Chapter 2
Three weeks later, the team was flying home on Wednesday afternoon from a major case in Houston. The case had political ramifications written all over it. Section Chief Cruz had joined them to put out those fires. He, Hotch and Dave sat in the four top seats playing Cribbage as Morgan, JJ, Reid and Kate Callahan milled around watching the game. Both Cruz and Hotch had their ties and collars loosened. "Thanks for coming along Mat," Aaron smiled while Dave shuffled the cards. "You were a big help to me."
Cruz smiled. "That's why they pay me the big bucks Aaron," he winked, taking his cards that Dave dealt. "And you two are getting home in time for your long weekend at the cabin." He looked at Dave, sitting next to him. "You paying off the school schedulers to have teacher's convention the same weekend as the opening of duck hunting season," he asked with a smile, placing a card into the crib.
"Nope," Dave said, discarding as well. "The Virginia DNR," he winked. Cruz laughed.
"All I know is my man here," Morgan said, rubbing Hotch's shoulders "is goin' to get some lovin' this weekend." Hotch discarded, shaking his head at Cruz who smiled.
Kate was leaning against the cabinet across from the four top with Reid and gave him a mortified look. Reid smiled. "It's Morgan; he thinks he can get under Hotch's skin."
"Like that is going to happen," she smiled at Reid. The three continued their card game through all the chatter.
Hotch looked at her. "One of these days I might miss the shot backing him," he winked. Everyone laughed with Cruz pointing a finger at Morgan. Earlier that morning, with Morgan on tactical point in the unsub's home Jeffrey Lawton had silently come up behind him. Hotch took him down as Lawton raised his gun to shoot Morgan.
"All I know," JJ said smiling "is someone had a little extra spring in his step going up the jet steps," she said, gently rubbing Dave's shoulder. "Getting a little excited about hunting with Max for the first time?"
Dave smiled over his shoulder at her. "Him and someone else," he beamed. JJ looked at him. "Jack is going on his first duck hunt with me as well."
JJ rubbed his shoulder more. "That's wonderful Dave; Jack will love that," she brightly smiled. The rest of the team shared the sentiments.
Garcia in Quantico in her lair, as usual, was enjoying the time together with the team relaxing via the laptop and monitors. "Sir Rossi, you know how I feel about that and my fine feathered friends."
"Yes Kitten," Dave smiled at one of the monitors.
"But OMG that's awesome that you and our golden boy number one will have that memory together."
"They both deserve it," Hotch said.
"Hotch," Kate asked. Cruz looked at him as well.
"Jack did a lot of practicing in the backyard and at the cabin getting Max ready for his first hunt. He deserves to see his work come to fruition," Hotch smiled.
Cruz looked at him. "Where are you going to be?"
Hotch smiled. "Sleeping in, enjoying a totally quiet cabin." The team all smiled. Aaron played an ace. "Thirty-one," he said, moving his peg on the scoreboard. Cruz shook his head and tossed his cards on the table.
Dave eyed him. "You keep winning; you'll be enjoying that sleep on the couch." The rest roared.
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The next morning, Jack woke to a cold nose in his face and a paw gently digging at his chest. He looked at his clock on his bedstand. "Max, what don't you understand about it not being a school day," he yawned, "and sleeping in?"
His question got answered with a gentle bark and Max going his "gotta go" dance on top of Jack's bed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jack yawned again, reaching for his covers. Max hopped off as Jack threw the covers back and quietly barked again. "Geez Max, let me get out of bed."
Ten minutes later, Jack got to the top step and looked down the hallway. The door was open to his parent's room. He smiled and went in the door. He looked at his dad sleeping on his side facing the door. As he closed the space to the bed, he noticed his dad with snuggled with Papa. That gives me room to get in he smiled, pulling the covers up, slipping off his flipflops.
He settled his back against his dad's chest and shivered. Aaron, instinctively in his sleep, pulled him closer. A bit later, Max bounded up the steps. He looked in Jack's room while he burped from his breakfast. Not noticing his favorite bud there, he headed down the hall as well. Jumping on the bed, he joined the snoring fest.
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Dave woke a couple hours later as Aaron stirred in his arms. "Who died in here," he whispered.
Aaron softly laughed. "Your mutt the farting machine."
Jack yawned. "How do you guys sleep together the way you both snore?" That started a giggle fest until Max let go of his second stink bomb. "Papa, that's you; I got up on sleep in morning, letting him out and fed him."
Aaron looked over his shoulder at Dave. "He's right Papa."
"I hate it when you two are right," Dave growled, crawling out of bed.
Three hours later, they were on their way to the cabin.
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Aaron, driving Dave's SUV, pulled into the lot of the rental store. Jack looked at Max. "We're splitting wood before we go hunting Max," he said, shaking his head. Aaron and Dave looked at each other with a smile, getting out of the vehicle.
Later that evening, they enjoyed their movie night at the cabin, complete with Dave's homemade popcorn. Jack eyed Aaron. "Dad, do we have to get up real early?"
Aaron smiled kissing his head. "No buddy, we don't. You and Papa have a big Saturday morning waiting for you. We just need to get some things done."
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The family enjoyed a leisurely, yet working Friday, starting with a huge breakfast that Jack devoured. The dead tree they had culled out of the woods around the cabin three weeks ago was waiting for the larger pieces of the trunk to be split. The project finished, Aaron helped Dave get the wood splitter on the trailer hitch of his vehicle to return it to the retail place.
