Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the songs that are mentioned in
This chapter is dedicated to "nataliebianca"
**
"Yeah Riley?" Hotch said into phone. It was Wednesday, and the team was getting back from Texas. They had just caught an serial rapist who was abducting women from their homes, holding them for 4 days, then putting their unconscious, naked bodies in a dump. Thankfully, not on of the women died.
"Hi!" She said brightly into the phone.
"Hi." He said.
"So, I heard you guys are coming home tonight."
"How did you know that?" He asked. "Did Emily call you?"
"No. I was just guessing. I really had no idea." Riley laughed.
"You're weird. Anyways, what's up?" Hotch said, smiling slightly, carefully hiding the smile from his team.
"Just wondering if you wanted me to come over for a bit. If you want me to, I'd be okay with that." Riley said.
"Oh, you'd be okay with that?" Hotch asked mockingly. He knew that his daughter wouldn't want to ask to visit outright.
"Shut up. Anyways, being at mom's is boring me. Please, can Jack and I stay with you for a night?"
"Why don't you guys come for the rest of the break?" Hotch asked impulsively.
"Are you serious?" Riley asked. "Don't you have to work?"
"Technically, I have this Friday off, and we're supposed to have weekends off. If you don't mind coming into work with me on Thursday, it shouldn't be an issue." Hotch said, reassuring himself.
"Okay! Are you really, really sure?" She asked.
"Riley, I haven't taken a day off in like 100 years. If need be, I'll take a day or two off. End of story."
"Shouldn't you be asking Emily too?" Riley asked.
"Jeez, who are you? My mother?!" Hotch asked, faking annoyance. Riley laughed, and Hotch couldn't suppress his laughter. The team looked at Hotch, surprised.
"Alright, alright. Well, I'm going to be at the dance studio until you pick me up." Riley said.
"Chances are, I picking you guys up until like, 8." Hotch said. "You'll still be there then?"
"On weekends and breaks I'm there until like 10. I have my own key." Riley laughed.
"Alright then. I'll see you then." Hotch said.
"Sounds good! See you then." She said, hanging up the phone.
"What was that? It sounded like you just laughed!?" Rossi asked.
"Don't you have paperwork to do?" Hotch snapped.
"Nope." He laughed. "You're acting very strange lately."
"How so?"
"You've both laughed and smiled within one week." Reid said.
"That's a record." Morgan said.
"Hey, leave him alone." JJ said.
"Thanks JJ." Hotch said.
"It's not his fault he has feelings." JJ laughed.
"You all suck, you know that?" Hotch said, returning to his paperwork.
"Ignore them." Emily said. "So, who were you talking to?"
"Riley. She wanted to know if she could stay over tonight."
"You said?" Emily asked.
"I told her to stay for the rest of the break." Hotch said. "Is that okay?"
"Don't you ask my permission! They're your children, you tell ME if they're coming, don't ask." Emily scolded.
"Alright. Sorry."
"Okay." Emily said. "Put your belt on, we're going to land."
"What's with people today? You all think you're my mother now?"
"Quiet or I'm going to ground you." Emily said, winking at Hotch.
"Is that a threat or a promise?" Hotch asked.
"Ew, could you please shut up? I'm going to puke." JJ laughed.
"Save it for when you're off the plane." Reid said. Emily and Hotch both laughed as the plane landed.
**
After picking up Jack, Hotch and Emily arrived at Riley's studio at about 8:15 that night. Emily decided to wait in the car with Jack, as Jack hated going into the studio.
"Lock up when you leave, okay?" A lady yelled into a room inside the studio. She turned to Hotch and smiled at him. "Hello, how can I help you?"
"Hi, I'm Aaron Hotchner. I'm Riley's father."
"You are Riley's father?" She asked, sounding surprised.
"Yes...?"
"Aren't you luck! I'm Julia Pacilla, I own the studio." She held out her hand, and Hotch took hers and shook it.
"So, you gave Riley a key to the studio?" He asked.
