Chapter 11

Aaron was up Monday morning by eight, feeling in his muscles the workout he had got over the weekend at the house. The area around his one rib especially barked. But they all had got a lot done, which made the few aches worthwhile. He immediately moved into the kitchen to not wake Jack, and called his local medical clinic to get Zach and himself in with his primary doctor. As usual, getting through to the appointment desk on a Monday morning took many minutes on hold, and Aaron silently fumed, as Zach snored on the couch. Even with a broken arm and damaged finger, he worked just as hard as himself and Sean. The kitchen cupboards and drawers in his apartment were now filled with all the necessary items. The Marshall Service had cleared the kitchen of perishable items after they took Haley and the boys away. But the items that would last, were still there, like flour, sugar, pasta that Haley always stored in sealable plastic containers and the like. They were in Aaron's kitchen as well. Zach had done an extremely thorough job, and basically on his own. As Aaron waited on hold he thought, I've got to ask him about that.

He finally got through and got back-to-back appointments set up for him and Zach in the afternoon with Dr. Schmidt. The appointment person said they had a priority on their cases and they had been awaiting the call. Aaron started the coffee going. The aroma soon got Sean out of Jack's bed and he wandered into the kitchen, looking at his brother. "I hope you're as sore as I am," he whispered.

"Worse; I've got bum ribs," Aaron said as he moved down the hallway to take a shower and shave. Once he got the shower water running, Jack sleepily walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Uncle Sean," he yawned. "I gotta go potty but daddy's in the shower."

"Jack, go in and do your thing; just don't flush."

"Uncle Sean," Jack questioned.

"It will screw up your dad's shower. Just let your dad know. He'll take of the rest." Jack just nodded his head and went down the hall. Sean smiled at himself. I'm getting the hang of communicating with a four year old.

He heard Zach turn over on the couch and grumble. "Does sleeping in around here not compute?" He rolled on the couch to sit up and rubbed his eyes. Sean walked over to the back of the couch and tussled his hair.

"Don't think that is going to happen kiddo sleeping in a public area. Which, btw, needs to be corrected."

Zach leaned his head onto the back of the couch to look Sean in the eye. "I already mentioned it to dad. Please, Uncle Sean, don't push it. He knows." Sean nodded at him, trusting his oldest nephew.

Sean moved around to sit next to Zach on the couch, looking him in the eye. "You know you're going to have to step up. Your dad may be taking a leave of absence, but he'll go back."

"Uncle Sean, I want him to." Sean looked at him. "I need dad doing that job. And so does Jack. We have our own super hero. But we just call him dad," Zach smiled.

Sean put his arm around Zach's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. "When the hell did you get so smart and grown up?"

"I had four and half months of training," Zach sadly smiled.

"From what your dad has told me, you did more than that Zach. He told me about you working." Sean squeezed him again. "I think you more than stepped up."

Zach smiled at him. "Thanks Uncle Sean."

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"Cereal and lots of apple juice," Zach simply said. Sean looked at him. "My guts have sorta been screwed up lately. My internal plumbing system isn't working like it should." Sean looked at him with concern in his eyes. "Uncle Sean, I need to take a big dump."

"Got it," Sean laughed at the teenager that called it like he seen it. "Cereal it is." That was one of the food items they had brought back from the house. Haley had that stored in plastic containers as well.

The four Hotchner's enjoyed breakfast together and then spent the rest of the morning back over at the house. Sean smiled as Zach flew out of the kitchen, the three of them packing up the rest of the dinner ware and other stuff that was not needed in Aaron's kitchen and would be donated. He smiled at Aaron. "He's getting his guts back in order."

Aaron smiled and Jack, playing with his cars, giggled. "Don't light a match," the youngest Hotchner intoned.

Sean, trying to stifle a laugh, looked at his brother. "He's been hanging around Dave too much," Aaron said with a roll of his eyes. Sean laughed out loud.

-00CM00-

Aaron and Zach sat together in the waiting room of the clinic, with Zach bouncing his right leg up and down. Aaron looked at him, nodding at his leg. "I don't want to be here dad."

"Neither do I. I'll tough it out if you will," Aaron smiled.

"Dad, they call it a 'waiting room' for a reason. They make you wait too damn long." That got Zach the Hotch glare. "Whatttttt? I don't see Jack here, so it's just us guys." Aaron shook his head at a son that had grown up too much. And he silently thanked Sam Kassmeyer in the heavens with Haley again for letting him see that bit of his son.

