Title: On the first day of Christmas 25
By: Daisyangel
Pairing: gen
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The team and their families spend Christmas Day together.

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"Thanks for inviting us to spend Christmas here at Little Creek," Hotch said as he and Rossi stood on the porch watching Jack and Henry having a snowball fight. Morgan had been drafted to help Jack and Reid was helping Henry. The girls were inside working on the Christmas Eve meal and every now and then calling comments through the window.

"It was my pleasure. This year has been a tough one and I've come to realize just how important family is to me," Rossi said solemnly. Turning back to the snowball fight the two men burst out laughing when Reid, Jack, and Henry all ganged up on Morgan and hit him with one giant snowball.

XXXX

"Hey, Henry, Jack, I have an idea," Reid called to the two boys who were throwing snowballs at each other.

"What, Uncle Spencer?" Jack wondered.

"Come over here and I'll tell you," Reid invited. Quickly the boys ran over and gathered around Reid. Leaning down he whispered in their ears and the two boys began to smile. Quickly they gathered up a lot of snow and made one giant ball.

"Hey Morgan," Reid called out.

"What is it, Reid?" the other man asked only half paying attention. He was talking to Garcia through the window in the kitchen she'd just opened.

"Oh, nothing, just this," Reid replied. Just then the three of them let go and launched the snowball directly at Morgan. It hit him in the face and made him start to sputter.

"Oh, it's on. This is war!" Morgan cried as he chased after the boys and Reid.

XXXX

"That was too funny," JJ said giggling.

"Did you see my chocolate god's face when it hit?" Garcia chimed in.

"See it, I got a picture," Emily cried gleefully.

"Oh, let me see," Garcia begged. Smiling broadly Emily showed the picture she'd snapped on her phone which sent the three women into more giggles.

XXXX

"What did I miss?" Will asked as he walked into the kitchen. He'd been sent to the grocery store to pick up a few forgotten items.

"This," JJ answered showing him the picture. Will chuckled at the look on Morgan's face.

"I'm not sure which of them is having more fun. The grown up boys or the little ones," Garcia commented.

"I think all four of them are having equal amounts of food," Emily remarked.

"That is definitely true," Will agreed as he saw Morgan tackle the three others and they all began rolling around in the snow.

XXXX

"It's time for lunch. You need to come in and get washed up," JJ called out to the group outside. Instantly everyone came running in stomping snow off boots and shedding coats, hats, and gloves.

"It smells fantastic, you ladies out did yourselves," Rossi complimented.

"Thank you," Emily replied for all of them. Five minutes later everyone was gathered around the tae.

XXXX

"Before we start eating, I'd like to take a moment and make a toast. Thank you for coming to spend the weekend with me. This year has been hard on all of us and I'm glad we have each other. May the rest of this year and next year be blessed, and filled with happiness," Rossi said lifting his glass of wine.

"Here, here," everyone chorused as they lifted their glasses and toasted each other.

XXXX

The rest of the day went by uneventfully and it was finally time to put the kids to bed.

"We have to put out the cookies and milk for Santa," Henry reminded them.

"Let's get them," Jack said as the two boys scampered into the kitchen. JJ went to help them. Once that was done she began guiding them towards the stairs.

"But I'm not sleepy," Henry whined.

"Yeah, me either," Jack put in.

"If all little boys and girls aren't asleep, Santa won't come," Garcia reminded them.

"The sooner you two go to sleep, the faster Santa will get here and the faster morning will come," Morgan reasoned. Nodding in defeat, the two boys wished everyone a goodnight before allowing JJ to take them upstairs. Once she had finally tucked them in, she walked back downstairs and the adults began hanging everyone's stockings. They had filled them earlier that day.

"All the team presents are under the tree. Rossi, you'll be bringing the 'Santa presents in in a little bit once they're asleep, right?" Hotch checked.

"Yeah, I have the Santa suit and everything," Rossi answered.

"They're going to be so excited tomorrow," Garcia said with a yawn.

"Yes, they will. We should probably get to bed. I know they'll both be up at the crack of dawn," Emily said turning and heading for the stairs. Everyone else agreed and headed up leaving Rossi alone in the living room.

XXXX

Sighing a tired but happy sigh, Rossi walked over to where a picture frame sat and picked it up. It was the only picture he had of his dead son. James had been born, and only lived a few hours. Caroline was holding him and she had the most beautiful smile on her face.

"Merry Christmas, Caroline, James, I will always love you." Kissing his fingertips, he placed them against the glass before placing the frame back on the table and heading out to put on the Santa suit and gather up his bag of presents.

XXXX

"Do you think he's come yet?" Henry whispered as they crept silently from bed.

"I don't know, but let's go see," Jack whispered back.

"Okay, but we gots to be quiet so we don't wake no one," Henry reminded. Jack nodded as they slowly began climbing down the stairs. They stopped about halfway down and sat down. They could see down, but they didn't think anyone would see them from the bottom.

"I don't think he's come yet," Jack whispered as he saw the same presents and now the stockings they'd filled earlier. They had been Garcia's little helpers when it came to filling everyone's stockings. Just then the sound of jingling bells could be heard.

"Ho!Ho!Ho!" came a deep voice from downstairs. Rossi smiled as he entered the cabin and began walking towards the tree his bag of presents on his shoulder.

"It's really Santa Clause," Henry breathed.

"I know," Jack whispered back in a voice he thought was quiet, but really wasn't. Rossi smiled, he'd expected the boys to try and get a glimpse of "Santa" but he wasn't 100% sure they would. Deciding to have a little fun, he spoke in his Santa voice.

"Henry, Jack, is that you?" The boys gasped and turned to each other eyes wide.

"Do you think we should answer him?" Henry asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I guess we have to," Jack replied defeated.

"Yes, Santa, it is," he answered lowly.

"Didn't your parents tell you that I won't give you presents if you're not asleep?" he asked.

"Yes," Jack mumbled.

"Then, I suggest you head back up those stairs and go to sleep if you want these," Santa said pointing at the bag of presents he carried.

"Okay, night, Santa," Henry said as he turned and began heading back up the stairs.

"Night, Henry," Santa replied.

"Night, Santa, sorry," Jack apologized sheepishly.

"It's okay, night, Jack," Santa told the little boy. Giving Santa a brief smile, Jack followed Henry back upstairs and climbed back into bed falling asleep almost instantly.

XXXX

The next morning, the cabin was filled with shouts of,

"It's Christmas! Come on, get up, it's Christmas! We have to see if Santa came."

"I think he came, I heard jingle bells at one point," Rossi said as he entered the living room.

"Wow!" Henry and Jack cried when they caught sight of all the presents Santa had left.

"Can we open them, please?" Jack begged looking hopefully at his dad. Hotch nodded and the madness began.

Finished!

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