A/N: Please note the date change towards the end of the story.
And yes, the family is going to come in. Give me time to tell it my way.
HOF is Hall of Fame.
I almost forgot. Like always, this story is completely written and edited. You will get a chapter a day.
Chapter 2
The Braves continued their domination of the baseball world. Winning the 2027 World Series, the Braves tied the New York Yankees of the late forties and early fifties of the twentieth century for most consecutive World Series titles: five in a row. All due to the genius of General Manager and President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthropolous.
When the Braves won their first World Series in the 2000 era, Alex had a plan. He signed the core members of the team to long-term contracts, starting with Zach. Then Ronnie, Ozzie, Minnie, Max and Austin. Did it hurt to lose Freddie? You bet. But Alex went out and made the deal to get Ole, immediately locking him up to long contract as well.
Those core players, now signed to contract extensions, along with the young talent from the Braves' farm system were the nucleus of the team. Alex added veteran free agent players that fit into the clubhouse and made a solid team. The group powered the Braves to the best record in baseball going into the All-Star Break of the 2028 season.
The Sunday afternoon game before the All-Star break changed the team's world. Matt Olson, playing first base, went to his left, chasing a foul ball. He caught the ball in foul territory at the end of the large roll of tarp that was used to cover the field during rain. By some quirk, his foot got caught on the end of the tarp. Turning to throw the ball back into the infield, his leg didn't move. Ole went down in a heap, breaking his fibula and tibia in his lower right leg.
A somber group got on the Braves' chartered jet to fly to Las Vegas for the All-Star game. All six of the core group had made the team for the National League. Alex looked up from his cell to Zach getting on the plane with the three kids, along with Jack and his finance Jordan. "No Caleigh?" Alex asked, looking at Zach. The rest of the players were already boarded with their families.
"She's not feeling the best," Zach replied.
Jack winked at Alex. "How do you say oops," he grinned.
"Really?" Alex smiled.
"Really," Zach replied. "We had fun one night. What can I say?"
"And the dummy?" Alex thumbed at Jack.
"They're the cat herders," Zach smiled, nodding at the kids. "Prep for their future," he winked at Alex.
After the plane settled into its cruising altitude, Zach unbuckled his seatbelt. Taylor looked at him. "Dad?"
"I need to talk to Alex sweetheart," he smiled at her. "It's all good."
Minnie, sitting across the aisle from Zach, looked at him. "You gonna do what I think you're going to do?"
"Yup," Zach replied.
"You're not the Lone Ranger," Andy smiled. "I'm coming with you."
"So am I," Max said.
"I'm in as well," Austin added.
Ozzie and Ronnie got out of their seats. "You four aren't leaving us Latinos in the dust," Ozzie grinned.
"Nope," Ronnie smiled.
The six of them walked into the first class section of the plane. Alex looked at them as they gathered around his seat. "You're the captain of the team Cob," Austin said. "Talk."
"We need a first baseman." He beaded a look into Alex's eye. "We want that record. Most consecutive World Series championships. And, like you, we've heard the rumors. What does it take?"
Alex shook his head. "They're rebuilding. Two minor leaguers that we can give up."
"Why do I feel there's a but?" Minnie asked.
Alex shook his head. "They want compensation on the contract."
"How much?" Zach asked.
"Twenty million," Alex responded. He then had to settle the argument among the six of how much they each would divert from their contracts to get the deal done.
Thursday morning, Zach was home in bed with Caleigh. He spooned up next to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," she smiled, turning into Zach's arms. She softly giggled. "I guess we should have followed mom's advice and one of us got fixed."
Zach laughed. "Yup. But that's a future project." He looked into Caleigh's eyes. "You OK with this?"
Caleigh deeply smiled at her husband. "We've got another product of our love coming into our lives. Planned or not." She kissed Zach. "I love you."
"I love you too babe," Zach smiled, pulling Caleigh closer.
Later that afternoon, Jack literally blew into Zach and Caleigh's home. Jordan followed him in, rolling her eyes at Caleigh. Caleigh laughed at Jordan. "You fell in love with him."
"He's off the rails," Jordan said, shaking her head.
Jack got to Zach. "Are the rumors true?"
Zach grabbed the remote, switching the TV to ESPN from the show the kids were watching. "Hey!" Trev grumbled. "What's going on?"
