Hello my loves! This chapter gave me some serious family feels. I had a great time writing it and getting Hotch a bit more involved with Emily. Anyway, thank you so much for all your support, you guys are amazing! Hope you enjoy it!

Warnings: Mentions of child abuse, panic attack

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

6. What wouldn't I give?

"Go wait in your room, Emily. I'll be there shortly"

"Little Brat! What's the matter with you?"

"You can't do anything right, useless girl! I don't know what I did to deserve such a disgrace of a child"

"Emily, leave! I don't have the patience to deal with you."

"You're sorry? You're sorry? I'll give you something to be sorry about!"

…

Emily woke up with a silent scream stuck in her throat, making it impossible for her to breathe. She could feel the warm tears streaming down her cheeks, wheezing and gasping desperately for air.

"No, no, no, baby… Shhhh, it's okay, is just me, Em. Just JJ, sweetheart, just me"

She didn't know she was fighting the blonde's grasp until her brain recognized her voice. She hiccupped and gasped, immediately stopping her struggles and reaching out for her protector instead.

Her chest was burning, her fading bruises stinging. She heard voices far away, like JJ was talking to someone else while bringing her to her lap. She felt herself being positioned sitting up with her back straight, a warm hand rubbing her chest.

It hurt so bad. Her good hand grasped at the fingers on her chest. She whimpered between her wheezing.

"Shhh, I know it hurts, sweetheart, I know it hurts… Just hold on a second" JJ kept soothing her, her voice as calm and reassuring as always.

But in truth, JJ was absolutely freaking out.

Emily had had a few panic attacks on the three days they've been home, but she had yet to have an asthma attack to go with. She had a few of those in the hospital and they had absolutely terrified the blonde. But the nurses and Dr. Robbins had quickly hushed inside and dealt with it. Now, they were on their own.

Hotch looked just as panicked as she felt when he ran back inside Emily's bedroom, her inhaler with the spacer and mask in hands. Emily was struggling for air like they had never seen before and turning into an alarming shade of blue.

The man kneeled in front of the two and tried to place the mask on the little girl's face, but she backed away. JJ helped him by holding her head still and they worked together to put the mask in place and give the first puff.

Emily started to calm down almost instantly as she was slowly being able to breathe again.

"There we go… That's it, Em, keep breathing for us…"

After the last puff she was mostly breathing normally again, still hiccupping with tears running down her face, her body sagging against JJ's embrace.

The blonde cradled her close. She didn't even know she had tears running down her own face as she kissed the top of the little girl's head over and over again.

"You're okay, Em. You did so well, my sweet little girl, you did so good… You're okay, everything's okay now…"

Hotch watched on, trying to calm down his own heart.

In his line of work he had seen a lot. Had even heard as Emily herself got brutally beaten up while he was unable to do anything about it, but never in his entire life he had been so scared as when JJ's panicked voice yelled for him and he got inside the little girl's darkened bedroom to find her turning blue in the desperate blonde's arms.

At this point, they were used to never getting a full night of sleep, Emily waking up from a nightmare at least once through the night and they had learned that the best way to get her to calm down afterwards was if JJ was the one to go soothe her by herself. He could never fall back asleep until he knew Emily was okay, though.

It didn't take long for the little girl to fall back asleep after her breathing was back in control but neither adult moved from their places.

Eventually JJ laid down on the tiny bed with Emily in her arms and Hotch grabbed a pillow to get comfortable on the floor.

Neither got any sleep for the rest of the night. They just laid there, listening to the sound of Emily's breathing.

…

Day four found a very exhausted couple and a restless little girl wandering around the apartment, so JJ decided that it was a good time as any for them to take Emily out for the very first time as a child.

Hotch suggested that the perfect place for their outing would be somewhere quieter, like a nearby bookstore he knew.

So JJ packed a bag for Emily (and she might have gone a little bit overboard)

("Do you think two changes of clothes are enough?"

"Honey, we're just going to the bookstore and have some lunch, we won't be gone for long"

"I know, Aaron! But what if she falls and gets her clothes dirty or wet? What if she spills something on herself? What if she falls and then spills something on herself later?"

"… I think two changes are good")

They got dressed and ready and left.

…

Emily looked around the children's section of the store apprehensively, backed up against JJ's legs and holding onto both of her hands.

It was fairly empty due it being midmorning on a Thursday, but a few kids still scattered around with their parents following behind. Hotch squatted next to her and pointed at one of the many shelves.

"Look, Em! There are mystery books! Want to go take a look?"

The little girl had her bottom lip trapped between her teeth, eyes wandering around wildly. The couple waited a few seconds, predicting the brunette's response but what she did surprised them greatly.

She gave a small nod, still looking very distracted and let go from both JJ's hands, willingly stepping close to Hotch and wrapping her arms around his neck, silently requesting to be picked up.

The man looked at JJ in surprise. The blonde had a huge smile and shrugged. He got up, making sure Emily was secure in his arms and kissed her cheek.

"Let's go find you some new books, huh?"

…

Although her eyes kept frenetically swapping the place around and she had gone almost completely silent, Emily choose a few books with the help of her guardians and was actually quite curious to read them.

"Why don't we go sit a bit over there?" JJ pointed to a small reading area for children, with a soft colorful carpet and many pillows thrown around. Emily nodded and the three made their way there.

