Step too far

A week had passed. Gideon requested Hotch stay in London until the killer was caught. " It could be weeks," he warned. Though the idea of weeks away from Hayley was something he wasn't looking forward too, Hotch agreed to it. It was his job. He had to do it to support her. She wasn't happy about it a bit. She yelled at him, constantly telling him sorry wasn't good enough. He loved Hayley, but he hated her like this. He couldn't talk to her, reason with her. After she'd finally finished yelling about the fact that he would be working with a woman, Hotch slammed the phone down on the unit without saying goodbye. He flung himself on the bed and stared at the ceiling until he finally fell asleep.

He found the highlight of his days now were when he was with Kate. They were getting on very well: laughing, talking, lightening the mood at the latest crime scene for one another. They talked about so much, they had nearly everything in common: books, music, movies. Though Hotch couldn't fathom why, he hadn't told her about his marriage to Hayley. Though, he though, it would have been nice to vent.

They'd grown to meeting in the cafe across the road for breakfast, lunch and dinner, though dinner was mostly had at her place or the hotel restaurant. Hotch never knew he could admit it to anyone, but he had grown very attracted to her. He had been the one to ask her to dinner the first time, he had asked her to dance and, according to Kate, he had began the string of flirtatious comments.

" No, I didn't," he insisted one night at dinner.

" Yes you did, Agent Hotchner, and don't you ever forget that," she replied pointing a fork at him. And, though he felt guilty for a moment, that didn't stop him from continuing the flirting.

However, one night, it was taken too far. Hotch and Kate had had dinner in the hotel one night. It was getting late so, being a gentleman, Hotch walked her home. They laughed and talked the whole way there. Finally they arrived at the house. Kate looked at Hotch, who was looking at the floor. " So, coffee?" she asked. Her back was to the door.

" I would but my boss said to update him anytime I could so I might head back to do that." When he looked up, Kate was staring at him. In the instant he looked up, Kate had her fingers wound in his hair and their lips together. He hesitated for a moment, thinking about Hayley, but, after Kate whispered his name, she and everyone in Quantico, Virginia were nothing to him. Just as he gave into her kisses, she pulled away from him and turned to open the front door. Hotch's lips never left her skin.

They finally made it into the house, into her bedroom but collapsed onto the floor. They stayed there all night.

When Kate woke the next morning, Hotch wasn't there. He'd left after the sun rose and hurried back to the hotel. He slammed his room door shut and rested his head against the door, finally thinking about Hayley and Quantico. He grabbed his cell phone and called her. " Hey, sweetie... yeah, I know it's early... I miss you too... I love you too...yes, like crazy!" Hotch realised his guilt had nothing to do with his infidelity, but with the lies he was currently feeding his wife.

ORIGINALLY TWO SEPARATE CHAPTERS

" Hi," Kate greeted as she reached the desk where Hotch was sitting. She threw her stuff on her seat.

He greeted her with a smile. " How was your morning?" he asked

Kate shook her head. " Please don't do that."

"Do what?" he asked genuinely confused

" Act like nothing happened..." she replied, sitting down.

" I wasn't, I wouldn't, Kat, I promise... I don't want to act like nothing happened... Last night was fantastic, the best I've had in a long time... I never want to forget it."

" I'm sensing a but."

" My family's, my friends are in Virginia, yours are here... If we keep this up, we're just gonna end up falling harder and harder for each other and it will be completely unbearable when I have to leave..."

" So what you're saying is that we can keep doing what we did until you have to leave, at which point neither one will want to let the other go?"

" Basically..."

" Ok, well... I say we keep doing what we're doing and see what happens..." She stopped him before he could interrupt her. " We can't pretend like we don't have feelings for each other." He nodded and subtly took her hand.

They had dinner that night at the hotel. It was uncomfortable, they both knew where they were going to end up. And they did. Kate woke up in Aaron's hotel room, in his bed, in his arms, against his bare body. She thought about the case and found it didn't scare her. Yes, she thought, as she turned to kiss him, Aaron Hotchner's arms could do magic.

For the next three weeks they never spent a night apart. they finally caught the killer. He had been seen by a five-year-old boy who saw the while thing. Hotch was scheduled to leave in a few days and Kate got them off to spend them all with him.

Two nights before he was set to leave, they were in bed, laughing, talking, kissing. Hotch looked at her. " What?" she asked.

" I love you, Kate."

" I love you too..."

" How much?" he interrupted.

" So much so that the thought of you leaving hurts so much... That I'd lave with you if you asked me to-"

" Do it!" he said.

" What?!" Kate asked surprised.

" You said you would if I asked... I'm asking Kate, come with me.."

" Darling-"

" Kate!"

" Let me sleep on it... It's late... we'll talk in the morning..."

" Fine," he sulked.

" We will talk in the morning!"

And they did. they agreed that Hotch would fly out the next day as scheduled, and he would meet Kate there at the airport tom meet her.

As they arrived at the airport, Hotch pulled out one last surprise: an engagement ring. Though Kate insisted it was far too soon to be thinking about that, Hotch countered by saying it was too soon for her to be willing to leave England for America. She finally gave in and agreed causing the tears she had willed back for her love to come flowing out.

A/N: I know they got engaged pretty quick, but I just didn't know what else to write.