When Aaron Met Emily
Chapter 3 – We've Seen Enough
Emily grabbed her jacket to cover herself, "What the hell are you doing in here?!"
Aaron shot back, "I was clearly here first. Shouldn't I be asking you that question? I believe this is my room."
"No, this is MY room. I don't know who you are but get the hell out before I call security."
"Oh the irony," JJ snickered.
Emily shrugged, "I didn't who he was, besides he didn't even have the decency to turn away."
"Hold it," Hotch jumped in to defend himself. "I was watching your face. YOU checked ME out!"
"I did no such thing," Emily denied. "You didn't have much to look at in the first place."
"And how, pray tell, would you know that if you didn't peek Ms. Prentiss?" Rossi prodded.
Emily maturely stuck out her tongue, "Hotch was this tall but scrawny guy whose suits practically hung on him. It wasn't hard to figure out."
"Excuse me I was NOT scrawny," Hotch denied amusedly. "You want to talk scrawny you should have seen Emily. Tiny little thing with nothing but skin and bones."
"So much for you only watching her face," JJ countered earning a high five from Emily before she continued the story.
Aaron snorted, "Tough luck I AM security." The two walked to meet each other halfway. "My name is Aaron Hotchner, special agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
"Really? They fit all that on your birth certificate?" Emily crossed her arms. "Excuse me for having a shorter one Emily Elizabeth Prentiss." Emily smirked as Aaron gulped a little. "Look buddy," Emily poked his chest with one finger. "The maid told me third door on the right so if you want to get rid of me you're going to have to prove me wrong."
"What's all the shouting abou-" Norma came in and stopped short at the sight in front of her; Emily in nothing but her coat and Aaron, still wet from the shower, with a towel around his waist. For one second the woman's lips twitched like she was going to laugh but she controlled her expression. "Oh Mr. Hotchner, this isn't your room. I told you the one on the left."
Aaron flushed a little with embarrassment. "Alright," he said curtly and looked down at Emily. "My apologies Miss Prentiss."
"No problem agent." Emily placed her hands on her hips only to realise ten seconds too late that that left the jacket open. She quickly wrapped it tightly back around her, now it was her turn to blush and Aaron became smug.
"There's no one in the hall Mr. Hotchner, you can run across, I'll take your bags." Aaron nodded at Norma and swiftly went to the other room. Norma's lips began trembling again as she collecting his things.
"Don't say it Norma," Emily said through gritted teeth.
"Haven't even been in this house for five minutes…" Norma patted Emily's shoulder. "How I've missed you Emily dear. Do get dressed, your mother will see you soon."
"You know Prentiss I think I should pay old Norma a visit too," Hotch mused. "I wonder if she'll even remember me…"
"Oh she remembers you," Emily assured him. "When I told her I was working with you, she said 'You don't mean that young man from all those years ago? My goodness you two were a double act, that week was one of the few highlights of my service.' Apparently working with my mother was dreadfully boring and we were her favourite entertainment."
"Good to know we brightened someone's day," Hotch said while reaching for a doughnut. "We certainly didn't brighten each other's. Remember after we met with your mother?"
At Norma's instruction, Aaron made his way to Ambassador Prentiss's office. He was surprised to see her daughter already there wearing casual jeans and a blouse. He couldn't help but notice the way she held herself, straight-backed with hands behind her back, hardly a stance one normally takes in their own home. Ambassador Prentiss was at her desk hanging up the phone just as he walked in. "Ah good, Agent Hotchner isn't it?"
"Yes ma'am," Aaron nodded as they shook hands.
"I'd like for you to meet my daughter Emily," she gestured to where Emily stood. "She's home from Yale for the gala."
"We've been acquainted," Emily said with tight smile while shaking hands with Aaron. They stood side by side and a little apart while Elizabeth spoke.
"Excellent," the ambassador said briskly. "Best to get the formalities out of the way. You'll be seeing a lot of each other over the next week."
"I think I've seen enough," Aaron muttered.
Emily shot him a glare, "Ass" she hissed.
Elizabeth continued oblivious, "Now Agent Hotchner, this is a list of my staff and family that will attending the event and also the dignitaries who have already confirmed their attendance for the gala. I shall inform you if there any changes."
"Yes ma'am," Aaron accepted the paper and worked hard not to groan. Checking and doing security clearance for all these people would be a nightmare. "I'll get to work on these right away."
"Well isn't someone eager…" Emily said out of the corner of her mouth, Aaron chewed the inside of his cheek tersely.
Ambassador Prentiss was too caught up with some papers she was reading. "Wonderful. Emily it is good to have you home dear." Elizabeth gave her daughter a light hug. "But if you both will excuse me, I have some more phone calls to make." Recognizing the dismissal, both turned and left the room.
Emily stretched, "Well that was fun, not as much as the welcome home party though."
"It was a mistake," Aaron said shortly. "I thought Ambassadors' daughters had better manners."
"Yeah well, I thought that the FBI would make sure their agents know right from left before sending them out. Guess we were both wrong."
Aaron huffed, "Look, whether we like it or not, we're going to be putting up with each other this week. Just get over it already and while you're at it, get over yourself."
"Big words from the guy who was eyeing me down not ten minutes ago." Emily crossed her arms, "You didn't seem to have a problem with me when I was half-naked in front of you hot eyes."
"Ah the birth of a wonderful nickname," Rossi chuckled. "Thank you for that Emily."
"Don't even think about it Dave," Hotch warned.
"Please," Hotch said derisively. "First of all, the name is Hotchner. Secondly, don't flatter yourself. Or is that the problem? Sorry to break it to you sweetheart but I'm married." For some reason he couldn't resist adding, "But even if I was single, I wasn't exactly impressed."
"You pompous jackass," Emily fought the urge to punch him. She took a deep breath, "You know what? No. I won't get into this with you. I have no time for overblown hothead boy scouts."
"And I have no time for whiny petulant brats." Both stood there fuming.
Emily said in a hard voice, "Stay away from me."
Aaron never broke eye contact, "Works for me."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Now now children, play nice," Alex joked to the collective amusement.
