Spencer relaxed into his lover's embrace and mentally shook his head. He should have known that Aaron's team would make him feel welcome and help him to relax within a very short amount of time. Penelope Garcia really was very funny and the relationship between her and Derek Morgan was fucking hilarious. David Rossi and him had discussed his books and Spencer had pointed out several things that Rossi had missed when he had written them and the older man had looked impressed.
They had just gotten back from their night out and now both were relaxing on the couch. Aaron was leaning back against one arm of the couch his legs stretched out and Spencer was sitting on his legs with his head on Aaron's chest and Hotch's arm's around him holding him close.
"See didn't I tell you that it would be fine?" Hotch asked his lover with a knowing smile.
"You did," Spencer with a twitch of his lips, which told anybody who knew him that he was holding back a smile. "I'll trust your opinion from now on." Suddenly Spencer turned serious and he said, "I like all of them a lot actually. You were right about that."
Hotch smirked briefly at his lover's words then said, "I know you've been hurt by people who didn't take the time to understand you, but none of those who work with me would ever make fun of you or be mean and nasty. They wouldn't be working at the BAU if they weren't intelligent or didn't understand human nature, since our jobs require both. Nor would they be doing the jobs they do if they didn't genuinely care about people. A lot of people have been turned down to work at the BAU in the past, simply because they didn't have the right temperament. You have to know how to be polite and hold onto your temper at all times, at least while on the job. You can't be arrogant and tell whoever called us in that they should have done it sooner, for it is already a blow to their ego to have to ask for help in the first place."
"And people talk and word gets around that you were arrogant and then others cities are reluctant to call you in even when it's clear they need assistance," said Spencer understanding where his mate was going with this.
"Exactly," said Hotch not surprised that Spencer had caught on so fast since he was a very intelligent man.
"Alright, so you were right," Spencer said looking a little sheepish. "I just can't help my fears sometimes even when I know they're ridiculous. I know that you would never has asked me to go into a situation that I was going to be made fun of. Besides, I would've gone just to see Morgan and Garcia and how they act around each other, which I think is hilarious."
Hotch's lips pulled back in a grin and he said, "Yes, the two of them are very funny, I don't think either one of them realizes how the other really feels. Morgan is so determined to play the field as much as possible that he's blocking out the fact that Garcia is hopelessly in love with him and Garcia is so afraid of being hurt again that she refuses to get into a serious relationship. They've been dancing around each other for years, practically from day one, and I don't see that situation being resolved anytime in the near future. Part of it is there is a no fraternization rule for people who work together like I mentioned during dinner, although that doesn't really apply to Morgan or Garcia considering that Garcia is our technical analyst and not a field agent. They do work for the same unit but there is a loophole and that rule really only applies to field agents of the same unit dating one another."
"Well, it's a good thing that I'm not an agent then or you would risk being fired since we are in a very serious relationship," Spencer said.
"I'm risking being fired anyway," Hotch told Spencer with a wicked, but unrepentant grin. "I told you all about Erin Strauss and what she's like. It wouldn't surprised me at all if she was against same-sex relationships and tried to use it to do what she's been wanting to do for years and get rid of me. I'm not too worried though," Hotch at Spencer's concerned look. "I could fight it, probably very successfully, because there's no rule against same-sex relationships and I'm sure that Strauss won't want a lot of publicity since she would probably lose her position. Even if I do lose my job with the FBI there's no way in hell I'm going to break up with you. I can always go back to being a lawyer again if I have to or find something else to use my talents for. Hell, I could even be a private eye since they need to have some of the same skills that FBI agents do."
"I don't want you to lose your job," Spencer protested.
Hotch shrugged nonchalantly and said, "I don't particularly want to leave the BAU either, but I have learned ever since I met you that there are more important things in life than having a job that you love and that is having a person to love, whether that be man or woman." Hotch's arms tightened around Spencer's waist in a loving and tender embrace. "When I was married to Haley, well, let's just say that I tended to spend more time at work than I should have. True I had stuff to do like the endless amount of paperwork that seems to be required when you work for the government, but I could've given some of that to the team to do, but one of the reasons I stayed at work so much was that Haley tended to put a lot of demands on my limited amount of free time and while I loved her she also tended the whine and whine some more. Also unlike with you I couldn't discuss my work with her because not only was a lot of it classified she didn't want to hear about what human beings could do to each other. I suppose I can't really blame her for what last thing, because what humans can do to their own kind has always astonished me even with his many years as I've been working for the FBI. Haley married Aaron Hotchner the lawyer, that had weekends off and was home at a reasonable hour every night, but I wanted to join the FBI because I got tired of prosecuting the criminals after they had already caused a lot of pain to families and I wanted to try to catch them before they had even more families mourning the loss of their sons, their daughters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. I never want another parent to feel the loss of their child when they're told that their son or daughter has been murdered, I never want a grandparent to feel the loss of a grandchild. Yes, I am aware that I can't prevent those things from happening, but what I can do is bring justice and closure to those families and also prevent the unsub from killing again and putting another family through such pain and anguish."
"So part of the reason that you and Haley got divorced before she was murdered was because she didn't understand your work and how important it was to you," Spencer said.
"That's exactly right," Hotch said kissing the top of his mate's head and breathing in his scent. "Part of it at least was she didn't want to understand and didn't even try to which is one of the reasons we grew apart. In a way she was selfish, for when you really love someone you try to understand where they're coming from and she didn't. Of course, I guess the same could also be said about me as I was so caught up in solving cases and doing the paperwork that I didn't try to understand what she was feeling either and that's one of the reasons our marriage ended in divorce."
"Which won't happen to us," Spencer said determinedly. "I understand your job and I understand why you have to be gone so much. I don't like it, but I understand it and understanding it is the first step to accepting that your job is important to you and try to get you to change jobs against your will… well let's just say I would never do that to you as that would wreck our relationship as surely as if I cheated on you or vice versa would."
"Which will never happen as unlike 95% of the human race I have complete faith in you and our relationship." Hotch said.
"Also we're both good at reading people," Spencer said thoughtfully, "so both of us would be able tell if the other was cheating, which is another reason that we trust each other. We would immediately notice the signs if one of us was having an affair..."
"We would know immediately," Hotch agreed. "Not that's going to happen mind you, but you have made a very good point. I love you way too much to ever have an affair no matter how pretty or handsome they may be. Besides I love those twins of yours way to much and there is no way I would ever break their father's heart or their's, by doing something that would ultimately hurt not just you, but them too."
"Not to mention Jack and yourself," Spencer said logically.
"Yes, it would hurt Jack and me too," Hotch agreed, calmly although he inwardly shuddered as he thought about that possibility for he knew with absolute certainty that he would never be happy again if Spencer was to leave him. "Of course if we agreed to separate because of unconscionable differences it would be different."
"But that's not going to happen either because we are a near perfect match in every way," Spencer said. "The soulmate bond would not have formed otherwise. What we have is a bond that most couples never even know exist. Most people don't believe in such things as soulmates, not truly anyway. Sure such things are written about in romance novels, but most people believe that they are nothing more then something created in order to sell more books. They don't believe that such a thing could be based off reality."
"I know exactly how those people feel," Hotch said as he kissed the back of Spencer's neck causing the younger man to immediately whimper in desire. The back of his neck had always been extremely sensitive and he just loved it when his lover kissed him there. Aaron knew that of course having discovered it quite by accident just a few months ago right after they had first made love. Hotch grinned and kissed the back of Spencer's neck again causing the man to groan.
"You had better stop that, unless you want to have me fuck you right here on the couch," Spencer said his voice sounding extremely strained with his quickly rising desire.
"I never imagined I would believe in such a thing as soulmates either until it happened to me," Hotch said softly. "I don't know what I've done in my life to deserve it, but I'm certainly not going to question or reject it."
"All you had to do, was be who you are," Spencer told him tenderly turning his head just enough to give Hotch a kiss on the lips. "Why don't we head upstairs?"
"Yeah, we probably should," Hotch agreed, then added teasingly. "I do have to go to work tomorrow you know, while you just get to laze around here."
"Oh I wasn't planning on letting you sleep, at least not yet," Spencer said with a wicked grin. "I'm just going to go check on the boys right quick and I'll meet you in the bedroom."
"Alright," Hotch agreed looking eager for sex with Spencer, was always explosive and in fact it was the best sex he had ever had in his life bar none. He knew that he should probably check on Jack as well just to make sure he was fast asleep like he should be, before he joined his lover in bed.
Both men rose from the sofa headed towards the door of the study and to the stairs that led up to the second level hand in hand.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
It was no more than five minutes later when both Hotch and Spencer got to their bedroom. Hotch closed the door and then turned to his lover who had already turned down the bed. "Strip!" Hotch ordered gruffly and Spencer instantly obeyed. While Spencer was doing that Hotch also got out of his clothes and draped them over a chair that was in the corner. "Go lay on the bed legs spread apart and place a pillow under your hips!" Hotch ordered his voice filled with passion and repressed desire.
"Feeling alpha male, are we?" Spencer teased even as he obeyed the order.
"What can I say except you're so irresistible that I have a hard time controlling myself around you even when you're fully clothed," Hotch told him smirking when the younger man went pink with pleasure and a little embarrassment. Hotch didn't say anything else, but simply rolled over from the other side of the bed and it was only seconds later that he had one of his legs between his lover's so that Spencer couldn't close them on accident while in the midst of pleasure.
"I'm going to make you scream my name so loud that the whole house will hear you," Hotch said his voice gruff his cock already standing at attention as his dark brown eyes roved up and down his mate's pale, lightly muscled frame.
Spencer blushed again as the look in his lover's eyes was not lust or at least not all lust. What Spencer saw was, desire, and love mixed with the lust in his Aaron's eyes. His Aaron was looking at him like he was the most important person in the world to him and even if he didn't consciously acknowledge it he was.
"Go right ahead as I always look forward your ministrations. You touch is always so tender and gentle."
"Of course it is," Hotch said tenderly even as his hands moved up and down Spencer's body, causing a spike of desire to head straight to the younger man's groin, "I love you and I'm willing to take my time to make sure you get as much pleasure out of the experience as I do."
"And you always succeed in that behind my wildest dreams," Spencer said already sounding out of breath and Aaron had hardly done anything to him yet, but then his lover's mere touch was more then enough to get that kind of reaction, "so you're more than welcome to anything you want do to me," Spencer told Hotch as his eyes also rove up-and-down his mate's body, causing a whimper of desire to pass his lips. "Let's try to keep it down though as we don't want to wake up the whole house, especially the children."
