A/N: More words from the scripted CM episode The Fallen. More nods to Rick Dunkle and Danny Ramm.

Chapter 10

After they enjoyed a leisurely walk back to their hotel, with the California sun beginning to slip into the Pacific Ocean, they entered the hotel room. Dave looked at Harry. "You sure you don't want to stay tonight? We could run you there in the morning."

Harry shook his head. "I getting a new start," he smiled. "I want to get at it. I haven't been this excited in years," he admitted. "Besides, you two have a short window in the morning before you head back home. I'm gonna grab my bag. I've got a few things in there I want to keep."

When Harry disappeared into Zach's room, Zach looked at Dave and whispered. "You tried."

"I'm just happy he's doing this," Dave whispered back with a smile. "This could open a whole new world to him." Zach smiled his agreement.

When Harry re-entered the living room, he was digging through his bag. He smiled, obviously finding what he was looking for. He walked up to Zach and held out a clenched fist, and smiled at him. "I want you have these. We're both starting a new chapter in our lives. I want you to remember me. I know I won't forget you," he smiled.

Zach shook his head. "Harry, I will never, ever need a reminder of you."

"Please Zach, take it anyway." Zach looked at Dave, who nodded his head. Zach held out his hand and Harry dropped his dog tags into Zach's hand.

Zach looked at them. "I can't Harry," he said. "These are yours."

"Zach, I hoped to have a son or a grandson that I could give them to. That didn't happen. I want you to have them." Zach was a tough competitor, and if you pissed him off, he could get even tougher. He had that tougher than nails side of his personality. That was the Hotchner in him. But he also inherited Haley's soft and gentle nature, and at the moment that trumped as his eyes filled with tears.

"I don't know what to say Harry," Zach said in a bare whisper.

"Share them with Jack," he smiled. "Those nights when it's just you two guys. I'll be there with you," the gravelly voice said. Zach stuck them in his pocket and then held out his hand.

"That's a promise Harry. Jack will love that," Zach said with a smile. Harry shook his hand, as Dave nodded his head with a large smile as well.

Dave looked at Harry. "You ready?"

Harry beamed. "More than ready."

Just after they left the hotel to go back to New Directions, Zach got a text from Pete on his cell. Zach zipped a message back. Harry just shook his head. The rest of the trip to the facility was spent with Harry peppering questions at Zach about email, the World Wide Web and what Zach could do on his cell phone.

When they pulled up in front of the resident building, Jake Moreland was waiting for them. He smiled at Zach as he got out of the SUV. "You look more comfortable."

"Wearing a suit is not my favorite thing. It's a bad reminder."

Moreland looked at him. "Think I can figured out why. I'll leave the three of you alone." Looking at Scott, he said, "I'll be waiting inside." Harry nodded.

Zach stuck out his hand. "It was an honor and pleasure to the meet you Harry. Thank you for an amazing weekend."

Taking Zach's hand, he said, "You thank your Uncle Dave for the amazing weekend," Harry smiled. "I'm just honored that you were here to be part of it." He pulled Zach into a heartfelt hug that Zach matched.

Zach looked him in the eye. "The honor, Sergeant Scott, was mine." They smiled at each other and shared another hug.

When they separated, Harry looked at Dave. Dave beat him to the punch, sticking out his hand. "Welcome home Marine. Semper Fi."

"HooRah," Harry answered, taking Dave's hand and then pulling him into a hug. It was a long and heartfelt one of two Marine buddies re-united. When they finished, the two walked Harry into the building.

Once in, Dave pulled out his FBI credentials and handed Harry a card. He pointed to a specific point on the card. "That's my email address. Once they get you going on the computer, I expect to hear from you."

"You'll be the first," Harry smiled.

Before Dave could hand Harry the card, Zach grabbed it, flipped it over, turned Dave's shoulder and put the card on it so he could write on the back of the card. "Jake, you gotta pen?" Zach asked. He handed him one. Zach wrote something on the back of the card, and then handed it to Harry. "That's my email address. I better be the second," he smiled.

