Chapter 10

After Zach and Jack left, Caleigh dug around the townhouse more, discovering the coat closet underneath the steps going upstairs. It held an upright vacuum. While digging through the kitchen cupboards more, her cell buzzed on the countertop with a call. Caleigh pulled it off, looked at the caller ID and smiled. "Hi mom."

"Beth and I are cooking tonight. What would you like?"

"Chicken tetrazzini," Caleigh answered without thinking.

Rachel paused for a second. "You've always called that your comfort food. What's going on with you?"

Caleigh shook her head. "In a nutshell? I'm feeling sorry for myself."

"Sweetheart?"

"Mom, I know Zach loves me. And I love him so much. And I also knew when I said I would marry him this life would be lonely at times with Zach travelling with the team. You, dad and I talked about that. It just really hit home this morning with Zach, and Jack, going out the door. I'm going to be all alone more times than I like."

"It's going to take time to adjust to that," Rachel said.

"I know mom," Caleigh smiled. "And mom, please don't tell dad, Aaron or Beth."

Rachel smiled. "I'll always be here for you."

"Thanks mom," Caleigh smiled, brushing a tear away.

"Beth and I are going to stop at the grocery store to get what you want for dinner."

"Where's the guys?"

"Dad, Aaron and Dave are out driving around the city. You and Zach saying last night you'd like to live here has them on…"

Caleigh laughed. "A mission scooping it out to make sure we've made the right call."

"Yup," Rachel laughed.

"What about Bub," Caleigh asked.

"He's the beached whale in the Jacuzzi."

It was Caleigh's turn to laugh. "Glad I'm not there mom," she smiled.

"See you in an hour sweetheart."

Zach and Jack pulled into the garage a little after four. Aaron's SUV was parked on the street so they could get into the garage. The Graystone vehicle was parked behind the stall holding Caleigh's car.

Jack blew out of the truck, threw the backdoor to the garage open and bolted into the backyard. "You guys can't believe the Nike spikes I got! For free!"

"Free Jack," Aaron asked.

Jack beamed. "When I'm here, I'm the team's batboy. I got my own uniform and everything!" Aaron looked at him. "Just home games dad; I can't travel with the team." Aaron nodded with a smile.

Dave, sitting at the patio table, leaned over and whispered to Beth. "I don't think your son is going to be home much the rest of the summer."

"Already profiled that Dave," she smiled back. "But please drop off Mudg anyway when you go out on cases. I could use the company."

Dave kissed her cheek. "Done," he smiled.

Zach came into the backyard, accepted a beer from Tom with a smile and handed a large envelope to Caleigh, kissing her. "What's this?"

Zach shrugged. "North Johnson, the GM, had his assistant waiting to give me that as we were leaving."

Dave dug into his pocket and pulled out his pen knife, opened it and handed it to Caleigh. "Thanks Uncle Dave," she smiled, using the knife to open the top. She handed the knife back to him and reached in. She pulled out the contents and smiled. "Parking passes for two vehicles in the private lot," she handed to Aaron and her dad. "And our game tickets for tomorrow night," she smiled. Looking closer at them, she looked at Zach. "In the GM's VIP suite." She shook the envelope again and pulled out one more thing. "My parking pass," she smiled.

They all enjoyed a wonderful evening together. Beth, along with Rachel, used the couples' washer and dryer. Beth gave Caleigh a clean set of underwear and clothes for the next day for Jack. Caleigh looked at her. "He's staying again," she smiled.

-00CM00-

Zach grabbed his truck keys out of the basket on the kitchen counter and looked at Caleigh and Jack a little after 11:30 the next morning. "Mike Alverez, the pitching coach, wants me to sit down with him to go over video of the pitching staff to get to know them."

"What time do I have to be there," Jack asked.

"We take BP at four-thirty. You have to be there for that; in uniform," Zach smiled.

"I'll have him there," Caleigh smiled.

Zach looked at her. "Melanie, North's assistant will be waiting for you. She wants to show you around and talk to you about some opportunities for the player's significant others to support the community."

"I'd like that," Caleigh smiled.

Zach rubbed Jack's head. "See ya later bro." He pulled Caleigh into a hug and kissed her cheek. "Here we go babe."

Caleigh pulled back and looked at him. "How's your guts as Doc would say?"

"Rolling," Zach smiled. He kissed her. "Love you."

"Love you too," Caleigh smiled, rubbing his cheek. "Go." Zach headed to the garage.

