This is the next chapter, and now we find out if Hotch and Emily can kiss and make up...

The next day...
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"Are you sure you're ready to go back home?" A concerned JJ asked, as she stood in her front hall, fussing over Emily. "You could stay until lunch... or maybe leave it until tomorrow, you're still pretty upset." She added almost pleadingly.

"As much as I appreciate the offer... I promised I'd go back.. If not for Aaron then for Jack, not to mention that me and Aaron have some talking to do... about the future." Emily told her friend for what felt like the hundredth time since breakfast.

"Cher, let her go... Emily's a big girl, she can look after herself." Will soothed JJ, placing his arms on her shoulders and easing her away gently, rolling his eyes at Emily as he did.

"Fine!" JJ huffed childishly. "But if anything happens, anything at all you call me and I'll be right over." She promised.

"Ok, if it keeps you happy I'll call you if anything at all happens... I swear!" Emily replied, laughing at her friends over protectiveness.

"Hey don't laugh.. Or I'll call Garcia... then you'll be going over there with an army behind you." JJ threatened, only half joking.

"Ok, ok I'm sorry." Emily apologised hastily, holding up her hands in defeat. "Though I think I'll go now, or risk having an army sent with me anyway." She added, reaching out and hugging her friend tightly, before turning and hugging Will briefly and kissing Henry, who was in Will's arms.

"Ok, be safe." JJ called after her as she walked out the door.

"I'm not going to war JJ." Emily called back over her shoulder.

"I wouldn't be so sure." JJ murmured with a sigh, as she stepped back and shut her door.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Daddy... when's Emmy coming home?" Jack whined, as he sat on the sitting room floor, playing with his action figures.

"I told you buddy... she'll be home today." Hotch reminded his son for the eight time that morning, as he sat on the couch, trying to read a case file, but failing to get passed the third line.

"I know... but I really, really, really miss her." Jack complained, looking up at his father with his best puppy dog eyes.

"I know buddy... so do I." Hotch sighed, smiling sadly down at his son.

"Then why were you fighting?" Jack asked innocently, remembering hearing shouting yesterday when he was supposed to be asleep, just before he heard the door close.

"Sometimes grown up's fight, even though we shouldn't and even though it's silly and we didn't mean to." Hotch replied in the simplest terms possible.

"Will our plan help make Emmy feel happier?" Jack questioned.

"If our plan works, then yea, it'll make Emmy way happier." Hotch responded, a smile growing on his face at the thought.

"Good." Jack replied enthusiastically. "Because our plan's good... and I like it when Emmy's happy... she plays with me then." He added, a satisfied grin growing on his face.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Emmy!" Jack exclaimed, once Emily closed the front door behind her.

"Jackster!" Emily responded happily, as she scooped Jack into her arms just before he toppled her over.

"I missed you last night Emmy." The young boy muttered into Emily's shoulder, as he clung on to her, afraid she'd leave again.

"I missed you to Jack." Emily replied sincerely. "And I promise I won't leave again." She added, hoping that she wouldn't have to break that.

"Good... because daddy missed you too." Jack added, looking up at Emily. "He's not been happy all day." He added with a sigh.

"Really?" Emily questioned, trying to keep her tone neutral, even though this news sparked happiness in her heart.

"Really." Came Hotch's voice from the living room, causing Emily to turn and notice him for the first time. "Jack could you go and play with your toys... me and Emmy need to talk about grown up stuff." He added, looking up at his son.

"Ok daddy." Jack replied, letting Emily set him down on the ground before he ran off to his room.

"I'm sorry." Hotch whispered, standing up off the couch and taking a few steps towards Emily, the second they were alone together.

"I know... and I'm sorry as well... what I said to you was... it was horrible." Emily whispered, bowing her head in shame at her words.

"Well what I said to you wasn't very nice either... and just for the record, it isn't true." Hotch told her, taking another step towards her and finally reaching out and wrapping his arms around her back, pulling her close to his chest.

"Yea, but it is true... I'm not his mom, Haley is, and what I said... I really am sorry." Emily sighed, feeling a lump in her throat at the thought that her words could have ruined her relationship with Hotch and with Jack.

