Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, Although I wish I did.

This is my first fanfic, so I hope you will be gentle.

Eavesdropping And Revelations

"Okay, so what are you looking for in a man?"

"J.J., I'm not doing this." J.J. had found a D.C. personal ad website and was now on a mission, and that mission was let's find a man for Emily Prentiss.

"Come on, Em, It's just for fun. You don't have to post it if you don't want to." Garcia and Emily had arrived within minutes of each other this morning, and had gone to her "cave" to talk before the morning briefing. They had been chatting while waiting for J.J. to arrive. When she'd finally showed up, she mumbled something about Will and Henry, making her late.

The conversation had started with J.J, telling them about an old friend of hers who had met her soulmate, by posting a personnal ad online. Garcia had picked up the ball and run with it. Now Emily was trapped in Garcia's latest "Let's Find Emily A Man" plot.

"Yeah, come on, Gumdrop. What can it hurt? This is just for fun." Emily looked over at Garcia, in her sparkly blue dress she topped off with a blue feather in her hair.

"Then why don't you do it?" Emily shot back.

"'Cause I'm taking a break from men." Garica said softly, still smarting from her break-up with Kevin.

"Emily's too picky" J.J. added, while rubbing Garcia's arm supportingly.

"I am not picky." Emily watched, as J.J. and Garcia looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"What?" Emily didn't care that her voice was nearly a shriek. These two were driving her crazy. Had been for weeks. Okay, so she hadn't dated anyone since her whole return from the dead. And, so she'd been a little moody lately. And maybe they were onto something with the whole sexually frustrated thing, but it's not like she wanted to be in this condition.

"What about Mick?, Didn't he ask you out again, after that consult we had with his team?"

"Yes, he did, but I can't go out with him J.J." Emily said tiredly. This was something she'd both heard and said repeatedly, since they'd run into the british profiler again. She loved J.J. like a sister, but once she had her teeth sunk into a subject she never let go.

"Besides," Garcia piped up. "She can't go out with British Man Candy!"

"Why not?" J.J looked as confused as Emily felt.

"'Cause she's in love with Bossman." Garcia froze, with her hand over her mouth, as Emily stared at her.

"I'm not in love with Hotch!" Emily managed to get out, grinding her teeth.

"Are you sure?" Now, She looked at J.J. "God!" Emily thought to herself, "why can't I have normal friends who mind their own business?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Emily replied, her teeth clenched. She was lying. And what was worse was that she knew she was lying. Ever since she had come back, when she had realized what Hotch had done to protect her. Emily, had to admit to herself what she had been denying, for alot longer than she'd care to admit. She was in love with Aaron Hotchner. But he had been dating Beth, And he seemed happy. Something that hurt her more, than she'd ever thought anything could hurt. So for now, in front of J.J. and Garcia, she was sticking to her denial.

"Okay. Fine. Don't pop a blood vessel. Just figured that's why you're too chicken to do this." J.J. said giving Emily, her I don't believe you smirk. Emily gave her best deep annoyed sigh.

"I am not chicken, but I meet more than my share of creeps, without advertising for them."

"Emily, it's not like you're really going to post the ad. Here. Look. I won't even be on the website. We'll just go to Word here and type up a list of answers to the questions. It will help you get an idea of what kind of guy is right for you." She watched as Garcia's printer, started spitting out paper.

"Okay. We need a list of physical qualities you're looking for."

"Tall," J.J. blurted out.

"Not too tall," Emily said to Garcia.

"Big." This time she glared at J.J.

"Not too big."

"And a huge …"

"Garcia!"

"What?" Garcia asked innocently.

"Unless you want Em to shoot you, you might want to let her have some input here." J.J. said, smiling at her friend's gumption. Garcia's face turned to a pout.

"Just trying to help her out some."

"Now, Emily, give me your idea of the perfect looking man." J.J. and Garcia stared at Emily, as she chewed on her lower lip. Her voice was quiet as she answered.

"Come on, Em. Spill." JJ said, laughing at the uncomfortable look on the older woman's face. Emily, was one of J.J.'s best friends, and lord knew if anyone ever deserved to be happy, it was Emily Prentiss.

"Older."

"How much?" Garcia asked.

"Five to ten years."

"Okay, gotcha." JJ said, just a little giddy.