Jake laughed. "We'll teach him about CC." They shared hugs again, handshakes with Jake and said their good-byes. As Dave and Zach climbed into the SUV, Harry and Jake stood in the doorway waving at them. They both waved back and pulled away. The ride back to the hotel was quiet, with both of them immersed in their thoughts.

Once at the hotel, the Valet ran up and opened Dave's door, as the Doorman opened Zach's. Dave looked at the Valet. "We won't need it anymore so you can take it back to the rental company."

The Valet smiled. "We'll take care of it Agent Rossi," he smiled, pocketing the five dollar bill Dave gave him. They made their way back to the room.

Once in, Dave looked at Zach. "You up for a couple games of Cribbage?"

Zach smiled. "Sure Uncle Dave. But I gotta talk to dad first." Dave rubbed his shoulder. Zach headed to his room, pulled out his cell as he walked out onto the patio, and hit the speed dial for home. He snuck a peek at his watch, still on DC time. It was little after ten there.

Aaron answered on the second ring. "Hi dad. Am I interrupting anything?" Zach smiled.

"No Zach, you're not. And son, don't give me Dave's BS again. I get enough from him. I don't need it from you." Zach laughed. "How was your day?"

"Dad in a word: unbelievable. I couldn't say much this morning 'cause when I talked to you, Harry was sitting right there. Dad, Uncle Dave and I found him in an alley last night."

"I knew he was homeless son."

Zach recounted to his dad the day they had. Beth heard as well, with Aaron putting the phone on speaker. Aaron could hear the emotion in his son's voice. "Dad, a wrong finally got righted, and the right man got honored. To meet PFC's Hernandez's family was just unbelievable. They were so proud dad. And you could almost see the burden getting lifted off Harry." Aaron could hear Zach shaking his head, knowing his oldest son that well.

He then filled his dad in on the all the details of Harry getting into New Directions.

"I sorta figured Dave had something extra up his sleeve," Aaron said.

"That's wonderful Zach," Beth said. "He's happy to be there?"

"As usual dad; Uncle Dave had the hole ace. Beth, he could have stayed with Uncle Dave and me tonight, but he wanted to be there." Aaron and Beth smiled at each other, knowing that Zach was as well. The call got quiet.

"Dad," Zach choked out.

"Zach, son, you OK?" Aaron immediately read his son's voice.

There was a pause, which caused Aaron to tense up. Beth noticed it as well, rubbing Aaron's shoulder as they were sitting on the couch. It took Zach a couple of seconds to get his composure together so he could answer.

"Dad, he gave me his dog tags. He told me to share them with Jack to let us know that the nights it was just the two of us, he would be there with us." Aaron could hear the tears in his son's voice.

"Oh Zach," Beth said.

Aaron softly smiled. "Then son," he gently said, "I think you have a commitment to honor. Jack will love hearing about Sergeant Scott." Aaron let the words sink into his son and gave him some time, before asking the next question. "Think you'll have any more problems on the paper Zach?"

"Nope dad; it's a five hour flight back home. Between my Calc assignment and this one, I'm pretty sure I'll get it all worked out in my head." Aaron looked at Beth. They could hear his bright smile again.

They talked a bit more. Zach devilishly smiled. "I'll let you two go; be good."

Aaron smiled. "Good night Zach. Let me know when you are in the air. Jack loved watching the flight progress until I had to put him to bed Friday night. He'll be able to watch it all tomorrow."

"You got it dad. I'll call in the morning to talk to him."

"Travel safe Zach; keep me in the loop."

"You got it dad. Good night Beth."

Beth smiled. "Good night Zach. Have fun with Uncle Dave tonight."

Zach smiled as well. "I think that will involve me doing some major butt kicking of Uncle Dave in a couple games of Cribbage," he said as he walked into the living room, in his lounge pants and t-shirt, which he slipped into while talking to the two of them.

