'Emily... Emily, it's A-Hotch. You're in your apartment, you're just having a dream. I need you to focus on my voice. You are safe.' He says softly, his fingers gently moving some hair out her face as he bends down next to the bed. Her eyes snap open as her upper body shoots into a sitting position and she tries to control her breathing while looking frantically around the room.

'You are safe.' He repeats, his hand settling on top of hers as he runs his thumb over her knuckles. They sit in silence for a few moments, the deep breaths she taken the only sound in the room until she sighs.

'I'm sorry if I woke you... What time is it?" She asks quietly.

'It's a little after 9.' He replies smiling as she turns her hand and links her fingers through his.

'Are you still drunk?' She almost whispers as she glances over her shoulder.

'Sober as a judge.' He replies.

'Lie with me?' She asks.

'Only if you're sure...' He says watching as she shuffles over a bit and moves the covers. She smiles slightly and nods her head. Moving onto the bed, he drapes his arm around her shoulders as she sighs and let's her head drop against him.

'I'm scared.' She almost whispers.

'Of what?' He asks.

'Everything.' She replies laughing slightly as he squeezes her hand.

'I'm scared that I'm never going to feel normal again... That I'm never going to get back to who I was before.' She says closing her eyes for a few seconds and taking a deep breath.

'I'm scared of what I think I feel for you. You mean too much to me and I don't want want to lose you.' She admits.

'Nothing has to happen between us. I wouldn't want to put any pressure on you.' He says softly.

'I know you wouldn't. I just- I don't want to fuck this up.' She almost whispers.

'Look at me? For now nothing needs to change. You need to put yourself first and I fully understand that. I would hate to hinder your recovery.' He says watching her nod her head.

'But when you are ready, if you decide this is something you want, then I'll be here waiting with open arms.' He adds.

'What would happen in work? If we were to decide to give this a go, what would happen?' She asks.

'It wouldn't be easy. There is a process to it all, sometimes it results in transfers... It's basically a bit of a headache, probably worse because I'm Unit Chief but we could make it work, I'd make sure I was the one getting transfered. I wouldn't take you away from the team again.' He says.

'I wouldn't want any of us to be transfered...' She replies.

'Look, it's not something that would happen overnight anyway. We'd just need to keep it quiet until we were ready to tell people, give us a chance to prove that we could still be professional.' He says feeling her body relax further against him.

'What time do you have to pick Jack up?' She asks softly.

'Not until this afternoon... I can leave though, if you'd rather.' He replies causing her to shake her head. She knows he would leave in an instant if she asked him to, in fact if he sensed even a hint of hesitation she's sure he'd probably leave.

'No. Stay with me, please?' She asks. She barely feels it as his lips brush against the top of her head as he settles in beside her. Taking a deep breath, she tilts her head and leans up to press her lips against his. Instinctively his free hand moves to rest gently against her cheek causing her to smile into the kiss.

'Morning... You didn't have anything in to eat so I just ordered some stuff in.' He says making his way into the bedroom.

'Mm... Thank you.' She replies smiling as she pushes herself up until she's leaning on her elbows. She watches as he places the bag on the bedside table and carefully pulls out the food.

'It's nothing fancy; just a bagel and a coffee from that little bakery down the street.' He says.

'Oh my god, that bakery is amazing! Penelope and I tried that when we came to view this place.' She replies smiling.

'What are your plans today?' He asks knowing the whole team have the day off.

'I think I'll just try do a bit of unpacking, make it feel a bit more like home. What about you? Have you and Jack got anything nice planned?' She asks and he shakes his head.

'It would've been Haley's birthday tomorrow so I promised Jack we'll go get a balloon and a cake so we can wish her a happy birthday tomorrow.' He replies watching her smile sadly at him.

'Emily, I just want you to know that there's no pressure from me for anything to happen between us... If you were to decide that this wasn't what you wanted then we can just carry on as if nothing ever happened.' He says as he gets back into the bed beside her.

'We can't though, can we? I have wanted you ever since I met you back when you were working for my mother. It was easier to push it away when you had Hayley and then after Foyet I just- I felt too guilty; I knew you loved Hayley but now? I don't think I can ignore it anymore.' She admits biting her bottom lip.

'I don't think I want to ignore it.' She adds watching a smile appear on his face.

'That long, mm?' He asks and she nods her head.

'Can I tell you when I really felt it?' He asks.

'When everything with Doyle happened... I think the feelings had always been there, slowly building throughout the years but when everything with Doyle happened and I knew there was a very real chance that I'd lose you for good.' He says. He wraps his arm around her as she lets her head drop onto his shoulder.

'I was so scared he was going to come after you guys... He knew how much you all meant to me, that's why I had to do it the way I did.' She admits.

'I know. We all knew you had your reasons for doing things the way you did. It didn't make it any easier but we knew.' He says softly.

'What if I never feel like me again?' She asks quietly.

'You will. It's just going to take some time, Emily. You've been gone for seven months living your life as someone completely different... It's going to take time to adjust and even then things might not completely go back to normal. You might need to find a new normal.' He says.

'Promise me that if we give this a try you won't treat me like I'm some fragile victim who's going to break?' She asks glancing up at him through her lashes.

'You're not some fragile victim. You're one of the strongest people I've ever met and nothing will change that.' He says watching a smile appear on her face.

'I'm not ready for anything physical yet. I just- I'm not ready for that side of a relationship.' She admits and he nods his head as he entwines his fingers with hers.

'That's perfectly okay.' He replies softly.