A/N: This is another version of my procrastination; waiting for the inspiration to hit me to tie into the story I'd really like to write.

However, that gives me time to play. And the CM episode Nelson's Sparrow has given me that chance. Any words or parts used from that episode in this FF belong to writers Erica Messer and Kirsten Vangsness.

And as always, are rights to the Criminal Minds character belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS, and ABC Studios.

*Knightly bow*

Chapter 1

Aaron Hotchner knocked on David Rossi's open door and walked into his office without an invite, holding his coffee cup. Dave looked at him, taking a sip of his. When Aaron shut the door and unceremoniously plopped down into one of the two chairs on the other side of his desk, Dave knew something was up. "Aaron," he simply asked.

Aaron looked at him. "You've kicked my ass for how many years now to come talk to you when I need to." Dave smiled. "Between solving Gideon's murder and the week I've had at home with the boys, I need a break."

"I know you've been busy at home with the boys when you haven't been here. What's up?"

"The usual before baseball season starts for Zach," Aaron sighed. "The both of us needed eye appointments for new contacts; Jack needed to get his immunizations updated. I haven't had a chance to breath."

Dave deeply looked at him. "Aaron, you being busy with the boys away from work is nothing new." He eyed his friend closer. "What's really going on?"

Aaron looked at his mentor, longtime friend and partner. "My oldest son," he sadly smiled, looking at Dave. "He called me out and for the first time, I had no answers."

"What did Zach say to you," Dave softly asked.

"That I, and you, need to take the time to process losing Jason. To quote him exactly, 'Dad I know you and Uncle Dave. You were there for the team and were their rocks. When do you get your time'?" Aaron eyed him. "I admitted to him last night that his profile was spot on," Aaron smiled and then zeroed in on Dave. "How 'bout you?"

Dave shook his head with another soft smile. "I could use that as well. What does one young Dr. Zachary Hotchner have in mind?" Aaron looked at Dave. Dave beamed. "I know the kid too well Aaron," he smiled. "He doesn't do anything like that without a plan."

Aaron lightly laughed. "It's a three day holiday weekend for Jack with MLK Monday. Zach doesn't start back to college until Tuesday."

Dave looked at Aaron. "I love that oldest son of yours as much as you do. But has the numbskull looked at the weather forecast?"

Aaron looked at his feet and then directly in Dave's eye. "I said the same thing to him," he said, shaking his head. He burrowed a look into Dave. "His reply was maybe getting snowed in at the cabin would be a good thing," Aaron smiled.

"Damn, he's good," Dave smiled, leaning back into his chair. He thought for a few seconds. "What about Caleigh?"

Aaron laughed. "I think that's part of Zach's plan. She and five of her girlfriends have a couple of hotel rooms rented for the weekend. He's letting her have a girls' weekend."

Dave smiled. "So Zach needs a guy weekend?"

Aaron shook his head. "Maybe Dave; but you haven't heard me. Zach is kicking our asses; which we need."

Dave pondered more with his head into his chair back. "And the weather forecast?"

Aaron smiled. "Zach's truck has four wheel drive."

Dave gave his partner a challenge look. "I can be outta here by noon; can you?"

Aaron glared at him for a second and then smiled. "Watch me." He started to rise from his chair, grabbing his coffee cup.

"Hotch, what about the team," Dave asked.

Hotch slyly smiled. "Cruz is at the Section Chief's retreat down in Hilton Head for the weekend; he's playing," he said, moving to Dave's door.

"Then so do we," Dave mischievously grinned, picking up his cell phone. "I'll call Zach; you let the troops loose," he nodded at the bullpen. Aaron smiled and opened the door.

Kate Callahan, pretending to be totally engrossed in a file looked over at JJ sitting at her desk. "Told ya," she mouthed, rubbing her fingers together of getting the money they had bet on what would play out with the scenario of the two bosses together with the door closed.

Hotch moved to the middle of the railing overlooking the bullpen and stopped. "Listen up everyone." He looked around to Morgan and Garcia appearing through the side door of the bullpen. Their arrival did not surprise him. He knew, understood, and this time, greatly appreciated the underground gossip network of the bullpen.

