Reach Out And Open Up (Criminal Minds)

Chapter Twelve

Taven's Pov
It was a awkward sensation with eyes watching your back every five minutes. It was the only way to gain the trust of my close friends. A part of my life I got to forget that it was ever even a part of me. Me and Aaron were still a little on the edgy side, with it taking so much time, it was just like us meeting again just with more complicated things happening.

"If you feel comfortable.. I saw you had a photo album can I see it?" My voice had questioned towards Aaron. Jack was fast asleep in my lap, his head resting there little snores leaving. I ran my fingers through his hair sweet like. He only stirred slightly in place.

"I feel comfortable gimme a second. " Aaron told me with a chuckle drinking the rest of the whisky in his glass. He set it down with a soft click onto the side table, before he was gesturing to me with a head nod.

"You can go lay him down. He's out like a light. You can tell today tired him out." With the permission granted, I lifted the sleeping bit up holding his head carefully. I took him into his room laying him down his his bed, I tucked him in with a quick soft motion before switching on his night light I then went back out to the living room. Aaron had came back before me sitting in the chair, he gestured for me to join him on the arm chair.

He pulled me to sit in his lap a small grunt leaving him, his arms went around my waist to make sure I didn't fall from his lap.

"I haven't looked at this in ages, gosh I wonder what's even in this?" He moved to prop his chin over my shoulder opening it up. I let the loudest gasp out looking back at Aaron seeing he was trying to look away hiding the smile on his face.

"Is that you? Like younger you?" I asked in pure shock. He looked like such a rebellious teen. The dark hair, the earrings, the smirk. He laughed out suddenly hiding his head a little on the surface of my shoulder.

"Don't be too fooled.. I had a small rebellious phase. But I was a nerd is that too hard to believe?" Aaron spoke through his laughter squeezing at my hips slightly.

"Oh yeah it's very hard to image you as a nerd.  You yell at people all the time." I deadpan my point with us flipping through more pages. There was a lot of younger teen Hotch, Haley, the baby pictures of Jack made me wanna melt babies were too adorable for this world.

"That is my younger brother Sean.. We kinda lost touch after college and when I joined the BAU. You might meet him though he is always shocking me." I leaned back further on his chest, stroking at a picture deciding to tease him. I crinkle my nose in a playfully manner.

"Your brother is really really handsome, oh my gosh does looks run in your family." The teasing and gushing was overextended to make him mad. I laughed loudly quickly trying to move away when his hand had quickly grabbed at my face to yank me back towards him playful like.  He covered my mouth to hide my loud laughter.

"You think you are funny don't you? You won't say that when I tickling you." He challenged through his own laughter. I was struggling to keep my laughter at bay. I licked at his palm fast like causing him to wipe it over my face with his own deep chuckles. He slid his arms back the both of us now calm. Basking in the relaxation that settled between us both.

I almost had fallen asleep from the continuance of his heartbeat beating in a slow like manner. "Aaron I really do love you and Jack.. Being with  you guys gives a nice purpose and I'm sorry." I apologized to him. I rested my chin flat firm on his chest, seeing he was looking down at me, unknown emotions were sparked there before he lifted his hand stroking at my cheeks in a soft calm like manner.

"I forgive you Taven. I really  do, I love you just as much and I know we can make this work. Everyone has.. Bad things in the closest and we never want them to come out but when they do.. Love kinda just shows if it was real or not, you don't give up just because someone has a bad past." A tiny smile formed over my lips in a moment, he leaned his head down better to press little kisses across my lips in place. Before he pressed another one to my temple.

"It's all gonna be okay."