Wow! So nice to see alerts, faves and reviews already. I love Hotch/Garcia, so I am glad to bring it to you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

"Hotch." She was surprised as she stood in the open door frame staring at Aaron uncharacteristically at his sofa. "What are you still doing here?"

"I could ask the same thing, you did just pick the lock to my office didn't you?" He was purely on the offensive, mainly because he felt the need to defend himself right now. It helped, putting her on the defensive pulled attention away from the remaining tenting at his crotch he was still willing down.

"Ah, yeah sorry about that, I swiped Rossi's key." She began to ease her way into the dim office. "So what—is that my journal?" she pointed to the book, sitting near by his lap.

"Yeah. I was going to bring it to your office." That was true, he did intend to.

"Did you read it?" her eyes were wide, aware that if he had she would just have to request a transfer or something.

He read the fear on her face and his guilt was just worse… and he was aware that she didn't think he liked her. Judging by how he's been reacting to her, especially the activity he was just engaged in… Maybe? Was he?

"I was tempted." He admitted, a half truth is always the best lie.

He walked the journal to her spot in the middle of his office and lingered a little too closely for a moment, so tempted to just tip her chin up and kiss her, maybe take her right there and then, act out one of those dreams. Oh hell! he had to back up before she felt anything stir.

"Well, umm. Thanks sir." She mumbled as she began to turn and make her way out of the office, unsure if she entirely believed he didn't read it.

'No!' his mind was shouting, scrambling to find a way to latch onto her for a while. 'I can't let go of her. I have to control myself though… something neutral, neutral. When the hell did this become such a problem! Damn that journal!'

"Penelope, please, wait." He grabbed his coat and walked quickly to match her pace outside his office. He didn't bother to lock the door behind him. "Would you, I-I haven't eaten and I'm starving. Would you like to get dinner?"

"What about Jack?" she tried to sound casual, but she couldn't turn to face him, afraid of what she might or might not see there.

"He's with his grandparents until the middle of next week. Funny, he told me to actually go and have fun… I guess kids really are observant." That last part embarrassed him to no end and he had no idea why he said it. He really needed to get control of himself or he would end up taking her in the back of his car- Oh, God please make her answer.

She turned to look at him with care. He was vulnerable, he was never vulnerable. While she was starving herself, she hadn't eaten since breakfast, she would have said yes even if she was stuffed from a Thanksgiving dinner. "I am dying for sushi if you're up for it."

"I don't think I've had sushi in three years."

"Really? Why not?"

He laughed and guided her to the elevators, his hand hovering over the small of her back. "Actually, that was while we were on a case and Reid heard I never had it before. I loved it, but can you believe Reid being worldlier than me with something?"

She let out a good long chuckle which she was surprised to feel. She hadn't really laughed in what seemed like ages. "That's just too funny, sir. No, I can't see it." She gently wiped a happy tear from the corner of her eye.

"Pen, please call me Aaron when we are alone or in a social setting. I realize I am your boss but I would like to become your friend as well." He couldn't look at her as he said it, instead he just stared at the elevator floor numbers chime off.

"You are my friend. You're family, don't you know that?" 'Whoa, where is Aaron Hotchner and what happened to make him vulnerable?'

He could feel her stare and he knew he was still exposing more than she was used to, more than he even realized was there to show. So he took a calming breath as they loaded onto the elevator. "I'm glad."

"Alright, what's up with you Hotch? And don't you get all sidetracked on me using your last name!"

So fiery, he liked that. He really needed to get a handle on his mind, it was getting away from him. "I don't know what you're talking about. Anyhow, what sushi place do you want to go to? And please, don't tell Jack we went. He has this extensively long list of things he wants to try because of multicultural day at his school. He already got me to take him to an Ethiopian restaurant, but I really haven't had the time to bring him for sushi."

"Aww, how's the little man doing?"

"Good. He's in the middle of a bunch of projects at school. But, well..." he didn't want to burden her.

"What?" she hoped something wasn't wrong with Jack.

"Well," he took a steadying breath, thankful for the seconds-long delay in conversation as they reached his car and they both entered. He had to keep himself from opening her door first. "His teacher sent me an email stating Jack refused to enter the spelling bee even though he would most likely win. And when she asked him why he said it was because his daddy wouldn't be able to make it there anyway." He nearly broke in tears when he had first read it, not that he let it show now but obviously Penelope would pick up on it.

"Oh Aaron!" she reached across the center console of the SUV and pulled him into a hug. "It will be ok. I promise."

