Emily had a week before she went back to work, and she spent four nights out of the seven with one Aaron Hotchner; every one of them being fantastic. They had gone to dinner again, and to a silly play at a local theatre that had made them both lighten up considerably. To top it off they had decided to be completely ridiculous and played a round of mini golf, and the last night before she was supposed to go back to work they had spent the night on her couch paying more attention to necking than to the movie they were supposed to be watching.

Whatever fears she'd had about them not being compatible had been completely alleviated; as it turned out they were fabulous together. Conversation flowed easily, they understood each others' work intimately, and when they disagreed on something they were both capable of passionately discussing either side of the argument without ending up bitter. There was something to be said for chemistry as well, and chemistry they had in spades; though Hotch hadn't reneged on his promise to move at Emily's speed. Actually, she almost wished that he would renege on that particular promise, but she wasn't sure if that would constitute moving too fast.

Either way, their time together had left her feeling relaxed and more than ready to return to the job. Though she knew how completely absurd many would have found it, Emily was eager to get back to work. She knew that JJ had a case that she'd been going over, and she would be happy to be dumped into a case rather than a bunch of desk work. Riding up in the elevator that morning she was almost bouncing with energy, and when she stepped off and into the bullpen she felt a huge smile spread on her face.

"Emily," Reid greeted her with a grin. "Welcome back."

The pair of them hugged briefly and when they pulled apart she found she was still smiling, and absolutely thrilled to see him. "I'm glad to be back."

Reid's smile fell a bit as he looked her over. "Are you okay, Emily? We were all worried when you took off."

"I can honestly say that I really am okay, Reid. I'm sorry I worried all of you, though."

Before either of them could say another word Derek's voice rang out behind then. "About time you got your ass back here," he teased.

Emily turned and moments later she was enveloped in a strong hug. "I know it took me a while to get here."

Morgan kept his hands on her arms when he pulled away, dark eyes watching her carefully. "You doing okay?"

"That seems to be the question everyone's asking lately," she said with a laugh. "Yes Derek, I'm really okay."

"Briefing in ten," Hotch's voice called out from above them.

Derek didn't miss the smile that passed between his two friends, and he looked at Emily with a curious smirk. "Care to share with the class, girl?" he asked.

She grinned. "Nope, see you in ten." And she was gone; halfway up to Rossi's office to say hello before he could catch her.

Something was clearly up, but he obviously wasn't going to find anything out in the near future. Still, he knew if he couldn't get it out of her Garcia would, and with a mischievous smile he decided it would be the perfect time to go inform his baby girl that there was a briefing in ten minutes.

Said briefing was a bit strange with JJ still out of the office, but it was quick and efficient as ever. Four teenage boys, all strong and healthy; all of them were athletic and by all accounts decent kids. And they had all been overpowered and carved into pieces with surprising ease and efficiency. After their deaths, pictures of their body parts had popped up on the internet on a macabre website urging the authorities to solve the case before there was more blood on their hands.

"Wheels up in twenty," Hotch told them when they were all informed. "Garcia, I want you with us on this one. This is a tech savvy UNSUB and I think it would be beneficial to have you on site."

"You got it sir."

Everyone began to clear out, and much to Garcia's chagrin, Emily got away from her. She actually managed to avoid both Penelope and Derek for the entire twenty minutes before they took off, and when they boarded the plane she planted herself firmly between Dave and Reid, therefore ending any thought either of them had of cornering her into telling them what was up.

Once they landed it was all business, and in the three days they were there none of them had time to do anything but work, eat, and sleep when they infrequently got the chance. All things considered it was as easy of a case as they ever got handed; a twenty something manual laborer with an evidently irresistible compulsion, unable to stop himself and crying out for someone to stop him, displacing everything he felt onto law enforcement in hopes that it would make it go away.

They were on the plane a mere three hours after the kid was taken into custody, and when Reid got up to play a game of chess with Rossi she knew it was only a matter of time before Garcia and Morgan would swoop down on her. As expected, the tech and her fellow agent took a seat on either side of her.

