Hi everyone, I'm so sorry for the massive delay in completing this fic. I was suffering a severe mental block with this chapter. Honestly, this has been the hardest fic I've written, the thought of writing each chapter was almost painful! Anyhow, it's finally done. I do hope I don't disappoint you too much, it hasn't been the most flowing of my stories!

Thanks to my beta, saturdayslump, whose been my cheering squad all the way. Without her, you'd be left hanging with Hotch's declaration to Emily, trust me (plus a not so well-worded description of a kiss)! You are the best, L, and I totally mean it!

Hotch looked at the stunned expression on Emily's face and felt his chest tighten in sudden panic. Had he just told his colleague and subordinate he was falling for her? Not just falling for her, but falling fast for her. Shit. He hoped the part of his brain that controlled his facial muscles hadn't failed him and that he didn't look as freaked out as he felt. What the hell had possessed him to say that? What right did he have to say that? He was involved with another woman. Backpedal, Hotch, back pedal now.

"Emily, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I have no right to."

Her face clouded over. "You didn't mean what you said?"

His heart clenched at the pain that flashed in her eyes. Damn it. Stupid, clumsy fool! He knew the right thing to do was agree, but he couldn't hurt her. He wouldn't ever hurt her. "I meant every word I said. I have feelings for you that I…shouldn't have. Not when I'm your boss. Not while I'm in a relationship with another woman. I need to talk to Beth before we decide what we do next. You understand, don't you?" He watched as she bit her lip, her normally smooth brow furrowed.

"When you say 'talk', what do you mean?"

Hotch knew what Emily was asking. "I'm going to break up with her."

Her mouth opened, and she stared at him for a long moment before closing it again without saying anything. "You're going to break up with Beth over this thing between us that we haven't even defined?" There was a trace of apprehension in her eyes.

He started to feel uncertain. It wasn't a feeling he was used to. "Should I only break up with Beth when this thing between us has been defined? Do you even want me to break up with Beth, Emily?" He observed her closely, knowing that her answer was going to be one of the most important ones he will ever hear.

She blinked. "I do, of course I do." She bit her lip, watching warily as he approached her.

He traced her cheek tenderly with his thumb, unable to stop himself from touching her. "Of course?" He couldn't deny the joy that filled him at her reply. He had to know more. "Why of course?"

She swallowed visibly. "I want ..." she stopped, obviously nervous. He didn't know if he had ever seen her like this. The fact that such a strong, confident woman was reduced to this mass of nerves proved just how important this was to her. How important he was to her. It was humbling. Removing her coffee mug, he took her cold hand in his warm one, trying to reassure her.

"What do you want, Emily?"

"I want to be with you. So much." Her last two words were almost soundless. The tentativeness in her voice mixed with the stark longing in her eyes was his undoing.

He murmured her name and stepped close, cupping the back of her head with his free hand. Ruthlessly cutting off the rational thought that he shouldn't do this, Hotch captured her mouth with his. And just like the previous night, everything beyond their kiss vanished. She tasted deliciously of coffee and the slightest hint of mint; desperate for more, he deliberately deepened the kiss. When he lightly sucked on her tongue, she moaned, the sound vibrating into his mouth. His hands moved down her back and she slid her arms around his neck, arching closer to him. At the feel of her soft breasts pressing against his chest, Hotch growled, cupping her bottom and pulling her up tight against him. Emily gasped before recovering and then proceeded to nip sharply at his bottom lip. The sudden sting fired his blood further and bent down and picked her up, her legs naturally twining around his waist. He walked over to the dining table, never once breaking contact with her mouth. After setting her down, he finally detached his mouth, but for the sole purpose of planting hot, moist kisses down the side of her neck.

Emily whimpered, dropping her head to the side to allow him more access. He had unbuttoned three buttons of her blouse when he came to his senses. Damn it! He straightened up immediately, trying to get himself under control. He watched as she opened dazed eyes to look at him.

"Emily, I'm so sorry," he gasped, trying to calm his breathing and rein in his raging hormones. His body was screaming at him to just take her now! He cursed himself at the look of confusion on her face. How the hell could he do this to her? Not to mention Beth. He was such a bastard. "I shouldn't have kissed you, I'm sorry. That was completely my fault."

She stared at him, then licked her kiss swollen lips. He felt his groin throb at the sight and silently cursed his unruly body. The degree of control he currently had over himself was frighteningly minuscule. He felt like he was a teenager again, a walking sack of uncontrolled hormones. He stepped back before he gave in to the almost overwhelming impulse to kiss her again. The problem was that he didn't want to stop at just a kiss. He want to take her to the bedroom, lay her on the bed, worship her entire body with his. And afterwards, he wanted to hold her all night. Every night. Forever.

