A/N: Rockie's gold star of the day goes to…..p95000 for correctly identifying the movie! *crowd goes wild* Your prize with be in the mail; right along with the check. ;)
Thanks for all the luvs folks!
Chapter 11
Garcia flew into the room as the whirling dervish she could only be. And on the occasion of Aaron Hotchner's recovery, her colorful attire filled the room. Zach looked at Dave walking in behind her and just shook his head. Dave smiled and pulled Zach into a hug.
"That's our girl Zach," he said, hugging him tightly.
"Welcome back Uncle Dave; we missed you. When did you get back?"
"Chuck and Angie pulled a red-eye to get us all back around six this morning," he smiled at Zach. They looked into the suite area to see Garcia doing her thing. They looked at each other and rolled their eyes together. "But that's why we love her," Dave smiled.
"Yup Uncle Dave, it is," Zach smiled. They joined the rest.
"OMG, my liege; you look wonderful. I mean you look totally fantastic. Considering the last time I saw you, you were going down…." Zach cut her off.
"Penelope, slow down; give him a gentle hug," he emphasized, "and let me make some introductions." Dave smiled at him with his usual pride that Rachel and Tom both noticed. Garcia put a gentle hug on Hotch which he accepted with an open right arm. Jack was still curled in his left.
Garcia looked at him. "You got a smoochie for me my young golden Hotchner."
Jack beamed. "Always for you Penny," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Penelope gave me him one as well and rubbed her shade of lipstick off his cheek.
Penelope moved to Caleigh and enveloped her in hug. "Hey you."
Caleigh returned the hug. "Good to see you again."
Penelope released the hug and looked around the room. "Penelope Garcia," Zach smiled, "this is Rachel and Tom Graystone; Caleigh's parent's." Garcia flew to them, holding out her hand. "Rachel and Tom; the one and only Penelope Garcia."
"Pleasure to finally meet you both," Garcia enthused. "You don't know how happy I am that your beautiful daughter has graced the life of my oldest golden Hotchner boy," she said, shaking each of their hands.
Zach pulled one of the chairs away from the table and set it by the recliner. "Pen, why don't you sit down and talk to dad and Jack." Garcia burst over to the chair and sat down. Zach got the Hotchner glare from his dad. He smiled at Dave.
"Uncle Dave, this is Caleigh's parents Rachel and Tom." He looked at them. "This is David Rossi; known around this world simply as Uncle Dave," he smiled.
Dave shook hands with Tom and gave Rachel a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for sharing your angel," he sincerely smiled.
"Who hasn't got a hug yet," Caleigh smiled.
Dave pulled her into a deep hug. "Thanks luvs; for everything," he whispered in her ear. Caleigh kissed his cheek. Rachel and Tom immediately understood what David Rossi meant to this family.
"What about my hug," Jack pouted.
Dave pulled him out of Aaron's lap and the two of them shared a mighty bear hug. Jack leaned back and then put his forehead against Dave's. "Missed you too Uncle Dave."
Dave pulled him back into a hug and smiled. "I missed you too Champino." Rachel and Tom noticed the quiet smile of pride Aaron had on his face as Garcia smiled as well. Caleigh wrapped her arm around Zach's waist as he put his arm over her shoulder.
Dave gently set Jack back into his perch with his dad and looked at Zach. "How'd our girl do," he asked, pointing at Caleigh.
"She was my rock Uncle Dave; I don't think I would have got through all of this alone." Rachel and Tom shared a smile.
"I didn't do anything," Caleigh said.
"You were here with me; for me; that's enough," Zach said pulling her close.
"Atta girl Caleigh," Dave smiled. "Now to the man of the hour; you look a helluva lot better than the last time I saw you my friend," he smiled at Hotch. "How do you feel?"
"Almost human again," he said. "Thanks Dave; again." Dave waved him off before he could finish.
"We're family Aaron; we take care of each other," he said as he sat down on the couch next to Rachel.
Just then, Jessica walked in the door and joined the group. Zach introduced her to Caleigh's parents and she greeted the rest with smiles. She looked at Aaron. "You look a lot better," she smiled.
"I feel a lot better," he smiled back.
Rachel looked at Dave. "You and Aaron have a lot of history together, don't you?"
