Babysitting Jack
"Emily!" I called from downstairs. I
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" She called. I heard something fall, then a thud, and then loud footsteps clunking down the stairs. Finally she made her way to the kitchen where I was waiting.
"God Emily, you're a disaster," I said rolling my eyes. She grinned.
"What do I need?" She asked me. I looked her over.
"Shoes…definitely need to put shoes on," I said nodding and as she walked away I called, "And your right earring!"
"Damn," I heard her mutter from the hallway. She finally regained composure and walked back in, ready to go. She had a beautiful black dress on, long, sleek and elegant. I picked that dress out, by the way. I nodded and smiled and my job well done. Seeing my face, Emily laughed.
"You did nothing," She said, because she knew that was what I was thinking about.
"Yeah okay. Everything you're wearing, I picked out!" I said. We climbed into the car and headed towards the Hotchner house. The whole team had to go out to an event for their unit, Strauss was requiring that they all go, so I had volunteered to babysit Jack, for Hotch.
"So what exactly is this for?" I asked.
"It's some gala for the unit…uh, people that donate money to our unit ,they are all coming. And Strauss will be there, so to meet her standards: we have to look really nice, talk about our good work, and make those people want to donate more. Basically," She said sighing.
"How long do you think this will take?" I asked, feeling bad for the team, that they had to suffer this.
"Oh I have no idea," Emily said sighing. We pulled into Hotch's driveway. She kissed me on the forehead.
"Have fun, be safe, call or text, if you need anything, I'll have my phone," She said.
"Sounds good. You kids have fun," I said grinning.
"Ok. Send Hotch out on your way in," She called, and walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. Jack opened the door.
"Hey, Jack," I said smiling.
"Daddy! Kaitlin here!" The little 5 year old child called.
"Coming, buddy!" Hotch called from upstairs. He came quickly down the stairs.
"Hi Kaitlin," He said to me.
"Hey, Hotch," I said watching as he struggled with his bow tie, "Come here," I said, motioning for him to come. He walked closer, and I tied his bow tie.
"THanks," He said laughing.
"I'll teach you one of these days," I told him. He smiled.
"Money on the counter for dinner, he knows where the food is here, though, if you don't want to order out. Bedtime is," He said looking at Jack.
"8:30, but when you get home you'll wake me up!" He exclaimed, reciting probably exactly what Hotch had said.
"That's right!" Hotch said picking up Jack and kissing him on the forehead.
"I love you buddy. I'll be back later okay?" He asked.
"Ok daddy! Wuv you too!" Jack said waving.
"Watch Emily and the uh," I made a drunk face and tilted my hand up towards my face, like drinking wine. Hotch laughed. We both knew that if Strauss pissed her off, she'd be hanging out where the alcohol is.
"Don't worry, I remember the Christmas party," Hotch said laughing. He waved and shut the door behind him. I watched as the car drove away.
"Alright buddy. It's just me and you. What do you wanna do?" I asked Jack. He took my hand and pulled me into the living room. He pointed to a pile of leggos. I nodded and together we made a big leggo tower. After, we played some board games, and ate dinner. After dinner, I changed him into his pi's and brought him back downstairs.
"Let's relax and watch a movie," I suggested. He looked at me for a moment. Staring at me. Almost like he was reading me. A profiler's son.
"Kaitlin?" He asked.
"Yeah Jack?" I asked, taking his hand and bringing him to the couch. I sat down, picked him up, and put him next to me.
"Auntie Emmy isn't really your mommy, is she?" Jack asked.
"Well, she is now, Jack, but she wasn't always my mommy," I explained.
"And Uncle Derek isn't really your daddy, is he?" Jack asked.
"That's right, Jack," I said nodding.
"What happened to your other mommy and daddy?" He asked. I pain shot through my whole body.
"My…my mommy and my daddy…" I murmured. I felt a tear fall. Jack reached up his finger and wiped the tear from my cheek. I held the little boy's hands.
"My mommy and daddy went to heaven," I explained slowly, swallowing.
"You know what," Jack said softly.
"What Jack?" I asked.
"So did my mommy…" He said. I had never heard the whole story of what had happened to Haley Hotchner, but I did know that she was killed two years before I met Emily.
"I'm sorry, Jack," I told him sincerely.
"But mommy's always watching me and daddy. And your mommy and daddy are always watchin you. And daddy says that mommy will always wuv me, so that means your mommy and daddy will always wuv you," Jack explained. I smiled and the little boy hugged me. I hugged him, too.
"Let's watch Scooby Doo," Jack said after a moment.
"Okay," I said nodding, and I put the movie in. Jack curled up next to me, and after 20 minutes, he was sound asleep on my shoulder. I picked him up, and brought him to his bed. I tucked him in and kissed his forehead.
"Night, Jack," I whispered. I shut his door and went downstairs.
From that moment on, Jack became like my little brother. He reminded me of my brother Jason. Jack understood what I was going through, and from his young point of view, he helped me better understand it, too.