Hotchniss One Shots

"Meeting parents" pt. 2

5k+ reads is mind boggling 🤯 thank you all so much! This is the longest chapter that I've written so far in this story. . .

"Em," Aaron said softly, touching her arm to wake her up.

It had been a long day at the BAU. A week long case had finally been closed in LA, and now, Aaron and Emily sat in his office finishing paperwork and eating Mexican food. At least, until she fell asleep not long after they finished it. She struggled to keep her head in the air as she fought her fatigue.

She stirred at the mention of her name, and her eyes fluttered open. "How long have I been asleep for?" she asked quietly, taking note of the empty bullpen and dark sky.

"Not long enough. Let's go home where you can get some real sleep."

Emily looked up at him through her long lashes and sighed. "I have to get this report done," she protested.

"You haven't slept properly in a week. You're going home," he said, maintaining his Hotch voice while taking the file out of her grip. "This will still be waiting for you two days from now."

"Two days?" she asked, clocking her head to the side slightly.

"I'm giving the team the day off tomorrow. We all need it after that case."

She grabbed onto his hands as she pulled herself off of the couch, letting out a groan. "Can you carry me out to your car?"

Aaron smiled softly as she threw the file on his already cluttered desk. "No, but good try."

Emily let out another annoyed groan as they left his office.

What felt like only minutes later, Emily was laying in bed, wearing a hoodie and sweats, while Aaron laid beside her with damp hair and a soft t-shirt.

"Aaron, I forgot to tell you, I'm going to visit my cousin tomorrow for lunch. Her name is Shelby."

"I think you've talked about her before. Do you want me to come? Jess actually wanted to spend the day with Jack, so it's good timing."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want you to get bored," Emily said with a smile. "You can come, but I'll tell you now, get ready for a whole lot of accomplishment bragging, because Shelby is my mother's niece."

"Hey, she's related to you, so she must be sweet," Aaron responded by placing a kiss to the side of her head.

Emily smiled. He smelled like shampoo, aftershave, and crayons all at the same time. He smelled like a dad, if that was at all possible.

"You should get some sleep," Aaron said, reaching to turn the light off beside them.

"You too," Emily said and placed a chaste kiss to his lips.

Emily let out one, heavy sigh before falling into his arms, all while Aaron's mine raced one million miles a minute. In all honesty, within the past few months, he had been seriously considering proposing to Emily.

They already lived and worked together. How could being married be so much different?

XXX

"Why are you so much different than your mother?"

Emily shot him a sideways glance as he drove. Her cousin only lived an hour away, so now Aaron was trying his best to get her to open up to him about her family. "I mean, you describe all of your family like rich snobs. How come you're so different," he repeated, realizing that he may have, in some way, come off as insensitive.

"My mother grew up with caring, loving parents. I grew up with nagging, absent parents," Emily answered simply. "My dad didn't, uh. . . he was never there to support my mother and I. I guess, after a point, I learned how to take care of myself. I learned all about how my mother puts on her happy face for the public and how she never shows her emotions. It's not the path I chose to take."