Two hours in Celeste was sitting on the edge of the chair looking down at the surgeon working away, Aaron walked in the room quietly and took a seat next to her.
"You don't have to do this, his gone, it's over" he said in a calm voice.
"I'm making sure, Once they take his heart out. I'll leave" she said without looking at Aaron.
Another three hours wasted away, Celeste was now standing close to the window, she had turned the intercom on so she could listent to the surgeons.
"I'm doing the last cut" the surgeon said. Celeste looked up at the screen that was in the room with them focusing on the heart, she watched as the surgeon cut the last artery then reached in the chest and took the heart out, Turning to look down at the OR, Celeste watched as they put Colin's heart in the plastic bag and then a cooler that was going to take the heart away. Celeste looked at the surgeon who looked up at her and gave her a nod, she returned the nod before turning towards Aaron.
"Let's go home" she said, Aaron gave her a nod as he stood from the chair.
Celeste and Aaron walked side by side without saying a word, Once they got outside Celeste let out the biggest exhale fallowed by a sob.
"Hey, your okay" Aaron said as he took her in his arms, Celeste held on too Aaron as she cried into his chest.
"I'm finally free" she let out in a muffled sob, Aaron backed up a little and looked down at her and gave her a little smile.
"yes you are baby, your free" he said, Celeste gave him a little smile, Aaron bend down their lips connecting, a soft kiss but full of emotion.
Three weeks later...
The team walked into the bull pen with their go-bags on their shoulder.
"Did I tell you that I'm so happy your back at work, I missed the fact that we close cases faster when your with us" Morgan let out as he looked at Celeste who dropped her bag beside her desk.
"You hear that Spence, I guess your not smart enough anymore" she let out as she looke at Reid, who rolled his eyes at her.
"I still read faster" he let out in a mumble tone, Celeste and Morgan let out a chuckle.
"I don't know about you guys, but it's nice going back to some sort of normalcy" Celeste let out as she took a seat in her chair, Everyone let out a hum in agreement.
"Where did Rossi and Hotch go?" Prentiss asked as she looked up at the empty offices.
"They were talking in the parking lot when we came in" Reid said as he looked down at his file.
"Old man business" Celeste let out getting a laugh out of Morgan as he shook his head at her.
"God I missed you" he let out, Celeste gave him a smile.
"I know" she replied. Celeste's phone buzzed, picking it up she looked at it.
Aaron: Hey, Can you pick up Jack from school?
Celeste open the chat.
Celeste: Yeah not a problem, is everything okay?
"Right little momma?" Morgan let out, Celeste looked at him.
"What? sorry I wasn't listening" she said as she around.
"Emily said that were over due for a outting of some sort" Celeste let out a hum in agreement.
"One hundred percent agree with that" she let out as she pointed at Morgan.
"What are we agreeing on?"JJ said as she walked in the bull pen.
"Drinking and dancing" Celeste let out with her two fists up in the air and a smile on her face. JJ let out a chuckle.
"can't say no" Emily let out as she looked at JJ, Celeste looked down at her phone with a new message waiting.
Aaron: everything is good, Dave and I have a meeting off Quantico
Celeste: okay! See you at home, Love you
Aaron: Love you beautiful
"Ah come one!" Emily let out.
"Celeste technically has a kid and she's coming out with us. AND! Hotch!!!" Emily let out, Celeste laughed at the lashing.
"Did she say she couldn't because of the kids?" Celeste let out, Emily nodded to her.
"If I find you a babysitter and possibly have a sleepover with Jack, would you come out?" Celeste let out as she started to put her stuff away.
"If you can pull that off, I'll go and pay for your drinks for the night" JJ let out as she looked at Celeste.
"Well get your tab ready because your going to regret that" Celeste let out as she stood up and grabbed her purse.
"Where are you going?" Morgan asked as they looked at her.
"I have to go pick up Jack" she let out, Morgan smiled at her.
