Random one-shots

They'll be safe in heaven

Word count - 1390
Aaron Hotchner x Reader

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One night, you were at home with your FBI husband Aaron, stepson Jack, and a 6-month-old baby girl - Kimberly, Linnie for short. You, yourself, were a detective at the local department working 9-5 every other day. You did work longer hours a few years ago, however, after being attacked by an unsub of Aaron's and the trauma affecting you so much, work insisted on reducing your hours.

Currently, the four of you were tackling the bedtime routine. It would switch every night on who put Jack and Linnie to bed. Well, when Aaron was home from a case that was. Tonight you were with Linnie and Aaron was with Jack.

Changing the babbling baby into a white, floral onesie was surprisingly easy tonight. Usually, she would put up a fight and refuse to be changed into some slightly comfier sleep attire. "You, Miss Linnie Hotchner, are being a dream tonight." You say with a smile on your face.

A short while later, she was sound asleep in her cot after a warm bottle of milk. You turn on the small night light in the corner of the room before pulling the door and heading down the hall. You're stopped in your tracks by an abrupt phone call on your cell, "Hello?"
"Is this Mrs. Y/N Hotchner?"
"Yes?" You question, "Who am I talking to?"
"I am afraid to inform you that your parents have been involved in a fatal plane crash on their way from California. They ended up in our ER a few hours ago."
"Oh my God, are they okay?" Your voice becoming more panicked.
"Unfortunately your mother was deceased by the time she got here. Your father had severe injuries and was rushed to surgery. It seemed he was going to make it out of there just fine but he succumb to his injuries and passed away an hour ago."
"O-oh." Your voice became cracked as tears were choked in your throat and tears began to fall down your cheeks, taking the unremoved mascara with them.
"I am very sorry Mrs. Hotchner." Speaks the voice on the other line.
"Th-thank you." You manage to get out before ending the phone call.

You wipe the salty tears from your cheeks before taking a deep breath and carrying on into Jack's room.  The boys looked as if they'd just gotten Jack in his pyjamas as he still wasn't in bed. You leaned against the doorframe, a small smile on your face. "Goodnight mama," Jack says to you. You walk further into the room, bending down to Jack's height, "Goodnight buddy." The 7-year-old boy wraps you in a hug, "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." You wipe a sliver of dirt from his cheek, "I love you so much, okay? Don't forget that."
"I love you too." He says with his usual cheery smile.
"Alright, buddy, time for bed." Says Aaron from the doorway, clearly sensing some distress. You kiss Jack on the head and give him a soft smile before walking through to the living room.

Your glass of wine from earlier that night sat there, full. Chugging it, you curl up into the corner of the sofa just letting the tears flow.

Out of nowhere, your parents were dead. There was no warning at all. How could there have been? It was a flying tin box in the sky. What couldn't go wrong?

A short while later Aaron walks out to see you crying in the corner. He comes over and wraps you in a hug, your head is placed on his chest.
"What happened?" He whispered, softly. Something unusual for the man you loved so dearly. "Y/N you can tell me."
You take a few deep breaths, "My, uh, my parents are...dead. They died in a plane crash a few hours ago," your tears pick up, "they were coming here, Aaron. They were coming here and, uh." Your tears pick up again and his hand drifts toward your head. With one arm around you and one running down your hair, he whispered sweet nothings into your ear.

Linnie's cries are what break you from your daze. "I'll go and get her." Says Aaron, standing up and heading to the back room. He reaches into the cot and begins to rock the crying baby. It wasn't apparent what had woken her but her father's presence seemed to calm her back down. Now, she was a happy baby, smiling and giggling.

He carried her through the hallway and into the main room where you were. Linnie babbles exposing a hidden smile on your face. "There's a smiley Linnie loo." You say, the baby's arms reaching for your grasp. Aaron passes her to you and retakes his place on the sofa.

You sit there trying to put Linnie back to sleep with success after a little bit. Suddenly, you remembered your siblings, they had no clue about what had happened only hours earlier. Grabbing your phone from the coffee table you dial your siblings' numbers, creating a group call. "What's going on?" Asks Aaron.
"I'm telling my brothers and sister. I need to get it out of the way." You reply as they start to pick up. Aaron makes a silent agreement with you to take Linnie and put her back to bed. You shoot him a small smile before realising all of your siblings have answered the call. The three-hour time difference between Quantico and California didn't really impact on this call as it was later for you than it was for them.

"What's going on?" Asks your younger sister, Ally.
"Yeah, you never have us on group calls anymore." Replies your younger brother Leo.
Your older brother, Logan, was the last to speak, "Guys, let her speak. She'll get to it."
You take a shaky breath and begin, "I, uh, I don't think there's an easy way to put this apart from saying it straight. The plane mum and dad were on crashed and neither of them made it."
The choked sobs from Ally and Leo made your heart ache. Logan's silence had you in his thoughts. His deep, dark, sad thoughts.

Through the phone, you could hear Logan's youngest question what was going on. He had put on his firm, protective voice and assured her that everything was okay and to go back to her room where her mum would finish her painting with her.
"Listen, I'm going to try and get out there as soon as I can to be there for the three of you, okay?" You say, taking the silence as an agreement.

It took 5 minutes for the call to be over. By that time, Jack was lingering at the door. "Mama?"
"Jack, what are you doing out of bed?"
"I couldn't sleep. My throat's all scratchy. Are you okay?"
"Come here," you gesture for him to sit on the couch and hand him a cup of water. He begins to drink as you run a hand through his hair.
"You know how sometimes people die?" He nods, "Well that doesn't make people happy, does it?" He shakes his head and looks up at you, "So I'm not very happy because my mummy and daddy are in heaven."
"Like my mummy?" He asks.
"Like your mummy." You say, "And it's a hard thing to accept when someone dies but it happens, and there is nothing we can do to prevent it from happening. What we have to do then, as human beings, we have to cherish every moment we get with the people we love because, one day, they're not going to be here like they used to and we don't know when it will be so every moment should count." He looks up at you and nods, hugging you tightly.
"Don't worry mama, they'll be safe in heaven with mummy. She was a very good person and she'd always look after the good people. I think she'll understand that they're nice people. I met your mummy and daddy two years ago when they came to yours and daddy's wedding. They were kind and nice and they were funny just like you." The both of you smile. You kiss the top of his head, "Come on buddy, let's get you back into bed."