A/N: Hello again everyone! And to all my readers Stateside – Happy Thanksgiving. I know it's a bummer right now. I hope all of you and your families are healthy and doing well, even if you're missing each other. Please wear a mask and social distance when out and about. My only political statement.
Back to the story. Welcome to my "oh sh*t, what the heck am I going to write this year" world. I hope you enjoy the outcome.
All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios.
My usual shoutout to the OK Teach for proofreading.
*Jedi Master bow*
Chapter 1
Cait Hotchner walked to her SUV on the Monday of Thanksgiving week after finishing some paperwork at Georgetown. Her cell pinged with a text. She looked at the caller ID. It was from Jake. We're early. Just landed. Pick us up curbside in baggage claim level. Steph and me will make that work with the parental units.
Cait smiled, getting into her vehicle. Good luck with that! she texted back. Be there in 20 minutes. Give or take. Cait plugged her cell into the audio system of her SUV. She started the SUV and backed out of her parking spot. Her cell pinged again. She looked at the display screen and smiled at the thumbs up emoji Jake sent back, putting her SUV in drive.
A half hour later, Cait pulled up to the curb where Jake was waiting with the two suitcases. She put the SUV in park and Jake opened the back hatch. Cait turned in her seat to look at him. "Jake, I'm sorry. Traffic getting out of the city was horrible today."
"No worries Cait," Jake smiled, putting the two bags into the back as Steph, Maggie and Jarrod came out of the terminal and got into the SUV. Jake got in the passenger seat next to Cait.
"Hi everyone," Cait smiled, pulling away from the curb. "We've all missed you. And are very happy you're here. How was last night at the Hyatt Regency by the airport in 'Frisco?"
They enjoyed small talk, catching up with each other as Cait made her way south on I-95. But Cait noticed Maggie looking at her closely in the rearview mirror. A bit later, Cait took the exit off the freeway into Woodbridge. Getting close to the home on Deer Valley Road, she smiled at the school bus dropping the boys off at the bottom of the driveway. Cait waved at Jonas the bus driver as he pulled away and Cait turned into the driveway.
"I say make them walk up the hill," Jake smiled at Cait as Tate pulled out the mail in the mailbox.
"You're an ass sometimes too," Cait growled back, putting her SUV in park.
Jake opened his door. "Put your school bags in the back you two dummies," he smiled at the boys. "Tater, get in here with me. Jack, get in with Steph." The boys climbed in, welcoming the west coast family. Cait hit the button to open the garage door.
Cait parked in the garage. The boys tumbled out first with the Barkleys joining them. "Now we get hugs," Jack smiled at Maggie and Jarrod.
After the Barkleys hugged the boys, Maggie got to Cait. "Mom, don't start," Cait said, pointing to her forehead. "It looks like a scratch now. In two weeks, it will be gone. I know how to apply butterfly sutures."
Maggie smiled at her oldest child. "I'm your mother. I will always worry."
Cait pulled Maggie into a hug. "I get that mom."
"Don't scare us like that again," Maggie said, hugging Cait.
"Talk to a big buck about that grandma," Tate snarked. Jarrod smiled at him, rubbing his shoulder.
Cait looked at Maggie and smiled. "You miss that mom; I know you do."
"Not really," Maggie said, shaking her head with a smile.
Jarrod hugged Cait as Jack unlocked the door. "Good job sweetheart," he whispered with a smile, kissing Cait's cheek.
"I heard that," Maggie growled, going in the door. Jarrod rolled his eyes at Cait. She hugged him again. The family all laughed, getting into the home, enjoying Bella's warm greetings.
An hour later, Aaron walked into the kitchen. Cait looked at the clock and smiled at him. "Shut the front door."
"That I'm only one beer behind?" he smiled, putting his beer bottle down on the kitchen island.
Cait smiled, pulling him into a hug. "No, you're home early," she said kissing him.
"Slow day at the office," he smiled at her.
"Or maybe the team cranked out paperwork like a machine today to get the rest of the week off," Cait smiled.
"Which I have full buy-in on," Aaron smiled, kissing her again. He hugged Jake and Steph that were in the kitchen with Cait.
