How Aaron and Emily finally got together

Chapter 1:

Emily walked down the steps of the hotel. She needed to get some fresh air. The team was still in Oklahoma City, due to fly back to D.C. the next day after the weather cleared up. Emily was sore from getting hurt during the last case and she thought getting some fresh air would help her. She knew getting sleep was the last thing on her mind. She made her way outside the front door of the hotel, she kicked off her shoes and walked through the grass. She didn't want to close her eyes and see what happened to the detective all over again. So Emily stood in the grass looking at the sky of stars. With the lights on the street she knew that the stars weren't really visible but knowing they were there calmed her down.

Hotch couldn't sleep. After everything that's happened in the last year, this just added one more nightmare for him to deal with. Hotch was just getting back into the rhythm with the job, when JJ had bursted into the conference room saying Emily was hurt and was on the way to the hospital. Hotch felt something strange deja vu, where the woman he had grown to love was hurt. In those few minutes he wanted to run to the hospital to see Emily. He had to know if she was okay. Not only he had a job to do, but he couldn't express his feelings about her. How he was greatful for her helping during past few months following Haley's death, how he had fell in love with her before everything that happened with Foyet. He couldn't tell her. He was stuck in limbo, knowing he would never love anyone like he loved Emily.

He walked out the front door of the hotel, he looked up at the sky, and finding a few stars. Then he heard her cough, without looking he knew who it was that was coughing. He edged forward sure enough it was Emily. He watched her from a far. Knowing he could get caught, but unable to look away. She was laying on the grass looking up at the stars in the sky. He walked over quietly to her and sat down. She looked up at him and smiled. " Hey  " she whispered. He didn't answer. He just layer down beside her and he let out a sigh. They didn't need words, they both just layer there, watching the stars.

After what felt like forever, hotch whispered " how are you feeling Emily? " Emily answered " guilty." She answered quietly. Hotch sat up slightly leaning on his elbows, and frowned at her. "Why" he asked her. His brows furrowed. Emily wouldn't look at him and kept her eyes on the stars. She shrugged "I didn't do enough". Hotch wasn't sure what to say to her. He thought she was optimist.she had told him so many times that what happened to his family wasn't his fault. And now she was blaming herself for what happened to Detective Lydi.

Hotch took a deep breath and layer back down. "Pretties you did what you could. You did more than that. Your scrambled out of the car to shoot down a killer. You don't need to feel guilty for making it out alive." he said. Emily felt a tear run down her cheek and she reached up to wipe it away. "Pren..." Hotch stopped himself. How could he tell her how he felt when he couldn't call her by her given name? "Emi..." Hotch was cut off when he heard foot steps.

He turned his head and watched Rossi walk over to them. He stood over them and shook his head. "I heard noises and thought it was the unsub and I turns out to be you two. What are you to doing up so late?" Emily sat up on her elbows. "Sorry, just star-gazing." She said. Rossi smiled and looked up."alright I'll live you two to do it." He said. Before he turned and walked back into the hotel.

Hotch sighed and sat up. He looked over at Emily and frowned. He stood up and held out his hand. She smiled sadly as she took it and he pulled her up. They were standing so close she could hear his heart beating. He was still holding her hand when cleared his throat she let go and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. She felt him relax and wrap his arms around her waist. "Thanks hotch. Thanks for everything." She whispered. Hotch frowned as he smelt her hair. "Prentiss you're a valuable member of this team. I'm great full for everything you do for this team and I hope you know how much...." Hotch cleared his throat "how much you mean to all of us."

Emily stood back and nodded, furrowing her brow. She could've sworn he felt the same was but... maybe not. And if he wasn't going to tell her now, when he almost lost her, the he probably never gonna take the chance. Emily forced a smile. "I'm gonna try and get some sleep . I'll see you in the morning sir." She said looking at her feet,

Hotch's heart sank as she called him "sir". Maybe he was kidding himself. Maybe she was just being nice when she dropped him home after Foyet, when she helped him go Christmas shopping for Jack. When she babysat Jack so he could me Strauss. She'd been on the team for years and always doing kind deeds for everyone so maybe she was just being a friend nothing more or nothing less. Hotch nodded. "Goodnight Prentiss" he said quietly, and watched her walk up the stairs to the second floor of units. He frowned before walking back into his room.