THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BEFORE YOU MAY READ THE STORY!

Okay, I know that was a little dramatic, but I also know that a lot of people skip the author's notes, and seriously, this is important. I DID NOT WRITE THIS. I was having a very Bad Day, so I asked my sister, Neenie, to write me some fluff. I prompted her with: "Hotch/Emily. First date", and this is what she gave me. Now she's being weird and doesn't want it posted on her account (don't ask me, I've got nothing), but she said I could post it on my account. Anyway, if you like it and want to leave a review, please please PLEASE go to her account (add this to Fanfiction's main URL: u/2441717/LinkLuver3) and tell her so. I'll leave the link again at the end of the story, too.

Thank you for your time. You may now continue to the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but Neenie is God, so she might.

Aaron Hotchner straightened his tie for the twenty-third time and ran his slightly-clammy palms once more across the white tablecloth. He knew it had been a mistake to arrive this early at the restaurant, where he would just sit and fidget and let anxiety fill his head and strain his deodorant. Yet the symptoms wouldn't have been much better in his house, and Jessica, Haley's sister, had already arrived to babysit Jack so he'd thought he might as well leave.

That was an hour ago.

He was just debating the pros and cons of sliding over to the bar to get a drink when a familiar chime of laughter reached his ears.

Cue panicked last-minute checks: flowers arranged and in subtle but plain view, tie-straightening number twenty-four, breath smell and the application of one more Altoid. Yes, Aaron was ready to receive his date.

Or so he thought, until he stood up and turned and saw the apparition before him.

Her dark hair was arranged into soft, playful curls that fell neatly to her shoulders. Her lips were a rosy red and curved into a stunning smile. A black dress hugged her figure, a slit in her skirt fighting for the attention that was forever stolen by her dancing, shining eyes.

"Aaron," she greeted warmly, her slender arms going around his torso.

"Emily," he breathed. He gave her a gentle, shy squeeze. "You look incredible."

"You're not so bad yourself," the woman winked and straightened his red tie.

Aaron grasped the sides of her chair, hoping to hide how badly his hands were shaking.

As the older man sat, Emily spotted the roses. "Aw, Aaron, how sweet. They are beautiful." She sniffed them delicately, the smile never leaving her face.

Aaron responded with the first word that popped into his head. "Adorable."

Emily glanced up. "Hmm?"

"Oh, um, nothing." He was painfully aware of how red his face would be— matching his tie, the roses, and her beautiful lips.

Her grin took a slight turn for the mischievous.

Aaron did not even notice what he was eating.

It was possible that he had just consumed half a plate of raw snails. He only ever looked down at the table when panic told him he'd been staring for too long. And even then, he couldn't concentrate on the food, only on how Emily occasionally pressed a slender, naked calf to the side of his knee and how she leaned steadily forward until her neckline teased a sight Aaron was too gentlemanly to appreciate… at least properly.

Oh, Aaron Hotchner, you are so infatuated.

"Desert?" The word spilled out of his mouth as he realized Emily's plate was near empty.

"Heck yeah!" She grinned. "They have this brownie sundae thing here that's to die for, except you can't eat it by yourself, or else you'd really die. I'm afraid I must insist we get it."

Aaron laughed. "It sounds fabulous." His compliance was rewarded by another tender leg embrace.

The sunlight outside faded and the end of their dinner was upon them far too quickly. Emily was standing, gathering her roses to her chest, laughing over the large drip of ice cream that had fallen spitefully on the breast pocket of Aaron's jacket. The agent was trying to echo her laughter, but he became preoccupied looking for Emily's (nonexistent) coat to help her into.

He was just about to ask her about it when a distraction arrived in the shape of a shouting woman.

"Aaron Hotchner!" A blonde woman around forty strode up to the agents. She was vaguely familiar, and gave off the "lawyer" vibe, so Aaron guessed he had once worked with (or against) her.

"Hello, ma'am," he said politely and saw Emily take a step closer to him. He smiled. "I'm sorry, but your name escapes me."

"Jordan Belvadore. I was the one you crushed in the Des Moines burglary case, in 1992." She grinned good-naturedly, like she knew her client had been guilty.

Which he had been, Aaron recalled. "Hardly, Miss Belvadore. How are you?"

"Ah, working harder than ever! And I see you're doing well?" With a manicured hand she gestured to Emily, who had somehow wedged herself between Aaron's arm and his torso.

Aaron himself was caught between two emotions: flustered at the lawyer's implication of his and Emily's relationship, and giddy pleasure of Emily so close.

"Oh, this is my… Emily."

Wait. What.

"Um, Agent Emily."

Uh, wrong.

"Agent Prentiss."

There we go.

"We're, um, colleagues. In the FBI."

That was far too much effort to simply verbally establish their relationship.

Emily, a smile tugging at her ruby lips, stuck out her hand and saved Aaron from his sudden adolescent-like awkwardness. The two women chatted for a moment and then Jordan excused herself to return to her table.

"I never knew you to be so articulate," Emily teased. Aaron smiled instead of blushing and this seemed to please the dark-haired woman. "Drive me home?"

"As long as your car's in the shop, would you like me to pick you up for work?" Aaron found himself offering as he stood outside Emily's door, holding her flowers as she jiggled the key into the knob.

She flashed him another stunning smile. "You know, I might have to take you up on that. I loathe taxis."

"Wonderful." He smiled again. There had been so much smiling tonight.

Emily unlocked her door quickly and pushed it wide. "So, Agent Hotchner, you've treated me to dinner, desert, a ride home, and possibly a week's worth of free transportation. Allow me to offer small repayment in the form of grape juice and alcohol."

"How could I refuse?"

Her apartment was clean and cheerful, and Aaron didn't even think to profile. Emily led him to the kitchen with instructions to uncork the red wine and fetch glasses while she made a home for her flowers in a vase on the table. Glassware in hand, Emily leaned on the counter and held up her wine to the kitchen light.

"To chocolate sundaes and car repair shops!" the pale woman grinned.

"To red roses and matching wine." Aaron mirrored her smile.

As they touched glasses, Emily whispered "Clink!" in a tiny voice. It was then that Aaron decided she was the most adorable female person in the universe.

They sipped quietly for a few minutes as the conversation slowed and eased into a comfortable silence.

"I need to get back to Jack," Aaron said at last, the words unwelcome but necessary.

"Of course." Emily squeezed his hand. They walked back to the door. He did not want her to let go of his hand, and she didn't.

And maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the scent of her hair, maybe it was the intoxicating Emily-ness in which he had been basking throughout the night, but as she reached for the knob to let him out, Aaron touched her fingers with his, turning attention back to him. She stared at him in quiet wonder, but her eyes fluttered shut in acceptance as he leaned in and kissed her.

A/N2: Okay ladies and gents, remember to add this to Fanfiction's main URL: u/2441717/LinkLuver3 to get to Neenie's profile, and that, if you want to review, you'll have to PM her. I suggest you do review, because then maybe we'll get more of this sort of thing from her.

Also, anyone who found the reference gets bonus Paget Points.