"Have any big plans for New Year's Eve, Boss Man?"

He smiled at the wall as he shook his head. He didn't really know why he had answered Garcia's call, but it was nice to hear her voice. "I am having a lowkey holiday this year. Jessica is bringing Jack over to Roy's again, since they wanted him for the entire holiday season this year, so I am left to my own devices. I wish that he was here, but maybe I can catch up on a little sleep, too."

Garcia laughed richly, and he could almost picture her shaking her head. "You know, you're free to join us at my apartment. Derek and Reid and I are having a little party, and it's always better with a fourth, since Jayje is celebrating with her family, and Emily's mom roped her into some gala."

"I'd just bring down the atmosphere, but thanks for the invite. I'll see you all back in the office on Monday."

"All right, sounds good. Happy New Year in advance!"

Before he could reply, Garcia had ended the call, and he chuckled a little as he slipped the phone back into his pocket. A part of him did just want to turn in then and there, catching up on some badly needed sleep. Another, louder, part of him wanted to check in on Erin again. Pulling out his phone, he dialed Lauren's personal number and waited for her to answer. "Agent Hotchner! What's on your mind tonight?"

"You mentioned that holidays were treated like weekends there. Does that include today?"

"Yes. If you were planning on coming this evening, we're all gathered in the common room, and you're welcome to stay until a little after the ball drop. This is a hard holiday, since a lot of it revolves around ringing in the new year with champagne, which for obvious reasons cannot happen."

"I understand, and I will see you soon."

Aaron tried to ignore the chuckle that he heard on the other end of the line as he ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket. Getting to his feet, he went down to the parking lot and pulled out onto nearly empty roads. That made sense, since most people were already at their destinations for the evening, so he made it over to the rehabilitation center in good time, ringing the bell only thirty minutes after leaving his apartment.

Lauren answered with a bright grin on her lips, and he groaned a little in displeasure when she affixed an over the top party hat on his head. "Is that truly necessary?" he asked, and she nodded, the grin never leaving her face. In that moment, he knew that she would get along famously with Garcia, and he vowed to never let them meet, since that could only end in chaos. "Erin allowed you to do that to her?"

"It was a bit of a fight, but eventually, she caved. Come on, it's the holiday season, we have to get into the spirit of the night!"

Rolling his eyes a little, he nodded and followed her into the common room. Most everyone gathered there had already paired off with friends or partners, and Aaron scanned the room to try and find Erin. Finally, he saw her sitting in a corner, curled up in a chair and reading a book. There was a matching hat on her head, and for the first time, he wondered if Lauren was trying to put them together. He would have to nip that in the bud, since there was no way he could afford to be in a relationship with his boss.

Clearing his throat when he reached Erin's side, he gave her a little grin as she looked up at him. "Oh, god, she made you wear a ridiculous hat, too?"

"Yeah, we have to be in the festive spirit, after all." His flat delivery of that caused her to giggle, the sound so foreign to his ears that he was able to look at her as a person, rather than his boss. "You're all alone here, reading."

"I haven't really made friends here yet, and didn't feel comfortable shoving my way into established groups. But then my white knight showed up."

"I'm sorry?"

She shrugged, gesturing for him to take the chair next to her, and he scooted the chair closer to her side before sitting. "I know that you've sent me flowers twice now. It tracks with who you are, and I am appreciative of the small gestures to make a bleak room look lovely. Tabitha is my romantic child, so she'd say that you're my white knight."

He nodded at the analogy, glad to get further insight into who she was. "Everyone needs something to brighten up their day. You're wearing the shawl again."

A blush stained her cheeks as she nodded. "I love it." She looked away from him, as if she again had been too open and vulnerable with him in that moment. "Where's Jack?"

"Jessica brought him over to Roy's again. They wanted him for the entire holiday season, but I said that I needed time with him, too. Roy still blames me for Haley's murder."

"There was nothing you could have done to stop Foyet."

"I know, but he doesn't realise that, truly. He just knows that my job is to hunt down the worst of the worst in our country, and that it resulted in his daughter dying. If they were younger, I think that he would have sued for custody of Jack, since he and his wife could provide a more stable life for him."

"He's your son! There's no way that that would have been allowed! Children belong with their parents."

Again, he noticed that he had made her cry, and he nodded silently before reaching out and covering her hand with his own. Erin looked up at him and gave him a small smile as she turned her hand over and closed her fingers around his hand, squeezing softly as they fell into an easier conversation. There was something relaxing about hearing her talk about thoroughly mundane things, and the hours passed by quickly until Lauren came by and handed them noisemakers.

"There are only five minutes until the Ball drops! I thought you'd like to get prepared." She gave him a small wink before moving on to the next group of people.

"The longer I'm here, the more she reminds me of Ms. Garcia. The cheerfulness starts to grate after a while, even though I know that she means well." Aaron nodded as they turned their focus to the television screen, watching as the minutes ticked closer and closer to midnight. With two minutes to go, they both got to their feet, making their way closer to the television with the others gathered in the common room.

"I hope that this next year is so much better than the last," Erin murmured as she rested her head on his upper arm, and he nodded as they started the countdown. As he heard some of the others in the room yell out 'Happy New Year!' and Auld Lang Syne began to play, Aaron was surprised when Erin turned to him, looking up into his eyes before lifting herself onto her tiptoes and pressing a hesitant kiss to his lips. "It is tradition, to make certain that the next year is good."

"Of course," he answered a bit too quickly, and she let out a breathy chuckle as she nodded. "I should probably head home soon, since you might want to get some sleep."

"I'll probably stay up and finish my book, I'm almost finished with it. Perhaps you could visit again before I graduate from the program?"

"I think that I will. Happy New Year, Erin."

"Happy New Year." Before he could really think about what he was doing, Aaron leaned down and kissed her once more, feeling like things were nebulous in that moment, and she returned the kiss softly before pushing him away and curling up in her chair once more, picking up her book and opening it once more, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink. Shaking his head to clear out the thoroughly romantic thoughts, he turned on his heel and left the building, hoping to get home before too many crazy drivers clogged the road.