Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has supported this story so far! This chapter's narrator is Emily and we'll see H/P's first kiss. :) Also, there is quite a bit of pain in this chapter, just as a heads up. It'll be happy soon I promise. :)

"Sometimes it's the person you least expect that sweeps you off your feet at the exact moment you thought you were all alone." –Anonymous

Narrator (Emily):

"Thinking back to my life eight months ago I cannot begin to believe how much different it was from the way my life is now. If I knew then that I would be someone's wife, well let's just say that Aaron Hotchner would not have been my first guess at figuring out who my husband was. I loved him then, but despite Garcia and JJ's efforts in persuading me other wise, I thought he considered me as a friend and nothing more. It's a good thing I let those silly girls talk me into their plan that Friday night in Atlantic City or I'm not sure if I'd have ever let him know how I felt. I'm guess I'm forever in their debt. I know it may seem odd to a person who doesn't know Me, Aaron, and the others to hear that we all got married on the same night and the situations that surrounded each of our lives at the time, but I think, honestly, knowing us it would have never worked if we had tried do it in the 'normal' ways. That's just not how we work I guess. Maybe we just need an exciting, happy story to tell to keep our minds off the horrible things we deal with everyday. Who really knows? I can, however, say that a certain five words never sounded romantic to me until that night, and now they're probably some of the most romantic words I've ever heard."

Flashback:

"Garcia, we've been in this car for hours." Reid stated while stretching in his seat.

"Reid relax we're only thirty minutes away. See there's the sign for the exit- Atlantic City Expressway. Why don't you call the hotel and make sure the rooms are ready?"

"Ok. Ok. What's the name and number of the hotel?"

"I wrote it on the back of the directions in pink. The reservations are in Derek's name."

"Ok, here we go, The Sheraton Atlantic City Hotel." Reid answered dialing, "Yes, this is Spencer Reid. I'm calling in regards to reservations made under the name Derek Morgan. Yes, ok thank you, that won't be a problem. Bye."

"Well?"

"Well what Garcia?"

"What did they say sweet cheeks?"

"Oh they said the rooms are ready, but they can only give us five rooms instead of six like the reservations were made for. They've upgraded our rooms to suites to make up for the mistake."

"Oh, ok. JJ, Emily, and I will probably end up in the same room anyways. We did last time."

"Last time?"

"Yea, we came down for a girl's weekend about a month ago."

"Oh. Morgan did you know about this?" Reid said turning back towards the middle seat to face Derek.

"Yea man, of course I did. I was the one who suggested Atlantic City. Ok so Hotch, what do you wanna do first?"

"I think dinner is in order and so is a stiff drink after riding in this SUV so long. Has anyone been to the famous Boardwalk that's in Atlantic City?"

"I think that's a 'no' from everyone. Ok well from everyone except Emily and JJ who've passed out in the seat behind us."

"Ok then there's a place called Los Amigos and it's right on the Boardwalk that we can go to. We took my brother Sean there for his bachelor party last year. I think it's about two blocks from the hotel."

"Ok sounds good Hotch. We'll just check into the hotel first and change and then we can all walk there."

Practically shouting behind her from the driver's seat as she pulled the SUV into the hotel's enormous parking lot Garcia said "Sweetness wake up Emily and JJ we're here."

After waking up JJ and Emily and checking into their rooms with the hotel receptionist, they all agreed to meet in half an hour in Reid's room before heading to the boardwalk for dinner.

Thirty Minutes Later…

Reid, Hotch, and Morgan sat at the small table in Reid's room with each of them holding a small drink from the mini bar. While Hotch and Morgan downed there's as it they had been only water Reid looked uneasy about even tasting his, but before Derek could tease him into drinking his phone rang.

"Morgan"

"Sweetness, we're going to have to meet you at the restaurant."

"Ok why?"

"Nothing's wrong, we're just running a little behind getting ready."

"Ok momma how long do you girls need?"

"We just need about fifteen extra minutes. Go ahead and order us each a martini, you can pick the flavor." Before he could answer the reply that was forming in his head she had hung up and he closed his phone.

"Ok well it looks like they need more time to finish getting ready so they want us to go a head and they'll meet us there soon."

