Epilogue

Dave snaked onto the elevator holding Hotch Monday morning just before the doors closed and looked at him. "Look at you: you're even tanned. You and boys have a good time?"

Aaron smiled broadly. "We had a great time."

"I'm gonna want to hear about it." Aaron just smiled, with Dave looking at him.

The elevator pinged for the sixth floor for the BAU and Aaron started to walk off and then looked at Dave. "No shit Dave; there's a first." He smiled at him. "If we don't go out tonight, dinner is at six."

"What's on the menu?"

"Tacos."

"I'll pass, thank you," he said as he followed Aaron off the elevator.

"Dave?" Aaron said, turning to face him.

"Aaron, the last time I watched the Hotchner carnivore's eat tacos, I walked away from the table counting that I had all my fingers."

"Tough shit; just get your ass there anyway. Jack has fish stories he wants to tell you," he smiled, and then strode in the glass doors of the BAU. Dave stopped in his tracks and just smiled broadly.

-00CM00-

A week later, with the team home, Aaron summoned Dave again for dinner. "And don't ask what's on the menu; just show up with Mudg."

Dave and Mudgie walked into the kitchen with Zach pan frying crappie filets like Sela had taught him. He had made her red potatoes recipe as well. Jack flew into Dave's arms. "We're eatin' really good tonight Uncle Dave."

Dave smiled at all of them as he scooped Jack off the floor. They were a family that still remembered, yet, healed, and whole, was a family that he was damn proud to be a part of.

-00CM00-

Three weeks later, the Washington Nationals welcomed the VHSL Division 2 Baseball Champion Central Cardinals to Nationals Park. The pro team, along with the ownership and the rest of the organization, saw that as huge marketing tool in supporting youth baseball. Jack was absolutely giddy as he walked out onto the field with his brother and their teammates. Bryce Harper, an outfielder and Jack's favorite player welcomed the team onto the field, shaking each of the boys' hands. Noticing Jack, in his Cardinal hat and uniform shirt, he knelt down beside him, talked with him and then signed the underside bill of Jack's hat with a black marker one of the batboys brought out to him. The team and coaches beamed. Standing up, he looked at Zach. "You're a helluva a gamer Cob," he said, nodding at his crutches. The team all smiled.

They were each individually introduced to the crowd before the start of the game. They lifted their caps in the traditional way of baseball players. Each of them got their time on the huge screen in center field. Aaron, Dave (in his Chicago Cubs hat) and Sean smiled from their seats with the two seats to Aaron's left, vacated by the boys. Behind them sat the entire BAU family. Except Emily, who was sitting next to Jack, wearing her Nats baseball cap.

-00CM00-

Merrill Dobson pulled up to the mailbox outside him and Sela's home and pushed the button to get the car window down. The cold, December north wind made him shiver as he reached in and pulled out the mail. He drove into the driveway, opened the garage door and pulled in. As he shut the garage door and walked into their home, he smiled brightly as he went through the mail. Sela was in the kitchen, getting dinner going.

Merrill threw the rest of the mail on the counter and handed her a single envelope, smiling broadly. Sela immediately recognized the address and ripped the envelope open, pulling out a picture Christmas card. It was from the Hotchner's.

They both smiled as they looked at it. There were two pictures on the card. The top one was the one the biker took. They both laughed, remembering the story Zach had told on his dad to them. The second was a picture that Sela had taken, with the three Hotchner's showing off their crappies on the hooks of their fishing lines. They each had signed it in their own handwriting. Jack added a note. Love you. Let's go fishing again.

###

A/N: Another story that once I got into it, took on a life of its own. *shrugs* But following my mentor's advice, I write for me. I just hope all of you have enjoyed this tale. To those of you that love my OC's and will clamor about getting more of this one, honestly, it's not big on my wish list. I just wanted to get this story out of my head. I may come back to it, but, with apologies, I don't see that happening any time soon. Sowry. But what I'm seeing and reading about CM 8.06 may change that. Stay tuned.

To each and every one of you that have hit the favorite/following button on this story or left a review, my deepest thanks, from the bottom of my heart. That's the biggest gift you can give to an FF author. And it is deeply appreciated. To all the rest of my readers, thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. That is appreciated as well.

The usual shout outs to all my Hotch sisters and one talented bro at CM Rev and my Twitter pals as well. Plus, to a certain educator (God bless you for the job you do) that always is wonderful and makes me smile with her PM's. You too, hxchick!

I'll make this short, simple and hopefully sweet: thank you Thn0715. Luvs ya! Much. *Padawan bows*