake as a back-up to their MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That was how Rodgers was drafted; he was the heir apparent to Brett Favre, also an MVP quarterback. Playing back-up to Favre had allowed Rodgers to grow at his own pace. Yet, both had led their team to Super Bowl victories.

The call quickly became a Skype session so that Jake could talk to his nephews as well. "Uncle Jake, you're really not upset?" Matt queried.

Jake smiled his megawatt smile at them all. "No Matt, not at all. It's a perfect situation for me to learn, work my way into the system and learn from A-Rod. He's been great to me. Plus I love the city and the people are just so amazing. I feel like I'm home. There's something to be said about a small town market. There is absolutely no big city stuff. I'm a country boy. I like that; especially after the four years at USC."

Aaron, forever the lawyer, said, "From what I've read in the papers and online, the contract negotiations went pretty smooth."

"Yeah bro, it's a great organization and my agent and I are very happy." Jake, even though being the tenth person picked in the first round of the NFL draft, knew what his role would be with the team. He had instructed his agent to negotiate that. While he didn't get the big money to someone of that draft position, it represented Jake's role on the team. "That's the way I wanted it Aaron. God willing, I'll get my chance someday. But right now, it's not about the big contract with me. It's about learning and playing football at the next level."

Maggie asked if he found a place to live. "Yeah mom, I have," he smiled. "JC and I rented a really nice townhouse." JC Tretter was a person Jake had met at the NFL combine. An offensive lineman, they had roomed together in the hotel assigned by the NFL and became instant friends. "It was just fate that we both got drafted by the same team," Jake smiled. "And we're both brainiacs. It's a perfect fit." JC's GPA at the prestigious Cornell University in Ithaca, New York nearly matched Jake's.

"Enough about me; hey Roni! Glad to be on vacation?" Jake, after spending time at the Hotchner's with his parents while Cait went through her scare, had learned about Jack's daily craving of Macaroni and Cheese. Roni was his new nickname for his youngest nephew.

"You bet Uncle Jake," Jack enthused. "I can't wait to go riding tomorrow with Grandpa!"

Jarrod smiled. "Neither can I," he said.

"Sis, how are you feeling? Really?"

"Like a million bucks Jake. It's nice to be pain free."

Jake mischievously smiled. "So Big Sis, does that mean you and your husband will keep mom and dad awake across the hall doing the horizontal mambo?" When Jake had accompanied Maggie and Jarrod east for Matt's graduation party, he had learned through the "kitchen convos" as he called them that Cait and Aaron had did that when they were there at the ranch.

Aaron smiled. "I think one night might be in order," he winked at Cait.

"Ohhhh? I was thinking a bit more than that," Cait smiled at her husband.

Before Maggie and Jarrod could respond, Jack piped up. "Uncle Jake, I usually snuggle with mom and dad on Saturday mornings. I couldn't do that a couple weeks ago because they didn't sleep in their pj's."

Everyone roared. While Jack still didn't know the particulars of the "birds and the bees" it was obvious that he was catching on that his parents were doing something.

"Sis, you are the only one of us kids that has had the guts to do that in the house. And with mom and dad across the hall? You two rock." They all laughed some more.

At that point, Jack yawned deeply. "Sorry Jake my luvs, that is Aaron's and I cue. We need to get someone chased into a shower and bed."

Jake smiled. "Love you too Cait. Roni, I love you as well. Get caught up on that jet lag and have fun with Grandpa riding tomorrow. You too bro. See you all tomorrow."

Jack yawned again. "I love you Uncle Jake and I will." The three of them shared their good nights with Jake and disappeared. Jack, so tired, reached for Aaron to carry him up the steps.

When they came back downstairs, the boys were sitting at Maggie's lunch counter enjoying her Seven Layer bars and a large glass of milk. Mike looked at the two of them. "Did he get through prayers?"

