Written 由 ilovetvalot.
In Absentia
Some days Emily Prentiss hated her job. This case in Commack, New York had severely impacted two of her fellow team, and when that was added to the already severely compromised Unit Chief they shared, it didn’t make for a great situation. Walking toward Aaron Hotchner’s office, she nearly collided with the bulk that was David Rossi as he walked out his office door.
Reaching out a hand to steady her, Dave mumbled an apology.
“I’m fine, Rossi,” Emily said, waving the near collision off.
“You on your way to check on our boss?” Dave asked tiredly.
“Actually, yeah,” Em nodded.
“Go easy on him tonight, Prentiss. It was Jack’s birthday today,” Dave informed her quietly.
Groaning, Em dropped her head to her chest. “I’d entirely forgotten.”
“That makes two of us. He’s having a pretty hard time of it,” Dave 说 quietly.
Peering up into his face, Emily 说 gently, “I don’t think he’s the only agent in this joint that’s had a few problems today.”
“What do 你 mean?” Dave muttered evasively.
“Let’s see, Rossi,” Em 说 sarcastically. “You look like a truck hit you, then backed up and rolled back over 你 again. And JJ has barricaded herself in her office. Won’t look up from those mountains of files for anything.”
Sighing, Dave closed his eyes. “You take Hotch and I’ll take Jen,” he bargained.
“Sounds like a plan,” Em nodded. “But, first, I’ve got a stop to make,” she muttered, heading toward Garcia’s dungeon.
***
Thirty 分钟 later, Emily stood in the doorway of Aaron Hotchner’s dim office as his bent dark head, poring over some files scattered across his desk. If she’d have been a betting woman, she’d have laid ten to one that they were related to George Foyet. Tapping lightly on the open door’s wood, she called, “Hotch, 你 got a minute.”
Glancing up from the pictures and police reports regarding Foyet’s capture, Hotch met Emily’s gaze with surprised eyes. “Prentiss, I thought everybody had cleared out for the night,” Hotch said, shuffling the papers into a stack on his desk.
“No, still here,” Em sighed. “So are Rossi and JJ,” she commented.
Furrowing his brows, Hotch asked, “Any particular reason?”
“I think they’re both having a little trouble dealing with today’s events. Differing reasons, same heartache, I think.”
Nodding, Hotch closed the file on his desk. “And your reasoning?” he asked suspiciously.
“A little birdie told me this was a bad 日 for you, as well,” she 说 carefully.
“Dave and his big mouth,” Hotch grumbled under his breath.
Moving deeper inside the office, Emily shook her head. “Don’t be angry with Dave,” she rebuked gently. “I think he’s got enough problems tonight.”
Clearing his throat, Hotch had to admit, if only to himself, that she had a good point. Dave’s words of wisdom on the plane were enough to convince him of that. His old mentor was hurting, as evidently was his media coordinator. “What about JJ?” Hotch asked. “You 说 she was still here, too.”
“It’s Will’s night with Henry. And after the 日 she had…well, I think she’s a bit hesitant to go 首页 and stare at the four walls of her house. Dave’s gone to try and get her out of here. He mentioned getting her out for a bite to eat. I wish him luck. She all but told me to take a short walk off a long pier.”
“That sounds about right for JJ,” Hotch nodded.
“But I’m not really concerned with JJ and Rossi right now,” Emily added quietly. “I’m here for you.”
“I’m fine, Emily,” he 说 quietly, unconsciously using her first name.
“No, you’re not. 你 have people following 你 around watching your every move, Hotch. Your son and ex-wife are God only knows where in hiding because some sadistic bastard has a hard on for some misbegotten vendetta. And the 樱桃 on the shit sundae is that this is your four 年 old son’s birthday. There’s no way in hell that you’re even remotely okay.”
“Thanks for clarifying all that for me, Emily. I hadn’t realized,” Hotch muttered sarcastically.
“BUT, I’m here to make your 日 better,” Emily 说 brightly, thanking God for Garcia and the friend she had with the US Marshall’s office.
“Are you?” Hotch asked suspiciously.
“Yeah,” Emily 说 determinedly. “I am.”
