One Second Can Change Everything

Chapter 2

Hotch heard Emily's second scream as she fell.

"EMILY!" Hotch screamed as he heard another shot ring out in the night. Turning he saw Ryan fall to the ground with a gunshot through his forehead. Hotch turned to see SSA Dave Rossi before turning and running to the ledge peering over. He saw Emily lying there face down motionless; he took the fire escape stairs two at a time down to the roof where she was at, running to Emily before Dave had a chance to ask what had happened.

It all had happened so fast; one second she was standing there and the next she was gone. And in that one second everything changed.

"Emily?" his voice cracked as he tried to bite back the tears and the bile rising in his throat. He felt for a pulse and heaved a sigh of relief; even though it was faint at least she was still alive.

"Dave get help." He ordered as Dave came running up behind him.

Dave took in the sight before him as he called across the radio for help. Kneeling down beside his two closest friends he looked at Hotch; he had only seen him like this one other time and that was when Haley had been killed. The tears flowed down Hotch's face as he gently pushed the hair back off of Emily's face as the blood ran from her nose and mouth.

"Aaron, what the hell happened?"

"Dave it was supposed to be me, she took the bullet for me. She shoved me out of the way. Why would she do that?" Hotch said even though it was a question he knew there was no answer for it.

"Dave where the hell are the paramedics? They should have been here already. Dave I can't lose another woman I love; I don't think I could handle it this time." He said, admitting for the first time out loud that he loved Emily Prentiss.

"Does she know?" Dave questioned his friend.

"No." Hotch answered shaking his head.

"Then you need to tell her now Aaron. You need to tell her, give her a reason to fight." Dave told him knowing if she could hear him she would fight with everything she had.

Emily had confided in Dave a year before that she was in love with Hotch. He remembered back to their conversation as if it had happened yesterday.

Hotch had been sitting in the back of an ambulance getting his arm bandaged up from a gunshot that went through and through. Emily had walked off to the side of the building to try and hide for a minute while she collected herself. Dave had found her there crying and just held her as she let the tears consume her.

"He's ok Em."

"I know it's just that… I…" She just shook her head not knowing what to say.

"You love him don't you?"

"Yes. I'm in love with my boss and he will never know."

"Why?"

"Because he could never love me Dave and even if he did I would not let him jeopardize his job or career for me. I won't ask him to choose, I love him enough to never ask that of him. I'm not Haley and I could never put that kind of burden him."

"Emily, you never know unless…" he started only to have her cut him off.

"No Dave, I can't and won't ever tell him… I love him more than that. It would not be fair to him. Haley has only been gone 6 months; he's not ready for that, for this."

"Emily I can tell you one thing, Hotch and Haley were over a long time before she died. Yes he loved her but they were not in love with each other anymore. Give him the option of making the decision for himself, don't make it for him. Tell him how you feel and let him decide because you never know he just might feel the same."

"I can't Dave and please don't tell him ok. Please."

"I promise I won't say anything Em but one day you might regret not saying something to him Em. Just think about it."

"I will and thank you Dave."

Dave's wondering thoughts were brought back to the present as he heard Hotch speaking gently to Emily.

"Emily please don't go…you have to stay for me, I need you Emily. Please hang on… you need to fight ok. Open your eyes sweetie please. Let me see those beautiful eyes Emily… please don't leave me… I love you Emily." Her breathing was becoming shallower and her pulse was getting weaker but still she hung on. Fighting. One little breath at a time, she hung on.