Chapter 6

Saturday was spent with Cait and Maggie doing laundry. Jarrod and Aaron, knowing what their wives had on their schedule, cooked breakfast. The boys, including Jake, did the clean-up. They all enjoyed a lazy day around the pool.

Sunday, being Father's Day, was spent much the same way. Since the entire family that Jarrod and Maggie had brought into the world, were together last weekend, the rest of the married sons and their families, zoomed in to drop off their presents to Jarrod and then zoomed out to spend the rest of the day with their spouses' families. Jarrod and Maggie both understood they all had to juggle their schedules. Yet, it was also a final good-bye to the Hotchner's that would be winging their way back home tomorrow until next June.

Tom pulled his sister into a hug and whispered in her ear. "Have I told you lately how incredibly happy I am for you? You've finally got all that you simply wanted: a husband that loves and supports you, and three wonderful sons. You rock my sister."

Cait pulled out of the hug and looked at her next youngest sibling and rubbed his chin. "Thanks Tommy; that means a lot to me." The two closest in age, they weren't the closest of siblings. Jake snickered at Cait calling him Tommy. She was the only one that could get away with it.

He laughed. "Damn, you haven't called that in years."

Cait smiled. "You haven't been that nice to me in years," she teased, giving him a kiss.

"Yeah, we've sorta been like cats and dogs, haven't we," he smiled, pulling her into a huge hug.

"That's cause I could shoot better than you," she whispered back. "Your male ego always shows Tom," she smiled, pulling out of the hug. "You wear it on your sleeve with me. Thank God you don't do that with Patty, or I'd kick your ass."

Jake laughed loudly. "You big brother, just got absolutely called out."

Tom smiled and kissed Cait's cheek. He reached his right hand out to Aaron, with his arm still around Cait. "She's all yours brother."

"I promised Tom I'll take care of her. I keep my promises."

Tom shook his head. "Knew that long ago watching a wedding video," he winked at Aaron. "You and that team of yours just keep all of us safe. And know Aaron, please know, that we are here supporting your wife and your sons while you do."

Aaron smiled. "Thanks Tom."

-00CM00-

The good-byes in the drive way at the Barkley house were hard as usual. Jack had tears in his eyes as he buried this head into Maggie's stomach. "I don't want to go home." Maggie kissed his head, marveling how the blonde headed, brown eyed little man had become so much a part of her life.

Matt and Mike shared hugs with their grandpa and Jake. Maggie knelt down and got a huge hug from Jack, wiping a tear away from his face, giving him a kiss. "I love you grandma."

"I love you too," she smiled, battling her own emotions that wanted to cry with Jack. "Grandpa and I will see Thanksgiving," she smiled. Jack nodded his head. The boys moved to their grandma as Jarrod grabbed Jack and pulled him into a hug.

Aaron and Jake exchanged a hug. "Good luck Jake in Green Bay," he smiled, shaking his hand.

"Thanks bro; I'll keep in touch."

Cait moved to him and Jake pulled her into a huge hug. "I agree with Jack; this was a great vacation," he whispered in her ear. "To see you back in that saddle was worth seeing you with that ugly black eye."

"Thanks Jake; I love you."

Jake kissed he cheek. "Love you too sis." He took Jack from his dad, as Jarrod and Aaron shook hands.

"Take care son," Jarrod said, giving him a hug.

Maggie and Cait stood wordlessly, hugging each other. "We'll call tonight when we get home," she promised, looking at her mother. Maggie just nodded.

Aaron pulled her into a hug and Cait hugged Jarrod. "Thanks for a great time again dad." He kissed her cheek.

"Come on guys, let's mount up." Aaron and boys turned to get into the car as Maggie and Cait shared one more quick hug.

A chorus of good-bye/love you came from the driveway and the rental car as Aaron drove away. The boys were quiet. As they pulled onto the state road that would get them to the freeway, Jack muttered to himself "I wish it was OK for me to say a word."

Matt, in the back seat, piped up. "I'll say it for you Jack: going home sucks."

Their flights back home, with a change of planes again in Denver, was uneventful. The family took the Metro from Reagan and got off at the last Metro stop close to their home where their vehicle was parked. Pete had dropped it off there in the morning, with his dad following him to get him back to the Hotchner house.

