OMG! No excuse for taking so long to update…SO SORRY! Happy New Year Dear Readers! As always, don't own and no profits made.
Chapter 35
After dinner, the Hotchner men said an enthusiastic goodbye to Jessica, and repaired to the bathroom to get "un-sticky". After bathing Jack in the tub and giving Spencer a good "sponge bath", Hotch put the boys into pajamas and the trio settled on the couch to watch a movie. Halfway through, though, both boys had dropped off to sleep, so the tired father tucked Jack into his bed and laid Spencer in his own and soon joined him. "Gotta get Spencer his own bed," Hotch mused to himself as he dropped off. "Maybe bunkbeds…"
The morning light shining in his face woke Jack, and he went immediately to check on his dad and brother. He found them still sleeping, but let them be. He had heard Spencer crying 3 different times during the night after having been awoken from nightmares. They needed more sleep, Jack thought, and he decided he would make breakfast.
Thankfully, the freezer compartment of the fridge was on the bottom, so the intrepid boy could access the frozen waffles. After filling the toaster and starting the cycle, he returned to the fridge for the margarine and jam, then again for the milk and orange juice. The automatic coffee maker switched on at this opportune time, and by the time Jack had 3 plates of waffles made the coffee was done and the smell woke Hotch and Spence. They came yawning to the table and were delighted to find the delicious looking food ready for them.
"Thanks Buddy! That was very nice of you to make breakfast!" praised Hotch, ruffling his son's hair as he took his place at the table after settling Spencer into a chair and getting the syrup and glasses out of cabinets that Jack couldn't reach.
"Yes, thank-you Jack, these are quite delectable" piped up Spencer with a sticky grin, before digging back in to what he decided was his favorite breakfast food. Hotch smiled into his hand at his new son's formal word usage, and fervently hoped that exposure to Jack would lead to more casual and age appropriate speech patterns. Still, it WAS cute!
A knocking on the door startled Hotch from his reverie, and he went to answer it after reassuring a panicked looking Spencer that he was safe, it was probably just someone from work bringing papers to be signed. To his utter shock and surprise it was Strauss standing there, a folder of papers in her hands and an awkward smile on her face. "Good Morning Ma'am. Please come in." Hotch said politely as he moved to the side and gestured her in.
"Good Morning Aaron, thank-you" returned Strauss, her smile becoming more genuine. "Forgive my unannounced visit, but you do need to sign the FMLA paperwork and I would very much like to meet Spencer."
"Of course Erin, the boys are having breakfast-follow me. Can I get you a cup of coffee?" offered Hotch as he led the way.
"Yes, please. That would be lovely" she responded, following along behind toward the dining room.
"Jack, can you say hello to director Strauss?" Hotch smiled at his son as his boss joined him.
"HI!" the child exclaimed with an enthusiastic wave. "Do you want some waffles? I'll make you some."
"Thank-you Jack, but I've already eaten this morning. Did you make breakfast today?" Strauss responded with a kind smile to the boy. "How clever of you." She accepted the mug of coffee Hotch handed her with a smile and "Thanks.", then turned to face the other boy. "And you must be Spencer! I am very pleased to meet you. Are you settling in ok?"
"Yes ma'am" Spencer responded. "Daddy Aaron is very good to me, and it is wonderful to have a brother. Jack is teaching me how to play with trucks and leggos, and how to swing and make sand castles. I never did any of that before. It is quite enjoyable."
"I'm glad to hear that you are learning to have fun sweetheart," Erin responded, after first looking to Hotch with a raised eyebrow to which he mouthed 'I'm having him tested".
"Please have a seat while I sign these" invited Hotch as he gestured to a chair. "Thank-you for bringing them over. I'll just need about a month to get the adoption procedures done and get Spencer into school and get everything settled. And for Spence to get his cast off and walk normally again. You have three children…let me ask you-do you think we should do bunkbeds for the boys or have 2 separate rooms? What did you do with your girls?"
Delighted to have been asked, Strauss responded with a bright smile "I had them in the same room until my oldest reached puberty, then they each got their own room. I think that would be good to try with your boys, especially since Spencer needs as much contact with Jack as possible to, shall we say-acclimate. Boys love bunkbeds in my experience. My son wanted bunkbeds even though he had his own room."
"Let's ask the boy's….Jack, Spencer, would you like to live in the same room or each have your own room? If you live in the same room would you like separate beds or bunkbeds?" inquired Hotch with an encouraging smile.
"Spencer can live in my room, an' then we can have bunk beds! Yeah! I get the top one! C'mon Spencer-it'll be fun and you won't hafta be alone. You said you hated bein' alone at the old place with the bad man." Enthused Jack.
"Well I guess we have Jack's vote" laughed Hotch. "Spencer, what do you think?"
"I don't want to sleep alone, and Jack makes most excellent points. Due to my broken leg I would most definitely need to have the bottom portion of a bunk bed, so that aligns quite nicely with Jack's preferences. Jack is teaching me how to be a normal 'kid', so the more time I spend with him the better. Yes, I vote for same room with bunkbeds also." Spencer replied.
"Well, that is that then" smiled Hotch. "Thank-you for the advice Erin. I guess today we are going furniture shopping. Here are the papers. Thanks again. I'm planning on having a cookout to introduce Spencer to the rest of the BAU and the other teams. I hope you can come. I was thinking the day after tomorrow, at 6:00."
"I would be honored" Strauss replied. "What can I bring?"
"Whatever your favorite side-dish is. Surprise us." Hotch suggested with a grin. "Garcia always brings cupcakes, and we can count on Rossi for pasta salad."
"Ok," smiled the delighted section director. "How about corn on the cob with garlic butter?"
"Perfect!" grinned Hotch. "Wrap them in foil and we'll pop them on the grill."
"Sounds like an excellent plan. See you then. Meanwhile, if I can do anything to help you, please let me know. Or for any advice. You know, I am not the dragon lady that I can come off as some times. I value my family and am glad to do what I can to help yours." Strauss said with a rueful smile.
"Yes, I'm seeing a whole new side to you Erin," responded Hotch. "Don't worry-I won't tell."
"Thank-you," she smiled. "I have a reputation to protect!"