A/N: Let me tell you about my little sister. She's awesome. I refer to her as Neenie the Sparkly, and she makes sparkling cool. A lot of her great moments have to do with Criminal Minds. For instance, while watching some episode or other (I don't remember which) I commented that the unsub had a God complex.
"Everyone has a God complex," Neenie said. "Except me. 'Cause I'm actually God."
Another of my favorite moments of hers is far more pertinent to this story. Neenie was complaining about the lack of JJ/Spence fics out here. "Really?" I said. "There are plenty Hotch/Emily fics..."
"Yeah, well," Neenie replied, "that's almost canon."
Ladies and gentlemen, my little sister, Neenie the Sparkly, AKA LinkLuver3. She writes for The Legend of Zelda, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Rurouni Kenshin, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Star Trek: The Net Generation. Go say hi.
Warnings: Slight spoilers for the season 6 Doyle arch. Possible trigger warning (just to be on the safe side)
Disclaimer: If Criminal Minds belonged to me, Paget Brewster would not be leaving. Actually, she might be becasue she might have gotten creeped out by my fangirling...
"Mary, mother of God." Warm brown eyes opened in terror and took in their surroundings; the wooden walls and power tools of a shed, the ropes digging into her wrists and ankles, and the huge man in front of her.
"Your religion won't help you," the man said in a low, gravelly voice. "You should know that by now."
How long has it been? Emily wondered. Aaron must be going out of his mind.
"It's time, girlie," the man said. "Time for you to run."
Swear words filtered through Emily's head. The running was the last bit, they had learned. The unsub gave chase, and killed the women when he caught them. Years of being picked on as the new kid told her that she would never be able to outrun him. Those same years, though, had taught her how to outthink people like him.
He untied her. "I'll count to thirty," he said, "then I'll chase you." He turned his back and began counting as the blood returned to Emily's hands and feet.
Fourty seconds, max, she realized, and glanced around. A power drill was the first thing to hand, and she swung it hard into the unsub's temple. He crumpled.
After a few minute's work, Emily managed to drag the unsub into the chair in which she had been seared, and tied him up. Trembling with delayed fear and the aftermath of an adrenaline rush, Emily searched his clothes for his cell phone. It was there, she knew; she had seen it. Upon finding it, she punched in the familiar digits of Aaron's personal number.
"Aaron Hotchner." The voice that answered was harried, frightening, and achingly reassuring. Emily felt her legs give out from under her in relief. She sat down hard, murmuring her love's name.
"Emily!" Aaron practically shouted. "Emily, where are you? What happened?"
"I knocked him out," Emily replied, her voice surprisingly cheerful and steady, given how hard she was shaking. "And I'm in a tool shed; that is about the extent of my knowledge as to my location."
"Can you find a road sign or something?" Aaron asked, worry bleeding into his tone.
"Probably, if I could get up." Emily was shocked at how light she sounded. "Adrenaline withdrawal. I can barely move."
"Okay," Aaron said. "We'll get Garcia to find the cell you're on. Just keep talking to me. Where's the unsub?"
"Tied up, out cold," Emily replied. "Same place he had me, in the manner of poetic justice."
Aaron laughed softly. "And you? Are you okay?"
Emily inspected herself. "I have some pretty sick rope burn, but other than that, I'm physically fine. My mental state is questionable, though."
The unsub groaned. Emily's breath quickened. "Aaron," she said, trying to force back panic. "Aaron, he's waking up."
"It's okay, sweetheart," Aaron said soothingly. "Garcia has you. We'll be there in ten minutes, and I'm not going to hang up. He's tied up. You beat him, Emily. You won."
"Hurry," Emily whispered.
The next eight minutes too far too long. Aaron kept talking, pulling Emily into a conversation about the apartments they were looking into, keeping her mind carefully from the slowly-reviving unsub.
Finally, the words "We're here," sent fresh energy into Emily, and she heaved herself up, exploding through the door and leaving the phone behind. Aaron had practically fallen from the SUV as soon as the vehicle came to a stop, and the two collided as LEOs and the rest of the team rushed past them towards the shed. Emily buried her face in Aaron's shoulder, her body shaking with suppressed sobs.
"Shh," Aaron whispered. "You're okay now. I've got you, love. You're safe."
Aaron helped Emily into the back of one of the SUVs. JJ climbed into the front and started the engine. "Do you just want to go back to the hotel?" JJ asked. "I can let you into our room, and the rest of us can pack up your things at the station."
At Emily's nod, Aaron said, "Yeah, thanks. That'd be a great help."
The ride to the hotel was short, but Emily still managed to fall asleep. It didn't surprise Aaron at all; she wouldn't have been able to get much real rest tied to a chair for three days.
Three days. Aaron looked sadly at the woman on his shoulder. Getting her to talk about this was going to be hell. The SUV pulled up in front of the hotel, and JJ shut the engine off.
She slid out and walked around to the other side, where she pulled open the door to help Aaron out. He stepped down and swept Emily up into his arms. She stirred and whimpered slightly.
"It's okay, sweetheart," Aaron murmured gently. "It's just me. You're still safe."
Emily settled again, clutching at Aaron's suit jacket. Aaron glanced at JJ and could practically see the heartbreak in the woman's eyes. Aaron wondered what the rest of the team felt. Had they forgiven her for what had happened with Doyle? Were they all just as concerned as JJ? His own heart broke at the thought that they might not be.
JJ held the doors for Aaron as they made their way through the hotel. Aaron couldn't help wondering what the other patrons were thinking, and he had to smile at some of the ideas that occurred to him. Upon reaching to women's room, he laid Emily gently down on one of the beds.
"I'll bunk with Reid tonight," JJ said. "You stay here and take care of her."
"Thank you, JJ," Aaron replied, and had to fight the urge to hug her.
He needn't have bothered. JJ hugged him. "Don't let her lose herself," she said gently. "She's come such a long way."
Aaron nodded. JJ left.
As the door closed behind her, Emily stirred again. Aaron sat down on the bed and took her hand gently.
"Mary, mother of God." Warm brown eyes opened in terror and took in their surroundings; the papered walls and comfy furniture of a hotel room, the blanket resting softly over her, and the tall, wiry man sitting next to her.
"It's okay, love," the man murmured in a soft, gentle voice. "You're safe now, I promise."
A/N2: Did I mention that tomorrow's my birthday? You should totally write me fics I mean leave me reviews for a present! =D