"Good night son. I love you."

"I love you too, dad. See ya tomorrow." Zach ended the call as he got to the table off the living room to see Dave already shuffling the cards. Dave had some scotch in a glass, with a beer waiting for Zach.

"There's two left in the six pack I ordered, and I don't want to leave them," he smiled. The two of them enjoyed their card game with the TV on, keeping an eye on the Dodgers game who was hosting Dave's Chicago Cubs.

The game got over a little before ten. Zach headed to bed. That was the third part of his growing body; Ibuprofen being number one, with food, in other words fuel, being number two. He needed sleep. Dave enjoyed another scotch on the patio before settling in himself.

-00CM00-

The two of them walked into the restaurant a little before eight the next morning. LaTasha smiled at them and pointed to a booth. The restaurant had a good crowd again.

She brought one cup of coffee for Dave, along with a small coffee decanter for refills and a large apple juice for Zach, along with the menus. "Where's Harry?"

Zach got to the question before Dave. "You know him?"

LaTasha smiled. "I've been known to slip him a donut in the morning along with a cup of coffee when I went out into the alley to have a smoke break a couple times a week. The boss doesn't mind. My classes are mainly in the afternoon." She rubbed Dave's shoulder. "You didn't have to do that last night."

Zach shook his head. "You're not the only college kid he's helping out."

Dave smiled. "But I wanted to," he smiled. "And Harry is getting a new start on his life." Zach and Dave filled her in on Harry's new life.

LaTasha smiled. "If there was ever was a man that deserves it, it's him. He's just a sweetheart." She moved off to deliver some breakfasts to the rest of her customers.

She came back three minutes later. "Decisions," she asked.

Dave looked at her. "My cholesterol be damned. That's why I take the pill every morning. Give me a repeat of yesterday." LaTasha smiled.

Zach looked at her with a smile. "Spin the wheel and do the same for me." As good as LaTasha was, she knew their order.

As Zach and Dave walked back to the hotel, Zach slid his hand across Dave's shoulder. "I don't know how I can ever thank you for this weekend Uncle Dave." Zach shook his head. "I'm humbled and awed."

Dave smiled at him. "Just write a paper that gets an 'A" Zach," rubbing the small of his back.

The hotel Town Car got them to LAX, and the two traveling partners got to the gate. They were early but that was OK in Dave's world. You never know LA traffic Dave thought. Zach excused himself, asking Dave to keep an eye on his bags, and headed for the nearest bathroom. When he returned a bit later, Dave reading the paper looked at him. "Did the pills and apple juice work?" Dave knew the complications of Zach's digestive system, giving his run in with the tree root in the Hotchner's yard when he was a boy. But it was Dave's chance to give Zach some of the BS that Zach always managed to give to him.

Zach, as much as the weekend meant to him, was not about to let Dave get one up on him. "You can't say I'm full of it," with his big, broad Hotchner smile, sitting back down next to him. Dave just shook his head at him. Zach called Aaron and Jack, letting them know they were at the airport.

"Cool Z-man," Jack smiled. "Dad and I can watch your flight."

Less than forty-five minutes later, they boarded, again being the first on the flight. Dave grabbed a blanket from the overhead bin for Zach's legs before sticking his bag in. Zach threw the blanket in his seat and added his bag. Zach smiled at Dave as he draped the blanket over his knees, buckling his seatbelt.

Thirty minutes later, the plane pulled away from the gate, and they were soon on their way back home. Once they reached cruising altitude, Zach pulled out his Calculus text and his note book. He dove into the assignment with Dave looking at the text, shaking his head. "You understand all that mumbo jumbo?"

"Yup, Uncle Dave, I do," he smiled, putting some numbers into his calculator. After he finished the assignment, he traded his note book and text for his laptop in his book bag. He checked football and baseball scores and then went to several other sites before settling into one playing Sudoku games.

