Nameless Faceless

Emily was in the office when she realised almost all the team had shown up for work that day. Everyone except Hotch that is. Where was their supervisor? He was always the first and the last in the office. In fact since his divorce he'd almost become a borderline workaholic.

She'd asked everyone if they knew where he was and no-one knew. The last they'd seen him he was leaving the office after they'd come home from that horrific case in Canada. Rossi stepped in to assign roles for the team members for the case JJ had come in with this morning. Emily was partnered with Spencer.

She turned to him and said, "You go ahead. I'll catch up with you later. I need to find Hotch. I'm worried about him. It's unlike him not to show up for work."

"Alright, I'm worried about him too but he won't like it if we all descend upon his door," he answered.

"Thanks Reid."

She shrugged on her coat and quickly went over to Hotch's apartment. She frantically hammered on his door but there was no answer. What was going on? Where was he? It really wasn't like him to disappear. She phoned his mobile and she could hear it ringing from the inside but there wasn't any sound or movement. Her heart tightened even more and she kicked the door down pulling her gun out of its holster.

She worked herself around the apartment until she saw a bullet hole in the wall and a large blood stain on the floor. She felt her chest tightening on her and inhaled and exhaled a deep breath trying to keep the tears back. She didn't k now for sure it was his blood but she had a feeling it was.

She rang the only person she knew could help find out where he was. She speed dialled Garcia knowing she couldn't worry the team. Anyway Penelope had the skills to track him down.

"Hello," she asked.

"Garcia, its Emily I'm at Hotch's place. There's blood on the floor and I don't know if it's his but he's missing," she answered trying to sound calm. "I need you to check all the local hospitals and get the CSI on the scene."

"Right on it."

"Oh and Penelope don't tell the rest of the team. I'll call Spencer as I'm meant to be joining him but we can't have them distracted."

"Sure thing, my amigo."

She ended the call and informed Spencer. He currently couldn't get out of the office due to a gunshot wound he'd suffered to his leg that morning. When she'd filled him in he sounded just as worried. She could understand. Hotch was a mentor to the youngest member of their team.

She stood there waiting for Garcia to call back with news of Hotch's whereabouts. The suspense was killing her. She prayed to God she would have a chance to let him know how much he meant to her how much she cared. She'd felt this way ever since New York ever since that fatal explosion which had killed Kate and affected Hotch's hearing.

Finally Garcia called back and Emily quickly answered frantically worried about her boss.

"I found something odd. A John Doe was dropped off at Saint Sebastian Hospital by one Agent Derek Morgan. It doesn't make any sense," she said.

Emily's heart leapt into her mouth as she realised just who had dropped Hotch off at the hospital. "The Reaper," she whispered. "George Foyet he took Morgan's credential when he attacked him."

"Oh my god!"

"Couldn't they tell you what's wrong with him? What happened?"

"They wouldn't tell me anything until someone identified him."

"I'm right on my way."

"Sweetheart, on a personal note, don't leave it too late to tell him how you feel." She hung up leaving Emily in confusion. How did their tech analyst know how she felt about their boss? Though they were close friends she'd never told a soul she loved Hotch. She'd kept it secret afraid a relationship could professionally ruin them. There was a strict rule in the Bureau about fraternisation and he was her boss. Both their jobs meant everything to them and she couldn't risk his job. He was the BAU. Still she couldn't keep it in any longer but she had no idea how he felt about her.

She rushed off to the hospital to find out what was going on with Hotch. How badly hurt was he? Could he die? What had the Reaper done to him?

When she arrived she headed to the reception and flashed her FBI badge. "I'm Agent Emily Prentiss of the FBI. We were informed that a John Doe was brought in here by someone posing as Agent Derek Morgan. We suspect he is our boss Agent Aaron Hotchner."

"Would you like to come and identify him as we need to put a name to his face?" the doctor asked coming up to her.

She nodded and followed the doctor to a private room. In there lay Hotch attached to a number of machines including a bag of blood. Her chest tightened as she saw her strong boss lying there so vulnerable.

