Today I Do

They were soon off to Syracuse, New York. Molly Grandin had been missing for twenty-four hours and they believed her disappearance mirrored that of Gail Langston who had been found dead four months earlier. Besides the fact that they were both mature students at Syracuse University, petite females and both from blue collar backgrounds their actual disappearances were the same due to their abandoned car being found with an overnight bag packed for a several day excursion. If it was the same kidnapper they had thirty-six hours to find her alive. They initially thought it was a male UnSub intimate with them both until evidence pointed to the UnSub being a trusted female friend. They worked out she was a motivational speaker they had gone to for separate problems.

While she was in New York Tzia called her up. She informed her Jeremy had been killed. He'd come home early from his jog claiming he wasn't feeling well and had a heart attack later on. Emily knew it had been induced after being bumped into someone on the way home. Emily knew it had been induced after being bumped into someone on the way home. She now feared for Tzia's life. If Doyle had got to Jeremy Zia was next.

"Get out of there and get back to the States!"She urged. "Cash transactions only from here on out!" she couldn't help but worry. They had been friends for over ten years and a murderous sociopath was after them. They were in this together. They were in the same boat. Sometimes it made her feel not so alone.

"I will," she assured her.

She ended the call and got back to work. They soon found the location of the motivational speaker. They went after her. They found her about to stab Molly in the lake. They distracted her in time for Molly to get away. They arrested Jane, the UnSub and saved Molly reuniting her with her father.

They all flew home and went to the bullpen. She was just on her way to join Hotch when she received a text message. She hoped it was from Tzia telling her she was safe. No such luck! It said unknown number but she knew it was Doyle. 'See you soon' it said. She shuddered inside. She knew it would come to this but she wasn't ready. She wasn't prepared to see him face to face.

Hotch came out to join her and she smiled at him slightly. He didn't bother to ask. He knew she wouldn't tell him the truth. He'd resigned himself to that now. He hoped he didn't find out too late. He really did love her. He pulled her close to him and they went home.

She went upstairs to see the children. She kissed their heads and stroked the side of their faces. She knew she had to leave them sometime soon but she would always love them. She vowed again she would die protecting her children. She wouldn't let that bastard touch her babies. She vowed to make the most of the time she had left though she didn't know how long she would have. Aaron had to know how much she loved him.

She was at home one night daydreaming out the window all the memories that she shared with Aaron. Their first meeting at the BAU, when he'd accepted her on the team, when she first realised she loved him and their time together. One memory stuck out. How they'd first met. She was on vacation and preparing to go to Yale while he was working for her mother.

She was relaxing by the pool watching him go through files in the library. She will freely admit she was ogling him. He was a fine specimen of man even then. He'd come out for a breath of fresh air as it was a hot day. He soon noticed he wasn't alone. He was so cute she decided to try her luck.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Prentiss," he said.

"Agent Hotchner isn't it?" she smiled at him.

"Yes," he replied stiffly.

"Don't be so formal. Call me Emily, sugar."

"I'm sorry I'M MARRIED."

"Oh too bad, too bad. Maybe next time we meet. Who knows what the future holds, right?"

She giggled remembering what she'd said. Had she known then she would actually have him? Did she know he would be hers? Had she really been that wise?

"What?"Aaron asked looking over. He couldn't believe she was laughing. He hadn't heard her laugh in months. What out of the window had made her giggle? He walked over and looked out of the window. He couldn't see anything apart from the streetlights and people walking down the sidewalk. "What's so funny?"

She turned round and smiled up at him. She loved these moments when she could just forget what was going on around them. "Nothing out there, sweetheart. I was remembering when we first met, sugar."

He laughed at that. She hadn't called him that since then. Boy, she'd been cocky then. She'd openly shown she wanted him. It had scared him. He'd felt like he was her prey. He felt like she was going to hunt him down relentless. When she'd first arrived at the BAU he thought she'd done just that. That was why he'd tried to hold her at arm's length and turned her away at first. Unprofessional yes but he'd learnt later that wasn't the real her. She'd changed for the better.

"You scared me," he admitted.

"I scared the great Aaron Hotchner," she teased.

"Is that so hard to believe? You were quite the formidable young woman back then. Knew what you wanted and weren't afraid to get it."

"And I wanted you," she answered understanding. "Yet you were still married. I guess I always wanted you on some level. You're just so god damn handsome."

"And you my dear are just as beautiful as you were then," he answered wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck.

"You thought I was beautiful."

"Still do. Grown even more beautiful I'd say."

"Well you're more handsome than you were then."

"I love you, Em."

"I know. I love you too, Aaron," she smiled up at him placing her hand on his chest. "Always will," she stated firmly. "I'll never stop loving you no matter what happens." Tear-filled her eyes. He had to know. He had to know before she was reunited with Doyle. It was Aaron she loved and would always love not Ian. That relationship was firmly in the past.

"What's going on, Emily?" he asked in one last ditch attempt. "What are you keeping from me?"

"Aaron if I could tell you I would but I'm afraid you'll find out soon," she answered walking off. He watched her sadly. If anyone was hurting his woman he'd destroy them.

A month later he was getting the children ready for school while Emily was at a secret meeting. He had no idea who she was meeting or what it was about but he trusted her. He trusted her with every fibre of his being.

Emily had used her car. She'd used her key fob far enough from the car in case Doyle had booby trapped it. To her relief it didn't blow up. She felt wary sitting backing her car after having found the flowers there. They'd always used his car since then as she'd felt safer there but he couldn't know about this meeting. She was meeting Tzia and Clyde Easter, her previous boss. They had to discuss Doyle. Everyone else was still in the dark.

They discussed where Doyle's location could be. Emily informed them she'd been sent flowers so he was definitely coming to Washington. She received a text message to be at the BAU in ten minutes.

"Don't even think about it," Clyde said. "You can't let your team in."

"They could help us find him."

"It's too risky."

SHENODDED AND THEY THREW THEIR DISPOSABLE PHONES AWAY. SHE HEADED OFF TO THEOFFICE FOR ANOTHER CASE WONDERING HOW MANY SHE HAD LEFT BEFORE Doyle got her. She smiled weakly at Aaron trying to make him believe everything was alright. He couldn't know she was doing her own investigation and why.