Archive of Our Own ^beta

“I want to marry you.”

Aaron’s timid eyes blankly stared at the red light in front of him, with one hand on the wheel, he used his free hand to gently caress her palm as he looked over, arching an eyebrow in suspicion as he waited for the recon. After a few seconds of silence, he feels her brown eyes glued to his, waiting for any signs of life as his foot laid atop the brake. 

Without any real hesitation, he looks over his shoulder, seeing the silhouette of her precious smile align perfectly with the street lamp, wondering how he got so lucky.

“I want to marry you, too.”  

They hadn’t talked about it, how he would soon be starting his Junior year of College and Emily still hadn’t nailed down her final decision for her next four years, even with graduation only being two months away.  

“I’m serious, Aaron.” 

The light changed before he could get a word in edgewise, lifting his foot off the brake, immediately pressing it against the gas, driving too fast with no real destination. Now that she’s eighteen, Emily was allowed to stay out past midnight, no later than two o’clock in the morning, but the ajar window in her bedroom on the second floor didn’t know any better. For months, as she snuck out to see her boyfriend in the middle of the night, her mother had never picked up on it, and Aaron’s parents preferred he wasn’t home during his breaks from college, the peace and quiet that covered their house  was almost sinister. 

“Oh.” Like the light changing, his face switched colors, his back stiffened until it almost pained him, cheeks turning red as he spoke. They hadn’t talked about anything serious like that, marriage, children, their future careers, all of it felt so far away, even if it was on the tip of his tongue. 

Swallowing as he straddled the wheel, Aaron looked over on the winding road, he had driven this route hundreds of times, something about tonight was different. The moon had said hello earlier than usual, Emily had the permanent   smile plastered on her cheeks, the windows were rolled down as the wind sang a sound outside, blowing her hair all over the place as they sang along to his cd’s. Nothing was out of place — except him, and the burning in his chest, waiting for an out as he thought about her words, more likely than not, just her soon-to-be gone adolescent getting in the way of her emotions.  

“So am I.” 

Emily scoffed, tipping her sunglasses over her eyes, rather embarrassed that her fantasy had come out at a fucking red light in the center of town of all places. Two months before Graduation. Five months before they parted ways. She had to put a hold on that, some way to fix the fire around her heart and the shallow thought of never hearing his voice again, or feeling his tongue in her throat. 

“No you’re not.” 

“I am.” 

[He could be. More than anything, if he just changed his ways, or gave it a few years: he could, happily.]

Emily could call his bluff from a while away, it reeks on his breath like alcohol on his father, absorbed into him as she watched him, one of her favorite past times except for moments like this, when his jaw was clenched and something was on his mind. 

“No you aren’t.” Because she barely was. Only in her dreams did she call Aaron her husband. Emily was barely an adult. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how her mother would take the news, she despised Aaron. 

“And you are?”

Emily scrunched her nose, quietly humming along to the song as if she was tuning him out. “I don’t know. I think I am.”

“So let’s get married then.” Aaron looks over at her, putting the car in park as he turned on his hazards. Nothing else mattered in this moment, he followed her hard gaze as she avoided it, laughing.

“Aaron.”

“Emily.”  

“You sound ridiculous.” Emily said, a tight laugh across her lip as she licked her bottom lip anxiously, soon the top layer would be gone, picked away due to her relentless anxiety. 

“I’m serious.” He admitted. 

“You must be drunk.” 

He turned his head, moving his skull around like a bobble head. “Of course not. I’m driving, Em.” 

“I know. You refused my request.”

“I’ve been doing this longer.” He never spoke like that, the age card, how he’s somehow inferior because he’s older and wiser. She knows it’s not in vein so she never lets it affect her, if anything, it turns her on — how protective he can get. “Which makes it safer since it’ll be dark soon.”

Emily rolled her eyes, tapping his shoulder with a smile. “You serious want to marry me?”

“A couple more years down the line would be more ideal, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t already picked out a ring, Emily.” 

Her face changed colors quicker than the leaves in the fall, jaw agape as he leaned over the center console to kiss everything better. “You want to marry me?”

“I just said—“ 

She cuts him off, “Seriously? Me and you, for the rest of our lives?”