But he couldn't. He had no right. He had already done what he shouldn't, had crossed his own moral boundaries. Those boundaries, which had previously been so sharply defined, were suddenly vague and blurry. Even so, he should have known better. He was a man who prided himself on his rationality and his sense of integrity, but had acted completely out of character. And it was this wild and unexpected behaviour that made him realise that there was much more to his feelings for Emily than simple physical attraction.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. He buttoned up the three buttons he had undone, feeling her eyes on him the whole time. When he finished, he stepped back, distancing himself from unbelievable temptation. He had never been so intensely aware of her presence till now. His fingers itched to undo those buttons again and stroke all along her body.

Her midnight dark eyes were calm when he met her gaze. "Don't apologise. It wasn't exactly one-sided." Her mouth slowly curved into a smile making his heart jerk hard in his chest. Damn, Hotchner, you're in deep shit. "I'm pretty sure that my legs were around you at one stage... although the details are a little hazy right now."

He groaned even as he broke out in helpless laughter. "You're not helping, Emily."

She grinned at him, hopping of the table. "It's not my fault that you're so distracting, Agent Hotchner."

Hotch shook his head, still smiling. "I'm sorry."

She walked over to her coffee mug and picked it up before taking a sip. "Don't be, I'm not."

"Let's change the subject before I apologise for the fourth time in as many minutes. I haven't done that since I accidentally spilled red wine down the front of Senator Barker's wife's white evening gown on my first security detail."

Emily's mouth dropped open and he stifled a smile. "No way! You didn't!"

"I did. In my defence it wasn't exactly my fault. Someone bumped into me while I was holding her drink for her and I didn't catch myself in time."

She giggled, her eyes dancing. "I'm just imagining this young agent frantically trying to dab at the senator's wife magnificent bosom." She had obviously met the woman in question.

"I did nothing of that sort," he protested. "I wasn't quite that naïve. I was already going to be reprimanded for my clumsiness, I didn't see the need for a sexual harassment suit as well."

Her face sobered. "Hotch." Her voice was uncharacteristically hesitant. "How are we going to do this. I mean, you and me, with work and the team."

"I'm not saying that it's going to be easy, but we'll figure it out." He paused. "That is, if you even want to. There's no pressure, Emily. I'd really like to give us a chance and see what happens, but if you're in any way unsure, we can forget it." That was a lie. There was no way in hell he could forget everything that had happened between them. But he would if she asked him to. Her happiness came before his.

"I can't say I'm completely sure about how it's going to work. But I know I want to be with you. So yes, I want to give us a chance." She exhaled, looking nervous, but managing to give him a small smile.

Elation flowed through him and he was unable to supress his grin. "I'm glad." He managed to say this quietly when all he wanted to do was give a jubilant shout, which was completely out of character for him.

"So, I was thinking we should go get our bags from the car. I feel a bit weird wearing someone else's clothes," she waved at her shirt.

"I had the same thought. I'll go once I finish my coffee."

"I'll come with you," she immediately said.

Hotch shook his head. "You might not have a concussion but that head injury was still pretty serious. Stay here. It's a fair way to the SUV."

"I feel fine, Hotch. Really."

"Emily, it's not a good idea." He saw her opening her mouth to disagree. "Please."

At his quiet plea she paused, then nodded resignedly. "All right. But I do want you to note my objection." She gave him a frustrated look.

He didn't bother to hide his amusement. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this light-hearted, despite their current predicament. "Objection duly noted."

A few minutes later he was at the door. "Will you be all right?" He suddenly felt a pang of concern at the sight of the still angry wound on her forehead. Maybe he shouldn't leave her.

"I'll be fine," she replied, reassuringly. He mustn't have looked convinced because she continued to speak. "Hotch, I've been in the Bureau for almost ten years and I was in the CIA for six years before that. I think I can handle taking care of myself."

"Okay." He was turning around reluctantly to leave when she called his name. He turned back to face her. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Just this." She reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, lingering for just that infinitesimal moment. She stepped back and smiled at his bemused expression. "Be careful."

He nodded. "I'll be back soon."

Three and a half hours later, Emily wrenched open the door and stepped outside, straining to see a movement in the distance. Where was he? It should only have taken him two hours at the most to get back. The sky above was ominously dark even though it was only two in the afternoon and the wind had picked up speed, rustling the trees in the distance and making the dry dust on the ground swirl beneath her feet. The temperature had dropped enough that she felt cold. Luckily, there was a generous supply of firewood in the cabin and she had remembered enough about the mechanics of starting a fire to light one. It was currently burning merrily away in the stone fireplace, but she was too worried to enjoy it.

