A/N: I'm back! With some more love from my OC Zach Hotchner. But before I get into the main part of the story, I need to bundle up a couple things from two precious stories.

This story, as you can already guess, is lots of love and lots of family. I hope you enjoy it.

I totally hate to do this. But I must to keep the FF Gestapo off my arse. All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios.

I promised you all I'd give you the true CM. I deliver; in my world.

*Jedi Master bow*

Chapter 1

The Annandale Central High School basketball players nervously sat around their hotel rooms in Richmond Virginia. They were waiting for the appointed time to head to the campus of VCU to play in the Virginia State Division 3 Championship Game. Some were listening to music; others were playing video games. Each player's cell phone pinged with a new Twitter message to the AnnandaleCHSHoops account. They all quickly looked at the message and smiled at the sender. TheCobra_31.

Hey guys! Play hard and be a team. Best of luck! Special vid compliments of my wife Caleigh Cal31Zach, VicTXAndy and our dog Lexie since I can't be there. #DayJob The boys all opened the video to Caleigh holding up a sign. "GO" it said, in big red letters. Lex picked up a sign off the ground and held it in her teeth. "CARDS," it read in red letters as well. Caleigh flashed up her sign again. The boys all smiled.

-00CM00-

The Annandale Central School District was the top school district in the southern suburbs of DC. Their scholastic testing scores along with the school's reputation for top notch athletics for both sexes attracted many new families to the once was known as old school district. The area was thriving again.

But there was one problem; that attracted too many new students into the school district. While the high school that Zach attended still served the needs of its students with ease, the elementary and middle school students, including Jack, faced over-crowded facilities. In 2015, the voters in the district agreed with the school board and overwhelming approved building a new high school to face the district's need to expand their classroom future. The school that Zach graduated from was now an Intermediate school for grades three through five. With an area of the school that was now the community's Senior Center. The new, enlarged (for the upcoming surge of pupils) and high tech high school opened in the fall of 2016.

Dallas Everett, the head of the school district's IT Department, looked at Dr. Shaw. "We're good to go," he smiled.

Shaw looked at Everett. "He sent the video to you?" They both could hear the sirens of the fire trucks bringing the Division 3 Virginia State High School State Champion Boys' Basketball team home getting closer.

Everett smiled. "You doubt that Doc? The kid is good." He sent the video screen back into the ceiling. They pulled on their spring coats and went outside the doors of the new high school to join the throng of Central fans that were waiting to welcome the State Champs home.

Aaron, Beth and Jack were among the crowd along with the LaMontagne's. Jack and Henry played basketball during the winter in "club leagues" according to their age level, coached by the new input of young parents. A couple of players from the high school team always showed up at their practices to help out and support them. The entire team took turns supporting the next generation of players. The two families stood with some of the other parents and their sons that played together.

David Rossi walked up to join them. Beth looked at him. "What are you doing here?"

Dave smiled. "I might have got a text from someone that said maybe I should."

Will had Michael on his shoulders as the fire trucks approached. Henry looked at Hotch. "Uncle Aaron, I can't see." Aaron smiled, pulling Henry onto his shoulders.

Beth rubbed Jack's back. "You OK?"

Jack smiled. "I'm good Beth; I can see." The town's fire trucks rounded the corner to the new high school much like Jack went through for two years when Zach was playing baseball for Central.

The crowd, once inside the gym, watched as each player, wearing their gold medals, slapped the Cardinal logo imbedded into the gym floor like Zach did as they entered to the roaring crowd. Orrin entered last, hoisting up the championship trophy to the crowd. He put the trophy on the gym floor, knelt down and kissed the floor logo. The crowd roared more.

After the mayor's and superintendent of the school district speeches, Dr. Shaw walked to the microphone. He smiled. "Congratulation guys and coaches; welcome home." The crowd deeply applauded. Shaw smiled at them. "You've got a special message you need to see." Shaw pointed at the video screen that came down from the gym's ceiling.

Everett hit a button on his laptop. A video appeared. It was Zach taking a swing at batting practice. He walked out of the batting cage and looked into the camera wearing his Braves' batting practice jersey. "Welcome home State Champs! And congratulations guys and coaches! Good morning from Kissimmee, Florida and Champion Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex."

"We're getting ready to take on St. Louis around here for a preseason game. But I just wanted to send you all my deepest congratulations on a great season and bringing another state championship trophy home to Central High," Zach smiled. Jack smiled at Aaron.

