I Won't Let Go
Prompt: I Won't Let Go- Rascal Flatts

It's like a storm that cuts a path.
It breaks your will.
It feels like that.
You think you're lost, on your own.
You're not alone.

Emily had returned from hiding shortly after Doyle was killed. Morgan, Rossi, and Reid felt betrayed. Rossi felt betrayed by Hotch for lying to him. Morgan felt betrayed by Emily, and Reid felt betrayed by Hotch, JJ, and Emily for keeping everything from the team.

Morgan was angry and Reid actually felt broken. Emily felt all alone, even though Hotch, JJ, and Garcia accepted her back. She had lost half of the team as her friends. They hated her for everything she did.

I will stand by you.
I will help you through.
When you've done all you can do and you can't cope,
I will dry your eyes.
I will fight your fight.
I will hold you tight and I won't let go.

Hotch was there for Emily. He would help her whenever she needed him. He could tell she felt left out because of Morgan and Reid's cold treatment toward her. He wouldn't let her get hurt or retreat away from the team.

He wouldn't let her leave them again. He knew, if she left again, it would be permanent. He'd help her no matter what. He just didn't want her to leave.

It hurts my heart to see you cry.
I know it's dark, this part of life.
It finds us all and we're too small to stop the rain.
But when it rains,
I will stand by you.
I won't let you fall.
Don't be afraid to fall.
I'm right here to catch you.
I won't let you down.
You're gonna make it.
I know you can make it.

One day, Emily sat in the bullpen with Morgan. She was working on a file and had to ask Morgan a question. He snapped at her and she asked him what his problem was.

He started to yell at her and said, "Emily, I can't trust you. You slept with a terrorist! You lied to every single person on the team. I asked you if anything was wrong and you told me you were fine. A few weeks later, I find myself being shot at by Doyle's men. I don't like being shot at, Emily. Even then, you acted like you had no idea what was going.

You hurt everyone. When JJ told us you had died in surgery, you didn't see how sad everyone was. Garcia couldn't stop crying for days. Reid never got to say goodbye to you. I was so angry! I blamed myself. I thought if I could have gotten there faster, you would have still been alive. I saw everyone on this team slowly falling apart, and that's all because you couldn't trust us enough to help you.

Your whole life is a lie. What else are you lying about? Is your name even Emily Prentiss? Are you really who you say you are? How will we ever know? Honestly, I have to be your partner, but I have an option to be your friend, and you are definitely not my friend. My friends and I trust each other. We tell each other everything."

Emily couldn't take it any longer. She had to say something. She shouted back, "Derek, I am sick of this. You and Reid have treated me harshly ever since I returned. I get it, you are upset that I lied. But you have no right to judge me on my past. I didn't have any other way to get information on Doyle. It was not my choice to go undercover.

I know I hurt everyone, and I'm so sorry about that. I am sick of being ignored and looked at differently. I'm done. I'm so sorry I ran to protect you all and your families. I'm sorry I wasn't selfish. I'm sorry I put everyone else ahead of myself. If I didn't run when I did, you, everyone on the team, and all of your families would be dead right now. But no, I ran and saved every single one of you. Sure, all your feelings were hurt, but at least you're alive right now.

I had to lie to finish what had started so many years before. The team was falling apart, but they would have soon gotten over my death. They would finish grieving and realize I had saved them and they'd only remember the good times we had.

I don't care if you don't want to be my friend. You have that option to rebuild our friendship if you want to. But right now, I can't ever see us being friends again. I am done with this. I'm done with everything I've gone through these last few months. I'm sick of everything. I'm out of here!"

Emily didn't want to show any emotions in front of Morgan. She stormed out of the bullpen after collecting all of her belongings, knowing every eye in was on her. As soon as she was in her own apartment, she broke down crying.

xxxxxx

Hotch had seen and heard everything from his office. He walked out of his office and down to the bullpen. "Morgan, we need to talk later. That's an order." He said, sternly.

Hotch walked down to the garage and got in his car. He drove to Emily's house. When she opened her door, he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks. She let him into her apartment, but neither said anything.

He quickly embraced her and said, "Emily, it's okay."

"I know, but everything he said- I wanted to know what he was so angry about, but I didn't know he would say everything he was thinking. This was all my-"

Hotch cut her off with a kiss. He puled back and Emily just stared up at him. She had a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.

"Emily, you need to stay strong. Don't let it bother you. Morgan was just angry. He had to let it out eventually. I'm going to talk to him and everything will be fine. I'm not going to let you get hurt. I don't want you to leave again."

"Aaron, I won't be leaving anytime, at all. Thank you for everything." She said, kissing him.

I will stand by you. I will help you through.
When you've done all you can do and you can't cope,
I will dry your eyes.
I will fight your fight.
I will hold you tight and I won't let go.