#dad!hotch

The outcome could be anything—life, death, a future shattered or salvaged—

No. He wouldn't let his mind go there.

“Family of Hotchner?”

He was on his feet instantly. He looked ready to cross-examine a suspect, not receive a medical report.

“Mr. Hotchner?” She waited for his curt nod before continuing, her tone measured. “Jack is stable. He’s got a fractured arm, some superficial bruising across his abdomen, and a minor cut on his face. Overall, he’s going to be fine. We’ll keep him overnight for observation, standard policy.”

Aaron let out a ragged, silent breath. The brief, sharp cut of relief was immediately chased by a deepening dread.

“I can take you to see him now.” She gestured toward a quiet hallway.

Hotch stopped her, the question a dry, cracking sound in his throat. “What about my daughter?” Jack was safe. Now, his mind was free to tear itself apart over her.

The doctor’s professional composure softened, transforming into a look Hotch recognized immediately - the careful, heartbroken empathy JJ used when delivering the impossible news.

“She’s still in surgery upstairs. Unlike Jack, she took the major impact due to her position in the car. A surgeon will come down to speak with you the moment they can.” She offered a small, strained smile. “Let’s see your son, Mr. Hotchner. We’ll take it one step at a time.”

What if the surgery fails?

What if the damage is irreparable?

What if— Hotch’s breath hitched, his heart plummeting to his stomach

What if I lose her, too? What if this is Haley all over again?

The spiral of guilt and worst-case scenarios was brutally interrupted by the high, bright sound of a child’s voice from the room the doctor had led him to.

“Daddy! Look, I got a blue cast!”

“Hey, buddy!” Hotch strode to the bed, his eyes rapidly scanning the visible injuries. The purple and sickly-yellow bruises scattered across Jack's skin made him wince, but the boy was already chattering excitedly about a nurse and a juice box.

“Are you okay? Does anything hurt?” He gently cupped his son’s face, careful to avoid the bandages and bruises.

Jack shook his head. “I’m okay, daddy.” He picked nervously at the edge of his dressing before his voice dropped, turning small and scared. “It was scary. We were spinning, ‘round and ‘round.”

The sound of his son's terror broke something inside Hotch.

“I know, buddy. I know. You were so brave. The bravest kid I know.”

“Where’s Sissy?” Jack’s eyes, wide and innocent, searched the room. “She said she’d come see me if I went to the fireman first.”

The question was a fresh knife twist. No one had spared him the gruesome update. “Jack, your sister…”

“She has blood like me, too, daddy! She was hurting bad, I think,” Jack pouted, the memory bubbling up. “I wanted her to go first, daddy, ‘cause there was so much blood on her shirt. But she promised I could use her Nintendo if I went first.” The words tumbled out, a frantic justification.

“You did exactly what you should, buddy. It’s okay now. She’s getting help.” Hotch’s voice was dangerously flat, a tremor of fury and self-loathing passing through him.

“I think I saw her crying, daddy. You gotta save her.” Jack was dissolving now, his chest heaving. The pulse monitor began a quick, insistent beep-beep-beep, mirroring the spike in his heart rate.

Hotch immediately lowered the bed rail, sitting on the edge of the mattress and pulling his son carefully into his arms. “I know, I know. You’re safe now, buddy. I’ve got you.” He gently eased Jack back onto the pillows, holding him close.

“She’s gonna be okay, right, Daddy?” Jack sniffled, his voice thick with fear and exhausted tears.

Hotch held his son and stared at the pale wall, the promises Jack needed to hear dying on his tongue. He couldn't lie. He wouldn't.

“I hope so, buddy.”

It was well after the clock had rounded into the late evening before a doctor finally appeared from the recovery wing.

“Mr. Hotchner.”

Hotch didn’t stand; he simply turned, his face a mask of exhaustion and raw tension.

“Your daughter is out of surgery. She’s stable.” The doctor, a calm, middle-aged woman, spoke slowly. “We did have some complications. We had to perform a splenectomy.” She watched his reaction closely.

A complication. A piece of her gone.

