The Face of Love Chapter Twenty-Four
"True love doesn't happen right away; it's an ever-growing process. It develops after you've gone through many ups and downs, when you've suffered together, cried together, laughed together." Ricardo Montalban
It had been seven years since the infamous year Ian Doyle had come and attempted to shatter his family. For a long time, Aaron Hotchner really thought that he had because during the following months after his Doyle's death, he and Emily started having more and more issues, and staying separated was discussed. At some point, Aaron thought they would never recover from what Doyle had caused, and he became resigned to the idea of taking a separate path from the love of his life. Maybe if they stayed separated, it would be best for their children, so they really discussed finalizing the divorce and moving on. But their love was too strong and they stayed together. During this time, Emily finally opened up about the trauma of being violated by Ian Doyle, and he reassured her that he didn't blame her and that he now loved her even more. They sought the help of a family counselor, since they all needed to be able to move past the nightmare, including Violet, who had been held captive. Once they were able to healthily open up to each other, a bigger issue arose. Intimacy had become a struggle; Emily didn't want to be touched for a while after her encounter with Doyle, and Aaron fully understood why. He supported her, and as much as it pained him not to be able to touch her, he understood her feelings and made sure to keep his hands to himself unless she wanted to be touched. It took a long time for Emily to allow him to come near her, so cold showers became a regular thing. But, one evening they came home from dinner, and she was more affectionate, and they slowly made their way up to their bedroom, having the house to themselves. Hotch was eager, but he was wary so after he asked her if she was fine every five minutes, she finally giggled and told him she just wanted to be with him. Life slowed down after that night, and by the end of the year, they could not keep their hands off each other. Even after seven years, he could barely keep his hands off his wife.
So, when the current director of the FBI parked his car in the driveway later than he was supposed to, he knew he was in deep shit. He was supposed to be home by noon that afternoon to help Emily with dinner; it was Christmas Eve and the Hotchner's were hosting dinner at their home. He wasn't supposed to work today, he was supposed to stay home and help Emily with the kids and spend the day with his family, then they were going to have a great evening with his friends. It was now almost six in the evening; he was not only late but he was a dead man. When he walked into his house, the smell of dinner and pine quickly greeted him. Somehow, that only made him feel worse, it could only mean Emily had been cooking all day…yup, he was in deep shit. The ten-foot Norway-Spruce-style Christmas tree was already lit giving their home a beautiful glow. He dropped his briefcase down by the door and headed inside. He spotted his seventeen-year-old son in the dining room setting the table already dressed for dinner. How had his beautiful little boy become a young man escaped him. He would be going to college soon, and Hotch didn't want to think about that, he could only be grateful that Jack was very mature and responsible instead of being a rebellious teenager.
"Hey," He greeted his son approaching him.
"Hey, I'm glad you made it, Emily is going to kill you!" Jack stated while carefully placing silverware on the red Christmas napkins.
"Don't even.…" Aaron said, shaking his head. "Where is everyone?"
"Upstairs trying to get ready." Jack explained. "Everyone is going to be here soon, and no one is even ready, Violet is still well…being Violet, and Emily is going nuts…did I mention she is going to kill you?" Jack teased.
"I'll handle Violet, please finish setting the table." He said, heading upstairs and hoping his wife wasn't as mad as he thought she would be. He really should have gotten home earlier, but he was the director now and going home whenever he wanted was no longer an option…even on Christmas Eve.
As he made it to the top of the stairs, a sight of curly black hair and a naked ivory butt caught his attention. He saw his three-year-old son rushing into his room laughing hysterically; even though he was identical to his brother, Hotch knew Dylan's laughter even from far away.
When Emily told him, she was pregnant with twins, he couldn't believe it, as if things could get any better. Life had been busy, and he was grateful for his family. But the twins' addition to the family was just the cherry on the top, he couldn't ask for more. Dylan and Matteo had been a blessing in disguise, especially after Emily had left the FBI to go teach at Georgetown. The house was busier than ever and even with two toddlers running around the house all day, he couldn't care less. Before going to check on the twins, Hotch made a quick stop at the first door…his daughter's room.
