A Time for Home, for daylyn, Hotch/Reid, PG-13
Title: A Time for Home
Author: resolucidity
Recipient: daylyn
Pairing: Hotch/Reid
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~ 1500
Warnings/spoilers: None
Summary/prompt: Hotch/Reid (established relationship). Their first Christmas with Jack together as a family. Cameos by Sean Hotchner, Jessica Brooks, and/or the team welcome but not necessary. Can even have a little bit of bittersweet moments as Hotch thinks of Haley, but mostly a happy, feel-good holiday fic.
A/N: Many thanks to my wonderful beta!
"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is a time for home." ~Edith Sitwell
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve had always been Aaron’s favorite time of the year. The shopping was over. The traffic was easier. People (especially Strauss) were generally in a good mood, and rarely were serial killers on a rampage.
Before his marriage dissolved, he and Haley had usually spent time traveling, visiting relatives and making side trips along the way. Then after the divorce, Jack was with him for the week, which was always fun since Jack had a slew of new toys that they both enjoyed (especially after they were all assembled and stickered).
After Haley’s death, Aaron took Jack to Disney World for the week of Christmas since they both needed some time at the Happiest Place on Earth. It was a nice trip, full of mostly good memories, but Aaron missed the quiet time at home. This year, he hoped to return to just that.
Being the team with the most seniority had afforded them that barring some national disaster or Underwear Bomber, they would all have ten days of vacation around Christmas. Morgan left early Christmas Eve to be with his family in Chicago. Dave headed up to New Jersey to celebrate Christmas Rossi style, but this year he was taking a rather reluctant Emily with him. They were engaged, and Mama Rossi wouldn’t allow it any other way despite Ambassador Prentiss’ objections. Garcia and Kevin were off to Vermont to a bed and breakfast where there was no internet connection. Hotch wasn’t sure how that was going to work out, but he was looking forward to hearing about it when the vacation was over. His team deserved the time off and they all needed to be with their families.
Hotch was most pleased with Spencer Reid’s plans for the holidays because for the first time they were going to spend it together, as a couple and a family, and that warmed his heart more than any of Dave’s eggnog ever could. Spencer was leaving New Years Day to spend some time with his mother, and Aaron was determined to give not only Jack, but his lover a restful Christmas full of good memories.
Jessica Brooks had decided to stay in town since her parents opted for a holiday cruise, and Aaron was looking forward to having her with them. Since she was Jack’s primary caregiver when he was away, he rarely got to spend time with her. She had grown to accept his relationship with Spencer, and he knew that Spencer no longer felt as uneasy around her as well. Of course Jack was the catalyst of it all because he equally adored Jessica and Spencer so it made that relationship building a lot easier. Sean had arrived late Christmas Day since he was enormously busy at his restaurant in New York. He could only spend a few days so as to prepare for the insanity of New Years Eve in the city. Aaron knew they all could use some peace and quiet at home. It had been a tough year for everyone and he wanted the year to at least end on a happy note for all.
Aaron headed into the den to enjoy the fire, steaming cup of tea in hand, leaving Jessica and Sean chatting it up in the kitchen after cleaning the dishes. They had just had their last dinner together as a family, as Sean was leaving the next morning. The three days had gone so well and Aaron hoped that this gathering would become a new tradition.
He almost felt as if he was intruding when he spotted Spencer sitting on the couch with his arm around a sleeping Jack who still had his little hand wrapped around the Wii controller. Spencer’s eyes were heavy, but he managed to perk up a little when Aaron gently sat down next to Jack, careful not to stir him.
“I still can’t believe you bought him that,” whispered Aaron as he carefully pried the controller from his son’s hand.
Spencer gave a mock scowl and shook his head. “You have to admit, it’s pretty awesome,” Spencer replied in an equally hushed tone. “I would have killed for something like this when I was a kid.”
Aaron nodded in reply and took a sip of his tea, not really knowing what to say to that. He knew that Christmas had been less than ideal in the Reid household, and it tugged on his heart to think of it. Not that his own childhood had been the picture of normalcy, but at least his mother had tried to make things nice, making sure that all the gifts were wrapped with precision and the house decorated just so. If only his father had taken the time to notice, or even just to be at home a little more during the holidays.
Aaron quickly shook the thoughts from his head and replaced them with the memories of Christmas morning. Was it really only three days ago? He was not able to tell who was more excited …Jack or Spencer. Waiting for Jessica to arrive before unwrapping the presents had been torturous for both of them. Luckily, she only lived ten minutes away, but that had to have been the longest ten minutes of all their lives.
When Jack started to stir, Hotch attempted to scoop him up in his arms to carry his exhausted son up to bed, but at the first touch, Jack’s eyes shot open. He was wide awake.
“No, Daddy,” he protested. “I want to play one more game with My Spencer.” Jack had been bothered that Spencer didn’t have a “title”…Sean was his uncle, Jessica was his aunt, Hotch was his daddy, so he quickly resolved the situation by dubbing Reid as “My Spencer”. Every time Aaron heard it, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Okay,” said Hotch with just an ounce of sternness. “Just one more game, then you have to go bed. Uncle Sean is going to fix us a really good breakfast before he leaves tomorrow and you wouldn’t want to miss that.”
