From: John
"Hey Emms"

"Hey John"

" It was nice to see you today its been awhile "

"It was good to see you too, it has been a long time "

"So how does seven o'clock sound for dinner tomorrow?"

" That sounds great, what should i wear?"

"Think nice restaurant"

" John you don't have to do anything fancy for me"

"I know, but i want to. so i will see you tomorrow at seven?"

" Seven works great"

"Goodnight Emms"

" 'Night John"

It had been a long time since Emily had seen him, almost four years. His hair was shorter than the last time she saw him and he was in better shape. She was definitely attracted to him , had been since she was fifteen. But was attraction and love the same thing? Could John and her work or was she too head over heels for Hotch? Emily went up to her room with Sergio circling her feet as she walked. She laid down and tried to get some sleep but her head was still spinning with questions. John or Hotch?

Emily walked into the bullpen five minutes late and found JJ sitting at her desk.

"Hey Em , Garcia needs to see you in her lare" JJ said while trying to bite back a smirk.

" Why?" Emily replied hesitantly and obviously suspicious as to why JJ was telling her this and not Garcia

" I don't know, lets go find out" JJ said with a false tone of innocence in her voice. They made their way down to Garcia's lare and JJ quickly shut the door once they were both inside.

" Okay E spit it out who is this guy you're going out with tonight? Garcia asked
"Thats what this is about?! John is a friend. just a FRIEND. There is nothing there" Emily said in higher octave than her usual voice, getting very defensive.

"Emily i saw you two yesterday. he looked like he would jump in front of a train for you and you looked happy. genuinely happy, which hasn't really happened in a while." JJ said not being fooled by Emily's defence.

"Alright look we had a thing when we were teenagers. We broke up. I moved. we lost touch until Matthew died. He went back to Italy. Now he moved here. But nothing is going to happen between us. i don't think" Emily said finally being honest to JJ and Garcia

"What happened when you were teenagers?" Garcia asked curiously.

"Nothing." Emily replied in a firm and definitive tone.

" What does Rossi know that we don't? " JJ asked not understanding why Emily would tell Rossi something and not tell them.

" Rossi? what are you talking about?" Emily asked knowing that her friends could tell she has hiding something.

" He looked concerned and really protective over you when he saw John. Em i mean REALLY protective." JJ said somewhat concerned that she didn't know the full story.

"Rossi is like a dad to me he gets that way over any guy, you should see interrogations." Emily joked playing off the concern JJ had.

" Well where is this guy taking you for dinner? and what are you wearing? do you know what kind of car he drives? do you want me to do a background check on him? should we go shoe shopping before you go on your date?" Garcia rapidly fired questions at Emily

"Woahhhh , Pen slow down. the restaurant is a surprise, he said to think nice restaurant so I know what i'm wearing, he probably drives a Mustang he always wanted one when we were kids and for heavens sake DON'T do a check on him... and it's not a date. Did I cover everything?" Emily asked trying to find an escape route from her friends. They meant well but Emily was already nervous enough.

"Do we need to go shoe shopping?" Garcia asked with a smile enjoying how easily flustered Emily was getting over this guy

"No, i'm good on shoes. can i go now?" Emily asked with pleading look.

"Fine you can go but i want full details about your DATE tomorrow morning!" Garcia said as Emily quickly made her way out of her room. When she walked back into the bullpen she found Morgan and Reid at their desks doing their reports.

"Hey have you guys seen Rossi?" She asked

"He is in his office talking with Hotch" Reid replied without looking up from his report.

Emily made her way up the stairs and to Rossi's office. the door was open so she knocked on the door frame.

"Knock knock" she said shyly. " I hope i'm not interrupting anything .." she said looking at the two men. Rossi was sitting at his desk and Hotch was standing in front of him.

"No i was just leaving" Hotch said before quickly making his way to his own office. Emily made her way into Rossi's office , shut the door, and sat across from Rossi.

