A/N: I am so sorry for the late uptade. I got caught up with work and study and just didn't had the time to write this. This is the continuation of their date, following their arrival at home. We have more Hotly and another kiss. From now on we will follow him on their try to rebuild their relationship and Aaron's love for Emily. We'll have a couple of problems on the waay of course. Next chapter will be posted by Wednesday. I hope you like it!

Chapter 10

They got home a little after eleven. Emily suddenly was feeling very nervous. They had walked back to the car hand in hand and in silence. He had opened the car's door for her, the driver's seat since he wasn't cleared to drive, and they had made their way back home in silence too. And now she didn't know what to expect. She felt like she was walking in eggshells and she didn't like it. She knew that due to his condition she couldn't wait for Valentine's sex. But, God. How much she wanted to sleep on their bed, on his arms, feeling his heartbeat, breathing his scent and feeling his skin on hers.

But looking at his struggling face she knew that she couldn't wait for that. She tried to think positive, because they were really taking tiny steps towards. But it didn't hurt any less. She missed him so much. Deciding to save him from any awkwardness she turned to him with a little smile. "Thank you for the night. Really, everything was perfect. As I said to you, I wasn't expecting anything so you really took me by surprise. And thank you for my gifts". She remembered his gift from her for this day. She had bought a new negligee, a lace red one, his favorite color on her, and was plaining a special night for them. He had made her promise that she wouldn't buy any gifts for him because she had given him a very expensive Rolex on Christmas, so she chose to buy something that they both could have some fun. Unfortunately it wasn't an option for now.

She must have shown her disappointment on her face because he frowned and step closer to her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing… just that… I can't give you your gift now…" She said quietly.

His frown deepened. "You don't have to, but… why not?"

She looked at him for a second before looking away, blushing. "It's just… it was a different gift". She stammered a bit. "You said you didn't want a real gift so I bought something we both could enjoy". She said with a knowingly smile. A few seconds later his frown changed to a widened eye and then he blushed too. "Yeah… I planned a special night but… first, you're still injured for that and secondly… well, I'll save it for another time, if we have the opportunity".

"Emily…" He started, shaking his head sheepishly.

"No, no, Aaron, don't get me wrong. I'm not pressuring you into anything. Honestly, I know how much you must be confused with all that it's happening and just being able to kiss you today is more than enough for me. I really thought that I wouldn't have a taste of you for a very long time so… thank you". She smiled. They stayed in silence for a few moments before she cleared her throat. "Well… I guess I'll go to bed now. You should go too. You need to rest."

He nodded quickly. She turned to go upstairs but then suddenly stopped, turning back to him with a sheepishly look. "What?" He asked, taking a few steps closer.

"Can I have a good night kiss?" She asked sweetly and he couldn't help but smile at her.

"Of course you can". She closed the distance between them quickly, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing their lips together in a sweet and longing kiss. Just as she was pulling back, his hands, which were resting on her hips, circled her waist and pressed her tightly against his frame, his tongue tracing her lips, seeking for permission to entrance that she eagerly obliged. She moaned into his mouth at the touch of his tongue on hers and the kiss quickly escalated as he hungrily devoured her mouth, sucking her tongue and tracing every inch with his.

They continued the kiss for several minutes, his hands roaming around her back and hers gripping his hair tightly. They parted when the lack of oxygen too much, both panting heavily and gasping for breath. "God, Aaron…" Emily said with a shiver, still gripping tightly into him, this time on the lapel of his jacket, afraid that she would collapse due the way her knees had turned into jelly during the kiss.

He smiled at her and gave her one more peck on the lips. "Good night, Emily".

"Good night, my love". She said with a watery smile, her eyes sparkling and her face glowing. "Thank you for the best Valentine's Day ever".

"Best ever? Really?" He asked with a frown. This was really their best Valentine's Day? With no celebration sex, not even an 'I love you' from him?

She smiled at him, knowing why he was asking that. "Yes. Best ever. Don't get me wrong, we had some very awesome Valentine's Days, with fancy dinners and fancy lingerie and a lot of sex, even with me covered on Chantilly once". She chuckled at his wide eyes. "But this one… this one you made me a delicious breakfast, gave me the most beautiful flowers, a beautiful scarf that I wanted so much, this beautiful necklace, took me to an amazing dinner, kissed me so many times and all of that you did for me without loving me". He looked down and opened his mouth to argue. "No, Aaron, I know that you're not in love with me. I know that. You're the Aaron of six years ago and he didn't love me yet. He was struggling to recover from his attack, from the murder of his wife and he was trying to figure out how to raise his little son and continue to do his job properly. We built this together and you learnt to love me with time". She raised her hand to make him look into her eyes. "And the only thing I want is the opportunity to make you learn to love me again. Because babe, I love you so much. I can't function without you in my life. When you woke up in that hospital without remember anything the only thing in my mind was 'I can't lose him'. I just can't. And that's why I'm here, exposing myself and opening my heart to you even though the rational part of my brain is screaming for me to protect myself, telling me that anytime you can't go away through that door saying that you can't be with me and take away my son with you. It's because I can't live without you so I'm going to fight with all that I have to get you back to me. Because you are the love of my life".

