A/N: It's here! As I promised in the last Zach and Caleigh story, there is a "B" storyline to this one. I'm gonna start with that. Enjoy.

All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Productions, CBS and ABC Studios. I still hate doing that.

*Knightly bow*

Chapter 1

Zach walked into the empty and dark home in Lawrenceville and dropped his suitcase, putting his backpack on the kitchen counter. He looked around in the darkness and shook his head. He pulled the bottle of Canadian whiskey out of the cabinet and mixed himself a stiff drink using the soda in the fridge. He sat down at the kitchen island in the darkness.

The Braves had made the playoffs, finishing as the top team in the NL East. It had been a long, hard struggle to achieve that. And the opening playoff series with the LA Dodgers, with the flying nearly coast to coast, made it tougher for a team that was exuberant to be in the playoffs, but was running on fumes. Including Zach that had been pivotal to the Braves making the playoffs. He had pretty much carried the team, hitting over .430 in the last six weeks.

It went down to a final afternoon game five in LA. And the game was a tough loss with many missed chances by the Braves. Zach shook his head thinking about them, swallowing his drink and pouring another in the early Friday morning. He sat down again. In the darkness.

His cell pinged with a text. He pulled it out, looked and smiled.

What are you doing up so late? Zach texted.

Worried about my husband as usual after having to pee. Again. How are you?

Tired. And a bit pissed off. How are you?

Pregnant. :D You OK Zach?

Sorry babe. Having a cocktail or two. Maybe more.

That's fine. What does your day look like later?

Clean out locker and face media. I love this team. We have to get the young kids to get serious about making playoff runs. I hope they learned that lesson.

How's Doggie?

Hoping the same thing as me. When we get the young pitchers into a full year of buying our system, I like our chances next year.

Figured as much. Please just get home soon.

Plan is to get house shut down tomorrow afternoon and evening except for water. Leave early Sat. morn. after shutting off water. Drive straight through. I know my real place. Wanna get there.

I'll be waiting. *yawns* Roll over to other side and back to sleep for me. Luvs ya.

Luvs ya too Cal. Please sleep.

You too. *waves*

-00CM00-

By sixty-thirty Saturday morning, Zach was sitting at the counter at Rose's Diner, inhaling his breakfast. Rose looked at him. "What's the plan Stan?" she asked with a smile.

"Booking my ass back to DC to get home to my pregnant wife," Zach said, shoving in another bite of his omelet.

Chet came out of the kitchen, as the diner was still quiet. "We expect pictures of that new baby," he smiled.

Zach smiled back, eating more of his breakfast. "You follow Caleigh and me on Facebook. That's a promise."

"When is Caleigh due Zach?" Rose asked.

"She's four weeks out," Zach smiled. "Why I'm hauling ass home with the fuel you two provided."

The couple smiled. "Tell Caleigh hello for us," Rose said, as a group of eight walked in.

"You got it," Zach smiled.

Finishing his breakfast, looking around at Rose getting busy, he put forty dollars on the counter and walked out the door to his truck. His cell phone rang. Zach pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. "Charlie?"

"Good morning Zach," Charlie said. "Please tell me you are still in the area."

"I was just about to climb into my truck to bust up I-85. Caleigh is back in DC, eight months pregnant. What's up?"

"I was hoping, sorta figuring you were still in the area with the playoff loss. Damn Zach, you put the team on your back. Sorry man. Jenna and I were glued to the TV."

"Thanks Charlie."

"But Zach listen. I think I have a lead on a dog for Jack. That is if you don't mind making a stop in Lavonia on your way home."

"Charlie, I'm gonna put you on hold for a second so I can conference call in Jack's and my step mom. It's her and dad's ultimate decision. And I don't want to repeat the details."

"Go for it kid. I'll be here."

Beth's cell buzzed on the nightstand next to her side of the bed. She sleepily looked at it. And then quickly woke up. "Zach? Are you OK? Is Caleigh OK?"

Zach smiled. "Good morning Beth. We're both fine. Beth hang on for sec. I'm gonna conference you in a phone call with Charlie. He and his wife Jenna are the breeders that got Lex for us."

"Go Zach. I'll hold and wake up your dad. He got home around midnight last night." Zach made the connections while Beth woke up Aaron and put her cell on speaker.

"You all there?" Zach asked.

"I'm here Zach," Charlie said.

"Zach?" Aaron asked. "You OK?"

"Yeah dad, I am. Just listen. Go Charlie."

