Thanx for your reviews greeneyedconstellations and hippiechic81, they are delicious food for the muse! Thanx for following curry36645. This was intended to be a one-shot, but you need something to read if you're following! So here is another chapter for you. And thank you paget and astralissa for favoriting. When I have a chance, I'll go back and perfect it, just for you.

It was late. The number of clients had dwindled and the bar was quieter. Emily felt exhausted –jet lag and anxiety over J.J.'s fate had finally taken their toll. But she was unwilling to waste even a second of her time sleeping. She could sleep on the plane, or when she was dead.

One by one, most of the team had gone home, full of regret, sad eyes, and huge hugs. Of course, Derek and Penelope were still there. Oddly enough, the Unit Chief was still there as well. Emily figured it must have been one of those rare weekends when Jack was away and Aaron had nothing to come home to, so he might as well stay with the team. Aaron. She smiled inwardly at having thought of him as Aaron, not Hotch. She was his equal now, and it gave her a heady sensation to know that she could now call him Aaron. She was dying to try it out, to just let the name casually slip from her lips and gauge his reaction. And she wanted to pick his brain, now that she led her own team.

But she wanted to have that conversation alone with him. An intimate moment suspended in time, without prying ears. But the hourglass was running, the sands of time nearly spent. Emily sighed in frustration knowing that she would not get the opportunity.

Derek took her sigh as a sign of fatigue and said, "You're tired, Princess. Maybe you should grab a few minutes of sleep before your flight. Would you like a lift back to the hotel?"

Emily glanced at the Unit Chief who seemed as aloof as usual. Well, that was the end of it. "Sure, that would be great," she replied reluctantly. A puzzled Derek caught the glance, but in the next moment, understanding dawned on him.

"I can take you, Emily," intervened Hotch. "Why don't you guys go home and get some rest?"

Before Penelope could protest, Derek stepped in. "Thanks, Hotch. It would be a lot easier for us to just say goodbye right here."

"It would?" asked Penelope sadly.

"Yeah, Baby Girl. This is how it has to be."

The difficult moment they were avoiding had finally arrived and the women embraced, Emily with moist eyes, Penelope with tears pooling in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. She spurted out consoling words of seeing each other again sooner rather than later.

During the exchange, Derek watched Hotch closely for a sign that could help him read the unflinching Unit Chief. Was anything going on between him and Emily? Or would something start today, right now? Hotch felt the weight of Derek's scrutiny. The intensity of his will to know was like an irresistible force of nature, a magnet even. It drew Hotch's gaze and in that instant Derek knew. Approval washed through him. Yes! Emily and Hotch made perfect sense! He could wish nothing more for his friend. Hotch would respect her and care for her. Always. She would never have to be alone again. The hint of a smile formed on his features and Derek said, "Come on, Mama. It's my turn." He hugged and kissed Emily goodbye and said with emotion in his voice, "Damn that Atlantic Ocean." Emily let out a laugh that also sounded like a sob and she replied, "Take care of her for me." He nodded and grabbed Penelope's hand to gently pull her away. Fortunately, he possessed a little piece of gossip that would make Penelope's day. Hell, it would make her year!

When they were out of sight, Emily rubbed her reddened eyes and groaned, "I hate goodbyes." She felt vulnerable and exposed in front of Hotch, the man who knew how to dominate his emotions down to the last glance, gesture, and nuance of the voice. "I don't know how you do it, Aaron."

And there it was: The first time she had ever dared to call him by his given name. And his response sent a wave of gratification through her. The Unit Chief opened his eyes wider and a smile invaded his carefully controlled expression. "How I do what?"

"You know, stay focused and controlled. You're so strong for the team."

He laughed now, full dimples nearly blinding her with his beauty. "I'm never in as much control as the team thinks."

"That's hard to believe!" she laughed recovering from the effects of his smile on her heartbeat. "I've been wanting to talk to you all night about this."

That was news to him. "About what?" he asked surprised, another smile escaping of its own accord. He was glad he had stayed and glad he had taken a chance.

"I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but you're my standard, my model. In any given situation, I ask: What would Hotch do? And I get through it. And my superiors compliment me and give me all this recognition. And I'm like, Yeah, I learned from the best."

The words warmed his heart and he felt a sudden urge to touch her, to feel her perfect skin and find out once and for all if she was real, or if she was indeed a porcelain doll. "That's probably the greatest compliment anyone has ever paid me."

"Then that's sad," she laughed. "Besides, it's not a compliment, it's the truth. I always felt so good under you."

They both laughed, Aaron more than her, and her cheeks were bright red when she giggled, "I'm sorry! That sounded so dirty."