He looked at her and took her hand on his cheek to plant a kiss on its palm. "Thank you for not pressuring me. And for loving me this much. And Emily, I'd just like to say that even if everything goes wrong and… even if I can't… if we can't make this work… I would never, ever, cut you out of Jack's life like that. I already understood that you are his mother and I wouldn't do this with you guys. I hope you know that".

She fight with the pain on her chest at the prospect of losing him but managed to keep the tears back and give him a small smile. "I know. Well, let's go to bed. Good night again. Sleep well, my love". She said standing on tiptoes to give him a last peck on his lips and then went upstairs, looking back to smile at him quickly.

He stood there, looking at where she went and smiled. Inside, he was still fighting a battle about what he should do. They had taken a large step forward today and he was honestly happy about that. Going upstairs he passed through the guest room's door and could hear her walking around, preparing herself for bed. He knew that she wanted to sleep with him and had just ignored the idea to not make him uncomfortable.

But truth to be told, he wanted it too. He wanted to know how it was to sleep with her in his arms, smelling her scent and wake up to her, seeing her beautiful face first thing in the morning. He didn't know where this need to be near her was coming from but he wanted. He wasn't naïve enough to fool himself saying that he didn't notice her before. As he had said to Rossi and to his mother, he always thought that she was a beautiful woman, strong, determined and intelligent. He just never thought that they would be together someday. He never thought that she would ever look at him this way, let alone to love him this much.

But she did. Every day she proved it to him. And that scared him. Deeply.

He remembered what she said to him. And that's why I'm here, exposing myself and opening my heart to you even though the rational part of my brain is screaming for me to protect myself. It's because I can't live without you so I'm going to fight with all that I have to get you back to me. Because you are the love of my life.

It was so good to be loved this deeply. It had been so long. Since Haley he hadn't had anyone to say these things to him. To love him, to fight for him. And even with Haley he couldn't say that he knew what it was like because she didn't fight for them. She had abandoned him, taking their son with her, as if they hadn't meant anything. Not to count the times he knew she had betrayed him before that. He never confronted her but he knew about it, he wasn't stupid. So why to not enjoy this amazing woman who was proving over and over that loved him and his son more than anything?

Finally, he decided to give it a try. He had already decided yesterday to give her a good day and after their date and everything he learnt about her he just thought that she was even more amazing. And she wanted him. And she chose him to spend her life with. Why be so scared? It wasn't like they were just fooling around and he could end it easily. They were married, they have a committed relationship, they have a son together because even though she wasn't Jack's biological mom, she was the one who helped him to raise him and make him the boy he was today.

And she was trying so hard to make this the less difficult to him. If there's one thing he had learnt with his previous marriage is that love and relationships were a two way street. They needed to be feed and built together, every single day. They demanded effort from both parts. They demanded understatement and companionship. So he had to do his part to make this work too, to make her happy too.

He approached the closed door and knocked it lightly, waiting for her to open it. A few seconds later she opened it and looked at him with a curious look. "What is it?"

He looked at her up and down and God, she was even more beautiful with just an old t-shirt and one of his boxers, face cleaned from makeup and her hair on a messy bun. He could not be in love with her but he definitely was attracted to her. Clearing his throat quickly he looked back into her eyes and said. "I was thinking and… would you like to uh… I don't know… maybe, would you like to…" He stammered.

She chuckled at his inability to speak. "What is it, Aaron?"

He cleared his throat again and took a deep breath. "Would you like to sleep with me tonight? On our bed?"

It was her turn to stay speechless, her mouth hanging opened and her eyes almost bugging out of her head. "A-are you serious?" He chuckled and nodded. "Of course I want to!" She said with a squeal and thrown he arms around his neck to hug him tightly. "Oh honey, you are making me so happy!" She whispered on his neck, a few tears escaping from her eyes.

"I'm glad". He smiled at her. So this was pure love? Happiness based in only the presence of the other person? It was a pretty good feeling. He wiped the tears from her face and took her hand with his. "C'mon. Let's go to bed".

She nodded eagerly and followed him to their bedroom, sitting on the bed to wait for him to get change on the bathroom, grinning widely. He returned to the room and chuckled at her face, getting into the bed and motioning to her follow him. Lying together, he put his arms around her waist and she placed her head on his shoulder and a hand on his chest. Looking up to him, she smiled and brushed her lips on his jaw. "Thank you Aaron".

"You're welcome". He said smiling, planting a sweet kiss on her forehead. Quickly sleep caught them, both secured on each other's arms and knowing that they could try to make this work and they wouldn't or either couldn't just give up.

A/N: Next chapter I'd like to put another flashback, maybe his first memory? What do you think? Help me! What should I put in?