"Zach, Jenna and I got a phone call yesterday from a Dan Moran that lives in Lavonia, just off I-85. His mother Grace has bought her last three labs from us, spanning over twenty years. She's a wonderful owner. The last one being Molly, a black lab about three years ago. Here's the thing. Grace Moran dropped over with heart attack Wednesday night walking Molly. Dan contacted me. He and his wife both have jobs that require international travel. They can't take care of Molly. And they don't want to put her in a pound unless necessary. They know Molly would be adopted immediately. But to honor Grace, they asked if we could find Molly a home that they could trust. I thought of you right away. But I didn't want to bother you yesterday because I knew you had just got home from LA from the playoffs."

Beth looked at Aaron.

"Zach, she's spayed and chipped. And she was a great puppy. And we know how Grace takes care of her labs. They're used to being home alone during the day. And then need some love and exercise after that. Dan has offered to pay for transferring the chip info along with the vet records if you can take her. And Zach…..she's Lexie's littermate."

Zach smiled. "She Mudgie's granddaughter as well."

"Yup, she is," Charlie smiled.

Aaron smiled at Beth. "Son, I think you're making a stop in Lavonia."

"Charlie, text me Dan's number so we can work out a place to meet," Zach smiled. "Dad and Beth. This will require a Sal's pizza waiting for me when I get home."

"Give us a shout when you're getting close," Beth smiled.

"A couple cold beers will be waiting as well Zach," Aaron said. "And your pregnant wife."

"Thanks dad. See you in about ten hours. Thanks Charlie. This is amazing."

"When is Caleigh due?" Charlie asked.

"In about four weeks Charlie; like I told Rose at her diner, you follow us on Facebook. Pictures will be posted."

"They better be," Jenna growled.

Zach laughed. "Hi Jenna. I'm out gang. I gotta road trip to make with a huge pit stop on the way for my brother."

"See ya then Zach," Jenna said. "Charlie and I want in on this."

"Drive safe son," Aaron said. "And no letting Jack in on the secret."

"Got it dad," Zach smiled. "But maybe….."

"Uncle Dave," Beth and Aaron said with Zach, smiling at each other.

"You two are good. Love you both. Charlie and Jenna, see you in about an hour."

"You got it Zach," Charlie said.

Zach hammered out a text to Moran. He answered before Zach put the truck in gear.

-00CM00-

Less than an hour later, Zach pulled into the parking lot of a Circle K gas station just off I-85. He looked around for Charlie and Jenna's truck, along with Dan Moran's vehicle and didn't see either one. He parked the truck and went into the store to do his usual morning dump. Coming back out with extra bottles of water for his new passenger, he spotted Charlie standing by his truck.

Charlie smiled. "The Virginia plates gave you away," he said, sticking out his hand.

Zach shook it. "This is huge Charlie," Zach smiled. "I can't thank you enough."

"Just get the Braves to the World Series next year," Charlie smiled. "Damn kid, you were huge."

"We watched every night," Jenna smiled, giving a Zach a huge hug.

"Thanks," Zach smiled, hugging her back. "I like our chances next year." Just then, a car pulled into the lot near them. A man got out, opened the back door and grabbed the leash as a dog slowly stepped out. "Why is that not right in my world?" Zach whispered.

"Because it's not," Jenna softly growled.

"I don't like it either but back down you two," Charlie whispered back. "Dan?" he said. "Hi. I'm Charlie. Thanks for meeting us here." Moran walked up with a sad Molly demurely following at his side.

"Jenna," Zach whispered. "Is she broke?"

Jenna shook her head at Zach as Charlie made pleasantries with Moran. "She misses Grace," Jenna whispered back. "And now just needs a home to be happy." She rubbed Zach's arm. "One she'll get soon. Trust this Zach."

Zach smiled at her as the two men and Molly approached. "Dan, this is Zach Hotchner. He bought Molly's littermate Lexie from us two years ago as a birthday present for his wife." Moran clearly didn't know who Zach was. Zach didn't care.

Zach and Moran shared a handshake. "My sympathies on the passing of your mother." Moran nodded his head in thanks. "For the record Dan, Molly will be my younger brother's dog. She'll be replacing her and Lexie's grandfather that recently passed that my twelve-year younger brother grew up with. Mudgie will live on in Jack's world." He smiled at Moran. "Hell, all our family. I grew up faster than I wanted in my teenage years. Mudg was my security blanket too. He'll live on in Molly with my brother. And me." He looked at Dan. "You'll never understand what this means to Jack. And our family." Zach crouched down. "Hey Molly," he smiled, holding out his upturned hand to a dog unsure of what was happening in her world. Molly took a sniff. "Come on girl," Zach smiled. "You're going home. To a kid that will absolutely love you."

Molly took a step closer to Zach and took another sniff. Zach rubbed her neck. "It's OK girl. You're going to a new home that you'll love. And they will all love you." Molly wagged her tail and melted into Zach's arms while he petted her. Zach pulled Molly to his chest. "You ready to make that trip Molly?" he asked with a smile.

