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It was just a diversion.
For Aaron Hotchner keeping a routine was essential, but the Wednesday in June in question had different plans. He had to be in court in an hour, it wasn't enough to wake up late, a problem with his car's engine kept him from being used and he still had to make the stop to take Jack to school who would be staying another that week before Haley returned from her trip with Jessica. Aaron loved his son and every moment with him, his marriage to Haley may not have worked out the friendship remained and Jack was the perfect union between them, it was just one bad morning that he wished immensely that she was in town taking Jack to school helping him, he loved picking Jack up and taking him to school he just didn't like unpredictable early mornings.
Routine to Aaron meant control and control meant he had everything in his hands knowing every step, one small detail out of his plans was enough to cause big gale causing him to lose control of the situation and it wasn't something Aaron liked to feel. So when the unanticipated rain started he made no point of holding back his curses, the rainy season was a week early.
Aaron didn't notice, he just walked in driven by the desire to hide from the rain that was terrorizing the outside, but the smell caught his attention and as he looked around he noticed, coffee machine behind the counter and in the windows a diversification of breads, cakes, biscuits and sweets. He could say that it was this that caught his attention, besides the calmness that the environment passed the low illumination ornamenting perfectly with the black, grey and the wood of the decoration, the soft jazz in the background combined with the sound of the rain beside formed the perfect climate. The space was large enough to leave spaces between the tables giving more privacy, to the two corners of the window glassware with the view outside and on the other side on the wall larger areas with sofa perfect to accommodate large groups. In the corner a small wooden stage with a piano, a microphone on the wall next to it a bookcase full of books and right in the corner a spiral staircase leading to an area above with some tables with computers.
It was beautiful and the feeling of cosiness settled in quickly, Aaron could say it was the environment that caught his attention and he would be lying, it was the woman behind the counter. The night-black hair tied up in a cabalo tail and fringes in her face, the radiant smile that he swore could light up roads on dark paths, the black apron with disjointed embroidery of cute figures coloured with the appearance of the flour-dirty spot as one side of her cheek, she could be bathed in flour and he could swear she would remain beautiful.
"Oh, sorry for the delay. Have you been waiting long?"
Her voice, really something that suited her. As much as her welcoming smile her voice exuded the same feeling.
"No, I just walked in." - Fuck, he wasn't there to buy anything just running away from the damn rain that made him more pissed off than he had been since he woke up, being there now he couldn't do anything but say thank you. He didn't care anymore that he woke up late, that his car had engine trouble or that he had an audience in a few hours, his priority was to find out more about the woman behind the counter.
Aaron knew when something caught his attention more than usual as he also knew he was persistent and stubborn that he would find methods to get closer. He got into a play at school just to be around Haley and get to know her, she was the only one he had that feeling with. After the divorce he had a few relationships, nothing too serious, nothing that lasted long, enough to know it wouldn't be long lasting, there looking at this stranger he had that same feeling as when he was a teenager around Haley enough to let him know it wasn't for nothing.
Shit, he didn't even know her name, or if she was engaged or maybe she didn't even like men.
"Perfect, how can I help you?"
"I don't know, it's my first time here and I have no idea what to ask." His eyes darted from hers past the shop window. "To be honest I don't like sweets."
He regretted it the same moment he let the words out, what the fuck was he thinking? He was in the bakery, his place of work and what else would people go there for besides coffee?
Aaron didn't need a mirror to know that his face was now taken by the reddish tint embarrassed by his words.
"Well, Pen always says that only those who haven't known the true taste don't like sweets. And please don't let her hear you say that, you wouldn't leave here until you change your mind."
Aaron had no idea who Pen was.
He watched as she took a cupcake from the display case extending it to himself.
"I think you'll like this one, it's with pepper jelly." She didn't lose her skeptical look. "You won't regret it, I promise."
Quite apart from her beauty and angelic voice, Aaron added that she kept her promises. The idea about a pepper jelly left him intrigued, the image he created couldn't compare to the explosion of flavours in his mouth at the first bite the mixture of the chocolate from the cupcake batter and the jelly was more than perfect.
"So?" She stared at him in anticipation, as much as her gaze gave him away.
"I loved it!"
"Well, I promised you wouldn't regret it."
"Yes, you promised. I'll take two of these with a coffee to go, please." Aaron didn't think her smile could stretch any wider than it already was.
"With you being such a gentleman like that there's no denying your request."
Aaron was ready to make a comment when he felt his mobile phone vibrate, it was automatic to answer it without checking.