“Emily, I’m not sure where you’re going with this but –“
“Hotch, 你 know I’d never say this under normal circumstances but, do me a favor, okay? Just shut up and listen to somebody else for a change.”
Arching his brows in surprise, Hotch retorted, “You’re feeling 《勇敢传说》 tonight, aren’t you, Prentiss?”
“You’ll thank me later,” she assured him. “Now tell me, where’s Jack’s 最喜爱的 place?”
“Huh?”
“If he’d been with 你 today, where would 你 have taken him?” Emily asked.
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Hotch asked, honestly confused.
“Would 你 PLEASE just answer my question?” Emily groaned.
“The park,” Hotch replied flatly. “He loves the park,” he 说 更多 quietly.
Nodding, Emily ordered, “Grab your jacket.”
“Huh?” Hotch grunted, narrowing his eyes on the attractive brunette in front of his desk.
“Grab. Your. Jacket. Move, Hotch!” Emily commanded in a tone that would have made a seasoned drill sergeant smile.
And as she strode out of his office, he decided he really had no option but to follow her.
Thirty 分钟 later as he sat, at her insistence, on the swings in Potomac Park, he shook his head. “Exactly how is this supposed to help, Emily?”
“Are 你 telling me that 你 haven’t shared some pretty fantastic times here with your son?” Emily asked, tilting her head at him as she nudged her foot against the ground causing her 摇摆, 秋千 to sway gently.
Looking around at the quiet playground, Hotch slowly nodded, becoming 迷失 in his memories. “Yeah, yeah we have,” he whispered.
Glancing down at her watch, Emily nodded and smiled. “Good. I want 你 to think about those times for a minute.”
Staring at her with 问题 in his eyes, Emily offered another soft smile as she told him, “Just do it, Hotch.”
Sitting on his 摇摆, 秋千 in silence, Hotch recalled all the times he’d pushed his boy on these very swings. How many times had he watched him giggle his way down that slide across the grass? Closing his eyes, he sighed as he heard an unfamiliar phone ring. Glancing at Emily as she pulled a phone from her 夹克 pocket, he commented, “That’s not your phone.”
“You’re right. This isn’t anybody’s phone,” Emily grinned, quickly answering. Turning to Hotch a moment later as he stared across the playground wrapped in his memories, she held the phone out to you. “Somebody needs to talk to you,” she smiled, waving the phone at him.
“Not really in the mood to chat tonight, Prentiss,” Hotch growled, not looking at her.
“You really WANT to take this call, Hotch,” Emily urged.
Glaring at her, Hotch snatched the phone from her hand, barking, “Hotchner!”
“Daddy?” Jack Hotchner 说 in a small voice.
Eyes widening as his jaw dropped, Hotch pressed the phone tightly to his ear, flashing Emily a look of pure disbelief.
“Buddy?” Hotch 说 hoarsely, turning away from the woman beside him as tears filled his eyes.
Watching as Aaron moved from the swings to the park bench as he spoke to his son for the first time in six weeks, Emily fought her own tears.
Twenty 分钟 later, Hotch walked back across the grassy knoll toward her. “How’d 你 manage it?” he asked softly, handing her back the phone.
Offering him a shy smile, Emily shrugged. “A friend in the Marshall’s office and Garcia’s invaluable ability to lay hands on a disposable phone,” she replied, moving from the 摇摆, 秋千 to the trash can and dropping the phone inside. “You can thank her later,” Emily laughed.
“I can’t believe 你 did this,” he whispered.
“I promise you, Hotch, it was completely secured,” Emily assured him quickly, assuming he was upset about the risk.
“No, no. That isn’t what I meant. Nobody’s ever done something like that for me before. I can’t tell 你 what it meant to talk to him on his birthday,” Hotch whispered hoarsely.
“I’ve never had a child, Hotch. But I did have two very distant parents. I understand what it’s like to have distance between 你 and someone 你 love. And tonight, for a few minutes, I could eliminate that for you. Nobody deserves it more.”
“Thank you, Emily,” Hotch replied gratefully. “Thank 你 so much.”
“I’ve told 你 before, Hotch…whatever I can do, I will. And this was a small thing I could do.”
“There was nothing small in this gesture, Emily. And, believe me when I say I’ll never forget it.”
