A/N: Last time, we had Mac and Aaron working on keeping their marriage together as well as keeping Mac's stress to a minimum for the baby's sake. Now, unto to Season 1, Episode 4. "Plain Sight"
Thank you all for your patience, it means a lot to me. Thank you again for all your kind reviews and your interest in the story.
Still don't own anything but some of the plot and a few extra characters.
Still dedicated to MissAmieB!
Loving the reviews, keep 'em coming!
Love always.
Nicole
Aaron returned from work and couldn't find Mac anywhere in the house. There was a note on the table.
"Had to go buy groceries. Be home soon. XOXO"
He shook his head. "She has no patience."
"Who doesn't?"
He spun around to see Mac behind him with Cole in tow. His arms had been overloaded with grocery bags.
Aaron went to hug his wife. "You don't my love."
"I need to bake the cake." She put her hand on her hips. "Here Cole, let me take a couple of those bags."
"No!" Aaron quickly took an armful and then led Cole to the counter to put the others down. "You are resting. Remember what the doctor said."
"I know what she said, but I need to do something, I'm going crazy sitting here all day." She pouted a little.
"It's only for a little while longer." He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Please. I would hate for something to happen to either of you."
"He does have a point." Cole said, out of breath. "You need to slow down boss."
She turned to face her bodyguard and assistant. "You too?"
"I'm paid to keep you safe and happy. That means no hospitals until that baby is ready to come into this world." He smiled. The Texan charm was seeping through.
Mac crossed her arms over her bulging belly. "Fine, you both win." She turned to Aaron. "FYI, I wasn't carrying anything." She pointed to Cole. "He was."
"I can see that love." Aaron wrapped his arms around his wife. "But please, promise me that you're going to start taking it a little easier. It's not good for you or baby. You don't want to have him as a preemie."
Mac let his words sink in. "Okay. You have a point. But can you bake me the cake then. I'm really craving a Devil's Food cake with Cuban filling and icing."
"I can bake the cake." Aaron said hesitantly. "But I may let you instruct me how to make the filling, because I have no idea what's in it."
"I'd do it, but I have to head out. Need to pick up my little sister from the airport." Cole nodded to his boss. "I'll be back later tonight to check in."
"No rush Cole." Mac smiled. "Have fun and I'll call if I need you."
He tipped his hat and walked out into the twilight.
"Now about that cake?" Mac smiled slyly.
"I'll get right on it. I promise." He kissed her. "First, you will go and sit down and give me instructions."
A couple hours passed, and soon, Aaron was covered from head to toe, in flour and then cake batter. Mac laughed so hard. It was the first time in a long time since the couple had laughed this much and actually enjoyed themselves.
"Okay, now you can pour the batter into the cake pans and put them in the oven." She giggled.
Aaron sighed. He was exhausted. Who thought that baking a simple cake would be so tiring? The phone rang. "I'll get it. You just get ready to teach me how to make the filling." He went into the next room to grab the cordless. "Hello, Hotchner residence."
Dave was snickering at the other end of the line. The snickering was quickly cut off by a cry of pain with Lynn scolding him. "Hi Aaron, is my sister around?"
"Ya, hang on I'll get her." Aaron handed off the phone to Mac as she passed by him on her way to grab a glass of milk. "Your sister, and she's torturing Dave."
Mac sighed. "Will you stop torturing that amazing husband of yours?"
She was interrupted by Lynn. "He's not my husband…"
"Yet!" Dave's voice came from the background followed by a "smack".
"Stop beating him up, or my husband will be leaving here to rescue him." Mac snorted. "And I can't have that happening because he's baking for me, and I need my cake."
"Ah!" Lynn smiled. "Cravings?"
Mac sighed. "Yeah. Big time. Baby is playing with me hard core. Last night it was stuffed jalapenos with raspberry sauce, tonight it's Devil's Food with the Cuban filling."
"Mom's recipe? You let Aaron try to tackle that age old, perfected delight?"
"Yep. I sat and watched him step by step." Mac giggled. "He's covered in flour and cocoa powder, but he did it right. And now he's attempting to make the filling."
"Lynn, let her off the hook so I can get her advice… I have no clue what half of these ingredients are!" Aaron spoke loudly so that his voice would carry through the receiver.
