A/N: This story is the part I backed away from in Perspective on the advice of my OK Teacher. Plus just a bit more to keep you all interested.
I hate doing it. But I have to. All rights to Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios. You know; the gang that screwed over Thomas Gibson.
*Knightly bow*
Chapter 1
The day after Jack left with Lisa and Pete, Caleigh and Zach slept in a bit with Zach having a day off. Zach had got up to let Lex out and feed her, and then snuggled again with his wife. When they did get up, Zach cooked a huge breakfast for them, letting Caleigh sleep.
When she came down the steps, Zach offered Caleigh her usual cup of coffee. Caleigh smiled, taking the cup, took one sniff and put it down on the counter, shaking her head.
"That doesn't smell right."
"Babe, I made it like I always do."
"Zach, I'm sorry, it just doesn't smell right."
"I'm sorry," Zach sincerely apologized.
Caleigh shook her head. "It's not you; I think it's me. I just feel off for some reason."
Normally a light breakfast eater, Caleigh ate more of the scrambled eggs and bacon than Zach did. Zach looked at her. "Babe?"
She shyly looked at him. "I missed something last week."
Zach looked at her and deeply processed her statement. "You telling me…?"
Caleigh smiled. "I think I might be pregnant."
"You need to get to a doctor," Zach said, getting off his chair at the table. "Now."
Caleigh shook her head with a smile. "It's too early Zach. If I am pregnant, I'm barely pregnant. The doctor won't be able to tell us much. Let's wait another month and then see what happens."
Zach looked at her. "Have you talked to your mom?" Caleigh shook her head. "Call her now," he said with the Hotchner voice of authority.
Caleigh smiled at him. "I don't want them to know. Not yet." She got out of her chair, grabbing her plate. "Zach, it's too early. Let's just this play out for little longer," she said kissing him. "I love that you're worried about me," she smiled. "But let's take this one step at a time." Zach looked at her. Caleigh laughed. "I win the argument," she smiled.
"How so?" Zach asked.
"I didn't get the Hotch glare," Caleigh smiled, kissing him again and took her plate to the sink. Her cell rang on the counter. Caleigh looked at the caller ID and smiled. "It's Moesha, Rashad's mother." She answered the call.
"Hey Caleigh," Moesha said, "We know Zach has a day off. Pedro and Alec…"
"Alec?" Caleigh asked.
Moesha slightly laughed. "That's what everyone in the neighborhood calls Alejandra. We live next door to them and are having a cookout tonight. Please join us."
Caleigh smiled. "We'd love to; but we don't come empty handed."
Moesha smiled. "We sorta figured that out about you kids. You're on hamburger and hot dog buns, two large bags of ripple chips, Miguel's favorite, and French Onion chip dip. Plus, it's BYOB. And you two and Josh and I toss in ten dollars each for the huge fruit salad that Alec will make."
Caleigh smiled. "What time do you want us there?"
Moesha laughed. "With the boys getting time with Zach?"
Caleigh laughed as well. "Message received."
"And Caleigh, bring Lex along. The boys would love that." Moesha smiled.
Caleigh smiled. "Got it; thank you so much for the invitation. We'll be there."
Zach looked at Caleigh as she ended the call. She smiled. "We're finally getting neighbors."
"Thank Jack for that one," Zach smiled.
"That and a bike," Caleigh smiled back. Zach gave her the Rossi point with his soft Hotchner smile.
-00CM00-
Josh and Pedro smiled at Zach playing catch with the boys in the backyard of Josh and Moesha's home as they got the grill going. Miguel fired a fastball at Zach that he caught. He took his catcher glove off, shaking his hand. "Geez Miguel, did you have to give me your heater?" Miguel slightly smiled.
Caleigh was sitting on the deck with the two mothers. She shook her head. "He is so responsive for him being autistic. It's just his communication skills." Alec looked at her. Caleigh smiled. "I just completed my Master's Degree in socially challenged elementary and middle school students. While my primary focus was on the economic factors those students face, I also did a lot of research on autism," she smiled.
"What happens with that degree?" Moesha asked. Caleigh knew she and Alec were both school teachers as well.
Caleigh smiled. "I definitely want to use it. But I've got to find the right venue with Zach and me living in two different cities."
Alejandra looked at Moesha. "One of my cousins is a teacher. And her husband plays pro soccer in Seattle, while their home during the off-season is in the San Diego area. She works for the National Education Center. It's a private company."
"You should check that Caleigh," Moesha smiled.
"Something like that would work better with Zach's schedule. I'd be working after school when Zach's already left rather than me working during the day. We'd be like two ships in the night with me having a day job."
