A/N: If I can make a suggestion, before you read this chapter, go back and check out the update I've made on chapter 5 from The Beginning story. There's a new flashback to the MV house.

Also, this is a pretty mushy chapter, so fair-warning.

Chapter 9: Here Comes the Sun (song of the same title, by The Beatles)

Zac pulled the pick-up into its usual spot at the front of the house, looking through the windscreen and waving at Frank, a big grin on his face. He turned to smile at Jack leaning against Hotch's side, both of them fast asleep. It had been a longer drive than usual from the airport, with some road-works on the main track to the house requiring a detour through Edgartown, so it hadn't surprised Zac when both of them had fallen asleep on the drive. Zac had been looking forward to this extra-long weekend with his… he wrinkled his brow... he was still adjusting to referring to Hotch and Jack as his family. It felt a little weird for someone who only ever had one parent, two grandparents, and his Uncle Matt. He'd never grown up with anyone else to refer to as his family, seeing as his grandparents were both only children, and so was his mother.

And now he felt like he had a dad and a little brother.

Not that he was ready to call Hotch "Dad" - referring to him as such when he was talking to Jack was one thing - but it still felt nice to think of him in that way.

Zac shook his head and huffed, opening the car door and wincing as it creaked. When he heard Hotch clear his throat, he turned back with an apologetic smile, "Sorry... I was trying to be quiet, but the car had other plans," he joked, taking in Hotch's tired expression as he opened his eyes, "Big week?".

Hotch nodded and huffed, "You could say that," he replied, looking through the windscreen and spotting Frank making his way across the grass towards them. Hotch waved at the older man, then looked back at Zac, "I suppose we should get Jack inside and into an actual bed."

Zac smiled and tipped his head towards the house, "On that note," he replied, "I have a bit of a surprise for him… courtesy of my grandparents and Frank."

Hotch furrowed his brow, "A surprise hey?" he probed, his mind exploring all of the possibilities that word might mean for Zac and his grandparents. After Emily's gifts for them when they visited the house last year, Hotch was starting to think that this was just what the Prentiss family did, like making comfort pesto or thank-you cookies.

"A good surprise, Aaron," Zac assured him, tipping his head to the house, "You get the boy and I'll get the bags."

Hotch nodded, gently unbuckling Jack in his seat as he slid out of the car. He picked up his slumbering son, adjusting Jack against his front and letting his head rest against his shoulder as he shut the creaky car door behind them. Hotch made his way around to the front of the car and watched as Frank and Zac greeted each other, then he held out a hand to shake the older man's.

"Hello again, Mr Hotchner," Frank said gently, tipping his head to Jack, "He's a little more sombre than the last time I saw him."

Hotch smiled and nodded, as Zac chuckled, "It's been a tiring few days, so this long weekend has come along at the perfect time," Hotch replied, "And please… call me Aaron."

Frank nodded, "Well you've come at a good time," he explained, "We're still busy on the island, but we're in between holidays, so it's not as crowded as it has been."

Zac grabbed the suitcases that Hotch had brought for him and Jack, and Frank grabbed Zac's small duffel. He always kept his island clothes at the house, so he only had to pack a little bit of work and some of his comfort items, like his favourite swimmers and a couple of books he'd been hoping to read.

Hotch followed the others into the house, Frank walking straight down the hallway where the family's rooms were while Zac and Hotch stopped by the kitchen to drop off the bags of groceries they'd brought with them. As he looked through the kitchen window, Hotch was reminded of the amazing view the house had. The large green space out the back of the house, backing up onto the patch of sand, and then that glistening blue ocean… right on the doorstep.

Hotch cleared his throat gently and tipped his head to his sleeping son, "I'll go put Jack to bed for the rest of his nap," he asked, "Can he stay in the same room he was in last time?"

Before Hotch could make a move towards the guests quarters, Zac shook his head and tipped it in the direction that Frank had disappeared, "Actually, that's the surprise I was talking about," he said, "Follow me."

Hotch furrowed his brow, but followed Zac down the family hallway, stopping when he paused in the hall and tipped his head towards the door. A small wooden sign hung on the door, reading Jack's Room in bright colours, with a fishing rod and tackle box carved into the background. Hotch bit his lip as he read the sign, "What's this?" he asked, feeling a bubble of emotion building in his chest as he realised what the sign meant.

