A/N: I started this late two nights ago and it really means a lot to me. As always I don't have a beta and would appreciate feedback or corrections very much.
None of this is mine. I own only my imagination.
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Be Mine
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True love comes quietly, without banner or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked.
(Erich Segal)
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'You realize that sooner or later the team is bound to get suspicious if we keep getting to the office together day after day, right?' Emily Prentiss called into the upstairs bathroom.
She stood in her apartment, hand on the handrail, and was zipping up her right boot. Then Emily walked over into her small kitchen and put the dirty dishes from the breakfast into the dishwasher. Just as she was putting on her jacket and checking her reflection in the mirror in the hallway for the last time, she heard steps coming down the stairs.
She smiled at the dark-haired agent.
The sight of Aaron Hotchner walking around in her apartment wasn't new to Emily anymore. They had been doing this for a little over two month now. Whatever 'this' was. Neither Emily nor Aaron hadn't openly addressed that point of their relationship yet. It was working out very well so far, so why threaten that over some name?
Hotch grinned at her. A grin that was so completely innocent and boyish that Emily had been completely stunned and speechless the first time Hotch had grinned at her like that.
'What?' Hotch had asked confusedly, as he had seen her staring at him. Stuttering a little Emily had explained and her explanation had made Hotch laugh even harder.
'That must be your influence,' he had said, trying to keep his features composed. But when Emily started to laugh, he joined in.
'It was to be expected,' he said. 'They are profilers after all.'
Hotch stepped behind her and looked into the mirror over her shoulder. After putting his own jacket on, he started fumbling with the collar. Emily watched him in the mirror for a few seconds, before turning around. She removed his hands from the shirt and straightened the collar for him. Then Emily stepped back.
'There,' she said.
'Thank you.'
Hotch corrected the knot of his tie, as Emily took her key from the small table by the door. The door closed behind the two with a click.
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Emily and Hotch made their way to the underground parking lot in companionable silence. They had driven to Emily's apartment together in one SUV the night before. When they reached the black vehicle, Hotch unlocked the car and then looked at Emily over the roof.
'You mind if we stop by my place?' he asked. 'I could use a fresh jacket.'
'After I went through all that trouble to make you look good in it,' Emily kidded, but nodded all the same. 'It's no problem, Hotch.'
Aaron took her answer with a thankful nod.
A few seconds later the black SUV sped out of the parking lot into the new day.
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The drive to the apartment block Hotch lived in wasn't long. After two minutes Emily opened her window to let in a breeze. The wind tugged at her bangs and blew them into her eyes, but she didn't care. It was nice to feel some warm air on the face, catch the first hint of summer. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of just letting things go - even if only for a few minutes.
Hotch shot her a brief glance. The view of Emily Prentiss being completely relaxed in the presence of another human being was something Hotch never grew tired of. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when he had suddenly loved everything Emily did, instead of finding it pleasant or likeable. But there was that point when he wanted nothing more than to be a part of those lovely things she did.
'Like what you're seeing, Agent Hotchner?' Emily suddenly asked from the passenger's seat and Hotch almost jumped. He hadn't realized that she had opened her eyes, or turned her head to look at him.
'Yes,' he just answered honestly.
'Me too,' she said and he could hear the happiness in her voice.
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Hotch parked the car in front of the building and got out. He walked around the vehicle, coming to stand in front of the passenger's door. His hand rested on the roof of the car and though he was not smiling, his eyes were warm.
'You want to come?' he asked Emily.
'No, thanks.' She shook her head. 'I think I will wait and enjoy the sunshine.'
'OK.'
Hotch opened the door for her. It was a small and innocent gesture and yet it meant much to Emily. She was an independent woman. Moving around all the time and being mostly on her own, Emily had had to learn how to do things on her own. And she prided herself on that ability. But the small things Hotch did for her, opening the door, taking her coat, asking for her opinion, showed her that chivalry wasn't dead. Because just like every other woman Emily liked to be courted now and then.
