Unforgettable Nights, Unforgivable Mistakes

Chapter 22: Mother, Daughter and Granddaughter

When Elizabeth was sure Emily was calm enough and not going to lose it, she took her back into the room after Aaron had left, hoping she could shift her attention to something else. As soon as Bay saw her grandmother, her little face lit up, something that made Emily smile; Emily loved that Bay and her mother had such a great relationship; in fact, Bay adored her grandmother. Emily figured it was because Grandma Elizabeth spoiled her rotten, and she was always so sweet with Bay, she would play any kind of game Bay wanted with her and answer all her questions no matter how many of them there were...she never got tired. Emily loved that side of her Mom, and of course, that was what grandparents were for, but it was nice to see that sweet, loving, spoiling side of her Mom. Elizabeth helped Emily bathe Bay, and they even had dinner together as a family. Bay was overjoyed, although she was weaker every day, she was still happy to have her Mommy and her grandma with her. After dinner was done, Elizabeth grabbed a bunch of blankets and placed them by the couch then she picked Bay up in her arms and smiled at both her and Emily.

"Well, I think it's time for a story before bedtime." Elizabeth said happily.

"Yay, Grandma, I want a story." Bay cried happily.

"Oh, Grandma is reading us a story? I sure don't want to miss that." Emily teased.

After they settled the Prentiss women onto the sofa with Bay on Elizabeth's lap, and Emily cuddled on the sofa next to them, Elizabeth proceeded to tell them a story.

"Grandma, but we don't have a book!" Bay reasoned.

"Oh, it's okay, sweetie, we don't need a book, Grandma knows all kinds of fun stories, but if you wait until tomorrow, I will buy you all the books you could want." She said sweetly.

"Yes, and can we get another horsey for me?" Bay said, with puppy dog eyes.

"You can have as many horseys you want." Bay applauded happily.

"Can we also get a movie, Grandma, can we?" She pleaded.

"Bay!" Emily reprimanded the little girl and watched as her face turned into a pout.

"Oh, it's okay, honey, you can get anything you want, Grandma loves you and will get you anything that you want." She said, scolding Emily with her eyes.

Emily just rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Okay, so I will tell you the story now." Elizabeth said, hugging Bay closer to her and covering her with the blanket. Emily also covered herself with the blanket, and then listened contently as her mother began telling the story.

"Once upon a time, there was an old goat who had seven little kids, and loved them with all the love of a mother for her children. One day, she wanted to go into the forest and fetch some food, so she called all seven to her and said,

"Dear children, I have to go into the forest, be on your guard against the wolf, if he comes in, he will devour you all - skin, hair, and everything. The wretch often disguises himself, but you will know him at once by his rough voice and his black feet." The Ambassador faked a sweet goat voice, putting big smiles on both Emily's and Bay's face.

"Wait, I think I know this story." Emily said, all of a sudden.

"I've heard it somewhere." She said, trying to think.

"Well, of course, you have, dear. I told you this story a bunch of times when you were a child." Elizabeth said, and Emily smiled wider...now she remembered it.

"Now, please, don't interrupt me when I'm talking." She reprimanded, and Emily and Bay both laughed, then got silent so they could continue listening to the story.

"The kids said, "Dear mother, we will take good care of ourselves, you may go away without any anxiety." Then the old one bleated and went on her way with an easy mind.

It was not long before someone knocked at the house door and called, "Open the door, dear children, your mother is here, and has brought something back with her for each of you." But the little kids knew that it was the wolf, by the rough voice." The Ambassador continued telling the story until it was over, by then Bay was sound sleep in her arms, and Emily was comfortable on the sofa looking at her daughter.

"She is out like a light." Elizabeth pointed out.

"She is, you know she loves it when you come by." Emily smiled sadly. Elizabeth squeezed her hand gently.

"I love my granddaughter, and I will do anything in my power to make sure she's fine, that both you and her are fine." She told Emily.

"I know you would, thank you, Mom. I really appreciate this." She didn't want to cry,.. she was too tired to do it.

"Let's put Bay to bed, shall we?" Elizabeth stood up from the sofa and took Bay to her bed, then returned and made some hot tea for both her and Emily and joined her daughter on the sofa handing her the cup of tea.

"I know you deserve an explanation." Emily started.

"You don't have to explain anything, Emily, you just need to know that I love you, and I'm here for you. I know I've been a horrible mother, but you're my daughter, and I'll always love you and protect you no matter what." Elizabeth smiled kindly.

"You weren't a horrible mother, I think I was a horrible child." Emily said, smiling, they both laughed and sipped on the hot tea.