The ESPN anchor came on the screen. "We have breaking baseball news. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a trade. Freddie Freeman is returning to Atlanta. We still don't have all the details on the trade. But sources from both clubs are confirming the trade."
Jack looked at Zach. "Really?" Jack smiled.
"Really," Zach grinned back. He beaded a look into Jack's eye. "We want that record."
Jack beamed. "Get 'er done."
Friday afternoon, every Braves player was in the clubhouse when Freddie came in the door. "Welcome home big brother," Zach grinned, waiting for him. He pulled Freddie into a massive hug. "Seitz and I have been dissecting your swing. We'll get you back on top."
Freddie deeply hugged Zach. "It's so good to be home."
The Braves mowed through the division series and swept the Yankees, beating their record of six consecutive World Series wins. Freddie was the MVP.
The news conference called by the Atlanta Braves four days after the World Series victory parade was not a surprise for the Atlanta sports writers. Walking into the room and seeing four families there, they knew what they were going to hear.
Alex Anthropolous walked up to the microphone at the podium, which was in the middle of a long table at the front of the room. To his left sat Freddie and Andy Minton. To his right sat Brian Snitker and Zach. "The Atlanta Braves, with gratitude for their service, and sadness, have formally accepted the retirement papers of Brian Snitker, Freddie Freeman, Andy Minton and Zach Hotchner." Each of the four had microphones in front of them. "Snit," Alex smiled, "we'll start with you."
Snitker smiled. "The decision was easy for me. I've loved being around all the players we've had to make this historic run. But I turn seventy-one in two weeks. Roni looked at me and said, 'It's time for you to stay home'. I agree," Brian smiled.
Zach rubbed his shoulder. "How long is the honey-do list Snit?" he grinned.
"I don't want to even think about it Zach," he laughed.
Freddie outlined having a growing family of three boys, all playing baseball. "It's time for me to be there for them instead of the other way around."
It then was Andy's turn. "Like Freddo, my kids are getting older as well." He smiled. "Let me add dancers are athletes as well." AJ and Taylor shared a high five, filling the room with laughter. "But the biggest thing is my shoulder. I've gutted it out for nearly two months, trying to help the team as much as I could through this historic run. Doing a full year of rehab after shoulder surgery to come back for another year at my age, makes no sense to me."
Alex introduced Zach. "I can give the same story as Freddo and Minnie about family. And, with all the years of being a catcher, I'm walking away with my knees and lower back intact. I consider that a miracle. I stayed a year longer than I originally planned. I wanted that record," Zach smiled. "When Caleigh and I talked last year, she had full buy-in. You think I'm competitive?" he grinned. Laughter rippled through the room.
"That said, the biggest thing for me is the team. I've been a Braves fan since I was old enough to watch baseball. I care about this team. Through Alex's hard work, Ronnie and Austin, Ozzie and Ole are ready to step up to be the leaders in the clubhouse. Max has the guys in the pen. And the young guns behind them are eager for their chance. I walk away, knowing the team is in good hands and will be just as competitive. I'll be the old fart joining our fantastic fans at Truist in the stands, cheering them on."
-00CM00- 2033 – five years later
After a week of voting by the baseball writers, Zach and Caleigh's home was filled with people on a January afternoon, awaiting results of the baseball Hall of Fame voting. Every baseball pundit in American had Zach in the upcoming HOF class on his first try in the balloting.
Naturally, Aaron and Beth were there. Now an Assistant Director, serving at the JEdgar Building in downtown D.C., Aaron was still handsome, with graying hair at his temples. Yet, he recently had put in his retirement papers with his service to the Bureau ending in April. Beth was trying to help Jordan keep an eye on Mason, Jack and Jordan's ten-month-old son. Mason was a lightning quick crawler who was learning to pull himself up and walk around anything and everything to become a walker.
Sean and Kim were there. Along with all of Caleigh and Zach's growing family. Tom and Rachel now had seven grandchildren. Aunt Jess was there with her father John, who was as spry as ever. The only one missing was Hannah, grandma, who had unexpectedly passed away the year before.
The rest of the old BAU team was there as well. Emily Prentiss, with her service to Interpol and the FBI, was enjoying her retirement, traveling the world in leisure with her husband of seven years, Jason Turner, a four-time bestselling author. "This better be worth it Zach to drag us back to D.C. in January," she smiled.
"I didn't put a gun to your head Em," Zach fired back.