Hotch didn't respond verbally, although he knew that Spencer was right as they didn't want to wake up Jack, the twins or even Sara.
Hotch began to really give the man he adored pleasure, by taking his left nipple in his mouth and sucking on it, which almost caused Spencer to come off the bed completely and land on the floor, which he was sure would have happened if Hotch wasn't gently holding him down.
Hotch had known for sometime that Spencer's nipples were extra sensitive to being touched in anyway, like the back of his neck and it didn't take much at all to make him reach his climax when Hotch sucked on either of them. He usually didn't though for he never wanted his lover to come to early and so normally tried to make their lovemaking last as long as possible to make both their climaxes more intense, but in this case they both needed to get some sleep and so this was the best way that he knew for both of them to reach their climaxes quickly.
Spencer groaned grasping Hotch's shoulders hard his fingernails digging into his lover's back as Hotch continued to suck his nipple while using one of his hands to gently stroke up and down his mate's cock, finally grasping it at the base and giving it a gentle squeeze.
Finally Hotch switched to the other nipple as soon as he felt that the other one was thoroughly treated to his sucking.
"Aaron! You're killing me here!" Spencer groaned as his pleasure continued to intensify by degrees.
"Well, you did say I was feeling like the alpha male," Hotch said repeating Spencer's words, although he had to release the nipple long enough to speak.
"Me and my big mouth!" Spencer exclaimed, although he was really loving every minute of what Aaron was doing to him.
"You love it and you know it," Hotch told Spencer knowing this was true.
"Yes, I do," Spencer admitted without an ounce of shame, "but then I always do enjoy whatever you choose to do to me."
"Good," Hotch growled as he got back to what he had been doing.
Hotch's sucking on his nipple intensified and it was no more then a minute later that Spencer could hold back his climax no longer and he released his seed, which spurted all over Hotch's stomach that was directly above him. At the same time Hotch also reached his climax and released his seed all over Spencer and the bed.
"I love you," Spencer told Hotch softly as the older man made sure that he didn't land on top of his lover when his arm would no longer support his weight since he knew that he was considerably heavier then the younger man.
"I love you too," Hotch assured him kissing the top of his mate's hair as the two of them spooned against each other not bothering to dress in night clothes, get quick showers or even change the sheets as the both loved the smell of each other's seed on the other. "We had better get some sleep since I have to work in the morning."
"Alright," Spencer answered sleepily giving his mate one last kiss before drifting off into a contented sleep Hotch following him just a few seconds later.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
Dr. Spencer Reid walked into the BAU for the first time and looked around in interest. It had taken some time for Spencer to talk to the director of the FBI for him to be here in an official capacity. Strauss had been against the idea from the very beginning, but had been overruled.
Strauss didn't believe in using consultants even on a case by case basis and that the idea had been brought to her by a man that she intensely disliked made her automatically say no, no matter how qualified he might be, but much to her disgust Spencer Reid no matter how young he was had connections and so here he was whether she wanted him here or not.
Erin Strauss was not a stupid woman by any stretch of the imagination and she knew that something was up between the man that she hated with a passion and this young doctor as normally Aaron Hotchner wasn't one to recommend using a consultant no matter how intelligent he might be.
Finally all it took for her to put the clues that were in front of her together was a look that her hated nemesis and the young doctor exchanged, which was very heated and filled with passion, which told her that the two of them were in a very intimate relationship or at least on the verge of it and that knowledge disgusted her.
Spencer barely had time to greet the team that he had become very good friends with over the last few months before the woman that Aaron hated was barking a command at him, "Dr. Reid, my office. Now!"
Reid and Hotchner shared a look and a silent message seemed to pass between them. Strauss immediately noticed, but was unable to decipher the silent message, which just made her blood boil.
Strauss headed into her office and had barely sat behind the desk before there was a knock on the doorframe and Spencer Reid poked his head in. "You wanted to see me, Mrs. Strauss?"
"Come in and close the door," Strauss ordered.
Spencer did as he was told and once the door was closed, Strauss ordered, "Sit down!"
Spencer did as he was bid and sat down in the uncomfortable chair that was in front of Strauss's desk. "What's this about, ma'am?" Spencer asked with a quizzical questioning look on his face.
"I want the truth from you," Strauss ordered.
"Okay..." Spencer said looking as if he didn't understand. "What sort of truth, ma'am?"
"Whether you are or not in a relationship with Agent Hotchner?" Strauss said.
"What makes you think that, ma'am?" Spencer asked his voice bland and expression unreadable.
Strauss tried her best to keep her voice even, but even as she opened her mouth to speak her fingers curled into fists and her fingernails bit into the palm of her hands. "Well, for one thing Agent Hotchner has never insisted on a consultant before."
"He probably never discovered anyone with my qualifications before either," Spencer pointed out quite calmly his hands politely in his lap, which just made Strauss even more infuriated then before.
"While that may be true I also saw the looks the two of you exchanged," Strauss said.
"My private life or Agent Hotchner's private life is nobodies business," Spencer told her his tone dead calm, no emotion showing on his face, although his honey brown eyes were beginning to spark with fury.
"It is my business, because it is against regulations…"
"It is against regulations for anyone who is an agent working in the same department to be in an intimate relationship, and that does not include consultants," Spencer interrupted his normally warm brown eyes meeting Strauss's blue ones, steadily with anger just beginning to spark in them, "so don't try to tell me it is against regulations because I know differently."
Strauss was taken aback at this stranger who had just walked into the building threw the FBI regulations back in her face, her, who had been working here for over twenty years.
"Don't think I don't know that you're just trying to use me as an excuse to get rid of Agent Hotchner. I know very well that you hate him, although you really have no reason to. I can only postulate that you hate him because you're afraid he's after your position even when he has absolutely no interest in being section chief. He's a field agent and a profiler and not somebody who's comfortable behind a desk or being a bureaucrat."
Spencer's normally warm honey brown eyes met Strauss's again, but instead of the usual sparkling warmth they were ice cold, devoid of any feeling at all, even the sparking fury of just a few minutes ago, and Strauss actually shivered in fear.
"You chose, on my very first day, to make an issue out of this and I know you were hoping that you could get rid of Aaron and that I would play along with you getting rid of a thorn in your side. Well, let me tell you something Chief Strauss, that isn't going to happen and you're not going to get rid of me either as I will report this conversation to the director of the FBI who is a casual acquaintance of mine as you know. I agreed to be a consultant, because Aaron asked me and he knows I have knowledge that could help this unit on their cases. I don't need the paycheck by joining the FBI officially, as I have plenty of money of my own. You read my file so you know how I earned that money and pissing me off probably wasn't your wisest course of action."
"Are you threatening me?" Strauss as raising from her desk looking furious.
Spencer met Strauss furious gaze calmly, although inside he was shaking as he hated confrontations and said, "If that's what you think then you are an idiot. Normally I don't say that about anybody, but you have turned holding a grudge into an art form. Aaron Hotchner is one of the kindest men I have ever met. He is a damn fine profiler as I have seen him in action. He genuinely cares about helping people as do the rest of the team and yet you go out of your way to break them up, first by sending Jennifer Jareau to the Pentagon whether she wanted to go or not, then by asking Emily Prentiss to spy on the team and report back to you. I know about every one of your little schemes and how they all fell to pieces in the end." Spencer drilled Strauss with a hard stare actually making the section chief look away.
"Just so you know I've read those regulations and I remember every single one perfectly because I have an eidetic memory, so don't try to pull any of your little schemes on me, because they won't work. There isn't a regulation about same-sex relationships, so there's no way you could fire Agent Hotchner legally that it wouldn't come back to bite you in the ass. You're nothing but a mean-spirited, petty and arrogant woman who takes great pleasure in other peoples pain."
Strauss started to speak, but then thought better of it as she stared at Spencer Reid. He was right and she knew he was, but to have it pointed out to her by this complete stranger, was not something she had expected. She had assumed from he demeanor that he would be a pushover and do what she wanted, but she should have known better for Aaron Hotchner never would have asked Spencer Reid to be a consultant if he wasn't more than qualified and from the background check that had been done Strauss knew that Dr. Spencer Reid had three doctorates and four BAs, all gotten by the time he was twenty-one. Strauss knew that Reid had gone to collage at the age of twelve and because of his high IQ had found anything to do with academia incredibly easy. She knew about his one night stand with Clara Foster and the birth of his twin sons. She knew of all the computer programs he had created that made police and government work much easier. Dr. Spencer Reid was a man with many useful connections and who she knew could indeed help the BAU out on some of their more difficult cases. She had been a fool to try to use this man in her grudge against Aaron Hotchner, but she had seen an opportunity and gone for it and was still in disbelief that this man that didn't look as if he could stand up in a strong wind had bested her and all without truly losing his temper even once, which impressed her despite the fact she didn't want to be. She knew she should have waited awhile until she had gotten to know Spencer Reid better, but she had been so furious she supposed she hadn't been thinking straight and now she had really made a mess of this situation.
"My relationship with Aaron Hotchner is no one's damn business." Spencer's glare was so fierce that Strauss actually lowered her eyes first. "Normally I'm not one for confrontations, but I had to learn how to stand up for myself in collage and I'm sure you can guess why. I will not let some woman, whether she is Aaron's boss or not enact some petty need for vengeance, for some real or imagined slight. Don't try it on the other members of the team either," Spencer added as if in afterthought.
It was then, in that moment that Strauss knew she had no hope in getting rid of Aaron Hotchner or any of the team without some sort of legit reason as it would be impossible and they would all be careful to not give her one where she could use to legitimately fire one of them.
"If that is all I'm sure the other's are wondering whether or not we have killed each other as we have been in here for quite awhile," Spencer said causally looking at his watch.
"You are dismissed, Dr. Reid," Strauss said her voice sounding extremely shaky.
Spencer rose from Strauss's uncomfortable chair and said quietly, "You know Aaron warned me you might try something like this and told me to be prepared for it, so although I expected to be called into your office at some point I didn't really expect it on my very first day. I suppose I should have expected you to...I believe the term is...jump the gun? Because people who don't really know me assume I am a pushover without a strong will just because I prefer to be quiet and observe from the background, but those people learn to their misfortune that I am not as wishy-washy as I seem. While seeking revenge, dig two graves – one for yourself," Spencer quoted softly his brown eyes never leaving Strauss's blue ones. "Douglas Horton."
