forever after all 🤍

fourteen.

"Hotch, Em, welcome back," Cruz said. "Penelope, show us the lead." Penelope hit a button on the computer, bringing up a video surveillance. "This was the street surveillance on the day that note was delivered." They scanned through, normal cars driving through, but it was the black matte FBI SUV that pulled into our driveway that was concerning. "That's not any of our trucks, we were all at the hospital." Cruz sighed. "Exactly. This attack on Emily was all on inside the FBI."

I felt a wave a panic flush over me. We had seen inside jobs been done, like the Replicator, but this one felt more personal. They were directly coming after me, not the team. "Was there any hits on facial rec?" Penelope shook her head. "He knew how to avoid the cameras. He wanted us to know he works for the FBI, but not who he is." Hotch sighed. "So we can't even protect ourselves." Cruz frowned. "Prentiss, since we believe you're the major target, we want to put you in Witness Protection.. just until we catch the son of a bitch." I shook my head. "No, I'm not leaving my team. I'm out best bet at catching this guy." "You're no help to the team if he kills you." I sighed. "I've died before, remember? I flew hundreds of miles away from the people who meant the most to me, and in the end they wouldn't have caught Doyle without me. Who ever this bastard is, we take him down together." The rest of the team nodded in agreement. "In the mean time... we haven't figured out the reason behind the camera." Pen dipped her head down. "That-that's not entirely true. 20 minutes ago, a file was dropped off at the front office. I was hoping to get to speak to you to privately about it-" "It's fine Penelope, whatever is in that file I can share. We don't keep secrets anymore." She slid the file on the desk.

Intimate moments between Aaron and me. Our fight. Us working together. The common similarity was us in all of the pictures. "What if this isn't about me? What if it is about us?" I turned to Aaron. "Emily, was there anyone in the FBI besides Aaron you ever dated? Maybe shut down?" My mind scanned through the past few years at the BAU. "Brad- I don't know the rest of his name. He came up to Garcia, JJ, and me at a bar a few years ago... We made him look like a fool, I wasn't even sure he was a real FBI agent. Do you really think someone like that is capable of all of this?" Morgan rubbed his temples. "Babygirl, I want you to cross check the name Brad with every member the FBI, worldwide. Prentiss, Hotch, stay close, and please, stay safe."

"I've got a hit- Agent Brad Jaymes of the DC field office, he matches the profile.. Touch of narcissism, he really climbed his way up in the FBI over the last few years, wow Em, he must of taking your rejection really seriously." "Let me go. Please." Cruz shook his head. "You're not cleared for the field." "This is my mess, my battle to fight. Let me face him." He didn't dare argue with me anymore. Hotch sided with him though. "Emily- I just don't think it's safe." "I don't care if it's safe or not! I care that my team- that we get justice for what happened to us. You can come with me, or not. Make your choice."

I forced a FBI vest over my head, fixing my hair as I did so. I strapped my gun to my side, and to my ankle, just in case. Aaron walked up next to me, sporting the same vest. He grabbed my hand. "I love you." "I love you too, Aaron." He leaned down to leave a short and sweet kiss on my forehead. "Let's go catch this bastard." Morgan lead, kicking down the door as we stormed. "Brad Jaymes, put your hands up!" Brad spun around to face us. "Well, I really I was getting away with that one," he said, as he quickly reached for his own gun, pulling it out and pointing it at Morgan.

Three gunshots rang out. All 3 from my gun. Brad laid on the ground, bleeding out. "Someone call a medic," Morgan grumbled. Hotch took my in his arms, tears welling in my eyes. "It's okay sweetheart, everything is going to be okay."

That was it. We were finally free of this pain. I was going to walk again, be an agent again, and we were going to married. I was going to be Mrs. Aaron Hotchner, despite all odds.