Step-mom

Chapter 2

After the incident with Sara, Emily goes into the kitchen to make pizza. Hotch stands at the island cutting up salad for the adults to eat. "Em?" He asks but doesn't turn around. "Yes?" She says back putting sauce onto the dough. "You know I love you, right?" He turns to her and she stops what she is doing and turns to him. "Of course I do. I love you too." He pulls her into a hug and she looks up at him. She smiles and he smirks. Leaning up she kisses him. A throat clears in the doorway and they both quickly pull away. Sara walks to the fridge and gets a pop. A blush creeps up into Emily's cheek and Hotch chuckles. "So Sara, how's school?" Hotch asks looking at his daughter. "Fine." She replies looking at her popcan. "Your mom told me that you got on the A honor roll and you are at the top of your class." He says smiling at his daughter. Emily puts the pizza into the oven and walks out of the kitchen to give the dad-daughter duo privacy. "Don't act like you care. You don't." She snaps at him still not looking up. "Sara... of course I care. Why wouldn't I?" He asks taken aback from his daughters comment. "You never cared before. You were never home when you and mom were together. You missed everything." She finally looks up at him. "Everything dad. You always cared about work more than you cared about us. Now you are just banging some girl from your work. You don't care about me. You never cared about mom. So don't pretend you care about us now." Hotch stands there shocked at the words coming out of his eldest child's mouth. "Sara I do care about you. I always have. I made bad choices putting work first but I've changed. I love you and your brother. I always have and always will." He walks around the island and hugs her. She sighs and hugs her dad back. He's made a lot of mistakes but she knows he's trying and she has to give him credit for that. He let's go of her and before walking out of the kitchen he adds "And I'm not just, as you said, banging some girl from my work. I love Emily. She means a lot to me and I'd really appreciate it if you were nice to her." Not waiting to see her response he walks to find her. He walks to his bedroom to find Emily sitting at his desk reading a book. "Emily Elizabeth Prentiss." He says and she spins around fast. "Did you just call me by my whole name?" She asks with a quizzical look on her face. "I did. What are you going to do about it?" He challenges raising his eyebrows. She closes the book after slipping the bookmark into the book and strides over to him. Standing on her tip toes she whispers in his ear. "I could do a lot of things about it. Some just aren't appropriate to do with children in the house." He looks at her completely in shock. Seems like everyone has that effect on him today. Before he could respond Jack runs into the bedroom. "Daddy! Emily!! The pizza is done! The oven is beeping. I can't get it for you because my mom says I can't touch the oven." The 2 adults laugh at the boy as they walk to the kitchen. Emily takes the pizza out and Hotch sets the salad on the table along with plates. "It's cut up everyone come have some!" Emily calls tossing the pizza cutter into the sink and washes her hands. Everyone grabs a piece and Hotch, Emily, and Jack sit at the table. Sara starts walking out of the kitchen but Hotch stops her. "Sara, we eat dinner together." He states not giving her an option to go back to her room. He peers across the table to Emily who is talking quietly with Jack. "Why? You never ate dinner with us before. Just because you love her and Jack loves her. Doesn't mean I have to pretend to be nice and be around her. I'm not going to play family because we are not a family. We never were." She tosses her plate onto the table glaring at her father but doesn't sit down. "Sara don't-" he starts but Emily cuts him off before he could get any further. "I think I should go." Quickly she discards the salad on her plate and rushes to the door. "Em! Baby wait!" He runs after her trying to stop her. "I'll stop over tomorrow afternoon." She says shrugging on her coat and zipping her boots. He grabs her arm. "I thought you were going to stay the night." He begs silently. They were supposed to move in together the next weekend. "I'll see you tomorrow Aaron." She gives him a kiss before walking out to her car she parked hours earlier. Hotch walks back into the kitchen and stops at the table crossing his arms. His face is serious like it always is at work. When he is around Emily he smiles more, but now, he's angry. "I hope you are happy Sara. Not only did you make Emily cry, she now has left." Sara rolls her eyes and walks out of the kitchen and doesn't look back at her angry father and clueless brother.