A/N: Sorry that it's been a hot minute guys, but I am back with a new chapter, and it takes place right after the last one (4x09). So, I've decided that I wanted to break up Hotch and Emily's story into a trilogy, and this is going to be the final chapter for this first part. The second part of their story is called The Flame in the Blizzard, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks.
I want to thank each and every one of you for all the overwhelming support, reviews and feedback with this story. It really means so much, and anybody who is a writer knows how much motivation that it gives you to write.
So, with that being said, here is the last chapter... Enjoy!
Late November 2008
Waking up to the wheeze of her soft and shallow snores had Aaron unable to erase his radiant smile. And as he rolled over, catching sight of her tangled bed hair fanned across the pillow, his heart couldn't have felt more satisfied.
Curled up like a newborn baby with her hands cooped securely against her chest, Aaron scooted closer to Emily beneath the sheets, feeling instantly warmed by her body heat. He was still in shock… The woman who had soothed him through his dreams lay only inches away, letting him fall further into a wishing well of love every second. And no matter how many times he kept reassuring himself that this was real, it still felt like his mind was playing tricks.
With heavy rain slashing the windows and a smoky darkness looming over the room, Aaron caressed the soft skin of her forearm, letting his fingers follow the twists and turns of her turquoise veins. He wished he could freeze time as he lay there watching the subtle rise and fall of her chest, the mere sight of her sending him off into a tranquil trance.
While the intimate moments they'd shared were everything Aaron had dreamed of, not knowing what would happen next with their relationship was beginning to plague him. Whether Emily wanted to take what they had a step further or if last night was simply a heat of the moment situation to be pushed under the rug, it would likely be a long and awkward journey forward no matter what option they chose.
If their situation wasn't so complicated, Hotch wouldn't have hesitated in making the decision to date Emily. She was such a stunning yet sophisticated individual who challenged him in every area of his life. They had bonded well together over the most random things, laughed, and teased each other, lent a shoulder to cry on through stressful situations…
But at the end of the day, being in a relationship with this job was a vulnerability. It was already traumatic enough risking their lives in the field, knowing in the back of their minds that any day could be their last. And Aaron didn't know how he would cope if something awful happened to the brunette under his watch. He didn't want to jump to conclusions about their future without first discussing it with Emily, but he knew that if they did want to go steady, they'd need to keep the relationship tight-lipped to protect them both.
And if that meant only seeing each other in secret… Then that's something he was prepared to do.
For now, Aaron pushed any worries to the back of his mind and memorised the stunning woman in front of him, wondering what he'd done to deserve somebody as perfect as Emily Prentiss. Planting his lips to her wrist, he slowly trailed a series of light and soft kisses up the brunette's arm to her neck, where Aaron suckled gently on her slow pulse.
Emily felt herself grinning ear to ear like a lovesick teenager upon feeling his hot mouth glued against her skin. Fluttering her eyes open, she stretched her limbs and yawned before wrapping her arms around his shoulder blades. When he finished pleasuring her neck, he travelled to her lips, sharing a long and passionate morning kiss.
"Hmm… I could get used to this," Emily whispered hoarsely as they broke apart for air. Aaron took the opportunity to completely manoeuvre himself over the woman, bearing his weight onto his forearms so that he didn't completely crush her petite figure.
Upon feeling his core in close contact with her own, a hot flush overwhelmed Emily's entire body.
"How'd you sleep?"
"Like a log," she answered, rubbing slow circles over his muscly shoulders, "you?"
"Ditto…" Pausing for a moment, Aaron brushed a strand of hair out of her face, "although I still feel like I'm dreaming."
Humming in response, Emily smiled, revealing the tiny dimples at the corners of her mouth. "Never in a million years did I think I'd be waking up like this… Part of me thought you'd push me away last night..."
"Maybe if it was two years ago," he joked with a chuckle, recalling the many months it had taken to build up trust. Now, he couldn't even bear the thought of the brunette slipping away. Gazing into Emily's eyes, Aaron admired the sheen reflecting off her beautiful dark irises, "why did you come here last night?"
As she bit down on her bottom lip, Emily shrugged, "I just needed to talk to someone… And you were the only one I knew that would be awake."
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that with Viper. I feel like we all pressured you to do it."
"We would have another body this morning if I hadn't," Emily reminded him sombrely, "if I have to flirt with some jerk to save somebody's life, so be it… At least I never have to see him again."
