A/N: Hey there guys! Welcome back!

If you are new here and haven't read the first part to this story (A Touch in the Dark) I recommend reading that first before starting this one. You don't have to, but I think it will help to catch up with the storyline. This fanfic will work exactly the same as the first part; I'll be writing prompts for each and every episode of CM starting from 4x10, adding Hotch and Emily's individual thoughts concerning what happened during said episode.

A Touch in the Dark is all about Emily and Hotch learning to become friends and falling in love. The Flame in the Blizzard is about them trying to maintain their newfound relationship and it will be rated M as there are adult themes.

I really hope that you guys enjoy the second part to this story. I am not the greatest writer out there, so any reviews critiquing any mistakes or finding any flaws are greatly appreciated.

"Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind, and therefore is Cupid painted blind." – William Shakespeare.

Mid-December 2008

Compartmentalisation.

It's something that everybody has done at least once in their lives. Most people don't notice it though, because the majority of the population lead average nine to five lifestyles with few blips in between. But for Emily Prentiss, this was a concept that she was well versed in. And no matter how well she compartmentalised the daily horrors that came with her job, it was always the grief-stricken expressions of the families and friends struggling to move on that left Emily feeling utterly helpless.

The way of the wind had taken them to Phoenix, Arizona, where local cops had been murdered simply serving their community. And after much confusion, doubt, and false accusations thrown about, the unsub responsible had been caught, only for him to be shot to death before they could charge him with anything.

It wasn't the sort of drama anybody needed after three gruelling days of investigation.

Reporters swarmed the outside of the station like honeybees following their queen. Law enforcement cops sullenly worked in silence at their desks, trying to come to terms with all that'd happened. Then there was the BAU amongst it all, sifting through the cruel aftermath of evidence and paperwork, with no choice but to listen to the quiet sobs and sniffles coming from grieving women and men.

All Emily could do was watch on in despair, thinking about why people so humble and kind had to die so soon…

None of it was fair. But, then again, when was life ever fair?

She saw injustice every day, but this case had hit everybody close to home. For Emily, it was knowing that some ignorant halfwit had been out there, mindlessly murdering people who could have just as easily been her. Or JJ. Or Rossi. Or Hotch… And having that thought lingering in the back of her mind for the last three days had her feeling dead beat.

There'd been so many close calls already… Penelope getting shot… Hotch nearly dying to a car bombing… Reid had literally died and come back to life. Then there was herself, held hostage in a religious cult where she was thankfully spared seconds to make it out alive…

Emily had experienced and dealt with life-threatening situations that she'd never wish upon another human… So why was she letting the grief of people she hardly knew get way further into her head than it needed to?

Feeling herself losing concentration on the task at hand, Emily wandered off to the kitchen, hoping that a moment alone could help her process the last few days. Besides, she needed something in her tank. It was nearly midnight, and the last thing she'd eaten had been almost six hours earlier.

As she stirred sugar into her tea, hoping for a short burst of energy that would last until she returned to the hotel, Emily didn't need to look behind her to know that Hotch had silently slipped in and closed the door.

She could be in a room filled with hundreds of people and still feel his gaze burning her body.

Slowly manoeuvring herself around to face Aaron, she leaned against the counter while he took a seat at the kitchen table, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand. From his subtle forehead crease to his almost hypnotic staring contest with the floor, Emily knew that expression all too well.

"Please don't tell me you're beating yourself up about what happened."

Working with local cops on a case was usually a piece of cake, but with most of the department fuelled by grief and anger, Emily could see that Hotch had struggled to communicate effectively with the officers. If his mood wasn't already dampened by the difficulties of dealing with distrusting cops and detectives, then the shooting outside the station had definitely soured his mood.

"No," Aaron answered sternly. "I'm just frustrated… All this hard work to track down the unsub responsible, and… He doesn't even have a chance to rot in prison."

"Everyone's angry," Emily muttered, taking a small sip of her drink, "in many ways, it was inevitable."

