Paying It Back

by rockhotch31

Zach Hotchner, my continuing OC, and now a pro athlete, does some pay back to his high school. And does some other pay back as well. It's a whole bunch of the CM family. The true CM family the latest lowly crew of actual show writers have absolutely no understanding about. I've promised all of you that I will keep the "true" CM alive here. I'm living up to that to that promise.

A/N: This is my continuing series of Zach Hotchner. He's made it to the pro level. However, being the man he has now become, in the mold of his father, he's going to take the next step. This is a one shot; although it may be lengthy. I need to write. It's my catharsis; and my brain needs that right now. I go to the only happy place I know right now.

*Jedi Knight bow*

Chapter 1

Caleigh came out of the Master bedroom bathroom, dressed for bed, her face washed from the make-up of the day. She looked at Zach packing a work out bag. "I take it you're not going to the Y tomorrow," she smiled.

Zach smiled at her and pulled her close. "I love how you look at night. I'm not a big make-up guy. I just love you," he smiled, kissing her.

"Thank you," Caleigh smiled, kissing him back. "But you haven't answered my question."

Zach smiled. "I'm working out tomorrow morning with Derek; after swimming with dad."

Caleigh giggled. "And Uncle Dave will be….."

Zach laughed. "With his butt planted still in bed with our early work out time."

Caleigh kissed him, giggling more. "Sorta figured that," she smiled. "How does he skate around the physical evals for agents?"

Zach smiled at her, climbing into bed. "He's one of the few senior SSA's. And…."

Caleigh laughed again, climbing into bed. "He's Dave."

"Boom," Zach said.

-00CM00-

Aaron and Zach enjoyed their swim together in the Quantico pool. They pushed each other in their workout; which they both enjoyed and laughed about as they showered to get the chlorine out of their skin and hair. Leaving the shower area, Zach quickly dried himself off and pulled on a pair of sports shorts and a t-shirt, along with a pair of socks and his tennis shoes. Aaron looked at him, tucking in his dress shirt into his suit pants. "You're going home like that being so cold outside?"

Zach smiled at him. "This was round one dad; I'm meeting Morgan to lift weights." He grabbed his bag, looking at the clock on his cell. "Five minutes ago," Zach said, shaking his head.

"Go," Aaron smiled.

"Thanks for the workout dad," Zach smiled, leaving the lockerroom. He quickly found his way to the large expanse of the weight room in the massive physical training facility on the Quantico campus.

He noticed Morgan and walked up. "Damn Dee; sorry for being late."

Morgan was doing his warm up and stretching exercises. "No worries man," he smiled. "I was a little late myself. My boy was hungry this morning."

"I'm glad you two got the time," Zach smiled. "You need it."

"You're not going to warm up," Morgan asked, eyeing Zach.

Zach shook his head. "I just spent forty minutes in the pool with dad. I'm ready to go."

Morgan shook his head. "And why do I think I'm gonna get my butt buried."

Zach smiled. "Not a chance man; we do this together, backing each other." And that's exactly what they did. Hotch popped in for a few minutes to see Morgan spotting for Zach as he was doing bench presses.

"Do I want to know how much weight he's lifting," Aaron asked.

"Two-seventy," Morgan said. "Come on Cob; push through it." Zach pushed the weights up. "There ya go; now one more my man." Zach powered it up, held it for ten seconds, and then let it down with ease.

Morgan shook his head. "You were playing with me man."

Zach sat up on the bench he was lying on, swung around and smiled at Morgan. "I don't push the arm and shoulder muscles too much. If I'm over muscled, it inhibits my throwing motion to second. I'm just trying to keep it toned."

Hotch and Morgan looked at each other and shook their heads. "You ready to report on Tuesday Cob," Morgan asked.

Zach smiled. "With your help Dee and dad's?" He nodded. "I've really appreciated working out with both of you."

"Any time man," Morgan smiled, sharing a fist bump with him.

Aaron looked at Zach. "Are you going to have your usual bullshit session with Dave?'

