Chapter 7

Hotch's nostrils flared as he started to wake up. He sniffed the air as his head moved slightly signaling that he was on the road to waking. He smiled as he opened his eyes to find Kahlan waving a piece of bacon under his nose. She giggled. "I thought that would wake you up," she told him as he took the bacon and took a bite. He sat up a little and smiled again at the tray of food sitting on the bed beside Kahlan. "Happy Birthday, Hun," she told him as she leaned over and gave him a kiss.

He grabbed her and turned the everyday kiss into one full of passion. Once she pulled away he moaned at the loss of contact.

"Behave yourself. The kids could come in at any moment," she told him as she sat up and moved the tray towards him.

"You could lock the door," he suggested with a wink as he sat up.

"No. They want to wish you happy birthday, too," she told him as she handed him a cup of coffee.

He pouted and took a drink. "Maybe later then?" he asked hopefully.

She giggled her secret giggle and his eyes lit up. "Maybe," she told him with a grin and then got up.

He chuckled as the door to the kids' room opened. Kahlan turned back and grabbed his coffee out of his hand just in time as Joey leapt from the doorway to pounce on him. "Happy Birthday, Daddy!" she yelled as she landed and then went up and gave him a big kiss.

"Thanks, Angel," he told her as she stole a piece of his toast. He laughed at that but when she tried to get a piece of bacon his stare emerged and she froze. "I don't think so!" he half growled.

She giggled and Kahlan grabbed her off the bed. "You've already had your breakfast," she told her daughter as she tickled her ribs. Joey laughed as she squirmed out of her mother's arms.

Wyatt and Jack came in, and Jack went up to him first. Hotch stood up and Jack pulled him into a hug. "Happy Birthday, Dad."

"Thanks, Buddy," Hotch told him as he moved to let Wyatt in.

Wyatt smiled and wrapped his arms around him. "Happy Birthday to the best Dad in the world."

Hotch chuckled as Wyatt pulled back and smiled again. Jack and Joey joined Wyatt and they all stared at him with grins. "What?" Hotch asked uncomfortably.

Jack nudged Joey on the shoulder and she pulled an envelope out of the back of her waistline. "Here, Daddy. It's from all of us," she told him as she walked up to him and handed it to him.

"It's not another hunt is it?" he asked them with a grin.

"No, but you'll like what's at the end of that journey," Jack told him seriously.

Hotch eyed him warily and then opened the envelope. His eyes got big as he read it. It was an appointment for later that day at a shop on Savile Row to get a custom suit made. Savile Row is famous for their bespoke tailoring. He smiled and then opened his arms and invited all three of them into a hug. "This is awesome, guys. Thank you."

"You'll be the best dressed agent at work," Joey assured him.

Wyatt laughed. "He already is."

"Maybe you should save it for when you and Mom go out," Jack suggested.

"Don't worry. I'll take him someplace nice once he gets it so he can show it off," Kahlan told him with a grin.

"Once he gets it? Won't he get it today?" Joey asked her.

"No. They are going to make it for him and they'll ship it back home. It won't be ready by the time we have to go back," she explained and they could all tell Joey didn't like the idea of having to wait for a present.

Hotch chuckled and sat on the bed to eat his breakfast.

"Grandma and Grandpa said they'd take us to the Science Museum if that's alright with you guys," Jack told them.

"Go, have fun. You wouldn't want to go with us anyway. It will take a while and be extremely boring," Kahlan told them as she sat down beside her husband.

"Yay!" Joey yelled and then ran out to tell her grandparents.

"Text us when you guys are done," Hotch told the boys as they bid them goodbye.

Once the door was shut, he turned to Kahlan with a grin. She shook her head and laughed. "Eat your breakfast."

"I thought we were packing up and heading to the castle today?" he asked her around another piece of bacon.

"When the kids finally decided on what to get you, I called and moved the reservations a day," she told him from the bathroom.

He stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth and took a drink of coffee to help get it down as he heard the kids leaving in the hall. After swallowing several times, he quickly ate the last piece of bacon. "You know, we haven't had any real time alone yet."

She chuckled from the bathroom. "That's because we haven't actually been alone."

"We are now," he told her as he went up to the bathroom doorway. His breath hitched in his chest as he looked at her.

"I know," she told him seductively. She was wearing a blue, silk, floor length, negligee that matched her eyes perfectly. He looked her up and down and lost his ability to think, let alone speak. She giggled. "We don't have a lot of time before your appointment, but we have enough," she told him as she pushed him out of the bathroom and to the bed.