"Your husband is whiny." Lynn said. "But I love you guys, anyhow, I was calling to see what you guys were up to."
"Well, baking. Then we were going to order in and watch a movie."
"Okay, well, Dave's mom's coming over tomorrow and wants to see you guys so I was instructed to invite you to dinner."
Mac looked to Aaron. "Dinner at Dave and Lynn's tomorrow? Mama's cooking."
Aaron nodded. "As long as I don't have to go on a case."
"I'll be there no matter what, it depends if Aaron gets shipped out or not tomorrow."
"Perfect! Supper is at 6. Night sis!"
"Night." Mac hit "end" and put the phone down. "Now about that filling..."
The next morning…
"Morning Hotch." Derek said as his boss passed by. "What's got you all smiley and perky?"
"A happy wife is a happy life." He said and they continued on to the meeting room. He was carrying the special package that Mac had insisted on making for the team.
Derek just smirked and signaled everyone to gather around. "Come on guys. We got a special surprise waiting for you."
Once everyone was in the room, Aaron and JJ walked in with Reid's birthday cake. The team sang "Happy Birthday" to their youngest member.
Hotch and Gideon were discussing his wealth of knowledge when they had to put an end to the festivities to go and discuss their latest case. It was in San Diego, and it was disturbing. Hotch had a feeling that he wasn't going to be making it to Dave's tonight. He picked up the phone and called Dave. He probably should be calling Mac, but Dave was able to handle the gory details before so he could prepare Mama for the letdown of Aaron not being at supper.
"Rossi residence." A crisp voice answered. It was unfamiliar to Hotch.
"Is David there?" He asked.
"One moment. I will get Senor Dave."
Aaron had no idea that Dave had gotten a maid or housekeeper, but he'd find out soon enough.
"Rossi." Dave's voice was a little gruff.
"Dave. It's Aaron. What's with the help?"
A growl came over the receiver. "Don't even get me started." Dave seemed a little miffed at having someone else in his home.
"Pissed are we?"
"My publisher thinks I need a housekeeper so that I can focus on writing and my 'fling', as they called Lynn will take a hike."
"Uh huh." Aaron shook his head. He felt sorry for Dave's publisher. "I'm calling about supper tonight."
"You've got a case."
"Yeah, someone the locals have started calling the Tommy Killer." Aaron sighed. "He glues the victims eyes open after he rapes and kills them."
"Well, you have fun with that, and I'm going to be surrounded by a bunch of cackling hens."
"What do you mean?" Hotch had an idea, but he would rather hear it from Dave.
Dave's voice changed from gruff to whiny. "I'll be the only man in the house, all my brothers-in-law are busy, so it'll be my mother, sisters, Lynn and Mac with me. No way am I going to survive the night."
Hotch sighed. "Deal with it. You're the Italian Stallion. You'll live. I have to call Mac. Pick her up and have her stay with you guys til I come home. Her assistant is busy getting his sister settled in and I don't want her to go into labour without me around, or preferably I'd rather not have her go into labour when she's alone at home."
"I understand. I'll keep an eye on her, but with the number of women that'll be around tonight, I think she's safe."
Hotch hung up. He grabbed his cell and dialed Mac while on the go.
Hotchner Residence…
Mac was a little disappointed that Aaron had to head to the other side of the country but she understood the job. She rubbed her belly. "Your daddy is a brave man." Since Aaron had suggested that she stay with Dave and Lynn until he returned, she went to pack a small bag. She knew that maybe it was pointless, since Lynn insisted on constantly having a small wardrobe for her in the guest suite at Dave's. She packed a few things and then waited for her ride to arrive.
She was getting a little tired now… baby was putting a lot of pressure on her. The doctor was worried about blood pressure or some such thing. She was about 3 weeks away from her due date now and she couldn't wait. It wasn't that she wasn't enjoying the pregnancy. She loved feeling new life growing inside her, but she was having difficulty dealing with the constant need to pee and back pain. She was lost in thought when the doorbell rang. She slowly got up and waddled over to open the door. Dave was standing on the doorstep.
"Hey Mac." He hugged her gently. "Ready to go?"
She nodded. "Did he say if it was bad?" She hadn't gotten to ask Aaron had bad this case was.
"He made me promise not to tell you. He doesn't want you upset."