In Absentia
Some days Emily Prentiss hated her job. This case in Commack, New York had severely impacted two of her fellow team, and when that was added to the already severely compromised Unit Chief they shared, it didn’t make for a great situation. Walking toward Aaron Hotchner’s office, she nearly collided with the bulk that was David Rossi as he walked out his office door.
Reaching out a hand to steady her, Dave mumbled an apology.
“I’m fine, Rossi,” Emily said, waving the near collision off.
“You on your way to check on our boss?” Dave asked tiredly.
“Actually, yeah,” Em nodded.
“Go easy on him tonight, Prentiss. It was Jack’s birthday today,” Dave informed her quietly.
Groaning, Em dropped her head to her chest. “I’d entirely forgotten.”
“That makes two of us. He’s having a pretty hard time of it,” Dave 说 quietly.
Peering up into his face, Emily 说 gently, “I don’t think he’s the only agent in this joint that’s had a few problems today.”
“What do 你 mean?” Dave muttered evasively.
“Let’s see, Rossi,” Em 说 sarcastically. “You look like a truck hit you, then backed up and rolled back over 你 again. And JJ has barricaded herself in her office. Won’t look up from those mountains of files for anything.”
Sighing, Dave closed his eyes. “You take Hotch and I’ll take Jen,” he bargained.
“Sounds like a plan,” Em nodded. “But, first, I’ve got a stop to make,” she muttered, heading toward Garcia’s dungeon.
***
Thirty 分钟 later, Emily stood in the doorway of Aaron Hotchner’s dim office as his bent dark head, poring over some files scattered across his desk. If she’d have been a betting woman, she’d have laid ten to one that they were related to George Foyet. Tapping lightly on the open door’s wood, she called, “Hotch, 你 got a minute.”
Glancing up from the pictures and police reports regarding Foyet’s capture, Hotch met Emily’s gaze with surprised eyes. “Prentiss, I thought everybody had cleared out for the night,” Hotch said, shuffling the papers into a stack on his desk.
“No, still here,” Em sighed. “So are Rossi and JJ,” she commented.
Furrowing his brows, Hotch asked, “Any particular reason?”
“I think they’re both having a little trouble dealing with today’s events. Differing reasons, same heartache, I think.”
Nodding, Hotch closed the file on his desk. “And your reasoning?” he asked suspiciously.
“A little birdie told me this was a bad 日 for you, as well,” she 说 carefully.
“Dave and his big mouth,” Hotch grumbled under his breath.
Moving deeper inside the office, Emily shook her head. “Don’t be angry with Dave,” she rebuked gently. “I think he’s got enough problems tonight.”
Clearing his throat, Hotch had to admit, if only to himself, that she had a good point. Dave’s words of wisdom on the plane were enough to convince him of that. His old mentor was hurting, as evidently was his media coordinator. “What about JJ?” Hotch asked. “You 说 she was still here, too.”
“It’s Will’s night with Henry. And after the 日 she had…well, I think she’s a bit hesitant to go 首页 and stare at the four walls of her house. Dave’s gone to try and get her out of here. He mentioned getting her out for a bite to eat. I wish him luck. She all but told me to take a short walk off a long pier.”
“That sounds about right for JJ,” Hotch nodded.
“But I’m not really concerned with JJ and Rossi right now,” Emily added quietly. “I’m here for you.”
“I’m fine, Emily,” he 说 quietly, unconsciously using her first name.
“No, you’re not. 你 have people following 你 around watching your every move, Hotch. Your son and ex-wife are God only knows where in hiding because some sadistic bastard has a hard on for some misbegotten vendetta. And the 樱桃 on the shit sundae is that this is your four 年 old son’s birthday. There’s no way in hell that you’re even remotely okay.”
“Thanks for clarifying all that for me, Emily. I hadn’t realized,” Hotch muttered sarcastically.
“BUT, I’m here to make your 日 better,” Emily 说 brightly, thanking God for Garcia and the friend she had with the US Marshall’s office.
“Are you?” Hotch asked suspiciously.
“Yeah,” Emily 说 determinedly. “I am.”
