10 minutes ago:

Aaron Hotchner was sat in his office with his usual excess amount of paperwork from the night before. It was just after nine and most of his team were starting to arrive at work. As he stared down into the bullpen he noticed the closeness of Morgan and Garcia and he couldn't stop the smile. He like the rest of his friends had always wanted the two to be a couple, so he was happy that now they were.

His train of thought completely changed, and he found himself daydreaming of the colleague he had lost only months ago. He had began to grow closer to Emily Prentiss, in fact he had begun to fallen in love with her. Keeping the secret from the team was hard, but necessary. Some days he had came close to telling them, but a knowing glance from JJ stopped him from speaking.

The ring of his cell phone shook him from his thoughts. He sighed, believing there was another case that had been assigned.

"SSA Hotchner" he answered

"Hotch?" a distinctive yet unfamiliar voice rung out

"Yes?" then it clicked "Emily… Is that you?"

"I… I need y… you to come g…get me, I'm h…home. It's over" She managed to say between sobs.

"Emily everything will be fine, give me twenty minutes and I will come pick you up." he replied.

He got the necessary information before hanging up. He didn't notice Penelope stood at his door and he didn't notice when she ran past his office. He was to wrapped up in grabbing his suit jacket and car keys before running out the door.

In the bullpen the team members sat and watched as Penelope ran towards her office and as their boss ran towards the elevators. The look on his face worried the agents sat in the bullpen, it was a look they had seen once before. One seen nearly three years ago when he learned of Foyet's plan to hurt his family.

Emily was arriving at Dulles airport from Madrid. She had been situated there for the past three months as far as Hotch knew. Hotch had managed to get to the airport in half the time it should have taken him. He broke the speed limit several times however he was not worried.

He stood in arrivals, searching the ever growing crowd but he failed to see her. He stood rooted to the spot rotating in circles but the excess amount of people made it hard for him to spot her.

Then someone tapped on his shoulder and Hotch knew immediately who was stood behind him. He turned so quickly and wrapped her in his arms that he did not even get a chance to look at her. His eyes shut instinctively as he savoured the moment. But the slight pressure on his ribs awakened his senses.

"Emily… What happened to you?" He whispered as he pulled away from her. It was only then he noticed her appearance.

Stood in front him was a woman that no longer looked like Emily Prentiss. The woman stood in front of him was thin, her bones prominent. The skin surrounding her eyes was darkened. That once glossy raven hair, was replaced by an dishevelled uneven cut. Cuts aligned her forehead. Yellow bruises in the shape of hand prints marked her bare arms.

"He happened. He found me. He did this." she managed to say before breaking down again.

She once more found herself in Hotch's arms. Her tears soaking his shoulder, her trembling figure worrying him.

It was a while before she was able to compose herself again. He pulled away slightly from her so that he could look into her eyes. He was able to read the pain that was mixed with love and he knew he had to say what he was feeling.

"Emily, I love you." he spoke quickly yet precisely.

Before she could reply he quickly placed his lips over hers for the briefest of moments then he then held her hand and escorted her from the airport. She was going home with him.

Emily was too shocked to speak so on the drive to his apartment all that was heard was silence. They were happy and complete at last. The drive seemed longer than it was.

Emily found her breathing faltered as she neared Hotch's building. As she noticed the familiar surroundings she found herself overcome with emotion and a single tear escaped. She never thought she would be returning to Washington, not alive anyway.

As they pulled to a stop Hotch looked at her and noticed the smile that started showing on her lips. He let his thumb caress her cheek, wiping away the single tear that was on her cheek. The smile grew larger and her cheek warmed.

As he stepped from the vehicle Hotch called Jessica, telling her he was unable to collect Jack and to ensure it was okay for him to stay with her the rest of the day and into the night. It was, so Hotch and Emily had the place to themselves.

Once they entered his apartment, they both headed for the couch, sitting at opposite ends. Emily scanned the room, noticing nothing had changed in the past year. Except one thing. Placed upon the most viewable shelve, was a picture of her and Hotch. His arm was placed around her waist, his hand spread upon her hip. She was cuddled into him, her head laid in the crevice between his shoulder and chest.

She remembered the day that the photograph was taken, it was only two weeks before they had to fake her death. It was an office party for some event she could not remember. She was highly intoxicated yet Penelope forced her to dance with Hotch which then led to the photograph getting took. It was one the memories she held closest to her heart.

A blush graced her cheeks as she remember one event that also happened that night. Her and Hotch had came so close to kissing but broke apart before the final touching of lips. She noticed his smile and her smile as well as the lustful looks in both sets of eyes and so the blush deepened.

Hotch finally turned towards Emily and spoke.

"Do you want to talk about it? About what happened I mean." The blush did not go unnoticed by him and he saw were eyes were focused.

At his words the tears began to form again. "Not yet. Can you just hold me please." she whispered in return. So he did.