"Riley spends more time here than anyone. She cleans up and helps out a bit in exchange for discounts on her lessons." Julia explained. "Not that Riley needs the extra practice time. She could out dance anyone that dances her, including most of the teachers.
"Really?" He asked.
"Oh yeah. She's a very talented young lady, just look." She said, pointing to a window. Hotch looked through it, to see Riley putting a song on the MP3 player. "Tonight" by FM Static filled the studio, and Riley began a contemporary dance. It was beautiful. She was graceful and truly talented.
"See what I mean? And that's just her contemporary! You should see her tap...no jazz...no musical theatre...no acro. Yeah, acro. You need to see her acro solo!" She said excitedly. She ran into the room and got Riley to put on a different song. Rock music filled the studio and Hotch watched his daughter do moves that astounded him. She did things that he didn't even know were possible.
"She picked the song." Julia said once she got out of the room. "I never usually let the kids pick, but Riley's special."
"What is this song?" Hotch asked.
"I think it's called Evolution. It's by Korn." Julia said.
"Oh." Hotch said, as the door to the room Riley was in opened.
"Julie, why didn't you tell me my father was here?" Riley asked.
"We were watching you dance." Hotch said.
"Oh, well I'm done now I guess. I won't be back again until next week Jules." Riley said, with a small wave.
"Alright, have fun." Julia said, Hotch and Riley both said good bye.
**
"The car has an MP3 and iPod hookup. Plug your iPod in Riley." Emily suggested.
"Yeah, sure." She said, hooking her iPod up from the back seat of the car. "Choose something." She said, handing the iPod to Emily.
"Thanks man." Emily began flipping to the endless list of songs on Riley's iPod. She put on "What's My Age Again?" by Blink 182.
"I'm glad I have someone who likes decent music in my life. No one at my mother's house likes good stuff." Riley scoffed.
"Hey! I like this stuff!" Jack yelled in protest. He even started singing along to the song to prove his point.
"You're right Jackie, I meant there aren't any adults at mom's who like good music." Riley said, laughing. The ride went on, and so did the music. They decided to leave her iPod on shuffle, and they'd just listen to whatever came on. Of course, they had to change it many times because about 75% of Riley's songs were not appropriate for Jack to listen to. The shuffle eventually turned on "Push It" by Salt-N-Peppa. Riley's eyes went wide, and her cheeks went red.
"Well little miss punk rocker. What do we have here?" Emily asked cynically.
"I have no idea how this song got on my iPod." Riley lied, with a small laugh.
"LIAR!" Jack yelled. "Daddy! She's a liar! She loooves this song!"
"Jack! You've blown my cover!" Riley said jokingly.
"I can't believe you like Salt and Pepper." Hotch laughed. "Your mother used to listen to them all the time."
"I can't believe you just called them Salt and Pepper." Emily laughed. "Salt-N-Peppa Hotch."
"Listen here fifty cents, not all of us can be as street as you."
"Daddy, it's cent not cents." Jack said, laughing loudly.
"Oh whatever." Hotch laughed. Emily began to sing along with the song, and Riley began to sing with her. Jack cut in at some points, just causing everyone to laugh.
"Yo yo yo yo baby pop, yeah you. Come here, give me a kiss. Better make it fast or else I'm gonna get pissed. Can you here the music pumping hard like I wish you would? Now push it! Push it good." Hotch sang all of a sudden. Everyone in the car looked blankly at him.
"I didn't know you knew how to sing!" Jack exclaimed. Everyone laughed hystarically at Hotch's attempt at rapping.
"You should do that more." Riley said suddenly.
"What? Butcher perfectly good 90's music?" Emily laughed.
"You lie, that was great." Hotch said.
"No. That, what you're doing now." Riley said, as if it was obvious.
"What?" Hotch asked.
"Smile."
A/N So, I have an idea, and I'm going to put it to a vote. Do you think we should add a Hotch/Prentiss baby anytime soon? Review this chapter, and put the answer in your review. I'll do whatever you guys pick. Review the chapter :)