She sighed. "He can't protect me forever."
"He'll try." He helped her into the car where Lynn was waiting.
"Are you under an oath of silence too sis?" Mac asked.
Lynn glared at Dave and nodded. "Sadly yes. And for this I'm in complete agreement with Aaron. You need to rest. Baby is due soon, and I don't like the idea of my sister going into premature labour because her husband's work upsets her."
Mac had to admit they were all making a good case. Baby was important and the longer he or she was inside, the less likely he or she would have complications during delivery. "Okay. Okay. I'll rest. So what are we going to be up to for this visit?" She forced a smile.
"You can help me prevent Dave from killing the new help, or you can stop me from killing his publisher and agent." Lynn smiled.
"Uh huh. What's going on?" Mac was now more interested in her sister's life than what was going on in her own.
"Dave's publisher and agent seem to think I'm just a fling." Lynn spat. She was pissed and Mac could tell.
"Okay."
Dave began to fill in the blanks. "With that, they figure that hiring new help in my house will chase her out. They think Lynn is the reason my next book isn't ready."
"That's a bunch of bullshit!" Mac shouted. She startled everyone, including herself.
"I guess we know whose side your sister is on." Dave laughed.
"I guess we'll be trying to stop Mac from killing your publisher and agent in a hormonal fit." Lynn laughed.
This lightened to mood. They stopped halfway to Dave's to have a picnic lunch and for Mac to stretch her legs. Doing that was essential to keeping her healthy and reduced the risk of blood clots from forming. Soon enough they were at Dave mansion and Mac fully understood why Lynn hated the new help. The woman was enough to drive Mac insane. She was nosy and fluttering everywhere. Mac was tempted to call Penelope and have her send a SWAT team over to get rid of her. Dave finally managed to have her leave for the night. He later went to his office to call his agent to have her removed.
Lynn and Mac set about to some baking. Mac sat on one of the bar stools as to not be on her feet too long. Two hours, 5 dozen cookies and two angel food cakes later, Dave returned. He looked at his watch. "How long was I gone?"
"Long enough for us to bake all of this." Mac snickered.
He shook his head. "I see that. What's all this for?"
"Pregnancy cravings." Lynn smiled. "I plan to keep my sister happy."
Mac smiled and took a bite out of a peanut butter oatmeal cookie. "Did you manage to fix the house keeper issue?"
Dave nodded. "Finally."
"And?" Lynn prodded.
"I can't get out of having one… but I do get to pick the one I want." He smiled. "Well more like Lynn gets to choose."
"Why me?" Lynn cocked her head to the side.
"Because you're the lady of the house. You choose what goes on. I trust your judgment."
"Thanks hun!" Lynn wrapped her arms around Dave's neck and smiled. "Is she just supposed to be a house keeper or cook too."
"What ever you want her to do."
"I still want to cook sometimes, but I think having someone that can cook the rest of the time would make life so much easier."
He kissed her. "Then that's what you'll put on the list of what we're looking for then you can do the interviews."
Mac was envious, not that Lynn was with someone of wealth, but that he didn't have to go away all the time. Lynn looked to her sister. She could see the pain in Mac's eyes. Mac missed Aaron and it was hard. Lynn couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Her sister was going to be a mother. She thought back to the child she lost protecting her sister. Life sucked. She hugged her sister and told her they should call it a night so they could be rested for their day out the next day.
A week later…
Aaron was happy to be home. They'd gotten the Tommy Killer. It had been a rough case, but at least they'd saved the last victim. He couldn't wait to get home to Mac. She missed him and he missed her. He was tired of missing a lot of this pregnancy. He hoped another case wouldn't be around for a while. He wanted to enjoy this time with his wife. He hurried off the jet and headed to pick Mac up from Dave's. Upon arrival, he saw a new car in the driveway. He wondered if Dave was spoiling Lynn again. He rang the doorbell. Suddenly a man Hotch had never seen answered the door.
"Can I help you?"
Hotch was a little surprised. Last he checked, he didn't have a butler. "I'm Aaron Hotchner."
"Ah, yes!" He stepped back from the door to let Aaron in. "I was told you were coming to get Miss Mackenzie."
"My wife." Aaron nodded. Who was this guy? "Who are you?"
