A/N well, Derek doesn´t excactely 'meet' his special one, but she´s coming to light, so to speak.
"From the beginning, Hotch." Dave opened Hotch 's emergency drawer and poured his friend and himself some liquor into a coffee mug.
"If I ever knew the beginning," Hotch groaned. "When I had dropped the children at school and came back home, everything was already settled. My case handler, Mrs. Coffin was there. Course, I knew at some point she´d show up, but I didn´t expect her to be that fast. Renee has opened the door and the lady has drawn her own conclusions."
Rossi grinned, " Renee could correct her, right?"
"Sure.. . , but she was wearing only a towel and the kitchen counter looked like a family breakfast chaos. Besides, I had a few flowers for Renee, as a 'thank you'. I bought roses, David. Roses, red ones. Ike had mentioned, Renee likes them. "
Hotch took a sip from his 'coffee'. Rossi's grin widened. He had to get to know Renee, definitely. As soon as possible. She brought commotion in Hotch 's life and that was exactly what his friend needed so desperately.
"And why didn´t you tell Mrs. Coffin? "
"I do not know, Dave. Because of Jack and Becca? I promised Jack, Becca won´t end up with some strangers. You know by yourself, what terrible things sometimes happen to children, being in the Foster Care System. We see the results so often, Dave... and I do love Rebecca too. I´d never send her to someone else. Never. Jack and I have already lost so much, at some point it has to be enough. " Hotch sounded very determined.
"And Renee?" Dave wanted to know.
"She is going to support me. She was working in child and adolescent psychiatry, she knows exactly how important it is, we stay together. We don´t have to love each other, Renee and I just have to make it look like, for a while. " Hotch stubbornly ignored the shivers, that run down his spine, every time Renee started to laugh. Or the very protruding reaction of his lower body-half in the hotel room in Flagstaff, or the idea of making love to her tonight.
Dave wanted to tell Hotch, this was complete rubbish, but he decided to stay quiet. In Jessy´s opinion, Renee was the right person for Hotch, they fitted like bread and butter, like hand and glove, Jess told him a couple of days before. And Rossi was man enough to see, his fiancé was right. If Hotch had to come to this conclusion in a somewhat cumbersome way, it was ok for Dave.
"Ok, but don´t forget to change your Facebook status from single to in a relationship."
Rossi laughed and Hotch gave him a mock serious look. " As if I had a Facebook status, Agent Rossi. "
oOo
Morgan stood like thunderstruck at Hotch 's office door. Rossi's remark 'in a relationship' flashed like a neon sign in front of Derek's head, simultaneously with the other neon sign which said 'idiot', in crying pink. Of course, Hotch was able to pick himself a suitable wife, how in the world he had to come up with this crazy idea? Finding Hotch a bride? Head hits table, Derek thought sobered. What am I to do with the girls, answering the ad? It would be displayed in the saturday edition tomorrow, too late for retracting, anyway.
"Yes, Morgan? Something important?", Hotch wanted to know.
"Um... . Nope. Just wanted to say, I´m leaving, now. And maybe congrats are in order? You and...uh...Renee? "
Hotch smiled briefly. "Me and Renee." This statement wasn´t a lie, Hotch thought. I simply let Morgan draw his own conclusions, like Tilly Coffin did.
"Well then, all the best, Hotch."
oOo
Derek entered Garcia's technic cave and plopped on a chair. "I 'm such a moron, baby girl."
Garcia laughed heartily, " and what´s all new about this, my chocolate dream?"
"If you knew, why didn´t you tell me? It was so stupid, Hotch is going to kill me, if he finds out. Hotch doesn´t need any help, he coupled up with Renee."
"With the frog-girl? Oh, I've suspected something like that. Hotch was pretty fast." Garcia grinned.
"You... you know her?" Derek wanted to know, was anyone telling him at least something?
"Oh, I wouldn´t say know, muffin. But Spencer told me about her, earlier. She invited Spence and Ken for dinner and of course, Hotch and Jack. She´s super-sweet, pretty sexy, but probably a bit clumsy. Knocked Hotch out, right away. That's sooo romantic, Morgan. Don´t you think? A love story, beginning with a bang." Garcia got a dreamy expression, whether she would also find her Mr. Right at some point? Her fingers flew over the keyboard, she opened a folder. "Here you go, Dr. Renee Malone. "
Derek stared at Renee's photo. No wonder, Hotch was really into her, the girl was a smooth 10. She was a completely different type than Haley or Callie. Curvy, with huge brown eyes, her hair had the color of hazelnuts. Spontaneously a single word rushed trough Derek´s mind. Warm. Renee radiated an immense warmth. The photos were from a hospital´s newspaper, obviously a farewell party for Renee Malone.
"Was that in Berlin? "
Garcia nodded. "She was pretty popular and so well liked. The gray-haired man next to her is Prof. Georg Dietrich, her mentor. She was born on 08/08/82, here in DC. Parents Melinda and Jacob Malone. Sadly they died in 1985 in a plane crash. Renee grew up with her grandfather Ezekiel Malone. Has no major skeletons in her closet, except an arrest for disturbing the public order, but she gets thumbs up, she was demonstrating for PETA . The charges were dropped due insignificance. We can trust her, she won´t harm Hotch and Jack, chocolate God. "
oOo
" Oh please, Grandpa , that's not funny. What was I supposed to say? Mrs. Coffin was like a bloodhound. If I had told her the famous it´s-not-what-it-looks-like-story, then Aaron may have lost any chance to get Becca. And I wasn´t irresponsible. I've spoken very extensively with Becca, she loves Hotch and Jack and they both love her. "
"And you love Hotch? " Ike asked, smiling.
