Once at the control van, the team is reunited in a way they feared they never would be again. They take turns hugging Reid and Emily, Emily trying to conceal the sharp pain in her ribs as she did so but her winces of pain did not go unnoticed. Hotch decides that Emily and Reid need to get checked out by a doctor before they could fly home. The fact that Emily did not protest struck Hotch as strange, he knew she was a woman who did not like to be coddled and would want to go home after this. He understands she is going to have to heal inside and out from the events of the past few days. Reid was quickly cleared with nothing but instructions to reduce his blood pressure and a blanket to help the shock he was suffering from. Emily, on the other hand had a myriad of injuries. She made the team wait outside of the room, she didn't want them to see the injuries when the doctors looked her over. Her wrist had a hairline fracture, which they put a soft splint on to help heal. Her face had bruises and cuts, and she needed three stiches to the side of her temple. When it came time to check her stomach, Emily pulled up her shirt just enough to show her bruised ribs, careful not to show the bitemarks and bruising on her neck and breasts. That was an injury she wasn't ready to face. The doctors X-RAYED her ribs and noted they were bruised. Not as bad as she thought. She was given pain medication and cleared to return home only five hours later.
She let the team in as the doctor left and explained the fractured wrist, stiches, and bruised ribs in the most underplaying way she could. She assured the team that a few days of pain medication and rest and she would be good as new, though they all knew that was untrue. She had been beaten badly and faced with death; she would surely need time to heal. They did not have to be profilers to see the apprehension in her eyes. Morgan had already returned to the hotel and retrieved everyone's go-bags and personal items so they could head directly to the jet. Hotch helps Emily lean on his body as they walk towards the car. He could feel her tense up at the contact and heard the sharp inhale of breathe at the pain but knew there was no other way. Little did he know that her tension was for a reason she didn't want to believe. Though she felt fear being so close to any man after the… incident (as she called it in her mind, disconnecting herself the best she could), Hotch's presence felt warm and she welcomed his helping touch despite the pain.
As they flew back to Quantico nearly the entire team had fallen asleep on the jet. How could they not when they had all been awake for nearly days straight fighting for the safety of their own. Emily looks over to Reid's face, glad that he seems so peaceful. She would not take back protecting him, even after what Cyrus had taken from her, not for a moment. The only other team member awake was Hotchner, sitting two seats away from Emily drinking a black coffee and reading something Emily didn't care to identify. She could feel him sneaking glances towards her and decides to open a dialogue. "What, do I have something on my face?" She almost chuckles as she quietly talks to Hotch. If he wasn't so good at his job, he probably wouldn't have seen the pain behind her façade. "Sorry, I just…. I wonder why you aren't sleeping?" He says almost sheepishly. To take a submissive tone was not like Hotch. "You must not have gotten much rest while this was happening, why don't you try and get some sleep?" He asks with a kind face and a furrowed brow. "I've still got too much adrenaline to sleep, once we get back to Quantico I will take my next dose of pain meds and pass out as soon as I get home, I'm sure of it. I could ask you the same, you know." She deflects to him. Aaron knows that isn't why she is awake. He can tell by the bags under her eyes (even the black eye the yawns that slip through every so often, and her body posture that she is exhausted. He is sure that she does not want to sleep because of fear. Fear of nightmares, fear of reliving. Fear of showing weakness in front of anyone else. He knows this because he did the same following the attack from Foyet. When he closed his eyes he saw him, felt him stabbing him slowly while making it clear that it was sexual in nature. Hotch had never felt so out of control and he would not show the others his struggling. He never allowed himself to sleep on that jet again. Snapping out of his reverie for his own unwanted memories, he accepts her answer for what it is and quips back that he, also, has too much adrenaline to sleep. The two accept each other's lies politely. Before going back to his novel, Hotch simply states "Emily, I know you are strong. I know you are okay. If you ever want to talk, if you ever don't feel okay, you know where to find me.". His eyes were kind and his voice gentle. Emily held back tears as best she could as she choked down the shame she felt. If he only knew what she allowed to happen, he wouldn't feel the same. She wanted to bathe in his kind words, feel his warmth and accept his help. She wanted to reach out her hand. He was strong. He was kind. His presence made Emily feel safe… sometimes it made her feel other things. A burning heat in her stomach of longing for his embrace. For now, she only felt shame and gratitude. "Thank you Hotch, I know." Was her only response before the rest of the silent jet ride.
