We're Family
Disclaimer: CBS owns Criminal Minds...
Summary: Emily and her mother battle it out over Emily's engagement to Hotch...
A/N: Here's another unrelated chapter in this series. It was one of my favorites. Enjoy.
On a side-note my Grandmother passed away on 9/27 and it's been really hard to focus on my writing, I'm sure that I will continue to post but I'm not sure if it will be daily. We'll see how it goes with how I'm feeling especially since I'm working on two epics at the moment.
Thanks for reading, do remember to leave a review on your way out...
Charles Bukowski said, "You begin saving the world by saving one person at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics."
Emily groaned as she slammed her cell phone down and Hotch looked up at her with concerned eyes.
"What is it?" Hotch asked as she covered her eyes while rubbing her head "What's wrong?"
"My mother" Emily stated causing Hotch to grimace at the tone of her voice.
Trying to suppress the urge to roll his eyes, he grabbed her waist pulling her close to him, "What has she done now?"
Emily sighed as she looked up at him as he rubbed her back, "She's gone completely overboard with our wedding plans. She's invited close to three hundred people."
"What?" Hotch asked shocked looking down at her, "Is she insane? Do we even know three hundred people?"
Rolling her eyes, "That's just her political associates and friends."
"Dear God" Hotch groaned out "This wasn't what we wanted."
"No it's not" Emily agreed, "I would have been happy getting married at Dave's beach house just with our friends and family but no, mother has to make it a social function."
"Did you try talking to her?" Hotch asked.
Looking up at him in disbelief, "What the heck do you think we were arguing on the phone about? I told her to cut the list down to half, and she practically tore my head off saying that was just the first batch."
"First batch?" Hotch repeated, "What the hell does that mean?"
"Those are just the people who are on the 'must invite list' then there's the social obligation of sending out invites to high-ranking officials and their families, she even sent ones out to Strauss, the SecNav, the Directors of the FBI, CIA, NCIS and Interpol."
"God, this is will be a security clearance nightmare," Hotch said feeling a tension headache coming on, "We don't even have a enough man power to keep everyone safe and she's just adding on to it?"
Emily groaned, "She's making this all about her instead of us."
Pulling her close to him, "Lets just focus on us now, we'll deal with her later, ok?"
"Ok" Emily said nodding her head as she felt him kiss her forehead.
"Emily Prentiss open this door immediately" Emily looked over at the door, with a raised eyebrow, shaking her head.
"I'm counting to five." the voice ordered loudly, "You hear me talking to you?"
Emily nodded her head from her spot on the couch.
"One, two..." the voice said louder, "Two and a half..."
Emily held up three fingers mouthing along with the voice, "Three."
Hotch walked out of the bedroom, "Are you going to let her sit out there all night?"
"Hmm. Look at that..." Emily said shaking her Magic Eight ball "All signs point to yes."
Rubbing the back of his head, "You can't just ignore her for forever."
"Why not?" Emily asked "I'm good at it."
"Emily..." Hotch said in an exacerbated manner, "I'm going to open the door so we can end this all right now."
Emily's eyes widened in horror, "See you know this is how things always end bad in those horror movies."
Hotch shot her an amused grin as he opened the door, to an angry Elizabeth Prentiss.
"Thank God one of you has some common sense" Elizabeth said as she barged her way in, heading towards the couch "What has gotten into you?"
Hotch closed the door behind Elizabeth, "Hello, Elizabeth. Nice to see you too."
Elizabeth turned around gave him a look then turned her attention back towards Emily, "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"What?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow, "Oh you mean the storming out of the wedding planners? Yeah, I'm not apologizing for that."
Hotch held in the smirk, as Elizabeth kept her eyes trained on her defiant daughter.
"Emily Prentiss" Elizabeth said, "I did not raise you to be rude, disrespectful or insolent."
"Nope, you sure didn't. That'd be the maids, the nannies and the butlers." Emily replied back, "But you need to hear me when I tell you this. This is mine and Aaron's wedding, not yours. So do us all a favor and just back off."
Elizabeth's jaw dropped in shock, "Excuse me? I'm only..."
"No mother, you're not 'only' anything." Emily replied "So this is what's going to happen, you're out of the planning. My bridesmaids aren't taking over either. This is what I want, my choices are these: you either support what we want or you don't come."
Emily looked over at Hotch who grinned at that. She finally stood up to her mother. He'd never been prouder of her then that moment.
Emily glanced up at her mother and didn't see hurt or anger only surprise.
"All right then" Elizabeth said schooling her features, "If that's what you want, then I'll hold my tongue."
Emily raised her eyebrow skeptically, and looked over at the relieved Hotch scoffing, "Huh, really?"
Elizabeth sighed, "Yes, Emily really. Just because I am a tad overbearing doesn't mean that I'm lacking compassion."
"Thank you, Elizabeth" Hotch said, "It really means a lot to Emily and me."
Elizabeth turned giving Hotch a look of dismissal then turned her attention back to Emily, "Now tell me about..."
Emily tossed the Magic Eight ball down, giving her mother a look, "Stop it."
"What?" Elizabeth asked shocked by the hostility in Emily's tone "What now?"
