Criminal Minds

.La Vie en Rose.

Chapter 4

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Same Ol' Hotch

It had been two weeks since the Treadway incident, Hotch had been an absolute bear to Emily and she could not figure out why.

Not that she really cared, she was quite used to his cold treatment towards her. In fact she had flippantly ignored him, and accepted when he dished out their assignments when they were on the field and she knew he usually paired her with Morgan which was fine with her as she was most happy paired up with her 'crush'.

"I don't get it." Morgan glared at Hotch as the older agent walked away after he had gotten onto Emily yet again for being too stubborn, as he put it.

"What do you mean, Morgan?" Emily turned to watch him.

"Why do you take it?" He pointed at the retreating Hotch. "You know you can tell him to stick his high ha..."

She shook her head and held her hand up and interrupted him, "Morgan, it's okay...I mean he's my boss. I have to listen to his directions and," she nodded and grinned. "I have to admit, I did go behind his back, so I deserve the dressing down." She looked up at him, "I'm lucky he has not written me up so far, it could have gone in that direction."

Derek shook his head in defeat, "That's it? So, you're just gonna be a good little Emily Prentiss and listen to what he wants you to do whenever he snaps his finger at you?"

She turned to him, "Something like that." She walked away from him, from further confrontation; she was tired of talks, she had a similar one from JJ and Garcia earlier too, they were not happy about Hotch constant chewing on her but they didn't realized that Emily had given as good as Hotch did, only they did not see that part.

Twice, as a matter of fact.

She had gone to his office those times to confront him, telling him it was not fair of him to bitch at her in front of the whole team. He had apologized at the time and told her he'd tried not to do it but he did it again.

The second time, she waltzed into his office and really lit into his face before he had a chance to hang up the phone; she was so mad at him because he had yelled so loudly at her in front of the entire bullpen of the law enforcement office of a local department, everyone was quite embarrassed for Emily as her face burned red as crimson but Hotch was not aware of it as he continued to rip her a new hole for something she did not do but one of the LEO who was next to her at the time of the take down.

Hotch had realized a little too late what really happened but he couldn't take back those words.

Emily waited until they were back at the BAU that evening and confronted him angrily.

As he hurriedly replaced the receiver back onto the cradle of the phone, he turned to face the angry and heated face of Emily and he thought she never looked more beautiful.

"That was a load of bullshit, Hotch! You knew it wasn't my fault, and you told me before you'd never do it again, and yet you did." She blew a heated breath out and her bangs flew upwards but she paid no attention to them as she turned to pace about his office angrily.

He sat where he was watching her pace, not saying a word, he knew it was no use. Sometimes, it was best not to, and let her vent her frustrations on his carpet.

Suddenly she whipped around and watched him watched her, it startled him, "What?" he asked her, taken aback.

"You...you're not saying anything." She had walked up to his desk and placed her hands on the edge and leaned over them. "Why are you not saying anything?"

Still startled, "Because...I'm not sure what to say except...sorry?" It was the correct answer, right?

She squinted her eyes at him, "Are you pulling my legs?"

He shook his head quickly, "No. I am sorry, Prentiss. I found out who it was after." He admitted.

Satisfied with his admission, she nodded before she leaned away as she released her hold from the table and moved towards to door, "Okay."

"Wait." Hotch called out. "That's it?"

She nodded, not looking back, "Yeah, that's it...until next time. Good night Hotch." With that, she left closing his door with a soft click.

He watched her walked down to her desk, grab her things and walked out of the bullpen and out of the unit. Until next time. What next time? He thought about what she had said before she left, he raised his brow slightly and then shaking his head, he leaned forward and continued his paperwork.

…..

Well...true to her words...

Three days later, Hotch was confronting Emily before the team...again.

This time, it was nobody's fault.

"Why was I not inform of this situation, Prentiss?"

"Because, Hotch, I don't see the need for you to be, it's handled." She shook her head.

"What do you mean, handled?"

"Fred Decker is being notified as we speak and the local PD is on the way to pick him up for questioning."

Hotch watched her doubtfully, "Prentiss, Dr. Fred Decker is a known chemical professor of the University, you can't just waltz in and apprehend a well-known profossor." His voice was raised, many of the LEOs had stopped in their tracks and were watching them.

JJ, Reid and Morgan tried their best to ignore their argument as they stood aside on the pavement near the precinct.

"I'm well aware of that, Hotch, and that's why Sheriff Halston is leading the arrest, and he has the warrant." She countered, her voice was just as loud as his, she was trying to reason with him.

He shook his head, "You don't understand, Prentiss..."

"Why don't you ever trust me, Hotch?" She asked him angrily, both arms on either sides of her hips.

"I trust you, Prentiss but that's not the point.."

"Then what is the point? We've ID'ed the UnSub, and that's Dr. Decker, and we're letting the local Sheriff take over their investigation, and as soon as he comes in, we'll ask him about the drugs..."

He shook his head, "No, it's not that, Prentiss, there's more to it in this case, there may be another person."

She shook her head, "Hotch, we've gone through that, you've said the first time it's not possible and Sheriff Halston has assured us it's just the Professor..right Dr. Reid?" She was about to turn to Reid when she saw something shiny reflected above her and she turned to face Reid, "Oh shit...the second theory, Reid..."

Spencer Reid's eyes widened as he spun around and looked up at the roof of the building behind them and saw belatedly and felt Emily shoved him down as the shooter fired and hit Emily instead!

"Shot fired! Shot fired!" They heard Morgan yelled. "Get down everyone! Take cover!" Everyone began to run behind several patrol cars they were grouped around when the BAU team were standing about. Screams and shoutings were ringing about the parking lot in front of the precinct as chaos bleed the area.

"Morgan, did you see where the shooter is?" Hotch called out as he watched Emily's downed body, thankful that she was still breathing. "Prentiss, are you okay?" He called out quietly; they still didn't know if their shooter was in the vicinity.

She nodded, not saying a word. The pain in her chest was beginning to blossom into something bad and intense.

Hotch noticed her appearance, "Prentiss?"

Morgan, who heard Hotch calling out to Emily turned to her, "Emily...are you okay?"

She turned to Morgan and tried to smile, "Yeah, cupcake...I'm...'kay. Just getting dizzy." She didn't understand, the shot was in her right chest, it shouldn't hurt this bad and she really was feeling dizzy and now nauseated...

"Morg..." She tried to call out but before she could get it out, her world went black.

"Prentiss!"

"Emily!" Reid called out, as well as JJ who turned to Hotch with concern.

"Morgan, get the shooter!" There was anger in his eyes as he turned back to Emily. "JJ, call for the paramedics!"

JJ had her cell phone on her ears already, "On it, Hotch!" As she had her back on the patrol car.

…...

End of Chapter 4