Criminal Minds x Reader

To Keep You Safe [A.H]

The metal was cold underneath you. You couldn't get up. Your thighs pressed against the bench, lightly, but still enough to send your body into flames. You tried to hold yourself up seated, your arms straight at your sides, but the pain was too much.

There, sitting only in your underwear and a tank top in the locker room, all you could think about was everything that had gone wrong. The profile was incorrect and what was supposed to be asking questions to a witness and then a check of an old establishment discovered through that lead had resulted in you being kidnapped by the UnSub. You had gone alone, you thought it was simple routine. The hours spent in that abandoned building were not many, maybe nine, but they had been enough for that man to hit you and knock you to the ground over and over again. The team had noticed you were missing, but they couldn't retrace your steps. Not fast enough anyway.

On the dirty floor with a bloody forehead after he had hit you with an iron bar, you got back up and managed to knock him out long enough to be able to run outside and get to your car.

The drive to the police station was hard, your eyes almost shutting from exhaustion. But that hadn't stopped you from calling the nearest patrol car to warn them of the killer's presence.

When you walked in dragging yourself into the station all eyes were on you. Hotch was on the phone, the officers were alerting him of your call, but hearing the sudden silence that had spread through the place he too turned to where you were standing. You were limping and just before you could collapse he had picked you up, and carried you to the room where the others were. I'm fine you wanted to say, but your voice wouldn't come out, and even if you had spoken, no one would have believed you.

They called the paramedics to put stitches right above your right eyebrow, and then, at some point, they had left you free to take a shower, with Spencer and Emily standing in front of the locker room door on watch. And you really needed a moment alone, feeling protected.

You felt dirty. Not from the dust, but from those purple and yellow bruises that were making their way to color your pale body.

Then, still sitting there, you heard footsteps approaching where you were. You didn't even look up, the sound of shoes familiar. Aaron came, leaning with his shoulder against one of the lockers in front of you. You had tears in your eyes, and he could sense them even though you had your head down. When his eyes moved to your body, he flinched. He had already seen you in just your panties and bra, he had seen you with even less clothing on in the comfort of his bed, but that sight was too much even for Supervisor Special Agent Aaron Hotchner. He looked away.

You gazed at him, at last, his eyes fixed on the ground. Your heart ached. You can't even look at me? you wanted to ask him. Maybe he was still angry with you because you had ignored his direct order to go to the witness with someone. Maybe he was so disappointed that he couldn't forgive you. Or maybe you were just disgusting to him in that state.

A sob escaped you and he was quick to reach you. He positioned himself behind you, arms tight around your body. His touch was gentle but sure, as always, but this time more so than customary.

"It's okay," he whispered into your hair, "You're okay"

You trembled, his firm grip the only thing that separated you from hitting the floor. I'm sorry you begged him inside your head. I didn't listen to you. Forgive me.

"You're okay," he repeated, "You're okay"

He cradled you to himself, your crying echoing inside him as well as throughout the room. His jacket had been discarded somewhere and his white shirt was stained with your blood. I'm sorry he wanted to say. I couldn't keep you safe. Forgive me.

And as you tried to calm your breathing and he stroked your hair, you knew something had broke in both of you. You weren't going to feel secure for a while and he wasn't going to be able to shake the thought that he hadn't protected you anymore. You stayed there a while then, your sobbing the only noise around you both.

"I'm taking you home now" he informed you.

You nodded slightly. Home. You were already home. He was the only safe place you knew.