Zach smiled. "After my shower."

"Drop in my office before you leave," Aaron smiled.

"You got it dad."

Dave and Mateo Cruz got on the elevator together in the parking garage sharing greetings. The car rose to the lobby level of the building and stopped. The doors opened to Zach standing there, holding his work out bag. "Good morning Chief Cruz," Zach smiled. "Hi Big Dog," he beamed.

"Big Dog my ass," Dave growled. "You just put in another workout session that would send me to my masseuse for four weeks." Cruz chuckled.

Zach looked at Cruz. "How the hell does he," pointing at Rossi, "skate around the physicals around here?"

"I think his last take down of the unsub proved he's still got game," Cruz smiled.

"And my masseuse thanks that frickin' idiot for the two more weeks I'm gonna need," Dave moaned. Zach winked a Cruz with a smile.

The elevator pinged on Cruz's floor. He looked at Zach, standing in the doorway, so the doors wouldn't close. "When do you report?"

Zach smiled. "Tuesday; Caleigh and I are leaving Sunday to head to our southern home."

"Good luck to you Zach," Cruz said, extending his hand. "Shelly and I will be part of the gang that will see you the first time the Braves play the Nats."

Zach warmly shook his hand. "Thanks Chief Cruz," Zach smiled as Cruz got off to head to his office.

The elevator doors opened on the sixth floor and Dave and Zach got off. Zach pulled the glass door of the BAU open for Dave and followed him in. Dave stopped and looked at him. "I'm assuming you're gonna raid the cappuccino machine for some hot chocolate?"

Zach smiled. "With my usual inch of caramel syrup in it."

"Leach; I should report you to the Bureau higher ups."

"And I've still got my Bureau approved dependent card," Zach snarked back. Dave shook his head and started for his office.

Zach had finished pouring his cup of hot chocolate and was talking with Brian and Gina in the bullpen. Dave came out of his office and went to the upper tier railing. "Hey Zach; get me a cup of coffee!" Dave held up his ceramic cup.

Zach shook his head. "You are not throwing me that mug across the bullpen. When it crashes and the pieces hurt someone, you know whose ass dad will chew out."

Dave smiled. "Twenty says I can. Just give me a target."

Zach looked at Brian and Gina. "You my mid-fielders?" They both smiled at the chance to have some levity in the bullpen with the horror they all saw. Derek and Penelope came in the side door.

"You're on old man," Zach smiled, holding up his hand. Hotch, noticing the loud murmur in his bullpen, came to his office door.

"He can't do it," Tara whispered.

"My money is on Rossi," Garcia smiled.

JJ just shook her head and pointed at Reid sitting at the desk next to her. "Rossi is covering approximately forty-two point eight feet with a ceramic cup weighing …"

"Kid, shut up," Morgan said as Rossi underhanded his coffee cup to Zach as Hotch barked out "NOOOOOOO!"

Zach barely had to move his hand to catch the cup. He looked at Brian and Gina. "Shit! I owe him twenty bucks!" The bullpen exploded in laughter.

Rossi looked at Hotch. "The kids needed that Aaron," he smiled with a wink, heading back into his office. Hotch just shook his head and went back into his.

Five minutes later, after giving Dave a twenty dollar bill in front of the whole bullpen, Zach sat across from his desk. "You ready Zach?"

Zach smiled, taking a sip from his cup. "Yeah, Uncle Dave, I am. I'm antsy being in shape. We've got a great young team with Matt Kemp being our veteran player we need." Dave looked at him. "Are we gonna win the NL East pennant? Probably not," Zach said. He smiled. "But we're gonna send loud messages. And I like that; we're a rebuilding club that's going up."

Dave took a sip of his coffee. "How's Caleigh with the move back to your southern home?"

Zach smiled. "She's more than ready. Between the crappy weather we've had around here and getting back together with Vic…." Zach shook his head. "She's already half packed."

"The family getting together?"

