Chapter 25
Three days had passed since Hotch was shot. Everyone else, except for Emily, had headed back home for a new case in Virginia. She had decided to be the one to stay back with him until he was well enough to fly.
He was finally being released from the hospital. Emily was walking back to his room from the cafeteria when she saw him through the window, getting out of the bed on his own. She walked in fast and set her coffee down.
"Aaron! What are you doing? You know you're supposed to have somebody help you.", she scolded him.
"I can stand up on my own, Emily. Just hand me clothes over there.", he pointed.
"You, sit back down.", she told him. He sighed as he sat back down on the edge of the bed. She walked over to grab his bag with his clothes in it that she brought from the hotel. He reached for them as she walked to the door and locked it.
"What are you doing?", he asked.
"You have to get dressed and you can't do it on your own, so.", she said, kneeling down and helping him put his pants on.
"Emily, I don't need help with this.", he said, irritated. Once his pants were up she stood up and glared at him.
"Shut up. Take the gown off.", she said.
He took it off, revealing the other bandage she had yet to see, on his shoulder. She stared at it for a moment before she placed her hand above it and kissed his chest next to it, before bringing her hand to his face and kissing his cheek. She smiled at him and he brought his hand to her side. He pulled her in for a hug with his other arm, being careful not to touch the wound on his shoulder.
She pulled back and held his shirt up, helping him slide it on and button it up. They tucked it into his pants and she did the buckle for him. She helped him with his socks and shoes. She didn't bring his suit jacket, seeing as they were only heading home, or a tie because of the wound on his neck. She'd left two buttons undone at the top of his shirt so it wasn't too tight.
"Okay, am I ready now?", he asked, impatiently.
"Yes. You are.", she said with a smile, in which he returned. She helped him up, grabbed his bag, and they walked out together.
She parked the SUV, close to the exit of the hospital and she helped him in the passenger side. She got in the driver's side and started the car. They drove to the jet and got on. She sat down next to him, seeing as it was only them flying.
"So.", Emily started. "Are you going to take a week off like the doctor told you to?", she asked.
"As much as I don't want to, Haley would probably kill me if I didn't. She'd do a better job than that unsub did.", he chuckled. She was about to swat him for that but didn't want to hurt him.
"Stop it! Don't say that!", she said.
He continued to laugh and looked over at her. She was not amused though.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to find some humor in it, since I did survive and all.", he smiled but she just glared at him and faced forward. "Emily...", he laughed, placing his hand on her thigh and bringing his tone back to calm. "I'm sorry. I know it must've been scary for you. You're right, it's not funny.", he said.
She looked over at him. "What if you died? I wouldn't have been able to live with myself, knowing it was my fault.", she said.
"Emily... what happened, wasn't your fault. Don't ever think that. You did everything right.", he said, rubbing her leg.
"No. He knocked the gun out of my hand, he knocked me to the ground. I should've been able to fight back more and subdue him. If I did, you never would've been shot.", she said.
"This happens. And I'm fine. The only person who is at fault, is him. Not you, not me, not the rest of the team.", he told her, looking in her eyes, bringing his hand from her thigh, to tuck the hair behind her ear. He brought it back down to his lap and they both leaned back, closing their eyes, and fell asleep. They didn't wake up till the jet landed.
Once they got in the car, her phone rang.
She looked at Hotch before she started the car.
"Hey, Derek. What's up?", she said.
"Hey, did you just land?", he asked.
"Yeah, I just got in the car. I'm here with Hotch. Is there a case?", she asked.
Even though Hotch knew about Derek and Emily, Derek didn't know that. She had to act that way so Derek wouldn't think something is going on.
"Oh... um I was just seeing when you were gonna be home. Did you still want me to stay the night?", he asked.
"Yeah, that sounds good, just leave the files on my desk.", she said.
"Talking in code, got it. Alright, text me when you're on your way back back to your place.", he said.
"Got it, see you later, thanks.", she said.
Hotch looked over at her. "Wow, think he bought it?", he chuckled.