Violet was lying on her stomach in her pajamas watching TV completely unbothered by the fact that in a few minutes their guests would be arriving.
"Violet, why are you not ready?" Her father asked, trying to keep his tone calm.
He had gotten lucky with Jack and the twins; Jack was the most self-reliant mature kid and he was so proud of him…his grades were excellent and he was always helping around the house when he wasn't staying over at his mother's house. He was a huge help when the twins were born, and Emily was losing her mind. The twins, even though they were toddlers and as mischievous as kids could be, he could already see their personalities forming. Matteo was like him, he liked peace and quiet and he enjoyed his time alone. He never really cried much and was a complete mama's boy, he followed Emily around wherever she went. Dylan was more expressive and he loved to play and voice his opinion, but he was a sweet-natured boy, and Hotch could already see him growing out of the toddler phase and turning out just as quiet as Jack was.
Violet, on the other hand, was the epitome of rebellion and defiance, a mini version of Emily ready to drive him to the madhouse. She liked to form her own opinions and as such, she had to question everything her parents asked her to do, including their suggestions about her attire, the rules of the house, what she should eat for dinner, and as she often stated, her privacy. She was beautiful and full of mischief, and Aaron could already see the gray hairs she would give him as soon as she started her teen years. As a preteen, she was already hard enough to handle, she was doing great in school, but there had been a few incidents where she had refused to do as her teachers said just because she didn't agree with them. It was a constant battle with her, he and Emily tried to be as patient as they could with her, but sometimes she really gave her parents a run for their money.
"Hi, daddy." The girl said without moving her eyes from the television.
"Sweetie, dinner is going to start soon, I need you to get ready, please."
Violet rolled her eyes giving him an unimpressed look.
"It's not like the president is coming." she puffed her cheeks out looking so much like her mother it scared him. "It's just family and I'm sure they won't care whether I wear pajamas or not."
"Maybe they won't, but I definitely do, get ready now, Violet." He said more firmly, and his daughter sighed dramatically and rolled off the bed.
"I don't even like Christmas anyway." She stated, walking into her closet making her father's head hurt. Don't let her turn sixteen, please, God.
He continued walking down the hallway and stepped into the next room…. the twin's room, and found Matteo peacefully lying on the bed watching a movie. He was already dressed for dinner, and he sat quietly against their dog. Hotch had gotten the stupid hairy thing before the kids were born when Emily had wanted a dog to guard Violet and the family. The German Shepherd was proudly guarding his three-year-old, the dog and Matteo where inseparable. Hotch smiled going over to the bed and kissing his son's forehead.
"Hi, daddy." The kid said still distracted by his movie.
"Hi, buddy, hi Zeus. " He said, caressing the dog's head, "Where's mom?"
The toddler shrugged, and Aaron smiled heading toward the master bedroom. He was almost run over by Dylan as he laughed, running down the hallway naked.
"Dylan! I swear to God!" He heard the frustrated sound of his wife's voice.
"Hey, there." Hotch laughed stopping the toddler before he ran off again.
"Are you giving mommy gray hairs?" He asked his son as he scooped him into his arms and strode toward the master bedroom, he saw the light coming from their bathroom so headed that way.
"Em?"
"You know, if I knew I was going to be alone for this, I would have stayed single!" Emily said as soon as he appeared in the door of their bathroom. She was attempting to curl a section of her hair.
"I'm sorry, honey…I really am."
"Sorry doesn't fix this, Aaron!" She said angrily. "I've been cooking all morning and I'm so tired; I'm not even ready, and I just…I'm going to kill them all!" She spat, spritzing hair spray into her curl.
"Who?" He asked, realizing how truly beautiful his wife was, even after all these years.