"Alright" Hotch said as he and Reid got to their feet, "Just one question though."

"What's that?"

"How long have you had 'I'm too sexy' as your ring tone?"

"Since Garcia decided she needed her own ring tone. I told she could pick which one she wanted, and well as you can see that was probably not my best idea." He replied smiling.

After a brief laugh the trio made there way to the elevators, through the lobby, and began towards Los Amigos.

-Emily, JJ, and Garcia-

Emily was sitting on JJ's bed as Garcia finished her make-up and JJ took the rollers out of her hair. "Guys are you sure about this? I mean we came here for his birthday and to get his mind off Hailey, not for me to see how he feels."

"Em" JJ began, "You want to know how he feels about you right?"

"Yes"

"Well gorgeous this is the best way to find out." Garcia said as she handed Emily the lip gloss to put on.

"Ok explain how this is better than just telling Hotch how I feel."

"Emily, sweetie, let's just say this is a more direct approach."

"Yea gorgeous, basically it all boils down to if his eyes pop out of his head when he sees you in a few minutes then he feels the same and if they don't he doesn't. And if he doesn't JJ and I will find an extremely handsome trio of men for us to take advantage of tonight and leave the boys to do whatever they do."

Sighing Emily realized that at least this way she could get a extremely stiff drink if he rejected her, which he probably would being that his divorce was just finalized, and her best friends were there to make her feel better if she needed it. "Ok, I guess I agree with you two."

"We love you too Emily" JJ and Garcia said at the same time as Garcia handed Emily her black boots.

"Ok well how do I look?" Emily asked.

"Honey, believe me when I say, that no one can make skinny jeans look as good as you can. You'll definitely blow him, and every guy in there, away tonight."

"Thanks Garcia. You and JJ don't look so bad yourselves. Are we ready to go?"

"We are, yes, but are you?"

"Well I guess it's now or never, right?"

"Right" JJ said nodding her head.

"Okay then let's not keep our gorgeous profilers waiting any longer" Garcia remarked as they made their way they same way their male counter parts had just gone ten minutes earlier.

Walking on the boardwalk Emily had been her usual cool, calm, and collected self, until she reached the door to the Mexican restaurant. She quickly recovered by taking several deep breaths and followed her friends in through the brightly colored door.

The hostess led them through the dimly lit restaurant to an oversized booth where Reid sat by himself waiting on Morgan and Hotch to get back from the restroom. Sliding into the booth next to him on one side was JJ and the other was Garcia, while Emily cautiously took her spot next to JJ. "Hey sweet cheeks" Garcia called to him over the somewhat loud Latin music as they sat down.

Before Reid could reply Garcia more or less felt Derek sit next to her and start up their usual flirty banter as Hotch sat down on Emily's other side, but not without noticing how great she actually did look.

The group easily began talking about anything and everything as Hotch's arm subconsciously made its way behind Emily resting on the top of the seat. While Emily barely seemed to notice, Garcia picked up on it right away and sent her and JJ a meaningful glance. Dinner seemed to pass by too quickly for the team, but they all paid their tabs and headed outside intent on walking down the boardwalk towards the water.

As soon as they made it outside they split into their usual pairs of Garcia and Morgan, Reid and JJ, and, of course, Emily and Hotch, with each duo making their way towards the end of the pier at their own pace.

Once the others were out of sight Emily turned to Hotch and asked, "So how's your birthday going so far?"

"To be honest it's actually turning out pretty well considering everything that's happened lately."

"Good, we all thought you needed a break from it all. Honestly after that last case in Texas we needed a break too. That was definitely a bad one."

"Well I agree with you on that, but let's don't talk about work now."

"Ok, what do you want to talk about?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he sighed and replied "I don't know, just anything besides work."

Laughing a little and rubbing her arms due to the wind she replied "Ok I think I can handle that."

Removing his jacket and placing it on her shoulders she nodded a quick thanks and then let him pick the start of the conversation. They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment before he suddenly blurted out "I alphabetize my CD collection and my credit cards. That means Reid's rubbing off on me a little too much doesn't it?"

Tossing him an easy smile she nodded her head no and then added "No, but if it does then I he's rubbing off me too because I do that too. I even have the albums in order according to release date."

