Shattered. [Aaron Hotchner + Emily Prentiss]

Chapter 5.

"Oh, sassy. I like her." Derek said, standing up once again.

"Yeah, I like me too." Leila commented. "So, you're Derek, I already know Hotch and JJ, and obviously Emily." She pointed at all the people she mentioned. "The one with a goatee is definitely Rossi." The girl walked forward reaching out for a handshake from the older man which he happily accepted. "And Reid." She pointed at the genius holding a book. "Oh, I've read that book!"

"Yeah?" Reid looked up from his book with a gleaming smile on his face. "I've read it before and normally don't re-read books but I liked it a lot! What's your favourite chapter?"

"Chapter 3, it's the one I would always get to before falling asleep at night until I stayed up the whole night to read the whole book."

"Dedication. That's the longest chapter!"

"Yeah!"

"I have more book recommendations if you want!"

"I've read most books in every library but definitely!"

"I'll make a list!"

The entire team was smiling at the interactions. Reid found someone who cares for books as much as he does, and Morgan found a new sarcastic partner in crime to tease everyone with. Maybe she would be ok in Virginia. They spent the rest of visiting hours talking and laughing with Hotch, after getting lectured by the 9 year old about the importance of vests. After a while, Cheryl lesson and people started to scatter back to the hotel, until it was just Emily, Hotch and a now asleep Leila, sat on Emily's lap, arms wrapped around her neck.

"It looks good on you." Hotch said, whispering to avoid waking the child.

"What?" she rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Less than three hours sleep and not showering? Yeah, I look really good."

"No, motherhood."

"I'm not a mother. I would be a terrible mom. You know how my mother was, she wasn't exactly the 'nurturing' type."

"Doesn't mean you aren't. I mean, look at you Em. You've not left that girl's side in the past two days, because you care. She trusts you so much, and you know how much Jack loves you. It's not like you hate kids."

She took a long pause before replying. "I've always wanted kids, and Declan was the closest I got to that. I see JJ with Henry, and you with Jack and I can't imagine how difficult it is to leave them for cases. I would hate for her to trust me, and then I one day just vanish because of something from a case."

"It's hard, but coming home and seeing them is the most rewarding thing after a hard case."

"Really?"

"Yeah, that and knowing you saved them from yet another criminal in the world."

"She deserves better, you know? Bouncing from foster homes isn't how a 9 year old should be spending her childhood, and if I can be the reason she feels some sort of stability in her life, I want to be." She looked down at the girl whose head was leaning in the crook on her neck. "I really want to be."

"Do you think you'll adopt her?"

"I mean, does it seem like a good idea?"

"I can't tell you what to do, Em. It's your choice."

"You need to voice your opinion, Aaron. You aren't just my unit chief anymore."

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes. I just don't want to make a decision for you or anything, and then something between us happens. It would affect her. A child changes a lot of things."