A/N: Thank you for the reviews and the favorite or following alerts! I truly appreciate them all!
Chapter 2
Jack looked around as he quickly noticed they weren't heading home. "Zach, what's happening?"
Zach smiled at him as he pulled onto the freeway. "Jack, I told you; were backing Uncle Dave," he smiled in the rearview mirror. "And just maybe, a surprise for you." Zach smiled more broadly at his brother.
"Zach, what kind of 'prise?"
Zach laughed. "If I told you that Jack, how much of a surprise would it be?"
"None Zach," Jack smiled.
"Boom," Zach said with a smile back at his brother in the mirror. Zach quickly made his way up the freeway and took the exit to Reagan International.
"Zach, we're going to the airport?" While Jack's reading skills were off the charts, thanks to the time that their dad, he and Jess had put in with Jack, Zach knew that Jack only recognized the airplane symbol on the exit sign. Yet, he marveled that his little brother put that together so quickly.
"Yup we are Jack," Zach smiled in the mirror to his brother. "It's really special." He pulled into the airport, got into the parking garage, luckily found a spot near the building doors and opened the truck door for Jack. He was greeted by Jack's steadfast Hotchner glare that at nearly seven years old, he had down. Down cold Zach laughed to himself. Zach waved at Jack as he unloosened his seatbelt. "Come on bro; it's not a surprise if I tell you. You just have to trust me." Jack climbed out.
Zach shut the truck doors, clicking them locked with his keypad on his key ring. He took Jack's hand and guided him into the baggage area.
When they got in, Zach noticed Jack starting to do his "happy dance" aka I've got to go bro. He hustled him into the nearest restroom. When they came back out, Zach studied the flight information monitors. He smiled at Jack. "You're surprise has landed and is in the building."
Zach, holding Jack's hand, guided him to a set of escalator steps that were near the baggage carrousel that corresponded with the flight Zach was told by Uncle Dave. Jack, with his hand in his big brother's, looked at him. "Zach? When will I know about my 'prise?"
Zach smiled at him and rubbed his head, looking up at the escalator bringing arriving passengers down. "I'll tell you Jack." He kept watching the escalator. About 10 minutes later, a wide smile spread across his face and he rubbed Jack's shoulder. "Your surprise is just about to walk through the door."
Harry walked through the sliding Plexiglas security door and looked around, a bit worried. He didn't see Dave. Then he heard, "Harry, over here." He looked around and noticed Zach Hotchner standing with a young boy that had to be Jack. A smile raced across his face. He walked up to the two of them.
Zach held out his hand, which Harry happily shook. "Hi Harry; it's great to see you again." They shared a heartfelt hug.
Jack squeezed Zach's hand tightly, getting his attention. Zach smiled at him and then looked at Harry. "Sergeant Harrison Scott, this is my brother, Jack. Jack, this is Sergeant Harry."
"Sergeant Harry with the dog tags Zach? Really," he asked, with a large smile.
"This is him, Jack."
Harry bent down to shake Jack's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Jack," he said as they shook hands. "You're a pretty special guy from what I've heard."
Jack shook his head. "You're the special guy Sergeant Harry. Your dog tags are just the bomb for Zach and me!" Harry smiled proudly looking at Zach. Zach guided him over to the baggage carousel.
Harry looked at Zach as they waited for the luggage to begin to show up. "I thought Dave was meeting me?"
"They're out on a case in Portland, Oregon. Uncle Dave called me this morning and asked me if I could pick you up. The team is getting close and he and dad feel they'll be home tomorrow morning doing a red-eye on the jet."
"The jet?"
"Yeah," Zach smiled, "the team has a Bureau Gulf Stream for their use."
"My tax dollars at work," Harry noted.
"Actually, it's cheaper than commercial and gets the team quicker to the cases when they are called out. And since they travel so much, the Bureau understands that and wants them to get home quicker to their families. The job they do is appreciated by the higher ups." He rubbed Jack's shoulder. "We appreciate that too," he smiled at his brother.
Harry smiled, nodding his head. "Hey Sergeant Harry," Jack excitedly piped up, "we even got to meet the President and the Director last summer!" Harry looked at Zach. He explained the softball game between the BAU and POTUS' Secret Service detail as the carousel beeped its warning and then started turning. The luggage began to flow down the chute.
"Bottom line Harry; you're bunking with us guys tonight," Zach smiled. Harry looked at him. "Do you really want to stay at Uncle Dave's all by yourself? I mean, you can if you want. I've got a key…."
Harry cut him off. "No thanks Zach," he smiled. "I'd enjoying bunking in with you guys tonight." They smiled at each other.
Harry asked Jack about his school day, which got him full buy-in with his new young friend. As Jack rattled on about his day, Harry noticed his bag coming and pointed to it. Zach reached for it and pulled it off before it got to Harry. He smiled, "I've got the bag if you've got Jack," pulling the handle up.
"Deal," Harry smiled, holding out his hand for Jack to take. Jack happily took it and they walked out to the parking garage. As they entered the DC area late May air, Harry dressed in the suit coat, dress shirt and pants that Dave had bought him last fall, looked at Zach.