It appeared to Hotch that Simon and Elizabeth had been serious when they'd told Jack to think of them as family, and they were proving it with their actions. This wasn't just about letting Hotch and Jack spend time at their holiday home. This was a very clear indication that Jack meant something special to the Prentiss'... that their message at the party, about welcoming Hotch and Jack into the family, wasn't just empty words.

Zac smiled softly and tipped his head to the room, "Grams and Pop wanted to do this for Jack," he explained, "They know how much you and Jack meant to Mom, and they want you guys to feel at home here… like you've made me feel."

Hotch shook his head gently as he carried Jack into the room, his eyes widening at the effort the Prentiss' had gone to for Jack. They'd decorated the room with all of the things Jack loved, clearly getting their intel from Zac. A rug with a seascape, including clown fish; a large reading chair in the corner; beautiful light blue bedspreads on the bunk beds; and cushions featuring Transformers and Masters of the Universe.

Hotch was amazed and made a mental note to thank Simon and Elizabeth next time he spoke to them, if he could manage to find the right words. He made his way over to the bunk bed and lay his son down on the soft blankets, covering him with the small throw that was neatly draped over the end of the bed. When he turned back, Zac was placing Jack's suitcase on the floor near the wardrobe, figuring they could unpack later. They headed back out into the hall, Hotch closing the door slightly behind him, before he turned back to face Zac.

"You guys did so much," Hotch said softly, feeling like this was just another sign of things to come, when Emily came back and they could spend summers here with their family, tossing a football in the backyard, building sandcastles and swimming in the ocean. It felt like a pipe-dream, but one that, with effort on Hotch's part to convince Emily, it was a dream that could actually come true.

Zac huffed and shook his head, "It's a tiny effort to repay your kindness, Aaron," he replied softly, tipping his head in the direction of another room, "Now it's your turn."

As Zac made his way down to another bedroom, this one on the ocean side of the large house, Hotch wrinkled his brow. He'd been in this room briefly when they'd last stayed here. Emily had told him about spare blankets in the wardrobe in her bedroom, so Hotch knew that's where Zac was heading. Before Hotch had a chance to object, Zac opened the door and walked in, lifting Hotch's suitcase onto the ottoman at the end of the bed.

"We can't very well have you staying at the other end of the house," Zac explained, "And I figured, if Mom was still with us, this is where you'd end up staying so… from now on… this is your room, Aaron."

Hotch furrowed his brow, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly as he followed Zac into the bedroom, "Zac…" he started to protest, but stopped when he spotted the photo on the far bedside table, closest to the window overlooking the ocean. He made his way over to the photo, picking up the frame and biting his lip as he traced his thumb over the image.

"JJ said she took that photo, when I asked her if she had any photos of you and Mom together, she sent me that," Zac explained, "I think she said it was from the…"

"Fourth of July party at Rossi's house… last year," Hotch said softly, finishing the sentence. He had no idea that JJ had even taken this photo, but he was really glad she had. At that point in the evening it had only been JJ, Will, Rossi, Emily, and Hotch, and as the night had gone on, he and Emily had dropped all pretences about how close they actually were. They felt safe to relax their usual physical boundaries with their friends. With the firelight warming their faces, the photo showed Emily sitting in front of Hotch, leaning back against his chest, their hands joined on his knees. They looked so natural, so calm, their bright smiles showing on their lips and in their eyes.

They looked happy.

"Now you see why I don't even doubt how Mom felt about you, Aaron."

Hotch blinked and brought himself back to the present, placing the frame back on the bedside table and nodding as he turned back to Zac. He didn't trust himself to speak, feeling like this was something he had wanted for so long, for Jack and for himself. To have a family again, to be a part of something special. And Emily's family wasn't even hesitating to welcome them both. He only hoped it could stay that way when the shit hit the fan.

Zac gestured with his thumb over his shoulder, "I'm going to go and unpack my stuff, so you take your time and settle in," he explained, "I'll pop down to the store and grab fresh ingredients for dinner, and then when Jack wakes up we can probably go for a swim."

Hotch nodded, swallowing hard over the lump in his throat, "Thank you Zac."

Zac huffed and shook his head, walking quickly over to where Hotch stood, pulling him into a hug. It was new for them, but Zac was starting to feel like this man was the closest thing to a dad he'd had in his entire life. And he was Emily Prentiss' son, so hugs were how they showed appreciation in their family.

