All About Emily

Disclaimer: CBS owns Criminal Minds, don't you know that by now?

Summary: Emily's ready to return to the BAU following her integration of her alternate personalities. How will she cope with her return

A/N: I'm not sure how long this story will be, but just bare with me and now for chapter three...

Thanks for reading, I hope you like it enough to review.

Carl Sandburg said, "Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by."

Awaking in her apartment, Emily could feel the bright sun shining through her drapes but ignored them.

The residual pounding was slowing down but there was still the small whisper of Mia's voice replaying in her head as she walked from her bedroom into her bathroom flicking on the lights.

Staring at herself in the mirror, she was startled by the reflection looking back. The smirking face of Mia.

'You really think you've got it all covered don't ya?' Mia taunted, 'You think you're going to have that fairy tale happily ever after with Stone Cold? I'm telling you he's keeping something big from you. Well us. Even Millie says so and she's not that with it when it comes to men.'

"Go away" Emily hissed out, turning on the water faucet.

'You don't really want that, now do you?' Mia told her, 'How else are you going to deal with the stresses of Hotch and his secrets? Hmm? Compartmentalize?'

"I'm fine now" Emily told her, "I can handle this."

'Oh please?' Mia rolled her dark eyes, 'Who do you think you're fooling? Not me. He's only going to hurt us in the end and you know it.'

"Go away, Mia" Emily told her, turning around when she heard the ringing on her home phone.

'Go on, get that' Mia told her, 'Go play family with Hotch and his kid. Just like you did with Doyle and Declan.'

Emily held the side of her head, closing her eyes, "Go away!"

Opening her eyes, she looked into the mirror and exhaled when all she saw was herself.

"I'm fine" she told herself, "I'm fine."

Rushing over to the ringing house phone, "Hello?"

"Hey, I didn't wake you did I?" Hotch asked, his tone uncertain, "How are you feeling?"

Emily bit her lower lip but decided not to tell him, she told herself that there was no need to worry him. She'd tell her therapist when she'd see him instead.

"I'm great" she said, plastering on a cheerful tone, "How's Jack?"

"Excited to see you" Hotch told her, "He wants to know if you'd like to join us at the park?"

That made her heart race, spending the day with her two favorite Hotchners. She wanted nothing more in the world but to be with them forever.

"I'd love that" she started, "But maybe I shouldn't. I don't want to intrude on your time with Jack, you rarely get to spend time together with work and all..."

"Emily" Hotch chuckled, "Look outside, it's a beautiful Sunday morning and there's no where we have to be but with each other. Just the three of us."

'Just the three of us?' Mia mocked, 'Uh hello? What about me?'

"Emily?" Hotch said, "Do you want to?"

"Sure" she said, rubbing her temple, "Give me an hour to get ready, ok?"

"Great" he said, relieved, "I'll see you."

"Bye" she told him, ending the call.

Walking across to her bathroom, she rubbed her temples, "Be calm, be calm, be calm. You're fine, Emily. Fine."

'You're just too damn weak, Emily' Mia told her, 'He's only going to hurt us in the end. Look at what happened to that wife of his. He couldn't keep her safe. Hell he couldn't keep us safe from Doyle.'

"I took care of Doyle" Emily reminded her, "Now shut up and leave me alone, I have to get ready."

'Ready for your funeral' Mia mocked her, 'Don't say I didn't warn you.'

Emily ignored the tinging doubt in that comment and felt renewed after having her shower.

Hesitantly walking towards the mirror, she felt relief sweep through her when she looked into the mirror and only saw her own reflection staring back. No Mia, no Millie, just her.

Quickly looking around her apartment, she knew that there was a lot to do before returning to the BAU tomorrow for her interview with Strauss after her appointment with Richard.

A realization hit her as she exhaled. She had no food in her home, and she wanted this day to be a perfect day for her and her two favorite guys.

Checking the clock, she was relieved that she had some extra time before Hotch and Jack would be over. Grabbing her purse, she quickly walked out the door to make her day perfect.

Hotch chuckled pulling the car into the parking lot of the park while Jack tried with all his might to undo his seat belt.

"Hold on there, little speed racer" Emily teased looking back, "You have to wait for your father to turn off the car before jumping out of the car, ok?"

"Ok" Jack said, with a grin.

After Hotch helped Jack out of the car, he looked down at the big wicker basket in Emily's hand and raised an eyebrow.

"So, a picnic, huh?" he teased, "I never knew you were one to enjoy picnics."

