CHAPTER 21

Emily's first perceptions were of talking going on around her. As she focused on them, she realized that she recognized the voices. Then she concentrated on trying to open her eyes but finding her eyelids felt very heavy.

As she worked to convince her eyes to open, she could feel someone holding her right hand, rubbing circles on the top of it. She gave the hand a weak squeeze and then felt the circles stopped.

She could hear Aaron say as she felt a squeeze on her hand again. "Emily, open your eyes for me sweetheart."

From the other side of the bed she could hear Derek say, "come on Princess, we want to see those big brown eyes."

While her perceptions were still muted as she worked through the grogginess what Emily immediately noticed as Derek spoke was that he wasn't holding her hand or even touching her arm.

As she attempted to move her left arm she found that she couldn't move her hand. Or her arm. As she focused on it she could only feel a heavy pressure on it along with pain. But the pain did not stop her from trying to move it without success until it became searing as it shot down her arm bringing tears to her eyes.

As she tried to process the pain she could feel panic starting to creep in but she could not stop it. Why would her arm not move? Then she heard alarms start to go off around her and felt her panic increase further. The squeeze increased on her right hand and she could hear Aaron's voice but not the words he was saying.

Just as she could feel herself becoming overwhelmed and that the sounds and sensations around her were diminishing she heard JJ's voice right next to her ear. Closer enough that Emily could feel her breath on her ears. She heard JJ saying as she felt her hand soothing her hair, "Emily, you're safe now. We are all here and you are going to be OK. Wake up for us."

Pushing back from the sleep that was trying to pull her back under, Emily focused on opening her eyes. After a few unsuccessful attempts, she was able to blink before completely opening her eyes. When she did she was looking at the worried faces of Hotch, Derek and JJ standing around her.

She looked over at him when Derek patted her leg and said, "there you go, Princess. I'm going to let the nurse know you are awake." before walking out of the room.

After watching him leave, she looked anxiously at her husband and best friend before she said distressed, "my arm. Why can't I move my arm, Aaron? What happened?"

Hotch took a deep breath and answered reassuringly wanting to fill her in on what was going on while also attempting to help her stay calm, "you were shot in the shoulder Em. They did surgery and it needs to stay still as it starts to heal. It's going to take some time and a lot of work but it's going to be OK."

"Really?" she responded having just gotten a first look at the contraption on her arm.

Hotch nodded before saying, "yes. Estimate is PT starts in two weeks." He knew that there was so much more that he needed to share with her about what the doctor had said about her prognosis but now wasn't the time. He would need to in the next few days but not right as she was waking up.

Emily sighed before her eyes started to flutter before she answered sleepily, "oh good. I'm so tired."

Hotch squeezed her hand as he said, "don't go back to sleep yet, Em. The doctor wants to see you."

Emily's eyes popped open before she answered, "OK. I'll try. Talk to me. Tell me what the damage is."

Hotch took a deep breath and then answered, "you got shot in the left upper chest. It broke your collarbone and the bones around your shoulder. It also collapsed your left lung. After you were shot, you fell and got a gash on your head."

Emily looked at him in shock as she only had vague memories after she entered their apartment and saw Hotch lying on the floor bleeding, "crap. That would explain why it hurts to breathe."

There was a knock on the door just before it opened and then Derek quietly walked back into the room. He walked back over so he was back on her left side before saying quietly, "the doctor will be in soon to see you."

"Mmm, K." Emily replied as her eyes blinked and then closed.

Hotch squeezed her hand again and said, "don't go back to sleep yet, Em."

After her eyes popped open again, she looked over at her husband and asked, "OK. How are you Aaron? I was so scared when I came in and saw him leaning over you with a knife and you were bleeding. I thought he was going to kill you."

Hotch smiled before he responded, "no sweetheart. He stabbed me once. They did exploratory surgery and stitched up the wound. There was some damage to the muscles but that should heal over the next few weeks. No injury to organs or major blood vessels."

"Thank goodness." she answered not taking her eyes off him before then asking, "Foyet?"

Hotch nodded as he said, "you got him. We don't need to worry about him anymore."

