Wild Horses by believesvueo – Chapter Four
"I know I dreamed you're a sin and a lie. I have my freedom but I don't have much time. Wild horses couldn't drag me away…"
As soon as they landed in St. Louis, the team went directly to the police station where the officers await their arrival.
Agent Michael Smith informed Police Chief Steve Crane that the BAU team is here.
Hotch introduced himself first and introduced the rest of the team.
It was obvious to the team that the Chief knew Emily. As soon as Hotch was about to introduce her, his eyes lit up and gave Emily a hug instead of a handshake.
"Emily, I wish that we were meeting again under a more pleasant circumstances but unfortunately, this, I don't even have a word for this man, is killing these young women."
"Sir, I was hoping you could tell us where we could set up? We have our Technical Analyst back in Quantico and her name is Penelope Garcia and she is the BEST at her job. It's got to be big enough where we can also do our victimology." Jj asked.
"Well, we have cleared a room for you guys, it's right this way."
After setting up and making sure that they can connect with Garcia, Hotch looked around the station and noticed how exhausted the officers looked. It was obvious to him and to his team that they are overworked, and since it's late it would be best to send them home and start early tomorrow.
Hotch also noted how tired his team looked since they had just gotten back from a tough case when Agent Michael Smith showed up in Quantico.
"Chief Cane, why don't you send your officers home for the night? They look really exhausted and we need them fresh and ready tomorrow morning to go through the dump sites."
"Yeah, that's a great idea Agent Hotchner. I was going to send them home earlier but they wanted to meet you guys. I told them that you guys were coming and we really welcome all the help we can get in catching this guy."
"My team also needs to get a goodnight rest. We had a tough case that lasted almost a week. How about I take the files with me and I'll look them over tonight?"
"Sure. I'll go tell my men to go home first and I will bring the files to you."
After Chief Crane left the room, Hotch turned to Rossi, Reid, JJ and Morgan.
"Why don't you guys go to the hotel and get a good night sleep. We are all tired here and it's late. I'm going to wait for Chief Crane to give me the files, and then Emily and I will drive to the hotel together. Then let's meet up around 7 tomorrow morning at the diner near the hotel and then we can all look over the files before we head back here at the station."
While Reid and Morgan seemed unaware of the glares Hotch was shooting at Emily and Agent Smith who seemed engrossed in a conversation, both Rossi and JJ noticed. Rossi nodded at JJ and JJ acknowledged by raising an eyebrow.
"C'mon JJ, it's best we get going or else, Hotch might change his mind and tells us to stay here looking at the files." Rossi joked.
"Hotch, could you give this key to Emily."
"Sure. I mean it guys, get some sleep."
After JJ, Reid, Morgan and Rossi left, Hotch walked up to Emily and Agent Smith.
"Emily, we should get going. I sent JJ, Reid, Morgan and Dave to the hotel about 10 minutes ago. I was just waiting for Chief Crane to give me the files on the victims and here they are. So we should get going. We need to rest."
"Ah, Agent Hotchner, I can take Emily to the hotel."
"I think its best that Emily gets a goodnight sleep." Hotch responded in an irritated tone.
Emily noticed the tone in Hotch's voice and did not want to cause any tension between Michael and Hotch.
"Michael, Hotch is right, I'm really tired. We need to get back here first thing in the morning."
"Alright. Why don't I call you tomorrow?"
"Sure, Michael. Goodnight."
Michael steps forward and gave Emily a kiss on the cheek.
"Ah Agent Hotchner, I'm going to talk to my supervisor tomorrow and I really want to help catch this guy. Would that be okay?"
"I'm sure we need all the help we can get. It's best you talk to Chief Crane. This is his station and not mine." Hotch responded.
Michael shook his head and turned to Emily. Emily shrugged her shoulders in response and waved goodbye to Michael.
Once Emily was sure that nobody could hear them, Emily turned to Hotch.
"Hotch, what's going on?"
"What do you mean, what's going on?"
"Hotch. Why do you seem so irritated with Michael?""
