Ok so this is the final chapter in "Be There for Me". Thank you to all the wonderful people who've reviewed up until now, and I hope you like this chapter just as much as you've liked my other ones.
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As the footsteps got closer Emily shut her eyes tight, and shakily rose to her feet, before taking a few calming breaths and opening them again, knowing that this was it... she was leaving, he couldn't hurt her anymore, it was over.
"Emily, what the hell are you doing down here?" Allen questioned, once he reached the bottom of the stairs and spotted her staring at him from the kitchen.
"I was getting a glass of water." Emily lied easily, knowing that it was best to stall Allen until Hotch arrived as back-up.
Allen seemed to believe her, even nodding his head and smiling slightly, as if nothing had happened, before he spotted the phone.
"Why is that at your feet?" He questioned, pointing at the offending device. "Who were you calling?" He roared, commanding to know the answer.
"No one, I swear, no one... there was a prank call." Emily lied again, a hint of nerves creeping into her voice.
She knew Hotch would be here soon, he lived only a few minutes away, but that didn't stop her being afraid of Allen, and at this moment she was feeling a fear like never before.
"You're lying... you're lying to me!" Allen roared, before lunging at Emily, and almost knocking her to the ground, as she just about managed to dodge his tackle.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Hotch skidded to a halt outside Emily's apartment building and ran in the doors and through the lobby, ignoring the calls of the doorman, as he took the stairs two or three at a time rather than wait in a lift only one thought being on his mind at the moment... Emily's plea for help, and her last words to him... "Hurry."
He halted outside her door briefly, searching frantically in his pocket for the spare key to her apartment, when he sound of breaking glass and a muffled scream suddenly echoed through the door.
Hotch pulled his key out of his pocket, and rammed it into the lock, swinging the door open, only to find a chain on the door.
He could feel panic set in now as yet another muffled cry rang through his ears, and he felt adrenaline kick in, as he took three steps back and ran towards the door, hitting it as hard as he could with his shoulder, and ignoring the dull ache that followed, as the weak chain snapped away from the frame and the door swung open.
He ran in, his eyes hastily scanning the room as he moved, and he quickly spotted Allen and Emily in the far corner if the room, Allen's arm pinning Emily securely against the wall.
"Allen." Hotch bellowed, pulling his gun and aiming it at the side of Allen's head. "Step away from her now, or I'll blow a hole in you." He commanded.
"Oh surprise, surprise." Allen snarled. "Emily's little knight in shining armour to save the day." He sneered, pulling his arm quickly away from Emily anyway, and stepping back, causing Emily to slide down the wall and hit her elbow on a table.
"I don't want to kill you Allen, but so help me god, if you do not leave right now I will make you pay." Hotch hissed, taking a step closer and briefly chancing a glance at Emily, who was propping herself up against the wall and watching the exchange intently.
"You're all talk." Allen laughed bitterly, as he took another few steps back. "You don't have the balls to hit me." He added mockingly.
"Don't push me." Hotch growled, lowering his gun and raising his fist simultaneously.
"Like you could do much damage anyway." Allen gloated, though the fear was evident in his eye as he cautiously took a few more steps away from Emily, and began heading to the door. "Just don't get in my way." He added menacingly.
"Oh believe me, going anywhere near you is the last thing I want to do." Hotch replied, cashing in on his height advantage as Allen moved past him slowly.
"Oh one more thing though." Allen added, stopping right in front of Hotch when he spoke. "She's a bit of a prude... you may need to entice her." He sneered.
Possibly even before Allen spoke something inside Hotch snapped, and the second the last syllable left Allen's mouth, even before he had time to form a smirk, Hotch's left fist connected with the right side of his head, sending him tumbling backwards, and tripping on his own two feet, causing him to hit the floor with a bang.
Allen stayed on the floor in shock, not registering Hotch's foot flying at him until a burning pain radiated across his jaw. This pain was followed in quick succession by a hit to the hip and one to his rib cage, leaving him gasping for breath.
Hotch wasn't done yet though, and had his leg raised, ready to deal Allen a blow, this time to the crown jewels, just to be sure that there was no chance of this piece of dirt ever reproducing, when he felt a small hand grasp his shoulder firmly.
"Stop." Emily whispered, as Hotch turned slowly, confident that a now crippled Allen wouldn't try and fight back. "I don't want any more violence." She sighed.
"I swear no more violence... ever." Hotch replied, wrapping his arms tight around Emily and burying his head into the crook of her neck, kissing her lightly against a bruise that was forming on her shoulder.
"I just want to go." Emily sobbed, her cracking voice betraying her face, which was refusing to let tears fall for Allen to see.
"Ok, we're going... we're going to my place." Hotch promised, as he stepped back from her. "Just pack a bag and then you can leave, and never come back." He told her with a reassuring smile.
"No." Emily breathed, shaking her head in dismay. "No, I need to leave now... I can't... I can't... please can I just go." She pleaded quietly, biting her lip as she locked eyes with Hotch.
"Ok, ok... we can go now." Hotch replied quickly, nodding his head as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, being careful not to couch the bruising. "You have some stuff at my place anyway." He added, knowing that after she'd turned up at his door a few times he'd insisted that she make a drawer in his room of her clothes.
~.~.~.~.~.~
The drive to Hotch's place was a silent one, Emily paying more attention to the streetlights, than to Hotch's one and only attempt at making light conversation.
"I'm going to change." Emily informed Hotch the second he'd closed the exterior door behind them, disappearing into Hotch's bedroom before he'd even had a chance to turn around.
Hotch sighed, but headed to the kitchen to make hot chocolate, just like he always would, and waited patiently as the minutes ticked by, and Emily still hadn't returned. He was just about to go and look for her, when she reappeared, smiling brightly, even though her eyes were still red from crying.
"Sore anywhere?" Hotch questioned, as he normally would, while he handed her the drink and reached for the first aid kit.
"My neck hurts... but it's fine really." Emily replied, swatting away Hotch's hand as he lifted it to examine her bruising.
"Emily... what did Allen mean earlier?" Hotch questioned cautiously, looking at her as she took a careful sip of the steaming liquid he'd given her.
"When?" Emily asked quietly, shutting her eyes in anticipation for Hotch's reply.
"When he said you were a prude and needed... needed some enticing." Hotch needlessly reminded her, praying and hoping that he'd gotten the wrong end of the stick.
"Do I really need to answer that?" Emily whispered defiantly, looking Hotch in the eye and hoping he wouldn't push her.
"Does that mean I'm right?" Hotch inquired sadly.
"Yea..." Emily whispered, looking down at her hands. "I'm sorry." She added, as fresh tears built up in her eyes.
"Don't apologise." Hotch ordered her gently. "I'm the one who's sorry Emily, I should have seen it." He admitted as he pulled her close to his chest. "But I didn't so now all I can do is promise that nothing like this will ever happen again."
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There... Sort of a happy ending... oh, and fear not, the first chapter of the follow up story, which is going to be called "Make Me Strong Again" should be posted in the next couple of days.
So thank you so much to everyone who's read this story, especially to those of you who reviewed it, and put it on your favourite list or alert list.