Zach smile at him. "Welcome to our world. It's not your SoCal heat. But my ride is just down this row and the AC works." They walked to Zach's truck.
Harry smiled as they approached the vehicle. "Pretty sweet ride ya got there Zach," Harry proudly said.
"Yeah, Sergeant Harry; dad bought it for him so he had a good ride to take care of me," Jack proudly said.
Harry squeezed Jack's hand. "Why don't you just call me Harry Jack?" Jack smiled at him. "And that's pretty cool. Sounds like you, Zach and your dad are a great team."
"We are Harry," Jack beamed as Zach unlocked the doors and opened the two doors for Harry and walked to the passenger side of the truck.
He opened the passenger door and then the half door. "JP, get in there." Jack climbed up on the foot rail of the truck and then into the backseat. Zach pushed down the handle of Harry's bag and set in on the floor on the driver's side. "Harry, why don't you take your suit coat off?" Harry smiled, putting his carry-on bag on the seat and then pulled his suit coat off, neatly laying it over his carry-on.
Zach shut the half door and moved to his door as Harry shut the half door, climbed in and shut his door. Zach pulled his cell out and sent a quick text to someone he knew was waiting for that message as he crossed turned the engine over to get the AC working. As Harry reached for his seatbelt, Zach closed his door, he checked to make sure Jack was buckled in. He buckled his seatbelt.
They made their way to the exit area where people paid for the parking. Harry started to reach for his wallet. Zach shook his head. "This is on Uncle Dave." As he approached, he pulled out his wallet, grabbed the card that Dave had given him and ran it through the scanner. The machine spit out a receipt seconds later, which Zach put in his wallet along with the card. Harry looked at him. Zach smiled. "It may be on Uncle Dave's bill, but I still prove it to him."
"Dave gave you one of his bank cards?"
"Yeah; there's a four legged reason why that started," Zach smiled. "You'll meet him in a bit." He looked at Harry. "I think you can figure out the rest." Harry smiled with a nod of his head as Zach looked at Jack smiling in his rearview mirror as he pulled onto the freeway heading for home.
As they headed down the freeway, Harry clamped on hand on Zach's shoulder. "I read the newspapers; mainly online now," he smiled. "You Patriots of George Mason did pretty well in the NCAA baseball tourney. Elite Eight and lose 4-3 in the final game. That had to be tough."
"Dad, me and Uncle Dave were there. It sucked Harry." Zach gave Jack the Hotchner glare in his rearview mirror. "Sorry Zach; you gonna tell dad?" Jack had got in trouble with his dad earlier in the week for using the "s" word.
Zach looked at him for a split second, keeping his eyes on his driving and the traffic around. "I'll let it slide this time Jack, because dad just talked to you about using that word. You use it again; you're busted little brother." Harry smiled at the dynamic of the two brothers; especially the responsibility that Zach took on with his brother. He'll make a fine father one day Harry thought. Goodness knows he'll have the experience.
"Actually, Harry, Coach Taylor in the locker room after the game put it in perspective for all of us." Harry looked at him. "We're a really young team; there's only two seniors and four juniors."
"Wow, Zach that's almost unheard of for D1."
"Tell me about it Harry. And we started out 0-5. But we hung together as a team, believed in Coach T and the staff, each other, and started putting it together. We peaked at the right time, but we were just too young. Some mental mistakes on the bases, an error there…" Zach shrugged his shoulders. "Bottom line Harry that Coach pounded across to us? We should be proud to get as far as we did." He smiled. "And to a player, we walked away with that feeling."
Harry looked at him. "I followed your stats Zach. They were off the charts."
Zach shrugged. "I don't worry about my stats. I'm just there to contribute to the team. But we've got a really good future ahead of us. And we take stock in that as well." Harry smiled and nodded his head.
"Zach, tell Harry 'bout your big 'prise when you started training for the season." Harry looked at Zach.
"I didn't tell you that in my emails did I?" Zach smiled. Harry shook his head. "I walked into the first day of training camp and my old coach, the one that honed my skills as a catcher when I was a kid, Mike Jefferies, was Coach Taylor's new catcher's coach." Zach smiled as he looked at Harry. "It was like being home; and simply huge for me."
Harry looked at Zach. "He means a lot to you."
"Harry, I wouldn't be the catcher I am without him."
"Dave told me you told all the pro teams to not bother drafting you out of high school." He rubbed Zach's shoulder. "Keeping a promise?"
Zach just smiled. "Harry," Jack piped up. Again. "Zach made the Dean's List again. And while playing ball!"
"How many credits did you carry Zach?"
Zach blushed at bit. "I told dad I would take it easy; but I still carried 15." He smiled at Harry with his nonchalant shrug. "I do have a promise to keep." Harry rubbed his shoulder more, so very proud of the young man he was with.
Zach tooled his truck off the freeway onto the exit to get them home. The three of them all happily chatted. "Hey Zach! What's for dinner tonight? I'm getting hungry," Jack said.