"The title of stepmom suits you" he said, Celeste walked by him and gently smacked him on the shoulder.
"Bye guys, have a good night" She said walking away.
Celeste got to Jacks school, standing outside of the SUV and waiting for the bell to ring. Celeste watched as a tall blonde walked up to her.
"Hi!" she said in a perky tone.
"Hey" Celeste said as she looked at her.
"I seen you a few times picking up Jack Hotchner" she le out, Celeste knew where this was going as she gave her a smile.
"Are you a relative? or did Aaron get a nanny for when hes out of town?" she let out, Celeste looked at the tall blonde and chuckled.
"Umm neither" Celeste she let out, The blonde looked at her confused. The bell ran and the kids ran out of the school, Moments later Celeste saw Jack running out of the school and towards her with the biggest smile on his face.
"Celeste!" he let out as he got closer and jumpped in her arms.
"Hey bud! I missed you so much" she said giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"I missed you too, where's daddy?" he asked as Celeste stood up again.
"He had to work a little longer" she said as she looked to her side where the blonde was still standing and looking at her.
"Ready to go home?" She asked, Jack gave her a nod with a smile as he grabbed her hand that was extended and they started walking away.
Celeste made her way downstairs as she changed into dark grey sweatpants that were hanging low, with a white t-shirt.
"you finished your supper jack?" she asked as she looked at the little boy sitting on the couch and watching tv.
"yup!" he let out, Celeste walked towards the kitchen to clean up, when her phone started ringing. without looking she picked up her phone.
"Hi" she let out.
"Hey bella" Celeste smiled.
"Hey uncle Dave, sup?" she said as she picked up the plate on the table and making her way to the dishwasher.
"Can you come to my place?" he asked, Celeste stopped what she was doing noticing the change in his voice.
"What's wrong?" she asked, walking to the living room.
"Celeste just get here please" he then said, Celeste started to feel the panic creep in.
"Jack got put your shoes on"
"Dave, where is Aaron?" she whispered into the phone.
"Just get here and I'll explain, see you soon" he said before hanging up, Celeste looked at the phone for a moment before dialing Aaron's number and bringing the phone to her ear as she walked to the door and put on her shoes.
"This is Aaron Hotchner I can't answer your call right now, please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can" Celeste hung up the phone.
"Where are we going?"Jack asked as Celeste rushed him out of the house.
"Uncle Dave's" she let out as they made there way to the SUV, Celeste quickly helped Jack get buckled in and she sprinted around the SUV and got in.
Celeste tried fallowing the laws of the roads as she tried not to freak out. Getting to Dave's place she put the SUV in park and got out, rounding the SUV Jack open the door and jumped out, Both walking to the door. Celeste tried opening the door but it was locked, she looked at the door confused then moved off the steps.
"Come on Jack" she said started walking towards the gate to go in the backyard, Jack fallowed close behind as she open the gate and let him threw. Celeste fallowed Jack as they made there way around the house, getting to the back patio Celeste saw Dave standing to the side and looking out.
"Hey uncle Dave" Jack let out, the Italian turned around and gave Jack a smile.
"Hey buddy how you been" he said before lookin at Celeste who looked at him with a worried look on her face.
"Go take a walk down to the lake" Dave said to Celeste who gave him a weird look, he gestured for her to go.
"Jack come with me were going to go inside" Dave said as he started walking away with Jack fallowing him leaving Celeste standing there alone. She looked towards the lake and started making her way down towards it.
Walking down the path that was covered by trees she turned the corner and did a dead stop. a few feet away from her was the begining of the dock that had a string of lights on each side of the dock going all the way down. Aaron was standing at the end with his back turned towards her, Celeste started moving again and got on the dock, her foot steps alerting Aaron who turned and looked at her with a smile.
"What are you doing here?" she asked as she got closer.
"Taking in the scenenary" he said, Celeste let out a hum as she stopped beside him and looked out at the water.