Aaron nodded, heart attack serious. “Yeah, Em. Forever.” 

“You — you’re out of your mind, Aaron.” 

He shook his head, “I’m not.” 

“You are. You want to marry me?” 

“Sweetheart.” 

She ran a hand through her coarse black hair, all straight, currently the longest it’s been in a while, mid-way down her back. “So there weren’t any college flings?” In the back of her mind, she waited for the call, or the date where he sat her down to explain that there was someone else: nothing personal, justifiable.  

It never comes. 

“No meaningless sex?” Emily asked, getting a stark glare from her boyfriend. 

“None.”

“Promise?”

“Will you marry me If I promise?” 

“Why do you want to get married so badly?” A mess waiting to happen, that’s what they were. Rings, or legal binding wouldn’t change that. 

“You brought it up, sweetheart. I’m just agreeing with you.”

“Like always.”

“Em.” 

He put his arm out, rubbing circles on her back as she stared out the window, unable to focus on anything as her judgment remained cloudy, endless daydreams about him; forever. “It’s fine, Aaron.” 

“We don’t have to.” He said. “We can just go see that new blockbuster you’ve been talking about.” Die Hard. 

Emily snarled. “The one you want to go see. I’d rather get married than watch Die Hard.”

“I could find a chapel.” The smile in his lips makes something in her belly warm with excitement. She liked the idea too much. Anytime they strayed away from it she filled with anger — she wanted to marry him. 

“My mom would fucking kill me.” Emily rebounds, sliding deeper in the seat until her neck screams in pain. “Your dad would probably end up in jail with his reaction, Aaron.” 

Nothing seemed to matter, the smile on her lips faded as he turned the car back on, foot hitting the electoral as she jolted forward, re-buckling herself as she fixed her posture, looking over at him with skepticism. 

“Where are we going?” Emily asked.

“Just trust me.” 

“I don’t have a fucking dress.”

They’re sitting in the parking lot of the only 24/7 chapel in town, gracious grins on their cheeks as she reels with excitement, holding onto his palm as he squinted towards the door, trying to remember that old saying.

“Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue.” 

Emily rolled her eyes, wagging her finger around his face as he laughed, “Don’t start.”

“You look beautiful, honey. If you don’t want to do this, we can just spend the night somewhere.”

“Where? My mother’s in town and we both know your parents barely let me in the door.”

Aaron didn’t have a place of his own yet. Just his dorm, which didn’t allow non-campus residents on the weekends. They had learned that the hard way.

“A hotel.” Aaron suggested. “I have enough money from my shift this week.” Bartending, letting girls in his college town flirt with him for a tip, money he always spent on his girlfriend. 

“No,” Emily crumpled. “You need to save that money, Aaron.” 

“I do.” Soon enough, he’d have an internship, and a well enough paying job that this conversation would hold no weight. 

Emily laughed inappropriately, waiting for it to catch up with him as he did the same, sealing the gap between them with a kiss as she felt his heart beating in his chest, that’s how close they were. Pulling him in by the neck of his jacket, Emily deepened the kiss, eventually pushing him back so hard that he rammed into the window regulator. 

“Sorry.” 

“All good.” 

She sighed, “Would you hate me if I said we should go in there and get married?” 

Aaron laughed, they were running in circles. “Emily.” 

“Right.” She grinned, unbuckling herself as she unlocked the door and stepped out, dressed in a low-cut red tank top and a short leather skirt, flip flops on her feet, her boyfriend, soon to be husband, in his jeans from work and a collared shirt, tennis shoes.

“I love you.” Emily said once Aaron was by her side, intertwining their fingers as they took a stride together.

“I love you more.”

“We’re getting married.”

He laughed, pressing a kiss to her head before he opened the door for her, “We are.”

The worker cleared his throat, gesturing to the other side of the room towards the stairs draped in fake-velvet, where a small tower held a bible, something Emily requested to be put away for this ceremony.

“The chaplain will be with you in a moment. Feel free to sit down and have complimentary refreshments while you wait.” 

Emily nodded, walking down the aisle preemptively, laughing at the small plastic table filled with shot glasses of water. 

“Oh my god.” Emily snorted, making his head turn in that direction as he joined in, “Where are we?”

