End of August.
With Natalia starting school in just a few weeks, Emily decided that she would take a few days off of work and just be with Natalia before life get's crazy again. Emily had heard that the team had gone on a case, she offered to help, but was convinced that she wasn't needed. On the second day, it was getting late and Emily was cooking dinner for her and Natalia. While Natalia was putting her new things away, Emily had turned on the TV and the local news was playing.
Not paying much attention to the TV, she headed back into the kitchen to turn down the burner. As she did, she heard a voice from the TV say "Breaking News, there was a explosion, most likely a bomb, at a bank here in Washington DC. Earlier today, there was a suspicion of a robbery in progress, there is talk of multiple casualties including civillians, officers, and possible FBI. We have more information in the next few minutes."
That caught Emily's attention, she turned the stove off and headed into the living room. She picked up her phone and began to call the team. With no one picking up, she began to get worried. Calling Garcia several times, and still no answer.
Now standing up, Emily hurried and tried getting on her shoes as quickly as she could.
"Natalia! " Emily called, somewhat panicked.
"Yes Mommy?"
"Come on baby. We have to go."
"Where?"
"Natalia come on honey. I need you to get on your shoes, we have to go."
Natalia nodded and came down the stairs. Grabbing her purse and keys, they were both finally out the door.
"Mommy I'm scared. Where are we going?" As Emily buckled her into the car, Emily looked into the little girl's eyes. Emily took a deep breath. She wanted to hold it together, but clearly she wasn't doing that well of a good job if she's scaring her daughter. She smiled at the little girl and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
"I didn't mean to scare you honey. I'm sorry. We're just going to Mommy's work and visit Penelope. How does that sound?"
"Okay. Are you sure everything is okay Mommy?"
"Yes baby. I'm sure everything will be fine. " Emily smiled at her daughter again and closed the door and got into the car.
After the blast, JJ, Morgan, Rossi, Reid , and Hotch found themselves, lying on the ground unconscious. Some of them found themselves on the hard hot ground and others found themselves feeling trapped and covered in building pieces. When finally starting to come to, the high pitch sound of a ring could be heard in each of their ears.
Lying on her stomach, JJ was the first one to lift her head up. Slowly standing up, JJ adjusted her eyes and began to look around. She walked over to Reid when she noticed he was on her right side. Making sure that he had a pulse, she began to call his name.
"Reid.. Reid.. Spence hey." he looked into her blue eyes.
"What happened?" asking while JJ helped him stand up
"The Bank, it.. it blew up. Someone set off a bomb in there."
"Where's the rest of the team?"
"Hotch, Rossi, and Morgan were all preparing to go into the bank right before it went up. "
Before JJ could say another word, she had heard someone speaking. Turning around, she saw Morgan standing. With some relief, she started to walk towards him with Reid behind her.
"Have you seen Hotch or Rossi?" Morgan asked
"No. I was just about to ask you the same thing." Reid stated.
"Are you guys okay?"
"I'd be better if there wasn't a bomb." JJ sarcastically stated.
When Emily arrived at the BAU, she helped Natalia out of the car and headed up to the office as fast as she could. Scanning her badge and getting through security clearance, she quickly got into the elevator and pressed the BAU level. What should be routine and normal, she became more frantic. Her hands shook as she pressed the button. In her other hand, Natalia's hand was placed, somewhat comforting to her. The elevator ride was quiet. Natalia knew her mother, and despite her mother telling her that nothing was wrong, she knew something was up.
When they finally got up to their floor, they walked into Garcia's office.
"Garcia"
"Emily.. Natalia.. What are you doing here?"
"Penelope. I heard about the bomb on the news. I tried calling you and some of the others. No one was answering. I got here as fast as I can. Do you have any information? "
"Right now, all I know is that, prior to the bomb the bank was being robbed, hostages were being held, and then right before the team went in, a bomb went off. "
"Is the team okay?"
"Em, i have no idea. The landlines are down. Theres no signal."
"Then we have to get down there."
"Emily. As much as I agree, You cannot got out there."
"Why not?"
"With you being pregnant and Natalia here, I cannot let you out there."
"Penelope. I love that you are looking out for us but We need to get down there. Our team is out there."
"Emily... JJ is going to kill me."
"Pen as long as JJ and the rest of them are alive, she can be mad all she wants."
"What about Natalia?"
Looking down into her dark brown eyes, Emily could see that her daughter was scared. She could see it in her eyes. She saw down on the chair and pulled Natalia closer to her.
"Natalia honey."
"Mommy please don't leave me."
"Natalia I don't want to leave you, I really don't but I need to see if they are okay."
"What if you get hurt?"
"I won't get hurt. I promise. I just need to see if they are okay and then I will come back to you."