Just then there was another knock on the door. When it opened Emily's nurse and the doctor covering for Dr Winters walked into the room. The doctor looked at the group and said, "sorry to break up the party, agents. I need to examine Ms Prentiss. Could all of you please wait outside?"

JJ and Morgan nodded before walking out of the room. Hotch glared at him letting this doctor know that he had no intention of leaving her.

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After the doctor assessed her and he and the nurse left the room, Emily looked over at Hotch and asked, "why am I so tired?"

Hotch sighed as he remembered all that Dr Winters had explained when she came by to talk to him and Dave earlier that morning. Rubbing her hand he answered, "you lost a lot of blood. They have already given you four units of blood. Before you were shot, you were already overtired from that last case. It's going to be a long recovery."

Even through the fog that still surrounded her, Emily could tell that he was hiding something from her. Something about her. Focusing on him, she asked sternly, "what aren't you telling me Aaron?"

He sighed as he wasn't sure how she was going to take this news before answering, "they discovered something when they did your blood tests…."

Emily pulled her hand away from him as she interrupted, "oh my god, what is wrong with me Aaron? Am I sick? Is that why I've been so off recently?"

Hotch reached over and took back her right hand as he shook his head when he answered, "no, sweetheart. Not sick but it is part of the reason you haven't been feeling well. You're pregnant."

Now completely awake, Emily looked at him confused as she stated, "pregnant? How did that happen? Well not how, I know that but I'm on the Pill. I take it on time every day."

Hotch shrugged as he didn't know the answer either before replying, "I don't know that part except for it does have a failure rate even when taken correctly."

Emily quietly looked around the room. Looking at everything but him for several minutes before nervously asking as she stared at the door, "how do you feel about this Aaron? We've never really talked about having kids. At least not seriously."

Whether they planned it or not, their relationship was changing. His response to the question she just posed would determine the nature of that change for the future of their relationship. Because if they couldn't get on the same page on this topic, their future together was in jeopardy.

Hotch thought back to how he felt when he had seen Emily holding Henry in the office a few months back. How right it seemed to see her holding a baby. Reaching out, he put a finger under her chin and waited for her to turn to look at him.

When she did, he could see the uncertainty on her face. He smiled and then said softly, "I think it's a surprise but a welcome one. Yes we really haven't talked about kids but I've seen how great you are with Jack. You are going to be a wonderful mother. I'm looking forward to seeing a little Emily running around. How do you feel about it?"

With not ever really talking about having children of their own, he didn't know how she felt about this new development. He didn't want to get too excited until he heard how she felt about her pregnancy.

She smiled back at him and answered quietly, "It could be another little Aaron too. Jack looks just like you." She paused and sighed before continuing, "I don't know how I feel about it. I enjoy our time with Jack. It's just that I never saw myself married or having kids. But marrying you has been one of the best decisions I've ever made."

He smiled back at her, answering, "marrying you was one of my best decisions too." He paused before continuing, "Jack also likes spending time with you."

They quietly sat there holding hands before Emily whispered, "I'm scared."

Hotch ran his hand up and down her arm as he saw the signs that she was becoming overwhelmed with all that she had learned in the short time she had been awake. As he did, he said, "I know. But I'm going to be there every step of the way for you."

Emily looked over at him and asked, "is the baby… is the baby OK? With what happened?"

Hotch sighed having questioned the same thing earlier. He paused as he realized that he had something in his robe pocket that she should see. He pulled it out with his other hand before continuing after he handed her the small square piece of paper, "they did this ultrasound when you were in recovery and everything looked good at that point. From what they told me they can't say for sure what will happen. They want to monitor you closely for the next few days." While she was still looking at the picture he added, "the OB doctor will be in tomorrow to do another ultrasound."

Emily nodded without saying anything, her gaze not moving from the picture she was now holding. She looked up and over at him but before she could say anything, there was a knock at the door and Dave stuck his head in and asked, "are you two ready for visitors?"

Hotch and Emily looked at each other and nodded before Emily handed the picture back to Hotch. Just as he placed it in his pocket, the rest of the team walked into the room.