When Nogthing Goes as Planned


Week 16

Hotch had hoped that they would have been home early from the case, because Jessica had an important meeting at work, but bad weather had kept them at the airport for five extra hours. Fortunately Abigail – Jack's usually day-time babysitter – had been able to cancel her violin class and stay with Jack till Jessica came back. Hotch was so thankful that she had time to look after his son, when things did not go as planned.

When Hotch was at Jessica's house it was almost 7pm instead of 1pm. He got out of the car and walked with long steps to the front door. He rang the doorbell and a moment later Jessica opened the door. "Hi Jessie, is Jack ready to go?"

"He is, but I actually wanted to talk to you for a second before you leave," she said and tilted her head to the side with a small smile.

"Okay sure." Hotch walked in and Jessica closed the door after him. In the living room Jack sat on the couch watching Monsters, Inc. "Hi buddy."

Jack turned his head towards his father. "Hey daddy." He waved and smiled before he turned his attention back to the TV screen.

"Do you want something to drink?" Jessica asked as she opened the fridge.

"No thanks," Hotch said and sat down by the dinner table.

"Okay." She grabbed a bottle of water for herself and then sat down on the other side of the table. Jessica unscrewed the bottle capsule and sipped some of the water with a smile.

Curious about why Jessica kept smile at him, he asked, "So, what is it you want to talk to me about?"

She placed the bottle on the table. "Well Jack told me on Friday that he is going to be a big brother and was wondering why you haven't told me anything about that."

Hotch cheeks redden with shame. He had forgotten to tell Jessica about Emily and the pregnancy. How could he forget something like that? But did he really forget to tell her or was he just worried about how she would react? That she might be angry with him? "I'm so sorry Jessica that I haven't told you about it before."

"So it is true?" She looked at Jack and then whispered, "You have knocked up one of your employee?"

"Don't say it like that."

"But isn't it what happened? According to Jack you and... Agent Prentiss?" Hotch nodded. "Aren't dating so that means you kind of... Well let me just say, I never thought you would do something like that."

"Neither did I."

"So, how did it happen?"

"It was just a one-night stand. We were both really drunk and the next morning we couldn't even remember what we had done. And now Emily is pregnant with twins," Hotch said, sighing deeply as he ran a hand over his face. "I don't know what we are going to do. I don't know how we are going to get through all of this. It all seems so unreal. It's not something that is supposed to happen to me." He stopped talking for a moment and looked directly as Jessica with a pain in his heart." And I'm sorry. Haley hasn't even been dead for a year yet and I..."

The mention of her sister had made Jessica's eyes fill with tears and she stopped him from saying another word. "You and Haley hadn't been together for almost two years before she was..." She closed her eyes, making the tears roll down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away, not wanting Jack to see that she was crying if he decided turned around and look at them. Jessica sighed and opened her eyes again as she said, "You and Jack are my family. Nothing will ever change that. Not your and Haley's divorce, her death or Emily's pregnancy. I hope you know that."

Hotch felt as if a unknown wight had been lifted off his shoulders. He got up from the chair and went over to Jessica and hugged her. "I thought you would be angry with me when I told you."

Jessica shook her head and felt herself tear up again. "I'm not angry, but please don't forget all about me when the twins are born and you have a new family. Besides my parents you and Jack are the only family I have left."

"You will always be Jack's aunt, no one can take that away from you. You will always be Aunt Jessie," Hotch said with a smile, but then he felt a little hand on his back. He looked down and saw Jack standing bedside him with one arm around him and the other around his aunt.

As if he felt his father was looking at him, Jack look up and asked, "Daddy, why are we hugging?"

Hotch let go of Jessica with a grin and pick Jack up. "Are you ready to go now?"

Jack looked from his father to his aunt and back again and then he leaned in whispered in Hotch's ear, "Daddy, can I stay with Auntie for one more day? She looks a little sad, so I think she needs me here."

Hotch smiled. It warmed his heart that Jack had noticed his aunt's sadness. "You will have to ask Jessie about that."

Jack turned in Hotch's arms and smiled down at Jessica. "Can daddy come and get me tomorrow and not today, so I stay here for one more day?"

Jessica stood up and kissed Jack on the cheek. "We both have summer vacation, so you can stay as long as you want."

"Just for tomorrow, but daddy, do you think you can bring Emily when you pick me up?" Jack asked with a big hopeful smile.

"That's a great idea and I'm sure Emily would love to come with me."

"Good, because then the peanuts can hear Auntie's voice, so they know it for when we stay with her when you and Emily have to go away for work."

Jessica looked panicked at Hotch for a second then she said, "I would love to babysit sometimes, but I don't think I can take care off all three of them for longer then one night."

Hotch sat Jack down the floor and then place an assuring hand on Jessica's shoulder. "Don't worry we don't expect you to."

"It's not because I don't want to help out, but..."

"But you have a life of your own with a job and a boyfriend."

"Something like that, but if Jack still want's to stay with me, when you're away, then he is more than welcome. I think I will miss him too much if he didn't."

"Yeah, yeah," Jack said and started pushing his father towards the front door. "We will talk more about it later. Now you have to leave, so me and Auntie can watch 'Monsters, Inc' again and eat popcorn."

"Alright, I will," Hotch said opening the door and kissing Jack on top of his head. "See you tomorrow, Buddy."

"Bye, bye daddy. Remember to bring Emily, so the peanuts can meet their other aunt." Jack waved and then closed the door.