A/N: So should the tradition continue with Monday 2 for 1's? With the luvs I'm feeling back from all of you? I think that's an affirmative. Enjoy! And thank you all so, so much. You humble me. And make me want to dive into writing another story. I'm blessed by all of you. *pats chest* That's from the heart.
Chapter 3
Zach pulled the top blanket off and Dave helped him get it folded. Jenn happened to walk by and took it from them and put it in the overhead bin. Dave noticed Zach kept the other one over his knees. They always barked the worst when he had one of these incidents. Zach pulled the seat backrest up and pushed down the leg rests so he could look out the window.
He noticed the plane starting to make a serious descent and looked at Dave. "It's OK," he smiled. "LA sits in a basin with the San Gabriel mountains all around it, except of course for the ocean. This is typical for getting into LAX. You get over the mountains and then make the big drop." The pilots made a series of turns and then Zach heard another sound. "That's the air brakes; we must be on final approach." Zach looked at him. "They gotta slow this bird down to put it on the ground safely," he smiled.
As the jet descended into the clear LA night sky, Zach looked out the window and could see the tall buildings of LA's downtown area in the distance with their lights still shining. He kept looking around until he heard the pilot over the intercom. "Flight attendants, prepare for landing." He eased back into his seat. Dave nodded his approval. He knew Zach would be a quick learner.
The jet glided to the runway and made a smooth landing. The flight attendants rose, and Jenn made the usual announcements. Dave pulled his cell phone out and turned it on. Zach followed his lead. Dave looked at him. "You know you're dad is going to up, waiting on news. You or me?" Before Dave could blink, Zach typed out a text and sent it on his way. Dave just shook his head at Zach's speed with the cell, as he got Zach's big smile. Just landed dad.
What the hell you expect from teenager, Dave's brain told himself.
They taxied to the gate and the jet finally stopped. Dave snapped out of his seatbelt and rose from his seat, grabbing his briefcase. Zach pulled the blanket off, rose as well, folded it a bit and set it in Dave's seat. He grabbed his backpack, pulling it on and then joined him in the aisle. Dave looked at him and smiled. "I'm impressed."
"Uncle Dave?"
"Usually flying rookies, especially your size, crack their head on the overheads when they get up."
Dave got the big ass Hotchner smile again. "Uncle Dave, I'm Aaron Hotchner's son. I know my surroundings." Dave didn't doubt the training and pulled Zach's bag and jacket from the overhead bin and handed them to him with a smile. He grabbed his own as Jenn opened the cabin door. The moved off the jet and through the jet way.
Once in the terminal, Zach followed Dave to the baggage claim area. As soon as they entered, they saw the young man in the suit holding a sign. It had the logo of the Santa Monica JW Marriott and "Rossi" in large print. Dave nodded at the man holding the sign.
"Good evening Agent Rossi, welcome to Los Angeles. I just need to verify your name." Dave pulled out his credentials. "Thank you Agent Rossi. I'm Joaquin; may I take carry your bags for you?"
"No thank you Joaquin," Dave smiled, "we're fine."
Joaquin smiled. "Please follow me to the car." Zach looked at Dave and just shook his head. As they walked, Zach's cell phone pinged. He pulled it out of his jeans pocket and looked at the text. Thanks son for the update. *yawns* Call me in the morning. Luv Dad. Zach showed it to Dave, who smiled at the message. Zach fired off a good night message to his father. They got to car; Joaquin took their bags and opened a door for them.
Zach looked Dave. "I know the drill," he said, climbing in after pulling his backpack off. Dave followed him in. The bags loaded in the truck, Joaquin gently guided the Town Car out of the huge airport and headed for their hotel, just a quick trip up Lincoln Boulevard to Pacific Drive.
Less than twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of the hotel, directly on the Santa Monica beach. Zach looked at Dave and just shook his head. Dave smiled at him, as a doorman opened Zach's door, with Joaquin doing the same for Dave. Dave handed Joaquin a twenty, as a Bellman raced out to grab the luggage. Zach tipped the doorman. He grabbed the two pieces of luggage from the trunk and carried them in behind Dave and Zach.
Dave immediately headed to the Concierge's desk. The woman behind the counter smiled at him. Her name tag read Marissa. "Good evening sir. How may I help you?"
"David Rossi, checking in," he smiled.
"Good evening Agent Rossi," she smiled. "We've been expecting to you. Your accommodations are all set, with your requests filled." Dave started to fill out the paperwork, and looked at Marissa, with a smile. "If you don't mind, I do have an additional request."
She smiled. "How may I help you Agent Rossi?"
"Can you have housekeeping bring up another blanket?"
"I'll take of it right away sir. And Agent Rossi, your rental vehicle is here as well. When will you need it?"
"Right away."
"I'll have the valet staff bring it up," she smiled.
"Please," Dave smiled, signing off on the paperwork. Marissa handed him two room keys. "Jose will get you to your room," smiling at the Bellman. Dave smiled his thanks.
