Criminal Minds

Wanted: Requited Love

It was three p.m. and Emily Prentiss was incapable of concentrating on the documents in front of her. Writing completion reports to close case files was as routine as brushing her teeth every morning and night, but in this instance the words blurred together as his face appeared in their place. He had been so close the night before, his hand on her hip, slowly inching her forward. He dipped his head ever so slowly. His lips, a ghost of a whisper, grazed hers then suddenly a door slam down the hall and he pulled back. His eyes, a moment before hazy with desire, were suddenly steely and startled. He took a step back. "I'll... I'll see you at work." Aaron Hotchner spun on his heel and walked away.

The night had gone beautifully. Heck, the day had gone perfectly. They'd been spending a lot of time together the last several months, after he'd initially asked her to watch his son, Jack, a few times when he had to stay late to finish paperwork, and his late-ex-wife's sister, Jessica, couldn't pick him up from school. On one of those nights, Emily had taken a movie over from her collection and watched it with Jack until his father came home. He and his son had stopped by to return the movie. Then Jack tugged on his father's pant leg and asked if Em'ly could go to the zoo with them.

Most Saturdays, when they weren't chasing monsters, Emily spent her time cleaning her apartment, doing some much needed laundry, and then would sit in front of the television and veg with a glass of wine. So, yesterday, Emily agreed to tag along, and it had been fun, exhilarating even. They talked about nothing in particular while they were walking from one animal complex to another, alternating between her holding one of Jack's hands to Aaron holding his hand. At one point, both held each of Jack's hands and swung him back and forth. He'd giggled a lot and kept asking them to do it over and over again. It had been… fun.

When the day ended, Aaron dropped Jack off at Jessica's for a sleep over with a friend from school. He was driving Emily home when he asked if she wanted some dinner. She'd agreed. They went to dinner, Italian, sitting close together rather than across the table from each other. He ordered a bottle of wine and they sipped on a few glasses, devoured some pasta and chatted about everything they could think of except work. He hadn't known, but wasn't surprised, that she'd taken dance lessons when she was younger, ballet and tap; and she hadn't known, but was surprised, that he'd also taken dance, ballroom and Latin, except that he was in his early 20s, in college and helping out a classmate with her dance recital routines.

Little snippets of their lives came out, including his dimples when she told him about the time when she had a solo and couldn't remember the steps. She was eight and so embarrassed. He'd envisioned a small, dark-haired Emily running off stage and hiding behind a curtain, and he told her so, which earned him a jab in the ribs.

When the night ended, he'd driven her home and walked her to her door. She said the usual I-had-a-nice-time, but this time, compared to many of her other dates, she truly meant it. She'd leaned into him, put her hand on his shoulder and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. She at first hadn't noticed Aaron had placed a steadying hand on her hip. But when she pulled back, he left his hand there and gently pulled her closer. She inched her hand around to the back of his neck and... he nearly kissed her. If it hadn't been for that damn door, she thought. When he walked away so quickly, she'd never wanted to pull her gun out and shoot someone before. She had some talking to do with her neighbor.

Emily huffed loudly and threw the papers back down on her desk. She wasn't going to get anymore done today. With another long sigh, she gathered the papers, filed them and placed them off to the side on her coffee table. She'd try to finish them later. Right now, she just wanted a hot bath and a cool glass of wine.

The next day at work, she trudged up to her unit chief's office to hand him her reports. She wasn't looking forward to the interchange. She was sure it was going to be awkward as hell. His blinds were closed and the door shut, but she hadn't seen anyone go in or out since she'd arrived. Frowning, now that she thought about it, she wondered if he'd even come into work.

She knocked softly on his door, waited a heartbeat, then two, and just as she was about to walk away, she heard a muffled, "Come in." She turned the knob and opened the door. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but his standing at his window, with his hands on his hips, looking out and not bothering to turn around when she entered wasn't it. Before she could get a word out, he said, "You can put them on my desk."

She took a step... then stopped. How had he known it was she with files for him to sign? Her eyes flashed a moment then she asked, "You've been watching us through the blinds?"

