A/N So I truly apologize for how long it has taken me to update. I had terrible writers block for this story. I am very sorry.

Walking towards the door is scary.

She's a federal agent. She has stood in front of doors where behind them stand hardened criminals. Behind them are killers of men and women. Brutal men. In front of those doors she is wary, she knows that a mistake can be fatal.

But the door she stands in front of now terrifies her. She would gladly face a hundred of those doors instead of this door.

It is an innocuous looking door. But like most doors what lies behind it is what scares us.

She looks at her partner. He looks back at her. To her it feels like one more time ready to storm a house and arrest someone.

But behind this door there is no one to arrest.

Although they will take someone from behind this door. They will put them in the back and lock them in.

And they might get into a fight with someone behind this door.

There will be no bullets fired. Likely no blows landed.

This will be a fight with words. A fight of feelings and acrimony.

She takes one more look at her partner. She hopes there will not be a fight.

It is not to be.

The person that greets them from behind the door, takes one look at her and then ignores her. They look to her partner. "I can't believe you brought her here. It's bad enough that she will be there with Jack. But to bring her here."

"Emily and I are together, Haley. Nothing you say or do will change that fact. Now are you going to bring Jack out? Or are we going to come in?"

"I'm not letting that ... whore step one foot in my house!" Haley spat out. She turned and slammed the door in their face.

Emily couldn't believe it. She had expected some hostility, but not this. Not outright hatred. Haley had been kind to her that night when the team went out during the Super Bowl. They had even had coffee once. They had been on the road to being friends. And now to be called ... that.

She had been called it before. In Italy. During and after her time with John. It's one of the things that drove her to John. He didn't call her that. He stood up to the other students when they ostracized her. She could still hear the taunts. All the voices screaming as she walked down the hallways desperate to get to class, to a place that provided some sanctuary from her tormentors.

It only got worse after ... after Matthew helped her. He started experimenting with drugs. And John. John had treated her like what the others called her was true. Being rejected by him, Matthew not always around, and her tormentors armed with new knowledge, made Emily's life unbearable.

Emily felt 15 again. She felt small and weak. She turned from Hotch and attempted to hid her tears.

Hotch was pissed. How dare Haley call her that? Who the fuck did she think she was? She could treat him however she wanted, but there was no way in hell she was going to treat the woman he loved like that. The woman he loved. He had never said that before. Never even admitted it to himself. But he knew it was true.

He saw Emily turn, and his heart broke. He turned and put his hand on her cheek and lifted it so he could look into her eyes. He saw the tears. He smiled, hoping it would provide some comfort. He leaned in and lightly kissed her high on the cheek just below her left eye, kissing the tears away. "Shh. It's OK."

Emily leaned into his touch and let him comfort her.

He lightly stroked her back. "I can't believe she called you that. I'm going to have to have a few choice words with her."

"No. Aaron. Don't. If you say anything, she'll retaliate. She'll take Jack from you. I don't want that."

"She can't treat you like this. I won't let her. You deserve so much more."

"I'll be fine. They're only words." She turned her face into his shoulder and away from his face.

"But-"

"No. For now we play nice. Later, after your situation with Jack is more secure – then we can have a more ... adult conversation."

Haley opened the door, and seeing Aaron and Emily locked in an embrace shot them a nasty look. Jack was standing off to his mother's side. At seeing a strange woman standing next to his father he moved a little behind his mother's legs.

Haley couldn't hid the grin of triumph, not that she was going to make an effort to do so. "Well, this was fun. Aaron, nice to see you."

"Just a minute Haley." Hotch lowered himself to Jack's height. "Jack this is Emily. She's my friend. Can you say hi?"

Emily lowered herself so that she was looking Jack in the eye, and she smiled a small smile. She didn't want to scare him. "Hi, Jack."

"Hello."

"Jack, me and Emily are going to the park, and we want you to come with us. Would you like to go to the park?"

Jack thought about it for a moment. "OK."

Jack stepped forward and took his dad's hand. He put out his right hand for Emily to take.

Emily hesitated a moment. She looked at Haley who shot her a look of pure hate. She didn't react to the look. She looked at Hotch who looked happy. She smiled at him and then at Jack and took his hand.

Hotch turned and pleasantly said, "Haley, we will drop off Jack Sunday evening. Good day."

/

Later that evening after Jack had gone to bed, Emily and Hotch were sitting on the couch. Emily was in his arms with her back into his chest. "It's late – I should be getting home." She stood up, and grabbed her coat.

Hotch sat up, "Don't go. Stay."

"You need to be with your son."

"I need to be with you too."

"We've been together before. And we'll be together again. This night should be about your son."

"We spent the day with him. He liked you."

Emily smiled. "He's a sweetheart."

"Please stay. He's asleep. He won't be up for hours. I … I ..."

"You don't want to be alone."

Aaron looked away.

"It's OK to ask. I'm here for you." She walked over and took him in her arms. "Let's go to bed."

/

The door was closed. It shut out the outside world. It created its own world, a world with two people in it.

In this world she lay in his arms. In this world her presence chased away the demons. In this world he was not alone.

His hand traced her skin. As long as it moved, as long as he was touching her, it was real.

"I love you."

She didn't stir. She was asleep. Soon he hoped he would have the courage to say those words when she was awake.

But for now he held her in his arms.

And that was enough.

A/N So this is a totally different style and not like any of the other chapters, but I figured something is better than nothing. If you're still with me, let me know what you think.