They don't remember exactly how it happened, but they do know that the stress on the case had been high. Both agents' lives had been put in danger before the rest of the team had rescued them. All it had taken was a simple how are you.
...
A knock sounded on Hotch's door. He sighed as he loosed his tie, tossed it onto the table and made his way to the door, pulling at his collar on the way.
"Prentiss," He asks as he opens the door. She stands there in her pajamas, a tank top and shorts.
"Sorry," she said uncharacteristically shy. "Were you getting ready for bed? I can leave."
She goes to turn but he grabs her arm. "No, you don't have to leave. I was but what do you need?" He let's go of her and opens the door further. "Come in."
She does so moving into the middle of the room. He shuts the door quietly and locks it again, sitting on the edge of the hotel bed. They stay like that, in silence, for a while, neither saying a word.
Emily breaks the silence, "Hotch, about what happened earlier." She trails off catching his look. She sighs, "How are you?"
He stares at her intensely, with that signature Hotch, stoic expression. Then, still without speaking he gets up and pulls her in for a hug. She stops him though, with a hand on his chest. She stares up into his eyes and doesn't know what comes over her as she kisses him. At first he doesn't reciprocate the kiss but when he does it becomes heated. His fingers dig into the small of her back, pulling her impossibly close. Her fingers dig into the back of his neck, making sure he can't move away. She pushes him away with an animal like growl, and then she keeps pushing him, until his knees hit the bed and he's forced to sit down on it. She climbs as gracefully as she can onto his lap and he groans in response. "Prentiss," he says breathlessly.
She doesn't respond, just pushes him onto his back and straddles him. She goes about undoing his shirt's buttons, slowly undoing them one by one. As soon as the last one is unbuttoned she pulls the shirt open and runs her hands down his chest. Her hands go for his belt and that's when he grabs her wrists. She looks up at him startled and sees that his eyes have darkened.
When he speaks his voice is husky, "this isn't right, we have to stop."
She pulls her hand away and shifts on his lap causing a small moan to escape him. She lets out a soft, throaty chuckle as she whispers to him, "you sure you want me to stop."
"Prentiss if I let you do this now there is no going back," he says trying to reason with her and himself.
She moves against him again. "What if I don't want to go back?"
He sighs and rubs his face with a hand. Then he sits up, grabbing onto her as she is unbalanced by the sudden move; her hands on his shoulders, his on her waist, stroking her skin. He shifts backwards towards the head board and when he gets there he pulls her against his side. She sighs as well, laying her head on his chest. He runs his fingers through her hair soothing, playing with the dark tresses.
"I'm sorry Hotch," she murmurs sleepily, fingers playing against his chest in a slow rhythm.
He takes a slow breath before replying, "You did nothing wrong Emily."
"We could have been killed," she argues.
He sighs, "You kept us alive Emily, what is upsetting you?"
She bites her lip and sighs as well. "You shouldn't have had to see me like that," she says quietly. "I should have tried to stop him."
"Emily," he says, tilting her chin so she's looking at his face. "You shouldn't have had to do that but you kept us alive. It's not your fault."
She mumbles inaudibly, hiding her face against his shoulder so her hair falls against her face. When he tucks the loose strands of hair behind her ear she keeps her eyes closed tight. He leaves her be, the eventual slowing of her breathing warming his heart.
…
Maybe an hour or two goes by when a knock sounds on his door for the second time that night and he jolts out of his half asleep state. "One minute," he calls quietly as to not disturb the woman in his arms. He slips his arm from under her head and she shifts causing him to freeze. He waits until she settles down again, like a parent with a dozing child, before climbing from the bed and heading for the door. Expecting it to be Rossi he starts talking as he opens the door a smidgen, "not tonight alright, it's been a long few days."
A scoff has him widening his eyes as he lays them on his visitor. "I'm not that kind of woman, Hotch," she teases a small smirk on her face.
"I apologize JJ, I thought you were Dave," he says back.
"Don't worry about," she starts. "Have you seen Emily? She said she'd be right back and that was an hour and a half ago." She pauses before continuing as she looks him up and down, "and do you sleep in a suit?"
"I don't usually no and yeah," he pauses to rub the back of his neck. "She's in here." He steps back and opens the door a little wider so she can see into the room. She sees Emily and gives him a questioning look. "She fell asleep, we were talking so I left her be; it's been a rough few days," he explains.
"Well, whatever happened I suggest we wake her so no one else catches wind of this; particularly Derek," she says a small smile on her face. He gestures her into the room to wake Emily up. JJ gives Emily's shoulder a small shake and whispers, "Em, wake up." Emily groans and wipes her eyes as she squints up at JJ.
"JJ," She questions sounding more alert. "Did something happen?"
"No," JJ replies glancing at Hotch. "At least I don't think so." Emily follows her gaze and Hotch can swear it looked like she blushed. "I figured you'd rather not give Derek fuel to the fire and by fire I mean Garcia."
"Yeah, thanks," Emily says climbing off the bed. As they leave she stops at the door and turns to Hotch and says, "I'm sorry about earlier."
He nods and replies, "I understand." She smiles in relief.