Emily picked up the small blanket, giving him a disbelieving look, "Please, I'm right up there with Yogi Bear with picnics."

"Guess that makes me Ranger Smith, huh?" he joked.

"Yep, now let's take Boo Boo over here and enjoy our day" Emily said, but he placed a hand on her arm, "What?"

Hotch took the basket from her, passing it to Jack, "Hey buddy? Why don't you find us a good spot under that tree, ok?"

"Ok" Jack said rushing over to the large tree.

Emily felt his hand move upwards from her arm to her shoulders before cupping her face to look up at him.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows, "Yesterday you were..."

"Yesterday was yesterday, Aaron" she told him, placing her smaller hands on his own, "I'm just going to have to get use to things now that I'm back."

'Don't you mean 'we', Emmy?' Mia taunted, 'Let's not forget about your backbone and brain.'

His dark eyes saw her own pain up, but then masked over.

"Sweetheart?" he whispered, "Are you sure you're ready for all this?"

"I'm ready" her own eyes meeting his, "I'm really ready for everything."

"You're really back, aren't you?" he asked, his face relaxing, "You're really here, right?"

"I'm here" she whispered, resting his forehead against hers, his dark eyes taking her in, "I'm still here."

Hotch pulled Emily into a deep kiss, reveling in the moment that everything was perfect. His whole world was complete with just the three of them.

However on Emily's end, despite being content with the way things were, there was still doubt that was calling out to her. And that doubt sounded a lot like Mia.

"Daddy, Emmy!" Jack called out, impatient, "Come on."

Hotch wrapped his arm around the brunette, chuckling at the scowl on his son's face, "Wow, did you do all this?"

"Uh huh" Jack grinned, "You like?"

Emily kneeled down to the boy's eye level, "Like it? Baby, I love it."

"Really?" he asked, his smile widening on his young face.

"Really truly" she said, giving him a scouts honor sign.

"Ok, lets see what we've got here" Hotch said, looking down at the food, "Sandwiches, rolls, chips for Jack and potato salad wow."

"And don't forget these" Jack grinned holding up three chocolate chip cookies, "These are my favorite."

Emily winked at the boy, "A little birdie told me that you'd like that."

"Thank you Emmy" Jack rushed at her, tackling the brunette into a giggle fit.

"Jack" she laughed, "Stop. Stop."

The boy didn't relent on his tickling assault causing the brunette to grasp her hands on his waist while laughing.

"Aaron, help me" she giggled as the boy began to tickle her harder, but he just watched the pair in pure happiness, "Aaron."

"Harder Jack" he conspiratorially whispered.

"Hotchner" a voice called out, pulling the dark haired man from the bonding moment, "Hey."

Emily sat up, holding Jack close to her, her eyes taking in the woman hugging Hotch. And in her honest opinion the woman looked way too comfortable with him.

Emily winced internally hearing the taunting voice, 'Wow, he sure doesn't waste any time does he? Look at her, she's got your man.'

"Shut up" Emily whispered, her eyes closing at the raging headache pounding in her skull as her grip began to slip.

"Emmy?" Jack murmured, pulling back as the dark eyes opened on him, "Emmy?"

"Hey kid" Mia smirked, looking at the little boy who eyed her warily.

She watched the boy pull out of her grasp scampering away rushing to his father's side, "Well hello to you too."

The alter narrowed her eyes on the other woman that was chatting with the frightened boy, then looked over in Emily's direction, flashing the woman a smile.

"Ooh keep smiling bitch" Mia muttered, standing up. The alter ignored the disgruntled pleas of Emily.

'Mia! Let me out now' Emily cried out, looking out the window watching her body move towards Hotch and the other two, 'Mia, God damn it!'

"Tsk tsk tsk" Mia said, "Hello there."

"Hi" the woman greeted extending her hand, "You must be Emily, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Beth."

The brunette eyed the smiling woman warily, "Funny, I didn't hear a thing about you."

Hotch shot Emily a look, stunned by the behavior, "Emily, I met Beth here during the..."

Mia turned her head to give him a look, "Save it. I'm going back to the picnic, join us when you're ready to play happy family."

Mia leaned over to Jack, "Say kid, want to come split a cookie with me?"

Jack clung to his father's jean shaking his head, "No."

Mia shrugged, "Suit yourself."

'Mia!' Emily cried out, 'Don't do this, don't behave like that towards Jack. I love that little boy.'

