Chapter 57

Hotch and Kahlan walked back to the elevator in silence. She pulled on his arm to make him look at her once they were behind the closed door and headed down. "What are you thinking?"

He took a deep breath. He was thinking a million things, and he didn't know where to start. "I'm still a little in shock over the whole thing," he admitted.

She gave him a small smile. She knew he'd want to process everything before he'd want to talk about it, so she didn't press him. The elevator opened to his floor. "I better let you get to work. We can talk when you get home." She leaned up and gave him a kiss.

He smiled at her. "Alright. Love you."

"Love, you, too," she told him and then left.

Rossi noticed Kahlan leave, waited a minute or two, and then went to Hotch's office. He found Hotch sitting at his desk, and he noticed Hotch was thinking. Rossi cleared his throat and Hotch snapped out of his thoughts. "So?"

"Blake has resigned," Hotch started.

Rossi sat down in his usual seat. "Doesn't really surprise me, but that can't be all they wanted to talk to. . ." Rossi's eyes suddenly got wide. "Is that what they wanted? They wanted to offer Kahlan the job?"

Hotch smiled. "Director Mueller did."

"But Kahlan turned him down because of the kids."

Hotch smiled again. "Yeah, and I think it actually shocked him."

"He's not used to getting turned down by anyone. What did the DNI want?"

"He offered her another job."

"He wants her back? Kahlan wouldn't allow that. She wouldn't. . ."

"Not that job."

"Then what?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but he wants her as a consultant right here in Quantico."

"Wow. I wouldn't have thought he really knew what she was."

Hotch chuckled. "He doesn't, but apparently Mueller saw Kahlan doing what he referred to as a 'training exercise' with some Major Jones guy. That made him find out about her, and that led him to the DNI, and then the DNI did some checking and apparently found out enough about her to want her. That, and she did know him. She had met him when she was active a couple of times, but he apparently didn't know what she was then either."

Rossi raised his brows as he nodded. "And what did she say?'

"She told him she'd think about it and let him know by Wednesday."

"What do you think she'll do?"

Hotch shrugged.

"Will it bother you if she takes it?" He didn't think it would, but he had to ask.

Hotch balked. "Of course not. She can do anything she wants. I did like that it would be right here at home, though."

Rossi smiled. "Joey will be going to school soon. It would probably be nice for Kahlan to have something to do."

Hotch nodded. "The only time I have ever heard her talk about a job was when Joey was still a baby and she was talking to Donna. I overheard her say that she had had enough adventure to last her two life times, but I can't picture her in an empty house day in and day out either."

Rossi smiled as another thought hit him. "If she works for the DNI, does that mean we could use her if we need her?"

Hotch smiled. "He said any agency under his command could use her."

"Damn. I can think of a couple of cases when it would have been nice to get her help."

Hotch just smiled. He had never gotten the chance to work with her outside of when they found Wyatt, but he hadn't got to work with her closely then, either. The only other time she had worked with the team was in the beginning and they were looking for him, but he knew the whole team was impressed with her. "It would be nice to see her in action."

Rossi smiled wider. "Even with as well as you know her, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised."

"Or scared." Hotch joked.

Rossi laughed and then got serious. "So what are you going to do about the open spot?"

"I guess I'll start looking at transfers again. You have anyone in mind?"

Rossi shook his head. "I'll keep my eyes open, though."

Garcia stuck her head in the door. "We have a case."

"Of course we do," Hotch said as he stood up.

Rossi could see Hotch's disappointment. He knew he wanted to be able to go home and talk to Kahlan about everything face to face. "Just bring your laptop and video chat with her," he told him as he patted his shoulder.

Hotch nodded as he followed Rossi to the conference room.

XXX

Once they were on the jet and headed to Georgia, Hotch texted Kahlan to let her know. She told him to call her once he was settled for the night. She ended by telling him to be safe. Hotch sighed. It's going to be a long day.

XXXXX

A couple weeks later, Hotch and Kahlan had a party to celebrate Jack's and Joey's birthdays and everyone in their extended family was invited. Hotch also thought it would be a great time for Jamie MacAleese, or Mack as the team had taken to calling the newest member of the BUA team, to get to know her teammates outside of work. Hotch was also silently hoping that it would help her to be more comfortable around him. The young woman seems to actually be afraid of her Unit Chief.

