A/N: This originally was supposed to just be a one-shot of Derek's POV in the aftermath of the explosion. But I decided to add another chapter based on some feedback from Nix 1978. Thank you for the reviews and favorites. I'm new at this – I'm usually just content to read other people's stories but thought I would give it a shot.

Disclaimer: I apologize for forgetting this in Chapter 1 but I don't own Criminal Minds or the characters. Although if I did, Emily and Derek would've gotten together by now.

This was it. His whole life was coming down to this moment. He had had a few brushes with death before, most recently at the hands of a sadistic serial killer named George Foyet. An arm across his throat, cutting off the oxygen to his brain and Derek began to see spots as his head swam. But even through the haze, he had one coherent thought: I never got to tell her.

And then, all of the sudden, he could breathe again. Derek's brain barely registered the loud POP of a gunshot , chest heaving as Matthew Downing's grip loosened and his body went limp. Derek looked up in confusion, still trying to catch his breath, and saw Hotch holstering his weapon. Hotch didn't say anything immediately and turned around to walk out of the alley, knowing Derek would follow behind.

"Prentiss, what's your status? " No response. "Prentiss, do you copy?" Nothing. Derek's heart jumped into his throat. Damnit Emily.

Racing through the front entrance of Union Station, Derek followed Hotch up to the mezzanine level and stopped short when they spotted Emily and Will, both collapsed on to the floor, breathing heavily as the adrenaline surged through their bodies. A very complicated looking device had been discarded several feet away.

"You okay?" Hotch asked, pointedly looking at Will, and then allowing his gaze to fall on Emily.

Will nodded and jerked his head towards Emily. "Yes, thanks to her. I tried to get her to leave." His eyes locked with her. "But she refused. And thank you doesn't seem to be enough."

Derek sat silent during the exchange, his gaze on Emily, never faltering. She was either oblivious or pretended not to notice his intense stare. He thought back to a few minutes ago when he thought he was going to die, as Downing attempted to choke the life out of him. He never wanted his friends to go through what he did when he was a little boy and his father died, trying to protect him. What he felt fifteen months ago when his friend, the partner he trusted to watch his back every day, took a seven-year fight to Boston, hell-bent on confronting an international terrorist. He never wanted Emily to go through what he went through when he thought she was dead. Never wanted her to feel the pain of what it was like to lose someone who had wormed their way into her heart and held on to it with a vice grip. And at that moment, all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and never let go.

The moment was broken when the bomb squad entered. Derek let his gaze shift to where they were gingerly handling the device, firing questions at both Emily and Will. The shrill ring of Hotch's phone, undoubtedly Strauss calling to check in, barely registered with thoughts of what could have happened today swam through his head. In the back of his mind, he knew someone needed to call JJ, let her know that Will was alive. Let her know that Emily had saved his life.

His was so engrossed with his thoughts that he didn't realize Emily had moved to stand next to him until she gently nudged him. "Hey. You okay?"

Derek chucked. "Am I okay? Emily, you almost died. For the second time today. I should be asking you that question."

She laughed, a relieved smile reaching her eyes, as she turned to get a good look at him, finally noticing the beginnings of a nasty bruise across his throat. Unconsciously, she reached up and lightly dragged her finger across the mark. "What happened?" Her eyes were wide with worry, looking between his neck and his eyes, waiting for him to respond.

Derek tried to form a sentence but had trouble doing so, only being able to concentrate on the feel of her touch on his skin. He swallowed nervously. "Nothing. Don't worry about me. I want to know how you're doing."

"Derek," Emily's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't look like nothing. "

He relented. "Downing had me. Thank God for Hotch because I don't know if I'd be standing here right now if it wasn't for him."

Emily released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and silently cursed herself as she felt tears spring to her eyes. She tried to fight off the ensuing thoughts as she stared at him. What would I do without you?

Derek must have noticed the turmoil in her eyes because the next thing she knew, she was in his arms, engulfed in a tight hug, his left hand tangled in her dark hair. She fit perfectly in his arm, her head tucked under his chin as he unconsciously pressed a light kiss – light enough that she wasn't even sure that's what he did – to the top of her head. "Hey…I'm fine. You're fine. And this is over."