"How come you never told me about Daniel?"
"Is this really about Daniel? Or is it about Michael?"
"Both. So how come, in all those times we spent together, you never once mentioned Daniel?"
"You never asked me Hotch."
"Emily. What happened with Daniel?"
"Daniel and I got engaged a year before I got the transfer to BAU. We had been dating a couple years before he proposed. Daniel was a really great guy. I don't think I could have asked for more. Daniel knew I have always wanted to be with the BAU. And I finally got the transfer letter, he told me to take it. We didn't fight or argue about it. He told me that he would make all the sacrifices in this world just to make my dreams come true."
"So why didn't it work?"
"He was willing to move to DC to be with me. But you know, he was up for a promotion here in St. Louis and I just couldn't do that to him."
"Was that all?"
"Plus, I wasn't ready to settle down Hotch. And I truly believed that he deserved someone better than me."
"Emily, don't you ever underestimate your worth."
"What I meant was, someone who truly loves him. Did you know that he came to DC a week before his wedding?"
"To ask you one more time?"
"Yeah, and I felt so bad for turning him down the second time. I couldn't do that to the woman he was going to marry. You know what he said to me? He said that I know I don't love her the way I love you but I will try my best to be the best husband that she deserves. But know this, nobody will ever love you the way I love you, Emily." I think he's right. Ever since Daniel, there hasn't been any man.
Hotch reached out and took her hand.
"Hotch, what are you doing? What do you want from me?"
"Emily, I want a chance."
"Hotch, why don't you try it again with Haley? You guys have Jack. He deserves to have both his Mom and Dad."
"Emily, Jack does have both his Mom and Dad. I'm dedicated to being there for him his entire life but not to being with Haley."
"But Hotch…"
"It's Aaron. When it's just us, call me Aaron."
"Aaron, I don't know how I feel about this. I can't think right now. We have this case, Aaron."
"Call it bad timing but when is it ever a good timing, Emily? I just thought you should know how I feel. And just give me a chance to show you, okay?"
"Aaron…"
"Emily, please…"
"Alright. But promise me that you will stop shooting daggers at Michael. And Aaron, you need to apologize to him. You were really rude to him and he didn't do anything. He's my friend."
"I will try not to give him scary looks and I promise to apologize to him tomorrow."
"Okay. I'm really tired Aaron. And I'm betting that JJ must be worried that I am not in the room yet."
"Goodnight, Emily."
"Goodnight, Aaron.
Emily opened the door quietly just in case JJ was already sleeping. God knows that woman need sleep. She would never wish to be in JJ's shoes, having to look through all the cases and the amount of files she has to look through everyday and then make a decision on which one to take. But she wouldn't mind having what JJ has, a nice man and a beautiful baby boy. She sighed heavily as she thought about what transpired just a few minutes ago in the car with Hotch or Aaron, as he wants her to call him. There is so much at stake for both of them and right now, thinking about the stakes is giving her a major headache. She's attracted to Aaron that much she can admit but a relationship with him? That's an avenue she never did let her mind wander. She shook her head and sighed heavily again and this time, she woke JJ up.
"JJ, oh I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
"Em, I have been awake. Is everything okay?"
"Go to sleep JJ. I'll be fine."
"Em, this is me you're talking to. C'mon talk to me. It's about Hotch, isn't it?"
"JJ, I'm just not ready to talk about it right now. I just want to sleep. I promise you, we will talk."
"Okay. But Em, one piece of advice, don't over think. Things will fall into place. Remember, when it's too easy, it will be over quickly. But when there are obstacles, then you know it is meant to last. Goodnight Em."
"Thanks JJ. I really needed to hear that."
Emily closed her eyes and then sleep and exhaustion overtook her…
Author's Note: Wild Horses is one of my favorite songs. When I first wrote the first two chapters of the story, I didn't have a title yet. Then I was listening to the song by Alicia Keys and Adam Levine and I just had to name the story "Wild Horses."
Reviews are definitely appreciated…