Hotch sighed hopelessly, crossing his arms. "I just wish he could have paid for what he did. He didn't even care, Prentiss… Watching all those men die was all just a big joke for him."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, he'll rot in whatever hell is out there…."

Looking up from her reflection in the tea, Emily saw Aaron shake his head ever so slightly, and she couldn't help but feel awful about how things had transpired. As she'd figured out over the years, Hotch spent much of his time making sure cases stayed low-profile from the public. And with the events of the past couple hours, it meant he would be up in Strauss' office rectifying what'd happened as soon as they got back- not that any of it was his fault or even in his control.

It made Emily grind her teeth together. With everything that had happened and all the political bullshit Hotch had gone through already, he simply didn't need this extra torment from Madame Strauss.

How hard was it for him to just catch a break?

While it had been difficult being alone together on the clock, in the rare moments Emily got to spend with Aaron, she savoured every second, letting herself relax in his company before something urgent grabbed their attention. It bothered her slightly that they couldn't really have a 'normal' relationship with their job descriptions, but it hadn't been as difficult as trying to keep things under wraps from the others.

With each gentle kiss they shared… Every finger he laid on her body… Every glance, and every hug… Emily just wanted to spill her guts and tell everybody about the wildfires spreading deep inside. Especially to JJ and Penelope. It felt like she was unintentionally betraying them by withholding such gossip-worthy information. But at the same time, the brunette knew that if her love life got into the wrong hands- i.e., Strauss- that it could mean the end for herself and Hotch.

That had been the one thing preventing her tongue from wagging.

Knowing that it was a high possibility actually terrified Emily to her core. That's why she'd been hesitant in sneaking into his hotel room at night when they were working a case because she knew how ruthless and volatile Strauss could be, and she'd no doubt find any reason to break apart the team. It just wasn't something Emily wanted to risk, and Aaron felt very much the same way.

Despite that, both she and Hotch had used lunch breaks to their advantage. Whether it had just been for a brisk walk down the street to grab some coffee or to have a little sit down at a quiet park, the quality time they spent together always provided a nice distraction from work. And slowly but surely, Emily was learning to open up hidden parts of her personality and let herself be more vulnerable in his company.

"Have things quieted down in the bullpen?"

"Jordan, Rossi and the Captain are doing their best to wade off journalists, but I don't see them leaving anytime soon… I don't blame you for sneaking back here."

"I'm completely starved," the brunette confessed, sending a glance at her dinner reheating in the microwave. "And… To be honest, I can't stop thinking about all those poor people out there… About everything they've gone through. And how it could've just as easily been one of us."

"It's always going to be a risk we take…." Aaron reminded her. "I'd rather it be someone who signed on for it than some innocent civilian."

Emily shook her head in disgust. "The worst part was that they were just doing their jobs… They just wanted to help people, Hotch. They may have died heroes, but… It doesn't make the grieving process any easier."

"You're right… It doesn't."

Upon feeling his protective gaze searching her body, Emily let her eyes cast down to the floor. She didn't feel like talking further about the case; all she craved was food and a nice cosy bed to crawl into for the night. Standing up, Aaron inched his way closer to the brunette. He let his fingers brush gently over one hand planted against the countertop while the other caressed the soft skin of her left cheek, causing heat to rise in all corners of her body.

"You should head back to the hotel to get some rest… You look shattered. We can sort things out here."

Leaning into his warm touch, Emily closed her eyes before smiling weakly, "I appreciate that, but I'll be fine. The more people we have to cut through all this red tape, the sooner we can sleep."

Letting his dimples emerge for the briefest of moments, Aaron whispered, "okay," before planting two quick but fulfilling kisses to her lips. "I love you…."

"I love you back, now go," Emily replied with a tired chuckle, patting him on the chest, "before someone walks in on us."

