Sorry for the long wait. It's been a crazy last couple of months. And to be honest, this couple have stayed silent. I can't write if they aren't talking - but considering what I punched out in the last hour or so, I found out why I got the silent treatment. It also doesn't help that I have no fewer than 5 things on my mind vying for attention. Add in long hours at work and very little sleep…I think, and I hope, that you forgive me for making you wait. That said…I am sure that you guys are not going to like this chapter, but the road of love does tend to be smooth…and rocky. Enjoy.

The Last Unbroken Heart

"You look good, Em," JJ observed over the rim of her coffee cup. "Marriage seems to agree with you."

"Thanks." Emily twirled the pasta on her fork. She didn't elaborate on her answer.

JJ gave a short laugh. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"What do you mean?" Emily returned. Her antenna went up, but her patrician upbringing gave her the ability to appear cool and calm.

"You look great, Dave looks great. From what I can see, everything is finally falling into place for the two of you, and all you can say is 'thanks'? What's wrong?"

Emily took a bite of her meal, but she took her time chewing. "Nothing is wrong," she finally answered.

"But you seem down in the dumps."

"Post holiday blues, I suppose." A sip of the iced tea. It tasted so bland.

"You two seemed to be getting closer over Christmas," JJ pointed out. "Did something happen since then?"

Emily managed a small smile. "Are you profiling me, Jayje?"

JJ's smile was soft and reassuring. "Maybe." She reached across the table and took her best friend's hand in hers. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing that I can put my finger on," Emily finally confessed.

"Has Dave changed in the way he's been treating you?" JJ couldn't imagine the legendary profiler treating a woman - any woman, for that matter - anything less than a queen. But there were the dozen failed relationships and three divorces that littered along the trail that had led him to her best friend.

Emily shook her head. "No. In fact, he's been more attentive since the New Year."

"But…?"

"I feel that his mind is elsewhere."

"What do you mean?"

Emily shrugged. "I caught him staring off into space the other day. When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he was just thinking. And he left it there."

"Maybe he was just thinking."

"Maybe." Emily picked up her glass, but she didn't drink. "He said something the other night in his sleep."

JJ looked startled. "In his sleep? Are you two sleeping together?!" JJ could barely keep her voice down. Her wish had been granted. Maybe now Emily would find the happiness she didn't think she deserved.

"Shhh! JJ!" Emily's cheek's flushed pink as a couple of the diners turned to look at her.

JJ leaned in close across the table. "Are you two sleeping together?" she whispered loudly.

Emily closed her eyes. She had not been prepared to break the news to her friend quite this way. But now the cat was out of the bag, and it was too late to put it back in.

"Yes."

"I'm so happy for you."

"Jayje…"

"What did he say?"

"It was more who he said." Emily took a deep breath. "He said the name 'Erin'."

JJ blinked. "Erin? As in Erin Strauss?" Any jubilation at Emily's relationship advancement was stopped cold.

"I don't know. That's all he said."

JJ tried to think of something to diffuse the moment. Although Emily and Dave seemed to reach a point in their relationship where they finally found their footing, they were still on treacherous ground. One wrong step could cause an avalanche and crash everything to the ground.

"Maybe he meant 'Aaron' as in Hotch," she provided the alternative name. "There was that case back in November…and they have been working together a lot…" It was a weak straw, but JJ had to grasp it.

Emily set her glass down. "Perhaps."

"Did you ask him about it?"

Emily gave a short laugh. "Yeah. David Rossi is going to confess that he was either dreaming about his dead former lover or the BAU leader. Either way, I'm feeling creeped out."

"Maybe it's innocent. "

"Maybe," Emily agreed, but her heart was in doubt.

JJ watched her friend's reaction. "You love him."

"What?"

"You love him."

"No, I don't," Emily denied.

"Yes, you do. Why else would you be concerned about something Dave said in his sleep?"

"Because it was unexpected," Emily stated with more anger than she intended.

"It's no big deal when you think about it."

"No big deal? Really?"

"Did he say the name while he was making love to you?" JJ inquired boldly.

Emily flushed with embarrassment. "JJ…"

"It's a simple yes or no. Did he say it while he was making love to you?" she repeated the question.

Emily looked away. "No."

"Then what is the big deal?"

"I just feel…" Emily tried to find the right words to describe what she was feeling, but she came up short. Could she say that she felt betrayed? Would that be fair? But how could she be betrayed by someone she didn't really fully trust?

"Betrayed?" JJ supplied.

"I…" Emily opened her mouth, then closed it.

"How did I know? Because I've been where you are…or rather, I've been where Dave is currently standing. I said the name 'Cruz' in my sleep, and Will confronted me about it. I can't remember if I dreamt about him or not, but Will took it personally. He wanted me to honest, and I was. He could have left it there and we would still be together. Was I wrong by not being honest with him in the beginning? Yes."