Zach smiled. "Uncle Sean has Saturday night off. Kim and he are coming down that afternoon. We're all going to church together, including Cal's family. And then we're having brunch together at dad and Beth's. Then Cal, Lex and I head out. We spend our usual night in Gastonia and get back to our southern home on Monday. I get on the jet Monday night in Atlanta to report to camp on Tuesday."

Dave looked at Zach. "You are the most humble person I know." Dave smiled. "And that makes me damn proud of you." He eyed Zach. "What's your chance of being the Braves starting catcher on Opening Day?"

"I'd get my twenty dollar bill back," Zach confidently smiled, draining the last of his hot chocolate, looking at his watch. "Shit! My wife has honey do projects for me today. I need to head out."'

Dave laughed. "I remember them; honey do this; honey do that." Zach laughed with a point.

"I also have a promise to keep," Zach said. Dave hiked an eyebrow at him. "Uncle Dave, you remember me talking about Nick Johnson; one of my high school baseball coaches?"

Dave nodded. "He was your hitting coach."

Zach smiled. "He's the head coach of the Central basketball team. He asked me to drop into practice this afternoon to talk to his players. What he doesn't know is I've been mentoring one of them." Dave looked at him. "Nick has a seven footer on his team; Orrin Hawks. The kid is a good hoops player and signed a letter of intent with Mason." Zach shook his head. "But he could be so much better."

"How so," Dave asked.

Zach shook his head again, standing up. "He's still a kid; a boy. He needs to start to be a man and dominate with his size, given the opponents he's facing in the conference the team is playing in." Dave looked at him. "I've been to a couple of the team's games at the new high school. I'm pushing him to step up." Zach smiled. "We did a little one on one at the Y the other day. I totally out muscled him even with giving up the inches and got tough with him. Orrin got pissed. I read him off."

Dave smiled. "You're paying it back for how good your high school coaches were."

Zach pointed at him. "Uncle Dave," Zach smiled. "Part of my DNA; and hanging around with you."

Dave proudly smiled. "Make sure you stop by your dad's office." Zach looked at Dave. "He and Beth need a date night; guess what he wants."

Zach smiled. "Perfect; Jack and I could use the guy time tomorrow night before I leave."

"Catch ya later this weekend kid," Dave smiled. His email pinged and Dave hit the button.

Zach nodded at Rossi. "See ya Uncle Dave." He moved to his dad's office. Aaron was on the phone as Zach stood in the doorway and listened to his dad's end of the conversation. When Aaron hung up the phone, Zach looked at him. "Doesn't the ass kissing to the big shots get old dad?"

"Part of the job," Aaron smiled. "I'm glad you stopped by. Beth and I …"

Zach interrupted him. "You two need date night after your usual January hell. And I know Beth and Cal have talked. Caleigh has a baby shower for Lisa tomorrow night. Tell Jack to get off the bus with Henry. I'll run him up to the house to get a bag packed; we'll go out to dinner together, go to the Central basketball game and have a brother night together before we leave."

"Thanks Zach," Aaron smiled. "And you know Jack needs that."

Zach nodded with a smile. "Do I need to give you my sermon about protection?"

"Get the hell out of my office," Hotch growled.

Zach laughed going down the steps. JJ looked at him. "Care to share?"

Zach whispered to her. "Cal has a baby shower for Lisa Friday night; it's a guy's night for Jack and me so dad and Beth can have a date night." Zach beamed. "And I got to give my dad the protection sermon again," Zach evilly smiled.

"Oh you are the Big Dog," Tara smiled, holding up her arm. Zach gave her a high five as JJ roared with laughter, sitting in her chair.

"Jayje, how do I email Em again," Reid asked. "She needs to hear this story."

Zach shook his head at the two ladies. "Good luck with that."

-00CM00-

Coach Nick Johnson had his players gathered around center court at the end of practice that afternoon. He noticed Zach walk into the gym area. Zach took off his tennis shoes, wet from the recent snow and walked onto the basketball court. He stopped to admire the school's team logo. Coach Johnson nodded at his players. Zach reached over and slapped the logo.