When the back of his knees met the bed he fell back and took her with him. She smiled as she laid on top of him. "Sorry I didn't let you open it, I didn't want to have to explain the present if someone found it," she told him and then kissed him slowly.

Once she pulled away, he smiled. "Modeling it is even better," he told her and rolled them over.

She giggled again. "Happy Birthday, Aaron, I love you."

"I love you, too," he told her and kissed her again.

XXX

After the wonderful morning, the Hotchner couple made their way to Savile Row. "How did the kids come up with this?"

"Well, they wanted to get you something truly English, so they did some research and found Savile Row."

He chuckled. "I've never had a custom suit." They walked by one place that boasted of having suited stars like Will smith and Russell Crowe. "Hey, we should go there," he told her with a grin.

She shook her head. "No. Anyone who has to drop names like that doesn't need our business. Besides, Anderson and Shephard have made suits for people more your style," she told him as she pulled him along.

"More my style? Are you saying I don't stack up against men like that?"

She could hear the disappointment in his voice and she gave him a smile. "Not at all, but Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, and Lawrence Olivier are definitely a cut above any new star in my book."

He grinned. "Cary Grant?" He knew she loved old movies.

"Yep."

"I remind you of Cary Grant?"

"Tall, dark, painfully handsome. . . Oh yeah," she told him and his dimples shown with his wide grin, and she giggled as she grabbed his hand.

XXX

After the tailor had measured and such, all Hotch had to do was pick out the material and color. When Kahlan saw him gravitate towards the end of the line of cloth, she shook her head. "You do not need another black or gray suit, Aaron."

Hotch chuckled. "You think I have enough of those, huh? But black is your favorite color."

"Yes it is," she told him as she ran a hand over the cloths. "But you need some color."

He looked at her defiantly. "I have plenty of color."

"I'm not talking about your shirts or ties. You need a colored suit," she told him with a smile.

"I have a couple blue ones, those count."

"And they are dark blue." She pulled out a steel blue bolt and showed it to him.

"You like that?" Hotch asked and she could tell by his tone that he wasn't sure if he did or not.

The tailor smiled at the couple. "With your complexion, eye and hair color, you would look dashing in a burgundy or teal," he suggested.

Kahlan looked at him with raised brows. "Burgundy?" she looked at Hotch. "That sounds sexy."

"It is dark burgundy," the tailor told him as he pulled the cloth out.

Kahlan ran a hand over it. "Ohhh, it's silky, too."

"But not shiny," the tailor quickly pointed out.

Hotch approached it with caution as if it would actually do him harm. He eyed it and then looked at his wife. "I do get complimented when I wear that burgundy shirt you bought me."

She smiled. "Come on, you would be the envy of every man at the Bureau."

"A black shirt and matching burgundy tie would complete it nicely," the tailor injected. "And make it even darker."

Kahlan smiled at him and Hotch knew she agreed. "But you could wear a white shirt, too. You have plenty of those."

Hotch ran a hand along his chin as he contemplated it. He looked at Kahlan and she smiled again. "Fine," he told them and finally smiled.

"Excellent choice," the tailor told him as he took the cloth into the back of the shop.

Kahlan laughed. "I can't wait to see you in it," she told him as she put her arms around his neck.

"Yeah?"

She flicked her brows. "And out of it of course."

He laughed. "You are so bad."

"I can't help it. With you as my man, my mind stays in the gutter."

He laughed some more as he shook his head.

XXX

They met up with the rest of the family and the kids begged them to go to the Eye of London, so they did. Hotch eyed the big, ferris wheel, type ride warily.

"They say you can see all of London from the top," Jack pointed out. Hotch swallowed hard.

"I'm not riding that!" Kahlan told them and all of them except her mother looked at her with surprise.

"But you love rides at Kings Dominion," Wyatt told her.

"Yeah, give me a roller coaster any day to something like that; that things moves too slow for me," Kahlan confessed sheepishly.

"Same here," Cindi quickly put in.

"Then I'll stay with the ladies," Hotch told the kids.

Dave shot him a look, and all the kids looked at him pleadingly. He smiled at them. "Let's go," he told them and started for the ride.

They cheered and followed him happily.

Hotch laughed as he watched them walked away and then turned to Kahlan. "So any other friends we can meet tonight?"

"Haven't you learned enough about me already on this trip?"