"Hotchner?...I had a setback, just give me a few minutes and I'll be there soon. Thanks JJ." With the call ended and the phone back in his pocket he turned his attention back to her, his gaze knitted in a small wave of curiosity something he could tell by the way his eyes squeezed shut.
"Here is your order Mr.Hotchner." His name played between his lips.
"Aaron."
"Aaron, I'm Emily."
Emily.
He didn't hold back his smile, knowing her name wasn't much, but it was definitely a start. Emily held out her hand towards him he quickly took it feeling her soft small hand joining his, the size difference was nothing compared to the feeling of how they seemed to connect perfectly.
"Nice to meet you Aaron Hotchner, I have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot of you around here."
The use of his name was akin to reading a poem at a soiree. He didn't miss how she focused on her conversation with JJ to notice his last name.
"Would you believe me if I said I have that same feeling?"
Aaron went on to become a constant customer at E & P Palace - something he discovered was not entirely related to Emily's first and last name, but rather to the meaning of Emily & Penelope.
Penelope Garcia was a real figure. Her eccentricity and innocence in believing in a colourful world escaping the way real life worked was a surprise and he caught himself liking her faster than usual, the last time that happened was five years ago when he started working with JJ. Of course, it had Emily the difference that his interest in Emily was to more than a friendship.
It was through a comment from Penelope that he found out that Emily had no one, Aaron could barely hide the inner joy he felt at finding out about this followed by a blush at Garcia's next words:
"In case you haven't noticed that's a hint for you to ask her out."
Maybe there was a chance?
Aaron learned a lot about Emily, not just her last name, they talked about everything.
Emily graduated with a degree in gastronomy with an in-depth knowledge of baking and confectionery.
"Much to my mother's chagrin. I still see the resentment in her eyes sometimes for not following the same path as hers, but today in her opinion it's left only to herself. She also doesn't complain so much when she gets her favourite dish on her birthday or her cupcakes and coffees delivered to her office in the morning."
Emily was the daughter of Judge Elizabeth Prentiss, the woman who was his mentor. This surprised him and it didn't take long for him to pick up on the similarity between them. She told him about her past relationships that didn't work out and that although she loved Christmas her favourite holiday was Halloween, her favourite colour was red but that in the last few days blue had been slowly taking a special place in her heart. He wished he didn't notice how his voice became more open about the situation and how the red coloured his cheeks, maybe it was something to do with his constant ties and suits? No, it couldn't be. His birthday was in October-another thing he found out from Penelope, she traveled all over the world and spoke several languages-something to do with his grandparents and journeys of living intensely and getting to know new cultures.
Aaron told her about himself, he graduated in law and was educated by his mother - someone he kept in touch with to this day, which easily surprised Emily since her mother hardly kept in touch especially with who was her apprentice. He told of his ex-wife and her five year old son, a marriage that didn't work out united by their friendship and unconditional love for their son, he thought he saw wrong when talking about his son Emily's eyes sparkled as if she was enthralled and numbed by the way he spoke. He was open about his consultancies to the FBI a few times and about having turned down several offers, being a prosecutor was complicated enough only his time was freer allowing him to always make plans with Jack something that would be different if he took the jobs.
"I neglected my marriage being a prosecutor and it was bad enough to see what we became back then, I can't make the same mistakes with Jack." He let slip in one of their conversations.
"You're a great dad Aaron, that's a wonderful thing."
Hearing that constantly from Haley was a totally from hearing it from Emily, the comfort and joy radiating out in you.
"What do you have prepared for the weekend?"
"Is that your subtle way of trying to call me out Mrs.Prentiss?"
It became constant, the flirtations. They happened so naturally that by the time they realised it the words had slipped out and neither of them regretted it, the feeling of wanting more and the treading of the fine line they'd been walking for the last few days more constant than initially causing flames between them, the desire to touch and the longing to know what their lips would be like next to each other. Would Emily taste as sweet as her scent?
"Maybe, it's been a few weeks and you still haven't made a move, I don't like to wait too long."
He hadn't expected that, flirtations could be constant and always subtle, there was no subtlety there and in her eyes Aaron could see that Emily was serious.
"What are you doing this weekend?"
"I think I asked first." She smiled filling Aaron's coffee cup again.
"I'm staying home, Jack is going with Haley to her dad's house so I'll be alone this weekend."
"Well, that means you now have a date with me, Mr.Hotchner."
He had a date, he had a date with Emily.
She passed on his address by message after coffees in the morning and their flirtations remained by message for the rest of the day. Sometimes something about how the day was going or reports of something funny or serious that happened during the hearing, or something about him stopping by the Palace after hours.