“The Tunnel of Love, Em.” 

She nearly choked on her water as he smirked, “I hate you.”

“Don’t worry. The office where we can divorce is just down the road.” 

“I bet they have amazing business.”

Aaron leaned back in the uncomfortable chair, sarcastically. “The best.” 

Someone busts through the door anxiously, almost making her jump as he kissed her hair, looking up at the man dressed in his best suit, and a bow tie — more of a magician than an officiant. 

“Sorry about the wait.” A thick southern accent greeted their ears, causing Aaron’s eyes to pop like a cartoon character. “We ain’t really get too many of ‘ya young-in’s round here anymore. Both ya over the age of eighteen?” 

Emily nodded. “Just turned eighteen, actually.”

“Ain’t matter to me. What’s the last name?”

“Hotchner.” Aaron added, blank expression circulating his lips as he tried to fight back laughter at the fellow in front of him.  

Clicking the pen as he scribbled something on his clipboard, eventually throwing it on the seat to their left, the officiant grinned. “Congratulations.” 

Emily smiled. “Thank you.” 

Telling them where to stand as he prepared the rings and his portions of the speaking, Aaron watched his soon-to-be wife like a painting, trying to put all these moments to memory, the way her hair was framing her face, the eternal glow she seemed to be sporting all year round, everything about her was so perfect, he was more than happy to call her his wife. 

Clearing his throat, Scott, the man of the hour was seemingly ready. Putting both his arms at his side out of habit, Aaron raised his shoulders blades, waiting for his order. 

“We are gathered here today to witness the union of Emily Prentiss and Aaron Hotchner. Both y’all look amazing. Do either of ya have any vows prepared?” 

Aaron shook his head, as she chuckled under her breath as, Scott flipped his page promptly.

“Marriage comes with their fair share of challenges, but today is a celebration! So let’s keep this party rolling. Aaron and Emily, hold these hands tight and repeat after me.”

Emily grabbed Aaron’s hand, feeling his large palm rub gently across hers, following along with Scott as the wedding ring anxiously wrapped against his finger.

“I, Emily Prentiss, take thee, Aaron Hotchner to be my wedded husband.” Anxiously, her lungs flailed around, not working properly as she held her eyes with him, watching as his lips curled into a smile as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer and poorer, in sickness and health, to love and cherish, until death do us part.” 

Scott turned towards Aaron, telling him what to say as he slid the ring onto her finger, watching as she wept, slowly pulling the tear away from her cheek. “I, Aaron Hotchner, take thee, Emily Prentiss to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day clears, for better or for worse, for richer and poorer, in sickness and health, to love and cherish, until death do us part.”

Scott grinned, also crying, “The two of you have shown your love and affection by joining hands and have made promises, each to the other, and have sealed these promises by giving and the receiving of the rings. Therefore, it is my privilege as a minister and by the authority given to me by the State of Virginia, I now pronounce that you are husband and wife. Aaron, you may now kiss your wife.”

As if the world were about to end, Aaron placed his palm on her back as he scooped her up, dipping her down for the most passionate kiss of their life, laughing together as he turned her right side up, sealing the day without another kiss as Scott shot confetti in their faces, clapping his hands together as she laughed, turning to leave as the new weight on her finger slipped around her system.

“We just got married.” Aaron said, while holding the door open for her, bright eyed and toothy-grinned, Emily still had a few tears as she snuggled into his bicep.

“We did.”

“You’re my wife now.”

She loved the sound of that, kissing his cheek as they walked to the car. “I know.”

“Where to now, Mrs. Prentiss?” 

“Hotchner.” Emily corrected as he held the car door open for her, leaning down as she sat. “Emily Hotchner.”

Aaron smiled. “I love you.” 

It felt like they had been driving for hours. Midnight had rolled around before the adrenaline had started to die off. 

“You’re avoiding something.” Emily said, a tiny voice at this point, yawning as she tried to get him to stop. “You’re going too fast.” 

“I’m fine.” A beat as he took his foot off the elector at her request. “It’s fine. I know how to drive.” 

“I never said you didn’t.” Venom pools around her mouth, tilting her head as the moonlight softens her sad eyes. “You can just take the ring off and drop me off. Tomorrow we can go to the mall or something.”

