It's Always Been You – Chapter 1

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"No! I'm not letting you do it!"

"It's the only way. You know that. Just let me go."

"I can't. You're my responsibility."

"Don't use that as an excuse. It's gotta be me or the hostages die."

He shook his head, "I can't let it happen…I'll go, Emily."

He saw that her wound began to bleed continuously on her right shoulder.

"Hotch, it's okay." She smiled weakly at him, "Beth is waiting for you, you know. She won't forgive me if I don't get you to the altar next month. And you have Jack to take care of, remember your promise to Haley?"

He nodded his head, tears were pooling in his eyes, "It doesn't have to be you."

She saw them and it broke her heart to see them. She had not seen him like this before and it affected her. But they knew it was the only solution.

"Hotch, there's something I want to tell you. Something I've wanted to say for a long time."

He shook his head, "Then don't say it". His heart was heavy; the last time he had, it was when he'd raced to get to Foyet to try to save Haley and Jack and found that he was too late to save her but he did save Jack. "Save it for another day." He said hoarsely.

"We don't have it, Hotch…I may not have it." She closed her eyes and opened them again. She looked around them and saw the gunman waiting with the gun pointing at them.

"Yes we do…you and I have another day, and another…and forever."

Emily suddenly stared at him, "Hotch…what are you saying?"

Stunned, he realized he had made a grave mistake as he looked at Emily!

"It's you, Emily. It's always been you." He continued to stare at her.

"What are you talking about, Hotch?" She returned his stare and then she saw the expression in his eyes and her heart began to pound heavily. Suddenly, she didn't want to die.

Hotch saw her look of fear and knew she didn't want to die anymore.

He swore that he was not going through this again and yet, here he was in the bank with Emily, and 5 possible hostages.

He could hear sirens in the distant and it was getting louder as they were approaching; apparently an alarm had been triggered. It was possibly too late.

He was too late. He knew he had to try anyways.

But she was proving to be as stubborn as he.

Damn it! Why couldn't it be someone else?

Because the rest of the team was not here!

Hotch and Emily were at the bank because Emily was due to sign the final paperwork to her house and she had asked Hotch to accompany her to make sure everything was in order; he was acting as her proxy lawyer.

And she'd promised she'd buy his lunch when it was signed and she was the new owner of her first house.

A big step for her; a very big shaky step and she had veered several times until Dave Rossi begged Hotch to intervened and helped her sealed the deal; Rossi was tired of her whining, she had listed the pros and cons of being a house owner so many times that it had driven Dave to seek refuge in Garcia's lair, a very desperate move on his part! And Emily had bitten her nails to the nubs.

Spencer Reid hadn't help either with his copious amount of research into house owner data according to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; two of the largest financial mortgage agencies.

It literary drove the Italian agent crazy to listen to the young man spout facts and figures over the past several days while Emily sat on the fence trying to decide if she wanted to buy a house. A lousy house, for god's sake! Dave thought! Granted it was a commitment for the long haul, just like marriage but if things didn't work out, there'd be other alternatives. He'd been there; both as a home owner and a married man. He had bought several homes and married three times. So he knew.

She'd threatened to use Rossi's nails but the Italian was quick to retract his hands and keep them in his pockets.

"Please Aaron?" He glared at him.

"Dave, we have a case! I'm expecting a call from the DA from Dallas."

"I'll take the call." He offered.

Hotch stood up and came around his desk as he grabbed his jacket, "You owe me."

"Just name it, my friend." Dave clapped Hotch's back happily.

Hotch turned around and grinned, "You know, Beth and I still haven't decide on a venue…?"

Dave sighed, "Fine, mi casa su casa!"

Hotch chuckled, "Deal, you're a pal! I'll tell Beth, she'll be thrilled."

Dave shook his head and muttered as he watched his younger best friend walked out of his office and down to the bullpen and Emily's desk. "That girl owes me big…" He went back to his office and his work.

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As they drove to the bank which was a half hour drive from the Hoover building, Emily couldn't stop thanking him for stepping in to help her.

"Emily, stop." He held his hand up. "It's no problem, I'm only glad to help read through the fine prints."

"I know!" She said excitedly. Hotch grinned as he watched her bounced about her seat. He began to watch the traffic and held onto his seat; maybe he should offer to drive…

He almost leaned over and grabbed the steering wheel when he saw she was straying off the yellow lines and …

"Er…Em…move over…pay attention, please."

"Huh? Oh!" She quickly corrected herself and the car back onto her lane as Hotch breathed a few times rapidly.

Soon, she turned into the parking lot of the bank, Hotch was ever more glad they'd arrived at their destination as he quickly got out of her car as he waited for her and they walked to the building.

She had pushed the double door opened when she felt a sharp pain on her right shoulder and fell backwards landing onto Hotch who with quick reflex caught her fall.

"Watch out Em…! Hotch exclaimed as he looked up and saw a masked man standing on the other side of the glass door, a gun pointing at them.

"Agent Hotchner, Agent Prentiss, one of you get in here unarmed, or all five hostages inside will die. You have five minutes to decide."

Hotch frowned as he saw Emily's bloody shoulder; What the hell? How the heck did he know him or Emily?

…..

End of Chapter 1

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Well? What do you think? Should I go on?