Acceptable Risk – Chapter 8

.

Mrs. Johnson glared at her, "This is beginning to look like a bed and breakfast, Ms. Emily."

Emily laughed, "It's just temporarily, Mrs. Johnson. Be a dear and set up the other bedroom, please?" She hugged the white-haired lady. "You know you like to be kept busy."

The older lady harrumphed and went upstairs and prepared the other guest room as Emily had asked her. Emily could have sworn she saw the older woman was smiling when she left.

Emily turned to Mei-Lin, "Just set your stuff in the den for now until your room is ready."

"Are you sure it's not an inconvenience? I can take a hotel room." She said as she set her duffel bags down and looked around, "Oh…is that…Shakespeare?" She walked to stand in front of the glass book shelf and began reading the old spines. "Oh my god! These are original bindings…"

Emily smiled as she continued her way towards the living room where she was greeted by her cats, "Hey Sergio!" She bent down and picked up the black cat and stroked him.

Mei-Lin poked her head into the room, "Who's Sergio? Oh! It's a cat! How adorbs!" She made a beeline to Emily and took the black cat from her and began hugging the creature tightly to her, Sergio began to struggle to get away from her, "You are so cute!"

Thelonious suddenly made an appearance and began demanding attention. Mei-Lin laughed, "Oh my god! How many cats do you have, Agent Prentiss?" She looked around the room, expecting to see more cats appearing.

Emily grinned, "Just these two devils," She picked up Thelonious, "I'm no cat lady…two is the max for me. And please call me Emily."

Mei-Lin smiled and nodded as she placed Sergio down and patted Thelonious.

Twenty minutes later, they were all sitting down in the kitchen for dinner.

"Mmm, Mrs. Johnson! I see it's Cog au vin tonight! My favorite!" Emily grinned as she ate hungrily, "And couscous with golden raisins. Delish!"

Mrs. Johnson beamed happily.

Hotch nodded, "Yes, this is delicious, thank you Mrs. Johnson, you've outdone yourselves again."

Reid nodded enthusiastically.

She beamed happily, "Well, you're welcome. Eat up, there's plenty in the pot. And after that, there's dessert…strawberry and cream, they're in season." She smiled.

They all grinned, "Strawberries? And cream?" Reid started as he paused. "I might never leave here at all!"

Hotch glared at him, "I don't think so, Reid. I'll drag you through the airport if I have to when this is completed. Right, Emily?" He winked at her.

Emily smiled at him shyly.

Mrs. Johnson watched their silent exchanges with interest and then looking up at the time she nodded, "Enjoy, everyone! And goodnight. I'm going to enjoy my grandson." She nodded at them again and left.

They began to eat, "At the rate I'm eating here, I'm going to gain some weight." Hotch grinned. "I'll have to take my clothes to the tailor when I get back home."

They laughed.

"If you'd like some exercise, Sam loves some help at his barn in rounding up his pigs in the morning and those pigs are no tame little hogs." Emily chuckled. "It's quite a work out."

Hotch smiled, "I might take this Sam up for a recreation exercise."

Emily shook her head. "Trust me, Hotch, it's not a recreation work out."

Half an hour later, dinner and a bowl each of delicious dessert eaten, they pitched in to help cleaned up and retired into the living room.

"If you don't mind," Mei-Lin remained standing, "I'd like to take a shower?"

Emily nodded, "Oh yes, go ahead, your room is upstairs, second door on the right, make yourself at home…I have some correspondents to catch up….Skype night with a few friends from the States." She looked at her watch. "In about 15 minutes, as a matter of fact."

She nodded and went up to the rooms.

Emily pulled her laptop out from the desk near a shelf and began to log on.

"Mind if we join you?" Reid and Hotch asked her.

She shook her head, "No…they're expecting you."

Soon, the faces of JJ and Garcia, and surprisingly Morgan came on the screen.

"Oh my god! This is such a weird thing to see you guys!" Garcia's shocked face said.

Emily smiled as Hotch and Reid leaned near her, "Hey to you, too, PG." She greeted. "How is it going over there?"

"All's good, we miss you, Hotch, and Reid…and Emily of course."JJ smiled.

"Did you open our gifts?" Garcia asked.

"Oh yeah…thanks…and Sergio, thank you too."

Garcia smiled happily. "It was a custom made kitty tower."

"You could have bought it anywhere." Hotch said.

Emily shook her head, "No…it's specially made for Serge, he's particular in his comfort zone."

He rolled his eyes, "You paid customs just for Sergio's sleeping tower? Really?"

"Hey! He likes it. And he thanks you for transporting it all the way here." She grinned.

Reid and Hotch shook their heads.

"So Spence, what's going on with you?" JJ asked him.

"And you, Hotch? Done any sightseeing?" He grinned.

"Oh, yes, plenty Morgan." Hotch couldn't help but glanced at Emily.

JJ, Garcia, and Morgan saw the look and reacted with a slight surprise; they all did not know about the break-up between he and Beth as well.

Only Rossi knew about it and he had not told anyone; he was slightly busy with his own personal problem.

In the meantime, three sets of eyebrows shot up, "Oh!"

Emily frowned when she saw their looks and was slightly confused. "Don't you guys have any cases?"

They shook their heads, "None so far…surprisingly, Strauss is nice to us and left us alone." Garcia informed them.

"Strauss?" Emily asked, "I find it hard to believe…is she thawing?"

They shrugged, "Maybe…leopards can change spots."

Just then, Hotch's phone buzzed, it was Jessica. He smiled, "It's Jack! I'll take it in the other room, I see you guys later." He then left, his dimples deepening even more.