"You promise?"
"I do. I will always come back to you baby."
"Okay. Mommy. I love you."
"I love you too baby. I'm going to go but i'll leave you here with Anderson until Marissa comes okay?"
"Okay."
Anderson then walked in and walked Natalia out into the bullpen. Emily looked over at Garcia and they both headed out.
"JJ is going to kill me." Penelope stating walking fast trying to keep up with Emily.
"I'll wear a mask. Come on we need to go."
The car ride was silent. Both women worried about their team but also not knowing if they were okay or not was terrifying.
Derek, JJ, and Reid were heading over to the safe spot when they heard a noise coming from the far right hand side. Turning around, they slowly started to head in the direction. When they get closer, they realize that they saw a hand sticking out underneath a mental bar.
"Oh my god." JJ stated and she leaned over and started clearing debris.
"Hotch... Rossi?" Derek began to move at a faster pace once he realized that it would be one of his team members underneath.
"Guys. on 3, I want you to pull up on the bar. " With the others nodding. "Ready 1..2..3.." Once the mental bar moved, they were able to see who it was underneath.
"Rossi, are you okay?" Reid
"Where's Hotch?"
"He was right behind me."
"You guys can continue looking for him and I'll stay with Rossi. "
"JJ are you sure?"
"Yeah Reid, you guys can go. "
Both Reid and Derek nodded and continue calling for Hotch's name.
While lying on his back, Hotch started to hear his name being called. Being pinned down, it was hard to move. Trying to save his breath, he waited to hear them come closer so that they would hear him yell for them.
When Reid's voice became clearer and closer, he knew that his time was coming and that he needed to speak out. He knew that if he didn't, it would most likely be too late before someone would find him. The thought of dying scared him. The thought of Jack losing both of his parents to this job. The thought of leaving his baby before he even knew who he or she was and the thought of leaving Emily the same way Levi did terrified him. Him and Emily were finally getting to a good place and he was not about to leave that way.
"Hotch!" He heard Derek's voice. Hotch took a deep breath and lightly yelled out "Morgan!"
"Hotch, is that you man?" Derek asked as he heard the faint voice of his boss.
"Derek right here. I'm over here."
"Reid, come here. I can hear him. He's over here. I need your help." Reid ran over and they both started to dig through the debris.
"I can see him, here's over here." Reid stated.
As they were pulling him out, JJ was walking with Rossi to the ambulance. Just as they were about to load him in the car, she noticed a familiar black SUV appear.
"What the hell?" she asked as she kept eyes on it.
"Stay with the team JJ. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" she asked as her eyes met his again.
"Yeah, make sure they find Hotch and I have a feeling that once Emily see's this on the news, she won't hesitate to come out here."
"I think you spoke to late on that one Rossi. She and Garcia are already here."
"Okay you get them up to speed. "
"I'll meet you at the hospital, we all will."
She smiled at Rossi and nodded to the paramedic. Once he was loaded in and the doors shut, JJ headed over to Emily and Penelope.
"JJ Oh my god." Emily said as she gave JJ a hug.
"Emily? What are you doing here?" she said into Emily's shoulder.
"The phones were down and we needed to know that you guys were okay." Penelope said as she hugged JJ.
"I saw the explosion on the TV. Natalia and I got to the BAU as fast as we could. Are you guys okay?"
"Morgan, Reid, and I are fine. Rossi is on his way to the hospital, and we are still looking for Hotch."
"You mean he's unaccounted for?" Emily asked and her hands immediately went protectively around her stomach.
"Currently yes, but the bomber is also unaccounted for. "
"Do we have any idea where he was when the bomb went off?" Penelope asked looking over JJ's shoulder and seeing Morgan and Reid rummaging through debris.
"No but come one, We were directed to a safe zone. We will get news when the find him."
Emily's heart sunk when she heard that he was unaccounted for. She cradled her stomach in a way to protect her unborn child. She had no idea if he was okay or not, or if he was alive or not. Emily wanted to go out there and look for him herself but she couldn't, and she knew that JJ nor Penelope would let her do that. As she followed JJ, a bunch of scenarios went through her mind. The scenario of loosing him and having to explain to her child that her father had died before they were born. The thought of 'Maybe it's me, maybe my children are paying for my past mistakes,' had crossed her mind. Was she the problem? Were her children paying the price of her past decisions? She needed him to be alive. She needed him to be with her, he promised that he was never going to leave her and that he would be by her side, always. She needed him, period.
As she was walking up the steps, she took one more glance at the chaotic mess that the bomb had created. She heard Morgan yelling to Reid, and then she saw it. She saw Derek pull a hand and as he pulled, she saw more of who they were pulling out.