"Spare me, Emmy" Mia muttered, "You can get your panties out of a wad, I'm not going to touch the kid. It's not his fault his father's a two timing horn dog."

The woman sat down on the sprawled out blanket watching while Hotch listened to Beth, the alters mind was rolling deep in thought trying to tune out Emily.

'God, where the hell are you Millie?' Emily called out, 'Hello? I thought you were suppose to protect the host at all cost. Isn't that what you tried to do last time?'

"Be smart, Emily" Mia said, "Just sit back and let me run this show."

The brunette paced around in front of the window, keeping her eye on her alternate personality who was happily munching away while keeping her eyes trained on Beth and Hotch.

"Jack, buddy why don't you go sit with Emily while Beth and I talk?" Hotch asked, looking down at his son who shook his head.

Mia stood up, grabbing Emily's purse and sauntering over to the dark haired pair, "Look since there's a kid present I'll try and keep this as 'G' rated as I can."

Hotch turned, looking over at the brunette, "Emily? What's the matter?"

Mia snorted, raising an eyebrow, "How about the fact that you didn't tell me you were traipsing all over D.C. with a knock off version of me?"

"Excuse me?" Beth asked, looking stunned by the blatant comment, "But there's..."

"Save it, sweetheart" Mia said, waving her hand, "I know women like you. You think just because you see a single, somewhat good looking man that means he's up for grabs?"

Hotch covered his mouth baffled by the change in attitude of Emily, "Yeah, he's got a girlfriend sweetheart, but guess what, I'm through."

"Emily?" Hotch asked, stunned, "What is the matter with you? Why are you..."

"Maybe I should go" Beth said, looking from Hotch to the brunette, "I'll talk to you later, Aaron."

Mia smirked, watching the woman retreat, "Bye bye."

Hotch turned his attention back on Jack, "Buddy, can you go watch our basket?"

Jack just nodded, hurrying away from the duo while Hotch grabbed onto Emily's elbow, "Come with me?"

Leading the brunette away from Jack's prying ears, he maneuvered them to a bench pulling the brunette down next to him.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he asked, looking over at the nonchalant woman, "If I didn't know any better I'd almost swear that you..."

"What?" Mia clipped out in a cold tone, that made his blood run cold, "What Hotch?"

Shaking his head, "Maybe we should call your doctor."

"You think just because I'm having a bad day that I need to see my shrink?" she stood up, narrowing her eyes, "If you wanted to dump me, then all you had to do was say so, not go two timing behind my back while I'm off recovering..."

"I never said that" Hotch protested, reaching out only to be dismissed, "Emily?"

Turning to look him dead in the eye, "Maybe this was a mistake."

"What was?" he asked, standing up, trying to pull the brunette close to him while Mia internally recoiled at the touch of Emily's boyfriend, "Talk to me, I know there's something wrong."

'No shit, Sherlock' Emily screamed out, 'How about that, that's not me.'

"How about the fact that while I was stuck getting my head shrunk you were going out with Bev over there" Mia nodded towards the retreating woman's frame from the distance.

"Beth" he corrected, "And there was nothing..."

"As I said, 'save it', I'm not interested" Mia said, folding her arms across her chest, "Just know this, whatever this was, between us, it's over."

'What?' Emily cried out, 'No Mia, no.'

"What?" Hotch asked, "Emily, I know that we're still new at this thing, but please, whatever's wrong we can work on it together."

Mia pulled herself from his grip, "Kinda hard when you're seeing other women behind our back."

"I'm not" he told her, "Beth is just a friend."

Snorting, "Sure Hotch, and hell is just a sauna."

'Mia,' Emily demanded, 'Don't do this to me, don't do this.'

"Well, be seeing you" she replied with a grin, walking passed him.

Turning on her heels, the brunette marched pass the boy giving Jack a wink as she strolled through the park towards the street.

"Daddy" Jack cried out, rushing to his side sniffling as the two Hotchners watched the brunette hail a cab leaving the heartbroken pair in stunned silence.

"Come here buddy" he murmured, wondering what was wrong with Emily.

He watched the cab drive off, not knowing how she could just switch from kind and caring to mean and distance. He knew that the woman before him couldn't be Millie, because she was more clinical but Hotch knew that there was something off with Emily.

And he intended to find out what.

"It's sad when you become someone you know." Henry Rollins

To Be Continued...

I think they're maybe a few more chapters to this story. We'll see. Leave a review.