Don't own Criminal Minds.
Chapter 10: Profiling the Children
"Aaron, stop profiling the children," Ashley whispered amusedly, bumping shoulders congenially with him. Aaron cleared his throat, but couldn't help the equally amused half smile that graced his features.
It wasn't that he was purposefully trying to profile the children; it was just that they were acting so peculiarly. The usual exuberant gleefulness had been turned into a methodical pseudo-seriousness. He had the sneaking suspicion, alright it wasn't sneaking or a suspicion but plain out the determination of the obvious, that his son and his accomplice were trying to pair their parents up.
It didn't take an elite FBI profiler to realize that the two were trying to set them up. The children were continually walking on the outside and he knew for sure that his son was bumping him into Ashley. He had no doubt that Ashley was getting the same treatment on her side, because she would look over at him with a small, knowing smile. When the children were in front of them, they would occasionally throw back what Aaron would have to assume were supposed to be furtive looks but were just blatant stares and unmanageable titters. What worried him was the obvious hopefulness in his son's eyes directed at the young mother. Sophia had a similar look, but it was cast at Jack and not in his direction. This Aaron was thankful for; a childhood crush he could deal with but parental want was more difficult and heart-wrenching.
"I think it's kind of sweet," She said to him as the children chattered animatedly about what exhibit they wanted to visit next, but still keeping an eye on their parents' progression. She obviously hadn't seen Jack's unmitigated want or she didn't see the issue in it. He wanted to caution her, but he wasn't sure against what. The children's argument interrupted Aaron's thoughts. Jack wanted to see the pandas, but Sophia was adamant about going to the birdhouse immediately.
"Well, I'm with Jack," Ashley said as she reached for Jack's hand, "Come on Jack, let's blow this popsicle stand." Ashley proceeded to skip and Jack looked at his dad for a brief moment before clasping her hand tightly and skipping along with her elatedly.
"Mom, it's a cotton candy stand," Sophia huffed exasperatedly, but as she watched them skip the little girl let out a giggle and looked at Aaron. Aaron chuckled with her and then gave her a serious look before he addressed her.
"Well, Miss Sophia, we better go make sure they don't fall in and get chomped on like bamboo." He said using his exaggerated agent voice. She smiled at him and they followed the two maniacs slower. Halfway to the panda exhibit, Aaron felt a sticky hand slide into his. He looked down at her and she looked away quickly trying to look anywhere but at him and he squeezed her hand gently. She relaxed visibly and held his hand tighter. He knew she must be dolefully missing a father-figure in her life. Sophia had asked him on the car ride over why he was making Morgan work so much. He hadn't let his confusion show; their caseload had been relatively light lately. When he had glanced at Ashley, she hadn't been able to hide her wince and shame at the question. She had bit her lip noticeably and rapidly blinked. He prided himself on trying not to discuss or involve personal matters in the office, but this seemed to cry for a clarification. He felt that he needed to set Morgan right to help this little girl and maybe benefit the woman who he was now beginning to consider a friend.
When Sophia and Aaron arrived at the panda exhibit, they saw Ashley and Jack chatting animatedly. Jack was waving his arms and pointing at the pandas. Aaron wasn't quite sure why Jack had an obsession with the bamboo-eating animal, but he did and obviously he wasn't the only one. Ashley was pressed closely to the fence and smiling as largely as Jack.
"They're just lazy bears that eat bamboo," Sophia whined as they approached the two.
"Actually, they're probably the least lazy bears," Jack stated, eyes not straying from the panda munching bamboo, "They don't hibernate like most bears."
"And you be nice or they might come out and eat you," Ashley teased her daughter tickling Sophia lightly.
"They're vegetarians, Mom." Sophia drawled.
"Actually, they're carnivores who happen to eat bamboo," Jack replied.
"Jack, how do you know so much about pandas?" Aaron asked amusedly.
"Mom used to read me LittlePandaat night when we were away because it was about a mom leaving but always coming back. She would read it to me when I missed you. I liked it so much, so then mom bought me more books about pandas and we would read them all the time. Mom said pandas were her favorite, too." Jack's response was succinct and he smiled slightly at Aaron. Ashley looked down on the little boy and pulled him into her side and squeezed tightly.
"Obviously, your mom was pretty awesome, because pandas are the greatest. She was a smart lady." Ashley said trying to lighten the mood and keep the day happy.
"Yeah, she was." Aaron and Jack said together and then shared a slight grin. Then Jack turned back around to look at the pandas.
"I guess they're not as boring as I thought," Sophia said softly and joined Jack leaning over the fence. She listened enraptured as Jack listed all the facts about pandas.
"I should've known about that." Aaron said.
"O, shut up, seriously stop beating yourself up or I will have to beat you up." Ashley said hip-checking him softly. Aaron snorted at her.
"I'd like to see you try." He responded.
"O, Agent Hotchner, I am very wily."
"Is that so? Maybe, I need you on my team."
"Yeah right, I couldn't pass that test if you trained me." She replied and they both laughed.
"I thought you said you were wily."
"Yeah, wily, but not strong." She said grinning, "Plus what exactly would you need an English teacher for."
"You obviously underestimate the torture that is a grammar lesson." She looked at him and let a whooping laugh at his unexpected joke and rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious," he dead-panned.
"Remembering is painful, it's difficult, but it can be inspiring and it can give wisdom." - Paul Greengrass