"Guys look." Emily pointed in the direction of the guys. She walked back down the steps and stood at the end. JJ and Garcia followed.
"Oh my god." Penelope stated as she through her hand over her mouth.
"Is that him?" JJ asked as she walked closer to Emily.
As Morgan and Reid continued to dig, Hotch began to lift his arm up. Hotch was grateful when he felt his hand collide with Derek's.
"We're gonna get you out okay?" Derek stated as he pulled harder while Reid tried grabbing his other hand.
"Thank You." Hotch added breathlessly.
Hotch was grateful they had found him when they had. He had convinced himself that he was going to die here, that he was never going to see the team, Jack, or even Emily again. He will forever be grateful to Derek and Reid. When they finally pulled him all the way up, it was the first time that he saw the full extend of the bomb. With both arms around the guys, he tried walking. Although he was in pain, the support from the other made it a lot easier.
As he got closer to them, he saw her. He made eye contact with her. One hand over her mouth and the other over her stomach. She had tears streaming down her face. To him, she was grateful that he was still alive and to her, he was alive, and history wasn't going to repeat itself.
"We'll meet you at the hospital Hotch. Okay?" Reid stated as he helped Hotch get onto the stretcher.
"Thank You."
"Are you okay Em?" Garcia asked when she saw that Emily was crying. She placed a hand on her back and began to rub her hand up and down her back.
"Yeah... I'm... I'm just glad that everyone is safe. I really thought I lost all of you tonight."
"Oh Princess, you can't get rid of me that easily. " Emily smiled and gave him a hug.
After more hugs, they headed into the safe portable. There Emily found out who the unsub was. 28 year old Collin Henry. A man who from an early age was exposed to fire. He grew up wondering why it was fire that made him passionate. He was dating a woman who he had tried to conceal his passion but once she found out, she tried to control it. One night, the fire got a little out of hand and she got scared. It was that moment that she realized that she couldn't change him or help him. He knew what he wanted and she couldn't change that. She left him and he's been angry ever since then. So angry that he set fire to all of her favorite places. Penelope had tapped into the bank's surveillance camera's and crossed matched his face with the other building fires.
As the team was trying to figure out the meaning of the bomb, there was a knock at the door.
"Agent Jareau?"
"Yes."
"I just wanted to let you know that we found the suspect, he is dead. "
"Thank you for letting us know." JJ stated as her hand remained on the ice pack that was on her head.
After the man left, the room became silent. Morgan, Reid, and JJ thought about the lives they could have lost and the lives that were lost. Penelope thought about how she could have lost almost all of the people that she loved the most. Emily... she was more than happy that the team was alive but she was even more grateful for one life in particular.
Waiting in the hospital, Reid, JJ, and Morgan were all cleared with a clean bill of health with the exceptions of minor scratches and bruises. Hotch and Rossi were stable but unable to have visitors until they had finished up all of the testing.
"Emily, I know you want to be here when Rossi and Hotch are allowed visitors but It's getting late, maybe you should get home and get some sleep."
"What is taking so long? I just... "
"Emily it's okay if you want to go. We'd understand. We will let them know you were here."
"Thanks JJ. I think I might just go, I have a scared little girl at home and i need to talk to her."
Emily stood and gave Penelope and JJ a hug. She walked over to Reid and Morgan and gave them a hug too. Walking out of the hospital, she looked at her watch and saw that it was past 9pm. Knowing that her phone was dead, she needed to get home and fast.
On the way home, Emily was thinking about how her day started and how it ended. It was definitely not the way that she had thought it would end but she was glad that everyone was okay. When she pulled into her assigned parking spot, she got out of the car and headed into the building.
Finally reaching her apartment, she placed the key into the lock and opened the door. Walking into her apartment, she noticed that the house was eerily quiet. There were dirty dishes in the sink that let her know that there was someone there while she was gone. Emily put her keys and bag down on the table. Walking past the door, she locked it before walking up the stairs. When she got to the top of the stairs, she headed for her daughter's room. Not seeing her in bed, Emily's heart began to race. She checked the guest room on her way to the bedroom, and still nothing. One more room to check, she walked into her bedroom and when she turned the corner, she saw that the light was on in her bathroom. Opening the door, she exhaled the breath that she was holding when she saw Natalia sitting in the bath and Marissa was rinsing out the soap in her hair.
"Mommy!" Natalia yelled
"Hi baby!"
"I missed you mommy."
"I missed you too, so much. Let Marissa rinse out the rest of your hair and then we can talk okay?"
"okay mommy."
Emily walked out of her bathroom and into her closet. Changing her clothes, she went downstairs and fixed herself something to eat.
"Mommy where did you go?" Natalia yelled as she was walking around upstairs.
