Chapter 3: Meeting Friends

"A friend is a gift you give yourself." Robert Louis Stevenson

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The next day, Jack stayed out of his dad's way and sight. He mostly stayed in his room and studied. He did not want to see his dad at all. He had called CJ and she was able to calm him down after awhile.

Jack finished his book and headed down stairs. He needed an energy booster. Jack did not see his dad so he went into the kitchen. He was cutting up an apple and cheese when his dad came into the kitchen.

"Hi." Hotch said. He looked at his son, who was wearing black slacks and a Guns N' Roses shirt. "You are into Guns N' Roses?"

"They were good for their time. Apple and cheese?"

"No." Jack shrugged his shoulders and started to snack. "Your mom said you have a car."

Jack nodded his head. "It's in the shop."

"They finished working on it. Do you want to go pick it up?"

Hotch saw something he never thought possible: Jack smiled. "When?"

"Now?"

"Okay. I'll be back." Jack went upstairs and grabbed his wallet. "I'm ready." Jack said as he came down the stairs. Hotch nodded his head and they were out the door.

At the shop, the man at the counter instantly recognized and addressed Jack. "Look what the cat dragged in."

"Hello to you to Don." Jack said as he went up to the counter. "How bad is the damage?"

"Not bad considering how crappy of a car you have." Don said. Don was in his late twenties, athletically built, and had brown hair.

"Hey be nice. That car has gotten me through some rough times." Jack said defending his car even though it was an old junker.

"It was a customary tune up. A hundred dollars."

Jack shook his head, pulled out his wallet, and handed Don his credit card. "You are trying to break me."

"Next time you get a car, don't get a piece of junk." Don said as Jack signed the receipt. "I'll have your car out in awhile."

"Thanks." Jack said. He took a seat in the waiting room.

"When did you get you car?" Hotch asked.

"Last summer. Working full time for two summers straight and part-time for a year helped pay for it." Jack said.

"You work." Hotch did not know why, but he was surprised.

"Yeah. I play for a club on Third and Central. That or I am waiting tables. It's a pretty good deal."

"You're not working this week?"

"No. Knowing mom, she called and told them that I cannot work for the week. Which kind of sucks, but hey it could be worst." Jack saw his car being pulled in front of the shop. "That would be my car."

Hotch looked at the car. Don was not kidding around when he said, 'the car was a junker'. "What do you think?" Jack asked as they walked outside.

"Your mother actually lets you drive this thing?"

"Yeah. I know it doesn't look like much, but it drives good." Jack patted the top of the car as if he was reassuring it. "Do you want to go for a test ride?" Jack asked.

"Uh… no." Hotch said.

"Oh come on. What is the worst that could happen? Just one trip around the block." Jack said. He actually looked excited.

"Fine." Hotch said giving in. "However, if you so much as don't use your turning signal we are pulling over."

Jack rolled his eyes. His dad really had no faith in him. As Jack turned on the car music started to blare. Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies hit the floor.

Jack turned down the music and ejected the CD. "Sorry about that. I forgot that I had stuff playing." Jack reached in the back seat of the car for his CD case and put the CD away. He skimmed through the case before selecting a CD. "I think you might like this."

Hotch look surprised as Benny Goodman started to play. "You like jazz?"

"Yeah, but only if a person can actually play it. I hate it when people try to play jazz and they have no idea what the heck they are even doing." Jack said before he started to drive around the block.

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Jack parked his car in front of the house when he saw they had visitors. He got out of the car an exchanged a glance with his dad. "Hi. Is everything okay?" Hotch asked his team with uncertainty.

"Everything is fine." Gideon said. "Case is closed. When did you get your driver's license Jack?"

"Almost a year ago now." Jack said. He noticed how the team looked at his car. "Okay, I bought it off of this guy for cheap. It may not be pretty to look at, but it runs. That's the important thing."

Reid smiled. He knew people had a similar reaction to his 'old' car. "Does it at least have the essentials?"

"Yes. It has an awesome sound system. The heat and air conditioning work… most of the time."

