AN: Here is the next part where Emily and Hotch talk. I am somewhat nervous to post this part after rewriting it a few times. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think.
Dialogue from the episode is in italics.
Emily groaned as she walked towards her front door. She wasn't expecting anyone. Most people who knew her wouldn't try to find her at home in the middle of the day during the week because generally she would be at work. That and anyone who knew her also would know better than to just show up at her door without calling first either.
Just then a thought popped into her head and she paused briefly.
What if it was her mother? Given the security in the building someone couldn't just walk up without being announced first unless they lived here or were cleared as a visitor on someone' list. However as one of the owners of this apartment, her mother didn't need to stop at security or be announced.
What if it had already gotten back to her that Emily had resigned from the FBI?
What if she knew that Emily had told Hotch(and Strauss) that the reason was she was planning on going to the State Department?
If she had found out, the Ambassador would be pleased though Emily would be pissed. She didn't want the improved mood from her workout to be destroyed by an unexpected visit from her mother.
Deciding not to delay the inevitable, Emily made her way to the door. Stopping to check the peephole, she pulled back completely surprised. It wasn't her mother on the other side of the door. It was her boss, err her former boss. And he didn't look very happy. Crap.
Emily took a deep breath and let it out before opening the door to an irritated Hotch. They both stood there looking at each other for several seconds before Hotch asked, "Can I come in?'
Emily nodded and stood to the side, gesturing for him to enter. As he walks into her apartment, her eyes widened as she took a quick appraisal of her kitchen.
She had cleaned it earlier before her appointment with Alicia and taken taken out all of the trash and recycling. But you don't invite one of the best profilers in the country into your apartment the day after a drinking binge and not having at least some apprehension.
And this one also knew her well. She wasn't sure exactly why he was here but he didn't need to know about her drinking last night.
Not sure why she cared since they no longer worked together but she did…
As she was thinking he moved into the apartment and slowly started to pace in her kitchen. She was brought out of thoughts when he said, "the team needs us. They're working a case in Milwaukee. Gideon hasn't shown up, and don't tell me you quit or I put in for a transfer."
Emily looked over at him confused as she processed what he just said. Gideon didn't show up. That didn't make sense. Or did it… He had just been in the office a few evenings earlier when he stopped by when she was working late in the office. Was he….
It was then that the other part of Hotch's statement registered in her. She looked up at him as she questioned, "you put in for a transfer?" as she observed him carefully.
She hadn't been expecting that at all. Though the team being on a case without the three of them would explain why Hotch was saying that the two of them were needed.
At the news, she was dismayed given the significant role that keeping him in the BAU had been for her decision to resign. Regardless, she didn't regret not giving Strauss information. The knowledge of him applying for a transfer would not have changed her decision.
Then she heard him say, "they're both still hung up in the system, so technically we're in dereliction of duty by not being there."
At that Emily gave a mirthless laugh and shook her head. Even with everything that was happening he was by the book. If that is what he wanted, he could go but she was done. She had made a clean break.
Leaving yesterday had been hard enough as the rest of the day had illustrated. Today, she had needed a session with Alicia and a workup to get back at this point. She didn't know if she had it in her again so soon. Could she pick the pieces of herself up again when the case was over and she was again moving away from the BAU?
Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Emily turned to him and said firmly, "I'm sorry, I can't go."
He was immediately concerned that things were worse than he thought when she had refused when he called upon her sense of duty. As he assessed her tone and stance, Hotch noticed that she was putting up walls, digging in.
He had hypothesized that in his moment of uncertainty the day he was suspended he had hurt her deeply. That pressure that JJ had mentioned Strauss putting on her had resulted in her now wariness.
If he kept pushing, her inner stubborn nature would take over. No he needed to change his approach. He needed to get her curious. But he also knew what he was planning was risky.
