A/N: I had this idea in my queue but wasn't sure if I wanted to do it. After a chat with my awesome mentor, who provided some great advice, I knew I had to do it!

Home for the holidays. A very special couple has an anniversary New Year's Eve. I thought maybe you loyal fans of my Family series would like to see a bit more insight into Cait and Aaron's relationship as they celebrate their special day in a very special way.

All rights to the Criminal Minds franchise, including those characters, belong to CBS, ABC Studios and Mark Gordon Productions. The OC's are proudly my own.

Please note: the T rating is there for a reason.

Chapter 1

New Year's weekend started out very normal for the Hotchner's. Friday night was spent with Cait and Aaron enjoying an evening with Jack playing games and watching a movie. Mike and Matt were both out, spending time with friends. Mike had his usual midnight curfew. Matt, now a college freshman, was allowed the latitude to pick his time to get home, knowing with the loving growl he got from his dad he would not be allowed to sleep Saturday away.

When Dave let Mudgie out that night around ten, he noticed the soft glow of the light in Jack's bedroom window. He smiled, knowing that Cait and Aaron were even letting him stay up later than usual.

Cait, sleeping with an ear open, as only a mother could do, heard Mike come through the house to go up the steps. She peeked at the clock on her bedstand. It read 11:54. She smiled, rolled over and snuggled up next to Aaron as he blissfully slept, having been home the entire week through the holidays, taking some much earned vacation time. Aaron woke an hour and a half later to hear Matt going up the steps. He glanced at the alarm system panel in their room, seen it set and fell back to sleep.

He and Cait woke to the smell of sausages cooking in the kitchen a little after nine. They both smiled, got out of bed, donned sweatshirts and lounge pants, pulling on socks. The northern Virginia winter had set in and even with the furnace purring like a cat, the warmth felt good. They both did their usual in the bathroom and entered into the great room, expecting to see their sons doing the cooking. When they saw Dave in the kitchen, they were mildly surprised but not shocked. Dave had a key to their home and knew the security code to the alarm system. But he had never come over to cook breakfast before without an invite. Both the dogs greeted them as they entered the kitchen and got their usual dose of love.

Dave arched an eyebrow at Hotch. "Mr. straight-laced G-man hasn't shaved yet?"

He just shook his head at Rossi. "I'm on vacation," he said, heading for the coffee maker.

Cait was about to ask Dave what was going on, with Aaron handing her a cup of coffee, when they heard the rumblings of footfalls on the steps. By the sound, it had to be Jack. He flew into the kitchen, his face lighting up like the Christmas tree with the added bonus of Uncle Dave being there. The dogs barked their usual to Jack and the peacefully morning gave way to the usual clamor of the Hotchner household. Dave knelt down for a hug from Jack.

Cait looked at Dave. "I thought I'd cook for all of you this morning, since I'm springing Mudg on all of you the rest of the holiday." He smiled mischievously. "Something came up."

"Now or later," Aaron asked suspiciously, while getting some revenge on their friend.

Dave smirked. "Now for sure; I'm hoping on later."

"Don't forget the pills," Aaron smiled sitting down into a lunch counter seat, pulling Jack into his lap, which prevented Dave from giving Hotch the one finger salute. Cait laughed at them both, while getting Jack a glass of apple juice.

Dave shook his head at Hotch, staring at him. Aaron knew the look. Paybacks are a bitch. Just then, much heavier feet started hammering down the steps, meaning the smell had woke the older boys. Dave gave the pancake mix another stir and started a batch. Cait got the syrup warming and then cut two pink grapefruits in half for Aaron, she and the boys. She pulled the other half from yesterday's breakfast out of the fridge. Cait asked Mike to get a quarter of the cantaloupe in fridge cut for Dave. She had read the recent medical studies. Grapefruit and Lipitor, which Dave took for his cholesterol, weren't a good match. The grapefruit could cause serious health side effects, coupled with the drug.

