Of Sleep and Sweetness
Disclaimer: I wish, but no, don't own the characters/show.
Author's Note: Because Jack is adorable and his Dad is hot. Nuph said. Enjoy.
The only reason he was at the office at all was that he'd left a file he'd wanted to work on at home, a file which he would have easily gotten in the morning, but a certain someone who was above his pay grade had insisted he finish his work catching bad guys.
"C'mon Dad!" Jack smiled, tugging on his hand towards his office. He smiled a rare smile back, allowing himself to be led by his eager son, but their procession came to a sudden halt as Jack stopped to look at the empty desks occupying the bullpen.
"Dad," Jack whispered, "what's Miss Emily doing here?"
Or as it turned out, almost empty.
His usual frown made a comeback at Jack's words, and scanning the room he also found the woman in question, fast asleep over a mess of paperwork atop her desk, pen still in her hand.
"I dunno, buddy, but she looks really tired. Why don't we just let her sleep?"
He's the one tugging on his son's hand now, but Jack stands firm.
"Dad! We can't just leave her there, she doesn't look comfy at all!"
Another glance told Hotch he was inclined to agree with his son, but a question still remained.
"Okay, Jack, you're right, but what do you want to do about it?"
Jack frowned, and it was slightly eerie how much the boy resembled his father just then, but the frown quickly vanished as an idea sparked.
"I know! She can sleep on the couch in your office."
"Jack, how will she get from her desk to the couch if she's asleep?"
"You'll carry her of course!"
"Of course."
He had to admit that Prentiss did look uncomfortable, but while he'd faced down serial killers without flinching, the thought of what would happen if she woke up mid-transit had him seriously concerned for his well being, emotionally and physically.
"Dad, please? It's not right that she has to sleep there all night."
And as his son's hero it was his job to make things right.
Walking the rest of the way into the bullpen, he carefully extracted his slumbering agent from her awkward sleeping position and with one arm around her back and another under her knees made for his office as quickly as possible, Jack close behind.
But as he walked up the small set of stairs some repositioning was in order, and as Prentiss snuggled unconsciously closer, he stilled. It felt good, too good really, to have her in his arms, and the way her head settled just there against his chest like that was where she belonged was not helping at all.
Squashing these thoughts quickly before they could go any farther, however, the couch was finally in sight as Jack opened the door for them, scampering to help by retrieving the blanket Hotch kept for his own late night couch use. He set her down as gently as he could manage, holding his breath for a split second as she moved on the couch, settling deeper into the couch with a sniffling noise.
He told himself it was because he was afraid she'd woken up, not because of anything like how beautiful she looked against the dark cushions, or how he wondered how she'd look against the dark sheets of his bed. Nope, not at all.
Jack brought the blanket and he quickly tucked it around her, straightening to whisper to his son.
"C'mon bud, let's get that file and go home."
"But, Dad…"
"What?"
"You gotta kiss her good night too!"
Because obviously he hadn't been tortured enough for one night.
"Jack, why do I need to do that?"
"Because that way she'll sleep better. I know I do."
"Jack-"
He was about to pull the parent card and say no, but then the boy pulled out his own secret weapon, the infamous puppy dog eyes. Hotch sighed, there really was no saying no to that look.
"Fine."
It's a quick peck, nothing more. His hand does not linger atop her head nor his lips on her forehead. It's a lie he has to live with, and he will.
But just as he pulls away, that wall of deniability comes crumbling down as Prentiss turns on her side with a murmured word on her lips.
His name. And not his nickname either.
He'd missed her, but differently than everyone else, with exception to JJ. The team had thought she was dead and gone, but he knew she was alive and well, that she was out there somewhere, with any luck smiling and laughing and gloriously alive, and they were all missing out on that. And he worried, as was his wont. Was she taking care of herself, was she eating, sleeping enough. Both her appearance tonight and the weight of her in his arms said no. And he didn't want her sleeping alone on his office couch; he wanted her with him and-
"Dad, I'm hungry."
And with those words reality quickly came crashing back down around him.
"Right. I'll just get that file and we can go home."
File in one hand and Jack's hand in the other, they leave for the elevators, neither of them looking back to see one Emily Prentiss watching them leave, a big smile on her face.
She definitely knows where Jack got all that sweetness from, and she's very glad to be back to witness it firsthand.