"Your kids!" She shouted, "All of them, they just…ughh!" She grunted. "I can't get them to do anything I ask for the life of me…why did you get me pregnant, Aaron…this is all your fucking fault!"
He tried not laugh as he came to place a kiss on her lips.
"Don't you dare to try to kiss me now, Aaron Hotchner!"
"You told me you were going to be here to help me with dinner." She continued her escalating rant. "You offered to host dinner and then you leave me behind with everything."
"Honey, I'm sorry, you know I hated leaving this morning, hell, I wasn't even supposed to work this today. I'm the director now, Em, I can't just dismiss my obligations."
"You have an obligation to this family as well."
"You don't have to tell me that. Look, I don't want to fight, please tell me what you need? I'll dress Dylan while you finish getting ready."
Emily wanted to say more, but they didn't have time right now.
"I still need to bring the bottles from the garage, and that damn dog needs to be taken out, someone begged me and begged me to let the kids get a dog, and I'm the one cleaning up after him all the time!"
"Done and done." He crossed the few steps between them and kissed her. He wanted to do more to show her that she was his entire world, her and his family.
"Disgusting!" Violet said walking inside her parents' bedroom. Emily and Hotch pulled apart turning to look at their child and laughing.
"No, absolutely not!" Hocth said sternly, looking at his now fully-dressed daughter. She was wearing a V-neck red sweater, a black pleated skirt, lace tights and black-studded boots.
"You are not wearing that to dinner!" He stated, looking at his twelve-year-old daughter with reproach in his eyes.
"Why not?" The girl asked, frowning looking down at her outfit one more time, she looked pretty cool when she checked five minutes ago.
"Because you're showing everything." He said, motioning down her attire with disgust.
"There is nothing for me to show." Violet stated back. "I'm shaped like flat bread." Emily snickered checking her reflection in the mirror once again.
"Oh, come on, honey, she looks cute." Emily said touching her husband's arm gently looking at Violet one more time to make sure her sweater wasn't too revealing.
"She looks like she is going to a bar, Emily, you need to change those." He pointed to the lace tights. "Those are for grown women…you are not even close enough to be wearing anything like that for another six years."
"What am I supposed to wear?" Violet asked annoyed. "A turtle neck, a habit? Would you like me to wrap myself in foil so no one can see me?"
"I don't care what you wear, but not that, you look like grunge and those fishnet tights are for adults."
"They are girl tights, Aaron; they have flowers and stars, she is fine." Emily reasoned.
"Why do you go around buying her that crap, Emily" He turned to her angrily.
"You asked me to get dressed and I did; I'm not changing again!" His daughter said stamping her foot on the tile looking at him defiantly.
"Oh yes, you are!"
"Mom…."
"Okay, you two, stop it," Emily dropped the curling iron rolling her eyes and focusing her attention on them.
"Aaron leave Violet alone."
"People are going to be staring. How can you let her walk around like that!?" He questioned fuming.
"Oh my God, you are so dramatic, this isn't the FBI, dad!" Violet said, annoyance shining in her eyes. "I'm not coming down to dinner if you make me change." She turned to her mother crossing her arms over her chest with eyes already beginning to water.
"Okay, Vi, go back to your room, let me handle this; I'll be there in a second." Emily eyed her daughter meaningfully.
"But, mom…."
"Please, Violet." Emily begged as the girl rolled her eyes scuffing her foot and marched out of the room. They heard her bedroom door slam closed.
"She is twelve, Aaron." Emily started….
"Don't." He raised his hand to stop her. "Don't even go there." He warned.
"It's Christmas Eve, Emily, I know you let her walk around like she is in a Halloween movie, but she is not going to do it tonight. The director might stop by, and I refuse to let my child walk around like she is a clown." His voice escalated and his eyes turned black, which they did when he was seething.
Emily closed her eyes pinching the bridge of her nose, this happened every single night. Violet was in a phase where she wanted to explore things and make her own choices. Hotch was having a hard time adapting to those changes. Most nights ended with Violet crying and Aaron going into his study complaining about the fact that Emily was way lenient with her. If it was up to him, he would keep Violet in a bubble for the rest of her life.