Cait looked at him. "Mother honey badger warning," she whispered. Aaron smiled at her and greeted the boys sitting at the nook counter doing their homework.
Aaron smiled at Jarrod, sitting next to the boys. "Don't get up," he said, shaking Jarrod's hand. "It's good to see you again dad," he said, rubbing Jarrod's shoulder.
"Likewise son," Jarrod smiled, rubbing Aaron's back. Maggie came out of the den. "How's the wing Aaron?" Jarrod asked with the wink.
"Full range of motion," Aaron smiled, moving his left arm all around. "I even helped Derek take down an unsub in Houston on Saturday."
Maggie shook her head walking towards the kitchen. "Et tu Brute?" The boys and Jake snickered.
Aaron smiled at her, pulling her into a hug, kissing her cheek. "I might have gotten the memo."
"Mom, let him go," Jake said. "He needs to change out of his Superman suit or he will be a beer behind."
Aaron kissed Maggie's cheek again and looked at her. "David Rossi trained me. That doesn't happen," he smiled.
"Go," Maggie smiled, rubbing his back.
Twenty minutes later, Max blew into the kitchen, followed by Dave, opening a beer. "Hey Silver Fox," Jake smiled at him.
Dave shook his head. "The Grecian Formula routine was getting old. And so am I."
Steph hugged him. "I love the look," she smiled at him. "It makes you more distinguished looking given your title at the BAU."
Dave kissed her cheek. "You're good sweetheart. You fit right into this clan and their bullshit." Jack and Tate laughed.
Jake smiled. "You're one behind Big Dog."
Dave shook his head. "I'm getting old in that department too. I'm here for the dinner, not the drinks." He looked at Cait. "And that beef smells fantastic," he smiled at her, hugging her.
Cait smiled, kissing his cheek. "I'm a working lady. God loves a slow cooker and beef and cheddar sandwiches. I cut up some fruit before I went to the office. The oven is heating up for waffle fries. Steph has already mixed up the seasoned sour cream for them."
"Amen," Dave smiled, kissing her cheek, moving to greet the Barkley family.
When Dave left shortly after dinner was finished, the Barkley clan looked at Cait and Aaron. "Is he OK?" Jarrod asked.
Cait smiled. "He's tired. And won't be around tomorrow. He needs me time," she winked. The Barkleys all looked at the couple more intently.
"The case was a tough one with short nights of sleep," Aaron added. "He's fine. It's not the casework. He will be the team's senior profiler until he says he's done. It's just the long hours that are getting harder on him. Plus the flying. We didn't get back until late last night."
Jake looked at his brother-in-law. "And the rest of us should just shut up and don't ask you anymore questions because you've got him and your team and you can't discuss personnel issues."
Aaron smiled at Jake, putting his arm around Cait. "I've got back-up. But yes, exactly that." He smiled at the group in the kitchen. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do the same thing as Dave." They all looked at him. "Get my ass into my own bed."
Jake looked at Cait. "No promise tonight?" he smiled.
"Big promise tonight Jake," Cait said. Aaron said good night to Maggie and Jarrod.
"I sleep on my side on my side of the bed," Aaron smiled, winking at his in-laws, rubbing Jake's shoulder as he walked past Jake to him and Cait's bedroom.
"Good night Aaron," Steph added.
"Good night Steph," Aaron yawned. Cait went to the steps and whistled the boys downstairs to say good night to their dad. Twenty minutes later, Aaron was conked out.
Cait looked out her kitchen window and smiled at her family. "Dave's lights are out." She looked at Maggie, shaking her finger. "That's done and over with. We got through it. Don't start on me again."
Jake looked at his father. "Twenty on Cait."
"No bet," Jarrod smiled.
"Shuddup both of you," Maggie growled.
Steph put her arm around Cait. "You rock Sis," she smiled.
-00CM00-
The next morning, shortly after eleven, Aaron smiled at the four Hotchners who came through the security doors in the Huntington Metro stop. Wyatt and Ethan, with their backpacks on their shoulders, raced to him. Aaron crouched down and pulled the boys into a hug. "Hi guys! We've all missed you." Like always, the family took the Amtrak Acela to D.C. and used the Metro from Union Station to get to the stop nearest to Woodbridge.
