December 1, 2013
When Garcia and JJ announced at the morning briefing that everyone is expected in Silver Spring that evening for a surprise, Jack and Henry included, Hotch doesn't honestly think much of it. He certainly isn't stupid enough to miss a summons when it's presented, nor is he stupid enough to disregard it. JJ and Garcia, even Dave to a big extent, have been focusing more and more on doing things as a team, celebrating life and each other. It's not like Hotch feels he needs his arm twisted to get behind that.
So, he picks up Jack from the kid's frankly phenomenal after school program and drives through the insanity that is Washington's evening traffic. Sine Irish Pup near Pentagon Row is low key and casual, just what the BAU tends to look for in their after hours establishments. Hotch can actually feel his stress and anxiety levels dropping as he lets Jack out of the car. They're not a hard group to spot, his team. They've commandeered a back corner, out of the way but cozy.
It's Jack who sees her first.
"Emily!"
Hotch is startled enough that Jack's hand slips easily from his grasp. His son darts off and he watches, a little shell shocked, as Emily rises quickly from her seat to meet Jack half way. His gaze takes her in as she hugs Jack tight. She's different now, freer than she'd been in her final year in the BAU and Hotch isn't stubborn enough not to think that she is absolutely stunning.
Of course, Emily Prentiss has always been beautiful, inside and out. It doesn't take a blind man to see that. It takes this moment, this split second with her eyes close, gripping Jack and the relief that is so obvious on her face. As if Jack could every forget her. As if any of them could.
Her eyes are warm and surprisingly dark when she opens them to find his face. Hist stomach jolts, a million emotions crowding in at once from their once-secure boxes. Distance, it seems, has done nothing.
Because he, like all men he thinks, is attracted to Emily. He had been years ago, when she'd been a part of his unit and it hasn't changed today. Of course, back then regulations had played a driving role in his decision not to make a move. More than that, she can do better. So much better. He's a single parent married to his job and that's not what Emily deserves. It doesn't mean he wasn't utterly devastated when she'd declare, out of the blue he might add, that he was taking Clyde Easter's offer to head up an INTERPOL office. In London, England.
He has missed her. He's missed having her in the field, in the office, even in his home with Jack as she'd taken to doing, Beth or no Beth. She'd been his best friend. And that, more than anything else, had been the reason why he hadn't fought her decision to move half way across the globe. But now she's here, standing in front of him, just setting Jack aside so she can pull him into her arms instead.
"Hi," she murmurs into his ear.
He hugs her back, just as tightly he knows. "Hi."
She presses a kiss to his cheek with a grin. "Missed you."
It falls off her tongue so easily, like he was never her unit chief, like she's never seen him emotionally closed off, or given him even an inch when it comes to showing affection. This is after-hours Emily though and through, so he gives her both dimples in response. It makes her eyes bright.
"How long are you here for?" he murmurs, reaching for her hand. He can't help it, really. He needs the feel of her skin beneath his palm for just a moment. It's not pathetic, he tells himself. It's human.
"A month," she says, eyes glowing and a blush rising in her cheeks. "Clyde says I work too much."
"Clyde's in love with you," JJ chimes in with a snort and a roll of her eyes. "He's making you take the time off so you stay in London."
Emily's blush intensifies. Hotch is a little surprised to see how fast the pink is rising in her cheeks. Maybe there's something about Clyde that she's not telling?
"I had the days banked," Emily says instead.
"And we told her she had to come," Penelope adds. "Now, find a chair, Boss Man, let's do this right!"
Really, they do it the only way the BAU knows how. There's a lot of laughter, more than a few cracks of nerdiness and they probably get just a little too loud for the pub on a Sunday night. But no one seems to care. Emily's here, and even if it's just for a few hours, back in the fold. It feels like nothing else.
But, like all good things, they trickle away eventually. Derek and Penelope first, Reid and Blake – who got along famously with Emily, though it came as no surprise – then Dave. Jack is pretty much asleep on Hotch's shoulder before he finally gives in. It doesn't matter though because JJ's already standing, reaching for her coat and turning to Emily.
"We should go."
Emily nods, though Hotch notices a distinct reluctance as she pushes herself to stand. She reaches out to brush a hand fondly over Jack's head and Hotch has to swallow around a weird lump in his throat.
"Breakfast?" he blurts. He's not even sure he processed the idea before he spit it out.
It takes Emily off-guard, but she softens almost immediately. "Yeah. Breakfast. Same time, usual place?"
"Sounds good," he manages, cursing at the way his pulse is leaping, the way his heart is pounding. She's never done this to him before. Maybe distance has only made it all worse. She doesn't help when she leans over to press a kiss to his cheek.
"See you tomorrow," she says softly.
As he leaves the pub and bundles Jack into the car, he can't stop himself from thinking that tomorrow cannot come fast enough.
Uno, thanks to each and every one of you who left a review! Holy cow. I was honestly only expecting a handful and… what?! Are you all crazy people? But sincerely, thank you. This is why Criminal Minds always feels a bit like coming home. And thank you for all the traditions! Keep sending them as you think of them and we'll see!
Dos, it has been brought to my attention that there are a few things I should clear up about this story. The goal here is to update every day. I'll miss some, I always do, but then there'll be a couple of days where you'll get two or three in a day until I'm caught up. This story also does not mean that any other stories go on hiatus. I'm a slave to the muse, like every writer, so I can't guarantee anything (ie: Homecoming) will get updated while I am writing this, but it's not on a hiatus per se.
Tres, any and all errors over the course of this story are mine and mine alone. Fundamentally, it's not that I don't have a beta reader, I just don't have the patience. Especially with this story where it's such a tight timeline. I do apologize for them as best I can.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST! So, a while back fanfiction added this cool thing where you could add a cover. But I'm not artsy about that kind of thing in the slightest. So I'm reaching out. If there is anyone particularly artsy who would like to volunteer to create cover art for this story, PM me please! There's a first time for everything, after all and there's so much talent out there.
Thanks, hope you enjoyed and please do leave a review!