Aaron shook his head. All their options weren’t good enough. “She’ll kill you.” 

Emily sighed, pressing a hand to her temple to try and suppress the noise bouncing around her head, the stone look her mother would wear as she broke down in tears, unable to hide from her this time. Another disappointment added to the long list of things she can’t do right. “We both know she won’t.” 

“She threatened to ship you off to another country when she found out about the baby. Imagine what she’ll do if she learns the truth about our relationship.”

“She just wanted me back in the states, so she could ‘keep an eye on me’ and that was ages ago, Aaron.” 

“I can’t let you go back there alone. It’s too risky, Emily. I want you to move in with me.”

Before he could even finish, she’s vetoing him, “when you graduate, this summer. That way you can get away from your mother.”

Emily swallowed, when he said it out loud, it was serene, sound-tight, even achievable. She dreamt about this at night, his arms always close to comfort her when she needed it.  

“I’ll get an apartment, a good one. Not one of those shitty one-bathroom places all my friends moved into, something nice, for you.”

“Honey.” She placed a cold hand, her wedded hand, on his shoulder as he held the steering wheel so tight that it might break. “You have to go home eventually. We can’t just move in together because we’re married. That’s ridiculous.” 

He shook with anger, his parents didn’t want him around, it’s why this worked, him driving around in circles until he ran out of gas or his lungs burnt so badly that he should probably see a doctor. He knows what’s waiting for him back at his house, just his little brother, Sean, and his parents, both so drunk that they’ve forgotten to take care of their children, or that they even exist in the first place.

Frigid, like he’s drowning again, Aaron hits the elector hard, going fifteen over as he struggled to regulate his breathing. “I don’t want to take off my ring, Em.”  

“I know, honey.” She rubbed his bicep, both hands on the wheel, “But they’re not going to be happy about this. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I want to be with you.” 

“You are with me, Aaron.”

He shakes his head, crying now, unable to focus on the road, driving the same roads he grew up on, haunted by the look in her eye as the noise repeats in his head.

“Just take me home, honey.” Emily said quietly. “I’ll stay with you tonight — forever.”

“It’s your choice.” Emily said, voice hollow as she yawned, looking out the halfway rolled window as she squinted towards the lights miles away, they weren’t anywhere near civilization, and for once in her life, she felt safe. “My house or yours.”

He didn’t have to think, “Mine. I can deal with my parents. You won’t be able to handle your mother.”

“I’m an adult, Aaron.”

“Not to her.” 

Emily sighs, too tired to fight as she called her mom, almost 1:00 in the morning as the line rings for a second, then she hears the usual ambiance in the background, shocked to her core when she actually picks up, hoping she would have gotten stuck with her voicemail, that way she had more time to conceive a lie. 

“Emily?” Elizabeth asked, voice full of sleep as she moved the comforter off her legs, not worried in the slightest.

“Hi, mother.” Emily clears her throat, watching the road as he remained silent, barely focusing on anything but her. “I just wanted to call and say that I won’t be home tonight. We saw a late movie and now we’re driving back to JJ’s house for the evening.”

“We?”

“Penelope and JJ.”

“Not Aaron?”

“No, Mother. Not Aaron. He’s busy studying most of the weekend.”

“Good. You’ve been spending too much time around him.”

Emily nodded, thankful it was on speaker-phone, as she looks over her shoulder to her husband, a word so foreign that it almost burns her tongue, and how he won’t stop looking out the window with a fragile smile, clearly hiding something from her — the way he was brought up, not saying a word about how he felt until it erupted into something unmanageable.

“Goodnight.” She bites her tongue, and then, “I love you.” 

Elizabeth hummed before hanging up, not saying it back as Emily felt all the moisture hit her lungs like a dam. “You okay?” He asked. 

“Great. Just tired,” She yawned, extending her arms as she tried to stretch, “How much longer?”

“Not long at all. Just get some sleep, honey. I’ll watch over you.”

Not even for a moment didn’t she doubt him before closing her eyes, trying to get comfortable until they stopped, about thirty minutes later, feeling him gently kissing her head as he tapped her arm. 