He couldn't describe the pride he felt at her unwavering loyalty to the team and determination to protect innocent civilians. This job threw them into sticky situations every day, and Emily had this uncanny ability to see past the ugly and find the best possible way of solving the problem. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty, and that was one of the million things about her personality that had Aaron captivated.
"I'm finding it difficult to imagine you dating people worse than that idiot."
Emily couldn't help but laugh as she shook her head, "ugh, don't remind me… That's a part of my life I'd rather forget. I made some bad decisions." Tracing her hands along his high cheekbones, Emily watched as his expression changed from one of amusement to one of deep thought. "You think what we're getting into is a bad decision… Don't you?"
Hotch avoided eye contact as the furrow in his brow deepened, not wanting to bring up the elephant in the room. The logistical nightmare of dating a co-worker lingered in the back of his mind like a bad smell, constantly reminding him of the awful consequences if something happened to go awry. Loving her may have been wrong in the eyes of the bureau, but holding her last night as she slept had ignited a flame that would only grow.
And no amount of judgement from anybody else could change how he felt.
"I don't think it's a bad decision… It's just… People could use this against us, and you could get really hurt."
The statement pulled on Emily's heartstrings. The subject of 'what would happen next?' was something Emily didn't want to talk about as much as Hotch, but they couldn't keep dancing around the bush in the hopes that it would sort itself out. As a reassurance that she was listening and completely understood, she lured him in for a gentle but full kiss.
He was right… Many factors were already influencing the future of their relationship, from the stress of their jobs... To Jack... To making sure they stayed safe… There was every possibility that it could hurt them in some way, and it begged the question of whether being together would cause more harm than good… But the more Emily thought about it, the more she drifted towards the idea of taking that risk.
She loved him… And that in itself ultimately outweighed the costs.
"Whatever happens, we'll work through it…." Emily whispered with the faintest of smiles. "I'm okay with keeping it under the radar from the others, although… I have an inkling that Penelope might be our biggest snooper."
"And Rossi," Hotch added with a quirked eyebrow. "He already knows."
"Well, no kidding," Emily muttered as she rolled her eyes, "with the way you were ogling me last night, I'd be surprised if he didn't."
"How could I not look? You were stunning…."
The compliment had the brunette blushing heavily at the cheeks.
"Well… Could you at least try to not bust your cover from now on?" Emily requested with a smirk while ruffling her hands through his short locks of hair. "Imagine if JJ or Penelope were standing there last night. We'd be screwed already."
"Hmmm…. That's a big ask. I don't know if that's even possible." Before the brunette had a chance to react, he started placing fast jocose kisses along her swanlike neck, letting his lips root to her pulse for a few seconds longer before moving on. The arousing waves of pleasure the small act sent through her body had Emily unable to contain her soft contented sigh.
"You better not make me regret this, Aaron."
Hotch couldn't quite believe his ears when she muttered his first name, and he got the sense that Emily had surprised herself too. But he loved the way it rolled so smoothly off her lips, almost like she'd been doing it for eons. As he continued to playfully savour the taste of her skin, Aaron felt the brunette's legs coil around his hips, providing an indirect contact with her core and circulating yet another hot flush through his body.
He wanted more…
Feeling the sexual frustration spread like an out-of-control wildfire, Aaron crashed his lips to hers, letting himself get lost in the sounds of her enticing hums. But before they had a chance to take things further, the alarm clock started blaring, startling the two of them back to reality.
"I SOOOO hate those things…." The brunette muttered, staring daggers at the offending object. After Aaron reached over to shut it off, he smirked back at Emily while twirling strands of her hair.
"You're really not a morning person, are you?"
"Well done for figuring that out, Agent Hotchner," she mumbled back whilst rubbing her eyes with one hand. The thought of returning back to the persona of Agent Prentiss already had Emily dreading the journey home. If it were up to her, she'd lay in bed all day, using her time to explore different avenues of his body. "Can't you postpone the flight?"
"And delay the progress of your field report? Why would anybody want to do that?" Hotch teased, causing the brunette to roll her eyes with a grin.
"I couldn't care less about your goddamn reports… Can we just lay here? For another few minutes?"
