The case of Kyle Murphy in New Jersey was disturbing.
I focussed solely on the case in the hopes we would find Kyle alive. Unfortunately, that hadn't happened.
Realising that his brother wasn't a normal boy, and possibly involved, was painful.
Telling his parents that Danny was a sociopath and telling them exactly what he did to his brother, was hard to get out.

Once it was closed and we were on our way home, I sat away from everyone else on the plane. They respected my space and kept it quiet for me.
I noticed Hotch watching me every so often, almost protectively. I didn't acknowledge it.

When we got back home, I didn't bother going inside the precinct. The others didn't either; it was late and we were tired after a dreadful case.
When I got home, I showered immediately. I got dressed into warm pajamas and repacked my go-bag for the next case. I went downstairs, and just as I reached the bottom of the staircase, I heard a knock at my door.
I opened the door to Hotch and Jack, and the boy let himself in. He ran past me and dropped his bag before jumping up onto the couch.

I looked back at Hotch when I realised that he hadn't come in. "There's a gas leak at my apartment complex. They asked us all to leave for tonight, and we'll be good to go back tomorrow afternoon. Do you mind if we stay with you tonight?"

"Of course not." I smiled and motioned for him to come in.
I made something up for them to eat but didn't eat myself. I convinced Hotch to let it go when he pushed, but I think he knew this case left me out-of-sorts.

Once he put Jack down to bed in the spare room, he found me in my room as I brushed my hair out and applied moisturiser to my face. He moved my hair over to one side and kissed my neck lightly. "Something other than the case is bothering you this week." He wasn't asking; he knew.

I looked down as I picked at a nail, and then I looked back up to meet his eyes in the mirror, "Why did you wait until you thought I was asleep before you told me that you loved me last week?"

He stared back for a second before looking down and sighing, "I didn't mean to upset you…it's just hard for me to admit something like that.
You have to understand – I was with Haley throughout high school and married her straight out of school. She is the only person I have ever said those words to, until you…" He sat on the end of my bed now.

I moved to sit beside him, "I know that, Aaron. I know this is hard for you to be—"

"It isn't hard for me to be with you," He cut me off, "It was just a little strange to tell you I love you for the first time…so I said it when I thought you wouldn't hear me; I wanted to hear it myself first. Then I was hoping I could tell you openly without worrying about it."

I nodded, "And can you?"

He smiled, "I love you, Emily." He kissed me then, gentle and slow. We kissed for a little while before I pulled away, "Not up for it tonight?" He asked.

I smiled apologetically, "The case is really on my mind. I can't tonight, I'm sorry."

"Please do not apologise for not wanting to have sex for a night." He shook his head and kissed me again, tame this time. He slipped his sweater off and changed into a pair of pajama shorts, and then he turned the ceiling light off.
We got into bed and I sighed as I lay down, trying to relax my body.
He wrapped around me and held me tightly against him. He kissed my hair and smoothed it out behind my ear, "I love you, Emily. Good night."

I smiled to myself and closed my eyes, "I love you too, Aaron.

We worked two cases, and then Rossi proposed a team dinner to celebrate Garcia's birthday.
I got ready at home while Jack ran around downstairs. I could hear Hotch playing with him and his adorable giggles. I smiled to myself, and then really looked at myself in the mirror. My smile dropped as I considered what I spoke about with Rossi back on that night with scotch and cigars.

"Hey, are you ready?" Hotch stood in the doorway. I hadn't even heard him ascend the stairs. I plastered on a small smile and nodded, slipping my second earring in and getting up. "You look upset."

"No, I'm fine," I looked at him and saw he didn't believe me, "I'm a little tired." I tried.

"…Do you want to talk about it before we go? You know they're not going to like you being in a mood while we're there." Clearly my lie wasn't convincing enough, or he could just read me too well now.

I sighed, "It's not something that we have time to talk about right now."

"What do you mean? Is it about us?" He tilted his head. I just nodded, and then his expression turned worried, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Aaron," I smiled and stepped forward, kissing him lightly, "Everything is okay."

I walked past him and he followed me downstairs. When I reached the bottom of the staircase, I felt his hand caress my arse. I smiled at him over my shoulder, "You look exquisite." He whispered in my ear before kissing my cheek. Jack came bounding over, excited to go and see the team. I grabbed Garcia's gift on our way out.
Hotch carried him down to the car and I got into the passenger seat.

The drive to Rossi's took about thirty minutes – traffic was okay tonight – and then I froze when we pulled up. "We came together…"

"Yes?" He looked at me questioningly.

"How do we explain that to them?" I motioned towards Rossi's house.

"Yeah…we didn't think about that. Surely they won't ask you how you got here?"

I was worried, but it wasn't like I could change it now. I got out of the car and Hotch unbuckled Jack. I went inside with Jack a step ahead of me. He ran in and almost jumped right into Morgan's arms as he greeted the boy.
They all greeted Hotch and I nonchalantly, and then Garcia double took us in the doorway, "Did you come together?"

