Criminal Minds

Meeting Marcella

Chapter 7

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The BAU team left Virginia the next morning; they had an urgent case.

Dave Rossi managed to persuade Hotch to stay behind.

"Your daughter needs you, Aaron." He said pointedly. "Besides, Morgan and the team can handle this. He has proven time and time again." He placed his hand reassuringly on Hotch's shoulder and patted him. "We got this, my friend and you won't be any help to us, your focus is not on the team but Emily."

Hotch looked surprise, "I..." He tried to deny but Dave shook his head, Hotch realized it was moot and finally he relented, and said, "You're right, I'll be hindering the team, and Derek's more than competent." Finally he nodded, "You win, Dave." He sighed with a slight relief. "Good luck with the case."

"Keep us posted." Dave nodded as he turned to leave with a wave.

"I will." Hotch nodded as well; last he heard, the Special Task Force was at the British Embassy.

He was about to make a phone call when his phone buzzed; it was Elizabeth Prentiss.

"Hotchner."

"Aaron? This is Elizabeth Prentiss."

He smiled, "Yes, this is he. Anything? Any word from Emily?"

"Yes! Well...not directly, the INTERPOL contacted my embassy staff and relayed a text message; the team is safe. All of them." Hotch could hear the relieved tone in her voice.

He felt as if he could shout to the world! But he remained calm, "That is wonderful news, Ambassador. Did they say when they will be returning here or London?"

"As to that, I'm not sure...it's just a text message, Aaron. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Elizabeth. This is wonderful news, and I'm sure we'll hear from them as soon as possible."

"Yes, yes...I hope so."

He felt she had something else to say.

"Is there more?" He prompted.

"Um...yes. I'm not sure if I should be the one to tell you or...oh dear."

"Elizabeth," Alarms ringing off in his head. "What is it? Is it Marcella? Is she sick?"

"Oh no...no! It's not that!" She tried to laugh it off. "I didn't mean to sound dramatic...Emily's going to kill me if she learns about this."

Hotch took a really deep and calm breath as he faced the window of his office; the scenery outside usually calmed him. "Well, since you've hinted something is up, you might as well confess. And Emily's not here, she's not going to kill you and by the time she finds out whatever you had to tell me, it'll be too late." He reasoned.

She chuckled, "You know, Aaron, you'll really make an excellent politician."

He smiled, "You do realize that I used to be an assistant district attorney..."

"Ah...you are good. I can see why Emily's so charmed by you."

Grinning, "Did she tell you that?"

"Not in so many words, but she did." She smiled.

"I wished she'd tell me in person." He said softly. "But, you're stalling, Ambassador."

"Ah yes, it is about Marcella...but not what you think." She quickly pointed out.

Hotch's breath caught, "What about her? Please tell me."

"The real reason I'm here with her is that she's about to have a surgery soon."

Hotch felt as if his heart had stopped. "Dear me...what surgery?"

…...

She glared at her best friend of twenty years, "You thought I was the goat? Are you fucking serious?"

He gave her a sheepish grin, "I had to ask, Em. You know the procedures." He waved his hand casually.

She threw the pad away and it hit against the concrete wall; it broke naturally but she didn't care nor did she bothered to look at the damage she had done.

Clyde, however, did. "That was rather childish...Marcella probably never..."

"Leave my kid out of this." She said with an angry quiet tone. "Did you find that bastard?"

He gave her look before nodded, "It was between you and Sorchar." He folded his arms. "Since you've been with me the entire time when I received this text from her..." He arched his brow and shrugged his shoulders.

"That bitch...I trusted that bitch." Emily rubbed her shoulder unconsciously.

Clyde frowned, "You really need to see about that shoulder, you took a really hard lick in that crash."

She shook her head, "I'm fine, Clyde. I have to hurry back to the States, Marcella's surgery is day after tomorrow in Maryland." This time she was massaging her left wrist. "Shit...this hurts."

He grabbed her hand and looked at it, "Darling, it's looking swollen, I think you're going to have to get it looked at...medically."

She rolled her eyes, "Clyde, in case you have noticed, we're debriefing."

He nodded, "I know, sweets. I meant as soon as we're done with this bloody infernal debriefing."

