Christmastime in the Air

Author's Note: Hey guys! Thanks for all the support from my last story. It meant a lot to me. Well here is this story that is not related to my other story. I hope you enjoy the story! Please feel free to leave a review I love hearing from you guys! Enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds although I wished I did.

December 13, 2012

Emily was sitting at her desk doing paperwork when she looked up at the clock and sighed. It was going on ten o'clock at night. She looked back at her desk and saw that she had barely made a dent in the paperwork that she had been doing and she had been working on it for the past five hours. She stood up and decided that she could just continue working on this tomorrow. Emily stood up to leave but noticed that there was still a light on in Hotch's office. She decided to walk up to his office. Emily knocked on Hotch's door and leaned in "Hey Hotch what are you doing here so late?"

Hotch looked up from what he was doing and towards Emily, who was just at the door, "Just doing my paperwork Prentiss. Why are you still here this late?"

Emily walked into his office and leaned on the doorframe and said "I was doing the same thing until I realized the time. It is nearly ten o'clock." Emily just looked at him now waiting for his answer to come.

Hotch then looked up at the clock before looking back at Emily and then he looked back at his paperwork as he said "I know what time it is Prentiss, but I need to get these signed off and then I will be heading home."

Emily moved off of the doorway, ignoring the tone of his voice, and moved to sat down in one of the chairs that are in front of his desk. She sat there for about a minute before she asked him "Where is Jack since you are staying late?"

Hotch just kept looking at the paperwork he was working on for a couple minutes without answering Emily's question when he finally looked back up and saw that she was still sitting there. He knew that Emily wanted an answer. Hotch sighed and put his pencil back down and looked at Emily before he said "Jessica has him for the next week. She is taking him to see his grandparents up north for the holidays." Hotch sighed and ran a hand down his face waiting for Emily to respond.

Emily finally responded by leaning forward and patting his hand "I'm sorry Hotch. At least he'll be back before Christmas." Emily waited until she saw that Hotch had nodded before she stood up and walked over to him and patted his arm as she said "Come on Hotch even though your son isn't home you can leave at normal time. Come on lets go get something to eat." Emily just stood there waiting for Hotch's reply.

Hotch finally turned to Emily, who had now taken a step back, and looked at her before standing up saying "Sure. That sounds like it would be nice. Let me gather my stuff." Emily just nodded and headed back to her desk smiling to herself. Hotch looked around his office and went about gathering his stuff, including putting the files into his briefcase, before he grabbed his jacket and turned off his light in his office before heading down to meet Emily at her desk.

Emily had gathered her stuff up when she had came back down and sat there waiting for Hotch to come down from his office. She smiled to herself when she saw Hotch coming down to her and when he got close she said "Are you ready to get going?" Emily watched Hotch as he thought something through and then as he nodded. She smiled at him and he gave her a little smile back she said "Then let's get going." Emily watched as Hotch nod and then started to walk to the elevators.

Hotch started to walk with Emily when he paused and grabbed her arm and said "Thanks for this Emily. It means a lot to me." Hotch seeing the small smile on Emily's face knew that what he said meant something to her too. The two of them walked out of the BAU and towards the elevators and then the garage. When they got to the garage Hotch said "You can ride with me and then I can give you a ride in the morning if you want."

Emily turned to Hotch and nodded "That sounds good. Thank you." Emily glanced down quickly before looking back up and smiled as he started to guide her over to his car by putting his hand in the middle of her back. After they got to his car he opened the door for her and then took her go bag before she slide into the passenger seat. He closed the door after she got in and the opened the back seat and tossed their go bags into the back seat.

Hotch then climbed into the driver's seat and started to drive away before he asked her "So where do you want to eat?" Hotch watched as Emily thought for a moment and he inwardly smiled to himself. He was glad that they seemed to have finally taken that first step towards a relationship with each other.

As he walked around Emily had smiled to herself and when he asked her where she wanted to eat she thought for a second before saying "I know this 24 hour diner nearby if you want to go there." When she saw Hotch nod she knew that he liked the idea so she then said "It's on Kinsley Street. I'll show it to you when we get closer. Do you know how to get to that street?" Emily watched as Hotch nodded once more. Emily then began to wonder if this was a step in the direction that she was wanting, which was a relationship with him, she hoped so. When Emily looked up once again she saw that they were on Kinsley Street she then said "It's right up here on the left."