"What's up kiddo?" He asked concerned as to why she would have shut the door.

"Why are you concerned about John being back?" She asked getting straight to the point.

Rossi sighed knowing he couldn't lie to her. "If memory serves he wasn't exactly there for you when you had the abortion. It was Matthew who took you and stood up for you. So where was John in all of this? And don't tell me he wasn't the dad, i can tell by the way you look at each other."

She wasn't expecting that as his response and didn't quite know what to say.

"You're right he wasn't there. but we were both fifteen Rossi. just kids who were scared out of our minds and didn't know what to do. I don't blame him for not being there." She told him trying to defend their actions.

" I know you don't blame him but I still don't trust him. And I don't think you feel the same way about him that he feels about you. You're in love with Hotch." Rossi told her.

She was completely blindsided by that and couldn't hide the shock on her face. She knew it was no use to lie to him, he was one of if not the best profilers. There was only one choice adn that was the truth.

"He's my boss Rossi. Even if he felt the same way we wouldn't be allowed, it's against the rules. I know I don't feel the same about John right now. But i'm willing to give it a chance." She told him feeling the weight come off her chest from not being able to tell anyone that until now.

" I get it. I still don't trust him. But i understand and you deserve to be happy Emily" Rossi said with a small smile.

The rest of the day dragged on for Emily, she didn't know if it was boredom or nerves that had her staring at her watch every five minutes. she had finished her paperwork and hour ago and she still had an hour and a half of the work day left to get through.

"You know princess you can take some of my paper work and do it" Morgan said with a grin

"Not gonna happen buddy" She replied with a smirk

"How did you finish your paper work before us, or well at least me?" Reid asked

" I took some of it home with me last night and did it while I couldn't sleep" Emily replied still smirking at the stack of case files the guys still had to finish.

" Oh come on, taking work home with you? Thats about as bad ad Hotch , princess.' Morgan replied with a smile. He always liked teasing her.

"Well as bad as it is , you're the one who still has work to do which will probably keep you here late where as I will be on a date." Emily replied teasing him back.

"So you admit it's a date" Morgan countered turning her statement back onto her.

"Not like a date-date , more like a date. a meal between two friends." Emily said cursing herself for using the term "date".

"Date-date" isn't an actual word" Reid put in still focusing on his reports.

"Haha the kids got you there princess. just admit it you , Emily Prentiss, have a date." Morgan said confident that he won.

Emily stood up and started making her way to Hotch's office.

"Where are you going?" Morgan asked

"I am asking to leave early since I have nothing to do besides get ready for my date" Emily said over her shoulder as she made her way up the steps and knocking on Hotch's door.

"Come in" he said almost as a reflex.

" Hey Hotch, I have finished up all of my paperwork and was wondering if i could head out early" She said feeling like she was asking to borrow money from her parents

" Sure Prentiss but make sure that those reports are detailed, Strauss still isn't sure that you followed all the protocols when negotiating with the unsub and I slightly agree." He said in a firm tone.

" Yes Sir." Emily replied before leaving his office. Only Emily Prentiss could make a respectful word like "Sir" sound like a slap to the face. Emily gathered her things and made her way to the parking garage. When she slid into her car the clock read 5:30, just enough time to get home and get ready for her date.

At exactly seven o'clock there was a knock on her apartment door. She looked through the peephole first then unlocked her door. John stood in front of her in black dress slacks, a white dress shirt, and a navy tie. Yeah , she was definitely attracted to him.

"Wow, Emily you look beautiful" He said making her blush and look to the floor. She had on a navy blue dress that fit her figure well, a pair of nude pumps, and her hair was straightened. Even with her heels he was still a good three inches taller than her.

"Thanks, you don't look too shabby yourself" She said with a smile, this time making him slightly blush.

"You ready to go?" He asked

"Yeah just let me grab my coat." After she had her coat she locked her door and made their way down to the parking lot.

TBC