"See ya later Zach," Jack said. Zach kept on moving.

Jack looked at Caleigh. She rubbed his shoulder with a smile. "I think he's got a lot on his mind."

"Ya think?"

-00CM00-

Caleigh and Jack pulled into the CoolRay Stadium complex a few minutes before four. Jack noticed the small sign for private parking and pointed at it. Caleigh smiled at him. "Thanks bro; I'm a little nervous."

"You and me both Cal; I'm in the bigs now with Zach." Caleigh smiled.

Josiah Dalton smiled at them as Caleigh pulled into the lot and waved them to a parking spot. "Hi you two," he smiled as they got out. He pointed at a teenage boy. "Jack, you need to get moving with Olly to get into the clubhouse and changed." Caleigh looked at Josiah. "Olly is Dix's clubhouse assistant. You can trust him with Jack," he smiled.

Jack looked at her. "Jack, if Zach trusts Dix and Josiah, you can trust Olly."

Oliver Washington smiled at Jack. "I'm a good guy; just like Dix." Jack smiled. "But Jack, you've got a job to do and it's my job to get you ready for that. Let's move." Jack looked at Caleigh.

She smiled, pulling out Jack's equipment bag with his new shoes. "Go Jack; it's OK." Jack took the bag and headed off with Olly.

Josiah looked at Caleigh. "Are there issues with that?'

Caleigh nodded her head. "We're just a little more cautious."

Josiah shook his head. "We've heard the rumors. You just confirmed them." He pointed at Jack heading into the CoolRay complex with Olly. "Those brothers are close."

"Extremely," Caleigh said.

"Olly and I will watch over that boy like he was our own."

Caleigh kissed Josiah's cheek. "Thank you; you are precious."

Josiah smiled at her. "If you're Zach's girl, so are you." Caleigh showed him her engagement ring. Josiah smiled brighter. "Damn girl, I think that boy loves you."

Caleigh beamed. "Yes he does. And I feel the same way."

Josiah pointed at Melanie with a smile. "Welcome to the family Caleigh," he smiled. He looked at her. "You trust that lady," he smiled. "She's part of the family around here."

"Thanks Josiah," Caleigh smiled, rubbing his shoulder.

Melanie smiled. "You must be Caleigh," she said, sticking out her hand.

"Hi Melanie," Caleigh smiled, shaking her extended hand.

The two chatted as they walked into the stadium. They talked about Caleigh starting her Master's Degree in January with an online program offered by Georgetown. Melanie told her about the tradition of the players and their wives or girlfriends going to the various schools in the community to welcome the students back the first day of the new school year. Caleigh beamed. "Put Zach and me down for that right now. I'd love to be around students again; especially the younger ones."

Melanie smiled. "I'll make sure you and Zach get an elementary school." Melanie gave her the tour of the complex.

An hour later, the rest of the family was ushered to North Johnson's suite. Caleigh was already there. She introduced everyone to Johnson and smiled at Aaron, Beth and Dave. She showed them the video she took of Zach taking batting practice and Jack doing his job in the outfield behind a screen, putting balls into a bucket the players threw his way. He was wearing a batting helmet. Aaron looked Johnson. "Thank you for taking care of Jack," he smiled.

"Aaron, we're going to take care of both of your sons."

"I like that answer," Dave said in typical Rossi fashion.

The Scranton-Wilkes Barre Railriders began taking their BP while the family enjoyed the food Johnson had in the suite for them while they mingled around. North gave them the outline of typical evening game routine for the team including all of them getting to eat.

Caleb looked at Dave. "Learn something every day," he smiled.

"Even at my age," Dave smiled back. Caleb rubbed his shoulder, stuffing in the last of his second hotdog. Dave just shook his head with a smile.

Batting practice over, some of the players came out on the field to stretch and warm up as the Gwinnett grounds crew took away the batting practice equipment and prepared the field for the game. Zach came out of the dugout with a young man and laid down on the ground beyond the first base dugout. He raised his right leg and the man, obviously a trainer, began to stretch out Zach's hamstrings, bending his leg over his chest and then the other one. Everyone in the suite watched intently.

When they finished, Zach disappeared into the dugout. Jack looked at him as he sat down. Zach strapped on his shin guards and grabbed his catcher's mitt, putting on his new Gwinnett Braves baseball cap. "Let's play catch bro." Jack did the same with his cap, grabbing his glove.