"So, you going to share with us?" Garcia questioned.

Emily looked between the pair of them with a bemused smile on her face. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," she said with a sunny smile.

"It's obvious that something has changed between you and Hotch, Em. We're just curious what went down since we left you in England," Derek told her.

She sighed. "I know. I'm honestly surprised JJ didn't say anything."

Garcia shook her head. "Why would JJ say something?"

"Maybe its best if we start at the beginning." Emily quietly took them through everything, not wanting to be overheard; from the phone call in London, through the romantic scene she came home to, and the dates they'd had since she got home. Though Morgan seemed to have to resist the urge to punch something when she told them about Hotch's assumptions during that phone call, they both listened quietly and attentively.

"I'm with JJ," Garcia said quietly when Emily finished. "It's a little weird figuring out that your boss may be the most romantic man on the planet."

"And you're okay?" Derek asked. "Really okay?"

She knew he was worried, and Emily could understand why. "I really am, honestly. My biggest fear coming home was that we wouldn't work together. I was terrified that it wouldn't work out, and Hotch knew it. What he did for me that was incredibly romantic, but what he's said to me since, what he's done, is what's really made me realize that we could actually make this work."

"Good," he said with a nod. "That's all I needed to hear."

"So how's the sex?" Garcia questioned.

Derek pulled a face. "That's just too much information, Mama."

The two of them were still laughing when he took a seat with the three other very confused men on the plane. "You did that on purpose," Emily said, still grinning.

"I did, but mostly because I really am curious."

Her expression softened, and if Garcia had any doubt about the way that her friend felt it was gone when she saw that look in her eyes; she was completely gone, head over heels in love. "He's still going at my pace. I just wish I knew a way to tell him that my pace overran the one we're at a few yards back."

"Are you sure you want to go there so quickly?"

"Well how quick is it, really?" she asked. "Honestly it's not like we haven't been there before, and the reason we haven't gone there again is because he didn't want to push me. But it really wouldn't be pushing me. I want him, Garcia, just like I always have."

She smiled. "Then just tell him. If he sees that look in your eyes like I do now he'll get it for sure."

"I hope you're right."

The plane landed a couple of hours later, and when it did they were all glad to get home and get some sleep. For once they didn't have a case lined up waiting for them, and the next night after they were both rested Emily and Hotch had dinner again. This time they threw something together at his place.

After dinner they curled up on the couch, actually watching the movie this time; well, most of it anyway. And when the credits rolled she tried to work up the courage to do what Garcia had suggested. They had been sitting in comfortable silence for a few minutes when she finally did.

"Aaron?"

"Hmm?" he murmured quietly, evidently starting to drift off.

With a soft smile, she propped herself up a bit so she could see him. His dark eyes were just a bit blurry and she found it entirely endearing. "Remember how you said we would take this at my speed?"

"Yes."

"Well my speed has sped up, and it wants you."

Those dark blurry eyes cleared immediately, focusing in on her face. "Wants"

She shook her head. "Absolutely."

"Emily." He sat them both up. "I want you to be absolutely sure about this. I promised you that we wouldn't take this too fast, and that we would figure things out."

"I already know that we work together, Aaron. My biggest worry was that we wouldn't, and I know now that we do. I'm not worried about this being just sex, because in a couple weeks we already have so much more than that." She took his hand. "I want you, and unless something has seriously changed and I've missed it, you want me too."

Hotch nodded. "I do want you, but you have to be sure."

She took a shaky breath. "I don't think I've ever been more sure about anything in my life."

He didn't need to ask again, because just as Garcia had predicted, he could see everything in Emily's eyes. With a gentle smile, he bent to bring his mouth to hers. It wasn't long before the kiss burned from gentle to passionate, and before they both lost control, Hotch pulled back.

"I'm going to make love to you, Emily," he told her, watching her eyes go dark. "Not up against a wall or on a desk, but really make love to you."

They stood together, making their way silently to the bedroom; and when they stood their together she stepped into the circle of his arms and kissing him sweetly, her mouth leaving his to trail up to his ear and whisper, "Show me."