"Your dismissive attitude with Aaron stops now" Emily said, "He's not some employee that you can just wave off. He's my fiancée, he's my family and he is the father of any future grandchildren you have. And I will not tolerate you disrespecting him anymore. Got it?"
"Emily..." Hotch began softly, "Who cares what your mother thinks?"
Elizabeth shot a look between the couple and opened her mouth to speak only for Emily to cut her off.
"I do" Emily said loudly getting off the couch, "You're my fiancée and I won't tolerate anyone being disrespectful to you. Especially her."
"Emily..." Elizabeth started only to see the look Emily gave her mother.
"Mother" Emily told her, "I mean it, just stop it. You're not the Ambassador Prentiss here, you're just my mother, and Aaron's mother-in-law."
"Yes I know isn't it wonderful?" Elizabeth muttered looking at her daughter, "I'm trying Emily, I really am. I just need you to meet me halfway."
"Meet you halfway?" Emily said, trying to maintain her composure "I have always tried to meet you halfway mother..."
Hotch grabbed Emily by the shoulders, leading her to the kitchen area, "We'll be right back."
Pulling her to him, "Shh... It's ok, Emily."
"The hell it is" Emily muttered, "She needs to either lose the attitude or leave, because if she opens her mouth one more time, I swear you'll end up arresting me for her murder."
Hotch chuckled, "I don't doubt that. But for the sake of saving you from a life behind bars, lets just let her say whatever she wants to so she can get the hell out of here."
Hotch pulled her into a kiss, "I love you and everything that comes with it. Including your control freak mother."
Emily tightened her arms around Hotch, "I love you baby, and I swear when we have kids, she won't watch them or Jack."
Hotch kissed her forehead, "Like I'd let her be near our children without supervision."
Walking back into the living room, Hotch held Emily close to his side, Elizabeth turned around to look at them.
"Well what's the verdict?" Elizabeth asked, "Am I being shipped off on an iceberg like an elderly Eskimo or am I still invited to the wedding?"
Emily inhaled as she looked up at Hotch, "You're still invited to the wedding, but it's not going to be at the Carlisle Estates, it's going to be at Dave Rossi beach house. The only politician that will be there is you and by no means does this include Strauss."
Elizabeth turned to look over at the big windows, "All right. I understand if that's what you want."
Emily exhaled while Hotch rubbed his hand up and down her back, "And about treating Aaron with respect?"
Elizabeth sighed as she turned around to look at them, "All right, I'll try."
Emily looked up at Hotch, who nodded. "Good."
Turning around to rest on the couch, "Just hope he could treat me with the same courtesy..."
Emily went to charge at her mother but Hotch held on to her waist holding tightly and shook his head.
"Of course" Hotch replied in a polite tone, then whispered to Emily, "Just countdown the minutes and remember she's family."
"Emily?" Elizabeth said, "Where's the crystal vase I sent you for your last birthday? I don't see it, it would really offset the living room..."
"Son of a bitch" Emily muttered, "Mother."
"Aaron?" Elizabeth said, "Do you intend for Emily to continue on at the Bureau after the two of you marry? Or will she be relegated to a life as a mother and housewife like your first wife?"
Hotch's face paled at the mention of that, he hadn't discussed that part of their future but he'd agree to whatever Emily wanted as long as they had children together.
Elizabeth looked up and saw the look on Emily's face, "That's it, out. I can smile and grin through the political functions you dragged me to over the years, hold polite conversations with the sleazy sons of all your associates. I can even handle you criticizing my home but I draw the line with Aaron and the insults. Now out, go."
"Emily..." Elizabeth said, "I honestly don't mean anything by it..."
"Save it, mother" Emily said, "As for the invite to the wedding, you're still invited but as for any nice social visits, lets leave that for holidays and birthdays only."
Walking to the door, she opened it, "Goodbye, mother."
Elizabeth stood up and walked to the door, pausing as she stood before Emily, "I love you, Emily."
"I love you too, mother." Emily said as she closed the door as Elizabeth left.
Turning around she looked at Hotch, who wore a morose look on his face she said, "I'm sorry."
Emily exhaled her breath, "God that felt great. I haven't felt that good in years."
Hotch gave her a cheeky grin, "Oh really?"
Emily leaned against the door wearing a coy look on his face, "Don't be jealous, it's a different kind of good."
Walking towards her, "Are you ok?"
Nodding, "I swear that felt wonderful."
Opening her arms to him as he pulled her to him walking backwards to the couch, and pulled her down on top of him.
"I love you, Aaron and I am so sorry about my mother." Emily told him.
Hotch kissed her, "I love you too, sweetie. Even with your crazy mother, you're worth it."
Wrapping his arms around her, he watched as she nuzzled her head against his chest.
"Don't worry, Emily" Hotch said kissing her, "Your mother maybe scary but she can't scare me away."
"Good" Emily said taking her hand in his "Because that I would definitely kill her for."
Hotch chuckled as he kissed her hair, then sighed, "Mm I could just picture you in the women's shower... Ow."
Emily smirked at his wince of pain, "Serves you right, pig."
Mark Twain said "Adam was the luckiest man; he had no mother-in-law."
THE END
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