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This Is A Happy House

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner/Emily Prentiss

Summary: After Emily struggled with Christmasses in the past, she wanted nothing could come in the way of giving Jack the best christmasses, so she kept them a secret from her mother. However, after a phone call, Elizabeth found out about the relationship and insisted on coming for Christmas leaving Emily with a decision which, in reality, she couldn't say no to.

Warnings/Tags: Angst, Fluff.

A/N: Thank you mistfire24 for betaing this fic.

read here or below the cut

For the first time, celebrating Christmas meant something to Emily. As a child, she never had the chance to experience a proper Christmas; her parent's job took that away. She may have gotten presents, but it wasn’t the same. The excitement of waking up early to sneak into the living room to see presents under the tree or putting sweet treats out for Santa the night before never happened. Every year was always so miserable. From kindergarten, her mom purposefully put gifts out in front of her or put ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’ on the little gift tags where other parents would put Santa. It made her feel different from her friends, knowing what she did.

When she started dating Aaron, she saw first-hand what the miracle of believing in Santa was like for a child. Emily made it a big thing over their first couple of Christmases when they had Jack, trying to make them a core memory. Though one day Jack would find out that Santa wasn’t real, Emily knew he’d be disappointed, but the thought of past, happy Christmases would hopefully stick with him for a lifetime.

Aaron used to curse her for spoiling him too much, but she couldn't help it, especially when Haley died. Jack had been through so much, and the spirit of Christmas distracted him from that. Taking something so joyful away from a child would kill her spirit.

That's when she decided to hide her love life from her mother. Emily knew she would have a million questions about who this ‘new partner’ was. In turn, it would ruin another Christmas, not only for her but for Jack and Aaron. She never knew when to keep her nose out of her business.

Emily had noticed a change in the older woman's behaviour. During her phone calls, which her mom made her do, Emily made Aaron and Jack go on trips to have the space she needed. Jack happily obliged with the choosing of the activity; Aaron loved the time spent with his son but seemed to question why this was a regular thing. She dismissed him constantly; it felt important to her to hide that side of her life.

She also loved how Jack would happily update her with every detail of their trip, which distracted her from the typical comments made by her mother.

However, that was all ruined when she got caught. Hearing the front door open, she felt her stomach drop; she wasn't expecting them to come home soon. Though she didn't want to acknowledge it to save explanations, she sure wanted to hang up the phone.

Emily couldn't help but sigh, cursing Aaron's name in her head, her lips pressed into a thin line. She knew she had to be quick with the ending of the conversation, but to figure that out would be a pain.

"Emily? Who's that?" Elizabeth questioned. However, she wasn't stupid; she knew who it was. Aaron's voice had stuck with her from his security rounds and how he flirted with her when Emily came home from college. She was far from surprised. Elizabeth could see that one day, they would get together. Emily knew that she got caught, and she’d had to tell the truth. Not that her mother was unfamiliar with Aaron, though Emily knew her mother would judge her; Elizabeth hadn’t been the biggest fan of him. However, today wouldn’t be the day Emily admitted it; it felt too soon, and she wasn’t going to rush such a moment.

"No one," Emily replied sharply, hearing Aaron call out again. She felt her words catch in her throat, hearing him call out again; she hadn't prepared herself for this moment. There were no excuses for it, and she wished there were.

“Look, Mom, let me call you back,” Emily sighed before scrambling with her phone to hang up. “Emily,” Elizabeth replied, her voice radiating with a newfound anger. “Emily Prentiss, you will not-”

Hanging up the phone, she relaxed. She’d deal with her mother another time, knowing she’d get a deliberating, angry talk next week, but she had managed it for the past 30 years; it was nothing new.

Hearing footsteps come up the stairs, she exited their bedroom, her eyes falling on a rather pale Jack in his arms. "Jack threw up in the middle of the toy section of the local store," Aaron sighed. Emily was immediately overwhelmed with a wave of guilt. It was her fault, after all. She knew he wasn't feeling well, but Emily had sent him anyway.

Emily stood there as she tensed her lips into a fake smile. It was as if something had changed in her demeanour, causing her to become tense and uncomfortable. Her body stood up straight as a sickly feeling arose in her stomach. It was a familiar feeling, reminding her of how she used to feel before she moved away. It was a combination of sadness and uneasiness.

