A/N: I start with a bit of a rant. Our current batch of Criminal Minds writers are not providing me with much inspiration for a new story. To get a "new" idea for a straight up CM story, I tend to use some recently aired episodes for a hot idea. Yet, like many others at the CM chat sites I visit, I'm longing for the days of S4 with writers Wilder, Mirren, Mundy, et al. *deep sigh*

*smiles* I can guess what a lot of you are thinking. "Geez Rockie, you've been a writing machine." True; however, look closer. I've been leaning on my four crutches of Cait, Zach, Matt and the Hotch/Rossi/Jack storylines. That really doesn't take a lot to come up with ideas. Sure, a Matt case fic takes a bit more work. And one coming soon! Promise! I'm talking about an original story without OC's or an established storyline.

Breen Frazier has written two fantastic episodes so far this season in The Job and Entropy. Yet, in my FF writer's world, he sewed up each of those episodes pretty well. I couldn't see an opening for a story idea. OK, at least not for me being a non-Reid writer. Hey! I'm honest.

After her first S11 episode that IMHO was a complete dud, Sharon Lee Watson roared back with vengeance with her wonderfully penned episode Internal Affairs. And she gave me the "in" I have been looking for. A chat with some writer friends made me realize it.

All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios; CBS and ABC Studios. I think I've covered myself with Sharon's episode.

*points to story description* The rating is real for language.

*Knightly bow*

Chapter 1

The fourth weekend in January, winter storm Jonas buried the DC area in over twenty inches of snow. The BAU team, chasing their usual large ration of whackadoodle unsubs after the holidays were thankfully home before the storm hit. After being out nearly the whole month, Cruz put them on stand down until the Tuesday after President's Day in February.

While the team looked forward to two weeks in the office, even with catching up on reports and paperwork, they welcomed the chance to work from home the Monday after the storm with Cruz's email. Don't make the drive. He added please get a start on the backlog of paperwork. The team was more than fine with that.

Aaron had no problem with that sipping his coffee that Monday morning with Jack at home, school cancelled for the day. Yet as the day wore on, Jack was finding it harder to keep himself occupied while Aaron tried to get caught up with the mountain of paperwork he faced.

Exasperated, Jack looked at his dad around two that afternoon. "Dad, I love you. But I'm bored."

Aaron smiled. "Buddy, I'm sorry. This working from home thing is good. But it doesn't diminish the paperwork I have to catch up on." Jack just looked at him more. Aaron shook his head. "I get it Jack," he smiled, reaching for his cellphone.

David Rossi was driving home from the local grocery store when his phone, connected to the smart technology his new Land Rover had, smiled at the incoming call. He pushed a button to pick up the call. "Hey Hotch. What's up?"

"I'm sick of paperwork and have a bored out of his mind ten year old Dave. Does Mudg need a workout in the snow?" Jack brightly grinned.

Dave smiled. "Aaron, Mudg loves to run in the snow and honestly, my greying dog needs the workout putting on a few pounds after duck season. Come on over; Mudg will love play time with Jack."

"You're the best Uncle Dave," Jack said.

"You hear that," Aaron asked with a smile.

"Loud and clear," Dave answered with a smile of his own. "And you two can stay for dinner. I got my usual Christmas present from my sister. Twelve quart jars of her primo spaghetti sauce. I just made a grocery store run for the spaghet noodles," Dave said. "I was going to make spaghetti tonight for myself."

"Dave, you do understand my son's appetite?"

Rossi laughed. "All over that Aaron." He thought for a second. "I picked up a dozen bread sticks. I know how to make them special. They'll just be a few less I put in the freezer. But stop and get a gallon of milk. You know me Aaron; I prefer a good full bodied red with my spaghetti instead of moo juice."

Aaron lightly laughed. "Roger that Dave; and thank you. We both appreciate it."

"Hell Aaron, Mudg will love it. So will I."

"Dave, my cell is now on speaker phone."

"Aaron, talk to your son. I'm sure he's heard worse on the playground by now."

"Word Uncle Dave," Jack said with a big smile. Aaron looked at him as Dave laughed.

"See you guys in a bit; the roads are pretty clear. You shouldn't have a problem getting here."

"Thanks Dave."

Less than an hour later, the Hotchner's blew in Dave's backdoor without knocking. Mudg rushed to the door on guard with the hair on his back standing at full intruder alert. Seeing Jack, he happily barked with his tail wagging.

