Chapter 30

Emily, her husband Brent, and their son Michael met the Hotchner group at the airport to see them off. Emily pulled Hotch and Kahlan aside and thanked them for helping with the case, but they both put a stop to that quickly. After kisses and hugs and a promise from Emily to come see them that summer, the little family group boarded the plane to take them back home.

Before the plane had even left the terminal, Kahlan's phone vibrated. She took it out of her pocket and saw that it was a text from Clyde: 'Thanks for all of your hard work. We were able to take a lot of their contacts down, too.' She showed it to Hotch and he smiled.

'No problem,' she texted back.

After a few moments, Clyde texted her again. 'So, if I ever need any help again, are you and your husband available?'

She showed it to Hotch and he chuckled. She texted him back: 'No. No we are not.'

'I'll keep your number handy.'

She shook her head and put her phone away.

XXX

After dropping Dave and Cindi off, Hotch pulled into the driveway. He got out of the vehicle and stretched. "While that was an amazing trip. . ."

"It's good to be back home," Kahlan finished for him.

Hotch threw Wyatt the keys. "Go let the dogs out before they break down the door."

Wyatt laughed and ran to the door. Sampson leaped and had him on the ground within a split second, licking his face as it were covered in steak.

Goliath ran to the rest of the family and they could tell he was torn between Jack and Joey, so they both tackled him to the ground with stomach rubs and ear scratches.

Hotch and Kahlan laughed at their children and the dogs as they started to get the luggage out. Sampson ran over to Kahlan, but her hands were full; so he sat down and whined. Hotch laughed at him. "If you don't pet him, he is going to have a heart attack."

Kahlan smiled at the dog and put the suitcases down. "Come here boy." He jumped up and put his paws on her shoulders as she rubbed his face and neck. "Did you miss us?" He barked. "Did Donna treat you good?" He barked again. They all laughed.

XXX

The next morning, Kahlan awoke to an empty bed. She stretched and smiled and then made her way to the restroom. As soon as her foot hit the main floor, Joey ran to her and jumped into her arms. "Happy Birthday, Mommy!"

"Thanks, Pumpkin," Kahlan told her as she carried her into the kitchen.

Hotch and the boys were fixing breakfast. Joey pushed out of her arms to let the boys have their turns at wishing her happy birthday and then Hotch pulled her into a hug. "Happy Birthday, Babe," he told her and then gave her a quick kiss.

She smiled and looked past him at the stove. "Is that French toast?"

He laughed. "Yep."

Jack grabbed her hand and led her to the table as Wyatt grabbed her a cup of coffee.

"When is everyone supposed to be here?" Joey asked as she sat down next to her mother.

"At one. We have to do it early because of school and work tomorrow," Hotch told her as he brought in cups and orange juice.

"I can't wait to hear about everybody's vacations," Kahlan told him.

"I bet none of them was as great as ours," Wyatt told her with a grin.

Jack and Joey quickly agreed.

"I can't believe that you actually planned this before we even left," Hotch told Kahlan as he brought in the food and Jack brought the plates.

"Oh please. Do you think the girls would have been able to concentrate at work tomorrow without telling each other all about everything?"

Hotch laughed. "That's true."

As soon as they were done eating, the kids gave Kahlan their gifts and then Hotch pulled Kahlan to their room. "I want to give you your present," he told her as he opened the room darkening curtains at the window.

She squinted at the morning sun. "And I have to be blinded to see it?" she asked playfully.

He smiled and went to his closet. "Nope," is all he said as he disappeared into it. He came back out holding a box that was about two feet long and a foot high.

"What the hell, Hun?" she asked as he handed her the box because her hands went down a little as it weighed more than she thought it would.

"You'll never guess what it is," he told her with a cocky grin.

She smiled and moved the box to the bed, and he moved in beside her as she opened it. Her brows furrowed as she looked in the box. Sitting in packing paper was a giant oval thing. It was different shades of sparkling blue with gold veins running through it. "It's beautiful," she said softly as she ran a hand over it. "Is it glass?" It was smooth to the touch, but she couldn't figure out what it was made out of.

He chuckled at her look and then reached in and took it out. "I don't really know," he confessed and then held it out to her.

"What is it?" she asked as she took it.

"I told you I'd find you a dragon egg," he told her as his dimples shown with his smile.

Her brows rose as she smiled. "It's gorgeous! I'll put it on my dresser," she told him as she moved toward it.

He grabbed her arm to stop her. "You don't believe me, huh?"

She giggled. "Sure it's a dragon egg. What other creature could have such a wondrous egg?"

"I guess I have to prove it to you, don't I?"

"Prove it? My imagination can see it for what it is."

He smiled again and pulled her to the window. "I figured since you believe in them so much, you'd want more than just your imagination." Her brows furrowed as she looked at him. He chuckled. "Hold it up to the sun," he told her quietly.

Her eyes were hooded in suspicion as her brows furrowed even more. "What?"

