Chapter 5

Aaron was standing in the kitchen, sipping his beer as Dave helped Jack finish his English assignment when Mudg made his third run to the garage door. "That's how we work out Mudgie Uncle Dave," Jack giggled.

"Works for me Champino," Dave smiled. They heard Caleigh giving Mudgie her loves and then put her bag down by the steps to Zach's lair. She went back out into the garage and then walked in carrying four beers.

Zach took one and uncapped it for her as she put the other three down. Dave and Aaron polished off their first ones, each grabbing a new bottle as Zach and Caleigh shared a kiss and a hug. Jack rolled his eyes. Zach grabbed the fourth bottle. "Thanks babe; how was practice?"

Caleigh smiled. "It was good; we're starting to already gel as a team with the freshman." She smiled at Aaron, who pulled her into his arms for a hug. "Welcome home Aaron," she said, rubbing his back.

"Thank you daughter," Aaron deeply smiled. "Not that I don't love having you here but what about game day Friday?"

Caleigh smiled at him. "Honestly?" Aaron nodded with a smile. "I need sleep tonight and you know the traffic on our street. It's quiet here; I could use that tonight. Tomorrow night, I won't sleep."

Aaron kissed her cheek. "Then, as always, you're more than welcome," he smiled. Jack and Dave added theirs.

Caleigh gave him a kiss back and looked at Jack. "Hey Caleigh!" Jack bended his index finger to touch his cast.

Caleigh put her beer on the counter and pulled him into a hug. "News flash bro; mom predicted that last night on the drive home," she said, kissing his head, pulling out of the hug. "You've got a simple wrist break. But that's great Jack," she smiled. "How does it really feel?"

"It's just sore," Jack reported. Caleigh smiled, rubbing his head as she moved to Dave.

"Welcome home you," she smiled.

Dave pulled her into a hug as well. "Good to be home sweetheart," he smiled. Caleigh rubbed his back as she let go. "There's a huge accident on the freeway," she said, looking at Aaron and Zach. "My app on my phone alerted me about it so I was able to get around it. At a stoplight, I texted Beth to give her a heads up."

Aaron's cell pinged. He read the text message. "She got it," he smiled. "She's past the accident and about ten minutes out." He looked at Zach. "Dinner at six is a go," he smiled.

Zach put the tetrazzini in the oven. "Then let's get Team Hotchner rolling to get the table set," he nodded at the nook table.

"Can I go play in my room," Jack asked. Aaron nodded his approval with a smile. Jack blew off the chair. "Keep that wrist supported," he heard in a chorus of four voices. "Yeah, yeah, yeah; I've got it," he said, moving out of the kitchen. Mudg followed him.

Beth pulled into the garage. Grabbing her purse and briefcase, she shut her car door and pushed the button to lower the garage door as she came into the house. Jack and Mudgie were waiting for her. "That's a sight for sore eyes," she smiled coming in the door. Jack helped her set her bags on the steps to the upper level of bedrooms.

Jack gave her a hug. "You OK Beth?"

She kissed his head hugging him back. "It's just a busy week buddy," she smiled, looking at him.

"Zach told me you've got a big presentation on Friday. How's it going?"

Beth smiled. "Lauren, my assistant and I finished it today. Tomorrow, we just have to do some editing and refining. We're ahead of the game," she answered, giving Mudgie his dose of love.

"That's great Beth!" The three walked into the kitchen.

Aaron gave Beth a kiss and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. Zach put his arm around Caleigh's shoulder with a knowing smile at her. Caleigh rubbed his chest. Jack climbed back up into the lunch counter chair next to Dave. "How you doing," Aaron asked.

Beth pulled out the hug and kissed him. "A lot better; getting over nine hours of sleep last night was huge. Thanks to Zach and Jack," she smiled.

"Team Hotchner," Jack smiled at Dave. That got him the Uncle Dave point. Jack smiled wider.

"And she survived her first family medical emergency," Zach added.

Beth kissed Aaron again. "I did; so where's my beer?" she smiled.

"I'll get it Beth," Jack said, clambering off his chair to head to the fridge in the garage.

She smiled at Aaron as Jack blew by them. "I think someone is feeling better."

"Yes he is," Aaron smiled. "Team Hotchner."

"Oh God, no one tell Garcia," Dave said. Caleigh looked at him. "She'll have hashtag Team Hotcher trending on Twitter." They all laughed.

Jack came back in handing the beer to his dad to get the cap off. Aaron did and handed it to Beth. Zach moved into the kitchen. "Can you two love birds move please so I finish dinner," he smiled, kissing Beth's cheek.

-00CM00-

Dinner finished, they all sat around the table, except for Jack that went back to his room to play. Caleigh started to gather plates, putting the few scraps onto one, stacking the others under it. Aaron shook his head. "Zach cooked; get lost," he smiled.

Caleigh looked at him. "You don't have to tell me twice; I've got homework to do."

"And I've got baseball to watch," Zach added. Caleigh rolled her eyes, getting up from her chair as Zach did the same. He looked at Dave. "Drop in downstairs before you leave."

Dave softly smiled. "You got it."