Dave smiled and re-counted how he first met Aaron on the case involving Tommy Yates, mentoring him into the BAU; meeting two of his execs; still getting together with him and Haley after he left; wanting to come back to BAU to help him and the team out after Gideon left; the time he, Aaron and boys spent at the cabin after Haley divorced Aaron. He pointed at Jack with a huge smile. "I watched that squirt grow out of diapers," he smiled. "And the big idiot; I just got the pleasure to watch him grow into the man he is now."
Aaron smiled at him. "You had as much to do with that as I did."
"No Aaron; you are and will always be his father; I was just your back-up." Zach and Caleigh shared smiles.
Zach shared his own stories about Uncle Dave to the Graystone's and Garcia; mainly about his wonderful memories of walking the woods at the cabin and how much Dave had taught him, weaving those lessons in with the lessons of life.
Tom looked at Zach. "I understand why you two are so close; no disrespect Dave, but I had a grandpa just like that."
Dave softly smiled. "None taken Tom. He sounds like a wonderful man."
Caleigh rubbed Zach's back. "You never told me all that," she smiled.
"Caleigh," Aaron said with a smile. "Pete is not Zach's closest confidant; Uncle Dave is." Caleigh looked at Zach with a look of surprise.
Zach just nodded his head with a smile. "Uncle Dave knew about you before dad did."
Rachel and Tom looked at Aaron. "That was no surprise to me," he smiled.
"Us wily old profilers know how to read people; especially the ones we know and love," he smiled.
Just then, Dave's cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, looked at the caller ID and excused himself from the room. Aaron tried to hide a yawn. Jack didn't miss it. "Dad," he said, putting his hand around his dad's chin, "it's time for your nap." The rest in the room laughed. Aaron pulled him into a hug.
Rachel and Tom got up from the couch. "Zach, please help me get up so I can say good-bye." Jack scampered off the recliner and got the footrest down for his dad. Caleigh grabbed the blanket and Zach helped him stand with Jess getting Jack out of the way.
Rachel pulled Aaron into a gentle hug. "I'm glad you're doing so well Aaron; we were worried about you."
"Thank you," he smiled as she let go. He reached out his hand to Tom, who warmly shook it.
"Zach says you might get cut loose tomorrow."
Aaron smiled. "That's the current rumor."
Garcia pulled him into a soft hug, even for her. "That's great news Boss Man," she smiled. Aaron smiled back.
Rachel smiled. "If that's the case, I'll bring dinner to the house tomorrow night for all of you."
"Rachel," Aaron said, shaking his head, "you've done enough."
"Caleigh," she said, giving Aaron's cheek a kiss, "did the heavy lifting. The cooking part is easy for me and I love to do it. I can put something in the crock pot tonight."
"Well make enough so you can stay," Zach said with a smile. Garcia nodded her approval and moved to get her coat which Dave had added to the pile on the bed.
"Deal Zach," she smiled.
Aaron looked at the parents. "Thank you for your daughter; Dave's right; she's an angel. And for trusting my son."
Tom looked deep into Aaron's eyes. "We trust our daughter's life with your son. You and Haley raised a fine man Aaron. We appreciate that Caleigh has him in her life." Aaron nodded and then tried to hide another yawn.
Rachel, the nurse, always the nurse, looked at Zach. "Get him to bed please."
"Yes ma'am," he warmly smiled. He walked Aaron to the bed with his hand on his dad's back; just in case he thought. He helped Aaron get sat down on the bedside.
Garcia said her good-byes, giving Jack a big hug and headed out.
Dave came back in. "Sorry, I've got to run for a bit; something came up."
Zach looked at him as he helped Aaron swing his legs into the bed. "Uncle Dave, Brenda and Gary are bringing dinner here for all of us at five. Don't be late," he smiled as he got the sheet over his dad. Caleigh added the blanket.
"Count on it Zach," he smiled, looking at Rachel and Tom. "Want to walk out together," he asked, as the three of them pulled on their coats.
"Sure," Tom said with a smile. The three of them said their good-byes and Caleigh shut the lights off over Aaron's portion of the room and pulled the curtain to block some of the afternoon sun coming in the window. He softly fell asleep. Jessica said her good-byes as well and headed out.
Caleigh walked arm in arm with Zach to Jack who was sitting on the couch watching the football game. "Are they going to compare notes?"
Zach looked at her. "Knowing Uncle Dave? Big time," he smiled. He kissed her cheek. "It's all good."