Aaron climbed in with the door open and got Cait's vehicle running with the AC going full blast and he and the boys loaded up their luggage in the back.

As they all got in, Mike helping Jack, Cait rubbed Aaron's shoulder. He looked at her. "Yeah, it was tough to leave. Again. But I'm glad we're finally home," she smiled. "Our home."

Aaron nodded his head with a smile and put Cait's SUV into drive to get to Deer Valley Road.

The family walked into a perfectly cooled house with Beans going ecstatic to have her family home again. Mudgie was happy to see them as well. Yet, with the changes in time zones and the layover in Denver, by DC time it was nearly nine o'clock.

Cait noticed a notepad lying on the lunch counter. Welcome home! Beans and Mudg have been fed; yes, the team is out. Dave dropped off Mudg yesterday. Both were let out B4 I had to head to work. That was at 5p; just an FYI. Cait noticed Jack chasing the dogs out to do their thing and smiled.

Matt, I really thought about leaving your bed sheets with all my farts in them. But I know your mom too well. You skate dude; luvs ya Cait. Btw, my towels were in with the sheets. You're good to go Mom H. Call me and let me know you're home. Luvs, Pete. Matt, looking over Cait's shoulder, pulled his cell out to send a text. Cait showed the note to Aaron, who laughed with a smile.

Even with all the laundry Cait and Maggie had done on Saturday, Cait started a load as Aaron made popcorn, by Cait's standards for the boys. Trying to make the transition into DC time coming from the west coast, the five of them watched The Gladiator and enjoyed the popcorn.

Cait and Aaron chased them out the next morning at 8 am to finish the transition. Aaron and the boys mowed the grass and trimmed the yard while Cait did more laundry and cooked a meal for them all. Dave's yard service took care of the lawn the one time it was needed while they were away. Yet they all took a bit of a nap to make the final adjustment.

Tuesday evening was now the official Father's Day for Aaron after their trip west. He wanted that time for his father-in law, also knowing Cait's "pack lightly" mandate to their sons. He smiled brightly at the 8x10 picture of the boys they had given to Cait, along with the Hallmark card of course. "It's for your office dad," Jack smiled.

Cait looked at her husband as they crawled in bed together Tuesday evening. "How in the hell do you and the team do it Aaron? I do this once a year and it takes me three days to really get back to DC time."

"The team has the same problem." He kissed her. "I have you." They made love in their own bed.

-00CM00-

Cait kept Aaron and his helper Jack busy with projects around the house Wednesday. The first was getting Cait's new picture of the boys hung in the stairway. Matt and Mike volunteered at a nearby Big Brother/Big Sisters location every Wednesday, playing with the kids. Aaron and Cait encouraged them to give back to the community and the boys readily embraced it, going every Wednesday. They would tell wonderful and sometimes, heartbreaking stories when they got home.

The Hotchner's had invited Jamaal and Lisa for a cookout that night. Dave had called that morning, saying the team was on the way home. Cait looked at Aaron, picking up the phone. "I might as well call Father Jimmy," she smiled. Aaron kissed her as he and Jack moved to their bathroom to replace a seal on the cold water faucet that was starting to drip.

A few minutes later, Cait had potatoes baking to make twice baked potatoes. She left the kitchen to spy on her two "plumbers". She smiled as she leaned in the bathroom doorway along the frame, watching them working together. Aaron was patiently explaining to Jack about shutting the water off to the faucet and how Cait's house builder had specifically put a shut off value on each line going to the faucets, making the job easier. Jack was holding the flashlight for his dad under the sink in the cabinet.

"Now Jack, we can take the faucet handle apart without getting a bath."

"That's good dad. We don't want to get wet while we're working." Cait fought to not laugh. Jack was so serious, so Aaron she thought, while he was helping his dad.

"Screwdriver." Jack handed him the tool. Aaron noticed her in the mirror and winked at her. Jack was just heads down in the project. Aaron got the decorative cap off the top of the faucet handle and used the screwdriver to get the handle loose.

He pulled the octagon handle off and set it aside on the counter top, putting the screw back in the hole. "We do that so we don't lose the screw," Aaron explained.

"Got it dad." Cait shook her head at Aaron in the mirror, smiling largely.