Before Hotch turned around, he closed the door behind Emily. Then he touched her cheek with the back of his hand. A small gesture again and only for a short moment. Hotch wasn't a man for staginess. But Emily didn't want staginess anyways, she wanted Hotch.
'Go,' she said and nodded to the building.
'Yes, ma'am.'
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Emily leaned against the SUV and looked up into the blue sky, after Hotch had left. A few lonely, white clouds drifted over her head and Emily could feel the warmth that day would bring creeping through her jacket already.
With a smile she pulled it off and threw it into the car through the open car window.
Just as she straightened back up, a man approached her. He was taller than her, lean and could only be described as good-looking. His light brown hair matched his also brown eyes, the color of which Emily found out as he came to a halt right in front of her.
Emily seized him up and down with a raised eyebrow.
'Hey,' he said, the self-confidence evident in his voice. He looked at her with what was most likely supposed to be a seducing look. 'You're waiting for me, honey?'
It took Emily all the self-control she had attained over the years to not just laugh into his face outright.
'Certainly not,' she pointedly replied and folded her arms in front of her. 'And my name is not honey.'
Either this guy was thick as hell or he thought he was a real player, for he obviously didn't understand a rebuff when it hit him square in the face.
'Well, then what is your name?' he asked and inched closer.
Emily swore that if he came closer just one step, the next crime scene the team would have to work would be right in front of Hotch's apartment building.
'You're definitely not high enough up the food chain to ever find out.'
The brown-haired guy put his hand over his heart and feigned pain.
'Honey, that hurt.' He grinned at her impishly.
'It is going to hurt a good lot more if you don't get out of my sight right now,' Emily said through gritted teeth. Her patience was wearing dangerously thin with this one.
'And why is that, honey?' He leaned in closer.
'Because,' Emily retorted, already feeling the satisfaction that was about to come. 'That guy over there has a gun.' She nodded to her left. Hotch was approaching the two of them with long strides, wearing a fresh shirt and jacket.
'And he does know how to use it.'
Before lover-boy could answer, Hotch stood next to Emily and she could feel his hand coming to rest on the small of her back protectively. It made her feel better and light-headed in an instant.
'Any problems?' Hotch asked the gatecrasher. The look his eyes held was usually reserved for the worst of UnSubs.
And yet again the guy didn't get the broad hint.
'Nah, no problems. I just asked honey for her name.'
'Really?' Hotch wanted to know and turned to face Emily. 'What did you say?'
'That my rather possessive boyfriend has a gun,' she gave back, a mischievous glint in her dark eyes.
'Yeah, sure, boyfriend and gun,' the guy said, taking the whole thing to be a big prank. 'You just -'
He stopped dead as Hotch pushed his jacket up to show his gun.
'She is not interested in you,' Hotch said and emphasized every word.
'Yeah, I didn't mean to … Really, I better -'
And lover-boy fled the scene head over heels.
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As he rounded the far corner, Emily couldn't contain the laughter anymore. She turned to Hotch with tears in her eyes. The man watched her with an amused look on his face.
'That was wicked,' she said, as she palmed away the tears.
Hotch only nodded. Then he suddenly grew serious.
'Boyfriend?' he asked quietly, as if afraid of saying the word too loud.
'I just said that so-' Emily started, but didn't finish her sentence. She didn't want to lie to Hotch. She bit her lip briefly. 'I said it, because I want you to be my boyfriend.'
'Am I not already?' Hotch inquired, but before Emily could answer, he leaned down and kissed her gently. It was just a touch, barely more than a peck, but it expressed so much.
'Yes?' Emily asked breathless. It sounded both like a question and an answer.
'Yes,' he said and smiled again. He had smiled more during the last hour than he had sometimes smiled in a whole week.
'But aren't I a little old to be your boyfriend?' Hotch then added as an afterthought.
'Then you're gonna be my old friend.'
As the two agents drove to the BAU headquarters, the sun sent its rays through the city. It was a beautiful day indeed.
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A/N2: Yes, that one quote is from 'Sex and the City - The Movie 1'. Another first take of mine. I hope I did the characters justice.