This is a story that came to me while listening to Halfway Gone by Lifehouse.
Emily had never fought for anything in her life as hard as she fought for her relationship with Hotch. They had been together for two years and he was slowly slipping away from her. He never fully opened himself up to her, but Emily looked past that because she loved him. She'd do anything for him. But with each passing day as he slipped away from her more, she was running out of the ability to pull him back to reality and keep him with her and her heart was breaking everytime he shut her out. She wasn't sure where the feeling was coming from but she had a feeling he wanted out, and she needed to let him go.
You were always hard to hold
So letting go ain't easy
I'm hanging on you're growing cold
While my mind is leaving
Talk is cheap
Give me your word you can keep
Cause I'm halfway gone and I'm on my way
And I'm feeling, feelin' feelin' this way
Cause you're halfway in but don't take too long
Cause I'm halfway gone, I'm halfway gone
After dinner, Emily washed the dishes with Hotch in silence. They walked over to the couch, and Emily watched as Hotch sat down. He looked up at her expectantly when he noticed she didn't sit as well.
"What's wrong?"
Emily sighed. It was now or never. "What isn't wrong Aaron?" When Hotch sat there with a quizzical look on his face she continued. "I love you Aaron…so much. You are my best friend, but there's a wall between us that I can't break through and I definitely can't climb over it. You are making sure of that."
Hotch looked down at his hands. She was right. He was in love with her, and he realized from the beginning that no matter how much love he had for her, if he wasn't able to fully let her in he would lose her. He had an idea where she was taking this conversation, but he hoped it wasn't true.
"So I realize that I need to let you go. Let you deal with whatever you need to, and maybe when that wall crumbles you can come back to me." She looked down then met his gaze. "I'm so sorry, but I know that you knew this was coming. You've been pushing me away." She reached down to grab her keys and purse, and then headed for the door.
You got one foot out the door
And choking on the other
Always think you're something more
Is just around the corner
Talk is cheap
Give me your word you can keep
Cause I'm halfway gone and I'm on my way
And I'm feeling, feelin' feelin' this way
Cause you're halfway in but don't take too long
Cause I'm halfway gone, I'm halfway gone
She faced him once more with sad eyes. "Give me a reason Aaron."
He arched an eyebrow, but stayed silent. He wasn't sure what she wanted.
"Give me a reason to stay. Give me one word and we'll work through this. Please Aaron," she practically begged.
Hotch's eyes locked with Emily's and filled with tears that he refused to let fall. He knew what she needed and it wasn't him. She may want him, but she could do better without him, so he remained silent and watched as she nodded then he saw a single tear escape her eye as she opened the door and let it shut behind her, putting the finishing touch on their already messed up relationship.