She nodded, "Yes, he's my boss, Agent Hotchner. What happened?"

"We don't know but he came in with nine stab wounds to his chest which luckily missed all his main arteries and he'd lost a great deal of blood," he answered.

She could feel tears welling in her eyes at the thought he could have almost died but she couldn't show any of this weakness. She had to be the strong Agent Prentiss not the vulnerable Emily. She had to keep the walls up and not allow them to crumble. She had to be professional to the public.

"May I stay here?" she asked softly.

"Of course," he answered kindly.

She sat down beside him and held his hand stroking her thumb over his skin. She knew he was stabilised for the moment but she prayed she would see those beautiful dark eyes again. She didn't want him to awake alone. She knew though he'd never ask for it he would want a friend to be there when he woke up.

Rossi, Morgan and JJ soon showed up at the hospital. Garcia or Reid must have informed them. She went out to find them as she knew they had to set the wheels in motion to find Foyet. They couldn't allow him to get away with this and he was dangerous.

"He hasn't awoken yet," she said.

"Are we sure it was Foyet who brought him here?" Derek asked.

"Yes, there's footage of him entering with Hotch but there's no footage from the outside," Emily answered.

"Why would he drive him to the hospital? This isn't his style at all," JJ added.

"He likes dominance. He wanted to show that he had Hotch's life in his hands," Rossi answered.

"Agents, he's waking up. Just go easy on him," the doctor informed them.

They nodded and followed Emily into Hotch's private room. His eyes flickered open and he looked around trying to work out where he was. He then saw Emily's face peering down at him. God, she was beautiful! It was then he realised most of his team were here except Reid and Garcia.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Foyet drove you to the hospital," Morgan told him.

"What did he take? The Reaper always takes."

"There was a page missing from your date planner. The address section. The Bs," Emily answered.

"What did he leave?"

Everyone looked at Emily who didn't remember seeing anything out of place. "I don't know. Nothing seemed to be out of place."

"Where are my clothes?"

Rossi pulled the bag out from the side of the bed and took out Hotch's bloodied shirt. Emily inhaled a breath seeing it. She didn't want to think about Hotch being in that kind of pain. She wanted to protect him as much as he wanted to protect his family.

He fell asleep again and JJ, Rossi and Morgan prepare to leave. JJ put her hand on Emily's shoulder.

"Stay with him," she said. "I know it will relieve you both if you do."

She left before Emily could reply. How did everyone know she had feelings for him? She knew exactly how. Damn profilers! Fear gripped her heart when she started wondering did he know. He was the best of the best! Did he know she was in love with him? Did he feel anything for her beyond friendships?

Suddenly the monitors started beeping and she pressed the panic button in sheer panic. She couldn't lose him! Life would be nothing without him.

Nurses ran in and shook him. "Agent Hotchner," she shouted then turned to Emily and said compassionately, "Get out of here." Emily left while his eyes started flickering open and then fully opened. They checked all his monitors then let Emily back in.

"You said they took the page of Bs from my address book," he said.

"Yes sir," she answered.

Oh how he hated her calling him sir! It reminded him that his love for her was forbidden. At the same time being reminded that that page had gone missing frightened the life out of him. Haley was down as Brooks in his date planner and if Foyet had that page he could get to her and most frightening of all his son, his beloved son.

"Haley! Jack! Emily, Haley is under Brooks in my date planner. Foyet could get to Jack! The Reaper could get to my son! They need to go into protective custody! They need to go into protective custody now!" he panicked.

She understood where his fear was coming from. His son was his life. He was his whole reason that he was doing his job. Something that Haley had never understood. Losing Jack completely would destroy him. She couldn't allow that to happen but she also couldn't allow Hotch to get himself worked up and in serious physical risk.

"Hotch, calm yourself. We'll get it sorted out. I'll call Rossi right away and get on it," she soothed then left to do just that.

When she came back she saw he was in distress again and she prayed they would be able to calm him. He needed to remain calm to recover and help them find Foyet. There was no doubt they would find Foyet and make him pay for his crimes.

"Hotch," she shouted.

