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Chapter 4: Trouble at Home

"Jack, I can't believe you did this. What is going on?" Emily asked turning in the driver seat to face the boy in question. Earlier that day while at work Emily got a call from Jack's school requesting the either she or Hotch came immediately. On her drive over a million things ran through her mind from getting hurt to failing a class but not this… not her sweet little boy getting into a fight, a fight that put another student into the hospital.

"I don't know mom." He growled back shoving his ear phones back in and turning away from her. Emily rolled her eyes and huffed but didn't reply. Instead she started her car and drove back to the BAU office. Because she went flying out the door from the call she forgot most of her things luckily she was near an intern who could get Hotch a message from her while in his budget meeting.

The ride back was silent and tense. Emily's mind was reeling. She had never thought Jack would ever get into a fight. Jack was always the quiet loving one. When she and Hotch had married he was only five so he had taken to Emily immediately and they had always had a great relationship even when Eliot came into the picture. Jack was thrilled with having a little brother but now that he was entering into his teen years he was causing more and more issues.

Sports helped. Jack was able to get away from his nagging brother and play with his friends. He liked playing and Emily and Hotch supported it. The three of them came to an agreement as long as his grades stayed up he was allowed to play but lately his grade had been taking a plunge and they were hoping he could pull them up before summer vacation which was just in a week.

Jack jumped out of the car as soon as Emily pulled into her spot and hightailed it to the elevators. Emily followed close behind and was able to direct him straight to Hotch's office. She knew if she didn't take him there he would talk his Aunt Pen into letting him play on her computers.

"Hey, what happened? Are you okay Buddy?" Hotch asked feeling out of the loop when Emily and Jack walked into his office. He had just gotten out of his meeting with the section chief and was about to call Emily.

"I'm fine." Jack rolled his eyes. Why his parents had to make a big deal out of it was beyond him.

"No he's not. Jack punched a kid in the nose and broke it. He is now suspended for two days." Emily said eyeing the boy who just shook his head dismissing the whole problem.

"Jack?" Hotch asked his attention settled solely on the boy.

Jack huffed while wiping his sandy blonde hair from his forehead. "Cameron was being stupid." He shrugged.

"It was Cameron?" Hotch and Emily both said at once. Cameron was Jack's best friend and had been for years.

"Yeah so?"

Hotch shook his head in disbelief. "Tell me what happened Jack." He said in an even tone that surprised both him and his wife. Emily could see his hands balled into fists at his sides and the vain in his forehead just starting to pop out.

"Nothing dad. He said something dumb so I hit him. I didn't know it would break his nose." Jack shrugged again not seeing the point of going over it again.

"I can't believe this. Jack just because some says something you think is dumb doesn't mean you can hit them. Your ten years old son, even Eli knows not to hit. You're grounded from your game system and TV for a week. Give me your iPod." Hotch held out his hand but Jack just stared at him. "Now or I will make it longer." He added.

Jack took his iPod from his pocket and handed it to his father. "This sucks!" he said turning to his mother who stayed silent through most of it.

"What did Cameron say?" She asked. Emily knew that wasn't important he had to learn that he could hit no matter what anyone says but still she wanted to know.

"He said you guys suck! And now I agree!" he told her then pushed past her and ran out the door.

Emily turned back to Hotch with tears swelling in her eyes. Hotch took a breath and reached for her. "It's okay. He's just mad." He told her hoping her heart wasn't breaking like his was at the moment but as her melted into his chest he knew it was.

"I'm gunna take him home and stop and get Eli from daycare. Are you going to stay late?" Emily asked Hotch a few minutes later as they pulled apart still with broken hearts.

"No I'll be home before dinner. I'll take his game system out of his room tonight and unplug his TV. Do you want me to call the school for his work for the next two days?"

"I already got it." Emily kissed his cheek and walked to the door spotting Jack sitting in her seat. Even though he was mad she knew he wouldn't go far. And if he did most of the agents on the floor knew who he was. "See you later." She smiled half heartedly at Hotch and lefts.

-CM-CM-

By the time Emily arrived home with both kids in tow Jack was efficiently ignoring her and although Eli tried to get his big brother to play with him Jack held strong in his silence. He stomped into the house as soon as he could get out of the car and to his room slamming the door for good effect.