"Crescent wrench." Jack handed it to him. Aaron loosed the nut that held the faucet assembly to the sink and set it aside. Giving the crescent wrench to Jack, he pointed to the plastic gear head that turned the faucet off and on. "That's what we've got to get under." Jack nodded his head. Cait stifled another laugh. He gently pulled it up. "Screwdriver." Jack handed it to him, putting the wrench on the counter top.

Aaron, using the screwdriver, fished out the rubber gasket and showed it to Jack. "See how it's worn Jack?" He pointed to it.

Jack nodded his head. "Now what dad?"

"We go see Mr. Foster at the hardware store to get a new gasket."

"Mr. Foster is the bomb dad," Jack smiled. Cait shook her head and silently padded back to the kitchen before Jack could notice her. She busied herself as they two of them walked in.

"What's up guys?" she asked. Aaron smiled at her walking behind Jack.

"Mom, we've got to go to the hardware store to see Mr. Foster to get the right gasket," he firmly stated.

"OK my guys; you rock, I'll roll in the kitchen." Aaron pulled his car keys out of the basket on the counter and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hold down the fort," he smiled. Beans and Mudg walked into the kitchen, looking to get outside.

Cait rubbed his arm. "You got it," she smiled, giving him as quick kiss as she moved to the French doors of the nook area by the table to let the dogs out. While the hardware store run was commencing, Dave called to say that the team was back and he was leaving the office early. "Stop at home and grab your swim trunks," Cait advised with a smile through the phone.

They came back twenty minutes later and had the faucet fixed in another ten. The "plumbers" walked into the kitchen, as Cait pulled the baked potatoes out of the oven. Cait was reaching for the special glove she had in one of her drawers to hold the still hot baked potato half in her hand as she spooned out the potato from the skin. "Let me," Aaron said, as he put on the glove. Cait spooned the potatoes half into a bowl. When they finished, Aaron went outside to water the flower pots.

Jack went into the laundry room and got his steps. He set them down next to the kitchen counters. "I helped dad; can I help you now mom?" he smiled. Cait smiled, kissed him, and had him measure out the ingredients that would go inside the bowl, handing him the right measuring cup and a small spatula for the sour cream. She helped him add the salt, pepper and shredded cheese. She added the butter and let Jack plug in the hand-held mixer.

Cait used the mixer to get the ingredients to the right consistency. She held the potato shell halves while Jack filled them with a spoon. Cait added more shredded cheddar cheese to the top, along with a light sprinkle of tapioca. They smiled at each other, both satisfied with the outcome.

Aaron cruised back into the kitchen and looked over their shoulders. "Look's great gang," he smiled. Cait smiled back at him; he was so relaxed in shorts and a white t-shirt that showed some of the work he had done during the day.

The older boys blew in, literally, around two, once again sharing stories of their day as Aaron and Jack were sitting at the lunch counter. Cait was doing more dinner prep. Yet, they were waiting on the boys and went to enjoy family time in the pool.

Beans and Mudg chased around the yard a bit, each going their own direction to spread their legs. Mudg, forever the hunter, looked for something to chase that Cait wouldn't bark at him about. The birds and squirrels he had quickly learned were off limits. He spotted a rabbit around Cait's flower bed in the backyard and chased it away. Beans, the mellow one, just strolled, snooping and smelling.

The dogs rolled into the pool area as Dave appeared, in his swim trucks. He pulled off his t-shirt and dived into the pool.

As Mudg and Beans plopped down in the shade for their afternoon nap, the family, plus Uncle Dave, enjoyed a relaxing afternoon in the pool. Jack regaled Uncle Dave of his duties as dad's fix it man.

Father Jimmy walked out into the pool area fifteen minutes later and jumped in, having made himself at home in changing his clothes. Jamaal was already in the pool with the boys and Dave.

The dinner party that night was perfect. Aaron cooked six racks of ribs on the Weber, and then sent them into Cait. She put the BBQ sauce on them and Lisa quickly covered the pan with foil and stuck them in the bottom oven.

It was a perfect late afternoon and evening for the Hotchner family and their guests.

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A/N: Since I'm not able to send a PM to someone through FF, I'll do this the old fashion way.

Thank you Lynne 553 for all of the favorite alerts! You're making me blush.