A/N: Been rewatching a lot of CM and I just wondered what their kids would look like.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Just free fun.
Paths
Jack rushed to the small brunch spot early Monday morning. This was not a detour he could afford but it also wasn't an invitation he could turn down. When he swung the doors open, he waved to the hostess and spotted the familiar suspects huddled at their usual table in the far back of the restaurant. His briefcase swung at his side as he approached the table with hurried steps.
"Where's the fire?" he said by way of greeting. The young adults grinned at him before Marissa Morgan tossed a handful of confetti over him.
"Congratulations," they said in unison.
Dusting confetti off his suit, he couldn't help but a crack a smile at his juniors.
"You guys had me worried for nothing…and might make me late for my first day for what exactly?"
"I told you he'd hate it," Henry said.
Jack sat down at the table and placed the briefcase at his feet. "I didn't say I hate it. I just find you all insane."
"We're proud of you," Shannon said and her twin, Benji nodded his head silently agreeing.
Logan Reid nodded, "It's official, SSA Hotchner, how does it feel?"
"Scary to be honest. I'm stepping into my dad's shoes…I don't want my team to lose respect for me because of my lineage. I don't want them assume I have this job because-"
"Stoopp," Henry said patting him on the shoulder. "You got that promotion because you were best suited for it."
Jack tried not to frown as deep to no avail.
"We ordered you your favorite," the youngest, Ivy said.
"I can't eat." he said. He was a ball of nervous energy and assumed anything he tried to consume would come right back out.
"You can and you will," Marissa said. "You need fuel to catch psychopaths."
The waitress came around with a tray of food. His usual was spinach and ricotta quiche and coffee cake muffins. They had been frequenting the restaurant since they were teenagers, well he was a teenage, the others were barely. Plates of crepes, eggs, waffles and maple butter were dished out on their table.
Between bites of eggs Benji said, "How's your dad? Is he stoked?"
"I don't know. I can't tell if he's truly happy for me or if he's terrified for me." Jack said.
"Probably both," Marissa said, pointing her fork at him.
"I'm going with both." Shannon chimed in.
"This job took a lot from us I don't think he wants that for me."
"None of us to do be honest," Michael said. "But you pretty much had your mind made up as long we've known you."
"Mom's been helping me a choose a major and she keeps staring me away from anything criminology related." Ivy said. "But I can't help but be intrigued you know, I mean we grew up around that kinda stuff."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Marissa said.
Ivy shrugged, "What?"
"Just because our parents came out of that job…mostly unscathed, does not mean we should be running to follow in their footsteps."
She looked at Jack with a small cringe.
"And I blame you."
"Ouch," Jack said with a chuckle.
"You're the eldest and we all looked up to you." she said. "Between boy genius 2.0" she pointed at Logan "And the NASA wonder twins who could probably write the code of the matrix-I am the sounding board for normalcy here. It's heavy cross to bear but someone's got to do it."
"That's not fair, it's not our fault we were taught binary before the abcs." Benji joked and Shannon laughed along with him.
Marissa shook her head.
"Wait, wasn't your dad an athlete?" Michael said to Marissa, eyes gleaming of deviltry.
"So? It wasn't like his career." Marissa said.
"Still…" Michael pressed, "You don't think that influenced you, soccer star extraordinaire?"
Marissa was frozen for a few moments as she mulled it over. "No that doesn't-unless…oh my gosh is my whole life a lie?"
Michael laughed until his sides hurt.
Marissa looked like she was in a daze. "Do I like eggs because I like eggs or was I predisposed to liking by my parents?"
Henry frowned, "thanks for that," he pointed at Marissa's spaced out expression.
"You guys are giving me a headache. Henry back me up here," Jack said.
Henry raised his hand in a surrender gesture. "I am Switzerland."
"Switzerland who majored in abnormal psychology before becoming a detective, you're just as bad as the rest of us." Shannon said.
"Both my parents are in law enforcement what did you want me to do?" Henry said.
Marissa shrugged, "Teach physics."
"Sell luxury watches," Michael said, high-fiving Marissa.
"No loyalty from my own blood, that hurts." he said pointedly at Michael who was now rookie beat cop after graduating last month.
"You guys aren't helping." Ivy said.
Logan picked at his crepes and said, "Relax it's only your first degree."
The group froze in their tracks and stared at him.
"I digress." Marissa said. They burst into laughter and Jack felt some of that nervous energy he'd been harboring leave his body.
"Can we talk about something else?" Logan said.
"How about the weird pack mentality of our parents. Retiring was the worst thing that ever happened. They have too much time on their hands. Did you know they're planning to go on a cruise next year? Like together. Mom was looking at bikinis online" Shannon said.
"I can't even…" Marissa said.
Jack laughed at the absolute look of horror on their faces. He looked at his watch and knew he had to leave soon.
"Two more minutes," Benji pleaded and Jack nodded his okay.
"We got you something," Ivy said. She pulled out a blue paper bag from under the table.
"You guys didn't have to get me anything."
"We know but we're really awesome people." Marissa said.
Jack dug through the tissue paper until his fingers wrapped around a narrow plaque. When he pulled it out, he saw his name printed on the desk plate in gold italics.
"Guys,"
"Don't get sappy with us," Henry said.
"It's custom made so don't you dare use the FBI mandated plaque." Shannon said.
Jack turned it over and underneath was the inscription, from your merry band of misfits.
"Thank you." Jack said, he was almost teary eyed looking down at the gold letters. 'Special Agent Jack Hotchner.'
"Something to remember us by," Marissa said.
"I'm starting a new job not dying." Jack said.
"I know but—" she looked around the table, "this-what we have, has always had an expiration date and I think it's today." Marissa said.
The table fell quiet.
"You're going to work at the BAU, the only reason we're this close is because we had to be there for each other-with how much our parents travelled. You guys remember what it was like…" Marissa said.
"She's not wrong, you're going to be constantly on the move." Benji said. "Ivy's going off to college and Marissa is heading to Europe for to play soccer. This might very well be the last time we all have a meal together for a while."
"I haven't been accepted yet." Marissa said.
"You're going to." They said in unison.
She shrugged with a small smile.
Jack picked up his water glass, "What should we cheers to?"
"Nothing sad," Ivy said, her eyes were glassy.
"To bright futures." Michael said.
They knocked glasses and sipped their drinks. Soon after Jack's time was up. They said their goodbyes and saw him off. It felt a lot like a chapter of his life was over but he didn't have time to mourn it because a new one was beginning.
When he stepped into the office, any small part of him that had doubted the path he chose was quieted. This was right. He was exactly where he was supposed to be. He tried to take it all in but he was quickly interrupted.
"Agent Hotchner," a small voice said from behind him. A petite red head in a grey pants suit stood behind him with an outstretched hand. He shook it and they exchanged polite smiles.
"I'm Loren McNatt, communications liason. I'm sorry we're not giving you time to settle but-" she began walking and he hurried after her. "I trust you have a go bag prepared?" He nodded trying to keep up with her. "There's been a string of ritualistic killings in Northern California. Come meet the team quickly, wheels up in twenty."
