Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds
Title: Christmas at the Hotchners'
Author: ReadingRed
For: Flames101 as part of the CM Christmas Fic Gift Exchange Challenge
Prompts: Silent Night, Christmas miracle, snow, and bells.
"Daddy can I put this one on the tree?" Jack Hotchner asked his father, holding up a Superman ornament.
"Sure Jack, put it anywhere you want" Hotch smiled at his son, happy to see the six year old so carefree. "Henry, which one do you want to put on the tree?" he asked the three year old as he held out a box of ornaments.
"Dat one!" Henry shouted pointing to a teddy bear holding a number two, with the words 'my second Christmas' across its belly.
Hotch handed the small bear to the little boy. Henry grinned a toothy grin and raced off to hand it on one of the lower branches of the tree.
"Having a good time?" J.J. questioned as she wrapped her arms around Hotch. It turned out that J.J. leaving the BAU really was for the best. Because she no longer worked for Hotch, they were allowed to date without interference from the FBI. They'd been together for about two years, having only started dating after J.J. and Will decided to split up.
"The best" Hotch answered as he repositioned the box of ornaments in his arms so he could hug J.J. back.
They watched the two little boys carefully hang their chosen ornaments on the tree, taking the extra time to pick the perfect placement for each one.
"Mama!" Henry shouted as he spotted his mother. The boy ran across the room and launched himself at the woman. J.J. left Hotch's arms to catch her son.
"Hey baby. Are you having fun with Aaron and Jack?"
"Yep" Henry said with a grin. "We're putting all the ord'ments on the tree. Daddy Aaron said that it's gotta have ord'ments or it's just a reg'lar tree and Santa might not realize it need presents under it."
"I think Daddy Aaron's right. Why don't you and Jack pick out a few more ornaments to put on the tree, just to make sure Santa will know" J.J. put Henry down and both he and Jack took two ornaments out of the box and ran back to the tree.
"Daddy Aaron?" J.J. questioned once the boys were occupied with the Christmas tree. "When did that start?"
"Just today. I wasn't sure how to tell you. Are you upset?" Hotch was slightly worried that she would feel like he was overstepping.
"No, of course I'm not. Hotch we've been together for years, and with Will being in New Orleans and Henry only visiting him for such a short time each year, I'm glad that he has you to look up to. I'm glad that he thinks of you as a father."
Hotch smiled and leaned down to kiss her. J.J. wrapped her arms around Hotch's shoulders and pulled him closer to her. Their intimate moment was broken by the voices of two little boys shouting 'eww'.
"Daddy, do you always have to kiss J.J.? It's gross!" Jack protested.
"Yeah! It's g'oss!" Henry confirmed.
Before J.J. or Hotch could respond they heard the sound of many bells ringing outside the front door.
"Carolers!" Jack shouted as he and Henry raced for the door. Jack threw open the front door just as J.J. and Hotch reached the foyer. Outside on the front porch stood ten carolers wrapped up in shawls and holding hymnals, looking like characters out of a Dickens novel.
Henry and Jack listened to the small group sing Silent Night, seemingly entranced with the music. Hotch wrapped his arms around J.J. and she leaned into his embrace, using him for support as they watched their boys.
The caroling group finished Silent Night and with a goodbye to the boys, moved on to the next house. Just before Jack shut the front door a few snowflakes started to fall.
"It's snowing Daddy!" Henry yelled.
"Can we go play in it? Please J.J., please?" Jack asked sticking his lower lip out and giving her sad puppy dog eyes.
"Okay, okay, but jackets first" J.J. said.
Jack and Henry let out a cry of exuberance and ran past their parents to the hall closet. Both boys had their jacket on in record time and were on their way out the door, into the front yard.
The snow had started to fall faster and faster, coming down in thick sheets, and blanketing the lawn in white. The boys ran around in circles chasing one another while their parents looked on, keeping an every watchful gaze on the two of them.
Years ago neither one of them would've imagined that they'd be here one day, but now that they were they wouldn't trade it for the world. This life, the one they had together, was their miracle. They'd made it to their happy ending, overcoming all obstacles and had managed to forge their own future.