"Hey Mudg," Jack smiled. "I've missed you my old friend." Mudg gave him a happy bark back as Dave joined them. Jack deeply rubbed Mudg down with a smile. Aaron moved around the two and handed Dave the gallon of milk.

"What's in the bag," Dave pointed with a question that Aaron had.

"Jack's snow pants and boots; you wanna deal with wet clothes?"

"Hey Aaron, I'm just learning all this kid stuff with Kai remember," Rossi smiled.

Aaron smiled and pulled out the contents. Jack looked at him. "I can get them on by myself dad," he smiled.

Rubbing his head, Aaron smiled. "Just put your stocking cap back on. I don't want to deal with an ear infection," he said as Jack pulled on his snow gear. Jack tugged on his snow bibs and put his jacket back on along with his boots. He pulled the stocking cap back down over his ears and grabbed his mittens.

He looked at Mudg. "You ready," he smiled with a question. Mudg loudly barked, shaking in anticipation. Hotch pulled Jack's stocking cap down a bit more. Jack shook his head and opened the backdoor. "See ya guys," he waved as he and Mudgie bolted out of Dave's home.

Aaron looked at Dave. "Thank you. You and Mudg are a lifesaver."

"You're welcome," Dave smiled. "But I noticed that bag of yours isn't completely empty."

Aaron smiled. "I need some down time with my son," he looked at Dave. "And maybe that old mutt of yours as well."

Dave studied his protégé. "There's something more on your mind Aaron."

Aaron shook his head. "I hate to say it but Garcia is right; I hate profilers."

Dave nodded to the kitchen counter. "Sit down and talk to me." He grabbed two beers from the fridge and opened them, handing Aaron one. Aaron accepted his and raised the bottle in salute to Dave and then took a drink. "Aaron, your mouth isn't working and you're not making any syllables."

Hotch shook his head. "I think I'm starting to hang on too tight Dave." Dave looked him in the eye, completely astonished by the admission.

"Aaron?"

"I've had too many close calls and they're starting to catch up with me."

Dave shook his head. "Hell Aaron, we've all had our close calls. John Curtis and Donnie Mallick spring into my mind. And that's just off the top of my head because they're the freshest."

"Do I need to mention mine?" Aaron retorted. "The bomber in New York City that killed Joyner; hell I can go back to Randall Gardner less than a year after I took over as Unit Chief. And there's how many more? The Halloween case in Detroit…"

Dave shook his head waving him off. He then looked Aaron in the eye. "You haven't mentioned the biggest one," he softly said.

"George Foyet."

Dave nodded. "Tell me what triggered this?"

Aaron shook his head and got off the chair to pace, taking a huge gulp of his beer. "The case with Graff from NSA; the one that got us the lead on the Dirty Dozen." He looked at Dave; and over Dave's shoulder he could see Jack and Mudgie playing in the yard through the kitchen window. "Their best informant had just got killed in a car bomb. Then Graff calls me to meet him. As I'm walking to my SUV, I'm on full alert, taking every precaution. I pre-started the engine and unlocked the doors as I walked between two vehicles ahead." He looked at Dave. "Just in case…."

"Hell Aaron, that's our training," Dave said.

Hotch shook his head. "It's more than that. My body is doing the things we've both been trained to do."

"But….." Dave questioned.

"That voice in the back of my head reared up. It kept telling me 'you can't orphan Jack'." He looked at his best friend and closest confidant. "That voice is getting louder," he softly admitted. "I'm all my son has left."

Dave took a drink of his beer and then slowly shook his head. "Aaron, you know I get that."

Hotch nodded. "You've been a rock for both of us."

Dave beamed. "Which I'll continue to do; that nephew of mine is pretty special to me." They both smiled. He looked deeply at Hotch. "Aaron, look at me." Hotch's brown eyes met his. "You brought up the case with Joyner in New York City. Remember when Morgan got out of line with you and you sent him out the door?" Hotch nodded.

"I found him in our hotel bar with a poured tap beer in front of him." Aaron looked at him. "We talked at bit," Dave smiled. "Bottom line: I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told Morgan," Dave said, giving him the perfected Rossi point. "If I think you're losing it, I'll pull you out of the field myself." Hotch looked at him. "And that voice in the back of your head that is keeping you more on guard isn't a bad thing. It's just helping your instincts and your training. Just don't let it spook you; because that's when you'll hesitate and make a mistake." Hotch looked at him. "It's not a bad thing Aaron," Dave smiled. "Don't doubt it," he said, looking at Aaron. "Just use it my friend."