“Yay,” Jack cheered with the sudden bolt of energy that only children seemed to possess. “C’mon Spencer! Let’s play Cars,” he said as he snatched the remote back out of Aaron’s hands. He knew that Spencer wouldn’t object. Hotch knew that even though Reid came off as ‘techno phobe’ at work, that it was all a ruse. Having PhDs in both physics and engineering completely made that claim bogus. And besides, it was extremely evident that Reid enjoyed that Wii just as much if not more than Jack did.
As the game commenced, Sean and Jessica came into the den sharing a laugh, with Sean having a sheepish look.
“What?” Hotch asked, mildly suspicious that what they were laughing as was at his expense.
“Nothing, bro,” said Sean sheepishly. “Just telling Jess about the time you caught my hair on fire at the candlelight service when I was eight.”
“Me?” laughed Aaron. “You were the one that nodded off in the middle of the sermon. As I recall, I’m the one who put it out. And it was hardly on fire, it was just a little singe." Sean, like Dave, had such a flair for the dramatic. Working in the theatre district was rubbing off on him.
“Details,” scoffed Sean as he rolled his eyes.
“Wasn’t that the same year you hid the dog treats in the Christmas tree?” asked Aaron even though he knew the answer. He wasn’t going to let his little brother get away with coming off like a saint.
“Oh my God, it was!” laughed Sean. “It took me three hours to put all the ornaments back on. With no help from you, I might add.”
Jessica snorted at that comment. “Haley and I had do that twice one year, except it was our cat that kept knocking the tree over…all on his own.”
Hotch smiled ruefully as his remembered Haley telling him that story many times. He made a mental note to tell Jack about it, or at least to remind Jessica to. He wanted Jack to know as many stories of his mother as possible. She would have wanted it that way, he was sure.
Sean had taken his place in front of the TV screen as he coached Spencer on some strategy on beating Jack in the game. Not that there was any chance Spencer would allow Jack to lose. Jessica settled in the couch next to Aaron, cheering for both of them as Jack beamed with pride.
As Aaron looked around the room, with all the laughter and good feelings, he thought again of Haley and her last request. She wanted Jack to believe in love because it was the most important thing. He hoped that he was honoring that request even if it was a bit unconventional. The love and comfort in that room was palpable, and he honestly could not ask for more.
Author: resolucidity
Recipient: daylyn
Pairing: Hotch/Reid
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~ 1500
Warnings/spoilers: None
Summary/prompt: Hotch/Reid (established relationship). Their first Christmas with Jack together as a family. Cameos by Sean Hotchner, Jessica Brooks, and/or the team welcome but not necessary. Can even have a little bit of bittersweet moments as Hotch thinks of Haley, but mostly a happy, feel-good holiday fic.
A/N: Many thanks to my wonderful beta!
"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is a time for home." ~Edith Sitwell
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve had always been Aaron’s favorite time of the year. The shopping was over. The traffic was easier. People (especially Strauss) were generally in a good mood, and rarely were serial killers on a rampage.
Before his marriage dissolved, he and Haley had usually spent time traveling, visiting relatives and making side trips along the way. Then after the divorce, Jack was with him for the week, which was always fun since Jack had a slew of new toys that they both enjoyed (especially after they were all assembled and stickered).
After Haley’s death, Aaron took Jack to Disney World for the week of Christmas since they both needed some time at the Happiest Place on Earth. It was a nice trip, full of mostly good memories, but Aaron missed the quiet time at home. This year, he hoped to return to just that.
Being the team with the most seniority had afforded them that barring some national disaster or Underwear Bomber, they would all have ten days of vacation around Christmas. Morgan left early Christmas Eve to be with his family in Chicago. Dave headed up to New Jersey to celebrate Christmas Rossi style, but this year he was taking a rather reluctant Emily with him. They were engaged, and Mama Rossi wouldn’t allow it any other way despite Ambassador Prentiss’ objections. Garcia and Kevin were off to Vermont to a bed and breakfast where there was no internet connection. Hotch wasn’t sure how that was going to work out, but he was looking forward to hearing about it when the vacation was over. His team deserved the time off and they all needed to be with their families.
Hotch was most pleased with Spencer Reid’s plans for the holidays because for the first time they were going to spend it together, as a couple and a family, and that warmed his heart more than any of Dave’s eggnog ever could. Spencer was leaving New Years Day to spend some time with his mother, and Aaron was determined to give not only Jack, but his lover a restful Christmas full of good memories.
