The Agent and The School Teacher

Chapter Eleven: A Good Man

By the time I got home, I was ready to start school again. I was ready to return with a new hope when it came to my students. A hope that I could begin to mold my students, and prompt them to push their lives into a positive direction.

I was supposed to pick Charlotte and Sadie up from my parents house and take them to school with me. I was excited to see them, especially after the emotionally draining four days I'd just had.

I pulled into the driveway, getting out of the car and knocking on the door. It opened revealing my mother, a pink bathrobe pulled tightly around her.

"Lizzie! Oh my gosh!" She pulled me into a hug. "I was so worried about you."

"I'm fine, Mom." She pulled away, her eyes widening at the bandage on my head.

"Did that psycho hurt you?!" She asked, touching the bandage and causing me to wince.

"A small cut. I hit my head, Mom really, I'm fine."

"Carlton! She's here!" My dad came stumbling down the hall and to the front door, and his eyes immediately went to my bandage. I offered him a small smile.

"You should see the other guy." I said, attempting a joke. He smiled, grabbing my arm and hugging me.

"You took out the shooter? Twice?" He asked, pulling away from me. I nodded.

"Just like you taught me."

"I'm just glad you're ok." He said. I nodded.

"Aside from some psychological wounds and this," I gestured to my head, "I'm fine."

"Girls! Your mom's here!" My mother called, walking back into the kitchen.

"Mommy!" The girls ran into the living room, throwing their arms around me and hugging me, almost knocking me over.

"There are my girls!" I hugged them back. They pulled away too, looking at me.

"What happened to your head, Mom?" Charlotte asked. I shook my head.

"I just bumped it, sweetie. Now come on, get your backpacks, we're gonna be late for school." They ran back into the kitchen and I turned back to my parents.

"Thank you guys for watching them."

"What, like we were going to say no to four days with our grandchildren?" Dad asked. I smiled. "So...you spent your time with Aaron Hotchner?" I nodded.

"Yeah. He said you were his SSA?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yup. Remarkable young man. Also...widowed from what I hear." My eyes widened.

"Dad!" I exclaimed.

"What? What did I say?"

"Don't play dumb, Dad. I know what you were suggesting." He sighed.

"Ok, its just...I know Aaron. He's a good man and...you could use one of those for a change." I shook my head.

"Out of the question. His son is in my class, its extremely unprofessional."

"His son won't be in your class next year, unless he fails." He pointed out. "I'm just saying, maybe its time for you to get back out there. Meet a good, wholesome man for once instead of..." He trailed off. Dad never liked saying his name. It wasn't hard to understand why. My ex-husband was given the choice between continuing his drug addiction and being in his daughters' lives. He chose the addiction. Literally, we asked him which one he chose and he flat out said he would rather have drugs than his own kids.

The girls ran past, giving Mom and Dad quick hugs before running out the door to the car. I smiled.

"They get their energetic spirit from you." Mom pointed out, gesturing at me with a spatula.

"Bye guys, love you."

"Love you too. And think about what I said!" Dad called.

"Don't count on it!" I turned, walking out the door and getting in the car. The girls were already in the back seat, buckled up. "Alright girlies. Lets get going."

~~~

I sat at my desk, smiling as each student walked past me. I furrowed my eyebrows as Jack rushed by me without looking up. He walked back to his desk and laid his head down on his desk. I was about to get up and see what was wrong when Aaron appeared in the doorway of the classroom. He looked sadly at Jack before looking at me. I stood up, walking over to him and taking him out into the hall.

"What's going on with Jack?" I asked, crossing my arms. He sighed.

"I was just gone for four days, and I was supposed to be home for a little while, but then we had a child abduction in St. Louis." He explained. 

"Aaron, I'm so sorry." He shook his head.

"He didn't take the news the greatest." I thought for a moment.

"What if Jack comes home with me tonight?" I asked.

"What?" I nodded.

"Yeah! He can sleep over. He can hang out with the girls, maybe that will take his mind off of you not being there. Keep him distracted until you can find a way to make it up to him."

"I wouldn't want to impose-"

"Aaron, this is Jack we're talking about. Its not like the kid is high maintenance." He sighed.

"Thank you, Elizabeth. I hate to do this, to both of you-"

"I would love to have him. And he and Charlotte are great friends, so I'm sure he's going to have a good time." He nodded. "Your work is important. I'm sure, at the end of the day, Jack understands that."

"Thanks again." I nodded. "But um...on a different note, how are you doing? You know, since...everything."

"Well...still having the nightmares, but other than that, fine. Back with my girls, back with my kids..." I trailed off. "Oh, I'm sorry. That was an insanely insensitive thing to say." He shook his head.

"Its alright. Just...can you tell Jack that I have to leave, but that I love him?" I nodded.

"Of course I will. But for the record, I'm sure he already knows." He nodded, walking past me. I watched him walk down the hallway before going back into the classroom and crouching down beside Jack's desk. I tapped his arm and he looked up at me. "Hey buddy..." He put his head down again. "Look...I know you're upset about your dad having to leave. But how about, after school, you come over to my house and have a sleepover with Charlotte and Sadie." He looked up again.

"Really?" I nodded.

"I know its nothing like having your dad home, but...we can still have fun without hi, right?" He nodded. "And, you know he would be here if he could, right?"

"Yeah...I know. I just wish he didn't have to be gone all the time." I knew the feeling. I remember when Dad used to be gone.

"I know, bud. But you understand that your Dad's work is important, right?" He nodded. "Good boy. Your dad had to go, but he said he loves you." He nodded and I stood up, going to the front of the class.