"SSA Hotchner," Aaron said, when he answered his phone. He didn´t know the number on the display.
"Yes, hello to you, too." Hotch heard a warm, female voice on the other end of the line. "This is Renee Malone, Aaron. "
"Renee? Of course. You arrived from Berlin, yesterday? Ike was talking on nothing else, for days. Anything I can do for you? "
Renee was laughing. It was a pleasant, very hearty laugh, Hotch thought. Somehow he had the feeling, he knew Renee already. Ike spoke of her quite often and Ike´s house was full of pictures of her. She had long light brown hair and huge hazel - brown eyes, a very pretty young woman, Hotch noticed. Her voice caused Hotch a strange tingling sensation in his stomach, Hotch tried to ignore it.
"Yes, you can. I would like to invite you and Jack for dinner tonight. Ken and Spencer will be there, too. It´s kind of a welcome back dinner. I´d...I mean, we´d be very happy."
Hotch hesitated for a moment, he really didn´t feel like having company today.
"Aaron? You´re still there? You´re coming, right? " Renee asked expectantly.
Somehow Hotch didn´t want to disappoint her. "We´d love to come, Renee. When?"
"6 p.m., if that's ok for you? "
"6 is just perfect, Renee. Give Ike my regards, will you?" Hotch asked.
"Of course. See you, Aaron. "
"Good Morgan, my brother-in-law to be." Rossi was lurking into Hotch 's office. "You´re talking to a woman? A date?"
"I don´t date, Dave," Hotch said stiffly. "That was Renee, Ike's granddaughter. She invited Jack and me for dinner tonight and before you say anything, Spencer and Kenneth will be there, too."
Rossi raised his hands, "I won´t say anything, Hotch. Jess asked me, to remind you of the appointment on Wednesday, we´re about to choose the cake."
"Oh Lord, this Wednesday? " Hotch said, playing scared and laughed shortly. " I haven´t forgotten it, Dave. Is there anything new about wedding dress? "
Rossi sighed, " I'm afraid, there isn´t. My Cara Mia may not decide easy, I guess. I have no idea, into how many bridal shops she has already dragged JJ and Garcia. Both of them, JJ and Pen liked loads of dresses, but Jessy is still without. She probably has in mind, how beautiful... " Rossi stopped.
"How beautiful Callie looked like? " Hotch completed his sentence. "It's okay, Dave. You must not avoid, talking about her. I can ask Renee today. After 2 years in Germany she certainly has not many friends left, maybe she could go with Jess? "
Dave nodded , "that's a very good idea. What is she like? Is she pretty? "
"Renee? I´d describe her as very pretty, Dave. But she 's still almost a child, just turned 30. "
Rossi smiled, " that´s of course terribly young, the girl is hardly out of the diapers. " Rossi began to laugh. That was interesting. Aaron was looking for a reason, why he couldn´t date Renee. The age difference was just ridiculous. Age didn´t matter, when you loved someone. There was an age difference between him and Jess, it had never been an issue.
oOo
Jess, meanwhile, was sitting on the toilet lid, sending a little prayer upwards. Not now, she thought. Please not yet. She tried to hypnotize the test strip, but she wasn´t having that much hope. She was permanently nauseous for days, yesterday she had to vomit for the first time. Dave would be jumping in a triangle, Jess smiled. Of course, she´d also be happy but it was almost impossible to find a wedding dress, it won´t be easier with a belly. Jess snorted, one time. I forgot this damn pill one time and now I´m sitting on a toilet lid, waiting...and waiting, And... so great, Jess thought. This was clear, almost crystal. ' pregnant 4th - 5th Week ' Jess had to laugh. Well then, no pure - white dress in front of the altar. This limited the choice already a bit. Jess put her hand on her belly, "Hi honey," she said softly, " welcome. "
oOo
"You´re completely nuts, Morgan," JJ said. "I've just spoken to Hotch, he is not yet ready for someone else, it´s only a year, Callie passed away. And there's Becca, Hotch want´s to take care for the little girl, officially. I´m wondering, how you wanna sell this to his future girlfriend. A son and an adopted child."
Morgan thought for a moment. "Then we 'll just have to find someone with a huge heart, JJ. How hard can that be?"
Garcia raised her hands defensively. "Don´t look at me, JJ. I 've already tried to talk him out of this, completely pointless. So I joined in, to prevent the worst. "
JJ moaned, this was so supposed to go wrong. But the point was, Morgan was right. Hotch needed someone. A very special one, putting the pieces of his heart together again. "Ok, what have you got, so far? "
"Shockingly little, JJ Bunny," Garcia said. "We wanted to do it online, but the questionnaires for online dating are simply too difficult, or do you know, if Hotch likes the mountains or the sea or has special preferences in bed? "
JJ blushed, "how should I know Pen? I recently married another guy, if you remember." Penelope smiled, of course she did, but it was fun, to pull JJ´s leg. There was this bet between her and Morgan, about Hotch and JJ, becoming a couple after Hotch´s divorce. Garcia lost, big time. JJ and Hotch didn´t couple up.