“She’s breathing without assistance, but we are keeping her lightly sedated. It’s safer for her not to wake up in pain or agitated. We’ll monitor her closely overnight. Would you like to see her now?”

Hotch swallowed the fresh wave of guilt.

With Jack finally having succumbed to sleep and Emily volunteering to look after his son, Hotch followed the doctor upstairs.

The sight that greeted him in the ICU cubicle wasn’t just a shock; it was a physical blow. His daughter lay in the center of the vast, too-white bed, utterly limp and motionless. Her skin was a map of vivid bruises; tubes snaked from her arm and mouth; and dried, reddish-brown blood was matted into her hair. The only evidence of life was the relentless, rhythmic beep of the heart monitor.

“Hi, honey.” The two words came out as a desperate, choking sob.

He reached for her hand, his own trembling. The thin, still warmth beneath his fingers instantly dragged him back to the single moment he’d spent a lifetime trying to outrun.

Haley.

He squeezed his eyes shut against the phantom memory: the terrifying, lifeless stillness of his wife, his children's mother, on the floor of their living room.

He had to double-take now, to see the faint, rhythmic rise and fall of his daughter's chest, to confirm that this was not that nightmare. That she was still here.

“I’m sorry. God, I am so sorry,” he whispered, the words a rough, tearing confession into the sterile air. He gripped her hand so tightly it was less a hold and more a fervent, panicked prayer.

“Please, please don’t take her away from me,” he begged, his voice cracking. He wasn't speaking to a God he believed in, or the doctors, or even his daughter—he was arguing with the unforgiving hand of fate that had already stolen so much.

“Don’t take her away. I’ll do better. I’ll be there for her and Jack. I swear I will.” His shoulders shook with the depth of the sobs he was fighting to keep silent.

He leaned his forehead against the rail of the bed, his grip on her hand the only thing tethering him to the room. The silence stretched, thick with monitors and unshed tears.

“I should have been there,” he finally rasped, “I should have protected you.”

The harsh, rhythmic beep of the monitors had finally lulled him into a fitful slumber in the uncomfortable visitor’s chair. He was dragged back to consciousness by the faint murmur of voices.

He forced himself to sit up, rubbing the exhaustion from his face. Then he froze. The nurse was addressing y/n, and y/n was answering.

You are talking.

He could hear her voice.

“y/n?”

Her face was still turned away, but he heard the soft, raspy voice—slowed and strained, but unmistakably hers. It was the voice that used to excitedly babble about school projects or cartoons whenever his schedule allowed him to be home. The nurse offered a quiet, professional nod and slipped out.

When she turned to face him, Hotch’s breath hitched.

The angry swelling on her cheek was giving way to a sickening palette of yellowish-brown and deep purple. Her left eye was nearly swollen shut, a raw, livid cut arcing above her brow, contrasting starkly with the waxy paleness of her skin.

“Dad…” she rasped.

“I’m here, honey. You’re okay. I’m right here now.” His voice was thick with emotion.

She offered a tiny, weak smile, trying to adjust her position. A sharp grimace immediately seized her face as the pain in her ribs and back flared.

“Easy, slow movements, honey. I’ve got you.” He carefully reached out.

“Would you like more water?” he asked, desperate to fill the silence.

“I saw you, while I was sleeping,” she murmured, her eyes fixed on the hospital blanket she was fiddling with. “I must have been dreaming because you were there, Dad.”

Hotch tilted his head, his brow furrowed with confusion. “You saw me in your dreams?”

She nodded. “Right after the accident, I think.”

“Honey… that wasn’t a dream. I was there. I got to you right before they put you in the ambulance.” He tried to soothe her.

“But it felt so real,” she insisted, her tone faint but determined.

“You held my hands. It was warm and rough, just like yours. I missed it.” The last words were barely a whisper, a stark, painful admission.

The air drained from Hotch’s chest.

How long had she felt this distance?

“I’m sorry, y/n,” he started, the familiar words already tainted by repetition. She immediately cast her eyes down.

“Look at me, honey,” he asked softly. When she remained fixed on a loose thread of the blanket, he gently took her chin, his thumb brushing a bruise, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“I’m truly sorry for leaving you,” he began again, his voice raw. “I know I have said it so many times, and I don’t care how long it takes for you to forgive me, but honey, I am sorry.”