He enjoyed the warmth but pulled back some, she just followed. She was always so good at caring for others, the team mom. "I just wish I was better at this."

"Well," she pulled back finally and let him go to drive. "Talk to him. And ya know what? If you can't make it, I would go see the champ win. Would that make it easier?"

He had to reign it all in. She was too good a friend, and suddenly he became terrified he could lose that. He gulped down his feelings, repressing them to the pit of his stomach as he kept his gaze straight on the road.

But he did find his right hand reach over to find hers and lay on top of it. "Thank you Penelope. I really mean that."

-Criminal Minds-

She didn't know what the hell to think right now. Suddenly Hotch is being all kinds of sweet and it's so not what she would have expected from him. When she heard the pain in his voice about Jack and the spelling bee she just had to offer some help. It seemed to take him forever to think it over and she couldn't help but be entirely confused by what little she could read of the emotions flash over his face in the dim of passing headlights.

So, she tried to ignore it and think about work related things the rest of the silent ride to the restaurant. But a good portion of those thoughts kept returning to Aaron's warm hand resting on hers.

She had to talk herself out of this, out of thinking anything of the gesture. But he wasn't making this easy on her. When they parked she was just about finished fixing her hair in the car mirror and he took the time to open her door for her. He seemed as surprised as she did at the gesture. And he rolled with it, linking her arm in his and keeping it there as he showed his badge to the hostess and got them seated right away, even though the place was packed. And he held her chair for her. She kept trying to remember that Aaron Hotchner is and always has been a gentleman but with each passing moment it was starting to feel like a date.

He thought so as well.

"Nice work with the badge there boss man." She just couldn't call him Aaron right now.

"It's a perk." He shrugged. Equally worried about how date like this was becoming. After all, he sorta just became her friend.

"Sometimes I wonder…" she trailed off, thankful for the distraction of the waitress.

"Hello, my name is Jessica and I will be your waiter this fine Valentine's evening."

They looked at each other, stunned.

"Did I say something?" the waitress asked cautiously.

"Oh. No. Sorry, I didn't even realize it was Valentine's Day when I asked her to dinner." Hotch spoke up, but was mostly keeping his gaze locked on Penelope's.

"Neither did I." she almost burst into laughter, or tears… how did she not know this?

"Oh! That's so great! Johanna!" she called to a near by waiter. "Isn't this sweet? They accidently booked their first date on Valentine's! How romantic." She gave a playful nudge to Hotch, whose eyes were cautiously examining Garcia for reaction. He saw shock, happiness, a little something he might peg as regretful and then finally what he didn't expect… mischief.

"That's my Aaron. The hopeless romantic, even if accidental." she winked at him suggestively.

The waitress seemed pleased with that and placed her hand on Penelope's shoulder. "Tell you what love birds. I'm gonna ask the chef out back to make you something special for your meal, if you like. Any preferences?"

Both were a little relieved, they had no idea what to order. "Just please be sure to bring some ikura for my date here, he's had little exposure to sushi and I want to make sure he gets it right."

Hotch couldn't help the little rise of the corners of his mouth at that. "And some wine please, or sake?"

"Right away sir." And she meant it, she was back in less than a minute, before either had time to make a try at conversation.

Hotch poured the sake for each of them handing her one cup and holding his own in toast. "To our first date." He teased, a part of him hoping it would be sort of of serious if it got its way. He had to shut down the quick flashes of running his fingers over bare breasts, tasting her, licking every little… down boy!

"To our first date." She echoed and knocked it back. She so needed to get drunk right now. Especially thinking of how much she would love for tonight to end in her bedroom, or her shower, or hell- the back alley...she was wearing a skirt. Immediately, she poured herself another shot of sake with urgency.

Hotch caught that and decided to play it a little cool, she was uncomfortable. "Don't worry, I won't take the mistake to heart. Though don't blame me if I end up telling you you're beautiful tonight." He paused, realizing he did just that and looked at the cup. "Jeeze, this stuff is strong."

Garcia laughed a good few chuckles. "Yeah, it is."

"So what was it that you sometimes wonder?"

"huh?" oh right, she was interrupted. "Oh, I-Uh, sometimes I wonder how you guys feel. Ya know, the power of the badge and the gun. It must be nice having that ability to protect yourself and others the way you do."

He was thoughtful for a moment. "You know, you protect people too."