"Why don't you rephrase that," he invited warmly.

"I meant when I was under your authority." Her smile faded and she continued, "Seriously, Aaron, I want my people to feel like that with me. How do you do it?"

"I think I know what you mean, but you have to be more specific. How, exactly, did I make you feel under me? I mean, other than at the beginning when I was a total jerk!"

"You were a total jerk!" she laughed, not missing his flirtatious manner when he teased her just now. "But you more than made up for it." She paused and he caught himself straining to hear her next sentence. She was delighted by his eager attention. And so she gave him the unfiltered version of how she felt respected and appreciated as a member of his team. She confessed the assurance it gave her on the job to know that she had his full support, how his trust in her made her go above and beyond the job description, how the respect for him made her go the extra mile. And while she was at it, she told him that she also felt respected as a female. There was never a wandering eye over her body or a disrespectful glance. "I didn't feel like a woman in front of you."

"Well, I don't know if that's good or bad," he laughed. Her confessions had made his blood race through his body. She made him feel so alive!

"You know what I mean," she said good-naturedly. "It's hard being a woman in the FBI."

"Well, it wasn't always easy. I am after all, just a man." Okay, so that actually slipped out. He waited for the repercussions of the comment.

"I get that about you. I saw you with Beth. You certainly are just a man. And I'm certainly just a woman. Sometimes after work, the team gets together at a pub and I'm reluctant to go because what if I find myself feeling lonely next to one of the full-blooded males on my team, perhaps with too much alcohol in my system..." she shuttered at the thought, at how unprofessional conduct could destroy everything she had worked so hard for, at how a brief moment of pleasure could tarnish her reputation forever.

"Yes, I understand," he said growing serious. He hated the thought of Emily spending a night of passion with anyone, other than himself, of course. And judging by the way she whole-heartedly did everything, it would be a helluva night. He cleared his throat and said, "I'll tell you my secret, but this cannot get back to J.J. or Penelope, okay?"

Emily was more than intrigued. She practically glowed at the thought of entering into his confidence. "Okay," she promised. "Scout's honor."

And Hotch felt like kissing her right then and there, she was so cute. "I pretend that Penelope is my sister and J.J. is my daughter."

Emily's mouth fell open in shock. "You do not!"

"Yes, I do," Hotch smirked. "Absolutely no chance of attraction, and hence no sexual tension –ever."

"They would flip out if they knew this!"

"Ah, but you scouts-honored me that they wouldn't!"

"Wait, what about me?"

Now Hotch knew he was in trouble. He tried to dismiss her with, "What about you?"

"Aaron, come on, now. What about me?"

"I'll never tell," he laughed.

"It's that bad!"

"Let's just say I had to take out the big guns with you."

"Okay, so I was what? Your mother?"

Guilt dripped from Hotch's eyes.

"No!" she cried out horrified.

He fell into a laughing bout and said, "Let me explain! Let me explain!"

Emily feigned anger but the mirth in her eyes eased him.

"Do you remember the time Reid stood you up for that diplomatic function? The one you had to have a date for to get your mother off your back?"

"Yes, don't remind me," she recalled.

"And you barged into my office in that red dress looking, well, looking the way you looked. You were so angry at Reid, but you were taking it out on me. And you said, 'Aaron Hotchner! I know you have a tux in that locker. Now put it on and be my date!' And I obeyed immediately."

"Oh, God, Aaron, I was desperate. I'm so sorry."

"Well, that was the day I knew you couldn't be my sister. You had to be my mother if I was going to keep my hands off of you."

They laughed heartily and then Aaron said, "Think of each team member in such a way that won't let you cross the line of professionalism. Always think ahead to detect situations that might compromise your integrity. And never, ever fantasize about a team member. I can't stress that enough. Conduct unbecoming starts in the mind."

It was good advice and she was letting it sink in. "Did you just say conduct unbecoming?" she teased.

"Shut up," he smiled embarrassed.

They were looking into each other's eyes when the bartender said, "Sorry, guys. We're closing."

They looked around. Neither had realized that they were the last patrons.

Emily looked at her watch and then at Hotch with regret. He rose to his feet appalled at how tired he suddenly felt and then asked, "Where am I taking you?"

"Let me get my suitcase at the hotel, and then to the airport."

"Okay," he said. "Let's go. Maybe we can grab something on the way."

Her ears perked and he said, "To eat, that is."

It will take one more chapter to finish this brief piece. Hope you will stay with me. And please, please drop me a line or three. What would you like to happen? Well, I think I can guess as much, but how would you like it to happen? Let me know!