Criminal Minds

Meeting Marcella

Chapter 8

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Emily was anxious to reach the hospital but at the same time, she wanted to meet with Hotch, she had much to explain to him.

Yet, she wanted to see her daughter. She missed Marcella. She had missed holding that precious child.

She recalled the first time the nurse had placed her on her arms and she knew instantly something was not right; Marcella was not crying.

"What is wrong with her?" She looked up at her doctor.

"We don't know, Emily. We'll have to run some tests on her, but don't worry too much."

She tried not to look too worried but this was supposed to be the most wonderful and joyous occasion! She had been looking forward to holding her baby for so long! For many years...since that dreadful time when she was fifteen, when she decided abort a baby. It was not something she had regretted; she was only fifteen, and certainly not ready to raise a baby.

A few years after that, when she was more mature, she began to yearn for a child, she was ready to be a mother.

Well, she had never thought in a million years that she would become a mother, she always thought she would end up a lonely old woman who owned more than five cats!

A child? Emily smiled as she watched the traffic crawled.

And the bonus? Hotch! Who would have thought he would be Marcella's father?

Then her expression changed to one of worry; what if he was not ready for her daughter?

She had never asked Hotch if he was still with Beth, if his relationship with Beth was still an on-going matter. She never asked because it was not her business.

Her one-time dalliance with Hotch was just that...one time.

She frowned as she was staring at the unbelievable jammed up cars that had come to a stand still.

Hotch was an honorable man, if he were to be in a relationship, he would not cheat.

She shook her head, so that meant he and Beth were broken up?

She sighed, dared she hope?

She never gave him a chance to talk about their relationship; she never did called to tell him she was pregnant with Marcella. She did not want to burden him with that. He would want to 'do the right thing'.

If he were to be with Beth, in love with Beth, Emily knew he'd break off his relationship as soon as he heard of her pregnancy. He was that type of person.

And if she can't give him any happiness aside from Marcella? What kind of life would that be? Emptiness. It would be just like what he had with Haley and Jack.

And he was happy being with Beth.

She sighed as she tapped her finger on the steering wheel.

Jack...she smiled and wondered if he had met his little sister yet?

She should call her mother but she wanted to surprise everyone.

…..

"Any word from my daughter?" Elizabeth was on her cell phone with her secretary. "She should be on her way here any moment." She pursed her lips.

"Okay...thank you, Anna. That's all for now. Bye." She shook her head as she turned to look at Hotch.

He looked visibly upset, "What about Easter?"

"Straight to voice mail." She said. "The doctors are prepping Marcella, and Emily had said she'll be here." She turned unconsciously to the door.

"Elizabeth, won't you have a seat?" Hotch indicated a chair by Marcella's hospital bed. "I'm sure she's on her way."

The Ambassador nodded and walked by the little girl's bed and sat down, extending her hand and held the small hand who had reached out.

"I'm fine, little one." She signed. "Just waiting for your mama."

Marcella smiled as she signed, "Mamman will be here. She said so."

Hotch and Elizabeth exchanged looks.

"Well, if my daughter says her mother will be here, then she will be." He shrugged and smiled softly at his daughter.

Just then, the door opened, "Am I late?" Emily's bright voice filled into the room.

"Mamman!" Marcella signed as she instantly sat up on her bed.

Emily laughed as she ran to her daughter, arms opened, "My baby! My Marcella! Mummy's here!" She enveloped her daughter fully as tears fell. "Oooh...I miss my baby!"

Pulling her daughter slightly away, Emily examined her and grinned as she signed, "My, how you've grown since I've gone away, my precious baby!"

Marcella smiled, "I've been really good for Grandmamman and 'Mina. And Daddy too!" She pointed at the individuals she had named as they stood in the room.

At the mention of 'Daddy', Emily realized Hotch was here.

Blushing instantly, she turned slightly and looked up, "Hello, Hotch." She smiled at him.

He nodded, "Hello Emily, how are you?"

She nodded, "I'm fine...er, thanks for your help, getting me, and Clyde back to London. I appreciate it."

He shook his head, "Glad to help, Emily."

There was an awkward pause which thankfully was broken by the appearance of the orderly, "Marcella Prentiss-Hotchner?"

They nodded, "Yes...this is her." Emily indicated. "I'm her mother."

The orderly nodded as he held out a scanner and a clip board, "Just verify her name on the clip board and on her wrist band, ma'am."

Emily nodded and as soon as she verified everything was in order, he scanned the tags and smiled, "Okay...let's take the little one for a ride down the operating room." He signed to Marcella, "Ready, Miss Marcella?"

She looked nervous at Emily, "Mamman, will you come with me?"

Emily nodded, "Of course!" She turned to the orderly, "We'll ride together." She hopped onto the bed and smiled.

The orderly chuckled, "Okay...let us be off!" He looked up at the rest of the family members, "You may follow us if you wish, the operating room is down the hallway to our left."

They thanked him and filed out of the room and followed the hospital bed.

Near the end of the doors to the operating room, Emily hopped down and hugged her daughter, "Okay, sweetie, Mummy can't go in there. But you're a brave girl." She smiled as she signed, "I'll be waiting for you when you wake up."

