For the sake of simplifying this fanfiction, we're just gonna say that Maeve's ex-fiancé doesn't exist.

In less than two hours, they had figured out the identity of Maeve's stalker. Diane Turner was a research assistant at Mendel University where Maeve had worked. Her parents committed suicide when she was eight years old. She had applied for a PhD and was rejected, which led to her rage and obsession with Maeve.

They stormed her apartment, but found that it was empty. Thankfully, Garcia was able to find a second property, a loft registered in her parents' name. The team headed there immediately.

Upon arriving, they saw instantly that something was wrong.

"Oh, God...they're on the roof..." Reid started hyperventilating, and JJ tried to calm him down.

"Reid, what was her Doctoral Thesis on?"

"Cellular death in suicide patients...why?"

"I know what's going on. JJ, stay with Reid." Hotch ordered.

"No, you have to let me come with you!" He cried.

"Reid, you know it's a bad idea."

"I don't care."

There wasn't time to argue. The team scaled the fire escape, and Hotch quickly assessed the situation. Diane was holding a gun pointed at Maeve, who was standing on the edge of the building.

"Diane, put the gun down!"

"No! She has to feel it!"

"Feel what?" Rossi asked, trying to distract her.

"That she's dying." Hotch answered for Diane, who turned to look at him.

"You read my thesis?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you." She accused.

"Your theory is that when you make a decision to give up, that the cells in your body start to die."

Diane nodded. "That's right."

"She's not going to do it, Diane."

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

"I'll do it."

The entire team stared at Hotch. What was he doing?

"Diane, your theory wouldn't apply here. She's not going to jump. Let me do it."

The woman laughed. "You'd do that? You'd kill yourself for her?"

"Let me prove it." He holstered his gun.

"Fine. Now I'm interested. Get up there." She took Maeve's arm and shoved her towards Reid, immediately training the gun on Hotch instead. "Do it." She snapped.

He put his hands up, and stepped onto the ledge. He felt a strange thrill. Why did this feel so right?

"Do you feel it?" She laughed feverishly. "Your whole body beginning to decay? It makes it easier to want to kill yourself. Go! Go ahead! Prove my theory!"

"It won't work while you're pointing the gun at me. It has to be my decision to jump."

Diane blinked. "You...you're right." She began to lower the gun, but jerked it back up. "How do I know you won't back down?"

Hotch put his arms out and leaned into the wind. He tried to convince himself it was just for show, but his heart was racing. Maybe this was his chance...But he couldn't lose his focus just yet. "Put the gun down so I can do this, Diane."

He wasn't even looking at her anymore. He was staring at the asphalt down below. It was easily a hundred foot drop. It would probably kill him instantly...She was wrong. His cells weren't dying. He'd never felt so alive. It was like every nerve was on fire, screaming at him to jump. He felt like laughing.

"No!" He was distracted by Diane shrieking. Apparently it had worked. She had lowered the gun enough for Morgan to get up close and wrestle it from her hands. He already had her hands behind her back.

It was over.

It could be over forever if I jumped...He turned again to the wind, feeling the breeze blow across his face. Chills ran up and down his spine.

"Hotch!" JJ shouted. "It's over, you can come down now." He heard the nervous edge to her voice, and made the split second decision to step down. He couldn't do it. He inwardly cursed himself for being such a coward. But at the same time, he felt sick...had he really almost given up? He was a lot of things, but a quitter?

"You okay?" JJ asked.

"Yes. I'm just glad it worked."

"Okay." She looked at him with concern, but didn't push it. She walked over to Reid and Maeve, who were just holding each other. Poor kids.

Hotch turned just as Rossi walked up to him.

"What the hell was that?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Rossi glared. "I think you know exactly what I'm talking about."

Damn. Hotch was hoping no one had noticed. Still, he maintained innocence. "Please, enlighten me."

"You hesitated. You were in the clear. You could've stepped off the ledge at anytime. Not to mention the fact that you willingly got up there in the first place."

"I wanted to make sure."

"You and I both know that's not true." Rossi said quietly. "I saw your face. You were actually thinking about it."

"About what, jumping? That's ridiculous." He started to walk away, but Rossi grabbed his arm.