So he shook his head as he hoped that what he said next wouldn't blow up in his face. If he got out the door without her stopping him he feared that on some level they would both regret it, both personally and professionally. Looking at her, he said, "right, sorry I barged in." before slowly turning towards the door and taking a couple of steps.
Emily looks at him shocked. What had just happened? He had driven over a half hour to get here. Now they had talked for three minutes and he folded as her first hesitation.
Did he really want her on this case?
Or did Strauss pressure him to come and now that he had made a token attempt, he could report back that she refused?
Something wasn't right here and she was starting to feel as if she was being played.
Looking at his departing figure, she called out, "wait. Wait. Can I ask?" Emily paused and waited as he turned around and looked back at her. Once he was facing her, she crossed her arms over her chest and asked while keeping eye contact, "why are you really here?" so she could carefully observed his reaction. If she saw what she feared, she would be kicking him out shortly.
Hotch let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding when she stopped him. However he did not relax when he turned around and saw her stiff posture and suspicious expression.
Buying himself some time, he walked back away from the door. As expected, her curiosity had her questioning his presence. Good.
But he still needed to work past the skepticism that was front and center. He needed to be careful as the next few minutes would determine whether he would gain her trust or be shown to the door.
Turning back to her, he started, "I told you" though it did not take a profiler to see that the look she was now shooting him was preceding him being thrown out of her apartment. To end up heading to Milwaukee by himself.
Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I think Strauss came to you and asked for dirt on me." He saw a look of shock cross her face before turning angry though he was encouraged that he was on the right track when at the same time her posture relaxed slightly.
However he knew he wasn't all the way there yet when with her arms still across her chest, she asked dispassionately yet bitingly, "why would she do that?"
He sighed and nodded as he looked at her before saying, "I think if you have your eyes on top leadership at the FBI, you want to know who might stand in your way." As he spoke, he saw her nodding at his words.
She looked at him, uncertainty flowing off of her before challenging, "and what could I have told her?"
As he looked back to her, Hotch could tell that Emily wanted to believe him. Wanted to hear that he understood what had happened. But she needed for him to go all the way in saying the words.
Verbalize what they both knew that she had avoided reporting that he had knowledge of things happening on the team.
She had just sacrificed her career. The least he could do was to give her the words she needed to hear.
So he took a deep breath and said, "that one of my agents might have murdered a suspect in cold blood. Or another might have a serious drug problem which I didn't report and if Strauss had any evidence, my career would be over."
He paused having gotten out the two most significant factors that could be used against him. He noticed that she looked away as he spoke but also continued to nod at his words.
Pleased that he appeared to be getting through to her, Hotch continued, "I think she put you on our team and expected something in return."
He watched as she suddenly looked up at him and froze. Her appointment to the team had been questioned by him several times in the early months after she started. Each time she had been emphatic that she wanted to be a profiler and wasn't there to hurt the team. Over time, he has started to believe that it was true.
But today, he trusted that she had been telling the truth the whole time. While Strauss had hired her for a reason, he could clearly see now that Emily hadn't been informed of those reasons. If anything she had been actually hurt by them more than anyone as the risk to him had only been unrealized potential for Strauss as she still didn't have evidence against him.
Given his previous accusations, he knew he needed to clear up this aspect of what happened.
That he put the pieces together.
That he knew that she had been telling him the truth the whole time.
That he knew she hadn't been part of what Strauss had been planning all these months.
That she hadn't taken the easy or beneficial path when Strauss pressured her for information.
So he looked back up at her and responded softly, "and to your credit, you quit rather than whisper in her ear." And with those words, their eyes met and they both nodded as what happened had been completely unraveled.
Emily then said softly with unshed tears in her eyes, "I told you. I hate politics."
And that was it.
She had told him that 13 years ago when she explained her career goals.
She had told him that in his office when he challenged her about knowing Congresswoman Steyers that she hated politics and why.
He had heard her opinions on the topic in passing more than once.