"I hope so.", she said, taking in a deep breath. She started the car and drove Hotch home. Once they were a block up, she said to him, "Listen, I don't want you in the office for a week, okay? You need to rest and don't give Haley hell for trying to help you out with anything. We'll talk later. We'll have that talk... later. Just... get better first.", she said.
They pulled up in front of his house.
"Yeah, alright. Thank you. For the ride, for sticking by me... for saving my life. You really are an amazing woman.", he said. She smiled and by the look that he gave her, she knew there was more that he wanted to say but knew he shouldn't right then and she returned the gaze, letting him know it was mutual. He got out and she watched him walk up and go inside.
Emily started driving to her apartment and called Derek.
"Hey, you on your way?", he asked.
"Yeah, I'll be there in about 10.", she said.
"Great. I picked up a bottle of red for us. I know how long of a day you've probably had. We can go straight to sleep too if you want, it's pretty late.", he said.
"No, no. A bottle of wine sounds great. Bring a few outfits over too.", she said.
"Sounds good, I'll head out in a sec.", he said.
"Alright, see you soon.", she hung up.
Emily got to her apartment and walked inside. Right as she set her bag down, there was a knock at the door. She went to open it and let Derek in.
"Hey.", he said, holding a bottle of wine and a bag with clothes in it. He set his things down and walked over to her and she brought her arms to his neck and hugged him tight. "I was so worried about you.", he said in her ear. He heard her sniffling, she had just started crying again.
"I know. I wanted to be able to give you a hug. I'm so sorry.", she cried.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm just so glad you're okay.", he said. She nodded against his shoulder and held on even tighter.
Deep down, she was actually apologizing about what she had done with Hotch but couldn't admit to that.
He pulled back and looked at her face.
"Is it feeling any better?", he asked.
"Yeah, it doesn't hurt too bad. I'm getting the stitches out in a couple days. It should be fine.", she said, wiping a few tears away.
"Good.", he said and placed a kiss on her lips.
"What do you say we open this bottle and head upstairs? Put your clothes away?", she said.
"I'd like that very much, princess.", he smiled.
"Go ahead and go upstairs. Pick out any drawer you want. I'll pour us a couple glasses.", she said.
He headed upstairs and she grabbed two wine glasses, pouring the red in each one. As she was walking upstairs, she called to him, "Alright, I know it's late and all but maybe after this, we could watch a-", she stopped once she walked in her room.
Derek stood there holding a blue cargo jacket in his hand and turned to face her.
Her mouth hung open a bit and all the color drained from her face.
It was Hotch's jacket from their first time getting together in L.A. from that rainy night they went to the diner. From the beach they went to the next night. The one he had told her to keep. Derek looked at Emily with a mix of confusion and anger but obviously hurt. She stared at him with the glasses in her hand.
"Whose jacket is this?", he asked.
She paused, having no idea what to say.
"Emily? Whose jacket is this?", he asked again. "Because it's definitely a man's. And it most certainly isn't mine. I've never seen you wear it before.", he said, looking at it again, "Wait... this is the one you were wearing when we were in L.A. You said Hotch let you wear it while you were outside. You never gave it back to him...?", he asked.
"I- I guess I forgot...", she stuttered. She set their glasses down on the dresser and walked closer to him.
"Emily, why have you held onto this? Why do you even have it? Didn't he ask for it back? ... Why aren't you saying anything...", he started to raise his voice.
"Remember that night I asked you on the jet if there was anything going on between you two?", he asked.
"Yes, and I told you, absolutely not! There is nothing going on between us.", she tried to sound convincing.
"Why did he lend you his jacket...", he sounded hurt.
"Derek, I told you. It was cold that night, I don't know. He just did... You have nothing to worry about.", she said.
He scoffed and looked straight at her and paused before speaking again.
"What am I to you? Just some cover? Are you screwing Hotch on the side? Or are you just screwing me on the side?", he asked.
"Excuse me?!", she said.
"Emily, you've been acting real strange when it comes to Hotch. You have for a long time now.", he started raising his voice more.
"What do you mean!", she said.
