Shattered. [Aaron Hotchner + Emily Prentiss]

Chapter 18.

"Emily Prentiss?" A doctor walked into the waiting room of an unfamiliar Colorado hospital where Penelope, JJ, Rossi, Hotch and the girls sat in anticipation. Hotch stood, presenting himself as her boss, and was taken through the hallway as Doctor Hills explained her injuries. Commotions and hugs after the explosion turned into Emily fainting in Hotch's arms as he said those three words.

As quickly as the bomb went off, the raven haired woman was being taken away, followed by an ambulance holding Reid and Morgan, as well as a few of Torre's men, all being checked for smoke inhalation. Hotch, with Rossi and JJ, stood there watching as the blinding red and blue lights shone their way from the ranch and out of sight, not to be seen for another few hours when they were finally allowed out of the ranch and in the hospital - for they had to write statements for the children and women who escaped.

"She suffered a lot of external bruising, as well as minor internal bruising, mainly from the blows to the stomach. Her ankle, although it wasn't extremely damaged, is sprained and will need to be wrapped up for 2 weeks minimum. More worrying injuries, to me, are the ribs, wrist and head-"

"Head? What happened to her head?" He panicked, earning a disapproving look from the doctor.

"During one of the hits, her head smashed into a mirror or somewhat glass object, causing a grade 3 concussion and her fainting episode, which with proper healing time, little light and lots of water, should heal within a few weeks. Her wrist was fractured, but the injury is closer to a sprain or twist than a break so it needs little to no healing time, as with the ribs. Her ribs, from the X-Rays, are in no way affecting her lungs so she shouldn't need to worry but we've told her shortness of breath could mean more damage has been caused." They arrived outside the closed oak door, and Hotch knew what he had to mentally prepare himself for. The doctor slowly opened it after Emily received a warning from a few knocks, and entered with Aaron.

"Hey there." She said, shakes of pain filling her voice as she sat up in her hospital bed, IV's connected to her arms and hands and crutches beside her bed. "Can I leave yet?"

"Miss Prentiss, we can't let you leave for another 3 hours, mandatory ruling, but you can have visitors until so." She looked between the two dark haired agents before excusing herself out of the room as her pager began ringing.

"Uh, are Leila and Belle here?" She asked Aaron, who replied with a small nod. "I don't want them to see me like this."

"You look beautiful, as always."

"Shut up." She lightly laughed.

"It's true." He joined the light chuckle before continuing. "I had to tell Isabelle and Leila everything, they wouldn't let me go get coffee if not. I think Garcia said she was going to bring them-"

"Are Reid and Morgan ok?" She shot, brows furrowed, not minding the words he just said.

"Yeah, from what I've heard but you need to slow down. You have a concussion and have to take it easy." He stepped forward, away from the door frame and sat in the uncomfortable chair every hospital owns, leaning forward with his elbows on his suit-pant covered legs.

"I'll be fine. I just want to get back to work." He airily laughed at her blind optimism. "No, I have to go back to work! Come on."

"Em, I can't. Doctor's orders." He smirked lovingly at her as she began to pout. "But seriously, you need to heal so one week paid leave and then you're on desk duty for two weeks."

"I hate you." She sulked, jocularly.

"I love you." He said, snapping her attention back to him. "I said it earlier, I don't know if you-"