Episode - Valhalla
Hotch froze as he watched Emily turn and walk out of the room. For a moment all thoughts ceased and he couldn't continue speaking. The profile stopped as Hotch could only stare helplessly after Emily as she pushed through the doors towards the elevators.
"Now, our agents have some specific information regarding Doyle which is being handed out right now..." Hotch jerked his head to the side as Rossi transitioned the profile smoothly, leaving Hotch to do something about his most important agent leaving. Ignoring the confused glances from the task forces, he pushed through the crowd of people and through the doors, moving swiftly through the lobby and into the elevators just in time to meet up with Emily as she waited.
"Hotch don't you need to finish the profi- What are you doing?" Emily tried to reach forward to stop Hotch as he pressed the emergency stop button on the elevator but was silenced as he whirled around to face her, his eyes flickering with anger and fear.
"Emily, just what the hell do you think you're doing?"
The agent in question rolled her eyes, leaning back and squaring her shoulders as she faced Hotch. "I was under the impression that I was taking an elevator. Or is that a crime?"
"No, but leaving halfway through a profile seems odd, don't you think?"
"Maybe I don't enjoy looking at people shot point blank."
"You've seen it before. Look, Emily," Hotch rubbed at his temple, tilting his head to the side as he watched Emily. "I'm worried about you, and yes, I know that the others have been asking you how you are. And I know what you said to them. And I know it was a lie."
Emily narrowed her eyes, opening her mouth as she tried to begin to deny what Hotch said but was stopped as he put a finger to her lips and continued.
"I'm not asking for the truth. All I want you to know is that you've been acting strange since... well, since the morning after you went salsa dancing." A smile toyed at his lips as he continued. "We're all worried about you, me most of all, and if there's anything I can do for you then just-"
"No." Emily stared right at him and shook her head slowly. "I can't ask you to do that."
"You wouldn't be asking me to do anything, Emily. I'd be doing it for you."
Emily swallowed, trying to mask her realisation that Hotch was literally standing there, barely an inch away from her and telling her he'd do whatever she asked to keep her safe.
"Hotch y- you don't know what you're saying."
"I know exactly what I'm saying."
"No, you don't!" Emily bit out the words angrily, balling her fists at her side, fingernails digging into her palm.
Hotch recoiled a step, watching Emily's face as her expression warped from angry to defeated.
"I don't know what you're hiding." His hand slid down, wrapping around her waist and suddenly Hotch needed to protect her. Needed to shield her from everything that was beating at her walls and threatening to destroy her. "I don't even know how much you know about this case. But do you know what I do know?"
Emily's head rested against Hotch's chest and didn't move, leaving a few seconds of silence before Hotch continued to speak.
"I know that right now all I want is for you to get better and go back to who you were before. I want you to be okay and I really want to stay here until you can promise me those things."
"I want all that too but... as the Rolling Stones rightly pointed out, we can't always get what we want."
"We can get this. I don't know what's on the other side of those doors for you but I know what's on this side of the doors. I also know that what's on this side of the doors will never give up on you."
What happened next wasn't desperation. It wasn't a plea to stay and it wasn't pointless hope. Emily lifted her head slowly, eyes reaching Hotch's, seeking them out as her hand raised up and traced the length of his arm, skimming over his shoulder and pulling his head down to meet hers. Lips met lips in the blink of an eye and eyes fell closed, so lost were the two in the moment. It wasn't desperation, it was a promise. One that spoke both the agent's emotions and forced them to wear their hearts on their sleeve. Again and again their mouths met, all the pent up emotions draining out and Hotch would realise later that this was when he should have said it. This was when he should have pulled away and whispered the three words he had kept inside for 4 years. But he didn't. Instead the elevator lights flickered on and with a shudder the creaky device began to move again. It reached the bottom floor in seconds and then Emily was gone, out the door and off with such an air of finality that all Hotch could think was,
We never did go to the park.
Red Heart – Hey Rosetta!
