When Aaron Met Emily
Chapter 1 – Homecoming

A/N: YAY first Criminal Minds fic! Between season 8 and 9 and – not that I have anything against the character – but Beth? Who's Beth? Hope you like it! ENJOY R&R PLZ!

It was late Friday night, having just come back from a case the team were only the ones in the office when a shriek from Garcia's office made them all jump. Rossi and Hotch left their offices and stood on the catwalk while the blonde came running out as fast as she could go in her heels. "Everything alright mama?" Derek asked.

"Don't leave yet, don't leave yet, any of you," Penelope squealed. "That includes you Dr. Blake, there's someone here you HAVE to meet."

"What's going on Garcia?" asked Reid who had picked up his satchel and now was putting it back down.

"We have a visitor," Penelope clapped happily. Just then the elevator dinged and the doors opened to reveal a grinning Emily Prentiss.

"EM!" JJ cried. She went to the door to hug their friend first followed by everyone else.

Derek was next, "Princess! Looking beautiful as always." They winked at each other before embracing, Reid followed him.

When she got to Rossi she whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry about Erin."

"Me too kiddo," Rossi said in his low gravelly voice.

"Emily this is Alex Blake," Reid introduced. "Alex, Emily Prentiss."

The pair shook hands. "Nice to finally meet you," Alex smiled.

"Same to you," Emily said genially. "Pen has sent me endless emails about everything I missed."

"Agent Prentiss," Hotch smiled at her, stepping forward his hug.

"That's ma'am to you sir," Emily cheekily replied earning a round of laughs.

"I say we take this is bossman's office," Penelope suggested. "What?" she asked when said bossman raised an eyebrow. "Yours is the coziest in my opinion. In the conference room, we'd all have to sit so far apart."

It was mark of how good Hotch's mood was that he allowed them to congregate in his office. Garcia and Reid brought in coffee and some leftover doughnuts to eat while catching up. "I'm taking Declan to New York for some sight-seeing," Emily was saying.

"That should be fun," Reid nodded. "The summer is almost over though, there'll be a lot of people out."

"Oh well," Emily shrugged. "It's New York, there's always people. Luckily I managed to avoid my mother's annual gala." At this she and Hotch shared a fond smile.

Hotch sipped his coffee, "And here I always thought you loved those events Emily." The team thought they might be imagining it but they could have sworn they saw their stoic chief wink.

Emily rolled her eyes, "Yes hot eyes," there were some serious jaw drops at the nickname that Hotch didn't react to except for one laugh, "I adored them. Which reminds me, I never got to congratulate you on learning right from left. Or was that why we never had rooms across from each other?"

Hotch snorted, "Don't flatter yourself, I'd seen enough." Emily choked on her drink.

"Okay you two spill," Penelope looked between them. "My spidey senses are a tingling with a wonderful story."

Emily looked at her friends, "Didn't I ever tell you how Hotch and I met?"

"Before the BAU?" Derek shook his head, "No Princess, you left that one out. All we know is that Hotch worked for your mom years back."

Emily turned expectantly to Hotch, "What do you say hot eyes? Should we tell them?"

"I guess I'll have to start right brat?" Hotch chuckled. "Alright, for this you need to go back about twenty years."