"We're so glad we're here Uncle Aaron," Ethan enthused.
"We've missed you too Uncle Aaron," Wyatt smiled. Aaron hugged the boys again and then stood up.
"Hi Leslie," Aaron smiled, kissing his sister-in-law's cheek, pulling her into a hug. "Welcome again."
"Thanks Aaron," Leslie said, hugging him back. "We've been looking forward to this."
Aaron smiled at Sean. "How do you two do it battling New York early morning rush hour traffic to get here at this time?" he said, pulling his brother into a hug.
Sean hugged him back. "A cross-town bus with only three stops. Then the subway with two short, but veteran subway riders with four stops to Penn Station. The rest is simple," Sean smiled at him.
"We conk out for the rest of the trip after getting up at oh-dark-thirty," Wyatt snarked.
Sean pointed at his oldest son and looked at Aaron. "See, it's simple," he smiled.
Aaron smiled, taking Leslie's piece of luggage, rolling it towards the exit with the family following them. They got to the parking lot. Sean smiled as Aaron unlocked his SUV. "Silver? Not FBI black?" Sean kidded his brother, putting the family's first large bag into the back. Aaron added the other, putting in the boys' backpacks they handed to him as well.
"First off Sean," Aaron said, shutting the back hatch, moving to the driver's door, "when you're trying to buy a low mileage used SUV off the lot, given the insurance replacement check you've got in your hand, there's not a big selection. And I refuse to buy new. The car value depreciation is horrible the second you drive that new vehicle off the lot." The brothers got in the front seats, buckling their seatbelts. Leslie and the boys were already buckled up in the backseat.
"Aaron," Sean smiled. "Relax. I'm giving you a bunch of crap. Living in New York, I've never owned a vehicle." He looked at his brother. "Just tell me your high school buddy who owns the dealership in Woodbridge worked you a deal."
Aaron backed out the SUV from the parking space and looked at Sean. "You're riding in it," he smiled.
"It was that easy?" Sean asked.
Aaron pulled onto the street past the station. "I had this before I was back to work," he smiled. "It took Mark two days to find me a new ride."
"How was it car shopping with two teenage sons?" Sean smiled.
Aaron smiled at him. "They were in school. This is not my first county fair."
Sean laughed and looked at Aaron. "How much did the boys' inheritance get hit?"
"They won't notice," Aaron smiled back at his brother.
"Thank you for tipping me and Leslie off to Dave's financial planner," Sean sincerely smiled back. "Damn, he's good."
"Why we have him Sean," Aaron smiled, pulling onto the freeway. Aaron looked at Sean again. "Sorry Sean. I can't resist. Welcome to you finally becoming a responsible adult."
Sean laughed. "I had that payback coming."
"Yes you did," Aaron smiled.
-00CM00-
Like always, the assembled Tuesday afternoon crew made short work of Cait's Thanksgiving prep list. Steph put the casserole she made for dinner in the oven as Cait washed prep dishes and Maggie dried them. Jake was upstairs, helping Jack and Tate with a term paper outline they each needed to write by the end of the semester.
Aaron, Jarrod and Sean were sitting at the nook counter, drinking a beer. The ladies were standing around in the kitchen. Wyatt walked up to Cait. "Aunt Cait," he said, looking at her, "I know you've got a lot to do tomorrow…"
Cait smiled, reading him. "Actually Wyatt, I'm good with my prep for Thanksgiving." She looked at him. "What do you want?" He shied away from answering her.
Ethan crawled into Aaron's lap. "Time with you two," he smiled.
Cait smiled at Wyatt. "Spit it out."
"We saw a video on YouTube," Wyatt answered.
"Rut roh. Another YouTube thing. The last one wasn't cheap. Uncle Aaron and I need more details than that," Cait smiled.
"There's something close to here that has the changing of the guard at some tomb?" Wyatt looked at her.
