Author's Note: Here's a one-shot that I came up with. If it gets good reviews, then I'll make it more than a one-shot. R&R please!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Emily picked up her phone, tears sliding down her face. It was seven o'clock in the evening. Her stomach churned as she dialed the number she had memorized and used so many times for so long.
But not for the reason she was using it now.
Ring, ring
"This is Aaron", Hotch's monotone voice came over the phone.
*Sniffle* "H-Hotch?" Emily asked.
Immediately, his voice softened.
"Prentiss, what's wrong?" he asked concernedly.
"I-I just need to t-talk to someone", she mumbled. Hotch tensed.
Lately, Emily had been down in the dumps. On their last case, she had been uninvolved and unresponsive. All he knew was that she was in some sort of relationship with a man named… What was it? Right, his name was Jeremy. Hotch vaguely remembered meeting him at a club one late night when the team got together. Jeremy was good-looking and muscular. Hotch imagined that Emily would be happy with a man like him.
Many a time, he had seen bruises on her arms, and once on her neck. The one on her neck, he didn't point out, but when any of the BAU members had asked what the bruises were from, she merely shook her head, flashed an embarrassed smile, and said that she'd fell down the stairs. Hotch suspected Jeremy multiple times, but he didn't want to offend Emily.
"Of course, Prentiss, what do you need?" he asked gently.
"I-I don't want to do this over the phone. C-can I come over?" she asked.
"Prentiss, if you need to crash somewhere for a little while, my door is always open", he promised. She sniffled again.
"O-okay, do you mind if I take S-Sergio w-with m-me?" she asked, embarrassed that she was going to stay at her boss's house.
"Of course, take everything you need. Call me when you arrive at the gate, and I'll come get you", he said.
"T-thank you, Hotch", she said.
"Emily", he said softly before she hung up. He had used her first name for the first time since… Well, never, really.
"Hotch?" she asked, confused, wiping the tears away from her eyes.
"Emily, it's alright if you call me Aaron", he said, hanging up. That brought a small smile to her face before she exited her car. She silently thanked God that Jeremy wasn't home yet. She quickly stuffed essentials into her go-bag, packed some of Sergio's food, and turned off all the lights. She looked behind her, trying to remember if she had forgotten anything. Deciding that she didn't, she locked the door and hurried to her car. She slammed the trunk and slipped into the driver's seat, revved the engine, and peeled away from the apartment.
-At Hotch's apartment-
"Aaron?" Emily spoke into the phone.
"Emily. Are you here?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm here. I'm parked right by the gate", she said. Minutes later, Hotch came jogging down the stairs, Jack following suit.
"Emmy!" Jack shouted, running up to her. She received him in her arms, wincing as he brushed harshly against her bruises. Hotch frowned as he noted her wince. She looked up in his eyes, letting him know that she was okay. He retrieved her go-bag from her car and shut the door. She pressed LOCK and followed Hotch up the stairs, with Jack's hand in hers.
"Why you here, Emmy?" he asked innocently. She bent down to face him.
"I just, uh, wanted to visit", she replied, looking at Hotch. Hotch ruffled his son's hair.
"Emily is just going to stay here for a little while, okay?" he asked. Jack's face immediately brightened. They stepped into Hotch's apartment and he closed and locked the door behind him.
"Emily, I probably should have mentioned this before, but I don't have a guest bedroom", Hotch said sheepishly after Jack went into his room.
"Its fine, Aaron, I'll take the couch", she grinned. She placed her go-bag down next to the couch and sat down on it. Hotch nodded slowly.
"O-okay. Um, did you have dinner yet?" he asked. She slowly shook her head, smiling a bit.
"Perfect, actually. I was about to pop some pizza in the oven before you got here. It should be ready in about half an hour", he said. She smiled.
"Great. Can I watch the news?" she asked awkwardly.
"Um, oh, yeah, go ahead, make yourself at home", he said, waving his hand towards the couch. She picked up the remote and flipped through the channels. She shifted into a laying position as not to apply pressure to her bruises. Hotch looked at Emily, so focused on the couch. She felt his gaze and looked up at him. He blushed and looked away, an embarrassed smile on his face.
"S-sorry", he mumbled, still smiling.
"It's okay", she said, masking an enormous grin. Hotch blushed and boldly sat down on a small space of couch next to her. Emily sat up straight, wincing as her bruises ached. Hotch held up a hand.
"Emily. It's okay, you can lie down", he told her. Emily smiled. It was awkward, lying on her boss's couch with him sitting there.
Jack bounded into the living room, already in his PJ's. He had a large teddy bear in his arms and sat down right in front of Emily on the floor. She reached down and ran her hand down the back of his head. All of a sudden, a Viagra commercial blared across the screen. Hotch cleared his throat uncomfortably while Emily stifled her giggles. Luckily, Jack was too focused on playing with Emily's hand to notice the commercial. Once the commercial ended, Emily regained her composure. Hotch snuck a look at Emily's happy face, the laugh that was etched onto it. She was beautiful.