Hotch pulled two big bean bags together, settling himself in one, all their chosen books in his lap and JJ sat on the other, pulling Emily on her lap.

"Which one you want to read first?" Hotch asked, showing all the options. Emily took her time and pointed to one about three female super spies. JJ chuckled because, of course, that would be Emily's first choice.

Emily was quickly entertained by the story as Hotch read on, holding the book so she could see the pictures (and attempt to read) as he read out loud for her. She and JJ giggled when he started making up voices for the characters.

That was a side of Aaron Hotchner she never thought she'd ever get to see.

She was so distracted by the book that she didn't even noticed a small toddler stumbling towards them until his chubby little hands landed on JJ's tight to try and see inside the book. She jumped a little.

"Well, hello you" JJ smiled to the little boy who couldn't be older than two. He gave her a toothy grin and his mom came up to them with a tiny baby, no older than 6 months, on her arms.

"Dylan! I'm so sorry" The young woman gave a sheepish smile, reaching out to grab the little boy's hand "Still getting used to go out by myself with those two"

"It's no problem at all" Hotch gave a small smile "Your children are beautiful"

The woman beamed "Well, thank you! So is your little girl; she got her Daddy's look, didn't she?" She directed the last question towards JJ who grinned brightly with a small chuckle.

"That she did. The looks and the stubborn streak; two peas in a pod, those two"

The woman laughed and bid her goodbyes when little Dylan started to drag her away. JJ turned her eyes back to her boyfriend, kissing the top of Emily's head, acting like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

So, although his heart was beating wildly for some reason he could not understand, Hotch took her lead and turned back to the book.

"Where were we? Oh, right, here we go…"

Emily only had half of her attention on the story for the rest of the book.

…

"Oh my God, Em! You're so high up! I think you can almost touch the sky!"

The little girl giggled, tightening the grip of her good hand on Hotch's hair. JJ smiled up to her and grabbed Hotch's hand not holding onto a tiny leg.

They had left the bookstore just about lunch time, so they decided to leave the car in the parking lot and go by foot to a restaurant in the same street.

Emily thought it was hilarious when Hotch lifted her up and settled her on his shoulders as they walked there.

"Look at that cloud!" The blonde exclaimed. Emily followed her finger with her eyes and giggled.

"Looks like a fat dog!"

Hotch tilted his head "I think it looks like a bunny"

"No, no, you two. It looks like a whale!"

Emily and Hotch gave JJ twin looks, as if she had grown a second head "A whale?"

"I don't see a whale" Emily tilted her head from one side to the other, squinting her eyes "… No, Jayje, there's no whale"

"Yes! There is, right there! Right next to the old guy sitting on a chair!"

"The what?" Hotch amused. JJ pointed again and the man followed "… That's a giant baby on a tiny stroller"

"Where?" Emily yelped. Hotch pointed out and she stared at it for a moment. Then she nodded "Yeah! Is a giant baby! And he has a teddy on his hand!"

"I see it!" Hotch confirmed, smiling "Right there, right? Next to the horse?"

"That's not a horse, silly" The little girl giggled "'s a tiger! A big tiger with big teeth"

"I see the tiger!" JJ yelped and pointed "Right there, right?"

"Mhhhmm"

The three kept pointing out the clouds, yelling and laughing together as they walked down the street, not caring at all at the many looks they gained as they did.

…

"Hey, Em, Pen's on the phone and wants to talk to you" The blonde held out her phone just after they sat down on a table.

Emily smiled brightly "Hi Pen!... I miss you too!... Yeah, we went to the bookstore and I good lots of books!... Uhum… Yeah!..."

JJ reached across the table, putting a hand on top of Hotch's. He broke out of the little trance he was in watching the little girl and looked at his smiling girlfriend.

"What?"

She shrugged "Nothing… I'm just starting to get afraid I might not be your favorite girl, anymore"

He smirked "Well, since it's pretty clear I'm not your favorite person anymore, I think it's fair"

She huffed "Don't flatter yourself, mister. She was already one of my favorite persons way before she became pint sized"

"… But you liked me better… At least back then"

JJ pretended to think about it "Well… I think maybe the two of you used to share the 1st place in my heart"

"And now I went down to the 2st place?"

She laughed, nodding "A close second though. But I mean, who can resist this little cutie?"

Hotch had to agree "Who would have guessed; Emily Prentiss, the cutest kid of all"

"Yeah…" JJ looked at the distracted little girl longingly, a sad smile forming on her lips "… This whole situation is so unbelievable crazy, Hotch… I just wish she wasn't the one suffering so much, even now… I'd give anything to be the one going through all the hardship if only meant she didn't have to…"

Hotch gave a sad sigh as he nodded. He knew exactly how she felt. Emily took the phone out of her ear and turned to the blonde by her side with a shy smile.

"She hung up. Can we play a game, Jayje?"

"When can I ever say no to you, Missy?" JJ leaned in, kissing Emily's cheek and turned her attention to the phone, looking for the games she and Emily had installed while in the hospital.

Hotch watched as they played and giggled together, enjoying each other's company, enjoying themselves together. He felt a pang of sadness in his chest.

What wouldn't he give for their life to be always like this?

Hotch is so whipped for his girls, imagine when they start to team up against him… Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! Leave your comment, I plan on including many little moments on the next few episodes, make things a bit lighter, the three of them settling as a family, so send your requests, tell me what you want to see and you shall receive it :)