He got in behind her and reached around and took the egg. "Hold it in front of the light," he repeated as he started to position it in front of the sun.

The sunlight filtered through the egg as if it was transparent and she sucked in her breath. As if looking at the veins in the hand using a powerful flashlight, the content of the egg was revealed by the sun. There, curled up in a little ball, was a baby dragon in glorious detail. She could clearly see its adorable, horned, little head, its transparent folded wings, its spines going down its back, its tail, its clawed feet, everything. She quickly took it from him to bring it down to her height properly. He chuckled at the look of wonder on her face.

She looked at him. "How?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Where did you find such a thing," she asked as she studied it some more.

He chuckled. "In Braemar at the festival."

She hugged it to her chest. "How did you keep that hidden?"

He laughed. "I had them ship it to Donna's. She put it in my closet when it came."

She sat it down on the bed and pulled him into a hug. "I have never had a gift so amazing. Thank you."

He smiled brightly. "I knew you'd love it," he told her and then gave her a kiss.

Once she pulled away from him, she picked it up and went to her dresser. He pulled a little wooden stand out of the box and put it down so she could set the egg on it. "There, now it doesn't look so bare since my dragon isn't there anymore."

Hotch choked on his own breath and quickly ducked his head. "I am so sorry, Babe."

She giggled. "I know, Hun," she told him as she pulled him to her.

"I didn't think you knew."

"I found some of the shards behind my nightstand when I was cleaning."

"Why didn't you ever say anything? I actually thought maybe you didn't remember it."

"How could I have not remembered Drake the Black Dragon? I had him since I was sixteen."

He pulled away from her as self-loathing and shame overtook his features quickly. "Oh, Babe. . ."

"Stop. I understand why it happened. I'm actually surprised that is the only thing that got broken."

"I did look for another one. I found a few that were close, but none that matched him completely," he told her sheepishly.

"You wouldn't have been able to find another; he was one of a kind."

He hung his head; unable to look at her any more.

She reached and lifted his chin. "It's fine, Aaron," she told him with a smile. "Besides that egg is a hundred times better than that dragon ever was."

He perked up a little with that. "Are you sure?"

"Of course! I have my very own dragon egg!" she told him with a big smile. "How awesome is that?" she asked as she pulled him back to her. "I love it and I love you!"

He finally smiled. "That's one of a kind, too. The lady hand paints them and it was the only blue one she had."

"It's amazing, Hun. I mean it. I just don't understand how it looks solid sitting there, but in front of the light it shows what's inside."

His dimples finally reemerged. "Just like a real egg."

She giggled. "That's true." She pulled away from him. "I better get dressed and get started on getting things ready."

He headed for the door. "I'll get stuff cleaned up down stairs."

XXX

Morgan and Mina were the first ones to arrive, and within a half an hour, the whole team and their other halves and families were there. Chuck and Vinnie came, too.

Rossi was helping Hotch man the grill. "It's a good thing you've healed. The team would have known what those marks were," Rossi told him with a grin.

"Would you stop," Hotch told him quietly as he looked around to make sure no one else had heard him.

Rossi chuckled.

The girls were all sitting around the table on the deck telling each other about their vacations as the kids played in the yard and the men hung out around patio and the grill.

"Amy Baker, is that a ring on your left hand?" JJ asked her quickly.

Amy's smile lit up the table as she held her hand out for everyone to see. "Yes. Spencer proposed last week."

They all got up and congratulated her with kisses and hugs.

"So when is the big day?" Mina asked her.

"We haven't decided yet. We're not in a big hurry," she told them as she looked at Reid affectionately.

The guys quickly started shaking Reid's hand apparently hearing the news. too.

"We found the cutest B&B in Rode Island," Garcia told them.

"Jesus. How many different states did you all visit?" Mack asked her.

"Six. We spent three days in one and then pointed on the map and went to the other for another three days. We stopped anywhere that looked interesting," Garcia explained with a smile.

"Sam and I spent about a week at my parents' place and then he took me to Colorado to meet his folks," Mack told them all as her face turned a little red.

"Ohhhh, are things getting a little more serious between my Red Riding Hood and her Titan?" Garcia asked with a grin.

Mack turned even redder. "Maybe." They all laughed.

"So how was your trip to Israel?" Kahlan asked Mina.

Mina smiled. "I had to threaten two of my sisters to keep away from Derek, but other than that, it went very well."

They all laughed. "So no problems with the parents?" Vinnie asked her as she rubbed her stomach. With being so slim, being eight months pregnant made her look like she was going to pop.

"Of course not, they loved Derek."

"Of course they did," Garcia agreed.

XXX

Once the food was done, everyone gathered around at the tables, the adults at two tables stuck together and the kids at another. They all enjoyed the food and conversation.

Once they were done eating, the team and Chuck and Cam cornered Hotch and Kahlan in the kitchen.