The three of them got Zach's prep dishes washed and dried. Beth smiled at Dave. "You didn't have to wash."

Dave kissed her. "Best job for me," he smiled. "I don't know where everything goes in this kitchen."

"Unlike yours," Beth zinged.

"Don't you start on me Mrs. Hotchner. I'm getting tired." Beth kissed his cheek and got the dishwasher doing its job. Dave smiled. "That thing gets a workout around here."

"Tell me about it," Beth smiled. "How's Jack's homework," she asked, looking at Aaron.

He smiled. "We've got the reading assignment, team Hotchner did the rest." Beth looked at him. "Zach tutored Jack to get the history, spelling, science and math done; Dave taught the English lesson."

"Which is now my cue to get home," Dave smiled. "I'm gonna head down and say goodnight to the big kids. You two get my mutt and the little kid." They both smiled.

Dave came down the steps to Caleigh immersed in her laptop with Zach watching the Braves game with the sound turned down. He pointed at the TV. "And you call your dad pussy whipped," he smiled.

"Dad's pussy whipped," Zach smiled. "I'm just a really great guy." Caleigh, already wearing her glasses, her contacts out for the day, rolled her eyes at Dave. He lightly laughed.

"I'm heading out you two; I'm beat."

"Hear that Uncle Dave," Zach said, pulling his long legs off the coffee table and getting up. Caleigh hit the save button and put her laptop aside, joining Zach.

Dave pulled Zach into a deep hug. "Thanks kiddo for backing the team again. It's huge what you do for your dad."

Zach shook his head in Dave's arms. "It's nice to have some back-up," he smiled. "And Aunt Jess didn't get pulled in; she's going to have to do that soon enough."

Dave hugged Zach tighter. "You're a special young man Zach."

"We all wouldn't be here, right now, without you Uncle Dave." Caleigh smiled as they separated.

"Good night Zach," Dave smiled, pulling Caleigh into a hug. "And you my loves," he said, kissing her cheek, "you just…."

"I've got this Uncle Dave," she smiled at him.

"You didn't let me finish," Dave said, in his usual Rossi manner. "I was going to say, sleep well and enjoy the quiet." He nodded at Zach. "And kick his butt if he snores." Caleigh laughed. Dave let a little yawn escape.

"Get out of here," Zach lovingly growled, rubbing his shoulder. They shared good nights and Dave went up the steps. Caleigh and Zach shared a smile on the couch five minutes later as Mudg blew down the steps to say his good-byes. Dave was out the door a few minutes later.

Finishing the reading assignment, Beth took a whiff of the air. "I know Beth," Jack smiled. 'This is one time I won't argue with a shower," he said, scratching his hair that hadn't been washed in two days.

"How do we do that with a cast," Beth asked, looking at Aaron.

"I know how," Jack smiled, running down the steps to the top of his brother's lair. "Hey Zach, I need your help."

Zach came up the steps with Caleigh right behind him. "Zach, what did Uncle Sean do so you could take a shower when your arm was in a cast?" Beth looked at Aaron, nearly mortified that Jack was remembering the time after Haley died.

Aaron smiled, shaking his head and rubbing her back. Zach looked at Caleigh. "You grab a gallon zip-lock bag; I'll get the duct tape," he smiled, heading for the garage. Five minutes later, Jack headed up the steps to take his shower, his cast protected.

The four of them shared prayers together as Aaron and Beth tucked Jack into bed. Caleigh rubbed his hair. "You smell a lot better," she smiled, giving him a kiss.

"Night sis," Jack smiled, yawning a bit.

"I like hearing that," she smiled.

Jack smiled back. "I like saying it." Aaron and Beth shared smiles.

"Night bro," Zach said, hugging him. "See ya in the morning."

"Night Zach." He and Caleigh moved to the door to let Aaron and Beth have their time with Jack.

"Dad, what's pussy whipped?" Caleigh clamped her hand over her mouth as she and Zach quickly and silently slipped down to Zach's den.

An hour later, Zach and Caleigh came up the steps. Zach was still in his sport shorts and t-shirt. Caleigh had dressed down to her cotton sleep pants and a Mason soccer t-shirt. Aaron and Beth sitting shoulder to shoulder on the couch, dressed pretty much the same way as her, smiled at the two of them, looking up from their laptops, each of them wearing their glasses. "There's a romantic night," Zach kidded.

They both set their laptops aside and stood up. Caleigh hugged Beth and then Aaron. Zach hugged Beth. "Thanks again Zach," she smiled, rubbing his arm.

"Team Hotchner Beth," he said, kissing her cheek. "We make this work," he smiled. "We're a family that backs each other. I'll get that payback starting in January." Beth kissed his cheek.

Aaron pulled Zach into a hug. "Thank you son."

"You're welcome dad," Zach said in his arms. "But I just said it."

Aaron looked at him. "Yeah; I get it. Hashtag Team Hotchner," he smiled.

"It works dad."

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A/N: Thank you all once again for the alerts, reviews or just reading.

And I know my procrastination time is done. I need to get heads down into figuring out a profile. The case part is easy; putting the profile together so all you astute readers don't call me out is another thing. I'll see you sometime soon!

*Knightly bow*