Title: Watching History
Author: mitfordgal
Category: fluff
Pairing: Hotch/Prentiss (friendship)
Summary: A look at Inauguration day from inside "Criminal Minds"
Author's Note: You guys may kill me for this but the idea got stuck in my head last night and I couldn't get it out. So flame away (but gently)
Hotch was filling out mindless paperwork when Emily stuck her head into his office.
"Hotch, are you coming?"
He looked up in confusion. "Do we have a case? I thought we had today off."
Emily rolled her eyes as she approached his desk. "Hotch, do you know what today is?"
Hotch thought about it for a while, running birthdays, anniversaries and major holidays through his head before shaking his head no. "Martin Luther King Day was yesterday and I'm pretty sure we don't have two holidays in a row in February. And I know we just celebrated your birthday before Christmas. So no, I don't know what today is."
Emily gaped at him. "It's Inauguration Day! You know, every four years on January 20th we swear in a president? And today is historic. Morgan, Garcia and Reid already left and we need to as well if we want to be part of it."
"Be a part of it?" he repeated, baffled. "Why would we go out in the cold amongst hundreds of thousands of people to be part of something that we can't actually see? Did you get VIP tickets that I don't know about?"
"Hotch, I cannot believe you," the brunette said, sharply. "It's a giant party. It's about being a part of something bigger than ourselves. Who cares if we can't see anything? Just to be on the street with tons of others who are inspired by Barack Obama's win will be a thrill. You can't be that much of a fuddy-duddy."
"Actually, I can," he remarked, drily. "I have absolutely no interest in standing around in the cold with bodies pressed up against me, fighting for a breath of fresh air. Go and catch up with the others. I might flick on the TV in…" he looked at his watch, "about 4 hours to see the oath. And I'll be warm."
"You actually don't care," Emily breathed in amazement. "Our first African-American president, a man who can speak in clear, meaningful sentences, a man who has brought hope to millions in this country, not to mention around the world, and you would rather do paperwork. It's a sin to be this close to the White House and not go."
"Well, don't let me cause you to sin. Go on." He returned to his paperwork. But Emily didn't leave. Instead, she settled into the chair opposite him and stared until he looked up, reluctantly.
"Is there something else?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact there is," she retorted. "Who did you vote for, Hotch?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He squirmed, uncomfortably. "My mother always taught us that it's impolite to question someone on matters of politics and religion."
Her eyes widened in astonishment. "You are a Republican! You voted for McCain!"
"Now, wait a second," he answered, hotly, forgetting his mother's sage advice. "I'm a registered Independent. And I voted for the person I believed would best lead this country in a time of war and economic uncertainty." He might as well have been reciting the phonebook for all the interest Emily was taking in his words.
"I can't believe this. You voted for McCain." She sat back in her chair, thunderstruck. Hotch couldn't believe that he had been forced into this conversation.
"I wasn't the only one, you know," he reminded her, wondering why it was so important for him to convince her that he wasn't insane. "48% of the country voted for McCain. I liked the man long before he was a candidate. I like financial responsibility, smaller government and the free economy."
Emily let out a snort. "Yeah, because all of those things have made the United States a better country today than it was 8 years ago."
"I'm not going to argue with you about this," he decided. "Go with Reid, Morgan and Garcia. I have plenty to do here."
Emily got up, still shaking her head but paused at the door.
"Well, I guess you're right about one thing," she commented. Hotch looked up and waited. "It's going to be damn cold out there. How about I watch the festivities with you here and spend some worthwhile time convincing you that you wasted your vote. I can be very persuasive."
Hotch allowed a very small smile to cross his lips. "I wouldn't want one of my agents to freeze to death. You may stay but only if we can agree that democracy means voting for the person we choose."
Emily grinned back at him. "I'll be back with the coffee and muffins."