And If I Fall, Let Me Part II: After The Rain - A. Hotchner x OC & Jemily

Don't get to close, it's dark inside, that's where my demon's hide

"It has been said that time heals all wounds. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue, and the pain lessens, but it is never gone." Rose Kennedy

"See you tomorr-," Alex wanted to say after she had agreed to work out with Morgan, but her phone interrupted her. Confused, she picked up with a short "Evans?"

The next words gave her enough adrenalin to feel like she was buzzing.

"Someone is in my father's house, my...my real father's house," a voice whispered into the phone, "This is Jenny."

Her heart made a jump. With panic on her face, Alex looked at Morgan. "Okay Jenny, which house? Tell me the address, we will be there as soon as we can."

She gestured wildly towards the room she knew Hotch was in. The previous tiredness was gone, all her muscles tensing up. Morgan jumped into action. With two strides, he was over at Hotch's door, knocking. Alex held her breath while Jenny whispered the address into the phone. She repeated the address in Morgan's direction.

"Jenny, I need you to stay calm, okay? Where are you now exactly, in the house?" the blonde asked as soothing as she could as she watched the Unit Chief step out of his room. Morgan said only a few words, and with what felt like lightning speed, Hotch slipped into his shoes, grabbing his vest. The freaking vest, where's mine?

Alex, listening intently to Jenny, ran towards her room to grab her vest. Fiddling with the key, she felt two hands take it from her. Without having to say anything, Morgan went into her room, looked around, and grabbed the vest she had laid out. Thankfully.

"I think someone is in the living room downstairs, I'm not sure. I don't even know if my dad's asleep."

Hotch must've slipped past her as well, she realized when he showed up next to her and took the vest from Morgan. While the other man sprinted towards his own room to grab his, the Unit Chief stepped towards her and put it on her. When he was done, he gave her a curt nod, the hard lines of his face a stark contrast against the yellow light from the hallway. Alex swallowed thickly.

"Do you hear voices? Is someone talking?" Alex asked as Hotch took her hand and lead her down the stairs, Morgan already behind them.

"We're three agents, we call the rest from the car for backup. I know they're already sleeping, and this is taking too long," she heard Hotch tell Morgan. It didn't mix well with the quiet sob of the woman on the line, and the blonde felt her stomach twisting in fear. They ran down towards the car, Morgan already pulling out his phone to call the rest of the team.

"Jenny, is there a way we can get into the house without sounding an alarm or something?" Alex continued her questions, as Hotch held the car door open for her.

"I can disable the security system with my phone," was the answer.

"Please do that, we will be there in ten minutes."

Thank God for expensive townhouses of celebrities, Alex thought to herself. If they would've been further out, they wouldn't have a chance. Hotch started the car and she grabbed the door handle with the first acceleration.

"I think he is in dad's office now. Or the hall maybe, I do-...I don't know," Jenny whispered into the phone, "I can see some light under the door."

She knew she had to stay calm, but Alex felt pure panic rise up in her. If the Unsub was in Jenny's house, and the brutality of the last murders were any indication, she was in the crosshairs right now.

"Don't move out of your room," Alex said as calmly as she could. She could hear Morgan call the rest of the team in the back quietly.

"I'm scared."