Chapter Seven

Fifteen minutes later Hotch pulled up outside Emily's apartment building. He paced the hallway outside her door for what seemed like hours, when in fact it had only been ten minutes. He got his nerve up and knocked on her door and waited. He heard the tumblers on the lock and then the door opened.

"What the hell do you want?" She said and he could hear the anger in her voice; like seeing it on her face wasn't enough to tell him that she was mad.

"We need to talk. You need to let me explain." He stated.

"I don't need to let you do anything, Hotch. I don't know what your problem is but I think you should go. Go home to Jack and Beth, Hotch. That is where you're wanted. Now, if you don't mind I have things that I need to do." She said and tried to shut the door.

Hotch stopped her from shutting the door in his face by sticking his foot between the door and the door frame.

"I'm not leaving until we talk Emily. Now either let me in or your neighbors will get an ear full. I don't think you want them to hear what I have to say." He said and waited for her to decide if she was going to let him in or not.

"Fine, say what you need to then get the hell out." Emily said flatly as she opened the door wide to let him by.

Hotch stopped inside the door as she shut it and moved back through to the kitchen. Stopping and turning to face him and waited for him to speak. He stopped a few feet in front of her and looked at her tear stained face.

"First of all, I want to apologize for what I said to you in while we were in Houston. It was wrong and I didn't mean it."

"Then why did you say it Hotch? It hurts to think that you think of me as being a tramp. You of all people should know me better than that."

"I do know you better and I swear that I don't feel that way about you. I am so sorry that I hurt you by my stupidity. I never wanted to hurt you."

"Well it did hurt Hotch. You were my friend…"

"Were?" He said cutting her off.

"Yes were. I don't know what we are right now but I seriously doubt that we were ever really friends to begin with. If we were, you would never have said that and you would not be acting like you have been." She said and lowered her gaze from his. She couldn't take the pain that flashed through his eyes.

"Emily, please don't think that. We are friends. I promise I never intended to hurt you. I just… I don't know."

"Hotch, just leave… please."

"No. I want you to listen to me and I am not leaving until you do."

"Damn it Hotch. Don't you get it? I don't want to listen to you. I don't want to talk to you. I just want to be alone. Now get out." She said as she moved around him towards the door.

She reached for the door knob and then felt her body being turned and pushed against the door. His mouth was on hers with an intensity that she had never felt before. She felt herself melting against him before she reality came rushing back and she pushed against his chest.

"You can't fix this with a kiss Hotch. Now please leave. Please." She said as she tried to catch her breath and moved to open the door.

"Emily… I'm sorry. I… I…"

"Just go Hotch."

Before he left Hotch turned to her and said "Just so you know… I'm not with Beth anymore. You'll eventually talk to me again Emily, and when you're ready to talk I'll be here waiting." He said and then he was gone.

Emily leaned against the closed door.

"I hope you are right." She whispered into the empty apartment.