Note From The Author—Okay, so obviously if you're current on the show this story is basically AU now. I'm still going to keep going with it, also obviously, but I thought I just let ya know : ) Enjoy

This time when Emily's plane sank into the clouds, she was filled with worry rather than peace. She hadn't spoken to Hotch since that last call, and she still didn't really know what to do with herself. All she really knew at this point was that she wanted him in her life, but there was a part of her that was absolutely terrified that they wouldn't work together outside of the bedroom.

Despite her fears, she was out of her seat the minute the seatbelt sign went off. Her carry on was out of the overhead compartment in a split second, and she was in the airport in minutes. Not sure who she was looking for, she glanced around; and when she saw JJ with little Belle in her arms she couldn't seem to hold back tears. She hurried over to them, wrapping them both in a careful hug.

JJ noticed the tears in Emily's eyes immediately after they pulled apart. "Are you okay?" she questioned, worried.

Emily nodded. "I'm okay, I'm just so happy to see you, and her." She held out her arms and JJ passed Belle to her with a smile. "God she's gorgeous."

"She is, isn't she?" she answered with pride. "Sometimes I still have a hard time believing she's mine." She ran a hand over the baby's hair before turning her attention back to her friend.

"You want to know what's really going on?" she ventured.

She nodded. "Em are you really okay, I mean honestly?"

Prentiss pushed a fall of dark hair from her face, breathing out a sigh. "Why don't we put the baby in the stroller, go find my luggage, and I'll tell you on the way home."

The car ride from the airport to Emily's was consumed by talk of everything that had happened between her and Hotch and the reasons she had been absent for so long. When they did make it back to her place, JJ was fully informed but still curious as to what their next move would be.

"So what now?" she asked, pushing Belle deftly with one hand and pulling a suitcase with the other.

Emily sighed. "Honestly, I don't know." She maneuvered her key into the lock and stepped in, reaching for the light. "I think we just…"

She went absolutely silent, and JJ's training kicked in as she automatically went for the weapon she didn't have on her. She called out, but not without cursing first. "Emily is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I scared you. Everything's just fine." Her voice was filled with wonder and surprise as she spoke.

The blonde hurried forward, bringing Belle and leaving the suitcase. There were words on her lips when she walked in, but she looked around and every coherent thought in her mind was replaced with, "Oh…My…God."

Every surface as far as the eye could see was covered in flowers. There were roses on the kitchen counter, stargazer lilies on the side table, daisies on the floor and Indian paintbrush in the windows. Emily's head spun as she took in the orchids, black-eyed Susans, tulips and birds of paradise that were populating her home. With her hand on her heart and tears in her eyes she moved towards the simple folded letter that sat in the midst of it all. Her hands were shaking when she opened it.

Emily,

I'm not really fantastic with romantic gestures, but I wanted to do this for you, so I could show you some small measure of what I've been feeling; and before you get upset with your door man, I sweet talked the master key out of him after I showed him my credentials. He said he couldn't resist the thought of young love. I know you're worried, but I believe that there is a way to make this work, and I believe that we have more between us than just what happened in that hotel. When you're settled, I'd like to prove to you that we'll be good together. Let me know.

Aaron

Wordlessly, Emily passed the letter to JJ and walked through the apartment, her hands brushing over the rioting blooms. As she went, she felt conflicting emotions battering at her. Seeing everything he'd done for her only made her fall even more in love with him, but it still couldn't alleviate all her fears.

She was pulled from her thoughts by JJ's voice. "Okay, there's something sort of strange about knowing that my boss may very well be the sweetest man ever put on this planet."

Emily couldn't seem to hold back a laugh as she turned around. "He overwhelms me, and constantly amazes me."

"This is the real deal, Em." JJ laid a hand on her arm. "Don't let your fears take you over, because that man…" She found she had to brush a tear from her own eye. "You don't find that every day."

She nodded, hearing her voice shake with emotion when she next spoke. "I know."

Doing the job that she did, Emily had learned early on that life was very often surreal. Getting ready for a first date with your boss, whom you had already spent one incredibly passionate night with, definitely fell into the category of surreal.

Brushing her hands over her dress, she took a cleansing breath that did absolutely nothing to calm her rioting nerves. She slicked on lip gloss, spritzed on perfume, and just about jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang. Shaking hands brushed again at her skirt before she took another deep breath and went to answer.

