Author's Note: This is a missing scene from The Fight. I just couldn't imagine how anyone, even the invincible Emily Prentiss, could go over the bonnet of a car and be fine. How does that happen?! I didn't believe that she'd, for example, broken four ribs but I thought it was possible that the initial impact could've cracked a couple. I'm not a doctor, nor a medical student so I don't actually have a clue but I'm trying to think what happens in real life.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds or Mick Rawson, but I do own the receptionist and the nurse. It's something!

Getting a Little Sidetracked

Mick punched the wall so hard that it sent the junkie running for his life. His fist left a dent in the corrugated metal. Emily slotted her gun back into its holster and clipped it in, watching as Mick ran a hand through his hair. She sighed, and then winced suddenly as pain sliced down her side. She gasped and her hand flew to her ribs. Bending over a little, she rested her hand on her other knee and breathed in slowly. The pain wasn't quite as bad as before but it was still enough to make her eyes water.

"Hey," Mick had noticed what was happening, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," Emily hissed, breathing as carefully as she could.

"You don't look okay," he remarked as he walked over to her.

Emily laughed shortly and winced again. "Then why did you ask?"

"Good point." Mick touched her shoulder tentatively. "Come on, you're obviously not alright. What's hurting?"

"I went over the bonnet of a car, chasing that junkie. I thought I was fine." Emily groaned.

"Well, obviously not. Come on, you, let's get you to the Emergency Room." Mick gently placed his hands on Emily's shoulders and carefully steered her back onto the street. Emily let him pull her along, along the street until they reached the back alley that one of the SUVs had been parked in. He opened the door for her and then got in the driver's side. He switched on the ignition and eased the car into the street. As soon as they were driving straight, Mick switched on the lights and accelerated.

As they sped over a pothole in the road, Emily inhaled sharply. She clenched her fist.

"Sorry." Mick apologised.

"S'okay." Emily's voice was more croaky than usual.

"How the hell did you keep running after you went over the car?"

"Good question. Adrenaline?" Emily suggested, sucking in her breath slowly and then releasing it with great care. Her face was pinched and her fist was curled on the dashboard, her knuckles white as she counted the minutes crawling by. She really needed a hospital, whether to find out if something was really wrong or to get some decent pain killers, she didn't mind or care. She just wanted to get there, and get out of the God damn car. Granted, Mick was driving fast to get her to the Emergency Room, but still, the man drove like a maniac. And every little bump or hole in the road sent a little stab of pain straight through her ribcage.

"Can we get there any faster?" she hissed through her teeth.

"Trying, Agent Prentiss." Mick sniped playfully but he still edged his foot further onto the accelerator, increasing the speed of the SUV already driving double the speed limit. He could see that she was in pain. So he drove that little bit faster.

The bright city lights flashed past, blurring into a steady stream of psychedelic colour. Emily closed her eyes, feeling slightly ill. But even with her lids closed, she could still see it. So she started reciting things in her head. She tried to remember every book she had ever read, every film she'd ever seen, each case the team had ever worked on. Something that distracted her and kept her breathing steady. And it was working.

When they drew up outside the hospital, Emily was pretty calm. She'd managed to uncurl her fists and her breathing was relatively slow, with only the occasional hitch. Mick was fairly confidant as he climbed out of the SUV and helped her out. She was going to be fine. It was clear that it took a great deal to knock Emily Prentiss off her feet. After all, she'd been hit by a car and she'd kept running, for over a hundred yards. It was pretty impressive.

He slammed the car door shut with his foot and then guided her easily through the front door of the Emergency Room. Inside, the reception area was crowded; people of all colours, shapes and sizes seemed to be flocking into the ER that night. Mick carefully steered Emily towards reception and flashed his badge at the receptionist. She smiled wearily at him and picked up the phone on her desk, speaking into it quickly.

She put it down and smiled up at Mick. "Agent, if you'd go and sit down by the door on the right, someone will come and get you in a couple of minutes."

"Thank you." Mick smiled graciously and put his arm around Emily's shoulders, directing her towards the chairs previously indicated. She rolled her eyes at him.

"I can walk by myself, you know. The car didn't break my legs." She pointed out.

"Agent Prentiss," Mick's tone was more than slightly sarcastic. "When we were in the car, you were having trouble breathing. I think at that point you handed over all rights to walking on your own." He raised his eyebrows.

"Fine," Emily sighed in exasperation and then winced.

Mick looked at her with a face that said 'I told you so'.

Emily rolled her eyes again.

It was only a few minutes before a nurse appeared. He hurried over with a fixed smile and stopped in front of Emily.

"Agent Prentiss, I presume?" he was white, late thirties, dressed in nurse scrubs. He was tall, probably about as tall as Emily with short, dark brown hair.

She nodded.

"Come with me." He turned away and walked towards a pair of double doors at the end of the room.

Emily got up and walked after him. Mick also stood but Emily called back to him over the shoulder.

"Don't come. This could get embarrassing."

Mick snorted in response. "I'll wait for you."

"You better. You're driving." Emily replied before disappearing through the doors behind the nurse.

Almost an hour later, Emily reappeared, sliding a package into her pocket. Mick stood up as she approached and smiled. She seemed much less tense than the last time he'd seen her. Looking up, she smiled back at him.

"Let's go." She started to make her way towards the door.

Mick fell into stride beside her. "How are you now?"

"Better. They gave me some extra-strength painkillers. Chest x-ray confirmed two fractured ribs but there's nothing they can do to fix them other than let them reset on their own. And so I get these really strong painkillers."

"Okay." Mick pulled out his cell phone as they cleared the front entrance of the hospital. "I'm gonna call in and update the bosses and then we're goin' back. It's after one o'clock."

Emily looked like she wanted to argue and then thought better of it. She just nodded and continued walking back to the SUV, almost as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't gone over the bonnet of a car. Mick shook his head. Remarkable woman.