He scooted his chair closer, the gap between them too wide, too symbolic. “I failed you. I failed to be a good father. I was supposed to be there for you and Jack, to protect you, but I failed.”

His voice hitched, the tears he’d held back since seeing her limp figure finally blurring his vision.

He swallowed hard, plunging deeper into the unforgivable abyss of his guilt.

“I failed to be a good husband, and now your mother is dead because of it.”

“Please forgive me. I’ll try harder. I’ll try harder to be a good father—for you and Jack.” She remained quiet even after his many attempts for forgiveness.

He interlocked his fingers with hers, an almost desperate, pleading grip. “Honey, please…”

She broke her silence then, her voice flat, devoid of fight. “What does it take, Dad?”

He grasped her hand tighter. “What is it, honey? Tell me.” But her fingers remained slack in his, a broken connection.

She drew a slow, shuddering breath, exhaling the words as if they were a crushing weight.

“What does it take… for you to love me?”

The question was a physical blow, silencing every word he had prepared, shattering his carefully constructed world. He hadn’t realized her mind had equated his absence with his love.

“Honey—no. What are you talking about?” he stammered.

She didn't answer his question. Instead, she offered the cruelest self-assessment.

“Perhaps if I was one of the victims, I would have gotten your attention.” The tone, flare, and absolute void of emotion in her voice carved a knife into his heart.

She forced a broken, empty closure. “It’s okay. They needed your help, right, Dad?” I needed you too were the unspoken words.

I was hurt—I needed you to save me.

She pulled her hand from his. The simple motion felt like a door slamming shut, leaving his own hand cold and empty.

“I’m tired, Dad.” She turned her bruised face away from him, retreating into the lonely silence of her own pain.

“Y/n, please… I—please don’t—” Hotch’s voice was a choked plea.

Her shoulders began to shake, tiny spasms against the pillow as she fought back the tears.

“I—I understand, Dad. It’s okay,” she whispered, the attempted understanding sounding more devastating than any anger. Words he had heard before.

The recitals—he remembered. You said exactly the same thing.

He wants her to be angry at him, and right now she’s just dejected.

“No—no, honey. I’m here for you now, okay?” He was weeping freely now. He reached out, his hand hovering over her arm, desperate to hold her and close the distance between them.

She shook her head. “Go to Jack, okay? I’ll be okay.” She furiously wiped the tears from her good eye.

“Jack’s okay, sweetheart,” he assured, leaning in, his argument ready. “Emily is with him. I- I want to be with you.”

She shook her head violently. “Dad, please.” Her plea was raw, not for comfort, but for release.

She craved his embrace, but his sudden, panicked presence felt like a cruel spotlight on months of absence. She needed distance to breathe.

“I need to be alone, please,” she gasped. “Jack needs you more. I’m fine. Promise.”

No, you’re not! Don’t do this, Y/n—don’t push me away! Hotch wanted to scream the denial, to fight his way back into her world.

He wanted to force the forgiveness, to hold her until he could fix the mess he had made.

But then she turned her head, her gaze heavy with a terrible, premature resignation.

“You can’t solve this right now, Dad. Not here. Not now.” Her voice was steady, chillingly mature. “There are real victims who need you. I… I will always be here.”

The statement ripped through his composure. The fact that she saw their relationship as a case he needed to solve, his attention as a temporary assignment, and her recovery as merely an administrative pause, like paperwork stacking in his office, was the final blow to his guilt.

She had already internalized his abandonment as her own fault, her own lack of importance.

His hands dropped back to his lap.

“Okay, Y/n. Okay,” he whispered. He pushed his chair back slowly, the sound loud in the quiet room paired with the both of them crying.

“I’ll be right downstairs. Call me the moment you need anything at all. Anything at all, honey. ”

He couldn't leave without a final plea, “I love you, honey. So—so much.”

He didn't wait. He didn't risk waiting for the silence, or worse, for an answer she wasn't ready to give.

—

“I’m sorry, Hotch, no offense, but you look horrible,” Emily’s low voice cut through the strained silence of the waiting area. She slid a warm paper cup of coffee onto the table beside him.

