"…a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up." Ecclesiastes 3:5-6
Six hours is a long time. More than half a work day, less than the suggested hours of sleep required, sufficient time to give, take and make love.
Aaron knew that his thoughts were selfish. Emily's ability to spend six more hours in the United States should be spent with the team and not only with him. The chance to be in her physical presence alone should be acceptable but sadly it was not. He had an unchained desire to tell her how much she meant to him. How this desire was overriding his ability to be Aaron Hatcher, the controlled one.
She flashed him a smile and his heart beat faster. She nervously touched her hair and it increased his desire.
'Do you want me to get the team so we can plan a place to meet up or…' she'd left the or, trailing off into her own thoughts, seemingly giving him the opportunity to court her, willing him to control this situation and not himself.
He bowed his head shyly. He saw the bait and like fish starved for food, he longed to proffer her unspoken offer.
Their eyes locked when he finally raised his head to her once more and he opened his mouth to request dinner, a late lunch, a drink at a 'pub' even, but the public instead intruded. Penelope and Morgan entered the room and his 'or…' was swallowed by Penelope's squeal.
The team together once more was the topic of the day. JJ would miss this gathering as she needed time to recuperate on so many levels, but, the team was back together none the less and Hotch regretted his willingness to deny them time with her.
Drinks at the newest spot in town was agreed.
"Old friends returning doesn't mean old places need to be haunted. We're taking you out to the new and improved." Morgan teased.
"Well of course we are." Penelope chimed in. "It'll be a place befitting of a queen my lady.' When Garcia bowed for effect, Hotch and Emily launched in unison and Morgan too joined in with the bowing and salute.
They departed at this juncture to inform the rest of the team of the plans and Aaron stood calculating the 15 minutes that had stretched by since she had said 'Six more hours'.
"Would you like me to take you to your hotel?" was his next grasp at etching out a rime of solitude.
"I would like that very much." Emily decided to confess. If distance made the heart grow fonder, then one would think she had moved to Australia and not simply across the pond. Hearing his voice on the other line when he had first called to let her know about JJ, seeing him in person when she had returned, being under his command and yet being his equal, somehow had heightened her own desires to no longer compartmentalize, but to instead, chain him to her.
He placed his hand on the small of her back as she'd often seen in the movies and felt by other men but the feeling wasn't the same as when he just did it. She remembered when Viper had leaned into her and how Hotch had very Hotchnerly angled himself in front of her. Like a film roll, her mind raced to him coming to her apartment and saying "I need you on that plane with me" and to her own time of confession, when she had told him in his apartment "He's not alone", surreptitiously telling him, that neither was he.
When they reached his SUV, he opened her door for her and she choose to enchant him with her beautiful smile. Six hours has to be enough, she thought.
Six hours needs to be sufficient to give, take and make love.