Ok so Emily is at a presentation about arsonists and guesses that one of the guest speakers is... right answer... Hotch! =)
It's the winter of 1998, Emily is 28 and Hotch is 33.
We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person." - William Somerset Maugham.
Emily sat in the small corridor waiting for the doors to open, swinging her legs like a child and happily humming "Don't stop me now" by Queen under her breath.
She was explosively happy because her boss had finally agreed... after months of begging... to let her come to one of the presentations taught by the BAU.
She hadn't received a letter from Hotch in a week or two... which wasn't uncommon as when he was working on a case it could be a month before he replied... so she didn't know if he was here today, but she was excited all the same.
Ever since she'd joined the bureau she'd wanted to be in the BAU... and not only because Hotch was in it, because that would be borderline stalker, the man was married after all.
The presentation that was being held today was also on one of her favourite topics... and also one of the most topical subjects due to the recent spate of fires in Chicago all of which had resulted in a death... serial arsonists.
The doors to the room that the presentation was being held in opened and she jumped up of her seat like an excited child before realising how immature that would have looked and taking a deep breath before following her boss... who was giving her an 'act your age not your shoe size' look... into the room.
Once she was seated in a comfy chair in the corner... only the section chiefs were aloud at the table's in the centre of the room... a man walked in followed by the person that literally made her day just by being in the room.
"Good afternoon." The first agent greeted sombrely. "I'm SSAIC Jason Gideon and this is SSA Aaron Hotchner and we shall be giving you a presentation today on serial arsonists and how to deal with them."
Emily then caught Hotch's eye and they shared a brief smile. Emily could tell just from the look of him that he was under pressure... this must be one of his first presentations.
"Wasn't Agent Rossi meant to be giving this talk?" One section chief at the front of the room asked in confusion.
"Yes Agent Rossi was meant to be here but his sudden departure from the FBI last month has meant most of his public appearances have been cancelled." Agent Gideon replied.
"So instead we've been landed with you and a rookie." The same section chief responded.
At this comment Emily almost jumped up and floored the stupid smug agent, but for some reason... probably the fact she knew she'd be fired before she could explain herself... she managed to stay seated... though she did nearly tear the arms of the seat of.
"Actually sir, I've worked in the BAU for two years now and before that I worked in SWAT and the Seattle field office for five years and in that time I've worked several serial arson cases, both while in the BAU and before while in Seattle... so with all due respect I'd hardly class myself as a rookie." Hotch replied smoothly, easily putting the other agent in his place.
"Damn, that guy doesn't take any shit." A black agent sitting beside Emily whispered to her.
"That he most certainly does not." Emily smiled, as she finally loosened her grip on the arms of the chair.
"And who might you be?" the man flirted casually after a moment of listening to the talk.
"Agent Emily Prentiss." Emily replied before turning her head back to the talk... she'd be nice to the guy, he did seem friendly... but she wasn't going to let him side track her from Hotch, who was now talking.
After the presentation... which had lasted two hours... the entire room made their way to the far corner where there was a table laid out with refreshments.
"Hello stranger." Hotch's voice greeted from behind Emily causing her to jump slightly.
"Well hello yourself, Mr. Kick Ass." Emily greeted once she turned to face him.
"Kick Ass? Is that another of your wonderful nicknames?" Hotch asked in amusement.
"Nope... that's what you done on that podium today." Emily said with a wink.
"Really... you're not just saying that?" Hotch asked with an almost shy smile.
"No actually I'm not just saying that... and I'm not the only one saying it either." Emily added reassuringly.
"Really? Who else said it?" Hotch asked, interested in how his talk had been received.
"Well the guy sitting beside me... um... Agent Derek Morgan I think his name was, he's in the bomb squad... not to mention half the people who's conversations I've just happened to overhear." She added happily.
"Really... well that just might give me a big head." Hotch teased.
"Ha, as if I'd let you get one of those... don't worry I'll deflate it every now and then." Emily laughed.
They stood in silence for a while not really having anything to say to each other, instead watching the people in the room walk by, the odd one coming up and congratulating Hotch on his speech.
"You seem stressed." Emily said after yet another person came up and shook Hotch's hand.
"Well I've got a stressful job." Hotch reminded her, not quite catching her eye as he spoke.
"I know you do... but that's not the kind of stress I'm on about... I mean the kind of stress that happens when things aren't going your way." Emily said... she may not be a profiler but she could tell there was something up with Hotch, and she knew it wasn't purely to do with work.
"Well the job does change people you know." Hotch snapped slightly.
"I know... you've told me so in your letters... not to mention the fact you smile a lot less now than you did two years ago." Emily replied, ignoring him snapping at her.
There was another silence in which Emily tried her own version of 'profiling' to figure out what had Hotch in the mood he was in.
"How's Haley?" She asked suddenly realising the only non work thing that could be getting Hotch down.
"She's uh... she's good." Hotch said with a hesitant and tight smile.
"Uh huh... you do realise that I can tell you're lying right?" Emily asked, worried... and not that she'd ever admit it, but a little happy... about Hotch's un-reassuring answer.
Hotch sighed... there was no point lying or trying to shut her out... he could do neither to this woman... ignoring her wouldn't work as she was far too stubborn to let him, and shutting her out defiantly wouldn't work as she knew just how to break down his walls.
"Well... it's just... well with me travelling so often it's... it's causing a lot of arguments." Hotch told her quietly.
"Oh I see." Emily said, not really sure of what else she could say... so instead she gave him a sad smile and waited for him to speak again.
"She wants a kid as well you know." Hotch added quietly after a moment.
This caused Emily to flinch slightly, which she immediately kicked herself for... it was his wife, why should she care if they were having kids!
"And what do you want?" Emily asked quietly.
"Honestly I don't know... I mean I want a kid, I really do... but I don't know... I mean this job comes first and I don't know how often I could be there... I don't want to make promises I'll break, I do enough of that already... but Haley doesn't understand that... she doesn't understand the job I have... and we're just not as close as we were when we got married." He concluded, looking away sadly.
Emily didn't say anything... I mean what could she say to that? Deep down she agreed with him... there was no denying that it was hard to juggle a career in the FBI and a family, never mind a career in the BAU.
Just as she was about to tell him she was sure it'd be fine... lame she knew but what else could she say... Agent Gideon walked over to them briskly.
"Uh something wrong Gideon?" Hotch asked staring at the man.
"Yes, we've got a case in New Jersey. We're leaving in twenty." Was all he said before walking away again quickly.
"Well I guess I'll see you again some time." Hotch said to Emily with a smile.
"You bet your ass you will." She smiled, before leaning over and giving him a quick hug.
"Well good think then, I'd miss those hugs of yours." Hotch said once they stepped apart.
"Well now I might just get a big head." Emily teased, trying to hide the blush that was appearing on her cheeks.
"Well that's another reason we'll have to meet soon." Hotch laughed. "We both need to deflate each other's egos every now and then."
"True that." Emily also laughed. "Well I'll see you around then." She said with a smile, as agent Gideon motioned for Hotch to hurry up.
"Yea bye Emily." He said with a smile.
"Bye Hotch." She replied, before he walked away.
Tada! I also mentioned Morgan, Rossi and Gideon in that chapter, cause I missed the team in this story...lol. Ok so I decided that Hotch and Haley's relationship would be showing cracks well before she left him, so I decided this would be the chapter to show them appearing properly.
Tell me what you thought. =)