Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, subscribed, alerted etc. It really means a lot to me.

This chapter is only short and I apologise for that as it is just a filler, but I dedicate it to all of you.

Chapter 4: A Little Convincing

Her pen was barely writing ten words per minute. Her eyes kept dropping, but she would not allow them to close. Not yet. She needed to do her work, she needed to finish it. She was determined to finish it.

Watching in concern through his office window, Hotch saw as she tried to force herself to stay awake. He wondered why the hell she was still in work at four in the morning, and blamed himself for not forcing her to go home at home time. He understood why he was still there, the paperwork on his desk was almost overflowing before he started, and finally he had worked it down to a small pile. But Prentiss, she was meant to be looking after herself, after her baby, why on earth was she still here? After watching her slow movements for another minute or two, he left his desk and went to his office door. Noticing people down in the bull-pen, he tried to act as professional as possible.

"Agent Prentiss." His forceful words shook her awake, and he could see he startled her as she jumped slightly, turning to look at him with worry. He felt slightly bad but did not show it as he re-entered his office, pulling the drawstring on he blinds to close them away from any unwanted prying eyes. "Door." He tried to keep the act of boss up for another minute or two, but watched in worry as she closed the wooden door and leant her hand against the door handle in exhaustion. As she wobbled slightly going towards the chair, he raced to her side. "C'mon, couch." He told her, and helped her over to the comfortable couch in the side of his room. "Emily, what the hell are you still doing here?" He asked, all professionalism going out the window now. He looked in her watery eyes and Emily could tell he was far from annoyed with her, but she could also see the slight concern in the back of his eyes that she knew Hotch was trying his best to hide.

"I was trying to get some work done, Hotch." She informed him. Her words slightly slurred with exhaustion.

"Prentiss, you're overworking yourself, you need to take it easy and get some sleep for both you and the baby!" He looked exasperated with her.

"I know Hotch, but I come into work late because I over sleep and then throw up for an hour or two, I spend lunch time sleeping, and then I take a nap part way. I'm just trying to do the same amount I have been doing all along!" She shouted.

"Emily, when are you going to learn, you can't do that much anymore. And if you are really struggling just drop the files off with me, I have no problem taking some off of your hands!" He sighed.

"I know, but, Morgan, Rossi, even Reid, I can see they all thing I'm just being lazy, either that or I'm on drugs. You've taken me off dangerous field work, I disappear for hours on end into your office to sleep. I just don't think I can cope with their suspicious looks anymore, Hotch." Her voice cracked as she started to cry, both out of frustration, hormones and exhaustion.

"I know, sshh, it's alright, just lie down and sleep, okay. Don't worry about a thing." He watched as she lay her aching body down on the couch and within a second her eyes shut and her breathing slowed down. Walking over to his drawer, he pulled out a small blanket that he had kept for days or nights like these, and placed it over her, hoping for the thin material to provide her a little bit of warmth. He sighed slightly and went back to his pile of files on his desk, guessing he would not make it home to take Jack to school anyway, he left the office quietly and walked over to Prentiss' desk, taking the files off of the desk, he took them into his office and started doing her work, slightly happy to see her peacefully sleeping on the couch.

The sun slowly began to rise, and a soft bit of sunlight started to come into the office. Hotch finished yet another cup of coffee whilst doing one of the few files now left of Prentiss' when his office door opened. A shocked JJ stood in the doorway.

"Wow, Hotch, sorry, I didn't think you'd be in here." She apologised quickly and looked down at the file in her hands.

"It's fine JJ, what did you need?" He asked, regretting it as her frantic answer came out quite loud.

"Well, I was wondering if you would look at these two files and…" He cut her short as he pressed a finger to his lips to tell her to be quiet, and nodded towards the sleeping Emily. JJ, in surprise turned to look at Emily then back at Hotch. "Does she ever go home?" She asked, knowing, much more than the boys did, about her late night stays and early morning retreats. Hotch gave her a simple shrug.

"She's just been working so hard." He told her and JJ nodded, agreeing, "But she's been working harder thinking that Morgan, Rossi and Reid all think she's being lazy and sleeping half the day away." He told JJ who nodded in understanding.

"I'll tell them to lay off." So told Hotch and he gave her a thankful look. "No problem, but for now, will you…" She looked down at the files and he put his hand out to take the files and look over them.

As more sun filled the office and the need to have the overhead light disappeared, he decided it would be best to wake Emily before any other team members got in. He had already saw JJ before, and only an hour ago had he saw Rossi walking into his office. Going over to her, he felt really bad all of a sudden for having to wake her up. He always hated waking her up when she had only a few hours sleep but he knew it was necessary to talk to her before the team got in.

"Emily. Wake up." He shook her gently, as always; this had now became a routine for him. Her eyes fluttered open and she met his eyes, squinting slightly at the sunlight.

"What time is it?" She asked, wearily.

"It's about half seven, Em. You've only been asleep for a few hours." He informed her. Emily looked at him as if he were stupid. She was sure she knew she had only been asleep for a few hours by the still heavy exhaustion in her eyes. Cautiously, she sat up, unsure if morning sickness was even possible if you had not really slept the whole night, but as her stomach remained unturned, she guessed not. "Em, I really have to talk to you." He said, in a more serious tone, but not his professional boss tone, just a friendly, concerned, tone. Her eyes looked up to meet his, waiting for him to continue. "Prentiss, we need to figure something out to cut down your work hours or something." He told her and Emily shook her head really quickly.

"No, Hotch, I am coping fine." She tried to tell him.

"Emily, you fall asleep on my couch everyday! It's not right, and JJ and everyone are picking up on it!" His words were not really going anywhere in the way to convince her to take more time off, it only made her want to do more work.

"Fine, Hotch, I will just stop coming up here, just leave me the hell alone to do my work!" She stood up.

"No, Prentiss, I am telling you as your boss now, you need to do something to take some work load off of yourself!" He ordered.

"No, Hotch, if I do that, people will find out!" She shouted back.

"People are going to find out soon, Prentiss, you're four months pregnant, there is no more hiding it." He said more quietly so someone did not over hear them.

"Just a little longer and I will tell everyone, I haven't really got the idea around my head yet." She tried to beg, but Hotch was having none of it.

"Prentiss, at least tell JJ, she will understand, she can help you. Or Rossi even, that way there is more than one person protecting you and looking out for you on the team." She looked down at her hands, fumbling with nervousness.

"I'll think about it, Hotch. Can we just let it lie for a moment? I still haven't fully woken up yet, and I'm a little more unsure if I am going to throw up yet." A surrendering nod left Hotch and Emily back in silence, Hotch watching carefully to see if she was about to throw up. He hoped not. Against his wish, Emily lunged forward for a trash can only a moment or two later, and started retching and Hotch groaned; this was going to be one hell of a long day.