“Emily, I’m not sure where you’re going with this but –“
“Hotch, 你 know I’d never say this under normal circumstances but, do me a favor, okay? Just shut up and listen to somebody else for a change.”
Arching his brows in surprise, Hotch retorted, “You’re feeling 《勇敢传说》 tonight, aren’t you, Prentiss?”
“You’ll thank me later,” she assured him. “Now tell me, where’s Jack’s 最喜爱的 place?”
“Huh?”
“If he’d been with 你 today, where would 你 have taken him?” Emily asked.
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Hotch asked, honestly confused.
“Would 你 PLEASE just answer my question?” Emily groaned.
“The park,” Hotch replied flatly. “He loves the park,” he 说 更多 quietly.
Nodding, Emily ordered, “Grab your jacket.”
“Huh?” Hotch grunted, narrowing his eyes on the attractive brunette in front of his desk.
“Grab. Your. Jacket. Move, Hotch!” Emily commanded in a tone that would have made a seasoned drill sergeant smile.
And as she strode out of his office, he decided he really had no option but to follow her.
Thirty 分钟 later as he sat, at her insistence, on the swings in Potomac Park, he shook his head. “Exactly how is this supposed to help, Emily?”
“Are 你 telling me that 你 haven’t shared some pretty fantastic times here with your son?” Emily asked, tilting her head at him as she nudged her foot against the ground causing her 摇摆, 秋千 to sway gently.
Looking around at the quiet playground, Hotch slowly nodded, becoming 迷失 in his memories. “Yeah, yeah we have,” he whispered.
Glancing down at her watch, Emily nodded and smiled. “Good. I want 你 to think about those times for a minute.”
Staring at her with 问题 in his eyes, Emily offered another soft smile as she told him, “Just do it, Hotch.”
Sitting on his 摇摆, 秋千 in silence, Hotch recalled all the times he’d pushed his boy on these very swings. How many times had he watched him giggle his way down that slide across the grass? Closing his eyes, he sighed as he heard an unfamiliar phone ring. Glancing at Emily as she pulled a phone from her 夹克 pocket, he commented, “That’s not your phone.”
“You’re right. This isn’t anybody’s phone,” Emily grinned, quickly answering. Turning to Hotch a moment later as he stared across the playground wrapped in his memories, she held the phone out to you. “Somebody needs to talk to you,” she smiled, waving the phone at him.
“Not really in the mood to chat tonight, Prentiss,” Hotch growled, not looking at her.
“You really WANT to take this call, Hotch,” Emily urged.
Glaring at her, Hotch snatched the phone from her hand, barking, “Hotchner!”
“Daddy?” Jack Hotchner 说 in a small voice.
Eyes widening as his jaw dropped, Hotch pressed the phone tightly to his ear, flashing Emily a look of pure disbelief.
“Buddy?” Hotch 说 hoarsely, turning away from the woman beside him as tears filled his eyes.
Watching as Aaron moved from the swings to the park bench as he spoke to his son for the first time in six weeks, Emily fought her own tears.
Twenty 分钟 later, Hotch walked back across the grassy knoll toward her. “How’d 你 manage it?” he asked softly, handing her back the phone.
Offering him a shy smile, Emily shrugged. “A friend in the Marshall’s office and Garcia’s invaluable ability to lay hands on a disposable phone,” she replied, moving from the 摇摆, 秋千 to the trash can and dropping the phone inside. “You can thank her later,” Emily laughed.
“I can’t believe 你 did this,” he whispered.
“I promise you, Hotch, it was completely secured,” Emily assured him quickly, assuming he was upset about the risk.
“No, no. That isn’t what I meant. Nobody’s ever done something like that for me before. I can’t tell 你 what it meant to talk to him on his birthday,” Hotch whispered hoarsely.
“I’ve never had a child, Hotch. But I did have two very distant parents. I understand what it’s like to have distance between 你 and someone 你 love. And tonight, for a few minutes, I could eliminate that for you. Nobody deserves it more.”
“Thank you, Emily,” Hotch replied gratefully. “Thank 你 so much.”
“I’ve told 你 before, Hotch…whatever I can do, I will. And this was a small thing I could do.”
“There was nothing small in this gesture, Emily. And, believe me when I say I’ll never forget it.”