As exhausted as Aaron was from the case, on the last night of their stay in Arizona, sleep had been impossible to come by. It probably didn't help that the mattress was soft and weak and had his back sagging like a hammock for most of the night. So, not only had Hotch arrived onto the jet in a slightly foul mood, but he also had an intense backache to tag along with it.

The temptation to sneak across to Emily's room and crawl into her bed had plagued Aaron all night long, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not because he couldn't be bothered to leave his room, but because it would be unfair on the brunette. She'd looked so sleepy the night before, and waking her up in the middle of the night just so that he could steal her bed was something Aaron never vowed to do.

Besides, with the nature of their jobs and trying to keep their relationship under wraps, it was far too risky to sleep together while they were working- even if the case was unofficially closed. Rossi already had his suspicions that something was going on between them, and the last thing Aaron wanted was for his and Emily's relationship to hit FBI headlines and cause them to end up in the principal's office.

Just thinking about it had his head throbbing.

With Morgan staying behind in Phoenix to attend a funeral, the flight home felt extra quiet, giving Aaron ample opportunity to catch up on lost sleep. Rossi, Jordan and Reid entertained themselves at the big table while Aaron and Emily sat opposite each other near the back of the cabin. He awoke to see the brunette reading the new psychological thriller novel that she picked up at the airport.

Still feeling like crud from a two-hour nap, the only thing minimising the harsh brunt of Aaron's sleepless wrath was coffee. And as he sipped on the hot liquid, he couldn't help but gaze at the brunette opposite, observing how her round eyes were glued to the book, consistently training from side to side.

Quite often, Aaron noticed Emily lurking around in odd bookstores at airports around the country. And nine times out of ten, she always bought something to read for every trip, sometimes finishing the darn things in the entire duration of each flight. It amazed him how avid a reader she was, and how she could finish each novel so quickly would be something that fascinated Aaron for the rest of his life.

"Romance?"

"Hm?" Emily asked in confusion, glancing up to meet his sandpaper eyes.

"The book genre…." He quickly clarified.

Placing a slip of paper in between the pages, Emily shut the novel before sliding it across the table for Aaron to read the blurb. "Close, but not quite… I'm not usually one to read crime and mystery, but I have to say, no wonder it's been getting so many good reviews. Unpredictable and original plot… Unique characters... I think even you would enjoy it."

Quickly skimming through the summary, Aaron handed the book back to Emily. "Stieg Larson… Why haven't I heard of him before?"

"Maybe it's because all you read is Shakespeare and John Grisham," Emily answered with a smirk. "Welcome to the 21st century."

Knowing that it was partly true, Aaron wasn't quite equipped with a comeback for the brunette. He was an avid reader himself, but he'd seen Prentiss read everything from comic books down to dystopias- although she wasn't that great a fan of sci-fi ones.

Damn the woman for her excellent observational skills.

Attempting to hide his smirk, he muttered, "don't forget, Prentiss, that Shakespeare's basically the inventor of murder mysteries."

She scoffed, "well, don't you think his content is just a little outdated? I mean… It's not like Romeo and Juliet anymore, where families are murdering each other because their kids are dating. Oh, and the ancient English that nobody can understand… PLEASE don't get me started on that."

"I worked a lot of cases like that in prosecution…."

Emily quirked an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

"Wish I was," Aaron said on a serious note. "Shakespeare's stories hold important lessons and values that are still relevant today… Even when it comes to profiling. It's why his stories will forever be timeless."

"I think you have to REALLY love the guy to overanalyse his writing."

Aaron smirked, "there must be at least one of his plays that you like, Prentiss."

Sighing, Emily stared out the window momentarily before locking eyes with him. "Okay… I'll admit… Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew are quite good, but when your 7th grade English teacher makes you read them over and over again, it sets your teeth on edge."

"That's a Shakespeare idiom," Aaron subtly pointed out, watching in amusement as the brunette shot him a sneering expression.

