Ok so awkward is the word I'm going to use to describe this chapter (which will only be short)... Emily and Hotch meet for the first time since the Chicago incident at a diner function.

It's the autumn of 2003, Emily is 32 and Hotch is 37.

I never knew until that moment how bad it could hurt to lose something you never really had. – From the television show The Wonder Years.

Emily walked reluctantly into the ballroom, her hand holding on to that of her date for the evening, Jonny Monroe from the cafe across the street from the bureau.

They weren't officially dating... and they never would be due to Jonny's love of model train sets and adult T.V channels, not what Emily looked for in a guy... though he served a purpose, he was smoking hot and that's exactly what Emily needed for tonight.

It wasn't that she was shallow in any way... I mean she'd dated 'Pastry Paul' when she was in sixth grade... but she needed a hot guy to make Hotch jealous... and yes she did know how monumentally sad that sounded but she had to do this for her sanity's sake!

Since the 'Chicago incident'... as she now referred to it as... her and Hotch had stopped writing, they'd send birthday and Christmas cards but never letters, and it had really hurt Emily to think something she'd said while drunk had been enough to ruin their friendship... but it had and she needed to move on.

This evening was a charity event in which all important members of the FBI were invited, the BAU of course were top of the list and due to her political background she was close behind them... this meant a high possibility of running into Hotch and in order to do that without looking awkward she needed to look like she'd moved on at least... that was where Jonny came in!

Once she stepped into the ball room she done a quick scan of the people around her and immediately spotted Hotch standing in the corner talking to his team... typical!

What was even worse however was that standing beside him was none other than Haley... and her and Hotch were holding hands! This immediately caused a bubble of anger to rise in Emily, but she pushed it down, not wanting to let Hotch ruin what would hopefully be a god night.

She began to mingle like she'd been taught to as a child, dragging Jonny along behind her, telling him to keep his mouth shut and look smart.

It was inevitable however... after an hour or so of circling the room, trying her best to avoid Hotch and his team, Jonny said he wanted a drink and since he'd kept quiet for a whole hour she agreed... plus all this sneaking around was making her thirsty.

She stood at the bar and waited for the barman to arrive with her drink... Jonny had already left with his drink, not really wanting to stand at a bar and listen to her talk to another important person... and for a moment she let her guard down and just enjoying the fact that no one was talking to her.

That silence was too good to last though.

"Hi." Came a quiet voice from behind her that she immediately recognised.

"Hey, Aaron." She said, no longer feeling comfortable saying 'Hotch' but still inwardly cringing at the use of his first name as she turned around.

"So how's things?" Hotch asked awkwardly as he ordered drinks.

"Uh, things are good... I'm working in the Midwest now... It's a desk job, but it's fun." She said as she picked up her drink from the barman and paid him, wishing he'd stay longer to give her a distraction.

"Oh right... so is that your boy friend I seen with you earlier?" Hotch asked staring across the room to where Jonny was standing and feeling a bubble of jealousy rise within him.

"No he's just a friend of mine." Emily said, deciding to tell Hotch the truth.

At this comment Hotch felt the jealousy calm a little... this was ridiculous, he shouldn't still be hung up on Emily, he'd rejected her what more did it take!

"So how's Haley?" Emily asked awkwardly... not sure if the woman that made her insanely jealous was a smart thing to be talking about.

At this comment Hotch knew how to get over Emily... He was going to despise himself afterwards but it needed to be done in order for him to stay sane and keep thought's of her out of his head... he was going to have to make her get over him! I mean he obviously couldn't get over her.

"Haley? Oh things are actually really, really good now." Hotch started, mentally kicking himself for each lying word he uttered. "We're actually trying for a kid now." He added, now officially feeling like shit.

He actually seen it... he didn't think it possible but he actually seen it happen... seen the look on her face and in her eyes... he seen Emily Prentiss's heart break and knowing it was him that had done it broke his as well.

"Why?" Emily asked, looking Hotch straight in the eye, her voice wavering a bit as she spoke.

"Why what?" Hotch asked, trying with all his might to play dumb when all he wanted to do was scoop a now broken Emily into his arms and beg for her forgiveness.

"Why say that when you know how I feel?" She elaborated, trying with all her might to hold back the tears.

Hotch took a deep breath... he really didn't want to say what he was going to say next... but in order to continue his life without constantly thinking of her he knew he needed to.

"Because I never loved you back." He stated plainly, lying through his teeth and trying to ignore the look of despair in her eyes and the ache in his heart.

"Oh..." Emily breathed after a moment, suddenly feeling like she'd been hit by a speeding train.

She looked Hotch in the eye once more before turning on her heel and walking out as calmly as possible, not even trying to look for Jonny.

Once sitting back in her car she finally let the tears flow... down her cheeks and onto her dress, silent shimmering tears, falling for the man she loved.

Wow if you didn't hate me before you should now! Ok REALLY sorry about how long that took to write but I had a mad week at school plus writing something that involves Emily getting hurt like this isn't my idea of fun so I had to mentally prepare myself to! Tell me what you though... oh and things can only get better after that chapter so don't worry...lol.