She didn't think his shoulders could get any more tense, but something shifted in his stance. To her trained eye, it would appear he hadn't realized what he'd said and had been caught out.

He didn't answer at first and she'd just about decided to march over to him, grab his arm and swing him around to face her when he dipped his head and sighed, heavily.

"Aaron, we need to talk."

"I know. I just can't right now. It's... I'm," he stuttered. He ran a hand in frustration through his hair then let it remain on his neck. "I'm not ready, Emily."

She knew what he meant. It wasn't that he wasn't willing to talk; it was that he wasn't ready to further their relationship. The emotional, and physical, beating he'd taken in the last year and a half had left many wounds that still needed healing.

She wanted to comfort him, to walk over to him and hold him and let him let it all out, but that wasn't Aaron Hotchner and he was desperately trying to be that man, the man he was before George Foyet had entered his life.

"Aaron? Look at me."

He didn't.

"Please, look at me."

When he finally turned around, she saw tears welling up in his eyes. It took every bit of strength she had to keep from marching over to him and embracing him.

"I know, Aaron. I understand. We'll just forget it happened and move on."

His brow furrowed and he blinked. He started to say something, but she stopped him.

"We have to or we won't be able to work together."

This time, she turned on her heel and walked out of his office, gently shutting the door behind her.

Two hours later, the team was on a plane heading for Phoenix, Arizona.

Two months after Phoenix, Emily Prentiss paced her hotel room, cussing under her breath. What the hell was she doing? She let out a long guttural moan. She'd tried so hard to ignore her feelings for her boss, and at times, she thought she was succeeding. Then a day like this one happened and all her walls started falling around her. She was thankful she had kept her head together enough not to run to him when she saw him and Derek Morgan walking through the smoky haze left from the explosion. She'd held her breath so long, waiting for them to be all right, that when she finally did breathe she almost hyperventilated.

"I can't do this anymore," she mumbled to herself. She grabbed her jacket from the double bed and walked out the door. She didn't know where she was going, but she had to get out of the hotel and get some air. She'd never liked it when women would fawn and pine over a man. She sure as hell wasn't one to do it herself and never had... until now. When he had his back to her, she'd find herself staring after him, wishing he'd turn around and catch her so they'd be motivated to talk about what had happened that night at her door. But he never did. It was as if he'd blocked it out, forgotten it, which was exactly what she'd told him they needed to do. So why couldn't she?

Tonight at dinner in the hotel's restaurant, everyone had been joking around, and even Aaron had joined in with one-liners that had everyone bursting. The case was over and they would be heading out in the morning, early. Everything was going so well until the band started playing. Suddenly the focus was on the band and the patrons heading out to the small dance floor at the other end of the restaurant. The music wasn't hard and fast, but smooth like good soulful jazz. Emily looked over to say something to Rossi and caught Aaron staring at her. She tilted her head as in question, and he just turned his head away and started talking to Reid. She ignored it and turned back to Rossi, only to see concern in his eyes.

"Just be patient, he'll come around," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"He's not ready, Emily. But give him time and he'll be able to face his feelings."

"Wha...I ... What are you talking about?"

"We've all seen it. You two are struggling to find your feet in this... relationship. It's just going to take some time, but you'll touch ground soon enough."

She stole a glance over at Aaron and Reid, but they were still conversing. She looked back to the dance floor. "I really don't know what you mean, Dave."

"Yes, you do. You two have been dancing around each other for months. For a short while, we all thought you had figured it out, but the last couple of months, I almost considered taking my letter opener to cut through the tension in the air. You stare longingly at him and he stares longingly at you, but never do the eyes meet. May I ask what happened?"

"No!" she exclaimed. It had come out louder than she'd meant it to, and the outburst pulled Aaron's and Reid's attention to them. She looked down at the table then got up and leaned over to grab her purse. At the same time, she sighed and ground out through her clenched teeth so only Dave could hear, "Nothing happened." She met his eyes and understanding dawned. She then walked out and went up to her room.

That was how, at nearly 11 p.m., she found herself walking down a small town's main street with no idea where she was heading. She just walked... and shivered each step of the way.

Ten minutes later, she turned around to head back when the sole focus of her thoughts stood less than fifteen feet away. So lost in her thoughts was she that she hadn't heard him walking behind her.

"I saw you leave."

"So you followed me? Without saying anything?"

"I was worried. You were alone."

If the circumstances were different, she'd be grateful for the concern, but as it was, she was a bit perturbed by his attention, especially with the lack of it previously.

"I'm fine. Just go back."

"I can't."

"It's easy. Turn around and walk."

"Not while you're still out here alone."

She huffed and turned around. Fine, I'll just keep going.

She started to move forward, but was tugged backward into the solid wall of his chest.

"What are you doing?" he asked. She turned toward him but he hadn't let go of her.

"I'm getting some air and trying to clear my head," she grumbled.

"About what?"

"Urrgh. Do I have to spell it out?"

"I guess so."

"Well… I can't. We agreed not to talk about it."

His lips pressed together grimly and he shifted his gaze to his hands on her arms. "Is that what you and Rossi were talking about?" His voice sounded tense and hurt.

She blinked. Did he think I was talking about him, us?

"We can't let on to anyone, Emily. It could cost us our jobs."

She yanked herself out of his arms and took a couple of steps back.

"I didn't tell him anything. But he certainly thinks he knows all about it. He and the team know something happened. They just don't know what and were hoping we'd work it out." She huffed and ground out through her teeth, "Then he said he'd been watching us. Watching us both stare after each other. He said," she hesitated. "He said to give you time and you'll be able to face your feelings… for me." Her voice lowered on the last.

"After everything today, almost losing you and Morgan in the explosion, and then Dave's meddling – " She bit her lip and didn't finish. "I just couldn't take it anymore and needed some air. And by the way, to hell with our jobs! I could care less. I just… I really don't care about anything anymore," her voice broke. She turned away again as tears welled in her eyes.

The moment dragged on until finally he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't... think it would be this hard."

"Well, it is and I can't do it anymore. Maybe it's time I looked into that State Department job again."

"No!" he nearly shouted.

They both looked around to see if anyone had heard them.

"I don't want you to leave. I can't... I can't lose you, Emily. I –" He looked away, his lips tightly pressed together.

Emily waited for him to speak. She hadn't wanted to force the issue but as it was, it was all out there now.

"I don't know what to do, Emily. It hurts just looking at you."

She didn't know what to say. It wasn't a declaration of love, but it was certainly more than anything she'd expected from him tonight, or anytime really. She'd gotten to the point that she'd started to believe he no longer felt anything for her. She saw him take a tentative step towards her then another and one more had him standing inches away.

"I can't do it anymore either." He sniffed. "Em, It's cold out here. Let's go back to the motel and we'll talk about it."

She searched his eyes and saw the hope held in their depths. She placed her hand over his heart and leaned in. "Kiss me."

It was all the invitation he needed. His hands went to her waist, pulling her flush against him, and then he crushed his lips to hers. The kiss wasn't tender, but heated and frenzied. Minutes later, they pulled apart, their heavy breathing frosty on the chilly night air. Stepping back, he grasped her hands and tugged on them, coaxing her to go back to the hotel with him. But she remained frozen to the spot. "Emily?"

She shook her head.

"We can go back and talk."

"I don't want to talk anymore."

His brow furrowed again, questioningly.

"No more words."

At first, he thought he was imagining her meaning, but her eyes clearly declared to him what she wanted. He coaxed her forward, held her close and placed a tender kiss to the top of her head as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. "We need to talk, but it can wait until we get home."

She tilted her head back and glimpsed the understanding reflected back to her in his dark eyes. She nodded, and he pulled her close to his side. Together, they walked back to the motel.

The night was full of promises of a future together.

A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a Criminal Minds, Hotchner/Prentiss fic. I'm considering making this a serious of one shots. Let me know what you think.