"Oh snap," Petey Bradshaw said. Nick smiled.

"Who's that Petey," Josh Simon whispered.

"Guys," Coach Johnson said, "let me introduce you to Zach Hotchner - the only Central student/athlete to make it to the big time; as in the pros. You're looking at the Atlanta Braves starting catcher this season." Most of the team got wide-eyed.

Zach smiled at Petey. "Hey kid." They shared a handshake that matched Zach's with Morgan.

Pete looked at the team. "My older brothers played town baseball with Cob."

Nick held out his hand. "Hey coach," Zach smiled.

"Thanks for dropping in Zach," Nick smiled, shaking Zach's hand.

Zach looked at the team. "I've been to a lot of your home games guys. You have a lot of potential."

"And he's done a bit of mentoring," Orrin smiled.

Nick looked him. "Why you had the monster practice today?"

Orrin smiled. "I got my ass kicked to step up and be the man. I'm ready to dominate in the paint."

Zach looked at Nick. "Orrin called me; confidentially Coach. He reached out and I wanted to help." He looked at Petey. "I think I know who gave the Big Dog my number," he smiled, putting his hand on Petey's shoulder with a smile.

"Bottom line guys," Zach said. The team looked intently at him. "You've got the potential to bring home the next men's state trophy to this school. And guys," Zach said, "that's no run down on the awesome girls' dance team that keeps killing it year after year. They are the best. But you have that same potential." He looked in each players' eye. "I'm just saying you have coaches that are outstanding; listen to them and learn from them. Take what they tell you to heart and put it to practice. I'll get that come Tuesday. No matter what level you play at, you can always learn from your coaches." The team coaching staff smiled.

Zach deeply eyed the boys. "And then," Zach said, slowly emphasizing the next words, "be a team." He deeply grasped Pete's shoulder. "You're the general; the point guard. You run the show. It's your turn to step up general," Zach smiled at him.

Pete smiled. "Got it Cob."

Zach gave Orrin a very hard point. "Do I have to say it?"

Orrin shook his head with a smile. "Dominate." Zach smiled.

"You kick asses," Zach growled that would make his dad proud, pointing at him. "If you want to play at a D1 level you gotta be tougher than the next guy. Or they will eat you up."

"Dominate," Orrin smiled. Zach pointed again at him. Coach Johnson shook his head at his fellow coaches. Zach gave Orrin the lesson none of them could get through.

Zach patiently answered all their questions. How he gets in shape for the season. How he preps as a catcher for batters working with the pitchers. What it was like traveling with a pro team.

Dylan Rikes looked at him. "You gonna be around after we shower. I'd like a picture with you," he smiled.

Zach smiled. "I'll be around. And it would be an honor to take a picture with you."

Zach looked at the rest of the players. "You all know your roles with this team. It's getting crunch time. Playoffs are coming; it's up to you to step up. You guys are the keys. If Orrin or Petey get shut down who's going to step up? That's you guys; step up. Have confidence in yourself; have confidence in your teammates and coaches." Zach looked at all of them. "Just be a team. There's no "I" in the spelling of team. It's all of you," he smiled. "Be a team and get it done."

"Thank Cob," Petey smiled. Zach smiled at him, clapping a hand on his shoulder again, giving it a rub.

"Thanks man," Josh added.

"You've got a big game tomorrow night," Zach smiled, looking around at the team. "I'll be here to cheer you on. Rock the house guys."

"Bring it together guys," Petey said, raising his hand. Zach joined them and the coaches for the team huddle, their hands joined together above their heads. "We rock the house tomorrow; Cardinals on three; one, two, three." The whole group said "Cardinals" together.

Zach stuck around, keeping his promise. Nick took a group picture of the team with Zach.

-00CM00-

Caleigh smiled at Jack and Henry getting off the bus together the next afternoon. She whistled at the boys. "Get in here!" They both rumbled in the door.