Molly happily barked, wagging her tail at Zach. Moran handed the leash to Zach and went back to his car. He pulled out a large box from the trunk as Zach got Molly to play a bit. Jenna and Charlie smiled at the scene.

Moran dropped the box on the ground by Zach's truck and pulled out his wallet. He handed Zach a business card. "Text me your info on your vet. I keep up my end of the bargain. I'll have the vet records and chip info forwarded to him or her."

"Thank you," Zach said. "You could have just stuck her in a pound. You're going to make my brother very happy and I promise Molly will have a home your mother would want her to have."

"Thank you Zach. And thank you Charlie for making this happen," Moran said, sticking out his hand. Zach and then Charlie shook it. "This is one less thing my wife and I have to deal with." He walked back to his car and got in.

Zach looked at Charlie. "I know how he is feeling." Charlie nodded as Jenna took the leash from Zach, engaging Molly, playing with her. Zach pulled out his pocketknife that Dave had given him that was similar to the one Dave always carried. He opened the box, pulled out Molly's sleep bed off the top, and put it on top of his pick-up truck's back bed cover. He pulled out Molly's food and water dishes as Jenna took Molly off to the grassy area by the gas station.

Grabbing the three items, Zach moved to his truck, opening the backdoor behind his seat. He put the bed on the seat and the dishes on the floor. Charlie put the bag of dog food from the box in the front seat of Zach's truck on the passenger side. Zach pulled the water bottles out of the bag he had, put them in the cooler he had in the backseat, and put Molly's toys in the bag.

Zach broke down the box with his pocketknife as Charlie put the toys next to the dog food. Zach handed the box to Charlie as Jenna walked back up to the truck with Molly. "Mind doing the recycling for me Charlie?" Zach smiled.

"Hell no," Charlie smiled, taking the box. "Zach, listen to me." Zach looked at him. "You remember the speech I gave you, Caleigh and Jack about Lexie?" Zach nodded.

"Different speech Zach. The next rest stop you come up on, you play with that dog. In addition, let her run a bit but still on the leash. When you get home, you have Jack do the same tonight. And then let them two bond."

Charlie smiled. "After that, tell Jack to love her, encourage her, and keep an eye on her for a day or two." He and Jenna smiled. "And then trust that bond." Zach looked at him. "She'll know she has a new home."

Zach smiled at Charlie, taking the leash from Jenna. "Thank you two so, so much. Check your Facebook later tonight. They'll be pictures of Jack with his new dog."

"And baby pictures after that," Jenna smiled. Zach hugged her.

"Yeah, them too," he smiled. He looked at Charlie. "Thanks man."

"You know my terms," Charlie smiled. "I wanna get drunk and celebrate a World Series in Atlanta."

"I'll work on it," Zach smiled. He looked Charlie in the eye. "And deliver on that. Maybe not next year…."

Charlie smiled at Zach. "I get it kid. Give Caleigh and Jack our love."

"And hugs," Jenna added.

"Thank you both," Zach smiled. He looked at Molly. "You ready to go home girl?" Molly loudly barked, wagging her tail. "So am I. Let's head out," he said, opening the truck back door. Molly jumped in. Zach took off the leash tether and smiled at the couple.

"Thanks again. We'll keep in touch."

-00CM00-

Dave walked into the kitchen of the Hotchner home with a medium Sal's pizza and Caleigh who he picked up. She promptly moved to one of the kitchen counter chairs and sat down. "I'm so done with being pregnant."

Beth and Aaron smiled at her. Dave looked at them. "That's normal?"

"Yes Dave," Aaron smiled. "It is."

Just then, they heard a truck door shutting and a dog barking. They all shared smiles. Jack blew into the kitchen. "Why do I smell pizza?" Beth pointed at Caleigh. "Hi sis!" He looked around at the rest. "Zach is home?"

Zach opened the garage door going into the kitchen. Molly sat down, looking at him. "Go girl," he smiled. "Welcome home."

Molly stepped into the home and looked around. Jack looked at his dad and Beth. "Really?"

"Really," they both smiled.

"Her name is Molly Jack," Beth said.

"Molly! Come here girl," Jack said.

Molly raced to Jack as Zach entered the kitchen. "Mission accomplished," Dave smiled, sharing a high five with Zach.

"Thanks Uncle Dave," Zach smiled at him and then Jack hugging Molly. "But you don't get my first hug."

"Have at it kid," Dave smiled. "Your trooper deserves it."

Zach moved to Caleigh as she groaned a bit getting off the chair. "Hi babe. I love you."

"I've missed this," Caleigh said, as Zach held her as close as he could with her bulging midsection. "And I love you too." They shared a quiet moment together.

Molly barked at Jack playing with her. Caleigh looked at Zach. "How was the trip with her?"