She walked a couple of hundred yards down the driveway, but still didn't see any sight of him. She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry at the thought that something had happened to him. Had he been attacked by a wild animal? Maybe he was lying injured somewhere, unable to call for help. Her heart thudding in fear, her feet picked up pace and she was soon jogging down the driveway, ignoring the pounding in her head. Just as she was feeling the first fingers of panic creeping through her, she saw Hotch in the distance. He was walking slowly enough that worry struck her heart. She hurried the last few hundred yards and reached him, breathing fast.

Hotch was pale, their go bags slung across his chest. He was breathing too fast and perspiration beaded his forehead.

"Hotch!" She tried to take a bag from him, but he resisted, so she slid an arm around his waist instead. "What happened?" She stifled a gasp when she saw the bruised and bloodied knuckles on his left hand which he rested on her shoulder.

"Nothing. I remembered that there was a satellite cell in the glove box but it was jammed shut. It took me a while to get it open." He gave her a faint smile as they made their way slowly back to the cabin. "I got it though, and it works. I called Garcia."

Her eyes widened. "You did? That's the best news I've heard all day!" Her smile faded when she saw him wince. "What's wrong? It's your ribs, isn't it?"

"I'm fine, they're just a bit sore."

She knew they were more than just sore from the paleness of his complexion, but she said nothing. "Let's get you back before it starts to rain."

Unfortunately, the heavily leaden clouds decided to let loose a downpour while they were still several hundred yards from the cabin. Emily and Hotch moved as fast as they could but they were still soaked to the skin when they finally burst through the door. Emily quickly helped Hotch remove the bags and then started to take his jacket off.

"Wha... what are you doing?" he asked, frowning, even as he stood there shivering.

"You're soaked through, we need to get you into dry clothes."

"Y..you're wet too," he managed to say through gritted teeth.

"I'll change in a minute." Ignoring the cold water dripping from her hair into her collar, she pulled him towards the fire before kneeling down and taking his shoes off, then unbuckling his soaking wet pants and dragging them down his legs. He stepped out of them and when she straightened she saw that his fingers were fumbling with the buttons on his dress shirt. She pushed his hands away and furiously attacked the buttons herself, wanting to get him warm and dry as fast as possible.

"J..just s..so you know, I'm kind of a..afraid of you at the moment," said Hotch, teeth chattering as she pulled the shirt off his shoulders in a quick moment.

Emily felt a bubble of laughter escape and she looked up at him, his hair wet and dripping water onto his face. Even his eyelashes were wet. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. She stood up and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. She knew she shouldn't, but it seemed she had as little control over herself as he did. While he stood there, looking as bemused as he did earlier when she kissed his cheek, she hurried over and grabbed a blanket off the couch then wrapped it around him.

She undressed with quick, efficient movements, knowing his dark gaze was fixed on her the whole time, stopping when she was down to her underwear. She walked up to him and opening the blanket, stepped into the circle of his arms, slipping her arms around him. She felt him cover her with the blanket so that they both stood in the warm, slightly scratchy cocoon. She was careful not to hold him too tightly, she had not missed the livid bruises around his ribs, but tried to be as close as possible. He was still shivering and the skin on his back was cold.

"H..how c..come you're warm and I'm n..not?" His voice rumbled just next to her hear and his warm breath ruffled her hair.

"Because you're a cold fish and I'm a hot tamale." She grinned when she felt his chest shake with laughter.

"Ah, ahh...ouch. Please don't make me laugh." His arms tightened around her and she snuggled closer.

"Sorry," she murmured.

They stood there for long minutes until he was only exhibiting the occasional shiver. Hotch's voice rumbled under her ear. "Is it weird that even cold and in pain, I still think this is one of the best moments of my life?"

Her breath caught and there was a feeling of melting warmth in her chest. She drew back slowly and looked up at him. "For me too."

Hotch smiled crookedly at her. "This might be a bit presumptuous of me, but seeing that we've literally slept together and we're pretty close to being naked at the moment, I was wondering if you'd perhaps like to have dinner with me sometime?"

She hesitated. "After you speak to Beth?"

"After I speak to Beth."

"Then, yes, Aaron, I would love to have dinner with you." She deliberately used his given name, watching with delight when his modest smile widened, deepening his dimples. God, she loved seeing him smile. Yep, she had it bad for her Unit Chief.

"Is it wrong that I find the way you say my name incredibly sexy?" he murmured.

"I should probably not say it at work then huh?" She grinned up at him.

"Probably not. I think it's also a cue for me to step away. This is just a little bit too much temptation."

