A/N: Time to get on the working nights schedule again. My Euro readers get the first peek. Thank you to you all.

Chapter 3

Hotch stood in Garcia's lair with Sam Kassmeyer. He watched the video one of Sam's deputies shot of Zach and Jack playing baseball in a backyard and the three of them celebrating Zach's 16th birthday. He looked at Kassmeyer. "How are they doing?"

"They boys seem to be adjusting. Zach has been huge for Jack and very supportive of our efforts and he's being a big help to Haley. But …"

"But?"

"Haley made a number of phone calls. All to her mother, so it's all good. But they're in a halfway house again until we can get them relocated."

-00CM00-

Zach walked out of his bedroom. "Did you get your suitcase unpacked?" Haley asked, coming out of the bathroom. He just shook his head as he walked in to check on Jack.

"Zach, you need to unpack." Seeing that Jack was OK, he walked past his mother into the kitchen. She followed him.

"I know you blame me for this Zach and I'm sorry. But I was so lonely and I just needed to talk to grandma. She's my mom, and I needed to talk to my mom."

"I know mom, but because of that, we're moving again. Just when we were starting to get settled, we're moving again."

Haley marveled at how much Zach had grown both physically and emotionally, but he was still a young man that needed stability in his life. She rubbed his arm. "It won't happen again. We'll get settled and it will be alright." Zach smiled at her a bit.

Jack blew in. "Can I have an Oreo?" They had stopped at a grocery store on their way to pick up a few items. Haley splurged on the cookies, hoping to make her sons happy.

She smiled at Jack. "I think we all could use an Oreo and some milk." Jack and Zach shared a high five.

-00CM00-

Haley and the boys finally settled into a home in New Jersey, and life moved on for them. Haley found a job at a bank, while Zach took care of Jack during the summer months. He was enrolled to start in school, under his new name, and Haley had found a daycare provider for Jack once Zach started school. And somehow, Aaron's monthly child support payment found its way into "Melissa Stevens'" checking account. But with two growing boys, money was tight for Haley.

Two weeks later, Zach approached her. "Mom, I want to help out with the bills. Sam found a job for me."

Haley smiled at him. "Thank you Zach, I really appreciate that, but I need you around here for Jack."

"Mom, I can do both. It's a job in a factory. I'd work 36 hours a week; Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 6 pm to 6 am. And make over $12 an hour. And I'll be working all by myself, in one room, on a crew of less than 20 people. Like I said, Sam found it."

"Zach, that's too hard on you. You need rest. You'd have Jack or school all day Friday and Monday."

"I thought about that too. Until school starts, I could sleep while Jack naps on Friday afternoon. When I get home Saturday and Sunday mornings, I sleep until I need to get back up for work. Monday, with Jack or school would be a push, but I could do it and have the rest of the week to catch up. Mom, please, let me help."

Tears formed in Haley's eyes at how much Zach was trying to help and more importantly, becoming a responsible young man. "Let me think about it and talk to Sam the next time he calls."

"Mom, they want me to start Friday night."

"Sam is supposed to call tonight. I'll let you know tomorrow."

Jack was sound asleep and Zach in his bedroom with his iPod when Sam called. He and Haley caught up a bit and then she asked him about the job.

"First off Haley, we can keep him safe there. The building is keycard access only, which we can monitor. And because it's such a small work crew on that particular shift, anyone trying to get in at that time would set off all the alarms. And it's a safe job. The plant manager is my brother-in-law. He knows what I do. He just needs a strong kid that will work hard. Zach fits that description, and I know you need the money. And Zach will be able to get a workout. The only downfall is he needs steel-toed work boots. I'll get them for him."

"Sam, you don't have to pay for that."

"Don't worry about it. Haley, he needs to be the man of the house, and this way he can. Plus he'll be pulling in $300 a week, after taxes. You can't tell me that won't help."

Haley smiled at her son as she handed him his lunch bag before heading out the door around 5 pm that Friday. One of the Marshalls would drive him to and from work then hang around the plant to make sure no stray cars came in. Zach needed to go early that day to sign all the paperwork.

Haley gave him a big hug. "I'm proud of you," she smiled.

"Me too bro," Jack said. "But I'll miss ya Z-man." Zach pulled Jack into a hug and ruffled his hair.

"You'll be sleeping most of the time JP. You'll never know I'm gone." He gave a Jack a kiss, kissed his mother on the cheek, and walked out the door in his brand new work boots.

-00CM00-

The team had been working a case all week in New Jersey concerning multiple killings, with victims left at rest stops on I-95 in the middle portion of the state. It was a wide area, and multiple law enforcement agencies were involved. So Hotch didn't think anything of it when he received a call from the US Marshall Service in Trenton that they had someone the BAU needed to talk to as a possible witness. They requested him and Dave, which Hotch didn't blink at either. The US Marshalls thought they were the big dogs and only talked to the big dogs. He received the directions on his cell phone, and he and Dave left around 9 pm.

As they drove, Dave commented, "This is a helluva a time to be meeting a possible witness. I mean 10 pm on a Friday night." Hotch just shrugged and followed Dave's directions he read off Aaron's cell. As they pulled onto the back road of a small town industrial park, Dave said, "What the hell Aaron?"

"Dave, they said it was viable. We have to follow it." A non-descript dark car blinked its lights as they approached. Dave rolled down his window as Hotch stopped the SUV. The car pulled alongside. Dave and Hotch showed their credentials.

The US Marshall in the car showed them his credentials and said "Follow me." Hotch followed the car into a parking area that was on the backside of an obvious factory of some kind. It was the employee parking area.