As much as he needed to have a cold shower and prepare himself for the day ahead, Aaron couldn't resist her dark and begging puppy dog eyes. So, he rolled off her and laid on his side for Emily to curl into him, daring to let his hands edge beneath her tank top and roam the foreign landscape of her back.
"When did you know?" Emily asked in a whisper, kissing gently at his neck.
"Know what?"
"That you had feelings for me?"
Digging his fingers into the crevasses of her spine, Aaron kissed her forehead. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd always found the brunette attractive from the first moment he'd laid eyes on her all those years ago. And if he hadn't had allegiance to Haley, perhaps Hotch would have put some feelers out. But even if he really wanted to pursue a relationship with Emily back then, it would have been entirely inappropriate with him working for her mother.
So, any feelings he did have for her, he'd buried deep down, only to be reignited randomly nearly a decade later.
"I don't know," Aaron answered honestly. "It just sort of happened. And I kept denying how I felt for ages until Colorado…."
Emily couldn't help but momentarily shudder at the memory that was not even six months ago. With the pure exhaustion and trauma she'd experienced, thankfully, most of those awful few days had merged into a big blur. But there were still rare nights where she woke up in a sweat, begging Cyrus to not kick her in the gut any longer.
"I seriously thought we would lose you…." Aaron continued, unconsciously pulling her in closer to his body. "And after that I… I knew that I couldn't look at what that bastard did to you and pretend to not feel anything."
Nodding into the crook of his neck, Emily slowly trailed kisses to his lips, feeling an overwhelming surge of love for the man.
"I had a dream one night," the brunette began, caressing his high cheekbones, "it was right after I broke up with my ex, and… This man kept kissing me. It felt so vivid at the time, and it felt real, but I didn't know who it was until I woke up."
Smiling, Hotch planted another kiss to her nose, "why were you dreaming about me, Emily Prentiss?"
"Oh, believe me, I've been wondering that question for the last nine months…." She retorted back. "I felt so embarrassed and ashamed about it even though I'd never told anyone. Because at the time, I saw you as a friend, and that dream completely warped my perception of you."
Taking a deep breath, Emily continued while Aaron listened in fascination. "I pushed it away, but you were on my mind 24/7. Then, New York happened... You were miserable… I wanted to be there for you, and I just kept falling for you further and further every day."
"And here we are now…."
Chuckling absurdly at their situation, Emily shook her head, "yeah… Somehow, I'm lying in bed with my boss in a hotel room in Georgia, wondering if this really is a good idea or not."
"Well, you've got to ask yourself if this is something you really want," Aaron explained, tracing the outline of her face. "Because… You and I both know that it's going to be tricky no matter what option you choose."
"I know," Emily said with a hopeless sigh. "I just wish it wasn't so complicated. I mean… We haven't even considered what this could mean for Jack… What is he going to think? Will he even understand?"
Like most kids, Jack took his time warming up to people he didn't know that well. It helped though that Emily was incredibly maternal, and Aaron had seen that as clear as day at the hospital while she held little Henry. So, he knew that once Jack became more comfortable with Emily, things would become a lot easier for all three of them.
"He'll probably be confused," Aaron admitted, thinking about his little guy and the unnecessary baggage he'd already been dragged along in, "but he's a tough cookie. And he's the most adaptable kid I know. So even if it is rough for him in the beginning, I know he'll be okay."
"If you say so," Emily said with a nod. "I know he's the number one priority out of all of us… I just don't want him to feel like I'm encroaching on the valuable time you guys spend together."
"It won't ever get to that point, Em…." Aaron kissed her on the forehead, "come see me later… We can talk about it some more?"
"I'd like that," Emily muttered, snuggling deeper into his chest.
Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and Emily couldn't help but sulk as Hotch got out of bed and fumbled through his go-bag for a new suit and tie. Her eyes didn't leave his torso, memorising his toned six-pack and the little tufts of dark hair scattered over his chest. The brunette didn't know whether she preferred him in a suit or half-naked; either way, both versions had her essentially drooling.
"Now, who's ogling?" Hotch mocked as he neatly laid out his suit at the foot of the bed.
"Well, it's not like I have anything better to divert my attention to…."
Biting his cheek, Aaron shot a sly glare in her direction before slipping into the bathroom to shower. He returned back to the main room refreshed barely five minutes later to see the brunette sitting on the edge of the bed. She was using her fingers to brush out any knots, and the pure sight had Aaron's feet frozen to the floor.
