Someone To Watch Over Me
Chapter 2
"Hey buddy, can I talk to you about something?" Aaron sat beside his son on the worn couch.
"Sure daddy." Jack responded, turning his attention from the television to his father's face.
"You know that Emily is my girlfriend?" Aaron attempted to start gently and ease into the conversation.
"Yeah." Jack replied, smiling at his father, showing off his almost identical dimples, although his are revealed a lot more than his fathers.
"Well me and Emily wanted to keep it private at work. Do you know what that means?" Aaron rested his large hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Like the people at work don't know that she is your girlfriend? Like a secret?" The little boy replied.
"Exactly like that," Aaron smiled, "And we would like to keep it a secret for a little while longer until we're ready to tell everyone. So Emily and me would appreciate it if you didn't tell them while we're on our camping trip. Is that okay with you?" Aaron's eyebrows pinched together, not wanting to have to ask his son to lie for him.
Well not lie technically, just not tell the whole truth… Aaron mentally rolled his eyes. It's still lying however you word it.
"That's okay with me, because I like Em'ly." Hotch chuckled as his son gave him a hug.
"I'm glad you do, buddy. So do I."
HOTCHNISSHOTCHNISSHOTCHNISS
"Come on, let's go!" Jack shouted impatiently from his seat in the SUV.
"Alright, buddy, we're coming." Aaron pacified as he and Emily walked out of the house, arms laden with the last of the camping gear, and threw it into the almost-full trunk.
"Yay!" Jack cheered as the vehicle finally started moving.
"Don't get too excited, Stinky. We're going to the BAU fist to meet everyone else first." Emily stuck her tongue out at him from the front seat. Jack stuck his tongue out back and smirked before replying.
"Is everyone coming?"
"Yep." She smiled at him.
"Even Henry?"
"Yep, even Henry." Aaron replied. Emily smiled at him from the passenger seat, and he grabbed her hand, letting their entwined limbs hand between the seats.
Just before they reached the academy Aaron pulled the car over. He quickly pulled his seatbelt off, and Emily did the same, having one last bone-crushing hug. Emily pulled back a little and kissed Aaron passionately on the lips, both of them lost in their own little world until Aaron heard his son cough in the back seat. He pulled away from Emily, wiping away her smudged lipstick with his thumb.
"Uhh… We should probably go." He cleared his throat. Emily used her thumb to wipe the lipstick off of Aaron's face, smirking.
"Scarlet really isn't your color, you know." He chuckled, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
"I know, I'm more of a Coral kind of guy."
HOTCHNISSHOTCHNISSHOTCHNISS
"Guys? Can you slow down for a second?" Garcia's voice called out from a little ways behind them.
"Sorry babygirl, let me carry this for you." Morgan offered, taking her rucksack off of her.
"Thanks handsome." Garcia smiled and winked at him flirtatiously. Aaron turned to Emily when he heard her chuckling lightly beside him.
"Something funny?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Them two don't stop, do they?" She chuckled again. Aaron shook his head, but Emily could have sworn she saw a dimple flash for a split second.
It's like he keeps those things under lock and key in front of others, so to get a glimpse of them out in public only happened once every leap year… If that…
"Hey, Em," JJ spoke to her once they started walking again, "We're not actually camping in the woods are we? Walking through them is fine, I just can't stand the thought of sleeping in them." Emily suddenly remembered her best friends fear of the woods, and felt sorry for her friend, since they were currently hiking through the woods.
"Oh no, don't worry Jayje," She rubbed the blonde's arm, "The place we're going is next to the lake. It's really beautiful there… It just takes a long walk first." Jack heard the two women talking about their destination, and thinking about walking the rest of the way made him feel really tired.
"Dad, how much further is it?" He asked Aaron, running forwards and tugging on his sleeve.
"Not much further, we'll be there soon." He smiled at his son and picked him up, carrying him for the rest of the journey.
HOTCHNISSHOTCHNISSHOTCHNISS
A rustling woke Emily up outside her tent. She wasn't sure of the time, but it was still dark so she knew it must be early.
"Em?" Someone whispered from outside.
"Aaron?" She questioned, emerging from the tent with a flashlight after pulling her hiking boots on, "What time is it?" He checked his watch.