"Well, I'll be damned," Emily muttered sarcastically, caressing a hand over the cover of her book. "What do you find so fascinating about the guy anyway?"

"My mother used to act in the local theatre when I was younger," he explained, leaning back in his seat. "And with my father working in the evenings, my brother and I had no choice but to be dragged along to her rehearsals. I was eight when she was cast as Portia in the Merchant of Venice. There was something about that play that sparked a passion for his work. Suffice to say, I enjoyed it more than my brother did."

Emily smiled softly, trying to picture his mother. She imagined the woman to share similar characteristics to Aaron, with dark hair, high cheekbones and a slender face profile. She could only surmise her personality, a lady strong and independent in her own right, not letting life get in the way of what she wanted. "You have a favourite?"

"Hamlet… Because he's one of the few characters Shakespeare's written that you can never truly profile."

"Yeah… Wasn't he the guy that pretended he was going crazy but then actually went crazy?"

"It's one of the heaviest debates in the world of literature. He insists throughout the play that he is, in fact, sane. But his erratic actions suggest otherwise. Either he was a genius playing his role too well, or his thirst to avenge his father's death got the better of him."

"And what do you believe?" Emily pressed, quirking an eyebrow.

He took a moment to contemplate the question before answering, "I believe that mental illness combined with obsession and stress is a complicated issue which can lead to a psychotic break. All the risk factors were there… His multiple heartbreaks, his questions of suicide. I don't doubt for a second that he was crazy."

"To be or not to be," Emily quoted, "that is the question… Even if he was psychotic, the question is how strong a psychosis it was. I mean… Some people can pull themselves out of it."

Aaron shrugged, "I guess we'llnever truly know…."

Knowing that he needed to get started on the paperwork before they landed, Hotch took out his papers from his go-bag and laid them all out before him, taking a moment to figure out which one urgently needed his attention. But with the brunette sitting opposite him and the smell of her intoxicating perfume filtering through his nostrils, Aaron couldn't seem to concentrate.

He got the feeling she purposefully put more on this morning.

Tapping his pen lightly on the table, he asked Emily in the quietest of whispers as to not alert any eavesdropping ears, "you have any plans tonight?"

Emily, who had gone back to reading her book, perked up immediately with a soft grin. "Laundry… And wine," she added quickly, causing Aaron to roll his eyes at her great love for alcohol. "Do you have Jack tonight?"

"Hopefully on the weekend," Aaron replied a little sadly.

With work, interchanging schedules with Haley and everything else in between, it had been a real struggle trying to find time for his little guy. Whenever possible, Aaron always tried to see Jack as much as he could, but he couldn't help but always feel ripped off at the small amount of time they spent together. It helped that he wasn't a clingy kid though, because Aaron couldn't imagine leaving a child every day who begged him to stay.

That would make him feel even more guilty about his long hours.

"I'm sorry…."

Aaron furrowed his brow, "for what?"

"That things have been hard for you with Jack... Not being able to see him, I mean."

Smiling weakly at her sympathy, Aaron nodded, taking a moment to glance out the window and think about all Jack's milestones that he'd missed already. "It's just trying to find time… And there doesn't seem to be enough of it in a day."

Nodding, Emily closed her book again. "And the time you do have goes too quickly. I know the feeling… It's essentially the paradox of life."

"Your father?"

"Yeah," Emily answered, brushing a hand through her hair. "Every time he came home from an assignment, I'd blink, and he'd be halfway across the world again."

"Was it hard? Him being away all the time?"

She shrugged. "Perhaps if my mother had been more supportive of my decisions, I wouldn't have missed him as much. Out of both of them, he's always been the most understanding and thoughtful. We often talked on the phone. But yeah… Even then, some days, it was hard."

"That's one of my fears," Aaron admitted, his voice getting quieter, "that Jack will suffer without me. Or resent me… I don't know which one is worse."

