Hotch sat frozen in his seat as Prentiss ran out of his office. He didn't even look to see if she went to her desk or where she went. He was in complete shock. The one night he allows himself to give into his feelings for her is the one time she ends up pregnant. He knew in his heart that he was the father of her baby but it was his head that he couldn't get wrapped around the fact that she was pregnant with his baby.
Hotch sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. He let that night finally replay through his head.
Hotch stopped by Prentiss's house to check on her because he knew that she was hurting. She lost one of her oldest friends and it had taken a while but they were finally able to send the guy back to Italy that had killed him. The Vatican had revoked his papers for him to be in the States after they found out what he had been doing.
Prentiss opened up the door looking so sad and lost that Hotch didn't even think about it. He just pulled her into his arms and held her while she finally let her tears fall. He picked her up in his arms and walked into her apartment and shut and locked the door. He carried her over to the couch and sat down with her on his lap and just ran his hand up and down her back while murmuring in her ear that it would be alright and that she wasn't alone.
When Prentiss lifted her head Hotch couldn't help it. He bent his head and kissed her. After that kiss one thing led to another and they had ended up in bed together. It was the best night of his life. She gave as good as she got and she told him what she liked and how she liked it.
Hotch came out of his thoughts when someone knocked on his door. He looked up to see his best friend looking at him with a glare. He couldn't help but wonder what he had done to put it there.
"Come on in Dave. You know you don't have to knock." Hotch said.
Rossi swallowed the words he was going to say. He had promised his daughter that he wouldn't do anything but it was taking everything in his power not to throttle the man he considered his best friend. He walked over with the paperwork in his hand.
"I've already spoken to the Director but I also thought you should have a copy of this. The Director has already approved it. I went over Strauss's head straight to him. Emily is taking a leave of absence and she isn't sure when she will be back." Rossi said.
Hotch couldn't believe what he was hearing for the second time that day. His eyes flew to his window and he looked out into the bullpen. Sure enough Prentiss wasn't sitting at her desk like she usually would be. He groaned mentally and winched. He really couldn't blame her but he thought that he knew her better. He couldn't believe that she was running away even before they really got the chance to talk.
Rossi watched the emotions flicker of his friends face. He saw shock, disbelief, anger, but then he also saw relief.
"Sit down Dave. I need someone to talk too. I know why she is taking leave." Hotch said.
Rossi bit his tongue to keep himself from saying anything. First he would listen to what Aaron had to say he told himself. Then he would deal with it. Rossi sat down and looked his friend in the eye.
"So Aaron why do you think Emily is taking leave?" Rossi asked.
Hotch sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "Prentiss came in to see me this morning. She told me that she was pregnant. I took it badly and asked her if she was sure that it was mine."
Rossi jumped out of his chair and slammed his hand down onto Hotch's desk. "YOU DARED TO QUESTION WHETHER MY DAUGHTER WAS CARRYING YOUR CHILD? HOW STUPID COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE? HOW FUCKING BLIND CAN YOU BE? SHE HAS BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS ! WHAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"
Hotch stared at his friend in shock. "What do you mean your daughter? Are you telling me that Prentiss is your daughter?"
Rossi groaned and said "It doesn't matter what I'm telling you Hotch. What matters is that you hurt the one woman in my life who never did anything to you. I hope that you can live with that. I really should punch your lights out and I may yet but right now I won't do anything that will hurt my precious daughter. Unlike you apparently. You really are a jackass Aaron. I may not like the fact that my daughter is leaving but maybe it will do her some good."
Hotch jumped out of his chair. "What do you mean she is leaving? She can't go anywhere. We need to talk."
Rossi glared at Hotch and said through clenched teeth "Listen to me and listen carefully. You will leave my Emily alone. You have done enough to hurt her. So help me Aaron if she doesn't get over what you said or did I will beat the living shit out of you. Nobody and I mean nobody hurts my daughter. I don't care if you are my best friend. I will tear you apart for what you have done. So you just leave her alone for now. If and when she wants to talk to you she will contact you. Do I make myself clear?"
Hotch glared right back at Rossi. "I have a right to know where she is going damn it. She is carrying my child."
Rossi laughed a bitter laugh. "No Aaron according to you, you don't know if it is your child or not. Remember you asked her if she was sure it was yours. YOU WILL STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER! YOU WILL LET HER DO WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO. Plus you won't be able to find her. She shut her cell phone off. And don't try having a trace put on my phone. She is smart enough not to call the phone that you have my number for."
Hotch wanted to hit Rossi but instead he punched his desk. He knew he didn't have anybody but himself to blame. Now the woman he loves is out there alone and only God knows where.
Hotch sat back down in his chair and gave a defeated sigh. "Fine Dave I will do this your way. But at least tell me that she is alright."
Rossi snorted. "If you call her heart breaking being alright then yes she is fine. You broke her Aaron. You broke my daughter and I'm afraid that I will never get her back. You had better hope that I do because if I don't I will make your life so fucking miserable that you won't know what to do."
Rossi stormed out of Hotch's office and over to his own. His little girl was out there alone and pregnant. He hoped that she would be alright. He hoped and prayed to God that his little girl would make it through this. When he thought about what Hotch had done to his precious Princess he wanted to go back over to Hotch's office and beat the daylights out of him. Instead he sat down in his chair and closed his eyes as a wave of pain hit him.