"Alright, Hotch, man, you have to tell us about whatever it is you were doing with Emily," Morgan told him with a grin.

"Yeah! We were told we couldn't work but you just had to find something to do, didn't you?" JJ asked him with a grin.

Hotch chuckled. "I didn't find it. It found us," Hotch started and then he and his wife shared the story.

Once they were done, Hotch could tell Chuck was a little upset. "You're not allowed to go on vacation anymore!" Chuck told them seriously.

Everyone laughed and Kahlan put her arm around him and gave him a squeeze. "I wouldn't want to face something like that again without you," she told him seriously.

XXX

Once everyone left and the kids were asleep, Kahlan turned off the tv and pulled Hotch up off the couch. "Come on," she told him and pulled him toward the steps.

"I am kind of tired. I wouldn't have thought six hours would make that big of a difference, but it has. I'm so glad we came back two days early," he told her as he followed her up the steps.

Her shoulders drooped as she went into their room. "You're tired?" she asked as she turned to him.

He shut their door and eyed her for a moment, and then went and put his hands on her waist. "Babe, are you sure you're ready for that?" he asked her tenderly. They hadn't shared any real intimacy since that horrible night he tied her up.

She pulled him as she moved backwards to the bed. As the back of her knees connected with it, she pulled him down on top of her. "Shut up, and make love to me, Aaron."

He smiled and leaned down. "Yes, Ma'am," he told her and gave her a passionate kiss.

XXX

Hotch was early for work the next morning. He was actually looking forward to getting into a case as he walked through the bullpen. He noticed Rossi already at his desk, too, and chuckled. Apparently I'm not the only one.

He went to his office, opened the door, and set his briefcase down on the couch. As soon as he turned to his desk, he froze. There, right in the middle of his clean desk was a piece of rope. Damn you David Michael Rossi! His head snapped to the glass doors as he heard talking. Morgan, Garcia, and Reid had come in together. He quickly grabbed the rope and stuffed it into his bottom desk drawer as he shook his head. I'm going to kill him!

Within half an hour, a young agent brought a box to Hotch. He was out in the bullpen going over a few consults with the team. He eyed the box warily but accepted it and put it down on Reid's desk. They all quickly looked to see where it came from. "Interpol?" Mack asked with awe.

"What's Emily sending you?" JJ asked quickly.

"Not Emily. That's Clyde's name on there," Morgan pointed out.

Hotch licked his lips as he took out his keys to cut through the tape. Inside the box, was a black plastic box that looked a little like a tackle box. Hotch reached in and took it out. Rossi picked up a piece of paper that fell to the ground. "Looks like a there's a note," he said as he handed the paper to Hotch without reading it.

Hotch sat the box down and took the paper. 'For all of your hard work. I hope these can help you with your cases, Clyde.'

He handed Rossi the note and then opened the box. Inside were nine sets of gear he had used at the gala. He shook his head as Morgan whistled and Reid picked up the stack of user guides.

"Damn, Hotch, I think you may have played down your role in London," Mack told him with a smile.

"Wow. These will come in handy on some cases," Reid told them as he flew through guides explaining what everything was and how to use them.

"Why nine sets?" JJ asked him.

Morgan chuckled. "I guess you never know when we'll have help on a case," he told her with a smile.

Hotch shared a look with Rossi and he could tell he thought the same thing. Us six and Kahlan, Chuck, and Cam. "Well, I guess I'll keep it in my office," Hotch told them as he closed the box.

XXX

Within twenty minutes, they were in the conference room going over a new case that was going to take them to Utah to help catch a serial rapist.

"So he ties them up with rope, huh?" Rossi mused aloud, and he was the only one to notice the ghost of a wince that crossed Hotch's face. Years of learning how to control his expressions let Rossi hold back the chuckle that wanted to escape.

"Yes, but it's so common that it couldn't be traced," Garcia told them and then continued her briefing.

Once she was done, and all questions answered, Hotch stood up. "Wheels up in thirty," he told them and they headed to get their things. Rossi made sure to allow Hotch to leave the room before him.

About ten minutes later, Garcia stuck her head in Hotch's door and knocked.

"Come in," Hotch said without looking up.

"I took the liberty, Sir," Garcia started as she advanced to his desk.

Hotch looked up, and she handed him a picture frame. It was the photo of the family in their Medieval costumes at the Braemar festival. He smiled. "Thank you, Penelope," he told her as he stood up.

"With all of the pictures I've seen and everything I heard, I can imagine that it was great vacation," she told him.

"It was," he told her truthfully as he looked at the picture again and smiled.

"A wonderful vacation with a wonderful family," she mused and headed out the door.

He sat down and put the new frame next to the others on the side of his desk and smiled again. My thoughts exactly!

The End

*Kahlan's birthday gift is up on the site. Thank you for reading, and leave a review if you haven't yet.

**And the next story is in the works. Hopefully the first chapter will be up soon.