December 21, 2008
"It feels like it's so fast," Emily said into the speaker phone of her cell as she applied her makeup. She had her best friends on speaker, after agonizing all morning about her relationship with Hotch.
"Oh please," Penelope said, her own voice sounding slightly too far away. Emily knew she was decorating.
"Come on! Our first kiss was two days ago," Emily said on a sigh.
"Uh huh," JJ agreed. It had been part of the conversation. After all, the girls had to know why Emily was starting to panic in the first place. "Have you slept with him?"
"No," Emily replied adamantly.
"Then I don't see a problem," Penelope agreed. "I don't understand why you're worried."
"Exactly," JJ's triumphant voice rang through Emily's cavernous bathroom. "You like spending time with Jack. You're fantastic with him. I can't comment on your relationship with Hotch because one, it feels twisted, and two, you guys play it closer to the vest than some of the most secretive CIA agents. Fort Knox has nothing on the two of you."
"Thanks, Jayje," Emily said sarcastically as she went about applying eyeshadow.
"It's true," JJ protested. "Dave says he's been different these last few weeks."
"Dave?" Penelope asked, a snicker in her voice.
"Different?"
"Well," JJ continued, "Not with just anyone, Em. With you. Dave saw you guys sharing earphones or something? Not once, but twice, if I remember correctly."
"Just how much time have you been spending with Agent Rossi?" Emily joked, knowing that thought JJ couldn't see her arched eyebrow, the blond would hear it.
"We're not changing the subject here," JJ replied resolutely. "He bought you chocolate, a job reserved for Derek-"
"Who was slightly offended I'll have you know," Penelope interrupted.
JJ didn't miss a beat. "Since then, you guys have been tree hunting, you were glued at the hip at the FBI party, he comes to your little campfire sessions in the conference room and, from what I hear, actually has a sense of humour. Derek's been working for Hotch for what...? Five years?"
"And he says he's never seen Hotch like this. He's never seen the man loosen up in all of the years he's known him," Penelope agreed.
Emily sighed. "We have such a network."
"The Bureau is worse than high school for water cooler gossip," JJ agreed. "Look, we're beating a dead horse here even talking about it. You can't pull out now."
Penelope's hummed agreement came through the phone. "It's good for you. And from what I hear it's good for him too."
Emily sighed again, picking up her cell phone as she made her way back to her bedroom and the dress that was waiting for her. It was much more modest than what she'd worn to the FBI party. The neckline was a square cut, with elbow-length sleeves. The entirety of the dress was black, her colour of choice to functions such as this, and cut off at her knees. It was form-fitting, but not tight.
"Do I take a change of clothes?" she asked, setting the phone on her dresser as she grabbed her dress off the hangar.
"Are you going to want to wear that dress while you're over there with Jack?" Penelope replied.
"Excellent point," Emily conceded. "I have to go."
"Me too," JJ agreed. "Dave's making me dinner."
"Can we earmark that conversation for another time?" Penelope all but begged. "Because that man had doted on you since you and Will called it quits."
"Consider it earmarked," Emily said before JJ could speak to the contrary. "Wish me luck."
"With Hotch or the party?" JJ inquired.
Emily bit her bottom lip. "Both."
"Daddy?"
"Yes Jack?"
The little boy bit his lip as he looked up at his father from where he was hanging one of his homemade ornaments on the tree. "Is Em'ly coming for Christmas?"
Hotch looked down at his son in surprise. "I don't know," he replied honestly. "We're going to have to ask her."
"Can we?"
It was official. His son had a crush on the same woman he was quickly falling for. "It wouldn't hurt," he conceded.
"She has to say 'yes'," the three-year-old said.
Privately, he very much agreed with his son. He knew Emily spent Christmas by herself, though she always said she had plans on Christmas Eve. Hotch had a feeling it was Anne and her nieces.
"But then I have to give her a present!"
Jack sounded almost distraught at the thought of not having anything for the raven-haired woman and it made Hotch smile. At least until he realized that he had nothing for her either. Then he frowned. "I'm sure we can find something."
"Daddy! Christmas is soon! I only have three more chocolates left!"
"We still have time," he reassured his son. "We'll go shopping tomorrow, okay?"
Jack seemed placated. "Okay. But what are we going to get!"
Now Hotch just wanted to laugh. It seemed that finding the perfect present for Emily was now topmost in his son's mind. His own gut was twisting as his mind whirled. What was he supposed to get this woman? "We'll figure that out. Now hang those last few decorations, then it's bathtime."
