A/N: All credit for the idea on how I've laid out this instalment of NPH goes to just slummin, my favourite Firefly fanfic author, who wrote Alphabet Soup. I liked it so much I thought I would move the immediate future forward in this manner.
So scrolling through the alphabet, from A through to Z, here follows life for the Hotchner's and their extended BAU family. See how Emily's pregnancy progresses, find out who Reid's next of kin is and stay tuned to see just what the blackout has to do with his life. Also, as requested, the little red something-something has a showing.
Some will be short pieces and others will be longer. Some will be light and fluffy, some will be deep and meaningful and others will be very raunchy and more than a little naughty, so I'm rating the overall story M. Just check the rating at the beginning of each chapter.
PLEASE NOTE: This is NPH 11. If you aren't already following this series, I recommend that you make your way to my author profile page and start with NPH 1, as some or all of this will not make sense otherwise.
DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Criminal Minds, its storylines or characters. I can only claim to manipulate them for the purposes of this story.
FYI: This piece is has some adult themes but can easily be enjoyed by all.
Read on and I hope you enjoy. Smell the aroma of fresh baked...
Apple Pie
"Daddy do you really have to go to work?"
"Yeah buddy, but just for a few hours today; I'll be home by lunch time I promise. I have something really important for you to do for me while I'm away if you're up for it?"
Emily opened her eyes to see her two men standing in the doorway. She looked at the clock and groaned softly. It was barely 7 and after being ill so late in the night the last thing she'd wanted to do was find herself awake so early in the morning.
Aaron shot her a brief look and walked forward with a warm smile. He bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Sorry for waking you love but I need to go in to the office and Jess is out of town so I can't get her to watch Jack."
"It's okay," she mumbled as she pushed her body into a sitting position. She shoved her hair out of her face and made her way to the bathroom, leaving the guys to their discussion.
"Is Emily okay daddy?"
"She just had a bit of an upset tummy last night so she'll need lots of cuddles and tender loving care. This is where I need your help. Can you take really good care of Emily for me today?"
Jack nodded seriously. "I always take good care of Emily daddy; she's says so all the time."
Aaron ruffled his son's hair. "You certainly do buddy. Give me a hug and then I've got to go."
New Section-
"What are you doing Emily?"
"I'm making an apple pie baby. Do you want to help me with it?"
"Yeah!"
Jack bolted to her side and pressed up against her. She gently stroked his hair before instructing him in getting out the rest of the ingredients and utensils. Over the next few hours she took more time making the pie than she ever had but it was hands down the most fun she'd ever had.
By the time Aaron arrived home five hours after he'd left the apartment he walked into smells reminiscent of his favourite bakery and he discovered the reason his wife had slapped his hands away from the apples the night before.
He stepped into the kitchen and looked around eagerly. Disappointment stabbed briefly when he didn't see the pie but he did see a sight for sore eyes. Emily's smile welcomed him home and her arms provided such safety as he'd never found anywhere else. As for her mouth...
"Eew, that's gross. Tina says kissing is how she ended up with her little brother. Are you gonna have a baby now that you are kissing all the time?"
Emily and Aaron exchanged a look; they had decided to wait until Christmas before broaching the subject with their son but it looked like the schedule had changed unless they were going to lie to him. Fortunately for them, the oven dinged at that moment and Jack squealed.
"Pie's ready, pie's ready. Can I get it out?"
Emily swallowed amusement as two sets of brown eyes eagerly watched her walk to the oven. "Remember we discussed this Jack."
He sighed in discouragement. "I know, but I was hoping you'd forget I was too little to get something out of the oven or that I'd grown enough in the last hour to be big enough."
She grinned as she put the pie on the stove. "It's a nice try sweetheart but you'll need to wait a few more years yet before I let you help me with this part."
He sighed again and crept closer with his father. Her amusement grew as they both licked their lips.
"You do both realise that this pie is for the neighbourhood homeless dinner right? That neither of you actually get a piece?"
As dismay appeared on both their faces and they gave her such sad looks she lost her battle with laughter and roared with it until she had to sit down gasping for breath. When she got her breath back she stood and made lunch for them, ignoring their looks at the pie and their pointed suggestions about buying a pie for the homeless. Aaron was doing the dishes when the second alarm she'd set went off.
Walking back to the oven, she pulled out the second, smaller pie she'd made while Jack was off drawing and set it beside the other one. She quickly cut it up and put three pieces in bowls. When she turned to ask the guys what they wanted on it, she nearly tripped over them both they were so close.
"If you put anything on my pie you will destroy a tradition that dates back to when I was four."
She smiled gently as she picked up a bowl and handed it to the love of her life. "Right then; that answers that question. Jack, what would you like on your pie?"
"Can I have ice cream and custard and jelly?"
She raised an eyebrow as she nodded. Aaron looked like he was swallowing his tongue trying not to say something and the softly horrified expression didn't bode well if he lost his battle. She complied with her son's request and decided to try her pie plain for the first time in her life as a reward for Aaron's forbearance. After making sure Jack was blowing on his spoonful a lot before eating it, she looked down at her plain bowl and sighed softly.
"Want me to help you find the magic of the plain apple pie?"
She smiled at Aaron as he moved closer. "Sure, if you think you can convince the girl who never touched this particular dessert without a truckload of custard smothering it first."
He shuddered slightly. "Pure sacrilege. Close your eyes. I'm putting a bite on the spoon for you. Imagine the spices you put in the mixture. Picture them in your minds' eye and bring to the front of your memory what they taste like. Then think of the apples, so soft yet crunchy at the same time and the pastry; golden brown, light and flaky. The perfect apple pie. Then put all those flavours together and open your mouth."
She did as requested and accepted the bite of pie. She kept her eyes closed as she started to chew and was absolutely startled by the flavours that exploded across her tongue. Her eyes flew open and she stared at her husband with a look he'd previously only seen on her face during orgasm.
"Wow," she breathed softly. She attempted a second bite and found that it was even better than the first. Deciding that custard was extremely overrated she tucked in to this newly discovered old favourite.
As he watched the rapture grow on her face he wondered if it was remotely possible to distract his son for a few hours in the middle of the day and not have the boy coming to find them to see what they were up to within minutes. Resigned to the thought that it wasn't actually possible, he wondered how soon he could hit the shower, his pie untouched and growing cold in the wake of watching Emily enjoy this new discovery.
She opened her eyes to smile at him and he felt it to his toes as she leaned in and whispered a suggestion that had him pushing back his chair.
"Where are you going daddy?"
"I need to go take a shower buddy. I'll be back shortly."
"But you didn't eat your pie daddy."
"I'll be back for it. Can you guard it for me?"
He nodded and turned back to his own pie. As he left the room he noted Emily's self-satisfied expression and immediately started plotting his revenge as he set about cooling the fire she'd set raging in his blood.
End-
A/N: Hope you are all craving apple pie as much as I am now.
Stay tuned for the next instalment; B is for...
As always I love reviews, so please feel free to tell me what you think.