The idea that he had a dinner date with Emily the next day was still surreal to him, that feeling of anticipation and anxiety like Jack when Aaron talked about a day in the park for the next time he came over leaving the boy excited for the day. His Friday night was spent between yet another of his dreams about a date with Emily, the next day those dreams would become his reality.
He thought about his night when he went out for a run in the morning, his whole routine was programmed: he would go out for a run, take a shower and review a few cases and the moment the afternoon was winding down and night was approaching he would get ready and call Jack as he always did before he went to sleep so he could go on his date with Emily.
Aaron thought about it all night and in his dreams and as he rushed into the morning, he just didn't count on last minute Haley calling asking to pick Jack up: she was suffering from food poisoning.
He loved his son as much as he was looking forward to their meeting. With the phone on speakerphone as he drove his eyes remained on the street as the call sounded waiting for Emily to answer, he could feel her smile and animation on the other end of the line as she answered on the third ring.
"I thought you would be able to wait until later, I guess I was wrong."
A weight settled in her throat forming a knot, she was excited for this as excited as he was.
"Emily..." He couldn't.
"Aaron, what happened?" The change in his voice was noticeable his excitement giving way to concern.
"Haley had food poisoning and I'm staying with Jack, I'm sorry Emily I was really looking forward to it but..."
"Bring him in."
"How?"
It really shocked him, the way his words came out so simple and inviting.
"Emily, you..."
"Unless you don't want to." She snapped back, it was as if Emily's mind cleared in that moment maybe Aaron didn't want her to meet his son.
"I just want to know if you're sure."
"Of course I am, I would love to meet your son."
"I need to talk to Haley first, do you mind?"
"Of course not Aaron, she's his mother. Just let me know, I hope Haley gets better soon."
He still had a chance, he just had to talk to Haley. Aaron stopped by the pharmacy and supermarket buying a few things that would help Haley before arriving at the house he once shared with her. With the spare key he opened the door announcing his arrival as soon as he walked in, Jack quickly ran up to him crashing into his legs and from there he watched Haley lying on the couch in her dressing gown with a not good expression.
"I brought some things for you."
"Thanks Aaron. Jack go upstairs and get your things okay?"
Jack ran off going to do as his mother told him, of course he had his room and his things at Aaron's house in his backpack there were only things Jack couldn't be without like his teddy bear to sleep with and other accessories he took everywhere.
"You need to hydrate." Aaron approached handing the small bottle of gatorade to Hailey.
They could have broken up, but the concern was mutual. What one could do for the other, neither of them measured efforts to help like when Aaron broke his arm and Hailey made sure to host him so she could help him.
"Thank you."
"There's some medicine, a soup and some biscuits you might be able to keep and lots of coconut water and gatorade. I know this isn't the best time, but I need to tell you something."
Haley stared at him for a few seconds, as soon as she took a sip from the small bottle Aaron had handed her she shook her head for him to speak.
"I have a date tonight, I've waited a long time for this to happen actually and I can't believe it's becoming real. The moment you called for me to be with Jack I was going to cancel and she suggested I take Jack and I said yes, but I was supposed to talk to you first."
"You must really like her." Haley smiled, small and yet a smile amidst the tired looks from the bad mood.
"After you, that's the first time I've felt this way again. Not just because I think she's beautiful, but she makes me laugh and when I'm around her I feel good, like things around me don't make sense and all I care about is enjoying her presence."
"Your eyes are shining Aaron, you're happy." Haley reached out holding his hand. "And most important of all, you want to introduce Jack to her."
"Is that a problem?" He frowned in a way that reminded her very much of Jack, Jack's physiognomy might resemble hers, but his expressions no doubt all came from Aaron.
"In all those years you had two serious relationships that you told me about, but never to Jack and neither did you introduce them to him. Five months with Kate and seven with Beth at no point did you talk about introducing Jack, your eyes never sparkled like they are now when you talked about them, you're in love with her and you wouldn't be asking me about Jack if you weren't sure of what you're doing because you don't think it will be a passing relationship, you see a future and if you're sure about that of course I won't oppose your decision."
Being together for so many years had provided them with that connection, Haley could read Aaron as easily as the poetry books she enjoyed. He also knew she was right, he wouldn't dare introduce Jack to Emily if he wasn't sure, he couldn't explain it he just knew Emily was a constant in his life destined to never leave him something he never thought would happen.