The look Spencer gave Strauss made her feel like she was being studied like an insect and then discarded as unimportant. Strauss watched as Spencer Reid quietly opened the door to her office walked out and then gently closed it behind him where it closed with a soft click.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
The whole team converged on him the second he stepped into the bullpen and Spencer was immediately surround by five other members of the teams including Garcia.
"So what did Strauss want?" demanded JJ.
Rossi snorted at JJ's question and said, "We all know perfectly well what she wanted. She wanted to find a way to get rid of Hotch, but since Reid is smiling I don't believe she succeeded."
Hotch came out of his office then and looked over at his team who were surrounding his lover and strode forward until he was standing next to the young man that he loved more than anyone else.
Spencer had improved a great deal just in the nine or so months that he had known him, Hotch thought, wrapping an arm around his lover's thin shoulders. For one thing Hotch knew that Spencer usually hated being touched, except by those people he knew well like his sons, Sara or him, but it had gotten to the point in the last couple of months, since he had met the team, that he took great pleasure in Garcia's hugs and coddling or Morgan's friendly slaps on the back and light teasing.
It looked as if his lover had finally figured out that the team's welcome as a whole was genuine and they weren't going to bully, be nasty or make fun of him behind his back and in fact be nothing but warm and welcoming. He had gotten especially close to the to Morgan and Garcia, which partly had to do with the fact that they were the closest in age and the most fun to be around. Emily was pretty close in age to, but she was more serious then Morgan or Garcia and though a bond was starting to form between Spencer and her due to the fact they both loved to read, it was taking longer. As for David Rossi, being older he was a bit like an uncle and loved Spencer, even though he would never admit it. Spencer of course was still the youngest as he was only 26 and the others were all over 30.
"Alright, alright," Spencer laughed pushing through the pile of bodies. "Why don't we all get some lunch and I'll tell you all about it."
"Oh come on, we want to know now," Garcia whined playfully as she raised a hand to ruffle Spencer's hair.
"You can wait a few minutes, I for one am ready to get out of here," Spencer said ducking away from Garcia's hand automatically. "I could just go home you know and not tell you what went on in Strauss's office if you push it," he added in a teasing tone just as Morgan looked ready to protest. "I really don't have to tell you anything you know."
"All right, fine," Morgan huffed, "but you're paying."
"Would I have invited you all to lunch if I wasn't going to pay?" Spencer asked with a raised eyebrow in Morgan's direction.
"He's got to there," Rossi chortled.
Hotch smiled to himself. The team had made his mate feel welcome from the very beginning and that made him proud of all of them, although he would never tell them that not wanting it to go to their heads. Besides they probably would figure it out anyway as they were all very intelligent people.
"Let's go get some lunch and found out what happened with the dragon lady," Hotch said causally and the others nearly choked trying to contain their laughter at Hotch's description of Strauss, for although it was true it wasn't like Hotch to say things like that. Things were changing it seemed if Hotch could causally call his boss the dragon lady, even if it was true it wasn't like their unit chief at all. The seven of them headed out of the BAU as soon as they had recovered from their laughing fit to go get some lunch and hear all about Spencer's confrontation with the unpleasant Erin Strauss.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
Several weeks later Spencer picked up the phone and answered it. Unfortunately his lover was out of town on a case and he missed him very intensely. "Hello?" Spencer said into the phone.
When his lover was out of town they always burned up the phone lines and talked for at least half an hour every day sometimes longer. Actually they usually called each other several times a day and sometimes that was because Aaron needed his help with a case and other times it was just to talk and for Spencer tell him about how the family was doing. They always said I love you before they ended their conversations and that always gave Spencer a warm little glow since he knew that Aaron meant those three simple words with every fiber of his soul just as he did when he said them.
"Hey, how's it going?" came the warm, seductive voice of Aaron Hotchner over the line.
"It's going fine," Spencer and said shivering in delight at the love in Aaron's voice. "I miss you—a lot and so do Jack and the twins."
"I miss all of you too," Hotch said fervently. "The cops here aren't being particularly cooperative and one of those working closely with us is being obnoxious."
"In what way?" asked Spencer intrigued, "and is it a male or female?"
"It's a she," Hotch said and the edge that appeared in his lover's voice clued Spencer into the fact that this female was being particularly annoying probably by trying to seduce him. In fact Spencer could just imagine Aaron rolling his eyes like he did when he was extremely annoyed with the situation.
"Is she pretty?" asked Spenser curiously.
"Yes, I suppose so," Hotch said not really having considered the question, "but I hope you know that I'm not interested in her at all for it is you that holds my heart."
Spencer practically melted at Aaron's words for he could tell that his lover meant every single one and that put his fears that were trying to rear their ugly head to rest, at least for the moment.
"I know," Spencer answered calmly and he truly meant those words too.
"Good," Hotch answered his voice pleased and filled with such love and passion that it made Spencer almost melt into a puddle on the floor. "I'm done almost everything I can to discourage her without actually going to her captain, since I really don't want to get her in trouble, but I will if this keeps up as she keeps distracting me from doing my job. I told her several times and I'm in a serious relationship, and wasn't interested, but she still is being a pest and very persistent."
"What is she doing precisely that is making such an impression on you?" Spencer asked curiously.
"Well, she deliberately goes out of her way to hang around in the background giving me the goo goo eyes, she brushes up against me at least a dozen times a day, on some pretense or another, putting her hand on my arm or my shoulder and one time on my thigh. That time I moved away from her so fast that I left her looking totally stunned because it was as if was if I had teleported across the room, I moved so quickly to get away from her." Spencer chuckled a little at that as he could imagine that type of scene very well. "She's asked me out for a cup of coffee or dinner several times and I've turned her down every time and the one time I agreed to go the rest of the team went too."
"You've got problems," Spencer said with a laugh as he could just imagine the scene that Aaron was describing.
"You have no idea," Hotch said his voice annoyed as he thought about the situation with the female police officer.
"Have you tried telling her that you're in a serious relationship with another man?" asked Spencer curiously.
"No," Aaron answered immediately, "and not for the reason you probably think. I am not ashamed of us at all. The reason I haven't said anything to her is our relationship is private and why should it matter whom I'm dating since it should be obvious that I am, especially when I've turned her down at least half a dozen times just in the last three days, though I'll probably end up trying that next if this doesn't stop—by tomorrow. Besides it's not just me getting annoyed the other members of the team are starting to get annoyed to. If they're all upset then she really must of made a pest of herself, for it takes a lot to annoy Morgan and Rossi since they are both ladies men."
Spencer knew this to be true despite the difference in their ages both Rossi and Morgan had a charm about them that ladies seemed to be drawn to and if they were as annoyed as Aaron was indicating this female officer must have made a considerable pain of herself.
"So does this pest have a name?" asked Spencer just for his own curiosity.
"It's Savannah Byrd," Hotch said and the disgust and annoyance in his voice even as he just said her name made Spencer want to laugh for this lady must have really pissed Aaron Hotchner off, which was a very difficult thing to do since the man almost never lost his temper no matter the situation or provocation. "She's southern, with light blond, curly hair and big blue eyes who doesn't know how to take a hint. I'm not denying that she's very pretty for if I did you would know I was lying, but her attitude grates on my nerves and even if I wasn't very passionately in love with you I still wouldn't be interested in her."
Spencer once again felt warm all over at Aaron's words and though it was to bad that he wasn't here so they could make wild passionate love to each other reaffirming their bond.
"Let's change the subject, shall we? I no longer want to you think about her at least for tonight," Hotch said.
"Alright," Spencer agreed calmly. "I don't blame you really since I know she's gotten on your bad side and I know how difficult that is."
"So what kind news is there from home?" asked Hotch curiously.
"Well," Spencer drawled wondering how to break it to Aaron that his three sons wanted to learn martial arts and all forms wouldn't take anyone under five.
"What is it?" asked Hotch.
"Well Lochlan, Landon, and Jack want to take martial arts classes," Spencer said.
"What brought this on?" asked Hotch not having been previously aware that this was something that the three boys were interested in doing.
"Well, you know how they love that old show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and that has a lot of martial arts in it?" asked Spencer.
"Yeah," Hotch said.
"That's what started it," Spencer told him. "Well, that and the fact that I took all three of them to the park the other day and some older boys tried to bully them. They want to learn how to defend themselves from people like that and I can't really blame them. If only I had known how to defend myself I might not have been bullied quite so much."
"How much older and how hurt were they?" asked Hotch sounding concerned.
"Not very hurt, just a few bruises and Lochlan has a black eye, that is a spectacular purple and black at the moment. The boys were at least ten, in other words double the age of ours."
"Did you try talking to the parents of those boys?" asked Hotch.
"I did," Spencer said, "and that was very nerve-wrecking because as I'm sure you know I hate confrontations."
"And yet you confronted Strauss when she tried to use you to fire me," Hotch reminded him and the smile in his voice made Spencer grin as well.
"I said I hated confrontation, but I didn't say that I couldn't be confrontational if the situation required it."
"No you didn't," Hotch agreed laughing. "I was very impressed how you defended me once I learned about it, of course."
Spencer blushed glad that Aaron wasn't there to see it and replied, "Well, I wasn't about to let her railroad you into quitting or fire you just because she hates you. Erin Strauss needs to get a life and quit holding grudges. I know she doesn't like you, but you are very good at your job and that should be all that matters unless you've broken some sort of regulation, which is far as I know you haven't. Even if you have broken a few minor regulations though, most of those would call for you to be suspended without pay for awhile, not being fired. It would have to be some kind of major regulation broken for you to be fired you know and only if someone was aware of it."
"I know," Hotch said, "and no I've never broken any major regulations that would get me fired. Sure there's been minor infractions like how I went that hostage situation right after Haley was killed and nearly got killed myself, but that's not enough for me to be fired or to be forced to change departments just because Strauss wants me out of the BAU. So how did those conversations with the parents go?" asked Hotch changing the conversation completely.
"Okay for the most part," Spencer admitted relaxing back into the chair he was curled up in. "Most of the parents were quite upset with their children for trying to beat up anybody at all as they didn't want them turning into bullies. They promised that the punishment would fit their crimes and I could tell that they were sincere since like you I am very good at reading people."
"You are," Hotch said and the pride in his voice made Spencer blush again, "and you haven't even had the training that I or the rest of the team have had. You're just a natural at it."
