They'd come to an understanding. He needed someone and she needed someone. It had started a few days after Hailey's funeral. He'd dropped Jack off at Jessica's house and Gone to Garcia', If anyone could help it had to be her.

"Hotch what are you doing here" she'd said when she opened the door. He noticed then that her eyes were red and she didn't have on any make up.

" I needed to talk" he said and fallowed her into the living room "but it looks like you need to talk too."

"No, I'm okay. Its just been a rough day" she said and patted the couch next to her. "what did you need to talk about?"

"No you go first," he said not ready to let everything go.

"Kevin left" she said and dabbed her eyes with a tissue "He got offered a job in Timbuktu and left. Didn't even care what my opinion of it was."

"I'm sorry" Hotch said and pulled her into a hug, "Lynch is an ass"

"yeah" she chuckled and sat back up "Now, talk"

"I guess… I just don't know what to do" he said and leaned back on the couch. "She's gone she's really gone . I miss her"

"Oh Hotch, I can't say that it gets much better you will always miss her. But I like to think that it does get easier" she put her hand on his arm then and when he looked up at her he saw something there, something he knew he was missing now that Hailey was gone.

"Pen" he started and thought better of it.

"what?" she asked and moved her hand to his face "You can tell me anything you know that right?"

"yes, but I can't ask this of you" he put his hand over her's and closed his eyes and when he opened them back up he saw the look of recognition in her eyes.

"Oh" she said and did the last thing he expected her to do , she kissed him.

"Pen" he said and instead of stopping it he leaned back in for another kiss.

That's how it had started, they had been there for each other. She needed him and he needed her. It was supposed to just be one night, one night of forgetting their problems and the losses in their lives.

That was three years ago and now lying there in her arms watching her chest rise and fall in slumber, he can't help but think that this is how it was supposed to be all along. Their one night had turned into years and he was ready to shout it from the roof tops that she was his, because spending all this time hiding it from every one was killing him, starting tomorrow everyone would know that he loved her and she him.