It would be an understatement to say that her hair drove him crazy.
Figuring that she needed to get ready, Emily reluctantly got up and wrapped her arms around his wet neck before letting him nourish her lips. As Aaron was about to pull away, Emily gripped the back of his head and drew him in further, savouring the moment as best she could before she had to leave. He hummed contently into the kiss, using his hands to cup her chin before finally catching a gasp of much-needed air.
So much for having a cold shower…
"See you on the jet," Emily whispered hastily before smiling and sneaking out of his room.
He stood in the same spot for a couple minutes afterwards, trying to process their last kiss, fuelled by immense desire and passion.
And Aaron knew he was going to struggle to keep himself sane.
Not wanting to draw obvious attention to themselves, Hotch and Emily had intentionally sat at opposite ends of the jet. The brunette spent her time playing poker with Morgan and Reid at the big table, bluffing her way to victory multiple times. At the same time, Aaron took the opportunity to finish off the remainder of his paperwork in the back corner.
It felt painful having to distance himself from Emily, especially when the sound of her deep and contagious belly laugh echoed around the cabin as she and Morgan teased Reid. Every now and then, Aaron would glance up to meet her bright and loving gaze, catching a hint of the lust and passion dancing around in her eyes. It was in those moments where he wanted to kiss and scream his love for her across the rooftops, letting the world know how incredibly lucky he felt.
Yet, he still felt satisfied keeping their little secret hidden from everybody else.
Once they landed back at Quantico, every minute felt like it was dragging as the long and lengthy process of admin and deskwork began. Never had it felt so difficult to focus, with memories of the intimate night he'd shared with Emily replaying in his mind like a classic hit on the radio. His many meetings had provided a nice distraction, though. Between catching up with Strauss, attending cost evaluations with the finance department, and then turning in reports for a past case, Aaron hadn't seen that much of Emily since the flight.
By half-past five, she'd finally completed her file and dropped it off to him, quite late considering how quick she usually typed one up. Upon her taking a seat opposite, Hotch mocked, "about time… I thought I was going to have to set a deadline."
Scoffing, the brunette retorted, "oh please… Cut me some slack. It's only taken six hours." Both smirking, Emily continued, "busy day?"
"Never-ending… Just when you think you're on top of it, the mountain gets steeper."
Quirking a brow, Emily muttered, "really don't envy your job… How much have you got to do?"
After shuffling through his papers, Aaron answered, "a few more… Dinner with you sounds a lot more entertaining, though."
Emily smirked. "Wow… I never thought I'd hear that in my life…."
"What?"
"You, dropping paperwork to take me out on a date," Emily clarified with a light chuckle.
"Well, it's that, or we spend the rest of the night cooped up in here… Doing paperwork."
Emily could safely say that she preferred the first option. "As long as Strauss doesn't fry you for not completing your homework on time, then I'd be delighted to see what exotic cuisines you have in mind…."
"You up for some pizza?"
The brunette couldn't help but scoff and roll her eyes, "really? Greasy take-out pizza is the best thing you can come up with?"
"You obviously haven't been to the new Italian restaurant that's just opened up on fourth street." Aaron had taken Jack there a few weeks back on Rossi's recommendation, and there was a reason the restaurant already had five stars to its name. With the delicate mozzarella that melted in your mouth to the freshly chopped tomato and basil sprinkled on top, he wasn't going to not introduce Emily to his idea of perfection.
"Hmm… Now that you mention it, I have heard great reviews from a certain Italian around here."
"So that's a yes?"
"I could never say no to cheese," Emily remarked with a grin.
With Rossi and Reid still loitering at the office, Hotch and Emily decided to leave 10 minutes apart to minimise stirring up any suspicions. Emily needed to return home anyway to repack her go-bag and sort out laundry, so Hotch had agreed to pick her up in a traditional first date fashion.
Even though Emily wanted the evening to be super casual, she didn't fancy wearing her work clothes out. So, she'd fumbled through her closet for what seemed like hours, searching for the perfect outfit to wear. Dark denim jeans and a beige turtleneck appealed to her the most with the ice-cold weather, and after spraying on her perfume and wrapping her coat around, she was set to go.
She couldn't help but notice how he too, had dressed up for the occasion as she stepped into the car and kissed him. With his thick winter jacket and jeans, it completely changed the dynamic between them. No longer were they hiding behind the masks of Agents Prentiss and Hotchner; they could just be themselves. And no words could ever describe how freeing that felt.