"You're right. Do you need help with your clothes? Your ribs..."

"I'm fine."

"Okay. I'll just change in the bedroom. I found some canned ham and baked beans. I'll warm that up while you have a rest. Do you have painkillers?"

He nodded.

After dinner, they sat side by side on the couch in companionable silence. Emily's head rested on Hotch's shoulder and their intertwined fingers rested on his jean-clad thigh as they watched the dancing flames in the fireplace.

They were still in that position when the state troopers found them hours later after being alerted by Garcia.

Three days later

"Prentiss? May I have a word?"

Emily looked up to see Hotch standing next to her desk. He had just gotten back from lunch.

"Sure." She stood up and followed him into his office, wondering if she was paranoid or if the rest of the team were staring after them. He closed the door behind her.

"Have a seat."

Her heart racing, she did, watching him as he took a seat on his chair. The last few days had been taken up by medical checks, report writing and narrating the story over and over again to virtually every agent of the BAU. Luckily, both Emily and Hotch were experts at disguising their true feelings so no one in the BAU suspected a thing, with the exception of Garcia, who had questioned Emily extensively about how it felt to be stranded with an extremely hunky, if also, extremely serious, boss man. Emily had managed to wave off her questions nonchalantly, but she had a feeling Garcia wasn't going to let up until she got some salacious details out of her.

"What is it, Hotch?" Was he about to tell her that he'd change his mind after all? Maybe being back in the real world had made him realise that there was no way that their relationship would ever work.

"I saw Beth a little while ago."

"Oh?" Emily held her breath.

"I told her that I'd been doing some thinking and that I didn't think we were going to work out." His eyes were focussed intently on her.

She swallowed. "How did she take it?"

He sighed. "As well as could be expected. She asked if I'd met someone."

"And what did you say?"

"I said that it wasn't so much that I met someone as I'd come to a realisation."

"Oh?" She watched as his normally hard countenance softened and his brown eyes warmed, making her fall even more in love with him. Because, as she had finally admitted to herself last night, she was in love with him.

"I realised that I had nothing to offer her because my heart already belonged to someone else." Hotch's voice was husky.

Emily's breath caught in her throat as she stared at her Unit Chief in wonder and disbelief.

"So I was wondering if the woman who holds my heart would like to join me for dinner tonight?" Hotch's voice was deep and steady, but she saw just the slightest hint of uncertainty in his eyes. Her chest tightened at the thought that this supremely confident man was actually worried that she might no longer felt the same way she had a few days ago.

She took a deep breath then answered with the truth that lay in her heart. "She would very much like to have dinner with the man whom she's fallen in love with."

Hotch swallowed convulsively, looking stunned. Then his eyes lit up and a smile slowly blossomed on his face. "You love me?" His voice was unsteady.

"With all my heart," she whispered.

They sat there, gazing at each other, acutely conscious that they were in full view of anyone who cared to look into his office, and yet unable to hide their emotions from each other.

Hotch finally expelled a breath, smiling wryly. "This wasn't very well thought out, was it? I should have waited till everyone had left before telling you."

"I'm glad you didn't." She gave him a shy smile.

"I want to kiss you so badly," he admitted softly.

Her heart leapt. "Only a few hours more."

He nodded. "I'll pick you up at seven?"

"That sounds good."

They stared at each other for another minute before Hotch stood up. She stood as well and followed him to the door. His fingers brushed the side of her hand, so lightly that it could have been an accident. But Hotch was a deliberate man, both in speech and manner. It had not been an accident.

Emily looked up at him as he put his hand on the doorknob, her hand still tingling. "I can't wait to see you tonight."

"Neither can I," he replied in a low voice. "Emily?"

"Yes, Aaron?"

"Being stranded in the cabin with you was the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Me, too." She gave him a tremulous smile. "See you at seven?"

He opened the door. "Seven o'clock."

As she stepped out, she schooled her features into a neutral expression, even though everything inside her wanted to shout out her newfound happiness. She turned back to look at her Unit Chief, who gave her the slightest hint of a smile, making her heart skip a beat. A thought occurred to her and she grinned, seeing him lift his eyebrows questioningly.

"Like riding a bike, you say?" she called out to him, laughing merrily when his eyes widened just a fraction. "I can't wait." She walked down the stairs, still smiling. She had finally rendered SSA Aaron Hotchner speechless. And she planned to do more of that tonight.

I would very much love to hear from you about your thoughts of this chapter. Happy or not, do let me know! And I'm sorry, but this is definitely the end. I can't put myself through any more! Do check out my new multi-fic "The Problem and the Solution", though. It's something that I'm working on at the moment and am finding writing it completely addictive!