"This way gentlemen," Jose said, leading them to the elevators.
Once on, Zach looked at Dave. "Holy shit Big Dog." Dave just smiled at him. They got off on the fourth floor, and Jose guided them down the hall, stopping in front of a door.
"Your room sir," he smiled. Dave slid the room key card into the reader. The button flashed green and he opened the door. "Where would you like the bags?"
"You can just set them down Jose," Dave smiled. "We can take them from here," handing the Bellman a ten dollar bill.
"Thank sir. Have a good evening and enjoy your stay at the JW Marriott Santa Monica." He nodded at Zach and left the room.
Zach looked around the suite. It had a formal living room, with a 54 inch TV. A dining table with four chairs was located left of the living room set up. Behind that was a large array of glass doors, one that slide open to an Oceanside balcony. Looking around, Zach saw the kitchenette, complete with a full refrigerator. "Too fancy in my world, Uncle Dave," he smiled.
Dave peeked to his left into a door. "That's mine," he said, nodding at the other door on the other side of the living room. "That's yours. But just dump your bags. We've got to head out if you want. But get some more Advil in you first."
"I'll wait until I go to bed Uncle Dave. That way I'll sleep through the night. Mind if I check out my crib?" he smiled. Dave just nodded.
It held a queen size bed, with a sliding glass door to the beach front patio as well, along with a settee, a small coffee table and a large flat screen as well. He put his bag down and put his backpack on the bed. A true Hotchner, he took his coat he had worn to the airport in DC, now over his dad's go bag and hung it up in the closet. He opened his bag, grabbed his toilet kit and put it in the bathroom.
Zach walked out into the living room area. "You don't have to do this part, if you don't want to Zach. You can just hang out here," Dave said.
Zach read the look. "Uncle Dave, I'm your wingman for the weekend. Let's rock and roll." Dave smiled and they moved out of the room together, with Dave handing Zach his key card to the room. Zach shoved it into his back right jeans pocket. The left one held his wallet. Just like his dad.
They entered the lobby. The doorman opened the door for the two of them. "Agent Rossi, your vehicle is right here." He opened the passenger door for Zach, who handed him three dollars. The valet opened the door for Dave, getting a five.
"Zach, you don't have to do that. I leave a tip at the end of my stay that covers the staff."
"Then why do you do it?" Zach smiled. That big ass Hotchner grin will be my undoing this weekend Dave thought. But I'm glad he's with me so I'll put up with it.
"Uncle Dave, with what dad gives me to take care of Jack, I can do it. And I can somewhat run with you Big Dog," he winked. Dave gave him a smile as pulled the black Escalade away from the hotel. "Uncle Dave, where are we going?"
Dave looked at him, as he waited for a light to turn green. "Somewhere not very pleasant Zach." Zach rode in silence, being Uncle Dave's wingman as he promised.
As he drove down towards the pier, Dave eyed Zach for a second. Zach had his game face on. Dave slightly smiled at the sight. Five minutes later, he pulled into an alley.
Zach looked out to see a bunch of people sleeping in the alley. He remembered his dad's words about Uncle Dave's platoon sergeant from his days in Vietnam. Dave drove slowly down the alley and then stopped. "That's him." He opened the door and started to get out. Zach threw his door open and raced around the front of the vehicle to back Dave.
Dave shook his head. "Not needed wingman," he smiled with a whisper, reaching for an Afro-American male with a graying beard, sleeping next to a dumpster, his bag as his pillow. Dave gently shook him awake. "Sergeant Scott," Dave quietly said, not wanting to wake the rest trying to get some sleep. Zach looked around for potential trouble, finding none.
"David Rossi," the gravelly voice growled. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Getting you; you're coming with us."
"Rossi, I never took orders from you before, and I'm not now."
"Harry, you drunk?"
"Nope; I got myself into an AA program at the Community Center, thanks to you. Been sober for six months."
"Well then look at the size of the kid. You've got one of two options. Get in the SUV on your own, or I snap my fingers and let my wingman loose."
Even with the extremely bad light in the alley, Sergeant Harrison Scott knew he was going to be no match for the kid. He held out his hand. "Help me up Dave." Dave took the hand and Zach offered his own.
"The kid is good," Harry smiled. "Who is he?"
"He's my nephew." Zach and Dave gently helped him to his feet, with Zach grabbing his elbow.
"David Rossi, the lighting in this alley is pretty shitty, but that kid does not have an ounce of Italian blood in his veins."
Dave clamped a hand on Scott's shoulder. "It's a long story Harry." He nodded at the vehicle, gently adding, "Get in." Scott grabbed his bag and got into the back seat of the SUV.
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A/N: Just to show all of you how old school I am, I call peeps that help with luggage in hotels bellman. Of course, I could have used the really old school terminology and called them "bellhops". Yes, I am that old. Thank you again for all the reviews and favorite alerts!