AN: Here is next chapter. One more coming up after this! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds in any way. Just borrowing them again!


Their car was standing still in the snow for about ten minutes now. Outside the white flakes were still coming down hard. Hotch had turned off the engine to spare energy for their drive back later. No sound came out of the speakers anymore and the lights were out. It'd left Hotch and Emily sitting quietly in the dark. The only sound heard, being that of their own breathing.

Hotch glanced at Emily. She was unconsciously picking her nails and seemed to be deep in thought again. What was up with her? Normally she would find something to chit chat about. He decided he wouldn't push her into talking about what was on her mind. Knowing her he knew that would have the direct opposite effect.

Thinking hard he tried to come up with a subject. Hotch wasn't one to start random conversations or begin small talk. He was good to listen or talk along with an occasional nod. Rarely starting a topic himself, the private man he was. It was something that went back to his childhood. He'd been a shy kid, holding things to himself rather than sharing it with others. Though he'd grown into a confidant man, he knew he still carried some of that child in him.

Aaron decided to just give it a go. He'd done it before with her, hadn't he? He could at least try and come up with something again. Anything that would keep her mind occupied for the moment would do.

"So.." he started to get her attention. And also to stretch time to come up with something to talk about.

Emily looked at him curiously.

"So, different environment than we're used to here out in the country, isn't it?"

That he couldn't come up with something better! Well, at least the 'environment talk' was better than the random 'weather talk '. Besides would the weather be a very oblivious topic considering the circumstances. Not that talking about the environment wasn't as oblivious. But at the moment he considered the chosen topic one step higher on the current 'small talk ladder'.

"It is", came her short answer. It was silent for a couple of moments longer, but before the atmosphere turned awkward she suddenly surprised him by continuing her sentence.

"I could never imagine myself living here though. It's nice being in an area like this for a while, but I need more movement around me. More people per square meter to keep me sane".

Interesting.

Her face turned his way in the dark. "What about you? Do you think you could live in a place like this?"

He thought for a moment before answering. "Well, I have lived in a place like this growing up. Although the town was a lot bigger than the one we came from. I know what it's like. Of course I could live in a place like this again, but I don't think I would. Not anymore at least".

"Oh, I never would have figured you having lived in an area like this. Farm boy or..?"

Hotch smiled at her assumption. "No, just a boy from a town in the South. The area is different though. The place almost has enough inhabitants to call it a small city nowadays".

Her eyes having adjusted to the dark, Emily noticed his dimples showing for just a moment.

"Nonetheless you still grew up as a small town boy", she cheekily replied.

"Hey and proud to be one", Hotch added.

The town he lived all those years ago had been a great place to grow up. Even with the family he had to live in that town with. But you can't pick out your family, you have to do with what you have. Given the circumstances he'd had an okay childhood.

"What about you? What places have you lived in?" Hotch knew Emily had called many places her 'home' for short periods of time through her youth. She'd told very little about it in the three years she'd been with the team. He knew it couldn't have been easy. But he was curious and before his mind could even register he asked the question, his mouth had already formed the words.

So far for not pushing her into talking about sensitive matters..

Surprising him again she answered without hesitating for even a second.

"Oh I've lived in tons of places, bus you know that already. Let's see.." her hands moved to rest on her upper thighs.

"Yemen. We lived just outside of Sana'a there. I remember it being very hot and that I had to wear a headscarf when we went out. Oh how I hated that thing, but my mom insisted on wearing one. I respect of the culture and also as a form of self-protection. We were different already and being female it wasn't safe not to wear one outside".

She paused for a moment. Rubbing her hands together to warm them. How cold she felt now was the total opposite of her time in Yemen.

"How glad I was when we left after five months of living there. I think I was eight when we moved to England after that".

Hotch felt humbled how open she was with him at the moment. Telling him all this. He hadn't expected her to open up so sudden. It was interesting and entertaining to listen to her stories. Even though he knew she left the darker details away.

-----------------

She had no idea how long they'd been talking. It was Hotch who suddenly commented on how it had stopped snowing. She looked outside to see it he was right. Checking her watch she saw it was 10.30pm already. Wow, they had been talking for over an hour.

Hotch moved to open the door on his side. "I'm going to check outside to see how much snow has fallen. Try to get us going again".


AN2: Sana'a is the capital of Yemen, for those of you who might be wondering.