You Were Never Alone

10 (Teens)

"Hey-"

His room is empty. The covers are thrown back and the I.V. pole missing.

"Looks like we have an AWOL Hotch."

"Not AWOL," Emily decides looking out the large window on the side of his room. "I know where he is."

True to her word, she finds him.

They're silent as they approach, Emily smiles, they find a group of teenagers around him.

In his blue sweatpants and FBI shirt, he seems very nonthreatening. Which is what probably got the teenager's to trust him.

"I was a one pack a week, man." He says actually smiling at one of the older boys.

"You don't seem like it," says the brunette girl laying against a rather good looking boy.

Hotch, who still hasn't seen them, raises an eyebrow," why? Because I'm successful?"

They can see the girl blush and she hides her face in the boys side.

"I think she meant more..." the boy motions with his hands," like you're nice. My dad smokes." The boys puts his hand on the girls back," he's not very...good. So it's just bizarre to find someone...."

Emily's heart hurts for the sadness in his eyes.

"I understand." He smiles at the girl when she looks at him.

He looks up and spots them, he clears his throat," so uh... what brought you all here?"

The eldest boy, a boy roughly nineteen, speaks around the cigarette in his mouth," same as you, I guess."

Hotch smiles and slowly rises to his feet.

"You're not leaving are you?" Now, with a full glimpse of the girl, they see the girl is young. Very young compared to the boys.

"No," his smile is so warm Emily can feel herself melting from feet away. "I was going to introduce you to my friends."

All of them turn and inspect the BAU team.

"They work with you?" Cigarette boy asks with growing unease.

"They work for me. Up at the FBI." Hotch says grinning at his team.

"What?" Cigarette boy grins and shakes his head," you're their boss?"

Hotch shakes his head at the boy," believe it or not, Todd. Normal people don't land themselves in the hospital with my injuries."

Todd shrugs," hey. I wasn't judging either way."

Hotch smiles fondly and turns to them," these are my team. Agents Morgan, Rossi, JJ, Reid, Garcia, and Prentiss."

The girl inspects Emily curiously," is she-"

The boy holding her throws his hand over the girls mouth," you can't say it!"

"Say what?"

Every eye turns to Emily and Todd grins at Hotch. Both of his hands run down his face and he looks up and his mouth is open.

"He's sorry," Todd draws out lighting another cigarette.

"He should have told you," another boy offers, this one had gone almsot unnoticed because he's just so skinny and small.

The girl smiles at Emily," he loves you."

"He told us," Todd draws.

Emily looks at Hotch. He waits for her sentence but she says nothing.

"You love me?" She asks scratching at the wheelchair's leather arm rest.

"Is the day long?"

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
SEE LOOK AT THAT, I DO HAVE A SOUL

(You know who didn't?

Season 6 Sam)

-SH