Chapter 39, November

It was November 2nd, a Saturday, and Hotch woke to an empty bed. He looked around the room, wondering where Kahlan was. The team had gotten home late the night before and Hotch realized it was already after ten. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The house was too quiet, and Hotch smiled as he figured Kahlan had taken the boys out to let him sleep. He was tempted to just lay back down, but he was never one to just lay around, even when there wasn't anything pressing that needed being done. He smiled as he realized he only had seven more days until the wedding. Everything was ready, Kahlan had planned the simple ceremony at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Atrium in Vienna. It was the closest thing she could get to having an outdoor wedding in November.

He stretched as he got up and decided to go see if there was any coffee. He made his way downstairs and as soon as rounded the corner to the kitchen, he was assaulted by the screams of "Happy Birthday" from the boys and Kahlan. Hotch stood there shocked, but smiled widely. "I didn't even think you guys were here."

Jack smiled. "We were being extra quiet," he told him as he went and gave his father a hug.

"Yeah, and it was driving them crazy," Kahlan laughed as she went over and gave him a kiss.

"We didn't think you were ever going to wake up," Wyatt told him as he took his turn at giving Hotch a hug.

"Well, being able to sleep in on my birthday is an awesome gift," Hotch told him as he noticed they had fixed breakfast. "Do I smell bacon?"

Kahlan laughed. "That's probably what woke you up. We have pancakes, too."

Jack steered Hotch to the table and Wyatt brought him a cup of coffee. Kahlan put a huge stack of pancakes on the table and all three of the males dug in as she grabbed the bacon and orange juice. She sat down and smiled as she took them in. She shook her head. Sometimes she felt like she had three boys living in the house and that made her smile again. She fixed her own plate. "We don't have to be Dave's until five. What do you want to do until then?"

He glanced at the boys, but they were focused on the food. He gave her a grin and winked.

She shook her head, she knew exactly what he wanted to do, but they couldn't with the boys there all day. "Is there something else you would like to do?"

"Nah, just hanging out with you guys all day sounds good to me."

So that's what they did. Everyone was at Dave's and he enjoyed the little party they threw him. They didn't make it a late night because of the boys. Once they were in bed and asleep, Hotch cuddled up with Kahlan on the couch. She gave him a sly smile and turned off the TV. "You want your present from me now?"

He chuckled. It hadn't escaped him that she had yet to give him a gift. She got up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him to their bedroom. She sat him on the bed and handed him a box. From the size and the weight he knew was it was. He opened it and his dimpled showed with the wide grin. "I remembered how much you loved that first dress you saw me in," she told him as she took out the blood red, silk negligée that was mostly see through. "You do want me to try it on for you, right?"

"Oh yeah."

XXX

On November 9th, Hotch found himself pacing in the dressing room.

"Damn, Aaron, nervous much?" Rossi asked him with a smile.

"I shouldn't be, should I? This isn't my first wedding, so why I feel like I'm going to throw up?"

Dave laughed. "Have you eaten anything today?"

"No. Just the thought of if turns my stomach. Why am I so nervous?"

Dave put his hands on his shoulders and moved him to a chair. "Sit down and take a couple of slow deep breaths. It's almost time, and you don't want her to see you looking so stressed; she might get the wrong idea."

Hotch took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Rossi left the room, but came back quickly with a glass in his hand. He handed Hotch the glass and Hotch drank down the liquor in one drink. He took another deep breath and let the burn in his chest help calm him down. "Thanks, I needed that." Rossi patted him on the shoulder and the boys came into the room. They looked handsome in their black suits and brunt orange ties. Kahlan had picked fall colors for everything. Hotch was dressed just like the boys.

"You better keep an eye on him guys," Dave told them with a smile. "I better go see if she's ready." At the look on Hotch's face, Rossi could tell he got nervous again. "Jeeze, Aaron. Calm down, it's not like she isn't going to come walking down the aisle." Rossi noticed the look of fear on his friend's face and shook his head. "You guys think you can get him where he needs to be? He looks like he might need a little help."

They boys laughed and said they'd be fine. Rossi patted Hotch on the back and left to go find Kahlan. He took the honor of walking her down the aisle very seriously. He knocked on her dressing room door, and he opened it when he heard her mother tell him he could. Rossi stood in the doorway as he took in Kahlan. Her off white gown went to the floor and was the perfect shade to compliment the orange of her sister's gowns. It was tight at her waist and flared out from the hips down. Her hair was done up in loose curls and little orange rose buds going throughout it, which stood out spectacularly on her black hair. "What?" she asked him, getting nervous at his silence.

