Dedicated to my pal, Hodgpodge! I hope you like this little one shot! Thank you for your continued support in all my stories! You're such a wonderful friend!

10th muse

. I do not own any Criminal Minds characters! They're solely the property of ABC series Criminal Minds, I merely 'borrowed' them!

. Enjoy!

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One Shot – Criminal Minds

HardCore

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"Just what do you think you're doing, Prentiss?" He glared at her.

She returned his angry glare with a similar gaze, "My job, Hotch."

They were practically nose to nose, breathing hard.

"I thought I told you to back down."

She hesitated a bit but came back, "You did but you seem to be having a bit of trouble restraining the target."

He huffed, "I can handle him."

She frowned slightly, "You almost lost him, Hotch, you almost got shot."

"Hey, hey...what about me? I'm hurt...I'm bleeding here."

They looked down at their target, "Shut up! You're fine!" Hotch said.

"You'll live." Emily shook her head and looked up at Hotch as she continued, "As I was saying, he almost shot you -"

"But he didn't, I shot him first." He pointed at him as if to show her. "And I managed to disarm him quickly." He then placed his right shoe on the man's right wrist, causing him to writhe in pain, "and he's not going anywhere any time soon." He ended calmly.

Emily shook her head and pointed at the brick wall behind Hotch; they were in an alley in the suburbs where they had cornered their target, "See that?" Hotch turned around and saw a bullet stuck three inches off to his right and turned back to face her. "He shot at you," She chastised him as he raised his brow. "A little bit to your right, you'd be a goner." She said heatedly. "You...you should be more careful, Hotch!"

He stared at her, "You cared." He said softly.

She looked startled, "What?"

"You cared for me, why?"

She shook her head, "I cared for all of you, the team." She tried to deny.

He shook his head as he raise his hand and lightly caressed her chin, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth; it was the lightest of touch but it sent a thousand volt of electricity down her spine! "...Hotch..." She uttered with a slight guttural in her voice as she leaned towards him.

"Emily, you..." His fingers caressed all over her smooth cheek as it kept on...

She was breathing hard, she didn't want him to stop.

He was feeling her bare neck now and pulling her closer to him, and she felt his warm breath on her face as she turned her face up...

"Hey! I'm bleeding, man!" The man tried to move his other hand and Emily stepped on his wrist and he grunted as he couldn't move, "This is fucked up shit! I'm calling my lawyer! This is police brutality."

Sighing, Hotch stepped harder on his injured wrist as he grunted more "Oh shit! You're paying for this! Get off me!"

But the two agents simply ignored him as he tried in vain to struggle.

Emily laughed as she opened her eyes and looked at Hotch who was smiling at her. "This is not the right time, Hotch."

He nodded as they continued their conversation and he turned his head slightly, "No...and we're about to have company."

She turned to where soon, the other BAU team was running into the alleyway, followed by the police.

"Hey!" Rossi called. "Are you guys okay?"

"NO!" The man on the ground called. "I'm hurt! He shot me and then he stepped on me!"

"Shut up!" Hotch and Emily shouted at him. "You have the right to remain..." Emily bend down to the man and began to read the Miranda Rights as Hotch cuffed his good wrist and hauled him up and escorted him to the police car.

"I thought I lost you two..." Morgan stared at Hotch and Emily, "How did you know where he was at?" They began to head toward their SUVs.

Hotch stared at Emily, "Followed his cigarette butts.." They were walking side by side.

Emily nodded, "I did tell you, he's packing a weapon and you didn't believe me-"

Hotch raised his brow, "Prentiss, I never said I didn't believe you!"

She nodded, "Yes, you did."

He shook his head and leaned close to her, "You and I are gonna have a word or two about who's the boss." He whispered.

As they hopped into the SUV, leaving Morgan and Rossi to ride in the other vehicle, "Do you think it's a good idea, them riding back together? They could wind up shooting each other." Morgan watched as he started the ignition.

Dave stared at the SUV before them and shook his head, "Nah...they're always butting heads, but they'll be alright."

Derek turned to face Dave and smiled, "Why can't they ever get along?"

"Because they're too much alike."

Morgan began to laugh, "Do you think this is a smoke screen? I mean they're hiding something?"

Rossi frowned, "You mean they're trying to fool us?" He shook his head. "Not a chance, I've seen them, they don't show any emotion toward each other. I don't see it."

Derek began to drive and followed the first SUV, "You're right, I don't see it. I mean, we'd pick it off real quick, right?"

Rossi nodded. "Hey, you're looking at a couple of excellent profilers here, and I don't see it at all."

"Yeah, they're just colleagues, that's all."

"I agree, just colleagues who argues a lot." They began to laugh.

…...

Later that night, at Emily's apartment,

Hotch was snuggled by Emily's side. "Mmmm...that was rather nice."

She nodded, her eyes were closed, "What was? The take down or us, just now?"

He cracked one eye opened, "Um, us."

She smiled, "Yes, it was, and there's more waiting."

He chuckled, "I'm spent, Em."

She ran her hand on his skin, "Are you sure?"

He shook his head as he felt his body harden, "You, my dear, are not playing fair."

She sat up and smiled, "I know, I like to play hardcore, ready?"

He grabbed her hips and positioned her to where he wanted her, and growled, "Are you?"

…...

The End