The Little Things – 26

Authors Note: I'm glad you guys liked the last few parts. Can you believe I'm already on chapter 26? That's a huge shock to me... first because I suck at writing long stories, but this is a first and I'm really enjoying it. I hope you guys are, too.

I've been getting 9 reviews on the last two parts, which don't get me wrong, It's amazing and I thank all of you for that, but the parts before that I has about 13. I just like the feedback, so if you get the time, just leave a review. I don't care how long the review is and if you only say 'I think it was great', I'm completely fine with that! Like I said, feedback is good. It keeps me motivated.

I've been focusing on a lot of Jack and Avery lately, so I thought I'd start with focusing a little more on the relationship between Emily and Hotch and how that's going to go.

I hope you like the route I start taking it in.

And there was an anonymous reviewer that reviewed every part with the name 'JJ1', so i'd just like to thank that person for that!

AND

Please don't forget to REVIEW!

"How are you doing? How are you feeling?" she asked as she pulled her close to her chest after Avery calmed down and realized where she was. Emily pulled away and moved her hair behind her ear. Avery nodded and swallowed.

"Where's Jack?" she asked, Emily looked up at Hotch. "I want to see Jack." Avery said again.

"I'll go get him." Hotch said before walking away, Emily looked back over to Avery.

"How are you feeling sweetie?" Emily asked, Avery looked at her.

"Can I talk to Jack please..." Avery asked, Emily nodded, she stood up and walked over to the door. She wasn't quite sure why Avery was acting like that and wouldn't talk to her, but understood that Jack went through it with her and it would be easier to talk to him to begin with. Jack walked over to the room and looked at Emily before walking in past her, Emily let out a sigh and walked over a few steps to where Hotch was.

"Jack will talk to her..." Hotch assured her, Emily nodded with a sigh.

"I just wish she'd talk to me.."

Jack walked in the room, hearing the door shut behind him as he walked over to Avery who was still sitting up in the bed. She was looking out the window at the lights, Jack reached out and put his hand over hers as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Jack!" Avery exclaimed as she hugged him tight. "I'm so glad you're okay!" she said as he hugged her back, Avery let go and looked at him.

"I'm glad you're okay.." Jack told her as he sat down on the chair. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he pulled the chair closer to the bed.

"I just feel tired..." she said as she looked down at her hands, then back up. "Who was it? How did I get here?" she asked, Jack let out a sigh and looked to the right on the floor. "I don't remember anything, Jack. I need to know what happened." she said, Jack ran his hand through his hair. "What happened to your wrists?" she exclaimed as she grabbed his hand.

"I broke out of a rope that was tied around my hands, they started to bleed so it's just bandages, you have marks on your wrists from ropes too..." Jack said, Avery looked at the faint marks on her wrists. "They'll go away in a couple days."

"And yours wont..." Avery mumbled with guilt in her voice.

"I did what I did because I had to save you Avery, don't feel guilty because of it. Or think that it's your fault, because it's not." Jack told her, Avery let out a sigh.

"Who was it?" Avery asked, Jack sighed and looked at her. "Why wont you tell me?"

"Because, Avery... it's a long story. If I just tell you who it is, you'll be confused." Jack said, Avery looked at him with tears starting to form in her eyes. "His name was Evan Foyet.." Jack started to explain. "A couple years before you were born there was a serial killer that targeted my father, my mother and me... he killed my mother and my dad killed him before he could come after me.. Evan was his son." Jack explained, Avery nodded.

"What's gonna happen to Evan?" she asked, Jack looked at her.

"All I know is that he's okay to jail.. I don't know for how long..." he said, Avery nodded and looked down. Jack watched her as she looked at him.

"Thank you.." Avery said as she looked at him, Jack smiled.

"You're welcome." he said with a smile.

x x x

"Don't forget we have to get up early to do your homework!" Emily called as Avery ran upstairs, two days later the doctor said it was okay for her to be released because she was hydrated again. Avery was feeling great, she was really excited to be in her own bed. "I'll be up in a couple minutes!" Emily said as she put her stuff down on the counter. "Thanks for driving us home..." Emily said, the night before she slept at the hospital, the only time she actually left the hospital room was to go to the bathroom, let alone going home. She didn't want to leave Avery's side. JJ even got clothes, for both of them.

"Anytime," Hotch smiled as pulled out two wine glasses, Hotch raised his eyebrows.

