He made Jack's dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, then cleaned up the house. He was avoiding going into his bedroom. He knew it. But he needed some time to himself. Some time to absorb what he had always known, but secretly hoped hadn't, happened.

She was raped. The woman he loved was raped.

He wanted to break something. No. He wanted to revive the corpse of the man that ... that ... the man that kidnapped her. He wanted to kill him again. But this time he didn't want to shoot him. This time he wanted to kill him slowly. For that … that … vermin to slowly feel the life leaving his body.

The shattering of the glass brought him back to the present. He looked down at his hand and saw the blood and the broken glass. He went back to the kitchen, cleaned the wound and put on a bandage.

He couldn't avoid the room forever. He wasn't avoiding her. He loved her. He wasn't avoiding looking at her differently. He would only ever look at her one way. She was the love of his life, and nothing would ever change that. Not even what some deranged man did to her.

He avoided the room because he was angry.

Not at her. But at life. For what it had done to her.

But she needed only calm. She needed peace around her. Inside she was going to be a mess for a long time. She needed everything thing else to be orderly. Or at least something that she could easily make orderly.

Anger is often destructive, the glass proved that. He was slowly calming down.

He began a slow trek to his bedroom. With every step calm was seeping into his veins. He would be calm, if only for her sake.

He entered the room and got ready for bed. He climbed into the bed and lay down on the other side, as far from her as he could be. He didn't want her to wake and feel someone touching her. He didn't want her to awaken afraid – at least no more afraid than she was already going to wake up.

She wasn't going to be able to hide from it anymore.

Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

/

She didn't want to wake up. The dream was pleasant and reality was not. But she couldn't fight it forever.

She opened her eyes slowly; the light was bright and harsh. The first thing she noticed was how far Aaron was from her. Why is he over there? Does he not want to touch me now? Do I look the same to him? Do I look different? Am I disgusting now?

Fear and doubt began to plague her mind. Those thoughts stayed with her, and would not leave.

Hotch woke up and looked at the woman he loved. He could see the fear and doubt written on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Sometimes having a profiler for a boyfriend sucks."

"What's wrong, Em?"

She couldn't look at him. She didn't want to see it in his eyes. "You're so far away."

"I didn't want you to wake up and feel someone touching you. I didn't want you to wake up scared. I don't want you to confuse my touch with his touch. … Nothing's changed. What he did to you. It doesn't touch you. You are still the woman I fell in love with. I'm just trying to be the man you need."

"Thank you, Aaron." She tenderly put her hand on his cheek. He nuzzled her hand and softly kissed it.

She pulled her hand away, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You do what you need to heal. I'll be here."

Later, she stepped into the shower and tried to let the hot water wash it all away. But it didn't work, she couldn't get rid of the images and feelings.

She stared at the hot water rivulets as they ran down her body. If only everything else could be washed away so easily.

/

The knock on the door was unexpected. So was who stood on the other side of the door. "Chief Strauss, what an unexpected surprise."

"Yes, Agent Prentiss, I imagine it is. May I come in?"

"Yes, of course. Come in."

"Agent Prentiss, you know why I'm here."

"Yes ma'am." I know why you're here. Although surely this could have waited.

"I'll be brief. I know that you're still recovering. Did you know about the FBI's no fraternization policy?"

"I knew it was looked down on."

"I see. Did you and Agent Hotchner ever discuss it?"

"No, ma'am."

"Why?"

"It was just never something we talked about."

"Very well. Agent Prentiss, as you are already on medical leave, we are not going to suspend you. However we will have to write you up for breaking the fraternization policy. And before you can return to duty you will have to end your relationship with Agent Hotchner."

She stood up and walked to the door. She opened it just as Hotch was reaching for it.

"Chief Strauss, this is a surprise."

"Agent Hotchner. Jack. Have a good day."

"Em. What happened?"

"They're saying before I can come back to work, I have to break up with you."

"I'm going to call Dave and see what he can do."

/

Dave knocked on the door. Hotch answered it. "Dave, come in. Can I get you something to drink?"

"A whiskey would be nice." Dave sat on the couch and Emily and Hotch soon joined him. Dave took a long drink. "There's nothing I can do. Aaron, someone's protecting you. I don't know who it is, but whoever it is they have a lot of juice. But they're not protecting you, Emily. If you want to go back to work, you have to break up."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Aaron, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know. But we will think of something. I just got you back. There's no way I'm letting you go again."

A/N Review let me know what you think.