"You've been more reckless with your life since Haley died. But until now I didn't think you were actually suicidal."

Hotch flinched at the word. "I'm not. I don't know what you think you saw, but you can't go around making accusations like that." He said icily, shaking his arm from Rossi's grasp. He walked over to check on Reid and Maeve, who were too wrapped up in each other to notice much of anything else.

"You're so beautiful." Reid was saying to her.

She ducked her head and blushed. "You're just saying that."

"I'm not though. You're the most amazing woman I've ever laid eyes on." Reid stroked her cheek.

"God, if it wasn't so adorable I'd be throwing up." Morgan joked.

Hotch let the rest of the team go home. (With the exception of Reid, who accompanied Maeve to the hospital. He had a feeling it would be a while before he let her out of his sight.) They'd been through enough tonight, there was no need to keep them longer. He would finish the report himself.

He shut himself in his office and sank into the chair. After all the adrenaline, he felt dead now. He had been so close to stepping off that ledge, he'd almost ended it all...left Jack behind...

But he couldn't let it go. Those moments when he'd been staring at the pavement below...it was the most alive he'd felt in years.

Except for when Emily touched me...

He angrily pushed the thought from his mind. Tonight's experience had only confirmed that she was better off without him.

He was startled by a soft knocking at the door. What the...Hadn't he sent everyone home?

"Come in," he called out, standing up and instinctively reaching for his gun.

"Hey, what are you still doing here?" It was Prentiss. Of course, it had to be her..

"Someone had to write up the report." He relaxed a little, leaning against his desk.

"It could've waited until morning, you know."

"Speaking of which, why haven't you gone home?"

"I wanted to check on you."

"Why?" Hotch asked suspiciously.

She laughed. "Relax, this isn't an interrogation. I just...I'm worried about you."

"You're...you're worried about me? Why?"

"For starters, that stunt you pulled tonight. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking it could save Maeve's life. And I was right." He said defensively.

She put her hands up. "Look, I'm not saying it was the wrong thing to do, I'm saying you did it a little too eagerly."

He was silent.

"Even when she was safe, when Morgan had Diane in cuffs...you stayed up there. Your eyes sort of glazed over, and for a minute I thought you were going to..." She trailed off. "Aaron, are you okay?"

He had to look away. "I'm fine."

"I know you've been saying that, but I'm not sure I believe it."

While they were talking, she had been getting closer and closer to him. She was looking up into his eyes, her body turned in such a way that they were almost touching.

"Emily..."

"Please, just talk to me." She begged.

He wasn't ready to talk about it yet, but he felt like he had to give her something. "I..the reason we can't be together is because bad things happen to people I care about."

She tilted her head slightly. "One bad experience doesn't make things like that true."

"It wasn't one bad experience. I tried to share my life with someone, and look what happened to her!"

Prentiss stepped back a little, and Hotch realized that it came out a little harsh.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

"No, it's okay..."She took his hand. "I just want you to realize that it's not you. It would be different with us."

"Emily, I can't lose anyone else. I can't lose you."

"If I died tomorrow, would you grieve?"

"Of course!" He was taken aback by her question.

"I'm in danger every day. It's not you; it's this job. If we were together, it wouldn't change the fact that we risk our lives whenever we're in the field, and even sometimes when we're not."

"I can't..."

"Aaron, we've seen how irrational beliefs like this can mess people up. You need to understand that us being in a relationship does not suddenly make me more vulnerable to the evil around us. And you would miss me just as much if I died and we weren't together."

He processed everything she had said...it was true, as much as he hated to admit it. But there was one more thing on his mind.

"I don't deserve you." He said quietly.

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"You're beautiful, smart, confident...and I'm just-" She cut him off with a kiss.

For the second time that night, he was alive again. Her lips were so soft, her touch so gentle but so passionate...he felt dizzy. Intoxicated. Breathless. When she finally pulled away, he couldn't even remember what he'd been saying.

"You're perfect, Aaron." She whispered, gazing up at him once again. "Please, let me love you."

He was far from perfect, but he couldn't bear to argue with her. He answered her with another kiss. "I'm yours." He murmured.

I'm proud of myself for writing a chapter this long. What did you think? Please leave a review :) Also, how should Prentiss react when she finds out he's been cutting?