"Thank you for the compliment," Spencer said his voice calm, but the warmth in it made Hotch want to take the man he loved into his arms and hold him tight. He was actually silently cursing the fact that they were so far apart at the moment.
"You deserve it and a lot of other things besides," Hotch said meaning every word causing Spencer to blush yet again. "So what did you mean about most of the parents not wanting their children to turn into bullies?" asked Hotch.
"Ah, I should have known that you would pick up on that," Spencer said with a grin even though he was aware that his lover wouldn't be able to see it. "Well, as I said most of the parents didn't want their sons turning into bullies, but there was one, you know the big burly, neanderthal type that seemed quite proud of his son for beating up our kids and I have a feeling that we might have trouble from his son again since his father seemed to be encouraging his kid to be a bully."
"If you do just let me know and I'll see what can be done legally," Hotch said, "maybe we'll even have to go so far as to get a restraining order."
"Isn't that a little overboard?" asked Spencer in surprise.
"Well, I don't want to go that far and I'm not sure it will stop him anyway, but on the other hand we can't have one of the neighbourhood kids deliberately keep bullying our children, especially since he is so much older, bulkier and stronger then Jack, Lochlan and Landon are. I mean someone like that could seriously hurt them and I'm not just talking about a few bruises, but actual broken bones and if that happened that kid could be in serious trouble with the law."
"You do have a good point," Spencer acknowledged changing the subject. "So what do you think about the idea of our three boys wanting to take martial arts?"
"Well," Hotch said thinking about it, "it would probably be good for them. It would give them discipline for one thing, teach them self-respect for themselves and for others, while at the same time they are learning how to defend themselves if the situation should require it, so I can certainly understand them wanting to learn so they can face bullies and such without getting beaten to a pulp and this way I won't have to go so far as to get the judge to issue a restraining order."
"Yes, that's true," Spencer agreed. "I've done a bit of research on the subject, you know how I am."
"Yes, I do," Hotch agreed, "so what did you find out from your research?"
"Well, for one thing you have to be at least five as no martial arts schools will take you before then. Some schools of course, require you to be a little older and there is a Taekwondo school near where we live so it wouldn't be too much trouble to take them to lessons every week."
"Alright then I think it's a good idea," Hotch decided. "It could be just a phase they're going through that they won't maintain for very long or they might want to keep it up until they all have black belts, which will be years of work, but there's no way of knowing at this point."
"Alright then, I'll tell them that you and I agree that they can take some lessons and that they can quit anytime they want or keep at it. You're right, that this could just be a phase or they could really seriously want to learn to defend themselves and either is fine, which I will make sure that the boys understand. I will sign the three of them up for classes and that should get them to quit pestering me for an answer to their request."
"They must really want you to agree to let them take lessons then, if they have been pestering that bad," Hotch laughed.
Spencer rolled his eyes even though Aaron wasn't there to see him do it and said, "Be glad you aren't here or you would have been pestered half to death wanting an answer right then. Of course, if you were here they could have had an answer a lot sooner since I refused to give them one until I had talked to you, since we are a family, an unusual one to be sure, but still a family."
"Yes, we are," Hotch agreed softly, "and believe me I'm ready for this case to be finished so I can get back to all of you."
"I'm anxious for you to return to," Spencer agreed with a catch in his voice. "I suppose I should let you go though as I'm sure you're ready to go to bed as you need your sleep so you can solve this case and come home."
"Yeah, you're right," Hotch agreed glancing at the clock on the bedside table in his hotel room. It was after midnight and definitely time for him to get some sleep. "I'll talk to you tomorrow," he promised.
"I'll be waiting," Spencer promised softly and the longing in his voice tore Hotch to shreds.
"I miss you a lot and we're going to try to solve this case as soon as possible just so we can come home," Hotch assured his lover.
"Don't worry about me I'm fine," Spencer assured him. "The boys keep me busy during the day, so it's mostly at night that I miss you the most."
"Same goes for me," Hotch agreed. "At night I have time to think about how much I miss you the boys and even Sara."
"Well, I'll say good night now," Spencer finally said after a short silence. "I'll talk to you later."
"Later. Tell everyone I love them and I'll see them soon," Hotch agreed.
"I will," Spencer promised and the two men hung up their phones.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
Dr. Spencer Reid let out a happy sigh as he and Aaron set arm and arm on the deck of the house that they had just finished buying and moving into. It was almost a year and six months to the day that they had met in the first place and a year since Hotch and Jack had moved in with the three Reids and Sara. The only reason it had taken so long for them to get around to looking at bigger houses was because Hotch was so busy with his job that he had very little time for a private life and also because Strauss was making his life as hellish as possible without losing her own position. Finally things had quieted down though and on their first entirely free weekend in quite awhile Hotch and Spencer started looking at houses that Aaron's realtor Margaret Pearce had found for them. Some places Hotch or Spencer liked immediately, but some at least one of them hated, but finally Hotch's realtor showed them a place that they both liked instantly. It was almost like an old English cottage except for the fact that it had six bedrooms of reasonable size, a study, four bathrooms, one of those only being a half bath, a decent sized kitchen that had needed modernizing and a room that would be turned into a library that would be double the size of the one in the other house once it was all set up. There was also a laundry room, living room, den, and a room that could be set up as a gym, so that the boys could practice their martial arts and Aaron could also keep himself in shape. The nice neighborhood and big backyard fenced in clenched the deal for the couple as it gave the boys plenty of room to run and play outside.
"Happy?" Hotch asked his lover softly.
"So happy," Spencer assured Aaron as he turned to give him a kiss on the lips. "This is a dream come true for me you know. To settle down not only with my sons, but with someone I love more and more every day, as you should know without having to ask."
"I do know, but it is never a good idea to get complacent and with as busy as I am because of my job…"
"There's no reason to say anymore I get the picture," Spencer assured him, "but we are together more than you and Haley were I'm sure simply because I come and join you for lunch whenever I can. Your ex-wife didn't do that because she had her own job not to mention Jack to look after, but thanks to Sara looking after the kids I can come see you in the office."
"Not to mention the several cases you've traveled with us on," Hotch said by way of agreement, "and also the ones that you've helped us form a profile on right there in the office. Yes, we certainly spend more time together then Haley and I did, but then of course Haley was never interested in profiling like you are and in fact didn't want to hear about my job at all."
"Not to mention the times we go into your office for a quickie when we have a few minutes break," Spencer told Hotch with an embarrassed grin.
"What can I say you are hard to resist," Hotch said not at all embarrassed kissing the top of his mate's head.
"On that you and I agree, you are just as hard to resist for me as I am for you," Spencer told Aaron. Making out in Aaron's office had embarrassed the hell out of Spencer at first, but the whole team knew about them, so it didn't bother him half as much as it had used to, probably because they did it every chance they got and not even Morgan teasing the hell out of them had stopped them. "So I've been thinking…" Spencer began.
"About what?" Hotch asked.
"I was thinking that since you're going to adopt my sons that it might be a good idea for me to adopt Jack as well. You're a terrific father and all that, but what if Jack is hurt why you are on a case? You know I will never be allowed into see him in the hospital without some kind a legal connection."
"Yes," Hotch said slowly, "I hadn't thought of it that way before, but you're right, if I adopt Lochlan and Landon, you should adopt Jack as well and that will truly make us a real family."
"Not to mention give me certain legal rights, which I wouldn't have without that," Spencer pointed out, "which is why it's a good idea. If I adopt Jack I can stand in for you if you're away on a case and can't be there. I'm actually surprised at myself that I didn't think of it when I asked you to adopt my sons."
"I'm glad you brought this up now as I was just about to go through the process to adopt the twins," Hotch said. "I have all the paperwork required, I'll just have to acquire another set. I would have done it when you first suggested it, but we've been so busy at work, that I just haven't had time so it's a good thing that nothing has happened that required me to act as legal guardian."
"Or vice versa," Spencer said.
"Or vice versa," Hotch agreed and pulled Spencer up against him and held him a little tighter. "It's not that something is going to happen, but this is a dangerous world with a lot of dangerous people in it and I do have a job that requires me to travel a lot so it makes me feel better that you, Sara and Jessica are here to look after Jack when I can't be."
"I've been meaning to ask you what does your former sister-in-law think of your relationship with me," Spencer asked hesitatingly.
Hotch snorted at Spencer's question which told the man all he needed to know.
"I take it she doesn't approve," Spencer suggested delicately.
"That's putting it mildly," Hotch agreed with a grimace. "When I first told her about my relationship with you, another man, she went ballistic even though she really had no right to tell me who I could be in a relationship with. I tried to explain that we had just clicked the first time we met, that I hadn't really been looking to fall in love, that it had just happened and that it was meant to be, but she just looked disgusted. She's learned to live with it, but she still isn't very happy, even though Jack thinks you're the greatest. I'm just glad you weren't around when she started to rant about our relationship back when I first told her. I know I never would have told her at all if it wasn't for Jack, since it's none of her business, but he is just too young to know when he needs to keep something a secret. He would have mentioned you eventually and even if he didn't tell Jessica we were in a relationship she isn't stupid and would have figured it out."
"I'm glad I wasn't around for that confrontation either," Spencer said looking a little upset but not at Aaron, but at his lover's former sister-in-law Jessica. He wouldn't deny that he and Aaron were aware that a lot of people would not approve of their relationship, but Spencer really didn't give a damn just so long as those close to them like Aaron's team knew the truth and accepted it. Total strangers didn't have the same impact as trusted colleagues and friends. Sure it still hurt, but not as much as it would if it was somebody either one of them was close to that couldn't accept their relationship or the fact that they loved each other deeply and weren't about to go their separate ways just to make somebody else happy. Humans had gotten better in the last 20 years or so about accepting same-sex relationships but they would always be prejudice no matter how much the human race evolved.
"Are you okay?" asked Hotch solicitously wondering if he should of said anything.
"I'm fine," Spencer assured his lover turning around just enough to kiss Aaron on the lips. "You don't ever have to keep anything from me. I won't deny that it hurts, but at least your close friends have accepted us and they are now my close friends as well. I am not naive enough not to understand that there will always be prejudice in the world and although same-sex relationships are more accepted then they were 20 or 30 years ago a lot of people still think that are the spawn of the devil or something similar, which doesn't bother me to much. Let people think what they will so long as I have you and my family I am happy."
"Good," Hotch said pleased at Spencer's response.