Marcella nodded, "Okay, Mamma. I love you."

"I love you, too." She hugged her daughter as she watched the bed being wheeled into the room and the doors closed.

She turned to face her mother, Yasmina, and Hotch, "This should not take long." She swiped the tears from her face. "But it's going to be the longest two hours of my life."

Elizabeth Prentiss walked to her daughter and hugged her, "Of course it will, Emily, but just think, when she comes out of it, she will hear us!"

Emily nodded as she cried again, "I know, mother, I know but I'm still worried, what happens if it doesn't work?"

Hotch stepped in, "Emily, they've done this procedures dozens of time and each one a success, put some faith on the doctors. And besides...this is my daughter too."

She gave him a watery smile, "Yes, yes...Marcella is your daughter."

"She bares the Hotchner name, which I'm grateful you gave her, and a Hotchner is a fighter."

Emily nodded, "I'm sorry, Hotch...I'm sorry I kept her from you."

He shook his head, "You can make it up by giving her back to me, by letting me have her in my life again." He smiled softly at her.

"Hotch..."

"Emily, all I'm asking is time with my daughter."

"Emily," Elizabeth interjected. "And Aaron." She looked at both of them. "I normally don't interfere with couples, but not this time. I have to say, Emily, you must not be selfish." She held her hand up stopping her daughter from interrupting as she continued, "You have Marcella for 2 years. Aaron had missed the best year of her baby life, like her first step, her first tooth, her first baby food. I can't say her first word because as you two know she can't speak at the moment but soon, in time she will."

"She will?" Hotch interrupted. "What do you mean?"

Elizabeth smiled and turned to Emily, "I'll let her explain."

"Marcella's born with incomplete larynx, we consulted with specialists in London, and they had said they could repair or build her larynx which if successfully done, she will be able to talk again. But this won't be done till she's about six."

"Why six? Why that long?"

"She's still too young, the procedures will lower her immune system, so they have to wait till she's a little older, to build her immune system."

Hotch nodded, "Well, I guess that makes sense. Is she to have the procedures done overseas?"

Emily nodded, "US FDA has not approved on the method but in Britain, it's a success and they have done it to many children. Hotch, I've talked to the children there at the hospital, and the parents. They are very pleased with the results."

Hotch frowned slightly, "Why is the FDA still hesitant?"

She shrugged, "Don't know...probably it's because they have to use stem cells and HGH which as you know, FDA has not approved its usage in any form especially for athletes.

"I see, well then, this is something I'm not medically qualified to lend an opinion or to judge. But whatever it takes to get Marcella her speech, and if it's safe, I'll approve it."

Emily smiled, "Thank you."

Elizabeth smiled, "Well then, I'm glad you two can find some things in common to agree on. Now, if you don't mind, I'm in need of some coffee and I'll take Yasmina with me." She waved at them and gathering the nanny, walked quickly towards the elevators.

Emily shook her head, "That's her way of saying we need to talk alone."

Hotch grinned, "Yeah, I gather that." He turned to her, "Shall we sit and talk?" He indicated the waiting room, which thankfully was empty at the moment.

She nodded and moved towards, he followed her.

"Hotch, about Marcella...I need to explain why I kept her from you."

He shook his head, "No, Emily, as I've said earlier all I wanted now is time with my daughter."

She nodded, "What about her mother?"

He stared at her in surprise, "What...do you mean?"

She smiled, "I mean, Marcella and I come as a package."

"Emily, do you remember that night we spent together?"

She nodded, "Every day, Hotch. You are never far from my thoughts." She smiled. "Every time I looked at Marcella, I see you in her." She tilted her head at him. "She has so much of you, Hotch."

"And she looks so much like you. The time I spend with her, I see you in her; her eyes, her mouth, her nose, her hair."

Emily laughed, "No...she has your eyes and your nose!"

They began to laugh together.

"And Jack, has she met Jack?"

He nodded, "Yes, they met, and Jack is delighted to have a little sister, he has been telling Jessica all about her, and showing her photos from his cell phone."

"He has a cell phone? How old is he?"

"He's twelve, Emily. Old enough to be responsible." He nodded.

"I'm glad, and I'm glad he's taking it so well. I can't wait to see him."

"He misses you too. He did ask about you." He watched her.

She looked sad, "Oh? I miss him too. He must have grown so much now."

Hotch nodded, "Oh yes, he's almost as tall as I am. He wants to learn how to sign so he could converse with Marcella without the help of anyone."

"Oh...Yasmina can help! She's well qualified, she has certification to prove."

Hotch nodded again, "I was afraid you'd say that."

"Why?" She frowned. "What's the matter with Yasmina?"

"Not one thing unless you consider preteen crush is a problem." He chuckled.

It took Emily a moment to understand what Hotch had meant before she laughed, "What? Jack has a crush on Mina? Oh, this is too cute!"

"Only please don't tease him, it'll crush him...no pun intended." He smiled.

She shook her head, "Oh, I won't. I'll behave."

The operating doors opened, the doctor came out.

Hotch and Emily frowned, "That didn't take long...unless something is wrong." Hotch muttered.

Emily stood up instantly, "Marcella!" She rushed to the doctor!

Hotch followed directly behind her.

…...

End of Chapter 8