He knew she wasn’t wrong. He was past tired. His mind had spent the night in a dark corner, methodically cataloging his failures.

How many times had his children truly needed him, and he hadn’t been there?

How long had it been since he simply held them?

What does it take to undo the damage of a life spent elsewhere?

He had only dared to return to his daughter's bedside after the nurse assured him she was back asleep, her unconscious form safer, easier to be around.

A nurse entered the room, checking the vitals. “Hmm… her temperature is slightly higher,” she noted, concern in her voice.

Y/n’s temperature spiked rapidly as hours passed and the medical team are working urgently to bring the heat down. Her whole body was slick with feverish sweat, the monitors beeping furiously.

“Help her, please!” Hotch begged.

As the team worked, a piercing gasp tore from her throat. Her eyes remained shut, but a shriek escaped: “N-no Dad!”

“I’m here, honey. I’m right here,” he rushed forward, capturing her hand, pressing it hard against his chest.

“Mom! Mom—I’m sorry! No—Mom!”

Shaking her head furiously against the pillow, she cried, “He’s gonna kill you, Mom! Mom, run! Take Jack and run, Mom!”

Hotch’s eyes squeezed shut in white-hot pain. This was no delusion caused by the fever; this was a vivid, exaggerated reliving of the worst night of their lives.

“N-no Dad! Dad, he has the gun! Don’t let him shoot, Dad- no!”

Hotch was openly weeping again, his tears falling onto their joined hands. “I’ve got you, honey. No one is going to hurt you, promise,” he murmured, though he knew the promise was useless against a memory.

“Don’t take him away, please don’t shoot him!” she thrashed against the restraints of the bed.

Then, the words that shattered him completely.

“Shoot me!”

Hotch crumpled. His hold on her hand went slack as he bent over, sobbing uncontrollably next to the bed.

How could she do that? How could she ever, even in her feverish memory, choose to sacrifice herself for him?

“D-dad, I love you! Don’t leave me, Dad,” she cried, still trapped in the hallucination.

“I’m sorry, I won’t ask too much. J-just don’t leave, please.”

Hotch was full-blown sobbing now, the ache in his heart a physical weight.

“Don’t go, Dad! Stay, please.” Her voice was frantic.

“Stay with me, please.” She begged again, the words cutting deep. “Don’t go to Pakistan, please. Not you too, Dad. Don’t leave us, please!”

The mention of the overseas assignment was the final, devastating confirmation of his failures.

“Stay, Dad, stay!” she wailed. “I’ll be good, I promise I won’t ask too much, just don’t go on the plane. I need you here—I just need you to stay!”

“Agent Hotchner.” The doctor’s calm voice cut through the chaos. She crouched beside him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “We’ve administered a sedative to bring her heart rate down. In my experience, what y/n needs right now is the simple, undeniable assurance that she’s not alone.”

Gaining a fragile strength, Hotch rose and leaned over the bed. “Not leaving you again, honey,” he vowed.

The nurse quietly lowered the bed rails, a silent permission. Hotch eased himself onto the mattress, carefully maneuvering around the tubes and bandages, and gathered his daughter into his arms. The feeling of her slight, feverish body against his felt both agonizingly fragile and perfectly right.

“I’m here, baby. I got you. Shh… it’s okay,” he murmured, kissing her burning forehead.

Sensing his anchor, she instinctively pressed closer. “Don’t leave me, Dad,” she whimpered, her voice fading under the sedative.

“Not leaving you, or Jack, again, honey. Shh… I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered, his vow sharp with guilt. He tightened his hold. Her small, broken figure finally settled into stillness.

He began to rock them both, humming a slow, forgotten tune from her childhood.

Aaron had come home from a long case. It was especially long because it was the first case away from his family. He was told multiple times that it was too soon for him to go back, but to know that he was catching killers and saving lives, just so he could make the world a better place for you and your daughter, he would never stop.

Your daughter was only two weeks old, it was really early for him to go back, but you could tell he was getting antsy. You don’t blame him one bit, he was good at what he did. He’d been so careful during your 9th month of pregnancy, he didn’t work one case from a different state, he stayed home, working from his home office.

