Beauty and the Beast

home {4}

Reader's POV

Since Emily was an FBI and Interpol agent, the foster care placed the twins were at let her take them home after the paperwork was done. When Emily finished the paperwork she walked up to the lady at the front desk and gave it to her.

"We'll have to have CPS come and check your house to make sure it's kid friendly, but you can take them home tonight."

"Thank you." The lady and Emily exchanged smiles and Emily went to go collect the kids. Good thing the all came in separate SUV's. When Emily walked in the twins ran to her.

"Can we go home with you?" Alex questioned excitedly.

"Yes you are. Anything that you guys brought with you go pack up." Emily took out her phone and called JJ, "Hey where are you guys?"

"We actually left, we would've told you but you were talking to the twins and we didn't want to bother you."

"Ok, I'm actually adopting them."

"Wait really?"

"Yeah, they need a home and you know in a foster system sometimes they can stay in the system and never find parents."

"I'm happy for you Emily, I know how much you've wanted kids. And I think you'll be a great mother."

Emily smiled, "Thank you JJ." They hung up and the twins can running.

"We're ready!"

"Ok let's go." Emily and the twins walked out to her SUV they got their 'ooos' and 'ahs' out. "I need to get you two booster seats." Once they got in the car Emily starting talking, "I have cat and his name is Sergio."

"We like kitty's!"

"He likes kids. I have a bedroom for you guys but I have to get things to put in the room. Do you like bunk beds?"

"Yes," Alex said, "Mommy always said no. Can we have a bunk bed?!"

Emily laughed, "Of course."

Edeth asked Emily a question she didn't want to answer, "Did you have kids?"

Emily cleared her throat and blinked rapidly, "I did."

"What happened to them?" Just as Edeth finished asking this Hotch called.

"Prentiss,"

"We are all heading to the bar, you in?"

"Not tonight Hotch, I have to go, but I'll call you when I get home, I need to tell you something."

"Ok, everything alright?" Emily smiled at how concerned he was.

"Yeah," Emily looked back at the twins and smiled, "Everything is great." They said their goodbyes and hung up.

"Emmy, who was that?" Edeth asked.

"That was my friend, how would you guys like to meet him and my other friends tomorrow night?"

"Yay!" The twins shouted simultaneously.

They sat for a few more minutes in silence before they pulled to to the apartment complex Emily lived in. "You can take your bags to the last room on the left." Good thing Emily had a spare room. Her apartment originally had 3 rooms, but she turned one of the rooms into her office.

Hours passed, the twins and Emily had dinner and then Emily tucked them into bed. "Good night munchkins." Emily cooed.

"Good night Emmy." Edeth said, Alex had already drifted off to sleep. As Emily walked out she turned their night light on, shut of the lighy, and left the door cracked.

Emily made it to the kitchen and she called Hotch. "Hotch," His voice was raspy, like he had just woken up.

"Uh it's Emily, did I wake you?" He smile to himself. She did wake him up, but he didn't mind her voice waking him up.

"No, what did you need to tell me."

"I uh, put in papers to adopt Alex and Edeth- and before you say anything I know it's dangerous but I didn't have the heart to leave them there. The system is unfair and they have no family. I'm the only person they'll even really talk to."

Hotch found it adorable that Emily Prentiss just rambled. He chuckled on his end, which made Emily a little confused, "Emily, you will made a terrific mother for them. And I know you wouldn't have taken them in if you didn't run through every situation in your head. I think is sweet that you care about these kids. They look up to you, they look at you like a mother, which what they really need right now."

Emily smiled with tears glistening in her eyes, "Thank you." She whispered.

"Of course. And Emily?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't feel guilty."

"I'm n-"

Hotch cut her off, "I know you're feeling guilty and you miss Alana, but don't feel guilty. You did everything you could for her, now you're doing everything you can for the twins, Alana would be so proud of you."

Emily's heart ached for her baby, "Thank you Hotch," her voice was cracking, but she didn't care, "I needed that."

He smiled to himself, "Good night Emily."

"Good night Aaron." That was the first time Emily had ever called him Aaron, it felt good. Hotch didn't mind, in fact, he thought it sounded amazing coming from her.

Emily got ready for bed, just as she was falling asleep she thought about Alana and began to cry. Her baby meant the world to her and she was gone, it's been two years but her death still hits her like truck everytime she thinks about it. Alex was asleep, but Edeth wasn't; she heard Emily crying and walked to her bedroom.

Emily heard the little pitter patter of bare feet on the wood floor, her heart jumped because for a split second she thought it was Alana, until her mind made her remembered her baby being killed in front of her.

Her door slowly creeked open, "Emmy, are you okay?" Edeth climbed on Emily's bed and sat on her lap. Emily just nodded her head, she didn't like people seeing her cry, especially children. "Do you miss someone?"

Emily shook her head, "Yeah, I do."

"Is it your friend?"

Emily let out a little laugh at how naïve children could be, "No sweetheart."

"Then who do you miss?" Edeth became a little confused.

"My baby."

"You have a baby?" Edeth asked growing with excitement at the thought of a little sister.

Emily's eyes brimmed with tears again and her voice cracked, "No, I used to have a baby. Her name was Alana Valerie Prentiss."

"What happened to Alana?" Emily pulled out her phone and showed Edeth the same picture she had shown Hotch. "She's so cute! She looks like you. Hey, there's Sergio!"

"Alana had to leave, to go to a better place; the same place your mommy went."

Edeth hugged Emily and started to cry, "I miss mommy," She whispered.

"Oh honey, I am so sorry." Emily rubbed her back until she fell asleep in her arms. Emily kissed the top of the young girl's head, "You're home now, baby."