His relationship with Kate lasted 5 months, they went to college together - at the time he was engaged to Haley - they got back together a year after their split. The relationship lasted five months, all attempts and comments about meeting Jack were quickly cut off by him, the same with Beth. The insecurity, like what he was doing was wrong, something he didn't feel now, the thought of Emily with Jack was something that instantly caused a wave of happiness in him.
Aaron sent a message confirming with her as Jack said goodbye to his mother.
The day seemed to pass quickly and when he noticed, there Aaron stood next to Jack ringing the intercom at Emily's flat at seven sharp, his punctuality intact. Passing the lift, seconds later they walked towards Emily's flat.
Aaron believed that no sight beats Emily in her black apron walking through the Palace, as much as his favourite sight of her was the first time he saw her with flour covering a few strands of her cheek and face there she was surprising him once again, dressed in a dark blue sweatshirt ensemble and her hair pinned up in the usual.
"Hi." She hugged him, the touches were familiar, it was strange to think that at no point were they strangers, like they always did that.
"You're quite a sight Em." Aaron whispered in her ear.
"That's because you haven't seen what I have underneath." He could feel her mischievous smile as she felt his kiss on her cheek. "And you must be Jack, I've heard a lot about you and was looking forward to meeting you."
Emily broke away bending down then getting to Jack's height.
"Dad talks about me?" Jack asked a little suspiciously.
"Oh all the time, I was even thinking he was making it up about you, but I see you're quite real and very handsome too."
She was good with children.
Her easy communication with Jack was proof of that.
"Thank you, you are also very pretty Miss.Prentiss."
Aaron talked to Jack, that they would be going to a friend's house, a person who was being very special to him and that Aaron would like Jack to meet her.
"Please call me Emily."
Emily made room and soon the two Hotchners entered.
Emily's flat sounded just like her. The wooden floors, the living room with a rug in the centre with a sofa and two armchairs, a potted plant in the corner next to a bookcase with some photos on display. She led them into the kitchen, a huge kitchen, he expected no less from her.
A few items were sorted out on the countertop and the table set, in the corner three aprons laid out one the perfect size for Jack which made Aaron frown.
"Some of my friends have children and they love me and I love them." She smiled beside him quickly capturing his doubt. "Do you like pancakes Jack?"
Emily could see the boy's eyes sparkle at her words, there she already had her answer.
"What do you think about us having pancakes accompanied by cookies and a delicious hot chocolate for dinner?"
"I can Daddy?"
It wasn't a conventional dinner, but it seemed to have caught both Hotchner's attention a lot. Emily knew Aaron liked pancakes and by the looks of it a passion the younger Hotchner shared. An interactive dinner was what was on Emily's mind, something the three of them could do together and that Jack would feel included, initially her idea was a fondue in her living room with cushions spread out and a totally different atmosphere, with Aaron's call the plans changed. They had taken so long to finally get around to a date she wouldn't want to miss it, suggesting Jack's presence was automatic and her mind already racing to change the initial plans only then did she think that maybe it wasn't what Aaron would like and that maybe she had crossed a line, which didn't happen. Upon receiving the confirmation message Emily couldn't contain her happiness.
Jack was more than excited to help Emily with the preparations, they started by getting the pancake batter ready before starting the preparation of the biscuits. Jack was loving and thoughtful, he followed every teaching she passed on and didn't hide his excitement, which caused Emily to have an instant wave of affection for the boy. They baked biscuits, made pancakes and hot chocolates with extra marshmallows for Jack who before long fell asleep on Emily's sofa after they had dinner and he excitedly told her about the things he liked and was even more excited to discover that Emily shared the same tastes.
"I think he's in love with you." Aaron smiled handing over the last dish he had just washed.
"Then know that there is a reciprocity, your son is wonderful Aaron. I did not err in thinking and stating that you are a great father."
"Thank you Emily, for today and for everything you have been doing." Aaron waited for Emily to put the last plate away before holding his hands in hers.
"I haven't done anything Aaron."
"Yes you did, you have made my life sweeter since I joined the Palace two months ago." His hands went to his face wiping away some of the remnants of flour that was left by his face.
Emily wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him close, she couldn't wait any longer she needed to know what it felt like to kiss him and so she did and in that moment it was as if everything fell into place, the last piece of the puzzle being put in place and the picture forming completely. He was soft against her and sweet, she didn't want to leave.
They parted for air. Their foreheads clasped together and neither of them making a point of hiding their smiles.
"Penelope is right." It was Aaron who broke the silence.
"About what?" Her fingers ran through his hair.
"Only those who don't know the real taste don't like candy, and you Emily Prentiss are my real taste."