Aaron Hotchner was surprised by very few things, but the residence he pulled up to that night was one of those things. Leah had said she had moved. She'd told the team this on the jet, when she had invited them all to come over for supper. He'd expected her to at some point. Raising a baby in one-bedroom apartment wasn't practical. So no surprise there.
But this was a rich neighborhood. Not upper-middle-class like his place. This was a Rossi neighborhood. As a matter of fact, this was Rossi's neighborhood, he realized, getting out of the car. Glancing over the cars, he concluded that everyone save for Rossi was already there. Jack slid his hand into Aaron's and they stepped inside. Hotch wondered who the unfamiliar car in the drive belonged to.
He spotted the man slipping away as soon as he stepped inside. As Jack ran off to explore and/or find Henry and Danny, Hotch saw Emily in the living room eyeing him warily.
Be nice, she mouthed.
He nodded and went to look around.
The door to a room was partially open. He saw yellow walls and white trim, and seven big boxes. He pushed the door further open and stepped inside.
John Cooley stood on the other side of the room. He had a pocketknife out and was opening one of the identical boxes. Each box contained an unassembled crib, he realized.
"Hi." Dr. Cooley greeted.
Hotch nodded cordially in response. "Who needs seven cribs?" he wondered aloud.
"I was going to put one together for them. I don't really have anything else to do."
"Do you want help?" Hotch offered.
Dr. Cooley looked surprised. "You don't plan to stab me with a screwdriver, do you?"
Hotch did a double-take, meeting Dr. Cooley's eyes. The man was serious, he realized. Hotch couldn't help but smile.
"No. I declare a truce. Agreed?"
Dr. Cooley nodded and they shook on it.
Hotch went and found Reid, asking if there was a couple of screwdrivers he could use. This served a double purpose. He really did need the screwdrivers and the speed with which he located the tools told Hotch that he, too, lived here, or at least never went to his own apartment.
Hotch shared this observation with Dr. Cooley as they took parts out of the box, then said, "I still can't figure out why you need seven cribs, not unless you're having seven babies."
Cooley remained suspiciously silent as he read the directions, until he said at last, "I thought their co-workers didn't know anything about it. They're having everyone here for supper so they can tell."
So Hotch had been right.
He opened a pack of screw saying, "When you have the job we have, it's not so much telling as it is confirming, and that's a rule that can be applied to pretty much anything. Do you know who her doctor is?"
"My partner, Nan Perry."
"Is she good?"
Dr. Cooley grinned. "The second best in the area."
"You never told me how many kids she's having." Hotch pointed out.
"Who, Nan? She's as single as Mother Teresa."
Hotch rolled his eyes, turning his head so Dr. Cooley couldn't see the childish action. "I meant Leah."
Dr. Cooley sobered noticeably. He sighed, motioning to indicate the seven boxes. "One for each baby."
Hotch sat back, feeling as if he'd just been sucker-punched. "But that could kill her."
Dr. Cooley sighed again, heavily. "And she knows that."
"Did anyone mention selective abortion?"
Dr. Cooley snorted. "She did everything but threaten me with my life when Nan and I did."
"She did grow up in a convent, didn't she?"
Dr. Cooley nodded.
"When you get pro-life drilled into you like she must have, it makes sense."
"But she's not Catholic anymore." Dr. Cooley objected.
"It would still be in her mind though."
"Maybe. Yeah, okay."
There was something else he wasn't saying so Hotch gave him a minute to do so. But he wasn't talking and Hotch wasn't pushing.
A smile curved at Hotch's mouth as he said absently, "I've seen some of Emily's yearbook photos."
The comment had the desired affect and Dr. Cooley burst out laughing. "I swear she wore all that makeup an inch thick. She had a tendency to look like a raccoon, don't you think?"
Hotch nodded. That was the exact thought that had come to mind when he'd seen the picture.
Dr. Cooley really wasn't all that bad.
Later, as the duo made their way back from the intended nursery, both were smiling. Talking like old friends.
Hotch was in mid-sentence when Dr. Cooley tilted his head toward the kitchen. Hotch turned to look at what had caught his attention. Emily was watching them curiously from the kitchen.
Both men changed course and headed for her. Hotch wound his arms around her trim waist. She leaned her head back against his shoulder.
"What have you boys been up to?" she asked, aiming for nonchalance.
"Making peace." Hotch told her the truth, also what he knew she wanted to hear. "And a crib."
"True story." Dr. Cooley backed him up when he noticed Emily's skepticism.
Hotch tried to grab an apple slice from the plate on the nearby counter. Emily slapped his hand away.
"No." She rebuked him. "We're going to wait until Rossi decides to poke his very late and ugly mug in the door."
"I heard that!" Rossi informed them, shutting the door behind him.
"In this crowd?" Hotch objected. "How?"
"I have super-sonic hearing." Rossi smirked.
"Now we can eat." Hotch said, trying again for an apple slice. Again he got his hand batted away. "Come on, Em!" he implored.
She shook her head and he decided it was time to employ desperate tactics. He used one arm to pin her against him, moving his fingers to tickle her in the ribs. She shrieked with laughter and tried to squirm away out of his grasp. His unoccupied hand shot out and grabbed the desired food. He took two slices just to get at her. He put one whole slice into his mouth and tossed the other one to Dr. Cooley. Then, and only then, did he let Emily go.
She turned to Dr. Cooley and shrieked, "You told him! You're the only person who knew about that spot! You told him!"
Dr. Cooley grinned like the Cheshire cat, stuck the slice of fruit in his mouth, and loped away.
"We got the better of you." Hotch couldn't help but gloat as Leah asked them all to be quiet for a minute.
Review and poll, please. Thanks. :) I have a couple of Victorious stories as well as this series, now, so feel free to take a look.