"Hey, Babe, where is the ice cooler?" Hotch yelled from the garage.

"Top shelf on the right. Just where you put it after the last time you used it," Kahlan yelled from the kitchen with a smile.

Hotch smiled as he walked in holding the cooler.

"What? I couldn't put it there. I can't even reach that shelf," she told him with a smile as she put the last finishing touches on the food that was laid out in the kitchen and dining room. "Go get Joey in, so she can get changed. I'm sure she's probably covered in dirt."

Hotch smiled. "She's a big tomboy just like her mother."

Kahlan scoffed. "I was never dirty."

Hotch chuckled as he shook his head. He actually couldn't imagine Kahlan covered in dirt, she never even liked to get anything on her hands. "I guess she gets that from me then." Kahlan laughed as she watched him step outside to find their daughter. After a few moments, Hotch came back in looking a little paler than usual.

"What?" Kahlan asked quickly after seeing him.

"You better go out and get her."

"Oh my God. Is she on the roof again?" Kahlan asked as she sat down a tray of utensils.

Hotch paled even more. "She's been on the roof?"

Kahlan winced. She hadn't meant to tell him about that.

Hotch sighed. "She might as well be with as far up in that tree as she is."

Kahlan visibly relaxed. "Oh." She chuckled. "Damn, Aaron, didn't you ever climb a tree when you were little?"

"Not that high. I saw her up there, and I think my heart skipped a couple beats. I couldn't say anything because I was afraid she'd fall."

She chuckled. "She won't fall. Kids don't have any fear." She went to him and put her hand on his cheek. "Calm down, Aaron, I'll get her."

He nodded as he sat down at the table. Kahlan stepped out of the door and looked up at her daughter. She had to hide her smile. "Angelique Josette! Get your butt out of that tree and get in here before you cause your father to have a heart attack."

Hotch could hear Joey's laughter from in the house. Kahlan came back in. "She's on her way down."

Within minutes, Joey came running through the door with a grin on her face. "Sowy, Daddy," she told him as she jumped in his lap.

He hugged her tightly. "Please don't go up that high again."

She grinned. "I won't when your home," she told him and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

He shook his head. "Mommy said it's time for you to get changed," he told her as he sat her down. She giggled and ran to her bedroom. Hotch shook his head some more as he watched her leave.

"And wash your face and hands!" Kahlan yelled after her as she took Joey's place on Hotch's lap.

"She's going to be the death of me."

Kahlan chuckled. "Probably not until she's a teenager, but yeah, eventually," she joked.

Hotch sighed. He didn't want to think about those years, yet. He smiled at his wife. "I can't wait until you meet Mack."

"I think I'll like Jamie," Kahlan told him with a sly grin.

"Wait. How do you know her first name?"

Kahlan tried to get up but he held her and studied her face. "What? She's responsible for watching my husband's back. I couldn't not check her out."

Hotch shook his head slowly. "Anything I should know?"

"Nothing that you don't probably already know," she told him and got up when the doorbell rang.

Hotch smiled as he watched her walk away. He should have known she do something like that.

Kahlan led Reid and a young lady into the dining room. Hotch stood up quickly at seeing Reid's date. He smiled warmly at her. "Hotch, Kahlan, this is Amy Baker. Amy, this is my boss Aaron Hotchner, or Hotch as we call him, and his wife Kahlan." They all shook hands and Kahlan continued to talk to the young couple as Hotch went to answer the door when the doorbell rang again.

JJ and her family came in and Reid introduced them to Amy. Kahlan went to yell for the boys. She then went to be a gracious hostess and got everyone a drink. Within minutes the boys came running up the stairs as they continued their attacks on each other with Nerf guns. The doorbell rang and Hotch went to get it as several foam darts shot past his head. "If you two don't stop! I'm gonna. . ." Hotch started with a scowl as he opened the door. Mack swallowed hard as she took her new boss's face. "Oh, hey, Mack. Glad you could come," Hotch told her as he held the door open for her to come in.

Kahlan walked up behind Hotch and noticed the look of terror on the young woman's face. "Stop scaring that poor girl!" She yelled at Hotch as she shoved him out of the way.

"I didn't. . ." Hotch started.

"Hi, Jamie. I'm Kahlan Hotchner, and you'll have to excuse him, he's bark is much worse than his bite," Kahlan told her with a smiled as she pulled her husband's newest team member into the house.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hotchner." She turned to Hotch. "Sir."

