Hard to Love {A Hotchniss Story}

Chapter 18

Almost a week later they closed the case. Aaron was dealing with some paperwork and he saw from his office, through the huge glass window that Emily was talking to Penelope and JJ. He was wondering what it was when he saw the women hug. It must've been something important by the grave looks on their faces.

Aaron couldn't help it, he walked out of his office and leaned against the banister as he looked at them. After a little while Penelope waved for him to come to them. "You're sure Em?" JJ asked as Aaron walked down the stairs, getting closer and closer.

"Yes." Emily nodded. She looked to her right and Aaron stopped right there. He looked so serious that Emily was tempted to smile, but the gravity of the situation prevented her from that.

"Is everything alright?" Aaron asked, his eyes stopping on Emily after looking at the others too.

"I've got an invitation from Mom to one of her work things. She's invited the team too." Emily paused for a moment. "It's this Sunday, so in two days and I wanna confront him. And for that I need this team." She knew Aaron wouldn't say no to it and neither would anyone else, but she needed to tell them everything about it because she didn't want to leave anything to chance. "After the party she wants us to stay a bit longer, to get to know you."

"And that's when you want to bring it up." Aaron contiued after Emily stopped and she nodded. "Ok then, I'll talk to the rest."

"I already have." Penelope said and Aaron nodded. "Morgan and Rossi have already said yes and so have we."

"I'm not needed until later then." Aaron said simply without taking offense, because he did have his paperwork to finish so he was glad he had nothing else to do.

Emily looked at JJ and Penelope before she followed Aaron in his office. "You will be very much needed there." She told him as soon as the door closed. "You were the last to know because you're the most needed and I was sure you'd come."

"I'm not upset about being the last." Aaron thought that was why she was explaining everything to him. He sat down at his desk and Emily in a chair in front of him. She eyed him for a while and he had a feeling she didn't believe him. "I'm not upset baby."

Emily smiled immediately. Those words coming out of his mouth sounded so natural and so warm to her. "Ok." She nodded. Emily waited there, just watching Aaron for half an hour as he finished the paperwork. Finally he looked up at her again and smiled.

Then his look turned worried. Thinking about the party Aaron didn't know how it would be for Emily. He knew she had seen her father before, but he assumed it must've hurt her immensely.

"What?" Emily asked paying close attention to him. Aaron placed his elbows on his desk and intertwined his fingers.

"How bad is it when you see your father?" Aaron didn't hesitate to ask. He wanted no secrets between him and Emily and no hesitation.

"On the outside?" Emily wanted to talk about it as much as she didn't. Saying those words to Aaron would show him how troubled she still was after all those years. But she knew he wouldn't run, or at least she hoped.

"No." Aaron shook his head slightly. "I want to know how it feels for you so I'll be ready for what comes."

"Overwhelming." Emily sighed. It never got easier for her. There was a feeling in her chest every single time she saw her father, her heart would sink and Emily would feel incredibly heavy. She told Aaron all of that and she was surprised to see that she didn't feel anxious afterwards. She actually felt relieved that she could tell him and he didn't say anything she wouldn't have liked.

"I'm sorry you had to go through it Emily." Aaron said as he stood up. In the few seconds he spent walking to her Emily stood up.  "But I'm glad you trust me with your feelings."

"Aaron I-" she was close to letting those three words slip. But it wasn't the moment, she didn't feel as if it was. "-I appreciate everything you do." Emily smiled. 'Nice save!' She thought to herself. "Thank you, so much."

Aaron smiled. He placed a hand on her cheek as he pushed her hair back with his other hand, all that time he stared into her eyes. Then slowly he leaned in and kissed her soft lips. Emily wrapped her arms around him afterwards and Aaron just held her in his arms. "Do you want to have dinner with Jack tomorrow night? And by dinner I mean going to McDonald's because he loves it there."

"Yes." Emily chuckled. "I'd love that."