He laughed. "Not even close. I fell like there is still a whole lot more that I don't know," he told her as he put his arms around her waist.

"I told you in the beginning that you would learn everything if you stuck around long enough."

He chuckled. "Yeah, but I didn't know you meant years."

"Well, I hope you're around a lot longer," she told him with a smile.

"Even with forever, I somehow think I still wouldn't know everything."

She pulled away from him and started for the ride. "I want to get a couple pictures for Pen," she called back to him.

He studied her as she walked away. There are some things you'll never tell me, isn't there, Babe?

Cindi laughed and put her hand on his shoulder. "You should count yourself lucky, Aaron. You know more about her than her own family does."

He looked at her. "Oh I do. In fact, the mystery around her is one of the things that attracted me to her in the first place."

She smiled knowingly. "And I'm glad it did. You have been a wonderful addition to the family," she told him honestly.

He huffed. "You don't think I've brought too many problems?" He still privately felt responsible for everything bad that had happened to Kahlan since she had gotten with him even if no one else did.

She smiled kindly. "Life would be boring without a little adventure every now and then," she told him and then went to join her daughter.

He smiled as he watched her leave. I still don't know what I have ever done to deserve all this. He shook his head. I may never know, but I'm really glad!

XXX

After a wonderful dinner and exploring the city some more, the whole family went back to the hotel with plans of getting up early and starting for the castle that would be their temporary home for the next week or so.

XXX

After packing up, Hotch and Dave loaded the SUV Dave had rented. Dave drove because he was the only one beside Kahlan who had ever driven in Europe. Hotch sat up front with him, and Kahlan and Cindi took the middle, and the kids took the back.

Everyone settled down for the over six hour ride that would take them into Scotland. Joey sat in the middle and clung tightly to her stuffed raven she had gotten at the Tower. She had named it George obviously. Wyatt sat on the left and listened to his iPod as he looked out the window, and Jack was busy playing a game on his phone.

After a few hours, they stopped and had lunch at a quaint little place. After a few other stops to check out the scenery and to just get out of the vehicle, they finally pulled onto the dirt road that led to the ancient looking castle. Kahlan and all of the kids sat forward in their seats as they approached. Hotch glanced at the kids and chuckled. Then he noticed Kahlan's eyes; they were sparkling with childlike wonder as she took in the huge castle wall looming ahead of them.

"Is there a moat?" Joey asked in excitement.

"Yep, and a drawbridge," Kahlan told her with smile.

"Coooool," Joey said with a grin at her mother.

Dave pulled up in the parking area. "Apparently we walk from here," he told them and shut the SUV off.

Hotch wasn't sure who had their door open quicker, Kahlan or the kids, but he chuckled at their enthusiasm. "It doesn't look like anyone else is here."

Kahlan shot him a grin. "It only allows so many guests at a time."

Hotch shot Dave a look and he could tell Dave thought the same thing: She's bought the whole damn place out.

"There's a lake on the premises. I can teach you how to fish, Bella," Dave told Joey with a smile. Her face lit up and it made his heart melt a little.

"That would be awesome, Poppi!"

"I think it would be called a Loch here grandpa," Jack pointed out.

"I don't care what it's called. I haven't gone fishing in forever!" Wyatt told him as he grabbed his suitcase out of the back of the SUV.

"There are plenty of activities for everyone. I don't think any of us will have a chance to get bored," Kahlan pointed out as she grabbed her bag.

"Will they let us explore the whole castle, Mommy?" Joey asked as she put her backpack on.

"They better," Kahlan told her with a grin.

Hotch laughed. Either way, they'll both do it.

After they got their luggage, they made their way toward the castle wall. Hotch smiled at Kahlan and Joey trying to take everything in. A couple men dressed in period clothing greeted them. The younger man quickly started taking their luggage from them and put it on a cart.

"Welcome to MacLauchlan Castle," the older man said with a bow. "My name is Sean and this is my son Coll. If my Lords and Ladies would care to continue into the ward, we will see to it that you belongings get to their proper rooms," he told them as he held a hand toward the courtyard within the castle wall. "And, of course, the lads and lass are most welcomed, too," he added with a smile to the kids.

Joey giggled and grabbed her father's hand, and they all set their stuff down and followed the gentleman across the drawbridge.

Wyatt slapped jack on the shoulder. "I think the moat is an actual pool," he told him quietly as they looked down at the sparkling water.

"It is. There're even a couple slides on the east side of the castle," the younger man told him with a smile.

