As their dinner reservation at the Eiffel Tower quickly approaches, they get ready. Aaron gets dressed in an incredibly nice suit, and Jack gets dressed in a much smaller version of the same suit. Emily finds her clothes laid out on top of the bed when she walks in there after Aaron had changed. Everything is new from the black dress to the black heels to the black lace lingerie beneath it all. She laughs as looks at that article of clothing, trying to imagine Aaron's stern face in a store like that. She wears one of the bracelets that Jack had gotten her for Christmas along with the matching necklace. She curls her hair and does her makeup, and she admires herself in the mirror. The boys chose well, and she really is excited for their meal today.
When Emily walks into the living room, she sees the boys hunched over the island and whispering conspiratorially. "You got a secret?" she asks them.
They both shakes their heads a little too much as they stand up. Aaron walks over to Emily, holding tight to her hand. "You look beautiful, Em," he says as he leans and takes her lips in a kiss. As they pull apart, Jack runs over to Emily's other side so that he can grab her other hand, and they walk out to the car together.
As they drive over to the Eiffel Tower, Emily stares over at Aaron who squeezes her hand as his eyes never leave the road. There is an anxiety in the air. Fear, perhaps. It emanates off of Aaron. Jack is taking after his father in the moment. He is jumpy and fidgety, but he isn't talking very much. Everytime Emily look back at him, he is watching her and his dad. But at least, Jack is smiling. Aaron, on the other hand, has a very still face like when he would be concentrating on paperwork or a profile at the BAU. It's an anxious and quiet car ride, and Emily doesn't know why.
When they arrive at the Eiffel Tower, they ride up the elevators and Jack is completely immersed. He finds it to be the coolest thing ever, and Emily's finds it pretty amazing to as she leans into Aaron's side, squeezing onto his arm. Aaron is still quiet, though he passes her soft smiles when they look at each other, and some of her own anxiety is eased.
They reach the desk at the front of the restaurant, and Aaron says, "Reservation for Aaron Hotchner."
Emily looks over at him surprised, but he shrugs. "What's one reservation gonna do?" he says rhetorically and she shrugs too.
As they are led to their table, all possible worries fade from Emily's mind as they look out at the view of the city before them. It's so beautiful. The city is laid out before them off in two directions because they were provided with a corner booth. It's a small with Aaron and Emily sitting across from one another and Jack sits between them against the window. Jack is turned toward the window, pointing out at the city at all of the things he recognizes.
Aaron calms, sitting across from Emily as she smiles at him gently while showing Jack all of the places before them that they recognize from the school to the store they shop in to even their apartment where they just manage to make out the balcony in front of them. He enters the conversation, helping Jack to decide what he would like to eat for dinner. The waiter arrives, suggesting a particular wine from their assortment. It happens to be Emily's favorite (Aaron had asked in advance about it when he made the reservation), but they both wave it away with a kind apology and Emily and Aaron smile at each other happily.
They order, and the food comes out quietly. It is beautifully to look at and delicious to eat. Emily and Jack love it. Aaron eats as much as he can though it isn't his full plate because he is nauseous with nerves.
Just as Emily and Jack order their dessert plates, the sun sets before them. It's beautiful with its array of yellow, orange, red and even a few hints of deep purple. As Emily looks out at the sunset and once the waiter has gone to place their order, Aaron reaches to hold her hand, and Emily looks over at him with a smile to find a hint of determination on his face as he pulls the fake wedding band from her finger and then the fake wedding band from his own. "Aaron?" Emily asks hesitantly, once again forgoing the alias because the restaurant is spacious and slowly clearing out with no one close enough to hear her at all anyways.
With the wedding bands placed in his inside jacket pocket, Aaron squeezes her hand as he kneels before her with an open ring box and a beautiful diamond ring presented before her. "Aaron," she repeats but not as a question this time and more in shock.
"Emily," he says in a soft and determined voice. "You are such an amazing woman. I have spent years watching you, adoring you from a far. I have dreamt of you, and I have missed you when you weren't mine to miss," Aaron says, and Emily smiles, remembering how she has done the same. "I have relied on you and needed you. You have always been there for me as I have always been there for you, and I have always loved you. It's taken a lot—too much—to get us here," he says slowly as she nods, tearing sliding down her face. Too much, but it's all worth it now. "You and Jack and I, and whoever may come along later are a family. I love you, Emily Prentiss, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, wherever we are. Would you, Emily Prentiss, marry me, Aaron Hotchner?"
Staring at him as tears fall from eyes and her lips spread into a wide smile, she says, "Yes... Yes, Aaron! Of course, I will marry you!" The excitement in her voice is clear as she leans down to kiss Aaron while tears continue to fall.
As they stand upright together, they hug tightly and Aaron whispers, "I was nervous."
Emily laughs. "I could tell, but obviously I would say yes. I wouldn't miss an opportunity to annoy you for the rest of our lives."
"Even if I'm a bastard?" he asks with a smirk.
" Especially if you're a bastard," she answers, taking his lips in a kiss again.
When they pull back, Aaron slides the engagement ring onto her finger, and they hear cheering. It begins with Jack, cheering and squealing, and continues through the restaurant.
Emily only notices now the camera in Jack's hand. "You got pictures?" she asks him.
"Lots!" he tells her. "Can we have some together?"
The waiter returns in that moment with the requested desserts in hand, and happily offering to take the photo for them. Aaron and Emily smile into the camera with all of the happiness in the world while Jack smiles but goes on to make a few silly faces. Before the waiter goes, Aaron asks for a dessert for himself, "I was too nervous to think of dessert then, but what she has looks delicious." They all laugh at what he says, and they go on to smile and laugh for the rest of the night.
With Aaron's nerves at ease and them both happier than ever, their whole future lies before them. Whatever happens, they will be together, and there is nothing better than that.