She shrugged. "I guess. I mean, I try to do what I can for you and the team. Just sometimes, like back when—"

"Forgive me for cutting you off but please tell me you don't still blame yourself for a little mistake. I'm not perfect, neither are you. And Elle turned out fine, but we take risks. It's part of the job."

"Yeah" she tried to reign in her instinct to fight a little and it didn't totally work. "But it wouldn't have happened."

"Pen, honey." That got her to finally look up from her hands. "Just please, let that go. But I have to ask, do you not feel safe?"

She nervously scratched her arm. "Not always. I mean sometimes I wonder about things or I get scared and… well at least Derek is always willing to sleep on the couch when I get paranoid."

He sighed, for two reasons. One, relief that it seems that is more platonic than he thought. And two, of exasperating that he can't make her feel safe. "You can always call me you know. I know I'm not Morgan or anything, but if you ever want to talk or have to do a sweep of your house—"

She covered his hand with hers, feeling a few tears cloud her eyes. "Thank you."

"Oooo. Looks like the date is going well so far." The waitress teased affectionately as she brought over a bowl of edamame and a plate of heart shaped fried wontons with dipping sauce. "Now you two have fun." She winked at Penelope before waiting on the next table.

"You know, the team would make such fun of us if they saw us here right now." She didn't know why she had to ruin things and say that.

"Do you know what they are all up to tonight?" he tried to remain casual, but wished he had thought of that. They could come in here at any time. Morgan tended to come here about once a month according to Penelope.

"Well, Rossi is taking Emily to some fundraiser for heart disease research, just friends of course. Derek is on the 'big third date' with someone he met a few weeks ago. And well." She stopped, she wasn't opening the can of worms for Hotch.

"I'm impressed, everyone opens up to you. As the boss you don't really hear it all. But, you don't have to feel bad if you were going to say what I think. I know Reid and JJ are having an affair."

A million pounds left her shoulders and yet she felt like there were more. "You do?"

"Yes, I caught them in the conference room and asked them what was going on. Reid tried to cover it up but JJ broke down crying and told me everything. Apparently they have gotten together a few times before it got intense the last several months. When we were alone she confessed she slept with him around Henry's conception date and had to lie to us all and Reid about the weeks by two."

He took in her silenced expression. "Sorry, you didn't need to know that. I should probably stop the sake, makes me gossipy I guess."

"So then, do you think—"

He shrugged. "I'm not quite sure. She isn't either and well, please don't repeat this next part to anyone. Promise? Because I could face real trouble for it."

"You know I won't say anything."

He nodded. "I gave her permission to use department resources and Reid's DNA profile. She will know in a week."

"Oh. My. God. Is she gonna divorce Will? How serious is it with Reid? And when the hell were you gonna tell me what's going on with my family?"

Hotch smiled, a real true smile. "I guess when we sat down to dinner and accidently became each other's valentines?"

Her head flew back as she roared in laughter. It had been a long time since that happened. "Just so you know, I expect chocolates and flowers in the morning." She teased. He smirked.

The waitress brought over their food and conversation turned to safe topics of what they were eating. Hotch found he really liked the selections, even if it did take some of his famous will power to eat the ikura with raw quail egg.

It was easy, fun. They could laugh at small things, talk about Jack and the spelling bee. And Garcia was pleased that Hotch really made an effort to understand how she works her magic, but the confused looks on his face nearly made her cry laughing again.

Aaron pulled out his credit card to pay so swiftly that the waitress took it right away. He had to be quick, she would argue. And she did. "Hotch…" she warned.

"I asked you. Don't you dare take the compliment badly." He warned in turn, she melted.

As they left the restaurant and made it to the street, her heel snapped making her lose balance. She would have toppled over had Hotch not grabbed her by the waist to steady her. She had to fight every instinct in her to just climb up his gentlemanly body as he kept it there, walking her to the car and opening her door for her.

They listened to the radio on the way back to 'Esther'. When they got there he pulled her into a hug that lingered on dangerously too long, and she was pleased to note that he stayed to make sure she was safely in her car before he pulled away, following her closely an extra two blocks of their common route before he turned off.

Somehow, something happened tonight. She kept trying to place it as she trudged straight to bed. It wasn't sex as a particular part of her might have liked. And it wasn't any confessions of love either, thank God because that would have come from her most likely.

But, did she feel real sparks with Hotch? From Hotch? She didn't know. But she did know she now had a closer friendship with him, and that alone could be enough.

I had to include the obligatory V-day in here. Lot's more of the story to come!