Hotchniss - Bonds, Deals and Running

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

It had started subtly, almost without either of them realizing. Emily never intended to stay over so often, but somehow, night after night, she found herself at Aaron's house. It was as if the space between them had naturally stretched, and it was just easier this way. Emily wasn't officially moved in, but she practically lived in that house. The truth was undeniable, most of her things were gathered in Aaron's closet and her toothbrush was in the bathroom alongside most of her cosmetics.

One evening, after a particularly fun game of Monopoly, Emily and Jack were sitting at the kitchen table, laughing as she stole a few more of his "money" cards. Aaron watched from the doorway, smiling softly.

"Hey, that's not fair! You can't keep taking all my money!" Jack protested, narrowing his eyes at Emily.

"Oh, but I'm the banker, Jack! You should know better than to trust me," Emily teased, reaching for another card, but Jack swatted her hand away.

Aaron leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching them with a smile. "What's this? I thought you were teaching him to play fair?" he said, giving Emily a teasing look.

"I'm teaching him how to win, that's all," she said, winking at Jack, who laughed in return.

Jack declared with a grin. "Are you coming back tomorrow?"

"You know I can't resist hanging out with you two." Emily said, ruffling his hair affectionately.

Jack beamed, clearly happy. "It's just more fun when you're here."

The simple truth was, Emily found herself feeling the same way. The laughter, the lighthearted moments, the comfort of being there with Aaron and Jack, it was something she hadn't realized she needed until it became part of her routine.

She paused for a moment, glancing over at Aaron, who was still watching them, his gaze soft and warm.

"Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys," she added with a small smile.
Aaron gave her a nod, a quiet look of contentment crossing his face. "There's nowhere else I'd want you to be."

Emily's heart gave a small lurch at his words, and she caught herself smiling a little wider than she expected.

One evening, after a particularly grueling case, Emily and Aaron were at home, unwinding in the quiet. Jack was doing his homework in his room. Emily was seated on the couch, absentmindedly toying with a glass of wine, her gaze distant. It was the kind of silence that usually spoke volumes, and Aaron couldn't help but notice the subtle change in her demeanor. She wasn't quite herself, her usual sharp focus was replaced by an unsettling stillness.

After a long pause, Aaron leaned against the doorframe, watching her for a moment before asking, "You alright?"

Emily sighed deeply, not bothering to hide her weariness. "Just... thinking," she replied, her voice tinged with something he couldn't quite place.

"About the case?" he asked, though he suspected that wasn't it.

She shook her head slowly. "No. It's... something else."

It was rare for Emily to dwell on things from the past, especially when it came to family. But as she turned the glass in her hand, a flash of something (vulnerability?) crossed her face, and Aaron's mind immediately went to the one topic that still lingered like an unspoken shadow between them: her mother.

He studied her for a moment longer, his instinct telling him that tonight might be the night she'd finally talk about it. And so, with his usual calm, he probed gently, "You haven't talked to her in a while, have you?"