A/N: I just watched Brothers Hotchner and The Replicator; yes, again. And I've got peeps that keep clamoring for Matt Taylor. This thought struck me as I watched and I'm running with it. Plus, it's late Friday night, no one is around at my usual social sites and I need something to do. It's my night to play.

I will be honest. This story is a standalone piece. Yet it has some minor references back to A Monster in the Fortress. For those of you that have not read that, you should still have no problems understanding the story. Those that have read it will just simply enjoy the references.

As always, all rights to Criminal Minds and its character belong to CBS, ABC Studios and Mark Gordon Productions.

*Knightly bow*

Chapter 1

After the reception following the burial of Erin Strauss with full FBI honors, the team headed for Dave's. Ashley Seaver, having also attended Strauss' funeral, sitting with the team, was joining them.

Beth, upon hearing the news from Aaron of her death, had brought Jack back home on the train and wanted to be there to support Aaron. She and Abbey headed for the Taylor home in Aaron's vehicle to meet up with the kids. Aaron had arranged for Jack to get off the bus there where Raquel would happily watch over them and get dinner for the four kids. Yet, they both knew the team needed time to be together. Just them.

After kissing the lovely ladies in their lives good-bye, Hotch climbed into Matt's truck for the drive to Dave's. The first thing Matt did was loosen his tie and shirt collar button. "This black suit has gotten too much of a work out," Matt muttered, punching the button to get the Nationals baseball game on the radio.

Matt looked at Hotch doing the same as he drove towards Dave's. That was highly unusual for Aaron. Once in a suit, always in a suit Matt had teased him about on multiple occasions. Without his usual Irish wit, he looked his best friend in the eye at a stoplight. "This one has been a pressure cooker for you, hasn't it?"

Aaron looked at him with a question. "Aaron, the only other time I've seen you unloosen your tie and collar with the team around was in Germany."

Hotch looked out his passenger side window for a second and then at Matt. "Yeah; I wanted us to bring this case home before the Director pulled the plug." He paused, and then added softly, "She was part of this team and we owed her that."

Matt reached across to rub his shoulder. "Yes she was; and we did bring it home; for her." The rest of the journey was in silence.

The two of them walked out to Rossi's backyard, the last to arrive. Dave was getting everyone sat down at the beautifully decorated table. The rest took one look at them and shared a glance. Johnny, Dave's favorite bartender from his catering service was pouring the glasses of wine for the team, offering a red or white. Matt's ice-chilled bottle of Miller Lite was already sitting on the table.

Dave shook his head at the memory. The team had come to his house after Emily returned. Aaron's tempered suggestion to boost team morale Dave smiled. Dave, making Italian food, cringed when Matt went to his garage fridge to get a beer, turning down a glass of wine. "I've opened two of my best bottles of red and you're going to drink beer?"

He got the Taylor bullshit smile. "I'm Irish."

"You're incorrigible," Dave had said, shaking his head.

The team sat down and started sharing memories. Some were not complimentary. Emily finally shared the details of her meeting with Strauss when she demanded that Emily provide details to de-rail Hotch's career. She almost blushed when she finished and quickly looked at Dave and started an apology.

He waved her off. "It's OK Emily. That's part of who she was. She admitted as much to me. And like all of us, she had regrets of the choices she had made in life. That was one of her biggest." He looked at Alex. "Yours was her worst professional regret." They all caught the "professional" comment.

Alex softly smiled. "I got over it, with hard work"

"Alex, for the record, Matt didn't have to pull his strings and I didn't have to go behind her back to get you here," Hotch said. "She had full buy-in. I remember the memo she sent to the Director. 'I know the budget is tight but Agent Blake is needed on this team'." They all smiled at that.

JJ shared her memory of the plane trip to the Milwaukee case about making the comment "in this light she almost looks human" and her subsequent run-in with Strauss at the first crime scene when she ran down the lead detective.

Morgan added his wonderful story about the shooting range, and Reid added his about Strauss being supportive with him while they were both waiting to testify before the Senate sub-committee in the aftermath of the Doyle situation.

