Chapter XLI

"Are you sure that's what you wanted?" Emily's asked quietly so as only Ana could hear her. She felt the teenager nod against her arm and pulled her in closer.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Ana said, her tone low and reserved. Emily flicked her wrist.

"Don't worry about it. I tend to push people's buttons without meaning it sometimes." She looked down at Ana's head, now buried partially into her shoulder and couldn't help but feel bad for the girl. "I'm sorry it has to be this way."

"It's not your fault." Ana shrugged a little. "It's mine."

"It might not be that bad." Emily tried to convince herself in the process.

"Hotch lied didn't he?" she heard Ana ask. "I'm in your custody because you technically arrested me right?"

"Yes." Emily couldn't lie to her again.

"You going to read me my rights?" she asked, her voice suggesting a complete lack of sarcasm.

"Do you know them?" Emily asked, prolonging the answer. Ana nodded against her once more. "Maybe later." She saw the tips of her lips curve upwards and counted that as a huge victory.

"Even if it does go well," Ana straightened. "Even if the court decides that I shouldn't be in jail for what I've done, where am I supposed to go? I can't go back with them. I just can't do it."

"Ana," Emily rubbed her shoulder affectionately. "There's time to talk about that after you're exonerated."

"And what if I'm not?" Ana stopped walking, her emerald eyes boring straight into Emily's. "Do you know how many friends Hail has in prisons?"

"You will be."

"What if you're wrong?" Ana narrowed her gaze. "It wouldn't be the first time." She regretted the words instantly. "I'm sorry. That wasn't fair."

"It's alright." Emily pretended that the comment didn't faze her. "No one is going to hurt you anymore, okay?"

"Ok." Ana nodded passively, wishing every moment that she could believe the brunette.

"Out of the way!" a shrill voice ordered from behind and Ana and the BAU hurried to comply. A familiar face could be made out in the blur of doctors and nurses.

"Dr. Ashford?" Rossi's voice called out. The elderly man stopped and spun at the sound of his voice.

"Agents." He huffed. "I don't have time to-"

"What's going on?" Hotch demanded at once.

"Adrian Hail's in cardiac arrest." Ashford narrowed his eyes at Ana as if trying to understand how she fit in with the group.

"Wh-what?" the teenager alternated stares from Emily to the doctor. Instead of answering, Ashford sped down the hallway as quickly as he could, racing to catch up with his team of nurses.

"We should go." Emily went to place her hand on Ana's back and ease her forward until the teenager jumped. "Ana?"

"I have to see." She said so quickly that the team had to lean forward to hear. "I just have to."

"I don't think that's such a good-"

"Aaron," Emily met the man's gaze. She could relate to the girl on a level that no one else could and knew where her need came from. "She needs to go." Before anyone could blink, Ana was out of their sight and already behind Ashford. The group was stopped at the foot of Hail's door but the blinds remained undrawn. They could see nurses rip open his hospital gown and detach the wires there. Ana caught sight of two new scars- one of which had a twin on her own body- and couldn't help but wince. The man had terrorized, abused, blackmailed, taunted and lied to Ana for three years but a part of her still did not want to see him hurt. She felt a hand place into hers and without knowing who, she squeezed it- finding small comfort. He deserves it. You know he does.

"You don't have to look." Emily told her as the paddles were charged and Ashford moved to place them on Hail's chest. The only thing Ana could see was the first time she and Hail had slept together; how loved and kind he was, how safe he made her feel and how much she wanted to spend the rest of her life in his arms. As the first shock was administered, Ana jumped and could've sworn that she felt wetness on her face. Adrian's heart monitor was flat; a sound that Ana knew would haunt her nightmares for months to come. They could almost make out what Ashford was yelling at his interns and nurses and how the desperation in the room heightened with every passing second. The BAU was more focused on Ana's reaction but had to give the hospital personnel credit; although they knew what the man had done, they worked just as hard at keeping him alive and now, bringing him back. It didn't take long to understand that, this time, they had failed in their task and Adrian Hail was dead- permanently. Ana continued to stare at his body- torso exposed and wires now nowhere to be seen- as Ashford came out and explained the details of his death to the BAU. She felt a part of herself die with him- the lively, fiery part of Ana- of Mackenzie- that he had created and nourished for all those years. A single tear escaped and raced down her cheek and Ana could only vaguely remember how everything she touched seemed to turn to shit.

Expect a much longer update soon!