Author's Notes: Yes, I know I labeled this a crossover, but don't worry my fine CM fic fanatics. In my first story introducing my OMC Matt Taylor, I established that Mac from CSI:NY is his older brother. While this story will get into their relationship, it will also involve the CM team. It's just that a few characters from CSI:NY might show up. You know how much I like Family stories. ;)

I really didn't know how to get this story rolling until I came up with an inspiration. So for those of you that are not CSI:NY fans, a quick synopsis. Reed Garrett is Mac Taylor's stepson, and a Journalism graduate. He writes a news blog. Chapter 1 will be setting up the story. Trust me; the CM characters will be here.

For you CSI:NY folks joining the party, I would suggest reading the first chapter of my fanfic Monster in the Fortress. It should give you a pretty strong sense of the background to my OMC and this story; especially if you watch CM.

As always, this story is completely written, and FF willing, a chapter a day will be posted.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Criminal Minds or CSI:NY.

Dedication: To my CM followers, you know who. To those joining from the CSI:NY world, it is my FF mentor. She always gets the first one and the big shout out at the end. *hugs*

*points to avi* Compliments of my Dutch Delight. Thanks HGRHfan35! (Pssst – I uploaded it all by myself!)

Rating is T for the usual. To you newcomers: my potty mouth.

Chapter 1

Reed Garrett on Sunday morning, July 1st, delivered to his blog followers the final chapter of his exposé of the corruption in the NYC towing companies. As he posted the last words, he smiled, proud of his work. He had scooped the all the big NYC papers. Then he added a post.

To all of my followers; I'm taking some time off. I think I deserve it. But more importantly, I'm getting to finally meet some family. A little personal info: my birth mother let me be adopted by a loving family because she was too young to raise a son alone. I can't thank her enough for bringing me into the world, and giving me the opportunity I received from my parents. However, as much as wanted to meet her and get to know her, I can't. My birth mother, Claire Conrad Taylor died in Tower 2 on 9/11. But I need to know the family that loved her. Her husband has offered me the chance to be a part of that family for a week. I know my mom loved him, and them greatly. I'm taking that. See you all in a week.

As the train left Grand Central Station Monday morning and moved into New Jersey, Reed pulled his iPod buds from his ears and looked at Mac, sitting across from him. "You sure your brother and his wife are OK with me coming?"

Mac and Stella both smiled. Mac gently said, "I'm sure Reed."

"Welcome to an Irish family Reed," Stella added.

"Mac, I have to ask. I Googled Matt. I mean holy shit. A Medal of Honor recipient and the Assistant Unit Chief of the BAU? That's huge in my world."

"Reed, you're coming with us to relax for a week and get away, which you told me you wanted," Mac smiled.

"But I didn't know the bonus," Reed countered.

"Well, Matt is on vacation this week too, so just don't push things, please. He needs his down time too. Especially with the job he and the team do."

Mac and Stella saw his body language. They smiled at each other. Stella winked at Reed. "You'll get your chance Reed."

Three hours later they pulled into Metro Station in Washington DC. As they grabbed their luggage, Reed, noticing that Mac and Stella had only one bag between them, made their way past the security checkpoint, and proceeded out of the station.

Mac was the first to notice Matt, patiently waiting for them with Colin on his shoulders. Reed immediately noticed the height and build difference between the brothers. "Uncle Mac; Aunt Stella!" Colin shouted. Reed looked to see who was smiling broader among the four of them. As the three of them neared, Matt, wearing a T-shirt, cargo shorts and sandals, pulled Colin off his shoulders. He ran to his uncle, who scooped him off the ground with one arm while he pulled him and Stella's bag closer to Matt.

"Hey big guy!" Mac said, getting a huge hug from Colin. As Colin pulled away, Mac looked at him. "So you're four now!"

"Yup, Uncle Mac I am," Colin beamed. "And I get to go to school in the fall!" Mac pulled his youngest nephew into another large hug.

"I love you Col. Missed you."

"Missed you too Uncle Mac," Colin beamed. "Love you too."

While that was transpiring, Matt pulled Stella into a deep embrace. "Hey Greek goddess," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek. He whispered in her ear. "Love you too."

