Chapter 1

Please R&R and thank you to those who follow my stories… As ever my inbox is always open. If you want to say anything regarding what I write… I do find it helpful and makes me want to continue writing these… As ever, I do not own Criminal minds just the OOC…

'Remembering things of the past helps us to move on with our lives.

It also shapes our future… It can either break us.

Or make us stronger and we do in time find the happiness we thought we had lost…'

"Please tell us we are off rotation this year" Morgan moaned slightly "We've worked the past two years over the Christmas period" Reid commented "We just want sometime with our loved ones" Garcia said brightly. "And I for one would like to spend it with my lady friend" Rossi said "What you working on number is it five I lost count?" Morgan teased, "That would be number four he is working on," Reid piped up.

"Hey I hope you don't plan on making your 'lady friend' your wife" Emily scowled. "Whoa! Prentiss you know something we don't?" Garcia grinned "Emily!" Rossi warned, as Emily replied, in a slightly aggravated tone "Don't Emily me." JJ popped her head into the conference room "Is this a private party?" she looked pointedly at Emily.

"Oh we having a party!" Garcia said a little too hyper just as Hotch walked in "Guys settle down and Garcia we are not having a party" he paused for a second "Well not here anyway" he said with a slight smile causing Garcia to squeal and Reid to groan.

Hotch was glad to have his team finally back together again as he spoke. "I would like to express how proud I am of you all. We have had a very hard year" he said looking at Emily and JJ "And we have come through it together as a team and as a family," he smiled softly as Rossi spoke "You're getting sentimental on use Hotch or did someone spike your coffee?" causing everyone to laugh.

"Dave" he said, as he glared at him "No, I am just, look I thought at one point we had lost a member of our team, and then I thought we had lost both. It has not been easy for either of these two and I wanted you all to know the way you have dealt and coped shows me what strong people you are and that you are a credit to yourselves. However, I wish you and Garcia would stop hiding your relationship" he smirked causing Emily to laugh and Morgan and Garcia look in shook at each other "How did you" he smiled "I am not the unit chief for no reason. I know everything that goes on with you all" he said with a wink.

"Is this the point where you are going to tell us we have yet to work another Christmas?" Emily said in a sad tone. "No this is where I tell you all we have it off and that we are all going out together as a family" Morgan looked at them all puzzled "Hotch? How do you plan on sorting something like that out on such short notice" he asked "Who said I didn't sort this out a few months ago" he said as he kept his face completely emotionless.

"I think you was right Rossi someone spiked his coffee" Emily said as she wrapped her arms around JJ "Your quite baby" Emily whispered in her ear, JJ nodded as she leaned into her. She could not help the tears that built in her eyes.

"Sweetie are you okay?" Garcia said as she looked at JJ "More than okay. I have my family in this room. Well we are missing three of them but I am just happy" Emily pulled her close. "One year on and we are all stronger" Morgan said softly as he looked at his partner and JJ. Emily laughed "Only cause I kick your ass more in the gym now" causing both JJ and Garcia to groan "You two can never sort your issues out without it ending in a fist fight" JJ said firmly causing them both to just shrug

"Do you think, you two could make a new year's resolution not too kick the crap out of each over and learn to just talk? Like adults" JJ asked as she dug her knuckle in to Emily's side "Ouch! I guess we could try" "And that will last a week tops" Rossi joked.

"You know two stubborn people with lack of trust in others find it harder to talk and they use physical altercations to get their point across," "Reid" both Emily and Morgan warned. "If you behave we will try not to tease you as much kid" Garcia laughed, "You know they will and JJ will try and ground them both" she smirked.

"I think we work with children" Rossi smiled "Scary to think these are the most capable minds in the country that can profile anyone who just happens to walk in through our doors" "And actually catch the killer, yes it is very scary" Hotch said. Making all the younger members of the team glared at them both "Remember I can do a 'thing' that will make you both disappear and ruin your credit history" Garcia said jokingly.

"So you said something about a party" Morgan reminded everyone, "Please tell me it is a strip club" Emily joked "Emily Prentiss, you even think of going to a strip bar and I will cut you off. For life" Emily held her hands up "It was a joke Jen"

"I have booked us for a meal at a small Italian restaurant, though it isn't a cheap place, but they have allowed us to have the place for a night, something about they couldn't turn away the BAU without losing their jobs" Emily and JJ laughed

"I am sure it won't be too expensive just send us the address and time and we can get a sitter" Emily said "Karen?" JJ whispered "Yes," "I have booked an extra seat for Sarah" Emily and JJ nodded, "we will ask her," JJ said "Is that it Hotch can we now go home?" Emily asked as they looked at the clock 6pm "Sure be in for 8 though" with that, that said they all made their way out heading home.

"You know where we are going don't you Emily" JJ said with a pointed look "And you don't" Emily laughed "There is only one place that a whole entire staff would lose their job for turning our team away" Emily winked "And they have no idea" JJ smirked.