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“Emily? Have you seen Hotch?” Reid asked as she walked into the BAU office, her eyebrows wrinkling at the question.
“No. He’s not here yet?” Emily replied. “That’s odd.”
“Yeah, luckily we don’t have any cases today. It’s paperwork day-” JJ was cut off before she could say anything else by Emily’s phone ringing.
“Hello?”
“Emmy?”
Emily’s confusion grows. “Hi, Jack Jack. Where’s your dad?”
“Daddy’s got the sickies, Emmy,” Jack says sullenly. “He keeps coughin’ and he’s really hot. I dunno what to do, so I called you ‘cause when I was sick, you and Daddy took care of me.”
“Oh, Jack,” Emily’s already putting her jacket back on, the team staring at her curiously. “What’s Daddy doing right now?”
“Sleepin’! I took his phone and called you.”
“I see. Okay, sweetie. I’ll be there really quick, okay? Why don’t you watch some TV while you’re waiting for me?”
“Okay! Bye, Emmy! See you soon!”
At the sight of Dave and Morgan’s smirks, Emily narrowed her eyes. “What?”
“Isn’t it interesting that out of all the people he could call, little Hotch called you?” Morgan asked with a teasing tilt in his voice.
“I swear to God-”
JJ laughed, shooing Emily away. “Go, Emily. I’ll call in for you.”
“Thanks, JJ.” Emily murmured, her mind already focused on the two Hotcher boys who had wormed their way into her life.
Emily wasn’t sure when Aaron and Jack Hotchner had become such figures in her life where Jack would call her to tell her about his day or she and Aaron had started sitting with her on the jet, pairing off on cases.
She had driven Aaron to and from work after Foyet, picking up two coffees instead of just one, lingering touches on the small of her back as they entered the office.
She dragged herself out of bed at ungodly hours on Saturday mornings to watch Jack’s soccer games and they always went out for pancakes afterwards. Aaron gifted her with homemade cookies he and Jack had made, cat toys that Jack picked out for Sergio.
The friendship between Aaron and Emily had slowly turned into something more , late nights after Jack was tucked into bed where she would curl up next to him and watch movies with him, but they hadn’t really discussed it.
Emily’s mind cleared as she fumbled in her purse for the extra set of keys Aaron had given her and she heard footsteps behind the door before a quiet voice passed through.
“Emmy, is that you?”
“Yeah, Jack Jack. Hold on.”
When she opens the door, Jack immediately clings to her legs, grinning up at her with chocolate all over his face.
“Have you eaten anything yet, Jack?”
“Cookies. We made some for you, but I wanted to eat some, so I had three ‘cause I was really hungry. Daddy’s still sleeping!”
“Oh, sweetie. Okay. How about we order some takeout?”
“Yeah!”
Emily leads him into the kitchen, where she cleans up his face and lets him run off to the living room before going upstairs to Aaron’s room.
She hadn’t really been inside before, the room decorated with dark furniture and smelling distinctly of him. It was neat and clean and the curtains were drawn.
“Aaron?”
He grumbled, almost buried underneath the comforter, and Emily let out a snicker.
“Wha- Jack?”
He sat up suddenly, groaning as his hand came to his head, wincing in evident pain. “Emily?”
“Aaron, calm down, it’s me,” Emily soothed, her hand coming to support his back as he almost toppled over. For a man of his size, it was almost comical. “Jack called me and said you were sick, so of course, being the angel I am, I came right over.”
“Fuck, I slept through my alarm. Jack hasn’t even eaten yet and it’s almost noon-” Aaron’s face turns frantic. “Fuck, work-”
“Aaron! I ordered us takeout and he’s just been watching TV and playing with his legos,” Emily smiled as she forced Aaron to lay back down. “He did have 3 of those cookies you supposedly made for me, though.”
A small smile appeared on Aaron’s face. “Chocolate chip. Your favorite.” He murmured.
“Don’t worry, we’ll eat them,” Emily smiled sympathetically at him as he groaned again. “How are you feeling?”
“I thought I was fine. I had a bad headache yesterday, but I didn’t think it was anything bad.”