“Let me take Jack. You've done enough today." Taking the child from Aaron's arms, Emily took him up to his room, trying to distract herself from the phone call.

Aaron stood on the landing, an ever-growing curiosity in him. He had never known Emily to be so shifty around him, which, again, is something he questioned. Aaron wanted to be able to help her, but instead, she pushed him away. Trailing after her, he couldn't help but feel that he’d done something wrong by coming home, wishing he had taken Jack to Jessica’s.

As Aaron watched her tuck Jack into bed, he leaned against the door frame, looking down at her. “What’s the matter, Em? You’ve not been yourself lately.”

Emily was startled by the question, giving Jack a quick kiss on the forehead before standing up. “Let’s not discuss this now,” Emily quipped, brushing past Aaron and out of the room. It was a simple deflection but one that annoyed Aaron just a little. He shut Jack’s bedroom door before he went after her.

Aaron grabbed her wrist as his face softened. “Em, let me in. You can’t keep shutting everyone when things get hard,” Aaron said, pulling her into a hug, which she didn’t refuse. “One day,” She mumbled, her face buried into his chest. – After the phone call, Emily tried to persuade her mom not to visit for Christmas because she didn't want to ruin it for Jack. She wished the phone calls would stop and the "Let's make sure to forget about the incident” she had sent to her mom would finally stop her.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, persisted. She saw this as a way to worm herself into Emily's life. She claimed this would be a fresh start, an experience that wasn't mindless yelling and tension. Those two things had ruined every experience they’d had in a room together.

It wasn't the first time that Emily had heard that. To her, it was another empty promise she had made to get Emily's walls down and trample on everything she had believed in, and she couldn't have that. Not again. Not ever.

That was when she finally confided in Aaron about why she was hiding so much of herself, which he happily listened to; feeling like he had finally gotten through to her was something he saw as an achievement.

Emily sat on the sofa, trying not to say negative things about her mom as she thought of where to start.

“It’s just my mom,” Emily stated, shifting in her seat, her gaze adverting Aaron’s. “She’s been adamant about coming here for Christmas. I was on a phone call when you and Jack came home.” Emily paused, scared to admit Elizabeth didn’t know of their relationship. “She wants to meet you.”

Aaron, however, seemed to agree with her mother, which had hit a nerve. She could see how it would be a good idea, but her emotions were in turmoil.

"Emily, maybe this is a great way for her to see who you are. The real Emily Prentiss," Aaron stated, shrugging.

"Aaron, you've only seen the professional side of my mother, and that was well over fifteen years ago. You haven't seen what she's like behind closed doors." Emily dismissed him. She wasn’t going to acknowledge how it could be a good idea.

Aaron's eyebrows furrowed, and the dismissal upset him. He couldn't believe Emily wasn't even going to give him a chance. "Em, I understand you don't like your mom; I do. But this year, I want you to try. She will want to come around more often when we have kids, her grandchildren."

Emily sighed, knowing Aaron was right. She hated how he could talk so much sense into her, no matter how strong her opinions were on a situation. "Fine, I'll do it this year, alright? On the condition that she’s on a ‘three strikes and she’s out’ rule," Emily replied bluntly, her eyes glinting as she stared at Aaron, a challenge clear in them.

"Fine by me. Just judge properly and fairly. I don’t want to hear how you kicked your mother out over three snarky comments." Emily nodded in return, her eyes filled with reluctant acceptance.

—

Christmas came around, and Emily was far from excited. However, for the sake of Jack, she put on a front around him. He didn't understand any issues that were going on with his ‘new mom’, and she was planning on keeping it that way.

The anxiety of her mom ruining Christmas for Jack was slowly ebbing away in the back of her mind. That would never happen in her perfect world; her mother agreed not to ruin anything and that she would be there on peaceful terms.

However, Emily knew her mother; nothing was ever peaceful when she was around. Her mother had a boisterous personality. One who spoke her mind, and whatever she said was the truth. When Elizabeth was around Emily, she never held her tongue, leading Emily to often feel like a babysitter, telling the older woman what was appropriate to say and what was not.

Hearing a knock on the door, Emily swept her loose bits of hair out of her face, rushing out of the kitchen and to the door, refusing Aaron’s advances to do it as she walked past him. Emily knew that Jack was desperate to play with the new superhero figures he got for Christmas and wasn’t to interrupt that.

