Ok so this chapter is about the episode "Cradle to Grave" which is of course the episode where Hotch has to step down! I'm going to try my best to keep this chapter light hearted like I promised, though there may be one or two sadder scenes... sorry!

This chapter is dedicated to AJ and Paget, who we need to support!

It's still October 2009, Emily's 39 and Hotch is 43
_

"Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work." – H. L. Hunt.
_

Emily's head rose up from the couch slowly as she heard a key scraping in the lock of the door. She muted the movie she'd been watching and sat up properly as Hotch walked in the door, throwing his briefcase to one side and sliding his jacket of and hanging it over the back of the couch as he came to stand over Emily.

"You're home late tonight." Emily commented. "Is there a new case?" She asked when she seen the look on his face, knowing that a look like that and being home late normally meant a case.

"Nope, something even better than a case." Hotch told her sarcastically, causing Emily's eyebrow to rise. "Straus decided to drop in before I left to have a little chat." He told her with a sigh.

"Oh," Emily winced, "that can't have been much fun!"

"It wasn't." Hotch clarified as he walked around the couch and sat down on the edge of it beside Emily, letting her move behind him and place her hands on his shoulders, starting to massage them slowly to relieve the stress.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Emily asked quietly as she pulled at his shoulder and back muscles.

"There's not much to talk about." Hotch told her as he leant back into her arms. "She wants me to step down as team leader." He finished, bracing himself for what was about to happen.

"What?" Emily exclaimed suddenly, pulling her arms away from his back and jumping of the couch to stand in front of him. "Tell me I just heard you wrong and that, that witch... no, that evil cow, isn't making you step down!" She shouted, fury burning in her eyes. "I swear to god if I get my hands on her..."

"Ok sweety, calm down, it's not the end of the world just yet." Hotch told her, pulling her down to sit in his lap, and smiling at the passion she was showing towards the situation.

"No but it'll be the end of that sadistic woman's life if she doesn't change her mind." Emily muttered fiercely, anger still glinting in her eyes.

"Look Em, just think about it." Hotch tried to reason, trying not to laugh at the fact that he was having to calm her down when really it should be the other way around. "If I step down temporary... because it will only be temporary... then Foyet will think I'm falling apart, therefore he'll let his guard down just a little and we can be closer to catching him." He told her.

"I hate it when you're reasonable." She told him, calming down a bit. "It sucks the fun right out of life."

"Yes, because I'm sure it would have been fun explaining why you killed the section chief, when as far as the Bureau is concerned, our relationship is a professional one only." Hotch smirked.

"See there you go again... kill joy." Emily told him, before leaning in and kissing him soundly on the lips.

"What was that for?" Hotch asked with a smile once they broke apart.

"Well despite the brave facade you're putting on, I'm sure you're slightly pissed at our dear section chief, so I thought I'd cheer you up." Emily informed him. "Though if you don't want me too... " She added, but she was cut off when Hotch leaned up and captured her lips again.

~.~.~.~.~

Three days later Emily swung open the apartment door and let out a relieved sigh now that the most recent case was finally over. She flung her go bag in the corner before making her way towards the fridge to find anything of sustenance to eat after the long flight back.

She was about to pull out two microwave dinners... cooking not being her strong point... when she remembered the way Hotch had been treating Morgan on the case, and flung one back into the fridge, knowing that if her hunch was right... which it normally was when it came to Hotch... he'd currently be training Morgan for the job, so wouldn't be home for a while.

So instead she put one microwave dinner in the microwave... talk about flashbacks to her single days... and poured herself a glass of wine, planning to unwind a little in front of the television.

She ate her dinner quickly and was curled up on the couch, half ways though "Breakfast at Tiffany's" when she finally heard the door open behind her. She paused he movie but instead of lifting her head up of the couch to greet Hotch she lay and waited for him to walk around to her, sitting down at her feet when he did.

"Rough day?" She asked when she seen his face... though really it was more of a statement as not only did they just get back from a case, but Hotch had just spent the day training Morgan for a job that he loved.

"Well we got the couple we were after, and family's got reunited, so not really."Hotch told her, obviously avoiding the subject of his job, as he tried to distract Emily by massaging her feet through her socks.

"I mean training Morgan." Emily replied, refusing to let him brush it off, and refusing to let his fingers easing the cramps out of her toes distract her.

"How did you know I picked him?" Hotch asked in shock, stopping the massage momentarily.

"You obviously forgot who you're talking to." Emily smirked. "I'm a kick ass profiler and your girlfriend Aaron, so I kind of noticed the fact that you either decided that you hate Morgan, or you were testing him... and due to the fact that he's one of your closest friends I went for option two." She informed him, her smirk still firmly in place.

"God I hate profilers." Hotch muttered, as a small smile spread across his face, and he resumed his calming massage.

"Self loathing Aaron? That's never a good sign...should I be hiding all possible murder weapons around the apartment." Emily teased.

"Oh ha, ha." Hotch replied dryly. "Though don't tell Morgan that you know, he wants to tell you guy's himself because he's not sure how you're going to react to him 'stealing' my job." He added with a sigh.

"Don't worry my lips are sealed... I'm not happy about the situation, but I'm glad it's Morgan and not some idiot that couldn't run a race, never mind our team." Emily told him sincerely.

"You and me both." Hotch replied as he lifted Emily's legs and placed them across his thighs as he sat on the couch more comfortably.

"Do you want to watch 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' with me?" Emily questioned in amusement when she saw his eyes dart towards the screen, knowing that Hotch secretly loved old movies, and even though this one wasn't black and white it was still a pretty good movie.

"Would I say no to a classic movie and good company?" Hotch questioned back, as he slid in behind her on the couch, wrapping his arms around her waist securely and pulling her flush against him.

"Obviously not." Emily replied happily as she hit play.
_

The petition:
http:/ www . petition online . com/ cmwomen
(no spaces)

Voice your thoughts:
http:/ criminalminds fanatic . blogspot . com/ 2010/06/ criminal-minds-anyone-have-opinion . html
(No spaces)

Complain to CBS:
http:/ www . cbs . com/info/ user_services/fb_global_form . php
(No spaces)

Please help out ladies! =)

By the way, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is my all time favourite movie and I advise anyone who hasn't seen it to watch it because it is awesome!

Tell me what you thought! =)