They sat down at the nook table and had a wonderful time with much laughter. As they finished up, with Cait, Aaron and Dave enjoying a second cup of coffee, compliments of Matt, the boys cleaned up with the three of them sitting around the table and they made small talk. They laughed at Matt setting Jack on the counter to dry the few cooking dishes Dave had used, with Mike doing the washing. Matt put them away, knowing his mother wanted them back in their usual spots in the cabinets. The only kitchen that was more organized than Uncle Dave's was their mother's. Matt smiled at that as he slid the pancake griddle into the drawer below the ovens.

As the boys finished, Dave looked at his watch, took a final swig of his coffee and rose from his chair. "I've got to get going." The boys, on their way upstairs, Jack to change for the day, the other two to climb back in their beds for a nap, all hugged Dave, and then raced up the stairs, rattling everything in house. Cait just shook her head at her husband. Hotch looked at Dave. "We straighten all the pictures on the walls before we go to bed. Why we don't know," he said with a head shake.

Dave looked at them with a smile. He reached for Cait, and pulled her into a heartfelt hug, kissing her cheek. "Happy Anniversary; you two will never know how happy all this makes me."

Cait pulled a bit away from the hug and rubbed her fingers along Dave's jawbone. "Dave, we do know." She kissed his cheek as well, with Aaron smiling broadly. Dave tightened his hug again for a second, then let her go. He and Aaron shared a hug as well and Dave moved to the garage door and pulled his coat off the rack and put it on.

"Btw, there's a special something in the beer fridge in the garage for all of you. I love you." And he was out the door. Cait and Aaron looked at each other.

"Doc, I've gotta know," he smiled at Cait.

Cait smiled back. "Fine; I don't want to go out there when it's this cold." A cold snap, much like their first New Year's Eve together, the year before they got married, was descending rapidly on the region. The fireplace in the Hotchner home would get a workout over the weekend.

Aaron came back in less than two minutes later. He rubbed his socked feet on the rug inside the door to try to get them warm from the Artic cold of the cement in the garage, shaking his head at his wife. "Aaron?"

"Doc, there is a bottle of non-alcohol champagne in the fridge." He paused adding, "And a bottle of Dom Perignon." As he moved back into the home, he handed her an envelope. "This was attached to it."

Cait, smiling, took the envelope from her husband and opened it. She pulled out the beautiful anniversary card that Dave had selected, noting it was a Hallmark card. Aaron looked over her shoulder, wrapping her in his arms and pulling her back to his chest. The sentiment of the card was heartfelt. Happy Anniversary the front said, with a picture of a long stemmed red rose through two wedding rings. On the inside: To two very special people. Thank you for letting me be part of your special day. Happy Anniversary. Cait smiled; only Hallmark would have a card for a best man for an anniversary. Dave had signed it with his usual flourish.

Yet, they read the note he had included on the left blank side of the card. Cait and Aaron, I was so honored to serve as your Best Man at your wedding. The two of you know how I feel about you. My two best friends in the world found love together. And without my help! Btw, I still owe you two on that point. Cait and Aaron gently laughed as they read together. I love you both. I love the family you have. And most importantly, I love that you make me a part of that family. However, I know last year the two of you were simply heads down in a family holiday. It was technically your first as a family. I understand that and fully supported it.

This year, please take the time to celebrate your anniversary. And the love I know the two of you share. Cait and Aaron, you two deserve that.

Share the non-alcoholic stuff with the boys with my love. The Dom is my love for the two of you. Enjoy. He simply added a "D".

And also a PS. Btw, I'll be sending the M&M's a text NYE. "Let mom and dad sleep in. They won't be sleeping in their pj's tonight." He added the internet chatroom short cut of a wink.

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A/N: Here we go again folks. Me, anticipating my international reader's questions; however, I think I'm getting better. Some reviewers even commented I have!

Dom Perignon champagne is THE premium champagne on the market worldwide. It runs $200+US per bottle. I know I've already discussed Hallmark with all of you before. However, they DO make a card for just about every occasion, fitting every person. Dave cares to send the very best. (Hallmark's commercial tagline: "when you care to send the very best.")