Jessica Brooks had decided to stay in town since her parents opted for a holiday cruise, and Aaron was looking forward to having her with them. Since she was Jack’s primary caregiver when he was away, he rarely got to spend time with her. She had grown to accept his relationship with Spencer, and he knew that Spencer no longer felt as uneasy around her as well. Of course Jack was the catalyst of it all because he equally adored Jessica and Spencer so it made that relationship building a lot easier. Sean had arrived late Christmas Day since he was enormously busy at his restaurant in New York. He could only spend a few days so as to prepare for the insanity of New Years Eve in the city. Aaron knew they all could use some peace and quiet at home. It had been a tough year for everyone and he wanted the year to at least end on a happy note for all.
Aaron headed into the den to enjoy the fire, steaming cup of tea in hand, leaving Jessica and Sean chatting it up in the kitchen after cleaning the dishes. They had just had their last dinner together as a family, as Sean was leaving the next morning. The three days had gone so well and Aaron hoped that this gathering would become a new tradition.
He almost felt as if he was intruding when he spotted Spencer sitting on the couch with his arm around a sleeping Jack who still had his little hand wrapped around the Wii controller. Spencer’s eyes were heavy, but he managed to perk up a little when Aaron gently sat down next to Jack, careful not to stir him.
“I still can’t believe you bought him that,” whispered Aaron as he carefully pried the controller from his son’s hand.
Spencer gave a mock scowl and shook his head. “You have to admit, it’s pretty awesome,” Spencer replied in an equally hushed tone. “I would have killed for something like this when I was a kid.”
Aaron nodded in reply and took a sip of his tea, not really knowing what to say to that. He knew that Christmas had been less than ideal in the Reid household, and it tugged on his heart to think of it. Not that his own childhood had been the picture of normalcy, but at least his mother had tried to make things nice, making sure that all the gifts were wrapped with precision and the house decorated just so. If only his father had taken the time to notice, or even just to be at home a little more during the holidays.
Aaron quickly shook the thoughts from his head and replaced them with the memories of Christmas morning. Was it really only three days ago? He was not able to tell who was more excited …Jack or Spencer. Waiting for Jessica to arrive before unwrapping the presents had been torturous for both of them. Luckily, she only lived ten minutes away, but that had to have been the longest ten minutes of all their lives.
When Jack started to stir, Hotch attempted to scoop him up in his arms to carry his exhausted son up to bed, but at the first touch, Jack’s eyes shot open. He was wide awake.
“No, Daddy,” he protested. “I want to play one more game with My Spencer.” Jack had been bothered that Spencer didn’t have a “title”…Sean was his uncle, Jessica was his aunt, Hotch was his daddy, so he quickly resolved the situation by dubbing Reid as “My Spencer”. Every time Aaron heard it, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Okay,” said Hotch with just an ounce of sternness. “Just one more game, then you have to go bed. Uncle Sean is going to fix us a really good breakfast before he leaves tomorrow and you wouldn’t want to miss that.”
“Yay,” Jack cheered with the sudden bolt of energy that only children seemed to possess. “C’mon Spencer! Let’s play Cars,” he said as he snatched the remote back out of Aaron’s hands. He knew that Spencer wouldn’t object. Hotch knew that even though Reid came off as ‘techno phobe’ at work, that it was all a ruse. Having PhDs in both physics and engineering completely made that claim bogus. And besides, it was extremely evident that Reid enjoyed that Wii just as much if not more than Jack did.
As the game commenced, Sean and Jessica came into the den sharing a laugh, with Sean having a sheepish look.
“What?” Hotch asked, mildly suspicious that what they were laughing as was at his expense.
“Nothing, bro,” said Sean sheepishly. “Just telling Jess about the time you caught my hair on fire at the candlelight service when I was eight.”
“Me?” laughed Aaron. “You were the one that nodded off in the middle of the sermon. As I recall, I’m the one who put it out. And it was hardly on fire, it was just a little singe." Sean, like Dave, had such a flair for the dramatic. Working in the theatre district was rubbing off on him.
“Details,” scoffed Sean as he rolled his eyes.
“Wasn’t that the same year you hid the dog treats in the Christmas tree?” asked Aaron even though he knew the answer. He wasn’t going to let his little brother get away with coming off like a saint.
“Oh my God, it was!” laughed Sean. “It took me three hours to put all the ornaments back on. With no help from you, I might add.”
Jessica snorted at that comment. “Haley and I had do that twice one year, except it was our cat that kept knocking the tree over…all on his own.”
Hotch smiled ruefully as his remembered Haley telling him that story many times. He made a mental note to tell Jack about it, or at least to remind Jessica to. He wanted Jack to know as many stories of his mother as possible. She would have wanted it that way, he was sure.
Sean had taken his place in front of the TV screen as he coached Spencer on some strategy on beating Jack in the game. Not that there was any chance Spencer would allow Jack to lose. Jessica settled in the couch next to Aaron, cheering for both of them as Jack beamed with pride.
As Aaron looked around the room, with all the laughter and good feelings, he thought again of Haley and her last request. She wanted Jack to believe in love because it was the most important thing. He hoped that he was honoring that request even if it was a bit unconventional. The love and comfort in that room was palpable, and he honestly could not ask for more.