"You know what Emily Prentiss, you surprise me."

"Why's that?"

"I just never thought, out of everyone, that you'd be the one who'd alphabetized your CD's."

"Oh come on. You've seen my apartment. Did you not notice my little OCD then?"

"When a beautiful woman lets you into her apartment the last thing you notice is the way it's organized." He replied smiling at her.

Blushing ever so slightly she simply nodded in understanding and continued the rest of the ten feet to the wood railing to look out into the water.

Coming up beside her he noticed that she was deep in thought, but feeling totally at ease in this moment with her, he decided to take his chances and ask her about it. "A penny for your thoughts" he asked while placing his hands on the wood railing in front of them.

"Oh sorry just thinking about how my sister and I used to sit on the roof outside my window every night and watch the stars for hours." She replied and noticing his hands took a small chance of her own when she pretended to unconsciously place her hand onto of his. When he didn't immediately move away she let her fingers start to caress the tops of his knuckles.

"Where's your sister now?"

"Ironically enough she's an astronomy professor at Duke University."

He smiled at her and instead of replying he started to lean towards her, locking eyes with her, and just as their lips met in a soft kiss Emily pulled back hearing two soft giggles and a 'Reid shut up' to her left. Looking up at him she saw the question in his eyes and pointed to their friends who were watching them and trying to hide in a small shadow.

Quickly kissing her again and grabbing her hand he led them back up the boardwalk not even thinking about the others reaction. All he wanted to do was be close to Emily Prentiss right now, she made him feel so at ease, so at home, that he couldn't even begin to put into words how that made him feel. All he knew was that he wanted to be with her as friends or otherwise- now and always.

End Flashback

DECEMBER 2008

Hotchner Residence-Bedroom-11pm

"Penny for your thoughts"

"Oh sorry I was just thinking about the first time you asked me that. Do you remember?"

"Of course I do. That was, by far, one of the best nights of my life."

"Mine too. I love you."

"I love you too Emily."

Just as he was leaning towards her Emily felt a sharp pain rivet through her stomach and winced. "Emily, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I just felt this sharp pain." Wincing again she felt another one. "I think I might be having contractions."

"Are you sure? It's too early. You're just a little over 34 weeks along."

Just as she was about to give her answer she felt a small trickle of what could only be blood down her leg. "Aaron call 911" was all she managed to say before passing out.

The next ten minutes were undeniably the worst in Aaron Hotchner's life. All he could do was sit and wait for the paramedics to arrive. He had never felt so helpless as the love of his life and his child's lives hung in the balance. Not knowing what else to do he called Morgan and told him what was happening and hung up just as the paramedics pulled up to their one story house, loaded Emily on a gurney, loaded her in the back allowing him to ride along, and sped off towards the hospital.

Morgan Residence-11:30pm

Walking back into the bedroom from the kitchen where he'd gone to fetch something to satisfy Penelope's most recent craving, Morgan ended his conversation with JJ who had agreed that she and Reid would meet them at the hospital.

Sitting up in the bed Penelope could tell something was very wrong with her husband. "Sweetness what's wrong?"

"Baby girl, Hotch just called. He sounded like a crazy person."

"What did he say?"

"He said he and Emily were talking one second and the next she started feeling contractions and started bleeding just before she passed out."

"Did he call 911?" Penelope asked almost franticly.

Derek nodded a grave yes before adding "I told him we'd meet him at the hospital and I called Reid and JJ and they're meeting us there too."

Getting up and trading her PJ's for a pair of maternity exercise pants and an extra large FBI t-shirt Penelope was almost heading out the door before Derek could say anything else.

Following her lead he slipped off his flannel bottoms and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and once they both had their shoes on the silently headed out to the car and took of towards the hospital.

Reid Residence-11:30pm

"Spence c'mon get dressed" JJ said changing out of her PJ's into jeans.

"What? Why?" He asked groggily while sitting up in the bed.

"Something's wrong with Emily and the baby and the paramedics just took her to the hospital. Morgan just called and I told him we'd meet them there."

Before she had even finished Reid was fully dressed only lacking his shoes. He was wide awake now as he slipped on his tennis shoes and within two minutes they were out the door and headed towards the hospital.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." –Ambrose Redmoon