The two men sat out on the porch for a few more minutes but finally Spencer looked at his watch and he said, "I need to go tuck the boys in and read them a couple of bedtime stories, each."
"Yeah, I need to get Jack to bed too," Hotch said by way of agreement. "We could let Sara do it, but she does it enough as it is when I'm out of town. I know she would be happy to since I know she loves the boys, but when I'm home I still like to do it myself just like I would if there was no Sara. Jack is growing way too fast on me as it is."
"So are Lochlan and Landon. Before we know it all three will be heading off to college," said Spencer by way of agreement.
"Let's not talk about that," Hotch said. "It's happening way to fast as it is."
"Believe me, I know it," said Spencer.
The two men stood up and headed inside so that they could put the children in bed.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
"Afternoon everyone," came the cheerful voice of Spencer Reid as he walked to the BAU with a covered dish that was obviously some kind of food. Spencer had of course called Aaron just to make sure that the team wasn't to busy for a visit.
"Afternoon, Spencer," Rossi said.
"Afternoon, Rossi," Spencer answered with a smile.
"What's in the dish?" asked Morgan.
"Sara's brownies fresh out of the oven," Spencer answered. "Want one?"
"Of course," Morgan said enthusiastically.
"Help yourself," Spencer said placing the dish down on the edge of one of the desks, "just save a couple for Aaron and Garcia."
"Do we have to?" JJ asked with humor sparkling in her blue eyes. "I think it should be first come, first serve."
"Yes, you have to," Spencer told JJ with a wink, "Or next time I bring any snacks you won't get any and you know I won't forget because of my eidetic memory."
"Hey, that's not fair," Emily protested laughingly taking her second brownie closing her eyes as she took a humongous bite savoring the chocolatey taste.
"I think it's perfectly fair if you ask me," Hotch said coming out of his office as he had heard his lover's voice. "Last time Spencer brought snacks by you guys ate them all and I didn't get a one."
"But you get a more often than we do," Morgan protested taking his second brownie. "You live with the person that makes them after all."
"Ah, but what you don't know is that Sara doesn't bake things like brownies too often as she doesn't want the twins or Jack to get spoiled with too much sweet stuff. Says it's bad for your health," Hotch replied. "Every month or so she'll do something like this, but not more often than that. The twins and Jack gobble up anything she bakes within a matter of days and that's only because she regulates them, because otherwise they'd be gone in an hour."
"Yes, Sara is very strict about regulating things like sweets," Spencer agreed as he too took a brownie after giving his lover a short peck on the lips wishing it could be longer, but knew that longer more passionate kisses would have to wait until they had more privacy. "She takes the health of her family very seriously just like she did her own husband and children before they all grew up on her and moved out to start their own lives. I don't know what I'd do without her though as I'm sure I would have gone quietly insane looking after the twins by myself, especially while they were still babies."
"Yes, looking after one baby is a lot of work," JJ agreed thinking about her on son Henry. "I don't know how a single parent would manage with twins with no family to help them out."
"Even now that they are past the baby stage they are still a lot of work since they're three very active little boys if you add Jack to that equation. Luckily for me though I had the money to hire somebody to help, although I did go through quite a few women that didn't know anything about children before I hired Sara."
"So I'm assuming you went through a temp agency?" asked JJ with a raised eyebrow and Spencer nodded in confirmation.
"I did," Spencer agreed.
"So what happened to the other ones that came before Sara?" Morgan asked.
Spencer just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Let's just say that none of them knew anything about children and leave it at that."
"Ahh, I bet they tried to come on to you," Emily suggested with a snort, "and you threw them out on their petite derrières."
"That too," Spencer admitted after a moment. "I wasn't about to hire someone that was that way and besides not a single one of them knew how to cook, look after children or clean or do anything that housekeepers are supposed to do. All any of them wanted was to marry me and then spend the rest of their lazy lives doing absolutely nothing."
"So they knew that you had a great deal of money?" Rossi suggested.
"Some of them did before they even arrived," Spencer admitted, "and others found out after they had entered my domain for while I don't make a big deal about having money I don't see any reason to buy cheap furniture, electronics and the like just to save a little cash when there is no need to and those woman recognized that. Besides cheap stuff wears out a lot faster or breaks then a good brand name and you then spend the money to replace whatever it is so really it all amounts to the same thing in the grand scheme of things. You know I could practically see the dollar signs going off behind those women's eyes the minute they entered my home," Spencer added rolling his eyes. "None of them lasted long and most didn't last more than a week, maybe two before I threw them out. I went through at least a dozen probably more, but I didn't bother the keep count before Sara showed up at my door and it took me only a month to hire her permanently as it was clear that she knew how to do things like cook and look after children as she'd had four of her own."
"And she didn't try to come onto you either," JJ suggested with a smile.
"That was a bonus," Spencer agreed calmly. "Besides Sara's at least 20 years older than I am, maybe more and was still grieving for her late husband that she had lost several years before she came to work for me, which was also a plus as far as I was concerned. She often says that I saved her from being a lonely old lady and while she enjoyed peace and quiet from time to time she also enjoyed looking after a bunch of active children."
"And now she has three to look after instead of two," Emily said.
"And she's loving every minute of it too," Hotch said speaking for the first time in quite awhile, although he had been listening quietly, but intently to the conversation. "She's one of those rare people that is a true caregiver and also enjoys hustle and bustle."
"Yes, I was very lucky to have found her and don't think I'm not aware of it," Spencer said as he went to stand beside his lover putting an arm around his waist and Hotch immediately leaned down to kiss his mate's cheek causing the rest of the team to ooh and ahh at them, although neither Hotch or Spencer really cared if they were caught showing each other affection.
"I suppose I should go though and let you all get back to work," Spencer said after a minute of silently basking in the presence of the man he adored.
"Ah you don't have to, Spence," JJ protested.
"Yes, why don't you stay awhile as it's not like we're really doing anything, except paperwork," Emily added.
"And if you could distract me from it for awhile I'd be forever grateful," Morgan added, "as I hate doing paperwork."
This last was said so vehemently that he caused everybody else to laugh, although they did totally agree and thought that doing so much paperwork was a pain in the ass even if it was necessary.
"Then you shouldn't have decided to work for the government, since they almost run on it," Hotch told his teammate and friend, although privately he agreed.
"Well alright," Spencer agreed before Morgan could respond, "I suppose I could stick around for an hour or so, although after that I really need to get home."
"Yeah!" Emily cheered while JJ said, "That's great Spence."
"I had better go visit Garcia while I'm here or she'll never let me hear the end of it about not coming to see her," Spencer added who had learned a lot about his lover's team in the last several months.
"That's the truth," Morgan agreed with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Why don't you go do that," Hotch suggested kissing the top of his mate's head, "and after you do why don't you come by my office before you head home."
"All right," Spencer agreed immediately knowing that Hotch would save his private more passionate greetings for when they were alone in his office and he was looking forward to it.
"Thanks for the brownies, Spencer," Rossi said and the others echoed their older teammate.
"I'll just take the last of the brownies down to Garcia shall I?" Spencer suggested with the grin, "before you lot gobble the rest up and she doesn't get any, which means that she'll make sure that you'll never hear the end of it and you know it."
Everybody laughed knowing that Spencer had Garcia pegged.
"Perhaps we can discuss case files after you get back from seeing Garcia," JJ suggested and Spencer's face lit up with interest and he nodded trying to not look to eager.
"I'd like that," Spencer agreed simply finally picking up the brownie pan and turning in the direction of Garcia's office without another word.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
Spencer entered Aaron's office without knocking and closed the door behind him with a soft click. Hotch looked up from where he was still doing paperwork and smiled slightly as his lover entered his office closing the door behind him.
Hotch put his paperwork immediately aside and rose from chair and took Spencer into his arms holding him against his his chest where the other man went willingly. The two of them simply stood like that for a few minutes basking in the scent of one another aftershave before retiring to the couch that was against one wall of Hotch's office.
"Well," Hotch said a smile curling his lips, "it's nice to have a few minutes alone with you an all too rare event."
"I know exactly what you mean," Spencer agreed as he buried his head in Hotch's shoulder. "We don't get much time alone between your work and the children."
"Just an hour or two here and there," Hotch agreed as he kissed the top of Spencer's head really wanting to throw the man down on the couch and fuck him senseless, although he knew he couldn't do that because they were bound to be caught and besides his office really wasn't the appropriate place for such a thing no matter how much he really wanted to.
Oh well his plans could wait until after he got home from work and they had gone to bed for the night, although he did intend to fuck his mate senseless before they both got some sleep and he was certain that Spencer wouldn't mind at all.
"Perhaps we can plan a date for the weekend," Spencer suggested, "unless you're gone on a case of course."
"Sounds good," Hotch agreed, "a couple of hours alone with you sounds like heaven."
"Well we won't precisely be alone," Spencer pointed out logically with a small smile.
"While that's true we also won't have three small children demanding our attention," Hotch pointed out and Spencer nodded in agreement. "In fact we won't have anybody bothering us at all, especially once we order our meals."
"That's true," Spencer agreed smiling kissing Hotch's cheek. "I suppose I had better go and let you get back to work."
"I can take a few minutes to spend with you," Hotch protested holding the younger man a little tighter refusing to release his lover quite yet. "There will always be paperwork no matter how much I do, so it isn't going to do any harm for us to spend half an hour or so together."
"All right," Spencer agreed happy to oblige knowing that there was no other place he'd rather be then in his lover's arms sitting by his side or preferably on his lap.
The pair of them sat is silence for a few minutes and then suddenly leaned towards each other and began to kiss, quite throughly.
Unfortunately it wasn't more then a few minutes later that there was a knock on Hotch's office door and both men broke apart guiltily.
"I'll see you later Aaron," Spencer said giving his lover one last kiss. "I'm sure that's probably JJ with a new case."
"You're more then likely right about that," Hotch admitted getting to his feet and walking Spencer to the door.
"Yes, JJ?" asked Hotch as soon as he had opened the door to discover his lover had indeed been right.
"I'm sorry to bother you two, but an urgent case just came in," JJ said looking as if she would rather have not have bothered her boss and his lover, but duty called.
"It's fine, JJ. I'll meet you and the team in the round table room in a minute," Hotch said and JJ nodded.
"I'll see you later, Spence," JJ told the younger man.
"Bye, JJ," Spencer who had been silent doing the conversation said leaning over to kiss her cheek affectionately.