Dave eyed him. "You're not going to work on your assignment?"

"With a five time best-selling author, soon to be six, looking over my shoulder? I think you've been chasing those nut cases and pyscho's too long. They're starting to rub off," Zach smiled as only he could.

Shaking his head at Zach, again, Dave grabbed the remote control and pulled up the menu to select an in-flight movie he could watch on the monitor in the seat back in front of him. "You're going to give your dad gray hair."

"Thank you. But I think it's already working with you," Zach smiled, pulling a DVD out of his book bag and put it in his laptop, plugging in his head phones. He pushed them on before Dave could respond, giving Dave his BS Hotchner smile once more, with Haley's laughing eyes. Dave pulled his own headphone on in defeat as he selected his movie.

As Dave waited for his movie to start, he noticed Zach's selection: We Were Soldiers. The young man that he loved more than his own life amazed him again. He knew exactly what Zach was doing; getting some inspiration for writing a paper.

-00CM-

Their movies concluded about the same time as Dave noticed the first class flight attendants getting busy in the galley. He looked at Zach, pulling off his headphones. "I think we're about to get some dinner," he smiled.

Zach looked at him. "Thank God there are pizzas in the freezer at home. I'd be starving by 2 am." Dave laughed at him as Zach used his remote to pull up on his screen where the flight was. They were just passing over the eastern boundary of state of Missouri.

The meal they received was exactly like the one they got on the way out. Linguine pasta in an Alfredo sauce, with about six pieces of chicken, a dinner roll, and a minuscule salad, with ranch dressing only. Yet, they both ate it.

Once their meals were cleared, Dave and Zach talked about We Were Soldiers, history in general and had a wonderful conversation until the flight crew in the cockpit announced they were beginning their descent into Ronald Reagan International Airport.

Aaron and Jack watched their approach on the computer Aaron had on his desk in his bedroom, with Jack sitting on his lap. Their father/son time through the weekend had been sweet and precious. Jack needs this every once in a while Aaron thought to himself. Once they saw that the plane had landed, with Jack smiling brightly, Aaron grabbed Jack off his lap, tickling him and throwing him over his shoulder as they made their way to getting Jack in the shower. The first grader didn't take baths any more.

As Aaron tucked Jack into bed, Mudg jumped up onto the bed and curled around Jack's legs as usual. He was part of the father and son fun that afternoon, yet, with gray hairs creeping into his muzzle, quickly fell asleep. "Time for prayers, buddy," Aaron said.

"Dad, we can't. Zach said he'd be here for prayers tonight." At the same time, the Town Car pulled into the Hotchner driveway. Zach had already pulled his truck keys out of his back pack, finding the house key on the set. Dave tipped the driver and they quickly made their way up the walk, noticing the soft light coming from Jack's room.

They dumped their bags in the entry way and headed up to the bedroom area of the split level home, to hear Hotch say "Buddy, it's a school day tomorrow."

Zach walked into the room first. Noticing Mudg, already softly snoring, he whispered, "Hey JP!" and moved to the other side of the bed from Aaron to give Jack a hug. Dave was right behind him. The three of them shared in Jack saying his prayers, and each hugged him. Aaron tucked him in.

Dave shook his head. "You two wore out my dog today didn't you?"

Jack sleepily yawned and shook his head. Aaron smiled as well. Mudg hadn't woke up, in doggie deep sleep. "I'll pick him up tomorrow after work," Dave smiled, giving Jack a kiss on the forehead.

"Thanks Uncle Dave," Jack yawned, nearly conked out himself.

As the frozen pizza cooked in the Hotchner oven, the three sat around the nook table, with Aaron and Dave enjoying a scotch and Aaron letting Zach drink a beer. They had a lot to talk about.

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A/N: The Dodgers are one of two professional baseball teams that play in the Los Angeles area. The Cubs are a Chicago team. However, if you've read my other stories, you'd know that. ;)

Thank you again for all of the reviews and favorites. Wow.