A/N: Here's the big one. Enjoy.

Chapter 6

Hotch knocked on the doorframe of Mateo Cruz's open office door. "Come on in Aaron," Cruz smiled. "Shut the door please." Hotch complied and entered into the space that used to belong to Chief Strauss.

Sitting down into one of the two chairs Cruz motioned at him to take, he thought God bless you Erin; but this isn't the royal throne room like you made it feel way back in the day. He smiled to himself. But you learned to soften that over the years didn't you?

Cruz looked at him. "Something to share Aaron?"

"No sir," Hotch said. "Just thinking to myself about the changes this office has gone through over the years," he smiled.

"My style is bit different than Erin's," he acknowledged with a warm smile.

Hotch smiled back. "Her style changed over the years though."

Cruz looked at Hotch, sitting down in his chair. "I know she tried to railroad you out of the BAU; hell every senior agent at the JEdgar building knew," he said.

Hotch shook his head. "That was eight years ago when she had grand Bureau ambitions with a deputy director pulling her strings." He looked at Cruz. "When my team and more importantly my son and I needed her, she came through. And my team functioned better after that with her backing us. Erin realized that; I harbor no ill feelings."

Cruz smiled. "I know Aaron; she did a complete one-eighty in her view of your team. And losing her is still a part of the fabric of your team."

"Erin ultimately gave us the biggest clue on the Replicator case with her smoking out Curtis, planting an extra detail into one of my case files."

Cruz smiled. "And back in the day," he said, using quote marks with his fingers, "did you ever think you'd call her Erin?"

Hotch slightly laughed with a smile. "No Mat, I never imagined that back then."

Cruz smiled. "I have very fond memories of her as well; she worked tirelessly, supporting the mission JJ and I were on a couple years ago." Hotch nodded. "To the present," Cruz said. "I read your assessments of the team over the weekend." He looked at Hotch. "I just have a few questions before I sign off on them."

He pulled the first file off his stack that was almost as neat as the ones on Hotch's desk. "What are you and Morgan's trust issues?"

"Morgan was molested as a kid by Carl Buford; an unsub we helped Chicago PD arrest nine years ago."

"I'm not familiar with that case," Cruz said.

"Buford killed three young Afro-American boys that he felt were going to out him as a molester. CPD originally tried to pin the crime on Morgan and arrested him. The team went to Chicago and helped him solve the case. Then we had a related case two years ago."

Cruz looked at Hotch. "I remember that one."

"But because of that abuse," Hotch continued, "it takes a lot, and I mean a lot, to gain Morgan's full trust of people in authority over him."

"You don't have Morgan's complete trust Aaron?"

"I'm not saying that sir; I'm saying trust in Morgan's world is earned when you're in a position of authority. And you have to work really hard to get it. He once called me a drill sergeant. And maybe he was right; I'm the poster boy for a field agent, which isn't Morgan's style. Yet, we've made an outstanding working relationship and I trust Morgan with my life. I merely noted that to let Morgan know that if he wants to take the next step to a higher position, all he has to do is talk to me. I'll back him completely." Cruz signed off on Morgan's review.

Cruz looked at Hotch. "Your assessment of JJ was spot on. You asked all the right questions and she seems to be doing wonderfully," he said, signing off on hers.

Hotch smiled. "She's getting anxious to get back into the game."

Cruz smiled broader. "I know her Aaron; I don't doubt that for one second." Hotch smiled back.

"Then there is our one and only Penelope Garcia," Cruz said, smiling.

"She is my wild card," Hotch smiled. "However sir, you and I both know her support of my team is a crucial part of the team's success." Cruz nodded with a smile as Hotch peered around the office for a second; then shook his head. "I remember once telling Erin that Garcia fills her office with figurines and photos to remind herself to smile as the horror fills her screens."

Cruz smiled. "She's the best in the Bureau; I fight off requests for her to go to other assignments weekly. The Counter Terrorism Unit is a pain in my ass."

"I don't doubt that," Hotch said. "Please don't let that happen."

"Trust me Aaron; it won't," Cruz smiled. "But…"

"Sir, I hammered Morgan and her both over the head about their antics. In their defense, I do have to agree with Morgan." Cruz arched an eyebrow. "Bob in payroll needs to get a life. Or whomever keeps calling the Bureau hotline."

Cruz laughed. "I totally agree; but we both know how the Bureau has to approach hotline calls."

"Which I impressed on both of them sir; again."

Cruz smiled. "My money is on a month."

Hotch shook his head. "With all due respect sir, you need to sit down again with Dave and learn some more profiling skills." Cruz looked at him. "Two weeks; max." Cruz laughed, signing off on Garcia's assessment, putting it onto the done stack.

Cruz pulled the next one off and opened it. He looked at Hotch. "Aaron, you're still covering for Reid."

"Yes sir, I am," Hotch admitted. That earned him a look from Cruz. "However sir, with Gideon gone, Dave and I have long assumed the mantel of watching over him. However we are not the only ones; every person of my team, past or present has done that."

He looked Cruz in the eye. "It's natural to take the youngest under your wing. Yet every member of my team through the years has not, for lack of better phrase, babied him. They have just simply supported him. Is his psyche fragile given everything he's been through in his tenure with the Unit? No sir. And will that psyche crack? No sir." Cruz looked at him. "He's taken every punch throw at him and has returned with his game intact."

"Which tells me all of you will continue to do that," Cruz smiled. Hotch nodded with his own smile. Cruz signed off on Reid's.

He pulled the next file off the stack. "And then there's our just mentioned Italian friend."