"Most of the time?" Morgan asked.

"It's a Volkswagen. Either it works or it doesn't. The car has a mind of its own." Jack thought about it for a few moments. "It's a love-hate relationship, but that's life."

There were a few laughs. Not enough laughs that would make Jack consider a career in standup comedy. "Having a sense of humor is a good thing." Gideon said.

"That depends on the situation. Cause seriously, I would not joke around with the mafia. If you don't believe me, watch the Godfather movies. Anyways, I would love to keep talking out here, but it is not my style or this neighborhood's style. Unless, I have just finished playing at an awesome party or something then I would sit and talk out on the steps of a house. So, who wants to go inside?" Everyone looked at Jack as if he were a little insane, but followed him inside the house anyways.

"You play in a band?" Reid asked.

"It depends." Jack said. "During the week I work part time at a restaurant that has a decent jazz band. One night, the bands piano player was out sick and the replacement was killing the song. The person playing was kicked off stage and I took over for him. I was almost fired, but I do get to play jazz whenever they need a piano player. On the weekends, I am in a band. Whenever, there is a battle of the bands or a paying party we will usually play."

"What kind of music does your band play?" Morgan asked.

"With the band we usually stick with a punk and alternative sound. I can play heavy metal and rock, but tons of people are doing that already. Don't get me wrong I love listing to it and stuff, but I don't want to be AC/DC."

"AC/DC is little old for you." Hotch said.

"They still have good music. Does anyone want something to drink?" After getting a few requests, Jack went into the kitchen. While he was in the kitchen there was a knock on the door.

Hotch opened the door to a teen girl with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt with a red string lace up back, black acid stained jeans, and black boots. "Hi, you must be Mr. Hotchner." She offered a hand.

"Yes." He shook her hand before letting go.

"I'm CJ. I was just wondering if I could see Jack."

"Sure, come on in." Hotch let CJ into the house and called out, "Jack, there's someone here to see you."

Jack was confused on who would be there to see him. He came back from the kitchen and saw CJ. He smiled and tilted his head to the side. "Nice outfit." He said before he brought up his head.

"Stop checking me out."

"Fine, but if you never get kissed before you die don't blame me."

"You're too late. I've already been kissed. Get over here."

Jack went over to CJ and she gave him a hug. "You look terrible." She whispered to him. Jack body instantly relaxed.

"Thanks." She let go of him. "Where's Ben?"

"In the car. He is trying to deny ever knowing me."

"What did you do this time?" Jack looked closely at CJ. "Are you high?"

"You're an idiot. No, I'm hyper. I drank a bunch of Monsters today."

Jack groaned. CJ functioning on that much caffeine was a bad thing. "You're crazy."

"I know. Now, help me get Ben out of the car."

"I can do that." Jack and CJ excused themselves and went outside.

CJ put her arm around his shoulder as they were walking to the car. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Do have a cigarette by any chance?"

"You quit." CJ said with a scolding tone.

"I know, I'm just totally stressed."

"I have one of your fake cigarettes." When Jack first quit, he used plastic cigarettes to keep his hands busy and mind off the withdrawal.

"That will work." They walked up to the car and Jack knocked on the window. "Hey Ben, open up."

Ben rolled down the window. Ben was a little shorter than Jack, but was just as athletic. They were both on the track team and had been friends since second grade. "What?"

"Hello to you to. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

"Not exactly. She's just a pain to be around when she has too many energy drinks. Honestly, the warning labels should say: Also keep away from CJ."

Jack laughed. It was no secret that CJ was a more colorful person on energy drinks. With any color also came an annoying pain. "Give her break. CJ will be all types of fun at the party. Are you coming in?"

"Sure. Why not?" Ben rolled up the window and got out of the car.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, CJ playfully punched Jack's shoulder. "I remember why I'm mad at you."

"Oh and why is that?" Jack said as he opened the house door.

"You broke up with Abby and didn't tell me. So, what was the reason?" The comment caught Hotch and the team's attention.

