Aaron and Victoria swayed to the music as the night was winding down.  Stephen and his wife were plotting their escape from the party.

Victoria rested her head on his chest as they danced to a slow song. She muttered, "Might be the alcohol talking but today has kinda made me want this."

Aaron lightly chuckled. "Wedding?"

"I mean my opposition to it was the whole extravagance of it. I never wanted a big fancy party, but something like this... This I like."

They just swayed to the music in silence. "Let's get married," Aaron blurted out.

Victoria took a step back in order to look him in the eyes. "You're drunk."

"No I'm not. Let's get married."

She opened her mouth to say something back yet no words came out. "Are you being serious? Aaron we've only been dating for like a year and a half."

"Some people have known each other less. Time isn't important. It's what you do with that time is what matters. I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. I want to grow old together. I want you to formally adopt Jack. I want to say to everyone that you're my wife and Jack's mother."

"Aaron Hotchner, are you asking me to marry you?"

Aaron gave her a mischievous grin. "Maybe."

She kissed him. "On one condition," she said.

He grinned, "Anything."

"I'm keeping my last name. I am not going to take your last name," She told him in a matter of fact way.

Aaron chuckled, "We can talk about that."

That was his mistake. "We'll talk about it? Oh there's nothing to talk about. I'm keeping the Rossi name," she stated. "There is no discussion. I'm keeping the family name."

"Are we not having our usual debate about this?" Aaron assumed it would be just another issue that they would have a discussion on. It was their way of solving issues and he liked it. He liked listening to both sides and having civilized debates. 

Victoria looked at him. "Consult me when I'm not drunk."

He caressed her cheek. "Let's go home."

She nodded, "I'll call a cab."

They took a cab home and decided to open up a bottle of wine. They just sat on the bed with the lights dimmed. The two sipped their wine and joked.

"Marry me."

"Okay now you're drunk," Victoria said.

"Marry me," he repeated. 

"Fine," she responded. 

"Marry me," he reiterated.

She rolled her eyes. "I said yes Aaron."

His eyes lighted up like a Christmas tree. "Yay!"

Now there was no doubt that he was drunk. That was when Victoria learned that Aaron Hotchner was a happy drunk. She had seen him drunk before, but not on tequila. Tequila seemed to bring out a different side of him.  

She laughed, "Oh you are definitely not going to remember any of this in the morning."

If only she knew that she was wrong . Oh boy was she wrong. Aaron had been drunk, but he was not black out drunk. There was a distinction between the two and it was something important.

The following morning both adults woke up with pounding headaches. Victoria made an immediate run for the Advil while Aaron just covered his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. They just lay on the bed and just stared at the ceiling. 

Aaron then said, "Well looks like we're getting married."

Victoria groaned, "I thought you forgot about that."

"Pfft, in your dreams. I remember more than you think."

"I gave you my condition. I keep the Rossi name and you have yourself a yes."

"Call me old fashioned, but I kinda want you to," he pleaded.

"Awe aren't you cute when you beg. But no. I'm not going to conform to the patriarchy of a male dominated society. I'm not changing my last name. Unless you want to take my last name."

Aaron laughed. "I doubt Rossi would approve."

"Oh he suggested it. Well not you, but if I ever got married. It's just such a drag to change everything. All the paperwork. I'd have to get a new passport, driver's license, not to mention additional things."

"Fine, but our kids will have my last name."

She teased him and said, "The boys will, the girls will have my last name."

"I can live with that." 

He kissed and she kissed him back. In a matter of seconds they seemed to have forgotten about their hangovers as they got lost in each other. They were intoxicated with each other. Filled by a euphoric high that only the other could provide. Each note was precise. Every movement in rhythm like two instruments coming together to perform a duet. Neither overpowering the other but instead working together. Balancing the other into a perfect harmony.

Their breathing was ragged as they came down from their high. Neither wanted to break the magic spell. Victoria put on one of Aaron's shirts. It reached down to her mid thigh. Silently she went downstairs to cook breakfast.

Aaron got dressed and followed. When he arrived he saw her cooking eggs and bacon. He kissed her on the neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Aaron stop that. It tickles," she giggled as she tried to cook the eggs.

He just continued to do what he was doing. "I love it when you wear my clothes," he said in a low husky voice.

She knew where this was headed. She quickly finished cooking the eggs and bacon and turned off the stove. All the while Aaron was doing his best at trying to distract her. If she was an instrument then he knew how to hit all the right notes.