Renee blushed. "I'm not sure, Grandpa. I mean, we barely know each other and I don´t want to fall in love, only to please Callie. But I am attracted to him. Much, to be honest and I wonder how it would be like when he kisses me, or... oh, you probably don´t wanna know." Renee laughed because her grandpa covered his ears.
"We'll meet again tomorrow, to talk about the appointment with Mrs. Coffin. This is all a bit crazy, isn´t it, Grandpa?"
Ike shook his head, "it's about love, Froglet. It might be a bit unusual, maybe. As I got to know your Grandma, I knew in the second I looked at her, she was my wife to be. Time has nothing to do with the strength of your feelings, Renee. You feel it, or you don´t feel it. "
oOo
Mona Smith flipped through the newspaper. She loved the Saturday edition of the Washington Post, although some of her friends were amused about it, because the WP was so conservative. Mona did not mind. She got stuck with the wedding ad´s, as always. You couldn´t be the owner of a bridal shop, without reading them. Mona quarreled a little with the fact, she was able to find the perfect wedding dress for everyone, but she couldn´t manage to find a suitable husband, or at least a boyfriend for herself. "You're just too picky, Mona ," she said aloud. A large, grey-spotted cat hopped on her lap and curled up. Mona laughed. Casanova was always there, when she needed him. Mona scratched his back and Casanova started to purr. She took a sip of coffee.
'But eyes are blind, you have to look with your heart,' she read. The Little Prince, Mona thought. Her favorite book. A beautiful set for an ad. Then she laughed, she wasn´t a good cook either. And the man had two little children? This far, Mona did´t come up with the thought, to date a guy, who already had kids, but something in this ad kinda spoke to her. She decided spontaneously, to write a few lines to the unknown. It wouldn´t cause much damage and if he was nice, but not the right one, he certainly had a few friends who were single.
oOo
After a sleepless night, Hotch drove to Ike´s golf club. It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning. He had the urge to talk to him before he met Renee. JJ and Will picked up Jack, earlier. They were heading for a water park and Henry insisted on Jack, joining them. Hotch was okay with that, he wanted to have a serious conversation with Renee. He turned off the Harley and entered the clubhouse. He found Ike in the study.
" I always thought you´re playing golf here. Instead I´m finding you with scotch and cigars." Hotch said with a grin.
"We lubricate our joints before getting started. Good morning, son." Ike hugged Hotch shortly. "Do you know Dr. Holland and Dr. Snider? " Ike introduced his golf buddies.
"Not yet. Aaron Hotchner. Good morning, gentlemen. Could I have a word with you, Ike?"
Ike nodded, "of course. Let's sit on the terrace. You can get started, guys, I'll get you in a jiffy." Ike said.
Holland laughed, "dream on, Ike. "
"So what do you have on your mind, son? " Ike asked, although he knew exactly where the shoe pinched Aaron.
"There has been a misunderstanding with Childcare Services, Ike. I know I should have corrected this, but ... " Hotch paused and turned his helmet in his hands. Ike smiled, a shilly-shally Hotch? Something very unusual, Ike was thinking about making a special note on the calendar.
" Renee has told me what happened and that you and Renee let believe Mrs. Coffin, you are a couple. You don´t need to justify your decisions to me, Aaron. It's about Rebecca's well and I don´t have to say, she couldn´t be in better hands, than in your´s and Jack´s. But let me tell you something, son. My little Froglet has a very large, loving heart, Aaron. For the three of you. All you have to do is have a little courage and accept it."
oOo
"Good morning, sunshine ," Ken balanced a well stocked tray into the bedroom. Spencer grumbled something unintelligible and pulled the blanket over his head.
"Come on, no breakfast today, Spencer? " Ken laughed, he had become accustomed to his sweetheart, being sometimes a bit musty in the morning. The breakfast tray provisionally landed on the men's dresser.
Spencer lurked out of his blanket, "how can you look like this, it´s barely 8 a.m." Ken was already booted and spurred.
" Because I´m having a very short meeting with one of my authors in an hour. Which I did tell you yesterday, Spence. Don´t tell me, you forgot about it? "
Spencer grinned, " I have an eidetic memory, Mr. Baker. As far as I know, I don´t forget anything." Reid sat up and pulled Ken close, to kiss him. "Can we talk about something, when you´re home?" Spencer asked a little later.
"Sure." Ken sat down with Spencer on the bed. "I knew, something was bothering you, when you arrived yesterday. But I did not want to push you, Spence. "
Reid shook his head, "You don´t push me, Ken. And you don´t have to worry, it 's not about life or death." Spencer grinned and kissed Ken again. "I love you, if I remember correctly, I didn´t yet say it today."
" You´re making it damn hard for me, to leave now, Spencer. I love you too, but the meeting is important. When I 'm back, we´ll do everything you want."
Reid laughed, "everything I want? "
"Everything you want," Ken repeated with a cheeky grin.
A/N next chapter is called 'Rings and kisses' Ken is using a little white lie, he has something different in mind. Any suggestions? Meanwhile Hotch and Renee got stuck in an elevator...