Chapter 11

Matt and Mac were up, finishing their breakfast when Abbey and the kids came in. Stella was about thirty seconds behind them. Reed rolled in about five minutes later as the guys put their coffee cups and plates from the scrambled eggs, bacon and toast the brothers had made together. "What's up," Reed asked.

"Mac and I are golfing with Hotch and Dave."

"I'm already sleeping on the pullout in your den," Reed teased.

"Not that kind of day, Reed; one beer and home." Mac looked at him. "OK, maybe two," Matt smiled. Abbey eyed him. "Promise babe." She smiled. "So what's the plan around here?"

Abbey shrugged. "I think we'll just play it by ear."

"I'd be happy to just relax and lay around," Stella said. "Enjoy the pool and the day with the kids." Three young faces lit up at that prospect.

Reed looked at Matt and Abbey. "Mind if I go back to the Mall and snoop around the east end. There are a couple buildings of the Smithsonian I'd like to check out and I'd really like to see the Declaration of Independence at the National Achieves."

"You can take my vehicle to get to the Metro," Abbey said.

Matt looked at Mac. "I think they can get along without us."

"Boom," Mac replied, as he pointed. They gave their ladies a kiss, said good-bye to the kids and Reed and headed for the door.

"Fore!" Matt said as they got near it.

Mac stopped. "What the…?"

Matt smiled broadly. "Just practicing for when you're in the tee box."

"You're starting already?"

"Starting bro?" Matt said, pulling the door open. "I'm just getting warmed up," he added, as he waved Mac out the door. Abbey and Stella standing in the kitchen smiled at each other and just shook their heads. They made the same breakfast as the guys for the rest of the group.

A half hour later, Matt pulled his truck into the parking lot of the Deer Valley Run Country Club. Mac looked around. "You feebs make too much money."

"Actually Mac, it's a public course, just a little more upscale. And Dave is the one with the membership. I work to put three kids in college and pay bills." They got out and moved to the back of the truck. As they were pulling out their golf bags, Hotch pulled in. He grabbed his clubs out of the back of his vehicle and joined the Taylor brothers. The three of them leaned against the tailgate of the truck while they put on their golf shoes.

Mac looked at the two of them. "Is Dave here?"

"Probably," Hotch said. "They have a restaurant. I'm sure Dave had breakfast here." They grabbed their golf bags and headed to the clubhouse. As they walked in, Dave was waiting for them.

He pointed out the door, towards the course. "Those are our carts. Let's go."

"Dave," Hotch said, "we have to pay."

Dave stared at him. "It's taken care of Aaron. Just get out there and shut your mouths." Matt looked Mac and just shook his head. Dave's golf bag was already in one of the carts, strapped into the backside on the right.

Hotch looked at him. "You, as usual, are driving." Hotch smiled and strapped his bag holding his clubs to the other side.

Mac started to put his golf clubs on the left side of the cart he and Matt would be sharing. Matt walked up to him. "Not a chance bro."

"I'm driving."

"No you're not. You drive a golf cart like an old woman. Golf carts are like rental cars. They are meant to be abused. Get your ass on the right side."

Hotch and Dave just laughed. Dave winked at Hotch. "I think we're going to have some fun." Aaron smiled. "Who's got Jack?"

"He and Beth are hanging out together," he smiled.

"Nice," Dave smiled back.

Hotch looked at him. "Don't start; please, just don't start."

Rossi just laughed. "You Taylor boys mounted up?"

"Yes mom," Matt snarked, climbing in to drive. Hotch did the same and they took off for the first tee. As they pulled up, they became quiet, respecting the foursome in front of them that were teeing off. Matt and Hotch pulled the golf carts to a stop, side by side.

Mac looked at Matt and the other two. "Now that I've got the three of you together," he whispered, "I've been meaning to ask you. That was one helluva of a case the team brought home at Ramstein. Care to share details?"

"Mac, it started with Jay. You remember him?" Mac nodded.

Hotch took up the story, still quietly talking. "Mac, if Matt hadn't got the heads up from Jay, the Air Force would still be reeling from dealing with the PR disaster."

Mac looked at Matt. "Jay knows where I work. He started sending me intel after the second murder. With that info, we were way ahead of the game, both dealing with the case and all of the politics. Jay put his ass on the line."

Dave leaned around Hotch. "Matt, have you heard about his promotion board?" he whispered.

Matt smiled broadly. "Got his one star and a base of his own."

Mac looked at his brother. "Mac, Jay was up on the promotion board with the Air Force. If they found out he was my source…"

"That would have screwed his promotion into the ground," Mac whispered, and then smiled. "What base did he get?"

The foursome in front of them climbed into their carts and moved down the fairway. Matt and Aaron pulled theirs up on the cart path next to the tee box. "Mac," Matt smiled broadly. "He got Lackland in Texas." He climbed out of the cart and started doing some stretching.