“Emily, sweetheart. You have to wake up.”

She stirs, murmuring something as she tired to flip over, and if he hadn’t already unbuckled her seatbelt, she’d be in a great deal of discomfort right now. “Where are we?” She asked while rubbing at her eyes, seeing stars as her vision clears, stuck on him as he helped her up.

“Home.” He murmured, a beat as he picked her up, not struggling to hold her weight at all as she kicked her neck against his shoulders, hiding from the world as he signed. “Should we take off our rings?”

Emily was already in a dream state, barely conscious as she squinted up towards the familiar building: his parent’s house., the most haunted house in the world. “Fuck.” 

“Sorry.” He cradled her neck, out in the cold for longer than he’d liked as he picked up the pace, not wanting to enter either. “I didn’t know where else to go. I know one of us mentioned a hotel, but I spent most of the money on the fucking wedding and it wasn’t even a real—“ 

“Honey. It’s fine.”

She couldn’t stop it. She began to study him, the way his roughish good lucks were further down now, and all she could see was this kid on the verge of tears, petrified to face his parents. His guard was down — his guard was never down. 

“It’s okay.” Emily tapped his neck, signaling to put her down, hating the tradition of christening the threshold. This wasn’t their house, it never would be. “Just… keep it on. Maybe don’t mention it.”

Aaron nodded,  kissing her head as he grabbed the key from his jacket pocket, jangling it around as he fought with the knob, wondering if they finally changed the locks, exhaling a bit when he pulled his entire body weight against the door, prying it open. His father’s sitting on the couch, watching re-runs as he sips his whiskey, watching his son turn paler than a ghost. 

Like clockwork, he pulls his hand away from Emily, putting his left hand in his pocket, taking a step inside as his father laughed. 

“Do you know what time it is?”

Aaron froze, he has no power here, nodding as he tried to keep on walking towards the stairs, having his wife stay close behind. 

“Aaron.” James stood, slurring his words but still sober enough to land a punch directly against his jaw. His son squats at the perfect time, leaving his father to stumble until he hits the fireplace. “You’re gonna regret that.” His father said, licking the blood of his lips as he turned his head to Emily, cackling.

“Oh, great.” James’ laughter was infuriating, borderline infectious as it swirled around the room, suffocating him. “You brought your little whore.”

Emily let it go, she had already heard it before, awkwardly lingering behind him, she tried to get him to leave it alone.

“What the fuck did you just call her?” Aaron’s voice was deeper than usual, blinking at his father as James smirked. 

“You heard me. You just had to bring home that little whore of yours—“

There’s a spilt second where Emily watches it all unfold, trying to hold Aaron back as his shoulders launch forward, pushing his father against the wall as James continued laughing.

“Don’t ever fucking call her that again.” 

“Now, now, Aaron. We both know this little love affair isn’t going to last.”

“Yeah?” He tightened his grip on his father’s neck, almost choking him as Emily’s heart berated.

“Aaron,” Her voice was magic, a low whimper around the musk as she blinked, “Don’t.”

“She’s my fucking wife, dad.” 

There it is, the thing that makes her jaw clench as sighs.

“What?” His father asked, still pinned against the wall as he smirked. This was all just a game to him. Dead or alive, he still wouldn’t love Aaron. 

Aaron signed, letting go of his father as he calmed down, going to kiss Emily’s head as he apologized quietly, walking up the stairs to his room as James sat down, not saying anything else. 

“I’m sorry.” He said, locking his bedroom door as Emily sat down on his lopsided twin-size mattress, watching Aaron as he stayed by the door, just incase anything else happened. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

Emily agreed. “You shouldn’t have. We can’t stay here, honey. He’ll hurt you, and I — I can’t sit around and watch that, you can barely protect yourself and god knows what your father is capable of.”

“I’d never let him touch you.”

“You’d let him kill you if it meant I was safe, Aaron. But I won’t let you do that.” Her head shook, as he paced, hearing the loud footsteps coming up the stairs. “I won’t let you keep getting hurt just so you can protect me.”

“I’m fine.”

She loves that she can read him like a book, too aware of his emotions, sometimes more so than himself, “Your lip is bleeding, honey.” 