Hotch smiled softly and hugged Zac back, feeling a little awkward but ignoring it. It had been a long time since he'd had anyone other than Jack in his family, and he knew this was what family did.

As they pulled back, Zac looked over at Hotch, patting his shoulder, "Family doesn't need to say thanks, Aaron."

Hotch nodded, watching as Zac made his way out of the door and closed it behind him. He looked over the room, walking to the double French doors that led to the deck and opening them to let some fresh air in. The warm sea breeze was a pleasant shock and Hotch took a deep breath, closing his eyes. The sun was warm on his skin and he felt his body start to unwind.

Once again, the Prentiss family was responsible for making him and Jack not only feel welcome, but treasured, in this place. He felt infinitely grateful to have them in his life, and he hoped that, when the time came for Emily to come home, they could make their family official.

Hotch threw the frisbee up in the air, watching it come back down at a speed that Jack couldn't match, and as the little guy jumped to try and catch it, he fell back to the ground with a thud and an empty hand.

"So close buddy!" Hotch called out from his spot, a smile on his face as he watched Jack stand up and brush the dirt and grass from his hands and knees, "You ok?"

"Yep!" Jack shouted back, holding his thumb up, "Are you ready to catch Daddy?"

"Go for it!" Hotch called back, watching Jack try his best to spin the frisbee as far as he could, making it about halfway between the two of them. It was a decent effort for the little guy, and Hotch deduced that he could probably stand a little closer.

As Hotch jogged over to where the frisbee had fallen, he heard a car heading down the drive and he frowned. It wasn't the Prentiss' car, and a young woman was driving. Given the small-town feel of the neighbourhood, Hotch figured it could be someone looking for Frank. He made his way over to Jack, offering a friendly smile and a wave to the visitor.

The woman climbed out of the car and started to make her way over to them. She was younger, maybe in her mid-twenties, with long brown hair and a friendly face, but Hotch didn't recognise her. She certainly hadn't been around the last time they'd been to the house. As she approached them, she held up a hand in a shy wave.

"Hi," the woman said softly, "Uh… is Zac here?" she asked, looking from Hotch, down to Jack, and smiling wide.

"He's just gone to the store," Hotch replied, holding out a hand for the woman to shake, "I'm Aaron."

"Hi," the woman said, shaking his hand firmly, "I'm Lucy… uh… if you can let Zac know I dropped by, I heard from Frank and Nancy that he was planning to be here for a few days and I thought I'd say hi."

Hotch bit the inside of his cheek as subtly as possible at the mention of her name, and he nodded, "Sure…" he gestured over his shoulder with his thumb, "I was actually just going to make up a snack for Jack, if you'd like to join us?"

Hotch wasn't sure if Zac would appreciate his efforts, but something told him to try and keep Lucy here until he returned from the store. After what Zac had told Hotch about this woman, this might just be his chance to get Zac back for everything he'd done so far this weekend.

"Oh, uh…" Lucy bit her lip, then looked down at Jack and his toothy grin, and she nodded, "That would be nice… thank you..." she paused and squatted down for a moment, holding a hand out for Jack to shake, "And how old are you Jack?" Lucy asked.

"I'm six!" he replied excitedly, shaking Lucy's hand with great enthusiasm, "How old are you?"

Lucy chuckled brightly as Hotch rolled his eyes, "I'm twenty-four," she replied, scrunching up her face, "So I'm a little bit older than you."

"We can still be friends, if you want?" Jack asked, "Zac's bigger than me and he's my best friend and my brother, so it doesn't matter if you're bigger too."

Lucy smiled and nodded, "It always helps to have lots of friends," she replied as she stood up. She looked back down and grinned as Jack took her hand, leading her towards the house.

A cheeky smile grew on Hotch's face, and he followed the others up the front steps and into the house, tapping the frisbee against his thigh. They walked through the dining room and into the large kitchen, Lucy helping Jack onto one of the stools at the island counter, before she took a seat next to him.

"So what brings you to Martha's Vineyard?" Hotch asked as he took a pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge. While he wasn't always the most social of creatures, he was determined to put his investigative skills to good use, before Zac returned and tried to put a stop to his meddling.

