Chapter 11

After dinner, the couple told Dave what was going on and then they sat the kids down to give them an outlined version. They thought about not telling them, but they both knew that if they disappeared after seeing Clyde, they would put two and two together and be mad about being left in the dark.

"So we'll leave out in the morning and probably not be back until the following night," Kahlan told them.

"Is Aunt Emily going to be there?" Jack asked them.

"I don't know for sure, but I would think she is," Hotch told him honestly.

"It's going to be dangerous?" Wyatt asked with concern.

"It could be," Kahlan admitted.

"You promise to be careful?" Joey asked them seriously.

"Of course, Angel," Hotch told her.

"And watch each other's backs?" Jack clarified.

Kahlan smiled. "Of course!"

"Can you trust this Easter guy?" Wyatt asked them.

"With this, yes," Kahlan told him.

Wyatt shared a look with his brother and sister. "Well, we know we couldn't talk you out of it, and if this guy is as bad as I think he is, he needs to taken down." He smiled. "I guess if it has to be done; it might as well be done right."

Kahlan and Hotch both smiled at him.

"And by the best in the business," Jack added with a grin.

"Yep," Joey agreed and went and hugged her parents' legs. "Mommy and Daddy are the best!"

XXX

Once they were alone in their room, Kahlan smiled at him. "What?" he asked her.

"We don't have time to go to that tower tonight."

He chuckled. "But we'll have plenty of time when we get back. Don't think you are going to get out of it," he assured her.

"I think our vacation will be complete enough that we don't have to do that," she tried.

He went to her and put his arms around her neck. "No it won't."

She studied his face. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Probably as much as you'll enjoy using that rope," he told her with a wily grin.

She gave him a seductive look. "Somehow I doubt that," she told him as she flicked her brows. He studied her face, and she giggled. "Figured it out yet?"

"What?"

She giggled again. "You don't know what I want to do with the rope."

He ran a hand down his chin as he studied her some more. "I can imagine what you want to do."

She giggled her evil giggle. "No you can't," she told him with a smile and then went to get her laptop.

He swallowed hard as his eyes got a little bigger. Why did you giggle like that, Babe? He felt his heart quicken. Damn, you're not afraid of your own wife, are you Hotchner? He bit his lip as he watched her sit down. He shook his head. No, she wouldn't hurt me, but God knows what she does want to do to me.

She felt him looking at her and she gave him an evil grin. "You better make sure taking me to that tower is worth it."

Is worth what, Babe? He knew her evil streak was big, but he was pretty sure she would never actually use it on him. Pretty sure doesn't sound that sure, does it Hotchner?

She laughed. "Get over here. Clyde sent the files," she told him as she patted the couch beside her.

Yeah. Focus on the case, Hotchner. Stop letting your imagination run away with you. He took a deep breath and sat down. He looked at the pictures of the five men in question. "Do we have a printer?"

She grinned and he heard a printer start. "Annie let us borrow hers."

He looked around and finally saw it, so he got up to grab the pictures and files Clyde had sent them.

"I think at least two of these guys are brothers," she told him as he came back to the couch.

He looked through the five pictures as he studied their unsubs slowly. Two of them did look a little alike, but not enough that he thought they were brothers.

She smiled. "Really? You still don't believe me and my ability to judge siblings?"

He looked at the pictures a little more closely. "Which ones?" he asked as he handed her the pictures with raised brows.

She sifted through the pictures and pulled out one of a tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, older man and one of a shorter, dark haired, brown eyed, younger man. She smiled as she handed them to him. "Just like you and Sean, just opposite."

Hotch took the pictures and really looked at them. "I don't see it."

She huffed. "Look at the area around their eyes and the way they are standing."

He did but he shook his head. "I still don't see it."

She chuckled. "Bet me?"

He started going through the files. "Why? Is there something in here that says they are?"

"Chicken."

He huffed. "Fine, but you can't bet the tower." She huffed and he knew that is exactly what she was going to do. "Think of something else."

She gave him a devious grin. "We're in Scotland, so if I win, you have to eat haggis."

He got a disgusting look on his face but then smiled. "And if I win, you have to, and you have to do it in front of the kids."

She stuck out her hand and he shook it to seal the deal. "Let's do our homework so we can get to bed. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a very long day."

Hotch nodded and then looked at her questioningly. "How are we supposed to go to a gala without the proper clothing?"