Jack was uncomfortable with having the entire attention of the room on him. "Too many differences." Jack said, while giving CJ a look. "Hey dad, we'll be in the kitchen."

"Okay." Hotch said as Jack and his friends left the room. It would give him a chance to catch up with the team about the case.

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"You really had to ask me about that in there CJ?" Jack asked.

"Yeah." CJ said, as she leaned up against the counter. "So what was the real reason? Did she refuse to put out?" This made Ben laugh.

Jack looked annoyed. "Why do you always assume I break up with a girls because of that? I'm not that much an asshole."

"She assumes it, because you usually break up with girls because of sex." Ben said.

"No I don't. That was a one time thing and that was a special circumstances."

"What were the circumstances again?" CJ asked.

"He caught Joan in the janitor closet with Brad." Ben said. "Jack was heartbroken for weeks. Then he met Maureen. That was a bad choice."

"I broke up with Abby because we were too different. Opposites may attract but they don't always work out." Jack said. "I've never broken up with a girl because she didn't want to go to the next level. Plus, Abbey and I didn't even get to making out."

"I'm just giving you a hard time." CJ said as she put an arm around his shoulder. "What can I say, you're an Almost guy, and so I have to pick on you."

"How the heck do you come up with that? If anything, I'm a Daddy's Little Defect."

"Nope. You are Almost. Just listen to the words." CJ took out her iPod with the portable speaker she always carried and played the song: Almost by Bowling for Soup.

I almost got drunk at school at fourteen, where I almost made out with the homecoming queen. Who almost went on to be Ms. Texas, but lost to a slut with much bigger breastage. I almost dropped out to move to LA, where I was almost famous for almost a day. And I almost had you, but I guess that doesn't cut it. I almost loved you. I almost wished you would have loved me to.

Ben smiled. "Yeah that is so you."

"No, it's not." Jack said. He was annoyed with his friends now.

I almost held up a grocery store, where I almost did five and then seven more. Cause I almost got popped for a fight with a thug. Cause he almost made off with a bunch of the drugs that I almost got hooked on cause you ran away. And I wish I would have had the nerve to ask you to stay. And I almost had you, but I guess that doesn't cut it. Almost had you and I didn't even know it. You kept me guessing and now I'm destined to spend my time missing you. I almost wish you would have loved me to.

CJ paused the music. "Like I said, you are an Almost boy." She looked at her watch. "Sorry babe. I have to get to a party so later."

"What party are you going to?"

"The one at Jenna's. Her parents are out of town. It should be interesting. I wish you could come."

"I doubt that would come close to happening. My dad is… Well a little controlling to say the least."

"At least you have the car back."

"Good point. I don't know what got into my mom." Jack followed CJ and Ben into the hallway. "Have fun at the party and don't do anything too crazy." He said this more to CJ than to Ben.

"I love how you have so much faith in me." CJ said. Just to get rise out him and surprise everyone else she said. "Well, I would stay here and make out with you but it would go bad."

"Yeah. Your girlfriend would be mad at me."

"Well, there is the other element that the talking leads to touching and the touching leads to sex and then there is no mystery left."

Jack knew he was going to have his dad questioning him about that now. "Thank you so much Rilo Kiley. I didn't realize that you were in the building."

"I'm just bad news. Later." CJ waved good-bye to the team and was out the door.

"Don't let her drink anything with caffeine or alcohol in it." Jack said quietly.

"Don't worry, Jade will be there. They will be too busy to even think about drinking."

"Just keep an eye on her."

"I will." Ben waved to the team. "Later everyone." With that, Ben was out the door.

Jack turned to all the adults who were looking at him. He smiled nervously. "So those are my friends."

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A/N: Sorry, that the update took so long. Actual reality along with writers block took its toll. Since my other story, False Appearances, is now complete, I will be able to spend more time on this. Thanks for understanding. Warning: there is going to be a lot of music mentioned in this story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The songs belong to the bands and whoever produced them. Rilo Kiley: Portions for Foxes, Bowling for Soup: Almost, Drowning Pool: Bodies, and Sugarcult: Daddy's Little Defect.