I looked at him out the corner of my eye but didn't speak; I wasn't sure how to play this.

"Yes." Hotch shrugged it off as if arriving together was normal. I supposed I could have asked him for a lift, but why didn't I ask JJ and Will or Morgan? The other two didn't seem to think that was strange. Garcia, however, just gave me an accusing look. She motioned for me to follow her, and I trailed her into the dining room.

"Are you not telling me something?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something between you and boss-man?"

I did my best to mask the panic, "He drove me here so I could drink, Pen. That doesn't mean there is anything romantic at play." I took her hand and pulled her back into the den with me. Hopefully that would be enough to set her mind at ease.

We had a few drinks before Rossi checked on dinner and then told us it was ready. We sat around the large dining table together. When we sat, Jack demanded he be next to me. Hotch obeyed, but Garcia seemed to interpret that as strange.
The food was amazing, and the conversation and laughter was light and fun.

After eating, we decided to give Garcia her gifts. She opened them excitedly and thanked us all profusely, giving us all a tight hug. We didn't usually make a huge deal of birthdays within the team; however, Garcia's was different. She liked extravagant food and presents, and we were really the only family she spoke to; she always wanted all of us with her for her birthday celebrations.

After another drink, Hotch said he should leave to get Jack to bed. Jack didn't love hearing that, until his eyes lit up and he spoke again, "Emmy sleep in your bed again tonight?" He asked Hotch, hope in his eyes. My eyes widened at his question. Hotch just seemed to freeze.

"There it is." JJ said quietly over her glass once the silence fell over the room.

"You lied to me! On my birthday!" Garcia exclaimed, pointing at me. I shook my head and opened my mouth, but I had no defence. I just looked at her with a guilty expression.

I heard Morgan snicker beside me and I looked at him. He shook his head and looked away from me. I could see he was mad. He stood abruptly and left the room, walking into Rossi's study and closing the door behind him. I put my glass down and went to get up to follow him.
"Don't." Hotch shook his head at me. I looked away from him and over to Reid. He just smiled at me awkwardly but didn't say anything. I took that as he wanted to process this fully before he decided if he was okay with this or not. I'd give him his time. "We really need to get Jack home." His son sat on his lap now, half asleep and falling deeper by the second.

I hesitated and looked back to Rossi's office door. I really wanted to follow Morgan and talk to him about it, but I knew realistically that he was too upset to have a calm conversation. He'd get mad and say some things, and then it would make me mad, and we would be even worse off. "Yeah, okay." I stood and hugged the others goodbye. Garcia whispered in my ear that she had questions to be answered tomorrow. "We're leaving, Morgan, you can come out now!" I called on my way out of the room.

I woke early this morning. I barely slept last night as it was; I was too anxious about Morgan, and Garcia's questions, and how Reid would take it once he came to terms with it.
I sat at Hotch's small dining table with a mug of coffee in silence, watching the sun rise through the window across the room.

Jack woke before Hotch. He came out of his room and was startled to see me instead of Hotch but adjusted in a second and smiled up at me. He asked me for help in the bathroom, and I had no idea how to do that.
I followed him into the bathroom. He pulled his pants and underwear down and climbed up the step. I realised that he didn't need help per say, he just wanted someone there with him.
He almost ran back out afterwards but I caught him and turned him around. "Wash your hands." I smiled at him as I helped him onto the step to the sink. He needed me to squirt the soap into his hands, but he did the rest, and then he dried his hands before running out.

He asked if he could watch TV and I let him, although I wasn't sure if Hotch let him watch it this early. I decided I'd make breakfast while we waited for Hotch to wake up.

After breakfast, Jack asked if we could go to the park. We got ready for the day and fulfilled his wish, and then I went home after lunch.
I had to get some things done before work tomorrow, and Hotch needed to go into the office after he dropped Jack back at Haley's.

When I got home, I received a call from Morgan. "Hey."

"Hey." He spoke quietly.

I sighed, "Morgan, I don't want you to—"

"Does he make you happy?" He cut me off.

"Would I be with him if he didn't? As much as you might not want to hear it, I love him. If you're not comfortable then all you need to do is tell me, and I'll transfer out."

"So if I'm not okay with my partner dating our boss, then I lose said partner?"

"You won't lose me; we'll just work in different departments."

He was silent for a few seconds, "How long?"

"A bit over a year now…"

"Well I suppose I never noticed anything…maybe the two of you can stay professional at work."

I smiled to myself, "How about we trial it? Now that everyone knows, we'll work a few cases and revisit the situation. If you or others feel like he is favouring me or being too overprotective of me in the field, then I'll transfer. If nothing's changed, then we'll all adjust."

He sighed now, "Yeah, okay. I'll see you tomorrow." He hung up and I texted Hotch to let him know that I'd talked Morgan down.
I set my phone down and looked around. A few dishes to wash and a load of laundry, and then I could spend the rest of the evening with a book.