The bar buzzed loudly with the sounds of chatter, music and glasses clinking. Emily brushed her straight hair off her shoulder and smiled to her coworker, Spencer Reid.

"Do you want another?" She shouted as she lightly jiggled her empty glass, making the last few ice cubes shift around and make noise.

"No no I'm going to head home actually." He replied with a. small smile.

"Aww you're no fun!" Emily said. Reid smiled and shook his head lightly. He slipped off his stool and adjusted his messenger bag. Emily turned to her other side.

"How about you? Want another?" She asked Aaron Hotchner. He nodded.

"Yeah one more" He said.

Emily nodded and turned back to towards Reid.

"Have a good night Reid!" She said with a wave. Hotch raised his hand and waved goodbye to Reid too. Reid turned and disappeared into the crowd towards the front door of the bar.

Hotch flagged down the bartender and ordered another drink for himself and Emily.

"I'm glad he came. It's always nice to see him outside work." Emily said.

"Yeah, that kid needs a break more often"

"He's not a kid!" Emily laughed.

"He is to me. Even if he is smarter than I am" Hotch replied. Emily laughed again. They chatted for a minute and soon each had a full drink in front of them.

"Cheers" They clinked glasses. Emily took a big gulp of her cocktail. Hotch sipped slowly at his beer. The song changed to some loud EDM mix and Hotch made a sour face.

"Not your type of music?" Emily joked.

"Uh not really my taste" He replied. "I think i'm too old for this bar" He added.

Emily smiled. "No such thing! Look at that guy over there" She pointed to an old man at the end of the bar, slumped over next to his whiskey glass.

Hotch raised an eyebrow and laughed quietly. "Not the type of guy I strive to be" He said before taking a sip of his drink.

They sipped and talked for another twenty minutes until both drinks were gone. They had moved to a booth in a different part of the bar when they saw a waitress walking around with a tray calling out "Jell-o shots! Get your jell-o shots!"

"I told you I was too old for this place" Hotch grumbled.

Emily grinned and threw her hand up into the air. "Emily..." Hotch started.

"Four jell-o shots please!" She called as the waitress approached their booth.

"Sure! Which flavors?" The girl asked.

"Hotch? What flavors?" Emily asked. Hotch sat in silence looking back at Emily.

"Okay then we'll do two lime and two strawberry" Emily said and gave the waitress her name for the tab. The waitress handed over the small plastic containers and left the table.

Emily slid one of each flavor over to Hotch.

"You're ridiculous" He said.

"Bottoms up!" Emily replied as she removes the lid off one container and put the cup to her lips, using her tongue to release the jello from the cup. Hotch watched closely as she did this. Watching her tongue swirl around in the cup. Emily chewed and swallows them motioned to Hotch.

He didn't want to argue so he popped the lid off one of his and did the same as her.

"Wow, that actually tastes pretty good" He admitted.

Emily nodded. "It may be a silly way to get drunk but it's delicious." She told him.

"Getting drunk is your plan?" Hotch asked.

"I'm already almost there" She laughed. "Don't judge me" She added, narrowing her eyes at her boss.

"i've had just as much as you, nothing to judge you for" He said. "Plus, I don't really drink much. Low tolerance."

"Well it's time for you to get loose and relax!" Emily said happily.

"I don't want to get too drunk" Hotch said "What if a case comes in?" Hotch added.

Emily frowned at him "Hotch it's the holidays. You know the BAU is forcing us to take three full days off." 

"I know" He said. "It just feels weird to not be on call"

Emily nodded.
"Time for the next one!" She said as she opened her last jell-o shot and squeezed it into her mouth. Hotch followed her lead and downed his last one too. They sat for a while talking. Laughing. Emily was drunk and Hotch was trying to hide the fact that he was too. They talked about coworkers and family. Told stories from college.

Emily peeked at her phone screen and saw it was nearly 11:30 pm. She realized she was starting to feel hungry and desperately wanted to get out of her uncomfortable clothes. She looked up at Hotch and saw him gazing at her with a small smile on his lips.

"You want to get out of here?" She asked. Hotch frowned the slightest bit.

"Oh sure" He replied.

"Good! I know a great late night burger place. I'll call us a cab" Emily said. The smile returned to Hotchs face as she said it.

The two got up from their booth and paid at the bar then headed towards the door. Before stepping outside they both zipped their coats up tight and slipped on gloves.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk cold hard air hit their faces. Hotch winces and Emily blows out a big breath. The taxi slowly pulls up against the curb. Hotch walks over to the door opens it and stands back. Emily looks from the open door to the man. "Thanks Hotch" She said smiling.

He nodded and closed the door once she was in safely. He jogged around the back of the cab, opened the other door for himself and slipped in beside her. Emily told the cab driver where to head and they took off. Listening to quiet R&B music coming through the speakers.

"Woah i'm a little dizzy, why'd you let me get drunk?" Emily joked and nudged Hotchs shoulder with her own.