A nurse, in her clinic scrubs, announced, "Aaron Hotchner?" He rose from his chair and looked at Zach. "I want to be first and then they'll bring you in and Dr. Schmidt will check you over. Zach, he's a great guy. You'll really like him son," Aaron said, rubbing Zach's right shoulder as he moved to the nurse to follow her in.

Fifteen minutes later, with Zach getting up and pacing, heard his name called by the same nurse. He turned and followed her down the hall and into the exam room. Aaron stood by as the nurse took his vitals and double-checked Zach's prescriptions for his stomach and allergies that were in the clinic's computer system. She smiled at them both. "Zach's records have been sent over from his previous clinic. We're all part of the same system, so he's good to go. Dr. Schmidt should be back in a couple of minutes." Zach sat in the chair next to the doctor's desk, impatiently waiting, his leg bouncing again. Aaron just shook his head.

Dr. Schmidt entered with a large manila file that held Zach's X-rays. Before he could get a word out, Zach stopped him in his tracks. "How's dad," he simply asked. "And if you want me to trust you, you answer that question, because I know he won't tell me."

Dr. Schmidt smiled. "I figured you for even being more of a tough customer than your dad," he smiled. "Your dad, while over doing things a bit, but I'm willing to bet I'm going to see the same thing from you, is fine. Let's get to you, Zach." He held out his hand. "Btw, nice to meet you Zach. I'm terribly sorry it had to be under these conditions." Zach nodded at him and smiled.

The doctor did his usual questions and then got up from his seat and patted the exam table. "Jump up here Zach and lay down. Let's get you checked over." The nurse came in and helped Dr. Schmidt get the bandage off his arm protecting the broken bone. He looked closely at the stitches. "We can pull the four off each end," he noted to her. "And I'd like another X-ray of that arm." She made the notes. Dr. Schmidt made Zach bend his left wrist and fingers and noticed no pain on Zach's face. "You a real tough guy or does it not hurt to do that?"

"It doesn't hurt to do that."

Schmidt smiled at him and moved to Zach's eye. While the eye was still showing the all the colors of a shiner, they were beginning to fade. "Does it hurt at all Zach?"

Zach just shook his head. "I had a headache the first night and that's it."

"We can pull those stitches completely," Dr. Schmidt said. He moved to Zach's finger and gently removed the tape to get the splint off. He looked at the four stitches there. "These can come out as well. Do we still have that MRI opening?" he asked his nurse.

Joanie nodded her head. "At 2:40." He had Zach try to bend the finger. While he could, the more he bent, the more pain he showed.

Dr. Schmidt looked at Zach and then Aaron. "First things first; I'm going to send Zach to get another picture of that arm," he said to Aaron. "I suspect the crack is already healing pretty well. If it is, I can put you in a splint that you can remove to shower," he said looking at Zach. "The last six stitches, while they have to stay a few more days are healed enough the water won't bother them. As you heard me tell Joanie, the others are ready to come out. We'll do the X-ray first while I check on some of my other patients, then we'll get them all done and get you all set up, minus the finger," he said smiling at Zach.

"I heard you mention an MRI," Aaron questioned.

"That's the next step in the process. We get the MRI done today, and then he sees Dr. Carlson later in the week to see how she wants to proceed with that finger."

"Doctor, I've got to get him back into school."

"I realize that Aaron. And I'm not the specialist, but I believe that Dr. Carlson will give you two options on that finger; one being not doing surgery. But she'll need the MRI to confirm that. I think that appointment is already set up." Joanie nodded her head. Dr. Schmidt rubbed Zach's shoulder. "See you in a bit," he smiled, as he helped him off the table.

He left the room and Joanie gave them directions to X-ray. "They should be waiting for you. After you're done Zach, come back here to this room." She pointed to the sign on the door of Exam 404.

"Thanks Joanie," Zach smiled. Aaron added his thanks as well. They went to the X-ray department and technicians quickly hustled him in. "We've had a slow day around here," the tech smiled.

While they were taking the X-rays, Aaron made a quick call to Sean, who was taking care of Jack and gave him an update. "Thanks Aaron for calling. Jack's fine; he's taking a nap on my lap. He conked out half way through the movie," Sean whispered. Aaron could hear the pride in his voice and smiled. The two of them were bonding, which Aaron wanted. Jack needed to know Sean.