She grinned, "I know you hated this part of the mission but I hope it'll soon be over."

He shook his head, "I'm afraid not for me." She gave him a quizzical look, he continued, "Sorchar; there're procedures and paperwork before INTERPOL place her under arrest."

She nodded sadly. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged, "Part of being a boss." He watched her. "And not to change the subject...Aaron Hotchner."

She snapped her head up and stared at him, "What about him?"

"You know his team got us out of this mess, my dear."

"I know that." She admitted.

"And you have much to tell him...for example, my precious Goddaughter Marcella?"

She gave him a small smile, "Yeah, I owe him that big contribution."

He frowned, "Em, this is serious. He deserves to be told."

She nodded, "I know, I know." She held up her hand. "It's rather complicating, Clyde."

"No it's not, Emily. It's simple. You and he...er...did the deed...and voila! You became pregnant and gave me a precious darling little girl whom I lovingly named after my Grandmamman." He chuckled. "I wish she was still alive." He glanced heavenwards.

Emily smiled and nodded, "I know...she'd have spoiled her thoroughly, just like you're doing now, thank you very much."

He turned to her, "What? It's the privilege of a Godfather." He shrugged. "She's a beautiful child, and those beautiful eyes...how could I deny her of anything?" He gave her a baleful look. "Just because her mother says no, doesn't mean her Godfather will agree." He gave Emily a one shoulder shrug.

Emily looked exasperated, "Oh my god, Clyde!" She threw her hands out, "You are spoiling her! And you don't have to buy her every damn stuff animal in the toy store! She is only a baby!"

"Well, the sales lady said Marcella needed those soft animals."

She glared at him, "The sales lady conned you, Clyde."

He shook his head, "No matter, my Goddaughter must have the best of everything."

Emily shook her head, "I'm not going to argue with you anymore, Clyde...I'm just kinda worried how my mother is getting along with Hotch, or not."

"He doesn't?" He frowned. "What is wrong with your mother? I like her, very formidable woman but she seemed very wonderful with Marcella."

Emily nodded, "Oh, she's changed quite a bit since but the last time they had met, they were not very well acquainted...so I'm not really sure how well they're getting along."

"As an Ambassador, she can be quite intimidating but as a person, she is wonderful." Clyde added.

"And Hotch can be..." Emily hesitated.

"An asshole?" Clyde completed with a deadpan look; he recalled the last time they met, it was not entirely a warm reception. Then again, the last time they met, Emily's life was hanging in the balance of a deranged terrorist.

Emily saw the look on his face and shook her head, "No, Clyde, well...he may sometimes act like it but he is a wonderful man." She said with a smile.

"Oh dear, please spare me with your mooning. Please." He held both hands out. "On second thoughts, if you're so in love with him...why don't you tell him the truth?"

She gave him a horrified look, "NO! I mean...he..." She shook her head, "No...absolutely not."

"Why? Are you scared he will reject you?"

She was silent.

"Emily?"

She shook her head, refusing to answer him.

"You're scared, aren't you?" Clyde watched her. "You're afraid he'll reject your feelings for him."

She nodded quietly.

"Oh for Pete's sake...I may not like that fellow, but I think he has some integrity. If he finds out about Marcella, he'll do the right thing."

"Oh." She looked worried. "But I don't want him to do the right thing just because of Marcella...especially because of Marcella." She was now frowning hard, "Wait a minute...I don't want any hand outs from him!" She rushed to the door and realized it was still locked. "Are we done?"

He removed a set of keys and tossed it to her which she caught it expertly.

"Yes, we're done with our debrief, you can leave...just use the usual INTERPOL procedures..."

She nodded as she threw the keys back to him, "Yeah, yeah, I got it; don't talk to strangers, don't divulge our mission or any parts of , blah, blah."

"Oh dear god!" He held his head with his hands. "Get out please!" He waved her off hurriedly. "Oh, Emily."

She turned to look at him. "Best wishes to my darling Marcella, speedy recovery." He gave her a worried look.

She nodded, "I will, thank you, Clyde. I'll call you when it's over." She used a sign gesture she usually gave to Marcella, "I love you, dearest."

He nodded and returned the gesture with, "Love you back, my dear."

…...

End of Chapter 7