"I'm in between jobs," Lucy explained, standing from the stool and walking over to the cabinet, taking three glasses out and handing them to Hotch, "I figured I'd spend some time with my parents here, before I start my new position."

"And what do you do?" Hotch asked, unpacking some cookies that they'd brought with them and putting them on a plate, which he placed in the centre of the counter.

"I've been teaching elementary school," Lucy explained as she handed a glass of lemonade to Jack, "But I've just completed my Masters in children's counselling, so I'm about to start at a service in Philly that provides free or low-cost counselling to kids in the foster care system."

Hotch raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of his drink, "Wow, that's impressive," he replied, "Are you prepared for what you're about to hear?"

Lucy chuckled and shook her head, "Not at all," she replied, "But I'm trying to be realistic about it."

Hotch nodded, "Where have you been studying?" he asked, glancing at the clock on the wall by the bookcases and wondering when Zac would be walking through the door. He wasn't sure he had the social skills to keep Lucy here for much longer. Looking down at Jack, he wondered if there was some way to use his son to keep her at the house… and as that thought crossed his mind, Hotch wondered if that's how their unsubs started… he shook his head and turned back to Lucy as she answered.

"I've been at Johns Hopkins," Lucy replied, handing a cookie to Jack and smiling when he thanked her, "And what about you, Aaron? What do you do?"

Hotch swallowed his bite of cookie, "I work for the FBI," he replied, "I'm a profiler."

"Oh my god!" Lucy remarked, "Isn't that what Zac's mom does? Is that how you and Emily met?" Hotch furrowed his brow, but before he had a chance to correct her, Lucy slammed her hand over her mouth, "Oh my god. Please don't tell Zac I said that," she mumbled from behind her hand.

"Don't tell Zac you said what?"

Lucy and Hotch turned to find Zac standing in the open door leading from the formal dining room. Lucy just sat still, unable to move and hoping that Zac hadn't overheard her mistake, while Hotch was quietly glad that Zac had come back while Lucy was still there.

Zac made his way through the kitchen, placing the grocery bags on the counter behind the others, passing Lucy. He paused to ruffle his hand through Jack's hair and then continued over to the sink to wash his hands. As he wiped his hands on a tea towel, Zac turned to face the others.

"Hi Goose," he said softly, studying her face.

"Hi Zip," Lucy replied with a shy smile, taking his use of her nickname as a good sign, "I heard you were back for a few days."

"Frank?" Zac asked, wondering who had spilled the beans. He hadn't been expecting to see her, but now that she was in front of him, all of those old feelings came rushing back.

"And Nancy," Lucy replied, smiling softly.

Zac nodded, offering a crooked smile, "Making sure all the bases were covered," he replied before he raised his eyebrows and looked down at Jack, "I see you've met my best friend, Jack, and his dad, Aaron."

Jack giggled at the compliment and nodded, but his mouth was too full of cookie to reply.

Hotch cleared his throat, "Actually, we were just going to go for a walk on the beach before it gets too cool," he explained, "You guys stay here, I'm sure you've got a lot of catching up to do." He stepped to the side, out of Lucy's line of sight, and opened his eyes wide as he looked at Zac, and Zac pursed his lips in response, trying to resist smiling, as he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Lucy…" Hotch said, pausing for a moment, "Hopefully we'll see you again soon."

"That would be really nice Aaron," Lucy replied, "Nice to meet you too Jack!"

"Hey Zac?" Jack started as he helped him down from the stool.

"Yeah Jack?" Zac replied, ruffling his hair again and smiling.

"Is Lucy your girlfriend?" Jack asked innocently.

Zac cleared his throat and bit his lip, trying to come up with an answer. He was grateful when Hotch saved him from the awkward moment.

"Come on buddy," Hotch said brightly, "Let's go down to the beach and leave Zac and Lucy alone…" he paused and stopped at the back door, "We'll be back in… half an hour?"

Zac nodded, shoving one hand in his pocket and waving shyly with the other, "Thanks Dad," he half-joked, feeling like this was just one example of how comfortable Hotch was getting with him… maybe a little too comfortable.

Hotch chuckled and shook his head, following Jack out onto the deck and closing the door behind him, leaving Zac and Lucy alone in the kitchen. Hotch wasn't the most sentimental of men, but the fact that Lucy happened to be in Martha's Vineyard on the same weekend that they happened to be visiting as well… that had to mean something. As he followed Jack down the long boardwalk, towards the sand, Hotch realised he wanted Zac to be happy in the same way he wanted Jack to be happy. The more time they spent together, the more he felt like he had two sons.