As Zach walked out, he looked at his dad. "You check in with Uncle Sean?"

"Yes," he smiled. "Jack is sleeping in his lap." Zach's bright smile that resembled Haley's finally reappeared. It warmed Aaron's heart. They returned to the exam room. Joanie followed them in, putting a tray on the desk.

"Dr. Schmidt and I will be back in about five minutes." She was true to her word. And removing Zach's stitches took about the same time. It was a snip and pull. Dr. Schmidt fitted Zach with the splint for his arm. "Ditch the sling Zach." Zach smiled broadly. "Aaron, the appointment for Zach with Dr. Carlson is Thursday morning at 9:30. It should take about twenty minutes. On your way out, schedule another appointment for Zach around 10 and I'll get those last stitches out." He handed him Zach's finger splint. "After they're done with the MRI, they'll get him set back up." They shared their good-byes and thanks.

An hour later, they finally walked out of the clinic. "Thank God," Zach sighed. Aaron smiled.

As they got in Aaron's SUV, Zach looked at him. "Dad, I'm all in on getting the house cleaned out. It needs to be done. But can't we take a break tonight? Uncle Sean goes back home tomorrow."

Aaron smiled again, marveling to himself how his oldest son with his personality, clearly inherited from Haley, could do that to him. "Yeah, I think the four Hotchner boys deserve a break and a night out; any suggestions?"

Zach thought for a second and then smiled. "Take the Metro to Federal Triangle, go down to the Mall for a bit and then hit the Hard Rock Café next to Ford's Theatre?"

Aaron smiled at him. "Sounds like a plan to me." And that's what they did. The wandered through the Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian and then headed across the Mall to the Hard Rock on E Street. Jack loved every second and the four of them had a wonderful time and a great meal. Zach, as usual, ate like a man on a mission. Aaron just shook his head. Sean pulled the two boys into the gift shop as they were leaving. As the clerk happily helped them pick out t-shirts and getting them the right size, Aaron gave Sean the look.

Sean just laughed at Aaron. "It's something the boys can hang on to to remember our time together. And bro, I want to be more of a part of this. I'm here for you."

Aaron smiled. "So do I Sean. I want you in my sons' lives. They need that. And so do I."

Sean looked at his brother. "But?"

"But how come I don't get a t-shirt?" Aaron smiled. Zach and Jack laughed heartily at the exchange as Sean pulled Aaron up to the counter. He bought his brother a t-shirt as well, with Aaron doing the same for Sean.

The good-byes for Aaron and boys as they were about to get Sean headed back to NYC were tough. Jack cried as Sean pulled him into his arms for a hug. "I just got to know you Uncle Sean."

"Buddy, I won't be a stranger." He pulled Jack away from his chest and looked him in the eye. "I promise." Jack wrapped his arms around Sean's neck in a huge hug. "I love you Jack," he simply said, his own eyes forming tears.

Jack pulled back and looked at Sean. "I love you too, Uncle Sean." Sean melted at the words, gave Jack a kiss on the forehead and handed him to Aaron. He reached out his hand to Zach.

Zach shook his head. "I'm backing JP on this one." He pulled Sean into a huge hug. As they embraced, Zach whispered in Sean's ear. "Don't be a stranger. I need you to help me with dad."

Sean pulled out of the embrace, reached for his wallet and handed Zach his business card. "That's my cell number," he pointed out. "When dad gets you a new one, which btw is on his list," Zach smiled, "call me. We'll keep in touch. I promise Zach. I'm here for you." Zach pulled Sean into another hug.

"Thanks Uncle Sean; that means a lot," Zach said as he looked Sean in the eye. "It's huge." Zach let him go and took Jack out of Aaron's arms.

Aaron shook his head. "I don't know how to thank you for everything. You have been huge for all of us."

Sean pulled his big brother into a hug. "You don't have to thank me Aaron. Brothers take care of brothers. I'm just glad I was here." They pulled apart at the announcement of Sean's train boarding. "Aaron, keep in contact with me and in the loop."

Aaron stuck out his hand. "Promise brother."

Sean shook it and gave Aaron another hug. He wrapped his arms around Zach holding Jack. "Love you too guys." He moved away to his train, turning around to wave at them and then headed off.

"Daddy," Jack pronounced. "This isn't a fun morning." Aaron pulled him from Zach's arms.

"I feel the same way buddy," he said, looping his other arm around Zach's shoulder as they headed out of the station.

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