Disclaimer: I own nothing; everything belongs to its rightful owners.

AN: Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read and/or review my stories, it really means the world to me! And a BIG special thank you goes to my amazing beta reader, the wonderful greeneyedconstellations!

.

XXV

.

.

-A Moment Of Truth-

(The Color In Anything/June 2011)

.

.

She's nine months pregnant when her mother shows up on her doorstep. No, not hers. It's their house, Aaron and hers, a three-story home, too spacious for a family of five, even though Emily still feels cramped.

"So it is true then," her mother declares instead of greeting her, eyes on Emily's round stomach. "Imagine my surprise when my housekeeper congratulated me on becoming a grandmother."

Emily has to hold back a groan. "Why are you here?" she asks, stepping backwards to let her mother in, wishing she never answered the door in the first place.

"I came to see for myself."

"You could have just called me."

"Would you have told me the truth if I had?" Elizabeth prompts, and Emily has to admit she has a point. Closing the door, she briefly shuts her eyes and silently counts to ten before turning around to face her mother's questioning stare.

"Go ahead, tell me what you think, but just so you know, I already know I fucked up." The bitterness is evident in her voice, but Emily can't help it. She's never felt so frustrated.

"I figure it wasn't a planned pregnancy."

"You think?" Emily spits angrily, and regrets it immediately. She takes a breath, reminding herself to stay calm. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired," she murmurs apologetically, moving past her mother to make her way back into the living room.

"You should at least try and act like you're happy."

"Because that worked so well for you?" Emily mocks while lowering herself onto the couch, trying her best to find a comfortable sitting position.

"You're having twins?" There's a hint of surprise in her mother's voice and Emily follows her gaze, remembering only then that Aaron had left the twin-stroller they bought out on the patio last night.

"Yeah," Emily mutters reluctantly, and watches with a growing unease as her mother pulls her checkbook out of her purse. "What are you doing? I don't need your money."

"Consider it a wedding gift."

Emily frowns, wondering how her mother could know about the wedding until she remembers the still unfamiliar ring on her finger.

"We didn't celebrate; it was just Aaron and me." She's not sure why she feels the need to point that out, especially to her mother, but Elizabeth doesn't even blink.

"Is it Emily Hotchner then?" she asks unaffectedly, and Emily slowly shakes her head.

"No, only the kids will have his last name. I kept mine."

"You got married for your children then," her mother notes, a strange undertone in her voice Emily can't make sense of. "Like mother, like daughter," Elizabeth murmurs when she hands Emily the check.

Emily considers giving it back when she sees the amount, but whether she likes to admit it or not, she knows they're going to need it. She hasn't told anyone yet, not even Aaron, but she won't go back to the BAU.

"Maybe I'll just leave when they're born," she blurts without thinking, the ugly truth spilling from her lips before she can stop herself. "Aaron wanted them," she mutters, the words harsh, but true. "He might as well take care of them."

There's the sharp intake of breath, followed by a long pause before her mother answers: "You don't mean that, Emily."

"How would you know?" Emily chuckles, amused at how certain her mother seems to be. "You have no idea who I am. You never cared because you never wanted to have me either."

"That's not true."

Emily scoffs, more hurt than angry. "You have a really weird way of showing it."

There's another pause, an uncomfortable silence settling between them, and Emily's sure her mother's going to leave. Not that Emily could blame her. Not even Aaron could stand her sudden mood swings anymore.

But instead of leaving, her mother steps closer, her gaze never breaking. "It's too late for me to change, Emily, but maybe it's not too late for you. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Despite what I may have taught you, love doesn't make you weak."

"I regret a lot of things, Emily," Elizabeth adds. "But having you isn't one of them."

.

Emily keeps sitting on the couch long after her mother has left, her hands carefully laid on her pregnant belly until she feels a familiar twinge from inside.

For the first time it makes her smile.

.

.

.

Disclaimer: I own nothing; everything belongs to its rightful owners.