"Daddy," Jack asked, looking up at his dad, "Can I run down to the water?"

"Sure buddy," Hotch replied, "But no swimming… it's getting too cool now."

Hotch watched as Jack ran across the sand, kicking his shoes off a few steps down and running the rest of the way to the water. He stopped just as he reached the water's edge, giggling as the water lapped over his feet, tickling his toes. Hotch sighed, the setting sun warming his back and the cooling ocean breeze running through his hair, and he realised this might have been the most relaxed he'd felt in months.

Hotch took a sip of his scotch as he turned the page of his book, the light from the firepit illuminating the words. He glanced down at Jack, who had curled up on one of the large Adirondack seats, bundled in a blanket and fast asleep. Hotch could have carried him back inside, but he was really enjoying this moment and wanted to enjoy it a little longer. There was one thing that could make it even better, but Hotch was doing his best not to think about that.

After they'd returned from their walk on the beach, Hotch had found Zac on his own in the kitchen, unpacking the rest of the groceries. Zac had asked Hotch if they'd mind if he left them alone for dinner, and when Hotch had probed for more information, Zac had caved and said that he was going out with Lucy for a bite to eat and a chance to catch up properly. Zac had laughed off the subsequent, kind-hearted, teasing from Hotch, who told Zac that he didn't mind at all, it was exactly the outcome he'd been hoping for when he'd invited Lucy in for a snack that afternoon. So Zac had spent some time showering and getting ready, and Hotch had made a simple dinner of baked chicken and fresh salad for himself and Jack.

After dinner, he and Jack had played a couple of rounds of Candyland, and then Hotch had suggested they build a fire outside in the firepit and toast some marshmallows.

And an hour later, here they were... Jack asleep under a blanket, and Hotch enjoying a glass of scotch and a good book. He'd found a well-worn copy of Rabindranath Tagore's Fireflies in one of the bedside tables in his room, the margins filled with notes in Emily's handwriting, so he'd put aside his work tablet in favour of actually relaxing. And it seemed to be working, although he wondered how much of his ability to focus on his reading was the wise words of an Indian sage, and how much of it was gleaning some insight into Emily's thoughts from the comprehensive notes she'd made.

Par example, next to this passage:

76
We gain freedom when we have paid the full price for our right to live.

Emily had written a note in the margin:

"But what if, in the quest for freedom, we lose our lives? Are we still free?"

Hotch couldn't help but huff at the irony of that statement, given the reason for Emily's current absence from their lives. The fact that she had been trying to free herself from the monster that had been chasing her, and in the process, she had lost her life. She was alive somewhere, but what kind of life was she living when she couldn't be with the people who loved her? She was alive somewhere, but what kind of life was she living when the monster who had tried to kill her was still walking around, free as a bird. Hotch shook his head to stop from going down that track. He was supposed to be relaxing, and that train of thought would find him needing some time with the punching bag in the gym.

Hotch was roused from his thoughts at the sound of someone clearing their throat, and he turned his head to find Zac making his way towards them, across the large expanse of grass. As he drew closer, Hotch held out the bottle of scotch, but Zac shook his head, holding up a beer. Zac took a seat in one of the empty chairs and let out a sigh as he watched the flames jumping in the fire pit. Hotch took his time closing the book and placing it on the chair next to him, waiting for Zac to speak first.

"Thanks, Aaron," Zac said softly, keeping his eye on the fire.

Hotch held up his glass and Zac copied, smiling as he took a sip of his beer.

"Did you get to catch up on everything?" Hotch asked, taking Zac's lead and keeping his eyes on the fire while they spoke.

Zac nodded, "Almost everything…" he replied, his voice trailing off as he went back over the hours-long conversation with Lucy, covering everything from what they'd both been up to since they had last seen each other, to what came next in their respective lives. Zac hadn't been sure when he'd invited Lucy out for dinner, but as their conversation flowed easily over lobster and wine, he realised how much he'd missed having her in his life. And he saw this as his second chance, with the woman he had compared every other woman to, since they'd said goodbye.