And politics was exactly what Strauss had been attempting from trying to get damaging information on him to promises of a promotion for her if she did as asked. But instead Emily had stayed true to herself and done what Strauss had least expected. She had taken the high road, refused to play Strauss' political games and quit.
As he watched as the tension in her posture dissipated, he knew he was still on the right track to talking her into coming with him to Milwaukee. He took a step closer before imploring, "come to Milwaukee. I'll make you a deal."
He stopped as she looked at him curiously before continuing, "if your ready bag isn't here, packed, I won't bug you anymore. If it is, I want you on that plane with me." He paused as they looked at each other, each trying to read the other's thoughts before he took another step towards her as he quietly uttered, "one more case."
He watched as she assessed what he just said before she came back with while shrugging, "I already turned in my badge and my gun." At that point he internalized his smirk. If that was her best argument against it, than he was optimistic that he could get her the last few steps to going with him.
Hotch shrugged back as he answered, "that's just hardware."
Emily looked at him before turning and walking over into the living room, focusing out the large windows on that end of the room.
As he watched her standing across the room, Hotch wasn't sure what had just happened. And as a profiler, he hated that feeling. Though he had found with Emily the unexpected happened more often than with anyone else.
Right now, he didn't even know if the sudden change had more to do with personal or professional issues.
As he looked into the living room his gut clenched as he saw the moving boxes. He knew that she had quit but it still surprised him that she was packing up and leaving too quickly.
Since she had joined the team, Hotch had learned how much of what he had been told 13 years earlier just wasn't true. He had been planning to talk to her about it after they came back from Kansas City but Gideon had arranged a movie night for the team. He had wanted to clean the air between them before he moved on from the BAU. But that seemed so long ago with everything that had happened since though it had only been a few weeks.
Or was there still something else that happened in the BAU that he didn't know about. Something that was giving her pause to go back.
As he considered the question, a possible idea came to him as he thought about her time with the team. Walking so that he was closer to her. When he was even with her though a few steps to the side, he said, "Em."
Without looking over at him, she replied, "Yes."
For now accepting it as a victory, Hotch took a deep breath before saying, "I need to apologize to you. Since you walked into my office several months ago, there have been times that I've been a complete jerk to you."
He paused when she looked over at him before continuing, "you were honestly the last person that expected to come to the team. But since then, you have done good work and have been a team player even when the rest of us struggled with it at times.
I was wrong. You do deserve to be in the BAU. So I'm asking you, even if it just for this one case will you come back to the team that you earned the right to be a part of?"
He watched a stray tear fell down her cheek. This is what she had needed to hear. What he speculated she had been questioning since Strauss sprung on her why she had been hired.
Turning slightly towards him, Emily whispered, "are you sure this is what you want, Aaron?"
Hotch looked at her surprised. This was only the second time since she had joined the team that she had called him Aaron. He nodded and responded softly, "yes."
Emily looked forward again and quietly looked out the window briefly before turning back to him and asking, "did you say Milwaukee?"
"Yes." Hotch answered.
Emily's face grew annoyed as she asked, "case with women having their hearts cut out and being wrapped and dumped?"
Hotch looked at her surprised before asking, "how did you know?"
Emily sighed and shook her head before explaining, "I saw reports of the murders. Because I needed to clear all my decision as acting Unit Chief through her, I went to Strauss last week to ask if I could contact the head detective in Milwaukee to offer assistance. It wouldn't have looked good if I called and offered support only for Strauss to say no after the fact."
Hotch saw where this was going and stated, "so she said no. Did she even look at the file?"
Emily shrugged as she answered, "well, she glanced at it. Her position was the team had enough work to do without going and looking for more. It was frustrating that I couldn't do anymore at the time. I let the file for Garcia asking her to pass it onto you hoping that since you didn't have the same restrictions you could do what I hadn't been allowed."
"She did give it to me but didn't say that you had sent it." Hotch replied.
