In the late afternoon Jess and Renee stood in front of Jack's school. " Oh, there's Mrs. Jensen, Becca 's grandmother. Hello, Granny Abby," Jess said warmly.
"Oh, hello dear. And you have to be the girl with the frogs, Jack was talking about you, all afternoon, yesterday."
Renee blushed, "I´m not that great, I'm afraid. Hi Mrs. Jensen."
The bell rang and the children rushed out of the building. Renee had to smile, some things never changed. She was reminded at her childhood, she always stormed out like lunatic. Jack and Becca came, as always, hand in hand. Renee immediately realized how close the children were and how much they needed each other. Becca, who had no mother and now had to deal with the loss of her father, and Jack, who had lost his mother and Callie.
Jack grinned, when he saw Renee. "That's her", Jack whispered to Becca and she nodded enthusiastically, Jack was talking about her all day and Becca was correspondingly excited about the future maybe Mum.
"She looks nice and her hair is so pretty, Jack. Do you think, Hotch-Dad likes her? "
"Certainly," Jack said firmly.
" Hello, you two. Look, who´s here. Do you mind, if Renee is watching over you, a couple of days, Jack?"
"That's great, Aunty Jess. I do like Renee a lot. Can Becca sleepover today?"
Renee smiled briefly, a very transparent move, she thought.

" Phew, I'm afraid, Becca has no overnight bag, but maybe tomorrow? What do you think, Jack? " Renee asked. She wanted to check this with Hotch, first.

"Tomorrow. You promise?" Jack wanted to know, he still squeezed Becca´s hand. The children looked at each other, promises were a serious thing. Much depended on what Renee was saying now. Renee leaned down and caressed Becca´s cheek. "I promise, scout´s honor."
Abby Jensen was relieved, she had a good feeling about Renee and Jess nodded encouragingly at Abby. It had to work, Jess thought, oh please Lord, let this work.

oOo

"Everything ok? " JJ asked Hotch in the jet and sat down opposite to him. "You're talking more less than usual." JJ grinned.
Hotch looked up from his tablet, " I'm fine, JJ. Really. I was just thinking, that's all."
Hotch stood up.

"There's something you should know, but it has nothing to do with our current case. I submitted an application for guardianship for Rebecca at childcare services. It may be, therefore, one or the other of you is contacted by childcare services, as a character witness, so to speak. I didn´t want you to get asked out of the blue." Hotch had to think briefly of his case handler, Mrs. Coffin. He fervently hoped, her name wasn´t a bad omen and he had to bury his plans. She had been very reserved towards him and the way she looked at him, behind that horn-rimmed glasses ... Aha, a single parent? A man, who wants to take a little girl in foster care? Hotch was sure, she was thinking about hitting him with her handbag and calling him a potential child molester.

Probably I 'm getting paranoid, Hotch thought angrily. Mrs. Coffin had indicated nothing of this sort, but Hotch was well aware, he wasn´t a top candidate for childcare.

No one from the team was really surprised, given by Hotch 's plans. Spencer thought, it was only logical, Morgan thought, it was a bit crazy, JJ and Rossi were happy for Hotch and Jack and Blake learned to look at her boss from a different angle.

oOo

"Ok, Jack. It is still so beautiful outside, we want to have dinner on the roof?"
"Daddy and I have dinner on the roof, very often, Renee." Jack said. "But Daddy sometimes looks so sad when we sit in here." Jack pointed at the beach basket and looked at Renee questioningly. Renee stroked his hair. Jack did not know, Callie had died in the beach chair.
"And you don´t like your Daddy being sad, Jack? " Renee asked softly.
Jack shook his head vigorously. "Callie said we should not be sad, because she is always there, when we think of her. And she´s taking care of us, with Mommy. But I miss her, Renee and I miss my Mommy, too." Jack started to sniffle and Renee squeezed the little boy.

"I´m quite sure, they take care of you, love. My parents do the same thing, I guess." Jack looked at Renee. "Your parents are in heaven, too. Grandpa Ike told me." Renee nodded. "I barely remember them, Jack. It happened, when I was little. Sometimes, things like this happen, even to good people. You´re gonna miss Callie and your Mommy always, Jack. But as time goes by, it won´t hurt that much, anymore."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I am, sweetie. Wanna carry the plates outside?" Jack nodded and tried to squint into the saucepan. He was doing his homework while Renee was cooking and now he was so curious.
It smelled good, Jack was hoping for something with not so many vegetables.

"Wanna take a look into the jar, Jack?" Jack grinned, that was good. Renee was able to understand him without words. She lifted him and Jack risked a glance.

"I'm afraid, there have to be some vegetables, Jack. But, I also put a lot of sausages into the potato stew. Honestly, I don´t like vegetables too," Renee said conspiratorial and kissed Jack on his cheek, before she let him down again. Renee had immediately fallen in love with Jack, he was such a dear little boy. And he was strong. Renee knew children, who were broken because they had similar experiences, like Jack. He didn´t let it get him and coped with it by caring a lot about others. Jack had told Renee, how much he loved Becca and how he made his father promise, to take care of Becca. He knew, Granny Abby wasn´t young anymore and she was ill. ' But we´ll need a Mum, to be a family again', Renee almost cried when Jack said this and she hugged him fiercely.
Jack placed to plates on the little table outside, Renee came with the pot and spoons. She had immediately felt at home, at Hotch and Jack´s place. Renee knew, the apartment was Callie´s, but it wasn´t sad or moody, quite the contrary. It was a beautiful home for a happy family.
Later, Renee prepared the sofa for the night, she didn´t want to invade Hotch´s privacy, by sleeping in his bed. Even if Jack said, his Dad wouldn´t mind.