Emily looked at him in sadness. "Coming from somebody who has resented her mother for most of her life, I never resented her because she worked all the time… I hated her because she hardly ever told me she loved me. And even if she did imply it… I never felt it." Emily paused for a moment, regaining her thoughts. "Jack may not see you every day, but he hears your voice… And believe me, that means the world to a child his age."

If they weren't on the jet surrounded by their co-workers, Aaron would've kissed her right there and then. Kissed away any pain, torment and malice Elizabeth had inflicted before showering her with the love she deserved. He hadn't realised the extent of the strained relationship Emily had with her mother through the years, and it killed him internally simply hearing the pain of that experience in her voice. Sending a sad but affectionate smile in her direction, Hotch couldn't have felt more grateful for Emily.

"You don't deserve that from your mother, Em," Aaron barely whispered.

Shaking her head lightly, the brunette bowed her head before answering, "I know I don't… She's gotten better over the years, but… It's still a struggle."

Not wanting to prolong any pain she felt discussing her mother, Aaron changed the subject. "If I can get to see Jack this weekend, would you be interested in coming over? Knowing him, he'll probably want to go to the park."

Emily grinned from ear to ear. "I'd love that."

"Daddy! Look! See the swings?" Jack gasped as he ogled the playground just inches away.

Glancing at his son in the rear-view mirror, Aaron couldn't help but chuckle as his little guy itched to get out of the car. Thankfully, he wasn't at the age yet where he'd learnt to unbuckle himself.

"I do see the swings… You want to have a play on them, buddy?"

"Ya, Daddy! Help me out?"

With their caseload relatively quiet for the remainder of the week, Strauss had given the team a rare Saturday off. And Hotch had immediately seized the opportunity to take Jack for the day and spend some quality time with him. Of course, as soon as he'd mentioned to Jack the idea of going to his favourite park, his little boy had been talking non-stop the entire drive- not that Aaron was complaining though... He'd rather listen to his son babble away than drive in silence.

Putting the car into park, Hotch killed the engine and unbuckled Jack out of his car seat before attempting to bundle him in a navy jacket. "No, Daddy… Not cold," Jack insisted, pushing Aaron away with a single hand.

Even though it was a warm day for December, the air still had a crisp chill to it, and the last thing Aaron needed was to be reprimanded by Haley because he'd gotten their son sick. "You need to wear it, buddy. Otherwise, we can't go on the swings."

With Jack's bottom lip pouting and his brow wrinkling, Aaron was mentally preparing himself for the beginning of a temper tantrum. But thankfully, Jack seemed to see the logic and gave in, letting Hotch help him put on his warm jacket.

Figuring that it would be a good opportunity for Emily and Jack to properly meet, Aaron had texted the brunette, wondering if she wanted to come and spend some time with them. And she'd replied to him almost instantaneously, the excitement in her tone evident from the millions of exclamation points in the message. Thinking about the exchange earlier in the day had Aaron unable to stop smiling.

He loved how incredibly accepting she already was of Jack.

Holding his son's hand, they strolled over to the swings, where Aaron lifted Jack onto the seat and gave him a little nudge. Every time they came to this particular playground, Aaron noticed how much bigger and stronger Jack became, and today was no different. His little guy seemed so much more comfortable holding onto the swing and propelling himself forward using his legs, and the aftermath of his little tantrum back at the car quickly disappeared as he laughed and giggled in satisfaction.

As he pushed Jack and pretended to get kicked in the face, out of the corner of his eye, Aaron kept watch of the carpark, waiting for Emily to arrive. And it didn't take long for her car to pull up next to his own.

Carrying with her what looked to be a small basket, Hotch sent an affectionate smile in her direction as she spotted them and began walking over. Of course, she'd gone out and bought food for them all, something that only made Aaron appreciate how amazing of a woman she was even more.