"Strong, someone who could be my rock, just as much as I can be his." Emily didn't know why she continued, but these were her closest friends, so what could it hurt? Maybe they were right. Maybe it was time to get back out there. Maybe it was time for her to find someone who actually wanted her. Besides, it could help her get over Hotch. Emily decided to play along.

"Tall, handsome, and strong. Gotcha." Garcia said, fingers flying over her keyboard.

"Stable. I don't want a high strung person. That would drive me crazy."

"Okkkk." Garcia drew the syllable out. "Stable."

"Responsible, caring, smart, understanding," Emily was giving this some serious thought.

"Keep going." JJ said, tapping her fingers as her mind ran through all of the men that met Emily's dream man's qualifications. Her mind kept focusing on Hotch, but Emily had been so adament about not have feelings for him. Even though J.J., knew she was lying, she wanted to see Emily happy. After all Hotch, was seeing that Beth woman. "God Only Knows Why," J.J. thought waspishy to herself. After meeting the woman, she hadn't been impressed. There was something fake about her, and J.J. just hadn't liked her.

"Someone who wouldn't get freaked out by what we do, and not someone who's too interested."

Emily sighed, leaning back against the wall.

"Someone who would understand the need for me to be gone so often, who doesn't mind being profiled. There's not really an off switch, you know." Both women knodded knowingly.

"Ok. Tall, handsome, slightly older, understanding, intelligent, okay with the job, but not to in to it. Want much?" Garcia said, pushing keys furiously.

"I know. Completely impossible." Emily's sighed.

"Not impossible, Gumdrop, just rare." Garcia said.

J.J. was looking down at the paper in front of her. When her eyes came back to Emily's, her voice was gentle. "What kind of relationship are you looking for?"

Staring at her friend , Emily answered from her heart. " I want a relationship with a man who's not scared to give love a chance. I want a relationship with a guy, who doesn't give a damn that I'm an Ambassador's daughter. Someone, who doesn't make me feel like I'm good enough for sex, but not good enough for anything more. A man, who can accept my past, without making me feel ashamed of it."

"Didn't I tell you?" Garcia was staring at J.J. with a stubborn look on her face.

J.J. looked at Emily, and Emily had to get away from the sympathy shining in her eyes. She started to the door. When her hand turned the doorknob, J.J.'s quiet voice stopped her.

"Are you in love with Hotch, Emily?" Emily turned around and looked at her, fighting to keep the tears in her eyes from falling.

"How could I possibly not be?" She heard the door shut behind her as she walked away.

Earlier That Morning... (Unknown to the girls)...

When Spencer Reid had walked by Penelope's office, he saw her and Emily, obviously waiting for J.J. The girls were always going off to themselves, to talk without the guys, and they never shared what they had been talking about. Reid was, by nature, a curious creature. He had no idea what Garcia, JJ, and Emily were going to talk about, but he desperately wanted to know. Then an idea occured to him. He turned, going to find Dave and Morgan. They would help, after all they were just as curious as he was.

Derek pushed a pile of papers off Reid's desk and dropped down in their place. He nodded approvingly. "That's good, Kid," he whispered. A deep chuckle sounded as, Dave nodded agreeingly. "Now we just got to get Hotch to agree." Derek said. "You leave Aaron to me, even he can't pass this up" Dave said.

It was on a rare occasion that David Rossi was wrong about other people; especially with the people closest to him. He knew Aaron Hotchner was in love with Emily Prentiss. He also knew the man in question, had finally admitted it to himself.

Aaron had recently broken up with Beth. And what a disaster that had been!

He didn't think the team knew that Aaron was no longer seeing the woman. He had encouraged Aaron, just so the man could see that he was able to get back into the dating scene. Unfortunatly, Beth had also wanted to prove to her ex-boyfriend, that she could date someone else. The relationship had ended, when Aaron overheard Beth, telling a girlfriend that she was only seeing Aaron to make her ex jealous.

Thinking of Hotch, he had seen something in his eyes when he looked at Emily, that had never been there before; at least not since Foyet. That was why when he saw what he saw, and thought what he thought, he knew that thought had to be true. Although he did see it make an appearance every time the man spoke of his son, but only then. It was small and subtle, but it was there. Whenever Hotch looked over at Emily and met her eyes. His features softened and the corner of his mouth curled up, ever so slightly. Anyone else wouldn't have seen it – but Dave did. He had seen Emily's reactions as well. When Aaron spoke to her, her eyes softened and a small smile brushed her face. So Dave being Dave, had confronted Aaron about it. He remembered their conversation now.