Ashley shared the story of her, Reid, Morgan and Garcia giving Dave the details of the movie they had saw the night before as they walked into the BAU glass doors. She looked Dave. "You looked up and saw her in Hotch's office. 'Speaking of horror' you said," she recounted laughing. It was a new one that JJ and Emily had not heard, as Morgan laughed, pointing at Ashley.

Garcia then dropped the bomb of the story about the "talk dirty to me" incident. "You didn't say that," Alex questioned in shock. Garcia nodded with a smile and they all roared over that one, with Dave, Ashley and Alex hearing the story for the first time.

"OMG Garcia!" Ashley said.

As the laughter and comments died down, Rossi looked at Matt, who had been unusually quiet. "Matt, you couldn't have stopped what happened. I know your job and how serious you take it but this is not on you; it's on Curtis. And you've lost people in the line of duty before. I'll say it again: this isn't on you."

"I know Dave, and thanks." He shook his head. "That still doesn't mean it won't eat at me," he said taking a sip from the second bottle of beer Johnny had brought him. "And that doesn't mean it hurts less." JJ, sitting next to him, rubbed his shoulder.

He smiled at her. "Let me add to your story. I waved you away from Strauss and whispered at you to have Morgan call Hotch; remember?" JJ nodded. "I pulled Strauss aside and gave her lay of the land on how the team handles cases with the lead detectives." He recounted to them what he told her about bodies piling up if the locals didn't call the BAU and how it would look to the FBI honchos. "And I added you make all the phones you want; my contacts at JEdgar are higher up the flag pole than yours." He laughed. "I will never, ever forget the shocked look on her face." The all laughed at the story.

Matt looked at Dave. "Do you remember that meeting we had in my office? Just after you joined the team?"

Dave shook his head with a smile. "You told me you knew I had something on Strauss and could use it to get Erin off Hotch's back." Matt smiled and pointed at him.

Matt then shook his head with a sad smile. "Yet the biggest thing I will always remember about Erin Strauss is how much she backed the three of us when we gave her the details about the case in Germany. When we really, really need her, she was there."

"Oh my gosh," Alex Blake said, "I remember reading the reports on that case. That was a huge one."

"As far as pressure goes in bringing a case to a close, that one was the biggest in my tenure as Unit Chief," Hotch noted. He looked at Matt, sitting on the other side of him. "And yes, she was huge for us. All of us."

"I'll never forget the cribbage game on the way home on the jet," Reid added. They all recounted for Alex the barbed comments the four agents in charge threw at one another. They all laughed some more.

"What I'll remember though about that case is Strauss checking out your tattoos after you got out of the shower that one morning," Dave laughed. "I remember thinking 'maybe she is human after all'," he said, softly pointing at JJ. That got more comments and laughter.

After Dave made his poignant toast, with them all saluting Erin Strauss, they began to filter out, with the team hugging and thanking Ashley for showing up and joining them.

"I will never forget what I've learned from all of you," she smiled. "And I owe that to Chief Strauss for giving me the chance."

"She got to be sorta good like that," Alex smiled at her.

As the rest headed to their vehicles, Matt and Aaron, of course, were the last to leave. Aaron looked at Dave. "You going to be OK?"

He smiled. "I'll be fine; I just need a day to collect my thoughts. See you Thursday. And Aaron, keep an eye on him," he said pointing at Matt. Aaron nodded and gave Dave a hug.

"I'm fine Big Dog," Matt said, giving Dave a hug. Pulling out he looked at Dave. "See ya Thursday."

Dave smiled. "You got it Matt."

Matt and Hotch got in the truck and made the short journey to Hotch's house for Matt to drop him off. They made small talk about what a great time they had and how good it was to see Ashley again.

Matt pulled into the driveway and Hotch unbuckled his seatbelt. He knew his partner. Erin's death would always be in the back of his mind. "You really going to be OK?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah Aaron, I will be. Erin Strauss was a great lady. I owe her that."

Hotch put his hand on Matt's shoulder and gave it a gently squeeze. "Yes she was," he smiled. "See you in the morning."

Matt smiled back. "You got it Aaron. And you take your own advice."

Hotch smiled with a nod and got out of the truck.

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A/N: Sometimes, it pays to be bored! Hope you all enjoyed this.

Hugs and luvs to all my usual end of story shout out peeps.

*Knightly bow*