All of the kids smiled at that.

Joey tugged on Hotch's pant leg and when Hotch looked down at her she smiled and pointed up as they passed through the gate. Hotch shook his head at the massive iron gate suspended above them. That could kill someone if it fell. He was starting to understand why Kahlan had picked that castle. It's like we've stepped back in time.

Joey sucked in her breath as they made their way into the courtyard. A beautiful falcon was sitting on a perch and a horse was grazing on the lush grass. Kahlan looked back at her daughter. "I told you there would be animals."

"The lass likes beasts, huh?" the older man said with a smile and then held his fingers to his mouth and let out a loud whistle. Four dogs came running around one of the little buildings in the courtyard.

Joey laughed, let go of Hotch's hand, and then ran up to the dogs. They all quickly started licking her and bouncing around enjoying the attention.

"Ok, I get the Scottish Terriers, but why are there Irish Wolf Hounds?" Wyatt asked as he watched Joey rolling on the ground with the dogs.

"The lad offends me," the older man told Hotch. "Those are no Irish Wolf Hounds but Scottish Deerhounds!"

Hotch quickly slapped Wyatt in the back of the head, but not hard enough to actually hurt him. "Sorry," Wyatt apologized quickly.

"They are darker than the Wolf Hound, Wyatt," Jack pointed out and Kahlan laughed.

The older man gestured toward the huge, ornate, arched wood door. "If you would be so kind as to follow me into the keep."

Everyone started to follow him except Hotch, he stayed watching his daughter. The man noticed Hotch's hesitation and gave him a warm smile. "I can assure you, Ma'Lord, that there isn't any place safer."

Hotch eyed him warily, but Kahlan grabbed is hand. "Come on, she's fine," she told him with a smile and pulled him toward the entrance.

Hotch reluctantly followed as he kept Joey in his peripheral view. Just then, Joey untangled herself from the dogs and walked up to the falcon slowly; talking to it softly. A young boy ran up to her with a smile. He picked up the falcon with a gloved hand and started talking to Joey. Hotch smiled and finally allowed himself to be taken into the castle.

As he looked around, he was shocked. When Kahlan had told him the castle was a hotel, he expected everything to have been remodeled, but the inside of the castle was just as authentic as the outside. While he could tell it had been modernized, it was done in such a way that it didn't disturb the original look of the castle at all.

An older woman came into the foyer with a warm smile. The man put his arm around her lovingly. "This is my wife, Annabel. She is the master of the castle."

She blushed slightly and pulled away from him to shake Kahlan's hand. "It's Annie, please. Welcome to our home. These will share some of the castle's history," she started as she handed out pamphlets to them. "And let you all know what we offer for your staying pleasure." Once she was finished, she smiled again. "You all must be exhausted and famished after your long journey. Sean will show you to your rooms, and I will start the staff on the evening meal."

Kahlan smiled at her. "Thank you. I'm sure we will enjoy our stay."

Annie looked at the group. "I thought there was going to be a young lass joining you?"

Sean laughed. "She's outside with Angus. I think he is showing her all of the beasts."

The woman smiled. "Angus is our youngest, and he has a way with the animals."

"Then he'll get along great with Joey," Dave told her as he smiled.

"Well then, off you go. Get settled and refreshed. Come down whenever you are ready," Annie told them and Sean led the way further into the castle.

He pointed out the different rooms as they went along, and eventually led them to a massive stone stairwell. Once they were on the higher level, he led them down the hallway to the left. He stopped by the first door and opened it to reveal several rooms connecting to a central room. Hotch inwardly moaned. He was hoping that he and Kahlan would have a little more privacy.

"This shall be the lads and lass's room," Sean told him and they saw Coll putting the kids' bags down in the main room.

How the hell did he get in there without passing us? Hotch wondered as the boys made their way into the room. The boys smiled back at their parents to let them know they approved.

Next, Sean took them down the hall to the far end and opened a door to reveal another set of rooms. "This will be for the Lord and the Lady," he told them as he looked at Dave and Cindi.

"Nice," Dave said as he grabbed Cindi's hand and pulled her in.

"And your room," Sean told the couple. "Is back this way." He led the way back down the hallway and stopped at a massive door in the middle of the hall. "We hope you find the accommodations to your liking," he told them with a smile as he opened the door.

Jesus! Hotch thought as he looked in the door. Kahlan smiled at him and then motioned for him to go in first.