Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

Employee of the Month

Chapter Three

"Hotch? Can I talk to you?"

"Yes JJ of course" Hotch noticed the concerned look on her face, he knew she was worried about Emily, they all were. She had changed so much over the last month.

"It's about Emily"

"Okay...has she done something wrong?"

"I don't think so..."

"Is this about Malachi? Agent Danson?"

"I'm not sure" JJ sat down "She has been acting strange since the interns arrived, especially Agent Denson, I'm concerned he is, I don't know, harassing her maybe...I don't know, but some thing's going on, I don't think it's a relationship she wants"

Hotch leaned forward to his desk folding his arms in front of him.

"If that's the case, she needs to talk too me herself, Prentiss knows the system, she isn't soft, if anything untoward was going on she would report him, she would talk to me"

"I don't think she would. She doesn't like looking weak, you know that"

"Okay" he paused to consider what one of his team may be going through, JJ was right something was wrong and it needed to be dealt with. Fast.

"I will talk to her" JJ gave him a look "I will JJ, I will sort this, I will find out what's going on. I promise"

"Okay thanks Hotch, maybe she will talk to you. I tried but she just laughed me off"

"Okay I will take it from here"

Hotch went to call Emily to his office, but she wasn't around. Some of the team had said she had left for the day.

He tried to call her, but there was no answer. He made the decision to go to her apartment. He was becoming frustrated with her disappearing acts. He wasn't sure what it was about her but she always managed to frustrate him. In more way's than one.

Emily was getting angry. Why had no one realised he was lying? Why did they all assume something had happened? She knew if he stuck around she would have to leave the BAU. Or go through the anguish of reporting him. She didn't want to be a 'victim'.

She flicked through the channels on the box. She settled on a channel and snuggled up on her couch.

Just as she was starting to drop off, there was a knock at the door. She panicked for a second until she saw Hotch through the spy-hole.

Then she wondered what he was doing here. What had she done now?

"Sir, what are you doing her? It's almost 9:30"

"I had to ask you a few questions. I would have talked to you earlier, but you had left early. Again."

She opened the door for him to get in.

"Take a seat" she gestured him to sit down, which he did. "So what's going on?" she noticed he was in a very 'serious' mode. So took the defensive stance.

"I don't really know. That's why I'm here." he paused as if waiting for her to admit something or tell him what's going on. But she didn't she just gave him a look.

"Have any of the interns been bothering you?"

He notice her flinch. She hide it well, but he spotted it.

"Emily. I' being serious here, I need to know why you have been acting so....aggressive and aviodent"

"I...."

"Be honest, don't lie to me please." he stood in front of her. Trying to show her he could deal with whoever or whatever was bothering her.

"It's nothing I can't handle...Sir"

"Because you are obviously handling it well thus far" he frowned at her. But he knew whatever it was, she had to come to him. "Look, if you decide you want to talk this through you know where I am." With that she showed him out.

Pretty much as she had sat back down her door went again. She opened it without thinking

"Hotch....." then she looked at the face on the other side of the door. "You need to leave. Now"

"Why? You obviously like this. Or you would have reported me" Malachi smiled

"You really think you are something don't you. Treating me this way. If you lay a finger on me again, I will...."

He cut her off "What? You'll report me, like last time"

"Get out!"

"No, I don't think so....Nice place by the way"

"Please leave, or I will make you leave. You may have caught me unaware once. But I can handle creeps like you. I do so everyday!"

He walked up to her, placing both of his hands around her throat. He didn't squeeze just held them there. She didn't flinch. She couldn't show him any signs of weakness.

"So I'm a creep?"

"Yeah you are, now get out, before I call PD"

"Was that a threat " she pushed his hands away from her. He was becoming more aggressive. Clenching his fist's and gritting his teeth. She need to get him out before something happened.

"Where's your gun Emily? I hope it's safely locked up, like it should be"

She panicked when he pulled his out. Shit!

He placed the gun on her temple.

"You wouldn't" she tried to stand he ground

"No, I'm not going to"

HE struck her across the face with the weapon. He didn't rape her. This time. But the beating was more severe. He completely lost it.

When he finally walked out of her apartment she was semi-concuss.

She was in a pretty bad way. There was blood protruding from her nose and head.

She couldn't move. The pain was excruciating.

This time she wasn't going to let him get away with it. This time she had to do something.