A/N: To say that it's been a while since I updated anything on here would be an understatement.

To everyone who's written me about Sacrifices and Saviors: yes, eventually, I will finish it. No, it's not happening anytime within the coming weeks/months.

This is dedicated to my new friend and writing partner *profilinghotly* who I have a new joint venture up with called "More Than Words". (Inserts shameless plug) Happy Birthday, doll! Hope it's a good one and hope this lives up to everything that you wanted it to be.

Spoilers for everything up to 5x08 OutFoxed.

Completely un-BETA'd, all mistakes are mine.

Please read and review. I'd love to hear from all of you and hopefully, you all will enjoy!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned it, but unfortunately, all I own are the DVDs.

"Every little thing counts in a crisis." - Jawaharlal Nehru

There was nothing that he hated more than cases that involved children, especially right now, when his own son was somewhere unknown to him and completely out of his grasp. Foyet had done so much more than stab him and ruin his sense of safety in his own home. Foyet had stolen his family from him and Aaron wasn't sure he'd ever be able to get past the guilt of knowing that he'd put his family in harm's way because he couldn't make the deal. It was his fault that Foyet was stalking Haley and Jack. Sometimes, late at night when he was alone in his apartment and staring at the ceiling with his gun next to him, he'd think about everything that had led up to the moment when Foyet had asked him to make the deal.

He'd think about how with one word, all of this could've been avoided.

Jack would be at school with his friends. Haley would be safe and would still be nagging him to walk away from the job to spend more time with Jack. His team wouldn't be walking on egg shells around him.

They tried to hide it. Morgan, Rossi, and JJ were the best at it. Reid and Garcia were still clearly trying to feel out where he was at on a daily basis. The only exception was Emily Prentiss. She'd made it very clear that he wasn't alone in this, that she was there for him. During their drives to and from the office while he was recovering, he'd found that she was amazing company, that she knew how to lighten the mood without expecting a smile, though sometimes he liked to pleasantly surprise her by the slight upturn of his lips or a hint of his dimples making an appearance.

She was perseverant.

She didn't demand more from him than he could give, and she never expected him to give her anything in return. She just wanted him to feel the comfort, the support, that she was so ready to share and give him.

That was part of the reason that he chose her to accompany him to speak with Karl Arnold; that and he knew that she'd be able to get him to warm up to her.

He'd acknowledged in his mind years ago that she was a beautiful woman; sharp, witty, sexy, smart, and sarcastic. She had enough compassion inside her to make up for everything that he so often lacked, and at the same time, she could take down unsubs with Morgan like it was nothing. She never hesitated to get involved, to be the bait, that the team relied on to help crack the suspects. It was never easy for him, sending her in as the bait and hoping that she'd come out on the other side unscathed.

The protective, alpha male side of him was always so concerned that eventually she'd break and never be able to bounce back from it.

He had walked with her into the prison, had tried to shield her body from the prisoners that were the most dangerous, even at one point reassuring her that there was reinforced panes of glass that separated them.

"Easy for you to say. He tore apart 14 women."

He had watched her carefully during their time with Karl, even when he wasn't in the room, he'd been ready to intercede if he needed to. She'd been so adamant in making sure that he knew that he wasn't alone, and he wanted her to know that the sentiment was returned, especially in when she was in compromising positions.

He hadn't anticipated how much he would appreciate her presence with him; not until he opened the book and found the clipping with the Eye of Providence on it.

He'd stormed out of the prison, barely even registering that he'd almost left Prentiss alone in the room again before he managed to make it outside the walls and closed his eyes. He took deep breaths as he fisted his hands at his side and dropped his head forward, fighting to keep his control on his emotions while in the public eye.

The soft caress of a hand on his back between his shoulder blades, and the calming scent of gardenias filling the air around him had his eyes opening. He turned to her and licked his lips as her dark eyes caught his hazel ones. She didn't need to speak, didn't need to tell him that she was there for him, and that she wasn't going to judge him if he fell apart in the car. She just gave him a weak smile and nodded, her hand moving on his back in one slow circle before she gave it a pat and began to head for their SUV.

He watched her go and put his sunglasses on as he followed her, tugging the keys from his pocket and clicking unlock. He didn't know what Foyet had in store for him, but one thing was certain in Aaron Hotchner's mind, as long as Emily Prentiss was around, he wouldn't be facing it alone.

"Just knowing you're not alone is often enough to kindle hope amid tragic circumstances." - Richelle E. Goodrich