She threw her gear down, kicked off her boots and laid on the couch. She had only been laying there for thirty minutes when someone was knocking on her door. She dragged herself off the couch, peeked through the peep hole. She smiled when she saw Garcia and JJ standing on the other side of the door.

She opened the door smiling. "Yes?" The women hugged her, she invited them into her apartment.

"Come out with us tonight! " JJ said.

"I can't, I have triathlon training in the morning. "

"Just for a little while then." Pouted Garcia.

"Give me 30 to get ready! "She rushed in the bathroom taking a shower and getting ready. She threw on jeans and a red lacy tank top, then a black button up shirt leaving it mostly unbuttoned. She pulled on a pair of boots and ran out of the bedroom.

"Where are we going?" Izzy asked.

"A new club down town. The guys are meeting us there." Garcia answered.

Izzy stopped and looked at both women about to protest. "Morgan, & Spencer. Hotch can't make it."

Izzy followed them out the door, she took her own car because she wasn'tgoing to stay late. They arrived at the club. The guys had a table for them, they ordered a round of drinks.

"Come on Cooper, lets dance!" Morgan pulled her on the dance floor for a fast beat number.

A slow one came on, he took her into his arms and started to dance. He spun her out and away from him, into another man's arms. She looked up and she was in Aaron's arms. She tried to pull away but his hold was too tight, at the end of the song he leaned down and kissed her gentlely. She pushed him away and stormed away from him across to the table grabbing her purse. She glared at the occupants of the table before storming out of the club.

"Iz, wait!" Spencer chased after her.

She didn't stop, she was outside when he caught up with her. She looked at him. "What?"

"I'm sorry, we all thought we were helping. "

"It's not going to happen! I have to go."

"Do you still care for him?"

She stopped. "I don't know." She got to her car and drove home. She walked up to her apartment and found Aaron leaning against her door.

Great! Just what I needed! She thought. She looked at him and tried to calm her nerves.

"I'm sorry about tonight, I went to far." She didn't say anything just looked at him. "If you can look me in the eye and tell me you didn't feel anything that you don't still love me. I'll walk away."

She clinched her jaw and looked away. She pushed around him to get inside her apartment. He stopped her, he touched her arm, then caressed her face. She lost her resolve, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He lifted her up, holding her against him, not breaking the kiss. He carried her inside the apartment kicking the door shut. He sat her down on the floor, she started pulling off his clothes, he started pulling off hers. He carried her to the bedroom and made love to her all night long.

She lay in his arms afterwards, her back against his chest, he nuzzle her ear with his lips.

"I love you!" He whispered. She pretended to be asleep.

XXX

Her alarm went off at five am the next morning, she started to roll from her bed. His arm snaked around her waist.

"Where are you going so early?"

"I have training this morning? "

"For what?"

God this was going to be hard. "FBI triathlon. You need to leave." she pulled on a tshirt and underwear.

He looked confused. "Is everything okay?"

"No. Just go!'

"Iz, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

He went to pull her in his arms, she pulled away from him. "Talk to me."

"Lets call last night what it was, good bye sex!"

"It wasn't that for me." He looked hurt and betrayed.

"I'm sorry, I can't get on this merry-go-round with you again."

"Iz, please!"

"Just go!"

"Tell me you don't love me!"

She turned her back on him, he walked up behind her. "I know I hurt you, I'm not running. I'll leave now, but I'm fighting for us." He got dressed and left her apartment.

XXX

She threw herself into her workout hitting her best time ever. She felt awful about how she left things with Aaron. Part of her wanted to call him and apologize, begging for forgiveness, confessing that she still loved him. The other part of her knew she had been right to push him away, she had to protect her heart.

'You're a million miles away Iz! What gives?" Adam said.

"I did something incredibly stupid last night!"

"No way. What did you do?"

"Had good bye sex with Aaron, refused to talk to him this morning and threw him out of my apartment. He asked me if I still loved him."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't answer him."

"You do still live him! Tell him!"

"I can't, I ruined it! I've got to go!"

"Iz, wait!"

She walked to her car and left for home. She crawled into the shower letting the hot water mix with her tears. She was stupid and foolish! She had to let Aaron know how she felt before it was too late. She would get ready and go see him this afternoon. She got out of the shower and got dressed picking up her phone she saw she got a text message. It was from her dad.

Got a case, call you when I get back. Lets go out for dinner! Love you!

She returned his texted, after thinking for a few minutes she sent a text to Aaron.

I'm sorry about this morning! Can we talk when you get back?

She fixed herself a glass of tea and sat down to watch TV, waiting for Aaron to answer her back. She knew how busy he could get during a case. She went out to dinner with a group of instructors, she kept her phone close at hand. Still no text from him, she was a little worried.