Beth rubbed Aaron's back as he proudly smiled at his two sons playing catch in front of the Gwinnett Braves dugout. Dave took some video on his phone and sent it to the BAU team. It pinged with several text messages back in less than two minutes.

A bit later, everyone in the suite proudly smiled at Jack standing next to Zach for the national anthem, both of them holding their baseball caps over their hearts.

In the top half of the second inning, Blake Lalli, the old-timer of the team at age thirty-five and the catcher that evening, took a nasty foul tip off his shoulder. He went down in a heap. Ricky Alcantana, the head trainer, raced out of the dugout, followed by John Moses. Alcantana looked over Lalli and then shook his head at Moses.

Moses walked into the dugout and looked at Zach. "You ready?"

"You know it Skipper," Zach said, sitting next to Minnie.

"Lal is done for the night; get out there." Zach, still wearing his shin guards, got up and grabbed the rest of his gear. He went into the tunnel to tuck in his protective cup in privacy and then came back out, pulling on his chest protector. He put on his catcher's helmet, backwards as usual and put his catcher's mask on, leaving it sitting on the top of his helmet. Zach left the dugout. Alcantana had Lalli up on his feet, holding his left arm.

"You OK Lal," Zach asked.

"Cob, Web is good; but he's got a mind of his own."

"I got it man."

Zach pulled down his mask and crouched down behind homeplate and got warmed up with the pitcher Ryan Webber throwing to him. Zach nodded at the homeplate umpire signaling he was ready and jogged out to the pitching mound, pulling up his mask. He pounded the ball into Webber's glove. "You throw the pitches I call or I'll come back out here and kick your ass before God and creation." Webber looked at him. He got the Hotchner glare back.

Webber put his glove to his face to hide his smile. ""Bout damn time we had a catcher around here that knows what he's doing. I'm yours Cob."

"Let's get this damn done Web," Zach said. Webber struck out all three Railrider batters. He pointed at Zach coming off the mound.

Mike Alvarez met Zach at the bottom of the dugout steps. "What the hell did you tell him?"

Zach smiled. "My way or the highway." Alvarez slapped him on the back with a smile.

In the third inning, Zach came up to bat. Jack was sitting next to Olly who took care of providing new baseballs to the home plate umpire. Jack's leg bounced up and down. "A little nervous there Jack," Olly smiled.

"Yeah." He wasn't the only one. Everyone in the suite was glued to the field. Two pitches later, Zach grounded out to the third baseman. "Damn," Jack muttered under his breath as Zach, being the player that he was still raced down the line. Jack ran out to get his bat.

Zach jogged to dugout opening by first base and went down the steps. Andy came off the bench and stopped Zach in his tracks standing up to him chest to chest. "You missed a frickin' change up? A pitch you usually drill? A little nervous in the service Cob," he growled with a question.

"Ya think Minnie?" Andy smiled at Zach, giving his arm a slap.

Ryan Webber was in pitcher's duel with his Railrider's counterpart trusting Zach more with each pitch he threw. Alvarez walked up to Moses. "That kid catching looks like he's sitting in a chair." Moses smiled.

The score was 0-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Braves' batters were finally figuring out the young rookie Railrider pitcher they had just brought up. Reid Brignac, the lanky first baseman and one the team's older players, hammered a double into left center. Ronnier Musteller, the second baseman, looped a hit over the out-stretched arm of the Railrider's second baseman. Brignac moved to third. Zach came up to bat.

He weeded out the Railrider's pitcher to get the count to three balls and two strikes. Come on, Zach thought; throw me that change up again you think is your out pitch with me. The Railrider's pitcher complied. And Zach didn't miss this time, sending a towering fly ball that landed deep into the left field seats for a three run homer. "Yeah baby," Dave shouted in the suite. He and Caleb shared a high five. Aaron pulled Beth to his chest sharing a deep smile with her. Tom and Rachel did the same.

The second the ball left Zach's bat, Olly rubbed Jack's back. "Enjoy that one," he smiled.

"Thanks Olly," Jack smiled, bolting out towards homeplate. Brignac smiled at Jack, handing him Zach's bat and high fived Musteller scoring in front of Zach. Zach can down the third base line. Brignac and Musteller looked at Zach as he approached homeplate. The three shared a high five after Zach stepped on the "dish". Zach moved past them and looked at Jack. They shared their homerun high five from Zach's high school days. Aaron watched the scene and shut his eyes, bowing his head a bit. Beth just smiled, rubbing his back. Brignac and Musteller high fived Jack heading back to the dugout. Jack followed them in.

