Jack ran from the tree and jumped into his mother's arms, his hands tugging at her hair and her necklace and anything available as he grinned up to her. "Mommy!"
Emily's eyes widened, her head backing away from the little boy's as she let him hug her. "Yes baby, it's me."
"Mommy! It's Christmas!"
"I know!" she shouted back, hiding her smile as the family walked into the living room. "I also knew a couple minutes ago when you came up with Nessie and woke up me and your daddy."
Vanessa looked up at the sound of her name. "Hi mommy!"
Emily grinned, leaning down with Jack in her arms so she could kiss the ebony haired girl's head. "Hi baby."
"Merry Christmas, ladies and gents!"
The family turned to see Hotch walking into the living room with his arms full, a tray of hot chocolate and waffles balanced gracefully on the wood of it. "Incoming," he laughed, trying his best to set everything down on the coffee table.
"Careful," Emily whispered, not wanting her husband's handiwork to all come crashing to the ground because a tiny slip and fall. "Careful, sweetheart."
Smiling wide, the older man set the tray down on the table with skill. "Got it," he chuckled, kissing his wife deeply and grabbing the seven year old from his arms. "Merry Christmas!"
Vanessa jumped up and let her mother hike her up onto her hip. "Presents?"
Emily gave her daughter a wide eyed look. "Presents?" she gasped. "What presents? Did Santa bring us something?"
The three year old pointed to the Christmas tree. "Mommy, presents!"
Emily peppered kisses along her daughter's cheek as she sat them down on the couch, tickling her tiny stomach.
"You guys, Santa must love us a whole lot," the Unit Chief grinned, setting his son down and picking up a couple of presents from underneath the tree. "Look at all this stuff he brought for us." Handing both of his children two presents, he looked up to his wife. "Em, did you get all these?"
The mother of two shook her head, knowing both children were looking up to her with their big curious eyes. "I didn't. I guess we just didn't hear Santa this year," she shrugged.
Ripping open his first present, Jack's jaw dropped open. "Trucks!"
The dark headed pair shared a secret smile with one another at the excitement their children were sharing with them.
"Mommy! Mommy, a dolly!"
Emily smiled to her daughter. "You got a new dolly?"
Vanessa shoved the new toy into her mother's face. "It's so pretty!"
"It is," the laughing woman agreed.
Looking up from the presents his children were now playing with, Hotch took a small box out from behind his back and sat himself down next to his wife. "And even though we discussed presents, I have a couple for you."
Emily let the older man kiss her lips and she laughed. "I didn't follow that rule either," the brunette smiled, reaching down to the tree and taking a present into her hands. "Merry Christmas."
He knew she wouldn't open hers first, she always wanted to see his reaction before she opened her own present, so Hotch immediately started to rip open the perfectly wrapped package. "Is it cologne?"
"Nope."
"A watch?" He had had his eye on a new one in his favorite store's newest window.
"No," the younger woman chuckled.
Hotch's fingers traced along the smooth cover of the book, opening up to the front page to see a picture of him and his two kids smiling wide. "What is this?"
Emily bit down into her bottom lip as she watched her husband flip through a few more pages. "I made it," she shrugged, almost afraid of what the love of her life was thinking as he skimmed over the pictures on each page. "I thought you'd like it."
There was a photo of them from their wedding day, Emily leaning into him as she laughed and Hotch smiling down to her, and the older man shook his head. "I love it." He leaned into his wife and pressed a long kiss to her lips, knowing how much time and effort she must have put into it. "It's beautiful."
"Ok don't finish yet," she said excitedly, holding up her hands. "I want to open mine first."
Hotch laughed, watching the excited woman rip open the gift and drop her jaw at the beautiful amethyst necklace and earring set he had gotten her.
Emily dropped the box into her lap and practically jumped onto the older man, her lips pressing needily against his and her arms wrapping tight around his neck.
"So you like it?" he laughed heartily, hearing his children laughing and playing with their toys.
"Sweetheart, it's gorgeous," Emily gushed, looking down and fingering the beautiful stones.
The older man gestured to the scrapbook still open in his lap. "So can I finish now?"
Emily nervously nodded her head, smiling to her husband. "I really hope you like the ending."
Hotch continued through the pages of the book, every photo pasted to the pages triggering a smile on his face. Finally turning to the last page of the book, he frowned, noticing the picture to be in black and white and difficult to see. "Emily?"
She waited until the recognition crossed her husband's face and immediately his eyes brightened. "So?" she asked softly, seeing him close the book in his hands. "Do you like it?"
"You're pregnant?"
Emily laughed, her eyes watering as he took her hands in his. "Three months," she nodded, letting him take her into a hug. "Merry Christmas, baby."
The older man hugged his wife close to him and laughed in her ear, kissing her softly against the smooth skin of her cheek. "Merry Christmas, mommy."