"You sure you can't stay for the briefing? You would be welcome," asked Hotch with a raised eyebrow and Spencer shook his head negatively.
"Sara's expecting me home, so maybe another time," Spencer explained.
"Alright then, but I probably won't be seeing you at least a couple of days as I know we're about to go out of town," Hotch said and Spencer nodded.
"I'll see you when you get home then, just make sure you call me when you can."
"I will," Hotch promised kissing the other man one last time long and lingeringly before releasing him, "but for now I had better be going."
The two shared one last kiss before Hotch watched Spencer depart and once his lover was out of sight Hotch headed towards the room that Garcia had dubbed the round table, because of the big round table reminded her of the stories of King Arthur.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
Hotch fingered the ring in his pocket and sighed trying to concentrate on his paperwork. He had bought an engagement ring a couple of days ago and had been planning a very special dinner for him and Spencer. He only hoped that they didn't get called on a case or that Strauss didn't find some way to interfere. It was almost Christmas again two years after he and Spencer had met and despite how busy he always was he couldn't be happier. He knew and had known since he and Spencer had met that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the man that he loved. He adored Spencer's sons to and vice versa, which to him was just as important as the love between him and Spencer. Despite his frequent absences because of his job Spencer always greeted him enthusiastically whenever he walked in the door and Hotch appreciated the fact that Spencer never complained about the length of time he was gone understanding that he really didn't have any choice in the matter. He also appreciated the fact that Spencer had never asked him to change jobs so they could spend more time together like Haley had before she had been murdered. Spencer had told him when he had asked that question about a year into their relationship, that if he asked his lover to change jobs just to make him happy then that would make Hotch miserable and he was of course correct. "You love your job," Spencer had told him, "despite Strauss and the paperwork. If I asked you to do something else just because you're gone so much than I don't really love you at all. I won't deny that I would like to have you home more, but I'll take what I can get."
Spencer's words had deeply affected him and he had kissed the younger man passionately, pouring every ounce of love in his soul into the kiss. Spencer understood that his job was important to him and wasn't about to ask him to change, which was something that Haley had never understood. It helped that Spencer was almost as good at profiling as anyone on the team and he had a real knack for geographical profiling and linguistics analysis. Hotch had told him on more than one occasion that if he wanted to go through the Academy and join the team officially he certainly wouldn't object and would even pull some strings for him so he was pulled directly into the BAU, but Spencer turned him down every time saying that he didn't want to be gone so much with his sons still so young, which Hotch could understand, even though he missed him desperately when they were apart. Spencer worked so smoothly with everyone on the team and they had all become great friends, although JJ was the only one that called him Spence.
Hotch sighed and tried to concentrate on the paperwork, which there was always too much of, in his opinion. He had often wished over the years that he had a secretary to at least take some of it off his hands and only leave him the ones that he absolutely had to read and sign.
Just as Hotch was getting back to the job at hand with intense concentration there was a knock on his office door and it opened before he could speak.
"What do you want, Dave?" asked Hotch looking up to see who had entered his office without permission. "I am kind of busy here."
"Yeah, you're busy alright, staring off into space with a goofy grin," Rossi said with a knowing look on his face. "Thinking of a certain young man, with brown hair and golden brown eyes?"
Hotch sighed not being able to truthfully deny the accusation and there was no point in lying since Dave could read him like a book for not only had they known each other for many years, Rossi was a profiler and excellent at his job.
"Alright, so my concentration today is shot all to hell," Hotch admitted.
"Is there a reason for that?" asked Rossi with a raised eyebrow running a hand through his beard as if trying to think of a reason for Hotch's distraction.
Hotch rolled his eyes at his long time friend, but didn't reply.
When Rossi saw that Hotch wasn't going to say anything he rubbed his chin again and seemed to be deep in thought. "Well, let's see then. You have put your hand in your pocket quite a lot in the last couple of days as if there is something very important there and you are checking to make sure that it is still where it is supposed to be. You have been trying to act normal, and anybody else would probably be fooled, but since you work with a bunch of profilers that know you better then anyone, except Spencer we know something is up and I can guess what it is."
"What is it?" asked Hotch with the raised eyebrow knowing that David Rossi had him dead to rights even before he uttered a word.
"Well, due to the fact that you have been putting your hand in your pant's pocket every few minutes for the last couple of days and also been all distracted I would say that you have a ring box in there and if I am right that means you're going to propose to Spencer."
Hotch glowered at Dave who looked unconcerned.
"Alright, fine," Hotch admitted when his glare didn't seem to effect the older man, but then he hadn't really expected it to since Dave knew him better then anyone, except Spencer and therefore wouldn't be intimidated by the SSA Hotchner glare like most people, "you're right. Of course it couldn't've been that hard for you to figure out since as you said I've been giving off tells that any profiler worth his salt wouldn't miss."
"I was right," Rossi said calmly, although the sparkle in his eye told Hotch that he was very excited.
"Yes, you were, but I don't want you to say anything to the rest of the team until I see if I can pull it off."
"Pull it off? You can't be worried that Spencer will say no, can you? You don't need to be worried about Spencer Reid accepting your proposal as I know he's crazy in love with you and so does the rest of the team," Rossi assured his friend. "I mean for god sakes the two of you went to the trouble to adopt each other's children and you never would've done that if you didn't genuinely love each other and plan to spend the rest of your lives together."
"You are right," Hotch admitted. Dave's words calmed down his nerves as he knew that his old friend was correct. "I'm worrying for nothing. I know I am, but it still doesn't prevent me from doing just that."
"Everybody gets nervous when they propose to a person they love," Rossi assured his friend. "Even when you know they're going to say yes you can't help running different mental scenarios in your head."
"I suppose you would know since you were married three times," Hotch commented dryly.
Dave chuckled unoffended and said, "Yes, I do know, but unlike my three marriages yours will last, for the rest of your lives, don't ever doubt that."
"I know you're right, although I can't help letting the doubt creep in," Hotch admitted.
"That's only natural considering that when you get divorced once you'll always worry that it will happen again. Besides even you are only human and no matter how confident we are we have doubts even if they're not about the same things," Rossi said wisely. "Your Spencer is a very special young man, someone who understands the commitment that the FBI requires, especially the BAU, but also someone who is willing to put up with your work schedule because he loves you so much that he doesn't want to lose you. Besides, as much as I hate to say this you have to think about the fact that Haley didn't bother to put in the effect to understand your job. I mean she could've brought you lunch every once in awhile, just as an example and at least tried to make friends with the team. There are lots of things that Haley could've done in order to maintain your marriage and also things that you could have. In my opinion though the fault mostly lies with her. Haley married Aaron Hotchner the attorney, but when you joined the BAU she should have at least tried to understand where you were coming from and that it was what you wanted and instead all she could think about was her own desires. I know you feel guilty not only for the divorce but for being unable to protect her from the Reaper, but not all the blame lies with you. My point in this little speech is that Spencer loves you enough to become friends with the members of your team, he loves you enough to bring you and the team lunch occasionally or just dessert, he loves you enough to come into the BAU as a consultant when you need him and sometimes when you don't, and he loves you enough to put in the work to maintain your relationship even though you're gone so much of the time, while Haley..."
"Alright, I get the point," Hotch said knowing that Dave had a very good point, several of them in fact.
"Good," Rossi said with a smile. "I'm glad you get the point I'm trying to make without me having to continue my little lesson."
"Thanks a lot, Dave," Hotch told him with a sincere smile his tense shoulder easing. "You've managed to pull me out of my nervousness and funk I was talking myself into. I know that Spencer will say yes as we tell each other all the time I love you and both of us can tell that we mean it and that we just aren't saying the words."
"So tell me your ideas for this proposal," Rossi suggested as he sat down on the one corner of Hotch's desk that was clear of paperwork or a computer.
"Well, I of course, am going to take him out to dinner at a fancy restaurant, somewhere that neither one of us usually goes. I really want to give him some new experiences, even though I know he gets a little nervous in new places at least at first."
"It's good to be knocked out of your routine occasionally," Rossi commented. "All of the team is well aware that Spencer Reid gets nervous when he's put into a new situation, but he's never let that stop him before from doing it anyway. He really is a brave young man, that knows he needs to get out of his comfort zone occasionally. Having his sons helps with that. I'm sure as he would not want them to be like him in that respect."
"He does," Hotch agreed. "Spencer tries to give Lochlan and Landon new experiences so they are more comfortable in certain situations then he is. The boys are certainly more comfortable in crowds then Spencer is and they are young enough that they haven't picked up their father's apprehension about being around a lot of strangers. You know a large part of the reason Spencer is like he is, is because the father abandoned the family when he was just a child and the mother wasn't exactly capable of really being a parent and installing confidence into her son."
"The father leaving could also have been a good thing you know," Rossi commented. "If William Reid had stuck around longer Spencer might have turned out more like him and that would not be a good thing."
"True enough," Hotch admitted shuddering at that, even though he wasn't normally one to express emotions, especially at work, but just imagining a scenario where he had never met the man he loved so completely made him shudder in horror. "I know I've never met the man, but considering what Spencer has told me about him I have to agree. Besides I might never have met him, but if his father had stuck around longer, I might never have met Spencer, so for that small mercy I will be forever grateful."
"So what else do you have planned?" asked Rossi with genuine curiosity.
"Well, I was planning on taking him to a play afterwards," Hotch admitted. "Spencer loves Shakespeare, and they happen to be playing Macbeth at one of the local theaters."
Rossi looked like he was getting ready to make a comment when Hotch glared at him. "You will not use this information, to tease me or Spencer," Hotch ordered sternly. "You will not tell the rest of the team what I have told you is that understood? All I need is for the rest of the team to tease me or Spencer for that matter for the next decade or two, Spencer especially."
"I would never do that," Rossi told him looking genuinely hurt making Hotch feel guilty. "The whole team, including me, are rooting for you and Spencer. In fact there is a betting pool going on as to when you two will finally get engaged."
"And who won?" asked Hotch with a raised eyebrow.
"I did," Rossi said with a smirk. "Garcia guessed that you would propose after a year and Morgan guessed eight months and so forth, but I know you and I told him that you would need time to really get to know each other, to make sure that your love would last, as there was no way you would get married again until you were absolutely sure that both of you were committed to the relationship. Truly getting to know somebody takes time and with your job and how busy it keeps you it takes longer. I told the others that until you were sure you weren't going to get your heart broken again you wouldn't propose. As long as you propose to him sometime in the next day or two I will have won."
