"My mother is in politics," Emily began, putting a hand on her stomach to try and calm the butterflies. "Since I was a little girl, I've always been taught not to show my emotion. I don't cry in public because-"
"It would be unbecoming and embarrass your family."
She blew out a breath. It seriously sounded like he knew exactly what she was talking about. "Exactly."
Aaron nodded slowly, taking her hand and entwining their fingers. Emily shivered from the heat of his palm, but met his dark eyes resolutely. "Before I tell you about my family, I need to tell you something."
"Okay..."
"You don't have to be strong with me," he said quietly. "I won't think any less of you if you cry, if you get stressed out... From what I know you're a fantastic person. Don't think you have to prove to me you're strong to get anything."
Emily chewed her cheek. "You don't have to be strong either," she told him. "We all have nightmares, we all see things we don't want to see. Maybe not every day like you and Derek and the rest of your team do, but if I'm going to stay here, if I'm really going to make an honest try at building something with you with so many other women around, then I have to know that you're not going to close up on me because you're trying to protect me."
He took her other hand, squeezing both of them between his. "I don't want to close off. Habit is a hard thing to break," he said softly.
She chuckled slightly. "You're telling me."
He smiled and his dimples came out, making her heart stutter. "I can only promise to try."
"I'm only asking you to try," she promised.
He brought one of her hands to his mouth, kissing it gently. "Tell me more about your family."
"Nuh uh, mister," she said, feeling much more at ease now. "I told you what my mom does, you tell me something about yourself."
His eyes darkened and she absently held his hands tighter to convey her support. "My father was in Washington politics after a few years as a successful litigator."
Emily cocked her head to the side. Her brain went through her mental rolodex of politicians she knew. "I have no idea who you're talking about," she said finally, laughing slightly. "I feel like I should."
"If you're mother is in politics it's probably a good bet they've crossed paths," he agreed, amusement in his voice. "Alexander Hotchner."
"No way!" Emily exclaimed. "He's your dad?"
"Biologically," he agreed.
He didn't have to tell her what that meant. "I've met him."
"You have?"
"Mother. Well, that's not true. My father did more Washington work than my mother did."
"What does your mother do?" he asked, trying not to respond to the adrenaline rushing through his system at how candid she was. And he appreciated how she didn't have to ask questions about his father. He didn't want to explain how relieved he had felt when Alexander Hotchner had passed away from lung cancer.
"Um... She's an Ambassador," Emily replied, looking anxious."
His brain clicked in immediately, but he had years of not showing his reactions so he took a page out of her book. "Ambassador Prentiss? Elizabeth Prentiss."
"Exactly. So I grew up all over the world." Then she was shaking her head. "I can't believe we know each other's parents. Or know of them anyway."
"They do say the world is small," he said.
Emily laughed her agreement.
"I think that's enough personal revealing for one night," he said with a smile.
"Ah yes, the rest of your fan club is waiting," she agreed, looking towards the house.
He saw curtains fall closed out of the corner of his eye. "Sometimes, I wish they weren't."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Mister Hotchner."
"It's not flattery, Emily. I... You seem to just understand more than the rest of the women in there. I don't have to think that you think my job is this big glamorous thing. I don't have to pretend that I'm this heroic FBI agent when I'm sitting with you."
"You shouldn't have to do that with anyone else," she said wisely. "You're just going to set yourself up for disappointment later when they realize that your job is all-hours, whenever they call."
"How do you know so much? You work in the State Department."
Her smile was self-deprecating. "My father used to get called away all the time. Always right before he was supposed to do something with me. I know how it feels and it took me years to understand that there are some things that are just more important."
He squeezed her hand. "I do have to go," he said reluctantly. "But Emily... Nothing should be more important to me than my family."
"You don't always get to make that choice," she replied softly. "Go. I'm going to need a few minutes anyway."
"Headache?"
"Yeah," she answered. "I'll be fine."
Once again, he walked away from her dazed and taken aback. Not only was it ridiculously easy to talk to her, but she always left him thinking and reconsidering things. Did he want a family? Of course he did, but he wanted to be there for his family. His job, as it stood, didn't really allow for it. He was either going to have to make some changes or he was going to have to make some very careful choices in the coming weeks.
