A/N: Continuing my other pure HotLy romance story. Here's the next part!

It had drizzled earlier that day leaving the too long dry streets slick, especially for the two Bureau issued SUVs barreling along the roads with their sirens blaring.

"She's still not picking up," Rossi informed Hotch who was driving and Reid in the back seat.

"Dammit!" Hotch growled pounding his hand against the steering wheel. "I told her to take her phone with her!" He yanked on the wheel viciously as he took a turn so fast the wheels on one side lifted.

Reed grabbed frantically at his seat belt. "We aren't certain anyone is really after Emily," he began tentatively.

"I'm not taking that risk!" It came out in a snarl, frightening Reid into silence and causing Rossi to raise his eyebrow.

"We're all worried about Emily, Hotch," Dave said in a quiet, but chastising voice. "We need to keep our heads."

The Unit Leader glared at the other man in response, but nodded his head once to acknowledge the older man's words. His hands tightened again on the steering wheel as fear ran through his veins. He knew there was something not right about Jonathan's murder, but he was too preoccupied with Emily to look at it closely. If she was the target that meant someone was still after her and may try to finish the job. If anything happened to her, Hotch did not know what he would do.

Emily began with an easy jog and then quickly picked up her pace. It began to rain again, a light drizzle that was enough to chill the skin, but she was warmed by the exercise. The music blocked out the rest of the world, even the sound of her breathing and she fell into the practiced gait of a runner, following the familiar path of one of her favorite jogging routes. She passed a several other runners, some people walking, but few were out in the damp, cool weather.

Sweat began to mingle with the rain on her face, her breathing became heavier and she could feel the slight ache in muscles that hadn't been used in a few weeks. She reached that edge that made her begin to push herself even more, increasing her pace slightly.

Her mind went blank. It was only about the music in her ears, the pounding of her sneakers on the asphalt, the rain on her face, the push to get enough air in her lungs. She didn't have to think about Jonathan's death or the hole in her heart. She didn't have to think about Hotch and the guilt she felt for feeling good when she was with him. It was simply about the run.

So in her own world was Emily, she didn't notice she was being stalked by a lone runner some distance behind her. She was easy to keep in sight dressed in her bright blue hoodie and black sneakers with the bright coral pink details. The stalker knew there was a lonely section where the trees grew thickly that was coming up soon. The dark figure moved closer to Emily.

She was in the zone now, wiping her mind blank so she didn't have to deal with what had been consuming her the past few days. It was only when she felt the hand on her arm that she came back to the present. Instinctively, Emily raised her other arm in a defensive motion, ready to strike back against her potential attacker until she saw who it was.

"Reid!" she cried out in surprise as she took out her earbuds. "What are you doing? You scared the Hell out of me!"

"Thank God I found you," Reid breathed out. "Hotch was either going to have a heart attack or shoot someone." He spoke into his communication unit. "Hotch? I've found Emily. We'll meet you in the East entrance."

"Hotch?" she asked in surprise. "Why was he worried? What's going on?"

"I'll let Hotch explain," Reid replied as he escorted Emily down the path towards their friends.

The dark figure watched all this from the shelter of some bushes. It slowly slinked away, disappearing into the park.

"Hotch!"

Aaron spun around when he heard her voice and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He didn't care who saw them, he went up to her and drew her into his arms in a tight embrace.

"Thank God!" he breathed in her hair.

The rest of their teammates looked at them in surprise and then at each other. When had that happened?

Emily's arms went around him and as was in her nature, she began to soothe him. "What's wrong?" she asked softly, feel the slight tremble in his body, but confused by it.

Hotch inhaled her scent, the smell of sweat clinging to her body reminding him of that night they had spent making love and he felt his gut tighten in remembrance. To think he could have lost her because he allowed her to get out of his sight. That would not happen again.

He pulled back slightly from her, but still kept her in his arms. "Let's get back to the BAU and I'll explain everything."

"Jonathan may have died because of me?"

Hotch kicked himself not realizing ahead of time that was the only thing Emily would focus on. He knelt down before her, taking her hands in his, once again shocking his team by his actions, but he simply didn't care.

"Do not think that way. Do not blame yourself for Jonathan," he told her sternly, even as he gently cradled her hands in his. "We aren't certain about anything. If you are the target, whatever happened to Jonathan is solely the killer's fault. Not yours. Do not even believe differently for one moment."

Tears began to form in her eyes, but she nodded slowly. Hotch smiled at her and then pulled her into a comforting hug. He rubbed her back gently and then pulled away.

"Now, we need to look at every possibility, including you and who might want you…dead."

"Hotch, that could be a long list if we look at every perp I help put away," Emily sighed.

"I know. We all have a long list. I've got Garcia running your past cases now. But we need to know if there's anyone else like Doyle in your CIA past?"

Emily stiffened imperceptibly when Doyle's name was mentioned. It was always something she did. No one but Hotch noticed and he had to stop himself from reaching out to her again. She wouldn't appreciate someone recognizing her still lingering discomfort regarding Doyle.

Emily was silent as she thought. She shook her head. "It's possible, but unlikely."

"Give Garcia their names so she can run them," Hotch ordered. When Emily opened her mouth to protest, to say she couldn't divulge anything given the confidential nature of her work, he cut her off. "I don't care. The Director and I will hash it out with the CIA. If it is someone from there, I don't want to be anymore behind this guy than I already am."

"Is there a chance any of you could be in danger?" Emily asked with a worried look in her eyes. Doyle again sprung to mind.

"I doubt it," Rossi spoke up. "No threats have been made to us and none of us have noticed any unusual events in the past few weeks."

"So it is me," Prentiss breathed out and once again they could see her blaming herself for Jonathan's death. Hotch was not going to allow her to do that.

"I need you focused, Emily," he told her in a quiet voice. "Go with Garcia and start compiling that list. The sooner we figure it out, the sooner we have the bastard."

She smiled weakly at him and nodded. Hotch smiled back at her and couldn't resist pulling her into a hug and giving her a small kiss in her hair, leaving everyone but Rossi dumbstruck. The older man simply eyed Hotch with a wary look.

"Come on, Garcia," Emily said as the tech analyst continued to stare at Hotch. The blonde started and then nodded her head, following Emily out of the room.

Hotch knew his actions would invite questions and comments, but he was in no mood for them. His priority was Emily's safety and he knew that what Rossi suspected, that Emily was the target and still in danger, was correct.

However, his team had other plans. As soon as Emily and Penelope were out of earshot, Morgan was suddenly before Hotch.

"What the Hell was all that?" the younger man demanded angrily.