"Yeah, sorry that was my bad." Emily said.
They were quiet again. As he saw the time on the clock on the wall, Hotch realized that he needed an answer. Looking over at her, he asked, "so will you come with me and see this case though?"
Emily took a deep breath and let it out before slowly nodding as she said, "just let me get my stuff." She may end up regretting it when she was back here in a couple of days adjusting to her second break from the team but she would need to deal with it then. And then Emily stepped away and started jogging up the stairs.
Hotch started to watch her go but as he saw her climb the stairs in her tight jeans he groaned and looked away. He couldn't do this now. Things were complicated at home and things were complicated at work. He didn't need to make things any more complicated in other parts of his life. It wouldn't be fair to Emily.
A few minutes later Hotch looked at his watch relieved that they still had time to get to the airport. The check in process would take longer than usual because they were flying commercial, and without her credentials, Emily would need to go through the normal security screening process.
Just as he was considering calling up to her, he heard a thump shortly before a crash coming from the upstairs part of the apartment. Walking over to the bottom of the stairs, he looked up. When he didn't see or hear her, Hotch called out, "Emily."
When she didn't answer, Hotch jogged up the stairs to see if she was OK.
At the top of the stairs, he walked over to what he remembered was her bedroom. A room that at one point in time they had spent a lot of time in together.
As he walked through the open doorway, he was surprised by the lack of personal touches currently in the room.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a surprised gasp behind him. He turned to see Emily standing in the hallway outside the room holding a dustpan and brush.
Taking a couple of steps closer to her, he said, "I came up to check on you after hearing a crash. Are you OK?"
Emily looked up at him, it being surreal to have him standing here again after all these years.
After she didn't say anything for a minute, Hotch took a step closer and put his hand on her shoulder and asked again, "are you OK?"
The gesture brought her back to the present. She shook her head and step back before saying, "yeah, I just dropped something in the office and it broke a glass." as she gestured towards the dustpan and brush that she was holding before continuing, "let me just get the rest of my stuff and we can go."
Hotch noticed that after putting the dustpan and brush into the hall closet, she walked into a different bedroom that he recalled her mentioning years earlier was a guest bedroom. He walked over to the doorway and immediately recognized that this was the bedroom she was using now despite it being smaller.
He was saddened to see boxes in this room as well. He had also seen the boxes downstairs. Now that Emily had left the BAU, he had no idea what she was planning next. But whatever it was, it did not appear to be in DC.
As he watched her look through her bag, he asked, "where are you headed?"
Emily looked over at him confused as she answered questioningly, "Milwaukee?"
He smiled before clarifying, "no, it looks like you are packing to move. Where are you going?"
Emily shook her head before looking back down at her bag as she answered, "um, I'm not sure yet. A lot is still up in the air right now. All I do know is that I'm moving out of this apartment."
"I thought you liked this apartment?" Hotch said, recalling her relaying during one of their earlier conversations how much she enjoyed the view.
Emily sighed and stood up before shaking her head as she answered, "I do. Or I did. There are a lot of memories here as you know." He nodded at the inference to their previous relationship and the memories he had from just being here.
"Is that the reason you are moving out?" Hotch asked cautiously.
While things had improved between them in the office over several months, it was still far different than what they had previously had. He had been affected in the short time he had been here today while she had lived here for several months.
Emily looked away after shaking her head as she answered, "not primarily. When I got my transfer to the BAU I asked my parents if I could rent it. I didn't really have time to tour and vet a bunch of apartments as I was finishing up in Chicago. I knew that this one was in a secure building that was in a safe area. It's a bit further than I'd have liked from the office but it worked."
Hotch nodded having remembered his thoughts when he first saw her address in her file that it would be a tough commute. He refocused back on her when she continued, "but recently I've been having issues with my parents. My mother is having boundary issues though I shouldn't be surprised as it's nothing new. Since they own this apartment I thought it best that I move on and find a place of my own. It was planned before any of the stuff with Strauss started."