“Now look at you. The great Aaron Hotchner, stuck in bed.”
“Cases?”
“None today. All paperwork. I’m sure you’ll have a beautiful stack by the time you get back to work.” Emily teased and he grumbled once more, burying under the blankets.
Emily couldn’t hold in her laugh as she gently brushed her hand against his forehead. “Do you have any medicine?”
“Cabinet. My bathroom.”
Emily grabs the Tylenol and a glass of water and gives it to him. “Here. Have any laundry you want me to do while I clean up and watch Jack?”
“Emily, you don’t have to. I can-” A cough. “I can do it.”
“Aaron, you’re sick.”
“I’ll be fine once the medicine kicks in.”
“Aaron,” Emily whispers. “Let me, please?”
He stares at her, his eyes soft, and he leans back against his pillows when heavy footsteps bang against the stairs and Jack bursts in. “Daddy, you’re awake!”
“Jack, I’m sorry. Daddy’s not feeling well.”
“I know. That’s why I called Emmy.” Jack climbs onto the bed, wrapping his small arms around Aaron. Emily’s heart melts.
“Emmy always picks up when I call her.” Jack says absentmindedly and Emily beams, pressing a gentle kiss to the boy’s forehead.
“Of course, Jack Jack. Don’t tell anyone else, but you guys are my favorite.”
Aaron suddenly pulls her onto the bed, a strong arm wrapping around her and Jack squeals, flopping over both of them excitedly.
“You’re the bestest ever, Emmy,” Jack said, nose pressing against hers. “You’re like my mommy.”
Emily and Aaron both freeze, his hold on her tightening.
“Jack, I’m not real-”
“Yes, you are! I know my real mommy’s in Heaven, but you always are there for me. You’re always hanging out with me an’ Daddy. You know the names of all my stuffies and even Daddy doesn’t know them all.”
Aaron’s smile is hidden behind Emily’s shoulder and she almost shoves him out of the bed when she stares at him in shock. “Aaron-”
“He’s right, you know.”
“Aaron?”
“You are like his mom. I’m not saying you’re replacing Haley, but,” Aaron’s smile turns lopsided. “You always take care of us.”
“I love you, Emmy!” Jack butts in, throwing himself at her.
Aaron’s breath fans over her ear. “He’s not the only one.”
“Aaron! You can’t just… Say things like that! This fever is making you delusional- Oh, God, c’mon, Jack Jack, we might get sick, too.”
“No, stay here. I’ve captured you both.”
“Daddy, no-o!” Jack shrieks and he giggles as Aaron tickles his stomach, burrowing into Emily, whose cheeks hurt from smiling.
“We have to talk about this, Aaron.”
“So… You don’t love me back?”
“Of course I do- I’m-”
“What else is there to talk about?” Aaron asked cheekily.
“God, you’re insufferable,” Emily laughed, cheeks flushing. “Now, let us go. You’re sick and your germs are all over us.”
Emily stands up, hugging Jack as they pull away. “Drink your medicine and go to sleep. We’ll bring you food once it gets here.”
Aaron coughs and Jack squeals, hiding his face in Emily’s neck. “Mommy, save me! I’m gonna get Daddy’s germs!”
Emily’s heart squeezes, an unfamiliar feeling of warmth settling deep in her chest as the new moniker that Jack had taken on for her, and the approval she could feel radiating off of Aaron.
She had never expected anyone would call her that, much less the child of Aaron Hotchner.
“Em, sweetheart.”
Emily freezes again, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest with the love she feels for him. “Yeah?”
“We can talk, if you want to. But I love you, I hope you know that. And not to brag, but I’m a pretty good profiler and I think you return the feeling.”
“Get some sleep, Aaron.” Emily said softly, her eyes gentle as she kissed his cheek. Jack bends down to give him a kiss, too, and Aaron nods slowly.
“See you later, Daddy!”
The final sound Aaron hears before sleepiness overtakes him once more is Jack asking Mommy if they could play with his Legos and Emily’s gentle, familiar voice reminding him that they had to eat lunch first and deliver food to Daddy.
All of a sudden, Aaron didn’t feel as sick anymore.