Aaron knew that he had been distracted all week, thinking about how he would gently ease Erin into his family life for the weekend. Dave must have known that something big was happening, because he kept teasing him and giving him knowing winks and smirks the closer it came to Friday. Finally, noon rolled around, and Aaron signed off on the last file he would be working on until Monday. Getting up, he stretched before picking up his briefcase and heading out into the bullpen. Penelope looked up at him from Morgan's desk, giving him a warm smile as he made his way down the stairs.

"Early weekend for you, Hotch?" Morgan asked as he passed by his desk, and he nodded. "Does that mean we get to leave early, too?"

"If your work is done, yes. We so rarely have an easy week like this, so you all should take time and enjoy the weekend. Feel free to pass the word on to the others," he replied as he gave them a tight nod, continuing on to the elevators. Soon enough, he was getting behind the wheel of his car, and making his way to the facility, with a quick stop by Patti Jo's flower shop to pick up fresh flowers for Erin. After parking, he went up to the door, and gave Lauren a small nod as she led him in to the common room before gesturing for him to take a seat at the small table near the doorway. "Is Erin not ready?"

"I have her double checking to make certain that she has everything she'll need this weekend. I just wanted to go over a few ground rules with you, since this is a special situation. This is the first time that she'll be alone, without us as a support system for when the cravings come. You need to be prepared for mood swings, and secretive behaviour from her, and act quickly enough to head them off before she does slip and drink anything that would reset her progress. Erin has done well so far, and I would hate for this first test of her newfound coping skills to end poorly. If you feel, at any time, that this is not going well, call me, and I can talk to her. I want this to go well, too. I know that you care for her, I saw that so many weeks ago. Be gentle."

"Aaron is one of the most tender men that I know."

They both looked up to see Erin standing there, a small bag in her hands. He quickly jumped to his feet and handed over the flowers before taking her bag. "I'm glad to hear that, Erin. Are you ready to go home with him?"

"Yes, Lauren."

"Good. I'll see you back here Sunday evening, preferably before eight o'clock."

They nodded in tandem before Aaron guided Erin out to the car, letting her get in the passenger seat as he placed her bag in the back. "You didn't need to bring any clothes with you. Jessica picked out a few outfits for the weekend, since she wanted you to feel welcome in my home."

"I know, but it's habit at this point. I, I forgot to ask, when I rather impulsively decided to impose myself upon you. Would you mind taking me to church Sunday? You don't have to stay, but I miss it so much."

"I think that we can arrange that. And I hope you don't mind sitting in the cold for a few hours tomorrow morning, watching little kids try to kick a soccer ball around the field without becoming too distracted by everything else around them."

"I would love nothing more than that, Aaron," she quietly replied as he began to drive towards his house. They were strangely quiet on the drive, but he used the time to watch her out of the corner of his eye, taking in the nervous way she played with the fabric of her skirt as she stared out the window. "Will Jack be here tonight when we get to your home?"

"No, I had Jess take him for the evening, so that you could settle in without the chaos of a young kid. Don't worry, you'll get the full Jack experience tomorrow, I promise. Tonight is our chance to be quiet and enjoy each other's company."

"And see if we get along outside the walls of the facility?"

Aaron could tell that she was trying to deflect, to make light of their situation, but he could also hear the undertone of fear in her voice, as if she was worried that whatever was between them was a special situation, and wouldn't last outside of those four walls. Looking over at her, he shook his head a little. "No, I know that we'll get along, because you wouldn't allow me to kiss you if you were truly worried about how I might feel for you. You're certain that there is an attraction between us that is more than just hormones, and chose me as a safety net to experience your first test of sobriety. I'm honored that you think that highly of me. Truly."

She glanced up at him, her eyes swimming with tears as she nodded. "You're not supposed to profile the people you care about or work with, Aaron Hotchner."

"I wasn't profiling you. I was explaining what I see in you, and how much I appreciate your faith in me. And I would hope that you understand that I have just as much faith in you."

"I do know that, Aaron." Her lips trembled a little before she pressed them together and turned her head to watch the scenery pass by once more. "We're not having sex this weekend."

"I never expected us to. That's why we made up the guest room for you. Because we need to get to know each other a little more before we can be intimate. I would never push you into something before you're ready."

She never looked at him, just reached out and rested her hand in the crook of his arm as he finished the drive to his home, her fingers tapping out an unsteady rhythm there, and he found himself humming to the beat that she was creating. Aaron wasn't surprised when she joined in the hum, adding an expert harmony that told him she was musically inclined. Almost too soon, he was pulling into the drive and parking in the garage. "So, this is your home," she murmured as they went inside, and he nodded, easily carrying her bag up the stairs and into the guest room. "And where is your room, just in case I need something in the middle of the night?"

"Right across the hall. Let me set your bag down, and then I'll give you the grand tour."

Erin nodded as she made a slow circuit of the room, taking a look at what Jessica and Aaron had brought over to his house. "You brought my bonsai from work?"

"I know, you'll only be here for a weekend, but I thought that you would feel more comfortable with this small bit of home here." Erin turned and the soft look in her eyes sucked the breath from his lungs. Hurriedly, she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, nuzzling her cheek against his chest as she took a few shaky breaths. "It was a small thing, Erin."

"But you thought of me and my comfort, and that means all the world to me. I'm so out of sorts right now, that this just makes everything seem better, I suppose. Thank you." He nodded before pressing a kiss to the top of her head, listening to her sigh with pleasure as she moved closer still to him, and allowing her breathing to sync up with his, as if she knew that she would find her safety with him.