Hotchniss One Shots

"In the snow"

There has always been something so mesmerizing about the winter. How the snow fell so peacefully and silently in the night, only for you to wake up the next morning to find the land covered in a blanket of white. It was magical to Emily; everything about it.

Only, after letting the reality of her relationship with her parents set in, after little to no sleep, one can imagine how minuscule something like snow must seem.

Emily walked out of the BAU that day with Morgan. Hotch, whom she would usually leave with, was stuck in a meeting with the board. His complaints that morning suggested really how much he did not want to be stuck in a meeting after a long day of, well, more meetings.

"You sure you don't need a ride, princess?" Morgan asked once they reached the main floor of the building.

Emily stepped off of the elevator and forced a smile in the man's direction. They were the last of the team to leave the BAU that day, minus Hotch. "I'm okay. Hotch and I drove separate. I'll see you tomorrow, Morgan."

Derek nodded and began to walk away slowly. "Goodnight, Emily."

Emily watched the man walk away. His broad shoulders and tall frame disappeared down the hallway, leaving Emily alone with her thoughts. She let out a small sigh as she leaned up against the wall.

Her fingers played with her keys in her pocket as she stared out of the large window in front of her. She couldn't quite place a finger on what she was feeling. The world felt heavy to her recently. Like everything she's done in life, and everything she would do, would never be enough for her mother.

It would never compare to her mother and father's accomplishments, and would never make up for all of the poor decisions she's made in life before. In her mother's eyes, she was sleeping with her boss.

And for what, Emily asked herself. A promotion? A way to get to the top of the FBI?

The mere thought of her mother thinking her relationship with Aaron was based around power had her blood boiling beneath her skin. She only wished that she could prove to her mother that it wasn't about that.

But it wasn't just that.

Elizabeth Prentiss was not a mother figure. She shouldn't have such a hold on her as she did. Absent for most of her daughter's life, how could she possibly think that it was her place to tell her the 'correct' way to live her life?

Emily realized she was holding her breath, and let it out slowly, coming back to her senses. She collected herself and decided that it was best to get some fresh air. The woman walked down the hallway, searching for anyone that was still in the building.

As she walked out the doors, the cold air hit her face instantly. She felt strangely comforted by the cold air. The parking lot was nearly empty as she faced the open space. As she stared into the growing darkness of the night, her thoughts slowly wandered back to her parents.

She hadn't seen her dad in months, yet, she felt that he would feel the same way her mother did. He would view her choices as irresponsible and irrational, as he usually did. Those seemed to be the only two words he knew.

As a teen, Emily remembered very vividly his negative perception of every aspect of her life. And maybe rightfully so. She didn't have much of a social life as a teen, and when she was with people, she was making poor decisions. Emily cringed as she let it sink in that she was the problem.

Emily crossed her arms and looked up, just as the doors suddenly buzzed behind her. She took a step back and watched as Aaron appeared out of the doors. She quickly caught his eye, and a concerned expression took over his face.