Hotch, climbing out of the cart, looked at Matt. "Care to translate for the non-military."

"Hotch, Lackland is the Air Force's recruit training center," Matt said, doing some twists to get his muscles loosened around his rib cage. "It's not a big air wing, but still a helluva a plum assignment for someone just getting his one star." Hotch and Dave, meeting at the end of the golf cart just smiled.

"But still," Mac probed. "How did you break the case?"

Hotch looked at him, pulling out his driver, which he pulled over his head, grabbed onto with both hands and joined Matt in loosening up. "Your little brother knowing about halo flights."

Mac just smiled. "Got it." He looked at Matt.

"Too much damn experience bro." Matt paused, pointing at Dave. "I mean him. I had a theory, at best. The big dog backed it." Mac smiled more.

Dave moved over to Mac and rubbed his shoulder. "Don't let him bullshit you. He's as strong a profiler as the rest of the team, and that case was like a fastball in his hitting zone. He blew it out of the park." Hotch just smiled and nodded his assent. Mac smiled his pride at Matt.

As the foursome moved up to the tee box, Matt and Dave shared a fist bump. Mac and Dave joined the other two in getting stretched out as the foursome in front of them stopped to take their second shot.

"So, how are we playing this today?" Dave asked in the typical Rossi style, looking for a bit of a money game.

Mac looked at him. "Dave, I've golfed exactly once this year. Let's just play and have some laughs." Dave smiled and just nodded his head. Matt and Aaron smiled at each other.

While Mac's game showed the rust he admitted to, he was able to hang with the big dogs. Dave's golf skills were just above Mac's. The BAU partners, Matt and Hotch, knew their way around a golf course; and had the skills to match.

As they pulled up to the fifth hole tee box, a tricky par 3, with trees all around, Dave pulled out a cigar and lit it. Hotch looked at him. "Pre-Cuban embargo and legal." Matt salivated. Dave pulled another out and handed it to him. "Just share," he smiled, looking at Mac. The brothers just looked at each other, while Hotch sadly shook his head.

"Aaron," Dave said. "It won't kill you."

"No," was Hotch's strong response.

"Good," Dave smiled. "I get this beauty all to myself." He gave his lighter to Matt, as Hotch, with honors, teed off. Using an eight iron, his golf ball landed on the green, pin high about thirty feet away. He pulled his tee out of the ground and smiled.

Dave was next and also landed his ball on the green, albeit on the other side and outside of Hotch's. Mac teed up, took his swing, and sent the golf ball into the air. "Chain saw!" Matt said, as he puffed the cigar. Mac's shot clanked around in the trees and he glared at Matt.

"Bro, you sawed a few branches off." He handed Mac the cigar, smiled at him and teed up his ball. Mac took a pull on the fine cigar. Matt, using a nine iron, placed a perfect shot pin high, less than ten feet from the hole.

Hotch glared at him. "Whatttttt?" Matt questioned.

"Asshole." Dave and Mac laughed at them both. Hotch parred the hole. Matt carded a birdie, much to Hotch's chagrin. The rest of the round was more of the same, with the boys of the BAU just relaxing and having some laughs.

The four of them sat around the country club bar, enjoying a beer and as well as glass of ice water. True to Matt's word to Abbey, it was his second, along with the rest. Hotch had bought a round at the 14th hole. The four of them sat around in sandals and tennis shoes, having taken the golf carts to their vehicles to unload their clubs and change shoes before returning the carts.

Dave looked Matt in the eye. "I know I'm pressing buttons, again, but can that beautiful wife of yours do dinner on the fly again?"

Mac jumped in. "Dave, if you don't mind; Reed has been really wanting chicken on the grill."

Dave smiled. "My suggestion exactly Mac."

Hotch smiled shyly. "Beth has been hearing rumors about that from Jack."

Matt smiled at his partner, as he rubbed his hand across his shoulder, looking at Mac. "I think we can get that done." He pulled his cell out of his pocket.

Abbey answered on the second ring. "Hey babe; how was your day?"

She smiled. "Totally relaxing; Stella and I have had a great day with the kids. What's up?"

"Chicken on the grill; Dave, Hotch, Beth and Jack."

"If you pick up the chicken on the way home, and the two bags of potatoes, sour cream, and shredded cheese for two pans of cheesy potatoes, I'm in. I'll call Beth and see if she can throw together a quick salad."

Matt smiled, knowing the potato recipe, looked around at the group. "Done deal babe; any word from Reed?"

"Nope, but he's a big boy, so we're not worried."

Mac pulled Matt's cell from his hand. "Abbey, I know him. He can get heads down. You have his cell number, yes?"

"Actually Mac, no but I'm sure Stella does."

"Have Stell send him a text to tell him what time dinner is." Abbey had the phone on speaker.

"Got it Mac," Stella smiled.