"What's going on Cal," Jack asked.

"If your dad and Beth want a date night after your dad's work load the past month, you don't think JJ and Will need one?" she smiled.

Henry looked at her. "Michael and I are staying with you guys tonight?"

Zach walked up to them. "Yup; and its guys' night. Caleigh has a baby shower tonight for Lisa. We eat out and watch some hoops." He looked at Jack. "You OK with that bro?" Jack nodded with a smile.

Henry looked at Jack and broadly smiled. "Win!" They shared a high five.

An hour later, JJ and Will looked at Zach, after JJ brought a bag for their two boys and Will set up the crib in the bedroom next to Zach and Caleigh's for Michael. JJ looked at Zach. "You sure you don't mind?"

"It's a total guys' night; I'm good. Go out, have fun, drink too much and take it from there," Zach wickedly smiled.

Will shook his head. "That's why we've got two," he drawled.

Zach smiled. "Go for three."

"No thank you," JJ emphatically said.

Zach laughed. "Just touch base with Beth. You all are doing breakfast tomorrow."

Caleigh winked at Will. "You know my husband. His paybacks are a bitch," she smiled.

"We can handle those paybacks for some time together," Will said, rubbing her arm. "We really appreciate this." Caleigh pointed at Zach with a smile.

JJ smiled and hugged Zach. "Already taken care of; we have full buy in for the night out."

Zach deeply hugged JJ. "Some pay back from Jack and me. You were there when we needed you."

Jayje shook her head looking at Zach, rubbing his chin. "I'm a mom." Caleigh smiled at Will, rubbing his back.

Zach looked at her. "You and Beth know there will be an extra person here tomorrow?"

Jayje smiled. "We've got the interloper covered," she winked.

Zach looked at Will. "Car seat for Michael?"

"In the entry way," Will smiled.

-00CM00-

Zach walked into the Brickyard, the restaurant owned by the wife of Coach Johnson. Molly, the hostess, smiled at him. "I've already got your table ready." Zach got the boys to follow her and shook his head to see Dave already sitting there. Zach expertly got Michael into the child's wooden seat at the table.

Dave smiled at him. "You're pretty good at that," as Henry sat in the chair next to him.

"Don't start Uncle Dave with that Caleigh and I need kids bull. You know how we both feel and our reasons why."

"I'm just sayin' Zach," Dave smiled.

"What are you doing here?"

Dave smiled again. "If you're stepping up to let two of favorite couples have a date night, I'm your wingman and buying dinner."

"I can live with that," Zach smiled.

Henry looked at him, pulling off his jacket and putting it on his chair. "You goin' to the hoops game with us Uncle Dave?"

"Sorry kid; my cigar club called. I'm playing poker tonight."

Henry shook his head at Dave. "From what Jack tells me, you're gonna miss out on some great hoop action." Dave glared at Zach.

Zach pulled his coat off and rolled his eyes at Jack who snickered. Jenna walked up to the table with a frosty mug of an amber beer that Dave enjoyed, a bottle of Miller Lite for Zach and two frosty mugs of root beer for Jack and Henry. She looked at Zach, rubbing Michael's head with a smile. "This guy Zach?"

Zach smiled. "Milk with his meal."

Jenna smiled "Your cheese curds should be up in a minute."

"Jenna, Big Dog needs a side of ranch with his curds," Zach said.

She rubbed his shoulder. "Already in the loop Cob," she smiled.

Michael, watching his big brother and Jack, helped devour the deep fried golden goodness, dipping his in Zach's ketchup. The group all laughed. Twenty minutes later, Dave shook his head at the way the three younger boys ate as he and Zach enjoyed their Western burgers. When Jenna brought the bill to the table, Zach pulled out his wallet. "I've got this," Dave growled. "All of it; you're stepping up tonight. Thank you for doing that."

"Thanks for buying Uncle Dave," Zach smiled. Jack and Henry echoed him.