As they all sat around the picnic table eating, Rashad looked at Caleigh. "I noticed your pool yesterday."
Caleigh smiled. "You're welcome to use it Rashad any time." He smiled. "As long as me or Zach are around to be life guards." He frowned.
"Rashad, being a pro athlete means I have an agent to deal with. If Jose, my agent, found out we let you swim in our pool without supervision, our butts would be grass. And besides, Caleigh and I are more responsible than that."
Josh shook his head at Zach. "You have to deal with that?"
Zach shook his head back. "If Jose had his way, one of his staff would fly the plane for the Braves' charter flights." The three couples laughed.
"Learn. Swim," Miguel said.
Alec looked at him. "You've tried how many times Miguel? With how many teachers?"
Miguel shook his head. Rashad smiled at Alec. "None of them were Caleigh." Miguel gave his soft smile.
Zach looked at the boy. "Miguel, you can trust Caleigh with your life." Miguel looked at Zach. Zach smiled. "You already know that." Miguel held up the hand that usually twisted for a fist bump. "Miguel, you're gonna be a fish before I end my baseball season."
"Swim," Miguel said.
Caleigh smiled at him. "You and I are going to get that done."
"Swim," Miguel said.
Rashad smiled. "Can I help?"
Caleigh looked at Miguel. "That's up to you? Do you want Rashad there?" He looked at Caleigh. "Miguel, I need a yes or no." Miguel nodded his head.
Moesha shook her head. "If you need a letter of recommendation, just let me know." she smiled.
"I'll give my cousin a call," Alec added.
-00CM00-
Two days later, Zach was walking out of SunTrust Park with Andy. The Braves had lost another game to the Phillies with Sean Newcomb, a kid brought up from the Gwinnett team, being the pitcher that night. The two friends were quietly critiquing Newcomb's performance. It wasn't good.
"Why don't you two say something?" Zach and Andy turned to see Tom Glavine behind them. Glavine was a masterful, left-handed pitcher in the last glory days the Braves had. He was inducted into the same Baseball Hall of Fame class as Greg Maddux and Bobby Cox. Glavine occasionally served as an additional guest commentator for the Fox Sports South broadcast which he did that night.
"Because we're both rookies like him," Zach said.
"That's bullshit and you know it," Glavine glared at them. "Both of you. You've been on a winning CWS team." He looked at Zach. "Twice for you." He looked at Andy. "And when did you become the pitcher you are now with a 2.37 ERA?" Glavine glared at him. "After Zach joined you in Gwinnett. Yes, you're both college graduates and don't want to rub that in. But guys, you've got more smarts and more work ethic than they do. The veterans respect that. The kids? They don't get it until you call them out and join you two in prep at the level you two do. The level that is expected of pro baseball players."
Andy and Zach shook their heads. "We don't want to come off as better than them Glav," Andy defended.
Glavine shook his head. "That's the thing Andy. You both are. You are ready to play at this level; they don't understand the work it takes. They think it's just hit the weight room, do BP and infield practice. You two have to step up for them and be their examples to follow because of your hard work in the video room and your maturity."
"How Glav?" Zach asked. "We gotta balance team and how we feel towards them."
Glavine smiled. "Talk to Kemp, Fiddle and Kake; have those veterans call a player's only team meeting. Let Kemp start it being senior and then you two guys slide in; using those college educations of yours to delicately address what those kids need to learn."
Zach and Andy looked at each other and then Glavine. "You two are not rookies. You two are heads and shoulders above that. But your quiet college philosophy of 'follow our example' doesn't work with kids that young. They need their asses kicked to do that. And they don't have the maturity you two do. It's you two that have to show them that maturity being around their same age. Step up; this team is getting so close to dominate again. If you two lead and get the rest of the young kids to follow your lead, the Braves will be back to that," he smiled, slapping them both on the shoulder as he kept walking to his vehicle.
Zach and Andy stopped walking and looked at each other. Zach shook his head and looked at Andy. "How you gonna sleep tonight?"
"Not worth a shit," Andy said. "I've got too much to think about." Zach nodded, agreeing with his friend.
"See ya Friday morning Andy," Zach said.
Zach drove down the street to him and Caleigh's southern home and noticed the lights still on in the living room and shook his head. Cal doesn't do that. She has most of the lights out waiting for me. He quickly hit the button to open the garage door and sped into the garage. He flew into the house.
"Cal, you OK?" he shouted. Lexie barked at him at the top of the steps. Zach flew up them. "Cal?"