When she swung open the door she found Hotch leaning casually on the other side. For a moment they both took each other in, reveling in the fact that they were standing there together. Aaron took in Emily's dress casual attire, from the strappy sandals on her feet, over the floating black dress, up past magic apple red lips and up to those great big beautiful eyes of hers. "Hey," he said quietly.

It was amazing the emotions that could be conveyed by a single simple word, just as it was amazing how many feelings rose up in her just looking at him. In the Hotch version of casual, with his pressed slacks and slate grey button up, he looked like everything she wanted and more. "Hey."

They couldn't stop it, there was a pull between them that was completely undeniable, and no sooner was the word out of her mouth than his own mouth had descended upon hers. There was something frantic in the kiss, but underneath it something inherently tender; and when they pulled apart they stayed together, forehead against forehead.

Emily's eyes drifted slowly closed as his hands wiped the tears from her face, coming to rest there and brush sweetly against her skin. "I missed you," she whispered. "I didn't want to, but God I missed you."

"I missed you too."

She brought his mouth down to hers again, completely gentle this time. When she pulled away she slipped her hand into his. "Let's go."

It seemed as if the majority of Emily's worries slipped away as their night moved forward. They talked in the car about everything that had been going on while she was gone; it was only there that they felt a bit of tension. Still, talking about little Belle and Jack and the team smoothed things over relatively well.

They ate at a wonderful restaurant; a quaint little place that wasn't too dressy and yet wasn't too casual. They maintained conversation through their meal, laughing frequently over stories of Will and JJ discoveries of parenthood. After dinner, as hard as she tried, Emily couldn't talk herself out of the chocolate torte, and it was while they were waiting for their dessert that Hotch finally worked around to the tougher subjects they'd been skirting in some sort of tacit agreement.

"Did it help, going over there?" he asked quietly.

She folded her hands in her lap automatically, a diplomatic offense her mother had taught her as a tiny child; she was supposed to do it whenever she was having a hard time thinking of a tactful way of saying something. Hating that she still did those sorts of things by rote, she very deliberately rested her hands casually on the table. "It was what I needed." She told him. "Obviously you know the reasons I went. I wanted so badly to get over you."

"I'm glad you didn't," Aaron told her, a smile shining through.

Emily laughed. "I didn't think I would be, but I'm actually happy about it myself."

He knew there was more to say, but how the hell could he apologize for some of the things he had thought or wondered about her? Simply facing the fire seemed to be the best option. "Emily, I truly am sorry for what I said on the phone, or what I implied I suppose."

"I know," she told him. "Once I calmed down and thought about it I could understand where you were coming from. I guess I didn't really understand why you had such a strong reaction to it at the time."

"I was scared."

Her smile was just a bit wry. "You, scared?"

Hotch laughed. "Amazing, I know. What terrified me the most when I thought you might be pregnant, was that the reason you had left was because…"

"Because I wouldn't want your baby," she finished quietly. "Aaron we made such a mess of this whole situation."

"We did, but I know we both want to change that, and I'd like to think that tonight has gone a long way towards that."

She reached out to take his hand. "It really has. You're an excellent date Agent Hotchner."

"You're not so bad yourself Agent Prentiss."

They kept it short that night. The last thing that Hotch wanted was to overwhelm her, knowing she'd been put through the wringer in the way of emotions. It wasn't very late when they walked back into her building, and he wasn't surprised to find that a part of his brain was willing and ready to suggest that they continue the night. But he had already decided that it wasn't an option; at least it wasn't at that point.

When they made it to her door he pulled her gently into his arms to kiss her slowly and thoroughly. And when they pulled apart he spoke frankly. "I want you Emily."

A delighted little shiver ran up and down her spine when he said it. "I think it's already been pretty well established that I feel the same."

The laugh he let out was low and husky and made her shiver again. "But like you said, we already know that we work in that department." His hands came up to frame her face, and his eyes locked with hers. "I know that nothing is more important to you than knowing that we have something other than sex, it's the most important thing to me too. I want you in my life, and we're going to take this at your speed."

"You really are a remarkable man, Aaron Hotchner."

He kissed her sweetly and briefly before stepping back. "Goodnight Emily."

"Goodnight."