A/N: This chapter includes scripted lines from a CM episode. All rights go to Rick Dunkle, the writer, along with the rest of the usual suspects. Excuse me, bigwigs and studios.
Chapter 13
Aaron and Zack spent the rest of the week getting things together at the house. Jess showed up and got the rest of Haley's things boxed up as well. On Saturday, the Goodwill truck pulled up to the house. Aaron and Zach helped them load up the items that would be donated.
One of the drivers looked at Aaron. "This is quite a haul. Have you got an insurance agent's appraisal of what this is worth? You can use that on you taxes."
Aaron just nodded, as he and Zach helped them fill the truck.
The first thing Hotch needed to do on Monday was to get Zach back in school. Zach, using a laptop that Garcia had dropped off, spent the weekend searching area high schools. The ones in McLean had always worried Haley and Hotch. A suburb close to DC, there was some gang involvement, and high rates of drugs in all three high schools. And while Zach held true to his promise to Haley, education being number one, he silently also looked for one with a good baseball program.
Hotch worked tirelessly with the Marshall Service to get Zach's school records transferred from New Jersey. On Monday night, after spending almost the entire day at Mike Stanton's office, getting the paperwork started to settle Haley's estate, he had Jack in bed and joined Zach on the couch. His oldest son flashed his bright smile at his dad. "I think I found the one." Aaron smiled at him and looked at the laptop, wrapping his arm around Zach's back. "Central High School in Annandale." Zach laid out all of the school's qualities, including a low teacher to student ratio, Central being a relatively small high school considering the area, the 98% graduation rate, the almost complete lack of police calls to the school and a baseball program, with a winning coach to boot. "And it's close to Jack's pre-school."
Tuesday morning, Hotch made the phone call to the school, setting up an appointment to meet with the principal. While he worried about the drive, Zach now had Haley's car and Hotch completely trusted his oldest son with that responsibility. He mentally added to his to-do list to get Zach covered in his auto insurance. And get a Virginia DL; he shook his head for forgetting that. They got that taken care of that afternoon.
When they pulled into the parking lot Wednesday morning, after dropping Jack off at pre-school, Zach smiled. While it was Central High School, meaning probably the oldest, the building was relatively new. They walked in to meet Principal Tom Shaw. A barrel chested man over six feet tall, he had "I don't take crap" nearly tattooed across his forehead. Yet they both found him to be a very relaxed and wonderful man. He listened to the two of them intently, noting Aaron's need for a school that supported him as a single father and the job he did. An hour later, Zach just smiled at his dad, his father returning the smile. Zach was all signed up for the classes he needed. The principal and Aaron exchanged business cards.
The three of them walked out of Principal Shaw's office. "Jenny," he said, "can you get Pete Stanlovsky in here?" Jenny smiled and reached for the phone for the school paging system. Within three minutes, the student ambled into the office.
"What's up Doc?" he smiled at the Principal. Aaron and Zach had both noticed the principal's doctorate on his office wall. Principal Shaw made the introductions, explaining Zach and Pete had the same class schedule and he liked to have new students have a mentor to get them settled in.
"Holy crayola," Pete said. "You're the amazing catcher we all raved about in Legion the summer before. My god, are you coming here to school? You're a cobra on the ball field," He looked at Shaw. "Sorry Doc." Principal Shaw just smiled at Aaron. Zach beamed, feeling like he had met a long lost brother. He started school the next day. His locker was three down from Pete's, the student that had it before leaving early for a military deferment to help his family. It was Pete's suggestion to Principal Shaw.
As Aaron got up Saturday morning, he walked into the living room to see Zach standing, and obviously waiting for him. "We need to get the stuff in the garage into storage."
"I know. I've got that arranged. It's just getting it there."
Zach gave Aaron his huge smile. "Pete has a pick-up." He pulled out his cell phone. "Stan, we're a go. You pick up the Krispy Kreme's; dad will pay you back."