"You're right..." Hotch sighed, taking half a step back so he could look Emily in the eye. "Haley is Jack's mom, and nothing will ever change that... but despite what he's been through Jack is lucky, because not only is Haley his mom, but you are too Emily." He told her with a smile.

"You don't have to say that to make me feel better you know." Emily sighed sadly. "I was wrong to just presume you saw me as Jack's surrogate mother..." She trailed off uncertainly.

"You're wrong." Hotch informed her, smiling at the confused look on Emily's face. "I do see you as that, and just because I was angry doesn't mean that what I said was true... you're as near to a mother as Jack has now, and no matter what I say to you, or you say to me, you always will be." He promised.

"What if one of us leaves? Or if we get hurt? I love Jack more than anything, and as much as I want that to be true... People don't always get what they want in life Aaron." Emily reminded him sadly, knowing only too well that life didn't always happen the way you wanted it to.

"I know that... and last night when you were gone I done some thinking about that." Hotch admitted. "So I need to ask you something... and before you say anything Jack was actually more excited about the idea than I was..." He added as he trailed off.

"And what is this idea?" Emily asked in amusement at the awkward look on Hotch's face.

"Ok, now don't feel pressured into saying yes... but... would you like to adopt Jack?" He asked, studying Emily's eyes for her reaction.

"Wha-... Oh my god, really?" Emily asked, an excited giggle falling from her lips as her eyes lit up.

"Yes really... after what I said I realised just how wrong I was... so this is my way of proving that I didn't mean it, and I'll never mean it, because I love you, and Jack loves you, and I'd have to be a complete idiot to let you go." Hotch replied honestly.

"Yes." Emily whispered softly, looking up at Hotch, still in shock at what he'd just asked her. "I know you love me, and I love you, and Jack more than anything, so yes, I'd love to adopt him... it would mean the world to me." She clarified, wrapping her arms securely around Hotch's waist and hugging him.

"Good, because I never want to lose you Emily... never." Hotch sighed into her hair.

"Lucky for you then, because I'm not that easy to lose." Emily laughed softly into his chest.

"Good." Hotch replied, tilting Emily's head up until she was looking him in the eye. "Because I never want to lose this." He whispered, leaning down and capturing Emily's lips in a steamy kiss, trailing his tongue along her bottom lip and waiting until she parted her lips slowly to slip his tongue in to explore her mouth for what felt like the first time in years.

"So really you're just with me because I'm an amazing kisser." Emily teased, still slightly out of breath, as they broke apart.

"Among other things... yes." Hotch laughed, as he leant his forehead against hers and kissed the top of her nose lightly.

"Ew! Daddy, stop kissing Emmy!" Jack exclaimed suddenly, causing both adults to jump a little in shock.

"Sorry buddy, I forgot girls have cooties." Hotch told his son, untangling his arms from around Emily's waist and stepping away, winking at her as he did.

"Not all girls have cooties... Emmy, and Aunt Jess, and Aunt Jen, and Aunt Penny don't." Jack explained to his father, smiling up at Emily.

"So why can't I kiss her then?" Hotch asked his son, tying not to laugh.

"Because... you need to ask her the thing." Jack reminded his father, as if Hotch was the four year old and not Jack.

"What thing?" Hotch asked, teasing his son, and causing Emily to let out a small giggle as the look of frustration grew on Jack's small face.

"The thing... about me!"Jack reminded his father in a loud whisper.

"Oh that thing." Hotch replied dramatically, as if he'd only realised what Jack was talking about. "Well I already asked her that thing." He told the young boy with a wide smile.

"And? What did Emmy say?" Jack asked, bouncing on his heels in excitement.

"Why don't you ask her yourself." Hotch prompted, looking from Jack to Emily, who was smiling widely.

"Well Emmy... Are you going to be my new mommy?" Jack asked seriously, as he turned his attention to Emily.

"Yes buddy... I'm going to be your new mommy." Emily replied with a wide smile, as she bent down to catch Jack in her arms, as he ran towards her in excitement.
_

Well I'm pretty sure that's a good resolution to their fight... well one I'm happy with anyway. Tell me if you liked it, and thank you for reading.