"Lower you voice." Emily warned, her voice icy and firm "You are already deep in the dog house with me. Don't make me force you to sleep in the couch on Christmas Eve"
"I'm going to go get Dylan dressed, and when I come back, I want her changed out of that outfit." He stated, ending the argument and giving his wife a last warning look. Emily shook her head exhaling.
A few minutes later, she came into her daughter's room. Violet was at the end of her bed sniffling and picking at her ink black nails.
"Hey." Emily came to sit next to her placing her arms around her daughter.
"You couldn't get him cave, huh?" Her daughter asked knowingly with a sniffle.
"I'm sorry, baby."
"Why does he act like that, why doesn't he trust me."
"Oh, honey," Emily gently tucked a strand of hair behind her daughters' ear. "It's not about trust, you're his princess, his one and only girl, of course, he's going to go overboard protective on you."
"It's not like I go around drinking and smoking and causing trouble…."
"I know that, Vi, but your dad is always going to worry. He has seen so many things during his work years, I think it's safe to say he might be a little paranoid."
"How is that my fault?"
"Honey, I know you don't understand, but being the only girl in the house comes with a whole lot of baggage, plus you're not exactly soft spoken, you really can't blame him for getting frustrated with you."
"Can I stay here for dinner?"
"No" Emily laughed placing a kiss to her daughter's temple "How about we find another pair of tights and maybe a new pair of shoes. Let daddy have a break tonight."
"Mom, come on!"
"If you're good and listen to me now, we can go shopping this weekend and get you a few more outfits your dad deems acceptable."
"Can I get another pair of boots?"
"As long as you keep them hidden from your dad." She smiled, standing up. "Come on, sweetness."
Ten minutes later, Emily and Violet came downstairs. Violet had replaced the lace gothic tights for black plain tights and the studded boots for plain black shoes. Emily wore a red dress sweater, leggings underneath and plain long black boots. The twins were in the living room watching a movie. Her husband was setting a few champagne and wine bottles on a table.
"Where's Jack?" Emily asked looking at her watch…the team should be there any minute now.
"Outside taking Zeus to the bathroom." He responded looking at her and then at his daughter frowning…the skirt was quite short for his taste.
"Vi, can you get the candle holders from the basement, baby." Emily requested knowing her husband's look, her preteen nodded giving her dad a look and heading downstairs.
"I thought she was supposed to change out of that skirt."
"She changed the tights and the shoes, that's what you wanted, she is fine, just drop it." She warned, placing her hands around her husband's neck.
"Emily…"
"Aaron, leave Violet alone, if Violet is happy, then I'm happy, and then I'll take all that happiness and give it right back to you in bed tonight." She winked, placing a kiss on her husband's lips which made him very happy.
Dinner was as wonderful as Emily would have dreamed of. JJ and Dave came over with their children, Henry and Lucas were seven and eleven years old. They also had a six-year-old named Eleanor. They started dating right after the entire ordeal with Doyle and got married just six months after Emily and Hotch remarried. Penelope and Kevin also had a gorgeous four-year-old named Madeline, while they weren't officially married, they lived together and were trying for another child. Even Morgan had settled down with Savanah. Emily could not believe her ears when he told them he was getting married. She simply couldn't believe his bachelor days were over. With one year old Hank and another baby on the way, the lovely couple was very happy. Spencer was the only one on the team that wasn't married and didn't have any children. He had been in a serious relationship with a girl named Charmaine for three years now, but Emily believed he was young and had a life time ahead of him…after all, she hadn't gotten married until her mid-forties.