When your daughter finally did make her arrival, it was the one day he had to go into the office for a meeting. You were best friends with Penelope, so Aaron told her to come sit with you while he had gone. He didn’t want you to be alone in case anything happened. You promised him nothing would and you could take care of yourself, but your baby had other plans.

When your water broke while making lunch with Garcia, you began to freak out a little bit. You were so good with kids, being a teacher allowed you to be good with them. You’ve never done this yourself though. You haven’t gotten pregnant before, you hadn’t gone through 9 months of pregnancy until now, you hadn’t given birth. You were told to be calm and collected, and that’s what you were going to be. You couldn’t freak out.

“Um, Penelope.”

You took a deep breath through the pain.

“It’s time to have a little Hotchner.”

Placing a hand on your stomach, you watched as Penelope began to turn off the stove, put ingredients back in the fridge, and started frantically running around the house to find your hospital bag.

When you got in the car, you began to call Aaron’s phone. When you were met with his voicemail, Penelope was already dialing Derek. Derek would kick down the door just to make sure Hotch got the news he had been so desperately been waiting for ever since he found out you were pregnant.

Just when you were checked into your hospital room, you were met with a frantic Aaron, all while you were calm and collected. Penelope had left to give you two the time you needed and she’d wait out in the waiting room with Derek.

After being in labor for only 5 hours, your little girl decided to make herself known in the world. While you had just given birth to a human, you couldn’t help but tear up at the sight of Aaron in awe of the doctor’s taking your little girl and cleaning her up. She had dark hair, matching Aaron’s for sure.

When your eyes finally met Aaron’s, you couldn’t help but reach up to him and wipe the tears that had fallen. He was a father, to a beautiful little girl. All the insecurities that he had and that you tried to push aside when he brought them up, shined in the moment right here, when your little girl was put into your arms.

He immediately cradled you in his arms, sitting next to you, looking at the beautiful piece of art that you and him had created. There was so much love pouring out from you and him and your girl would forever be loved.

“What do you think, Aar? Hannah Hotchner?”

“I love it. I love you, I love her. Thank you for making me a dad. I promise I’m going to be the best Dad that I can be.”

“I know you’re going to be an amazing Dad, Aaron. You already are.”

With another kiss between you two, you passed Hannah into his arms, letting him hold the little girl you know he’s been dying to hold. You fell in love with him even more. The way he held her in his arms. The way he whispered, “Hi Hannah, I’m your daddy. You’re always going to be my little girl. I promise I will not let anything happen to you or your mommy or any other siblings you may have in the future.”

You were pulled out of your thoughts when you heard your daughter crying from her nursery, only a few doors down the hall. You knew she just ate less than an hour ago and she would fall back asleep shortly after a few cries. It was the self soothing method that you got used to when you were in college working for a daycare center. You hated it at first, not being able to grab the babies when they were crying, but when you had 4-5 other babies all crying during nap time, it was easiest when they learned to self-soothe.

You felt the bed begin to move, Aaron was up. You wanted him to get sleep. You knew he hadn’t gotten much during this last case, which explains the texts that you randomly got in the middle of the night checking in on you and your daughter, Hannah.

His alarm was bound to go off in an hour, so you wanted to tell him that you’d get Hannah and he could try and lay back down. He had a lot of stress, you’d take care of your daughter.

You heard him start his morning coffee pot and he walked back into your shared bedroom. He began to splash water on his face.

You got up, meeting him in the bathroom. You wrapped your arms around him and gave him a kiss. You felt the tension of his muscles relax in your touch. You both listened to Hannah crying across the hall.

“It’s gonna be okay. It won’t be like this for long. One day, we’ll look back laughing at the week we brought her home. This phase is gonna fly by. Baby, just hold on.”

Aaron turned in your arms and whispered, “I love you. Can we go get our little girl?”

You nodded as he kissed you once more, grabbing your hand and pulling you into the nursery. He turned on the lamp and saw Hannah looking up and moving. He grabbed her from the crib and she snuggled into his shoulder.

