Retrograde [Completed]

Epilogue 2

This is later than expected, I kept getting caught up with how I wanted them to say things to each other. It's very mushy gushy, but I think they deserve these moments as it's been a lot of smutty content. I'll probably post the first chapter of Zenith in an hour or so or maybe tomorrow depending on what the ladies and theydies and want. Thank you all so so much for all the support, I love each and every one of you. On to new fics!

P.S. this is a long one because I didn't want to do 3 epilogues again lol.

Thank you to jlae453  for her help on this one!
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"Jalen could you come upstairs? We want to talk to you about something." Hotch calls from the top of the steps of the basement. You're sitting at the island in the kitchen, fiddling with your fingers. You were nervous. You and Hotch had discussed this a bunch of times. You'd even gotten married at a court house without telling anyone so that the process would be easier. The two of you were ready to adopt Jalen permanently. To be his parents, officially. He'd been with the two of you for a year now and things just felt like they were right. The three of you in this house felt like the planets were aligned. You loved both of them with everything inside you.

"Coming!" Jalen yells. You hear him telling his friends he'll be back on to play games later before his footsteps hit the stairs. "What's up?" He gives the two of you a toothy grin that makes your heart melt.

"There's something pretty serious that Aaron wants to show you. We'll have to go for a drive." You say gently.

"Can we get pizza on the way home?" He asks eagerly and Hotch laughs.

"Sure bud, we can get your favorite. Go get your jacket."

"Yes sir!" Jalen's taken off, running down the hall to his room.

"You're sure you're ready?" You grasp Hotch's hand, kissing his wrist like he always did to you.

"I've never been more ready."  He closes the gap between the two of you, pressing his lips gently to yours.

"Oh, gross, do you guys have to kiss?" Jalen's face is scrunched in disgusted and the two of you pull apart, laughing.

"Sorry, buddy, won't happen again." Hotch jokes, holding his hand for him. "Ready?"

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"You know how I've told you I had a son once?" Hotch squats down so that he's eyes to eyes with Jalen.

"Well yeah, but then you said he went away." Jalen responds, fidgeting with his fingers.

"Right, he uh...well he..." Hotch trails off, looking up at you with sadness in his eyes.

"He got sick." You squeeze Hotch's shoulder, taking over. "And the universe took him back. His headstone is just over there." You point in Jack's direction. "And Aaron wants you to meet him before we ask you something really important." You keep your voice gentle.

Jalen's eyes are wide, like he's realizing that this is a very serious moment. "Sure."

The three of you make your way over to Jack's headstone. You pull out a piece of stationary, it's light blue with green ferns sprawled across. You look over at Hotch and you see the pain on his face. You hold out the poem for him but he shakes his head, pushing it back towards you.

"I'm going to read something for him. Let's all sit." You say. You prop yourself up on your knees first. When Jalen and Hotch get settled next to you, you start to read:

"moving forward doesn't mean leaving the past;
you'll always be with us
your energy flowing though his veins
your being burned into every strand of who he is
when he takes a step forward, you will too
as he loves again, his love for you only grows
and as he rebuilds, your essence is in the bones of the house he forges for us,
warming our new home with your memory"