So it didn't surprise him as well to look out over the bullpen to see CSU Sharp conveniently conferring with Agent Brian Anderson. The bullpen become almost silent; a rarity as agents shut down their phones. "Last weekend we lost one of the founding agents of this unit." Dave silently moved to his doorway and leaned against it with coffee cup in hand. "It was as tough of weekend that we've had in a long time." Reid hung his head. "However, all of you came in, on a weekend and helped us work the case. Gideon would be proud of that; and all of you." Aaron looked around, softly adding, "He's resting in peace."

Dave noticed the small, yet sad smiles in the bullpen and then took note of Reid. He shot a glance at JJ; she slightly nodded. That's my profiler, he smiled to himself.

"That said," he paused, "we all need a break." Aaron noticed every head in the bullpen snap up to look at him. It was eerily quiet in the usually over busy bullpen.

Dave marveled at the sight. Damn Hotch, you are good. You just admitted to them that you need a break like they do. Dave kept his game face on standing in his door frame while inwardly smiling his pride at he and Gideon's former mentor.

"Rossi and I are going to be out the door by noon. Those of you on day shift do the same. Agent Anderson," he said, addressing Brian, "you fill in Agent McCarthy whose lead on the afternoon shift coming in at eleven and have him do that to Agents Walsh and Larson on the night shift. We all work four hours today. And then enjoy our three day weekend."

Aaron Hotchner looked around and then for the first time with the entire Unit, smiled. "See back here Tuesday; ready to honor Gideon; doing our job."

Before anyone in the bullpen could react, Morgan put his arm around Garcia. "You got that Mama?"

Hotch glared at Morgan, then shook his head, moving to his office. The bullpen erupted into smiles and soft laughter as Hotch pointed at Morgan going in his office door.

JJ looked at Reid. "Spence, spend the weekend with Will, Henry and me. We've got an extra bedroom."

He slowly shook his head. "I just need time alone to process it all."

JJ gave him her version of the Hotchner glare. "Not this weekend." She noticed Morgan coming to her desk. "You backing me," she asked her partner.

"Hell yes Jayje." Reid looked at Morgan, with Garcia one step behind.

Kate rose from her desk and handed a twenty dollar bill to JJ. "You called it woman," she smiled. "You rock and I need to hang out with you some more to learn more profiling chops," she smiled, waving a finger. "Especially around here."

"Then that needs a party," Garcia smiled.

"I'm in," Kate smiled.

"So am I," Morgan smiled. "But tomorrow night; let's all take tonight to be with the ones we love." He looked at Reid. "Especially you pretty boy. You get your butt to the LaMontagne's." Garcia bobbed her head in her usual enthusiastic manner.

Reid looked around. Kate rubbed his shoulder. "You're outgunned," she smiled and pointed to the upper tier of Hotch and Dave's offices. Reid looked and noticed Rossi still standing in his doorway. "And out ranked." JJ handed the twenty back to Kate with a deep smile.

David Rossi moved into his office smiling.

-00CM00-

Hotch walked into the house to a large suitcase opened at the top of the steps to Zach's lair. He looked in. Zach had already packed his and Jack's snow bibs into the suitcase, along with their boots. And had added the "wood chopper" mittens that Grandma and Grandpa Brooks had given him at Christmas. Hotch whistled into the lair. Zach appeared at the bottom of the steps and bounded up.

Hotch noticed him carrying his UnderArmor clothing that was designed to fend off the cold. The baseball team used it in the early part of their spring season playing in cool temps. "Zach," he asked.

"Dad," he smiled, "some profiler you are. We cleared out a hill on the backside of Dave's property for wood."

"I know that Zach," Aaron frowned. "I was part of that."

Zach smiled. "That will make for one helluva toboggan run for Jack and all of us to enjoy tomorrow." Hotch looked at him. "Uncle Dave has one in the rafters in the cabin garage," he smiled. "You never noticed?"

Aaron shook his head. It was Zach's turn to shake his head. "Then you need this weekend more than I thought in the first place." He eyed his dad. "Bust your ass dad; we move out at four this afternoon." Aaron started to move to his bedroom. "And dad, you've got kid patrol." Aaron stopped and looked at him. "You're home; I don't pack for him."

Aaron smiled at his oldest son. "Game on."