As she had explained Hotch could see her posture stiffening. It wasn't any secret to him about the overreach Ambassador Prentiss made in her daughter's life. Interference from her parents had been the primary motivation for keeping their relationship secret until he finished his assignment with her mother.
Looking back at Emily he asked, "what do you mean by boundary issues? Was it her bringing that case to us a few months back?"
Emily sighed and shook her head as she remembered that completely bizarre case. However for her that case had only been the start of the complications.
The interrupted dinner with her mother.
Hotch mentioning the phone call he received from her mother along with a name she had hoped to never hear again.
The confrontation at her parents' house and learning the truth about what they had done to her and Aaron.
A truth that she had contemplated sharing with him ever since as he had as much right to know as she had.
A truth to which she had no idea how he would reaction.
A truth she should tell him now not knowing if she would see him again after this case
Decision made, she answered, "no though that was weird and in a way it started the sequence of events." She paused before looking at him and saying seriously, "we need to talk Aaron. Do we have time before the flight?"
Hotch nodded as he looked at her concerned, not sure what she was going to say. In his experience, the 'we need to talk' phrase never came with good news. However his curiosity took over as he wanted to hear her out.
He replied, "yes we have some time though I don't want to cut it too close since you have to go through the normal security line."
Emily nodded before looking around the room all the sudden uncertain.
She didn't want to have the conversation in this room. Memories of Aaron were already through most of the apartment other than this room. She didn't want to have the memories of a potentially anger confrontation in this room.
Gesturing out the door she stepped out and pointed towards the other end of the hall as she said, "OK. Um, let's go into the office."
She started walking in that direction him following. After walking into the office, he sat in one of the chairs opposite her. Once they were settled, he looked over at her and asked, "OK Emily what do you need to tell me?"
Emily sighed and then said, "first off if after hearing what I have to say if you don't want me to come, just tell me. I'll understand."
At her words and serious expression, Hotch could feel his stomach drop. What was she going to tell him? Is it what he had been suspecting or was there something else? Nodding, he answered, "OK but now you are concerning me."
Emily took a deep breath and then started, "it's about the summer we were together Aaron. We spent a lot of it in this apartment. When I moved back here I could immediately remember our time here. It's why I changed bedrooms."
Hotch nodded before he answered, "I remember the building as soon as I pulled up outside today."
Looking away from him she continued, "I had no idea until ten minutes before I walked into your office that day that you were going to be my supervisor. I don't know if I would have come if I had known. But I wanted to be in the BAU and honestly you brushing me off that day just pissed me off."
Hotch gave a small chuckle before saying, "I didn't know you or anyone was being assigned to the team. But as I later found out I didn't have a choice about you staying. I didn't get the paperwork until I got back from St Louis."
"She must have been planning it from the beginning." Emily murmured.
Hotch nodded as that is also the conclusion he had reached as difficult as it had been to admit. But as he looked over at Emily he saw a far away look. Suddenly he realized that they were no longer talking about Strauss and her first days in the BAU.
No, she was referring to something or someone else. And it was because of that person that they were now talking. Looking at her, he said quietly, "yes but I don't think we are talking about Strauss right now."
Emily nodded as she was both looking forward to getting everything out in the open and dreading telling him. Her comfort right now was they were at her apartment and if things started to get too heated, she could just tell him to leave.
After taking a few deep breaths, Emily turned to him and said, "no, you're right. Yeah things were tense with us at the beginning but we were gradually working through it. I had been angry with you for 12 years and it took some time to let that go."
Hotch looked shocked before saying loudly as he stood up, "angry. Why were you angry with me?"
If anyone should be angry about what happened between them, it was him after what she did. But what did she really do? He knew from reviewing her record most of what he had been told and acted upon was false.
He shook his head before sitting back down and saying, "we were together and then we weren't and I still don't know what happened. What did I do for you to leave?"