She smiled. "I've already taken care of that. You worry about trying to figure who is in charge, and I'll worry about the little details."

He eyed her warily for a second, but then focused on the information Clyde had sent him.

After a couple hours, they both decided to turn in for the night. Once Kahlan was snuggled up against him, he turned off the little light on his nightstand. He heard Kahlan sigh contently, and a he had to hide an sinful grin. Once he thought she had dozed off, he tensed his whole body.

She woke up quickly and sat up. "What?"

"Did you hear that?" he asked in a low whisper.

Kahlan looked around the dark room. "Hear what?" she asked just as quietly.

Hotch slowly pulled himself into a sitting position. "I don't know. Sounded sort of like someone walking."

"Walking? Where? In the hall? Maybe one of the kids is up," she suggested and she started to pull away from him to get up.

He tightened his arm around her to stop her. "It sounded like it was right next to us, or maybe above us."

Her snapped to him in shock, and a little chuckled escaped him as he couldn't keep the charade up any longer

She gave him a dirty look. "That's not funny, Aaron!" she yelled and hit him right below his ribs.

The air gushed out of him with the nasty punch and his laughed was choked off. She shook her head at him as he got his breath back. "Damn, Babe," he told her as he rubbed where she hit.

She huffed, laid down, and rolled over on her side, facing away from him roughly.

"Aww, Babe, don't be like that," he told her as he grabbed her shoulder and tried to pull her back to him. "I was just messing with you."

She pulled out of his grasp and scooted over to the edge of the bed. "Don't touch me," she told him, but he could tell by her tone that she really didn't mean it.

He smiled and snuggled up to her back. "You may not want to be too close to the edge, something might be hiding under the bed." Her whole body tensed, and he laughed.

She quickly rolled over on him and started assaulting him with a flurry of hits, but none of them actually hurting him; and he couldn't stop laughing as he tried to protect himself. "I'm going to. . ." she started as she continued the barrage to his chest and arms. "I'll stuff you under the bed!"

He finally got ahold of her wrists and she stopped trying to fight him. He smiled deviously and then pulled her down for a kiss. "I love you," he told her as he still held onto her.

"Sure you do!" she told him and tried to pull away from him.

He laughed some more and pulled her down beside him. "I can't sleep unless you're by my side."

She huffed but snuggled up against him. "You better go to sleep," she threatened playfully.

He chuckled one more time and then settled down and they drifted off to sleep; he still had an sly little grin on his face.

XXX

The next morning, the Hotchner couple said goodbye to the rest of the family and drove to a nearby airstrip. Clyde had sent a small plane to bring them back to London, and they were preparing for the night with Clyde's best people before lunch in a house not too far from where the gala was being held.

"Any certain name you want to use?" a young man in front of a computer asked them.

Kahlan looked at Hotch and he shrugged. She smiled. "Mr. and Mrs. Jackson."

The man nodded and started typing. "You will be on the invitation list, but I will print you IDs, too."

Hotch nodded and then went to talk to Emily. She was in charge of the operation and was going to be in a surveillance van in the parking lot.

Kahlan watched her husband. I think he's enjoying this a little too much. You better behave, Aaron. He suddenly looked back at her and smiled cunningly while he moved his brows playfully. What the hell has gotten into you, Hun? You're not normally this devilish. She shook her head at him and smiled. I don't know why, but I love it.

After a few hours, Emily told them they needed to get ready, so she showed Kahlan to a room upstairs and Hotch to one on the main level.

Hotch eyed the tux Kahlan had picked out for him. He had expected a classic tux with tails sort of like the one she had him wear when he dressed up as a vampire their first Halloween, so he was quite surprised to find the modern black tux. He chuckled as he went into the bathroom and shaved. Can't go to a gala all dressed up and looking like a bum. After he finished in the rest room and had his hair just right, he got dressed. He bent down and hooked his ankle holster on. I don't know what kind of equipment Clyde thinks he's going to give us, but I'm not going without 'ol faithful. He looked at himself and adjusted his tie. He smiled as he took in his reflection. One thing's for sure, she does have great taste. The tux's jacket and pants were black and the shirt was white, but the vest and tie were deep, electric blue.

He went out to join Emily and go over the plan one more time. Emily's eyes got big as she looked at him. He held his hands out as he smiled. "What?"

