It was almost lunchtime and Hotch and Christine were outside on the deck checking out Rossi's gas grill when Christine's phone beeped signaling a text message. She read it, and then smiled delightedly at Hotch.

"Dave and Jack caught an earlier flight," she exclaimed. "They just landed and are on their way!"

A short time later, they heard Rossi's car pulling into the driveway and then the front door of the house opening.

"Hey, Dad!" Jack tried to sound cool as he sauntered out onto the deck.

"Hey, Buddy!" Hotch's greeting was much more effusive.

"Dave!" Christine smiled at him as he followed Jack onto the deck. "I missed you!" She walked over and gave him a hug.

Dave looked at her carefully, noticing the whisker burns on the side of her neck. He then looked over at Hotch and took in the bite marks on his neck. "But, not too much, I see," he commented wryly.

He then glanced down at her stomach. "And, that wasn't there when I left," he observed.

"It wasn't there last night," Christine told him. "As far as I can figure out, it put in an appearance around four o'clock this morning." She turned to face Jack and Hotch.

Hotch had his arm around Jack's shoulders as he guided his son over to where Christine and Rossi were standing. "Jack, there is someone I would like you to meet," Hotch began. "This is Christine."

"Hello, Jack," Christine offered him her hand. "I'm a friend of your Uncle Dave's. Both your father and your Uncle Dave have told me a lot about you."

"Hello," Jack dutifully shook hands.

"How was New York?" Christine inquired with a smile. "Did you get to see the dinosaurs?"

"Yeah!" Jack enthused. "And, the mummies, and the skeletons, and we got to see a Broadway show, and everything!"

"It's been a long time since I've been to New York," Christine told him. "What else did you see?"

After Jack had finished enthusiastically listing all of his discoveries in New York, he looked at his father and asked. "Dad, what happened to your neck? It's all red!"

Hotch choked and looked over at Christine before replying. "I think something bit me."

"He's been out in Uncle Dave's yard," Christine supplied. "And, I think he got bit by something. I put some antiseptic on it earlier. You probably need to make sure he puts some more on it tonight."

"Okay," Jack unquestioningly accepted their explanation as Rossi, gagging, retreated into the house.

After Hotch had finished grilling the various meats (Jack decided on hamburgers), he carried the platter inside so they could eat in the sunroom. As Christine pointed out, "There are all sorts of creepy crawlies flying about outside, and I can't enjoy my meal while I am busy swatting at them."

Afterwards, when Rossi had taken Jack outside to move his suitcase into Hotch's car, Hotch turned to Christine.

"I know that right now you don't want to marry me," he told her. "But, I want the opportunity to change your mind. I want to court you. I want to take you out – to dinner, to the movies, or just out for a walk. And, I want you to go places with Jack and me, so the two of you get to know each other."

"You do realize that in a couple of weeks you will have to explain my 'situation' to Jack, don't you?" Christine pointed out. "Also, we will have to avoid going places where we might run into old friends of your family. Explaining being on a date with a pregnant woman might be a little difficult and would undoubtedly start rumors."

"I can work it out," Hotch insisted. "I'll just tell Jack that you are a friend of mine who is going to have twins. I won't bring up the issue of who the father is unless he asks. And, I will explain everything to Jessica and ask her to help keep things quiet. As far as places to go for dinner, there are enough restaurants in this area for everyone. So, Please – Give me a chance?"

"I believe the appropriate response is – Call Me!" Christine smiled at him.

"Bit by something in the yard?" Rossi smirked after Hotch and Jack had driven away.

"Well, he was bit," Christine stated blandly. "Just because he wasn't in the yard when it happened doesn't change that."

"And, do I want to know where it occurred?" Rossi was enjoying himself.

"Um – m – m - Inside?" Christine suggested.

Rossi fixed her with a stern glance. "Am I going to have to burn the couch in my study?" he demanded.

"Dave, I would never desecrate your couch - I know how much you love it!" she protested. "And, I will have you know, the kitchen table was also sacrosanct."

"However," it was her turn to smirk at him. "There is one corner of the kitchen counter that I will be taking bleach to tomorrow morning. And, as for the carpeting on the stairs – "

"TMI!" Rossi roared, as he retreated upstairs to his suite.