Stella pulled out of the huge embrace and rubbed Matt's chin. "Sorta love you too little brother." Mac handed Colin to Stella. Reed stood next to them, a bit dumbfounded.

"Hi Aunt Stella!" Colin shouted, gathering the attention of the travelers passing by. Reed looked around at the sight and smiled, as Stella took Colin from Mac and gave him a huge hug, which Colin replicated. Matt and Mac shook hands and shared a large man hug.

"Good to see you big brother," Matt said pulling out of the embrace.

"You too kid," Mac smiled. "Matt," Mac said, looking at Reed. "This is my son Reed Garrett. Reed, this is my brother, Matt."

Matt stuck out his hand, which Reed firmly grabbed. "Pleasure to meet you Reed; I've been looking forward to this. Mac has told me a lot about you. He's very proud of you." Reed smiled. "And I follow your blog daily. It's great stuff Reed. Your mom would be so proud of you." Stella rubbed Reed's shoulder's, still holding Colin.

"You knew my mother, obviously," Reed beamed.

Matt smiled. "I was best man at their wedding."

"Half drunk," Mac mumbled.

Matt looked at Mac. "Who's the Irishman that baled from the party?"

"I was getting married the next day," Mac countered.

Matt smiled. "My point exactly." Matt looked at Reed, who was soaking up all the information he could get on his mother. "Reed, an old Irish joke. What's the difference between an Irish wedding and an Irish wake?" Reed shrugged his shoulders. "One less drunk," Matt and Mac said together.

The adults all laughed, as Mac took Colin from Stella and put him on his shoulders. Mac introduced Reed to Colin.

"Hi Reed!" Colin said. "Mom and dad said you were coming along." Reed, smiling broadly, shared a fist bump with Colin.

"It's great to meet you Colin."

Matt grabbed the bag Mac was pulling. "If you got him, I'll take this." They made their way out of the station to Matt's pick-up truck. As they loaded the luggage in the back and got in, the three New Yorkers commented on the heat and humidity.

"Welcome to DC in July," Matt said. They made their way to the house.

Reed commented on the Washington landmarks he was able to see as they moved out of the DC beltway. "I've never been here before. My folks always took me to Europe or Asia for vacation."

Matt looked at Reed in his rear view mirror. "We've got the rest of the week. I think we can take care of that," he smiled. Colin, sitting in his booster seat, securely buckled in, did his usual. In a moving vehicle, he conked out for a power nap. Stella, sitting next to him, smiled, rubbing his hand that he held out to her before he met the Sandman.

They pulled down the road to the home to see Cam and Casee riding their bikes on the street holding only the Taylor house. They both gave big waves as Matt moved gently past them. The twins followed them into the driveway. Wilma, the family Golden Lab, was standing in the driveway, watching her charges. She excitedly barked a greeting at the truck approaching.

Matt pulled the truck into the garage. As the group got out, Mac and Stella were "attacked" by the two older kids, who had jumped off their bikes and dropped their bike helmets as they ran to them. Reed heard another chorus of "Uncle Mac" and "Aunt Stella" as the group exchanged hugs. Matt gently pulled the sleepy Colin out of the truck.

Reed watched and whispered to Matt, "Is there something I've been missing?"

Matt smiled at him. "Not really Reed." He nodded at his brother and Stella. "When they're here, they can be themselves and not hide from very dumb NYPD rules. They just need their asses kicked to make it official and stand up to those dumb rules."

Reed beamed. "So he's happy?"

"Reed, name me one time you've seen your dad, my brother, in jeans and a polo shirt," Matt smiled. "And btw, he might even have a pair of shorts in that luggage."

"He damn well better; Stella bought him two pair for his birthday. And if he didn't, I cutting off a pair of those jeans," Abbey said, joining her husband.

Matt gave her a kiss. "Hey babe; Reed, this is my wife Abbey. Abbey, this is my nephew, Reed Garrett."

Before Reed could stick out his hand, Abbey pulled him into a hug. "Welcome Reed. We've all been really looking forward to meeting you."

