Resignation
She was called into work the next day to meet with Strauss. She was a little nervous as it must have come out over the reports that she and Hotch had been a couple. She knew she now had to face the music and due to his amnesia she had to face it alone.
"Agent Prentiss, I presume you already know why I've called you into my office," she said glaring at her.
"I believe it might have something to do with the last case," she answered looking her right in the eyes. There was no way she would make her feel guilty about loving Aaron or their baby. Neither would she allow her to send her away from him and Jack. There was no way she was leaving them.
"I understand you're pregnant with Agent Hotchner's baby."
"Yes ma'am."
"How long have you been dating him?"
"I don't think it's any of your business but six months and yes I fully intend to carry on when his memory comes back. I intend to raise my baby with its father."
"You know you are in violation of the rules."
She nodded defiantly. "I don't give a damn. Aaron means more to me than the rules."
"You've been reassigned to the Bureau branch in Wichita..." Emily's eyes widened in shock. No, she couldn't have done. She couldn't have been so heartless to be sending her away during Aaron's hour of need. There was no way she was going to leave him even if she had to quit. "You start on Monday."
"No," she answered firmly. "No, I won't."
"Excuse me," Strauss answered horrified narrowing her eyes.
"I quit," she replied glaring at her. "I will not leave Aaron in his hour of need."
Strauss briefly closed her eyes trying to compose herself then re-opened them. "Fine, I accept your resignation. May I have it in writing?"
"Yes ma'am," she answered leaving for her desk.
Once she was there she got out a pen and a piece of paper shaking a little. The last pen and paper she'd touched was just before Aaron had accidentally shown Akpore he wrote with his left hand. Tears fell down her cheeks as she thought of that day and wrote her resignation note but she knew she was doing the right thing. She just couldn't abandon Jack and Aaron.
Spencer looked over worried. He'd noticed Emily shaking and crying. They couldn't be forcing her out, could they? He'd noticed she started shaking when she picked up the pen and started writing. Is that how they had found out the men were left-handed?
"Emily?" he asked concerned.
She tried brushing her tears away and bit them back looking up at him. "Are you alright?"
She looked back at the piece of paper answering, "Yes, I'm fine." She finished the resignation note then wrote the others notes of explanation. She knew she'd have to explain why she was resigning but she didn't think she'd be emotionally stable enough to say it to their faces. She knew they'd understand she had to put Aaron, Jack and the baby above the job. She'd miss them so much but hoped they would still get to see each other.
She started packing up her stuff deciding what she really wanted to take home with her. She couldn't believe she was leaving the team she fought to be part of twice but maybe it was for the best. She was going to be a mother in seven months and she was trying to be a mother to Jack. Also it would hurt Aaron to see her go off to the BAU when he couldn't. Maybe it was best they both left.
Spencer watched her with alarm. She couldn't be leaving, could she? They'd already lost Hotch now they were losing Emily too?
She got up and saw how hurt he looked. "I'm sorry, Spencer, I had no choice. I can't leave Aaron in his hour of need. She was going to send me to Kansas," she explained looking down.
"You can't leave. They can't take you away," he answered unsteadily.
"Spencer, I'm sorry," she answered giving him the notes then left for Strauss' office.
She walked straight in then placed it on her desk. "Here you go, ma'am," she sneered staring Strauss in the eyes. She then stood back up ready to leave the FBI.
She was about to leave when Strauss replied, "I'm sorry we have to lose you..." She rolled her eyes as Strauss added, "You were a great agent."
"Thanks ma'am," she replied crossing her arms and standing there looking at her with disdain.
"Agent Hotchner was a great agent too. He's a sad loss to the Bureau."
Emily's eyes bulged out. Was she for real? She'd spent all this time trying to ruin Hotch's career and now she was saying this. She'd even planted her as a mole for Christ's sake. She couldn't believe how big a hypocrite she was turning out to be. She could see in her eyes she was being genuine though.
"I'm glad you've noticed now he has to retire," she answered sneering. She was about to leave when she turned back and added, "You know what thank you."
"For what?" Strauss asked confused.
"For introducing me to the love of my life."
She glowered at her as she turned to leave. "I want his office cleared by next week."
"Fine," she spat.
She knew they had to move and find new agents but she worried it was far too soon for it all to hit him that he'd lost his career and had been Unit Chief for the last ten years. She didn't want anything to hurt him and make him retreat into himself. She couldn't lose him completely. She was relieved that though he didn't remember her he was interacting with her.
She took her stuff out to her car after handing in her badge and gun. She was no longer an agent now; she was just a citizen. She had no idea what she was going to do now. She'd just focus on her family currently. They were most important at the moment. She had to focus on Jack, Aaron and the baby. Rossi would look after them all with Jessica's help she had no doubt of that.
When she got home she brought in the boxes of her stuff; everything that symbolised her life as an agent. She placed them on the coffee table and curled herself up crying on the couch. It was all over. Everything she'd worked hard for was gone. She knew she'd made the right choice but it felt part of her had died.
"Prentiss?" Aaron asked sitting next to her looking at the boxed on the table. He didn't know why he'd called her that but he had a feeling it was her surname and he'd called her it many times before.
She stopped crying and looked at him astonished. Had he just called her by her surname? No-one had called her Prentiss since the incident. Had he really remembered her surname? "Did you just call me Prentiss?" she asked.
"It's your name, isn't it?" he answered concerned.
"Yes, it is," she smiled taking his hand. "Yes, my surname is Prentiss..." He smiled back at her. "I'd rather you call me Emily though."
He nodded. "What happened, Emily?" he asked concerned.
"I've resigned from the FBI," she explained. His eyes widened in shock. She'd resigned her job but why? She seemed to be devastated about it.
"But why?" he asked.
"They'd transferred me to Kansas permanently. I was meant to start next Monday."
His eyes widened in alarm. No, they couldn't be taking her away from him. He needed her. She was the one who was there for him most and his carer. How was he going to cope without her? They couldn't be taking her away from him.
"Don't leave me," he answered vulnerably while tears filled his eyes.
"I will never leave you, Aaron," she answered patting his hand. "That's why I quit my job."
"Thank you," he smiled slightly hugging her close to him.
"I love you," she whispered sadly knowing he now didn't feel the same way. Would he ever feel the same way again? Her heart hoped to God so. She knew she'd never love anyone as much as she did him. She didn't want to waste her life away loving a man who didn't love her back but she would if he never fell back in love with her.
The memories of their relationship were killing her every day. She had a picture of him under her pillow which she kissed every night crying she missed him. She'd be so embarrassed if he ever found out but she wasn't ashamed of her feelings. She was carrying his baby after all.