"Welcome to my world Mat," Hotch slightly laughed.

Cruz turned serious. "I'm taking major shit Aaron about his age and him still being a field agent."

"Mat, please read what Dave told me. He knows his limitations. Yet, with his vast experience of dealing with unsubs, he can help Morgan and me on tactical and he knows that is mainly his role. I trust Dave with my life."

"You too are…."

"Yes Mat; we're too close. I'll be the first to admit that. My son calls him 'Uncle Dave' and I love that as much as Dave loves to hear it. When Haley got killed, he was Jack and my rock. But we both can separate that out being in the field. And he is the rock of this team. I do not need his legs or physicality; I and my team need his brain and his experience. With all due respect to every member of my team, David Rossi can still read an unsub better than anyone; including me."

"Duly noted Aaron," Cruz said, signing off on Rossi's assessment. He leaned back in his chair. "Then there's you."

"Sir?"

"I worry about you," Cruz said, emphasizing the last word.

"Sir?"

Cruz looked at him. "I listen to an oldies radio station on my drive to and from home. When I hear Harry Chapin's song Cats in the Cradle, I immediately think of you."

"How so?"

"Aaron, do you know the song?" Hotch nodded. "The last verse hits me. I've long since retired and my son has moved away," Cruz quoted. "My boy grew up just like me. Aaron, I don't want that for you; or Jack."

"What are telling me?"

"Aaron, you're the first in the office in the morning and in the office after most have left when the team isn't out on a case. And I know what you're doing. You send reports to me with an efficiency that I do not get from my other Unit Chiefs." Hotch eyed him. "While I deeply appreciate that I don't have to hammer you over the head for reports, you don't have to be here that late. My god, with what Jess is dealing with Roy's issues; she could use the break as well."

Hotch looked at him. "Aaron, there is no one, and I mean no one, that would think less of you if you were the first person out the door in the afternoon. Get home to your son; when he's tucked in for the night then be the report writing machine you are."

"I feel I have to set an example for my unit," Hotch defended.

Cruz shook his head. "Your unit would be better served to see the example of a father, also their leader that they would follow to hell and back go home to be with his son." Cruz shook his head again. "Aaron, as smart as you are, you simply don't get that fact. Your approval rating for Unit Chiefs, compared to all others, and I mean all others, is out of the stratosphere. No other Unit Chief comes remotely close to your approval rating with his or her unit. But they all say the same thing Aaron."

He pulled open a file. "SAC Hotchner is by far the best Unit Chief I've ever served with. I just wish he'd spend more time when the team is not in the field with Jack. That would mean much more to me than him working late."

Hotch shook his head. "Remind me to send CSU Agent Sharp a thank you email tomorrow morning."

Cruz shut the file. "Damnit Aaron; how did you know that."

Hotch smiled. "I know my team sir; and how to profile."

"Maybe you don't Aaron." Hotch looked at him. "Gina isn't the only one that said that."

Hotch smiled. "I'll work on it Mat."

Cruz shook his head. "I'm not signing off on your eval until you give me your solemn promise you'll make that your mission."

Hotch eyed him. "You been playing poker with Dave on the third Thursday of the month?"

"Hell no Hotch," Cruz said. "I'm smarter than that to get into that trap." They both laughed.

Cruz eyed his Unit Chief across the desk. "I mean it Aaron; as much as you take care of your team, they want to do the same with you. I'll back you to high heavens with the Bureau brass with your team evaluations. But I back your Unit in their evaluation of you."

Hotch eyed Cruz. "You do understand if I do this, Rossi will be five minutes behind me."

Cruz laughed. "He's earned that right with your Unit as well."

Hotch processed for a few seconds and smiled. "My son and sister-in-law thank you for the ass chewing Mat."

"Aaron, it wasn't an ass chewing; I'm merely giving you a reality check. You've got that good of personnel in your Unit that think the world of you."

-00CM00-

Gina, Garcia and Kevin were in the BAU breakroom a little after four that afternoon. Anderson ambled in to join them. They all looked, nearly dumbfounded as Hotch shut his office door with the lights off and headed down the steps. He waved at them and headed out the glass doors.

Dave came out of his office and stood on the upper tier looking over the bullpen. Seconds later, Cruz walked by the glass doors and peered in. Rossi smiled at him with his signature point and headed back into his office. The four in the breakroom smiled.

-00CM00-

Driving home an hour later, Mateo Cruz turned up the song on his car radio.

And the cat's in the cradle with silver spoon. Little boy blue and the man on moon

When you coming home dad; I don't know when. But will get together then.

We're gonna have a good time then.

He smiled as he pulled into the driveway with his wife and two daughters waiting for him.

#####

A/N: Once again, my sincerest thank you for the favorite and following alerts. And my heartfelt thanks to all that have taken the time out of their busy day just to read this. To those that have left reviews, I'm humbled. Thank you. You keep me writing, enjoying the process.

I've said I write for my relaxation and that is very true. But when I do, I do think of the wonderful people that review each and every story of mine. You are very special to me and I hope this, and every story I write, meets your expectations of what you anticipate from me. I write for me; but I think of all of you when I do it. Thank you from the depths of my heart.

I wrote this story completely on the sly; i.e. no one knew about it. Yet, I know the very special people that support my writing; they are the ones that are there when I'm struggling. I didn't with this one. But I knew you were still there; in my heart. Hugs and luvs to you all.

See ya in a couple of weeks. I'll have the Kleenex box ready. ;)

*Knightly bow*