"Dave called me and made me come here like something was wrong, and then you didn't answer...I thought"
"Sorry about that" Aaron let out in a calm tone as he looked at her, Celeste turned towards Aaron and looked up at him.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Remember when we stood here for the first time?" Aaron asked as he looked around, Celeste smiled as he did the same.
"Yeah, I remember you kissed me" she said, Aaron snapped his head back down at her.
"You kissed me back as I recall" he said making Celeste laugh.
"Seems like so long ago" she then said, Aaron gave her a hum in agreement.
"We never did Celebrate are one year together" Aaron said and he moved to be facing her.
"Life got in the way" Celeste replied.
"it did..." he said as he watched Celeste as she looked down the dock and smiling.
"I'm so proud of you" he said, Celeste looked at him.
"I'm so proud of how you took on the last few months, your were so strong threw the whole thing. that's what showed me that you can conquor anything that is put in your path" he said, Celeste looked at Aaron for a moment, she noticed that he was fidgity.
"Are you okay?" she asked, Aaron looked at her.
"What you mean?"
"Your acting weird" she let out with a giggle, Aaron looked away with a nervous chuckle.
"God this is harder I thought it was going to be" he whispered, Celeste looked at him with raised eyebrows. Aaron looked down at her and smiled.
"I love you so much..." Celeste gave him a smile.
"I love you too Aaron"
"I never thought that I would find love again, I didn't know that I needed it until you walked into my office. You Celeste make me feel alive again, showed me how to love again. your such a amazing person your so good to Jack, that I think he still loves you more that me..." Celeste let out a laugh making Aaron laugh too.
"This is what I love, your laugh it's so full of joy and it's contagious..." he let out Celeste gave him a big smile.
"And like a drug I want more, I need more" Aaron let out as he reached inside his suit pocket and took out a small box, Celeste's eyes went big.
"What's that?" she let out, Aaron gave her a smile as he got on one knee in front of her.
"What are you doing!" she let out in a panic, Aaron let out a chuckle.
"Breath Celeste..." he let out with a chuckle as he looked up at her.
"Celeste, I want more of your contagious laughs, I want more of your Strong personality that keeps me on my toes..."
"You like it when I don't listen" she let out giving him a big smile as her eyes started to water.
"Can you stop talking woman" he let out make Celeste laugh as she whipped her eyes.
"I want to make you as happy as you make me and I want to give you everything you deserve and more. with that being said before you cut me off again. Celeste De Luca will you marry me" Aaron open the small box revealing the diamond ring, Aaron looked at Celeste who had tears running down her face.
"Aaron..." She let out in a chocked up tone before letting out a shaky breath as she looked down at him, Aaron's eyes were getting watery too, Celeste gave him a little smile.
"Yes! A million time yes!" she let out, Aaron gave her a huge smile as he took the ring and took her hand that she had extended, and slowly he slid the ring on her finger. Celeste didn't give him time to stand up she wrapped her arms around his neck and connected their lips, Aaron wrapped his arms around her. Celeste backed up a little and looked down at Aaron, she gently swipped her thumb on his cheeks catching the tears.
"I love you so much" she whispered.
"I love you more...Little girl" he said before giving her another kiss. Aaron back up and reached for Celeste's hand and brought it up between them.
"you like it?" he asked, Celeste looked at the ring.
"It's absolutly stuning Aaron" she said as she smiled up at him, Aaron wrapped his arms around Celeste.
"God I'm so happy right now" he let out as he planted a kiss on her head, Celeste let out a hum in agreement as they hugged. All a sudden they heard shouting from the house, both looking towards the house.
"We should probably go up, before the team comes down here" Aaron let out, Celeste looked up at him.
"the team?" she said, Aaron let out a chuckle.
"they knew" Celeste shook her head with a smile as she backed up as reached her hand out to Aaron.
"Let's face the music Hotchner" Aaron smiled at her as he grabbed her hand.
"After you Future Mrs. Hotchner" Aaron let said as he looked at her with the biggest smile as they started walking together hand in hand.