"Thanks Uncle Dave," Michael clearly got out. Dave proudly smiled.

The boys enjoyed the basketball game sitting in the adult section of the new gym. Even Michael, sitting on Zach's lap, was entertained with the noise from the student sections, the band and cheerleaders, and just the referee's whistles.

Orrin totally dominated the game; even having two players from the opposing team trying to guard him. If he couldn't find an open shot, he fed the ball out to Petey who drained three pointers or passed the ball to Josh that did the same. With five minutes left in the second half of the game and the Cardinals up by nearly thirty points, Coach Johnson called a timeout to let his reserves get some playing time.

Dr. Shaw, still the high school principal, served as the PA announcer for the basketball games. He opened the mic. "At this time, the athletic department of Central High School would like to wish our 2012 alum Zach Hotchner good luck and best wishes as he reports to the Atlanta Braves training camp on Tuesday. Make us proud Zach. We will all be watching as number sixty-two is announced as the Braves' starting catcher."

The student section, already standing for the whole game, immediately started chanting "Go Cob!" Zach shook his head at Jack, who beamed as applause swelled through the gym; even from the opposing team fans and students.

The over eighty something statistician for the baseball team for years was sitting behind Zach. He poked Zach in the shoulder. "Acknowledge this kid," he said.

Zach put Michael on Jack's lap, stood up and waved to the crowd. He pointed at the opposing players that applauded and then the Cardinals players, patting his chest as a sign of respect to both teams. The Cardinal student section got a double point and chest pat as well.

Zach wagged his finger at Shaw. Doc Shaw roared with laughter.

-00CM00-

Caleigh walked into their home a little after ten-thirty. She found Zach on the couch, enjoying a drink that looked a bit dark, watching an old movie on TV. She rubbed is head. "How was your night?"

Zach laid out the details. Caleigh smiled, sitting down next to him. "Hence the stiff drink?"

Zach smiled. "Or maybe my job is done and you've got the boys the rest of the night."

Caleigh laughed. "Where's Lex?"

Zach smiled. "After I got Michael to bed and put an end to Jack and Henry farting around to get their p.j.'s on and teeth brushed, I heard Lex growling at the bottom of the steps," he smiled. Caleigh looked at him. "She was trying to get her bed up the stairs," he softly laughed, taking a sip of his drink. "I think our girl is finally out of puppy stage. Go upstairs and look."

Caleigh got off the couch and softly padded up the steps. When she got to the landing at the upstairs suite of bedrooms, she saw Lex sleeping on her bed in the open balcony area. She smiled. "You watch over the boys Lex," she whispered. Caleigh stuck her head in the room where Michael was peacefully sleeping and then checked on Jack and Henry.

Coming back down the steps, Caleigh took Zach's glass from him and drained it. Zach looked at her. "Lisa obviously didn't drink; I didn't because I knew I had to drive home. Some of the rest my family….." Zach smiled. "Do you mind sharing one more?"

"You know better babe." Zach and Caleigh enjoyed their cocktail watching the last of the movie. They checked on the boys one more time and went to bed.

-00CM00-

Zach rolled over and looked at his alarm clock. "Shit Caleigh, it's past nine. We gotta move babe." He jumped out of bed and sped into the next room to check on Michael. He wasn't in the crib. Coming back out, he noticed Lex wasn't sleeping on her bed. Then he smiled hearing his dad, Beth, JJ and Will's soft voices in the kitchen.

Caleigh came out of the bedroom. "It's OK babe," he smiled. "The two parental units are here." Caleigh rubbed his chest and peeked into Jack's bedroom. He and Henry were still conked out. She and Zach took their time getting some clothes on, teeth brushed and contacts in before coming down the steps.

Aaron was sitting at the dining room table with his coffee cup, smiling at Michael shoveling in some apple sauce, sitting in his booster chair that Will and JJ had brought over. JJ was finishing cooking some scrambled eggs for him. Michael stole a bite of Aaron's blueberry muffin with a big smile. Hotch rubbed his head with a smile. "I'll share with you pal; but you gotta save room for your eggs."