And he didn't know which would come first.
Emily swallowed a wave of dizziness as she sat beside Shaena. Chris and Derek had just stepped into the room to pull Aaron away to make his next rose ceremony decision.
"You don't look so hot, honey," Shaena said worriedly.
"I'm fine," Emily promised. "It's not too much longer, then I'm going to just go to bed. I'll be fine."
"Alcohol going to your head?" Kate asked scathingly.
"Haven't had any tonight," Emily replied with an ambassador's daughter smile. "Just juice."
Kate seemed disappointed at that news. Emily felt a small thrill in the pit of her stomach. Every woman in that room knew she'd talked to Aaron one-on-one tonight, and Emily knew one-on-one time was a coveted commodity. If Kate was jealous because he hadn't singled her out tonight, she'd let Kate get in a few low punches. And what did it matter? Kate had a rose. It wouldn't do Emily any good to make enemies with her just yet.
"Who was the other guy?" Haley asked.
"One of Aaron's co-workers," Taylor spoke up immediately. "He was on our group date."
"Excellent," Whitney said, drawing her finger along the lip of her wine glass. "He's going to help Derek make his decision."
Emily swallowed. Just a little bit longer, she told herself. Then you can go crawl into bed and die.
And that sounded like heaven at that particular moment.
Aaron stood with Derek in front of the shelves adored with pictures of each of the remaining women. The decision wasn't all-in-all a difficult one to make, but he was still sending four women home tonight. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
"Emily?"
"Stays," Aaron said without thinking twice.
"You sure, Hotch?"
"Positive," he replied.
Derek smiled. "I think she's your best match right now."
"I'm sorry?" Aaron questioned raising an eyebrow.
"Come on, man. Have you heard her talk about your job? She knows the kind of pressure that's on you. Or at least she's trying to understand. And she's strong."
"You have no idea," Aaron replied with a secretive smile.
"You like her!"
Aaron had to remind himself that here, Derek was his friend and not his subordinate. "Wouldn't you?"
"Hey, if she wasn't here, I'd definitely make a pass at her," Derek agreed. "She's gorgeous."
"She's that too," Aaron agreed, just as Chris walked back into the room.
"You ready?"
Aaron looked at the pictures. "Yeah."
He followed Chris back through the halls to the large room where the remaining twelve women were standing. Haley and Kate looked relaxed and smug as they twirled their roses. Whitney was calmly holding hers. The other women were anxiously awaiting his voice.
"Ladies," Chris greeted. "Welcome to this week's ceremony. Congratulations Haley, Kate, Whitney, you three already have your roses, you have nothing to worry about. As for the rest of you, there are five roses up for grabs. That means four of you are going home tonight. Good luck. Here's our bachelor."
Aaron stepped down the few steps to come stand beside the five red roses. He picked up the first one. "Taylor."
He grinned at the way she immediately relaxed and made her way towards him. "Taylor, will you except this rose?"
"Definitely."
He hugged her, his mind already moving on to the next woman. "Tia."
She accepted her rose with a triumphant little giggle.
"Shaena."
He saw Emily smile. He was glad she had a real friend in the house.
"Victoria."
After Victoria accepted her rose, Chris stepped up. Aaron resisted the urge to roll his eyes. All of the women could see that there was only one rose left.
"Ladies, this is the last rose of the night. Good luck."
He picked up the rose, his eyes going back to the women standing in front of him until he met Emily's dark eyes. He couldn't help the butterflies in his stomach or the tilt of his lips. "Emily."
Her smile was genuine, but that was the only reaction she had as she made her way a little unsteadily towards him. He half caught her, his hand coming to her hip as she reached out for the rose. She tried for a reassuring smile as she brushed his fingers in taking the rose.
"Emily, will you accept this rose."
"Of course."
He hugged her and kissed her cheek, hiding his worry when she rested a little more weight against him than he'd expected. Something was wrong with her, he just wasn't sure what.