"Don't tell me you don't have enough time to hang out and have a drink?" Emily asked. "We have a lot to talk about..." she said as she poured the two glasses.

"I know," Hotch said, Emily smiled.

"Make yourself at home," Emily said, Hotch smiled and walked over to the couch, Emily followed behind him with the wine glasses, she sat down while handing him one and taking a sip of hers before setting it on the table. The glass was now half as full when she just poured it, Hotch chuckled as he put his glass down. "You don't know how long I've been dying to have some wine," Emily said, the last time she had a glass of while or alcohol alone was more than 6 days ago, and over the past 3 days was when she needed it most.

"I know what you mean." he said, Emily smiled.

"So... Foyet had a son?" Emily asked, still completely shocked herself, I mean, a son? Hotch nodded with a sigh as he set the glass on the table.

"We were all shocked, too. None of us saw it coming, but it wasn't even his son..."

"Right, or else he wouldn't have put him in that huge life or death situation..." Emily said with a nod. "He messed up though..." Emily said, otherwise his job would have been complete with Jack dead, and because Avery didn't exist then, it just would have been an extra bonus for Evan. "He was taught by Foyet... so why didn't he complete his task like Foyet?" she asked him.

"A lot of inconvenient things that threw him off his game." Hotch said with a smile, Emily raised her eyebrows.

"Care to elaborate?" she asked, Hotch nodded.

"He was planning on taking Jack 2 weeks ago, the anniversary of his death, but then things didn't go as planned, Jack started staying out later at the library, so he had to change plans, then when he finally got used to Jack getting back late, Avery came along and he knew he couldn't wait any longer." Hotch said, Emily nodded.

"So he panicked and took them both? That could be why he gave her Rohypnol, he's not used to kids.. especially one who bites, kicks and screams... he knocked Jack out and if it were just him, that would have been enough, but Avery made the risk of getting caught go up..." Emily said, Hotch nodded.

"Exactly." he said. "The second thing that threw him off his game was when JJ answered the phone the second time he called, I instructed her to tell him that I was out getting food and she had no idea when I'd be back. Portraying me as someone who could care less, which made him angry. He would have gotten off by watching me fall apart, just like Foyet." he explained, Emily nodded. "And he was about to shoot Avery..." he continued. "Jack said the bullet in the revolver was a dud..." he said, watching her looked down.

"And if it wasn't she would be dead.." Emily said.

"He saved her though." he said, Emily nodded.

"I know, and I thanked him for that. I can't believe he risked his life that much..." Emily said as she shook her head. "How are his wrists? Still cut up?"

"They're starting to heal..." Hotch said, Emily nodded. "He's still telling me that they hurt, and they certainly look like they do. I offered for him to stay home from school the past couple days and he insisted on going back, he already caught himself up with all the work..." Hotch stopped himself before he started to blab more then he should have been.

"I'm glad he's taking it well..." Emily said.

"How about Avery? Is she taking it well?" Hotch asked, Emily sighed.

"She wont talk about it.. to me anyway... she's fine with talking to Jack for some reason..." Emily said as she took another sip of wine, she was confused about it herself and wished Avery would talk to her.

"That's understandable under the circumstances.." Hotch offered, trying to make her feel better, knowing by the look on her face the way she was feeling.

"I know, but... every time I ask her about it she either asks if we don't talk about it or she just stares at the TV and pretends like she didn't hear me..." Emily explained, Hotch sighed.

"Maybe we should get her to talk to someone..." he said, Emily shook her head.

"No, you know how I feel about psychologists... it's like being profiled like a criminal. But with them it's a whole different ball game." Emily said, Hotch sighed.

"I know," Hotch said, he felt the same way about psychologists. "Maybe there's someone both Avery and Jack can talk to, not necessarily a psychologist, maybe a social worker that has dealt with children who've had traumatic things happen to them... it wouldn't have to be a regular thing as long as Avery opens up." Hotch said, Emily bit her lip. "I can start looking around and see if anyone has someone in mind. If they're not the best I'll keep looking. I just don't want Avery to keep it bottled up..."

"I know..." Emily nodded. "Thanks.." she said, Hotch smiled and nodded. "Did anyone say something about what happened? Like ask questions?" she asked.

"No... they didn't, but I know they want to know..." Hotch said, Emily nodded.

"Maybe we should get a drink with them after work tomorrow and tell them... I mean, they just found out about Avery and that she's your daughter and more importantly mine, I think they deserve an explanation..." Emily said, Hotch nodded.

