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Chapter 2

"We have to tell the team" both Hotch and Emily had the same thought after they told Jack their news, but as the cases rolled in, the time never seemed to be there. They both wanted to tell the team, but the time never seemed right. It took a dinner at Rossi's to make the moment right. They all sat around the table over a meal of Rossi's spaghetti carbonara when their eyes met and nodding, Hotch tapped his spoon against his glass. Every eye turned to him and all sound stopped as Hotch and Emily stood side by side.

They both felt their nerves shaking like leaves in a stormy breeze as they looked at the people around them. This was their family, not through blood, but something better then even that. Looking at their makeshift family, Hotch looked at Emily, and neither of them who how to make the announcement that they had to make.

"Emily and I have some news we've been wanting to share with you" said Hotch his smile large as he let Emily finish for him.

"We're having a baby" said Emily feeling as Hotch wrapped his arm around her. Everyone was so happy for her in that moment, they were forced apart to a chorus of congratulations, and hugs. Penelope must have hugged them both a million times and as their family surrounded them, they both felt so blessed. They didn't just have each other, but they had this, their family and friends. When the chaos of the news was over, Hotch held Emily close, kissing her for all to see. To him, this felt like a new beginning. Something wonderful after so much pain and he was so glad to have her. He never thought he would feel so ease again. Because this was their family and there was nothing, he wanted more then to be here with them.

When the plates were cleared away, the guys and gals separated. Hotch, Dave, and Will watched as Spencer entertained the kids with his magic. The girls stole Emily away and they could see them sitting by the fountain in a chorus of happy laughter. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful night. They sat in silence, a glass of scotch in their hands and Hotch sighed, he couldn't remember the last time everything seemed to fall into place this way.

"I don't think I've seen you this happy in a while" said Dave catching his attention. Hotch didn't respond at first, his eyes were still drawn to the vision of Emily as she laughed with Penelope and JJ. It was a serene picture and it took Dave repeating himself to draw him away from it. Hotch smiled at his friend then as he sipped his drink and he couldn't deny it. He was happy. Happy in a way that he hadn't been since Haley's death. It was uplifting to believe that his future was still ahead of him when he had believed for a short time that it was behind him.

"So, what now?" said Dave topping off his glass.

Again, Hotch didn't hear him, his eyes suddenly focused on the glass in his hand. This time Dave didn't repeat himself, but simply watched his friend wondering what was on his mind. He knew it wouldn't be long before he told him, but when he did, Dave wasn't surprised by the words that left him.

"Emily and I are starting a family, not that we weren't before now, but now things will be different. I was thinking that we should consider getting married now. I was thinking about asking her" whispered Hotch his voice low as if it was a mere suggestion. Dave knew better though, he had seen his friend like this before, but in a different way. A long time ago, when he'd first met Haley, Dave had seen that look in Aaron Hotchner's eyes when he looked at her. That same look was there now too. It was just different, and Dave knew as he watched his friend that that was because his love for Emily was a different type of love.

"You're just thinking of it" whispered Dave his own gaze falling to his own wife, Penelope. Hotch seemed to get quiet then and Dave sensed some type of indecision as his eyes found him again.

"Aaron, what's going on? Either you want to marry her, or you want things to stay as they are? Which is it?" exclaimed Dave his voice faltering the longer his friend remained sitting beside him refusing to actually look at him. There was something his friend wasn't telling him. Something that was holding him back and staring his friend down, Dave wouldn't leave it alone. Not until his friend finally looked at him.

"I don't have a ring, Dave, I can't offer her much. Only me, Jack, a family. She deserves more" whispered Hotch his eyes on Emily once more. It was Dave's hand on his arm that made him look at him again.

"Emily doesn't care about anything else, Hotch" exclaimed Dave his gaze holding that of his friend. When Hotch finally looked away, he looked at Emily again, and once again, he found her laughing. He liked the sound of her laugh as much as he liked watching her do it. She brought so much joy to his life and the longer he watched her, the more he realized that he never wanted to call her anything, but his wife. When he watched her this time, after a moment, she turned her head watching him this time. Hotch shared a smile with her as their eyes met. He felt a warmth within himself in that moment and as Dave smiled beside him, he knew what he had to do. What he wanted to do.

"So, are you still only thinking about marrying her?" whispered Dave making Hotch look down into his glass before he refilled it.

"No, I'm going to do it. I'm going to ask Emily to marry me" said Hotch clinking his glass with Dave's then Will's as the girls approached.