It was like a slow tempo that steadily increased. Each note taking hold of both of them. The build-up the gradual as the crescendo was near.
The legato followed as they ended with a complete cadence. A perfect melody for the two.

Victoria kissed him. "We really have to stop acting like college students."

Aaron laughed, "You say that now."

"I'm just putting it out there," she told him.

He looked her in the eyes and said. "Complete honestly. Were you serious when you said yes earlier?"

She just shook her head. "You really believe I was joking huh? Ask me again."

Aaron got one knee and said, "Victoria Rossi will you marry me?"

She made a face that made it seem like she was contemplating it before replying, "Yes you big dingus. Of course I'll marry you. Have I not been clear the past like 50 times?"

"I-I have to go get the ring," Aaron said before running upstairs.

She just laughed and continued with breakfast. Anything greasy or deep fried tasted amazing to her. Especially after a hang over. The food was served and the table was set by the time Aaron returned with the ring.

"May I?"

She just smiled and nodded. It was the first time she laid her eyes on the vintage family ring. Intricate designs adorned the band as it sparkled in the light. It became clear to her why one would place their eyes on the ring. The ring itself was breathtakingly gorgeous and the sentimental value made it even more valuable than any stone ever could.

"I love you," she told him. "I don't care if we get married today or tomorrow or next month."

"Well I might have a thought or two on that. Maybe we should get married this summer? Keep it small and intimate," he suggested.

"Or we could elope."

Aaron laughed at the irony. "Oh Dave already warned me. Eloping is not an option."

"Then let's call him an set a date."

"Now that is something we can both agree on."

"If we can agree on leaving the planning to my father and just approving his decisions we'll be set," she joked.

"I mean it appears Rossi has been planning since the moment we met. I don't think it's a bad idea to ask for his help."

She kissed him. "Great. We should pick up Jack from Will and JJ's place after breakfast. They might start trying to guess what we've been up to all morning if we take any longer."

"You do have a point."

The rest of the morning consisted of picking up Jack and explaining to him that they were going to get married. It had come as a pleasant surprise to the child. His eyes lit up as he made the connection.

"So you're gonna be my mommy now?" The boy was on the verge of exploding with happiness.

The two adults nodded. "Yes buddy, Victoria is going to be your mommy from now on," Aaron responded.

Aaron was going to ask the boy if he was okay with it, but the enthusiastic hug that he gave her was confirmation enough. They were finally going to become an official family. The dream he had so long ago would finally become a reality.

They invited Rossi over for coffee. It was an excuse in order to tell him the news. Dave played with Jack while the two formulated a plan. The three adults sat at the table. Victoria had been careful to hide the ring from Rossi's line of sight.

"We have some good news," Victoria told him.

Rossi replied, "Now before you continue that with a follow up sentence. Should I grab my shot gun?"

Aaron wanted to laugh at the reference that Rossi was making. "No," Victoria said.

Aaron coughed. "I asked Victoria to marry me and she said yes."

It took a moment for Rossi to process the information. Then the italian stood up and declared, "This calls for a celebration. My only daughter is getting married."

"We'd like your help in planning the wedding," Aaron told him.

"Say no more. My brother, Adelmo, has already started on the dress. All we need is a date set so we can start planning. Hmm let's say September or October? Five or six months should be enough for me to plan a good wedding. I'm sure you two love birds are just focusing on the honeymoon." Rossi gave them a wink.

Victoria groaned, "Dad. You know we made a deal. I don't ask about your sex life and you don't ask about mine."

"Oh that deal expired the moment you started dating my friend," Rossi stated. "Gideon, now that's a whole other story."

"Yeah it is. He seemed happy last night at the wedding. Reid really had fun talking with him," Victoria commented.

Aaron nodded, "That is true. Reid was the closest with Gideon. His leave hit him the hardest. They were student and teacher. And in a way Gideon was the father figure Reid never had."

"Aaron, no profiling the team," Victoria scolded.

"Yes ma'am."

Rossi laughed, "Well it's a good thing you've relinquished any hope of having authority in the household."

"Oh I know how this works and I don't mind. She runs the household and I do what I'm told. If she's happy I'm happy."

Rossi sighed, "Now if only there was a female version of you. Maybe marriage wouldn't be so bad."

Everyone laughed. "Oh come on dad. You and the idea of marriage are like a disaster waiting to happen. Three divorces should be enough."

"Hey you never know. Maybe the perfect some one is out there," Rossi argued. "But that's not what we're here for. A toast. To the young couple, may you live long and have a passionate marriage."

"Salute."