Chapter 10

Aaron had to go back to work the next day and Jack had one more day of vacation before he had to go back to school. Aaron sat down at his desk still smiling at the fun he had with Jack and Chrisy over New Year's.

"Now that looks like the face of a man who enjoyed his time off." Rossi said entering Aaron's office.

"I did."

"So I take it Chrisy made it back alright before the storm?"

"She did."

Dave knew Aaron was glad to have her back. He could see that his friend's feelings for Chrisy were very intense and he was struggling with what to do about them. Dave knew it was time to step in and give the situation a little push.

Rossi spotted Spencer in the break room getting some coffee and went in to join him. "Hey kid." He said pouring his own cup.

"Hey." Spencer said stirring in his sugar.

"So how are things going with Chrisy?"

"We decided to just be friends." Spencer answered taking a sip from his cup.

"When did you make that decision?" Dave was stunned at this news.

"A while ago. I see the way Hotch looks at her. I can't do that to him."

"So does Aaron know this?"

"I'm not sure."

Rossi put his hand on Spencer's shoulder. "So you wouldn't mind if we helped this along for Aaron?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Come with me." Dave grinned.

Rossi led Spencer out of the break room and to Garcia's office. Emily was in there chatting with her about shoes.

"Emily, I need you to go and get Morgan and JJ and bring them in here. Be as sneaky as possible."

"Sneaky? What's up Rossi?" She asked suspiciously.

"I'll tell you once everyone is in here."

Emily picked up her phone and called Morgan. "You said be sneaky."

Rossi smirked. After Emily summoned Morgan she then called JJ.

"Ok Rossi you have all of us cramped in here. What's going on?" Morgan asked.

"We're all going to try our hands at playing matchmaker."

"What? With who?"

"Hotch and Chrisy."

Everyone turned to look at Spencer with stunned faces wanting to know what happened.

"We are just friends. I'm good with this." Spencer insisted.

Rossi then continued. "Hotch has feelings for Chrisy. I picked up on that right away. You've all noticed how much more relaxed he has been since she's been in his life. Jack absolutely loves her. We also know that Aaron will need a shove to cross that proverbial line of dating an employee."

"So what do you suggest? We kidnap them both and lock them in a room together until he confesses his love?" Emily asked.

"Well in a way. Yes. We need to get them to spend some time alone without Jack. Let the love grow." Dave smiled.

"Oh gag Dave. I just had an image of you wearing a diaper and holding a bow and arrow." Emily sneered.

Loud laugher rang out from the group as Dave shot a glare at Emily.

JJ lit up. "I think it may be time for Jack to come over for a sleep over with Henry."

"Now we're talking." Rossi's mind began to turn. "So when he realizes he has nothing to do he might do something with Chrisy. Alright everyone. If for some reason he reaches out to any of us we are all busy."

"There's just one little spot on the clean white shirt sir." Garcia piped up. "Beth."

A collective sigh fell over everyone.

"I can sabotage her car so it won't start?" Morgan suggested.

"She could still take a cab." Emily added.

"Wait a minute. I can zero in on her phone and if she makes a call for one I can just call and cancel it." Garcia said excitedly.

"Then what if she calls Hotch?" Emily piped in again.

"I'll take his phone when I go to pick up Jack." JJ said.

"Ok then I guess we'll give it a go and see what happens." Rossi smiled as everyone filed out of the tiny room.

Jack hurried down the stairs with his bag. "Chrisy did you find my sleeping bag?"

"Right here!" She called back.

"Jack don't forget. JJ wanted you to pack a couple of your favorite movies." Aaron called from the kitchen.

"I've got them." He answered back.

Jack was so excited about going to stay with Henry. He always had fun when he was with Henry, JJ and Will.

Just as Aaron was coming in with Jack's shoes and coat the doorbell rang. Jack hurried to the door.

"Hey Jack!" Henry said happily.

"I'm almost ready." Jack said stepping aside to let JJ and Henry in.

"Hey Hotch." JJ smiled when she came in.

Aaron handed Jack his shoes and he sat down to put them on. JJ looked around the room and spotted Aaron's cell sitting on the table next to the chair. She began to get nervous wondering how to get Aaron out of the room so she could snag his phone. She then noticed all of Jack's things by the door and saw there was no pillow.

"Hotch you might want send a pillow too."

"I'll go and get it." Aaron said and headed for the stairs.

Once he was out of sight JJ walked over to the table where the phone was and made sure Jack was not looking. Carefully she reached around her back and snatched it up and stuffed it in her purse breathing a sigh of relief.

"I forgot to pack you some clean socks." Chrisy said emerging from the basement.

"Hey JJ. Henry I think you have grown a foot since the last time I saw you." Chrisy said putting the socks in Jack's bag. Henry smiled big at Chrisy.

"I have the pillow." Aaron said coming down the stairs.

"Are you ready Jack?" JJ asked.

"I am." JJ and Henry helped Jack carry his things out.

"You both are free today so do something fun." JJ hinted as the kids were climbing into the van.