It was past one in the morning when Emily made her way down the spacious basement of her home; after dinner, they decided to go downstairs to watch a movie. The adults probably were in a food coma, and the kids had a sugar rush. Dinner had been wonderful and there was no need to drive home since the Hotchner's had two extra rooms upstairs and a room in the basement with a very spacious sectional. Plus, the majority of times the team spend the night over, the twins slept in their bed, so the adults could sleep more comfortable. It was perhaps why they always chose their home for family gatherings. By the time Emily came downstairs, everyone but Hotch was sleeping. She had been talking to her mother for the past hour because the ambassador had not been able to come for Christmas as she found herself trapped overseas. Emily smiled at the sight of her husband with a sleepy grin trying his best to stay awake, the minute he saw her he opened his arms motioning for her to join him in the single arm chair.
"Hi, baby." He said as soon as Emily settled in his lap wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Hi." She laughed kissing him softly.
"How is the ambassador?" Emily let out an amused laugh, even after all these years they had been married, he kept referring to her as the ambassador.
"Good, she's sorry she couldn't join us and promises to be here in a few weeks."
"That's great, the kids really missed her this year."
"Yeah, she's something else, but my children are crazy about her."
"Everyone is out, huh?" Emily observed glancing around the extra-long sectional. In the right corner JJ sat next to Rossi, her head was dropped on his shoulder, while Rossi's head rested straight up, a soft snoring escaping his lips. Eleanor nestled against her mother's chest, right next to Rossi, with his head resting on the older man's lap. Dylan was peacefully sleeping, his small legs thrown over Savannah's legs, her protruding belly making her look more beautiful. Right next to her, Morgan slept cuddled against his wife, their Baby boy safely tucked in his father's arm. Jack laid on the left corner of the sectional with Violet's skinny body thrown over his lap, her long legs draping over the end of the sectional. To Jack's other side, Penelope curled with her back against Jack with Madeline on her other side. On the floor in front of them, under a tent of blankets and pillows, were Kevin, Spencer, Charmaine, Lucas, Henry, and Zeus sleeping peacefully, Matteo sandwiched between the two adults. Emily could hardly believe that this same team, her family, used to hang out at bars and night clubs, was the same group that now spent their time at amusement parks and school events.
This was the family Emily walked into almost fourteen years ago. She remembered her first day as if it was yesterday, when Hotch didn't trust her and told her that her transfer had been a mistake. It made her first weeks at the BAU a living nightmare wondering if she would ever be a part of that team. Now, she was married to her boss, and they had four children together, three of their own, and she was happier than she had ever been.
"Are you happy?" she asked Aaron looking at him with her black bright eyes
"I have never been happier." He responded running his knuckles over her cheek. "There were times where I was very scared, and I didn't think we would make it." He confessed. "But l always knew I would love you forever…from the minute you walked into my office." Emily smirked at the memories.
"You hated me on my first day, Aaron."
"I hated the way your transfer took place." He clarified. "But you know what? I will always thank Erin for bringing you into my life…she wanted to destroy my life and instead she gave me the greatest gift a man could ever have."
"Yeah, our family is amazing, isn't it?"
"Our family rocks." He confirmed. "And even though we're still working through the kinks, I know we'll make it…even when Violet tries to give me a heart attack every day."
"Violet is perfectly fine, you cranky old man." Emily teased, kissing his nose, Hotch sighed turning to look at his sleeping daughter.
"Why is it that the only two girls in this house have to be the difficult ones?" Emily swatted at him playfully.
"And the most beautiful…." He added.
"Nice save." She kissed him.
"Come on." She said, standing up and pulling him with her.
"Where are we going?"
"To open your Christmas present?" She said with a wink.
"Wait! I thought we weren't opening presents until the morning with everyone."
"Oh, trust me, Agent Hotchner, this present is not the kind you open in front of people…and it comes in lace…." She said seductively, slowly lifting her dress to show him a small portion of the black garters she was wearing.
"Think you can keep quiet?" He teased.
"Why don't you come upstairs and find out." She said with a sway of her hips, heading upstairs with her husband following after her with a big smile on his face.
The End
"Happy endings were never handed out. You had to fight for them, earn them with bruised hearts and sacrifices"—Kim Harrison