Author's Note: Special thanks to mummacass, CeeCee333, LichMaster701, RubyDragonJewel, Kimd33, Criminal Minds BAUty, AndressaRaducan, Lalina92, randysunshine1980, Flames101, CSIflea, BAUMember, mjfeehily-gayle, stephanieglee26, jenny crum, natexserenafan, CMLeoLover, Daisyangel, Guest, and IniTiniNini for the reviews! Lots of new reviewers! Thanks so much!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Jack! Come look at the pool!" Henry screeched, running to the sliding glass door of the vacation house.

"No going outside!" JJ and Hotch yelled together. They grinned at each other before she explained further, "You absolutely must have an adult with you to go outside. The pool is too dangerous alone. Understand?"

The boys grumbled in agreement. Jack pulled Henry away from the door. "Look, they've got a foosball table!"

Henry ran to one side of the table while Jack stand on the other, twisting the levers. "This is so much fun!"

"Why don't you guys come and get your suitcases and take them to your rooms"" Hotch suggested. "Your mom will show you which rooms are yours. She's on the same floor."

"Sure, Dad," Jack agreed. He grabbed his bag and lead Henry to the second floor. JJ followed carrying a few bags. She directed him to the bedroom on the corner. "Oh, wow! This bed is huge!"

JJ studied the queen size bed. "It really is." She turned her attention to the deck and frowned. "I'm not so sure about you having access to a deck, though."

Tossing his bag on the bed, he asked, "Why?"

"Because I'm overprotective," she admitted, laughing at herself. "Now, if you step through this door, you'll find the bathroom that you and Henry will share."

"Just us?" Henry's eyes were wide at the thought.

JJ nodded, marching them through the bathroom. "And on the other side of the door is your room, Henry."

Henry ran and jumped on the bed. "My bed's as big as Jack's!"

"Yes, it is," she agreed. JJ looked at the door leading to the outside deck. "Does every room have access to a deck?"

"Yes," Hotch answered, walking into the room. "The living room does, too, by the way."

JJ released a slow breath. "Yeah, that's going to be relaxing."

Kneeling down next to the boys, Hotch grabbed each of their hands. "There is to be no going outside on the decks unless you ask first, okay?"

"Okay," they consented.

"Good." He turned and raised an eyebrow at JJ, to which she shrugged. "Let's go get more bags. We have lots to bring in."

Grumbling, Jack dragged his feet as he followed his father out of the bedroom. "There's so much to bring in and it's our first day of vacation."

JJ ruffled his head. "The faster we get this done, the faster we can get to the pool. And we can order pizza for dinner. How does that sound?"

"Yay!" Henry cheered, passing everyone on the steps to grab more stuff from the SUV.

"Having a little brother is exhausting," Jack sighed, much to the amusement of his parents. "Can you make sure that the baby is a girl?"

Hotch made a face at JJ. "We'll see what we can do."

JJ narrowed her eyes at him and hissed, "Do you really think we should be encouraging him about a baby that may not come?"

"Trust me. There is no stopping him on this subject," Hotch whispered back. "It's taken everything I've had to make sure that he doesn't spill the beans to his aunt and cousins."

"Are you talking about me?" Jack interrupted, startling them. "It's not nice to talk about people behind their backs."

JJ flushed all over. "That's true. However, it's a bit different when it's parents talking about their kids."

Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, Jack put his hands on his hips. "Why?"

"Because we have to check in with each other on you guys to back sure we're doing a good job raising you," JJ explained.

"Come on, Jack!" Henry explained, running up the stairs with two small bags. "I want to go swimming!"

Jack let out a long-suffering groan. "I'm coming; I'm coming."

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"I'd say that this was a successful first day," JJ announced from the kitchen where she was loading up the dishwasher. "Henry was a bit… enthusiastic and Jack was a bit… not, but they came together nicely in the end."

"They did," Hotch agreed. He stood from the couch where he had been watching the news to venture over to her. He sat at the breakfast bar. "I think Jack's hitting that age where he's starting to think he's too cool for some things."

JJ moaned, dramatically pounding her head against the counter. "I am so not ready for that stage."

Hotch patted her head. "I don't think any of us are." He chuckled at JJ's glare. "He came around in the end."

"True." She finished putting the dishes into the dishwasher and started it. She eyed him. "I cannot believe that you – you of all people! - pushed me into the pool fully clothed!"

"Are you telling me that you bought into my stick-in-the-mud persona at work?" he teased.

JJ sobered. "No. I've always known who you were."

Smiling, Hotch told her, "You were always one of the few that did." He took a deep breath, wishing to lighten the mood. "I think it's more shocking that the boys managed to toss me in the pool! I knew I should have put my suit on when the boys did."

"I rather liked the wet t-shirt," she muttered. JJ ducked her head when he raised an eyebrow at her. "Would you like some wine? I brought a few bottles. They're in the back of the fridge."

"I," Hotch fought the butterflies building in his stomach, "would love some wine."

JJ grabbed two wine glasses from the cupboard. "There's-"

She was cut off by Henry shouting, "Mommy! I need you!"

"Sorry," JJ apologized. "He gets nervous in new places. I should have him back to sleep in no time."

"Take your time." Hotch watched as she hurried down the stairs. He glanced down at his overheated body, willing it to calm down. In his head, he pictured he and JJ drinking wine on the porch, under the stars, the sounds of the ocean in the background. They would talk of nothing important, just enough to keep the connection going. Suddenly, she would turn to face him and he would stare directly into their eyes. Before either of them realized what was going on, she would be on his lap, her lips on his.

Hotch jerked when the clock in the living room announced that it was eleven. It occurred to him that it had been awhile since JJ had gone to see Henry. He tiptoed down the stairs, heading to Henry's room first, but finding it empty. Next, Hotch popped his head into Jack's room, but there was no one there, either. He felt a fleeting moment of panic as he rushed to JJ's room. He stopped in the doorway. JJ was asleep in the middle of the bed, Jack and Henry curled into her sides.

Hotch grabbed the blanket from the bottom of the bed and covered them with it. He paused just long enough to whisper, "Goodnight" before moving upstairs to clean up and go to bed himself. His fantasy would have to hold for another day.