just some random piece
put it wherever post-100, I don't care
not mine.
Middle of nowhere, North Dakota, at two am, what were most people doing? Sleeping, something the BAU team was not used to having in abundance, so when the opportunity to turn in at a normal time and achieve the recommended eight or more hours, they snagged it up with both hands. SSA Emily Prentiss was definitely one of those.
Fast asleep in the slightly dingy but not awful hotel, her roommate media liaison JJ was awoken by a knocking on the door that connected their room to Rossi and Hotch's room. And while it might not have been the best decision to take those rooms, that was what they had to work with. Considering how the case had been one of the worst they have seen in a while – young children snatched from homes and brutally murdered – it was almost for the best to have the whole team close by.
The sleep-rumpled blonde reluctantly flipped the covers off of her and slipped to the door, the brunette in the other bed in a deep sleep, not even registering the knock. On the other side of the door was Rossi, who looked visibly shaken, not something JJ had ever seen on the older man, which just scared her. But what really terrified her were the sounds coming from the other room. It sounded like sobbing, the kind that leaves you heaving for air between sobs that can even make you sick, and the only person it could be coming from was Hotch.
Hotch, the man who rarely showed emotion besides anger and disappointment, that Hotch was sobbing for all he was worth.
"Get Emily." Those were the only words out of Rossi's mouth, but they were enough to get the blonde moving toward the bed where Emily was sleeping and shake her hard enough to wake her.
"Mmm?" Emily's eye cracked open, peering at JJ.
"Hotch needs you-" Before she could say anything else, Emily had flung the covers off and rushed through the still open door, pushing Rossi, who was a moment away from falling asleep standing, into her room and letting herself into his, shutting the door.
As she approached the bed, her heart broke at Hotch, clutching one of the slightly stiff but fluffy hotel pillows to his chest, letting his tears drench it. She climbed onto the bed, settling herself next to Hotch, gently placing one hand on his back and rubbing soothing circles into it. The tense muscles she could feel were slowly starting to relax, and with it, Hotch came back to her from the deep recesses of his mind that left him in such a state.
"Emily?" His voice was what the woman could only describe as shattered, breaking her heart all the more. All she could do was wrap her arms around him, pulling his body to hers, his head resting on her chest. She had no doubt he could hear her heart beating frantically, as she tried to calm him while trying to do the same for herself.
"What happened, honey? Why are you crying?" She kept her voice low and soothing, not wanting to disturb him further, but also allow him the space to open up to her, should he want to.
Hotch shook his head desperately as his breathing picked up, not wanting to relive the nightmare that had brought him to this state. While breaking down was normal for most people, Aaron Hotchner was not most people. Crying was not something he did.
Emily immediately noticed this change and tightened her arms around him, hushing him softly. "I'm right here and okay, and so are you. Jack is back home with Jessica, fast asleep, safe and sound." He nodded and curled closer to her. Emily didn't know how much more she could take, but knew deep down, she had to be strong for him. The only thing that could really soothe him right now was a song, so she took a deep breath and began.
"It's not your eyes.
It's not what you say.
It's not your laughter
That gives you away.
You're just lonely.
You've been lonely too long.
All your acting, your thin disguise,
All your perfectly delivered lines,
They don't fool me.
You've been lonely too long.
Let me in the walls
You've built around.
We can light a match
And burn them down.
Let me hold your hand, and dance round and round the flames.
In front of us,
Dust to Dust."
Partway through the chorus, Emily felt his body fully relax and his breathing even out. She reclined against the pillows behind her, bringing him with her, his weight resting securely on top of her.
She felt safe, and she knew he did too, or else he wouldn't be sleeping so peacefully. Emily decided to follow him into the dreamland, pressing a kiss to his hair with a whisper of love. Even if it was not a returned love, he needed to know that even at his worst, someone loved him.
It was her.
It would always be her.