"Little do you know" - Hotchniss

guilt

If this was a romantic movie, she would now fall into his arms, telling him that she had always loved him as well and crying due to her happiness about his love confession.

But this was Emily Prentiss, a total mess when it came to feelings and sadly, she was not an actress in any romantic movie and their love story had needed many years to reach its turning point, not only 90 minutes. Additionally, she was still holding her one-years-old daughter, who was getting slightly impatient. Her mouth was opened in shock about his words and she kept replaying them again and again in her head.

After some time, she finally caught herself and cleared her throat, the tears still running down her cheeks.

"Can we go inside to talk?", she then whispered and gestured with Kaia in her arms. He completely understood and took her travel bag before they walked back.

It was probably the most awkward walk they had ever had, but Aaron was just glad that she had not gotten onto the jet and Emily was still overwhelmed by her feelings cand his words. Had this really just happened? Had Aaron Hotchner, her best friend and the love of her life just confessed his love to her?

All eyes were on them as they walked into the floor of the BAU, especially their team was curios about what had happened. Emily obviously hadn't left, but she was crying and Hotch still looked very tensed. Instead of any information, Emily quickly handed Kaia to JJ before following Hotch to his office.

She let out a small sigh as she closed the door behind her. He didn't dare to start this conversation, so he just looked up at her.

"Okay, where did we stop?", she asked him carefully. Oh God, had she seriously just asked this? "No, sorry, forget about this question. I'm - I'm just really overwhelmed, and I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?", he chuckled.

"Yea", she smiled slightly. "Not only because of this weird question, because of everything I have done. I should have told you way earlier how I feel."

Her words took a whole load off his mind. It was like he had been waiting for this moment all his life and now, it had finally arrived.

Slowly, she stepped closer to him. "I do feel the same way", she whispered. "but I guess you have already figured that out."

"Trust me, it took me way too long", he smiled.

"I guess you're a very bad profiler then", she grinned and as she had moved close enough to him, she wrapped her hands around his neck. Automatically, his hands were at her waist, making her smile.

"Says you", he chuckled.

"I guess we're both guilty", she sighed but smiled again. "I really thought this moment would never come. And I am more than glad that you stopped me from getting on this jet. I just never thought that a person like you would fall for a total mess like me. I tried to give other guys a chance, to forget about my feelings for you because you seemed so happy with Beth and Scarlett. And I always told myself that I could not risk losing you as a friend just because I had developed feelings for you. But it really broke me, it did. And I never meant to fight you or to make you feel bad. My feelings for you were just too big for my little body, I guess."

Tears had formed in her eyes again, but this time, it were tears of joy.

"You would never make me feel bad", he smiled. "No matter what you do, my feelings will never change. I promise."

A smile creeped on her face as some tears were slowing leaving her eyes. She rubbed the back of his neck with her thumbs and shyly whispered: "Can you repeat it?"

He smiled down at her. "What you mean?"

"Oh, come on", she chuckled.

"I love you, Emily Prentiss", he said firmly, but he meant it, every single word of it.

She just let out a small sob before yanking his head down, pressing her lips on his. Immediately, he kissed her back, pulling her closer by her waist. This time, he did not pull away, no, he now knew that it was real and that she was not out of her mind or anything else.

Their tongues fought for dominance, it was like they were melting until both of them ran out of air and they eventually had to break apart.

"I love you, too", she then finally whispered and he leaned his forehead against hers, looking her right into the eyes, and smiled.

They both jumped as they heard the sudden cheer, and turning their heads they recognized that they had left the roller shutters of his office open. Probably every single Agent from their Unit had watched them and was now applauding and cheering, and of course JJ, Rossi and Garcia were in the front.

"Oh God", Emily chuckled and buried her face in Aaron's chest as it turned bright red.

"Don't they have work to do?", he sighed but smiled as well and reached out with one hand to shut the rollers down.

Just as she had raised her head from his chest, she felt his lips on hers again and smiled into the kiss. Her hand found the hair on the base of his skull and she tugged it lightly while his hands were still pulling her as close as possible by her waist.

"I can't believe how much time we have wasted", she then said.

"Oh, me neither", he sighed. "But maybe it was exactly meant to be like this."

"Wow, thank you for being so good to us, fate", she rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"At least it gave us each other in the end", Aaron grinned and she smiled.

And there they stood, finally honest, finally free and finally each other's. Neither of them could believe how easy it could have been, but maybe their story was supposed to be this messy. At least, it brought them there.

Because in the end, soulmates always end up together, no matter what they had gone through. Maybe they were supposed to lose themselves a bit to find back to each other again.

Suddenly, a certain thought flipped up on Emily's mind and her eyes widened. "What about Interpol? Oh God, and my apartment? I have basically already moved to London, all I have left is this travel bag, and I don't have job as well, I quit the FBI a week ago and-"

"Hey, don't panic", he said calmly. "Garcia will take care about your job here and your arrangements with Interpol. She probably has even done this by herself. And concerning your apartment, well... we could try to get it and your stuff back or..."

"Or?"

"Or you and Kaia would move in with Jack and me, in our house.", he smiled.

"You would do that?", she asked in surprise.

"Emily, the past years you basically lived at my place and Jack and I would be more than happy to finally have some women around", he chuckled. "I could turn my office into Kaia's room."

She was speechless and amazed by his words. He would change his 'holy' office into the room for a child that was not even his? He would let Kaia and her live with them, immediately?

"We'd love to", she smiled. "Thank you."

"Always", he smiled and kissed her again, but this time, it was a shorter kiss. "Speaking of Kaia-"

"We should probably go get her", she finished his sentence and nodded.

Both of them hard time letting go of each other, but they eventually managed to get to the door of his office. Before he opened the door, he stopped and reached out for her hand. They knew what would await them outside and neither of them liked this much attention. Yet, they didn't care at all because finally, after all these years, they had made it.