"Barely," Aaron said, rubbing Mike's shoulder. "Honestly," he said, looking at Maggie and Jarrod, "I doubt he'll remember hitting the pillow." Cait and Aaron joined them with Aaron grabbing the milk jug out of the fridge as Cait reached for the glasses. It was then that Mike tried, and failed miserably, to stifle his own yawn.

Aaron looked at his sons. "You two do the same," he smiled. The two boys hugged the four adults that they loved and headed to their downstairs bedrooms. Cait and Aaron enjoyed the bars and a little milk as well.

Maggie looked at Cait. "How far are you two behind them?"

Cait shook her head. "Aaron and I won't keep you two awake tonight," she smiled as only she could to her parents. "Plus, since my back isn't hurting any more, I want in on that horse ride action tomorrow. I've missed that." Last year, when the family visited, Cait only rode one time. While Jarrod and Maggie were there for her, they had commented that they should have seen that sign. Cait loved to ride. And push a horse to its speed, trusting her abilities. Her one ride last year was at Jack's normal pace of safety.

Aaron smiled, pulling Maggie into a hug. "I'm in as well. But I'm like the boys. The time change is a bitch." He and Jarrod hugged as well, as Cait followed suit.

Jarrod hugging his only daughter, and held her for a bit. "Cait, my girl, how are you really feeling?"

Cait smiled at him. "Have Miguel saddle Grandma's Lightning." In her later years, Victoria Barkley had developed a special bond with a roan horse with a bit of a temperament; yet could run like the wind. However Lightning had understood his lady and gently rode her around the ranch. Cait always rode Grandma Barkley's horse. "I think he would like to get his legs stretched out."

Jarrod smiled. "Brother Nick says he still likes to run around the pasture, kicking up his heels. I'm sure he'll enjoy the workout." They shared their good nights and Cait and Aaron headed upstairs.

Maggie looked at Jarrod. "Thank God she's feeling better."

Jarrod pulled her into a hug. "I agree. But Thank God we get to sleep tonight," he smiled, kissing his wife.

###

A/N: Damn, I know I've dug myself into a deep hole to try and explain the conversation with Jake. But for my readers, I'll try.

First off, the NFL draft is when the pro teams select young men coming out of college that move from that level to the professional level. Before that draft, the NFL runs a "combine", testing those kids on their playing abilities, as well as their intelligence. Whether the NFL assigns those peeps to hotel rooms is my writer prerogative. With their sports agents (the peeps that help them get the big money contracts) I doubt that happens.

Jake, in my world, is a star quarterback. That is the person that runs the offense that scores points for a US football team. In my FF world, he got drafted by my favorite team to be the next starter after their still young quarterback gets hurt or fads in his career. That is a back-up role which, even though he was drafted so high (# 10), Jake understands and accepts. That should explain part of the conversation.

Green Bay Wisconsin, home of my beloved team, is one of the main stays of the NFL. Part of that is because they are the smallest "market" team in the league and owned by the people, rather than a greedy billionaire owner. Green Bay's population is under 110,000. All the rest of teams in the NFL are in THE major US cities. The Green Bay Packers are a "one of kind" in the NFL.

JC Tretter is an actually fourth round of the NFL draft pick by the Packers. That means he was selected later in the draft. Not as much money. An offensive lineman is someone that blocks for a running back on a running play. Or protects the quarterback if it is a play that a quarterback needs to make a pass.

Offensive plays are very complicated in the NFL. There are 11 players on the offensive team and they all have to do their jobs together to make the play work. JC being as cerebral as Jake makes him a good fit into the line that protects the quarterback and opens the spaces for a running back to get through.

*pants* Hey US peeps! How'd I do to my internationals?

SMF is the Sacramento Airport code.

And yes, I'm keeping Erin Strauss alive in this story universe. If I have Emily around, I'll keep Strauss around. ;) That's why it's fiction folks!

Welcome back to Sconnie hxchick! *hugs*