"I mean, talking with him in the middle of the night and coming back inside wearing his jacket, then him asking you to ride with him back to the jet randomly that night after dinner. You guys were outside for a long time when he went to take a phone call and you went to grab your own jacket. Which... I guess you didn't need, since you had his! Oh! And then there was that huge fight between you two that day in his office. Who the hell does that with their boss! The weird phone call from him in the middle of the night that you had lied to me about at first! Avoiding eye contact and talking with each other! Weird tension between you two. It's all making sense now! You were crying the other day in the hospital after he was shot. I thought it was just because you were hurt but you never cry from that... you were so willing to stay back with him that day and till he was released from the hospital. What is that? God... is there something else I'm missing in there?! Have you slept with him too?!", he yelled.
Tears came back to her. "Screw you! How could you even say that?", she yelled. "I've had my issues and I haven't always been fair to you like the other morning I pushed you away and I know I didn't want to label us for a while but I wouldn't do any of that stuff! There's nothing going on between me and Hotch and the fact that you would accuse me of that...", she said.
"Can you blame me?!", he yelled, holding up the jacket in his hand before throwing it on the ground. She just stared at him with a tear rolling down her face. "You know what? I don't need a drawer. I think I'm just gonna go home. Back to my own place.", he said.
"No, Derek. Please. Please don't go.", she said, trying to hold him but he put his hands up and backed away.
"No, Emily. You may be a good liar, but I'm also a profiler and I'm not stupid.", he said.
"Derek, stop!", she yelled after him as he grabbed his stuff and walked downstairs and out of her apartment. Once she heard the door close, she sat down on the floor by her bed and grabbed Hotch's jacket. She brought her knees to her chest and held the jacket close to her and started crying. She wanted to call him but knew he was with his family and needed rest anyways.
Emily sat there crying for a half hour when her phone rang. Without even looking, she grabbed it from her back pocket and answered it.
"Prentiss.", she said.
"Emily? What's wrong?", Hotch said on the other line.
She pulled the phone away and saw it was Hotch.
"Aaron.", she sniffled, trying to collect herself. "Why aren't you asleep?", she asked.
"Well, I'm in bed. Why are you crying?", he said.
"Where's Haley?", she asked.
"Jack woke up. He's not feeling too good, she's just trying to calm him and put him back down. Why are you crying?", he asked again.
"I don't wanna talk about it.", she said.
"Emily... why are you crying?", he repeated.
She knew he wasn't going to give up.
She sighed, "Derek found your jacket in my drawer.", she said.
"Oh... what happened?", he asked.
"Well... he started yelling, talking about how there's something suspicious going on between us, practically accused me of sleeping with you and stormed out. So... I don't know what it means or what really happened.", she said.
"Well, he's not wrong...", Hotch said.
"Yeah, I know he's not wrong. That's the issue. I tried to tell him there was nothing going on but he didn't believe me, I guess. I'm sorry, I told you I didn't want to talk about it. This isn't the kind of thing to talk about with you. Especially right now.", she said.
"It's okay. It involves me, and it's hurting you. If either of those are the case with something, of course you should talk to me about it.", he said. He waited for her to speak after a minute.
"What do I do?", she asked.
"Give him some space. Try talking to him tomorrow... I'm sorry... I messed a lot of things up.", he said.
"No, you didn't. I need to work this out on my own. This isn't on you.", she said.
All of a sudden Hotch's tone changed to professional.
"Oh, uh- Emily, I'll have to call you later. Keep me updated on the cases for the rest of the week till I'm back?", he asked.
"Is Haley there now?", she asked.
"Yeah, thank you.", he said.
"Oh, goctha. Have a goodnight.", she said, disappointed.
"You too.", he hung up fast.
Emily set her phone down, hugged her knees and cried some more until she was exhausted.
She took a shower and got ready for bed. She checked her phone one more time to see if Derek had messaged her at all but he hadn't.
She had one text from Hotch, saying,
"I'm sorry. I'll call you tomorrow."
She stared at it and decided not to reply till she spoke to him the next day.
She pulled the sheets back and got in bed and cried herself to sleep.