Emily looked at him and saw the sadness in his eyes. She nodded and then said softly, "I know. I can't tell you how many times I asked myself that same question. But at least now I have a better idea of what happened. That is where I'm getting to. Since it directly affected you, you have the right to know as well"
Emily paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "after that case that my mother brought to us, I was at the house arguing with her about something else. Edward walked in and she left the room. While she was gone, he misunderstood what we had been arguing about and let everything slip..."
Emily trailed off and when she didn't continue, Hotch said, "I don't understand."
Emily took another deep breath and then blurted out, "they conspired to break us up. I don't know how they found out but they did."
Hotch jumped up out of his seat again and looked at her, carefully assessing her expression as he said loudly, "what? How?" before he paused. He could see that she was telling the truth. Taking a deep breath, he sat back down and turned to her before saying, "start from the beginning. Please"
Emily nodded and then explained, "I was at home that night. It was one of the few nights that I was there and not with you. The housekeeper came in during the night and woke me. My grandfather was sick and in the hospital in France. I was on an early flight that morning."
Hotch nodded having already had the thought after her comment on the jet that her grandfather may have been involved in her sudden disappearance. Looking at her, he asked sadly, "why didn't you call me? I would have driven you to the airport."
Emily shook her head then shrugging before saying, "I don't know. I was still in the mindset of we had to keep us a secret until you finished your assignment with my mother. I left you a note in your office at the house before I left." She paused when she saw that he was about it object before continuing, "I know you never received it but I swear to you I did leave you a note."
Hotch nodded relieved that she had no questions about that he had never seen her letter before he said, "no I didn't. But how do you that now?"
Emily gave a humorless laugh as she looked away from him to stare at the wall as she said, "because Edward told me. That night a few weeks ago he told me all that they did to make sure that we never talked again. He also mentioned that you left a note for me here that I never saw."
Hotch nodded at her words suddenly remembering the letter he had left for her right before he left for London. He had let his anger take over and the letter had been full of vitriol.
Looking at her profile he said, "yeah I did before I left for my next assignment. But given what you just said about what happened I'm glad you never did read it. I was upset about you leaving suddenly without a word. Then I overheard that you went away with a fiance and were transferring to Brown to finish grad school to live with him."
Emily looked down at her lap, feeling tears starting to go down her face was she whispered, "there never was a fiance. Or husband."
Hotch sat back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling before he said, "I know that now." He paused when she looked over at him before continuing sheepishly, "it was in your file."
Emily nodded before leaning forward resting her forearms on her legs as she looked down at her lap. Hotch wasn't sure what he could say to her right now. Lies told years earlier had upset both of their lives. It wasn't until now as they learned about these lies that they both recognized how messed up everything was.
Just as he was going to say something, Emily said while still looking down, "so I came back three weeks later shortly after his funeral and you were just gone. You had moved out of your apartment and your number was disconnected. The agent that took over your position said you had gone to London on assignment."
She paused and looked over at him before continuing, "I knew that it was the type of position that you wanted so I didn't blame you for taking it. It just hurt that you had just left without saying a word. Like I hadn't matter. I just kind of floated through the rest of the summer before going back to Yale."
Hotch could feel his heart sink at the pain in her words. He sighed knowing he needed to explain where he had been coming from when he made the decision so he said, "I did take that position but I thought that you had cheated on me and/or cheat with me. When I heard it, I didn't want to believe it. But you were just gone. I had just been offered a great position and it didn't seem like going to New Haven was the move I needed to make anymore because you weren't going to be there."
Emily sighed and nodded as she sat back in her seat. Looking over at him, she said, "yeah I can understand that now. I remember how much you wanted to work on an international task force."
They were quiet for a couple of minutes before Hotch asked, "I did but I would have waited for you to finish school first." before pausing before he continued, "why didn't you seek me once you joined the FBI? You would have had access to my current assignment."
