Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or Alice in Wonderland.

A/N: From now on, I am going to dedicate chapters to people who have reviewed the previous chapters. If you want a shout out, review the chapter. Good or bad, I want to here from you.

This chapter is dedicated to "nataliebianca."

"So, only a few more hours until I have to take you guys home. What do you want to do?" Hotch asked Riley and Jack.

"See a MOVIE!" Jack yelled. Jack adored going to movie theatres. He hardly even watched the movie; he was just in awe at the whole theatre.

"What about you Riley? A movie?" Hotch asked.

"I guess." Riley shrugged.

"I want to see Alice and Wonderland." Emily said, and Jack happily agreed. Hotch was not really interested in seeing that movie, but he would for them. Riley was actually excited to go, as she loved Johnny Depp. They agreed to see the 12:30 show because they had to leave to get the kids back to Haley's at 5. They got all ready and left to go to the theatre.

"Nintey nine bottles of beer on the waaaaaalll." Jack whailed suddenly.

"Jack Hotchner, don't you dare!" Hotch joked.

"Ninety nine bottles of beeeeer!" He yelped.

"You take one down and pass it around, ninety eight bottles of beer on the wall." Emily yelled dramatically. Jack and Emily continued until they got to eighty bottles of beer on the wall. Hotch continued to fake being annoyed because Jack thought it was funny. Hotch thought that Riley and Emily were getting along better, but she wasn't singing along. She was staring out the window. Maybe everyone being friendly was too big of a goal he thought, but he suddenly heard...

"Seventy nine bottles of beer on the wall, seventy nine bottles of beer!" Riley yelled out suddenly. Everyone in the car was startled. Both Emily and Jack whacked her lightly, saying she scared them to death. Hotch was just happy to see Riley participate. He looked in his mirror and saw his little girl. Well...not his little girl anymore. It seemed as though it was only yesterday that she was Jack's age. She had curly blond hair, and gigantic blue eyes. Her cheeks were always flushed on her pale face. She had a small gap between her first two teeth, making her smile cute for a child. Riley was so small, much smaller than the average 5 year old. Now, she was so different. Her once curly blond hair was now straight, and dyed brown. Her face was still pale, but her cheeks weren't as red anymore. The gap between her teeth had been closed by braces four years ago. She was not small for her age, she was average height. This was barely the girl he knew. Hotch wondered how it was that she had changed so much, and he never noticed. He sadly realized that he didn't notice because he was never there.

Watching her sing the timeless childhood tune made Hotch sad. He couldn't believe how much he'd missed in his children's lives. He liked to think that he was a good father, but now he wasn't so sure. Riley had had countless dance recitals and competitions. She even went to the world level for ballet two years ago. He never saw her dance other than once when she was seven. Sure, Haley taped them, but it was not the same. Volleyball games, piano recitals, etc. He had missed them all. The same went for Jack. He started playing soccer and hockey two years ago, and Hotch had yet to see him play. He sighed sadly and he returned all of his thoughts to the road. As if she could read his thoughts, Emily put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. He looked over, and she smiled at him.

Neither the line for the tickets or the line for the consession stand were too long. Jack got a popcorn and a grape koolaid. Riley and Hotch laughed at Emily for getting popcorn and cherry koolaid. She merely stuck her tongue out at the two Hotchners. Riley got Skittles and a Coke, while Hotch just got a Coke. They all watched the movie in silence, loving every minute.

"I can't believe how good that was!" Hotch said excitedly. Emily was surprised by how much Hotch loved it. She knew that she'd like the movie, but Hotch could be a mystery, even someone in her line of work.

"OFF WITH HER HEAD!" Jack screamed as they walked through the parking lot, looking for their car. Riley made an exaggerated chopping sound to go with Jack's movie quote, and the chopping sound sent Jack into a fit of hysterics.

"I loved it." Emily said and Riley agreed. It was nice, Hotch thought, that they all got together and bonded as a family. Hotch just hoped it wasn't too late to save his relationships with his children.

**

"Thanks for taking them. Bye!" Haley said to Hotch after he dropped off the kids, said goodbye and returned to the car. Suddenly, Riley booked out of the house and tapped on Hotch's car window. He rolled it down.

"If you don't have a case any days...next week is March break." She said, trying to sound like she wasn't "asking." Hotch smiled to himself.

"Riley Ann Hotchner, are you asking if you can come see your FAMILY? What? Isn't that immoral?" He said cynically. She frowned jokingly, but then looked at her feet.

"Whatever." She said, turning back to the house.

"Riley," Emily said. "I will call you even if your stupid dad won't. I will make sure that we see you two during March break."

"Thanks Prentiss." She said quietly. She then waved at Hotch and Emily, and ran back to the house.

"I can't believe how grown up she is." Hotch said to himself, but out loud.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I've missed her whole damn life." He snapped. "What the hell is my problem? I have two amazing children, and I never see them."

"Hotch," Emily said. "It's not your fault. It's the job."

"No, it is my fault. Do you know how many day's I've worked late to get ahead when I could have been home? Do you know how many times I've went in on my days off? I've canceled on them countless times, but I've never canceled work. Do you know what Riley said to me this weekend?"

"What?"

"That she usually felt disposable. That she was nothing compared to my work. She said that this was the first time in months that I came through for her. It broke my heart. Jack said that he'll see me next year. He thinks I leave him for a year at a time!" Hotch snapped. Emily was quiet for a moment.

"Hotch, they're just kids."

"Riley's almost an adult and I've missed it all." He sighed.

"Well then, now that you know the problem, fix it." She said. "Stop pitying yourself and step up!"

"How?"

"Well...call them as often as you can. Riley said her friend Amelia's father calls her every night. Get a laptop with a webcam. She has one, you could have video conversations while you're on cases. Talk to her about the cases. She's really interested in them. Stop working on your few days off, and once in a while take a day off to see them play sports or dance." Emily listed.

"Wow. Those ideas are great." Hotch said, smiling at Emily.

"Meh, I'm no Reid, but I have my moments." She joked.

"No, you're right. I'm going to take your advice. I'll step up and be a good dad." He said. "You know Prentiss, you'd make one hell of a mother." Emily was taken aback.

"Thank you." She blushed.

"Nope. Thank you." He said, starting the car.