Zach shook his head, recounting the meeting with Moran as Molly met the rest of the family. "The first leg she was unsettled. I stopped at a rest stop an hour later, let her run a bit and played with her like Charlie suggested. She conked out for the next three hours. After that, she was fine."

Zach hugged his dad, accepting the beer Aaron gave him. "One thing to note," Zach said, opening the pizza box, grabbing a piece. Everyone looked at him. "She's a french fry fiend," Zach smiled. "I made a swing through the McDonald's in a Durham suburb. I had my burger in my lap like I always do." Jack nodded his head with a smile, remembering all the stops he and Zach made on the way home after a game together. "I had my french fries in the bag in the passenger seat that I'd grab while I was driving." Zach laughed. "She nipped half of them over my shoulder before I could get them to my mouth." The group all laughed.

Aaron looked at Jack. "Help me get Molly's stuff out of Zach's truck," he smiled.

"You got it dad," as Molly cuddled up to Caleigh. Zach hugged Beth and Dave, inhaling more pizza.

Jack brought in Molly's sleep bed, setting the bag of dog food down by the kitchen pantry door. Molly barked at him. Jack smiled. "Come on Molly," Jack said. "Let's find a place for this."

"Jack," Zach said, "let her explore her new surroundings."

Which Molly did: every square inch of the entire home including upstairs and Zach's old lair with Jack following her. When she finished, she barked at Jack and ran up the steps to the upstairs suite of bedrooms. She stopped in the hallway outside of Jack's room. Wagging her tail. By this time, Aaron and Beth had joined the two of them. Beth smiled at him. "She knows her master's bedroom." Molly barked at Jack and grabbed the bed in her mouth. "Let her make her decision Jack," Beth smiled. He released it.

Molly dragged her bed into Jack's room, putting it next to Jack's desk. Jack walked in and got the bed settled. "Welcome home girl. I love you." Molly barked back at him, wagging her tail.

Zach looked at Dave in the kitchen, polishing off his second beer. "I love it when a plan comes together," Zach smiled.

"So do I," Dave said, eating a piece of pizza, finishing his beer. "One more for the road?" Dave asked, looking at Zach.

Zach looked at Caleigh. "You good?"

"You know better," Caleigh smiled. "Enjoy your time with your family. I'll get you later. And then you get to listen to me moaning like a beached whale."

Zach looked at Dave. "Now that I remember with Carolyn," he smiled. Zach came back into the kitchen with two beers as the rest of the Hotchner family now including Molly blew back in.

"Where's Molly sleeping Jack?" Zach asked, opening Dave's beer and handing it to him.

Jack smiled. "In my room, next to my desk."

Molly came up to Zach and Caleigh, wagging her tail. "Good choice girl," Zach smiled, rubbing her down.

Molly put her front paws on Caleigh's thigh, getting more loves from her so Caleigh didn't have to get off the chair. Caleigh petted her. "After church tomorrow, you need Jack to walk you up to our home so you can see your sister."

"Wow," Jack said. "I can't believe the luck."

Zach shook his head, drinking his beer. "Bro, I think it's more than that. Why I'll see you in church tomorrow morning."

Jack smiled at him. "God guides our lives."

"Rock solid," Zach said, pulling Jack into a hug. "I gotta get Mother Goose home and into bed," he said, draining his beer. Beth looked at Caleigh. Caleigh just shook her head with a smile, rolling her eyes, getting off the chair.

The couple shared good nights with all and made their way home. Lexie, smelling a different dog, wasn't exactly Zach's best friend. That lasted less than a minute.

By eleven that evening, the lights were out in both the Hotchner homes.

Dave sitting on his patio, enjoying the cool fall air, a pre-embargo Cuban cigar and a glass of scotch, raised his glass to the fall harvest moon. "My family is home. And once again complete."

He thought for a second. "But is soon expanding," he smiled.

###

A/N: NL East is the National League East Division. There are two leagues in Major League Baseball. The American and the National. Each league has three divisions: East, Central and West. The winner of each league championship series plays for the World Series, the MLB version of a championship series.

Batting .430 is outstanding. A "normal" excellent batting average is anything over .300.

For the record, this story has been written and reviewed by the OK Teach for nearly three weeks now (from publishing date). As I was writing the last chapters, the Braves, my favorite baseball team did actually win the NL East. I wanted to make this chapter accurate as to whom the Braves faced in the first series of the playoffs. I guessed the Dodgers and was right. And I have to admit, I knew the "real" Braves wouldn't advance. They are a year away as I've written them. I'm an honest fan.

The outcome of that series isn't what happened as I've written it. FF privilege.

What that time has done has made my OK Teacher wonder, "what the heck is Rockie going to do with two weeks of nitpicking at her story"?

What I love best. She gets the previews. Then I get to sneak in some things on her.

Thanks again OK Teach! Luvs ya!