A/N: Surprise! Or…OK, I lied. Sometimes, I just need to write. Albeit short and sweet.
All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios.
*Jedi Master bow*
Chapter 1
The Monday morning of Christmas week, Cait woke and rolled over onto her back. Aaron woke and rolled to his left side and smiled at his wife, kissing her, rubbing her abdomen with his right hand underneath her sleep t-shirt. "You ready for them to be here?" he softly smiled.
Cait smiled back. "Yeah, I sorta am. Even with them griping about how they had to fly cross country for the holiday, fighting all the people already traveling," Cait said, rolling her eyes. Aaron softly laughed. "I miss them at Christmas." She looked at Aaron. "Tell me you understand that." As promised at Thanksgiving, Maggie and Jarrod Barkley would arrive later that day.
Aaron kissed her again. "I get it Doc. They're your parents," he smiled. His hand inched up higher on Cait's chest finding one of her breasts.
Cait eyed him. "Really?" she seductively smiled.
"Really," Aaron smiled, pulling her t-shirt off as he stretched out on top of her. They both took their sweet time getting each other naked.
-00CM00-
By Wednesday afternoon, it was the "madhouse" Cait and Aaron loved. Jack and Tate were on holiday from school, finishing their last classes of the semester the day before. Sean, Leslie and the boys were already there with Wyatt and Ethan having the same school schedule. Maggie, putting the polishing touches on her prep of BBQ sandwiches, looked at the younger Hotchner couple. "You shut down the restaurant?" The four boys were upstairs gaming.
Sean and Leslie smiled. "Our Christmas gift to the staff," Sean explained. "With Christmas on a Friday, it would be slow these few days."
"So we decided," Leslie continued, "to give them a long weekend. They deserve it."
Sean shook his head. "And the butt pounding for NYE starts Tuesday. They are all in."
Jarrod smiled. "You two have a helluva staff."
"Yes they do dad," Cait smiled, kissing his cheek.
Jarrod looked at Cait. "What's up with you and Aaron?"
Cait shook her head. "We want all of our family here." Jarrod and Maggie looked at her. "You've both heard the weather report. We have a major snowstorm moving in tomorrow. Aaron is trying to convince John and Hannah to come." She deeply looked at her parents. "There are six boys who want their other grandparents here as well."
Jarrod smiled. "We get it Caitie."
"Cait," Maggie said, "I do understand their position with the storm approaching."
"So do I mom," Cait said. "But what Aaron is trying to convince them, and Jessica, is that there is a big option that gets them closer to here for tomorrow night."
Sean smiled. "A big ass mansion with six bedrooms?" he said, taking a drink of his beer. "And their two oldest grandsons with SUVs staying there as well that can make the three block run to get them here Christmas morning?" Cait grinned, pointing at her nose and kissed Sean's cheek. She pulled out her cell and pounded out a text. Sean looked over her shoulder, smiled and kissed her cheek. "Always use the Big Dog."
"First off Sean, throw in Christmas Eve as well." Sean smiled. "And yes, Dave will be the host with the most." Sean smiled more. "And the bigger hammer," Cait winked at her brother-in-law, taking a drink of her beer.
-00CM00-
With a howling blizzard outside, the entire family gathered in the Hotchner home for Christmas Eve in the afternoon. Wyatt and Ethan eyed the huge number of wrapped Christmas presents surrounding the Christmas tree. "Only two have your name," Matt teased the boys with a smile. They each drilled a fist into his thigh, drawing laughter from the family.
Tate hugged Ted. "I'm glad you're here grandpa."
"So am I," Ted said, hugging him back.
The storm began to hit with a punch. The Deer Valley home lost its internet connection so they could not connect to their family church website. Aaron and Cait looked at the gathered family. "We do our own family Christmas Eve service," Aaron smiled. Cait played the piano as the family sang along to Come All Ye Faithful. John, Jarrod and Dave took turns reading the Christmas story recorded in the book of Luke, with the family singing the familiar Christmas Eve songs during their reading.
When they finished their service, they enjoyed the Hotchners' traditional family Christmas Eve dinner. It started with Cait slowly making the oyster stew that the Hotchner boys had in their youth. The older adults enjoyed it as well. The rest enjoyed Sean's marinated chicken wings, Hannah's cocktail wieners wrapped in Crescent rolls and the huge meat and cheese tray Maggie and Jarrod bought. Jessica used her mother's recipe to add Hannah's wonderful meatballs. The others brought additional munchable snacks.
Ted smiled, adding his large tube of braunschweiger and party sized box of Wheat Thins. "I've learned," he smiled at Cait with a wink. They family had a wonderful evening together.
With the storm starting to give its most powerful fury, the group staying at the Rossi mansion headed out. Except one. Millie refused to leave. Matt and Lauren smiled. "She's all yours," Matt said to Wyatt and Ethan as Lauren and he headed out the door.
Leslie looked at her sons. "Don't get any big ideas boys."
"We know mom," Wyatt smiled.
