Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, Although I wish I did.

This is my first fanfic, so I hope you will be gentle.

Chapter 11

Emily's Apartment

Hearing the knock on her door, Emily considered ignoring it. Her apartment had been like Grand Central Station, the past couple of hours, Dave, Morgan And Reid had come by to apologize, and plead with her to come back. As if they had heard her unspoken thought, Emily heard more knocking accompined by yelling.

"Emily Prentiss, you open this door right now!" Penelope Garcia's voice carried through the door.

"Don't make us kick it in!" J.J. added shouting.

"Crap" she muttered, "okay, I'm coming geez guys" she yelled through the door at her two best friends pounding on her door. She opened her door smiling, for what felt like the first time in days.

"Okay gumdrop, here it is. We're not leaving until you agree to come back to work. And we're going to cheer you up even if it kills us all." Garcia said cheerfully.

"I'm ordering us some food, and we're going to watch this horribly cheesy movie, and then we're going to talk." J.J. said firmly, daring Emily to controdict her.

"Okay," Emily said softly, knowing that the time had come to talk to her friends.

"Okay, that was just bad movie, I can't believe we actually watched it!" Garcia was laughing as Emily surveyed the room. Boxes of takeout Chinese covered the coffee table in Emily's living room and the T.V. was playing the credits to the awful romantic comedy J.J. had brought. The three women sat on the sofa, covered in fleece blankets.

"I have no idea why people love these. They never make sense and life never ends that way."J.J. said, wrapping the red blanket around her shoulders tighter. She was on Emily's couch, looking around she saw everything was a mess.

Climbing off the couch Emily picked up the empty boxes and walked over to the kitchen and dumped them into the trash. Walking back over to the couch where Garcia and J.J. were sitting, she sat down next to her friends. "Well, what do we do now?" The brunette asked her blonde friends, as the sounds of the street filtered in through the apartment window.

"How about we talk gumdrop?" Garcia proposed hopefully.

"Okay," Emily said uneasily.

"How has your time off been?" J.J. asked starting slowly.

"It's been good. I needed it." Emily said cautiously, knowing that much more difficult questions were coming her way.

"I know," Garcia said, reaching over to take her friends hand.

"Em, what happened between you and Hotch?" J.J. asked getting to the point.

"What has he said?," Emily asked not wanted to answer.

"Bossman's been holed up in his office, not talking to anyone sugarplum, not even Dave, and believe me he's tried." Garcia replied still clutching Emily's hand.

"Emily, you need to talk about it, please tell us what happened." J.J. pleaded with her friend, she knew Emily needed to get it off her chest. "The last thing Emily needed was another ulcer," J.J. thought to herself.

"Please sweetie, you need to get it out," Garcia said confortingly.

Emily knew they were both right, she was so confused, so mixed up. So pausing frequently, for breath, she told them everything that had transpired that night with Hotch, incuding the way she had felt afterwards. Tears were running down her face by the time she finished, but she did feel relieved to have told them.

J.J. and Penelope were both stunned, both moved to hug Emily, feeling sad for both their friends in that moment. Garcia reached over to Emily's end table for a tissue, and proceed to dry Emily's tears, cooing nonsense words, the entire time.

"Oh Em, don't you see, he does love you. I've known Hotch for a long time, and I can tell you straight, he wouldn't make love to a woman out of pity." J.J. said looking into Emily's eyes.

"Angelfish, is right gumdrop. This explains alot though, he's buried himself into work to cover the hurt." Garcia said softly, aching for her friends, hoping with all her heart that they could convince Emily to give Hotch a chance.

"You really think he meant it?" Emily asked softly, trying not to get her hopes up.

"Yes!" J.J. and Garcia said together.

"But what if I've screwed everything up now, what if he hates me now?" she asked brokenly, trying with all her might not to cry again.

"Emily, he doesn't hate you. My guess is he's trying to give you some space and some time, to realize he means it." J.J. answered positive she was right.

"Hotch doesn't hate you sugar, he just scared, he doesn't want to mess everything up again." Garcia added nodding. "Give him a chance okay."

"What should I do, should I call him or... what?" Emily asked, hating she was so unsure of herself.

"Honey, you let us take care of that okay. I'll tell him to get off his butt and come see you. Now I think we all need to get some sleep, I don't about you two but I'm worn out." J.J. said yawning and laughing lightly.

"Me too!" Garcia pitched in "All this agnst is exahausting!"

For the first time in days, Emily Prentiss laughed, hugging both blondes tight she said "I agree, go home and go to bed. And guys, thanks."

"That's what we're here for gumdrop," Garcia said heading out the door, J.J. nodded and followed her out the door.

Hotch's Apartment:

Hotch hurried to answer the pounding at his front door. He opened it to find Dave on the other side,

"Aaron." He said in greeting.

Hotch nodded in return. "Dave" He grabbed his phone to make sure he hadn't missed a call, and shot a look back at his friend.

"I would have called, but I thought you might have turned me away…" Dave trailed off.

Hotch sighed heavly. "I wouldn't."

"You would" Dave said.

Hotch smiled. "You know me too well."

The older man grinned slightly. "And that Aaron may be the death of me. Is Jack here?"

"No, he's with Jess, visiting her folks. Why are you here Dave?" Hotch asked, already knowing the answer.

"You know why Aaron, this can't go on. We all need to fix this." Dave said.

"Dave..." This time it was Hotch that trailed off, looking away.

"Damit, Aaron! I'm sorry things got so fucked up, but things can't go on like this." Dave said determined to get his friend to listen to him.

"I know Dave, I'm just not sure where to start." Aaron said running his hand through his hair.

"Let's start with what happened between you and Emily." Dave suggested.

Hotch nodded, and told his old friend everything that had happened, between him and Emily.

"Jesus Aaron!" Dave commented when Hotch was through.

"I know Dave, I screwed everything up. Literally. I don't know what to do, she won't answer her phones. I don't know how to fix this. God Dave , I need her, I love her more than I ever thought I could love anybody, other than Jack I've never loved anyone this much, not even Haley." Hotch stated passionately.

Aaron, go talk to her, tell her what you just told me, and for God sakes, don't leave until you get through to her. Aaron, she loves you too, she's scared, and with her bad experiences, I can't really blame her." Dave said, hoping he was getting through to his friend.

"You're right, I need to talk to her, I can't let this go on." Hotch straighted, feeling stronger and more hopeful, than he had in days. "Thanks Dave," he said shaking his old friend's hand.

"You're Welcome, Now go get the girl!" Dave said grinning, as Aaron walked out the door. "Watch out Emily, Aaron Hotchner is back!" He thought to himself.

Hotch and Emily are next. As always let me know what you think!