Aaron stopped short in the hallway hearing Emily voice, perky as ever, coming from Seth's office. Looking down at his watch he wondered what the hell she was doing here close to midnight, when he heard applause; it was just her on TV. Intrigued nonetheless, Aaron made his way into Seth's office and slumped down in a chair, barely even bothering to greet him, and poured himself a glass of whiskey from the bottle Seth had out on his desk. If Emily was here instead of on TV it would be just like old times.

He watched as she switched effortlessly between laughing over the story of a thanksgiving turkey pardon to discussing Anti-Muslim violence after the Capital bombing with that patented Emily grit and passion. He would give an arm and leg to have her back here he realized. They were always off balance when she was gone, Kirkman was angrier, Seth was more stressed, and he was… well he wasn't happy.

"Was she ever this charismatic when she worked for us?" Seth asked, staring disbelievingly at the TV. The host had led Emily over to a piano, where she was playing almost annoyingly well. Aaron wondered idly if Emily had ever played the piano for Seth. It was a game he used to play when Emily and Seth were dating. Spot the ways Aaron knew Emily better.

"She wasn't selling a book back then." Emily had put her all in everyday she worked for Kirkman, but with all the stress he didn't think she was ever this... charming.

"Speaking of. Hot off the presses." Seth passed him a copy.

"You read it yet?"

"Who has the time? And that thing's long. Although at 45 bucks a pop, I guess she couldn't skimp on word count."

"45 dollars?" He said, checking the inside of the jacket to confirm.

"Yeah, but what's the point of being a civil servant if you can't cash it in on a sweet sweet book deal?"

Aaron flipped to the index to look up his name, a little conceited to be sure, but it was always the first thing he did when he found a book he might be mentioned in. He ran his finger over the S's not finding his name, until shaking his head he flipped to the R's. He should be used to it by now, it had been almost a year since he'd changed his name. But he'd been Aaron Shore for close to twenty years, it was a hard habit to break.

He found himself directly under Rhodes, Daniel and besides being surprised her deadbeat dad even rated one mention he was pleased to see that he had more pages listed next to his name than what looked like anyone else on the page. Next he flipped to the Ws to find a long list of page numbers next to Seth's name as well. He couldn't tell from a glance who had more, and he couldn't very well sit here and count them in front of Seth either. And anyway Emily had assured him that her book 'didn't go into anything personal.' Which was a relief. But also meant he probably shouldn't be measuring his importance to Emily on the number of times his name appeared in her book.

"She's going to be way richer than us."

"Gonna be?" Seth scoffed. "You know she's already gotta be making more than both of us combined working on K street."

"Well that settles it, next time she's free, drinks are on her."

"Make that every time." Standing, Seth asked, "If I leave you here can I trust you not to ransack my office?"

"I'll try my hardest." Aaron said, looking down at his drink. Since he was no longer twenty, knocking it back in one swig was probably not the best move. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see ya."

Still sipping his drink Aaron flipped to the cover page to find a message from Emily. Reading it he chuckled lightly to himself, he could hear her voice in his head: 'Aaron, Sorry I accused you of treason. Miss you. Em'

It was an odd thing to apologize for, all these years later. He certainly wasn't holding a grudge. And there were other more recent and in his mind more glaring times they'd hurt each other. Maybe she was wondering where their lives would be today, if Kirkman had never asked her to investigate him. He'd be lying if he said he didn't let the thought cross his mind from time to time. It would be embarrassing to admit how often he'd lay awake in bed thinking about how good her lips felt, even more frequently after he'd found out just how good they felt other places.

Needing to vanquish that thought, he let curiosity get the better of him and got up and opened one of the other copies of her book on Seth's desk. 'Seth, Stay sweet. Love you, Emily'

He opened the last one to see a much longer message, continuing onto the next page. He started reading, 'Tom, It's hard to even know where to start…' before shutting the book. Even looking at these had been nosey, but reading that would be taking it a step too far.

Sitting back down with his book, he flipped through the pages of pictures in the middle, not really taking them in. Emily loved Seth, had over a page of things to write to Kirkman, but missed him? What was he supposed to make of that? Nothing, a voice in his head said, other than maybe you're a lightweight, you shouldn't have been snooping, and if you really want to know how Emily feels about you maybe you should just call her rather than acting like a lovelorn middle schooler.