"Down here." Turning off the burner and placing her sandwich on the plate, Emily smiled when she saw Natalia coming down the stairs in her pajamas. Following Natalia, Marissa came down the stairs shortly after.
"Hey Talia, How about we watch a movie together?"
"Which one?"
"You pick. I'll meet you on the couch okay?"
"Okay Mommy." Natalia ran over to the couch and turned on the tv.
"Hey everything okay Emily?"
"Thank you Marissa. I know that this was a crazy day for the both of you but..."
"Emily. You had to go where you needed to be. I saw the news, is the team okay?"
"Yeah. Two of them are still in the hospital but things are looking hopeful."
"I'm glad to hear it. Did they catch the suspect?"
"They did, he died in the bank. "
"Good in a way and bad in a way I suppose. "
Cutting her sandwich in half, Emily looked up and made eye contact with Marissa again.
"Is she okay?"
"Natalia? She's fine. She was a little scared when I picked her up but we talked about a little but she wants to talk to you about it more. "
"Thanks Marissa."
"Emily. You don't have to thank me."
"But I do. Today was your day off and You got called in. I feel bad."
"Oh please. I was bored at home. You saved me."
Emily smiled at her. She really was grateful for her and she has no idea what she would do without her.
"So same time tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Same time. Thanks again."
"You're welcome. Bye Em. Bye Natalia."
"Bye!" Natalia yelled.
Walking Marissa out, Emily closed the door behind her, walked back into the kitchen, grabbed her plate, and then walked into the living room.
"Mommy?" Natalia looked over at her mother once she sat down on the couch next to her.
"Yeah baby?"
"Did anyone get hurt?"
"What?"
"In the bomb? Did anyone get hurt?"
"Oh. Aunt JJ, and Uncles Rossi, Spencer, and Derek are all okay. They got some cuts and bruises but they are going to be okay."
"Did anyone die?"
"A couple of people did but we don't have to talk about that. "
"Are you going to die Mommy?"
"I'm not planning on it anytime soon love. Where is this coming from?"
"I was scared today Mommy. I thought there was a bad guy out there and he was going to get you while you were looking for everyone."
"I'm sorry I scared you today Natalia. But I'll promise you this, I will come home to you always okay? I'm not dying anytime soon. I will not leave you."
"Promise?"
"I promise. "
"I love you mommy."
"I love you too Natalia, so much."
With the movie turning on, Emily finished her sandwich and her and Natalia enjoyed some much needed time together. Emily ran her hand through Natalia's hair as she layed on her lap. Knowing that Natalia was most likely going to fall asleep soon, Emily took this moment in. It was just them for now and soon they would be adding another.
When the credits came on,Emily gently moved her daughter over and grabbed the remote. Turning off the tv, she began lifting the sleeping child when she heard a knock at the door. Knowing that it's late and wasn't expecting anyone, she was concerned.
She lightly walked over to the door and looked into the peephole. She gasped when she saw who was on the otherside of the door. Opening the door, she gave him a hug.
"What are you doing here?" She said into his ear.
"I was supposed to get released tomorrow but they let me go early."
"They let you or did you demanded to leave?"
"Same thing right?"
"Your okay? like actually okay?" Opening the door further, she let him in. As she shut the door, she looked over at him and placed her finger over her mouth and pointed at her daughter.
"Yeah, I have a few broken ribs but other than that, Im okay."
"and Rossi?"
"He's okay. He has broken leg and a few deep cuts but other than that, he should be getting released soon."
"Im so glad to hear. Thank god you're alive. " she said as she hugged him again
"Me too Em. Me too. "
That night, they both enjoyed each other's company. Talking about work, the upcoming arrival of their baby, Jack and Natalia. Hotch told her how grateful he was when Derek and Reid found him. As they both were talking, the thought of never seeing each other again, placed a perspective on life for the both of them. Life is short and anything could happen at any given moment. Life can change at an instant. Almost dying, Aaron knew what he had to do. He knew his next move, he had to tell her how he really felt. It was now or never.
For Emily, Aaron almost dying made her realize what she had felt. Old feelings coming back but some part of her felt scared. Scared that loving someone else could push away the love she had for Levi. Levi was everything to her. He was the first person she opened her heart too and when he passed away, Emily became a vault when it came to him. With Aaron, she knew that him dying would have crushed her. Seeing him sitting right in front of her made her happy. Mixing in happiness with being scared is something that Made Emily even more scared. Who knew you could be scared of the thought of you being scared.
AN: Sorry Guys! I have been extremely busy with work and to be honest I was in a writer's block. I kind of been writing this chapter on and off for weeks. I hope this chapter is better to ya'll than to me lol. It will make sense in the next chapter. Please let me know if there's any parts that don't make sense. Thanks! Will be updating again soon! I promise. !:)