Once they were all strapped in she climbed in and just in the nick of time because Aaron's phone rang just as she started the motor. Of course it was Beth.

JJ quickly hit the delete button and turned off Aaron's phone and shoved it back in her purse.

"Not today honey." She mumbled. "Ok who's ready to have some fun?" She asked.

"We are!" The two excited little boys cheered from the backseat.

Closing the door to the now quiet house Aaron looked at Chrisy.

"So what are you going to do with your free time?"

"I'm not sure." She answered. "You?"

"Not sure either." He said truly wondering what he would do.

"Well I'm going to go and hang out at the apartment." Chrisy said.

"Ok." Aaron smiled to her.

Chrisy then made her way out through the kitchen door and out of his sight. A sudden feeling of disappointment came over him after she left. He sighed and went upstairs to take a shower. He was out for a run when JJ had called this morning and he and Chrisy were rushing around to get Jack ready and he hadn't yet had time to take one.

Before going to his room Aaron stopped by Jack's to take a look around. Jack had all of his new works of art displayed proudly on his walls from the art set Chrisy had given him for Christmas. Looking over to the table next to Jack's bed Aaron spied the coloring book from Beth. He walked over and picked it up and began to look through it.

Seeing the funny additions to nursery rhyme characters and the captions written next to them in Chrisy's handwriting he couldn't help but laugh himself. No wonder they were laughing so hard in the kitchen that day. It was obvious that Beth was not liked by either of them.

Chrisy plopped down on her couch and turned on the TV. It was unusual that Spencer hadn't called her yet. He usually had some sort of new thing planned for them to do.

She sighed looking for something to watch. She knew Aaron would probably call Beth to do something. It still irritated Chrisy that he hadn't dumped her yet. Finally Chrisy found a movie on Lifetime that looked like it might be good and began to watch.

Aaron finished pulling on his clothes and made his way downstairs to look for his phone. He thought maybe Dave might want to hang out today. After looking through everything in the living room he then went to the kitchen only to find it wasn't there either.

"This is odd." He mumbled having never misplaced his phone before. He then went upstairs to look there.

"I feel like an idiot sitting out here watching this." Morgan sighed to Spencer.

"What did you do to her car anyway?" Spencer asked.

"Nothing that can't be fixed quickly by someone who knows what to look for."

"What if she knows what to look for? Spencer asked watching the crazy woman keep trying to start her car.

"If she does then she would be the first woman I know who can fix a car." Morgan laughed as Beth got out struggling to get the hood of her car open.

Spencer called Garcia.

"What's up my boy genius" Penelope answered.

"I was just thinking. Does Beth have triple A?"

"Already thought of that my fellow Cupids. I have her tagged to mess that up too if she calls."

"Thanks Garcia."

Morgan began to chuckle as Beth kicked her front bumper out of frustration and pulled her phone out of her coat pocket and made a call.

"Do you think we should check in with Emily and Rossi? Spencer asked shaking his head at the frustrated woman.

"They'll call us if anything exciting happens." Morgan continued to laugh.

"You do know that Hotch will kill us if he finds out the lengths we have gone to for this little set up right?" Emily said taking another swig of her coffee.

"He won't know a thing. Don't worry." Rossi answered.

"Remind me again why are we sitting out here watching them?"

"Aren't you curious what will happen?"

"Well so far that is nothing. Chrisy is still in her apartment and Hotch is in the house."

"It hasn't been long enough for him to get board."

Emily shook her head still not believing she was spending her Saturday with Rossi spying on her boss. Just as she was about to ask if they could leave Aaron came out his side door and made his way up the steps to Chrisy's apartment.

"You were saying?" Emily grinned hitting Rossi on the arm.

Aaron opened the door when Chrisy said he could come in.

"Sorry to bother you but have you seen my phone anywhere?"

"No." She answered honestly. "Did you check in the cushions of couch?" She asked trying to help.

"I did. This is strange. I never loose my phone."

She smiled. "Well I guess I can go help you look for it." Chrisy got up and followed him back to the house.

After searching with no luck Aaron put his hands in the air. Chrisy then pulled her phone out and called JJ.

"Hey JJ. Aaron has lost his phone. Did it get mixed up with Jack's things by any chance?" Aaron stood and watched while Chrisy listened. "I see. I'll tell him. Thanks." Aaron raised his eyebrows waiting.

"It somehow got into Jack's bag and it is safe in JJ's purse. She said she would bring it with her tomorrow when she brings Jack home."

"What if there's a case?" Aaron suddenly got worried.

"She said if something came up she would call my phone."

"I guess she could do that." He smiled.

"Well look at it as a small unexpected vacation from technology."

Aaron thought about that for a minute and decided that sounded just fine with him.

"Hey I am hungry. How about we go and get brunch?" He then suggested.

"That sounds good to me." Chrisy grinned. "I'll go get my coat and purse."

Aaron's heart skipped. The idea of some quality alone time with Chrisy made him feel like a giddy teenager.

Thanks again everyone for reading!