Aaron should have guessed that Emily was seeing someone. She was an attractive and desirable woman and without the weight of the world on her shoulders, it was crazy to think she would be single. Crazy, but still disappointing. He should have made it more clear he'd been asking her on a date. Because now she was over for dinner and it was just the two of them, and he didn't think he was doing a good job of keeping up the 'I'm so happy for you' charade.

Not that he didn't enjoy her company, but Seth would have been a useful buffer tonight. He'd smiled his way through dinner and was rewarded with sitting next to her watching the Capitals, discussing his recent romantic failures, thinking that he should have said goodnight to her after dinner. But as annoying as it was, having her this close and not being able to act on anything, he knew he'd miss her once she was gone.

"So, when are you going to tell me what exactly happened with Taylor?" The corners of Emily's lips were twitching, if this was her attempt to look upset, or concerned, it sucked.

"You guys were right, she was a little young."

"Really? Was it her Mom having to sign a permission slip for you to take her to Italy that clued you in?" She wasn't even bothering to hide the mirth in her voice any longer.

He scowled, not really annoyed at her so much as himself. "She was 26, and your acting like you've never done something stupid after a breakup." Really his regret was how public the relationship had gotten, not so much that he'd indulged in it. He was only human after all and after everything that had gone down between him and Isabel he found a hot twenty something who practically idolized him difficult to resist. Until he'd found her impossible to be around.

"I don't really do the whole rebound thing."

"Of course you don't, Ms. Perfect's not human like the rest of us."

"Fuck off." Her response was angry, entirely discordant from the conversations they'd been having.

"Hey, sorry. I was just teasing." He said, putting his hands up in mock surrender.

"I know. I'm sorry." She didn't go any further toward explaining her outburst, and just stared down at her nails.

"Things going that well with Bobby?" Reason number fifteen this guy was no good for Emily: What grown man calls himself Bobby?

"Ugh. I don't know. He wants me to meet his kids."

"He has kids?"

"An eight and eleven year old. Boys." She added after a pause as if an afterthought.

"Nice." He said. He didn't say that that sounds pretty serious, pretty permanent. His jealousy was his problem.

"Yeah. He's a good dad. I really liked that about him at first." She pushed her hair back behind her ears and sighed, "I still do."

"But…" He finally prompted, realizing she was not going to finish her thought.

"It's no big secret I'm not exactly great at relationships. Meeting someone's kids is a big step." She scowled. "Or it should be."

"He's moving too fast?"

"Probably not. He loves me, it's serious." He loves me, not we're in love was almost too glaring a redflag not to comment on, but before he could say anything, she continued. "My Mom had a lot of boyfriends. God, I sound like some prudish housewife. I don't care that she dated, but the revolving stepdad act was a bit much."

"Sorry."

She waved a hand dismissing him. "It was nothing traumatic or anything, they were all nice guys. But, you'd get used to one and he'd be gone."

"That sucks."

"I don't want to be that person."

"Then don't be. Tell Bobby you want to take your time. If he's a decent guy he'll understand."

She made a face like she'd rather eat dirt. "There's just so much he doesn't know."

"Yeah, that's the part where you tell him."

She let out a long breath. "I try so hard Aaron. To fit, to get along. So I let things go, try to make things easy. And it starts out small, but then it's like I don't even recognize who I am with him. And he's falling more in love with me, and I'm stuck."

He had a smartass reply about how no one in their right mind would find Emily easygoing on the tip of his tongue but he bit it back. Her pain was too obvious, and her comment about trying to fit hit a little too close to home. If dating Isabel taught him one thing, other then the glaringly obvious cheating is a terrible thing to do, it was that you can never truly be in a relationship with someone when your trying to be someone else. Which most people probably put together long before the age of thirty seven, but better late than never he supposed. And it looked like Emily was just as far behind on that revelation as he was.

"You really like this guy?"

She nodded, a bit hesitant, biting her bottom lip as if really considering his question.

"Then you just need to start being honest with him. And if he has half a brain, once he gets to know the real you he'll be even more in love."