Hotch shook his head. So much for trying to make her more comfortable.

"Kahlan, please, or Kay, and you do not have to call him, sir." Kahlan told her as she shot a dirty look at Hotch.

"I've told her that a hundred times already," Hotch told her as he tried to defend himself.

"Hey, Mack," Garcia said as she came in through the opened door. Hotch and Kahlan saw the young woman actually smile as she took in the tech; everyone always liked Garcia.

"Hey, Pen. Why don't you show Mack around and introduce her to anyone she doesn't know," Kahlan suggested.

"Oh, sure," Garcia said as she grabbed Mack's arm and led her into the house.

Morgan snuck up behind Kahlan, and as soon as he was going to grab her, she deftly moved to avoid his embrace. Hotch laughed as Morgan stumbled a little as he tried to stop himself from falling. "Give it up, Morgan. You'll never be able to do it either," Hotch told him as he smiled at his wife.

"I really thought I had her that time," Morgan grinned.

"If I can't even do it, there's no way you'll be able to," Chuck told him as he walked up behind Morgan. Morgan jumped when he heard him.

"Jesus Christ, Chuck! You almost made my heart stop!" Morgan told him as Hotch and Kahlan laughed.

"Hey Vennie," Kahlan said as she smiled at Chuck's girlfriend. The Swedish extreme sport athlete matched Chuck perfectly. They had seen her a few times over the years, but that was the third time in the last three months, and Kahlan had the feeling things were starting to get a little more serious between them.

"Hey, Kay." The tall blond haired woman said as she came in through the door. She turned to Morgan. "So where is this new girl we've all been hearing about?" she asked Morgan.

"Mina will be here as soon. She just got back to town this morning," he told them all. Hotch could tell that Morgan was really starting to like the woman that Kahlan had introduced him too.

Before the door could be closed, Sean and his wife showed up. Hotch hugged his brother and Kahlan hugged her very pregnant sister-in-law. "I'm really glad you two could make it," Hotch told the young couple.

"Well of course we did. I haven't missed one of the kids' birthdays for three years, and I'm not about to start missing them again," Sean told him.

"Uncle, Sean!" Joey yelled as she jumped into his arms. "I mist you!"

Sean laughed as he carried her into the dining room and Michelle followed him as Wyatt and Jack ran up to greet them, too.

Within thirty minutes, Kahlan's sisters and their prospective families and Cameron had shown up. Kahlan smiled as she watched Cameron go and stand beside Garcia. Kahlan's mother finally made it about ten minutes later, and before Hotch could shut the door behind her, Rossi put his foot in it to stop it from closing all the way. Hotch noticed the smile on Rossi's face as he watched Kahlan's mother walk to the dining room to join her daughters. Hotch looked between the two and noticed that Rossi actually blushed a little. Hotch raised his brows, and Rossi just shook his head. "Shut up, Aaron," Rossi told him as he joined the rest of the crowd. Within another ten minutes, Morgan's new girl 'friend' arrived, too, and everyone was finally there.

All of the kids were playing in the yard; most of the men were gathered around the deck and patio furniture discussing the latest football games; and most of the women were in the kitchen and dining room enjoying catching each other up on all the latest news.

Kahlan went around to check on everyone and found Hotch sitting on the stairs. He smiled at her as she sat down next to him as. "What are you thinking?"

"That we couldn't fit one more person in this house," he told her with a chuckle.

"No, seriously, why are you sitting here, away from everyone? Is everything alright?"

He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "It is really nice to have the whole family together for a change." He sighed contentedly. "Everyone has someone except Mack."

"She's young and focused on her career right now, let her be. I see Dave didn't bring his new woman. He must really be bent on keeping her a secret."

Hotch smiled widely. "He didn't have to bring her; she's already here."

Kahlan studied his face and then looked to the people she could see. It finally dawned on her and she raised her brows as her eyes got a little wider. Hotch chuckled at her response. She looked back towards the dining room and then back at her husband. "Mom?"

Hotch laughed.

She smiled as she snuggled back up to him. "You know, with all of these people here, we couldn't ask for a more perfect family."

Hotch smiled. My thoughts, exactly!

The End

Stay tuned for the next installment with this wonderful family! (it might be a little while, though, as I'm still fleshing it out)