As they finished their beers and walked out to their vehicles, Hotch's cell phone pinged. He read the text message. He looked at Matt. "It's from Beth. I'm supposed to stop at the grocery store with you and pick up what's need for a 'dough boy salad'. Beth says Abbey told her you know the recipe."

Matt winked at Dave. "Hook, line and sinker."

"Oh yeah," Dave smiled broadly.

"Whatever," Hotch said rolling his eyes. Mac joined the laugh with Matt and Dave. He looked at Hotch.

"You're toast." Matt and Dave laughed harder.

-00CM00-

The wonderful evening of the "Three Musketeers" and the people that loved them was exactly that. It was a special evening that was enjoyed by everyone. The next morning, Matt and Abbey were up early, getting the kids ready for eight o'clock church. Mac, Stella and Reed walked into the kitchen, dressed for church as well. Mac looked at Matt. "We're a family. And I've given you that sermonette before." Matt smiled at his brother, knowing the hell he would have gotten from their parents, had they lived long enough, to see him marry a Protestant girl, and join her church. The heartfelt gesture from his brother meant a lot to Matt, as always.

The eight of them filled the church pew, with Colin sitting on Stella's lap and being a "choir boy" for a change through the whole service. Aaron and Jack sat in the pew in front of them. The family returned home to enjoy brunch, with Abbey's egg bake waiting for them, and the three New Yorkers slowly started the process of getting packed up.

They had spent a wonderful week together and the good-byes were tough as always for Mac and Stella. They pulled each of the kids into a big hug and shared words. Casee, knowing how she could handle Uncle Dave, looked Mac deeply in the eye. "Uncle Mac, you promise me this year you and Stella will be here for Christmas." And like her father, she played her hole ace at precisely the right time. "Daddy needs his big brother around for Christmas."

Mac simply melted as Stella rubbed his shoulder, holding Colin, who piped up. "Yeah, Uncle Mac, it's not Christmas without you and Aunt Stella." Stella kissed his cheek.

Cam, with his arms around Reed's waist looked at him, "How 'bout you?"

"Cam, bud, I've got another family that loves me and I have to be there for Christmas." Cam frowned. Reed pulled his chin up and looked him in the eyes. "But New Year's sounds like a great time to be here." Cam beamed as Reed hugged him and the other two.

Abbey pulled Reed into a large hug and then looked him in the eye. "I hope you know that this also home. You're a one hour plane ride or a three hour train ride away. You are welcome here anytime."

Reed hugged her and whispered in her ear. "I know." He pulled out of the hug and smiled at her. Mac and Stella shared heartfelt hugs with Abbey.

Mac whispered in her ear, "Thank you. Keep him sane with that job he does. All of them." Abbey pulled out of the hug, smiled at him, and put a kiss on his cheek.

The three of them said their good-byes and they, along with Matt, headed to the garage. The rest of the family followed, including Wilma. Stella gave the kids one more kiss as Mac and Reed gave Wilma a good rub down and Matt loaded their luggage in the back. Wilma barked her appreciation, with her tail wagging as the four of them climbed into Matt's truck.

The kids and Abbey waved their good-byes, while Wilma barked hers as well. Stella brushed a tear away as Matt pulled down the street.

Matt walked into the Metro Station with the three of them until they got to the security checkpoint for the train to NYC. He clamped Reed on the shoulder. "Do I have to reiterate what my wife told you," he lovingly smiled.

"Nope, Uncle Matt, you don't." They shared a huge hug. Reed pulled out of the hug and looked Matt in eye. "And like you, I keep my promises. I'll be here again." Matt shook his hand.

Stella pulled Matt into an even larger huge. "Love you little brother." Matt held her for another couple of seconds, before looking her in the eye.

"Love you too, Stell. Take care of these guys."

Stella smiled at him. "You know I will."

Matt kissed her cheek again. "I count on that Greek Goddess." He gave her another kiss and looked at Mac, holding out his hand. "Damn bro, we're so close and yet so far away."

Mac pulled Matt into a tight hug. "But we're still brothers. And miles, no matter how few or how many, can't take that away." Matt hugged Mac deeper as Stella and Reed smiled at each other.

Matt pulled away to look Mac in the eye. "You got that letter from mom too?"

Mac smiled. "Yes, I did." The brothers shared another hug.

"See you for Christmas," Mac said, as he, Stella and Reed started to move to the security checkpoint. He pointed at Matt. "That was a helluva move with the guilt trip from Case." Matt smiled brightly. "And well played little brother."

Matt just smiled and waved at the three of them. "Take care you three. You're loved. And it doesn't have to wait until Christmas." Mac, Stella and Reed turned to wave at him and then moved into the security line. Matt waved back one more time and then moved to exit.

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A/N: For those of you that don't golf or don't even understand the game and you have questions, please feel free to PM me, rather than me droning on here.

Thanks Jedi Master. *bows*