So, yeah. I am...running on something. Haha, once I start, I can't stop. This is my first solo Hotch and Emily, so I'm a little nervous about doing them justice. Please let me know if there's something I need to work or they're believable, I appreciate all feedback.

I don't own CM. Please read and review. One more thing. Whatif-ifonly - it's a freaking jailbreak!

"Okay. I want you to make a deal with me. You're gonna go weeks, months even feeling fine. Then you're gonna have a bad day. Just let me know when you do."

He's sitting across from her and Emily can see on his face that he not only wants her to tell him because he's her boss, but because he loves her.

"And that's it?" Emily questions, knowing that if anyone knew how she was feeling, it was him. They both had their own scars, their own monster in the night. True, Foyte and Doyle were dead, but the memories would always be there.

"That's it."

"Deal." She doesn't hesitate to agree, knowing he only wants to help her.

"Sergio?" He questions, amused. Emily makes a face before saying dryly, "He is the perfect man. He doesn't hog the covers and he poops in a box."

Hotch smiles at her comment, and she echoes it with her own grin. "You know when I read the comment about starting a relationship, I thought. . ." He trails off, suddenly not wanting to say it in case he's wrong.

"thought what?" Emily prods.

"I thought for a moment that the comment was about me." Hotch says a little shyly. He looks at Emily, who has a beautiful smile on her face. He looks away for a moment before meeting her eyes.

"Wow. That is so cute."

"What?"

"You're blushing." Emily says happily. He says nothing, but continues to smile.

"I thought about telling her about you, but when I went to do it, it was like, it would mean nothing to her. She would see it as me moving on, nothing more. She wouldn't see it as you and I finally making to the step to becoming a couple, something that we've been dancing around for a while. She wouldn't jump up and down and cheer like JJ and Garcia would. It would be just a piece of trivia to her, and you are so much more than that to me."

Hotch looks so touched at her words so she keeps going.

"You mean the world to me, Aaron. You're not only my friend, but you are my partner, in every sense of the word." He reaches out and grasps her hand. Pulling it to him, he kisses her knuckles with such tenderness it brings tears to her eyes. "I love you, Emily."

"Aww, that is so sweet." Emily rolls her eyes when she hears Morgan's voice. To Hotch's relief, they can't see him or his moment of affection.

"Nice one, Morgan." Rossi says, moving past him so he can move to her seat.

"Yeah, Morgan, way to ruin the moment." Spencer says, and Morgan pushes him.

"Hey, boys, behave." JJ warns, boarding the plane and sitting next to Spencer.

"Are we all here?" Hotch asks. Spencer opens his mouth, but JJ shakes her head. "Rhetorical question, Spence."

He searches for her everywhere. He looks around the police station, around the outside; he even has JJ check the bathroom. Finally he decides that he'll talk to her on the plane. He's flipping through the folder, making sure everything is in order, when he sees her sitting in the last seat towards the back of the plane. She's staring straight ahead and he slowly makes her way towards her. He sits down and she gives him a weak smile. Hotch can see that she's fighting back tears and wishes they were home so that he could hold her.

"I'm having bad day." Her voice shakes through the entire sentence and he doesn't care who sees them. He gets up and she stands up going into his arms, her whole body shaking with silent tears. If he was honest with himself, he'd been waiting for this to happen since they arrived in Houston. She did well, but something must have been said between her and Regina. He doesn't ask, only continues to hold her.

After a moment, she pulls back enough to look at her, but stays in his arms. "Thank you, Aaron."

"Don't thank me, Emily. I only want to take care of you and make you happy." He tells her, his voice quiet, but impassioned.

"You do, Aaron." Emily promises. Allowing herself one more moment of weakness before the others arrive, she snuggles further into his chest. "You make me very happy."