"He's going to think I'm crazy."

"No he won't."

"You don't know that."

"Okay. Lay it on me, what's one of these big secrets?"

She glared at him for a bit, and he thought he was about to be told off, when she said, "He has blackout curtains." She paused, looking like she was regretting telling him this. He wondered if it was some kind of weird sexual thing for a second, and really hopes that Emily's not sharing something like that with him. "And you have to promise not to make fun of me."

"Scout's honor."

"I can't sleep in the dark. Not the pitch dark. I was scared of the dark, when I was a kid but I got over it. But then after everything…" She made a sweeping gesture with her hands. "Well you know the bombing and everything, it came back."

"Em, no decent person would judge you for that." Compared with his issues with his identity that he was still unwinding, it felt so small. But Emily was looking at at him like she had just told him she was a murdered.

"I know. I guess. And if I'd said something the first night it would probably be fine. But how do you say I've been lying awake every night we've spent together for the last six months."

"You just do. It's better than saying it's been the last seven months."

"Yeah."

"And if he's a dick about it you dump him and find someone better."

From the look on her face he's worried he'd overstepped. He really shouldn't be advising her to break up with anyone. "You know I've never dumped someone before."

"What?" He finds that unbelievable. "Didn't you end things with Chris?"

"Chris?"

"That guy who proposed to you." All the more reason Aaron shouldn't be giving Emily relationship advice. It had gotten a bit out of hand last time he tried.

"Oh, Kyle. No, I mean I said I didn't think we should get engaged." She shrugged as if she'd told the guy they shouldn't go out for dinner one night. "But he broke up with me." There was almost a fervor in her voice at the last statement.

Add that to her and Seth's relationship and there was certainly a pattern. "Emily. I say this as a friend, this guy had kids. You can't do that with him."

"Do what?"

"Lead him on with no intention of the relationship going anywhere until he's forced to dump you." So much for his worries about overstepping, he was well and truly past that now.

"I do not do that."

"Okay then don't. Go, be honest with him, let yourself fall in love with him, and let him love the real you." He knows it's not easy, but he's angry at the idea of her settling for less.

For a second he thinks she is going to cry, but then she gives him a steely look and says, "I think I should go."

"Em, I-" He gets ready to apologize, but stops himself. He meant every word he said, and he's not going to give her one of those bullshit 'Sorry if your feelings were hurt' apologies. "You're worth it, that's all."

To his surprise, she pulls him into a tight hug. They hold each other longer than two people with their history probably should, and just as he's preparing himself to reject any advances from her she pulls away. "Thanks. For dinner. And everything."

"Anytime."

"I'm gonna try, with Bobby. Really."

"Good." He smiles at her. He was suddenly reminded of a bet his Grandfather made with him when he'd been too shy to ask out his middle school crush. "Let's make a deal. If you talk to Bobby I'll buy you a bottle of whiskey, if you don't go through with it you owe me one.". The promise of a new soccer ball had worked on twelve year old Aaron.

She tilted her head thinking for a second, "So you don't really think I'll go through with it." She sounded a little sad at the thought.

"I think there's nothing you hate more than losing, so consider it an added incentive. Or a bribe."

At that she laughed and then pulled him back into a hug, and he realized for a fact that this part of their friendship, the confiding, the late night drinks, the touches, the hugs, it all needed to go. It wouldn't be fair to Bobby or any women he might date to continue like this. The thought was more sobering then it should have been considering he didn't really see all that much of Emily these days anyway. But long after she'd left that night he sat on his couch almost frozen, wondering if he had made the right choice.

Should he have just thrown all his cards on the table? Told her that he knew she was seeing someone, but it didn't sound like a real relationship anyway, and wouldn't she really rather be with him? He had the clearest idea that today really had been his last shot, and only the thought that he'd be crazy to think a relationship between the two of them would work out gave him any solace, and even that was limited.


When he didn't hear from Emily for close to a month after their dinner, he figured she must have made things work with Bobby. And he was happy for her, if not a little disappointed that she apparently didn't think their friendship, and the talk they'd had, warranted her following up with him. Just to let him know how things went. Because while he knew they couldn't have the same close friendship that was always teetering on something more, he wasn't ready to have no friendship with her either. It was probably healthy that the first thing she did after having a heart to heart with her boyfriend wasn't come running to tell him about it, but it stung.