At that time, Mac and Stella brought the twins around the truck to meet Reed. Casee was holding both of Mac's hands as she stood in front of him. Cam had his arm wrapped around Stella. "Kids, this is my son, Reed. Reed, this is our niece Casee, officially known as Catherine Elizabeth….."

"But that's a mouthful," Casee added, smiling at Reed.

"You heard that from your dad, didn't you Case?" Mac said.

Casee leaned her head back into Mac's stomach to look him in the eye and just smiled. Mac rubbed her chin. He looked at the boy that Stella stood with. "And this is our oldest nephew Cameron."

"I'm just Cam," he smiled, as Stella rubbed the top of his head.

"And btw Reed, recent kindergarten graduates."

Reed smiled at the two kids, but more importantly, how much they meant to Mac and Stella. He and Cam shared a high five as Casee, like her mom, gave Reed a hug, albeit around his legs. Wilma barked sharply at Mac. "Oh, forgive me," Mac smiled, as Matt, Abbey and Stella laughed. "This is Wilma." Wilma promptly set down on her back feet in front of Reed and offered her right front paw.

Reed, laughing, shook it. "Nice to meet you too, Wilma." She answered with a happy bark and large wag of her tail, rising up to all four paws and nudging Casee with her nose, the "girl" sisterhood firmly in place.

"Let's get you inside and settled," Matt said.

As they entered the foyer, Matt looked at Reed. "You have two options Reed, and solely your choice. Your dad and Stella share the bedroom downstairs, off the home theater. There's also a bathroom down there, with a shower. But you'd be bunking on the couch. Option two, is in my study, where there is a couch, with a pullout bed. And it's pretty comfortable; I can tell you from experience."

"But it has no pot," Colin piped up.

Matt looked at his youngest son in his arms and gave him the Marine glare. "Thank you son," Matt said a bit sarcastically. Colin just shrugged his shoulders, smiling broadly at his dad, fully awake from his nap. The other two kids, along with Stella, giggled.

"That's the downside Reed. You'll have to use the bathroom off the kitchen and use whatever shower is available, which btw, shouldn't be a problem. You'll just have to be flexible," Matt explained. "But it will give you more privacy."

"I lived in a college dorm for four years. I know flexible." He sneaked a peak at Matt. "You don't mind?" Reed said. Matt shook his head, smiling.

Mac looked at Abbey. "His experience?" Mac nodded at Matt.

Abbey laughed. "Once a year; the first Saturday in May. He gets together with a bunch of his Marine buddies. They go to Marine HQ, and watch the silent rifle drill team's new season. After that, it involves 18 holes of golf, too much beer drinking, with scotch later and cigar smoking. That combination doesn't get him in our bed for the night. I love him dearly. But I won't sleep with that smell."

Matt just smiled at his brother. "You're going to tell me Claire never made you sleep on the couch?"

"Nope."

"Bull."

Mac smiled, even though he was getting called out by his younger brother. "There may have been a time or two."

Matt laughed. "I know NYPD cops and I know Claire. She was a lot like Abbey. Never chewed your butt, but drew a big line in the sand." Mac just smiled. Reed smiled broadly at hearing more about his mom and her relationship with Mac.

As the kids went back outside to ride their bikes, Colin included (although with training wheels and Stella making sure they all had their bike helmets back on), the adults spent the rest of the late morning getting everyone settled in and spending time together. Matt regaled Reed with stories about his mom and Mac dating, many to Mac's embarrassment, as Abbey and Stella prepared lunch.

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A/N: To any newcomers: this Yank is very grateful for my international readers. However, I know some things I say in my stories you may not understand. I've since made it a habit to try to explain those things at the end of the chapters in this forum. If you already know what I'm talking about, you have my deepest apologies. But here I go. The first being, as always, any temps mentioned are in Fahrenheit scale; so are US measurements. In addition, the Marine silent rifle drill team is something you have to see. Here in the States, they are featured in TV ads recruiting for the Marines. And they are just absolutely awesome. Do a YouTube search.

A/N2: Case is not a typo. That's Matt's nickname for Casee, which, of course, he would have. ;)