Dave pulled out of the driveway, honking the horn. Aaron put his hand on Jack's shoulder as they went to the back deck of the cabin. "We need to talk Jack."
"Can we get some lemonade first dad," he asked eyeing Aaron. "This sounds serious and I'm thirsty."
Aaron laughed. "Sure buddy," he smiled. Max followed them into the kitchen and lapped his water bowl nearly clean. Jack refilled it as Aaron poured their drinks. They all went back out onto the deck, with Aaron and Jack sitting down at the table. Jack took a long drink as Max plopped down for his afternoon siesta in the sunshine.
"Fire dad," Jack said.
"Jack, that's exactly what I want to talk to you about. I trust Papa with my life; and yours." Jack nodded his head, taking another drink. "Buddy, I've never worried about you going hunting with Papa and Max." Jack eyed him. "I've worried about the memories it might stir up for you."
Jack looked into his glass and then looked at his dad. "The three big bangs," he softly said.
Aaron rubbed his shoulder. "Yes Jack; exactly that."
Jack looked out over the lake. Aaron let him have his time to gather his thoughts. That didn't take long Aaron thought as Jack looked at him. "Dad, I won't forget that." Aaron rubbed his shoulder more. "But back then, I just remember the sound and how bad it scared me." Jack paused. "Now, I understand what they really mean," he whispered. He looked out over the lake again and then at Aaron. "Dad, you know I love seeing you happy with Papa." Aaron nodded his head with a smile, knowing what was coming next. "I still miss mom," he said, hanging his head.
Aaron rubbed his shoulder again, lifting his chin with his other index finger to get Jack to look him in the eye. "Jack, as much as I love Papa, there is a part of my heart that will always love your mom. And I'll never let that go." Jack smiled at him. "That's part of the reason why I love Papa; he understands that. Jack, he was a huge support for me while you and mom had to be away." Jack looked at him. "And even bigger after mom died; I needed someone to hold me up."
Jack looked at him with Haley's soft smile. "Papa did that?"
Aaron smiled back. "Yes he did Jack. But buddy, I can tell you there's a part of my heart that I reserved for mom that hurts." Jack looked long into his eyes. "I told Papa a couple weeks ago I miss my little boy." Jack shook his head and started to open his mouth. "Buddy, hear me out. The little boy is the final memory your mom has of you. I want that to live on; for her," he whispered. Jack grabbed his glass and climbed up into Aaron's lap. Aaron kissed his head. "I know that mom is watching from heaven and she sees the wonderful young man you are growing into." Jack looked at him. "She sorta told me."
"Dad?" Aaron explained his experience while having surgery from the aftermath of Foyet's scar tissue.
Jack looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me that back then?"
"Because I was scared buddy; I didn't want to bring up bad memories for you." Aaron paused. "Or for you to think that it was alright to forget mom."
Jack looked out over the lake again. Aaron understood the significance for him. The peace of the lake gave him peace. "Dad, I'll never forget mom; I get it."
"Get what Jack?"
Jack gulped and brushed away a tear. "She died to protect me."
"Yes she did buddy," Aaron said, kissing his head and pulling him close and holding him tight. They sat together like that for a while.
"But dad, why are you telling me this now?"
Aaron smiled at him. "Because Jack I want you to understand why I've been so hesitant to let you go duck hunting with Papa."
"I didn't know that dad."
Aaron smiled. "Papa asked a couple months ago if you could. I kept putting off answering him. Jack, I'll say it again. It's not about you being around Papa and his shotgun. It's about what memories it might bring back to you."
"It hasn't dad," Jack smiled.
"I know buddy; when we went out with Papa a couple weeks ago and you didn't have a bad dream that night, I knew it wouldn't. But in a way, it showed me again how much my little boy is growing up. That's hard for me to let go Jack. I know these times, like how we're sitting here now with you in my lap," he said tickling Jack, "are soon going to be gone for me." Jack looked at him. "And while that makes me really proud of the great guy you're growing up to be, it makes me a little sad."
"I don't understand dad."
Aaron smiled. "Make me two promises my son." Jack looked at him. "No matter how old we both get, we'll always share a hug."
Jack leaned up with his growing body and put his arms tightly around Aaron's neck. "That's easy dad." Aaron knew the smile he had. "What's number two," he asked into Aaron's neck.
"Please be careful tomorrow."
Jack pulled out of his hug and looked his dad in the eye. Aaron had to smile at the eyes that matched his, starting to show his father's intensity. "I promise dad. I know what guns can do. I'll be real careful and listen to Papa."
Aaron beamed. "Have a wonderful time with Papa Jack."
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A/N: In the game of Cribbage, the dealer gets an "extra" hand to count. That is called the crib, where each person playing has to discard a card (or cards depending on the number of players; a crib must have four cards only). In three-handed Cribbage (before you ask :D ) the dealer, after dispersing the cards, takes the top card and puts it into the crib face down. Figuring out which card to put in the crib while trying to keep your hand intact for scoring is one of the strategies of that game that I love so much.
DNR is the Department of Natural Resources. A branch of that department is fish and wildlife management which includes game wardens to "police" that fishing/hunting laws are followed.