He held her hand as they drove into the city centre, needing to feel her touch after the long day they'd spent apart. They chatted briefly about work before mutually agreeing that it should be off-limits when it came to date nights. Upon hearing Christmas songs on the radio, they moved onto the topic of music, already debating when it was best to start listening to the festive hits.
"Thanksgiving?" Emily uttered in disbelief, "I don't put Mariah on until at least a week before. Seems pointless celebrating for a full month when the actual event only lasts a day. Same goes for the tree."
"Since when were you so humbug about Christmas, Emily?"
"I'm not a humbug; I just…." She shrugged with a hopeless sigh, "kinda got ripped off as a kid with my parents working all the time. It never felt magical, so I've never been that into it, I guess."
Aaron glanced at her protectively, becoming more intrigued about her childhood by the second. Hotch himself may have had a rough childhood too, but at least his mother tried to make things easier for him and Sean by celebrating the little things. It wasn't until he became a dad that he really appreciated everything his mother had done; holidays seemed so much more precious and worth it with a child involved.
"That must have been difficult," Hotch empathised, squeezing at her hand.
"It was what it was," Emily reasoned, "besides… I think the whole thing is overrated. With the gifts, the decorations, and the whole Santa Claus thing. That's hard work. I just enjoy drinking the wine."
The comment had Aaron rolling his eyes with a smirk. When did she not enjoy alcohol?
"I never noticed…."
After both sharing a moment of laughter, Emily suddenly fell quiet, and Aaron didn't need to look to know that something was bothering her. Squeezing her hand as a reassurance that he was listening, Hotch asked, "you okay?"
"Yeah…" Emily replied moments later, "I'm just thinking about how the hell this is going to work and what it means for us."
"You having doubts?" Aaron asked, glancing over.
"Aren't you?"
Furrowing his brow, Hotch thought hard about their relationship. Yes, he did doubt how they could make time for one another with the job and keep everything on the down-low from the others. But that didn't make him any less willing to explore a new chapter of his life with Emily. He, of all people knew that it was going to be hard, and at times painful. They'd just have to work through the bumps and figure out what they wanted through trial and error.
"Some…" He answered, after deep contemplation, "It'll take time, but… We'll find what works for us. And if you don't feel comfortable doing this-"
"No, Aaron. I do… I do want this," Emily quickly reassured him, evoking the smallest of smiles from Hotch. "Remember when you forced me on those STUPID mandatory breaks?"
He chuckled. "How could I ever forget?"
"You know, as much as I hated them at first, I had fun… And I actually kind of miss it." She paused for a moment, "maybe, that should be a starting point… Minus the 'MANDATORY' part. So that we always spend at least an hour together. And then… Go from there."
Hotch pulled into a carpark before killing the engine and turning to face Emily with a smirk. "What is it with you and denying authority, Prentiss?"
Scoffing, she retorted, "me? Denying authority? Since when?"
"You think I don't notice you pulling the finger at Strauss each time she turns her back?"
"Okay, that was ONE time."
"Don't lie, I've seen you do it at least twice," Aaron muttered with a quirked eyebrow, to which the brunette simply rolled her eyes.
"Well, what can I say? I like having my freedom. So, what's your answer to the mini-dates?"
Hotch's silence dominated as he moved in closer and softly soaked in the warm pleasure of her plump lips, using one hand to caress the curve of her cheek while their fingers intertwined together. He took the opportunity to let his tongue greet her own, allowing them to become acquainted with each other until both he and Emily were starved of oxygen.
"That better mean a yes."
Gazing into her eyes, Aaron whispered back, "why would I say no to a date with you?"
Emily broke out the biggest smile that Aaron had ever seen before humming satisfyingly into a passionate and sensual kiss. Grasping a knot of her hair, Hotch felt himself burning up by the second as he savoured the sweet remnants of coffee on her tongue. And suddenly, he didn't know if he could last through the evening without taking things a step further.
Her fingers danced amongst his dimples as they slowly grew apart and recaught their lost breath. "I love you…" She whispered, noticing the lust swirling avidly in his shiny orbs.
Aaron took a moment to appreciate her words, completely losing himself in the dark eyes that had him entranced the first second he saw her.
"I love you more…."
~Part 1 complete~