"Yeah right, I couldn't have stopped you if I tried." He replied with an eye roll. Emily laughed.

Hotch looked over Emily and wondered if she always looked this beautiful. The alcohol was making his head swimmy. Hotch wanted to place a hand on her thigh or brush her hair back but he kept his hands to himself.

after a short ride they pulled up to the burger spot. Emily thanked the driver and Hotch paid him as Emily eagerly pushed out of the car towards the restaurant.

They entered and walked up to the counter. Both pondering for a moment as they browsed the big menu hanging from the ceiling.

"I'm paying, get whatever you want" Emily said and patted Hotch on the shoulder. They both ordered and took a seat in one of the bright red booths along the wall. They waited for about 10 minutes and then a young worker brought a plastic tray full of food.

"Oh my god, this looks amazing" Emily said as she pulled her items off the tray. She wasted no time getting started on the burger, instantly taking a huge bite and groaning quietly with happiness.

Hotch smiled. "Exactly what you needed?" He asked. Emily nodded vigorously, swallowed, and grabbed a handful of fries.

Hotch dug in as well and enjoyed the hot food filling his stomach. They ate in silence for a while. When Hotch stood to refill his drink Emily followed him with her eyes. Hotch noticed and returned to the table with  a sly smile. "Like what you see?" He said.

"No I-" She stammered. "Hotch-" She couldn't get a full sentence out and her cheeks turned light pink. Hotch laughed.

"Just messing with you" He says while slipping back into the booth across from Emily. She shook her head and smiled slightly. They sipped on their sodas a little while longer. Emily spoke up, breaking the silence. "Okay I need to get out of these clothes"

"Should we head out?" Hotch asked. Emily nodded. They gathered the trash onto their tray and Hotch took it to the trash. They headed outside and hailed a cab. In the cab the laughed about something as the car drive them through the city. Eventually the car came to a stop in front of a sleek apartment building. Emily's place.

"Okay well this was fu-" Hotch started.

"Do you want to come up?" If flew out of Emily's mouth before she knew what she was saying. She wanted him to come inside but didn't want him to know that she was picturing him taking off his shirt. "For a glass of wine, I mean" She added.

"Yeah, I do" Hotch replied. He paid the cab and got out of the car with Emily. They headed into the lobby. they were silent and both feeling the tension. He followed her to the elevator. They entered the confined space and watched the doors close, standing side by side a foot apart. The silence was still present, Finally, Emily looked over at Hotch. He waited a second, then looked over towards her too. They held the gaze for a few moments.

In a split second, He was moving and she was too. His hands held her face as he kissed her passionately. Emily had her hands on his torso. They kissed and breathed heavily in the center of the elevator. When a loud ding played from the speaker overhead they paused and reluctantly let go of each other as they watched the elevator doors slide slowly open. Luckily, no one was waiting to board so they slipped out quietly on to Emily's floor. They walked silently as Emily lead the way to the front door of her apartment. As she retrieved keys from her pocket she glanced back at Hotch and said "Your tie is crooked" then unlocked the door and opened it for the both of them.

Once safely inside Emily's place she hit a switch on the wall the brought on some low lights around the apartment. It was cozy and dim. Emily tossed her keys onto the entry table and headed to the bar cart near the kitchen. Hotch stood near the front door taking in the beauty of Emily's sleek uncluttered home. After a few moments, Emily joined him with two glasses of red wine.

"You're quiet" She said.

"I'm just admiring you're apartment" He said, accepting the glass.

"and me?" Emily asked with a closed mouth smile, tilting her chin up.

"and you" Hotch said in a low voice with a tiny smile as his eyes scanned up and down her body. They both took a few drinks of wine in silence. After a moment Emily began heading to the couch, stumbling slightly as she did.

Hotch couldn't take it anymore.

"Emily our down the glass and come here" He said.

"Wha-"

"Come."

Emily placed her glass on the coffee table and moved towards him in one swift motion without breaking eye contact. When she was mere inches from him he grabbed her hun with his hand and tilted her head up. He paused for a moment to stare into her eyes then pressed his lips to her. She quickly wrapped her arms around him. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and kissed harder.

Emily felt her body buzz with anticipation.

"Where's the bedroom?" He whispered. There was a tingle between her legs when he said it. She kissed him sloppily, tasting the sweet yet slightly bitter wine on his mouth. She started gently moving forward as they kissed while he backed up, blindly trusting her. She lead him past the kitchen and she whispered "here" as they arrived at the bedroom door.

Hotch pushed it open with one hand and had Emily wrapped in the other arm. They moved together again, swiftly making their way to the bed in the dark. Hotch laid her down gently onto the soft bed. Her black hair splayed out around her head. Hotch stayed standing by the bed above Emily. He started loosening his tie and Emily sat up, eager to help him undress.

"No." He said. "Stay" He added.

Emily laid back down.

"Good girl"