Confident that Jack would be okay on his own for a few seconds, Aaron met Emily halfway in her tracks before lightly planting his lips to her own. The last kiss they'd shared had been a couple days prior in the underground carpark of the FBI. He'd missed the familiar taste of peppermint on her breath… Missed how she would hum into his lips as her head simultaneously tilted to the side for better access with the chilly tip of her nose mellowing into his hot cheek like melting butter.

"I've missed you…." He whispered, caressing a hand over her warm cheek.

"Hmmm… It feels nice to kiss you without having to hide it from anybody we know," Emily replied softly, gazing into his hazel orbs.

"Well, anybody who won't dob us in," Aaron corrected, sending a glance back at his son, still happily entertaining himself on the swing.

Emily's heart burst upon seeing the little boy bundled up in an oversized jacket, warm track pants and boots. He reminded her of an adorable miniature Eskimo. "Aww, Hotch… He's gotten so big!" The last time Emily had seen Jack had been right after returning from those horrific terror attacks in New York earlier in the year, and boy, how the little guy had grown.

Gazing protectively at his son with a sad smile, Aaron slipped his hand into Emily's, grasping it tightly before walking with her over to the swing set. "I know… He's changed in the two weeks since I've last seen him."

The subtle hint of hopelessness in his voice had her entire chest swelling with emotion, and there was nothing that Emily could do or say to bring him back up to cloud nine. So, she squeezed his hand, silently hoping that this little outing could ease some of the guilt he felt about his absence from Jack.

"You know you didn't have to go through all the trouble of bringing food," he told her with a smirk, gesturing to the little basket dangling off her arm.

"Wouldn't you like to know what's in it first?" She retorted.

"Hmm… Why do I get the feeling it involves chocolate?"

"Why do you have to be such a good profiler?"

"Because I'm good at my job," Aaron answered, turning to face her, "and I know you well enough to know that you can't go anywhere without something chocolatey in your bag."

Scoffing, Emily let him playfully trail quick and sloppy kisses over her lips before helping to redirect his attention to Jack, who happened to be staring at the both of them curiously from afar. Suddenly Emily felt awful. Today was meant to be a special outing between Aaron and Jack, and here she was snogging his father like a lovesick teenager.

After glancing back at Jack momentarily, Hotch noticed his girlfriend deep in thought. "Emily, you don't have to feel guilty about us in front of Jack. You know that, right?"

"No. I know, but…" She shook her head as she avoided eye contact, "I just don't want to come between you and him. I mean, this is your special time together, and… Ugh… I don't know. I just feel like I'm intruding."

"You're not," Aaron reassured, tilting her chin up so he could meet her eyes once again. "If you want to go, that's fine, but… Just trust me on this."

Sending a glance at the little boy that reminded her so much of Haley, Emily nodded, squeezing at Hotch's hand. "Does he like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?"

Aaron grinned, "loves them."

"And chocolate chip cookies?"

"Unless his taste buds have changed in the two weeks that I haven't seen him, I believe the only thing he hates is spinach."

Emily laughed to herself. "Him and me both… He probably won't remember me, will he?"

"It won't take long for him to warm up to you," Aaron reassured.

As they approached the little boy on the swing, Jack's expression blanked when his gaze fell upon Emily. The poor boy must have been so confused about why his father was suddenly standing next to some unfamiliar woman. And Emily didn't blame him. She could only hope that this relationship between her and Hotch didn't confuse him even more.

While Jack's pace on the swing slowed down, Hotch knelt down next to him, rubbing a hand over his woolly track pants. "Hey buddy, you having fun on the swing?"

With his gaze still carefully trained on the brunette, Jack nodded timidly.

"I want you to meet someone very special to daddy…." Aaron turned around momentarily, shooting a quick but affectionate smile to his partner. "This is my friend Emily. Can you say hi?"

Squatting down next to Aaron, Emily placed a hand on his shoulder to steady herself before smiling across to the little boy. "Hi, Jack!" She said in a motherly tone, watching as he took everything in. "Your daddy tells me that this is your FAVOURITE playground. Do you like the swings?"