"The night before I left for London, my friends gave me a going away party, there was a lot of alcohol involved, and he and I ended up...you know..." Emily said, looking at her cup of tea.

"I always had the impression you two hated each other." Elizabeth said warmly.

"We...did...or at least I thought we did...something happened that night...something in his eyes, it was different, it wasn't just sex, I know it wasn't for both of us." Elizabeth just listened as her daughter talked.

"By the time I moved to London and got back together with Max, I realized maybe everything was a mistake, and it was all in my head, so when I found out about Bay, I really wanted a baby, Mom, you know I always did; I know I made a very big mistake by not telling Aaron, but too much had happened, and truthfully, there were possibilities Max was the father, too. I just wanted to be happy, you know." A single tear rolled down her cheeks.

"But, you weren't happy with Max...you never were." Her mother said.

"Max was an amazing man, just not the one for me." She smiled sadly at her Mom.

"You think Aaron Hotchner is?" Her mother asked.

"I don't know and obviously it doesn't matter...he hates me...you heard him." She said, as another tear rolled down her cheeks.

"I don't think he hates you, I think he is mad...he just found out he has a kid. For a man that isn't usually an easy thing..."

"It's all my fault, Mom, I'm a horrible person, not only did I hurt Aaron, but I also hurt Max and even Bay."

"Oh dear, you're not a horrible person, you made a mistake, Emily...you're a human, we all made mistakes." Elizabeth said, getting closer to her.

"Not this kind of mistake, Mom." She cried. Elizabeth smiled.

"You know, when I first met your father, we were in college, and he was engaged to another woman, but back then, I knew I had to have him." Emily looked at her mother in shock, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Oh my God, you stole my dad?" She asked, teasing her mother.

"No, I didn't steal your dad, we were both in love with each other, he didn't love that woman. I just did what any other woman in love would do." Elizabeth explained gently.

"You stole my dad...you did, I can't believe it, everything I've ever known about my childhood, it's always been a lie. No wonder I'm so twisted!" Emily said dramatically, teasing her mother because she couldn't stop herself.

"Emily!" The Ambassador reprimanded her. Emily smiled widely...it had been a while since she and her mother had a nice talk like this; in fact, she couldn't remember when the last time they talked like this was...it felt so good.

"So, what happened...dad was engaged...and how did you steal him?" Emily asked curiously, she had never heard about their parents past, it was kind of intriguing and nice.

"Your father wasn't in love with that woman, 'Louise Goldstein' was her name...horrible woman...your dad deserved so much better." Emily laughed and made the sound of a cat screeching and burst into laughter when her mother scolded her with her eyes.

"So, what happened?" She asked curiously.

"Well, your dad left her when he found out." The Ambassador stopped...

"When he found out what?" She hated the suspense.

"He left her when he found out I was pregnant with you." She said simply, looking at her daughter. Emily's mouth dropped, and she was unable to say anything else.

"Your dad and I loved each other, Emily, very much, he was an amazing man, and always made me smiled. When he died, he told me that he had never been as happy than when he was with me. I knew back then I had done the right thing." Her Mom said, smiling widely.

"Oh, Mom." Emily pulled her into a hug.

"You know, I miss Dad a lot, too." She said as she smiled at her mother.

"I know your Dad is watching out for both of us and for Bay, and he will not let anything happen to her. You were his life and entire joy, you know that? He always said you would turn out great, and you have." She told Emily.

"I don't know how to fix all of this...all this mess." Emily cried.

"Give things time. dear, I spoke to several friends on my way here...Gerald Lombard is a close friend who owes me a favor, he is one of the best oncologist in the nation...now, he doesn't specialize in pediatrics, but he can be a lot of help, if Aaron can't help Bay, Gerald will contact his connections and find a donor for Bay by the end of the week." Elizabeth smiled.

"Oh Mom, you have no idea..." Emily said, crying as heavy tears rolled down her cheeks, and her Mom pulled her to her for another hug and then wiped her eyes.

"We will get through this, Emily, I swear to you, we'll save Bay and everything will be fine." She said, pulling a pillow onto her lap and patting it so Emily could lay her head down on it. Emily smiled and placed her head on the pillow as her mother ran her fingers through her hair and massaged her head gently.

"If he loves you, really loves you, he will understand, and he will forgive you. Just give him time, dear." Emily smiled and closed her eyes as her mother massaged her scalp gently, and she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

A/N: Sorry to take so long to post this short chapter, but school has been eating me alive these past few weeks and just wanted to let y'all know I haven't forgotten you. Hope you're still enjoying our story, and I'll try and get another update for you to enjoy posted this next week. Thanks for being so patient, we really appreciate it.