"You look beautiful, Kiddo."

All of the women in the room smiled. Kahlan had never told Dave that that is what her father had called her when she was younger, but her sisters and mother weren't offended. They liked Dave since the first time they had met him, of course. Kahlan walked over to him and hugged him. "Thank you for doing this," she told him tenderly in his ear.

He cleared his throat and blinked back the tears that were forming. "My pleasure."

Garcia stuck her head in the room. "It's time."

Rossi smiled at Kahlan. "You ready?"

"Yep."

Her mom gave her a kiss and a hug. "You do look beautiful," she whispered through her tears and went to go take her seat.

Her sisters went out next, so they could walk with the boys down the aisle. When the wedding march started, everyone stood up and watched as Rossi walked her down the aisle. Rossi could feel her hands shaking and he tightened his grip on her arm. Hotch couldn't hide the surprise on his face as he looked at the woman would soon be his wife. God, you are beautiful! Hotch thought as he swallowed hard, still not exactly sure what he had done deserve such a woman. Everyone could see the love in his eyes. The traditional ceremony joined the two as Hotch placed a white gold ban on her finger. She noticed the subtle design on it was actually a male and female symbol connected in the middle and flanked by another male symbol on each side to represent their two boys. She placed a matching band on his finger. When the minister told him he could kiss the bride he pulled her to him, swung them a little and dipped her while he kissed her passionately. Everyone approved with whistles and clapping. They clapped again as the minister announced them 'husband and wife'.

The reception was held in another part of the atrium and Hotch and Kahlan danced the first dance to George Strait's 'Keeper of the Stars'. Kahlan raised her brows when the song started. She knew Hotch wasn't a big fan of country music. "It expresses my thoughts perfectly," he whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek as he slowly moved her around the dance floor. She smiled and felt like she was dreaming as she let him lead her around. "You are an amazing woman, Kahlan Hotchner," he told her with a smile.

She smiled. She like the way her new name sounded. "And you are an amazing man, Aaron Hotchner."

The reception went wonderfully. Everyone enjoyed themselves as they danced and drank. Kahlan almost cried when Harry and Jan showed up. They were the only members of her old team that she hadn't seen in a long time. Hotch enlisted Chuck and Cameron's help in contacting them and inviting them. Kahlan danced with every male member of the BAU team, her two boys, her brother in-laws, and the male members of her old team. Hotch also took a turn at dancing with all of the women. Rossi even danced with Kahlan's mom, and that brought several raised brows from the members of the BAU team. Garcia was spending a lot of time with Cameron, and that seemed to make Morgan and Kevin a little jealous. Garcia pointed out that Cameron could give Morgan a run for his money if they had a contest to see who had the best abs in the room, and that made Morgan even more jealous.

Her sister took the boys home with her, and while the newlywed couple wasn't taking an actual honeymoon, they still wanted the night alone. Once the reception was over, Hotch and Kahlan told everyone good bye and headed home to spend the evening and night in each other's arms.

XXX

On November 21st, it was Hotch's turn to surprise Kahlan for her birthday. The BAU team was out of state on a case, but with Rossi help, Hotch chartered a plane to take him back home for the night. With the help of Kahlan's sisters, Hotch made sure the boys would be gone, and that Kahlan would be home enjoying the quiet time alone. He snuck in the house and finally found Kahlan soaking in a bubble bath with her eyes closed and her head phones on. Thank God for that damn iPod! He smiled as he knew that was the only reason he had been able to sneak up on her. He thought about just going up and planting a kiss on her, but his gut warned him that may not be a good idea. He didn't want to scare her. Yeah right! You don't want her to attack you and try to drown you! The little voice in his head laughed, so he smiled as he shut the bathroom door roughly.

Kahlan's eyes snapped open but she quickly smiled when she saw who was standing in the bathroom. She pulled the headphones off her head slowly. "I thought you were in Florida on a case?"

"I was until about three hours ago," he told her as he made his way over to her and leaned down to give her a kiss. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you," she said with an evil grin and pulled him into the tub with her. Water splash everywhere and they laughed.

"If you wanted me to join you, you have asked me to get undressed first," he told her with a smile as he poured the water out of one of his shoes.

"I could have, but it wouldn't have been as much fun."

He threw his other shoe out of the tub and leaned up to kiss her passionately. Soon they were out of the tub and headed for the bed as Hotch struggled to get out of his soaking wet clothes.

"How long are you here for?" she asked between kisses.

"The plane leaves at six in the morning."

She moaned and pulled him onto the bed on top of her not wanting to waste any of their precious time.