The Agent and The School Teacher

Chapter Thirty-Two: Every Ending is Also A Beginning

"Why do I have to wear the same dress as Sadie?!" Charlotte complained, tugging at the blue skirt of her dress.

"Its not exactly the same! Yours is blue and hers is pink. Aren't contrasting colors enough of a difference?" I asked, pinning Sadie's curled brown hair into a light pink butterfly clip.

"What does conrasting mean?" Sadie asked, turning to look up at me.

"Different." I said, smoothing a brown curl into place.

"Why can't I wear my other dress?" Charlotte pouted.

"Because you got something on your other dress and Mommy hasn't had time to try and get the stain out." I took my sling off, frustrated at the restriction of my movement. I was sure Aaron would have something to say abut that. Speaking of which, there was a knock at the door, just as I stood up to fix my own hair. "Its open!" I called, standing in front of the mirror in the front hallway. I looked up as Aaron and Jack came in. I smiled. Aaron was wearing his usual black suit with a navy blue dress shirt underneath, and Jack was wearing slacks, dress shoes, and a grey dress shirt. Both of them had their hair neatly combed.

"Look at you two handsome guys!" I exclaimed, pinning my hair up into a bun.

"Well, we had to look our best when being accompanied by three beautiful girls." Aaron replied, shutting the door behind him and wiping his feet on the mat. Sadie ran up to Jack and immediately started screaming about some kids show she saw, and Charlotte stood there, her arms crossed, still pouting. Hotch raised his eyebrows and I shook my head, silently portraying my frustration with my oldest daughter. Aaron walked over to her, crouching down. "What's with the pouty face?" He asked.

"I don't want to wear the same dress as Sadie." She wined, tears in her eyes.

"But you look so pretty in blue." He said, pushing her hair out of her face.

"But I'm older. Sadie's a baby, so that makes this a baby dress."

"I am not!" Sadie yelled, offended.

"Well, we'll just have to find a way to make you look different." He stood up, looking around, before his eyes landed on a vase of artificial daisies I had on display. he pointed to it and I nodded. He took one of them, breaking the stem so that it was just the flower, and then tucked the flower into her hair behind her ear. I grabbed one of the bobby pins I was using and secured it, and Aaron picked her up, showing her her reflection. "See? That's better." She giggled and he put her down. "Now, lets get out to the car-"

"Hey, no fair! I want a flower in my hair." Sadie said.

"You always copy me!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!" 

"Girls, please can we stop fighting?" Jack asked, causing Aaron and I to swap amused looks. "You both look really pretty. Can we go now?" The girls giggled before all three of them ran out the door to the car.

"I...I think Jack is well prepared for a life of dealing with women." I pointed out. He laughed. "Thanks for that, by the way. That was really sweet to watch." He shrugged.

"They're great kids. Probably something to do with their incredible mother." I smiled, walking towards the door, when Aaron grabbed my arm. I furrowed my eyebrows. "Where's your sling?"

"Darn, you caught me." I said. He gave me a pointed look. "Ok, Dad." He rolled his eyes.

"The Doctor said in order to avoid ripping your stitches-"

"I don't need a sling to avoid raising my arm above my head." I argued. "But its adorable that you're worried about me." 

"Please, at least take it with you." I sighed, grabbing it from the place that I'd tossed it at shoving it into my purse. "Thank you."