Morning came a little too quickly for the team. As soon as the sun peaked out from the horizon, Emily awoke to a light nuzzling on her neck. Fluttering her eyes open, the first thing that she saw was the slightly stained, yellow ceiling of the small hotel room. Light filtered in through the gap in the curtains making the shape of one of the stains kind of look like a warped hippopotamus. A light moan moved past her lips, as the nuzzling hit that spot behind her ear.

"Morning." She felt whispered against her skin. His mood seemingly a lot more chipper than last night.

"Morning." She sighed out, before moving her head so their lips can connect for the first time that morning. She runs her fingers through his hair as they slowly part. Blinking up at him for a second, she hesitates before asking the question that was lingering on her lips. "Are you – "

"Better." He finishes, knowing where her mind was going.

It was a fair question being that he did spend a good 20 minutes last night sobbing in her arms. Something he hasn't done since the news of his mother's passing two years ago. He kisses her one more time on the lips before his hands shift and he pulls her into a deep embrace. He feels her sigh against his neck as his hands travel down the length of her back, fingers following the grooves of her spine in a light dance leaving behind goosebumps and chills. Emily places soft kisses along his neck, occasionally nipping at spots that she knows makes him go wild.

In between kisses she pauses, "What time is it?" she asks before going back in leaving a trail of wet pecks up and down his neck not really caring for a response.

"Just before 6."

"Hmm, so we have time." Her head peeks up from her spot on his shoulder before pressing forward, fusing their mouths together. As soon as she hooked her leg around his waist to straddle him, the buzzing of a cellphone went off.

A sigh escapes them both as they slowly untangle. Emily shoves her head underneath the cheap hotel pillow as Aaron reaches around for his cellphone that was somewhere on the side table next to his head.

Without looking at the caller id, he hits answer. "Hotchner."

"Agent Hotchner, this is Section Chief Erin Strauss."

Suppressing a groan, he sits up in the bed before running a hand over his tired eyes. "What can I do for you ma'am?"

That made Emily sit up in bed. Eyes wide, she stares at her husband and the phone in his hands. Her thoughts were going a mile a minute. Why would Strauss be calling this early? Why is she calling at all? She never really interferes during a case. What happened?

"Agent Hotchner, can you please tell me why you and your team are in Boston when there isn't an active case? And why you took Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia with you?" Emily could just barely hear the older woman through the phone, but the tone was hard to miss.

"Ma'am, I got news from the former police chief Tom Shaunessy about a deal he made with the Boston Reaper. The deal became null and void when Detective Shaunessy passed away two nights ago. I brought the team out here with me for precaution since the Reaper went underground and could potentially strike whenever. I made the decision to fly out Penelope Garcia after the rest of the team got here for ease of information as soon as it was found." He spoke in his stern voice, one that is only reserved for UNSUBs and apparently their Section Chief.

Emily was sure the whole hotel could hear the sigh through the phone. "Aaron, I cannot authorize your team flying out somewhere where there isn't an active case. Let alone, not being invited in. The passing of that detective is tragic, but regardless of whatever deal he made with a serial killer, if he is still underground there is no reason for your team to be there. I expect to see you all in the office no later than 1 pm today, is that understood?"

"That – "

"Excellent. I will be waiting. Goodbye." The dial tone rung in his ear as he sat staring straight ahead. Emily bites her lip, staring at her hands.

"We can still –" She starts before he cuts in.

"No. You're all getting on the jet. I'm staying here." As soon as he finishes speaking, he tosses the covers off him and makes his way to the small bathroom.

"Aaron don't be – " Emily doesn't even get to finish her sentence before she is closed off from him with the finality of the lock on the bathroom clicking. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she picks up a pillow and smashes her face against it, letting out a muffled scream. Not even two minutes later, there is a small knock on their hotel room door. Composing herself, Emily grabs the soft, white robe from the small closet by the door before checking the peephole. She rests her head against the hard wood of the door before opening it.

"Is everything okay? I heard – oh." Rossi couldn't even finish his sentence before Emily leans her head against his shoulder.

"Strauss is forcing us to go home. He claims he's going to stay. He's locked himself in the bathroom." She mumbles against the soft tweed of his suit jacket.

"Okay. Okay. JJ is just across the hall, why don't you grab your stuff and head over there to freshen up. I'll deal with the hard ass." He pats her lightly on the back before helping her straighten up. He stays in the doorway, holding the door open while she slowly makes her way through the room to grab her go bag. He doesn't move towards the closed bathroom door until he sees her safely inside of JJ's hotel room. Taking a step to the side he lets the main door slam shut. The softness on his face disappeared in favor of his "disappointed dad look" as Morgan likes to call it.

As soon as his face shifted, the bathroom door slowly opened. Without giving any warning, Rossi immediately starts on his tirade.

"Seriously Aaron!"

Jumping, not seeing the man when he first opened the door, Hotch held his hand to his chest. "Jesus Dave, warn a guy next time."

"No. Not this time. Not when I haul my ass out of my room before 7 am because I heard a muffled scream come from next door. What did I tell you last night?"

"You said to get some rest and cuddle my wife. I was there. And yes, I did exactly that." Resisting an eyeroll, Hotch brushes past Dave to get to his go bag for a fresh tie.

"Then tell me why I when I knocked on your door your wife all but threw herself into my arms in almost tears." He knows he's bending the truth a bit, but it's the only way he can get through to his friend.

That comment made Hotch's head snap up. "Wait. Really? Crap. Where is she?"

"She's fine, and across the hall getting ready."

"I have to see her." Hotch starts to make his way out of the room, but Dave's arm stops him.

"Let her wind down and get ready. Now, tell me what has the both of you in such a state this morning."

Letting out a huff, Hotch grumbles. "Strauss called." Dave throws his head back and closes his eyes.

"I should have guessed. She's ordering us back." He doesn't even pose it as a question, knowing how the section chief worked.

"Yeah. I'm going to stay."

"And let me guess, your wife didn't take that well." Just the look that Hotch gave Dave told him all that he needs to know. "Aaron, we're a team. Either we all stay or we all go."

"Someone has to stay here in case there's a break in the case, and I'm not about to let my whole team get suspended or have to deal with Internal Affairs for not being where she wants us to be." Hotch grabs his suit jacket that was hanging in the closet before starting to make his way to the door.

"I'll talk to her about that. There's no way the brass will let her suspend an entire unit. Especially our unit." Both of them finally make it to the door and as soon as they open it, they meet the terrified eyes of Penelope Garcia with her hand up like she was about to knock.

"Garcia?"

With a trembling voice, she says. "They found two bodies. This was found painted on their car." She hands over a picture and staring back at them is the eye of providence.

Hi guys it's been a while. Um, no really good excuse other than I had no motivation to write. The last time I updated this was right before work got really crazy and I worked solely 13 plus hour shifts everyday. I was just so tired that this took a backseat. Now I've been working on this chapter for a while, and it's not where I wanted it to be, basically it just being a filler, but we're starting to get to the juicy part of the story. I hope you're all still there and all still interested. I can't promise frequent uploads, but I haven't forgotten about this story and I will finish it.

I really and truly appreciate you all and I'll see you all in the next update!