his home during off-duty, he got what he should expect.
“Dad?” Erin muttered sleepily behind him.
Oh, yeah, there was the fact that her father wouldn’t miss his nakedness while his daughter strolled into the room. Hotch held his ground, though. It wouldn’t do to show the Commander any fear. He’d use it.
“I told you to stay away from my daughter,” Hawking snarled.
“Sir, Toby’s my son. You must’ve noticed the resemblance before you asked me to stay away.”
“Dad’s never met Toby,” Erin stated calmly.
Hotch lifted his brows in surprise. “Why not?”
“He’s embarrassed by me and my son is an extension of that, isn’t that right, Dad?”
“You getting pregnant by a random man doesn’t make him my grandson,” Hawking snapped.
“He’s a Navy SEAL. Just like his old man and his grandpa.” Erin came into view and saluted her father with a smirk.
“Are you trying to antagonize him?” Hotch asked sharply.
“Why not? He antagonizes me all the time. Or he used to, back when he let me visit. Back before he and Mom split.”
“We split because of you.”
Erin’s face fell. “What?”
“Your mother put up with all your little indiscretions. But they were my men. Not hers. Not yours. You deliberately attempted to undermine my authority.”
Hotch’s head swam. He had so many questions. But suddenly the picture of blame Hawking bestowed on his daughter made it a little less foggy. For a moment, Hotch wanted to wash his hands of the whole family. But there was Toby. Toby deserved more than a dysfunctional family and an absent father.
“You two try not to tear each other apart. I’m going to go put some clothes on,” Hotch told them. “The coffee maker is already set to make, just hit the timer button and set it off early. I think we could all use the caffeine this morning.”
Hotch tried to shake the cobwebs from his brain as he walked to the master bedroom. Nebraska had only briefly mentioned the animosity between Erin and her father. Nothing specific, but from what Hotch had seen, it was brewing on a much more sophisticated timer than his coffee maker.
He pulled on his underwear and a pair of loose sweats. Checking on Toby, Hotch hit on an idea. He woke Toby, changed him, and cuddled his sleepy warm body against his chest as he made his way back to the kitchen and living room area.
Hawking and Erin stood in stony silence, steaming mugs in their hands that neither of them lifted. Hotch headed for Hawking, took the mug from the commander, and pushed Toby into his grandfather’s arms.
Hawking looked down at the boy-bundle, confusion and vague horror on his face.
“Commander Hawking, meet Toby. Your grandson,” Hotch said.
Erin folded her arms across her chest. She seemed to be holding back a string of cuss words if her expression was any indication. Hotch put his arm around her. He figured she wouldn’t shrug him off with her dad watching. She’d want them to appear as though they were a solid front, not that Hawking was right about their relationship being just a quickie behind the bar.
His bet paid off. She didn’t flinch. They stood side by side near the commander.
“For better or worse, we’re family. Don’t you think it’s about time we started behaving like one?” Hotch said.
“For better or worse?” Hawking looked up sharply.
“Yeah, Dad, Hotch proposed to me.”
Hotch eyed her warily. She’d also turned him down, but didn’t tell her dad that.
“I told you to stay away. Even with a kid, you were given an order,” Hawking snapped.
“You have no authority over my personal life when it doesn’t affect the mission.”
“You’re fucking my daughter. You don’t think that affects your standing on my team?” Hawking spat. “Or has my daughter’s insubordination worn off on you?”
Erin quietly seethed beside Hotch. Hotch stepped dropped his arm and stepped protectively in front of her. “Sir, a child has the privilege of not being subject
“Dad?” Erin muttered sleepily behind him.
Oh, yeah, there was the fact that her father wouldn’t miss his nakedness while his daughter strolled into the room. Hotch held his ground, though. It wouldn’t do to show the Commander any fear. He’d use it.
“I told you to stay away from my daughter,” Hawking snarled.
“Sir, Toby’s my son. You must’ve noticed the resemblance before you asked me to stay away.”
“Dad’s never met Toby,” Erin stated calmly.
Hotch lifted his brows in surprise. “Why not?”
“He’s embarrassed by me and my son is an extension of that, isn’t that right, Dad?”
“You getting pregnant by a random man doesn’t make him my grandson,” Hawking snapped.
“He’s a Navy SEAL. Just like his old man and his grandpa.” Erin came into view and saluted her father with a smirk.
“Are you trying to antagonize him?” Hotch asked sharply.
“Why not? He antagonizes me all the time. Or he used to, back when he let me visit. Back before he and Mom split.”
“We split because of you.”
Erin’s face fell. “What?”
“Your mother put up with all your little indiscretions. But they were my men. Not hers. Not yours. You deliberately attempted to undermine my authority.”
Hotch’s head swam. He had so many questions. But suddenly the picture of blame Hawking bestowed on his daughter made it a little less foggy. For a moment, Hotch wanted to wash his hands of the whole family. But there was Toby. Toby deserved more than a dysfunctional family and an absent father.
“You two try not to tear each other apart. I’m going to go put some clothes on,” Hotch told them. “The coffee maker is already set to make, just hit the timer button and set it off early. I think we could all use the caffeine this morning.”
Hotch tried to shake the cobwebs from his brain as he walked to the master bedroom. Nebraska had only briefly mentioned the animosity between Erin and her father. Nothing specific, but from what Hotch had seen, it was brewing on a much more sophisticated timer than his coffee maker.
He pulled on his underwear and a pair of loose sweats. Checking on Toby, Hotch hit on an idea. He woke Toby, changed him, and cuddled his sleepy warm body against his chest as he made his way back to the kitchen and living room area.
Hawking and Erin stood in stony silence, steaming mugs in their hands that neither of them lifted. Hotch headed for Hawking, took the mug from the commander, and pushed Toby into his grandfather’s arms.
Hawking looked down at the boy-bundle, confusion and vague horror on his face.
“Commander Hawking, meet Toby. Your grandson,” Hotch said.
Erin folded her arms across her chest. She seemed to be holding back a string of cuss words if her expression was any indication. Hotch put his arm around her. He figured she wouldn’t shrug him off with her dad watching. She’d want them to appear as though they were a solid front, not that Hawking was right about their relationship being just a quickie behind the bar.
His bet paid off. She didn’t flinch. They stood side by side near the commander.
“For better or worse, we’re family. Don’t you think it’s about time we started behaving like one?” Hotch said.
“For better or worse?” Hawking looked up sharply.
“Yeah, Dad, Hotch proposed to me.”
Hotch eyed her warily. She’d also turned him down, but didn’t tell her dad that.
“I told you to stay away. Even with a kid, you were given an order,” Hawking snapped.
“You have no authority over my personal life when it doesn’t affect the mission.”
“You’re fucking my daughter. You don’t think that affects your standing on my team?” Hawking spat. “Or has my daughter’s insubordination worn off on you?”
Erin quietly seethed beside Hotch. Hotch stepped dropped his arm and stepped protectively in front of her. “Sir, a child has the privilege of not being subject
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