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Lacy here. Teen suicides, touchy subject for me. JJ too as we found out. The talk with JJ and Hotch at the end made me cry a bit, but that's because they both had tears in their eyes. So this is going to focus on not only Emily, Jack and Hotch but JJ and Dave as well cause we know Dave had to pick up on tension with JJ. So have fun.
Emily is 29 weeks in this. Just over seven months.
Disclaimer: Nooooooooooooooope.
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Emily watched Hotch as he moved around the kitchen, cleaning up dinner. Something was off with him but she couldn't figure out what.
"Aaron," Emily said softly. "are you ok?"
Hotch looked up from the container he was putting the left-overs in. He should have known Emily would pick up on his attitude change.
"It was a tough case." Hotch said. "Mostly for JJ and on the plane home she and I had a talk. Gave me something to think about."
Emily nodded her understanding. At least partial understanding. She wanted to ask Hotch what he and JJ had talked about but it was clearly between them and she would respect that.
"Her sister committed suicide when JJ was eleven." Hotch said.
Looks like he was sharing, Emily thought.
"And she told me that it takes time, but the pain of losing a loved one does fade and you begin to remember the good times." Hotch said.
Emily smiled softly. She felt for JJ. Losing anyone was hard but having a sibling take their life, that had to be down right impossible.
"She's right." Emily said. "You and Jack will both remember the good times with Haley before long. You just have to give it time."
Hotch nodded with a small smile. "I know we do."
Emily stood up and hugged Hotch as best she could with her stomach.
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Dave stood with Henry in his arms as he watched JJ sit on the patio, playing with the chain around her neck.
"Dada." Henry said, pulling on Dave's collar. "Mama."
Dave nodded. "I know Henry. She's a little sad right now, think we can do something about that?"
Henry nodded his head. "Yeah."
Dave smiled at Henry. 'Yeah', 'Mama', and 'Dada' were about the extent of Henry's vocabulary but he made good use of them when he wanted to. Placing a kiss on Henry's forehead, Dave carried the small boy outside to his mother and placed Henry in her arms. JJ looked startled but covered it and smiled at her son as Dave sat down beside her.
"So penny for your thoughts?" Dave asked.
JJ sighed. "Actually I was trying not to think."
Dave turned to face JJ completely. "You looked a bit misty eyed after your talk with Hotch on the plane."
JJ carefully took her necklace out of Henry's hand. "You noticed that, huh?"
"Jen, there isn't much I don't notice when it comes to you." Dave said.
JJ sighed again. "My sister committed suicide when she was a teenager."
Dave sucked in a sharp breath. That would explain the haunted look she'd warn the entire case.
"It made me so mad to see someone using suicide as a way to kill innocent children." JJ continued. "And it brought back so many memories of what my family went through after we lost my sister."
Dave ran his fingers through JJ's hair. "Do you know why your sister did what she did?"
JJ shook her head. "No. I never knew and I'm honestly not sure I want to know. It was painful enough to loose her, I don't want to know what pain she was suffering that caused me to loose her."
"You just have to remember she's happier now." Dave said. "You may not know what pain she was in but she's not in it any more and that is what's most important."
JJ nodded. "Yeah I know." she wiped her eyes and gave Henry a smile as the young boy looked concerned about the tears running down his mother's face. "I told Hotch the pain fades and eventually you remember the good times you had."
Dave smiled. "You weren't just talking about your sister."
"No I wasn't." JJ said, facing Dave. "And I think he understood."
"I'm sure he did Jen." Dave said. "He and Jack will be ok. They've got Emily and Bethany and the rest of the team. The good times with Haley aren't far behind."
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Hotch walked into Jack's room and found the young Hotchner laying on his bed, on his stomach, flipping through an old photo album. As Hotch stepped closer, he could see it was his and Haley's wedding album.
"Hey Buddy." Hotch said quietly.
Jack looked up. "Hi Daddy. Are Emmy and Annie sleeping?"
Hotch smiled. Jack was just like his father when it came to his concern for his sister and Emily.
"Not quite. They're waiting for me to get back." Hotch said. "But I told them I had to put you to bed first." he sat next to Jack. "Where'd you find this?"
Jack looked back at the album. "Emmy gave it to me. She said it was ok."
Hotch looked at the pictures. "She was right." he looked at his and Haley's couple photo. "Doesn't Mommy look pretty?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah." he looked back at his father. "Are you and Emmy gonna get married Daddy?"
Hotch sighed. There was the million dollar question. While things were fine just the way they were now, Emily having already told Hotch that no matter what he said, Bethany was taking his last name, Hotch did eventually want to marry Emily. The real question was, did Emily want to marry him.
"I want to marry her Jack." Hotch said. "Would that be ok with you?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah. Would I have to call Emmy, Mommy?"
Hotch sat his son up and looked him right in the eye. "Do you think I'd marry Emily to replace your mom?"
Jack shook his head. "No."
Hotch smiled. Good, he was afraid Jack would see Emily as a replacement and it would ruin the relationship the two had.
"Then it is completely up to you and Emily if you want to call her Mommy." Hotch said. "I know Mommy wouldn't mind. She'd want you to have someone around who took good care of you. So you talk to Emily and whatever you two decide is ok with me. Just remember Mommy will always love you no matter what."
Jack smiled and hugged Hotch. "I love you Daddy."
Hotch hugged his son tightly, tears pricking the back of his eyes. "I love you too Jack."
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Kay, made myself cry again with that last scene but I guess if the episode made me cry then it's ok for the story to do the same. I haven't decided yet it Jack will call Emily 'Mommy' but I should have my mind made up by the time Bethany comes. As for Hotch and Emily getting married, let's just say you'll have an answer on that one very soon. :D Let me know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks for reading.
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