A/N: OK folks. Just for you! And with love.

Chapter 4

As they drove back to the hotel and Dave had made the introductions, Zach pushed down the button in his door handle to let some air in. It was a cool southern California night, but he needed it.

"Sorry kid," Harry smiled. "I know I don't smell the best. I try to shower a couple days a week at the Community Center, but don't always get there."

Zach turned in his seat to look at Scott. "I should be the one apologizing. I didn't mean to offend you."

Scott smiled. "You run with good people, Dave."

Rossi looked into the rear view mirror, and smiled at Scott. "Yes I do." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a business card, handing it to Zach. "Call that number for me please Zach." Zach took the card, pulled out his cell, dialed the number and handed his phone to Dave. "Put it on speaker; I'm driving and trying to set an example for you so your dad doesn't kick my ass."

Zach smiled at Dave as the speaker phone carried a voice. "JW Marriott Santa Monica Concierge's desk; this is Marissa. How may I help you?"

"Marissa, its Dave Rossi. Can you order a pizza for me?"

"Absolutely, Agent Rossi; who do you want me to call?"

"Gino's Pizza; just up the road from you. Best pizza along the ocean. I need a 16 inch with mild Italian sausage, Canadian bacon and mushrooms. Bill it to my room. I'll tip the driver when they come."

"I'll take care of it, Agent Rossi."

"Thanks Marissa."

"Rossi, what the hell is going on?"

"Shut up Harry and enjoy the ride, and the trip."

Zach looked at Sergeant Scott, with his warm smile. "Welcome to the club." Just then, Zach's stomach grumbled loudly.

"Good timing Agent Rossi," Harry said.

Dave looked in the mirror again. "I gotta take care of my wingman," he smiled.

He tooled the SUV to front door of the hotel, with a valet and doorman moving out to assist. Dave handed the valet a five, Zach tipped the doorman and the group headed to the suite. Zach reached the door first and opened it.

"Damn, Dave I knew you made a bunch of money," Scott said looking around as they entered. "But I didn't know it was this much."

Dave shrugged him off. "I invested well. Harry. I'm going to get very personal with you. You're going to be bunking on the fold out couch here is the living room, but sharing a bathroom with Zach. But personally, my pizza will taste a whole lot better if …."

"I bathe," Scott smiled. "But damnit Rossi, I want some answers."

Zach smiled. "I'm in that boat," pointing at Dave.

"Harry, please, just go in there and get cleaned up. I've got some clean clothes for you in my room. Put your old ones in your bag." Zach grabbed the extra blanket that was lying over the couch back that the housekeeping staff had brought up and showed Harry into the bathroom they would be sharing. He pointed out the shampoo and such provided by the hotel to the Sergeant. Scott smiled at him, and Zach left the bath just as Dave was entering with the clothes. Zach left and put the blanket on his bed and slid into his lounge pants, taking off his shirt, jeans, shoes and socks. Dave left the bathroom. Scott shut the door.

Zach went into the living room and looked at Dave with a question. "It's all answered tomorrow Zach. I promise." Dave handed him a beer from the fridge in the kitchenette. Zach uncapped it and flipped the cap at Dave, as he set his own down on the table. Zach took a tug as he settled into the couch, clicked on the TV with the remote and found SportsCenter on ESPN.

Twenty minutes later, they heard the patio doors to the ocean front in Zach's room open and then close. Sergeant Scott appeared in the living room as Dave answered the door for the pizza delivery. Scott joined Zach on the couch, looking at him stretched out with his legs lying across the coffee table in front. "And buy the way, my smelly bag is out on the patio. But I did soak a bit in the bath tub full of water, before I showered. Do I smell better?"

"Much," Zach smiled. "Thank you. You deserve this." Dave set the pizza box on the table as Zach moved his long legs out of the way.

Scott looked at Rossi, nodding at Zach's beer. "He's 21?"

Dave smiled. "No, he isn't. But if his dad has enough respect for him to let him drink at home, the deal being he doesn't drive the rest of night, I think I can get away with it. He's not going anywhere tonight." Dave checked with Harry what he wanted to drink and returned with a glass of ice water from the kitchenette.

Scott looked at the two of them, as Zach dived into the pizza cut into "squares", instead of slices, first handing a piece to the sergeant. "Thank you son," he sincerely smiled. Zach inhaled the first two pieces, with Dave grabbing his own, as he told Scott the Hotchner's story.

Zach reaching for his third piece accepted Scott's heartfelt condolence on Haley's loss. "I met your dad when I saw Dave the last time," he smiled. "I was very impressed by him. And you look like him, expect of course for the hair."