"And?" Hotch asked, huffing at Zac's stubbornness. Much like his mother, Zac needed some probing to get him to talk, but it was a delicate balance. Too much interest, and he'd shut down. Ask the wrong questions, and he'd shut down. It was like walking a tightrope, and Hotch was grateful that he'd had so much experience in encouraging Emily to talk to him, it was a tightrope he felt like he'd walked before.

Zac shrugged, "You might be seeing a bit more of Lucy, if you're lucky," he replied with a shy smile.

Hotch chuckled and nodded, "Sounds good to me," he replied, grateful that his first attempt at matchmaking had worked out so well. Apparently profiling was a great resource to draw on when working out other people's love lives, if not with his own.

"So now that you've fixed my personal life, maybe it's time we worked on yours?" Zac teased, laughing at the incredulous expression Hotch threw his way in response, "Or maybe Jack?"

Hotch laughed and shook his head, "I don't need any help in that department, thank you very much. And as for the little guy, how about we hold off on that for at least another ten years…" he paused and shrugged, "… maybe twenty."

Zac carried Jack on his shoulders, wincing when the little guy pulled at his ears. They walked quickly through the airport terminal, following Hotch as they headed to the baggage claim, in somewhat of a rush. They'd only just landed back in DC and had the all-clear to switch on their cell phones, and as soon as Hotch's cell lit up, he'd received the call… the BAU was on their way to LA.

It had already been decided that Zac and Jack would take the car, and that Zac would stay with Jack for however long Hotch had to be away. Jessica was currently in Canada, working on a deal for her company, and she wouldn't be back in DC for another couple of weeks. Not that Zac minded. He enjoyed hanging out with his little brother and he could work from the house as much as he needed to. He only had to swing past his apartment to check his messages and collect his laptop and some clothes, and then they could hunker down with some cartoons and bug-collecting.

As they pushed their way through the throngs of travellers who were crowding around the top of the escalator, Hotch let out a sigh, turning back to smile up at Jack. The smile was fake, but thankfully, Jack hadn't yet learned the difference. When Detective Kim had called, Hotch realised the vacation was well-and-truly over. They had a situation in LA that warranted the team flying out straight away, and this time, Garcia would be flying out with them.

That is, they would be flying out if Hotch could manage to get through the insane crowds to get to the baggage claim. He had figured the boys could drop him at Quantico and then head back to the city, and he could catch a cab home when he returned. It was the simplest way he could figure to get some extra time with them before he headed out on the case. He knew Jack didn't really know any better at this point, and he was dreading the day when he became aware of just what it meant every time Hotch excitedly told him that Jessica or Zac would be hanging out with him for a few days.

Hotch sighed again as they reached the baggage claim and he spotted his and Jack's suitcases, grabbing them off the conveyer belt quickly and cursing himself for checking them in. At least Zac had the forethought to keep his small duffel as carry-on.

"Ok," Hotch said brightly, "Let's get the car and get out of here."

Zac nodded, reaching over to take one of the suitcases from Hotch, "Hey Jack, tell Dad to relax, we'll get him to Quantico before the team flies out."

"Yeah Dad," Jack parroted, "Relax!"

Hotch chuckled and shook his head, slowing down his pace and falling back to walk with the boys, "Alright," he replied, "I get the hint…" he paused and looked over to Zac, "Are you sure about staying with him for the whole time?" he asked.

Zac smiled and nodded, "I've already checked in with my supervisor and I've got plenty of work that I can do from the house, and I'm planning to teach Jack-in-the-box a whole heap of gross stuff while you're gone," he replied, patting Jack's skinny legs where they hung over his shoulders, "Right bud?"

"Yeah!" Jack exclaimed, "Zac's going to show me all the bugs that live on my hands."

Hotch furrowed his brow as they reached the parking garage, hitting the elevator button and standing back, "Really? You have bugs living on your hands?" he asked, glancing up at Jack.

"Yeah, Jack's hands are probably full of tiny bugs," Zac replied, "And I'm going to show him what happens to them when he washes his hands…" he paused and winked, "Education with a side of personal hygiene," he whispered to Hotch.

Hotch smiled and nodded, watching the elevator doors open and stepping back to let the other passengers out, before the three of them climbed in, Zac stooping down so Jack wouldn't bump his head.

"So Jack," Zac said brightly, "What should we have for dinner?"