He half heartedly went on a few dates, but the thought of starting a real relationship, getting to know someone on such a deep leave was exhausting. So when Emily called and asked if he was free for drinks on Friday night, he jumped at her invitation, in spite of everything he had told himself about putting some distance between them.

He'd all but forgotten about the stupid bet he'd made with her when Emily pulled a bottle of whiskey out of her bag and put it on his kitchen island without comment. But he was surprised to find he was actually disappointed. No matter what feelings he might have for her, at the end of the day he just wants her to be happy. "Oh, Em."

She held out a hand, cutting him off. "I didn't chicken out." Her voice was stern, serious. She turned her back to him, and making herself at home rummaged through his cabinets until she found two rocks glasses. Pouring them both generous glasses she finally added "I ended things with him.". He swallowed, unable to speak and not really sure what he would say if he was up to it.

He watched as she took a sip of her drink, and then looking down at it, swallowed the reminder in one gulp, as if it wasn't an almost 200 dollar bottle she'd brought over. Clearing her throat and shaking her head, she finally continued. "You were right, if I'm going to be in a relationship with someone, I need to open up to them.". She looked down at the bottle and Aaron thought she was considering pouring herself another shot. He just sat and sipped his drink. Whatever point she was getting to, he thought if he interrupted her she might never reach it. And the small part of him that never wanted to let go of things between them was in overdrive, telling him Emily wouldn't be here, telling him this is she didn't want him too.

Apparently deciding she didn't need anymore liquor, she added, "But I realized he's not the one I want to be sharing things with. You are." Her eyes were wide and she had a look of determination on her face Aaron had only previously seen at work. This wasn't the Emily that he used to flirt with. Teasing him about how he'd kissed her when it was clearly the other way around, meandering around asking him if he still wanted her after she and Seth broke up. Now she was focused and clear, not leaving any room for misinterpretation.

Realizing it was his turn to talk he blurted out, "Really? And you and Bobby and one hundred percent over?" His mind was taking some time to process everything and get him caught up, it felt too good to be true.

"Really." Leaving her empty glass on the island she walked over to him and in a low voice said, "You're the one I want Aaron."

He was starting to think he was dreaming but in his dreams she never came to seduce him in a turtleneck and jeans. And she also didn't tremble slightly, apparently nervous he was going to turn her down. But he was having a hard time working through the disbelief that this was real, that Emily wanted him. He stood to meet her and murmured, "Good, you're the one I want too."

She wrapped her arms around him, and he held her tightly. He had a fleeting thought that he should take this slow, she's just gotten out of a relationship after all, but then she was kissing him one hand grasping his hair the other tugging at his tie, and any thought of resistance was out the window. It was all he could muster to move them from the kitchen to his bedroom, because he was not going to take her up against the kitchen counter, not today at least.

Once they reached his bed it was fast. She kissed him hungrily, almost desperately. He practically tore at her clothes, desperate to see more of her, taste more of her. And there was nothing tentative about the way her hands were exploring his body, cupping his ass, running up and down his back, pulling him closer. She pressed herself into him, moaning against his mouth as he ground himself against her.

Finally she whimpered, "I want you, I need you inside me." in his ear and it was all he needed to hear. He thrust inside her hard and fast, feeling her clench around him, nails digging into his shoulders and back, her legs wrapped tight around his waist . He felt himself coming undone and when she cried out, with one final thrust he let go. Breathing hard, they collapsed onto the mattress, both trying to catch their breath.

Once he could summon the energy Aaron scotted himself closer to Emily so they were just touching. Before he even realized he was going to do it, he said "I love you."

Out of the corner of his eye he caught a self satisfied smile on her face. "I love you too." He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He liked to think he knew Emily well, but not even he would try and claim he could read her mind.

She rested her head on his chest and intertwined her fingers with his. He has a million thoughts swirling through his head, a million visions of his future with Emily, but for now this was enough, this was everything.

A/N Sorry for the delay on posting anything on "Falling" I hit a bit of writers block, so I polished up this draft that was lying around annoying me. :)