Author's Note: Avery's back! :) I love writing her character because she's so innocently sweet and cute...you just want to give her a hug. But honestly, I'm like Emily and Aaron in this story; I hate everything spreadable except peanut butter. Oh, oh, and Nutella. :D Talk about yummy. (clears throat) So, anyway, enjoy this. And if you're like me, and reading FanFiction at night is your guilty pleasure, then I hope this sweet story can be your midnight snack. :)
Disclaimer: If I don't even own a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, do you think that I own Criminal Minds? Let me answer that for you. No. I don't.
Hotch was sitting in his kitchen, finishing up some last minute paperwork, when he heard soft footsteps coming up behind him.
"Daddy?"
He turned around and saw his daughter Avery rubbing her eyes sleepily. He smiled. "Yes, Avery?"
"I'm hungry," she said quietly. "Can I have something to eat?"
"Of course. What do you want me to make you?"
"Peanut butter and jelly, please."
"Alright, then." He stood and picked her up, placing her on the counter so they were face to face. "One PB and J sandwich, coming up."
Avery swung her small legs off the edge, every once and a while making a dull thunking noise as a foot hit the cabinets. "Are mommy and Jack asleep?" she asked.
"Yeah, sweetheart. It's past midnight." He carefully spread grape jelly on the bread. "What woke you up?"
The four year old giggled. "My tummy was grumbling."
He chuckled. "Well, now it'll stay quiet." He handed her the sandwich. "Here you go."
"Thank you, daddy."
He kissed her forehead. "Not a problem." He walked back over to the dining room table and started placing the files back into his briefcase.
"What are you doing?" Avery asked curiously, chewing her food slowly.
"Something for work. Files and all sorts of boring stuff," he answered.
"Oh. When I grow up, I'm going to have a really fun job," she commented.
"Really? What are you going to be?" Hotch asked curiously.
"An astronaut," she answered seriously, finishing the PB and J.
"An astronaut, huh?" He approached his daughter and scooped her into his arms, holding her high above his head and running around the room. "You're going to fly a rocket into space!"
Her infectious laughter filled the room. "Yeah, daddy! Zoom, zoom!" she squealed, making rocket blasting noises.
"What's going on here?" Emily asked, entering the room and smiling at the sight before her.
Hotch placed Avery on the ground. "Oh no, we woke up mommy!" he exclaimed playfully. "Run, Avery! Go back to sleep before she catches you!"
Emily laughed as Avery ran to her bedroom, giggling all the way. "Looks like you two were having a lot of fun. I'm sorry I interrupted it."
"I'm sorry that we woke you up. But it was fun. Avery was hungry, so I made her something to eat. Next thing you know, she's talking about what she wants to be when she grows up, and well…one thing lead to another," he said with a smile.
"I can imagine…" She stifled a yawn. "Well Mr. Workaholic, I'm going to go back to bed. Are you coming?"
"In a minute," he answered, nodding.
"I'll be waiting," she promised, before walking away to their bedroom.
~.~.~
In the darkness, Hotch made his way over to their bed and wrapped his arms around his wife. He smiled sadly as he realized that she was already asleep.
Well, that was going to have to change.
He kissed her back lightly, his hand wandering up the silky chemise that she was wearing.
She sighed and turned to face him. "And just what do you think you're doing?"
"Asking for a midnight snack," he answered, grinning.
She chuckled and kissed him briefly. "Maybe if you behave," she teased. "What did you make Avery? Peanut butter and jelly?"
"Yeah." They laughed. "When Jack was her age, he loved PB and J, just like her."
"I never craved peanut butter and jelly when I was young. Maybe peanut butter…but I hated jelly. And jam. And marmalade. And cream cheese," Emily mused.
Hotch laughed even louder. "Wow. You were a picky eater, weren't you?"
"You know it," she answered, winking.
"I was the same. I think the only breakfast I actually liked was cereal. Oh, and Pop-Tarts."
"They had Pop-Tarts back then?"
"I'm not that old!"
She scoffed. "Whatever."
"Hey!" He grabbed her playfully and moved so he was on top of her. "You want to take that back?"
She kissed his chest. "Not really."
He smirked. "So…about that midnight snack?"
Grinning, she answered, "I think you've earned it."
He kissed her. "Good. Because guess what?"
"What?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I'm pretty hungry."
THE END.
Author's Note: Thoughts? :) Please drop me a line and tell me how I did; I treasure your feedback more than anything in the world!