You may have outdone yourself on this one. It was such a good read. It was fantastic how you really managed to capture the characters here and make us feel how they felt. I loved it!

Aw I feel so sorry for Aaron. So glad Emily is there for him

I have read it before and I thought it was awesome. The feelings Hotch felt after his mothers death were so real. I never thought about it the first time I read it. But now a few month after my Grandpa died and I know how my Dad had felt. I have read it with other eyes and it made me cry. Because it was hard for me to lose him. How hard has it had to be to lose his Dad?

I seriously don't know how I missed all these little one shots (other than that they were written before I joined the archive I think).
This is so sweet how Emily took care of Hotch! And how he let her. I still just truly love how you write these characters. And I hate sewing so this is much more enjoyable:)

Well that's...nice

Cute...and angsty
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THOSE TWO GO TOGETHER

Awww that was really good. A nice mix of angst with a bit of fluff. :)

Oh! I'm glad he's finally willing to take it to the next step, i was afraid that he wouldn't. Great story!

Poor hotch! Glad that emily is there to help him!

Love it! Very positive! Suitable for their characters!

I really enjoyed this fic! Thanks for writing it. I love how you let Hotch be vulnerable with Emily. It's in character. And I loved how he did reach out to her again.

Glad Em was there for him! Love how you write Hotch! So heartbreakingly sweet! :) Glad Hotch finally got his act together and told Em in the second chapter!

Loved your story. I knew from the moment I read about the creaking floor boards in the bar that I was reading something more than the average fanfic. Also, those little touches of caring (leaving her socks on so her feet wouldn't get cold, etc.) were nice to read. Too many people (writers) mistake Hotch's professionalism and personal discipline for a lack of consideration. The TV show's little throw away scene of him washing Elle's wall so she wouldn't have to come home to that mess was the biggest bit of character development the writers have ever given any of the CM characters.

And I like that your real life translated into not rushing the characters in an unrealistic fashion. I, too, see Hotch and Emily as puzzle pieces damaged into fitting together. THANK YOU! :)

This story is beautiful... and also kind of different. I haven't quite figured out just how it's different, so if I ever do, and in case you still want to know, I'll let you know.

Thanks for writing.

Long(long, long)-time reader, first-time poster...this was lovely, and I'm not sure how I missed that you had posted a second chapter it until now! I love how you said you enjoy writing in a "darker palette", because that's exactly how this story feels to me. You write Aaron and Emily so perfectly as just two profoundly lonely people trying to get through their day-to-day, needing to feel a connection with another human being more than they probably even realize. It's such a dreary, grey world for them, but the fact that they make their way towards one another suggests a shift in the palette (and now that I've reread that, good God, is it cheesy).

One of my absolute favorite parts of this story is when Em is so shocked that Aaron didn't tell anyone at the office when he got the news about his mom, and when he responds that he just told her, she gets her bearings and acknowledges and validates that. As someone whose significant other is rather emotionally stifled (although I'm happy to say he has gotten much better in the time we've been together, and he's NOWHERE NEAR as bad as Hotch, lol), it's a big thing to recognize how hard it can be for stoic folks to open up about ANYTHING, and your version of Emily is a smart, smart girl to appreciate the significance of him confiding in her alone. Maybe part of why I love this story so much is because I see a little bit of myself and my guy in Aaron and Emily...although we do significantly less ass-kicking. :)

In conclusion: I heart Aaron and Emily, and you are awesome. The end.