"I'm in our bathroom Zach." Zach ran in and looked. Caleigh was doubled over in pain, sitting on the toilet.
He ran to her. "What's the matter?"
Caleigh shook her head. "All of sudden I got some horrible cramps watching the game on the bed with Lex. I made it here." She looked at Zach with tears. "I'm menstruating horribly. I think I lost our baby."
Zach shook his head. "I need to get you to the ER." He opened the door under the sink, reached in and grabbed a pad that Caleigh used during her period and handed it to her. Caleigh shook her head. "I'm too weak." Zach got it set in her panties, got her up, grabbing a towel and pulled up her shorts, placing the towel between her legs and sat her back down. He quickly went to the dresser and got Caleigh a quick change of clothes and handed them to her. He pulled her into his arms and carried her down the steps and put her into the passenger side of the truck. He went back and quickly locked the garage door going into the house and raced to his truck.
Ten minutes later, he carried her into the Lawrenceville ER. "I need some help here!"
It was a slow night for the small hospital. But small did not mean incompetent. They sprang into action. "ER one," a nurse pointed at Zach. He rushed her in and put her on the exam table. The nurse looked at him and started to push him out.
"Damnit, that's my wife," he shouted.
"Who we are going to take care of sir," the nurse calmly said. "But we need you out of the room."
The lead doctor looked at him. "Get out kid." The nurse pushed him out the door. "Please work with Julia," she motioned at the in-take attendant, "while we take care of your wife."
By the time Zach finished with Julia, the doctor came out and looked at him. "For the record, you are Zach, her husband?" Zach nodded. "I'm Dr. Tanner," he slightly smiled. "You can come in and see your wife." They shook hands.
"How is she?" Zach asked before they went in the door.
Tanner rubbed his shoulder. "She's fine; let's go inside," he smiled, opening the door for him.
Zach looked to see Caleigh hooked up to an IV and shook his head. "Zach," Dr. Tanner said, rubbing his back, "she needs that with the blood loss she incurred." Zach looked at him. "Yes, I think she had a very early term miscarriage. They can happen; and more often than you think."
Zach moved to Caleigh. "How are you?"
Caleigh started to cry. "I actually feel better than I did. I don't like the outcome."
"We'll get through it," he smiled, kissing her. "God guides our lives. I know you don't want to hear that right now. But Cal, it's what we believe. What we have believed from day one." Caleigh looked at him, wiping tears. He looked at Tanner as the nurse smiled at Caleigh, rubbing her shoulder, handed her some tissues.
"Caleigh, do you have an OB-GYN?" Dr. Tanner questioned.
"Dr. Laura Navarro," Caleigh said, wiping more tears.
Tanner looked at her, and smiled. "Laura is one of the best. While you take in the rest of that IV, I'll have Julia make a priority appointment for you tomorrow. Please trust her you two," he smiled at the couple.
"Doc?" Zach questioned.
Tanner smiled. "Once that IV bag is drained, you two go home and get some sleep." He looked at Zach. "I know your day job," he smiled and then looked at Caleigh. "You get more. I'm sure Julia can make an afternoon appointment for you."
"And then let Laura do her thing," Tanner smiled. "I'll say it again. She's one of the best; and will answer all your questions. In the meantime Caleigh, your heavy bleeding has stopped. The IV was just to build up your fluids. You go home, deal with a normal menstrual cycle and see Laura tomorrow."
"Thank you Doctor," Caleigh smiled, wiping a tear. "I feel better; I'm just a little emotional."
Tanner smiled. "You're feeling better is the IV giving you some fluids. And you're going to be a little emotional due to your hormones. That will get better as well."
Zach looked at Tanner and stuck out his hand. "Thanks Doc; my apologies for being an ass to you and your staff earlier."
Tanner smiled. "You were worried about your wife. We get that Zach. Don't question tonight what happened. Just promise me you two will listen to Laura tomorrow."
Zach squeezed his hand. "You got it Doc. Thank you," he smiled.
He rubbed Zach's shoulder. "You kids are going to get through this." He smiled. "And be parents. Someday soon," he smiled more.
"Thank you Doctor," Caleigh smiled.
###
A/N: Gwinnett is the Triple A baseball club that Zach and others used to play on. It's one level below playing for a pro team.
ERA is Earned Run Average. It's the measure of how well a pitcher pitches. In the most simple terms; I won't go into what all the stats are involved to get to an ERA. In baseball terms: "anything south (as in under) of 3.00 is amazing".
Kake is Nick Markakis, another veteran on the Braves' team.
Rut roh. Did I forget the tissue box warning?
I think y'all know where they are by now.