Harry looked at Zach, shaking his head as he drove through the streets. Zach smiled. "Welcome to dad and I's world."
Harry laughed. "Looking at you, your dad is getting round two." Zach laughed and nodded his head.
"Jack something really special for Harry." Zach reached the block for home, pushed the button to get the garage door up and pulled in. "Jack," he said as he shut his truck off, "you know what you need to do first, right?"
Jack looked at him in the mirror. "Take care of someone that has the pee dance. Got it Zach." Zach smiled at Harry and they all got out. Zach grabbed Harry suitcase after letting Jack out, grabbing Harry's luggage, while he grabbed his suit coat and carry on. They went to the door in the garage. Zach got it unlocked; Jack went in first and got the security system shut off as Zach pushed the button to shut the garage door down.
As they walked in, both the boys slipped off their sandals. Harry noticing took his shoes off as well.
Mudg met them at the door, happy to see them home, but a bit leery of the new person. Jack rubbed his head. "Hi Mudg!" Mudg barked a welcome home to his bud and gave Jack his usual "kiss" on the ear. "Mudg, this is Harry; he's a good guy," Jack said, rubbing his back. Mudg looked at Jack and then gave Harry another look. His tail started wagging again, and he barked a welcome to Harry, who beamed at the exchange. Harry gave Mudg a rub as Jack led him out the door to do his "thing".
Zach showed Harry into the house and took him up the steps to the guest room. "Make yourself at home Harry," he smiled. "At least for the night."
Harry smiled. "I noticed the bathroom across the hall."
Zach smiled, nodding his head, and left him to go into the kitchen. About ten minutes later, Harry walked into the kitchen in jeans, a cotton shirt that buttoned in the front and barefoot. Zach looked at him, working at the kitchen island, as Harry made himself at home in on the chairs at nook counter. He smiled, "I like being barefoot too."
Jack came into the kitchen as well with Mudg and his book bag. "Jack, why don't you take your book bag to your room and give Harry a tour of the house?" Jack smiled at the prospect of being a big guy and grabbed Harry's hand. "Come on Harry; I'll show you all around." Harry and Zach shared a smile.
Zach worked on cutting up the little red potatoes for Harry's special meal. His cell rang in the pocket of his cargo shorts. Expecting a call from Dave, he was still smiled at the caller ID.
"Hi Beth; wassup?"
"Not much; what's up with you and Jack?" Zach told her about getting Harry at the airport and then filled her in the team's progress with the case.
"Yeah, I got a text from your dad a couple hours ago."
Zach smiled, "And part of that was 'check in with the boys'."
She laughed. "Yes it was. What's for dinner?" Zach outlined his plan. "Ohhhh, I'm jealous! I love that dinner of yours."
"You're welcome to join us Beth."
"Thanks Zach. But since your dad is out of town, I'm meeting a girlfriend of mine for dinner."
"Cool; have fun," he smiled. They chatted for a bit more as Harry and Jack returned to the kitchen. Zach let Jack talk to Beth for a second.
Zach looked at Harry. "Can I get you something to drink? We've got a jug each of lemonade and tea in the fridge."
Harry smiled. "How 'bout an Arnie Palmer," he smiled. "And hey, pretty cool spread you have downstairs.
"Coming right up," Zach smiled back. "And yeah, dad tripped me out in more ways than the truck." Jack, having ended the call with Beth, climbed up into the chair next to Harry, handing Zach's phone to his brother. Jack enjoyed a quick lemonade and then headed to the backyard with Mudg.
Zach joined Harry in having an Arnie as they caught up with Zach doing his dinner prep of the potatoes, getting the oven heated up. When he finished, he put the red potatoes in. Harry just looked at him. "You boys eat at your own time."
Zach smiled. "Jack and I can eat anytime. And besides, when's the last time you ate? Breakfast? And California time?" Zach added the green bean casserole.
Harry nodded. "It has been a while," he smiled.
"It's OK Harry. Jack and I can have ice cream later." Zach pulled out the skillet, put some oil in it and got it heating. He went to the door on the deck and whistled for Jack and Mudg. They both piled in a minute later, hot and thirsty. Zach had refreshed Mudg's water while talking with Harry. Jack grabbed some more lemonade, with Harry helping him, as Zach started the main course. After Jack finished, Zach chased him into the bathroom to wash his face and hands.
Harry ambled over to the stove as Zach worked. "What is that?"
Zach smiled. "Fresh caught and flash frozen crappie filets, compliments of us guys and dad. Hope you like fish," he said looking at Harry, who nodded his head.
Jack buzzed in. As he and Harry set the table in the nook, Jack regaled him with the story of their fishing weekend with Merrill and Sela at their cabin in southern Ohio.
The three of them sat down at the table as Harry nearly salivated at the spread laid out.
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A/N: Yes, I have some explaining to do. Elite Eight is the semi-finals in NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) baseball playoffs. That's college baseball playoffs. Only four teams make it to the Final Four, like basketball. D1 is Division 1, the highest division, or level of play, in sports sanctioned by the NCAA. 0-5 means the Patriots lost their first five baseball games.