Emily shrugged before answering, "at first I was just hurt that you left without saying anything. Over time that hurt turned to anger." She paused before continuing angrily, "but that was their goal. To tell each of us something that would make it less likely that we would seek each other out."
Hotch nodded as he hadn't sought her out either and became angry whenever he thought of something that reminded him of Emily, like their song before he responded, "that's true. Cheating is definitely a hot button for me." As he said it the irony of the word was not lost on him at his suspicions about what was going on with Haley.
Emily sat up and looked directly at him as she said sincerely, "I remember and I never would have done that to you Aaron."
"And I never would have just left when we had made plans without talking to you." Hotch responded with equal sincerity.
After looking at each other, Emily nodded. Recalling how the conversation started about her moving out of the apartment and the conflict with her parents, she said, "so since that night things have obviously been tense with my mother and Edward. They still don't think they did anything wrong. I haven't been able to get past that my mother was fine letting anyone, though it was you in this case, believe that I was a liar and cheater. We have had our problems over the years but I'm having a really hard time getting past that."
Hotch could see the pain as she shared that with him. It had never been a secret that the Prentiss women had issues even years earlier. But he too was shocked that her own mother had gone along with that false characterization of her daughter. He then stated, "So they admitted everything."
Emily nodded before saying, "yeah, once Edward started he just told the whole story even after he found out that wasn't what we had been talking about before he came. He already knew you were my boss. My mother called later trying to justify their actions but there is no justification. The proverbial straw was when she showed up here one night and let herself in when I didn't answer, interrupting me with a guest. It was that night that I told her I was moving out."
Hotch felt his gut clench at two things that she had just mentioned. The first was the timing of this interaction with parents. She mentioned it was after the case that her mother brought to them and she was arguing with her mother. He couldn't help but wonder if the strange phone call he had received from the Ambassador had anything to do with it after Emily's reactions when he mentioned the topic of the call. He was still investigating that subject.
The other was her mentioning about her mother interrupting when she had a guest over. While it could have been anyone he did wonder who it had been. He thought back to his musings when he arrived about her possibly spending time here with another man.
But he really didn't have cause to become upset. Regardless of the reason, their relationship had ended years ago. Additionally he himself had moved on and was married. He had no right to be upset with her if she wanted to be in a relationship with someone now.
Not wanting to add more drama to an already tense discussion, he asked, "but you don't know where you are going?"
Emily shook her head before responding, "no or what I'm going to do for work." She paused and sighed before continuing, "I'll figure it out. I was actually looking at options before you got here."
As much as Hotch hoped that now that they had cleared the air between them that they would still be in touch after this case, he wasn't sure. His plans weren't as up in the air as hers but they were both planning on moving onto new positions after this case. With this in mind, he looked at her and said, "I hope you know that you can always ask for a recommendation from me. I'm not sure where I will be going for my next assignment but just call or email and I'll write one for you."
Emily smiled and nodded before answering, "thanks, I'll let you know."
Hotch looked down at his watch and grimaced as he said, "I hate to stop here but we need to leave soon to catch that flight. I'm glad we finally talked out what happened."
They both stood up and moved closer as they came near the door. Their arms touched and then the next thing they knew they were in a tight hug.
Hotch rested his head on top of hers smelling her shampoo before whispering, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you after your grandfather died. I remember how important he was to you." He felt Emily nod as he spoke.
As they stood there Emily was taking as much of his strength as she could from the hug after a tumultuous few weeks along with the knowledge that they may not see each other after this case. She inhaled the comforting scent of his aftershave as she answered, "I'm sorry that I'm the reason that my parents screwed with your career."
A few more seconds and they released the other from the hug. A peace finally reached and painful truths uncovered. After grabbing her bag they made their way downstairs and out of the apartment unsure of what would happen once they reached Milwaukee.
AN: The next part is almost done. I hope to have it up by Wednesday at the latest.