"You have to stay back," a doctor told her.

"Aaron," she tried again.

Did she just call him Aaron? His eyes opened fully and though she couldn't believe she'd just called her boss by his name she was relieved it had snapped him out of it. The nurses left them alone.

"You just called me Aaron?" he asked in shock.

"Yes sir," she answered looking down.

"Did you call Rossi?"

"Yes, they're on it."

"Good," he sighed.

It relieved him to know something was being done for their protection but it pained him he wouldn't get to see his son until they had found Foyet and put him behind bars. Emily just wanted to tell him everything was going to be alright but she couldn't prevent him losing contact with his son for a while.

Later Haley arrived with Jack and the FBI agents that would be taking them to the safe house. Sam though was going to be the main bodyguard. She hadn't seen Haley since the Superbowl party at the bar and she'd never met Jack.

"Agent Prentiss," Haley said meeting her with angry but frightened eyes.

"Haley," she answered nervously. They'd never really known each other.

"How is he?"

"He's been stabbed but he's stabilised. He's most anxious about getting you and Jack into protective custody."

She nodded then asked, "Can you look after Jack while I speak to him?"

"Of course," she answered.

Haley went in to speak to Hotch while she tried to keep Jack occupied.

"You work with my daddy?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," she answered.

"Can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Look after him, Agent Prentiss. Look after him. I don't want him to get sad."

She smiled at him. It was obvious how much his father meant to him. Also it was clear he realised something bad was happening and he might not get to see his dad for a while.

Haley came back and out and said, "Jack, your daddy wants to see you."

"Okay mummy," he smiled and left for his mum. When he got to the door he turned and smiled at Emily. She smiled back.

She waited outside while they spoke to him. She knew just as much as Haley did that Hotch needed this. He had probably denied it thinking that it would make it hard for Jack but he needed to know he would be safe and with his mother.

When they left with their protection Jack turned and waved at her. Haley turned and headed to Emily. Jack hugged her and Haley said, "Thank you for looking after, Jack. Please look after Aaron."

"I will," she promised.

They left and she fell asleep in the waiting room waiting for Hotch to be discharged. There wasn't anywhere she was going to go until she knew he was completely alright. She didn't know how she was going to look after him but she had every intention to keep her promise to his family.

The next morning a nurse gently shook her. She woke up and saw a nurse so she sat up alert.

"Agent Prentiss, Agent Hotchner is awake and almost ready to be discharged," she said.

"Thank you," she smiled.

She got up and headed to his room. When she entered she saw he was sitting in a chair.

"You were here all night," he said.

"Yes sir," she answered. "I didn't want to go home until I was sure you were alright."

"I'm fine," he replied firmly. She was slightly disappointed he'd put the walls back up. She could see in his eyes he was haunted by what was happening but she knew he wouldn't let down that barrier until he had his son back.

She wanted to kill the Reaper for the pain he was putting Hotch through. First he'd stabbed him nine times. Now he was subjecting him to a pain worse than death. Knowing his son was out there and he couldn't see him was going to torture him. She was determined to find that bastard and make him pay for what he was doing to the man she loved.

He then looked back up at her. "You were at my apartment?" he asked.

"Yes sir," she answered.

"Could you see how he got in?"

"No," she answered at a loss. She wished she was able to but she really didn't. Everything looked untouched; nor breaking and entering anything.

They discharged him and she drove him back to his apartment so he could change into a clean pair of clothes for work. She didn't want to take him back to the scene of his attack but she had to so he could change. They would head straight to work afterwards.

When she arrived at his apartment complex she parked up and he got out.

"I'll be here when you come back out," she said.

"Thanks," he answered.

It was unspoken but she knew he needed some assurance that at least someone was there for him. That everything would be alright. That he wasn't alone.

He came out twenty minutes later changed into a clean suit and tie. It was clear he didn't want to spend too much time in his apartment after being stabbed there. He flashed her look of assurance and they were on their way.

When they got back to the headquarters they walked in and he was welcomed back by the team. They were briefed on the new case and set out on the jet.