Using his sleeve to wipe away the blood that spout like a waterfall, almost loving the taste of it, he avoids her soft gaze. “It’s fine.” 

“No it’s not. He was going to fucking choke you until you suffocated!”

“It wasn’t like that, Em.”

“So how was that going to play out, Aaron? The two of you were just playfully fighting?” He won’t meet her gaze as she sits on his bed, arms by her side as she screams, “He fucking hates you, and you refuse to leave this house. You’re just stuck in this life you hate.”

“I don’t hate it.”

“You do.” 

He blinks, fighting back a sob and then the banging on the door is back. All the noise causes him to almost crumble to his knees, wishing something would give for it to stop. He’d do anything for it stop. 

Outside, James grunts, banging on the door as he kicked the bottom, words slurring together like magma. “Aaron, I swear to fuckin’ god.”

“For Sean.” Aaron said weakly, joining her on the bed as she held his weight upright, letting him use her as a shield as he wept. “I stay for Sean, Em. And you. Mainly you. Nobody else in this entire world matters to me except for you.” 

When she was gone, he’d be there, right by her side, passing alongside her, unable to live a life without her. 

“Son, I swear if you don’t open this door, I will kill you.”

“We have to get out of here, honey. I’ll help you pack a bag, and we’ll get the rest of your stuff at a later date, but you can’t stay here. You can’t keep living like this, Aaron.”

He laughed through the tears, “Where am I going to go, Emily?”

“My house.”

He shook with anger just around the thought of returning her to Elizabeth. “No. You’re not going back there.”

She stood, “Correct. We’re going to stay there, Aaron.” 

“Sweetheart.”

She refuses to argue anymore, and as the banging grows louder she practically pulls his body weight around.

“I’m not fighting with you anymore.” Emily said. “Pack whatever you need. I’ll go out the window first.”

“Em.” 

“Just take me home, Aaron. Please.”

The road is merely shapes as her head rests in the corner between his shoulder and forearm, dreaming of sweeter moments as he drives below the speed limit, as per her earlier request, pulling into their estate, parking next to Emily’s car as he turns the headlights off, keeping the car warm as he unbuckled himself, letting her sleep peacefully as he moved the bags in the trunk around, just grabbing the one he needed as he turned the ignition off, locking his door as he walked around to unlock the passengers side, greeting his wife with a kiss on the lips as she gently came back to life.

“We’re here, love.”

When she opens her eyes again, she’s a little less stunted, until she feels the rock on her finger, already unbuckled thanks to him, stepping out of the car as he grabbed his palm, just as clammy from before. 

“She’s going to kill you first. Twenty bucks if I’m right.” Emily said, trying to lighting the mood, successful when he looks over at her, stern gaze that floods into undeniable laughter as she fiddles around in her purse for the key to the door. 

“Twenty kisses if you’re wrong.” Aaron said. “You swore I wasn’t even with you.”

“You seriously think she believed that?” She raised a brow, letting him fiddle with the knob as she bumped his elbow. “You’ve must of never met my Mother then.”

“Trust me.” He pushes the door open quietly, “One too many times.” 

“Technically, now she’s your mother-in-law.”

Aaron braced at the idea, flatly, “Great.” 

She kissed him before she turned the kitchen light on, breaking their embrace as he fret. “I have to use the bathroom. You can go up to my room if you want.”

He shook his head, like he was afraid, looking around for Elizabeth as he sat down on the couch, yawning. “I’m fine waiting here.” 

She didn’t say anything else, just snuck into the bathroom as she locked the door, turning the light on as footsteps emerged from the upstairs, an alarm blaring somewhere in the distance — her mother’s state-of-the-art security system fuck. 

Turning the overhead light on, still stuck on the last step, Aaron felt his body freeze towards Elizabeth, “Aaron?” Her mother asked, “What are you doing here. Where’s my daughter?”

“She’s in the — she’s in the bathroom, ma’am.” 

“Why are you here?” Elizabeth walked closer, keeping enough distance as she looked around, squinting towards the closed door as his alibi held up, for now. 

He could lie. His entire life was practically built on lies. “Emily wasn’t feeling well. She wanted us to spend the night here.”