"Damn, Hotch," Emily started as he walked up to her. She wolf whistled as he turned around to give her the full effect.

"Nice, huh?" Hotch asked as he ran a hand down the front of his vest.

"That blue looks amazing on you," she told him with another smile.

"It matches Kahlan's eyes," he told proudly.

"Well, it's a good thing you didn't dress like that back when I was at the BAU, I would have gotten myself in trouble," she told him playfully as she bit her bottom lip.

He shook his head at her. "I think it's a little formal for work."

"What's Kahlan wearing?"

He shrugged. "I didn't even know what I was wearing until I walked into that room and saw it."

"Ohhhh. That does look great on you," Kahlan said from the stairs as she looked at her husband. "I knew it would."

Hotch turned and his eyes trailed up the steps and then fixed on step where her feet were. His gaze slowly went up and he lost his ability to breathe. Kahlan was wearing a beautiful, floor length, black gown. It shimmered as she descended the steps, and he wasn't sure if was a gown and a wrap or if the gown had multiple layers, but he had never seen her in a dress that fancy. Her hair was partially up in the back and loose curls fell about her face and shoulders, and her eyes sparkled more than the gown did; and he felt his heart quicken.

"Breathe, Big Guy," Emily joked as she put a hand on his shoulder.

He glanced at her and took a deep breath. He shook his head slowly as he walked to his wife. "My God, Babe. You look. . ." he licked his lips. "You look. . ." he shook his head again. "There are no words to describe how wonderful you look."

She smiled and started back down the steps. "You look pretty damn good, too, Hun."

"I look like a peasant next to the queen." He glided over to the stairs and she froze two steps from the bottom. He bowed his head stuck out his hand to her. "Would Ma'Lady do me the honor of accompanying me to the Gala this evening?"

She took his hand softly and smiled. "I would be honored to go anywhere with Ma'Lord."

He helped her down the steps as she giggled quietly. Clyde walked up to Emily and was about to say something but froze as he watched the couple.

"So you like it?" she asked as she twirled around.

He looked her up and down slowly. "Hmmm. . ."

"What?" she asked nervously.

He put his hand on his chin and studied her some more. "I don't know."

She reached up and fidgeted with her hair. "What?"

"It doesn't bring out your eyes enough," he told her seriously.

She looked disappointed. "You don't like the color?"

He shook his head. "The color's fine; you do look amazing in black, but it's missing something."

She looked down at herself and tried to figure out what he was talking about. "What?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. "This."

Her eyes got wide. "What's that?"

He smiled. "I was going to wait until Tuesday to give it to you, but I knew you were going to be dressed up tonight," he told her as he opened the box to reveal a necklace and matching earrings. "This will bring out those beautiful blues."

Kahlan sucked in her breath as she looked at the white gold and sapphire pieces sparkling on the black velvet interior of the box. "Oh my God, Aaron," she started as she reached a shaky hand to the box. "Their gorgeous."

"Happy Anniversary, Babe," he told her and then leaned in and kissed her. Once he pulled away he took the necklace out of the box and held it up, so she held up her hair and turned so he could put it on her. Once he was done, her hand covered it lovingly at her neck. He smiled when he saw her eyes water. She took the earrings out and put them in and smiled at him again. He nodded. "Now you look perfect," he told her as he put his hands on her waist.

Clyde snorted quietly, and Emily elbowed him in the ribs. "You just wish you had a love like that," she told him quietly. He huffed, but he didn't say anything.

"You never cease to amaze me," Kahlan told him tenderly. "I love them, and I love you."

He smiled proudly. "I love you, too, Babe."

Clyde cleared his throat. "We need to go over a few more things before you have to leave."

Kahlan cut her eyes toward Clyde for just a second and then looked back into the dark brown orbs of the man she loved and then leaned up to give him a passionate kiss. Once she pulled away, Hotch took her hand and turned to Clyde with a cocky look. "I think we're ready to talk now."

Emily chuckled.

*I have been revamping my website, and it has a new address. It is now: thetalesofhoffer. com (no spaces – 'the' is new and there is no longer a 'webs' in it). Some of the pages aren't done yet, but the ones for the Hotch/Kahlan stories are, including a new one for this story. I will continue adding things from this story as it goes, but you can see Hotch's and Kahlan's outfits for the Gala already, and pictures from London and the castle . Let me know what you think.