Getting his congratulations in the dugout following Moses and Alvarez from the team, Andy Minton waited at the back of the line. Zach finally got to him. "Thanks for the kick in the ass Minnie," Zach smiled.

"What does Uncle Dave say," Andy smiled. Zach pointed at him.

Caleigh wiped a tear looking at her phone. "I didn't get the video."

Caleb smiled at her. "I did sis." Caleigh threw her arms around him.

Zach's first game with the Gwinnett Braves was a 3-1 win. With Zach's homerun providing all three runs for the team.

Showered and getting into Zach's truck past ten that evening, Zach handed his cellphone to Jack. "Text Cal; I'm starving."

"Me too," Jack smiled, sending the text.

Zach's phone pinged back less than thirty seconds later. Domino's delivery on the way Jack read with a smile.

Zach shook his head. "Uncle Dave will love that," he sarcastically said.

Jack laughed and looked at Zach. He got the Hotchner serious look on his face. "I wanna stay here with you."

Zach, at a stoplight, smiled at him. "Bro, you're the man of the house now. When dad and the team go out, you've got to take care of Beth."

"I'm not ready for that."

"Yes you are Jack," Zach smiled, looking at him. "If you can be a batboy at this level, you're more than ready. Plus dad and Beth think you're old enough to stay alone during the day now that I'm going to be gone."

Jack looked back. "Ya think Zach," he whispered with a question.

"I know bro," Zach beamed at him, rubbing his shoulder.

Zach pulled the truck into the garage of the townhouse as the Domino's driver left the curb. The brothers came in the garage door to a happy family. Tom handed Zach a beer with a huge smile and a hug. Aaron did the same. Zach and Jack dug into the pizza when Zach's cell pinged with a message. He pulled his cell out of his pocket and looked at the message from Jose. He looked at Caleigh. "What," she asked.

Zach shook his head and then smiled. "The Braves just added me to their forty man roster."

"Which means," Caleb asked.

"The Braves could call me up to the bigs in September."

Caleb smiled. "Congrats bro."

-00CM00-

The good-byes the next morning were tough on everyone in the parking lot of the local Perkins. Jack buried his head into Zach's stomach. "Home won't be the same," he cried.

Zach crouched down and held Jack tight. Caleigh and Rachel tightly hugged each other. "Step up to the plate Jack," Zach whispered in his ear. "We talked about this last night."

"And buddy, you get to come down here with Mike at the end of the month and stay for a few weeks," Aaron said, rubbing his shoulder. "Beth and I won't be back down here until the weekend after Caleigh's birthday."

Jack pulled away from Zach, rubbing away a tear. "I do get that," he smiled.

"Yeah ya do bro," Zach smiled. Aaron pulled Jack away so Zach could have some time with Dave.

Zach pulled Dave into a huge hug. "Thanks Uncle Dave; for everything."

"Kid, you live out your dream. I'm proud of you."

Zach looked into his eyes. "You'll never know how much those words mean to me." Caleigh smiled at Rachel. They shared a deep hug. "None of us would be here without you," Zach whispered in his ear. "I love you."

Dave hugged Zach tighter. "Why I do it Zach. I love you."

The good-byes were just about finished with Zach giving Beth a massive hug, spending a bit of time with her; the group looked as Aaron pulled Zach into a hug.

It was tight with no words. Just a father and his oldest son. Rachel and Tom rubbed Caleigh's back as she wiped a tear away with a smile.

Zach loosened the hug and looked at his dad. "No pearls of Hotchner wisdom?"

Aaron smiled at him. "Just be the son that your mom and I would be proud of."

"Promise dad," Zach said, hugging his dad again.

###

A/N: Alvarez's comment to Moses is the biggest compliment a catcher can get. When they are perfectly still, waiting on the next pitch, giving their pitcher the target to hit, it's a pitcher's dream.

Yes, Zach now has a job much like his dad's; but without the criminal element. And yes, I planned this way back when Tigger. ;)

However, before anyone has a coronary; no, no and no. I do not plan to eventually break up Zach and Caleigh like Aaron and Haley. I've invested way too much of my writer time and brain into this couple to walk away from them. I like happy stories; solely because I really suck at doing the angst.

Your reading tomorrow will prove how committed I am to Zach and Caleigh.

I love it when a plan comes together. heheheheheheehehehe