“You’re not spending the night here, Aaron. You need to get the hell away from my daughter.”

He nodded, getting up to stand as he swallowed, directing himself towards the door as he kept his head down low, hearing Emily’s footsteps as she looked down at her palms, still holding the towel as she dried her hands, not noticing her mother standing in the corner, as he picked up his pace towards the door. “It feels so weird washing my hands with my ring. I love it.” 

Aaron didn’t bother looking up. Elizabeth would soon say everything he was thinking. “Aaron was just leaving.” Her mother said, eyes widening comically at the rock on her hand, looking back at him to study his hand. “Care to explain why both of you have rings?”

“Fuck.” Emily muttered under her breath, mortified as her pupils doubled in size. 

“Tell me you did not go and get married to that sorry excuse of a man, Emily.” 

“Mother.” Her voice was high, like she was a kid again, weeping as she shivered with anxiety.

“Tell me you’re kidding!” Elizabeth screamed, grabbing her daughter by the shoulder as he turned his back, running towards her as he pulled Emily away from Elizabeth.

“Don’t touch her, Elizabeth. Ever again.” His eyes were almost red, steaming with anger as he cradled Emily, standing in front of her, acting as a shield. 

Elizabeth snorted. “Oh, Aaron. You seriously think she loves you?”

”Yeah, Elizabeth. I do.”

“You’re sorely mistaken. You want to be with her for the rest of your life — her, Aaron? She’s scared to drive on the highway.”

He knows she does. He knows she’s capable of so much more than her mother thinks. “I love her.” 

“No you don’t.” 

“I do. More than anything, ma’am.” 

Running a hand through her hair, Elizabeth swallows, looking to her daughter for guidance, circling back to the impending doom at the door.

“You got married and didn’t tell me?”

“It wasn’t a real ceremony. Just one of those 24 hour chapels.” 

“Which needs a witness.” Elizabeth objects. 

“Would you have wanted to come, mother?”

Elizabeth doesn’t have to think about her answer, “No. Not to him. Not when you’re eighteen, Emily…” She pauses, “You’re pregnant again, aren’t you?”

“No, mother.” 

“So why did you marry him?” She just has to ask. 

Emily scrunched her nose, still holding onto him as she peeked her head out innocently, holding her mother’s gaze this once, “Because I lay awake at night dreaming about it, mom. Most day I wake up in the morning and immediately want to be with him, telling him about my dreams, or what happened the day before. All the roads I try and take lead back to Aaron. I need him in my life, he’s my constant. The only person that’s ever been there for me.”

Elizabeth snarls, “I’m always there for you, Emily. I’m your mother.”

“So act like one! Be fucking happy that I got married, mom! Stop belittling my husband to tears. Stop kicking him out for no good reason. Just accept that someone can and does love me, without any restraints or reasons.” 

Elizabeth takes a step back as Emily falls into him, wrapped in a hug as she sighed. “Do you at least have any pictures?”

She looks up, teary-eyed and wondering if she misheard. “Yeah. They won’t be ready for about a week or so.”

“I’d like to see them when they come in.” 

Emily smiled. “That would be nice.” 

Elizabeth agreed, turning back up the stairs as she waved her daughter goodnight. “Aaron?” His bushy head of hair stood out like a weed. “Don’t hurt my little girl.” 

“Mom.”

“Yes ma’am.” 

With that, she was out of sight, locking her bedroom door as she screamed. Emily drowns that’s out as she grabbed his hand, taking the stairs two at a time until they reached her bedroom, locking the door as he set his bag on the floor.  

“She took that better than I thought.” Aaron said, unbuttoning his shirt as he stripped, causing her to get lost. 

“She’s deflecting something. More than likely creating a prenup as we speak. Or trying to figure out a way for us to get a divorce.”

He grins at her joke, a real smile, one that felt buried as he sat down on the bed, kissing her cheek as she lay flat on the comforter, watching as he did the same, still done up in his clothes. 

“We got married.” Emily whispered in his ear, playing with his hair. 

“We did.”

“I’m your wife.”

“You’re my wife.”

“And you’re my husband.”

He laughed. “I am.”

Emily rolled over, hugging him tight. “I love you.” 

“I love you more.”