Hotch looked to where she said and nodded "I have never seen this place before." He then pulled into the parking lot and as he turned off the car he turned his head to her and asked "So how did you find this place?" He saw Emily pause for a moment and he almost regretted asking her about it.

Hotch was about to open his mouth and apologize when Emily spoke. "My dad did. When I was 16, it was a couple months after what happened in Rome, my mother got positioned stateside." Emily took a breath and then continued "I remember one night me and my mother got into this terrible fight and to cool down my dad took me driving all over town. We had been driving for a couple hours when we realized we hadn't eaten yet and we found this place by accident. I remember that night clearly. It was a good night for the both of us." Emily then looked out the window before she hopped out of the car and waited for Hotch to follow her.

Hotch quickly got out of the car and caught up to her and he then put his hand on her arm to stop her, once again, "Thank you for sharing that with me Emily." He saw that Emily had relaxed even more as he had said this and that made him feel happier. "Come on. Let's get inside." Emily nodded and followed him inside.

As Emily followed Hotch inside she was secretly glad that she told him the story of she found out about the restaurant. She smiled at him as he held the door opened for her and mumbled a "thanks" and watched as he smiled back at her and give her a small nod of the head. She then went inside with Hotch right behind her following her to a table. Emily looked around and saw that there were only a few other people in the diner along with her and Hotch. Emily slid into the booth and Hotch slid into the booth that was across from her. After Emily grabbed the menus from the side of the table she passed one to Hotch and said "The food here is pretty good, although I would recommend the biscuits and gravy."

Hotch looked up from the menu to look at Emily "Thank you for the recommendation." Just then a waitress came over and asked "Can I take your order?" Emily looked up at the waitress and said "I'll have the biscuits and gravy with a glass of water please." The waitress nodded and wrote down Emily's order before she turn to Hotch and said "And for you sir?" Hotch just glanced over at Emily and said "I'll have the same. Thank you." The waitress smiled at the two of them "No problem. It will be out soon." As the waitress walked away Emily looked back at Hotch and asked "So what are you planning for Christmas for Jack?"

Hotch sat straighter at this topic and smiled "Well after he gets back we will be getting a tree and then decorating it. He wants to make Christmas cookies so we will be doing that as well. Besides that we will be watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music." Hotch just smiled at the idea that he would be doing that with his son. He flittingly wished Emily would participate in these Christmas activities with them but quickly pushed that idea down.

Emily smiled at him and reached over and squeezed his hand "That sounds like a blast Hotch. I think that Jack will really enjoy doing those activities." Emily watched as Hotch smiled at her and then as he looked down at their hands intertwined. The waitress then came over and said "Here is your food and water enjoy!" As she said this Emily took her hand away from Hotch's and almost immediately missed the warmth from his hand. Little did she know he was thinking and feeling the exact same way as she was feeling now.

As they ate their food Hotch asked Emily "So Emily what are you doing for Christmas?"

Emily looked up from her plate of food and said "I am not doing too much. I am decorating the tree I bought a week ago and just having a quiet evening at home since my mom is out of the country." Emily smiled but was still a little sad because even though she enjoyed the peace and quiet she did enjoy being with other people during this time of the year.

Hotch just sat back and watched Emily's face as she said that and then remembered "Did you know Dave decided to host Christmas this year and he just told me earlier today he will be inviting the team." Hotch just watched as Emily smiled at him.

Emily looked back up and smiled at Hotch "I did not know that. Whenever he invites the team over I will tell him that I will go. Thank you Hotch." By now they had both finished their food and the bill had arrived. Emily and Hotch spilt the bill and Hotch was then driving Emily back to her apartment. When they got to the apartment Emily turned to Hotch "Thanks for coming with me. See you tomorrow."

Hotch smiled back at Emily and as she was getting out he replied "Yes she you tomorrow Emily. It is me who needs to thank you. You got me out of the office tonight. I'll be here to pick you up at seven in the morning."

Emily had this small smiled and a light blush on her face that she tried to cover up. "It was no problem Hotch. Have a good night. Thanks once again." With that Emily hopped out of the car and headed up to her apartment. When Emily reached her apartment she closed her door and leaned against it thinking I can't believe I told him all of that. Emily then took a deep breath before she started to get ready for bed.

Meanwhile Hotch was driving home thinking I can't believe that this actually happened. Hotch shook his head as he pulled into his apartment complex. He then got out of his car and headed up to his apartment. He was glad that he went to the diner with Emily tonight. He found out some things about her and he was glad that she opened up to him and he hoped that was a step in the right direction for the relationship he was wanting with her.