"Well, I guess is just proves who really knows me best," Hotch said with laughter in his eyes, although his face was expressionless.
Rossi smirked for a moment then said more seriously, "I suppose I do have kind of an unfair advantage considering that I've known you a lot longer than the others."
"That's true," Hotch agreed with a genuine smile that reached all the way to his eyes.
"So can I see the ring that you bought?" asked Rossi.
"Sure," Hotch agreed reaching into his pocket and pulling out a ring box popping open the blue lid. Sitting on the black velvet cushion was a man style ring with a small ruby in the center surrounded by tiny diamonds on either side, while the band itself was platinum.
"It's exquisite," Rossi said as he studied the ring. "You have very good taste."
"Thank you," Hotch said with a grin as he snapped the lid closed and put the box back in his pocket. "Now that I have satisfied your curiosity I need to get back to work as you well know the paperwork never ends."
"You're right about that," Rossi said as he headed out the door of Hotch's office. "I am sincerely happy for you, Aaron," he said before opening the door and leaving before Hotch could reply.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
"Sara, can I have a word with you?" Hotch said as soon as he had entered the door to his and Spencer's new home.
"Of course, Aaron," Sara said as she came out of the guest bedroom where he had been dusting. "What can I do for you?"
Sara had been thrilled with the new house as it had almost double the space of the old one and there was plenty of room for the three children in the family to run around and play and also for guests when they stayed over. In the end Spencer had been unable to sell the old place as it meant so much to him and to his sons so instead he rented it out even though he didn't need the money, but he couldn't imagine it sitting empty for God knew how long.
"In private, if you don't mind," Hotch said.
"Alright," said Sara we'd look in just a little apprehensive.
"Don't worry it's nothing to be concerned about I just want to ask you something and I don't want Spencer to hear."
Sara nodded and figured that Hotch just wanted to plan something for his lover without the other man overhearing.
The two of them went into one of the guest bedrooms and Hotch shut the door quietly. "Sara, what I have to tell you I don't want Spencer hear about it until I'm ready."
"All right," Sara agreed trusting Aaron as she had gotten to know him over the last two years.
Hotch dug into his pants pocket and brought out a box. "I'm sure you can guess what I'm going to do just from this box in my hand. I wanted you to be the first one to know about it since you've been our advocate ever since we met."
Sara tried not to squeal in glee as she recognized the ring box for what it was and knew immediately what Aaron was implying. "It's about damn time," Sara told him as softly as she could although she really wanted to jump up-and-down in excitement.
Hotch blinked in surprise for Sara very rarely swore, but he supposed she could be forgiven in this case considering she had been urging the two of them to tie the knot making it permanent for quite awhile now.
"Yes, I know it's taken me awhile but with my schedule being like it is...not to mention I already had my heart broken once…" Hotch said.
"Your heart was bent," Sara disagreed gently, "not broken. I know you loved Haley, but from what you've told me about her she seemed kind of selfish or at least unable to change and adapt to the circumstances of your new job."
"So I've been told, by several people, over the last few years," Hotch admitted with a small smile playing on his lips. "None of them used those exact words, but the meaning was the same."
"Love really is a funny thing," Sara said with a sigh and then seemed to come to a decision. "Not many people are aware of this, but before I met and married my husband George I dated this other guy by the name of Andrew for quite awhile. We were really on the verge of tying the knot, or at least I thought so. I believed that I was madly in love with him, but then one day after we had been dating for over two years I went over to his apartment without calling first. I had my own key and I opened the door wanting to surprise him and I found him in bed with another woman. This was way back in the early 60s and normally women weren't so bold back then, but Andrew and I were close enough that we had exchanged keys to the others apartment. When I discovered that I ran out of the apartment crying and I'm lucky I wasn't killed on the road considering I drove away with tears still streaming down my cheeks, making it hard to see. I swore right then and there that I was going to break it off with Andrew, because I wasn't stupid enough to believe that if he had done it once that he wouldn't do it again and just be more careful about it. Andrew tried to convince me otherwise and told me he loved me, but I told him that if he had loved me he never would've cheated on me in the first place and then I asked him how many other women there had been before her that I didn't know about, not really expecting an answer. Andrew followed me around for awhile trying to get me change my mind, but finally I threatened to tell his parents if he didn't stop by there and leave me alone. His parents really were kind of stuffy and proper I guess you could say and they would have pinned Andrew's ears back with a lecture at the very least or possibly disowned him completely if they found out that he had cheated on me like that and Andrew definitely didn't want to risk it since his parents were fairly wealthy. They approved of me and they really wanted Andrew to marry me saying I would be able to bear him many children and make them grandparents. When Andrew and I finally did break up his parents wanted an explanation though they never did get one, well not a truthful one anyway. We just told them that we had to many differences and decided it was best that we didn't see each other anymore."
"I am sorry that happened to you," Hotch told Sara and truthfully he wanted to hunt that Andrew down and pound him into the ground even though he was aware that it had happened decades ago, but Sara was a member of his family and he loved her like an aunt or a grandmother. Hotch gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek and Sara patted his cheek affectionately.
"It worked out for the best," Sara told him. "It didn't seem like that for awhile, of course, because I was absolutely inconsolable for few months after our break up because I felt like I had loved Andrew and that I would never love anybody quite as much as I did him. I was wrong of course, but when you're young...anyway, I met George about three months later and the rest is history, as the saying goes. George and I were happy together for many years until he died about 10 years ago. I hope you see the point of my story."
"Yes, I do," Hotch assured her softly. "The point you were trying to make is that while Haley and I loved each other it just wasn't meant to last. Both of us believed that we loved each other enough to stay together through anything, but then Haley couldn't accept the fact that I didn't want to be a lawyer anymore and that my new job meant I was gone all the time. Oh she put up with it for quite awhile, but then got tired of waiting for me to come home or of me calling and telling her that I wouldn't be home for a few days because I had to going put out another fire in yet another city, so yes, I understand what you mean from you little story. I had my heart bent out of shape, although at the time I believed it was broken."
"And now you have Spencer, and let me assure you that I have very rarely seen two people so right for each other or so very much in love. What happened with you and Haley and me and Andrew will not happen with you and Spencer. Really you two remind me of myself and George and how we loved and cared for each other throughout our lives together."
"You miss your husband," Hotch commented knowing what he said was the truth.
"Yes, I do," Sara admitted with a sad smile. "I will miss him until the day I join him in heaven. Unfortunately George had a bad heart and there wasn't much that could be done back when he passed away as we had yet to develop the technology that we have today that could've helped him live. I know it's only been 10 years since I lost him, but medical breakthroughs and technology has advanced quite a bit since a decade ago." Sara looked very sad and forlorn for a moment then cheered up and said, "Enough about me, tell me how you're going to propose and do you need my help with anything?"
"No," Hotch assured her, "I've already got it all planned out. I plan on taking him out for a nice dinner, somewhere neither one of us normally goes, and then I'm going to take him to see the play Macbeth at the local theater, since I know he loves Shakespeare. After that I plan on taking us to the park for a walk and plan on proposing."
"That's a good plan," Sara said thinking that it was going to be very romantic. "You do know that Spencer hate's cold, don't you? He did grow up in Las Vegas, which is in the desert after all."
"I know," Hotch said with a grin. "I'm sure I'll figure out a way to make him forget about the cold."
"I'm sure you will, but I don't need the details," Sara agreed with a chuckle being able to imagine how Aaron would make Spencer forget about the cold very easily, "Now we had better get out of here before Spencer or the children come looking for me and they find us plotting. Before we do though can I see the ring?"
"Of course," Hotch agreed popping open the lid of the main box to let Sara see the ring that he had bought.
"It's lovely," Sara said thinking that Aaron had very good taste and that Spencer would absolutely love it.
"Thank you, I had it custom designed," Hotch told her.
"I am so glad you are going to join our family permanently," Sara told and sincerely giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Spencer has changed so much ever since you came into his life."
"I have to," Hotch assured her softly.
"Yes, you both have been good for each other, but then again that's the way it should be between people who were meant to be together," Sara said a nostalgic look in her eyes and Hotch knew that she was thinking about her late husband George.
The two of them then exited the room, after Sara checked just to make sure the coast was clear.
"I expect to hear all about your proposal in detail as soon as you make it," Sara told him before she headed off to finish what she had been doing.
"I'll make sure to give you all the details," Hotch promised as Sara disappeared into the kitchen.
"You better," Sara voice floated back from the kitchen.
Hotch just grinned and shook his head as he went to put the finishing touches on his plans for his proposal to the man he loved.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
Hotch's proposal went off with great success as he proposed on bended knee as he and Spencer were walking in the park after the play. Spencer had been stunned for a few seconds, but then had accepted quite enthusiastically by kissing Hotch passionately on the the lips by way of response. Spencer had then held out his hand and helped Hotch to his feet, kissing him again and shouting "Yes! Yes! Yes!" excitedly.
Hotch had then opened the ring box and showed Spencer the ring he'd had made for him and then took it off the velvet cushion and put it on his lover's finger.
Spencer admired the ring for a few seconds thinking it was the loveliest ring he had ever seen, but then again he was prejudiced, and once he finally looked into the eyes of his new fiancé he kissed him again pouring every ounce of love and passion that he felt for Aaron Hotchner into the kiss, which Hotch returned just as enthusiastically.
When the two finally broke apart, Aaron appeared to be breathing rather heavily and Spencer couldn't help, but grin smugly at the effect he had on the man at his side.
Now the two of them were walking hand in hand content to be in each other's presence and Hotch realized that Dave had been right, he'd had no need to be worried or nervous.
"Maybe we should head home? It is quite late, you know," Spencer suggested, once he had also caught his breath, not sounding very enthusiastic as he was enjoying it being just him and Aaron in the cool of the night—well, actually correction the freezing their butts off weather—as it was December after all.
"I don't really want to I'm enjoying myself far too much," Hotch commented still sounding rather dazed from the kiss. "Despite how cold it is, since it is the middle of December."
"Me too," Spencer admitted, "and for me that's saying something, since normally I hate cold weather, considering I grew up in the desert, which never gets below eighty degrees, even at night, except occasionally in winter it will drop quite a bit, but it never lasts very long."
"It must be the company you're keeping then," Hotch said with a wicked grin as he leaned down to kiss Spencer on his cold cheek.