“Daddy missed you so much, Han.”

**4 years later**

You don’t know what time it was, you just know that it was early enough to still be dark and early enough that Aaron wasn’t up and getting ready for work. You had heard the door open and saw the shadow of your oldest daughter with her favorite stuffed animal and she began to crawl into bed between you and Aaron. You looked at the clock and saw it was only 4:30am.

“Hannah, what’s wrong?”

You sat up a little bit and she said, “I want to sleep with you and Daddy.”

Aaron began to turn over when he heard the two of you whispering. He couldn’t deny that when Hannah was younger, he didn’t always listen to you when he was home alone with her and wouldn’t let her self-soothe. She had him wrapped around her finger.

“Want to sleep with Daddy?”

You rolled your eyes at him and laid back down. Hannah laid into her father’s arms and Aaron tried to pull you closer to him. When you saw the shadow of him holding your little girl, you couldn’t help but want to be cuddled up with them as well.

You didn’t blame Hannah for being a daddy’s girl. He gave her everything she wanted and more. He was never the “bad cop” in the good cop, bad cop scenario. He always played the bad cop at work, you figured he needed to be the good cop sometimes.

You knew it was only a matter of time before his alarm would be going off for work and your two year old daughter would be waking up to say goodbye to him. Your pregnancy hormones were also no match for whatever time it was. Once it hit 6 am, you were already craving food for the day. All the Hotchners would be awake at 6am, whether it’s to get breakfast, coffee, or say goodbye to their dad.

A few weeks later, you found Aaron up really early. You didn’t know why, didn’t hear the phone ring or an alarm go off, so you decided to go find him.

You were currently 8 months pregnant with your third kid, so getting out of bed was a process. When you finally did go and find him, you saw the nursery light on. Taking a peak into the room before barging in, you saw him looking through the photo albums of Hannah, and your youngest daughter, Grace. Hannah and Grace were a little over 2 years a part. Their sister bond forming immediately when they met each other for the first time.

“Honey, it’s 3 in the morning, what are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep. It’s Hannah’s first day of preschool today and I just, I don’t want her to go. It means she’s growing up. Time needs to slow down.”

“Aaron, you know better than anyone that time doesn’t slow down, it sometimes feels as if it speeds up.”

“She’s my little girl. I know I still have Gracie, but Han’s, Hannah’s my first little girl, she’s the one who made me a father.”

Aaron closed the photo album and grabbed it, then walked over to grab your hand and pull you back into your bedroom. Flipping on the lamp, he pulled you down onto the chair you had in the corner of the room. That chair had great usage and for a variety of things, too. Some of your most intimate moments with Aaron happened right on that chair.

When he pulled you into his lap, he placed a hand over your bump and flipped open the album. Both of you watched as you flipped through your daughter’s life for the past 4 years. Many silly and goofy pictures taken of Hannah, and Hannah with Grace, and great photos of Hannah and Aaron and Hannah and you. You were so glad you captured these moments that you could look back on.

“I’m not ready for her to go to school yet. Can we keep her home today.”

“No, Aaron, we can’t. We have things to do today. It’s better for her to go anyway. Your little girl has to start school sometime, whether you’re ready or not.”

“It’s one day.”

“Yeah, why do you think I chose her to start school in the middle of the week? So I can actually go with you to make sure that you’ll actually drop her off. I have no meetings today, I have a substitute teacher today, I can actually take a day off from work without having to worry about too much to catch up on.”

“I wasn’t going to let her skip the first day.”

“Aaron Hotchner! Don’t you lie to me.”

You both began to laugh as he said, “Okay. Fine.”

“Let’s get back to bed. We’ll get up early, make the girls breakfast. They love when Daddy makes waffles.”

“Then I can enjoy breakfast with my three favorite girls and baby #3.”

You kissed him once more and then he helped you get up. Once back into bed, you cuddled up with him and fell asleep. You were trying to wait for him to fall asleep first, but you were exhausted.

As you had a nice family breakfast with Aaron and the kids, it was then that time to get Hannah to pre-school. You had dropped Gracie off at daycare first and then Aaron drove you to the school Hannah would spend the next 5 years before moving into junior high.