"But that's the problem Dave." Rossi looked at him. "I think it's starting to spook me."

"Talk to me."

Aaron shook his head. "I just got a feeling that night; it made my stomach rumble and sent chills up my spine. And the voice in my head was the loudest it's been."

Dave shook his head. "Maybe because you were working here; close to home." Aaron looked at him and shook his own head. "Listen to me; it happens. I remember a case Gideon, Ryan and I worked right here in DC. Carolyn was seven months pregnant at the time. We worked the profile and found the guy through old fashion police investigation. We didn't have a technical analyst back then." Aaron smiled. "The unsub bolted out of his apartment with Max coming up the hall. I was covering the back alley. And we didn't have fancy comm equipment that fit in our ear. Max bellowed through those old fashion police radios," Aaron smiled again, "look out Dave! He may be coming your way."

"The unsub bursts out the alley door in front of me. I followed procedure. 'Halt! FBI!' He fired a shot that I heard wing just past my head. I fired my own round that missed as the unsub took off down the alley. As I'm chasing the SOB, I'm thinking 'man you've got a child on the way'." He looked at Aaron. "That bullet missed my ear by millimeters. Aaron, I can still hear the whine of it going by again in my head as I'm telling you this." Aaron stared at him.

"Hotch, there was a part of me that just wanted to stop right there. I wanted to be a father to my child I had coming; to be a parent with Carolyn. And honestly, because that bullet came so close, take a piss so I didn't do it in my pants."

"But you kept on the chase," Aaron smiled.

"I didn't miss on my second shot," Dave smugly smiled, taking a drink of his beer and then turned serious. "There's something else you haven't mentioned," he looked at Aaron.

"Dave?"

"What happened with Foyet and your love for Jack will always be on the forefront of your brain; that's a given." Aaron looked at him. "What's really in your subconscious?" Aaron stared at him.

"Penelope," Dave smiled. "Oh sure, she's Morgan's 'Baby Girl'. And we both know how close she and JJ are. Jayje could have brought the boys to the BAU and that would have made Penelope's week. But none of us, especially JJ and her sons, could chance helping her and give away where she was and putting themselves in danger as well. It was you who was her rock in her time in protective custody."

Hotch lowered his head for a second and then looked at Dave. "I wasn't the only one."

Dave shrugged. "Yeah, I tried to help you out. But while the rest of us were flying home from Texas, who joined her for a jalapeño omelet after breaking the bad news she couldn't go home yet?" Aaron looked at him. "Relax Aaron," Dave smiled. "The rumor mill around the BAU is damn near a cottage industry. And they all share around the coffee pots from shift to shift. You haven't learned that by now," Dave asked, emphasizing his last word.

Aaron shook his head with his small smile and looked at Dave who suddenly turned serious again. "I know nothing could scramble your brain more than losing Haley. But that's why I kicked your ass to talk to me in the ambulance after your encounter with Peter Lewis and his drugs." Aaron's head jerked up. "You didn't need a close second," Dave said with his soft smile to his field partner and best friend. "He made your second worst nightmare happen in your head. There's no way on god's green earth I could expunge the first one. But there was no way in hell I was going to let the second one get to you." The kitchen area turned stone silent except for the hum of Dave's fridge that kicked in. It lasted a minute or two.

Aaron chugged the rest of his beer and put the bottle on the counter. He went into the entry way and grabbed the bag. He pulled out his snow bibs. Reaching back into the bag, he pulled out his snow boots and then a small Tupperware container which he held out to Dave. "What's this?"

"Some of Jess' chocolate chip cookies," Aaron said, pulling on his ski jacket. "Jack might want one or two when we come back in." He looked Dave in the eye. "The rest are yours," Aaron smiled.

Dave smiled back. "I'll have the milk glass ready. Go have fun with your son."

Hotch pulled on his own stocking cap and then his gloves. "Thanks Dave," he smiled.

"Any time Aaron," Dave softly said with a smile. A few minutes later, Dave looked out the window to see the mother of all snowball fights between father and son. There was just one problem; Mudgie was catching the snowballs that Aaron threw at Jack in his mouth to protect his young friend happily barking in between salvos. Aaron raced at Jack, fending off Jack's snowball assault to tackle his son. The two laid in the snow laughing with Mudg bouncing around them.

You're OK Aaron, Dave thought to himself. Trust me.

#####

A/N: Like I said at the top, I got a small window for a thought and I ran with it.

*Knightly bow*