"Probably," Spencer agreed with a wicked grin of his own as he squeezed Hotch's hand affectionately.
"So when do you want to get married?" asked Hotch as he and Spencer relaxed and just walked together enjoying each others company. "And what kind of ceremony do you want?"
Spencer shrugged and said, "I don't need anything really expensive, fancy or complicated. Something simple will do. We could even just go down to the courthouse and get married that way, except that would deny my family and your team a chance to see us tie the knot so to speak."
"Who cares about them," Hotch said not sounding at all concerned about the possible consequences of doing it without their friends or family present, "what matters is what we want and how happy it makes us."
"You better not let Sara hear you talk like that or she'll pin your ears back with the lecture," Spencer said with a laugh. "She's been wanting you and me to tie the knot ever since we got together and you aren't about to deny her the opportunity to see it take place."
"Alright, you're right," Hotch admitted. "Garcia and JJ at least would pin my ears back and lecture me about being selfish and the rest of the teams would make it obvious in various ways that they were displeased even if they wouldn't be as vocal as Garcia and JJ."
"See? Bad idea," Spencer said.
"I suppose so," Hotch reluctantly agreed. "You do know that Garcia is going to demand to help plan it, don't you?"
"Sara too," Spencer said by way of agreement. "If you want to know the truth if I had my way I would just take us down to Las Vegas and get married there, since marriage licenses are extremely easy to get, except for one thing."
"What's that?" asked Hotch curiously.
"There is a law against same-sex marriages in Nevada, that hasn't been changed yet," Spencer answered. "It probably will be sometime in the next decade or two, but that doesn't really do us any good at present."
Hotch nodded in agreement.
"Besides, even if it was legalized there would be chance of running into my father, since it is where I was born and raised, which is something I definitely want to avoid, especially for such a special occasion."
"Yes, that would be a problem," Hotch agreed calmly. "Luckily same-sex marriages are allowed in Virginia where we live."
"Yes, good thing," Spencer agreed with a wide grin feeling so happy that he felt as if he could float away, as if he wasn't bound to the Earth.
The two shared conspiratorial grins.
"Now all we need to do is tell the boys, Sara and the team," Spencer said after a few minutes of contented silence.
"The team will be happy for us and so will Jack," Hotch said with certainty.
"So will Sara and the boys," Spencer said. "You know Sara has been rooting for us from the start and the boys have been asking me if we were going to make our arrangement permanent. They're really very intelligent you know for two six and one seven year old. Besides it should've been a major clue for both of us that they've been asking for you to read them their bedtime stories, instead of me or Sara, even though they're perfectly capable of reading on their own. It's really pretty amazing actually."
"In what way?" asked Hotch curiously.
"Well, it always takes the boys awhile to warm up to complete strangers, especially adults. Yes, the boy are outgoing, more outgoing than I am certainly, but they are also very cautious around people they don't know well as if they sense that there is a dangerous world out there. I've tried to shield them as much as I can, but they still pick up on the fact that people can be dangerous and not in the way of just getting beaten up like with those bullies last year, but in a way that can get you killed."
"I believe intuitive is the word you're looking for," Hotch said.
"Yes, that sounds right," Spencer agreed, "and should have occurred to me. In any case, the boys took to you immediately, which is certainly unusual so it really should have occurred to me that they would be asking if we were going to make our arrangement permanent. I've never seen Lochlan and Landon take to anyone so fast as they did to you except for maybe Sara, but then again they've known Sara from the time they were six months old, so she doesn't really count in this case."
"Jack took to you immediately as well as Sara, but then again he takes to just about anybody except for maybe Strauss whom he doesn't like very much."
"Well, that goes to show you that your son is a very intelligent boy, since I don't like her very much either and I know you hate her as does the rest of the team."
"Dave doesn't really hate her," Hotch pointed out.
"He's the only one," Spencer said.
"I'm sure it has to do with the fact that they share a past history," Hotch said. "Of course I'm not saying that Dave likes a very much, but he doesn't actually hate her."
The two men fell into a contented silence and just enjoyed each other's company.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
"Boys, come here for a moment," Hotch called from the den. The boys were all upstairs in their playroom, playing quietly.
Suddenly it was is if an earthquake was happening at the three boys pounded their way downstairs.
"You wanted to see us?" asked Landon.
"Yes, son, we did," Spencer said as he rose from where he had been sitting beside Aaron on the couch. "Aaron, and I have an announcement to make." Spencer tried not to clear his throat nervously and when he next spoke he asked, "How would you three feel about Aaron and I getting married?"
"Really?" asked Jack his little face lighting up.
"Really," Hotch told his son with a small smile playing on his lips at his son's enthusiastic response.
"That's fantastic," Lochlan said enthusiastically as he flung himself into his father's arms.
"Yeah, it's great," Landon said as he gave Hotch a hug.
"What do you think, Jack?" asked Spencer a little nervously.
"I think it's terrific," Jack said as he hugged his father first and then Spencer. "All three of us were just discussing amongst ourselves if you were ever going to make it permanent."
Those words from a seven-year-old might seem unusual, but Jack as well is Lochlan and Landon had always been extremely intelligent for their ages. Sure most kids wouldn't have understood about making a relationship permanent, but in that respect anyway the three children were different, although they were still mostly just kids, even if they were more intelligent then most.
"I'm glad you approve," Hotch told his son.
"Of course I do, dad," Jack told him giving his father a disbelieving look. "You've been way happier in the last two years then you were even before mom died. I miss mom, I'm sure I always will, but that doesn't mean that I don't love Uncle Spencer. Your happiness is as important as mine. Besides I know you dad, you never would have made such an important decision as moving in with another person unless the relationship was very serious. You never would've taken such a huge step unless you were sure about your feelings and about his."
It had been decided by the adults that to Jack that Spencer would be uncle and vice versa for the twins, so that people didn't think the children were being disrespectful of their elders.
"How old are you thirty or seven?" Hotch asked his son, amazed at the wisdom that his seven year old son displayed.
"That's a silly question, dad," Jack said giggling as he hugged his father again.
Hotch put his arms around his son giving him a hug before kissing the top of his head and then ruffled his hair. "You're growing up so fast on me."
"Lochlan and I agree. Dad has been much happier even since he met you."
"That's because I'm no longer lonely," Spencer told his sons putting an arm around Hotch's waist and kissing his cheek, glad that all three children were taking it so well.
"And we liked you from the first time we met you in Starbucks and usually it takes us awhile to warm up to somebody new," Lochlan informed Hotch who nodded as he had already known that.
"So when will you two be tying the knot?" asked Sara who had come into the room. Sara had already been informed that the pair was now engaged and gotten the excitement out of her system for the most part.
"That has yet to be determined," Hotch told the older lady with a wink. "Spencer and I have already discussed it a little but haven't really decided on when would be best."
"It won't be a large affair, just Hotch's team," Spencer added. "Also I don't need anything really complicated or frilly as I prefer more simpler taste. Besides neither Aaron or I are female, so we don't need all the frills and other things that they do. We want something simple, elegant, and tasteful. In fact we talked about just going down to the courthouse and getting married there as that would be the quickest and easiest way to go."
"Oh, no, no," Sara said in genuine horror. "You have to do an actual ceremony and not just get married at the courthouse. You can't deny me the opportunity to help plan your wedding."
"We could get married at the courthouse and then have a reception afterwards," Hotch suggested. "That might be the way to go."
"Well… Maybe…" said Sara looking reluctant.
"Personally that's my favorite option so far. If we got married at the courthouse you and the boys could come in as witnesses," Spencer said. "It's fast, it's simple…"
"Besides with the way my job gets in the way of planning events I don't really know if we can plan something like a wedding and it not get interrupted, because of a case interfering, although I do plan on putting in for two weeks of vacation time so we can go on a honeymoon."
"Strauss probably deny you just to be vindictive," Spencer said with a snort.
"She can't really as I haven't had a vacation, well, besides a day here and there in at least three years," Hotch said. "I have a lot of vacation time saved up, probably at least two months worth, maybe more and several of the higher-ups have been urging me to use some of what I have accumulated. People who are above Strauss."
"Two weeks alone with you?" Spencer asked with a smile on his lips. "That sounds absolutely fantastic."
"Well it looks like you finally decided what to do," Sara said disappointed.
"You can help plan the reception if you like," Spencer offered. "Really money is no object here. We could even hire a catering company to do the food."
"Oh no, I'd like to do all the food myself," Sara protested.
"You can't do everything yourself Sara, you will need help," Hotch said. "They'll be at least 25 people there and there's no way you can cook for that many."
"You can still do some of the cooking," Spencer assured her. "There are certain dishes of yours that I love and certain ones that Aaron does that you can do, but for the bulk of it I think a catering company would be best as we don't want you to overextend yourself trying to do it all alone."
"Alright then," Sara finally agreed glad that she could at least do some of the cooking even if she couldn't do all of it because of how many people were going to be there.
"The boys and I do need to go out and buy tuxedos as none of the three of us have one," Spencer said.
"I do," Hotch said, "but it's over fifteen years old and I'm sure it's out of style and Jack doesn't have one at all. The last time I needed a tux was when Haley and I got married and we all know how that turned out."
"Oh, do we have to dress up," Landon whined not liking the idea at all.
"I'm afraid so," Spencer told his son, sympathetically leaning down enough to gently hug him. "I know you don't like the idea, but this is a special occasion and jeans, T-shirts and tennis shoes just will not do in this case."
"Don't you want to look nice when your father and Aaron get married?" Sara asked Landon.
"I suppose," Landon said while Lochlan nodded in reluctant agreement.
"If you're good during the ceremony and dress up like you're supposed to I'll have a surprise for you afterwards," Sara promised.
The boys brightened up at Sara's promise and there were no more complaints.
"So how long do you think it will take to get a marriage license?" Spencer asked Hotch.
"Not very long," Hotch said. "A week or so. We'll both be required to show up and present several forms of ID for it though."
"Alright then, we probably need to do that as soon as possible," Spencer said. "Even if it takes the next month to plan the reception or whatever we need to go ahead and get the license before you get called on a case. I for one can't wait to be married to you."
"Neither can I," Hotch assured him kissing his cheek softly. "You're what I've been looking for all my life even though I didn't know it."
"I feel the same way," Spencer told Hotch his voice choked. The two shared a kiss not caring that the boys and Sara were present both just basking in the presence of the other.
~~~Hotch and Reid~~~