"Can we call Daddy again before I have to go to bed? " Jack was already in his pj´s and sat down with Alfred, his bear, on the sofa. Renee nodded and dialed Hotch 's number.

In Flagstaff, Arizona Hotch and Morgan were on their way to the coroner, when Hotch 's phone rang.

" Hello Aaron," Renee echoed from the speaker. " Jack just wanted to say good night", the handing over of the cell phone was heard.
"Hi Daddy? Are you there? "
"Yes, son. Everything ok with you?"
"Sure, Daddy. Renee is sooo nice and I ate potato stew with some vegetables and a lot of sausages. Tasted just fine, Daddy. We have eaten everything, but I think, Renee is going to cook this again, for you." Renee was laughing in the background and Hotch again felt this little shivers running down his spine.
Derek sat speechless in the passenger's seat. Renee? Who the hell was Renee? Did she look that exciting like she sounded? Morgan got goosebumps.
"Okay. Sleep well, Jack. I love you. Will you hand me Renee over, again?" Jack nodded.
"Yes, Aaron? "
"So everything goes well?"
"Taking care of Jack isn´t a problem, Aaron. I´m not working right now, I´ll start working for the Crisis Intervention Center in 6 weeks. So everything is just fine and Jack ist such a cute boy. And, one more question. Becca wants to sleepover, that´s ok, isn´t it?"

Hotch gave a short laugh, " I'm actually surprised, she doesn´t sleepover today. The kid´s are almost inseparable. Thanks again, Renee ... sweet dreams," Hotch continued after a short pause.

"Um... Renee? " Morgan wanted to know, feeling very uncomfortable. Maybe, possibly, perhaps, it could ... No, Morgan thought determinedly, the ad wasn´t a stupid idea.
"Ike's granddaughter. She came back from Germany a few days ago. She´s taking care of Jack, to give Jess a little room for the wedding preparations."

Hotch stopped in front of the pathology. "You´re ready? " he asked Morgan.

oOo

Hotch slept very restless that night. Huge brown eyes appeared right before him and somehow Hotch smelled Renee´s perfume and heard her merry laughter. This caused so comforting feelings in him and on his body, it reacted in highly individualistic ways. Hotch cursed under his breath and stood up. He was faced with the fact, he was just a man with needs, very obvious needs, by looking at the 'hard' facts. He turned the shower on. The colder, the better, Hotch thought frustrated and took off his pajamas.

oOo

In the room next door, Rossi turned to the other side. He woke up by the rumblings in Hotch 's room, the walls were only paper thick. He looked at his watch, 2 a.m. And that was clearly the shower. Rossi was tempted to bet a bottle of his favorite Cognac, the water was ice-cold and the reason for this action had brown eyes and long, brown hair. Rossi began to laugh, it was very reassuring, Aaron was a man, like all the others.

oOo

Morgan was angry with Spencer, that night. They had to couple up and Spencer was skype-ing with Kenneth in the bathroom. He heard Reid laughing, constantly. Obviously he was whispering sweet nothings to his lover.

Morgan's thoughts wandered to Renee, what was she like and why did Hotch trust her with Jack? His boss-man didn´t trust much people with Jack, so Renee must be someone special. Derek touched his bare head. Why had Hotch to be so uptight all the time? Reading Hotch was pure guesswork.
He knocked at the bathroom door. "Damn it, Reid. If you don´t put your ass to bed immediately, I´m going to throw that damn tablet out of the window. I need some sleep, genius. And we have to take a look at the crime scenes tomorrow."

oOo

"I think, we really need to put an end, Ken. Derek is in a lousy mood. I guess, he still has heartache, because of Emily." Spencer expressed the most obvious guess.
"Any chance, she´s coming back home? " Ken wanted to know.
"Probably not. She feels right at home in London and the distance DC / London is too far for a long distance relationship."
Ken grinned, " I 'm glad, it´s not that far for us, love. Can you already assess, whether you´ll be home for the weekend? "
Spencer sighed, " at the moment it doesn´t look like that. We know nothing yet, there is no connection between the two women, apparently the UnSub selects his victims randomly. We hope, a look at the crime scenes tomorrow will bring a little light into the darkness. But good night for now, Morgan isn´t joking. Miss you a lot, Ken."
"So do I. take good care of yourself, Spence."

Spencer nodded. "Always."
"Oh, and Spencer? Hands away from Derek." Ken grinned broadly before the screen went dark. Spencer laughed heartily, when he came out of the bath room and put himself to bed.
"What´s up? " Morgan wanted to know. The 'new' Spencer still irritated him.
"Kenneth sends his regards, Morgan." Reid said unabashedly and patted Derek´s shoulder. "Night, Derek."

oOo

Renee slept like a little angel that night, the sofa was soft and comfortable and Renee was hugging a pillow. She dreamt, it was Hotch.

A/N

Next chapter Hotch and Renee have to deal with Mrs. Coffin and a...well...misunderstanding.

And thanks again, folks for reading and reviewing. A special thank you to DebbiOz