Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or any of the characters...

Author's Note: Sorry about the wait for this story. It's been crazy because my birthday was two weeks ago and the holidays have been busy, but all in all, here's the long awaited chapter 2. Responses to your reviews are at the end.

"You cannot create experience. You must undergo it. "-Albert Camus

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Chapter 2- Dreams and Relationships

"Agent Prentiss", Strauss' voice was crisp and cold as ice. Emily felt herself being shaken lightly and heard her name being called repeatedly.

"What's going on", Emily sighed sleepily. She sat up from her desk where she had been asleep for the past time.

"Prentiss, are you alright?" Hotch asked quietly while approaching Emily's desk to stand next to Strauss.

"Yeah, I just feel asleep again. Sorry about that sir", Emily remarked. She nodded to Hotch and then stated a similar apology to Strauss.

"You can go home now Prentiss", Hotch proclaimed, looking at the beautiful brunette. Both agents watched Strauss wandered off to her office to finish up her work as well.

"Thanks sir", Emily replied "I just have one more case file to finish up and then I'm out of here".

As she sat up in her desk chair, the contents of her dream came back to her. She remembered how in her dream, her and Hotch were just about to kiss. So close…

*~OoO~*

The case file seemed to take forever until finally Emily had completed it. Such a routinely task could seem so difficult when there is a lot on the mind. She had nearly fallen asleep again when Emily heard an office door open and the sound of someone coming down the catwalk into the bullpen. She didn't need to guess twice to know who it was.

"Prentiss, are you almost done?" Hotch asked and approached Emily's desk. He looked at her with worry in his eyes upon seeing that his subordinate looked beyond tired.

While Emily had been sitting at her desk and staring at the case file in front of her, she had thought about what she could do to end the dream that had been haunting her mind for the past she didn't know was how Hotch was going to take what she was about to do. She decided upon taking the risk and doing it anyway.

"Hotch?" she asked as she looked up at her Unit Chief. "Have you ever played truth or dare?"

She saw the thoughtful look on his face while he replied "Back in my college day's yes and once when I was dating Haley. Why?"

"Because I dare you to kiss me", Emily blurted out and immediately she saw the look on his face change to complete shock that his subordinate, who was always professional when she needed to be, say that to him Hotch had always considered Emily as a beautiful, sexy agent of the FBI whom he had fantasies about sometimes. He had never thought she would ever feel the same way.

He just nodded as they came closer and the minute their lips touched, he felt the whole room spin. He got lost under her sweet lips and tongue almost right away. Neither of them noticed Strauss come out of her office and stop dead in her tracks upon seeing her agents so wrapped up in each other's kiss.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around at that and saw David Rossi standing behind her.

"Don't do it Erin", he said in a low voice. The blonde section chief nodded like a zombie.

"I always knew those two had the hots for each other since the day I caught Hotch checking her out while in the field and the time I caught Emily drooling over him when a profile was given." Dave continued.

Strauss simply walked back into her office while Rossi watched Hotch and Prentiss making out in the middle of the bullpen.

It's good to be young, he thought to himself as a vision of Hotch and Emily as a couple popped into his head. Hotch cupped Emily's face and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He smiled as he started to walk away when he heard Emily giggle lightly. Hotch began to pick her up, bridal style, and carry her to his office, the two laughing lightly at the wonderful oppertunity that was now in store for them.

*~OoO~*

"What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print." - Isadora Duncan

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I love when you guys review!

They make me so happy!

Stardust145, H-P Fan1242, H-P Forever More, greengirl82, Jefferson Author, 14hpgirl19, MrsCriminalMinds, EmilyHotch2121, mcleagan, TinaraXx - Thanks for the review and the kind and thoughtful compliments. I enjoyed reading each one of your reviews that you wrote. I'll try and update ASAP.

pugsrmybffs- Yeah, Emily was really brave to dare Hotch to kiss her. Good thing that he felt the same way about her too. It made the tension much lighter.

ficdirectory-I know, right? Dave seems to control Strauss sometimes, lol. Yeah, I really wanted to make this story more twisty by making the first chapter a dream for Emily, but the second half was her dream come true. Thanks for the review!

i luv emily prentiss 2012- Strauss is the classic mean boss sometimes, lol. Thanks for the congrats on Author of the Week. I appreciate it a lot. :)

TheCompositionNotebook- Strauss in fanfiction can be so funny sometimes. I love when Reid becomes tough sometimes too, lol.

Post U Later- Prentiss was pretty brave to kiss her boss, lol. PG would probably have figured out everything, if it wasn't a dream. Reid is adorable when he tries to be tough. Strauss is always the person to get in the way, XD.