As you got out of the car, Hannah grabbed her backpack and took Aaron’s hand. As Aaron held her hand, he also held yours. You could tell he was holding in the tears. He wanted to break down, he wasn’t ready for his little girl to grow up.

As soon as Aaron let go of her hand, Hannah immediately clinged onto his leg.

“I don’t want to go Daddy. Let me stay home with you.”

Aaron knelt down, quickly giving her a hug and telling her that everything would be okay. He would see her in just a few hours. She gave him another hug and he wiped her tears. Leaving a kiss on her forehead, you also saw the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. You placed your hand on his back, signaling to him that it was time for her to get going to school.

As he stood up, she held onto his leg even more. You peeled Hannah from his leg and gave her a hug. Hannah waved at you and Aaron as the teacher grabbed Hannah’s hand.

“What can I do? So it’ll be easier for her?”

“Mr. Hotchner, don’t you worry, it’ll only last a week or two. It won’t be like this for long. One day soon you’ll drop her off and she won’t even know you’re gone. This phase is going to fly by.”

You grabbed Aaron’s hand as he nodded and you both thanked her teacher. You watched as Hannah walked into school. Then that’s when you saw Aaron break down. This big bad FBI agent who never showed emotion at work, finally broke down.

As you wiped a tear from his cheek, you made your way back to your car. You had a few things you two had to get done but you wanted to hold onto this moment for a few more minutes before life continued on.

It was only a few weeks later that your 3rd baby was born, Aaron finally got his son. He was such a great girl dad, but you were glad you were able to have a boy. Both his girls could be princesses, but they weren’t afraid to get dirt on their hands either.

As you were laying in bed, trying to get some sleep after feeding your son, Nicholas, you then heard crying coming from down the hall. When you started to move, Aaron rolled over and kissed your head saying, “Get some sleep, I’ll take care of Hannah.”

“Thank you, Aaron.”

Aaron walked into Hannah’s room to find her sitting up and crying.

“What’s going on, Han?”

“Daddy, I heard a noise and it came from my closet. There might be a monster.”

“Daddy will check, I’m not going to let a monster hurt you.”

As Aaron carefully opened the closet, he saw a box had fallen down. Quickly picking it up and showing Hannah that it was just a box from one of her toys and that it was okay.

As Hannah had gone to use the bathroom and grab a drink of water, he couldn’t help that life was going fast, and that someday soon she’ll be a teenager. There won’t be this need for him anymore, no checking closets for scary monsters. He was soaking it all in. But he couldn’t help but think of Hannah as she was older.

“Dad! You’re so unfair! How come Gracie gets to go hangout with her friends but you’re keeping me hostage! Hello! Can I get the hostage hotline?”

“I’m not unfair, Grace hasn’t been drinking with her friend or sneaking out to her boyfriend’s house!”

“The only reason I’m sneaking out is because you lock me in a god damn tower 24/7.”

“Well, not really because I still let you hangout with some friends.”

She groaned at him and rolled her eyes. As she stomped up to her room and slammed her door, you couldn’t help but look at Aaron.

“Aaron, Hannah’s a good kid. She does well in school, her boyfriend treats her great.”

“She probably hates me, but that’s my little girl. I’m not going to just let her go hangout at her boyfriend’s house, who is 2 years older by the way.”

“Aaron, they’ve been best friends since she was in 3rd grade. We know his family. He grew up in our neighborhood, they played on the same soccer team since we always had her playing up.”

“I know you’re right, but it feels like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital and sending her off to preschool. Now she’s got a boyfriend. I don’t care who he is, no guy will ever be good enough for my little girl.”

**5 years later**

While Hannah didn’t date her best friend for much longer when they went to different colleges, she did find someone who was great, if not better for her than her first boyfriend was, and it took Aaron only a few times to recognize that.

When Hannah’s boyfriend showed up to the house, asking Aaron for Hannah’s hand in marriage, it only made him think back to the little girl he brought home as a newborn, who would cry and have him worrying 24/7.