"So do I." he said, Emily let out a sigh.

"I just started this job less than 3 months ago and I was already held at gun point and my daughter already got locked up in a school by an unsub and kidnapped..." she said as she let out a groan.

"Don't forget the getting stuck in a ditch thing," Hotch added with a chuckle, Emily nodded.

"Right." she laughed with him, after a long laugh shared between both of them, they just stopped when their eyes met. Neither of them could tell how long they were actually looking at each other until they heard a door shut and Avery walking downstairs, they both looked at her quickly and acted as if nothing happened. "Is something wrong?" Emily asked quickly, Avery gave her a confused look.

"I'm getting water..." she said before walking to the fridge and grabbing a water bottle.

"I'd better get going." Hotch said as he stood up. "I'll see you later Avery..." he said, Avery nodded as she hugged him.

"Thanks for saving me for the second time, dad! Even though I'm sure you would have even if you didn't work for the FBI." she said, Hotch smiled.

"You know I would have." Avery smiled. "We should get together and do something on Saturday if you guys aren't busy.." he said as he looked at Emily.

"Yeah!" Avery exclaimed. "I've been dying to go to the batting cages that just opened up down the street from JJ's!" she said as she looked at Emily.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow, you have to go to bed though." Emily said, Avery pouted.

"Night dad." she said as she walked towards the stairs, Emily raised her eyebrows. "Mom." she said bluntly as she walked upstairs, Hotch chuckled while Emily looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"That is so not funny. She's a brat."

"No she's not, she's clearly joking." Hotch said, Emily rolled her eyes.

"Goodnight, Aaron." she said as she walked towards him as he walked towards the door.

"See you tomorrow." he chuckled as he walked out and Emily shut the door and rolled her eyes with a smile as she walked up to talk to Avery before she went to bed. She heard a knock at the door 15 minutes later, she opened it, wondering who it could be.

"Hey.. I hope you don't mind that I stopped by..." JJ said as she stood at the door, Emily squinted her eyebrows, her hair was wet from the light rain and was starting to get a slight wave to it. Her voice sounded quieter then normal, not as happy as it usually did.

"Not at all..." Emily said as she moved out of the way. "Come in..." she said, JJ nodded and walked in. "It's late... where's Henry?" she asked.

"I dropped him off at a friends house... superintendence day at the middle school.." JJ said as she walked over to the kitchen.

"You thirsty? You want something to drink?" she asked, JJ nodded. "Water?" she nodded again as Emily grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and set it on the table, JJ was now sitting on the stool and Emily sat across from her as she took a sip. "JJ..." she said as JJ looked up and gulped while sniffing in. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asked, JJ nodded as she looked up and tried to force back the tears.

"Will's not coming back..." she said, Emily looked at her.

"What?"

"He's not coming back." JJ said as she looked at her, Emily could see the water rimming her eyes.

"How?" Emily asked, not meaning to ask that, she was just shocked, she didn't know how to ask. "What did he say?" Emily rephrased it, JJ sighed.

"He just called and told me he wasn't coming back..." JJ said, Emily reached out and grabbed her hand. "Not like that," JJ said. "He just told me he was much happier there and that he wasn't coming back for a while... I mean, I don't know how long a while is.. it could mean another month.. another two months... a year." JJ explained.

"Well I don't think it really matters." Emily said, JJ looked at her. "Whether he's not coming back for another two months or a year, he's happier when he's there and not with his family? His son?" Emily asked, JJ sighed.

"I know..." she said. "I mean... I get that he might not be happy, but we had a son together and he didn't hesitate to leave New Orleans and come sacrifice his job and life down there for me, and for this to just happen all of a sudden... It makes no sense..."

"Why are you sad right now?" Emily asked, JJ gave her a confused look. "Answer the question..." she didn't mean to sound as forceful as it did, but she needed the answer.

"Because of Henry... I haven't even told him yet, how do I tell him something like this? 'Oh, I'm sorry Henry, you're father decided to be an ass and take off on us'?" Emily sighed.

"Did he say anything about Spencer?" she asked.

"No..." JJ said as she thought. "All he said was 'I know you'll be happy and that's all that matters to me right now'..." JJ said, Emily sighed.

"I know why he thought it was okay to leave..." Emily said, JJ looked up. "He thinks you already moved on and it makes him feel better about leaving." JJ sighed.

"So It's my fault?"