Chapter 4
Abbey and Stella, after returning from the food market, did some quick preparations for the rest of Dave's meal request. Casee joined them, enjoying some "girl" time with her mom and aunt. While she had quickly learned how to handle the testosterone level in the house, including standing her ground in "her" kitchen area in the playroom downstairs, doing it for real was much more fun. And both the women involved her; Casee loved being a part of it.
As they finished, the movie was ending and the boys wanted to get back in the pool. They all went out onto the deck to see the guys enjoying a beer and talking sports. Mac and Matt, as usual, were at each other over their divided loyalties to the NFC North Division. Mac, the Chicago kid, proudly defended his Bears, while Matt equally defended his Green Bay Packers, having spent that much time in Wisconsin. It was a sore spot between the brothers that involved a great deal of money on bets being exchanged over the years.
Dave looked at the two brothers and the group coming out into the pool area. "Enter at your own risk."
Abbey rolled her eyes. "They are not at it again."
Dave smiled. "Yup."
Reed looked at Abbey. "So this is usual?"
Aaron looked at Reed. "Fortunately; it just didn't get to its usual really nasty." Reed laughed as Hotch and Rossi just shook their heads. Matt growled a smile at Mac.
Dave looked at Hotch. "So where's Beth?" he not so innocently asked.
"She has a big exhibit coming up. But tonight should be her last long night," he simply answered, now used to Rossi's shit.
Matt and Hotch joined Abbey and Stella to get sunscreen reapplied to the kids and let them loose. The pool erupted again with the sounds of splashing and laughter. Reed, grabbing his beer, quietly slipped in the patio door.
Dave, coming out of the garage with the next round, nodded at Mac and Matt, as Hotch moved to watch over the kids. "He's probably working on his notebook. Uncle Matt," Mac smiled at his brother, "shut him down on an interview, but also gave him a challenge."
Rossi crooked an eyebrow at Matt. "He's a fantastic writer. I just told him to observe." Looking at Mac and then Dave, he added, "He'll still get a helluva story out of this week."
Dave just smiled at the two of them, and looked at Matt. "Knew I raised you right."
Matt, taking the beer from Rossi laughed. "Woof, woof big dog." Mac just smiled and shook his head at the exchange.
The meal was simply wonderful. Matt, with Hotch's help, cooked the pork chops to perfection. Reed polished off the last of the carrots. He smiled sheepishly at the rest. "It's been a while since I've had a home cooked meal. And Abbey, whatever candied carrots are, you can make them again this week. They are the bomb."
Abbey just smiled at him. "I cook baby carrots until they are tender, drain them, add butter and when that's melted, add brown sugar. They're pretty easy."
Stella looked at him. "You could handle that. Even in that so called kitchen of yours in your apartment."
Dave looked at Reed, as Casee climbed up into Dave's lap with a towel wrapped around her. "Still the first apartment?"
"Yup, it is. I like the location and the rent is affordable."
Rossi gave Reed the cocked eyebrow. "Ahhhhh; the location is close to the subway, and the rent is pretty cheap but the building is a dump with no upkeep."
Reed looked Rossi. "Did you just profile that?"
"Nope, kid," Dave smiled. "I grew up on Long Island. Been there, done that," he smiled.
-00CM00-
An early morning thunderstorm line, which had woke Matt to turn on the TV in he and Abbey's bedroom to make sure nothing was severe, heralded a perfect day in DC area. The humidity was gone.
As the combined Taylor families enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and sausages, Matt looked at Mac, as the two of them flipped pancakes. "Should we take Reed down to the Mall today and hit some of the sites?"
Mac looked at his younger brother. "Do you mind?"
"Hell no," Matt whispered. "Just remember we will have young kids along. They need a break every now and then."
"Got it." They all worked together to get everything ready for the day.
Abbey, Stella and the kids piled into the family crossover van as Matt, Mac and Reed followed along in Matt's truck. As they drove, Matt gave Mac a ration of shit about wearing a pair of cargo shorts. "You better get those white legs buttered up with the kids," he laughed at his brother.
They pulled into the parking area of the DC Metro stop nearest to the house. Matt got out and pulled the kids wagon out of the back of the truck, and he and Mac loaded up the wagon with the cooler that held the drinks and lunch that Abbey and Stella had made out of the van. The all took the time to get sunscreen on.
They walked into the station. Abbey used it every day she worked to get to her job. Matt and Abbey put $20 dollar bills into the kiosks to cover all of their rides into the city. Mac scowled at both of them. "You know, Stella and I could have helped on that," as Matt and Abbey passed out the Metro cards they all would need.
Matt smiled. "You'll get your chance. With the kids, we can't cover the entire Mall in one day. If you don't mind, we'll do the west end today." Matt looked around. "Please just make sure that someone is holding one of the kid's hands."
Reed looked at Matt. "I've got Casee," he said. Matt looked to see her firmly holding Reed's hand, smiling.
"And we've got the boys," Abbey smiled at Stella. "You two take care of the wagon," she added, looking at the Taylor brothers.
They walked to the area where they scanned their cards to get on the Metro and passed through to head for the platform. Two Metro Security officers approached the group. Smiling, the younger one said, "I'm sorry folks, but we have to inspect that cooler before we can let you on the train."