Aaron pulled Ethan closer to him, rubbing his chest. "That is close boys. And very special. Aunt Cait and me would be proud to take you there tomorrow."
"Really Uncle Aaron?" Ethan asked, looking at him.
"Really," Aaron smiled back.
Leslie looked at Sean. He shook his head. He looked at his older brother, expecting the usual zinger. Aaron shook his head at Sean. "I meant what I said. Cait and I would be honored to take the boys to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns."
Maggie smiled at Cait. "Enjoy. The turkey day prep list tomorrow is mainly Sean peeling spuds."
Sean looked at her. "I thought that was your job kissing the last potato?" he smiled.
Maggie smiled back. "Not anymore. I'm doing BBQ sandwiches for our dinner tomorrow night."
Cait smiled at Wyatt, pulling him into a hug. "I think we have a hot date."
-00CM00-
After dinner and everyone settling in for the night, Aaron and Cait were alone in the kitchen. "Doc," Aaron smiled, pouring himself and Cait a small scotch, "you OK with the boys' request tomorrow?"
"I'm fine Aaron," Cait smiled. "Dinner prep is essentially done. It's just little stuff that mom and Leslie can pick at." She looked at him. "Actually, what I love more is the boys want to spend some time with us."
Aaron smiled. "That is pretty special," he said, taking a sip. Cait started typing out a text on her cell, taking a sip as well. "Doc?"
"I'm texting JJ to see if she can hit up some of her old State Department contacts." Cait looked at Aaron. "Maybe make that time for the boys with us a bit more special," she winked.
-00CM00-
It was a very quiet house as Cait snatched Eggo waffles out of the four-slot toaster for the boys sitting at the counter. Aaron took the plates with two each on them and set the plates in front of Jack and Tate. "Don't fart around," Aaron said. "The yellow limo will be here soon."
The boys dove into buttering and putting syrup on their Eggos. "Gotta love a hot breakfast," Jack smiled.
"That isn't oatmeal," Tate snarked back.
"What's wrong with oatmeal?" Aaron smiled at them.
Jack stuck in another bite and looked at Cait. "You two going to do it right by the little guys?"
Cait shook her head. "Do you expect anything less of dad and me?" she smiled with a wink.
"Dumb question," Tate said, shaking his head at his brother.
"Don't start you two," Aaron softly growled at them, tapping his watch. "Yellow limo is the priority."
Ten minutes later, the boys were pulling on their winter coats. Cait put their plates in the sink and Aaron opened the garage door. They hugged the boys as they grabbed the backpacks. "Mom," Jack shouted, running out the garage, "film at eleven."
Cait laughed. "You got it buddy. Have a good day you two."
"Bye guys," Aaron smiled. The boys waved back to them while running down the driveway to meet the bus.
Aaron and Cait walked back into the kitchen to Sean rinsing the older boys' plates off and sticking them in the dishwasher. Leslie dropped four more Eggos into the toaster for her sons. Sean looked at them. "Shower time?" he smiled. They both nodded. "Hey!" Sean said. Cait and Aaron turned to look at him. "What's the temp outside?"
"So we know how to dress the boys," Leslie said, putting Eggos on plates.
"It's thirty-five right now," Cait said. "Please dress them a bit warm."
Aaron looked at Sean and Leslie. "And the silver bus leaves at nine."
"Why so early?" Sean asked.
"I have how many coming for dinner tomorrow?" Cait smiled at Sean, moving to her and Aaron's bedroom.
"That was a dumb question dad," Wyatt snarked. Aaron stopped and turned, looking directly at his brother. Cait and Leslie smiled at each other. Sean shook his head waving his hands in the air as the group laughed.
Jarrod walked out of the den with his shower stuff. "Did I miss something?" he smiled, walking into the kitchen, putting his shower stuff on the kitchen island.
"Yeah Grandpa. Dad being a total lame brain," Wyatt snarked.
"Thank you Wyatt," Aaron smiled, heading into he and Cait's bedroom.
"Get your ass in the shower Aaron," Sean growled with a point. The group laughed more as Jarrod poured himself a cup of coffee.
XXX