She went to bed that night, hoping he'd text her at some point. Still nothing by Sunday morning, she got up and went for a run. By the end of the day she still hadn't heard from him, she had decided maybe she had totally ruined it, and he had decided to move on. She climbed into bed feeling miserable but yet she knew she deserved it

XXX

Aaron looked at the text from Izzy and fought back the urge to text her back immediately. He had been hurt by her words and actions that morning. He was hoping this was a good talk she wanted to have with him. He put his phone away and got busy with the case the team was working on.

He wanted to finish it up and get back so he could talk to her and hopefully have a new start. He had to put it out of his mind right now, it was distracting him, and distractions were dangerous. The team was ready to deliver their profile. It was just a matter of time before they found the Unsub.

The team descended on the abandoned farm house, the SWAT team kicked in the door, the BAU team following. Gunshots rang out, Aaron took one to the shoulder and collapsed, another shot struck him in the arm. He was laying on the ground trying to figure out where the shots were coming from. He sat up and scouted against the wall, propping himself up. A man stepped from out of the shadows aiming his gun at Aaron and smiling. Shots rang out.

XXX

Izzy drank a large cup of coffee on the way to work Monday morning. She had to notify a couple of cadets that they were being cut from the program because they were flunking out. She hated this part of the job. She tried to help them but they were flunking book studies and barley passing the physical part.

She called them into her office, the first cadet took it well. He said he'd reapply for the next session. The second cadet was belligerent and blaming everyone. He got in Izzy's face and threatened her, she had him removed by security.

She headed to her classroom after the incident, she couldn't let it phase her. She finished the day, she went out to dinner with Adam. She got home and laid down in bed. Tomorrow they were doing case studies again, that would take up all day. She fell asleep, not hearing her cell phone ring.

XXX

Morgan shot the Unsub in the back before he could get another shot off at Aaron.

" We need a Medic, Hotch has been hit!"

"I'm fine." Hotch said.

"Wait for the Medics."

Hotch struggled to get up. "One bounced off my vest and grazed my shoulder, the other one grazed my forearm. I'm fine!"

"Get checked out."

The rest of the team ran into the room and surrounded him. "I'm fine, just get me out of here."

The Medics came in and checked him out, they suggested a trip to the hospital for medical treatment. After prompting from Rossi and Morgan, he finally complied and went to the hospital to be checked out. He was released later with superficial wounds, they were back on the jet and headed back to Washington by early afternoon.

XXXX

Izzy hit the pool at 0500 hours, then ran the obstacle course for her morning workout. She was in her office by seven drinking a cup of coffee, she checked her cell phone and saw she had a miss call from her dad. She picked up her phone and returned his call.

"Good morning Belle."

"Good morning."

"Do you want to have breakfast?"

"I'm already at work."

"Did you eat?"

"I will in a bit. I'm sorry I missed your call last night."

"Aaron, was shot, by the Unsub."

Her heart stopped beating for a minute. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "You really should start with that."

"So, you still care about him?"

"Dad...of course I do. It's complicated."

"Dinner tonight?"

"Yes, I should be done here around four, see you at five?"

"Come to the house, I'll cook for you."

"Sounds good."

"What do you have planned today?"

"Case studies all day. Hoping it goes better."

"Good luck!"

"Thanks!"

"Love you kid!"

"Love you too." She ended the call and walked out of her office to gym.

XXXX

The case studies scenarios were set up, for the day, she sat down in a chair and waited for the cadets. Adam sat down beside her, handing her a cup of coffee.

"Thanks pal!"

"You're welcome! You look rough!"

"Gee thanks!"

The cadets knew the drill, Izzy and Adam sat back and let them run their cases.

"Did you call him?"

"I sent him a text. He was away on a case, but he got shot."

"Oh my God! Is he okay?"

"Yes, I'm going to call him later."

"Promise..."

She looked at him and started to say something. There was an explosion that knocked them all off their feet, she could hear sirens, there was smoke and flames. She tried to get up and help get people out, but something was on top of her. She couldn't move, she tried to push it off of her but it wouldn't budge. She pulled out her phone and dialed Aaron's phone number.

"Hotcher."

"Aaron..."Her voice was soft and quiet.

"Iz...are you there? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. I love you." She dropped the phone, she couldn't keep her eyes open any more.

"Iz...Iz!" The phone went dead.

An alarm sounded in the building and an announcement was made. "There was an explosion at the FBI Academy, all available agents report."

Aaron ran out of his office and ran into Rossi. "Lets get the team and head down!"

They loaded up the SUVs and headed down to Quantico, Aaron looked at Rossi and told him about Izzy's phone call.