Chapter 2

Cait gave Aaron the quick overview as the three of them walked towards the principal's office. Jack mumbled something under his breath. The parents stopped and looked at him. "Care to share Jack," his dad said. Jack shook his head. Aaron looked at him. "Let's try a different approach." He looked Jack in the eye. "Give it up."

"Dad, I didn't tackle Kenyon. I pile drived him into the ground with that tackle; just like Matt did playing football. I was that mad." He paused. "And Kenyon deserved it." Cait and Aaron looked at him. "Miguel had told Kenyon to leave Jonah alone and stop being a bully. Kenyon pushed Miguel so hard he pushed him into Jonah's wheelchair and knocked the both of them over. You know how heavy Jonah's chair is. Ben and Sayid were hollering for whatshername to come and help. Miguel and Jonah were both hurt and crying. And she still wouldn't come. So starting that fight was the only way I figured I could get the other playground helpers to come." He looked his parents in the eye. "Mom and dad, I didn't have a choice. I needed to back my friends. And a bunch of the fourth grade boys playing near us did too." Aaron looked at Cait as they entered the office.

Dr. Hawthorne's secretary stopped them. "Just a minute please; Dr. H. is taking a phone call from the superintendent of schools."

Ten minutes later, Dr. Hawthorne opened his door and motioned them into his office. He waved at the parents to sit down in the two chairs in front of his desk. Aaron pulled Jack up on his knee. Hawthorne sat down behind his desk. "Before you two begin, please know the superintendent's phone has been getting a work out the past hour and a half and he's not happy." He shook his head. "I've told you two that my hands were tied by district policies towards volunteers. This incident has ignited Superintendent Howard and the School Board to address it. There's going to be an open meeting next Wednesday night for the public to have their say. Tempers are hot right now. Jonah and his wheelchair are just fine. However, Miguel needed a few stitches with his fall over Jonah's chair."

Aaron looked at him. "And what's happened to Kenyon?"

"Agent Hotchner, you're a lawyer. You should know better than anyone that I cannot divulge that information to you. All I can say is that I suggest you two attend the meeting next Wednesday." He smiled. "We are going to address your concerns."

Hawthorne shook his head a bit. "That said I have to follow school outlines for conduct. Jack started a fight; albeit maybe well intentioned," he shrugged with a small smile, "but he still started the altercation."

"I'd do it again," Jack defended, pulling the ice bag off his eye. Aaron nudged him and got him to put the ice bag back up.

"Dr. Hawthorne," Aaron said, "Jack told us what happened, including his response. While we deeply back his justification for acting, we do not support the action he took. His mother and I will address that."

Dr. Hawthorne smiled. "Jack, it's not why you did what you did that has you in trouble. It's what you did." He looked at Cait and Aaron. "Jack is suspended for the rest of the day and tomorrow as well." He winked at them. "It's not a full suspension; Mr. Matsch is getting his assignments together. If Jack turns them in completed Monday morning, he's good. There will be no after school detention time and it will not be put on his school record." He looked at Cait and Aaron. "Any questions?"

"Plenty," Aaron nearly growled. "But we'll leave them for the meeting on Wednesday."

Dr. Hawthorne looked at them. "Then you two will be there?"

Cait gave him the Hotchner glare as the three of them got up. "Count on it."

-00CM00-

Section Chief Mateo Cruz walked through the glass doors of the BAU into the bullpen the next morning. He stopped and chatted with Agents Anderson and Sharp for a few seconds and then moved towards the steps by Reid's desk. He knew Hotch's door would be closed in a meeting with a pencil pusher and paperclip counter for the upcoming budget. It was ten in the morning and the usual profiler's Friday morning coffee break was in full session. Garcia was sitting on JJ's desk, drinking her tea. Morgan was leaning up against Emily's desk, sipping his coffee. He noticed him first.

"Chief Cruz," Morgan said. Kate Callahan swung in her desk chair to face him and Reid.

"Relax Morgan," he smiled. "There's no case. I just wanted to stop in to check on how Jack's school suspension is going," he said with a small smile, nodding at Jack in Dave's office.

Kate looked around. "Can someone explain to me why Jack ended up here instead of with Cait?"

Reid smiled. "Between Hotch and Dave, he'll get his assignments done this morning. Then he'll get to spend the afternoon with Garcia."

"Cait teaches most of the morning," Emily added. "He'd be bored out of his mind in her office." Cruz nodded his acceptance.

Garcia almost bounced on JJ's desk. "I can't wait sir; I've got so many magic things to show our junior agent."