"I was a little busy with my day job yesterday afternoon; but I watched the game last night. I'm so proud of you guys. You played your hearts out and you did it as a team. And my congratulations to the coaching staff as well," Zach smiled. "Coach Johnson," Zach beamed, pointing into the camera and then lightly slapping his chest. Nick shook his head like his players already were doing. "My deepest congratulations to you and Pat, Tim and Kyle."

Another person came into the video. Jack looked at Beth and Aaron. "It's Minnie!"

"Hey guys! Congratulations!"

"Guys; that's Minnie; as in Andy Minton, one of my groomsmen at Caleigh's and I wedding and soon to be in the rotation as a Braves' starting pitcher."

Another Braves' player came into the video, walking by. "Congrats Cardinals!"

"Guys; that Swannie; Dansby Swanson, our starting shortstop."

A large man jumped on Zach and Andy. Zach laughed. "This is our starting first baseman, Freddie "the Freeloader" Freeman," Zach smiled.

"Congrats State Champions," Freddie smiled into the camera.

Another man came into the video as Freddie moved to stand beside Andy. "Way to go guys!"

"And guys; this is Matt Kemp. Our team veteran that is the rock and mentor for our young team."

Zach held up his arm with an enclosed fist. "Way to go Cardinals, way to go," Zach chanted; something he had heard many times from the fans in the stands in his days at Central. Andy, Kemp and Freeman joined in. Swanson came back out of the batting cage to join them. The crowd joined in.

"Congrats guys!" Zach smiled, patting his chest and pointing at them. The team and coaching staff just shook their head at Zach's generous gesture. Aaron Hotchner proudly smiled.

"They're good," Jack said.

"Yeah champino, they are," Dave smiled, rubbing his back.

-00CM00-

Zach came out of the visitors' dugout at Citi Field in the southern suburbs of New York City as the Mets took batting practice and moved towards the Mets' dugout. Jose Reyes, the Mets' third baseman looked at him. "What the hell man?"

Zach smiled. "I have a promise to keep." He looked up into the stands to see George Sorenson, one half of the couple that was he and Caleigh's traveling partners on their honeymoon cruise, waving at him. George walked up to the railing along the dugout. He and Zach shared a hug and small talk. Zach pulled out a baseball from his back pocket and a pen. He signed the ball. Reyes walked up to the two of them, smiling.

"A little history," he questioned.

"Jose, George and his wife Helen made my wife and mine honeymoon cruise. They were our Caribbean island tour guides." George's youngest grandson smiled at Reyes.

"Give me that pen," Reyes smiled and added his signature as well, handing to the ball back to the boy.

Zach rubbed Jose's shoulder. "Thanks man," he smiled.

An hour later, most of the team, enjoying a late lunch were gathered in the Round Table Room. Dave lightly knocked on Aaron's door and stuck his head in Hotch's office. "Team meeting in the briefing room." Hotch looked at him. "OK, you argue with Garcia," Dave growled leaving the door. Hotch shook his head.

He walked into the room with the video screen showing the Opening Day ceremonies at Citi Field. The stadium public address announcer was just starting to introduce the Braves' reserve players. Mateo Cruz flew into the room. "Am I too late?"

JJ smiled. "Just in time Mat." Garcia punched a button on her computer that showed Emily watching on her laptop in London in a smaller screen of the video monitor in the bottom right corner.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Atlanta Braves to Citi Field." While most of the fans were respectful, given it was opening day, there were some "Boo's" heard through the stadium. The Braves and Mets were longtime rivals.

The PA announcer introduced Brent Snitker, the teams' manager and the first three players of the starting line-up with Freddie Freeman running out of the dugout last.

"Batting fourth for the Braves, number sixty-two, catcher Zach Hotchner." Zach ran out of the dugout.

Dave rubbed Aaron's shoulder. "That's for you my friend," he proudly smiled.

"Congratulations Hotch," Emily smiled.

Aaron bowed his head a bit and then looked around the room. "Congrats boss man," Garcia smiled.

Mat Cruz stuck out his hand with his warm smile. "Congratulations Aaron. We all wanted to you to see that."

"Thank you Mat," Hotch said shaking his hand. He looked around the room. "My thanks to all of you. It means a lot to me." Dave rubbed his shoulder more.

Morgan got out of his chair and walked up to Hotch. "Congratulations man," he smiled, sharing a handshake. JJ was right behind him to give Aaron a hug. Reid, Tara, Kevin, Gina and Brian followed JJ with smiles.

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