Opening the door, she accepted the flowers from Elizabeth with a fake smile, moving aside to let in the house. There was no exchange of greeting spoken between the two.

Elizabeth stepped inside, scrunching her nose at the sight of the home. Emily eyed her up and down, unable to believe the audacity, wishing she hadn’t listened to Aaron and trusted her gut.

“I didn't expect you to move into somewhere like this,” Elizabeth stated, moving into the living room, seeing Aaron and Jack playing and noticing the Christmas tree. “You celebrate this,” She remarked snarkily.

“Yes,” Emily sighed, walking behind her before entering the kitchen. Elizabeth followed, not wanting to sit and talk to Aaron.

“I can't believe you're letting him believe in that stuff. Didn't you learn anything?” Elizabeth stated, looking at Emily.

Emily fought the instinct to yell, placing the flowers into a vase before putting water into it.

“I can't let you ruin anything else for me, Mom. Just stay out of my way,” Emily dismissed, placing the vase on the kitchen counter before turning her attention to the dinner.

Elizabeth didn't move, hovering over Emily's every move, her nose pricked. “I could've got my cook to do something; it would’ve been better.”

Emily tried not to let the comments get to her, though it was impossible not to. She thought she would be used to it by now, but that wasn’t the only thing that never changed. Aaron heard the comment, moving into the kitchen to observe.

“You came here as a guest, not to observe and question my every move,” Emily muttered under her breath, her emotions opening up, her hands shaking.

Aaron stepped over. “Elizabeth, it’s good to see you again,” Aaron stated, extending his hand for her to shake. Elizabeth smiled, taking the tips of his fingertips into hers, giving it a shake, hiding her disgust.

“Hello, Aaron,” Elizabeth stated, her lips pursed into a thin line, her voice bitter. Aaron smiled, keeping up a cheerful appearance despite the silence in the room being a thick blanket.

“Can I get you anything to drink? A glass of wine, maybe?” Aaron asked as Elizabeth dismissed him with her hand.

“I’m alright for now,” She stated, her lip curling in distaste. “Why don't you come into the living room? I'm sure Emily doesn't need the distractions.” Aaron stated, and Elizabeth reluctantly agreed, exiting the kitchen. Emily gave him a look of anger, though she mouthed ‘sorry’.

– Emily should’ve expected her mother to make some form of comment; it was her, after all. Yet being told to fix her attitude in her home stung more than a little.

Elizabeth sat at the table, watching Emily place the food on the table, “Am I expecting grandchildren any time soon?” she questioned, much to Emily's discomfort.

“Whenever we’re ready,” Emily stated bluntly, which got her a glance from the older female that made her shiver.

“You are getting on a bit, Emily. I know you care about your job, which I don’t understand, but consider the implications of the ‘when you’re ready’ statement.”

Emily was about to snap even though she had agreed to a three-strike rule; she wanted to kick her mother out. That was cut off by Jack running happily into the kitchen, followed by Aaron.

“Emmy, Emmy!” Jack stated happily with a big smile, “I helped Daddy tidy up.” Emily couldn’t help but smile.

Getting eye level with Jack, she noticed how happy he seemed; with what he went through, he was the happiest kid ever. “And did you wash your hands? ”

Jack nodded, almost bouncing up and down. “Yes, Emmy.”

“Good job, buddy,” Emily replied, ruffling the boy's hair. “Go sit down; dinner is ready.” Emily stood back up as Jack rushed to the seat next to Aaron. Noticing Elizabeth’s frown, Emily could tell she hated her being called ‘Emmy’ and not ‘Mom’.

“So, Aaron, when are you thinking of having children?” Elizabeth asked.

“Mom, I already told you,” Emily said, sitting down.

“I didn't like your answer. Maybe Aaron could give me a better one,” Elizabeth replied, staring down at Aaron.

“It’s something we’ve yet to discuss,” Aaron stated, shutting down the conversation almost immediately as a scowl implanted on Elizabeth’s face.

Throughout the dinner, there was an air of silence. The only thing breaking the quiet was the occasional hum from the fridge.

The after-dinner blues set in, which didn't help. Dabbing her mouth, Elizabeth looked at the young boy and began to speak. Emily was surprised by her mother's ability to open a conversation with Jack. It was odd that her mother was so interactive on the first meeting.