Matt smiled. "Thank you. We appreciate you doing your job," he said as he showed the officers his FBI credentials. Abbey added her Federal District Attorney credentials, and Mac and Stella produced their NYPD shields. Reed just smiled.
Both officers joined Reed. "Enjoy your day," the older one smiled as he nodded at them to proceed.
The Huntington Station in Fairfax County in Virginia was on the ground level, so the kids could see the train coming in the daylight. It was their first time taking the Metro and the three of them could hardly contain their excitement. Since the station was the current end stop for the Yellow Line, once it pulled in, it would head back to the heart of the city.
Cam looked off in the distance. "Here it comes Col!" Colin, holding his mother's hand looked to see where his big brother was pointing. Casee, with Reed's hand holding hers, looked up at him and shared a smiled.
Mac looked in the distance as well. He waved a finger at the family that was the only ones on the platform, and gave the engineer the signal to sound the horn. As the train approached, Mac and Stella could see the engineer smiling as he tooted the horn. They both smiled at the kids that beamed and waved at the engineer that waved back. Matt rubbed Abbey's shoulder and smiled at her.
They let the passengers get off and then got on. As the trained pulled out, the engineer joined them in what was now the last car. He smiled and talked with the kids, kneeling down to get to Colin's level. He explained that the engineer in now the front car was driving the train. "Here's the fun part son," he smiled at Colin, as the train dipped into the underground system.
He looked at Abbey. "Where you getting off today since you're not working?"
"L'Enfant to switch to the Blue Line Jamaal. We're going to spend some time on the Mall," she smiled and made the introductions. "How's your family?"
"They're great Abbey; thank you for asking. And it's wonderful to finally meet yours. But at the Eisenhower stop, you might want to move up a few cars. It'll make your switch at L'Enfant easier."
As the Metro pulled into the station, Matt shook his hand and Jamaal told them to enjoy their day. They followed his advice. As the train moved up the line, more people added at each stop. As they approached the L'Enfant Station, Abbey, Stella and Reed, veteran subway riders, moved towards the door. Matt, covering the end, looked around to make sure the entire group was intact. "Kids, you hang on to the hand you are holding."
"I got mama's dad," Colin said. Mac, standing with him at the back of the group, smiled at his brother. Matt shook his head. "Was I really like that as a younger brother?"
"Yup; you had to get your share of the attention."
"Only because you hogged most of it," Matt teased. They both shared a laugh as the family left the Yellow Line train and crossed the platform to get to the Blue Line train that would take them to their stop.
Cam tugged Stella's hand; "Hurry or we'll miss the train."
"Cam," Stella said, rubbing his chin. "It's going the wrong way. That train is going towards home. We want to go into the city."
Cam looked Stella in the eye. "You're really smart Aunt Stella, aren't you?" Stella just smiled and pulled him into a hug.
Reed looked at Casee. "Yes she is Case. And she saved my life." Casee smiled at the both of them. Mac, noticing the exchange, smiled more. Matt, knowing what happened with the "Cabbie Killer" case, Dave's consultant and his final analysis for the FBI files, simply rubbed Mac's shoulder.
Abbey noticed the lights blinking in the platform, signaling a train approaching. She smiled at her oldest son. "This is our train Cam." She swung Colin's hand a bit as it approached. The Blue Line Train to take them to the Smithsonian stop pulled in and they all got on.
When they got to the stop and got off the Metro, Mac smiled at his sister-in-law's wisdom. The quickest way to get to the Mall was an escalator. That's why Matt and I were assigned wagon patrol. Matt looking at his brother and reading his thoughts, just smiled. He looked at the rest. "You head up. Uncle Mac and I will be right behind you."
Matt handed the handle of the front of the wagon to Mac. "You take that. I'll hold up the back end to keep it level."
Mac eyed him. "I'm not built like you but I can hold up my own end."
Matt couldn't resist. "But does Stella say that bro?" he whispered.
"That's none of your damn business," Mac whispered back. None of the rest could hear the conversation, but it was obvious that Matt was once again trying to get under Mac's skin.
As Abbey and Stella got on the escalator with the boys, they rolled their eyes at each other. "Will they ever grow up?" Abbey asked. Reed was behind them with Casee, quietly laughing at the question.
"I doubt it," Stella smiled. "They're brothers."
Reed rubbed Abbey's back and nodded at the two boys she and Stella were taking care of. "That's them in 25 years."
Abbey looked at Stella. "I don't even want to think about that." Stella laughed and pulled her into a hug. The Taylor brothers and Reed just smiled.
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A/N: Having had many business trips into Washington, DC (with some down time in those trips), I know the "tourist" spots and the DC Metro system like the back of my hand. And to any, whether in the States, or international, I highly recommend the DC Metro system to get around if you decide to go there. Now, if I could only convince my nearly 80 YO dad to do the same, I would be happy camper.
A/N2: The Green Bay Packers, my favorite NFL (American football) pro team, and the Chicago Bears have the longest and nastiest rivalry in American football. The teams are less than 300 miles apart and play each other twice a year, once in Chicago and the other in Green Bay. Beyond that, I can't begin to describe to all of you just how bad that rivalry among the two teams' fans is, except to say this: it can get ugly; in a hurry.