Zach and Caleigh smiled at the scene. "How long have you all been here," Zach asked. Beth smiled at Caleigh, handing her a cup of coffee.

"Beth and I have been here since eight this morning. Lex has been out and fed," Aaron smiled. She was sleeping in the sunshine coming in the patio doors of the dining room.

"Our youngest son," JJ said, putting his scrambled eggs on a plate that Beth pulled out of the cupboard, "only woke up twenty minutes ago."

"He had a late night," Zach smiled. "And he was a trooper; but he conked hard in the truck on the ride home. We didn't get back here until almost nine-thirty."

"And the little man didn't have a meltdown," Will asked as Michael dived into his eggs.

Zach laughed. "He was too busy watching everything at the game. Who made a Papa Stan run for muffins," Zach asked, grabbing a lemon poppy seed one.

"I did," Will smiled. "Jayje and I owe." Zach shook his head, moving to the fridge for some apple juice and milk.

"Why he slept so late," Beth smiled. She looked at Caleigh. "How was the shower?"

Caleigh laughed. "It's a good thing Aunt Brenda rode with mom. I'm so glad I don't have her margarita hangover this morning." Beth laughed with Aaron and Zach.

Zach told the parents about the boys' dinner. "Sorry Jayje; but Michael insisted on having some of Uncle Dave's cheese curds."

"Why he hasn't pooped this morning," JJ said, rubbing Michael's head.

"Dave was there," Aaron asked. Zach just looked at him. "OK, not my brightest question in my illustrious career."

"In your world or whose else," Zach zinged, sitting down at the table with his juice and milk.

Aaron glared at him. "Did Dave go to the game with you guys," Beth asked.

"Nope," Zach smiled, polishing off his juice, taking a bite of his muffin. "He went to play poker with his cigar club buds."

"Why he isn't here already," Aaron smiled. "He'll be a hungover pile." Zach pointed at this dad with a smile.

"Dad, how the hell does he get home from that?"

Aaron smiled. "He uses his car service so he doesn't have to drive."

"Thank God for that," Will said, taking another sip of his coffee. Zach pointed at him with a smile.

"Well someone should get him up," Beth said, looking at the oven timer. "Breakfast in going to be ready in twenty minutes."

Caleigh grabbed her cell from the kitchen counter and fired off a text. Zach softly whistled at Lex. She didn't move. He whistled louder. Lex raised her head. "Get two boys up."

Lexie got up, yawned, stretched and then bolted for the stairs. Zach smiled around the room. Caleigh's cell pinged with a text back. She laughed as she read it. I'm up damnit and just about ready to head out the door.

Zach looked at his dad. "He'll be fun to be around."

"Ya think," Aaron countered.

Will laughed and pointed upstairs to Zach. "No bark?"

Zach smiled. "She's licking them awake. Wait for it." They could hear the boys giggling. Lex loudly barked. "Now she put the hammer down."

Everyone in the kitchen and dining room laughed. "Lex good," Michael smiled, taking another bite of Aaron's muffin that he offered.

#####

A/N: I warned y'all it would be long.

Yup, I'm gonna roll like that. I promised all of you. The sinking ship of CM is not going to stop me from writing. I'm here for all of you. And I'm not going away.

"Spotting" is helping your weight lifting partner if they have problems. "Two seventy" is two hundred seventy pounds. "Pennant" means winning their conference and moving into the play-offs. PA is public address. As in public address announcer.

Cheese curds? I'm from Wisconsin in the US (known as America's Dairyland) and I can't explain them. They are off the process of making cheddar cheese. All I know is when they are floured, battered (beer batter) and deep fried, they are fantastic. They are sorta like Mozzarella sticks; only smaller and a different cheese taste with the cheddar.

*Jedi Master bow*

I hope someday this wonderful person will join me in Wisconsin. And we can enjoy some cheese curds together.