AN: Hey all. Thanks for the great reviews. Glad you're enjoying the story. After this chapter there's two more so... Please keep reading and reviewing.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.
You should go
"Coming!" Emily called at the knock at the door. She grabbed her purse from the small table in the hall and jogged to greet the pizza boy. Checking the peephole, she sighed in frustration.
"Hi Mother," Emily sighed as she pulled open the door. Elizabeth stepped through the door and pulled her daughter into a tight hug against her will.
"Hello Emily," Elizabeth answered. She turned as Emily closed the door and handed over her coat. "I thought I'd stop in on my way to a meeting at Homeland Security."
Emily nodded and tipped her head down the hall, "Come in Mother." Heading into the kitchen, Emily watched her mother walk through to the lounge, "Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee?"
Elizabeth shook her head and smiled, "No thank you sweetheart. I just wanted to stop in and see how you were… haven't heard from you in a couple of weeks and I was getting worried."
"There's no need to be worried, Mother, I'm not planning to disappear anytime soon," Emily called out from the kitchen.
Elizabeth huffed and shook her head, "That's not what I was concerned about," she paused and looked up, watching Emily make her way into the room, "I spoke with Zachery yesterday."
Emily rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Mother..." she sighed exasperatedly, "Did you come here just to tell me you had a conversation with my son or is there something else I can help you with?" Emily stood and crossed her arms, "I'm sorry for what happened, I'm sorry that I lied to you. And I'm sorry you all had to go through that," a tear dropped down Emily's cheek and she quickly wiped it away, "But I did this for my family. For Hotch and the others, for you... and for Zac."
Elizabeth stood and made her way over to where Emily stood. Reaching up, Elizabeth gently wiped the moisture from Emily's cheek and offered her a sad smile, "Emily, you know that I realize that. And so does Zachery." She paused and squeezed her daughter's hand, "But Zachery has had his time to be angry, and now you both need to forgive."
Emily wrinkled her brow, "Who do I need to forgive?" she asked, confused at the suggestion. All she had thought for the past months was how she was the one who needed forgiving. From Zac, her parents, Hotch, and the rest of the team.
"Aaron."
Emily huffed and shook her head, "I was upset at the time, Mother. I don't hold any ill-feelings towards Aaron."
Elizabeth wrinkled her brow and eyed her daughter suspiciously, "If that were true, Emily, you wouldn't be sitting at home on a Friday night, ordering take-out." Elizabeth paused, huffing at the embarrassed look on Emily's face. She reached up and brushed a loose hair behind Emily's ear and sighed, "I may have insisted on the importance of hard work and a commitment to your job, but I never taught you how important it is to be happy, Em. I don't want you waking up in ten years time, looking back on your life, and regretting that you didn't take a chance because you were too focused on chasing monsters."
Emily was silently stunned, simply standing there while her mother leant up and kissed her on the cheek. She barely even registered her mother's voice when she said she'd let herself out. Emily wasn't sure how long she stood there on that spot, her heart beating fast in her chest, and her mind processing what her mother had said.
Before she knew what was happening, Emily was grabbing her sneakers, purse, and keys, and pulling open the door. Almost giving the poor delivery guy a heart attack, Emily rifled through her purse, handing over a $50 note, "Keep the change... I gotta go," she called out to the pizza boy. Running down the hall, pizza in hand, Emily started to think about what she might say when she got there.
"So how's the team dealing with Emily's return?" Jessie asked, glancing over at Jack playing in the sandbox, before returning her attention to her friend.
Hotch shrugged, "Everyone has reacted in completely different ways. Garcia was thrilled, and still is. Rossi was completely understanding, and has just offered to be everyone's sounding board. Reid was a little upset at first, but he's relieved that he's got his confidante back. And Morgan... well... he basically just pissed off."
Jessie nodded and turned back to watching Jack play with his new friend. "And what about you, Hotch?"
The two sat in silence, Hotch debating how much to tell Jessie. It wasn't that she would be angry if he told her about his true feelings for Emily, but Haley would always be her sister, so Hotch knew to tread carefully. "I'm... I know I did the right thing in telling Zac the truth. I guess... I just wish I could make Emily understand why I did it. It's hard for her, she hasn't been around this whole time that I've been getting to know Zac... hell I didn't even know he existed until I saw him at the cemetery." Hotch paused and cleared his throat, staring at his hands in his lap, "I guess I just wish Emily would give me the time to explain so we can put all of this behind us and move forward."
Jessi smiled and turned to look at Hotch, "So it's true?"
Hotch wrinkled his brow, "What's true?"
Jessie bit her lip, her eyes sparkling, "You really do have feelings for her."
Hotch's heart beat and his palms became sweaty, "I..." he cleared his throat, confused by the elated look on Jessie's face where he'd been expecting fear and loathing, "I think I love her."
Jessie nodded and huffed, "It's about time you owned up."
Hotch wrinkled his brow again and shook his head, turning to face Jessie, "So you're not upset? I mean... I... I figured you'd hate me."
Jessie shook her head and reached over to squeeze Hotch's hand, "Aaron, you're my brother and I love you. And I want you to be happy. And if Emily can make that happen, then go for it... that is if she wants it too." Jessie paused and frowned, "Does she?"
Hotch shrugged and shook his head, "I had thought... maybe... when I first saw her come off the plane. But now... after what happened... I just don't know anymore."
Jessie flicked her wrist, checking her watch, and bit her lip, "You should go to her."
Hotch looked over in surprise, "What are you talking about?"
Jessie shrugged and smiled, "You should go... tell her how you feel and see what she says." When Hotch gave her an incredulous look, Jessie shook her head, "No, Aaron... you've wasted all this time while she was in Europe, and now you're wasting even more. You need to tell her how you feel, before it's too late."
Hotch looked over to where his son was playing, but before he could object, Jessie spoke up again, "I can take care of Jack, get him home, get him some dinner," she assured him, "You need to go and talk to Emily."
Jessie watched proudly as Hotch's expression changed. Slowly the wrinkle in his brow eased and he grinned at her. Pulling her into a tight hug, he kissed the top of her head, "Thanks Jess." He stood and looked over at his son, deciding against interrupting his play, before he turned back to Jessie and smiled, "Wish me luck."
"Good luck," Jessie replied, smiling proudly as she watched Hotch run down the path and out of the park in the direction of the house. As she sat back in the seat, Jessie smiled and waved at Jack, the young boy waving back and grinning. She sighed and wondered how all of this would turn out, whether Hotch would have his friend again, or maybe something more.
