A.N. This is my Hotch/Prentiss songfic to Josh Groban's "Hidden Away." And yes, the lack of dialogue is purposeful. There is a line in the song reading "And all these words that you meant to say/Held in silence, day after day." So...yeah. Here's chapter one. Chapter two is the same thing, but from Hotch's POV. It'll be up ASAP.
Over mountains and sky blue seas/ On great circles, will you watch for me?/ The sweetest feeling I've got inside/ I just can't wait to get lost in your eyes/ And all these words that you meant to say/ Held in silence day after day/ Words of kindness that our poor hearts crave/ Please, don't keep them hidden away/ Sing it out so I can finally breathe in/ I can take in all you say/ Holding out for something I believe in/ All I really need today/ I want to free your heart, I want to see your heart/ Please, don't keep your heart hidden away.
Prentiss could see Hotch through the window to his office. The dark-haired man was talking to Rossi, and Prentiss could see all those little gestures and habits she had grown to love over the years she had worked in the BAU. Sure, she cared for all her team, but Hotch was something special.
Prentiss knew that Hotch would never look twice at her. And even if he would, the Bureau had a strict no fraternization policy. It would never work. But a girl could dream, right?
JJ entered the room and gave them their new case. The team grabbed their bags to head out.
The jet soared over the landscape. Hotch walked around, handing out case files to his team members. Prentiss took the folder from him. Was it her imagination, or did Hotch's hand linger on the file both a little longer and a little lower than was necessary?
Prentiss shook her head. It had to have been her imagination. Hotch was a master of protocol. He would never do anything that would compromise his position unless he believed it truly right and necessary. And in what world was it necessary, or even really right, to break Bureau policy and date a coworker?
That night they gathered in the hotel's conference room to go over what they had learned that day. Prentiss blinked sleepily—one would think she was used to the jet lag by now, but she wasn't. As soon as they were dismissed she headed towards her room.
She tried to open the door, but couldn't. Cursing, she entered her room key again and again. She was sure it was being entered in the correct direction—she wasn't that tired.
Prentiss made up her mind to go down to the front desk to ask for help. She turned away from her door—and ran into a body placed directly in front of her.
Her Interpol and FBI training took over, and she reacted, slamming herself into the person blocking her path. However, it was completely ineffective. A hand caught her face and pulled it up.
Prentiss found herself looking into dark eyes—the eyes of Aaron Hotchner.
Prentiss gave him a questioning look. He held up his key—they had gotten switched. He gently slid the piece of plastic into the slot, and pushed her door open. Instead of letting her go, he carefully led her into the room.
Prentiss could feel her heart racing, even though she knew nothing could happen. Or so she thought, until Hotch pulled her close, her head against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, matching her own.
Very slowly Prentiss raised her head. Her eyes met Hotch's, and he brought his head down to hers.
Prentiss had been kissed before, but never like this. It wasn't overly sensual, a chaste kiss, but it was more the man than his kissing. Although the kissing wasn't half bad.
Hotch gently pulled away, and Prentiss looked at him, raising her eyebrows. Hotch grinned—an uncharacteristic move for him—and enveloped his coworker in a hug, one that drew her far nearer to him than either had ever thought she would be.
Hotch knew he would never voluntarily let her go out of his life. And Prentiss would never leave.