"10-4 good buddy. But I got something better than Krispy Kreme's. Mom and Pop have a bakery as well as the restaurant. Stan is on the way." Zach and Pete, who was bigger than Zach, worked Aaron into the ground. Jack just laughed at his dad.
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Aaron spent the remainder of his four week leave getting Haley's estate settled and then as the dust finally settled, finally justifying going back to doing his job, accepting Jessica's offer to help with the boys.
Dave walked up to Aaron in the cemetery, sitting on the bench in front of Haley's grave. "I knew I'd find you here. Have you told her yet?"
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After his fourth case out, Aaron thanked Jessica for her help once again, walked her to her car and then re-entered the apartment. One look at Zach told him that something wasn't right. Zach had his final appointment with the Dr. Carlson that afternoon. After he got Jack to bed, once again appeasing to his youngest son to sleep with him, he walked out and sat down on the couch next to Zach. "Talk to me son. The doc says you should be good to go to play ball."
Zach slowly shook his head at his dad. "It's not that dad."
"Son, please talk to me. I'm not a mind reader."
Zach smiled at him. "Oh, I'd say you're pretty good, given the job you do."
Aaron put his finger into Zach's forehead. "You're not one of them. Talk to me."
Zach looked at the floor and then his dad. He shook his head. "Dad, you and Uncle Dave and the team follow patterns, right?" Aaron shook his head. "And you haven't noticed the one around here?" Aaron looked at his son.
"When you leave for a case, where is Jack sleeping?"
"In his own bed," Aaron answered, quickly catching on. "But when I get home, he wants to sleep with me."
"Again," Zach added. Aaron looked at him. "Dad, I love Aunt Jess for stepping up to the plate and helping us. She's been huge. But dad, she hasn't moved on from losing mom. The three of us, especially Jack and I, take three big steps forward. You go out on a case, Aunt Jess comes in and everything is about mom and how she'd do this or that and its two steps back. Jack and I can't keep going on this way."
He looked his father in the eye. "I can handle this around here. I really can. I've got the support system at school, Pete is already a rock and Jack loves him, Garcia is always on stand-by and Aunt Jess can help out when I'm in a crunch. But dad, we really need this. Jack and I both."
Aaron rubbed Zach's back. "Let me think about it."
"Thanks dad."
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The next morning, Dave walked into the office and up the steps by Aaron's office at his usual time. Yet, he noticed Aaron, leaning back in his chair, his head on the chair rest, instead of being heads down in paperwork. It was time for him to re-enter.
He walked in the door without knocking and looked at Hotch. "Need to talk?"
Hotch just sighed. Dave looked at him with a huge question on his face. "I need to bounce something off you." Aaron looked out his office window for second, and then back at Dave. "And your advice."
Dave smiled, shut Aaron's office door and sat down in one of the chairs across from Aaron's desk.
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Zach handled the job of being a student and taking care of Jack when Aaron was out on a case with ease. He had settled into school and made a bunch of friends through Pete, who turned out to be just a special friend. The bond the two young men had was immediate and inseparable. It reminded Aaron of himself and Dave. Jack was thriving at pre-school and just simply adored Pete. And Pete's parents, owning a family restaurant and bakery in Annandale, practically adopted the family the first time Zach and Jack went there to eat while Aaron was out. They were finally settling into their new life. Aaron gave Zach his own bank card to Aaron's account so he could get groceries, and what other items the boys might need.
The only bug in the whole process was Haley's car, which continued to malfunction one way or another. It was lucky that Pete knew his way around a car and its engine. He bailed Zach out more than once.
The Hotchner's spent Thanksgiving at Dave's. It was just the four of them. Aaron had politely turned down Haley's parent's invitation to join them. He didn't think the boys were ready for that. Zach made Haley's sausage/mushroom stuffing. It was a quiet day for them, watching football with Jack and Mudgie spending most of the day together.
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A/N: Goodwill is a charity that collects clothing, furniture, household items and the like, and then distributes them to those in need, or whom come into their stores looking for help.