Chapter 9

"Oh and Aaron?"

"Yeah?"

"I miss you too." She said and hung up the phone.

Saturday morning rolled around and Hotch could barely contain his excitement. He was like a kid in a candy store and he hadn't even told Jack yet. Wait until the little Hotchner found out they were going to see his Emmy today. He had waited to tell him in case something had come up that would prevent them being able to go see her.

Hotch got up and went to the kitchen to put the coffee on and then went to wake Jack up.

"Jack, time to wake up buddy; we have a big day today." Hotch said as he shook his son's shoulders gently.

"Daddy, I don't want to do nothing today." Jack said rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Anything Jack; you don't want to do anything today." Hotch corrected the little boy. "You don't even want to go see Emily today?"

Jack sat straight up with the biggest smile on his face. "Do you mean it Daddy? We can go see my Emmy?" He said as he bounced up and down on the bed.

"Yes I mean it Jack. Emily wants to see you. She called me the other day and said that she misses you and wanted to see you." Hotch said, smiling at the excitement on his son's face.

"Daddy we have to hurry and get dressed. Hurry daddy, we don't want to be late." Jack said as he jumped out of the bed and ran to his dresser.

"We have time buddy. We need to eat breakfast first and I need to take care of a few things first."

After breakfast Hotch got Jack ready and then went to get dressed. He chose to wear a pair of blue jeans and a dark blue short-sleeve Polo shirt that Emily had gotten for him for Christmas the year before.

They arrived at Emily's townhouse at 11:30 and the only thing Hotch could think about was 'he needed to see her face'. Hotch knocked on the door and waited. He could hear the soft music coming from behind the door and then he heard the click of the lock before the door opened to the smiling face of Emily Prentiss.

"Jackster! Oh come here sweetie and let me see you." She said as she squatted and pulled the boy into her arms, hugging him. "You are getting so big. I think you have grown a whole foot since I saw you last."

"Really?" Jack said excitedly as he clung to Emily's neck.

"Really!" She answered.

Emily let go of the little boy and stood up again to look at Hotch. She gave him a small smile. "Hi." She said nervously.

"Hi. How are you doing? Where are your crutches?" he asked as he noticed that she wasn't using them.

"They are in by the couch. I don't use them that much now. They are annoying and I seem to do better without them anyway. Come in, please." She said as she stepped to the side to let them in the door.

"Can I get you anything? Something to drink?" She asked as she turned around to face the Hotchner duo.

"No we're ok for right now, thank you." Hotch said as he watched her limp ahead of toward what he assumed to be the living room.

The two followed her into the living room where they took a seat on the couch beside her. Jack crawled over closer to her and hugged her again.

"I've missed you so much." He said into her neck.

Emily hugged him tighter as tears began to burn her eyes.

"I've missed you too sweetie, sooooo much. I am sorry I haven't been by to see you in a while. Do you remember after your mommy died and I promised you that I would always be here for you and your dad?" She asked him softly.

"Yes, I remember." Jack's tiny little voice replied.

"Well I haven't kept that promise and I am so sorry that I haven't. I didn't mean to be away so long but I am here now and I promise there is nothing that will keep me away anymore. I love you my little Jackster." Emily said as she felt the tears slide down her cheeks.

"I love you too my Emmy." And she smiled at the nickname he had given her years ago. He always called her 'my Emmy' and it made her feel like she was home again, she had missed him calling her that.

She looked up at Hotch and could see the tears swimming in his eyes as well. She gave him a true Emily smile that he could feel all the way to his toes and he showed her his dimples in return.

"Jackster what do you want to do today?" Emily asked as she leaned back to see the little boys face.

"Can we go to the park?" He asked hopefully.

""Not today sweetie but I promise as soon as my leg is better I will go the park with you. How about we pop some popcorn and have a movie marathon and then for dinner we can order pizza?" She asked raising her eyebrows at Hotch in question who nodded his head in reply with a smile on his face.

"Ok. What do you want to watch?" Jack asked her seriously. He was so much like his daddy when he was concentrating on something.

"Well, we can see what's on Pay-Per-View and find something. Here you go through the movies and pick one while your daddy and I get the popcorn ready." She said handing him the remote after turning on the TV and switching it to the Pay-Per-View channels.

Hotch followed her to the kitchen and watched her get a couple of bowls down out of the cabinet and then put the popcorn in the microwave before she turned and faced him.

"I just want to say first, that I am sorry. I shouldn't have left that way. You deserved an explanation and I am sorry that I didn't give you one. Secondly, we do need to talk but not with Jack around. I promise to tell you everything later. Third, I really missed you." She said and as she said the last part she walked over and hugged him.

She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Hotch's arms automatically encircled her in a warm embrace.

"I have missed you too. More than you could possibly know." He said and kissed her on the top of her head.

He knew that there was a lot to talk about, but this was a beginning. Yes that is what it was a beginning.