JJ glanced at the two attempts, Morgan and Garcia had made .
"A stable personality? " JJ frowned.
"Oh well, it sounded good to me, okay?" Derek replied sullenly. How easy was his life, talk to her, lay her and adios, Chica. Derek sighed quietly, but that was before Emily .
JJ grabbed pen and paper, "if that goes wrong, and it will go wrong, I will deny to have ever even talked to one of you about it." she said firmly.
'But eyes are blind. You have to look with your heart' Does this quote mean anything to you? Then maybe you could be the right one. I, in my late forties, widowed, with two seven-year olds, am looking for a new partner. You should have some humor, of course, you´d have to like kids. Wouldn´t be a disadvantage, if you´re a good cook, because I´m not. You should be understanding, my job often takes me out-of-town and sometimes I´m very involved in it. You don´t have to be a beauty queen, as I said, the heart does matter the most. We need a warm-hearted, grounded woman, who has a lot of love to give. Some fact´s about me? I´m tall, athletic, dark-haired. I´m into photography and my Harley. If I didn´t scare you off, just write. Do you dare?'
"JJ," Morgan said in surprise, "You have done this more often?"
"No, Morgan. But I use my brain, something you´re lacking of at the moment. " JJ laughed and Garcia found that kind of funny, too.
"That's not nice, ladies," Derek muttered, but grinned back. It was ready to be put in the paper.
oOo
Alex Blake put a coffee mug on Rossi´s table. She was still trying to find her place within the team and to see through the structures. It was quite difficult.
"What about Hotch, Rossi? How is he? Didn´t look very good, this morning.", she said.
Rossi nodded. " He´s missing his wife, Alex."
"She must have been very nice, according to what I hear.. And I've seen the photo on his desk. "
"Yes, Callie and Jack. Hotch took the photo. He´s got quite a talent and photographing distracts him a bit. Some days are just worse than others, you know? Did you actually decide, whether you want to come to our wedding? Jess and I will be happy and you´d get the opportunity, to know us a little better. I can imagine, that it is hard for you, Alex. "
Blake sighed shortly. "You're right, Rossi. I´d love to come. Perhaps it also helps me to understand why Morgan, Garcia and JJ holed up in a file room. "
Rossi laughed, "they did what? "
"For quite an hour, Rossi. " Blake just smirked, " I think, they´re onto something. "
oOo
" Is Renee nice, Daddy?" Jack wanted to know in the evening.
" I think so, Jack. She sounded so, on the phone. And she's Grandpa Ike's granddaughter, since she must be nice, don´t you think ? "
Jack nodded vigorously, nice was great. Maybe she was even someone for the 'Mum - list' that he and Becca had come up with. The children agreed, they wanted to be together. And if Hotch couldn´t manage to find a new, super-great - lovable Mom, then it had to be up to Jack and Becca. The two had, however, already noticed, this Super-Mom 's weren´t growing on trees. At the moment, there was only Mrs. Bridges on the list, the sports teacher . But Jack and Becca were sure, they could find someone much better .
"Don´t do the tie, Daddy." Jack said energetic, he wanted his father to make a cool impression.
oOo
"Renee , this is already the fourth dress and the third hairstyle you´re trying. You look always pretty. " Ike said, smiling.
"That 's very sweet, Grandpa, but you are biased. Did you hear the alarm for the chicken, already?"
Renee had opted for lemon chicken with rosemary potatoes, mixed salad and some white wine.
" Come here, Froglet," her grandfather said and took Renee 's hands. "Aaron will recognize what a splendid girl you are, no matter, what you´re wearing, or how you do your hair. "
"I love you, Grandpa. I don´t know what I 'd do without you." Renee hugged her grandfather fiercely.
oOo
" Daddy, you´re driving sooo slow," Jack complained in the back seat. "I´m so totally hungry and I finally want to know, if Renee is really nice. "
Hotch had to laugh, Jack could be quite energetic, when he wanted something.
"We're almost there, Jack. Just a few more minutes, okay?"
"But you said that earlier already, Daddy. "
" I have to find a parking lot, son. "
Five minutes later Hotch rang the doorbell.
A/N there is going to be some 'heat between the sheets' with Spencer and Kenneth, maybe I´ll have to change rating to M. So don´t wonder. And guys, some reviews would be sooooo nice. It isn´t that bad, is it?