Slowly but surely, Jack nodded, even letting his dimples emerge for the briefest of moments. And it had Emily desperately resisting the urge to squeeze his little face. "And the slide… Right, buddy?"

Sliding off the seat, Jack searched around the area before pointing at the red slide across the park.

"WOW," Emily enthused, following the little boy's finger. "That's such a BIG slide. Are you gonna go down it?"

Jack pursed his lips before looking at his father… "Wit Daddy."

It was the first time Emily had really ever heard Jack speak, and simply hearing his naïve baby voice had her internally dying of cuteness overload on the inside. "Does daddy like the slide?"

Cuddling into his father, Jack eventually nodded. "Ya… He goes fast."

Unable to erase their smiles, Aaron and Emily shared a glance, both of them feeling extremely happy with how Jack was slowly warming up to the brunette. "Guess what Emily bought for us to eat," Hotch whispered, planting the tiniest of kisses to his son's forehead. Jack simply glanced up at his father with an inquiring gaze. "Sandwiches and cookies."

The toddler hummed in delight, obviously having a strong appetite for food. "I eat them, daddy?"

"Yeah? What do you say to Emily? Pl-"

"Pease, Emeely"

"Good boy," Hotch praised, standing up and leading the boy to a nearby picnic table.

As Emily opened the basket and laid all the sandwiches out, both she and Aaron laughed as the little boy almost dribbled ogling the cookies. "You need to eat a sandwich first, Jack."

"Okay, daddy."

Not hesitating in digging into his food, Emily's eyes widened as the toddler practically demolished his entire sandwich in seconds. She'd never seen a child eat so fast in her whole life. "Oh my goodness, you must be a hungry boy!"

"I have nother one, daddy?"

"Uh-huh. They're good, aren't they? Emily makes yummy sandwiches."

Reaching for another one, Jack asked, "I want some water."

Shoot… Emily didn't even think to grab a drink in the supermarket. How dumb was that? The least she could have done was buy some orange juice and plastic cups. "Oh no…" She mouthed to Hotch, who simply shrugged it off.

"Can you wait here with Emily for a moment while I run to the car and get your bottle? Is that okay?" Aaron asked, not wanting to suddenly overwhelm the brunette with babysitting duties.

"Yeah, we'll be okay for a minute, won't we, Jack?" While Aaron disappeared off to the car, thankfully, he didn't seem to take much notice of Hotch's absence as he continued chowing through his second sandwich. "Do you go to preschool, Jack?" Emily asked, smiling as the jam from the sandwiches smeared around his mouth. He was a fast but messy eater, and it was the most innocent thing she'd ever witnessed.

"Yea…"

"What's your favourite thing to do at preschool?"

Seeing the boy's brow furrow in the exact same way as his father's had Emily grinning like an evil villain. It was adorable. "Um… Play in the sandpit wit Bella."

"Oh, that must be soooo fun. Is Bella your best friend?" Seeing Jack nod in response, the brunette grabbed another sandwich. "Do you build big sandcastles?"

"Uh-huh. But… But then… I break them."

Emily held back a laugh at his innocence. "Oh no… Does that make you so sad?"

"Yea," Jack said, ogling a cookie. "I have one, Emeely?"

Knowing that the toddler had already eaten two decent sized sandwiches, Emily didn't see the harm in giving the boy a treat. He'd definitely inherited his love of chocolate from Hotch. As she passed a cookie over to Jack, the next thing that came out of his mouth completely surprised Emily. "Thankew."

"You are so welcome," Emily replied, enchanted by Jack's charming manners. "I might have one too."

"Here you are, buddy," Hotch said, placing the boy's spiderman bottle in front of him.

"Daddy… Emeely gave me a cookie!"

Grinning, Aaron sat down next to his son, using a napkin to wipe the jam off his face. And the pure act had Emily internally dying of love. He was such a sweet father.

"Am I allowed to have one too?"