Flashback:

They had been on the plane coming back from a case. Dave and Hotch had taken the seats near the front of the plane. Hotch had taken out files from his briefcase, but hadn't looked at them for past 20 minutes. Instead, the stoic man seemed lost in thought, occasionally glancing back at Emily. Dave had watched all this with great amusement.

Fighting the grin threatening to overtake his lips as he watched his best friend, steal another glance toward the back of the plane, David Rossi muttered, "You know that you're pathetic, right?"

"I don't have a clue what you're talking about, Dave," Hotch muttered, redirecting his dark eyes back to the file in his lap.

"I mean, that you aren't quite as stealthy as you intended to be," Dave chuckled. "And you call yourself an FBI agent," he teased.

"Shut up, Dave," Hotch ordered on a low growl.

"Ya know, you could solve a lot of this if you'd just break down and tell her how you feel," Rossi said easily, crossing resting one ankle against his knee.

"Solve What?" Hotch asked annoyed by his friend's comments.

"Oh please," Dave said, leaning in whispering quietly, "You're in love with Emily, and you have been for awhile."

Hotch sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. "Damnit Dave, why do you have to see so much?"

I'm good at what I do" Dave said smirking. "Just tell her already."

"What if I do Dave, what if she doesn't feel the same way. What would that do to the team? What if Emily knows that I'm not the man for her? What if she realizes that I'm not good enough for her? Why? Why did I have to go and fall in love with the one woman who should be the last woman that I ever fell for Dave?"

Dave shook his head and put his hand on Hotch's shoulder. "I can't really answer that for you Aaron. What I can tell you is that love doesn't ask why. Love doesn't have rhyme or reason it just is. You need to go with it instead of fighting it. If you fight it then not only will you end up hurt but you will end up hurting Emily, and I don't think you want that."

Hotch shook his head and let out a breath. "No Dave I don't want that. In fact the last thing I want is to hurt Emily. I feel so much for her that I wonder if maybe I didn't feel it too fast for her."

Dave chuckled at that. "Hell Aaron if anything you felt what you are feeling too damn slow."

"I'll think about it."

End Flashback

So when Reid had pitched his plan, Dave Rossi, had jumped onboard, knowing J.J. and Garcia had been pushing Emily to start dating again. Dave was thinking that maybe listening to the girls try to push guys on Emily, may be just what Aaron needed to go after the girl.

Dave Knocked on Hotch's door. Hotch looked up towards the door at the sound of the knock. "Hey Dave," he addressed his friend, "What?" he asked seeing the mischievous look on Dave's face.

"Can't a guy pop in for a chat?" Dave asked chuckling.

"Guy, yes, you no, not without a reason. From the smirk, I know you're up to something." Aaron reasoned, with a sinking feeling that his old friend was up to no good.

"Okay, you got me." Dave decided to just put it out there, and then talk Aaron into agreeing.

"Dave, That's Crazy!" Aaron Hotchner, was appalled by what Dave was suggesting. "Not to mention, it's just wrong to spy on the girls. If they wanted us to know what they're talking about, they would have included us."

"Come on Aaron, aren't you curious about, why they've been having so many closed door chats in Garcia's office?" Dave asked.

"Of course I am, but I'm not going to spy on them by pulling up the surveillance camera from Garcia's office!" Hotch shot back.

"Aaron, this could be your chance to get some insight into Emily" Dave conjoled. "Now are you in or out?"

"Fine I'm in, but if this backfires, I have no problem throwing the three of you, in the line of fire." Hotch knew caving in was the easiest solution. Besides, he was ready to put himself out there for Emily, and every little bit of info, could help.

Present Time

The Guys watched J.J. and Garcia's eyes widen, the former had a big smile on her face. That disappered when she saw a warning pop up on her computer.

"Pen, what is it?" asked J.J. concerned by the way her friend's face had paled as she punched something on her keyboard.

"Oh No They Didn't!" She shouted.

"Garcia, What? Who didn't What?" J.J. asked startled.

"The boys were watching the camera in here from Hotch's office. I swear I'm going to kill them!"

"You mean, they heard...?" J.J. asked so shocked she couldn't finish her thought.

"Oh yeah, they heard. Unless I'm way off the mark, they heard everything." Garcia confirmed angrily.

"Oh, shit," All four men muttered.

Let Me Know What You Think Good Or Bad.