-00CM00-

Zach blew into Dave's home at three-forty five that afternoon and sent out his shrill whistle. "Hey Uncle Dave, shake a leg!"

Zach walked into the kitchen to hear Mudg crunching on his dinner. At least Uncle Dave has that covered he thought. Aaron and Jack came in. Mudg, finishing his dinner, greeted them with a huge burg and then a large bark, wagging his tail. Jack laughed and looked at Zach. "I've got him bro," he smiled, getting Mudg to follow him out the door.

"You rock bro," Zach smiled, heading into Dave's laundry room. He opened a closet and pulled out Dave's snow clothes and boots as Dave appeared in the kitchen with his suitcase. "What the hell is the rush Aaron?"

"Maybe a weather forecast Dave," he said. "You packed for the weather," he nodded at Dave's suitcase. "As in some thermals?" Dave nodded.

Zach came out of the laundry room. "He is now," carrying Dave's snow gear, shaking his head. "Judas Priest; am I babysitting you two all weekend?" He moved to the garage and his truck to get Dave's snow gear in.

Dave looked at Hotch, who shook his head. "I got the same when I got home. Including a story about purposely clearing a hill to make a toboggan run."

Dave smiled and sadly shook his head. "We need this weekend Aaron; with the boys and their energy. Zach knows that." He eyed his partner. "The team will take of themselves."

Aaron smiled, nodding his head. "I get that Dave. But let's move. The less Zach has to drive in snow the better I'll feel." Dave smiled, nodding his head

Zach came into the kitchen with the Hotchner cooler and added Dave's food supplies that he and Zach had worked out. As Zach and Aaron put the cooler into the back of truck, Jack flew into the garage with Mudg. Dave looked at him, handing a large bag of groceries to Aaron to add to the truck. "Last chance to whiz before we take off."

"I'm in," Jack smiled, speeding into Dave's home. Zach followed his younger brother in.

Dave looked at Aaron. "My scotch supply at the cabin is low and I'm buying some beer for us to drink; mainly for your oldest son." Hotch looked at him. "Don't argue with me."

Aaron laughed, shaking his head. "We do it by the book; you buy the scotch," he smiled at Dave. "And don't go short on that my friend," he smiled. "But I buy my son's beer." Dave looked at him. "And ours," he smiled. That earned him the Rossi point.

"Deal," Dave smiled. "But I pay for his gas for the truck."

Hotch rolled his eyes at his partner as Jack joined them. "Get Jack, Mudg and your ass in the backseat."

The normal two hour drive took over three hours, with the last half hour requiring the four wheel drive of Zach's truck. He expertly handled it all, pulling into the driveway of Dave's cabin. Dave, sitting in the backseat of the truck with Jack, pushed the button to the garage door opener he had put in his jacket pocket. Zach pulled the truck into the empty garage and smiled at him. "Thanks Uncle Dave."

Due to the weather, they had made a drive through stop at a McDonald's on the way to the cabin instead of stopping at their favorite restaurant. Jack grabbed the take-out bag now full of garbage and put it in the trash can as he went to the back door to let Mudg out. Zach, Aaron and Dave started unloading the back of the truck, with Dave turning on the garage heater to melt the snow off Zach's truck.

By eight-thirty the three Hotchner's were in the living room dressed the same; long sleeved t-shirts, lounge pants and wool socks. All three were on the large leather couch, feet up on the coffee table. Jack was already working on the protein strawberry and banana smoothie Aaron had made for him; a suggestion from Jack's doctor for his now growing body. Zach had Dave's large stone fireplace roaring. Mudg plopped down in the middle of room, enjoying the warmth of the fire.

Dave walked in dressed the same as the others with three glasses in his hands. "I think its cocktails and a movie," he smiled.

###

A/N: Hilton Head Island is on the South Carolina coast and features many top name exclusive resorts. CSU Sharp is Gina Sharp. She was in the scene with Hotch and Rossi at Gideon's cabin in the Nelson's Sparrow episode. She's been in other CM episodes. The strawberry/banana smoothie for Jack is drawing on having a nephew about his age. That is the age for the first growth spurt in boys. They need the extra protein at night to sleep through until the morning without waking up hungry.