"Thank you Sergeant. Got the hair color from mom. You've lost too," Zach sadly smiled. The room got quiet as Zach's attention turned to the TV for baseball highlights. A bit later, Dave got out of his chair and grabbed two more beers from the fridge.

"Harry?"

"Thanks Dave, I'm good with the water. I'm in the AA program, remember?" Dave smiled at him as he handed Zach a second beer. Zach scarfed down another piece.

Scott looked at Dave. "How much does it cost his dad to feed him?"

"You don't not want to know Harry; trust me. Between him and his brother, they go through a gallon of milk a day. I'm just glad I'm not paying that bill." Zach just smiled, grabbing another piece of pizza. The two Marine buddies just shook their heads at each other.

They enjoyed the downtime, with Zach explaining some of the people the sportscasters were talking about to Sergeant Scott, as the three of them enjoyed some small talk. Zach suddenly yawned, unable to stifle it. "I think my DC time body is catching up with me, even with my nap on the plane," he shyly smiled.

Dave nodded at him. "A couple beers and getting your belly full doesn't hurt either."

Zach rose and groaned at bit, before heading to the kitchenette to put his plate in the dishwasher and throw away his beer bottles. He walked back into the living room and looked at Sergeant Scott. "Do you want me to leave the light on in the bathroom?"

"Thank you Zach; I'm used to seeing in the dark," he softly smiled. Zach reached out his right hand.

"Sleep well, Sergeant."

"You too Zach," Scott smiled, shaking his hand. "And why don't you just call me Harry." Zach smiled at that.

He turned and pulled Dave into a hug, who had risen out of his chair. "Goodnight Uncle Dave. I love you."

"Love you too Zach," Dave smiled broadly, which Scott could see, watching the scene. "Don't forget that ibuprofen."

Pulling out of the hug, he looked at Dave. "I won't Uncle Dave." Zach looked at Scott. "Good night Harry," he said walking towards his room, gently putting his hand on Scott's shoulder. Zach disappeared into his room, leaving the door open for Harry.

Dave looked at Scott. "Let's get your bed made up. I'm hitting the wall like Zach."

"Dave, what's wrong with him? A kid that age shouldn't groan when he gets up like I do." Dave explained the situation to his friend as they put the blanket on the bed with the sheets already there.

Scott looked his friend in the eye as he pulled two pillows out of a closet in the living room. "That's a real love you two have," he softly smiled. "You never had any kids of your own?"

Dave bowed his head for a bit and then looked at Scott, while throwing the pillows on the bed. "My first wife Carolyn and I had a son. He died three hours after he was born. Carolyn was the love my life but we just couldn't get past that loss." Dave shrugged. "My other two wives, I said 'no kids'. I couldn't go through that again."

"What changed with the kid and his brother?" Scott softly smiled.

Dave looked at him. "They were happy and healthy. I could let them in. But with the situation with the Reaper, it got as personal for me as it did for their dad. That bastard was after my boys as well."

Scott looked at him. "What was your son's name?" The question stung Dave a bit. But hell it probably always would he thought.

"His name was James."

"I'm sorry for your loss Dave. That's a helluva a thing to go through. But I'm glad you've got two special boys in your life," Scott smiled, moving to the bag that Dave had for him with clothes. He pulled out the cotton lounge pants that the Hotchner's all used. "What the hell is this?" he said, pulling them out.

Dave laughed. "The replacement for pajama bottoms; you didn't notice Zach? They're pretty comfy. They've got me converted," Dave smiled. "Zach, after dinner, when he's in his lair, doing his homework, lives in them. Jack would wear them to school if Aaron would let him."

Scott looked Dave in the eye. "Sounds to me like there's another Hotchner you're pretty close with?"

"I mentored him into the BAU. We've gotten close. He's like a brother to me," Dave smiled.

Scott laid the lounge pants back over the bag. "If you don't mind, since I'm sleeping in a bed, I'll just do my skivvies and my clean t-shirt; sorta like when I was at Camp Pendleton. Thanks Dave; you didn't have to do that."

Dave just smiled. "Good night Harry." He started to move to his bedroom.

"Dave, with Zach's problem, will I bother him if I have to use head?"

Dave just shook his head. "He'll be conked. Get some sleep in a real bed my friend."

"Good night Dave."

"Good night Harry. Enjoy," Rossi smiled, entering his bedroom and shutting his door.

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A/N: Skivvies, in Marine language are men's undershorts, being boxers or briefs. Camp Pendleton is one of the major Marine bases in the US, between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is also one the two places in the country that has "Boot Camp" i.e. a "Marine Recruit Depot". The other is Camp Lejeune in South Carolina. That's where they take civilians and make them into Marines. The "head" is a Navy/Marine term for the bathroom. Recruits learn that term on their first day of Boot Camp.