"I'm sure you do Penelope," Cruz smiled.

"I'm just really bummed," Reid said.

"Spence," JJ said.

"Pretty boy," Morgan added.

"I don't get to help Jack with his math assignment," Reid frowned.

"Maybe Dr. Genius, Jack only needs to get the assignment done; not learning how the equation of numbers and how their evaluations came into existence," Emily snarked. Morgan pointed at her with a smile.

"What's wrong with that," Reid asked.

Kate shook her head. "He's nine Doc; give it up."

"Sorry Reid," Cruz said, starting up the steps, "they're right."

He got to the top of the steps to hear Dave say "Anxiety."

"A-n-x-i-e-t-y," Jack spelled, sitting on Dave's couch. His uncle was in his chair behind his desk.

"Desperation," Dave said. Cruz stuck his head in the door.

"Agent Rossi, is that in alphabetical order of the spelling list of words?"

Dave smiled. "No sir; because over smart kid here," he said, pointing at Jack, "learned that trick long ago. It didn't work with his mother and it doesn't work with me." He eyed Jack. "Desperation," Dave repeated. Jack correctly fired off the letters like gunshots.

Cruz smiled. "Jack, while your actual actions weren't the best, your reasoning was spot on," he said, extending his hand to the boy. "I'm proud you're spending your suspension hanging out here with us," shaking Jack's hand. Cruz pointed at Jack's faux ID that Garcia had made last year for his class on their visit to the BAU for Career Day. "Bottom line Agent Hotchner; well done." He looked at Jack again. "The shiner is great," he winked.

Jack beamed shaking his hand. "Thanks Chief Cruz," he smiled. Dave proudly smiled as well. "It's pretty cool to spend the day here."

"So Uncle Dave is the spelling master," Cruz asked.

"And the history teacher too," Jack smiled. "He's awesome at it. He explains things so I feel a part of it."

Cruz looked at Jack seriously. "That is why Junior Agent Hotchner he's a Senior Supervisory Agent around here." Jack laughed. Cruz smiled as well. "Jack, Dr. Reid isn't happy that he doesn't get to do your math work with you."

Jack blinked at him. "Really Chief Cruz?" Cruz nodded. "That wouldn't work in mom's world. I'm supposed to figure it all out; not have someone do it for me."

"So who has the rest Jack," Cruz asked.

"I've already done my reading and English assignments with dad. After lunch, it's history with Uncle Dave and then geography with dad." Jack smiled. "We both like that." Dave winked at Cruz. "Mom and I will do math when I get home."

Cruz looked around. "Well then Agent Hotchner, I've only got one command." Jack looked at him. "Don't over work Garcia's systems," he smiled.

Jack smiled. "Yes sir."

Dave looked at Cruz. "You got big lunch plans Mat?" Cruz shook his head. "School lunch is being delivered around 11:30 in the breakroom if you want to join us," Dave smiled. Jack's whole body went on alert, his head rising up with questions.

"See you then Dave," Cruz smiled. Dave nodded as Cruz headed out the door.

"Circumstances," Dave said to Jack.

"Huh Uncle Dave?"

"Jack, get your head back in the game. It's not lunch time yet. Spell circumstances," Dave intoned.

-00CM00-

The spelling lesson finished and Aaron still in his meeting, Dave looked at Jack. "Your mom said you have a book along in your backpack to read."

"Yup, I do Uncle Dave," Jack replied. "But Uncle Dave, I've really gotta…."

Dave smiled. "Go." Jack flew down the steps and out the glass doors to the men's restroom. Dave came out of his office to refill his coffee cup. He stopped at the four BAU agent's desks.

Emily eyed him. "I get the tough love thing; Jack didn't do it exactly right. But aren't you, Hotch and Cait pushing this a bit far?"

"Emily, he admitted to Cait and Aaron he just didn't tackle Kenyon; he pile drived him into the ground like Matt used to tackle of the football team."

"And what's wrong with that," Emily fired back.

Dave shook his head. "I said the same thing to Cait last night." He looked at Emily. "And I got my butt chewed."

"Rossi," Emily and Reid asked together.

"Dave," JJ said.

"What's up with that," Kate added.

Dave looked into his empty coffee cup. "When Matt did that, it was against an opposing player in uniform and pads; including a helmet." He looked at the rest. "What Jack did at best could have given Kenyon a concussion; at worse broke his back or neck." The four gulped a bit at that thought.

