Formal Affairs

The bureau held several black tie events every year. Aaron Hotchner was expected to be at least two of these events. And he absolutely hated them. Without Haley there as a buffer he felt incredibly lost.

But he did what was expected of him, floated from conversation to conversation, and made promises about golf and lunch dates that he was never going to keep. All the while smiling and nodding and agreeing when he knew he should.

And when he saw her from across the room, a vision in navy, he felt drawn to her. But he couldn't seem to get away from his current conversation.

He caught Erin's eye from across the room and she couldn't help but smile. He was in desperate need of a rescue. She quickly excused herself from the little circle she was in and made her way over to him.

Slipping herself between him and a congressman whose name she couldn't recall. "Excuse me, Agent Hotchner, Congressman." she apologized. "There's an urgent matter at Quantico…"

"Yes, of course, Chief Strauss." he said. "Excuse me, Bob." he smiled, politely.

Hotchner offered her his arm and led them away. "I can't thank you enough." he said as they made their way across the room. "I was beginning to think I was going to be stuck talking to him all evening."

"I thought you could use a rescue."

"How's that?"

"Your body language." she replied, simply. "You kept shifting away from him, and the conversation. You were concentrating too hard to focus on what he was saying."

He couldn't help but smile. "You got all that from across the room?"

"I may not be a profiler, Agent Hotchner, but I can sense when one of my agents needs my help."

He led them across the room to the dance floor. "Can you waltz?"

"Can't everyone?" her smile was warm and inviting. Almost daringly so.

Hotchner took her by the hand. "I guess we'll see."

And when the dance was finished he kept a hold of her hand. Leading them over to the bar he ordered two glasses of sparkling cider. "You went to finishing school didn't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"I think it's a lost art."

Erin couldn't help but laugh. "You know I think I like this side of Aaron Hotchner."

Two glasses appeared in front of them and he picked one up and handed it to her." And what side would that be?"

"The lighter side." she took a sip of the drink. "I think you may actually be fun outside of the bureau."

He took a drink from his flute. "I am." he agreed. "And since we're technically not at Quantico I'm going to spend the rest of the evening showing you."

"Are you?"

He reached for her hand. "Did that fancy finishing school teach you anything other than the waltz?"

Erin gave a sly grin. "You know they did."

The night seemed to go by rather quickly. Usually bureaucratic functions would drag on forever. But not tonight. Being in Erin's company was rather energizing. She seemed to glide not only on the dancefloor but throughout the room. From conversation to conversation. From light and social to heavy and political. And he had never felt more relaxed at an event.

As they were walking out to the valet, he reached for her hand. She stopped and turned to face him. "So did I prove my point?"

"About you being fun?" she asked. "Or you looking good in a tuxedo?"

A smile played on his lips, but he tried his best to hide it. "Both."

"Well, you're definitely light on your feet, which I would have never expected." she started. "You're a good conversationalist once you relax. You actually have a sense of humor under all that serious exterior." And she couldn't help the appreciation that came rushing forth in the form of a smile across her lips. "And you were right about the tuxedo, too, Agent Hotchner."

"Oh, come on." he teased. "I thought we were past titles and formalities."

"How did you reach this conclusion?"

"I think after spending the better part of the evening with you I've earned the title of friend."

"Friend." she pretended to weigh the idea. "I think we could work with that term."

"Good." he nodded. "I don't know how I would have gotten through the evening without you. You owned that room in there."

Erin shrugged. "It's all politics."

"Maybe with everyone else." he agreed. "But when we were dancing, just the two of us, you still owned the room. And quiet beautifully, might I add."

She laughed a little. "Flattery will get you everywhere."

"I'm not trying to score points here."

"Aren't you?"

Hotchner pondered the thought. "Maybe not in the way you think." he replied. "I guess time will tell."

"So it will." she agreed. "Thank you for tonight, Hotch. It was just what I needed."

"A distraction." he guessed.

"A reintroduction back into the land of the living and breathing." she clarified. "This was my first big event since Grant and I separated. You know, I almost didn't come this evening."

"I'm glad you did." he smiled.

"So am I." she returned his smile. "I'll see you Monday." she leaned into him, placing a soft kiss against his cheek. "Goodnight."

He finally relinquished his hold of her hand. "Goodnight, Erin."

He watched as she made her way to the valet and he couldn't stop his grin from spreading across his face. Tonight was a good night. Very different from what he expected. She was very different from what he expected.

-Finished