-"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection"-Sigmund Freud

"Emily you didn't need to drive me"

"I know, I wanted to." Emily said as she locked the door behind her. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Hotch turned to look at her.

"You know you don't hav.."

"Hotch, I know you're my boss during office hours, but right now.."

"It's after office hours." Hotch finished the sentence. Looking at the floor, not knowing really what to say to his female colleague. After all she had been the one to find the blood stained carpet. And later sit by his hospital bed, and yet worst of all the one to give the news to the team.

"Yah." She whispered with concerned eyes.

Hotch looked back at her. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it again, instead looked around his apartment then took a seat on the sofa. Feeling and probably looking lost, afraid, and furious behind those eyes that she had managed to glance at even though the rest of his body resonated his usual serious demeanor. She knew that he knew he would have nightmares, and so he wouldn't really have any intention of sleeping.

"You know Hotch, my dad was very much like you. Because of his work I didn't see him often but at a young age I learned that even though he wasn't by my side like I wanted him to be. Like I wished him to be. I always knew he loved me, I knew I was safe even if the time spent with me between jobs was short, I knew he was my ultimate guard." She let out a breath before taking a seat next to him leaving about a foot apart. And turned to look at the window. Hotch was still looking at the floor but listening intently as she spoke, wondering where she was going with this.

"Uhm, when I was 11, I was abducted from the embassy in Moscow. I was supposed to be in the east wing, taking dance lessons. We had a ball coming up. But I managed to sneak out to the courtyard. I remember I was sitting on the grass near a little cluster of birch trees. I was reading the color purple. It was a summer evening so it was just before it got dark. I didn't hear him. But when I finally felt him, I was too late. He had all his weight on me and a wet cloth over my mouth before I could scream or buckle"

Hotch turned to look at her, she was getting a haunted look in her eyes as she remembered probably one of the most horrific events in her life, he was sure of that. But in a way he couldn't have made her stop. There was a reason behind why she was telling him, why she was sharing this.

"I woke up lying on a dirty cement floor, it took me a while to come to. I was in an abandoned building, no electricity, and there were fire stakes up on the wall to light the small room but it was still cold like ice. I remember thinking it was summer but in the moment it felt like winter. My hands and feet were bound. I remembered clearly like if I was 7 again, dad told me if ever I were to be ever taken to never show them fear."

She let out a breath.

"Not long after a man came in, to check on me I guess. He told me that I had to be quiet or I wouldn't get water or food let alone live another day. When I didn't answer, he smacked me. I saw red, I lunged at him the best I could. I knocked him back just enough that he tripped and hit his head on the wall. I got my feet untied and I tackled him. I ended up biting off a chunk of skin and meat, even though he was hitting me to let go. I remember telling myself that I wasn't going to go down without a fight. We ended up knocking down a stake onto us. ….As well as the fire."

He was looking at her with slight pride and sadness. But then the word fire registered and he recalled the burn victim they had met at the hospital. He had held her hand as her heart had stopped beating. But he also remembered how uncomfortable Prentiss had been. And how that relief appeared on her face when she was able to step out of the room.

"His hair caught on fire first," She whispered. "Along with the cloth he had on to hide his face. He was so caught up in trying to put out the fire he knocked off a second stake. It fell on me. It really only burned my left thigh, when two other men had rushed in at the yells. They couldn't help him through, the fire had spread and his yells were getting weaker. They took out their anger on me. I was there for two more days before I heard a commotion and shots ring out. Then the voice of my father. He was yelling my name."

She turned to look at him, moving her hand on top of his. Hotch stared at their joined hands.

"For a father that I didn't get to see very often, a very serious man, him holding me was the best filling in the world. And it didn't matter. I hadn't seen him in a year. I was overjoyed that he dropped everything to find me, even if it had been my mother's job that had put me in danger in the first place. He loved me so much, he managed to find me and save me. It hurt when he had to leave again, but I remember how much happiness and relief I could see in his eyes when he held me that day. That I knew no matter how far away he will always keep me safe and come for me."

She shifted her body to face him. And he finally looked up to meet her eyes.

"Hotch we will catch Foyet, and you will see your son again. Way before a year is marked. And he will love you no less than he did before. Any parent that is willing to suffer the toughest and cruelest things that this world has to offer to keep their child out of harm's way, is forever their hero."

She nodded at him before retreating her hand.

Hotch just stared at her. Willing the little hope she managed to flare up in his chest to reach his mind.

"Thank you Prentiss, and I'm sorry"

"Don't be, it was a very long time ago. Plus it's the past that makes us who we are today. And I know I'm not perfect but I like who I am today and what I do. I mean I;m not bad, am I?"

She gave him one of her wide eyed smiles. And he just had to smirk.

"Yah Prentiss, you are alright."

She laughed a little.

"Just alright. Well at least it's something. It's getting late." She stood up. And pulled out 2 lavender tea bags, placing them on the coffee table in front of them. "I know it's not coffee but humor me, yah?"

Hotch stood up, he felt a little annoyed at the fact that they both knew he was going to have trouble sleeping. He let out a breath "Yah."

"Thanks." She turned to the door and he followed her. Debating to invite her for the tea or let her leave. Not sure yet if he wanted to be alone or not not.

But they had reached the door and he had not made up his mind as she began to exit.

As he held the door she turned around.

"Good night Hotch."

"Good night Prentiss."