Chapter 16

December 16, 2008

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Emily was a linguist. Voices were her specialty. So it was surprisingly easy for her ears to pick Jack's childish babble out of the constant bustle of the crowd. She sought out his little body with her eyes, but couldn't recognize the woman leading him by the hand.

"Em'ly!"

She couldn't stop the smile that spread over her face as his eyes lit up. She spun her desk chair, opening her arms for the little body that raced towards her. "Jack!" She wrapped him up in her arms grinning. "Is it your night to see Daddy?"

"Yup!" he exclaimed happily, rearranging himself on her lap. "We eat!"

"Most people do," she agreed, tickling him slightly.

Jack laughed loudly, loud enough that Hotch emerged from his office, making his way down the stairs. "Jack!"

"Hiya Daddy! I'm sitting with Em'ly."

"So you are," Hotch answered with a smile. "Hello Patty."

"Aaron," the older woman nodded.

"Thank you for bringing him by."

"Haley got held up or she would have," Patty replied with a small smile. "You'll bring him home?"

"I will," Hotch promised.

Emily kept her eyes on Jack through the exchange, though she was sure no one missed the slight awkwardness between the adults. Jack was babbling away on her lap and so she focused on him. It was easier than to address the awkwardness. However, her attention shifted when she felt the warm weight of what could only be Hotch's hand on her shoulder.

"That's Haley's mother," he answered her unasked question quietly.

Emily nodded. "I'm sorry."

Hotch hoisted his son into his arms. "This is all that matters."

"Hiya Daddy!" Jack said again, wrapping his arms around his father's neck. "Can we play with Em'ly, Emmy and 'Rissa 'gain?"

Emily managed to withhold her chuckle. It hadn't gone unnoticed that Jack seemed to have developed a little crush on Carissa's happy demeanour.

"Maybe soon," Hotch promised.

"Yay!" Jack exclaimed.

Hotch smiled. "I have a few things to finish up."

"Can I stay with Em'ly?" Jack asked innocently, his eyes meeting his father's. "Play?"

Emily was honestly surprised. Sure, she'd been spending more time with both the Hotchner men, but she had no idea Jack had taken to her so quickly.

"If it's okay with Emily," Hotch acquiesced.

Emily considered that a moment. "It's fine."

"Are you sure?" he asked, setting Jack down.

Emily nodded, reaching for the little boy. "Of course. Who wouldn't want to spend time with such a handsome boy?"

Jack giggled as she tickled him again. "Yay! Snowflakes?"

"I guess we can make snowflakes," Emily agreed.

Jack seemed more than happy with that.

"Em'ly?"

"Yes Jack?"

Emily's desk was a mess. There were paper bits everywhere and a number of 'snowflakes', both hers and Jack's. In some ways she felt bad that she had so many years on him. She was skilled with pair of scissors, something she'd learned for Carissa and Emmeline. Those girls couldn't have access to unlimited craft supplies, but they could make do with what they had.

"What are you getting Daddy for Christmas?"

Emily froze, unconsciously glancing up at Derek, who was still in the bullpen. He looked as surprised as she did. She was glad Reid and Dave were away on some sort of consult. "I don't know."

"'Cause I gotta get a present."

She'd never even considered getting Hotch a Christmas present. It hadn't crossed her mind at all, considering for the longest time they'd barely been friends. She was planning on handing over a Christmas card, but that was about it. A gift? "Why not make him a snowflake?"

Jack wrinkled his nose. Then he shook his head.

"What about a tie?" Emily suggested, unfolding the last snowflake she'd just made.

"He got too many ties," Jack said, shaking his head again.

Emily sighed. She had no idea, not even the slightest. Because it wasn't something she'd thought of herself. Now that she thought about it however, it seemed like such a good idea. She already had something for Derek and even Dave but Hotch was just one of those people that was not only difficult to buy for – or so she'd thought, before she'd had the honour of getting to know him – but she was afraid of the message she'd send. If his behaviour over the past couple of days was any indication, she probably had very little to worry about. "A picture?"