He ended up chasing his son to the bathroom and left him giggling and playing in the tub when he heard his cell phone ring from the living room. He grumbled slightly as he made his way down the hall. They weren't even on duty for goodness sakes. "Hotchner."
"I have made my necessary appearance."
He smiled unconsciously at her voice. "You're on your way?"
"I am."
He checked the clock on his oven. "It's 8:30."
"I didn't stay for dessert."
He could almost hear her blush through her phone. "I'm sure we can find something here."
The hum she made heated his insides. "I'll be there shortly."
With her ready bag over her shoulder, Emily knocked on the door to Hotch's apartment feeling the tension leaking out of her shoulders. The time with her mother had inched by probably because she was looking forward to this more than the party. She was a girl who much preferred movies at home to fancy dining. She burst out laughing when Hotch pulled open the door, spotted with water. "Bathtime?"
His smile was relaxed and boyish. "It is," he agreed. "Though I'm not sure if Jack is actually clean."
"Em'ly!"
She almost toppled back on her heels but managed to catch her balance before toppling backwards. "Jack! Where does he get all of this energy?" she asked stepping in the front hall. He took her bag as she slipped off her shoes, sighing as her arches relaxed. Then she lifted Jack.
"You're pretty," Jack said, one of his little hands tugging at her curls.
"I had to go to a party," she replied. "I brought a change of clothes."
"Jack, let's let Emily get changed, okay?" Hotch said.
Jack went willingly to the floor. "Then can you read me a story?"
Emily had known from day one that Jack Hotchner could get her to do anything he asked. "Of course," she answered willingly, taking her bag back from Hotch.
"Back room or the bathroom, it's your choice," he said.
She wisely decided on the bathroom. As tempting as it was to see Hotch's bedroom, that was a little too intimate for the fact that they'd barely started dating. Minutes later she was in lounge pants and a long-sleeved tee, comfortable and presentable. And she'd washed off her makeup. Feeling more like a human now, as opposed to an overdone doll, she carefully placed her dress in her bag along with her heels and assorted other odds and ends and made her way to Jack's room.
She stood in the doorway, just watching for a few minutes as Hotch read from a thin story book, Jack piping up to comment every once in a while or ask a question. Emily smiled. She was already getting used to all of this, to Jack, to Hotch, to joking and laughing with him. They were friends before and while they hadn't been the closest of colleagues – Emily was definitely closer to Derek – that only added to the allure of the relationship.
Much to her surprise, Jack was asleep before the end of the book. Hotch tucked him in, ensuring that his stuffed dinosaur was tucked right beside him. He met and held her eyes as he stepped towards her. She took his outstretched hand and followed him to the living room. He pulled her onto the couch and she moved willingly against him. Her body relaxed completely then.
"How was it?"
Why was it so easy to forget they'd only been dating for two days? Because it was ridiculous in her mind that only three days ago she'd been pulling away. Now, she willingly cuddled closer, almost purring as his hand tugged through her curls.
"Terrible," she responded. "Boring. I hate playing politics."
--
He knew that. She'd made it very clear early on in her days with the BAU. He pressed a kiss to her head, turning slightly so his free hand wrapped around her opposite thigh. He'd known she was standing in the doorway while he read to Jack and had pretty much assumed Jack would fall asleep before Emily had a chance to read to him. He wasn't all that against it, really because as much as he liked seeing her with his son, he wanted her to himself. "I'm sorry."
She breathed out heavily as her head fell to his shoulder. "Hotch, we need to-"
"Talk," he agreed.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"For what, sweetheart?"
He thrilled at the shiver that passed through her. "I want this to be easy..."
"Relationships aren't easy," he replied, pulling her closer.
"Is that what we're doing?" she asked quietly, vulnerably.
He knew she valued honesty and he wasn't going to give her anything less. "It's what I want," he said honestly.
She lifted her head, kissing him softly. But he held on, angling her head with the hand that had woven into her hair. He turned her so she was straddling his lap, his arms wrapping around her tightly to make sure she couldn't move. Emily didn't seem to mind. In fact, she seemed as willing to postpone or forget the conversation as he was. However, he wanted to make something perfectly clear so he reluctantly pulled away.
"I want to try, Emily. I want to make this more than a Christmas thing. We are going to finish that conversation when we're not both exhausted and after Christmas."
"After Christmas?"
He kissed her again, delving into her warmth, distracting her completely with hands, lips and tongue. "I have things I'd rather do than discuss the details."