A/N: Surprise! I owe my OK Teacher.

All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios.

*Knightly bow*

Chapter 1

Just past dawn, Commonwealth of Virginia Game Warden Jorge Valdez was sitting in the middle of the lake formed by the Little Creek Reservoir. While it was his job to keep an eye on all the duck hunting boats on the lake for the start of the season, he raised his long-range binoculars at only one and smiled.

Looking through the lenses, he watched and shook his head. I knew they would do it by the book he thought. Damn, that kid has grown up as he saw Jack Hotchner step up on the shooting platform of Dave's duck hunting boat. Looking around the boat, Valdez smiled. Yup. I knew dad would be here as well Jack. He wouldn't miss this for the world.

Valdez smiled again, watching Max get up on the shooting platform next to Jack in his dog lifejacket. He smiled more, watching Dave putting the duck call to his mouth. Come on Dave, Valdez silently thought. Get them ducks moving. Jack is ready. He smiled, watching Max shiver with excitement, ready to make the jump into the lake.

A flock of ducks took off from their roost. Valdez watched as Jack picked up the lead drake with his shotgun. He saw the shotgun flash. And the drake drop in the water. Atta boy Jack! Valdez smiled, watching as Max jumped off the platform to retrieve the duck. He smiled more as Jack took down another drake at the end of the flock. Nice shooting kid.

He kept his binoculars trained on the boat. He watched Jack follow all hunting protocols with his shotgun. Max swam to the back of the boat with the first duck getting into the boat that was designed for him to have an opening to get out of the water at its surface. Aaron took the duck from him and sent Max back to the front to get the second. Valdez smiled at Jack guiding Max to get the second one. He watched Jack smile at Dave. Jack, Max is on a mission. You don't get the lake water shower. And then Jack sharing a high five with Dave. Way to go kid Valdez smiled.

Valdez laughed, still watching through his binoculars, while moving to the boat. Aaron had Max drop the second duck. And then raced to the front of the boat as Max shook out the water from his dark coat. You're learning too Aaron Valdez smiled, putting down his binoculars.

By the time Valdez got to the boat, the three on board were drinking out of thermos cups and eating donuts. Max was sprawled out in the early morning sunshine with his life vest off. Valdez smiled at them, pulling his boat up next to the anchored duck boat. "Hey guys," Jorge smiled, grabbing the side of the duck boat. "Good to see you again." Max got to his feet and barked a greeting to the warden, wagging his tail. Valdez petted him.

"You too Jorge," Dave smiled.

"Nice shooting Jack," Valdez beamed. He looked at Jack. "My friend, I'm really proud of you. You followed every lesson you learned in hunter safety class and what your pop taught you out here on the lake."

"Thanks Warden Valdez," Jack said with a smile. His voice was an octave lower. "That means a lot."

Valdez shook his head at Aaron and Dave. "Did his balls drop?"

Aaron and Dave smiled. "He's taking his first driver's license test next Tuesday," Aaron said, shaking his head.

Jorge shook his head with a smile. "Why weren't you out here last year?" he asked.

Jack shook his head. "If I wasn't in quarantine from being around classmates whose parents didn't get there's a pandemic, dad and pop were out with the team."

"That sucks," Valdez said.

"Tell me about it," Jack growled back.

Valdez smiled at Jack. "I watched your hunt. You did it right. All of it. I'm proud of you."

Jack beamed. "Thanks Jorge. That means a lot."

Valdez looked around as another flock of ducks settled into the bay. He smiled at the three on the boat. "Get 'em."

"It's pop's turn," Jack smiled.

"Don't miss," Valdez smiled at Dave.

"Who do you think Jack learned his duck hunting abilities from?" Dave smiled, pointing at Valdez.

Valdez grinned. "Good luck." He looked at Aaron. "Since you not hunting and not wearing a camo jacket with a life vest built into it, where is yours?"

Aaron smiled, pulling a life vest up from the backseat of the boat where he was sitting. "Work for you Warden," he answered, with a smile. Aaron, not shooting, only needed to have a life vest near him. He was not required by law to be wearing it.

"Works for me," Jorge smiled back. "Good luck and stay safe," he added, pushing his boat away. Max barked a good-bye.

Three hours later, Dave and Jack had bagged their limit. Six ducks each. Aaron helped them pull up the duck camouflage from the side of the boat. Dave got the trolling motor running to pick up the decoys. Jack and Aaron pulled them on board.

Dave shut off the trolling motor and got the normal outboard engine going. As they pulled out of the bay, Corey rang the bell on the deck as Tina waved at them. Congrats! Tina texted to their three phones. Aaron, Jack and Dave waved at them as they headed around the point.

They got to the dock. Max bounded off, ran off the dock and took a long whiz. Jack smiled at his dad and pop. "He doesn't get peeing in the lake?" Aaron and Dave laughed. Dave handed the ducks out of the storage locker to Aaron. Jack got off the boat on the dock with him and Dave's gun cases. He laid them on the dock. Aaron looked at Jack. "What about you first duck?"

"Dad?" Jack questioned.

Dave smiled. "It is your first."

Jack thought for a few seconds and then shook his head. "Thanks pop, I appreciate that," he smiled. "But honestly? The only duck I want on the mantle is Mudgie's last."

Dave smiled. "We understand." He grinned. "But Champino, your first hunt needs to get recorded for posterity."

Jack shook his head. "Or maybe we just take some pictures to let the family know I didn't shoot either one of you in the back," he grinned.

"Wiseass," Dave said.

"Who'd he learn that from?" Aaron asked. Dave shook his head. Jack laughed at both of them. Aaron took the pictures on his cellphone.

The fish-cleaning aka heating shack for ice skating house had a third purpose. Dave showed Aaron how to clean out the shotgun pellets from the duck breasts. That was the only part that was edible. Jack watched as well. Dave and Aaron put the remains of the ducks into a metal bucket while putting the duck breasts into a Tupperware container.

Jack smiled at Max, grabbing the bucket. "This is our job," he smiled, heading out of the shack, grabbing a shovel. Jack and Max walked towards the woods. Dave and Aaron cleaned up the shack and started to walk up the hill to the cabin with the container of duck breasts. Aaron smiled at Dave, sending a text to Tina and Corey. Yes, we're sharing.

Jack dug the hole for the remains of the ducks as Max hunted around for a place to take his after hunting poop. Jack laughed at Max while he buried the duck remains. Enjoy everyone, Jack smiled. It was another circle of life moment Jack had learned from Dave.

Jack walked back to shack, rinsed out the bucket and tipped it up against the faucet of the sink in the shack to let it dry out. He grabbed his shotgun case and started to head up the hill to the cabin. Max bounded around the yard in front of Jack.

This has been a good day Jack thought to himself. Not knowing what lay ahead.

XXX

A/N: I've told you all more times than once. My curve ball is mean.