No, stop it, Aaron. All she's doing is escaping from her abusive relationship for a little while. There was no way he was going to fall in love with her.
-After dinner-
"Thank you, Aaron", Emily said, getting up to take her plate to the sink and grimaced as her bruises panged. Hotch stopped her and took her plate for her. She smiled up at him in thanks. Jack tapped Emily gently on the shoulder, careful not to hurt her. She turned to him.
"Emmy, wha'ssat?" he asked eyes wide and pointing to one of the bruises. She shifted.
"I just got hurt a little bit. I'm okay, though", she smiled. He nodded.
"Okay, but if you hurt at night, come wake me up, okay?" he asked, making sure she understood. Her heart melted at his gesture.
"Time for bed, buddy", Hotch told his son. Jack nodded and knelt in front of Emily, whose head was resting on a pillow on the couch.
"Goodnight, Emmy", he said, pressing his little boy lips to her cheek. Emily blushed as Hotch looked on.
"Goodnight, Jack. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite, okay?" she said back, kissing his forehead. He skipped off to his room, awaiting Daddy to tuck him in.
"Well, goodnight, Emily", Hotch said awkwardly.
"Goodnight, Aaron", she smiled. He flipped off the light, leaving Emily to fall asleep behind him.
-One thirty in the morning-
"No, please. Jeremy, no. NO!" Emily screamed in her sleep. Hotch shot straight up out of his bed and took off towards the couch. He slid down in front of her on his knees. He placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Jeremy! Stop, please!" she screamed again, waving her arms in front of her, trying to defend herself. She was still asleep.
"No, no, Emily, shh, it's me, Aaron", he said quietly. Tears streamed down her face as she bolted upward. Ragged breaths tore up her trachea and out through her mouth. Her bruises were sore.
"A-Aaron, I'm s-so s-sorry", she sobbed. He sat down next to her and pulled her in close.
Emily hissed in pain again.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Emily", he grimaced, realizing he had pained her.
"I-it's okay", she sniffled. He got up and headed to the bathroom, pulling out a menthol rub from the cabinet.
"Emily, I have some stuff for your bruises. Do you want to put it on yourself?" he called from the bathroom.
"Um, c-can you do it?" she asked sheepishly.
"Of course", his heart softened immediately.
He made his way back onto the couch and pulled the cord on a table lamp, slightly illuminating Emily's pale skin.
"Okay. Where are they?" Hotch asked, ready to rub.
"Um, o-on my b-back and s-stomach", she said. He rubbed his hands together, spreading the menthol liquid and graced his fingers over her back. He rubbed in circles, drawing a moan from Emily.
"Feel better?" he asked.
"Yeah, thank you. Um, Aaron, my scar", she mumbled before he rubbed the menthol on her stomach.
"It's okay", he replied. She pulled her shirt up slightly so that he had room to see the bruises.
Hotch gasped as he saw black-and-blue, circular shapes dot her stomach. Just above her bellybutton was a still-pink scar from her surgery. He ran his finger over it.
"Aaron, don't. It's disgusting", she said, her voice shrinking.
"Emily. Scars remind us where we've been. They don't have to decide where we're going. This scar just says how incredibly brave you were. This scar is beautiful", he said before kissing it gently. His lips on her skin sent a chill down her spine. She let out a breath that she had been holding in. He continued to rub the menthol on her stomach.
After he was finished, Emily felt better than she had in weeks. No, months. She curled up on the couch. She couldn't fall asleep. Hotch came back after putting the menthol rub away.
"Emily, I hope that helped", he said, smiling.
Emily rested her head in her right hand and nodded, smiling back.
"Yeah, it did. Lots. Thank you, Aaron", she said.
"It's fine. Wake me up anytime if you need me", he said. Emily nodded. Hotch tucked a piece of hair away from her eyes and behind her ear.
"Good night kiss?" she blurted out hopefully. Hotch chuckled and leaned forward. Emily inhaled the musky scent of male cologne as his warm lips came in contact with hers. He ran his hands through her hair.
Emily moaned into his mouth as they tangled themselves into the kiss. Hotch tugged at the bottom of Emily's shirt and pulled it up.
They spent the night tangled in the heat of each other, undoubtedly enjoying every minute of it.
"Emily?" Hotch breathed after they were fully clothed and finished.
"Yes?"
"I love you", he said quietly.
"Aaron, I-I love you too", she replied. He pressed his lips onto hers and they fell asleep in each other's arms.
-The next morning-
Jack woke up and rubbed his eyes sleepily. He remembered he heard Emily's frightened screaming last night, but he'd fallen asleep and didn't remember anything else. He grabbed his teddy bear and walked into the living room to see his Daddy and Emmy sleeping together. Jack climbed as softly as he could onto the couch and snuggled himself in between Emily and Hotch. Minutes later, he fell asleep, and the three of them stayed there, together.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you want me to continue. The only way is to press that little blue button riiiiight over there. Yeah. That's right. That one. Uh-huh, you're almost there!