Emily gritted her teeth but just let it go. Instead she focused on Eli and dinner. As she started preparing the meal Eli gave up on knocking on Jack's door to play with his brother and walked into the kitchen. "Mama, why's Jack mad?"

Emily set him up on the counter top next to where she was working. "He got into some trouble at school and he's grounded because of it so he's mad at Mommy and Daddy." She explained handing him a carrot stick to snack on.

"Am I grounded too?"

"Why would you be grounded? Did you get in trouble?"

"Not I didn't." he defended quickly.

"Then you are not grounded. Thanks for being a good boy at daycare." She bent down and kissed his nose making him giggle.

"Mama?"

The endless questions made Emily smile. Eli was always the outgoing one of her boys. He wanted to know what, why and how about everything. It was that curiosity that got him into trouble quite a bit at school. "Yes sweetie?"

"Why did Jack get in trouble?"

"He hit someone and we are not allowed to hit no matter what." She said simply.

He was about to ask another question when the door bell rang out. Emily scooped Eli off the counter and went to answer. Upon opening the door Emily frowned slightly. "Mother?"

"Emily, I know I should have called first but can I come in?" Emily opened the door wider and let her guest in. Until then she had almost forgot the weird dinner they had been to a few nights ago.

Eli wiggled in her arms so she put him down and watched as he marched right up to her Mother and smiled. "Hi" his tiny voice said.

"Hello Eliot, how are you today?" the Ambassador asked.

"I'm a good boy but Jack got in trouble." He told her in all cuteness.

Elizabeth laughed while Emily gave him a raise brow. "Eli, it's not nice to go around tell people that Jack got in trouble." Eli shrugged and ran out of the room. "So what brings you by?" Emily asked motioning for her mother to have a seat on the couch.

"I was running some errands and was wondering if you would join me for dinner?"

Emily frowned deeper. She was suspicious about the real reasons behind her parent's sudden interest in her and her family. The dinner was odd and this was even odder. Since when does Elizabeth Prentiss run errands? And what is with the unplanned dinner now? Her mother must have sensed her uneasiness.

"If you have plans or something that's fine. I just wanted to get a little alone time with you."

Emily bit her lip. "Okay but I have to wait until Aaron gets home so he can stay with the boys. Would you like to join me in the kitchen?" she gave in. she still didn't understand but what was one dinner? She could give her mother that.

"I would love too." the older woman smiled and followed her daughter into the kitchen.

-CM-CM-

After Hotch got home and took over with the boys Emily and her mother made their way to a small restaurant nearby. Emily was nervous without any kids to distract the tension between the two women but she tried her best to seem calm.

They ordered and made small talk throughout the meal. It was nice but still somewhat awkward. As they finally pulled into Emily's driveway Emily turned to her mother and asked what she wanted to all night. "What is really going on? Not that I don't like seeing you but we haven't talked in years then all of a sudden you call and ask my family to dinner and today you just showed up."

"Emily, your father and I just want to be a part of your life again. I know we made some mistakes but we are trying and would love for you to do the same." Her mother said.

"But you're forgetting Mother, I did try. I tried my whole childhood to be what you wanted. I tried when I was older to understand you and even let you help plan my wedding but you…"

"I know dear and we are sorry about that and sorry we haven't been in our grandchildren's lives but we would like to now. Can you give us that?"

Emily saw the held back tears in her mother's eyes which just confused her more. Elizabeth Prentiss doesn't get emotional. Never. "I don't know" Emily said honestly. It wasn't that she didn't want her parents in her life or her children's but she didnt know if she trusted them not to hurt them like they did when she was younger.

Her parents were so busy with their careers that they ignored their daughter most of her life. Most kids have memories about things their families did together, Emily didn't. She didn't have one memory that made her fond of them. If they weren't working they were at parties with other politicians. There was not time to spend with Emily. So she learned early on how to fend for herself. Sure she had nannies that loved her and took care of her but it was different. She never had a mom and dad that went to her sports games or class graduations. Her mother didnt even come to her college graduation.

"Emily" her mother pleaded bringing Emily from her thoughts.

"We are having a small barbeque on Saturday afternoon, if you are still interested in seeing us then come." Emily decided to throw her mother a bone and if they chose not to come she would really know all this was a bluff, just them trying to clear their conscious.

"Thank you"

A/N: Are her parents up to something? Hmmm… please leave me a review!