The three got out of their vehicles. "Agents, right this way please." Hotch and Dave looked at each other as the Marshall pulled out a card and swiped it through the door lock. He held it open for them to enter and the three of them entered. "Wait here please." The Marshall went to a windowed double door and knocked on the glass. Less than ten seconds later, the door opened.

"Johnny did something …." Zach started before looking around. His eyes filled with tears as he zoomed to his dad.

Aaron's eyes matched his son's. And yet, he couldn't believe the young man that was quickly closing the gap to him. Zach had grown at least two inches; the t-shirt that Aaron recognized as one of Zach's favorite was bulging at the arms and across his chest. Dave rubbed Aaron's shoulder as Zach approached. "We'll give you two some time alone," he said smiling as Aaron pulled his son into a large hug. The Marshall smiled at Dave and followed him out the door.

"I've missed you dad," Zach said into his father's neck.

Aaron rubbed his hand through the back of Zach's hair. "I've missed you son." If father and son could hug tighter they did, just standing there. Finally Aaron pulled away.

Aaron looked at Zach. "Sam told me about this. Zach, you will never know how incredibly proud I am of you. How's it going?"

"It's not that bad of job dad. I've just got to keep those barrels running. When they need to be changed, its tough work; even more so at the end of the process. But I get down time between the changes where I just pretty much just babysit them, and the time passes quickly," he said, wiping away his tears. He looked around and then silently pulled his t-shirt up to reveal his iPod on his belt. He looked at his dad. "Don't tell; it's not regulation."

Outside, Dave questioned the Marshall as to the wisdom of this plan. The Marshall assured him they had two back-ups tailing their FBI SUV and local law enforcement was doing a heavy patrol. "Foyet would be stupid to come anywhere near here."

Aaron looked at him. "I won't son," he smiled. "How's Jack and mom?"

"Come on dad. Jack turned four a couple of weeks ago. He's pretty resilient. And he got your present," Zach smiled. "Mom's hanging in there." Zach looked at his feet and then Aaron in the eye. "Better than I expected." Aaron smiled at him.

"You're in school now. How's this working out?" Aaron nodded around the building.

"Better than mom and I hoped. Don't get me wrong; Monday's are tough. But I'm hanging in there and keeping my grades up. And we're all doing a lot better with the extra money."

"Zach, I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks dad. That means the world to me." Aaron embraced his son again as Dave come in the door.

Zach pulled out of the hug as Dave approached them. "Holy shit kiddo, you on steroids now?" Dave smiled.

"No, just in need of a haircut and a razor," Aaron gently chided. Zach rolled his eyes at this dad.

"Nope Uncle Dave, just hard work." Dave pulled him into a hug.

"I'm so damn proud of you kiddo."

"Thanks Uncle Dave," Zach said, snuggled to Dave's chest. "That really means a lot." He pulled out of the hug. "And thanks for my work boots. They're the bomb and really comfy."

Dave smiled. "My pleasure kiddo." Aaron just looked at him. "Whattttt? Sam told me he needed them. I chipped in. I can't buy one of my three favorite kids something?"

"Yeah dad, it'll probably really set his bank account way back," Zach joked with his large smile. Just seeing that made Aaron smile as well.

"But whoa, what the hell is going on that you two can be here?" Aaron eyed his son for second at his language and then let it go.

Aaron explained to him what was happening and why they were in the area. "Sam must have set it up." Dave explained that the local PD station was the next street over and two officers were patrolling the area.

"Dad, he's been great, especially with mom."

"That's good to hear." Zach looked at his watch. "Break time?"

"No, but I'm about five minutes away from getting back to my job. The barrels need to be changed. But I gotta show you both." He pulled out his wallet to proudly show them his New Jersey driver's license. "Mom used some of the money I've made to get my road school training. I passed on my first try," he proudly smiled.

Dave rubbed his arm. "That's fantastic Zach. Congratulations."

Aaron put his hand on Zach's shoulder. "Way to go son," he smiled.

Dave pulled Zach into a hug. "Hang in there kid. I love you." Dave quietly slipped something into his back pocket.

Zach looked Dave in the eye, pulling out of the hug. "I love you too Uncle Dave."

Dave smiled. "I'll give you two some time." He walked towards the door. Zach looked at his dad and the tears began to well in his eyes.

Aaron pulled him into a strong hug. "Zach, I just need you to hang in there."

"I know dad." Father and son stood silently, sharing their embrace.

"I love you and I'm so, so proud of you.

"I love you too, dad."

Zach finally pulled away, wiping the one tear that escaped with the back of his hand. "I'm OK dad, I really am. This was just such a bonus to see you. I'll have great rest of night; hell the whole weekend."

"Zach, language."

"Dad, I'm sorry. I'm working in a place where as a high school junior, my IQ is two times above everybody else. They can't make a complete sentence without putting the f-word in. I won't go there, but you have to cut me a break."

Aaron smiled through the bitterness of knowing this time with his son was going to end in about 30 seconds. "Just keep a lid on it around Jack."

"You know better." They hugged again. "Dad, I've got to get to my job."

Aaron let his son go. Again. "I know. I love you."

"Love you too dad." He turned and walked back towards the doors, waving at his dad as he was about to enter his workspace, with Aaron pushing the door open to go outside. "See ya soon dad."

Aaron just waved at his son. Hurting so bad to let him go again, he had to escape.

Little did they both know how prophetic those words would be in a couple short weeks.

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A/N: Did I push the plausibility factor with the end of this chapter? More than likely; but it still is writer's choice and I used it. But I just liked the idea. And you know me; I always have a reason when I do that. Stay tuned! ;)