A/N: Ok here we are again. I had planned on this being a much shorter story than this but it seems to have taken on a mind of its own so I really can't tell you right now how much longer this will be.

Now about this little story… A little drama may be coming in the near future. That is all I am saying. If you want to know what it is you have to continue to read this.

Chapter 6

"You are so welcome my sweet. You know I won't be able to give this to her for at least a week? She is out of the country on assignment right now. I'm not sure where, it's all hush hush."

"I didn't know that but it is fine, it's been this long what are a few more days." Hotch said as he walked her to door. "Let me know when you are able to get it to her."

"I will sir. Have faith Hotch, it will all work out." she said before turning and walking out leaving him alone.

For Hotch the next two weeks went by in a haze. The team had just finished up with their third case in that amount of time. Being bogged down with cases he hadn't had a chance to talk to Garcia about Emily. He didn't know if she had made it back yet or not.

He sat in his dark living room listening to the CD that Emily had given to Garcia at JJ's wedding. He remembered to get when he had gone to pick Jack up from Dave's the night she ran. He played the song over and over nightly, just to feel closer to her. When he listened to it he could feel her in his arms; her breath in his neck, her lips on his skin, her scent all around him. God he missed her.

"Daddy I'm ready for bed. Can you read me a story?" Jack said as he ran in from the hall.

Jack stopped and looked around. "Daddy, why are you sitting in the dark? Why do you always listen to this song?" Jack asked as he climbed onto Hotch's lap.

"Hey buddy. Daddy just likes this song a lot. I'm sitting in the dark because I'm a little sad right now and when I listen to this song it makes me feel a little better." Hotch said as he hugged Jack to him.

"Why are you sad daddy?" The little boy asked looking up at his dad.

"Daddy misses Miss Emily. Remember I told you she got a different job and doesn't work with daddy any more. I don't get to see her or talk to her anymore and that makes me sad." Hotch said as he got up from the couch and carried Jack down the hall to the his bedroom; pulling back the Superman comforter and sheet before laying him down. Covering him up, Hotch sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned down and kissed Jack on his forehead.

"Don't be sad daddy. Miss Emily will come back and see us. She has to because she said she loved me and promised to always be here for us. So that means she will come back daddy. Miss Emily doesn't lie to me so she will come see me and then you can see her and you won't be sad anymore." Jack said in earnest.

"Jack you are so smart. Yes I am sure Miss Emily will come see you soon. What story do you want to read tonight?" He asked as he ran his hand over his son's hair.

"How bout we read James and the Giant Peach?"

Hotch got the book from the bookcase and came back over to the bed.

"Ok scoot over buddy and I'll read a page and then you can help me read a page." Hotch said as he leaned back against the headboard.

Thirty minutes later Jack was asleep and Hotch stood under the hot spray from the shower; letting the heat remove some of the stress from his shoulders. After his shower he went to the mini bar in his office, unlocked it and poured himself a shot of scotch. It would be enough to take the edge off and help him relax enough to sleep, he hoped. Sleep head been few and far between since Emily had left. If she wouldn't talk to him after getting the DVD he made, then there was only one thing to do.

Corner her at her work. It was not what he wanted; he didn't even know if he could get in to see her. The department she worked in in was high level security and anyone coming or going had to buzzed in or out. He knew his security clearance was high but nowhere near being able to gain access to the State Department of Homeland Security. It took credentials he didn't have but he knew who might be able to get him in to see her if needed. JJ was the one he would turn to next for help if it turned to that.

Hotch was lost in his thoughts when he was snapped back to reality by the shrill of his cell phone.

"Hotchner." He answered gruffly.

"Hotch, it's Penelope." Garcia said from the other end of the line.

"Penelope any news yet on Emily?" He asked with desperation in his voice he knew he couldn't disguise.

"Yes, she is back. She got back this morning and finally called me back sir. She just left my apartment. I can tell you this though; she was surprised to get the DVD. I told her it was from you and that she had to watch it before she made any decisions about anything. I also need to tell you that she will be out of work for a while."

"Why? What happened?" he said worriedly.

"She was shot Hotch." Garcia said and she heard the sharp intake of breath from the other end of the phone.

"What? How bad? Is she ok?" Hotch stammered.

"She's fine sir. It was to the leg. It's not bad, I promise she is fine." Garcia said hurriedly trying to calm him down.

"How the hell did she get shot? She was supposed to be out of the field now. She wasn't supposed to be in danger there."

"She was on assignment in Afghanistan translating for someone they had apprehended. They came under attack by some insurgents. She took out five by herself Hotch before she went down and then took out another three from where she fell. She is up for a commendation sir." She said proudly.

Hotch's heart swelled with pride at the same time it broke knowing he could have lost her again without ever being able to tell her that he loved her.

"She's ok? You saw her and she looks ok, right?" He asked and she could still hear how worried he was.

"Sir she is fine. She is walking around with crutches but other than that she looks great. She did say that she would watch the DVD and call me later. She seemed pleased to get it though. I know when she watches it she will be coming to see you; she has to and if she doesn't I will drag her over there myself. But I know I won't need to because she will know how you feel and everything will be fine."

"I hope your right Penelope. I hope your right." He said before they ended their call.

Hotch laid in bed thinking of what he would say to her if she came to see him. Sleep finally overtook him around three thirty in the morning and he dreamed of her. He always dreamed of her. He dreamed about the night of JJ's wedding and how she felt in his arms. How her lips had felt on his skin. He dreamed of the pained look in her eyes before she ran away from him. That look, he never wanted to see again because he knew it was his fault it was there in the first place.

A/N: Ok the tad bit of drama that was in this chapter is not the drama I was talking about. There will be more to come so stayed tuned to find out.