"That is my new housekeeper, chef, and Lynn's bodyguard/chauffer." Dave sighed. "Aaron meet Alec. Alec meet Aaron Hotchner."
Alec held out his hand. "Pleasure. I'll go let the ladies know you've arrived." He walked off and Aaron couldn't help but to stare.
"What the fuck Dave?" Aaron looked to his oldest friend. "I thought your housekeeper was a woman last week."
"She was." Dave shook his head. "I got rid of her and my publisher decided to let me choose who my next one was. I let Lynn choose as long as she was comfortable with the person. She chose Alec with your wife."
"I can only imagine why." Aaron smiled. "He looks like he came out of an underwear ad."
Dave sat down and put his head in his hands. "She's doing it to torture me."
"No. I'm doing it because I don't trust any other woman than your mother, sisters and my sister in our home and kitchen." Lynn's voice quipped.
Dave sighed again. "And there's that."
Lynn hugged Aaron. "Mac's coming. She just needed to go to the little girl's room."
"Thanks for watching out for her." Aaron turned to his friend and his sister-in-law. "It means a lot."
"We know. As long as we get to meet baby the day he or she is born, we're thrilled to watch her any day or night." Lynn laughed. "Hey Mac, look your hubby's home!"
Mac almost threw herself at her husband. She'd missed him so much in the week he'd been gone. "I missed you!" She kissed him deeply.
He smiled. "I missed you too." He knelt down and put his head to her very prominent belly. "I missed you too baby." He got a reply with a gentle kick to his cheek. "I think she missed me."
Mac giggled. The baby was very active now. "I still say it's a he."
"Stop arguing." Dave laughed. "As long as the baby is healthy, that is all that matters."
"Are you ready to go?" Aaron kissed Mac's forehead.
"It's late. Stay here the night and rest." Dave offered.
Mac nodded. "You've got to be tired, Aaron. Stay, then we can actually enjoy a wonderful breakfast from Alec."
Aaron had to admit the exhaustion was hitting him hard. "Sure why not."
The next morning…
Aaron awoke feeling refreshed for the first time in a whole week. He saw that Mac was already awake and had left. He could hear the shower running in the en suite bathroom. He snuck into the bathroom quietly. He stepped into the shower as Mac sang the chorus of "Wanted" by Hunter Hayes. He wrapped his arms around her. She jumped slightly and turned around.
"Did anyone ever tell you how great you sing?" He whispered in her ear.
She shook her head. "I generally don't sing in front of an audience."
"Well, I think it will be much easier to put baby to sleep with that angelic voice of yours."
She blushed. He thought it was the most beautiful think in the world. He kissed her. The kiss turned to more as they enjoyed a passionate morning shower love making session.
An hour later, they finally joined Dave and Lynn in the large open space kitchen for breakfast.
"I thought maybe you two had forgotten where the kitchen was." Lynn snickered.
Mac shot daggers at her. "Mind your business."
Alec appeared with four plates filled with omelettes, toast, hashbrowns and fresh fruit. "No more arguing. Enjoy your breakfast."
They sat and enjoyed the feast. Aaron had to admit that his cooking was amazing.
"So, Dave, you enjoying your own personal chef?" Aaron asked. He had his suspicions about this Alec. Not that he was a bad guy, but that he probably wasn't who Dave expected him to be.
"I do, but he doesn't cook all the time. Lynn still cooks too."
Alec reappeared to clean the table. "I would never remove a talented woman like Miss Lynn from the kitchen. I would love to work with her though."
"Thank you Alec." Lynn smiled sweetly. "It's a pleasure to have you here. Hopefully, the renos in the guest house will be done soon enough that you can move in here instead of having to commute so much."
He smiled. "Don't worry. Kelly doesn't mind driving me around."
"Kelly is your girlfriend?" Dave asked.
Alec laughed. "No, Kelly is my boyfriend." He walked of the room.
The whole table broke out in to laughter and poor Dave never knew what hit him.
This is the end of this chapter. I hope you've enjoyed it. The addition of Alec is in no way intended to insult or hurt any one. I just wanted to try something new and the addition of Alec was way out of my normal writing. I hope you've enjoyed this again, and I do apologize for the long interval of time but I started teaching this past fall and it really took a toll on my writing time. Lots of love!
Nicole