Nodding, Jack reached over the basket and selected the most giant cookie he could find for his father. "Here you go, Daddy."

"Thanks, buddy."

Quickly demolishing the rest of his food and leaving crumbs all over the table, Emily watched as Jack ran back over to the playground, climbing up the ladder. She took the opportunity to sit next to Aaron so that she could also watch the little guy playing.

Instinctively, Hotch wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in closer to his body. "Your sandwiches were delicious."

"I'm glad you enjoyed them," Emily answered, smiling into his shoulder. "I'd forgotten what it's like to hang out with a pre-schooler… He's so incredibly sweet-natured, Hotch. And the politest 3-year-old I've ever seen. I think he's simply an adorable little man."

Planting a kiss on her hairline, Aaron smiled. It felt reassuring to know that Emily felt very highly of his son and that she was beginning to bond with him like he'd always dreamt of. "Wait till you hear a temper tantrum… There's nothing quite like the wrath of a toddler."

Chuckling, Emily snatched another cookie from the basket. "I can only imagine… Speaking of tantrums, I wonder how JJ's doing with Henry."

"Have you talked to her?" Hotch asked.

Emily shrugged her shoulders, "on and off... I've wanted to go and visit, but with work and her still adjusting to Henry, I just haven't had the chance. I think Penelope's had the most cuddles out of all of us."

"Well, she is the fairy godmother," Aaron reminded her with a laugh. "If anybody's going to take that job seriously, it will be Garcia."

A chilly breeze swept across the park, sending wisps of Emily's hair flying across her face. She leaned in closer to Hotch, resting her head into the crook of his neck for warmth while they watched Jack attempt to climb up the playground on his own. Leaves rustled in the wind, children squeaked and squealed in excitement as they skipped around chasing each other, and as Hotch buried his nose into her hair, kissing her ever so delicately, Emily couldn't have felt a more tranquil sensation.

"I could fall asleep here," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"Hmm… So, you won't sleep on the jet, but you'll pass out hearing dozens of three-year-olds screaming around you."

"I'd sleep on the jet, but only if I could use you as a pillow."

Smiling at the compliment, Aaron completely lost himself in her unique shampoo scent. It threw him back to two years ago when the brunette had first walked into his office. Her dark and lustrous eyes had been the first thing he'd noticed, followed closely by what he assumed to be a sweet perfume. Most women he encountered absolutely engorged themselves in heavy sprays of the stuff, and at times could make it really hard to stand in the same room. Emily's scent, however, had always been subtle, enough to not overwhelm him, yet enough to keep him intrigued for more.

And with her finally by his side, he could take his time trying to figure out what had him so attracted to her beautiful and silky hair. He picked up traces of sweet berry and vanilla, but he also caught a tinge of what he believed to be honey embedded in there as well. Whatever it was sent Aaron off into a completely different universe every time he caught a whiff and evoked a desire for her entirely out of his control.

"Are you coming over tonight?" He whispered into her hair.

"I wish I could, but Penelope and I have already made plans…."

He quirked an eyebrow. "That quickly?"

Smiling to herself, Emily retorted, "yes… That quickly."

"Let me guess, you're off to Eugi's."

"Why would I tell you where we're going?" She asked with a chuckle.

"So, that I can come and pick you up when you're too drunk to walk…." Aaron whispered dangerously close to her ear. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Closing her eyes, Emily flashed back to Vegas a few weeks back, remembering the moment in the elevator where things changed between them. "I'm not going to over-indulge, Aaron… It'll just be a few drinks, and then we'll get a cab home."

Turning her head to face him, Aaron's gaze softened. "You promise to call me if you're in trouble."

"I will," Emily replied with a calm smile, getting lost in his shiny eyes. "I love you."

"I love you more."

A/N: In terms of upload, I hardly have time to write these days LOL, so this is going to be one of those stories where I upload whenever I can. But I will do my best to get chapters up for y'all.

Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter!