A/N: Just a little oneshot that came to mind. I don't think Hotch was really so calm and composed about Emily coming back to the BAU.
What's Your Issue?
Emily tugged on a pair of gym shorts and yanked a tank top over her head. She paced back and forth in the change room while she angrily wrapped her hands before heading towards the FBI gymnasium. They'd just come back from a particularly difficult case – not that any of them were easy – but this one had been difficult for an entirely different reason. Emily had almost had the unsub confessing what he'd done to those four innocent girls. A few more minutes with him and she would have him.
Except Hotch decided to come in and undermine her before bodily escorting her from the room. Not only that, but he pulled her off point and proceeded to keep her on desk duty for the rest of the day. On the plane she had chosen a seat at the back where he had cornered her and reamed her out in front of the entire team.
Enough was enough.
Fortunately her favourite punching bag was free and Emily slammed into it again and again, taking out her frustrations until the sweat rolled off her skin. Her hands throbbed but she kept going, using all of her strength to pummel the bag into submission.
A few of the younger male agents stood on the opposite side of the almost empty gym, watching her with amused looks.
"What?" She shouted at them, spreading her arms wide. "Never seen woman work out before?" The two men smirked at her and headed for the shower, avoiding further confrontation. As they opened the door, Hotch came striding out clad in a grey FBI shirt and long shorts. Emily just scowled at him.
"What are you doing?" He demanded.
"Having a tea party," Was her snarky retort, unravelling the wrap on one of her hands and stretching out her sore fingers.
"What's your issue, Prentiss?" Hotch growled at her, blocking her path as she made to push past him. Her eyes flashed and she glared at him.
"What do you think my issue is, sir? You treated me like a child during the interrogation! Then you put me on desk duty? And on the plane you pass your all mighty Hotchner judgement on me in front of the entire team." She snapped, "You are my issue!"
"You're being too reckless. If you're going to put the integrity of this team on the line I'm going to take action against it," Hotch told her calmly. "You were out of control today. You could have jeopardized the confession."
"How about you lay off, Hotchner," She snarled, this time physically bumping against him to get to the showers. Hotch shot out and grabbed her arm and she was rewarded with a venomous glare. "Let go."
"Let's go." He said, hauling her by her arm over to the wrestling mats.
"Are you kidding me?" She demanded, yanking free.
"You're angry. Let's go." He said, crouching down with his hands out. Emily let out a frustrated breath and took up the stance. "Ready?" He asked, but she had already pounced on him, wrapping her arms around the back of his head to take him down.
Hotch grunted and grabbed her waist, flipping her onto the ground and straddling her waist. "You're being reckless again." He growled with his arm on her chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled him over but he kept her arms behind her back, forcing her backward.
"You don't trust my judgement." She spat back, struggling to hold him down. Hotch tangled their legs and used the leverage to slam her down on her side and press her into the mat. She groaned as he pushed his elbow into her shoulder, holding her there.
"You've been overcompensating and your judgement is clouded." He corrected as she struggled to get her arm free from underneath her. When she did she wrapped it around his neck and caught him in a vice grip, yanking his head back until he pulled off her enough to yank one of his legs up and pin both his arms down onto the mat.
"I'm overcompensating because I need everyone to know I still have their backs." She grunted, slamming him down when he tried to flip her off his back. Hotch hit the mat with a groan and twisted his leg up to wrap his calf around hers and tug her back down.
"The team isn't going to forget you've been 'dead' for months just like that, Prentiss. You need to give it time." Hotch explained, pinning both her wrists down with one hand and spreading her legs wide enough that she had no leverage.
"Well what am I supposed to do, Hotch?" She bucked against him, trying to free her hands with no avail.
"You're supposed to step back and see how this is affecting your ability to do your job. You're taking risks you can't afford to take and you're putting us all on the line." He told her, flipping her onto her back and straddling her waist again, forcing her arms behind her.
"Okay, okay. Enough." Her muffled voice grunted into the floor. Hotch got off her and she jumped up, rubbing the wrist that he'd twisted too hard when he had her down the last time.
"Are you alright," He asked, concerned.
"Fine." She snapped. "I get it okay, they don't trust me because we lied to them about everything but what I don't get is why you're coming down on me like this, Hotch. You're not pissed at me too, are you?"
He opened his mouth to answer but hesitated.
"You're mad at me!" She cried, incredulous. "What else was I supposed to do? Stay here and let Doyle come after me again? Let him kill me instead? How dare you be mad at me for that!"
"Prentiss, I'm not mad at you." He replied calmly, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "It's just a readjustment having you back and I'd appreciate if you'd cut me some slack as well."
She just stared at him.
"You being gone has been hard on all of us. All of us." He repeated.
"I-I'm sorry, sir. I guess I didn't think…" She trailed off, guilt pooling in her stomach.
"We missed you, Prentiss," Hotch said and Emily didn't fail to notice the tender note in his voice.
"I miss you all too, Hotch. I'm sorry." She apologized finally.
"I think we're all just a little scared we're going to lose you again and that makes readjusting difficult." He explained, logically.
"I understand." She muttered, staring at the ground. This whole situation had been because she was too dense to see what was going on around her. She had let her emotions get the better of her and they had come back to bite her in the ass.
"I'm scared to lose you again," Hotch murmured, causing her head to snap up. He had taken a step towards her and before she could find her voice to reply he closed the space between them and kissed her.
Emily stood there like a limp noodle, her arms dangling at her side. Her Unit Chief was kissing her. Her supervisor. Her boss. Hotch was kissing her. He pulled back almost as quickly and scanned her face.
"Wow." She murmured, eyes wide.
"No kidding," He mumbled back, pressing his lips against hers again. Emily wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body up against his. His arms clasped her waist, stroking her side with his long fingers.
Boldly, she snuck her tongue into his mouth and felt him smirk against her lips. Without warning one Hotch bent slightly and swept her legs out from under her, dropping her lightly down onto the mat.
"Hotch what-" He cut her off with another earth-shattering kiss, sucking her lip into his mouth. Emily groaned as he settled a leg between her thighs, looming over her as his hands ventured up her sides. He stroked the side of her breast through the fabric and moved to pull one of the straps off her shoulder when an awkward cough interrupted them.
"Ahem," Morgan cleared his throat, "Maybe you two could get a room?" He suggested. Hotch pulled her up and she just smirked at Morgan. She could have sworn she saw a blush spreading across her partner's face.
Then to Hotch she murmured, "Maybe we could?"
Hotch gave her a shocked look before his face dimpled into a smile. Ignoring Morgan, Hotch took her hand and led her in the direction of the showers. The dark-skinned agent watched them leave, grinning to himself.
It was about time.