"About four thirty." He answered after pulling her into a hug, something he hadn't been able to do the night before with everyone around.
"Which brings me to the question: why are we awake at four thirty?" She whispered incredulously and raised an eyebrow.
"I have something to show you." He began pulling on her hand, tugging her towards the trees.
"Where are we going?"
"Just wait and you'll see. It'll be worth it." He answered cryptically and she saw his grin through the light that was just starting break over the horizon.
Just as they could see a break in the trees ahead, Hotch covered Emily's eyes with his hands, standing behind her.
"Aaron…" She complained, but he shushed her.
"Just keep walking."
"Okay, okay," She huffed, "This better be worth it, or you're making me breakfast." Aaron suddenly stopped her on the spot.
"Okay, you ready?" He asked, and she nodded, "Okay, open your eyes." When Aaron took his hands away Emily opened her eyes to see the beginning of a breathtaking sunrise. There was a blanket laid out at the edge of the lake and the vivid reds and oranges danced across the water as it rippled in the breeze."
"Oh, Aaron…" She breathed, speechless at the sheer beauty of the landscape. He took her hand and led her to the blanket on the grass, sitting her down so she was between his lags and resting her back on his chest. Emily lifted her chin and reached up to kiss him tenderly on the lips, "Thank you. It's beautiful – and the sun isn't bad either." She joked on the end; not one for being serious for too long if it could be helped.
"Anything for you." He replied, reciprocating with a kiss of his own and drawing little nothings on her stomach with his fingertips. They stayed in this position for a while, content in watching the rising sun, steadily gaining height. Emily looked at her watch.
"We should probably start heading back," She sighed, "People are going to wake up soon."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Aaron agreed and stood, offering her a hand.
"I just love it here." Emily said, at ease in the surroundings that she grew up in, and wandered to the edge of the lake, "Hey, do you think we'd be able to go canoeing on the lake? I think I saw a little shack for it at some place around here." She turned to Aaron, only to get a face-full of lake water. Her eyes widened dramatically, "Oh, you're so gonna wish you didn't do that." She threatened, before splashing him with as much as she could muster.
"Really?" He faked surprise, "Because you're really going to regret doing that!" Aaron splashed her again, soaking her pants that she slept in. Emily squealed in surprise as he kept splashing water at her, and she reciprocated, drenching his shirt.
"Time out." Emily called, bending over with a hand wrapped around her stomach as she tried to take deep breaths instead of laughing hysterically, "We really should go now, or everyone will be awake when we get back, dripping wet. Once again." She paused, "And I'm sure that'll raise at least a few questions." She said dryly, recounting the time when they'd both been forced to walk around in the river at Rocky Heights.
When they set off walking Emily began picking up sticks as she went.
"What are you doing?" Aaron raised an eyebrow, and Emily rolled her eyes in response.
"I'm collecting firewood so they don't think we randomly walked off into the woods in the early hours of the morning if they are awake."
"Good call." He admitted, beginning to help as they walked along.
When they neared their camping spot they heard voices, specifically of JJ and Rossi.
"Hey, I'll take the sticks." Aaron offered, "Then you take the blanket." He handed it to her, since it had been carried under his arm. Emily nodded when she realized the reasons for his actions.
"Hey." Rossi called out to them when they broke through the trees, "Where've you been?" He asked, and Emily realized that there were more people awake than they'd thought.
"Oh, just collecting some firewood." Aaron shrugged him off nonchalantly. JJ frowned as she looked at Emily; confused and amused at the same time.
"What's with the blanket?" Emily hoped it covered most of her water-drenched form, since her white sleep shirt was now almost see-through.
"I was cold." She dismissed, and as soon as Aaron had deposited the firewood they both scuttled off to their tents to change their clothes before anyone noticed. As soon as the pair were out of earshot, JJ went and stood next to Rossi.
"Were those two dripping? Again?" Disbelief and amusement colored her voice.
"I find its best not to ask with those two anymore." He shook his head as Morgan beside him chuckled.
So they actually got to the camping part this time;) You should feel lucky getting two updates in one day.
Cookies to anyone who recognised the references to Life's Trials. There were three of them, If anyone want to take a guess in the review box.
I hope you enjoyed, and please review! If I get a good enough response I will update again tomorrow!