FBI Associate Director of Tactical Logistics Derek Morgan laughed with Savannah, now head of Emergency Medicine at Howard University Hospital. JJ and Will joined them in the laughter. Will was now a Captain of a prescient with Metro PD. JJ was an Associate Director in one the Bureau's counter intelligence divisions. Henry was missing the party. An engineering major at George Mason like Zach, he was in Liberia, Africa with his wife Salome. She was a Liberian native he had met at Mason. They were overseeing the construction of three new schools in the country. Michael was on a class field trip to Philadelphia.
Zach looked across the great room and shook his head. "Hey you two," he said, pointing at Reid and Penelope. "No talking shop this afternoon," he grinned, shaking a finger at them. He had reason to give the edict. Dr. Reid was now the head of an elite group of specially hired agents who combed all intelligence for possible attacks on the country. Garcia, the most brightly dressed Section Chief in the FBI, led a top-notch group of astute former hackers like her that stopped more black hat computer operations than the world needed to know.
David Rossi was holding court, as usual, sitting at the nook counter, with Merrill and Sela Dobson joining him. Dave and Merrill were each nursing a glass of scotch. "It's two in the afternoon you two lushes," Zach commented, shaking his head.
"I'm retired, and allowed," Dave retorted back.
"Me too," Merrill smiled. "Especially if it's your scotch," he said, clinking his glass with Dave's. Caleigh shook her head at Sela with a smile. "Plus, my wife is driving us back to Dave's."
Zach just shook his head at the two of them as Keegan came into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Caleigh. All four of the kids were home from a half day of school in anticipation of the momentous occasion. "How was your nap Key?" Caleigh smiled.
"Better than at pre-school," he yawned. He looked at Caleigh. "Can I please have a cookie and some milk mom?"
"Yes you may," Caleigh smiled.
Keegan looked at her. "We gonna have the can may talk again?"
"I will have that with you, your sister and your brothers until I die." Keegan rolled his eyes, reaching for the Tupperware with the monster cookies on the counter. Zach poured him a glass of milk as Caleigh winked at Sela. They grinned at each other.
Keegan finished his cookie and glass of milk, handing the glass to Caleigh. "Sorry mom, I'm too short to rinse it out. Can you?"
"Yes, I can," Caleigh smiled.
Keegan just shook his head at her, turning to walk out of the kitchen. Zach smiled, giving Caleigh a kiss. Dave took a quick glance to make sure Keegan was out of hearing distance and then smiled at the couple. "Isn't it time for you two to have another oops?" Dave whispered with a smile.
"You want me to throw your ass out the door?" Zach growled back.
"Asshole," Caleigh added in the same tone.
"Loveable asshole," Dave smiled at her.
Logan came into the great room from the dining room with its porch doors, having let Millie, the latest Hotchner family Lab, out for her whiz. He pointed at the kitchen. "What's up there?"
"Uncle Dave made dad mad again," Keegan said.
"There's a news flash," Logan snarked.
Just then, Zach's cell buzzed on the kitchen counter with a call. He and Caleigh's home became stone silent. "Wrong number," Trevor snarked. Caleigh snapped her fingers at him and gave him the gesture to zip his lips. Taylor rolled her eyes at her brother. Jack pushed Trev's head as Zach had done so many times to him. Zach looked at area code and smiled at Caleigh, picking it up to answer it.
"Hello," he said. And then listened. Everyone was on pins and needles. The kids scampered into the kitchen to be with their parents. "Thank you, Chairman Holfield. It's an honor." Zach ended the call and looked at Caleigh, shaking his head.
Caleigh pulled him into a hug. "I knew it," she smiled in his arms, kissing him.
"You in?" Taylor asked.
"Yes sweetheart," Zach smiled. He looked at Caleigh. "It was unanimous." For only the second time in modern baseball HOF history.
"Oh my god Zach," Caleigh cried, hugging him deeper. The kids engulfed their parents. Aaron, Beth and Jack were waiting behind them. Suddenly there were two loud pops. Aaron and Dave instinctually reached for their side arms that were not there. So did the other BAU members, except Penelope.
Sean and Merrill each held up a bottle of uncorked champagne that Dave covertly had chilling in the garage. Sela started passing out the plastic champagne glasses as Sean and Merrill poured.
Caleigh looked at Zach. "Who else made it?"
Zach grinned. "Freddo and Minnie." He shook his head.
"Zach?" Caleigh asked.
"And Harper."
XXX