JJ let her words sink in. Maybe her confession would help Emily get past the fear.

"All I'm saying, Emily, is, be careful if you approach Dave. You may not like what you find out."

"So, I should let it go?"

"If he hasn't changed his attitude toward you, I would say yes."

Emily sighed and gave in. "Okay." She eyed the plate and felt her appetite go south.

"Tell me," JJ blissfully changed the subject. "How did your appointment go? And have you decided on any names?"
*****

Sitting in a booth at a pub in downtown Georgetown, the two expert profilers were sharing an after work drink, but it was obvious that one of them had something more than the current case on their mind.

"What's on your mind, Dave?" Hotch asked.

"What makes you ask that, Hotch?" Dave wondered with a slight grin.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's that you haven't touched your drink," Hotch observed. "Or maybe it's the way you keep trying to make pyramids out of the peanuts."

Dave's fingers hesitated placing the peanut on the stack. "That obvious?"

"Any more obvious, you would have a neon sign flashing above your head," Hotch chuckled. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Dave confessed honestly. "I think there is something wrong with Emily, but I'm not sure."

"Is it the baby?" Hotch felt his heart pause for a brief moment.

Dave shook his head. "No. No. The baby is fine. It's something…deeper. Like she has something on her mind."

"Have you asked her?"

Dave picked up the peanut and rolled it between his fingers. "I'm not about to hit that hornets' nest, Aaron. I may not have been successful in any of my relationships, but I learned when to stay and when to draw. I'm staying."

"Sounds like you've got a poker hand you're not sure of."

"Right now, it looks good. And I want to keep it that way." Dave tossed the peanut into the ashtray. "I just don't know what's on her mind."

"Was it something that you said?"

"That's the thing, Aaron," Dave spread his hands wide. "I've gone over every conversation we've had since Christmas, and I can't recall anything that I've said that would be inappropriate."

"You looked as though you two were getting along at Christmas."

"And we were doing real well…up until last week. Do you think she's changed her mind about wanting to work things out?" Dave wondered aloud. The fear of losing everything filled his stomach and left a bad taste in his mouth.

"You need to talk to her."

Dave shook his head in denial. "I finally got that wall down, Aaron. I push her, she'll put it back up. I can't risk her running away. I told her that Walter will file the papers any time she's ready, and don't think that she won't make that phone call."

Hotch let out the breath he was holding. It was tricky situation trying to give his best friend relationship advice when his own marriage had crashed and burned. But there had to be something out there to help Dave and Emily.

"Out of curiosity, what are you feelings for her?"

"I love her," Dave stated without a second thought.

"How much?"

Dave appeared flummoxed by the question. "What do you mean 'how much'? I love her."

"But you won't ask her what's bothering her?"

"How is that relevant to my loving her?"

"Everything." Hotch shrugged. "Nothing. Does she love you?"

"Is this your way of asking if we're sharing the same bed? We are."

"Whose bed?"

"What is this? Twenty Questions?"

"Answer the question, Dave."

"Neither. It's a long story, and an agreement from the time she moved in with me."

"Does she love you, Dave? It's a simple yes or no."

"I haven't come out and asked her, but I'm sure she wouldn't be sharing my bed if she hated me."

"You have a point," Hotch conceded.

"Except…" Dave trailed off. "I think…"

"What?"

"The other day I was in the study. I was staring off into space and Emily found me."

"Okay." Hotch raised the shot glass to his lips. He waited for the other shoe to drop.

"Emily asked me if I was alright; I told her that I was…"

"But…?" Hotch prompted.

"I was thinking about her."

"Oh." Hotch left it there. He knew who Dave was talking about.

"Her birthday was last week. And I just…" Dave tried to find the right words. "I got melancholy."

"Melancholy as in you were missing her? Or melancholy as in you were missing what you had?"

"Neither. Both. I don't know. I was wondering what she would think if she could see me now. That's all."

"Sounds fair. Would you trade Emily for Erin?" Hotch asked point blank.

"No."

"I see. Maybe you should come out and talk to Emily. Tell her the truth. What do you have to lose?"

"Everything."

"You don't tell her the truth, and you will lose everything. Be honest with her, Dave. You love her. Hold on to that. And who knows, she might come around."

Dave leaned back in the chair. "You got a point." He pulled out the menu from beside the wall. "You ready to order?"

"You buying?" Hotch asked. Dave raised his eyebrow in mock surprise. "What?" Hotch returned. "You think my advice comes for free?"

"You are slowly losing any chance of getting a namesake out of this," Dave warned.

Hotch laughed and grabbed the menu.