“So-” Elizabeth began before looking at Emily as she let out a discreet cough to ask for his name.

“Jack,” Emily whispered before straightening out the tablecloth, the awkwardness getting the best of her.

“So, Jack,” Elizabeth gulped, choking on her words before speaking again. “What did Santa bring you?”

Emily looked at Elizabeth, wanting to believe she was asking him about Christmas because she had changed her ways. But she knew her mother's look too well, and she was doing it for show, unbeknownst to Jack. She was glad Jack was just a clueless kid who didn’t know better.

“Well, I got an Iron Man figure, a Batman figure, a Thor figure, and a lot of Lego,” Jack said excitedly before catching his breath and leaning back in his chair. Elizabeth smiled, hiding her judgment.

“Emily, be a doll and get me a glass of wine, ” Elizabeth said with a slight huff as Aaron and Emily made eye contact as she stood.

Elizabeth heard her phone beep, getting it out of her pocket. “Scratch that wine,” Elizabeth said, snapping her fingers. “Business calls.”

Standing up, she dusted off her skirt before looking down at Emily. “I'll see myself out”. Elizabeth's heels clicked as she walked out of the room. Touching the door with a sleeve to open it, she grumbled something about the house.

Hearing the door close, Emily let off a quiet sigh, that pit in her stomach closing up, sinking into her chair.

“I'm sorry about her,” Emily said, rubbing her cheek in embarrassment. “She does that to get out of situations she doesn't like.”

“Can I go play with my figures now, please?” Jack asked. Aaron nodded, feeling Jack's arms wrapped around him.

“Thank you, Daddy,” he exclaimed before getting off his chair and running into the living room.

Turning his attention back to Emily, he let off a small smile. “She is a piece of work, isn't she?” Emily chuckled at his response. “I should've listened to you, Emily. I should be the one who's sorry.”

“All forgiven,” Emily replied, cleaning up the table. “I'm thankful she took it upon herself to leave so I didn't have to go through the effort of kicking her out.”

“Em, relax. The mess can be dealt with later. You need to take some rest; you've done a lot today. Plus, Jack wants to show you what his figures can do,” Aaron stated, taking the plates out of Emily's hands and placing them by the sink.

Emily opened her mouth to argue as Aaron put a finger, silencing her, before leading her into the living room. “I heard they can fly,” Aaron whispered as Jack ran up to Emily, holding his Batman figure in his right hand.

“Quick, Emmy. Batman doesn’t have time to save you from the evil daddy.” Jack giggled, pulling Emily into the living room and looking at Aaron. “Come on, Daddy, chase us.”

Emily couldn't help but think that her mother's comment was correct; she knew the implications of having children so late, yet she’d put it off. As Emily became a mother to Jack, her feelings of having her own were put aside, wanting to be the best step-mom could be for him.

Whenever someone mentioned it, she became distant and would not acknowledge it when it was all she ever wanted.

“Emmy, come on, you’re going to let Daddy get you,” Jack quipped, attempting to pull her behind a couch. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked down at Jack, letting him lead her.

“He can’t get us behind here; this is our Batcave,” Jack whispered as Emily giggled, noticing Aaron standing in front of the couch, tapping his foot playfully, waiting for them to come out.

— Bedtime rolled around, and Aaron was thankful. Jack had fallen asleep on the couch after the third rerun of Elf.

Holding the sleeping boy in his arms, he looked down at Emily. “I’ll be back in a minute; why don’t you choose a movie?” Emily hummed, grabbing the TV remote off the coffee table and switching through the movie channels to find something as she heard Aaron leave the room.

Her eyelids became heavy as she curled herself up on the couch. Emily wasn’t usually the one to sleep anywhere, but Jack always knew how to tire her.

Aaron came downstairs after making a tired Jack do his bedtime routine, seeing a sleeping Emily. “He sure does tire you out,” he whispered, sitting on the floor, his hand meeting hers that she had draped over the edge of the couch.

He took the remote and switched the TV off, which caused Emily to stir, “I was watching that,” she said lowly.

Aaron scoffed playfully, “Through closed eyes?”

“Yes, through closed eyes; it’s a trick of mine,” Emily said, her eyes feeling heavy, closing themselves slightly.

“Would you like me to carry you to bed? I know you’d complain if I dare let you walk upstairs when tired.”

“Oh, Aaron, I’d love you too.”

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