I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter Three:

A few days later, Miranda and Hotch were sitting in the oval office.

"I made only a few adjustments to your proposed budget. Recent research has shown that pot regulation and the current border inspection are sufficient. I don't think that much more of a greater presence of guards at the Canadian border in Buffalo is necessary, or at least that is what the republicans will think. Any questions or concerns?"

"No, Ma'am,' Hotch said.

"Do we need to discuss anything else aside from the elephant in the room?"

"No, Ma'am," Hotch said.

"So, tell me about the situation with regards to the mug shots."

"Your file was the only one on quality paper," Hotch said. "The rest were on stock paper. The glue used on the drawers was of the military-strength variety. We found out a janitor was paid fifty thousand dollars' cash to deposit the files in the drawers, and then glue them before the inauguration. He claims to have no knowledge of how the file ended up in your drawer. We're still interviewing staff and have rotated all agents associated with your protection out completely."

Miranda sat back. "So, nothing useful," she said.

"We're still pursuing leads Ma'am."

He paused and wouldn't look Miranda in the eye.

She leaned forward. "Something else on your mind, Hotch?"

"All if this this reminds me of how much I wish I had been there for him."

"Hotch, I am sure others have told you this: You did what you needed to do to protect your son. Reid had the team. A team you helped create. They helped him and managed to get him out of there."

"I wrote him a letter," he said. "I had a friend I trusted mail it. I made him promise to not share it with the team and to destroy it. He kept his promise."

"Hotch someone is playing mind games with us. We can't both fall into the same trap. As I was reminded occasionally, by my staff, I am not responsible for him. He is his own person and can take care of himself. He also has his own secret service and they won't let anything happen to him."

Hotch looked at her. "I can tell already, you're going to be a great leader. Thank you, Ma'am."

"Any time, Director."

Miranda stood up and Hotch did the same.

She offered him her hand.

"Catch him fast," she said.

"I intend to," Hotch said shaking it.

…

Press secretary Nicole Redmond fell into a seat behind her desk. She pulled out a bottle of antacids and shook a handful out. She tossed them all in her mouth.

Communications director Bruce Williams appeared.

"Another rough press conference?" he asked.

"The questions about that 'drill' are non-stop," she said after chewing them down. "They want to know why hazmat crews were in building as they never have before!"

"Do you think Thing One and Think Two know anything?"

She rolled her eyes. "I think they know everything! She trusts them more than anyone else here."

"I think she does have some trust issues," Williams said. "It probably goes back to her days in Congress when she was more isolated. It's going to take time for her to trust more of us to stand by her."

"Don't get me wrong Bruce," Redmond said. "I like her and respect her. I just wish she cared more about those who need her input if we're going to work together to help run the country."

"I agree," Williams said. "Hey do you think all these issues with the 'drill' had anything to do with the fact that our bottom right drawers now open?"

"I have no idea," she said.

…

"This game is boring," Rachel declared on Friday night.

"It is a game of strategy," Alex said. "Unlike chess, you have to think more than a few moves ahead. You also have to think of different way to achieve a variety of goals."

Miranda was reading notes on the British Prime minister's most recent policy proposals. "I thought the goal was to invade the planet?"

Alex sighed. "That is only part of the game mom. "Winning involve taking chances and educated guesses as to how the opponent will act such as this." He rolled his dice and frowned in frustration. "Crap."

Reid took over one his countries.

"Remember Alex," Reid said. "It now about winning but— '

"Enjoying how to play the game itself," he said with a sigh. "How often are you going to remind me of that?"

"Until you move away from home," Reid said with a smile and then rolled the dice.

Miranda looked on at the scene and smiled. This was her family and not that much had changed in some ways since they moved. She wouldn't trade it all for the world.