"Why we'll enjoy tonight," Ethan added. Aaron and Cait smiled at them.
Two hours later, Wyatt and Ethan were sound asleep in third bedroom upstairs that Jake and Steph normally used. Millie was soundly sleeping in between them. Jack and Tate slept together with Bella snuggled with them.
Aaron, Sean and Jarrod played Santa adding more wrapped packages around the tree.
-00CM00-
At little before seven the next morning, Sean padded down the steps wearing his Hotchner approved morning clothes and slides. He smiled at the fire already built up in the great room and walked into the kitchen. Aaron was pouring a cup of coffee for himself as Cait was putting in the first two pans of cinnamon rolls into the oven.
"Merry Christmas you two," he smiled, pulling Cait into a hug and kissing her cheek.
Cait hugged him back. "Merry Christmas you," she said, giving him a kiss.
With his arm still around Cait, Sean smiled at his brother, scratching his own bearded cheek. "It's hell to have dark hair," he smiled at Aaron.
"Yeah, you inherited mom's blonde hair," Aaron smiled.
"Those dark scruffies of yours do have some snow in them," Cait smiled at Aaron, rubbing his morning beard. Sean laughed.
"And you color your hair how often?" Aaron zinged back at Cait.
"Ouch sis," Sean smiled at Cait.
"Yup," Cait smiled. "It's the dagger I deserve to get, giving him a hard time about his grey hair." She looked at Aaron. "Which I will say once again makes you more distinguished and handsome."
Sean wryly smiled, looking at the timer on the oven. "You two have an hour."
Aaron handed Sean a cup of coffee. "Go take your shower," he smiled at his brother. "We're doing the same."
An hour and half later, everyone was gathered in the home, enjoying Cait's cinnamon rolls. After their family Christmas service, Matt and Mike doled out the Christmas presents from around the tree. The four younger boys had the most as Matt and Mike and their wives smiled at their own assembled packages. Ted and Dave deeply smiled at the framed picture of Jack and Tate with the rest of their baseball team around the state second place trophy and enjoyed the four younger boys opening their packages and showing off their bounty.
Mike, handing out more presents, smiled at his parents. "Here you two."
Aaron opened the one marked to mom and dad from Matt and Lauren. Opening the box, Aaron pulled out a copy of Matt's acceptance letter to the FBI Academy in the June 2021 class. Aaron and Cait proudly smiled at him, sharing the contents of the letter with the family. The rest added their congratulations, with Dave proudly hugging Matt. "Just like dad," Dave smiled at him. Matt beamed back at him.
"We've already got a buyer for our house in Roanoke," Matt smiled. "We just might need a place to hang out until we find a place to rent near Quantico," he and Lauren smiled at Mike and Andi.
Just then, Cait opened her and Aaron's gift from Mike and Andi. Aaron put his arm around Cait's shoulder, pulling her tightly to his chest, kissing her temple. Cait smiled at him, bowed her head for a second and then wiped away the tear that ran from her eye. "Flag on that play Matthew," she smiled. "You two might be bunking in with Uncle Dave."
Matt and Lauren looked at them. Cait and Aaron smiled at Mike and Andi as Aaron pulled out the ultrasound picture, showing it to everyone with a huge smile.
"We have our first peanut," Cait smiled, wiping away another tear.
Maggie broadly smiled. "Welcome to being a grandmother my daughter." Cait and Aaron hugged Mike and Andi. And then Matt.
Jack eyed Tate. "We're gonna be uncles!" he smiled at his brother.
"'Bout time," Tate snarked back.
"Agreed Tater," Dave proudly smiled. Ted rubbed his shoulder with a smile.
"Holy shit Mike," Matt said. "That's the best younger brother one up in the world," he smiled. "Congratulations you two," he smiled, hugging Mike as Lauren hugged Andi.
Sean eyed Aaron. "Congratulations grandpa," he smiled.
Aaron rubbed his chin. "Helps explain the snow," he deadpanned. Everyone laughed as Sean and Leslie hugged Andi and Mike.
Hannah Brooks shook her head with a bright smile, looking at the Barkleys after they all congratulated the two couples. "Maggie, this may be old hat for you and Jarrod. But John and I are going to be great-grandparents for the first time."
John shook his head. "I never thought I'd live to see this," he softly smiled. Jack, Cait and Aaron hugged him and Hannah. Cait looked at Aaron. He pulled her close to his side. Cait smiled at Jack and they both hugged him. Mike and Matt each put their arm around Dave.
"Thanks mom," Jack softly whispered looking out the window at a certain star.
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A/N: Oops! Did I forget a tissue alert?
This idea just hit me. My new job is going much better than I anticipated with a "new hire" staff that are doing a wonderful job. So my brain said "why not?"
To all of my readers, alert givers and reviewers, thank you. Like you, I hope 2021 is a much better year for all of us. Until then, wear your masks and social distance. And get the vaccine when available. I make no apologies on that. We've got to end this pandemic.
Afore mentioned January story is still in the queue.
Happy New Year all! Stay safe and healthy!