Snuggled in his sweatshirt, she was invincible.
Snuggling in the warm fleece, breathing in his woodsy male scent, it made her believe he was still with her.
She remembers the call two years ago that shattered her world. That turned her in a totally new direction.
FLASHBACK
She was ironing a little pink dress in the kitchen when the phone rang. Her three year old daughter Jillian answered it.
"Hewwo" She sang, a smile on her chubby little face. Her dark brown curls were a mess and she had her sippy cup in her hand. "Daddy!"
"Jil, may I see the phone please?" She asked, anxiously awaiting to hear her husbands voice.
"Yup Daddy, I will." Jil continued to chatter on. "I tell Jackie you say hi, an tell Julia. I wove you too Daddy" Jil passed her the phone, screaming as she ran to the stairs looking for her twin sister Julianna.
"Aaron?" She whispered desperately into the phone.
"Em" He breathed a sigh of relief.
"Where are you?" She asked.
"I can't tell you Em, I'm sorry. But things aren't looking good for me" He told her. She started to tear up, losing her balance, she sunk to the hardwood floor in the kitchen of the new house they had just bought together.
"Don't say that Aaron" She whispered.
"I love you Emily Elizabeth Hotchner. I love Jack, Jillian and Julianna as well, make sure they know it. And I love the baby too. I wish I could watch them grow up, I wish I could see our new baby, I love you all so much" He whispered over the phone. She could hear the desperation in his voice. She rested her hand on her 8 month pregnant belly.
"It's another girl Aaron, I didn't want you to know. The doctor let it slip today" She told him quietly.
"Another little girl" He whispered in awe. "Three girls" He laughed, but she could tell it was a little forced.
"What should we name her?" She asked.
"Something with an J" He replied. All of their childrens names began with J. "Maybe , Juliette or Jenny"
"We could call her Jenifer Erin, you will see your daughter Aaron Hotchner" She told him loudly.
"Em, they know something is up, I think they're planning on killing me tonight. I need you to contact Dave for me, tell him what happened. He knows the in's and out's of this operation. He's my only chance Em, call him please. I have to go, I hear someone coming. I love you"
"I love you too Aaron" She whispered as the line went dead. Crying, she dialed Dave Rossi's number as fast as she could. He answered on the second ring.
"Hello?" He asked. "Em?"
"Dave, Aaron called. He thinks his cover is blown, that they will kill him" She said quickly.
"I'll do what I can Em, stay positive" Dave yelled as he quickly hung up the phone. That left Emily alone in the kitchen, sobbing on the hardwood floors. Two hours later Jack would come home from highschool and find her still crying. Abby and Ally would join in, as they all sat waiting on the floor in the kitchen.
END FLASHBACK
Two days later, Jennifer Erin Hotchner was welcomed to the world, the same day that the body of her father, Aaron Jospeh Hotchner was found hanging in a warehouse by the pier. The killers were caught a day later, still carrying the fallen Agent's badge.
Two years have passed now. Emily Hotchner is a mother of four, with one 17 years old, two 5 year olds, and a two year old. They live in the same new house, with the same new furniture that she and Aaron had painstakingly picked out. Every night she sleeps on the left side of the bed, since Aaron would only sleep on the right. Clutching his pillow, snuggled in the warmth of his sweatshirt, she can easily believe that he'll be there in the morning.