She’s turned into a beautiful young woman, one who was smart as well and knew that her boyfriend was good for her. He was the perfect man in her eyes, he shared a lot of morals that her father had and for that, she was grateful she had such an amazing father to look up to and set standards for her boyfriend.

It wasn’t long before he was walking her down the aisle and raising her veil, giving his little girl away to the love of her life, a good man. As long as his little girl was happy, he was happy.

When Hannah got into bed, sniffles coming from her, in which he didn’t mind that it was only 4am, and he’d have to be up in an hour for work, he kissed her goodnight. He laid down beside her until her eyes were finally closed, just watching her it broke his heart because he already knows, it won’t be like this for long.

"Daddy! Look look! I made this for you for when you come back home!" Little girl Hotchner holds up a drawing she had made earlier that day. It's the four of you, or at least it's supposed to be. It's really just four colourful blobs. One is you, another is Aaron, and the other two are her and Jack.

"And I made this for you in school!" Jack shows Aaron his own art piece which is definitely easier to make out but both are equally loved by you and Aaron.

"Those are both beautiful! They should be in an art museum." Aaron smiles big and it warms your heart.

You all tell Aaron about how your day went and he listens with that same grin as his little bugs ramble on and on happily. Jack's sister tends to go off topic more often than not but Aaron doesn't mind. Neither of you do. He's just happy to hear their voices and see their faces.

"Daddy what happened! You look like a kitty!" Your little girl exclaims when the face of an animated cat covers Aaron's and moves when he turns his head or talks. You're giggling as he talks to them and pretends not to know what they're talking about. Then it turns to a dog and Jack laughs as your little girl gets a confused, but joyful expression on her face.

"Daddy, can you do a T-rex? Please?" Jack asked as he looks at the screen in front of you all.

"Oh no. What's that sound?" You can hear what you think is Aaron imitating a dinosaur and then the dog face goes away and is replaced by Jack's request.

"Rawr!" All three of you giggle when you see it and you hear Aaron's big laugh come through the speaker and your heart flutters at the sound. You miss him but you understand he can't be there as much as you all wish he could and that's why you always make as much time for things like this as you all can when he's away. It's important to all of you that you spend time together even if it's just a video call. It's still special to all of you.

Eventually you have to end the call because the little loves need to go to sleep, everyone is disappointed and they both bed for five more minutes. Of course you give in. They miss Aaron and you won't deny them that time with him as long as it's not insanely late and as long as he doesn't need to leave so he can work.

After the five minutes is up, Aaron tells them it's time for bed and they both frown but nod in understanding.

"I miss you all and I love you. I want you both to be good for your mother, okay? I should be home in a couple of days and then we can do whatever you want. How does that sound?" He smiles at the end and they both cheer up and nod eagerly.

After you all say goodbye and hang up you don't get them ready to go to sleep right away. Instead you all make a little video telling Aaron you love him and saying good night then send it to him. You know he feels a little down when you have to end the call and you want him to have something to bring his spirits up a little bit.

That's when you finally get the Hotchner babes ready and give them their nightly forehead kiss good night. You always give them both two kisses each when Aaron is away. One from you and one from him. Which they both return to you. One for you and one for their dad.

It's hard to be away from Aaron but you know it's even harder for him. When he's away you still have the little ones. It always makes you sad so you're constantly sending him photos and videos of you and your sweethearts so he still has some of the feeling of being home. It helps him get through those rough cases and he saves every single memory you send him.

The chilly air made your breath visible and your gloved hands could feel the traces of coldness around you. Jack and Aaron's faces already had tints of red from the cold but it wasn't enough to be concerning. You slowed down your pace just enough for Aaron to catch up and opened your arms for Jack. "Here let me hold him, knowing you and your age you might break something." You tease, taking a hold of Jack and giving him a piggyback ride. "For your information (Y/n) I am in very good condition but nonetheless you can carry Jack."

°。°。°。°。°。°。

Once you finally made it to the hill you spotted the free sleds that they always kept around for people to use. After gently placing Jack you pointed to the sleds and asked if he wanted to go with you or dad. Jack pointed to you resulting in you sticking your tongue out to your dad. You sat Jack in front of you as you both got on the sled, waiting for him to get on his respective one.