"Of Mommy?"

"No, honey," Emily said, shaking her head adamantly.

"Of you!"

"No," Emily repeated, trying not to think about the way her brain had started swimming at that thought. "Of you. Of you and your dad."

Jack seemed to consider this. "But how?"

"Well, we can take one."

"You're going to come play?" Jack asked.

"I'm sure your mom would have a picture of you and Daddy," Emily responded, evading the question. She didn't want to think of the possibility of spending more off time with her boss if only to ensure she didn't get her hopes up.

Jack seemed to think about this. However, his thought process was interrupted by his father's emergence from his office.

"Ready to go, Jack?"

"Yeah!" Jack exclaimed happily. He turned his dark-eyed gaze up to hers. "Are you coming?"

"No, I don't think so," Emily replied with a gentle smile. "This is your time with Daddy."

Jack looked unhappy with this turn of events, but he allowed his father to help him into his jacket. "Bye Emily!"

Emily waved as father and son left the bullpen. She turned away from Derek and started cleaning the paper off of her desk.

"No way, Girl," Derek said, going as far as to stand up from his desk to capture her hands. "What was that about?"

"What was what about?"

"Why would Jack think a picture of you would make a good present for his dad?"

Emily shook her head. "I have no idea, Derek."

"Nuh uh, I think you do," Derek contradicted, keeping a gentle but firm hold on her wrists. "There something you want to tell me?"

"No," Emily answered. "There's nothing to tell."

"And yet Jack seems perfectly content to just sit here and make snowflakes with you? Why do I find that hard to believe?"

Emily shrugged, tugging on her arms. "I have no idea."

"You have no idea how your boss' son is comfortable with you?"

"You were here the first day Jack was here," Emily replied. "We've spent a little bit of time together, it's not that much of a surprise that he's the most comfortable with me."

"No, but he seemed more than just comfortable with you, Em," Derek said. "How much time have you been spending with Hotch?"

"That, Derek Morgan, is none of your business."

"A lot then," Derek said. "I wondered why you barely blinked an eye about cuddling close in Montana."

"Shut it," Emily snapped. "You're prying into private business."

He shook his head. "Not at all. I'm trying to figure out where you two stand."

"We don't stand anywhere." Emily didn't realize the slight bitter tone had slipped into her voice.

"But you want to," Derek said, having picked up on it. "Why not?"

Her eyes widened. "You mean to tell me you'd be okay with it?"

"Why not?" he repeated, shrugging.

"Do you know how quickly it could break up the team?"

"Do you know how much stronger it could make the team?" he shot back. "You're not blind, Em."

"I could get used to it," she agreed reluctantly.

Derek grinned. "I thought so."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"It means everything, Em. He deserves this after what he went through with his ex. You deserve this."

Emily sighed. She wanted it. She'd already decided she could get used to spending time with Hotch and Jack outside of work, seeing her boss relaxed, happy. It was easy to get used to because that was just the type of person Hotch seemed to be outside of work. But to actually go through the relationship, not just imagining it, that was a different story entirely. That didn't mean she'd missed the odd light in Hotch's eyes as he'd watched her with Jack. "I don't know."

"Oh yes you do," Derek said. "You know exactly what you want."

Emily blew out a breath. "I know exactly what I want," she agreed.

She knew by the look in Derek's eyes that was exactly the opening he was looking for. "So go for it."

This took me way too long. I've called this, tomorrow and yesterday's chapters the hump chapters because I really didn't have anything concrete for them. It happens every year. There's always a couple of chapters I have the worst time writing. However, I have a better idea of what I want to do with the one I'm supposed to post for the 17th, so hopefully (and with the fact I'm now done until January) I should be able to put it up much quicker and definitely before midnight.

And I am still working on my other stories. It was simply that finals and this story took precedence. I'm set to work on them now that I have nothing else to do.