"Wow, he's like a really changed Hotch." Garcia watched him disappeared the screen. "I mean, no suit, no stoic Hotch, so totally unreal and he's smiling a lot...are you sure you picked up the real boss man?"

"That is so true, Mamma." Morgan grinned. "What did you do to him, Em?"

She shrugged, "Told him to relax and not wear one of those stuffy suits of his, I guess." She smiled at her friends. "I left all his suits in the airport." She grinned with them.

Reid turned to watch Mei-Lin entered the room and sat down near them, Emily arched her brows as she grinned at him, JJ and Garcia noticed, "Who's that?"

"She's kind of my geek tech, Mei-Lin and she's staying at my place for a while…there was a problem at her apartment."

"Oh…"Garcia and JJ nodded. "How convenient." Her brows arched high with delight.

Derek shook his head with exasperation, "Women."

….

When they went off the Skype line, Hotch came back from the other room grinning, "Jack sends his love, Emily. He misses you." He came to sit beside her on the couch. Sergio instantly leapt onto his lap and settled down and closed his eyes.

Hotch smiled, "It seems your beast likes me…I wonder what his mistress feels about it."

"Betrayed." Emily said at once with a grin. "Usually he takes a while to get use to strangers."

Hotch leans in and whispered, "Maybe he sensed I'm no stranger."

She looked up at him, "Maybe."

He smiled, "What are you working on?" He quickly changed the subject, sensing her discomfort.

She showed him the notes, "The second translation, the one in Camden Town, it's not far from here. I think our second suspect is in the gemstone business."

"Looks like we're going to be buying some jewelry of sorts…tomorrow?" Hotch watched her.

She nodded, "Oh yes. I think I'll require a complete wedding set." She teased him, she waved her bare left hand at him.

"Might as well...make our rushed wedding 'official'." He smiled as he shook his head.

She stared at him, "Oh…I…yeah, I…the…I was teasing, Hotch." She began to stutter as her cheeks began to redden.

"I know." He nodded.

She cleared her throat, "Get this, the name of the jeweler's is called Tiffani, with an 'I', real catchy and it's run by Abdul Al Babur. He's been there for over four years. Three assistants and they are all from the Middle East."

Hotch nodded as he continued to watch her.

She looked up and noticed him, "Are you listening?"

He nodded, "Oh yes, Em. Tiffani, Abdul Al Babur…" He reached over and lightly stroked her bare arm and noticed it instantly goosed, "Cold?" He asked her softly.

She shook her head, "No…it feels nice…what are you doing exactly?"

He shook his head, "Nothing, just …nothing."

"It's getting late, Hotch, we should turn in…early start…briefing tomorrow at the –POL." She muttered. Then she looked up and smiled.

Hotch followed her gaze and grinned, "I see the kids had fallen asleep."

Mei-Lin and Reid were passed out on the couches, Thelonious on Mei-Lin's lap, snoozing.

"We should get them to bed." Emily said as she placed her notes aside.

Hotch nodded, "You get Mei-Lin, and I'll get Reid."

She nodded as she stood and went over to the couch to rouse up the young Asian woman.

For the older ones, sleep took a long time; Emily tossed about in her bed and sat up suddenly; she remembered she didn't put her notes up in a secure box.

Normally, she wouldn't have bothered as everyone here in the house was trustworthy but old habits…

She came out of her bedroom and walked down to the living room to find Hotch sitting alone, his face buried in his hands.

"Hotch?" She went over to him directly. "Are…Are you okay? What's the matter?" she sat on the coffee table directly from him and placed her hands on his knees. "What's going on? Bad news at home?" She looked on with concern. "You need to go home? Is Jack okay?"

He shook his head as he removed his hands and place them on top of hers, "No, Emily. I just feel a moment of …contemplation."

She continued to frown at him, "I…don't get it. I mean…is it Beth?" She held her breath and pursed her lips before she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask such a personal question. I'll leave you be." She stood up began to move away from him but he stopped her.

He tightened his hands on hers, "Stay. Stay with me?"

She looked at down at their clenched hands and then at him and nodded and sat down again.

"Beth and I broke up, Emily. Over a month ago." He finally owned up.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Hotch."

He shrugged, "It was just not meant to be, we…I just couldn't do it."

She nodded.

Hotch looked at her and then around them, "It's nice out here." He continued. "I could get used to it."

She nodded. "I know, I really like it out here too."

He looked at her, "Emily, I'm wondering if there's any chance you and I…"

She turned to stare at him, "You and me? You mean us?"

He smiled and nodded as he leaned close to her.

"Hotch…what are you doing?" Emily frowned at him, she was not used to this new him.

"Something I wanted to do since I saw you at the airport yesterday." He gathered her to him and kissed her!

Oh my! Emily's head sparkled brightly and fireworks began to shoot off as she tasted him!

All she could think of was his lips were super soft and so utterly amazing!

Her head began to buzz and ring incessantly.

Hotch began to pull back but Emily shook her head, she was not ready to let go!

He chuckled, "Em…your phone…it's ringing."

"Wha?" She blinked as she looked up at his eyes.

"Your cell phone, it's ringing."

"Who'd call at this time?" Emily muttered; she was enjoying the bazooka kiss!

Picking up her phone, she saw that is was one of her team.

"Prentiss! this had better be important Tomas!" She griped.

"Get out! Get out Emily! Everyone! There's a bomb! We've detected a bomb! Now!"

…..

End of Chapter 8