The 12 BAU Moments of Christmas
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas
Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and feedback. I will try and reply as soon as possible but honestly I am focusing on finishing the last few chapters so I don't keep you waiting. I am loving the suggestions and sorry I would love to please you all and hope I don't disappoint but I can't fit everything in. But who knows what might get sparked off in a story elsewhere!
As you know this is a gift fic and well as you may have guessed we are just over half way and it is time to change gear! So I know the links to the song are pretty tedious to say the least, but I'm having fun – hope you are too. This chapter gets back to the original two guys – Hotch and Rossi.
. . .
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Seven swans a swimming
. . .
Walking along the bank of the lake Dave and Aaron were silent as they enjoyed the crisp morning air. Snow was still threatening but nothing had appeared so far. So the two of them had decided that while Auntie Jessie took Jack to visit his Grandparents they could relax and spend some quality time with each other. This had led to them spending some time together in David Rossi's magnificent hide away, the cabin at Little Creek. They had only just arrived – long enough to take their bags in before heading out for a walk as they needed a stretch after the drive.
The peace of the place was powerful and both men were fully soaking up the atmosphere as they walked; with Mudgie trudge along beside them. The old chocolate Lab was starting to show his age; though he was doing his best to fight it as he sniffed and searched just in case there was something worthy of his attention.
"Derek came to see me yesterday," Dave spoke, out of the blue, startling Aaron in the process. "He wanted some advice on his relationship with Savannah."
"Really?"
"You sound surprised?"
"That he asked a thrice divorced man for relationship advice, yes I'm surprised," Aaron replied with a grin.
"Gee thanks for the vote of confidence. Besides his argument was that I'd already made all of the mistakes, so hopefully he could learn from them."
"That kind of makes sense." Aaron nodded. Both men had come to a stand-still, facing the placid waters of the lake. "So what did he want advice on? Anything I should be concerned of."
"Only if your tux doesn't fit . . . think we could be putting it to good use soon."
Aaron snorted out a short laugh, "Derek Morgan a married man! That will leave a few of the office bookies out of pocket."
"Yeah, talking of which, does it count as insider information if I go and change my bet next time we're in the office?"
"So it's serious then . . . Derek and Savannah? Good I'm glad someone else has found a way to make it work, because honestly I was starting to wonder."
"Guess Derek and Savannah have the same dynamic that Will and JJ have . . . they both understand the demands of the job. Sure it has got to make all the difference. I know most of my arguments with Mrs Rossi one, two or three, involved the job and my dedication to it, somewhere in the long list of what I had done wrong in our time together anyway."
"Haley struggled with it too, as you know."
"At least I didn't have that issue with Erin," Dave gave a weak smile as he spoke her name.
Aaron just nodded once more, his focus off in the distance. He knew how painful the memories still were for Dave. It was obvious in the rawness of his voice as he spoke her name. As they stood together, once more in silence, lost in their own thoughts they watched in awe as a pair of pure white swans with five dirty grey cygnets made their way across their lake.
"They shouldn't be here," Dave muttered, "They should be further north at Chesapeake Bay by now."
As they continued their journey across to the far bank of reeds it was obvious that one of the adult swan's wings were damaged, it stuck out at a strange angle.
" Ah, that explains a lot."
"What?" Aaron asked, watching the elegant birds make their way over the still waters.
"That one," Dave pointed "Can't fly. Its partner won't leave and take the babes so they'll tough it out here 'til the spring."
"So it's true . . . the whole mate for life thing with swans."
"Think that's pretty clear evidence. They should be fine. A strong family unit like that. There isn't much in the way of predators round here. They pick the right spot it's sheltered enough, unless we get a harsh period before spring. Then they may find it difficult to find enough to eat."
The seven swans had reached the bank and we bobbing around by the edge, nibbling on the exposed vegetation. Dave and Aaron turned away, slowly making their way back to the cabin, a roaring fire and a 'wee dram' or two.
That was until Aaron's cell began to ring. . .
Removing it from his pocket, the official tone of his answer gave Dave all the answer he needed.
The holidays had finished.
"Recall the team . . . Dave is with me . . . We'll be there as soon as we can."
Both men quickened their pace as they made their way towards the cabin to grab their belongings and shut it down before heading back to the office.
"Dare I ask?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Honestly . . . no."
Both men were still packed and ready to go within moments of entering the cabin. The dark SUV was soon making its way along the winding track and back towards what passed as civilisation. Though they both knew the reality of the 'real world' and what a call back meant. Civilised was a word that rarely applied in anything that they dealt with.
"Are we going far?" Dave asked.
Aaron shook his head, "It's a local case."
"Don't know if that makes it better or worse?"
"Mmm," Aaron's concentration wasn't on the conversation. Instead he was already trying to process the vague outline of the case that had been given to him over the phone.
"Here we go again," Dave added before settling back in his seat.