Dave smiled. "Cait looked at me last night and said, 'He should have just landed a right hook and broke the asshole's nose. Aaron and I could live with that'." Emily and JJ pointed at Rossi as he moved off to refill his coffee cup.

"Works for me," Kate smiled. Reid nodded.

Jack came back in the glass doors as Dave started to move out of the breakroom with his fresh cup of coffee. He pointed Jack up the steps to his office. Jack trudged by the four agents. "I hate library time," he mumbled moving past them. Dave, two steps behind Jack, gave his Rossi smirk to the four. He and Reid shared a fist bump as Dave moved up the steps as well.

-00CM00-

It was a little before noon when the entire bullpen of the BAU looked up to see a security guard escort not one, but two Pizza Hut delivery personnel into the breakroom carrying five large pizza boxes each. Dave came out of his office and whistled across the bullpen. "Lunch time every one," he smiled. Cruz came in the door.

Aaron and Jack came out of his office. He looked across the bullpen. "Gina, did you get my email?"

Gina smiled. "Paper plates and napkins restocked Hotch."

Cruz looked at her. "Tell me you have a receipt."

Gina smiled back at him. "I'm sorta the breakroom restock queen sir. I know how to do an expense report." Cruz smiled and pointed at her.

The delivery guys piled the ten boxes on the two tables in the breakroom. Dave looked at them. "I'm the one signing the bill," he smiled at them.

Cruz looked at Dave. "Don't add a tip," he said as Dave started to sign. Dave stopped.

"Everyone," Cruz said, "This lunch will cost you one dollar. Fork up a buck and hand it to the delivery guys." Needless to say, the delivery guys did quite well on the tip from the over-generous agents.

The pizza boxes spread out across the two tables, the breakroom counter and some of the desks of the bullpen agents, they all dove in. Jack and Aaron grabbed some pieces from one of the pepperoni and sausage pizzas. Jack looked at his dad. "Does this mean I get a soda with lunch?"

Aaron shook his head, pulling out a quart of milk from the breakroom fridge. "Compliments of mom," he smiled, pouring two glasses.

"Busted again," Dave whispered, taking a bite of his deluxe slice. Jack gave him his version of the Hotchner glare. Dave laughed. "Work on that more Jack and come talk to me in ten years." The rest of the team roared with laughter. Cruz grabbed two slices and smiled as well. Everyone in the bullpen enjoyed the lunch, filtering back to their desks. The team stood around the breakroom.

Jack pushed his plate and glass into the garbage and looked at his dad. "I normally get recess time after lunch."

"You normally aren't suspended from school," Aaron responded. Jack frowned.

Morgan looked at Jack, dumping his plate. "Agent Hotchner, I got tasked by Chief Cruz to do an audit and he specifically asked for you to join me on that assignment. Let's get at it," Morgan said, pointing to the glass doors. Jack shook his head rolling his eyes, heading towards the door. Derek followed him, winking at Cruz.

Garcia's two eyebrows went on high alert. Cruz smiled at her. "Penelope relax; Morgan is auditing the air in the basketballs in the gym downstairs. I think he and the young agent should be able to figure out a way to do that," he beamed with a wink. The rest of the team laughed.

"Ohhhh sir," Garcia broadly smiled. "You are good."

"I've got game," Cruz smiled back.

JJ smiled at him. "Nice call Mat." They shared a high five.

Hotch looked at Garcia. "When they get back, is the round table room ready?"

Garcia smiled. "Yes my liege."

-00CM00-

The history lesson done with Dave while Aaron took a quick conference call, he and Jack walked across the upper tier bridge to the Round Table Room. Jack sat down while Aaron shut the doors. He reached for Garcia's remote and pulled up a map of the US on the large monitor. He grabbed the red laser Garcia had lying on the table for him and shined it on the map. A state on the map came to the foreground in an expanded version. Jack beamed. "That is too cool dad."

"It is pretty awesome, isn't it," Aaron smiled. "So what state is this?"

-00CM00-

Cait and Mike were standing in the kitchen when they heard Aaron and Jack come in the door around three-thirty that afternoon. "Take your bookbag to your room buddy," Aaron said.

"Not before my hug," Cait said. Jack came into the kitchen.

"Hey bro," Mike smiled. "How was BAU detention?" Cait bored at look at him. Mike just smiled and shrugged. Jack powered into Cait for a hug. She kissed the top of his head.

Jack smiled and looked at Mike. "I didn't get to goof off all day. But everyone helped make it a little fun and it was great to spend the day with dad at work."

Aaron came into the kitchen, smiled at his wife with a wink and kissed her.

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