-00CM00-
Dave went to the Hotchner house and using the key he had, unlocked the door, shut off the security code and whistled for Mudg. He came running at the sound, with his tail wagging. After getting his share of love from his master, Mudg barked.
"Mudg its nap time for you and me for a bit. Then I've got to deliver a package." Mudg barked his approval. Dave opened the door to let Mudg out, reset the alarm and shut the door, locking the deadbolt from the outside.
When he got in his SUV, with Mudg in the backseat, he made one phone call to give an update.
-00CM00-
Zach and Jack curled up on the couch together to watch the football game as Caleigh, who brought her bookbag along, sat at the table, continuing to work on her paper. Taking a break, she looked at Zach. "You're all caught up with your assignments?"
"Yup," he smiled, "including the calculus." She stuck her tongue out at him. Jack laughed at the exchange.
Zach was just an eclectic football fan as he was baseball. He was a diehard Green Bay Packer fan. He fell in love with hard-nosed, play to win at all cost attitude that Brett Favre, the Packers' quarterback displayed when Zach was watching about Jack's age. When Aaron Rogers, Favre's successor led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory, the high school senior Hotchner wore his Packer jersey he got from Uncle Dave for his birthday to classes for week; much to the chagrin of his father. Yet today, his mind was not really on football. The World Series; the Fall Classic was beginning that night. So he let Jack have his fun watching his favorite team.
When his dad went past the two hour mark of sleeping, Zach started looking nervously at his watch. Caleigh looked at him and smiled, shaking her head. "Zach, relax; he had a big morning with visitors. And he's going to have more tonight. Let him sleep."
Twenty minutes later, Caleigh finished her assignment, hit the save button for the last time and shut off her laptop, putting it in her bag. As she sat down next to Zach on the couch, Dave came in the door again with a man following him. Caleigh looked again, and then noticed the resemblance to the brothers. Dave winked at her and put his finger to his lips. Caleigh just smiled as the second person stopped at the bed to take a long look.
Dave walked into the suite area and took his coat off. "How they doing Champino?"
"We're losing Uncle Dave; 21-17," he said sadly. "With two minutes left to play. And the Eagles have the ball."
Dave pulled him off the couch. "That stinks big time."
"Totally, Uncle Dave," Jack concurred. Dave turned him to see Uncle Sean entering the suite area. Jack just reached out his hands. Sean, after dropping his coat over the chair that Caleigh had just left, pulled him into a deep hug.
"Hey pal," Sean said, accepting the tight hug from his youngest nephew rubbing the back of his head with one hand. He held him close, looking at Zach, who just shook his head at his two uncles. Caleigh rubbed his back and they both got off the couch. Dave beamed at the couple.
When Jack finally let Sean go from his hug, Sean let him slide down his body to his own feet, ruffling his hair once Jack was on his feet. He moved to Zach, who pulled him into a huge hug of his own. "What the hell you doin' here," Zach questioned.
Sean pulled away. "He's my brother; you understand that Zach." Zach nodded his head. "Plus, I wanted to be here for you boys. I'm sorry my work schedule didn't let me get here earlier. If it had been worse Zach, I would have. But I've been talking with you and Dave. He said if I could get through Saturday night with the restaurant, you'd all be good. I'm here through Friday morning. And," he smiled wickedly, "it gives me the chance to meet this special lady you have in your life."
Zach put his arm around Caleigh. "Caleigh, this is our Uncle Sean Hotchner; Uncle Sean; Caleigh Graystone."
Caleigh put out her hand, with a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sean."
Sean looked at her. "The hell with a handshake Caleigh," he said pulling her into a hug. "Thanks for being with our boy," he whispered in her ear. "Dave's been keeping me updated."
Caleigh pulled out of the hug and looked at him with a smile. "That's our Uncle Dave; always the meddler." Sean laughed.
"Your timing is great Uncle Sean," he said. "You and Beth's trains will pass on Friday; she's going to be here for the weekend."
"Perfect," Sean smiled, looking at Zach. "Ya done good kid," he beamed lightly slapping Zach's chest then pointing at Caleigh. She smiled at the two uncles that meant so much in the Hotchner boy's lives.
Jack pulled Caleigh's hands around his shoulders. "Yup, he did Uncle Sean," he beamed.
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